bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IBC - ION BEAM CENTER
Authors: Von Borany Johannes , Facsko Stefan , Weissig Annette
Published: December 2017

In the Ion Beam Center (IBC), various set-ups – electrostatic accelerators, ion implanters, plasma-based ion implantation equipment, low-energy ion tools, an ion microscope etc. – are combined into a unique facility for research and applications using ion beams. Almost all ions from stable chemical nuclides are available in the ion energy range from 10 eV to about 60 MeV. In addition to broad beams, also focused (down to 1 nm) and highly-charged (charge state up to 45+) ion beams, or ions extracted from a plasma can be provided. In total, the IBC operates more than 30 dedicated tools or beamline end-stations. The specific expertise of IBC is the modification and analysis of solids by energetic ions aimed to develop novel materials for information technology, electronics or energy systems. In addition, ion beam analysis techniques became of increasing importance for interdisciplinary fields like geochemistry, climate or environmental research and resources technology. Special add-on services offered ensure a successful realization of user experiments. Based on a long-term expertise, specific equipment and common commercial procedures, the IBC is strongly active in the use of ion beam techniques for industrial applications aimed to initiate valuable product innovation.
Effects of Climate Change on Canadian Forest Fires
Authors: Chong Curtis , Huang Emily , Chen Leon
Published: December 2017

This study aimed to determine the effects of climate change on forest fire trends in Canada by measuring correlations between weather conditions, and the frequencies and sizes of forest fires. Upon identifying the correlations, a model was created to understand future forest fire trends in order to prevent the increasing occurrences of forest fires, and to devise solutions to reduce their damages.

The data obtained from the Canadian National Fire Database was modeled with a linear regression to predict and correlate weather conditions with future forest fire trends. It was concluded that temperature and wind speed correlated positively with forest fire frequency and size, while precipitation presented a negative correlation.

To reduce the harmful effects of forest fires, cloud seeding can be used to create more precipitation, and wind farms can be built to lower wind speeds and attract lightning. However, more research and stricter policies directly targeting climate change is a necessity when it comes to decreasing forest fire trends and improving longterm security.
Reseña de la aplicación: Genial.ly. Una herramienta en la nube para crear contenido dinámico e interactivo || Review of the app: Genial.ly. A tool in the cloud to create dynamic and interactive content
Authors: Peña-Cabanas Ana María , Fernández-Munín María Concepción
Published: December 2017

El presente trabajo hace un recorrido por las diferentes funcionalidades que ofrece la herramienta Genial.ly para la creación de recursos interactivos digitales, haciendo especial hincapié en su potencial en el ámbito educativo. Al mismo tiempo, pretende servir de guía para docentes interesados en crear materiales didácticos que propicien un aprendizaje activo, significativo y personalizado, a la vez que resulten atrayentes y motivadores para sus alumnos. Todo ello sin olvidar reseñar también aquellos aspectos de la herramienta que son susceptibles de mejora.
The role of relative age effect on fundamental movement skills in boys and girls
Authors: Imamoglu Mehmet , Ziyagil Mehmet Akif
Published: December 2017

This study aims to investigate the effect of relative age effect on the development of fundamental movement skills in boys and girls. Data were collected from primary school first grade 22 boys and 33 girls students aged 5-6 years. Three age groups have been formed as 68-76, 77-80 and 81-89 months for boys, 71-75, 76-80 and 81-84 months for girls, respectively. Fundamental movement skill levels have been determined by the Test of Gross Motor Development. This study showed that the body height of boys and the body mass index of girls were significantly differentiated according to age groups. Only leap in male and side gallop skill in females were also significantly differentiated according to age groups. The limited effect of the relative age effect in this study may be due to the inactive lifestyle of children, the lack of pre-school movement education, and interactions between inadequate socio-economic and environmental conditions in Turkey.

Keywords: Relative age, fundamental movement skills, children.
Economic security in investment projects management: convergence of accounting mechanisms
Authors: Ostapiuk Nataliia , Karmaza Oleksandra , Kurylo Mykola , Timchenko Gennady
Published: December 2017

Implementation of business processes in Ukraine has become more structured in recent years. If previously the only goal was to get the most profitable investment and pay-off in the short term, and the attention to drawbacks and considerable riskiness of these projects was given already in case of their occurrence, now there is another management approach. Thus, the decision to attract additional funds involves a detailed analysis of the potential and existing risks of the project. The management focuses on continuous monitoring of the project implementation. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop an effective mechanism to evaluate an investment project, the effectiveness of its implementation, but from the perspective of the company’s economic security aimed at identifying and diversifying risks.
As such, the accounting system of the enterprise’s economic safety management is presented as to the investment projects execution based on the convergence of budgeting, management, financial accounting and elements of the economic analysis and control. The proposed system of investment project management is based on the definition of responsibility centers during the investment project implementation. The developed plan of actions and methods is aimed at creating effective tools for identifying risk factors and monitoring the investment projects effectiveness. Such a system provides an opportunity to operate an investment project promptly and flexibly, following clearly defined management tasks within the chosen strategy of enterprise’s economic security.
System management of investment project, which is a part of the overall business management, contributes to the achievement of goals set by the company at a given level of risks and financial performance.
A Split-Mouth Design Comparison for Lateral and Crestal Sinus Lift Techniques with Dental Implants Placements: Short Communication
Authors: Al-Almaie Saad , Kavarodi Abdul Majeed , Alorf Ali , Alzahrani Saeed
Published: December 2017

