bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations in cathepsin L expression in lung cancers
Authors: Okudela Koji , Mitsui Hideaki , Woo Tetsukan , Arai Hiromasa , Suzuki Takehisa , Matsumura Mai , Kojima Yoko , Umeda Shigeaki , Tateishi Yoko , Masuda Munetaka , Ohashi Kenichi
Published: June 2016

We herein investigated the potential role of cathepsin L in lung carcinogenesis. Lung cancer cell lines and surgically resected tumors were examined for the expression of the cathepsin L protein and copy number alterations in its gene locus. Cathepsin L was stably expressed in bronchiolar epithelial cells. Neoplastic cells expressed cathepsin L at various levels, whereas its expression was completely lost in most of the lung cancer cell lines (63.6%, 7/11) examined. Furthermore, expression levels were lower in a large fraction of lung tumors (69.5%, 139/200) than in bronchiolar epithelia. The expression of cathepsin L was lost in some tumors (16.0%, 32/200). In adenocarcinomas, expression levels were significantly lower in high‐grade tumors than in low‐grade tumors (one‐way ANOVA, P < 0.0500). Copy number alterations were found in 18.0% (36 [32 gain + 4 loss] /200) of lung tumors. No relationship existed between cathepsin L protein expression levels and the copy number of its gene locus (Spearman's rank‐order correlation, P = 0.3096). Collectively, these results suggest that the down‐regulated expression of cathepsin L, which is caused by an undefined mechanism other than copy number alterations, is involved in the progression of lung adenocarcinomas.
Race 2 of Verticillium dahliae infecting tomato in Japan can be split into two races with differential pathogenicity on resistant rootstocks
Authors: Usami T. , Momma N. , Kikuchi S. , Watanabe H. , Hayashi A. , Mizukawa M. , Yoshino K. , Ohmori Y.
Published: June 2016

Verticillium dahliae infecting tomato can be differentiated into races 1 and 2 based on differential pathogenicity on tomato cultivars carrying resistance gene Ve1. Although no commercial cultivars resistant to race 2 are available, race 2‐resistant rootstock cultivars Aibou and Ganbarune‐Karis have been bred in Japan. Nevertheless, the resistance of these rootstocks appears to be unstable in commercial tomato fields. Pathogenicity assays conducted under controlled conditions revealed that these rootstock cultivars are resistant to some isolates of race 2; this resistance is controlled by a single dominant locus, denoted by V2, based on segregation of resistance in F2 populations from selfed rootstock cultivars. However, some other isolates of race 2 can overcome this resistance. Therefore it is proposed that the current race 2 of V. dahliae should be divided into two races, i.e. ‘race 2’ (nonpathogenic on Aibou) and ‘race 3’ (pathogenic on Aibou). The distribution of these races was surveyed in 70 commercial tomato fields in Hida, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Race 3 was found in 45 fields, indicating that race 3 had already spread throughout the region. On the other hand, 25 fields had only race 2, and thus race 2‐resistant rootstocks would be effective for disease management in these fields. Races 2 and 3 could not be identified by genomic Southern hybridization probed with a telomere sequence, nor with previously reported race‐specific PCR assays. Elucidation of race‐determining mechanisms and development of methods for quick race identification should be made in future studies.
Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Stimulation Increase the Number of Luteinized Follicles and the Progesterone Level Compared with Cabergoline Stimulation in Anoestrus Bitches
Authors: Jurczak A , Domosławska A , Bukowska B , Janowski T
Published: June 2016

Contents

In this study, ovarian morphologies and blood progesterone concentrations following oestrous induction in bitches were examined. Fifty‐three clinically healthy anoestrus bitches received cabergoline at a daily dose of 5 μg/kg of body weight per os for 21 days (group I) or subcutaneous equine chorionic gonadotropin at a dose of 20 IU/kg of body weight for five consecutive days with an additional 500 IU s.c. per bitch of human chorionic gonadotropin on the last day of treatment (group II). Twenty bitches that spontaneously displayed oestrous signs were left untreated and served as controls (group III). The induced oestrous rates and ovulation rates in groups I and II were 60.0% vs 64.3% and 86.7% vs 83.3%, respectively. Morphological assessments of the ovarian structures after ovariohysterectomy revealed an increase in the number of luteinized follicles and cysts in group II compared with the two other groups (p < 0.001). In contrast, the numbers of corpora lutea and follicles were similar in all groups. In accordance with the above‐mentioned alteration, the progesterone concentration in the gonadotropin group (II) was increased (p < 0.001) in the periovulatory period compared with the other two groups. During the entire sampling period, the progesterone profiles in the cabergoline (I) and control (III) groups were similar and typical of normally cycling bitches. In conclusion, gonadotropin treatment is associated with an increased progesterone level during the periovulatory period that probably originates from luteinized follicles, whereas cabergoline treatment induces cycles with both physiological progesterone concentrations and ovarian morphologies.
Analysis of absorption and spreading of moisturizer on the microscopic region of the skin surface with near‐infrared imaging
Authors: Arimoto H. , Yanai M. , Egawa M.
Published: June 2016

