bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parageobacillus thermantarcticus, an Antarctic Cell Factory: From Crop Residue Valorization by Green Chemistry to Astrobiology Studies
Authors: Finore Ilaria , Lama Licia , Di Donato Paola , Romano Ida , Tramice Annabella , Leone Luigi , Nicolaus Barbara , Poli Annarita
Published: August 2019

Knowledge of Antarctic habitat biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, has increased considerably in recent years, causing considerable development in the studies of life science related to Antarctica. In the Austral summer 1986–1987, a new thermophilic bacterium, Parageobacillus thermantarcticus strain M1 was isolated from geothermal soil of the crater of Mount Melbourne (74°22′ S, 164°40′ E) during the Italian Antarctic Expedition. In addition to the biotechnological potential due to the production of exopolysaccharides and thermostable enzymes, successful studies have demonstrated its use in the green chemistry for the transformation and valorization of residual biomass and its employment as a suitable microbial model for astrobiology studies. The recent acquisition of its genome sequence opens up new opportunities for the use of this versatile bacterium in still unexplored biotechnology sectors.
Daemonic Ergotropy: Generalised Measurements and Multipartite Settings
Authors: Bernards Fabian , Kleinmann Matthias , Gühne Otfried , Paternostro Mauro
Published: August 2019

Recently, the concept of daemonic ergotropy has been introduced to quantify the maximum energy that can be obtained from a quantum system through an ancilla-assisted work extraction protocol based on information gain via projective measurements [G. Francica et al., npj Quant. Inf. 3, 12 (2018)]. We prove that quantum correlations are not advantageous over classical correlations if projective measurements are considered. We go beyond the limitations of the original definition to include generalised measurements and provide an example in which this allows for a higher daemonic ergotropy. Moreover, we propose a see-saw algorithm to find a measurement that attains the maximum work extraction. Finally, we provide a multipartite generalisation of daemonic ergotropy that pinpoints the influence of multipartite quantum correlations, and study it for multipartite entangled and classical states.
Effect of Economic Integration on Agricultural Export Performance in Selected West African Countries
Authors: Shobande Olatunji Abdul
Published: August 2019

The paper investigates the effect of economic integration on agricultural export performance in West African economies using the gravity model of bilateral trade on the annual time series data straddling the period 1970 to 2016. The empirical evidence is based on the pooled OLS and fixed effects estimator. We find that economic integration, as measured by trade openness, is a remarkably strong predictor of export performance in the region. We also examine the effect of geographical distance measured by effective nominal exchange rates and we find it has a negative effect on agricultural export performance. The paper recommends the adoption of a common currency to help mitigate exchange rate negativity that serves as resistance to trade in the region. Likewise, proactive agricultural research, extension and market driven strategies are strongly advocated for driven competition and economic efficiency within the regional agricultural sector.
Dual-Wide-Band Dual Polarization Terahertz Linear to Circular Polarization Converters based on Bi-Layered Transmissive Metasurfaces
Authors: Fahad Ayesha Kosar , Ruan Cunjun , Chen Kanglong
Published: August 2019

Transmissive metasurface-based dual-wide-band dual circular polarized operation is needed to facilitate volume and size reduction along with polarization diversity for future THz wireless communication. In this paper, a novel dual-wide-band THz linear polarization to circular polarization (LP-to-CP) converter is proposed using transmissive metasurfaces. It converts incident X polarized waves into transmitted left-hand circular polarized (LHCP) and right-hand circular polarized (RHCP) waves at two frequency bands. The structure consists of bi-layered metasurfaces having an outer conductor square ring and three inner conductor squares diagonally intersecting each other. The proposed converter works equally well with incident Y polarizations. Operational bandwidths for the dual-band LP-to-CP are 1.16 THz to 1.634 THz (34% fractional bandwidth) and 3.935 THz to 5.29 THz (29% fractional bandwidth). The electromagnetic simulation was carried out in two industry-standard software packages, High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) and Computer Simulation Technology (CST), using frequency and time domain solvers respectively. Close agreement between results depicts the validity and reliability of the proposed design. The idea is supported by equivalent circuits and physical mechanisms involved in the dual-wide-band dual polarization operation. The impact of different geometrical parameters of the unit cell on the performance of LP-to-CP operation is also investigated.
Development of a Piezoelectric-Based Odor Reproduction System
Authors: Wen Tengteng , Luo Dehan , Ji Yongjie , Zhong Pingzhong
Published: August 2019

Odor reproduction, a branch of machine olfaction, is a technology through which a machine represents various odors by blending several odor sources in different proportions and releases them. In this paper, an odor reproduction system is proposed. The system includes an atomization-based odor dispenser using 16 micro-porous piezoelectric transducers. The authors propose the use of an electronic nose combined with a Principal Component Analysis–Linear Discriminant Analysis (PCA–LDA) model to evaluate the effectiveness of the system. The results indicate that the model can be used to evaluate the system.
High Speed Wireless Optical System for Motorsport Data Loggers
Authors: Fontanella Alessandro , Defilippi Riccardo , Torti Emanuele , Danese Giovanni , Leporati Francesco
Published: August 2019