Objective:

The objective of this study is to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of implant placement and patient appraisal for two sinus lift techniques using both crestal and lateral techniques for bilateral sinus left in a split-mouth design.

Introduction:

All implants were successfully osseointegrated without any clinical complications or peri-implant radiolucency during the follow-up period of maximum 3 years.

Methods:

In terms of outcomes postoperative vertigo showed to be a major concern with the crestal approach, this approach is preferred over the lateral technique because of the reduced time required for the procedure and because it is less invasive.

Results:

Most patients preferred the crestal approach over the lateral approach due to the delay in implant placement.
El sector citrícola de Nuevo León: caracterización del sistema agroalimentario como plataforma de integración del productor con la agroindustria
Authors: Pantoja Zavala Gerardo Macario , Flores Vichi Felipe
Published: December 2017

El objetivo del estudio es identificar a los productores y comercializadores del sistema citrícola de Nuevo León, para integrarlos al sector agroindustrial a partir de los procesos del enfoque metodológico de los sistemas agroalimentarios localizados. Con la teoría de los distritos agroindustriales y un análisis previo de la región con perspectiva histórica, geográfica, productiva y de relación entre los actores, de acuerdo con el esquema productivo, se podrá medir la articulación de éstos en virtud de sus atributos y diferencias, lo que creará condiciones de competitividad en el sector citrícola, y generará unidades empresariales basadas en la equidad y el manejo pertinente de los recursos naturales encaminados a las generaciones venideras. Los estudios sobre agricultura regional contribuyen a establecer la seguridad alimentaria, la estabilidad laboral y el desarrollo territorial y ambiental, según la premisa del desarrollo sustentable.
Arizona contra la inmigración ilegal (ley SB1070); la bivalencia del concepto “solución final”
Authors: Grageda Bustamante Aaron
Published: December 2017

El objetivo de este trabajo es exponer la situación de la inmigración indocumentada en 2010, ante la promulgación de la ley SB1070 en Arizona. El tema se aborda a partir del manejo que se le dio a la legislación en medios sociales e internet. También se muestra la situación que padecieron después los migrantes en la frontera mexicoamericana. Los resultados surgen de la comparación de los recursos mnemónicos de los discursos y las acciones vinculados con la “solución final”. En el debate en torno a la SB1070, el destino de los judíos en la Alemania nazi adquirió características de un “sitio de la memoria” bivalente; sirvió tanto a los promotores como a los detractores de la medida, para competir por la memoria colectiva a favor de su causa. Con objetos reminiscentes se demuestra la facilidad con que la memoria se utiliza políticamente, y se adapta a casos que nada tienen que ver con el evento que rememoran.
El legado cultural de las torres vigías costeras de Málaga: entre el conocimiento, la protección, y su conservación
Authors: Asenjo Rubio Eduardo
Published: December 2017

Este artículo es un estudio de las torres vigías de la costa en Málaga. Se ha realizado un análisis de sus valores patrimoniales, la protección desde el ámbito normativo, los problemas urbanísticos que genera su entorno, y la necesidad de conservarlas para evitar su desconocimiento.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Policy Regarding Supervised Exercise for Patients With Intermittent Claudication: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Authors: Jewell Dianne V. , Shishehbor Mehdi H. , Walsworth Matthew K.
Published: December 2017

On May 25, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a decision memo establishing coverage for supervised exercise therapy (SET) for Medicare beneficiaries experiencing intermittent claudication due to peripheral artery disease (PAD). A meaningful impact on population health is possible with greater freedom to participate in regular physical activity. The authors of this editorial explain the potential roles of physical therapists in the SET program and argue for further integration of physical therapists through collaborative practice.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(12):892–894. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0111
A Grade IV Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
Authors: Kolber Morey J. , Hanney William J.
Published: December 2017

A 15-year-old adolescent boy was referred by an orthopaedic surgeon for treatment of right gluteal and thigh pain. Following treatment that reduced his pain, he experienced acute onset of bilateral radiculopathy. He was referred back to the physician, who ordered radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging, which identified a grade IV isthmic spondylolisthesis at the L5-S1 level.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(12):971. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7547
Big Data Analytics: Un aporte en las soluciones empresariales
Authors: Villares Pazmiño José Danilo , Acurio Acurio Mónica Patricia , Veloz Paredes Adela Zolanda
Published: December 2017