Background/purpose

Near‐infrared (NIR) light with high water absorption enables us to visualize the water content distribution appeared in the superficial skin layer. The light penetration depth with the wavelength of 1920 nm is almost 100 μm from the skin surface. Thus, the water distribution in the stratum corneum can be effectively imaged by detecting the wavelength band around 1920 nm. The aim of this article was to measure the time‐lapse behavior of the tiny droplet of the moisturizer spreading on the skin surface by imaging in 1920 nm wavelength band for investigating the correlation with the traditional index of the skin condition such as the water content and transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Methods

Experiment is performed with three moisturizer products and seven volunteer subjects. The NIR image is acquired by an originally designed imaging scope equipped with the white light of the strong brightness [super continuum (SC) light], the bandpass filter with the center wavelength of 1920 nm, and the NIR image sensor. A tiny droplet of the moisturizer is put on the surface of the skin and the time‐lapse images are saved. Each acquired image is analyzed from a view point of the droplet area and elapsed time for absorption into the skin. The water content and TEWL of all subjects are measured by the conventional electrical method for investigating the relationship with the measured droplet dynamics parameters.

Results

Elapsed time for moisturizer droplet to be absorbed into the skin, the droplet area just before absorption for three moisturizer products, skin water contents, and TEWL for seven subjects were measured and correlation coefficients for each parameters were calculated. It was found that the skin with higher water contents or lower TEWL absorbed the moisturizer faster and spreads moisturizer wider. Also absorption and spreading speed depend on moisturizer property (moisturizing or fresh) which is originated from the moisturizer constituents.

Conclusion

The correlation values between the moisturizer dynamics on the skin surface and the traditional index of the skin property were clarified. It was found that the skin with the high water content or low TEWL absorbs the moisturizer droplet fast. The spreading area depends not only on the skin property but on the constituents of the moisturizers.
Cuticular wax biosynthesis is positively regulated by WRINKLED4, an AP2/ERF‐type transcription factor, in Arabidopsis stems
Authors: Park Chan Song , Go Young Sam , Suh Mi Chung
Published: June 2016

The aerial surfaces of terrestrial plants are covered by a cuticular wax layer, which protects the plants from environmental stresses such as desiccation, high irradiance, and UV radiation. Cuticular wax deposition is regulated in an organ‐specific manner; Arabidopsis stems have more than 10‐fold higher wax loads than leaves. In this study, we found that WRINKLED4 (WRI4), encoding an AP2/ERF (ethylene‐responsive factor) transcription factor (TF), is predominantly expressed in stem epidermis, is upregulated by salt stress, and is involved in activating cuticular wax biosynthesis in Arabidopsis stems. WRI4 harbors a transcriptional activation domain at its N‐terminus, and fluorescent signals from a WRI4:eYFP construct were localized to the nuclei of tobacco leaf protoplasts. Deposition of epicuticular wax crystals on stems was reduced in wri4‐1 and wri4‐3 knockout mutants. Total wax loads were reduced by ~28% in wri4 stems but were not altered in wri4 siliques or leaves compared to the wild type. The levels of 29‐carbon long alkanes, ketones, and secondary alcohols, which are the most abundant components of stem waxes, were significantly reduced in wri4 stems relative to the wild type. A transactivation assay in tobacco protoplasts and a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that the expression of long‐chain acyl‐CoA synthetase1 (LACS1), β–ketoacyl CoA reductase1 (KCR1), PASTICCINO2 (PAS2), trans‐2,3‐enoyl‐CoA reductase (ECR), and bifunctional wax synthase/acyl‐CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WSD1) is positively regulated by direct binding of WRI4 to their promoters. Taken together, these results suggest that WRI4 is a transcriptional activator that specifically controls cuticular wax biosynthesis in Arabidopsis stems.
MID1 plays an important role in response to drought stress during reproductive development
Authors: Guo Changkui , Yao Lingya , You Chenjiang , Wang Shuangshuang , Cui Jie , Ge Xiaochun , Ma Hong
Published: June 2016

Drought during rice reproductive development results in yield loss. It is important to understand the functions of drought‐responsive genes in reproductive tissues for improving rice yield under water‐deficit conditions. We show here that MID1 (MYB Important for Drought Response1), encoding a putative R‐R‐type MYB‐like transcription factor, can improve rice yield under drought. MID1 was primarily expressed in root and leaf vascular tissues, with low level in the tapetum, and was induced by drought and other abiotic stresses. Compared with wild type, MID1‐overexpressing plants were more tolerant to drought at both vegetative and reproductive stages and produced more grains under water stress. MID1‐overexpressing plants exhibited less severe anther defects such as deformed anther locules, abnormal tapetum, degenerated microspores and expanded middle layer, with improved pollen fertility and higher seed setting rate. MID1 was localized to the nucleus and could activate gene expression in yeast, and its homologs were identified in many other plants with high levels sequence similarity. In addition, candidate MID1‐regulated genes were analyzed using RNA‐seq and qRT‐PCR, including genes crucial for stress responses and anther development, with altered expressions in the florets of MID1‐overexpressing plants and RNAi lines. Furthermore, MID1 could bind to the promoters of two drought‐related genes (Hsp17.0 and CYP707A5) and one anther developmental gene (KAR) according to ChIP‐qPCR data. Our findings suggest that MID1 is a transcriptional regulator that promotes rice male development under drought by modulating the expressions of drought‐related and anther developmental genes and provide valuable information for crop improvement.
Retrospective evaluation of the effect of high flow oxygen therapy delivered by nasal cannula on PaO2 in dogs with moderate‐to‐severe hypoxemia
Authors: Keir Iain , Daly Jennifer , Haggerty Jamie , Guenther Christine
Published: June 2016

