bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survey of Veterinarians Using a Novel Physical Compression Squeeze Procedure in the Management of Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome in Foals
Authors: Aleman Monica , Weich Kalie , Madigan John
Published: September 2017

Horses are a precocious species that must accomplish several milestones that are critical to survival in the immediate post-birth period for their survival. One essential milestone is the successful transition from the intrauterine unconsciousness to an extrauterine state of consciousness or awareness. This transition involves a complex withdrawal of consciousness inhibitors and an increase in neuroactivating factors that support awareness. This process involves neuroactive hormones as well as inputs related to factors such as cold, visual, olfactory, and auditory stimuli. One factor not previously considered in this birth transition is a yet unreported direct neural reflex response to labor-induced physical compression of the fetus in the birth canal (squeezing). Neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS) is a disorder of the newborn foal characterized by altered behavior, low affinity for the mare, poor awareness of the environment, failure to bond to the mother, abnormal sucking, and other neurologically-based abnormalities. This syndrome has been associated with altered events during birth, and was believed to be caused exclusively by hypoxia and ischemia. However, recent findings revealed an association of the NMS syndrome with the persistence of high concentrations of in utero neuromodulating hormones (neurosteroids) in the postnatal period. Anecdotal evidence demonstrated that a novel physical compression (squeeze) method that applies 20 min of sustained pressure to the thorax of some neonatal foals with this syndrome might rapidly hasten recovery. This survey provides information about outcomes and time frames to recovery comparing neonatal foals that were given this squeeze treatment to foals treated with routine medical therapy alone. Results revealed that the squeeze procedure, when applied for 20 min, resulted in a faster full recovery of some foals diagnosed with NMS. The adjunctive use of a non-invasive squeeze method may improve animal welfare by hastening recovery and foal–mare interactions that minimize health problems. This would also avoid or reduce costs arising from hospitalization associated with veterinary and nursing care that sometimes leads owners to elect for euthanasia.
Effects of Using Different Sources of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Data on Urban Stormwater 2D–1D Modeling
Authors: Hong Yi , Bonhomme Céline , Soheilian Bahman , Chebbo Ghassan
Published: September 2017

Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) data is increasingly used in urban stormwater modeling. The undirected use of such data may waste economic and human resources. In order to provide guidance for practitioners to efficiently use different data collection resources, as well as give a reference for future works, this paper aims to assess the effects of using free access GIS data and ad hoc RS data on urban 2D–1D stormwater modeling. The 2D-surface Two-dimensional Runoff, Erosion, and Export model (TREX) model was published in Science of the Total Environment in 2008. The 1D-sewer CANOE (Logiciel intégré de conception et de diagnostic des réseaux d’assainissement) model was published in Journal of Hydrology in 2004. The two models are integrated in the TRENOE (TREX-CANOE) platform. The modeling approach is applied to a small urban catchment near Paris (Le Perreux sur Marne, 0.12 km2). Simulation results reveal that the detailed land-use information derived from multiple data sources is a crucial factor for accurate simulations. Nevertheless, using the very high resolution LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data is not equally significant for the water flow simulations at sewage outlets. Finally, we suggest that using the free access GIS data accompanying the urban sewer network design might be an acceptable low-cost solution for accurate urban 2D–1D stormwater modeling during moderate rainfall events. Further studies of urban stormwater modeling could focus on the development of “suitable” models with “enough” input data, depending on the management/research objectives.
Properties of Extrusion Concrete Panel Using Waste Concrete Powder
Authors: Kim Ha-Seog , Lee Sea-Hyun , Kim Byoungil
Published: September 2017

There has been an increasing amount of waste concrete generated in recent years, which has made recycling more important. Waste concrete is generally recycled as recycled aggregates, and many studies have been conducted to seek ways to improve their quality. Such quality improvement processes has led to the generation of byproducts such as waste concrete powder, which needs to be recycled efficiently based on further research. Accordingly, this study was conducted with the aim to use waste concrete powder (WCP) to substitute silica powder in the manufacturing of the extrusion concrete panels in cases where high SiO2 content is not a requirement. The results of this study showed a negative correlation between flexural strength and silica powder-WCP substitution ratio. For example, 50% substitution resulted in a product that satisfied the required flexural strength over 14 MPa as stipulated by the Korean Industrials Standards, and it gave rise to properties such as specific gravity, absorption ratio, length change, thermal conductivity, and fire-resistance that were similar to those of plain specimens. Based on these results, it was deemed that it would be possible to use WCP as an alternative material in place of siliceous fillers in cases where high-purity is not required.
Cap Rate as the Interpretative Variable of the Urban Real Estate Capital Asset: A Comparison of Different Sub-Market Definitions in Palermo, Italy
Authors: Napoli Grazia , Giuffrida Salvatore , Trovato Maria , Valenti Alberto
Published: September 2017