Con la evolución de la tecnología han surgido nuevos tipos de datos que no podrían ser tratados con tecnologías habituales de manejo de información, lo cual lleva  a los gerentes empresariales a utilizar el Big Data o tambien conocidos como grandes volumenes de información como herramienta que aseguren el tratamiento de los datos para las diferentes áreas de negocio.  La investigación presentada  tiene como objetivo identificar las funciones e importancia del  BIG DATA ANALYTICS  en las empresas como pieza elemental y estratégica para adquirir el éxito del manejo de la información. La indagación permitió obtener la información por medio de revisión bibliográfica, tratando aspectos como el almacenamiento masivo de datos en las empresas y también la variedad de tecnologías para el análisis inteligente de la misma, teniendo en cuenta que con el estudio se logra dar a conocer que al emplear la tecnología de BIG DATA en las empresas, se permitirá  innovar, facilitar y mejorar la gestión de datos masivos internos y externos a una velocidad adecuada, brindándoles la factibilidad y optimización en la toma de decisiones, marketing,  feedback y conexión de clientes.
Valoración de recursos humanos, trabajo pendiente en contabilidad de las Pymes locales
Authors: Mora Aristega Julio Ernesto , Huilcapi Masacòn Magdalena Rosario , Escobar Mayorga Diana Carolina , Montiel Díaz Práxedes América , Castro Lòpez Gabriela Alexandra
Published: December 2017

Los recursos humanos constituyen el pilar fundamental de toda empresa indiferentemente de su tamaño, simbolizan la vida misma de las organizaciones; el presente trabajo ha sido elaborado con el objetivo de conocer el grado de valoración otorgada al personal sea esta económica o no en las empresas pequeñas y medianas de la localidad; partiendo de la suposición de que solo valoran monetariamente sus activos tangibles e intangibles y no al personal o las inversiones realizadas en ellos, para esto se aplicó un estudio estadístico basado en una encuesta y una entrevista tomando en consideración las variables, el cual arrojó como resultado los procedimientos que se utilizan en las organizaciones para presentar la información financiera, en las que no se contempla la inversión realizada en el personal, de ninguna manera y en algunos casos son considerandos irrelevante y fácil de reemplazar, llegando a la conclusión de que el talento humano es un recurso irremplazable y que los procedimientos de valoración no contemplan el desembolso económico que se realiza en el recursos humano, al cual no se le ha otorgado un valor monetario, económico o social para la organización, los balances no revelan este rubro y la información financiera presentada es incompleta.
Motion-preserving, 2-stage transoral and posterior treatment of an unstable Jefferson fracture in a professional football player
Authors: Rodts Gerald E. , Baum Griffin R. , Stewart Fermin G. , Heller John G.
Published: December 2017

The authors report the case of a patient who suffered a Jefferson fracture during a professional football game. The C-1 (atlas) fracture was widely displaced anteriorly, but the transverse ligament was intact. In an effort to enable a return to play and avoid intersegmental (C1–2) fusion, the patient underwent a transoral approach for open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture. The associated posterior ring fracture displacement widened after this procedure, and a subsequent posterior arthrodesis and fixation of the fracture site was performed 6 months later when the fracture failed to heal with rigid collar immobilization. The approach maintained the normal range of motion at the atlantoaxial and atlantooccipital joints, which would have been sacrificed by an atlantoaxial or occipitocervical fusion, as is traditionally performed. Ultimately, the patient decided not to return to the football field, but this approach could avoid the more significant loss of motion associated with atlantoaxial or occipitocervical fusion for unstable Jefferson fractures.
'Being Maasai' in Markets and Trade: The Role of Ethnicity-based Institutions in the Livestock Market of Northern Tanzania
Authors: Allegretti Antonio
Published: December 2017

The strong awareness of cultural and ethnic identity among the Maasai of Tanzania is very well known, as are the recent diversification and marketintegration processes that the Maasai are undertaking. It has seldom been highlighted, however, how the first is involved in the second: i.e. whether and how being Maasai 'matters' in market exchange. Here I argue that practices, values and social relationships underlying Maasai ethnic identity are crucial when applied to the realm of the livestock market. They are part of the structural organisation of the livestock market in that they aid Maasai market actors in minimising risk and costs, maximising returns, and dealing with the constraints of the market. A better understanding of the local dynamics of market exchange has important policy implications, in that it can open policymakers' eyes to the benefits of the traditional pastoral system for raising livestock.
Livestock Income of Mongolian Herders: A Path to Rural Prosperity?
Authors: Meurs Mieke , Amartuvshin Amarjargal , Banzragch Otgontogs
Published: December 2017