Objective

To describe the effects of high flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) in canine patients failing traditional oxygen therapy (TOT).

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

Private referral practice.

Animals

Six client‐owned dogs with primary pulmonary hypoxemia.

Interventions

None.

Measurements and Main Results

High flow oxygen was delivered by high flow nasal prongs to dogs assessed clinically to be failing TOTs. HFOT was able to significantly improve PaO2 compared to TOT in severely hypoxemic dogs (median, 133.75 mm Hg; range, 109.2–304.8) versus median 61.85 mm Hg (range, 52.3–71.8; xsP = 0.0412). Flow rates were significantly higher with HFOT compared to TOT (median, 688 mL/kg/min; range, 523–1,667 mL/kg/min) versus median 122 mL/kg/min (range, 80–208; P = 0.0412). Complications included patient discomfort requiring light sedation in 1/6 dogs and persistence of a pneumothorax in 1 dog. Hypoxemia resolved in 4/6 dogs.

Conclusion

These data suggest HFOT is a viable clinical intervention for dogs with moderate‐to‐severe hypoxemia assessed to be failing TOT. Further studies are needed to determine if HFOT can be used as an alternative to mechanical ventilation in resource limited settings and to characterize the complications associated with this therapy.
A preliminary description of Ugandan English
Authors: NASSENSTEIN NICO
Published: June 2016

The present paper aims at describing the English variety spoken in Uganda through a discussion of its main phonological as well as morphological features that can be traced back to contact‐induced change. Luganda as the main lingua franca in Kampala as well as other languages such as Acholi have had a strong impact on speakers’ phonological realizations as well as on certain morphological structures that can be found in Ugandan English today. This does not solely concern borrowing strategies of structural and lexical elements, but also various cases of calquing. Furthermore, insights into syntactic change as well as pragmatics (that reveal Luganda‐like politeness patterns) conclude the brief description of modern Ugandan English.
Unravelling theLineus ruber/viridisspecies complex (Nemertea, Heteronemertea)
Authors: Krämer Daria , Schmidt Christian , Podsiadlowski Lars , Beckers Patrick , Horn Lisa , von Döhren Jörn
Published: June 2016

Lineus ruber(Müller,) andLineus viridis(Müller,) are among the longest known and most abundant intertidal nemertean species found on both sides of the North Atlantic. Due to easy maintenance in captivity, both species have been well studied concerning morphology, reproduction, development and ecology. Originally described as two separate species in the 18th century, they were subsequently synonymised and considered colour varieties of a single species. It was not until the mid‐20th century that complementary redescriptions, including information on reproduction and development, re‐established the specific identities ofL. ruberandL. viridis. With the advent of molecular markers in nemertean systematics, however, doubt was again cast on their specific identities. To solve one of the longest standing problems in nemertean systematics, we assembled a comprehensive data set combining external morphology and three genetic markers (mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunit I, 16SrRNAand nuclear internal transcribed spacer region) from 160 specimens ofL. ruberandL. viridiscollected at six sampling sites along the continental coast of Western Europe. The data set was analysed with tree‐based and non‐tree‐based species delimitation methods. The results from all methods used confidently delimit three separate clades. A distinct barcoding gap was detected in our data set which thus provides a framework to unequivocally identify specimens as members of any of the three species. Comparison of our findings with published data enables us to assign one lineage toL. ruberand one toL. viridis. We designated neotypes for both species. The third clade is very similar toL. viridis, only distinguishable by a conspicuous, iridescent ventral fold in some male specimens This lineage shows a syntopic distribution along western European coasts and represents a species new to science and is described asLineus clandestinussp. n. based on its external characters and the analyses of the molecular data provided in this study.
Standard Representations for Sustainability Characterization of Industrial Processes
Authors: Mani Mahesh , Larborn Jon , Johansson Bjorn , Lyons Kevin W. , Morris K. C.
Published: June 2016