Real estate capital is in constant competition with other capital assets due to its different and complementary economic functions such as direct use, productive investment, and speculative investment. These features and the resulting opportunities cannot be easily deduced from direct observation of the real estate markets, so some further insights need to be carried out in order to highlight the relationship between prices, rents and performances. This study aims at providing a multifaceted perspective of a specific urban real estate market to overcome the difficulties arising from opacities and informative asymmetries that hinder the decision of investors, by facilitating the comparison of different options such as capital value, income and performance. Within the mass appraisal approach, the study proposes a methodology for the analysis of the cap rate, intended as the expression of profitability and liquidity of the urban real estate capital asset. The methodology is based on a detailed survey of a sample of the housing market data, collected within a structured database, supported by statistical and territorial analyses of the sample, in order to display the range of cap rates featuring each sub-market, and the related distributions. The methodology is applied to a case study of nearly 1000 properties distributed in a vast urban area of the municipality of Palermo, Italy. The consistency of the relationships between the three variables has been tested with reference to two hypotheses about the sub-market definition, which has been carried out by cluster and by neighbourhood.
Wearable Continuous Glucose Monitoring Sensors: A Revolution in Diabetes Treatment
Authors: Cappon Giacomo , Acciaroli Giada , Vettoretti Martina , Facchinetti Andrea , Sparacino Giovanni
Published: September 2017

Worldwide, the number of people affected by diabetes is rapidly increasing due to aging populations and sedentary lifestyles, with the prospect of exceeding 500 million cases in 2030, resulting in one of the most challenging socio-health emergencies of the third millennium. Daily management of diabetes by patients relies on the capability of correctly measuring glucose concentration levels in the blood by using suitable sensors. In recent years, glucose monitoring has been revolutionized by the development of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) sensors, wearable non/minimally-invasive devices that measure glucose concentration by exploiting different physical principles, e.g., glucose-oxidase, fluorescence, or skin dielectric properties, and provide real-time measurements every 1–5 min. CGM opened new challenges in different disciplines, e.g., medicine, physics, electronics, chemistry, ergonomics, data/signal processing, and software development to mention but a few. This paper first makes an overview of wearable CGM sensor technologies, covering both commercial devices and research prototypes. Then, the role of CGM in the actual evolution of decision support systems for diabetes therapy is discussed. Finally, the paper presents new possible horizons for wearable CGM sensor applications and perspectives in terms of big data analytics for personalized and proactive medicine.
Performance of Differential-Phase OFDM Systems over Selective Multipath Fading Channels
Authors: Abuabed Alaeddin
Published: September 2017

This paper investigates the performance of differential-phase Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) over frequency-selective multipath Nakagami-m radio fading channels. A closed form for the average signal to noise/interference ratio in the presence of the selective multipath fading channel and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) is derived. The results reveal that the system performance is impacted by the interference between the adjacent OFDM frames in two successive signaling intervals which is called Inter-Symbol-Interference (ISI). In addition, the system will possibly be distorted when the orthogonality between the adjacent subcarriers is ceased, creating Inter-Channel-Interference (ICI). This paper also studies the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of the differential-phase OFDM system over the Nakagami-m channel in the presence of AWGN, ISI, and ICI under different conditions and parameters. Moreover, the effect of adding the guard period and the number of subchannels on the probability of error is analyzed. The IEEE 802.11a standard parameters with 64 subcarriers and a decaying exponential power delay profile with root-mean-square value of 129 ns are used in this study. The system performance is also simulated at different guard intervals, number of OFDM subcarriers, Nakagami severity parameter values, and different numbers of possible differential phases.
Adaptive Under-Frequency Load Shedding Scheme in System Integrated with High Wind Power Penetration: Impacts and Improvements
Authors: Li Shun , Tang Fei , Shao Youguo , Liao Qingfen
Published: September 2017