Over the post-socialist period in Mongolia, the future of the herding sector has received significant attention. We draw on nationally representative survey data from 2007-2008 to examine the extent and type of herders' engagement with markets for livestock and livestock products, and factors associated with higher earnings from livestock. We show that nearly all Mongolian herding households participate in markets for livestock and livestock products. Some herding households earn limited amounts. Others are highly market-oriented, although most produce a diverse set of products from different types of animals. Regression analysis provides evidence that better access to water, information and transportation is associated with more income from livestock sales. The needed assets remain beyond the reach of many herding households, however. We note ways in which the work of Russian agronomist Alexander Chayanov may inform policies by international funding organisations to improve herder access to the necessary assets, promoting rural prosperity.
Mobile Phones and Socio-economic Transformation Among Fulani Pastoralists in Northern Benin
Authors: Djohy Georges , Edja Honorat , Schareika Nikolaus
Published: December 2017

The mobile phone has spread recently in rural Benin as one of the new technologies most widely adopted by Fulani pastoralists, who have generally been regarded as hostile to novelty. This article analyses the logic and forms of appropriation of mobile phones in connection with the socio-economic transformation that accompany it. An ethnographic approach was used, involving individual interviews with participant observation in various settings where mobile phones are used by Fulani pastoralists to meet challenges they face in their daily lives. It appears from the study that the mobile phone, while bringing significant changes in the livelihood strategies of pastoralists, especially in terms of social connectedness, has at the moment limited economic impacts due to various factors including accessibility and ease of use. With regard to the mass adoption of mobile phones by pastoralists, we argue that socio-economic continuity and change are to be regarded not as opposites but as interconnected realities, and this needs to be taken into account to improve development policies in connection with pastoral communities.
'Everything Costs Money': Livelihood and Economics in the 'New Resettled Village' of Sogrima, Golok (Qinghai Province)
Authors: Sodnamkyid  , Sułek Emilia Róża
Published: December 2017

This article provides a case study of the Ecological Resettlement project in Golok (mGo log) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP), Qinghai Province, China. It documents the beginnings of the Ecological Resettlement as observed in 2008 and analyses its initial effects. It shows socio-economic changes accompanying a transition from nomadic to sedentary life, examines changes in the household economics and reports on how this project has impacted on the pastoralists' situation with respect to health and education.
Transport culture akin to the China-Pakistan economic corridor
Authors: Ali Liaqat , Mi Jianing , Shah Mussawar , Khan Afedullah , Imran Muhammad
Published: December 2017

Efficient and safe transport by air, rail, road and sea plays a major role in countries’ economic and societal self-development. Transport’s role is pivotal in entire regions’ collegial prosperity and socio-economic capabilities. This case study investigates the perceived influence of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), on the Pakistani educational sector. Data were collected from 505 questionnaire respondents, residing in the Hazara Division, of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, in Northern Pakistan. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) are used to analyze the empirical data. The study’s results show that CPEC’s perceived accessibility and employment opportunities might have significantly positive effects on educating the host communities. Besides, people’s increased remuneration can undoubtedly mediate the effect of accessibility and employment on their education. Those collegially responsible for CPEC can benefit from these results, particularly in their formulating educational development plans and coping with unforeseen issues. The article also provides useful guidelines for CPEC practitioners and researchers.
Essential factors in cloud-computing adoption by SMEs
Authors: Pathan Zulfiqar Hussain , Jianqiu Zeng , Akram Umair , Latif Zahid , Khan Muhammad Kaleem , Tunio M. Zahid
Published: December 2017

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) invariably leverage a country’s economy. In this context, information and communication technology (ICT) improvements render cloud computing (CC) both an effective and cost-efficient platform for SMEs. Statistically, multiple factors influence SMEs in their adopting CC. In the subtext of a technology, environment and organization (TEO) framework, the purposefulness of this empirical study has been to identify the most prominent factors in the CC adoption, by SMEs in Pakistan. Data were collected through convenient and quota sampling methods from 103 SMEs. Both multiple regression and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were deployed to test the measurement model. The results show that CC adoption by SMEs is positively affected by six cogent factors, namely relative advantage, CC compatibility, managerial support, firm size, competitive pressures and regulatory support. Dynamic complexity seems, however, to have a negative effect on CC adoption by SMEs in Pakistan. Also discussed are the study’s implications for SME managers and researchers.
The impact of balanced scorecard on SME performance in France
Authors: Mtar Kais
Published: December 2017

The present study evaluates the causal effects of implementing a balanced scorecard on the corporate performance of French small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Inspired by Rubin’s causal model (1974), the economic matching method is employed, along with some contemporary methods. The available data are sourced from matching the 2006 IOC survey and the DIANE database. The results highlight the positive input that a balanced scorecard can bring into the turnover and the labour productivity of SMEs.
Examination of the Relationships between Urban Form and Urban Public Services Expenditure in China
Authors: Bo Chunming , Xu Hengzhou , Liu Yong
Published: December 2017