Sustainability assessments are dependent on accurate measures for energy, material, and other resources used by the processes involved in the life cycle of a product. Manufacturing accounts for about 1/5 of the energy consumption in the U.S. Minimizing energy and material consumption in this field has the promise of dramatically reducing our energy dependence. To this end, ASTM International [1] has formed both a committee on Sustainability (E60) and a Subcommittee on Sustainable Manufacturing (E60.13). This paper describes ASTM’s new guide for characterizing the environmental aspects of manufacturing processes [2]. The guide defines a generic representation to support structured processes. Representations of multiple unit manufacturing processes (UMPs) can be linked together to support system-level analyses, such as simulation and evaluation of a series of manufacturing processes used in the manufacture and assembly of parts. The result is the ability to more accurately assess and improve the sustainability of production processes. Simulation is commonly used in manufacturing industries to assess individual process performance at a system level and to understand behaviors and interactions between processes. This paper explores the use of the concepts outlined in the standard with three use cases based on an industrial example in the pulp and paper industry. The intent of the use cases is to show the utility of the standard as a guideline for composing data to characterize manufacturing processes. The data, besides being useful for descriptive purposes, is used in a simulation model to assess sustainability of a manufacturing system.
Multi-Objective Optimization for Francis Turbine Runner Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Sato Koma , Tamura Yuta , Tani Kiyohito
Published: June 2016

A multi-objective optimization system for a Francis turbine runner that uses a genetic algorithm was developed. Francis turbine is widely used because of its flexibility of meriodinal geometry. However, since a runner of a Francis turbine consists of fixed blades, it can show a high performance in a narrower range of operating conditions compared with diagonal and axial hydraulic turbines. Thus, the design of a Francis turbine runner needs plentiful design experience. The aim of this study is to develop an automatic design system for a Francis turbine runner and evaluate its availability. This system optimizes six objective functions: runner efficiency, swirling losses at partial load point and over load point, minimum pressure coefficient on the blade surface, deviation of runner head, and area deviation of outlet opening from the baseline design. The runner head deviation represents the difference from the required specifications. The optimization procedures are as follows; first, an initial design population to create runner geometries was generated by Latin hypercube sampling method. Next, runner geometries were created in accordance with the design variables of the initial design population. Then, objective functions were evaluated. Since the area deviation of outlet opening has a strong correlation with the runner head deviation and can be calculated without computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, we tried to reduce the number of CFD evaluations by using this correlation. For all runner geometries, the area deviation of outlet opening was calculated, and mesh generations and CFD analysis of those that exceeded a deviation threshold were skipped. The rest of the objective functions were evaluated by CFD analysis. Analysis models at design point, partial load point, and over load point were created. In the CFD stage, steady and single-phase analysis was executed to evaluate objective functions. Finally, the population of the next generation was created by using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. By iterating these procedures, optimized runners superior to the baseline design were obtained efficiently and automatically.
Boundary Element Simulations of Free and Forced Bubble Oscillations in Potential Flow
Authors: Itkulova Yulia A. , Abramova Olga A. , Gumerov Nail , Akhatov Iskander
Published: June 2016

The study of shrinking, expanding, and strongly interacting bubbles at high Reynolds numbers is of significant interest for micro- and nanotechnologies. One of such interests is related to self-propulsion of bubbles due to non-linear interaction of bubble shape modes. In the present study bubble dynamics in potential flow is considered. The boundary element method (BEM) which offers a low computational cost and provides an accurate representation of bubble surface is employed for studies. To accelerate computations and increase problem size the fast multipole method (FMM) and graphics processors (GPUs) are used. For mesh stabilization, which appears to be an issue, a new parametric spherical filter based on spherical harmonic expansion is developed and implemented. The dynamics of high order surface modes of bubble at free and forced bubble oscillations is studied.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nanobubbles Formation Near the Substrate in a Liquid With Dissolved Gas
Authors: Moiseeva Elena F. , Malyshev Victor L. , Marin Dmitriy F. , Gumerov Nail A. , Akhatov Iskander Sh.
Published: June 2016

Nanobubbles appearing on the interface between liquid and the hydrophobic substrate play an important role in various natural and industrial processes. The current study presents the MD simulations of surface nanobubbles on the liquid-solid interface, where the liquid phase consists of argon and dissolved neon, while the gaseous phase consists of neon and argon vapor. The interactions between all the particles are determined by the Lennard-Jones potential. The contact angle is studied as a function of the Lennard-Jones parameters for the liquid-solid and gas-solid interactions. Moreover, the influence of gas concentration on the system behavior is studied. The simulations are performed for the systems of tens nm in size, which contain up to 8 million molecules. The computations are accelerated using modern computational methods and algorithms as well as using high-performance hardware such as graphic processors.
Relation Between Sound Sources and Vortical Structures in Isotropic Compressible Turbulence
Authors: Terakado Daiki , Nonomura Taku , Sato Makoto , Fujii Kozo
Published: June 2016