As the requirements of economical operation and reliability on power grid are enhanced gradually nowadays, the existing under frequency load shedding (UFLS) scheme is not quite fit for the modern power system that integrates high wind power. In this paper, the impacts of high wind power penetration on the UFLS are discussed thoroughly. A novel adaptive load shedding (LS) scheme is presented taking the high wind power penetration into account. In the proposed scheme, the equivalent inertia constant (EIC) is calculated accurately to improve the power deficit accuracy so as to reduce the error of LS. The dynamic correction of power deficit is able to solve the negative effects of the wind power output random reduction/the wind generator tripping. Besides, the locking criterion is capable of avoiding the influences of the wind power output random increase on the LS, thus cutting down the LS costs and even preventing the frequency overshoot. Moreover, in terms of the LS parameters setting, the coordination of the low frequency protection of the wind generator and the frequency threshold is addressed. The location and capacity model of LS, which is based on the load characteristics, can ameliorate the frequency recovery process. Finally, the validity and robustness of the proposed scheme are verified in the simulations on the IEEE-39 bus system with high wind power penetration.
Coordination Strategy for Optimal Scheduling of Multiple Microgrids Based on Hierarchical System
Authors: Lee Won-Poong , Choi Jin-Young , Won Dong-Jun
Published: September 2017

Research on the operation of the multiple microgrid (MMG) has been increasing as the power system is operated through the microgrid. Some of the studies related to MMG have introduced various operation strategies by introducing concepts such as power sharing and power trading for power exchange between microgrids. In this paper, a strategy for obtaining optimal scheduling of MMG systems with power sharing through coordination among microgrids that have no cost function of generation units is proposed. There are microgrid-energy management systems (MG-EMSs) in the lower level that determine individual schedules for each microgrid in a hierarchical system. In the upper level, the microgrid of microgrids center (MoMC) implements the coordination among microgrids. In order to achieve the optimal operation of the entire system, MoMC calculates the amount of power sharing based on a predetermined limit value and allocates the command for coordination to each MG-EMS. MG-EMS changes the individual schedule based on the command. These processes are repeatedly performed, and when the change of the total cost becomes smaller than a specified size, the process is terminated and the schedule is determined. The advantages of the proposed algorithm are as follows. (1) It is a power sharing strategy of multiple microgrids considering multiple feeder structures as well as a single feeder structure for minimizing the operation cost of the entire system; (2) it is a power sharing strategy between microgrids that can be applied in a microgrid where only units that do not have a cost function exist; (3) since it is the optimization of the distributed form, the computation time decreases sharply compared with the one performed at the central center. The verification of the proposed algorithm was performed through MATLAB.
Numerical Simulations of Sloshing and the Thermodynamic Response Due to Mixing
Authors: Grotle Erlend , Æsøy Vilmar
Published: September 2017

In this paper, we apply computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to study the thermodynamic response enhanced by sloshing inside liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel tanks. An existing numerical solver provided by OpenFOAM is used to simulate sloshing in a model scaled tank of similar form to an LNG fuel tank. The interface area has been estimated for different sloshing regimes on three different numerical grids representing the tank in 3D. Estimating the interface area is done by performing a grid-independence study. In the most severe sloshing conditions, convergence is not achieved. By combining the results from experiments and CFD, it is found that the interface area and the condensation mass flow rate are in phase for the most severe sloshing condition. The existing CFD solver is modified to determine the pressure drop. The simulation results are compared to the experimental data, and the results are acceptable and thereby show a potential in applying CFD to predict the thermodynamic response due to sloshing. By plotting the temperature contours, indications are found that the exchange of cold bulk and saturated liquid due to sloshing has a significant influence on the thermodynamic response.
To Nutraceuticals and Back: Rethinking a Concept
Authors: Santini Antonello , Novellino Ettore
Published: September 2017

The concept of nutraceuticals as pharma-foods comes fromfar. This termismade fromthe two words “nutrient” and “pharmaceutical”, was coined by Stephen DeFelice, and is defined as “a food or part of a food that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease” [...]
Team Incentives under Moral and Altruistic Preferences: Which Team to Choose?
Authors: Sarkisian Roberto
Published: September 2017

This paper studies incentives provision when agents are characterized either by homo moralis preferences, i.e., their utility is represented by a convex combination of selfish preferences and Kantian morality, or by altruism. In a moral hazard in a team setting with two agents whose efforts affect output stochastically, I demonstrate that the power of extrinsic incentives decreases with the degrees of morality and altruism displayed by the agents, thus leading to increased profits for the principal. I also show that a team of moral agents will only be preferred if the production technology exhibits decreasing returns to efforts; the probability of a high realization of output conditional on both agents exerting effort is sufficiently high; and either the outside option for the agents is zero or the degree of morality is sufficiently low.
Evaluation of VIIRS Land Aerosol Model Selection with AERONET Measurements
Authors: Wang Wei , Pan Zengxin , Mao Feiyue , Gong Wei , Shen Longjiao
Published: September 2017