This econometric study contributes to the ongoing debate about the costs and benefits of urban form by employing interdisciplinary means—urban planning, econometrics and public administration—to explore the relationship between urban form and urban public services expenditure. In China, particularly, rapid urbanization is accompanied by an increase of urban public services expenditure and a difference in efficiency, which undermines the promotion of urban public service development. The Chinese government has paid great attention to urban sustainable development and promoting urban public services performance; however, until recently there has been a lack of empirical studies exploring the relationship between urban public services expenditure and urban form. Thus, the present research aims to analyze this issue by using relevant indicators based on an econometric model. The results provide a promising basis for improving urban public services expenditure efficiency. Based on the urban area interpreted by remote sensing data and geographic information system, two urban form metrics, the compactness ratio and the elongation ratio, are selected and quantified to describe urban compactness and urban sprawl accurately. Panel data analyses are performed using a cross-sectional dataset of the 30 cities for the years 2007, 2010 and 2013 to assess the likelihood of association between indicators of urban form and urban public services expenditure, while controlling for other determinants, such as educational level, income per capita, degree of industrialization, and unemployment rate. The results indicate that urban elongation is positively correlated to per capita urban public services expenditure and urban compactness is insignificantly correlated to it. Thus, it is recommended that policymakers consider the relationship between urban form and public services expenditure as part of urban planning and on-going strategies to promote public service efficiency.
Recent Advances in our Understanding of Tocopherol Biosynthesis in Plants: An Overview of Key Genes, Functions, and Breeding of Vitamin E Improved Crops
Authors: Fritsche Steffi , Wang Xingxing , Jung Christian
Published: December 2017

Tocopherols, together with tocotrienols and plastochromanols belong to a group of lipophilic compounds also called tocochromanols or vitamin E. Considered to be one of the most powerful antioxidants, tocochromanols are solely synthesized by photosynthetic organisms including plants, algae, and cyanobacteria and, therefore, are an essential component in the human diet. Tocochromanols potent antioxidative properties are due to their ability to interact with polyunsaturated acyl groups and scavenge lipid peroxyl radicals and quench reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus protecting fatty acids from lipid peroxidation. In the plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana, the required genes for tocopherol biosynthesis and functional roles of tocopherols were elucidated in mutant and transgenic plants. Recent research efforts have led to new outcomes for the vitamin E biosynthetic and related pathways, and new possible alternatives for the biofortification of important crops have been suggested. Here, we review 30 years of research on tocopherols in model and crop species, with emphasis on the improvement of vitamin E content using transgenic approaches and classical breeding. We will discuss future prospects to further improve the nutritional value of our food.
Catalysis for Low-Temperature Fuel Cells
Authors: Sebastián David , Baglio Vincenzo
Published: December 2017

Today, the development of active and stable catalysts still represents a challenge to be overcome in the research field of low-temperature fuel cells.[...]
Digital-Control-Based Approximation of Optimal Wave Disturbances Attenuation for Nonlinear Offshore Platforms
Authors: Zhong Xiao-Fang , Sun Yu-Hong , Han Shi-Yuan , Zhou Jin , Wang Dong
Published: December 2017

The irregular wave disturbance attenuation problem for jacket-type offshore platforms involving the nonlinear characteristics is studied. The main contribution is that a digital-control-based approximation of optimal wave disturbances attenuation controller (AOWDAC) is proposed based on iteration control theory, which consists of a feedback item of offshore state, a feedforward item of wave force and a nonlinear compensated component with iterative sequences. More specifically, by discussing the discrete model of nonlinear offshore platform subject to wave forces generated from the Joint North Sea Wave Project (JONSWAP) wave spectrum and linearized wave theory, the original wave disturbances attenuation problem is formulated as the nonlinear two-point-boundary-value (TPBV) problem. By introducing two vector sequences of system states and nonlinear compensated item, the solution of introduced nonlinear TPBV problem is obtained. Then, a numerical algorithm is designed to realize the feasibility of AOWDAC based on the deviation of performance index between the adjacent iteration processes. Finally, applied the proposed AOWDAC to a jacket-type offshore platform in Bohai Bay, the vibration amplitudes of the displacement and the velocity, and the required energy consumption can be reduced significantly.
Numerical Simulation Study on Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Performance in a Heavy Oil Reservoir with a Bottom Water Zone
Authors: Ni Jun , Zhou Xiang , Yuan Qingwang , Lu Xinqian , Zeng Fanhua , Wu Keliu
Published: December 2017

