bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinct Effects of Acute Pretreatment With Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Statins on Myocardial Stunning, Arrhythmias and Lethal Injury in the Rat Heart Subjected to Ischemia/Reperfusion
Authors: ČARNICKÁ S. , ADAMEOVÁ A. , NEMČEKOVÁ M. , MATEJÍKOVÁ J. , PANCZA D. , RAVINGEROVÁ T.
Published: February 2020

Although both lipophilic and more hydrophilic statins share the same pathway of the inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, their pleiotropic cardioprotective effects associated with the ability to cross cellular membranes, including membranes of heart cells, may differ. To test this hypothesis, isolated rat hearts were Langendorff-perfused either with simvastatin (S, 10 μmol/l) or pravastatin (P, 30 μmol/l), 15 min prior to ischemia. Control untreated hearts (C) were perfused with perfusion medium only. Postischemic contractile dysfunction, reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias and infarct size were investigated after exposure of the hearts to 30-min global ischemia and 2-h reperfusion. Both lipophilic S and hydrophilic P reduced the severity of ventricular arrhythmias (arrhythmia score) from 4.3±0.2 in C to 3.0±0 and 2.7±0.2 in S and P, respectively, (both P<0.05), decreased the duration of ventricular tachycardia and suppressed ventricular fibrillation. Likewise, the extent of lethal injury (infarct size) determined by tetrazolium staining and expressed in percentage of risk area, was significantly lower in both treated groups, moreover, the effect of P was more pronounced (27±2 % and 10±2 % in S and P groups, respectively, vs. 42±1 % in C; P<0.05). In contrast, only S, but not P, was able to improve postischemic recovery of left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP; 48±12 % of preischemic values vs. 25±4 % in C and 21±7 % in P groups; P<0.05). Our results suggest that differences in water solubility of statins indicating a different ability to cross cardiac membranes may underlie their distinct cardioprotective effects on myocardial stunning and lethal injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion.
Rancang Bangun Aplikasi Pemasaran Helm Berbasis Augmented Reality
Authors: Perdana Angkasa Julio Putra
Published: February 2020

Penjual helm biasanya memajang helm pada tokonya namun luas toko yang terbatas tidak dapat memajang semua jenis helm. Augmented Reality adalah teknologi yang mengganbungkan benda maya tiga dimensi dalam sebuah lingkungan nyata. Implementasi Augmented Reality dalam pemasaran penjualan helm dapat mengatasi masalah dengan mengurangi space yang digunakan untuk memajang helm dan diubah dalam bentuk maya.
PENGUJIAN APLIKASI POINT OF SALE MENGGUNAKAN BLACKBOX TESTING
Authors: Putra Adi Pradana , Andriyanto Fatullah , Karisman Karisman , Harti Tri Dewi Muji , Sari Winda Puspita
Published: February 2020

Abstrak

Abstrak Point of sale atau sering disingkat POS adalah suatu sistem dalam dunia bisnis yang menggunakan perangkat keras (peralatan) dan perangkat lunak (program). Sistem Point of Sale ini menyediakan fitur-fitur utama seperti menambahkan transaksi, melihat riwayat transaksi penjualan dan grafik kemajuan penjualan, memperkirakan atau memperkirakan pendapatan, hingga mengidentifikasi penjualan yang berisi daftar produk dan kombinasi produk terlaris. Pengujian aplikasi menggunakan pengujian kotak hitam dan berlanjut selama dua minggu setelah program selesai. Untuk menilai kesesuaian aplikasi dan kesesuaian dalam menjalankan database, aplikasi diimplementasikan secara langsung selama 1 minggu untuk melihat apakah masih ada masalah dengan aplikasi tersebut atau tidak. Selama implementasi, jika ada masalah program, mereka akan disempurnakan lagi dan akan terus disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan Toko ABC Jaya. Berdasarkan penelitian yang telah dilakukan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa pembuatan sistem informasi Point of Sale (POS) dapat digunakan oleh pengguna. Hasil penerapan aplikasi Point of Sale adalah aplikasi web poin pesanan penjualan memudahkan pengelolaan barang, rekap transaksi bulanan atau tahunan.

Abstrak

Point of sale atau yang sering disingkat POS merupakan sistem dalam dunia bisnis yang menggunakan perangkat keras (perangkat) dan perangkat lunak (program). Sistem Point of Sale ini menyediakan fitur utama seperti menambahkan transaksi, melihat transaksi penjualan serta grafik perkembangan penjualan, memperkirakan atau memprediksi pendapatan, hingga meningkatkan penjualan yang berisikan daftar-daftar produk dan kombinasi produk terlaris. Pengujian aplikasi menggunakan pengujian kotak hitam dan terus dilakukan selama dua minggu setelah program dilaksanakan. Untuk menilai kelayakan aplikasi dan kesesuaian dalam basis data maka aplikasi diimplementasikan langsung selama 1 minggu untuk melihat apakah masih ada permaslahan pada aplikasi atau tidak. Selama program disetujui, disetujui oleh program, maka akan disempurnakan kembali dan akan terus disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan di Toko Jaya ABC. Berdasarkan penelitian yang telah dilakukan maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa pada pembuatan sistem informasi Point of Sale (POS) dinyatakan dapat digunakan oleh pengguna. Hasil dari penerapan aplikasi Point of Sale ini adalah titik aplikasi web pesanan penjualan memfasilitasi pengadaan barang, rekap transaksi bulanan maupun tahunan
N, Yogi Rancang Bangun Aplikasi Pemasaran Elektronik Berbasis Augmented Reality Menggunakan Metode Waterfall
Authors: Nugroho Yogi
Published: February 2020