We investigate the relation between vortical structures and sound source in isotropic compressible turbulence by direct numerical simulations with various turbulent Mach numbers. The sound source is obtained numerically from the Lighthill equation. As a first step, we study the sound source from the Reynolds stress, which is the dominant source in flows at low Mach numbers. We investigate, especially, sound source structures around the “coherent fine scale eddies” [1–4] to lead a universal conclusion of sound generation mechanism from the fine scale structures in supersonic flows. We find that the sound source structures around the coherent fine scale eddies show some distorted structures only in high Mach number flows because shocklets appear around the fine scale eddies in those flows. This change in sound source structures around the coherent fine scale eddies does not appear in low and moderate Mach number cases.
The Effect of Non-Continuous Inlet Air on Increasing the Segregation of Binary Particles in a Fluidized Bed
Authors: Saidi Maysam , Tabrizi Hassan Basirat , Chaichi Sina , Dehghani Majid
Published: June 2016

Flotation of solid particles by means of fluids provides a widely used device known as fluidized bed. The ability of segregation of dissimilar particles due to the difference in their weight and exerted drag force is the motivation of this study to use fluidized bed as a separator. There are different parameters in a fluidized bed which affect the segregation. These include the inlet air, the bed geometry, and the particles properties such as size and density. To improve the segregation of particles, pulsated inlet air seems to be a good choice. Experimental procedure is conducted using a cylindrical fluidized bed. Effect of the composition, airflow rate and pulsating frequency are investigated by calculating the segregation efficiency. It is observed that segregation of the flotsam rich composition is better than other ones. Increase in segregation efficiency is attainable by increasing the inlet flow rate until the mixing starts, which is the cause of efficiency decrease. The main feature of this study is pulsifying the air flow with frequencies of 1, 2, and 4 Hz and investigation of its effect on the segregation efficiency. The significant increase in the segregation efficiency is achieved by changing the inlet air from continuous to pulsating. The positive effect of pulsation can be explained based on the higher peak velocity and the ability of diminishing the channel-like spaces.
Genetic Algorithms Applied to Flow Estimation in a Two-Phase Flow With a Venturi Meter
Authors: Borregales Manuel A. , Nuñez Gilberto , Cappelletto Jose , Asuaje Miguel
Published: June 2016

Due to depletion of on-shore and superficial oil reservoirs, and impulsed by recent discoveries of oil reservoirs in off-shore ultra-deep waters, each of the processes and equipment in oil production required further improvements in order to save costs, space and to reduce weight off-shore. One way to accomplish this is without separators and with the use of online multiphase flowmeters. The most used flowmeter is the Venturi tube. Despite Venturi flowmeters having been used in almost all commercial multiphase flowmeters, there is not a single correlation that provides good results for predicting mass flow in each phase, for any flow pattern, mass quality, void fraction and/or fluids properties. Instead, many correlations have been published, based on experimental and/or field data, but the use of these correlations outside multiphase range conditions is doubtful. This study proposes a new methodology that uses genetic algorithms to find correlations that better fit a set of data, which allow determining the mass flow of a two-phase mix through a Venturi tube. For that purpose, binary trees and Prüfer encoding are used to accomplish this implementation. The correlations found in this new methodology provide lower values of RMS error, 1–3%, against correlations proposed by previous authors that show an RMS error range of 5–10%. This technique allows finding further correlations, regardless the number of parameters to be used, at a low computational cost, and it does not require previous information on the behaviour of the data.
Efficient Airload Determination for Bluff Body Aeromechanics
Authors: Pirau Sorin , Raghav Vrishank , Forbes Alex , Liberi Brandon , Komerath Narayanan
Published: June 2016

A continuous-rotation testing technique is applied to capture the variation of aerodynamic loads with attitude on objects of arbitrary shape. The technique converts the problem of measuring static air loads at various attitudes into a periodic problem. Phase-resolved ensemble-averaging is used to capture load variations with arbitrarily fine azimuthal resolution. The airload variations are obtained in closed form as discrete Fourier series. Experiments on a cylinder model of equal length and diameter were used to study the ability to capture asymmetries, and resolve support interference issues. A closed cuboid is used to correlate with prior work. A flat plate with a central cylindrical load, and a porous box are also studied. Free-swing tests using rigid tethers fixed to a pitch-yaw-roll gimbal mount are used to derive dynamic behavior in a free stream. The cylinder results showed the ability to resolve the effect of minor geometric asymmetries on airloads. The flat plate at 10 degrees pitch shows strong differences in dynamics between cases with a rounded versus squared-off edge facing the freestream. The porous box shows the differences between cases with and without one side blocked.
An Effective Viscosity Equation for the CFD Analysis of the Micro Flows in the Confinement Ring
Authors: Wu Yuanhao , Tian Ling , Han Wenbin
Published: June 2016