Telemetry allows to monitor the behavior of a system and it is applied to many different and popular fields such as motorsport. In this case, a data-logger collects all the data coming from different automobile sensors providing a very reliable image of the car status and a better vehicle setup. This paper is focused on the development of a new data-logging system for motorsport application, which meets several process constraints, such as high throughput and low power consumption that, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the available devices on the market were not able to satisfy. The new data-logger consists of a fixed and a removable part, which exchanges data through a transceiver exploiting the visible light communication (VLC) technology. In this way, every physical contact between the two parts of the system is avoided. All the communication procedures are managed by a micro-controller mounted on each part of the system. The transceiver consists of the AFBR-1634Z and AFBR-2634Z (Broadcom Limited, San Jose, CA, USA) components, the optical fiber transmitter and the receiver, respectively, produced by Broadcom Inc. By keeping the distance short between them, they can assure a real wireless communication, even without using a high throughput technology like optical fiber. The entire system is powered by an inductive coupling system. In order to test the transceiver, it is connected to a micro-controller reaching a data rate of 8 Mbit/s. But even better performance is achieved by upgrading the micro-controller and changing the transmission technique, connecting the transceiver to the serial peripheral interface (SPI) port of the micro-controller: in this case, a data rate of 21 Mbit/s is reached, perfectly suitable with the application requirements and even further.
Multivariate Temporal Convolutional Network: A Deep Neural Networks Approach for Multivariate Time Series Forecasting
Authors: Wan Renzhuo , Mei Shuping , Wang Jun , Liu Min , Yang Fan
Published: August 2019

Multivariable time series prediction has been widely studied in power energy, aerology, meteorology, finance, transportation, etc. Traditional modeling methods have complex patterns and are inefficient to capture long-term multivariate dependencies of data for desired forecasting accuracy. To address such concerns, various deep learning models based on Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) methods are proposed. To improve the prediction accuracy and minimize the multivariate time series data dependence for aperiodic data, in this article, Beijing PM2.5 and ISO-NE Dataset are analyzed by a novel Multivariate Temporal Convolution Network (M-TCN) model. In this model, multi-variable time series prediction is constructed as a sequence-to-sequence scenario for non-periodic datasets. The multichannel residual blocks in parallel with asymmetric structure based on deep convolution neural network is proposed. The results are compared with rich competitive algorithms of long short term memory (LSTM), convolutional LSTM (ConvLSTM), Temporal Convolution Network (TCN) and Multivariate Attention LSTM-FCN (MALSTM-FCN), which indicate significant improvement of prediction accuracy, robust and generalization of our model.
Development and Calibration of an Open Source, Low-Cost Power Smart Meter Prototype for PV Household-Prosumers
Authors: Sanchez-Sutil F. , Cano-Ortega A. , Hernandez J.C. , Rus-Casas C.
Published: August 2019

Smart meter roll-out in photovoltaic (PV) household-prosumers provides easy access to granular meter measurements, which enables advanced energy services. The design of these services is based on the training and validation of models. However, this requires temporal high-resolution data for generation/load profiles collected in real-world household facilities. For this purpose, this research developed and successfully calibrated a new prototype for an accurate low-cost On-time Single-Phase Power Smart Meter (OSPPSM), which corresponded to these profiles. This OSPPSM is based on the Arduino open-source electronic platform. Not only can it locally store information, but can also wirelessly send these data to cloud storage in real-time. This paper describes the hardware and software design and its implementation. The experimental results are presented and discussed. The OSPPSM demonstrated that it was capable of in situ real-time processing. Moreover, the OSPPSM was able to meet all of the calibration standard tests in terms of accuracy class 1 (measurement error ≤1%) included in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for smart meters. In addition, the evaluation of the uncertainty of electrical variables is provided within the context of the law of propagation of uncertainty. The approximate cost of the prototype was 60 € from eBay stores.
Green, Yellow, and Woody Biomass Supply-Chain Management: A Review
Authors: Rodias Efthymios , Berruto Remigio , Bochtis Dionysis , Sopegno Alessandro , Busato Patrizia
Published: August 2019

Various sources of biomass contribute significantly in energy production globally given a series of constraints in its primary production. Green biomass sources (such as perennial grasses), yellow biomass sources (such as crop residues), and woody biomass sources (such as willow) represent the three pillars in biomass production by crops. In this paper, we conducted a comprehensive review on research studies targeted to advancements at biomass supply-chain management in connection to these three types of biomass sources. A framework that classifies the works in problem-based and methodology-based approaches was followed. Results show the use of modern technological means and tools in current management-related problems. From the review, it is evident that the presented up-to-date trends on biomass supply-chain management and the potential for future advanced approach applications play a crucial role on business and sustainability efficiency of biomass supply chain.
A Voltage-Based Approach for Series High Impedance Fault Detection and Location in Distribution Systems Using Smart Meters
Authors: Vieira Francinei L. , Santos Pedro H. M. , Carvalho Filho José M. , Leborgne Roberto C. , Leite Marino P.
Published: August 2019