Pada saat ini perkembangan teknologi di industri khususnya elektronik sedang berkembang pesat. Banyak perusahaan yang sedang berlomba-lomba untuk memasarkan produknya dengan berbagai cara agar dapat menarik perhatian konsumen. Metode pemasaran elektronik saat ini umumnya menggunakan media offline seperti brosur dan majalah yang menampilkan gambar dua dimensi dengan alasan lebih ekonomis. Namun, hal ini tentunya membuat konsumen yang melihatnya menjadi tidak puas dan tidak tertarik karena tampilannya terbatas dan kurangnya penggambaran secara penuh. Dari permasalahan ini diperlukan metode Augmented Reality untuk pemasaran elektronik dengan brosur secara 3D agar konsumen mendapatkan informasi secara penuh dari tampilan produk elektronik yang ditawarkan. Dalam penelitian ini penulis membuat aplikasi pemasaran elektronik berbasis Augmented Reality menggunakan metode waterfall sebagai pendekatannya.
Analisis Resiko Teknologi Informasi Aplikasi VCare PT Visionet Data Internasional Menggunakan ISO 31000
Authors: Hutabarat Felisia Meini , Manuputty Augie David
Published: February 2020

VCare merupakan aplikasi BITS (Branch IT Service) yang di terapkan untuk menunjang bisnis yang berjalan di PT Visionet Data Internasional. Aplikasi VCare digunakan untuk pendaftaran klien yang akan menggunakan layanan pengadaan mesin, kontrak layanan (full managed service, managed service), pendafaran merchant, perbaikan, dan penarikan mesin EDC (Electronic Data Capture) dari klien PT Visionet Data Internasional. Aplikasi VCare sangat penting bagi perusahaan dalam menjalankan bisnis nya sebagai perusahaan penyedia layanan. Agar aplikasi ini dapat berjalan secara optimal maka diperlukan sebuah analisa resiko untuk mendokumentasikan berbagai macam kemungkinan resiko yang ada di sekitar aplikasi VCare, serta perlakuan resiko juga diperlukan untuk meminimalisir kemungkinan – kemungkinan resiko yang akan muncul. Kerangka kerja yang digunakan untuk menganalisa resiko pada PT Visionet Data Internasional adalah ISO 31000. Tahap pertama yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah tahap penilaian resiko yang terdiri dari 3 tahapan yaitu identifikasi resiko, analisis resiko, dan evaluasi resiko. Tahap kedua adalah tahap perlakuaan resiko. Sehingga hasil dari analisa resiko yang sudah di lakukan dapat digunakan untuk membantu perusahaan dalam mencegah, meminimalisir resiko, serta memperlakukan resiko – resiko tersebut sesuai prioritas level resikonya, sebelum kemungkinan resiko tersebut menghambat bisnis yang ada di perusahaan.
The excavation of Gourock Burn homestead, West Kilbride, North Ayrshire
Authors: Hendry Alastair
Published: February 2020

Intermittent excavation at Gourock Burn homestead, between 1961 and 1980, revealed the presence of two substantial roundhouses which had served as living and working accommodation during one period of occupation, from the second half of 1st century until mid 2nd century AD. An attempt at reconstruction followed immediately but was not completed. Both roundhouses were of similar structural design with entrance passageways. Finds illustrated a wide range of domestic and craft activities suggesting that the inhabitants had enjoyed a considerable status, with trading relations with the Roman occupying power.
World Christianity, ‘World Religions’ and the Challenge of Insider Movements
Authors: Anderson Christian J.
Published: February 2020

While studies in World Christianity have frequently referred to Christianity as a ‘world religion’, this article argues that such a category is problematic. Insider movements directly challenge the category, since they are movements of faith in Jesus that fall within another ‘world religion’ altogether – usually Islam or Hinduism. Rather than being an oddity of the mission frontier, insider movements expose ambiguities already present in World Christianity studies concerning the concept of ‘religion’ and how we understand the unity of the World Christian movement. The article first examines distortions that occur when religion is referred to on the one hand as localised practices which can be reoriented and taken up into World Christianity and, on the other hand, as ‘world religion’, where Christianity is sharply discontinuous with other world systems. Second, the article draws from the field of religious studies, where several writers have argued that the scholarly ‘world religion’ category originates from a European Enlightenment project whose modernist assumptions are now questionable. Third, the particular challenge of insider movements is expanded on – their use of non-Christian cultural-religious systems as spaces for Christ worship, and their redrawing of assumed Christian boundaries. Finally, the article sketches out two principles for understanding Christianity's unity in a way that takes into account the religious (1) as a historical series of cultural-religious transmissions and receptions of the Christian message, which emanates from margins like those being crossed by insider movements, and (2) as a religiously syncretic process of change that occurs with Christ as the prime authority.
A Rapid Fluorescence-Based Microplate Assay to Investigate the Interaction of Membrane Active Antimicrobial Peptides with Whole Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Boix-Lemonche Gerard , Lekka Maria , Skerlavaj Barbara
Published: February 2020