For plasma etching equipment, the confinement ring is installed between the outlet of the reactor chamber and the pumping channel. The fact that the micro flows in the confinement ring behave in far beyond the continuum regime makes it difficult for engineers to perform CFD analysis with sufficient accuracy. In order to solve this problem, a Bosanquet-type effective viscosity equation is used to compensate the errors for the rarefied gases. A fast approach is proposed to determine the feasible values of the two parameters in the effective viscosity equation based on the pumping experiment results. The effective viscosity equation for micro flows in the confinement ring is further derived. Good agreement is observed between the CFD simulations using the effective viscosity equation and the experiment results. This work will help engineers perform more precise CFD simulations and further improve product design, especially for the pumping system. Moreover, the fast approach to determine the parameters’ values in the effective viscosity equation is also helpful for engineers to tackle other similar problems.
A Self-Contained Architecture for Energy Recovery in Hydraulic Elevators
Authors: Pena Oscar , Leamy Michael J.
Published: June 2016

This paper presents a novel energy storage and recovery architecture for speed-controlled hydraulic actuation in hydraulic elevators. The study is motivated by a need to increase efficiency in the fluid power industry, in general, and hydraulic elevators, in particular. In contrast to previously employed systems, the proposed architecture eliminates the need for throttling and inefficient energy conversions in electric motor/generators. The system has 6 main components: 1 actuator, 1 hydraulic transformer composed of 2 pump/motors, 2 accumulators, a reservoir or small auxiliary accumulator, and a small auxiliary electric motor to recharge accumulators. By operating in 3 different modes, the system is always able to recapture energy when decreasing actuation speed, and return energy if needed when increasing actuation speed. Assessment of the proposed architecture is accomplished through high-fidelity simulations and a simplified analytical model. The analytical model is derived with the pump/motor displacements as a single input. A heuristic rule-based control is developed to control the high-fidelity simulation through an operation cycle and a comparison to a counterweighted elevator simulation is done to validate energy advantages of the novel system. Preliminary results demonstrate the ability of the system to follow a velocity profile using a single input. Comparison with a conventional counterweighted hydraulic elevator shows a large increase in energy efficiency. It is believed the architecture may have additional applicability to a wide range of hydraulic machines, such as heavy equipment used in construction, manufacturing, forestry, etc.
Numerical Simulation of Using Combined Active and Passive Stall Control Techniques in Centrifugal Compressors
Authors: Halawa Taher , Alqaradawi Mohamed , Badr Osama , Gadala Mohamed S.
Published: June 2016

This study presents a numerical simulation of stall control by using the casing treatment method which represents the passive control technique and also by using the air injection method which represents the active control technique. The casing treatment types used are the holed casing treatment and the casing skewed slots. There are four proposed numerical models; the first model is the regular shape model without casing treatments, the second model combines the holed casing treatment with the skewed slots, the third model is similar to the second one but enhanced by air injection at specified locations at the slot wall while the fourth model contains casing slots only. Results showed that the holed casing treatment helps in reducing the tip leakage flow by transferring it from the blades tip area to the impeller inlet. Also, it was found that the casing slots can cause a flow circulation and increase the kinetic energy around the position of slots and this leads to decreasing the number of stall cells. Results indicated also that the air injection at the casing slots increases the circulated flow rate inside the slots and minimizes the flow separation. It was found that the third model which contains casing slots only is the best comparing with other models in terms of decreasing the stall areas and increasing the compressor stability. Final results confirmed also that the casing treatment method increases the stability but reduces the isentropic efficiency.
Discrete Phase Modeling of Oil Droplets in the Gas Compartment of a Production Separator
Authors: Qaroot Y. F. , Kharoua N. , Khezzar L.
Published: June 2016

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a powerful engineering tool that has different applications in the Petroleum Industry. In recent years, CFD has been used to analyze the complex 3D multiphase flow inside production separators. Due to changing reservoir conditions oil companies replace old internals with upgraded ones. In this study, a numerical simulation of the turbulent multiphase flow using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) is used to assess the effects of the oil droplet size distribution on the oil carry-over in a production separator. Liquid droplet size distributions, meant to represent fine and coarse populations of oil droplets, were generated at the inlet of the separator within the range of sizes recommended in the literature for design purposes. The DPM model accounts for the key phenomena of droplets coalescence and breakup. Although the real case includes three phases, the present DPM simulations do not account for the water phase due to its negligible volume fraction and its prevailing gravitational settling compared to the carry-over effect. The new internals included; an inlet device known as Schoepentoeter, agglomerator, parallel-plates coalescer, and cyclonic mist extractor. Unlike many of the CFD studies reported in the literature, usually representing the internals by numerical models for simplicity, the internals of the separator were replicated with the maximum of geometrical details in this study. The present work was compared with field tests and previous numerical simulations using the Population Balance Model PBM. The PBM simulations considered the whole separator volume and the presence of three phases (gas, oil, water). The mean residence time obtained from the simulations agreed reasonably with some of the results published in the literature using semi-empirical formulas and experiments. The new internals were seen to promote droplet coalescence with minimal breakup. The new inlet device (Schoepentoeter), in particular, was found to contribute considerably to the coalescence of droplets and, hence, to separation.
Testing the ASMTurb Method on the Example Modelling of the Budget Equation of Turbulent Kinetic Energy
Authors: Nuzhnov Yu. V.
Published: June 2016

The statistical modeling of fluctuating kinetic energy in turbulent and non-turbulent fluid of a turbulent flow are presented and self-similar solutions applied to budget equations of conditionally averaged fluctuating kinetic energy are obtained. The equations were constructed on basis of the method of autonomous statistical modeling of turbulent flows (ASMTurb method) and allow to calculate the conditional averages both fluctuating kinetic energy and terms of the budget equations. The total statistical averages are found with help algebraic ratios between total and conditional averages through the agency of external intermittency factor.