In the Pikes Peak oil field near Lloydminster, Canada, a significant amount of heavy oil reserves is located in reservoirs with a bottom water zone. The properties of the bottom water zone and the operation parameters significantly affect oil production performance via the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process. Thus, in order to develop this type of heavy oil resource, a full understanding of the effects of these properties is necessary. In this study, the numerical simulation approach was applied to study the effects of properties in the bottom water zone in the SAGD process, such as the initial gas oil ratio, the thickness of the reservoir, and oil saturation of the bottom water zone. In addition, some operation parameters were studied including the injection pressure, the SAGD well pair location, and five different well patterns: (1) two corner wells, (2) triple wells, (3) downhole water sink well, (4) vertical injectors with a horizontal producer, and (5) fishbone well. The numerical simulation results suggest that the properties of the bottom water zone affect production performance extremely. First, both positive and negative effects were observed when solution gas exists in the heavy oil. Second, a logarithmical relationship was investigated between the bottom water production ratio and the thickness of the bottom water zone. Third, a non-linear relation was obtained between the oil recovery factor and oil saturation in the bottom water zone, and a peak oil recovery was achieved at the oil saturation rate of 30% in the bottom water zone. Furthermore, the operation parameters affected the heavy oil production performance. Comparison of the well patterns showed that the two corner wells and the triple wells patterns obtained the highest oil recovery factors of 74.71% and 77.19%, respectively, which are almost twice the oil recovery factors gained in the conventional SAGD process (47.84%). This indicates that the optimized SAGD process with the two corner wells and the triple wells pattern is able to improve SAGD production performance in a heavy oil reservoir with a bottom water zone.
Microcosmic Mechanism Investigation on Lightning Arc Damage of Wind Turbine Blades Based on Molecular Reaction Dynamics and Impact Current Experiment
Authors: Zhang Li , Jiang Liyang , Zhao Tong , Zou Liang
Published: December 2017

PVC and balsa wood are usually used in the interlayer structures of wind turbine blades. In this paper, a comparative study on the lightning damage characteristics of the two materials was carried out by molecular dynamic simulations and impact current experiments. The simulations show that the glycosidic bonds in cellulose break first, which leads to a strong decrease in the degree of polymerization (DP) of cellulose (while the DP of PVC changes irregularly), then C−O bonds in the pyranoid ring break and the main chain of cellulose is destroyed, producing small molecule fractions and a lot of gas molecules. There are two steps in the pyrolysis of PVC. H and Cl atoms fall off the main chain and combined for form HCl, which needs less energy and occurs earlier than cellulose pyrolysis at 2000 K, but cellulose generates more gas products than PVC at the same temperature. Thus the damages to balsa wood and PVC mainly appear as fiber fractures and pore extension, respectively, which are consistent with the morphological features of the damage to the two materials in the impact current experiments. The experimental results also show that the pyrolysis temperature of PVC was lower than that of balsa wood, and the residual strength decreases faster in PVC than in balsa wood with the increase of peak current. This study should play an important guiding role for lightning protection and material selection of wind turbine blades.
Loss Model and Efficiency Analysis of Tram Auxiliary Converter Based on a SiC Device
Authors: Liu Hao , Huang Xianjin , Lin Fei , Yang Zhongping
Published: December 2017

Currently, the auxiliary converter in the auxiliary power supply system of a modern tram adopts Si IGBT as its switching device and with the 1700 V/225 A SiC MOSFET module commercially available from Cree, an auxiliary converter using all SiC devices is now possible. A SiC auxiliary converter prototype is developed during this study. The author(s) derive the loss calculation formula of the SiC auxiliary converter according to the system topology and principle and each part loss in this system can be calculated based on the device datasheet. Then, the static and dynamic characteristics of the SiC MOSFET module used in the system are tested, which aids in fully understanding the performance of the SiC devices and provides data support for the establishment of the PLECS loss simulation model. Additionally, according to the actual circuit parameters, the PLECS loss simulation model is set up. This simulation model can simulate the actual operating conditions of the auxiliary converter system and calculate the loss of each switching device. Finally, the loss of the SiC auxiliary converter prototype is measured and through comparison it is found that the loss calculation theory and PLECS loss simulation model is valuable. Furthermore, the thermal images of the system can prove the conclusion about loss distribution to some extent. Moreover, these two methods have the advantages of less variables and fast calculation for high power applications. The loss models may aid in optimizing the switching frequency and improving the efficiency of the system.
Investigation of Heat Pump Operation Strategies with Thermal Storage in Heating Conditions
Authors: Jung Wangsik , Kim Dongjun , Kang Byung , Chang Young
Published: December 2017