Background: Membrane-active antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are interesting candidates for the development of novel antimicrobials. Although their effects were extensively investigated in model membrane systems, interactions of AMPs with living microbial membranes are less known due to their complexity. The aim of the present study was to develop a rapid fluorescence-based microplate assay to analyze the membrane effects of AMPs in whole Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Methods: Bacteria were exposed to bactericidal and sub-inhibitory concentrations of two membrane-active AMPs in the presence of the potential-sensitive dye 3,3′-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (diSC3(5)) and the DNA staining dye propidium iodide (PI), to simultaneously monitor and possibly distinguish membrane depolarization and membrane permeabilization. Results: The ion channel-forming gramicidin D induced a rapid increase of diSC3(5), but not PI fluorescence, with slower kinetics at descending peptide concentrations, confirming killing due to membrane depolarization. The pore-forming melittin, at sub-MIC and bactericidal concentrations, caused, respectively, an increase of PI fluorescence in one or both dyes simultaneously, suggesting membrane permeabilization as a key event. Conclusions: This assay allowed the distinction between specific membrane effects, and it could be applied in the mode of action studies as well as in the screening of novel membrane-active AMPs.
Seismic Design of Timber Buildings: Highlighted Challenges and Future Trends
Authors: Stepinac Mislav , Šušteršič Iztok , Gavrić Igor , Rajčić Vlatka
Published: February 2020

Use of timber as a construction material has entered a period of renaissance since the development of high-performance engineered wood products, enabling larger and taller buildings to be built. In addition, due to substantial contribution of the building sector to global energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and waste production, sustainable solutions are needed, for which timber has shown a great potential as a sustainable, resilient and renewable building alternative, not only for single family homes but also for mid-rise and high-rise buildings. Both recent technological developments in timber engineering and exponentially increased use of engineered wood products and wood composites reflect in deficiency of current timber codes and standards. This paper presents an overview of some of the current challenges and emerging trends in the field of seismic design of timber buildings. Currently existing building codes and the development of new generation of European building codes are presented. Ongoing studies on a variety topics within seismic timber engineering are presented, including tall timber and hybrid buildings, composites with timber and seismic retrofitting with timber. Crucial challenges, key research needs and opportunities are addressed and critically discussed.
Numerical Simulation of the Effect of Injected CO2 Temperature and Pressure on CO2-Enhanced Coalbed Methane
Authors: Yudong Hou , Saipeng Huang , Jian Han , Xingbin Liu , Lianfu Han , Changfeng Fu
Published: February 2020

The injection of CO2 to displace CH4 in coal seams is an effective method to exploit coalbed methane (CBM), for which the CO2 injection temperature and pressure are important influential factors. We performed simulations, using COMSOL Multiphysics to determine the effect of CO2 injection temperature and pressure on CO2-enhanced coalbed methane (CO2-ECBM) recovery, according to adsorption/desorption, seepage, and diffusion of binary gas (CO2 and CH4) in the coal seam, and deriver a thermal–hydraulic–mechanical coupling equation of CO2-ECBM. The simulation results show that, as CO2 injection pressure in CO2-ECBM increases, the molar concentration and displacement time of CH4 in the coal seam significantly decrease. With increasing injection temperature, the binary gas adsorption capacity in the coal seam decreases, and CO2 reserves and CH4 production decrease. High temperatures are therefore not conducive for CH4 production.
A Web Services, Ontology and Big Data Analysis Technology-Based Cloud Case-Based Reasoning Agent for Energy Conservation of Sustainability Science
Authors: Chen Shih-Chin , Yang Sheng-Yuan
Published: February 2020

Energy conservation is one of the important topics for sustainability science, while case-based reasoning is one of the most important techniques for sustainable processing. This study aimed to develop a cloud case-based reasoning agent that integrates multiple intelligent technologies and supports, which can help users to quickly, accurately, and effectively obtain useful cloud energy-saving information in a timely manner for sustainability science. The system was successfully built with the support of Web services technology, ontology, and big data analytics. To set up this energy-saving case-based reasoning agent, this study reviewed the relevant technologies for building a web services platform and explored how to widely integrate and support the cloud interaction of the energy-saving data processing agent via the technologies. In addition to presenting relevant R&D technologies and results in detail, this study carefully conducted performance and learning experiments to prove the system’s effectiveness. The results showed that the core technology of the case-based reasoning agent achieved good performance and that the learning effectiveness of the overall system was also great.
Primary Seal Deformation in Multipane Glazing Units
Authors: Starman Bojan , Maček Andraž , Rus Primož , Obid Štefan , Kralj Aleš , Halilovič Miroslav
Published: February 2020