High impedance faults (HIFs) have been a major concern for protecting distribution systems and public safety hazards when involving downed conductors. The deployment of smarter grids brings new technologies for smart monitoring, automation, and protection of distribution networks. This paper presents a new method for a series of HIF detection and location in primary distribution feeders, using voltage unbalance measurements collected from smart meters (SMs) installed at low-voltage end-users. The methodology was tested in MATLAB and Simulink through steady-state simulations of a typical 13.8 kV distribution system, under load unbalance and different fault scenarios. Results show that the proposed method is robust and accurate for the detection of blown fuses and broken conductors, with or without ground faults, located either at the source or the load-side. The ease of implementation in SM design, formulation of parameters, and reliable simulation results show potential real-life applications.
A Control Strategy for Smooth Power Tracking of a Grid-Connected Virtual Synchronous Generator Based on Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control
Authors: Zhang Yaya , Zhu Jianzhong , Dong Xueyu , Zhao Pinchao , Ge Peng , Zhang Xiaolian
Published: August 2019

The power quality of new energy resources has received tremendous attention recently. The control approach for the inverter, an interface between the new energy resources, and the infinite bus system is of vital importance. For the virtual synchronous generator (VSG), one of the research hotspots in the inverter control field, there are some challenges remaining to be dealt with. First is the contradiction between the rapid response and overshoot of active power output if VSG is connected to the grid. Secondly, the active power is deeply influenced by the fluctuation of gird frequency and this may bring power oscillation to VSG in weak grids. In this article, an active power controller for power tracking of grid-connected VSG is designed based on linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) by compensating for the lumped disturbance in a feedforward fashion. The parameters of the controller are analyzed and tuned in the frequency domain to acquire a desirable control performance. Moreover, the robustness of the control system is also considered. Simulation results show that the designed control system can transmit active power to the grid in a timely manner with no overshoot, as demanded. Additionally, it can output active power steadily according to the power reference without using a phase-locked loop (PLL) when the grid frequency has different features of fluctuation. In addition, the simulation results demonstrate that the improved VSG has strong robustness to the model parameter perturbation and mismatch.
Electric Vehicle Battery Simulation System for Mobile Field Test of Off-Board Charger
Authors: Yan Xiangwu , Wang Ling , Chai Zhichao , Zhao Shuaishuai , Liu Zisheng , Sun Xuewei
Published: August 2019

An electric vehicle power battery simulation system simulating different power battery packs for the field test of the off-board charger is designed, which can be used to test the performance of an off-board charger. Specifically, the improved power battery model is combined with the improved lightweight charging load and the online estimation of the state of charge as well as the electromotive force of the battery model are used to adjust charging load parameters in real time to simulate the charging response. An acceleration coefficient is introduced into the traditional battery model to improve test efficiency, and the type, specification, temperature and voltage parameters of the battery can be set online according to the test requirements. An improved charging load scheme is proposed, in which a DC converter cascaded power battery pack of the mobile test vehicle is used to form a lightweight charging load with the mode of constant voltage, constant current, constant power and constant resistance and the ability to be adjusted continuously within the rated range. As a result, the size and weight of the charging load are reduced and the autonomous test of the off-board charger is realized. The performances of the proposed battery simulation system are validated through the various experimental results.
Using Biofuels for Highly Renewable Electricity Systems: A Case Study of the Jatropha curcas
Authors: Procházka Petr , Smutka Luboš , Hönig Vladimír
Published: August 2019

Recent movements for the decarbonization of the electricity sector have become a priority for many countries around the world and will inevitably lead to the sharp decline of fossil-fuel-based energy. Energy from fossil fuels is to be replaced by renewable energy sources (RES), although the transition will neither be cheap nor smooth. One sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels and which will take a considerable share in the increasing supply of renewable energy resources is biofuels. There are various types of biofuels used in practice; however, biodiesels represent one of the most popular and widespread ones. This paper focuses as a case study on the byproducts of Jatropha curcas, a crop and a plant that is already used for biofuel production and which is subsequently employed in electricity generation in Jatropha curcas producing regions. This paper identifies the limitations and prospects of Jatropha curcas utilization. Also, Jatropha curcas is compared to other materials suitable for biomass generation. An economic analysis for a 2 MW biofuel powerplant was conducted incorporating various market-related risks. The study shows that at current prices, net profitability can be achieved using Jatropha curcas byproducts for producing electricity.
High Step-up Coupled Inductor Inverters Based on qSBIs
Authors: Liu Hongchen , Su Xi , Wang Junxiong
Published: August 2019