Testing the ASMTurb method is presented in the form of ASMTurb model for self-similar region of the two-stream plane mixing layer. Test results showed that the constructed here ASMTurb model is deeper and more accurate than RANS model. A comparison is performed between predictions and known experimental data for energy-containing fluctuating structure of the turbulent flow in mixing layer and excellent agreements are noted.
Implementation of an Adjoint-Based Optimization With Scalar Transport
Authors: Helgason Eysteinn , Krajnović Siniša
Published: June 2016

A sensitivity analysis of a particle distribution at the outlet of a 2D-channel is presented. A convection-diffusion equation is used to represent the distribution of particles in a flow. The flow is governed by the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The particles follow the medium to the outlet, where the goal is to obtain uniform distribution of the particles. A goal function for the particle distribution at the outlet is presented, and the gradient of the goal function with respect to the normal motion of the surface is calculated. The calculation of the gradient is performed by applying the so-called adjoint method. For this, the adjoint scalar transport equation and the relevant adjoint RANS equations are implemented. The calculation cost of the entire sensitivity field is roughly twice the cost of a standard convection-diffusion particle simulation. This results in computationally cheap gradients compared to traditional methods. The results are verified by comparing the gradients calculated using the adjoint method to gradients obtained using numerical differentiation.
Experimental Characterization of a Modified Airlift Pump
Authors: Goharzadeh Afshin , Fernandes Keegan
Published: June 2016

This paper presents an experimental investigation on a modified airlift pump. Experiments were undertaken as a function of air-water flow rate for two submergence ratios (ε=0.58 and 0.74), and two different riser geometries (i) straight pipe with a constant inner diameter of 19 mm and (ii) enlarged pipe with a sudden expanded diameter of 19 to 32 mm. These transparent vertical pipes, of 1 m length, were submerged in a transparent rectangular tank (0.45×0.45×1.1 m3). The compressed air was injected into the vertical pipe to lift the water from the reservoir. The flow map regime is established for both configurations and compared with previous studies. The two phase air-water flow structure at the expansion region is experimentally characterized. Pipeline geometry is found to have a significant influence on the output water flow rate. Using high speed photography and electrical conductivity probes, new flow regimes, such as “slug to churn” and “annular to churn” flow, are observed and their influence on the output water flow rate and efficiency are discussed. These experimental results provide fundamental insights into the physics of modified airlift pump.
Stable Moving Particle Semi Implicit Method for Modeling Waves Generated by Submarine Landslides
Authors: Nabian Mohammad Amin , Farhadi Leila
Published: June 2016

A mesh-free numerical formulation, known as Moving Particle Semi Implicit (MPS) Method, is used for modeling waves generated by submarine landslides. In this formulation, approximations are provided to the strong form of PDEs on the basis of integral interpolants. The governing equations, Navier-Stokes equations, are solved in a 2D fully Lagrangian form. This method utilizes a fractional step method and splits each time step in two steps. The fluid is represented with particles and the motion of each particle is calculated through interactions with neighboring particles by means of a kernel function.

Landslides in this paper are simulated by a submerged triangle rigid wedge sliding along an inclined plane into a water tank. As the wedge sinks, a wave and a vortex is formed. The water surface profile, velocity field and pressure field are represented at different times. To confirm the accuracy of the model, the water surface profile is compared with the experimental data, showing good agreement. Simulations can continue for a long period of time without any instability occurrence and this is a remarkable competency amongst other particle methods. A discussion on multi-size particle strategy and its ability to increase the efficiency of MPS method is provided at the end of the paper.
Subpopulations in purified platelets adhering on glass
Authors: Donati Alessia , Gupta Swati , Reviakine Ilya
Published: June 2016