Quadruple glazing has become a high-end standard in the field of sealed insulating glass units. With more than three glass panes a set of internal heat-related technical problems emerges. Durability, being the most pressing problem, requires careful management of the primary sealant deformation, especially under summer environmental conditions. Namely, the role of the primary seal in insulating glass units is to protect their humidity-sensitive, low-emissivity coatings from moisture and the quality of such protection is a key factor in durability. In this paper, a new methodology is proposed for a feasibility assessment of a new multipane insulating glass unit design, where proper design enables avoidance of excessive strain on the primary seal. It focuses on the calculation of the primary sealant strains, which are nonhomogeneous and multiaxial according to different loading conditions. This approach leads to analytical expressions that enable convenient identification of the critical location on the primary sealant. Finally, feasibility is assessed with the proposed methodology for the newly developed highly insulative six-pane facade unit by means of a comparison of the calculated strain state with the anticipated allowable strains, based on technical practice.
Does Augmented Reality Affect Sociability, Entertainment, and Learning? A Field Experiment
Authors: Savela Nina , Oksanen Atte , Kaakinen Markus , Noreikis Marius , Xiao Yu
Published: February 2020

Augmented reality (AR) applications have recently emerged for entertainment and educational purposes and have been proposed to have positive effects on social interaction. In this study, we investigated the impact of a mobile, indoor AR feature on sociability, entertainment, and learning. We conducted a field experiment using a quiz game in a Finnish science center exhibition. We divided participants (N = 372) into an experimental group (AR app users) and two control groups (non-AR app users; pen-and-paper participants), including 28 AR users of follow-up interviews. We used Kruskal–Wallis rank test to compare the experimental groups and the content analysis method to explore AR users’ experiences. Although interviewed AR participants recognized the entertainment value and learning opportunities for AR, we did not detect an increase in perceived sociability, social behavior, positive affect, or learning performance when comparing the experimental groups. Instead, AR interviewees experienced a strong conflict between the two different realities. Despite the engaging novelty value of new technology, performance and other improvements do not automatically emerge. We also discuss potential conditional factors. Future research and development of AR and related technologies should note the possible negative effects of dividing attention to both realities.
Thermoelastic Analysis of Functionally Graded Cylindrical Panels with Piezoelectric Layers
Authors: Heydarpour Yasin , Malekzadeh Parviz , Dimitri Rossana , Tornabene Francesco
Published: February 2020

We propose a coupled thermoelastic approach based on the Lord-Shulman (L-S) and Maxwell’s formulations to study the wave propagation in functionally graded (FG) cylindrical panels with piezoelectric layers under a thermal shock loading. The material properties of the FG core layer feature a graded distribution throughout the thickness and vary according to a simple power law. A layerwise differential quadrature method (LW-DQM) is combined with a non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) multi-step time integration scheme to discretize the governing equations both in the spatial and time domains. The compatibility conditions of the physical quantities are enforced at the interfaces to describe their structural behavior in a closed form. A validation and comparative analysis with the available literature, together with a convergence study, show the efficiency and stability of the proposed method to handle thermoelastic problems. Numerical applications are herein performed systematically to check for the sensitivity of the thermoelastic response to the material graded index, piezoelectric layer thickness, external electrical voltage, opening angle, and shock thermal loading, which would be very helpful for practical engineering applications.
System Reliability Evaluation of a Bridge Structure Based on Multivariate Copulas and the AHP–EW Method That Considers Multiple Failure Criteria
Authors: Liu Hanbing , Wang Xirui , Tan Guojin , He Xin
Published: February 2020

The system reliability evaluation of a bridge structure is a complicated problem. Previous studies have commonly used approximate estimation methods, such as the wide bounds method and the narrow bounds method, but neither could obtain an accurate result. In recent years, the copula theory has been introduced into the system reliability evaluation, which can obtain more accurate results than the approximate methods. However, most studies simply construct binary copula functions to consider the joint failure of two failure modes. For a complex bridge structure composed of multiple components and failure modes, the joint failure of multiple failure modes needs to be considered. Before evaluating the system reliability, it is necessary to determine the failure criteria of the system. Different failure criteria for simply supported beam bridges have been proposed. However, there is no standard available to determine which failure criterion to choose, and the selection of failure criteria is ambiguous. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to evaluate the system reliability of a simply supported beam bridge by considering multiple failure criteria based on multivariate copulas and the analytic hierarchy process entropy weight (AHP–EW) method. The method first considers multiple failure criteria comprehensively and constructs multivariate copulas for the joint failure of multiple components in a bridge system reliability evaluation. The AHP–EW method is a comprehensive weighting method combining the analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight methods, which is used to establish the hierarchical analysis model between system reliability and multiple failure criteria. By considering the joint failure of multiple failure modes in the system reliability evaluation under a single failure criterion, multivariate copula functions were constructed. In order to verify the applicability of the proposed bridge system reliability method, a simply supported reinforced concrete (RC) hollow slab bridge composed of nine slab segments was selected as the numerical example. The results indicate that the method proposed in this paper could evaluate the bridge system reliability more comprehensively and reasonably.
A Design and Fabrication Method for Wood-Inspired Composites by Micro X-Ray Computed Tomography and 3D Printing
Authors: Tao Yubo , Li Zelong , Li Peng
Published: February 2020