In this paper, two types of high step-up coupled inductor inverters based on qSBIs (quasi- switched boost inverters) are proposed. By applying the coupled inductor to the qSBIs, the voltage gain of the proposed inverter is regulated by turn ratio and duty ratio. Thus, a high voltage gain can be achieved without the circuits operating at the extreme duty cycle by choosing a suitable turn ratio of the coupled inductor. In addition, the proposed circuits have the characteristics of continuous input current and low voltage stress across the passive components. A boost unit can be added to the proposed inverters for further improvement of the voltage gain. In this paper, the working principle, steady state analysis, and the comparisons of the proposed inverter with other impedance-source inverters are described. A 200 W prototype was created and the experimental results confirm the correctness of the analysis in this paper.
A Monocular Vision-Based Framework for Power Cable Cross-Section Measurement
Authors: Zhang Xiaoming , Yin Hui
Published: August 2019

The measurements of the diameter of different layers, the thickness of different layers and the eccentricity of insulation layer in the cross-section of power cables are important items of power cable test, which currently depend on labor-intensive manual operations. To improve efficiency, automatic measurement methods are in urgent need. In this paper, a monocular vision-based framework for automatic measurement of the diameter, thickness, and eccentricity of interest in the cross-section of power cables is proposed. The proposed framework mainly consists of three steps. In the first step, the images of cable cross-section are captured and undistorted with the camera calibration parameters. In the second step, the contours of each layer are detected in the cable cross-section image. In order to detect the complete and accurate contours of each layer, the structural edges in the cross-section image are firstly detected and divided into individual layers, then unconnected edges are connected by arc-based method, and finally contours are refined by the proposed break detection and grouping (BDG) and linear trend-based correction (LTBC) algorithm. In the third step, the monocular vision-based cross-section dimension measurement is accomplished by placing a chessboard coplanar with the power cable cross-section plane. The homography matrix mapping pixel coordinates to chessboard world coordinates is estimated, and the diameter, thickness and eccentricity of specific layers are calculated by homography matrix-based measurement method. Simulated data and actual cable data are both used to validate the proposed method. The experimental results show that diameter, minimum thickness, mean thickness and insulation eccentricity of simulated image without additive noise are measured with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.424, 0.103 and 0.063 mm, and 0.002, respectively, those of simulated image with additive Gaussian noise and salt and pepper noise are measured with RMSE of 0.502, 0.243 and 0.058 mm and 0.001. Diameter, minimum thickness and mean thickness of actual cable images are measured with average RMSE of 0.768, 0.308 and 0.327 mm. The measurement error of insulation eccentricity of actual cable image is comparatively large, and the measurement accuracy should be improved.
Effects of Blade Fillet Structures on Flow Field and Surface Heat Transfer in a Large Meridional Expansion Turbine
Authors: Meng Fusheng , Zheng Qun , Zhang Jian
Published: August 2019

This paper is a continuation of the previous work, aiming to explore the influence of fillet configurations on flow and heat transfer in a large meridional expansion turbine. The endwall of large meridional expansion turbine stator has a large expansion angle, which leads to early separation of the endwall boundary layer, resulting in excessive aerodynamic loss and local thermal load. In order to improve the flow state and reduce the local high thermal load, five typical fillet distribution rules are designed. The three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver for viscous turbulent flows was used to investigate the different fillet configurations of the second stage stator blades of a 1.5-stage turbine, and which fillet distribution is suitable for large meridional expansion turbines. The influence of fillet structures on the vortex system and loss characteristics was analyzed, and its impact on wall thermal load was studied in detail. The fillet structure mainly affects the formation of horseshoe vortexes at the leading edge of the blade so as to reduce the loss caused by horseshoe vortexes and passage vortexes. The fillet structure suitable for the large meridional expansion turbine was obtained through the research. Reasonable fillet structure distribution can not only improve the flow state but also reduce the high thermal load on the wall surface of the meridional expansion turbine. It has a positive engineering guiding value.
Experimental Testing of Hydrophobic Microchannels, with and without Nanofluids, for Solar PV/T Collectors
Authors: Motamedi Mahdi , Chung Chia-Yang , Rafeie Mehdi , Hjerrild Natasha , Jiang Fan , Qu Haoran , A. Taylor Robert
Published: August 2019