A heat pump with thermal storage system is a system that operates a heat pump during nighttime using inexpensive electricity; during this time, the generated thermal energy is stored in a thermal storage tank. The stored thermal energy is used by the heat pump during daytime. Based on a model of a dual latent thermal storage tank and a heat pump, this study conducts control simulations using both conventional and advanced methods for heating in a building. Conventional methods include the thermal storage priority method and the heat pump priority method, while advanced approaches include the region control method and the dynamic programming method. The heating load required for an office building is identified using TRNSYS (Transient system simulation), used for simulations of various control methods. The thermal storage priority method shows a low coefficient of performance (COP), while the heat pump priority method leads to high electricity costs due to the low use of thermal storage. In contrast, electricity costs are lower for the region control method, which operates using the optimal part load ratio of the heat pump, and for dynamic programming, which operates the system by following the minimum cost path. According to simulation results for the winter season, the electricity costs using the dynamic programming method are 17% and 9% lower than those of the heat pump priority and thermal storage priority methods, respectively. The region control method shows results similar to the dynamic programming method with respect to electricity costs. In conclusion, advanced control methods are proven to have advantages over conventional methods in terms of power consumption and electricity costs.
A New Thin Seam Backfill Mining Technology and Its Application
Authors: Luan Hengjie , Jiang Yujing , Lin Huili , Wang Yahua
Published: December 2017

Backfill mining is an effective way to control ground subsidence and govern gangue. To solve the problem of thin coal seam mining under villages, a new thin seam backfill mining technology was proposed. This paper investigated a reasonable proportion of filling materials by experiments, designed the filling system and introduced key technologies for thin seam working face filling. Finally, an industrial test of thin seam backfill mining technology was carried out in the C1661 working face, Beixu Coal Mine. The results show that the developed filling material meets both the pumping liquidity and strength requirements of the filling body during the early and late stages. The design and equipment selection of the paste filling system were reasonable. By using the key technologies for thin seam working face filling, the time needed for working face filling, the connection and disconnection of the filling pipeline and gob-side entry retaining were all greatly shortened. The labor intensity of the workers was reduced, and the mechanization level of the mine was improved. A fill mining length of 480 m was successfully completed. With effective roof subsidence control, the ground subsidence can be reduced, and good results can be achieved. This study can contribute to the development of backfill mining in thin coal seams.
Simulation Models to Size and Retrofit District Heating Systems
Authors: Sartor Kevin
Published: December 2017

District heating networks are considered as convenient systems to supply heat to consumers while reducing CO 2 emissions and increasing renewable energies use. However, to make them as profitable as possible, they have to be developed, operated and sized carefully. In order to cope with these objectives, simulation tools are required to analyze several configuration schemes and control methods. Indeed, the most common problems are heat losses, the electric pump consumption and the peak heat demand while ensuring the comfort of the users. In this contribution, a dynamic simulation model of all the components of the network is described. It is dedicated to assess some energetic, environmental and economic indicators. Finally, the methodology is used on an existing application test case namely the district heating network of the University of Liège to study the pump control and minimize the district heating network heat losses.
System Efficiency Improvement for Electric Vehicles Adopting a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Direct Drive System
Authors: Zhang Chengming , Guo Qingbo , Li Liyi , Wang Mingyi , Wang Tiecheng
Published: December 2017

To improve the endurance mileage of electric vehicles (EVs), it is important to decrease the energy consumption of the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) drive system. This paper proposes a novel loss optimization control strategy named system efficiency improvement control which can optimize both inverter and motor losses. A nonlinear power converter loss model is built to fit the nonlinear characteristics of power devices. This paper uses double Fourier integral analysis to analytically calculate the fundamental and harmonic components of motor current by which the fundamental motor loss and harmonic motor loss can be accurately analyzed. From these loss models, a whole-frequency-domain system loss model is derived and presented. Based on the system loss model, the system efficiency improvement control method applies the genetic algorithm to adjust the motor current and PWM frequency together to optimize the inverter and motor losses by which the system efficiency can be significantly improved without seriously influence on the system stability over the whole operation range of EVs. The optimal effects of system efficiency is verified by the experimental results in both Si-IGBT-based PMSM system and SiC-MOSFET-based system.
Drug Resistance Driven by Cancer Stem Cells and Their Niche
Authors: Prieto-Vila Marta , Takahashi Ryou-u , Usuba Wataru , Kohama Isaku , Ochiya Takahiro
Published: December 2017

Drug resistance represents one of the greatest challenges in cancer treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subset of cells within the tumor with the potential for self-renewal, differentiation and tumorigenicity, are thought to be the major cause of cancer therapy failure due to their considerable chemo- and radioresistance, resulting in tumor recurrence and eventually metastasis. CSCs are situated in a specialized microenvironment termed the niche, mainly composed of fibroblasts and endothelial, mesenchymal and immune cells, which also play pivotal roles in drug resistance. These neighboring cells promote the molecular signaling pathways required for CSC maintenance and survival and also trigger endogenous drug resistance in CSCs. In addition, tumor niche components such as the extracellular matrix also physically shelter CSCs from therapeutic agents. Interestingly, CSCs contribute directly to the niche in a bilateral feedback loop manner. Here, we review the recent advances in the study of CSCs, the niche and especially their collective contribution to resistance, since increasingly studies suggest that this interaction should be considered as a target for therapeutic strategies.
Elevated Systemic IL-6 Levels in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Is an Unspecific Marker for Post-SAH Complications
Authors: Chaudhry Shafqat , Stoffel-Wagner Birgit , Kinfe Thomas , Güresir Erdem , Vatter Hartmut , Dietrich Dirk , Lamprecht Alf , Muhammad Sajjad
Published: December 2017