Developments in 3D printing and CT scanning technologies have facilitated the imitation of natural wood structures. However, creating composites from the elementary features of anisotropic wood structures remains a new frontier. This paper aims to investigate the potential of constructing and 3D printing mechanically customizable composites by combining anisotropic elementary models reconstructed from the micro X-ray computed tomography (μ-CT) scanning of wood. In this study, an arbitrary region of interest selected from the μ-CT scanning of a sample of Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica) was reconstructed into isosurfaces that constituted the 3D model of an elementary model. Elementary models were combined to form the wood-inspired composites in various arrangements. The surface and interior structures of the elementary model were found to be customizable through adjusting the image Threshold and Surface Quality Factors during 3D volume reconstruction. Compressional simulations and experiments performed on the elementary model (digital and 3D printed) revealed that its compressive behavior was wood-like and anisotropic. Numerical analysis established a preliminary link between the arrangements of elementary models and the compressive stiffness of respective composites, showing that it is possible to control the compressive behaviors of the composites through the design of specific elementary model arrangements.
Adaptive Neural Fault-Tolerant Control for the Yaw Control of UAV Helicopters with Input Saturation and Full-State Constraints
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Chen Xia , Xu Dezhi
Published: February 2020

In this paper, an adaptive neural fault-tolerant tracking control scheme is presented for the yaw control of an unmanned-aerial-vehicle helicopter. The scheme incorporates a non-affine nonlinear system that manages actuator faults, input saturation, full-state constraints, and external disturbances. Firstly, by using a Taylor series expansion technique, the non-affine nonlinear system is transformed into an affine-form expression to facilitate the desired control design. In comparison with previous techniques, the actuator efficiency is explicit. Then, a neural network is considered to approximate unknown nonlinear functions, and a time-varying barrier Lyapunov function is employed to prevent transgression of the full-state variables using a backstepping technique. Robust adaptive control laws are designed to handle parameter uncertainties and unknown bounded disturbances to cut down the number of learning parameters and simplify the computational burden. Moreover, an auxiliary system is constructed to guarantee the pitch angle of the UAV helicopter yaw control system to satisfy the input constraint. Uniform boundedness of all signals in a closed-loop system is ensured via Lyapunov theory; the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood near zero. Finally, when the numerical simulations are applied to a yaw control of helicopter, the adaptive neural controller demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Study of Polarization Characteristics of Corrosion Films on Magnesium in Sulfate-Containing Electrolytes
Authors: Abildina Ainaz K. , Argimbayeva Akmaral M. , Kurbatov Andrey , Bakhytzhan Yeldana , Rakhymbay Gulmira , Wark Michael , Bottke Patrick
Published: February 2020

In this article, the results of studying the polarization characteristics of magnesium covered with corrosion film in aqueous solutions of MgSO4 and Na2SO4 are presented. The absence of a corrosion-free magnesium surface was shown; in this connection, it was proposed to interpret the larger values of Tafel’s coefficients obtained in the experiment from the point of view of limiting the electrochemical process by charge transfer in the film phase. Charge transfer in corrosion films obeys the regularities of particle movement in high electric fields, and it is not only cationic. According to the impedance measurements, the resistance of the oxide and hydroxide layer of the magnesium-based corrosion film in the studied solutions was calculated. The largest contribution to the restriction of charge transfer in the initial stages of corrosion is made by a dense primary film defining the polarization resistance. Correlation of transfer parameters in high electric fields with thickness and resistance of corrosion film was demonstrated.
Structural Properties of the Fluid Mixture Confined by a Semipermeable Membrane: A Density Functional Study
Authors: Zhang Lihong , Kang Yanshuang , Sun Zongli , Kang Yanmei
Published: February 2020

Classical density functional theory (DFT) is employed to study the structural properties of a binary fluid mixture confined by a semipermeable membrane. The influences of volume fraction and size asymmetry on three characteristic densities and excess adsorption are investigated in detail. In addition, some of our results are calculated by the analytical method, which agree well with those from the DFT calculations. These results may provide helpful clues to understand the structural properties of other complex fluids or mixture confined by semipermeable membrane.
A New Stainless-Steel Tube-in-Tube Damper for Seismic Protection of Structures
Authors: González-Sanz Guillermo , Escolano-Margarit David , Benavent-Climent Amadeo
Published: February 2020

This paper investigates a new stainless-steel tube-in-tube damper (SS-TTD) designed for the passive control of structures subjected to seismic loadings. It consists of two tubes assembled in a telescopic configuration. A series of slits are cut on the walls of the exterior tube in order to create a series of strips with a large height-to-width ratio. The exterior tube is connected to the interior tube so that when the brace-type damper is subjected to forced axial displacements, the strips dissipate energy in the form of flexural plastic deformations. The performance of the SS-TTD is assessed experimentally through quasi-static and dynamic shaking table tests. Its ultimate energy dissipation capacity is quantitatively evaluated, and a procedure is proposed to predict the failure. The cumulative ductility of the SS-TTD is about 4-fold larger than that reported for other dampers based on slit-type plates in previous studies. Its ultimate energy dissipation capacity is 3- and 16-fold higher than that of slit-type plates made of mild steel and high-strength steel, respectively. Finally, two hysteretic models are investigated and compared to characterise the hysteretic behaviour of the SS-TTD under arbitrarily applied cyclic loads.
Analysis of an Isolation System with Vertical Spring-viscous Dampers in Horizontal and Vertical Ground Motion
Authors: Hur Deog-Jae , Hong Sung-Chul
Published: February 2020