Solar energy can be converted into useful energy via photovoltaic cells or with a photothermal absorber. While these technologies are well-developed and commercially viable, significant benefits can be realised by pulling these two technologies together in photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems which can provide both heat and electricity from a single collector. Emerging configurations in the PV/T field aim to incorporate micro and/or nanotechnology to boost total solar utilisation even further. One example of this is the nanofluid-based PV/T collector. This type of solar collector utilises nanofluids—suspensions of nanoparticles in traditional heat transfer fluids—as both an optical filter and as a thermal absorber. This concept seeks to harvest the whole solar spectrum at its highest thermodynamic potential through specially engineered nanofluids which transmit the portion of solar spectrum corresponding to the PV response curve while absorbing the rest as heat. Depending on the nanoparticle concentration, employing nanofluids in a flowing system may come with a price—an efficiency penalty in the form of increased pumping power (due to increased viscosity). Similarly, microchannel-based heat exchangers have been shown to increase heat transfer, but they may also pay the price of high pumping power due to additional wall-shear-related pressure drop (i.e., more no-slip boundary area). To develop a novel PV/T configuration which pulls together the advantages of these micro and nanotechnologies with minimal pumping power requirements, the present study experimentally investigated the use of nanofluids in patterned hydrophobic microchannels. It was found that slip with the walls reduced the impact of the increased viscosity of nanofluids by reducing the pressure drop on average 17% relative to a smooth channel. In addition, flowing a selective Ag/SiO2 core–shell nanofluid over a silicon surface (simulating a PV cell underneath the fluid) provided a 20% increase in solar thermal conversion efficiency and ~3% higher stagnation temperature than using pure water. This demonstrates the potential of this proposed system for extracting more useful energy from the same incident flux. Although no electrical energy was extracted from the underlying patterned silicon, this study highlights potential a new development path for micro and nanotechnology to be integrated into next-generation PV/T solar collectors.
Thermodynamic Evaluation of LiCl-H2O and LiBr-H2O Absorption Refrigeration Systems Based on a Novel Model and Algorithm
Authors: Ren Jie , Qian Zuoqin , Yao Zhimin , Gan Nianzhong , Zhang Yujia
Published: August 2019

An absorption refrigeration system (ARS) is an alternative to the conventional mechanical compression system for cold production. This study developed a novel calculation model using the Matlab language for the thermodynamic analysis of ARS. It was found to be reliable in LiCl-H2O and LiBr-H2O ARS simulations and the parametric study was performed in detail. Moreover, two 50 kW water-cooled single effect absorption chillers were simply designed to analyze their off-design behaviors. The results indicate that LiCl-H2O ARS had a higher coefficient of performance (COP) and exergetic efficiency, particularly in the lower generator or higher condenser temperature conditions, but it operated more restrictively due to crystallization. The off-design analyses revealed that the preponderant performance of LiCl-H2O ARS was mainly due to its better solution properties because the temperature of each component was almost the same for both chillers in the operation. The optimum inlet temperature of hot water for LiCl-H2O (83 °C) was lower than that of LiBr-H2O (98 °C). The cooling water inlet temperature should be controlled within 41 °C, otherwise the performances are discounted heavily. The COP and cooling capacity could be improved by increasing the temperature of hot water or chilled water properly, contrary to the exergetic efficiency.
Cost Forecasting Model of Transformer Substation Projects Based on Data Inconsistency Rate and Modified Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Wang Hongwei , Huang Yuansheng , Gao Chong , Jiang Yuqing
Published: August 2019

Precise and steady substation project cost forecasting is of great significance to guarantee the economic construction and valid administration of electric power engineering. This paper develops a novel hybrid approach for cost forecasting based on a data inconsistency rate (DIR), a modified fruit fly optimization algorithm (MFOA) and a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN). Firstly, the DIR integrated with the MFOA is adopted for input feature selection. Simultaneously, the MFOA is utilized to realize parameter optimization in the DCNN. The effectiveness of the MFOA–DIR–DCNN has been validated by a case study that selects 128 substation projects in different regions for training and testing. The modeling results demonstrate that this established approach is better than the contrast methods with regard to forecasting accuracy and robustness. Thus, the developed technique is feasible for the cost prediction of substation projects in various voltage levels.
Thermal Analysis and Improvements of the Power Battery Pack with Liquid Cooling for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Xia Bizhong , Liu Yifan , Huang Rui , Yang Yadi , Lai Yongzhi , Zheng Weiwei , Wang Huawen , Wang Wei , Wang Mingwang
Published: August 2019

In order to ensure thermal safety and extended cycle life of Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) used in electric vehicles (EVs), a typical thermal management scheme was proposed as a reference design for the power battery pack. Through the development of the model for theoretical analysis and numerical simulation combined with the thermal management test bench, the designed scheme could be evaluated. In particular, the three-dimensional transient thermal model was used as the type of model. The test result verified the accuracy and the rationality of the model, but it also showed that the reference design could not reach the qualified standard of thermal performance of the power battery pack. Based on the heat dissipation strategy of liquid cooling, a novel improved design solution was proposed. The results showed that the maximum temperature of the power battery pack dropped by 1 °C, and the temperature difference was reduced by 2 °C, which improved the thermal performance of the power battery pack and consequently provides guidance for the design of the battery thermal management system (BTMS).
Long-Term Electricity Scenarios for the MENA Region: Assessing the Preferences of Local Stakeholders Using Multi-Criteria Analyses
Authors: Zelt Ole , Krüger Christine , Blohm Marina , Bohm Sönke , Far Shahrazad
Published: August 2019