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is still a fatal and morbid disease, although bleeding aneurysms can be secured in almost all cases. Occurrence of post-SAH complications including cerebral vasospasm, delayed cerebral ischemia, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, and infections are the main determinants of clinical outcome. Hence, it is important to search for early predictors for specific post-SAH complications to treat these complications properly. Both cellular and molecular (cytokines) inflammation play a key role after aSAH during the phase of occurrence of post-SAH complications. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a well-known cytokine that has been extensively analyzed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients after aSAH, but detailed studies exploring the role of systemic IL-6 in aSAH associated complications and its impact on early clinical outcome prediction are lacking. The current study aims to analyze the systemic IL-6 levels over two weeks after bleeding and its role in post-SAH complications. Methods: We recruited 80 aSAH patients prospectively who underwent peripheral venous blood withdrawal in serum gel tubes. The blood was centrifuged to harvest the serum, which was immediately frozen at −80 °C until analysis. Serum IL-6 levels were quantified using Immulite immunoassay system. Patient records including age, gender, post-SAH complications, aneurysm treatment, and clinical outcome (modified Rankin scale and Glasgow outcome scale) were retrieved to allow different subgroup analysis. Results: Serum IL-6 levels were significantly raised after aSAH compared to healthy controls over the first two weeks after hemorrhage. Serum IL-6 levels were found to be significantly elevated in aSAH patients presenting with higher Hunt and Hess grades, increasing age, and both intraventricular and intracerebral hemorrhage. Interestingly, serum IL-6 was also significantly raised in aSAH patients who developed seizures, cerebral vasospasm (CVS), and chronic hydrocephalus. IL-6 levels were sensitive to the development of infections and showed an increase in patients who developed pneumoniae. Intriguingly, we found a delayed increase in serum IL-6 in patients developing cerebral infarction. Finally, IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients presenting with poor clinical outcome in comparison to good clinical outcome at discharge from hospital. Conclusion: Serum IL-6 levels were elevated early after aSAH and remained high over the two weeks after initial bleeding. Serum IL-6 was elevated in different aSAH associated complications, acting as a non-specific marker for post-SAH complications and an important biomarker for clinical outcome at discharge.
Auxin Information Processing; Partners and Interactions beyond the Usual Suspects
Authors: Van den Berg Thea , Ten Tusscher Kirsten
Published: December 2017

Auxin plays a major role in a variety of processes involved in plant developmental patterning and its adaptation to environmental conditions. Therefore, an important question is how specificity in auxin signalling is achieved, that is, how a single signalling molecule can carry so many different types of information. In recent years, many studies on auxin specificity have been published, unravelling increasingly more details on differential auxin sensitivity, expression domains and downstream partners of the auxin receptors (transport inhibitor response 1 (TIR1) and other auxin signaling F-box proteins (AFB)), transcriptional repressors that are degraded in response to auxin (AUX/IAA) and downstream auxin response factors (ARF) that together constitute the plant’s major auxin response pathways. These data are critical to explain how, in the same cells, different auxin levels may trigger different responses, as well as how in different spatial or temporal contexts similar auxin signals converge to different responses. However, these insights do not yet answer more complex questions regarding auxin specificity. As an example, they leave open the question of how similar sized auxin changes at similar locations result in different responses depending on the duration and spatial extent of the fluctuation in auxin levels. Similarly, it leaves unanswered how, in the case of certain tropisms, small differences in signal strength at both sides of a plant organ are converted into an instructive auxin asymmetry that enables a robust tropic response. Finally, it does not explain how, in certain cases, substantially different auxin levels become translated into similar cellular responses, while in other cases similar auxin levels, even when combined with similar auxin response machinery, may trigger different responses. In this review, we illustrate how considering the regulatory networks and contexts in which auxin signalling takes place helps answer these types of fundamental questions.
Control of Endogenous Auxin Levels in Plant Root Development
Authors: Olatunji Damilola , Geelen Danny , Verstraeten Inge
Published: December 2017

In this review, we summarize the different biosynthesis-related pathways that contribute to the regulation of endogenous auxin in plants. We demonstrate that all known genes involved in auxin biosynthesis also have a role in root formation, from the initiation of a root meristem during embryogenesis to the generation of a functional root system with a primary root, secondary lateral root branches and adventitious roots. Furthermore, the versatile adaptation of root development in response to environmental challenges is mediated by both local and distant control of auxin biosynthesis. In conclusion, auxin homeostasis mediated by spatial and temporal regulation of auxin biosynthesis plays a central role in determining root architecture.