This paper proposes a new vibration isolation mounting system, with spherical balls and vertical spring dampers, that provides seismic protection from horizontal and vertical ground excitation. To characterize the system, nonlinear governing equations are derived by considering the kinematics and interaction forces of the structures, and the dynamic characteristics of the design parameters are investigated by numerical analysis. The condition of contact stability for sustaining continuous friction of the isolation device is discussed, along with the design parameters. The vibration transfer characteristics are analyzed for the displacement transfer ratio obtained for the design parameters satisfying the sustainable contact condition, when the base is harmonically excited. The results confirm that the relative motion occurrence satisfies the conditional expression, and a jump in which the transfer ratio suddenly increases at a specific frequency is identified. Finally, design variables that are suitable for the horizontal and vertical acceleration of the El Centro earthquake are set, and a simulation confirms the vibration reduction effect in both the horizontal and vertical motions.
The Co-Expression of Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) in Untreated EGFR-Mutated Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hsu Ping-Chih , Wang Chih-Wei , Kuo Scott Chih-Hsi , Lin Shu-Min , Lo Yu-Lun , Huang Allen Chung-Cheng , Chiu Li-Chung , Yang Cheng-Ta
Published: February 2020

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is the standard first-line therapy for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma harboring sensitive EGFR mutations. Tumor surface programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is expressed in some metastatic EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma, but its impact on the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs is unclear. We retrospectively investigated 117 untreated metastatic lung EGFR mutated adenocarcinoma patients with a PD-L1 immunohistochemistry test. The PD-L1 expression level was classified by tumor proportion scores (TPS). Forty-five patients had negative expression (TPS < 1%), 45 had a weak expression (TPS 1–49%), and 27 had a strong expression (≥50%). All patients recruited in this study received EGFR-TKIs as a first-line therapy. No significant differences were observed for objective response rates (68.9% versus 62.2% versus 73.1%, p = 0.807) and median time to treatment failure (TTF) (12.17 versus 13.17 versus 11.0 months, p = 0.443) of first-line EGFR-TKIS among the three groups of patients (negative versus weak versus strong). The median overall survival was 21.27 versus 20.63 versus 19.43 months among the three groups of patients (p = 0.77). Our results demonstrated that PD-L1 did not affect the efficacy of first-line EGFR-TKIs in metastatic EGFR mutated lung adenocarcinoma. Thus, EGFR-TKIs are suggested as the preferred clinical therapy for these patients, despite their PD-L1 levels.
N-Hydroxyphthalimide Supported on Silica Coated with Ionic Liquids Containing CoCl2 (SCILLs) as New Catalytic System for Solvent-Free Ethylbenzene Oxidation
Authors: Dobras Gabriela , Kasperczyk Kornela , Jurczyk Sebastian , Orlińska Beata
Published: February 2020

N-Hydroxyphthalimide was immobilized via ester bond on commercially available silica gel (SiOCONHPI) and then coated with various ionic liquids containing dissolved CoCl2 (SiOCONHPI@CoCl2@IL). New catalysts were characterized by means of FT IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, SEM and TGA analysis and used in ethylbenzene oxidation with oxygen under mild solvent-free conditions (80 °C, 0.1 MPa). High catalytic activity of SiOCONHPI was proved. In comparison to a non-catalytic reaction, a two-fold increase in conversion of ethylbenzene was observed (from 4.7% to 8.6%). Coating of SiOCONHPI with [bmim][OcOSO3], [bmim][Cl] and [bmim][CF3SO3] containing CoCl2 enabled to increase the catalytic activity in relation to systems in which IL and CoCl2 were added directly to reaction mixture. The highest conversion of ethylbenzene was obtained while SiOCONHPI@CoCl2@[bmim][OcOSO3] were used (12.1%). Catalysts recovery and reuse was also studied.
The Effect of Mechanocatalytic Pretreatment on the Structure and Depolymerization of Willow
Authors: Lempiäinen Henna , Lappalainen Katja , Haverinen Jasmiina , Tuuttila Tero , Hu Tao , Jaakkola Mari , Lassi Ulla
Published: February 2020

In this study, the effect of a mechanocatalytic pretreatment on the structure of willow and sugar release from pretreated willow was explored. In the mechanocatalytic approach, the pretreatment consists of solvent-free impregnation with sulfuric acid and a mechanical treatment with ball milling. Willow sawdust and pretreated samples were analyzed with field emission scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. The products in the sugar solution were determined as the total reducing sugars with the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid method and monosaccharides with capillary electrophoresis. According to the results, milling increased the sugar production, depending on the sulfuric acid load. The milling parameters, such as the rotation speed of the mill, the catalyst-to-willow ratio, and the milling time influenced the amount of sugars in the hydrolysate and the composition of the sugar solution produced. Changes were observed in the surface of the willow particles as well as changes in the crystalline structure. Glucose and xylose yields increased after 15 min of milling and reached their maximum level after 45 min of milling with the 0.5 mmol/g sulfuric acid load.
One-Step Deposition of Polyester/TiO2 Coatings by Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet on Wood Surfaces for UV and Moisture Protection
Authors: Jnido Ghiath , Ohms Gisela , Viöl Wolfgang
Published: February 2020