Understanding how platelet activation is regulated is important in the context of cardiovascular disorders and their management with antiplatelet therapy. Recent evidence points to different platelet subpopulations performing different functions. In particular, procoagulant and aggregating subpopulations have been reported in the literature in platelets treated with the GPVI agonists. How the formation of platelet subpopulations upon activation is regulated remains unclear. Here, it is shown that procoagulant and aggregating platelet subpopulations arise spontaneously upon adhesion of purified platelets on clean glass surfaces. Calcium ionophore treatment of the adhering platelets resulted in one platelet population expressing both the procoagulant and the adherent population markers phosphatidylserine and the activated form of GPIIb/IIIa, while all of the platelets expressed CD62P independently of the ionophore treatment. Therefore, all platelets have the capacity to express all three activation markers. It is concluded that platelet subpopulations observed in various studies reflect the dynamics of the platelet activation process.
“Birds of a Feather”: An Institutional Approach to Canadian National Sport Organizations’ Social-Media Use
Authors: Naraine Michael L. , Parent Milena M.
Published: June 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine sport organizations’ social-media activity using an institutional approach, specifically, to investigate the main themes emanating from Canadian national sport organizations’ (CNSOs) social-media communication and the similarities and differences in social-media use between the CNSOs. An exploratory qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on 8 CNSOs’ Twitter accounts ranging from 346 to 23,925 followers, with the number of tweets varying from 219 to 17,186. Thematic analysis indicated that CNSOs generally used tweeting for promoting, reporting, and informing purposes. Despite the organizations’ differing characteristics regarding seasonality of the sport, Twitter-follower count, total number of tweets, and whether the content was original or retweeted, themes were generally consistent across the various organizations. Coercive, mimetic, and normative isomorphic pressures help explain these similarities and offer reasons for a lack of followership growth by the less salient CNSOs. Implications for research and practice are provided.
The Perception of Physical Activity in Ambulatory Persons with Late Effects of Polio: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Winberg Cecilia , Carlsson Gunilla , Brogårdh Christina , Lexell Jan
Published: June 2016

Maintaining regular physical activity (PA) can be challenging for persons with late effects of polio. This qualitative study of ambulatory persons with late effects of polio explored their perceptions of PA, as well as facilitators of and barriers to PA. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 persons and analyzed with content analysis using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework. The participants described positive perceptions of PA and its health benefits. PA was used to prevent further decline in functioning, and the type and frequency of activities had changed over time. Past experiences and personal characteristics impacted PA. Support from close relatives, knowledgeable health care professionals, mobility devices, and accessible environments facilitated PA, whereas impairments, inaccessible environments, and cold weather were the main barriers. To perform PA regularly, persons with late effects of polio may benefit from individualized advice based on their disability and personal and environmental factors.
Determinants of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in a Population Sample of Girls and Boys Aged 6 to 8 Years
Authors: Lintu Niina , Savonen Kai , Viitasalo Anna , Tompuri Tuomo , Paananen Jussi , Tarvainen Mika P. , Lakka Timo
Published: June 2016

Background:

There are few studies on determinants of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among girls and boys separately in population samples of children.

Methods:

We therefore investigated the determinants of CRF, assessed by maximal workload per height using allometric scaling, in a population sample of 162 girls and 177 boys aged 6 to 8 years. We used automated bootstrap feature selection and linear regression models.

Results:

The strongest determinants of CRF among girls were maximal heart rate (HR; standardized regression coefficient [β] = 0.31, P < .001), unsupervised physical activity (β = 0.29, P < .001), lean body mass (β = 0.23, P = .001), and errors in static balance test (β = –0.16, P = .02), accounting altogether for 25.7% of variation in CRF. In boys, unsupervised physical activity (β = 0.24, P < .001), resting HR (β = –0.25, P < .001), hand grip strength (β = 0.21, P = .001), errors in static balance test (β = –0.16, P = .01), organized football (β = 0.16, P = .01), and unsupervised trampoline jumping (β = 0.14, P = .04) were the strongest determinants of CRF, accounting altogether for 29.7% of variation in CRF.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that unsupervised physical activity is sufficient in improving CRF in both sexes. Furthermore, larger muscle mass and better balance are associated with higher CRF that has to be taken into account when assessing CRF using maximal cycle ergometer exercise test among children.
The Effects of Unsupervised Home-based Exercise Upon Functional Capacity After 6 Months of Discharge From Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Borges Juliana Pereira , Mediano Mauro Felippe Felix , Farinatti Paulo , Coelho Marina Pereira , Nascimento Pablo Marino Correa , Lopes Gabriella de Oliveira , Kopiler Daniel Arkader , Tibiriçá Eduardo
Published: June 2016

Background:

It remains unclear whether self-regulated exercise is sufficient to maintain the benefits acquired during formal cardiac rehabilitation (CR). This retrospective observational study investigated the effects of a home-based exercise intervention after discharge from CR upon anthropometric and aerobic capacity markers in clinically stable patients.

Methods:

Fifty patients with cardiovascular disease were discharged after 6 months of CR and encouraged to maintain aerobic exercise without supervision. Subsequent to 6 months of follow-up, patients were assigned to compliant (n = 34) or noncompliant (n = 16) groups according to their compliance to the home-based program. Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and anthropometric data were assessed before CR, at discharge, and after 6 months of follow-up.

Results:

No statistical differences between compliant and noncompliant groups were observed at baseline and at discharge from CR. At the end of the follow-up, statistical differences across groups were not found for body mass or body mass index, but increases in VO2peak (+3.6 vs. –0.6 ml/kg·min, P = 0.004) and oxygen pulse (+1.5 vs. +0.2 ml/bpm, P = .03) were greater in compliant than noncompliant group.

Conclusions:

Self-regulated exercising following CR discharge seems to be effective to maintain gains in exercise capacity acquired during supervised center-based programs.