In recent years, most countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, have rolled out national policies with the goal of decarbonising their economies. Energy policy goals in these countries have been characterised by expanding the deployment of renewable energy technologies in the electricity mix in the medium term (i.e., until 2030). This tacitly signals a transformation of socio-technical systems by 2030 and beyond. Nevertheless, how these policy objectives actually translate into future scenarios that can also take into account a long-term perspective up to 2050 and correspond to local preferences remains largely understudied. This paper aims to fill this gap by identifying the most widely preferred long-term electricity scenarios for Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. During a series of two-day workshops (one in each country), the research team, along with local stakeholders, adopted a participatory approach to develop multiple 2050 electricity scenarios, which enabled electricity pathways to be modelled using Renewable Energy Pathway Simulation System GIS (renpassG!S). We subsequently used the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) within a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) to capture local preferences. The empirical findings show that local stakeholders in all three countries preferred electricity scenarios mainly or even exclusively based on renewables. The findings demonstrate a clear preference for renewable energies and show that useful insights can be generated using participatory approaches to energy planning.
Economic Analysis of HRES Systems with Energy Storage During Grid Interruptions and Curtailment in Tamil Nadu, India: A Hybrid RBFNOEHO Technique
Authors: Venkatesan Karunakaran , Govindarajan Uma , Kasinathan Padmanathan , Padmanaban Sanjeevikumar , Holm-Nielsen Jens Bo , Leonowicz Zbigniew
Published: August 2019

This work presents an economic analysis of a hybrid renewable energy source (HRES) integrated with an energy storage system (ESS) using batteries with a new proposed strategy. Here, the HRES system comprises wind turbines (WT) and a photovoltaic (PV) system. The hybrid WT, PV and energy storage system with battery offer several benefits, in particular, high wind generation utilization rate, and optimal generation for meeting supply-demand gaps. The real recorded data of various parameters of a 22 KV hybrid ‘Regen’ feeder of 110/22 KV Vagarai Substation of TANTRANSCO in Palani of Tamilnadu in India was gathered, studied for the entire year of 2018, and utilized in this paper. The proposed strategy is the hybridization of two algorithms called Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) and Oppositional Elephant Herding Optimization (OEHO) named the RBFNOEHO technique. With the help of RBFNN, the continuous load demand required for the HRES and be tracked. OEHO is used to optimize a perfect combination of HRES with the predicted load demand. The aim of the proposed hybrid RBFNOEHO is to study the cost comparison of the HRES system with the existing conventional base method, energy storage method (ESS) with batteries and with HOMER. The proposed Hybrid RBFNOEHO technique is evaluated by comparing it with the other techniques; it is found that the proposed method yields a more optimal solution than the other techniques.
Wavelet Scale Variance Analysis of Wind Extremes in Mountainous Terrains
Authors: Telesca Luciano , Guignard Fabian , Helbig Nora , Kanevski Mikhail
Published: August 2019

The 10-min average wind speed series recorded at 130 stations distributed rather homogeneously in the territory of Switzerland are investigated. Fixing a percentile-based threshold of the wind speed distribution, a wind extreme is defined as the duration of the sequence of consecutive wind values above the threshold. This definition allows to analyze the sequence of extremes as a temporal point process marked by their duration. Representing the sequence of wind extremes by the inter-extreme interval series, the wavelet variance, a useful tool to investigate the variance of a time series across scales, was applied in order to find a link between the wavelet scales and several topographic parameters. Our findings suggest that the mean duration of wind extremes and mean inter-extreme time are positively correlated and that such relationship depends on the threshold of the wind speed. Furthermore, the threshold of the wind speed distribution correlates best with a terrain parameter related to the Laplacian of terrain elevations; and, in particular, for wavelet scales less than 3, the terrain exposure may explain the formation of extreme wind speeds.
Differences in Microbial Communities and Pathogen Survival Between a Covered and Uncovered Anaerobic Lagoon
Authors: Ducey Thomas F. , Rashash Diana M. C. , Szogi Ariel A.
Published: August 2019

Anaerobic lagoons are a critical component of confined swine feeding operations. These structures can be modified, using a synthetic cover, to enhance their ability to capture the emission of ammonia and other malodorous compounds. Very little has been done to assess the potential of these covers to alter lagoon biological properties. Alterations in the physicochemical makeup can impact the biological properties, most notably, the pathogenic populations. To this aim, we performed a seasonal study of two commercial swine operations, one with a conventional open lagoon, the other which employed a permeable, synthetic cover. Results indicated that lagoon fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli were significantly influenced by sampling location (lagoon vs house) and lagoon type (open vs. covered), while Enterococcus sp. were influenced by sampling location only. Comparisons against environmental variables revealed that fecal coliforms (r2 = 0.40), E. coli (r2 = 0.58), and Enterococcus sp. (r2 = 0.25) significantly responded to changes in pH. Deep 16S sequencing of lagoon and house bacterial and archaeal communities demonstrated grouping by both sampling location and lagoon type, with several environmental variables correlating to microbial community differences. Overall, these results demonstrate that permeable synthetic covers play a role in changing the lagoon microclimate, impacting lagoon physicochemical and biological properties.
Distribution, Sources, and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Estuary of Hongze Lake, China
Authors: Li Chuan , Rong Qiuyu , Zhu Chenming , Han Jiangang , Li Pingping
Published: August 2019