In this work, polyester/TiO2 coatings on wood surfaces were prepared in one step via two deposition methods by using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet technique with the aim to further enhance the stabilization of the wood surfaces against UV-radiation and moisture. The first method, based on the combination of plasma spray powder (PSP) coating and liquid precursor plasma spraying (LPPS) coating techniques, used polyester powder and titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) liquid precursor as feedstock. In the second method, the polyester/TiO2 coatings were prepared by using a mixed powder of polyester micro-particles and TiO2 nano-particles as feedstock and applied via plasma spray powder coating technique. The surface topology and morphology of the wood samples were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM results showed the presence of a rough structure after coating with polyester/TiO2. The surface chemical compositions of the samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The wetting behaviour of the coated wood surfaces was studied by measuring the water contact angle. After coating a hydrophilic wood surface with polyester/TiO2 prepared via (PSP + LPPS), it showed excellent water repellency; the wood surfaces were transformed from hydrophilic to superhydrophobic, while the polyester/TiO2 coating prepared via (PSP) was hydrophilic. Protection against UV radiation-induced colour changes was determined by UV tests and photo-assisted analysis using the CIELab colour system. The abrasion test results indicated that the polyester-containing films had good abrasion resistance and good adhesion to the wood substrates.
Model Testing of Complex Embedded Systems Using EAST-ADL and Energy-Aware Mutations
Authors: Enoiu Eduard Paul , Seceleanu Cristina
Published: February 2020

Nowadays, embedded systems are increasingly complex, meaning that traditional testing methods are costly to use and infeasible to directly apply due to the complex interactions between hardware and software. Modern embedded systems are also demanded to function based on low-energy computing. Hence, testing the energy usage is increasingly important. Artifacts produced during the development of embedded systems, such as architectural descriptions, are beneficial abstractions of the system’s complex structure and behavior. Electronic Architecture and Software Tools Architecture Description Language (EAST-ADL) is one such example of a domain-specific architectural language targeting the automotive industry. In this paper, we propose a method for testing design models using EAST-ADL architecture mutations. We show how fault-based testing can be used to generate, execute and select tests using energy-aware mutants—syntactic changes in the architectural description, used to mimic naturally occurring energy faults. Our goal is to improve testing of complex embedded systems by moving the testing bulk from the actual systems to models of their behaviors and non-functional requirements. We combine statistical model-checking, increasingly used in quality assurance of embedded systems, with EAST-ADL architectural models and mutation testing to drive the search for faults. We show the results of applying this method on an industrial-sized system developed by Volvo GTT. The results indicate that model testing of EAST-ADL architectural models can reduce testing complexity by bringing early and cost-effective automation.
Musical Collaboration in Rhythmic Improvisation
Authors: Nakayama Shinnosuke , Soman Vrishin R. , Porfiri Maurizio
Published: February 2020

Despite our intimate relationship with music in every-day life, we know little about how people create music. A particularly elusive area of study entails the spontaneous collaborative musical creation in the absence of rehearsals or scripts. Toward this aim, we designed an experiment in which pairs of players collaboratively created music in rhythmic improvisation. Rhythmic patterns and collaborative processes were investigated through symbolic-recurrence quantification and information theory, applied to the time series of the sound created by the players. Working with real data on collaborative rhythmic improvisation, we identified features of improvised music and elucidated underlying processes of collaboration. Players preferred certain patterns over others, and their musical experience drove musical collaboration when rhythmic improvisation started. These results unfold prevailing rhythmic features in collaborative music creation while informing the complex dynamics of the underlying processes.
Diffusion Barrier Performance of AlCrTaTiZr/AlCrTaTiZr-N High-Entropy Alloy Films for Cu/Si Connect System
Authors: Jiang Chunxia , Li Rongbin , Wang Xin , Shang Hailong , Zhang Yong , Liaw Peter K.
Published: February 2020

In this study, high-entropy alloy films, namely, AlCrTaTiZr/AlCrTaTiZr-N, were deposited on the n-type (100) silicon substrate. Then, a copper film was deposited on the high-entropy alloy films. The diffusion barrier performance of AlCrTaTiZr/AlCrTaTiZr-N for Cu/Si connect system was investigated after thermal annealing for an hour at 600 °C, 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C. There were no Cu-Si intermetallic compounds generated in the Cu/AlCrTaTiZr/AlCrTaTiZr-N/Si film stacks after annealing even at 900 °C through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic probe tomography (APT) analysis. The results indicated that AlCrTaTiZr/AlCrTaTiZr-N alloy films can prevent copper diffusion at 900 °C. The reason was investigated in this work. The amorphous structure of the AlCrTaTiZr layer has lower driving force to form intermetallic compounds; the lattice mismatch between the AlCrTaTiZr and AlCrTaTiZ-rN layers increased the diffusion distance of the Cu atoms and the difficulty of the Cu atom diffusion to the Si substrate.
Rating the Participation in Demand Response Programs for a More Accurate Aggregated Schedule of Consumers after Enrolment Period
Authors: Silva Cátia , Faria Pedro , Vale Zita
Published: February 2020