Hongze Lake is the first natural sink for transferring drinking water along the east route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China. Thus, the assessment of health risk associated with sediment and soil in Hongze Lake is of vital importance in terms of protecting public health. This study surveyed the distribution of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different types of bank soils and sediments at the estuary area of Hongze Lake. The total concentrations of PAHs range between 562.4 and 1585.8 ng/g, and 3- and 4-ring PAHs are the majority in all samples, accounting for 78.2% to 92.3% of the total PAHs. Source analysis was conducted, and the results showed that PAHs in the estuary area mainly come from the burning of fossil fuels, leakage of oil products, low temperature combustion, biomass fuel, and transportation. The risk assessment of the study area showed that the K values of all the points were between 0.1~3, indicating that there was a low ecological risk. This study indicates that further policies for controlling pollution sources of PAHs are needed for reducing health risks associated with fresh water in Hongze Lake.
Perceptions of Multiple Stakeholders about Environmental Issues at a Nature-Based Tourism Destination: The Case of Yakushima Island, Japan
Authors: Adewumi Ifeoluwa Bolanle , Usui Rie , Funck Carolin
Published: August 2019

The success of nature-based tourism destinations depends on the sustainable use of common pool resources (CPRs). More often than not, tourism demands compete for these resources, exerting pressure on them, resulting in decline of the CPRs. Managing tourism and environmental resources has become extremely important, but also more complex, as the interests of different stakeholders are intertwined across international, national, and local levels. Hence, this study aimed to investigate how stakeholder groups perceive the issues relating to the environment using Yakushima Island, Japan for a case study. Quantitative data were collected by administering a questionnaire to residents and tourism practitioners, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted with organizations involved with tourism and environmental management in Yakushima. The study reveals that the underlying environmental issues in Yakushima result from an increase in tourists and controversial management of deer populations. Both residents and tourism practitioners indicated that more trash in the community was the most significant impact of tourism on the environment. Some perceptions were contradictory. Management authorities noted an increase in the deer population, which needs to be controlled to prevent damage to natural vegetation. Most tour guides reported a decrease in the sighting of deer along hiking trails, frustrating the genuine expectations of the tourist. The connection of the deer issue to tourism turned out to be very complex, as an overabundance of deer endangers parts of the vegetation tourists come to enjoy, while at the same time deer are an important part of the tourists’ experience. Different perceptions on deer by different stakeholders add to this complexity, which needs to be taken into consideration for proper management of tourists and deer in the future.
Non-Targeted Metabolomics Reveals Patterns of Metabolic Changes during Poplar Seed Germination
Authors: Qu Chunpu , Chen Jinyuan , Cao Lina , Teng Xiangjin , Li Jinbo , Yang Chengjun , Zhang Xiuli , Zhang Yuhong , Liu Guanjun , Xu Zhiru
Published: August 2019

Research Highlights: This study was the first to use metabolomics techniques to investigate seed germination in poplar, a model woody plant. Our results lay a foundation for uncovering changes in metabolite levels during woody plant seed germination and for understanding the underlying mechanism. Background and Objectives: Poplar is a model woody plant. Because poplar can be easily propagated asexually, the molecular mechanism of poplar seed germination has not been well studied. However, long-term asexual reproduction of poplar leads to seedlings with weak resistance, high vulnerability to degradation, and reduced growth potential. Materials and Methods: The non-targeted metabolomics technique was used to analyze changing trends in metabolite contents during the poplar seed germination process. Results: We found that the number of differential metabolites increased as seed germination progressed. Metabolic pathway analysis of differential metabolites revealed that galactose metabolism and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism were significantly enriched during all germination periods. MapMan-based visual analysis of metabolic pathways of differential metabolites indicated that glutamine, glutamic acid, phenylalanine, arginine, and asparagine contents increased with germination time, with most metabolites related to glucose metabolism following similar trends. Contents of most metabolites related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle exhibited a fluctuating pattern. Conclusions: This study has revealed the major changes taking place in primary metabolite contents during poplar seed germination and has laid the foundation for elucidation of the molecular mechanism of poplar seed germination.
Climatic Correlates of White Pine Blister Rust Infection in Whitebark Pine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Authors: Thoma David P. , Shanahan Erin K. , Irvine Kathryn M.
Published: August 2019

Whitebark pine, a foundation species at tree line in the Western U.S. and Canada, has declined due to native mountain pine beetle epidemics, wildfire, and white pine blister rust. These declines are concerning for the multitude of ecosystem and human benefits provided by this species. An understanding of the climatic correlates associated with spread is needed to successfully manage impacts from forest pathogens. Since 2000 mountain pine beetles have killed 75% of the mature cone-bearing trees in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and 40.9% of monitored trees have been infected with white pine blister rust. We identified models of white pine blister rust infection which indicated that an August and September interaction between relative humidity and temperature are better predictors of white pine blister rust infection in whitebark pine than location and site characteristics in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The climate conditions conducive to white pine blister rust occur throughout the ecosystem, but larger trees in relatively warm and humid conditions were more likely to be infected between 2000 and 2018. We mapped the infection probability over the past two decades to identify coarse-scale patterns of climate conditions associated with white pine blister rust infection in whitebark pine.
Quality Evaluation of Oviductus Ranae Based on PUFAs Using HPLC Fingerprint Techniques Combined with Chemometric Methods
Authors: Guo Hongye , Gan Yuanshuai , Liu Min , Wang Shihan , Ni Shuling , Zhou Yan , Xiao Yao , Wang Zhihan , Wang Yongsheng
Published: August 2019

Oviductus Ranae is a nutritional product for both medicine and food. Its quality is uneven due to multiple factors. An efficient method was established to evaluate the quality of Oviductus Ranae using fingerprint techniques and chemometric methods based on the analysis of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in petroleum ether extract by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). During this process, 27 batches of Oviductus Ranae were analyzed by HPLC and two types of chromatographic fingerprints were established. The fingerprint that was obtained by matching six known peaks was used for the quantification of six PUFAs. Another fingerprint was obtained by matching sixteen peaks with a peak area ratio greater than 0.5% and it was used to classify the different qualities of Oviductus Ranae by further combining three different chemometric models. The 27 batches of Oviductus Ranae were divided into four categories, which was consistent with the analysis results of six PUFAs contents. The two high-quality samples with significantly higher contents were classified into one category, and samples with medium contents were divided into two categories, including eight and thirteen samples, respectively. The four inferior samples with lower contents were classified into one category. The results indicated that the newly developed method has potential application prospects for the quality evaluation of Oviductus Ranae.
Effect of Different Packaging Methods on Protein Oxidation and Degradation of Grouper (Epinephelus coioides) During Refrigerated Storage
Authors: Zhang Xicai , Huang Wenbo , Xie Jing
Published: August 2019

This study investigates the effect of different packaging methods—namely, air packaging (AP), vacuum packaging (VP), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)—on the protein oxidation and degradation of grouper (Epinephelus coioides) fillets during refrigerated storage. The carbonyl group, myofibril fragmentation index, free amino acids, FTIR of myofibrillar proteins, and total protein SDS-PAGE were determined. The results showed that the protein oxidation degree of the fillets gradually increased as the storage time increased. The FTIR results indicated that the secondary structure transformed from an α-helix to an irregular curl. SDS-PAGE confirmed the degradation of the myosin heavy chain, and that myosin gradually occurred during refrigerated storage. Meanwhile, protein oxidation and degradation were highly correlated. Protein degradation was accelerated by protein oxidation in myofibrils, which included the increase of protein surface hydrophobicity and changes of the secondary structure. In fact, the protein oxidation and degradation of the grouper fillets were effectively inhibited by MAP and VP during refrigerated storage, and MAP (30% N2 and 70% CO2) had the best results.
Developmental Regulation of the Expression of Amaryllidaceae Alkaloid Biosynthetic Genes in Narcissus papyraceus
Authors: Hotchandani Tarun , de Villers Justine , Desgagné-Penix Isabel
Published: August 2019

Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (AAs) have multiple biological effects, which are of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. To unleash the potential of Amaryllidaceae plants as pharmaceutical crops and as sources of AAs, a thorough understanding of the AA biosynthetic pathway is needed. However, only few enzymes in the pathway are known. Here, we report the transcriptome of AA-producing paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus Ker Gawl). We present a list of 21 genes putatively encoding enzymes involved in AA biosynthesis. Next, a cDNA library was created from 24 different samples of different parts at various developmental stages of N. papyraceus. The expression of AA biosynthetic genes was analyzed in each sample using RT-qPCR. In addition, the alkaloid content of each sample was analyzed by HPLC. Leaves and flowers were found to have the highest abundance of heterocyclic compounds, whereas the bulb, the lowest. Lycorine was also the predominant AA. The gene expression results were compared with the heterocyclic compound profiles for each sample. In some samples, a positive correlation was observed between the gene expression levels and the amount of compounds accumulated. However, due to a probable transport of enzymes and alkaloids in the plant, a negative correlation was also observed, particularly at stage 2.