Aggregation of small size consumers and Distributed Generation (DG) units have a considerable impact to catch the full flexibility potential, in the context of Demand Response programs. New incentive mechanisms are needed to remunerate consumers adequately and to recognize the ones that have more reliable participation. The authors propose an innovative approach to be used in the operation phase, to deal with the uncertainty to Demand Response events, where a certain target is requested for an energy community managed by the Aggregator. The innovative content deals with assigning and updating a Reliability Rate to each consumer according to the actual response in a reduction request. Three distinct methods have been implemented and compared. The initial rates assigned according to participation in the Demand Response events after one month of the enrolment period and the ones with higher reliability follow scheduling, performed using linear optimization. The results prove that using the proposed approach, the energy community manager finds the more reliable consumers in each period, and the reduction target achieved in DR events. A clustering algorithm is implemented to determine the final consumer rate for one month considering the centroid value.
Hydrate—A Mysterious Phase or Just Misunderstood?
Authors: Kvamme Bjørn , Zhao Jinzhou , Wei Na , Saeidi Navid
Published: February 2020

Hydrates that form during transport of hydrocarbons containing free water, or water dissolved in hydrocarbons, are generally not in thermodynamic equilibrium and depend on the concentration of all components in all phases. Temperature and pressure are normally the only variables used in hydrate analysis, even though hydrates will dissolve by contact with pure water and water which is under saturated with hydrate formers. Mineral surfaces (for example rust) play dual roles as hydrate inhibitors and hydrate nucleation sites. What appears to be mysterious, and often random, is actually the effects of hydrate non-equilibrium and competing hydrate formation and dissociation phase transitions. There is a need to move forward towards a more complete non-equilibrium way to approach hydrates in industrial settings. Similar challenges are related to natural gas hydrates in sediments. Hydrates dissociates worldwide due to seawater that leaks into hydrate filled sediments. Many of the global resources of methane hydrate reside in a stationary situation of hydrate dissociation from incoming water and formation of new hydrate from incoming hydrate formers from below. Understanding the dynamic situation of a real hydrate reservoir is critical for understanding the distribution characteristics of hydrates in the sediments. This knowledge is also critical for designing efficient hydrate production strategies. In order to facilitate the needed analysis we propose the use of residual thermodynamics for all phases, including all hydrate phases, so as to be able to analyze real stability limits and needed heat supply for hydrate production.
Blockchain Technology for Information Security of the Energy Internet: Fundamentals, Features, Strategy and Application
Authors: Zeng Zilong , Li Yong , Cao Yijia , Zhao Yirui , Zhong Junjie , Sidorov Denis , Zeng Xiangcheng
Published: February 2020

In order to ensure the information security, most of the important information including the data of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the energy internet is currently transmitted and exchanged through the intranet or the carrier communication. The former increases the cost of network construction, and the latter is susceptible to interference and attacks in the process of information dissemination. The blockchain is an emerging decentralized architecture and distributed computing paradigm. Under the premise that these nodes do not need mutual trust, the blockchain can implement trusted peer-to-peer communication for protecting the important information by adopting distributed consensus mechanisms, encryption algorithms, point-to-point transmission and smart contracts. In response to the above issues, this paper firstly analyzes the information security problems existing in the energy internet from the four perspectives of system control layer, device access, market transaction and user privacy. Then blockchain technology is introduced, and its working principles and technical characteristics are analyzed. Based on the technical characteristics, we propose the multilevel and multichain information transmission model for the weak centralization of scheduling and the decentralization of transaction. Furthermore, we discuss that the information transmission model helps solve some of the information security issues from the four perspectives of system control, device access, market transaction and user privacy. Application examples are used to illustrate the technical features that benefited from the blockchain for the information security of the energy internet.
A SWOT Analysis of Utility-Scale Solar in Myanmar
Authors: del Barrio Alvarez Daniel , Sugiyama Masahiro
Published: February 2020

Myanmar remains one of the few exceptions to the rapid diffusion of solar photovoltaics (PV) in power generation mixes. This is surprising considering that Myanmar is one of the countries with the largest technical potential for solar energy among Southeast Asian nations. Solar energy can complement the existing hydropower generation to address endemic energy crisis during the dry season. A continuation of paralysis on investments in solar energy could affect the security and sustainability of the sector in one of the most rapidly growing countries in the region. In this paper, we aimed to identify the barriers preventing solar energy to flourish in Myanmar and to identify policy options to unlock them. We conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis with inputs from relevant stakeholders from the government, private sector, and civil society organizations. Our analysis suggested a consensus on the merits of solar energy among all factors; however, a policy framework to spur investments that contribute both to the national energy system and local development needs to be developed by considering some particularities of Myanmar, such as securing rightful land ownership and limited experience with market mechanisms (e.g., energy auction), for the promotion of investments in the energy sector.