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a next-generation polar-orbiting operational environmental sensor with a capability for global aerosol observations. Identifying land aerosol types is important because aerosol types are a basic input in retrieving aerosol optical properties for VIIRS. The VIIRS algorithm can automatically select the optimal land aerosol model by minimizing the residual between the derived and expected spectral surface reflectance. In this study, these selected VIIRS aerosol types are evaluated using collocated aerosol types obtained from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) level 1.5 from 23 January 2013 to 28 February 2017. The spatial distribution of VIIRS aerosol types and the aerosol optical depth bias (VIIRS minus AERONET) demonstrate that misidentifying VIIRS aerosol types may lead to VIIRS retrieval being overestimated over the Eastern United States and the developed regions of East Asia, as well as underestimated over Southern Africa, India, and Northeastern China. Approximately 22.33% of VIIRS aerosol types are coincident with that of AERONET. The agreements between VIIRS and AERONET for fine non-absorbing and absorbing aerosol types are approximately 36% and 57%, respectively. However, the agreement between VIIRS and AERONET is extremely low (only 3.51%). The low agreement for coarse absorbing dust may contribute to the poor performance of VIIRS retrieval under the aerosol model (R = 0.61). Results also show that an appropriate aerosol model can improve the retrieval performance of VIIRS over land, particularly for dust type (R increases from 0.61 to 0.72).
Effects of Visual Stimulation with Bonsai Trees on Adult Male Patients with Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Ochiai Hiroko , Song Chorong , Ikei Harumi , Imai Michiko , Miyazaki Yoshifumi
Published: September 2017

Nature therapy has been demonstrated to induce physiological relaxation. The psychophysiological effects of nature therapy (stimulation with bonsai trees) on adult male patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) were examined. Oxyhemoglobin concentration changes in the prefrontal cortex were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy, and heart rate variability was analyzed. Psychological responses were evaluated using the modified semantic differential method and Profile of Mood States (POMS) subscale scores. Visual stimulation of adult male patients with SCI elicited significantly decreased left prefrontal cortex activity, increased parasympathetic nervous activity, decreased sympathetic nervous activity, increased positive feelings, and resulted in lower negative POMS subscale scores. Nature therapy can lead to a state of physiological and psychological relaxation in patients with SCI.
Aberrant Signaling Pathways in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Bongiovanni Deborah , Saccomani Valentina , Piovan Erich
Published: September 2017

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive disease caused by the malignant transformation of immature progenitors primed towards T-cell development. Clinically, T-ALL patients present with diffuse infiltration of the bone marrow by immature T-cell blasts high blood cell counts, mediastinal involvement, and diffusion to the central nervous system. In the past decade, the genomic landscape of T-ALL has been the target of intense research. The identification of specific genomic alterations has contributed to identify strong oncogenic drivers and signaling pathways regulating leukemia growth. Notwithstanding, T-ALL patients are still treated with high-dose multiagent chemotherapy, potentially exposing these patients to considerable acute and long-term side effects. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the signaling pathways relevant for the pathogenesis of T-ALL and the opportunities offered for targeted therapy.
Metabolic Profiling in Association with Vascular Endothelial Cell Dysfunction Following Non-Toxic Cadmium Exposure
Authors: Zhong Qiuan , Li Xiaofei , Nong Qingjiao , Mao Baoyu , Pan Xue
Published: September 2017

This study aimed to determine the metabolic profile of non-toxic cadmium (Cd)-induced dysfunctional endothelial cells using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs (n = 6 per group) were treated with 0, 1, 5, or 10 μM cadmium chloride (CdCl2) for 48 h. Cell phenotypes, including nitric oxide (NO) production, the inflammatory response, and oxidative stress, were evaluated in Cd-exposed and control HUVECs. Cd-exposed and control HUVECs were analysed using gas chromatography time-of-flight/mass spectrometry. Compared to control HUVECs, Cd-exposed HUVECs were dysfunctional, exhibiting decreased NO production, a proinflammatory state, and non-significant oxidative stress. Further metabolic profiling revealed 24 significantly-altered metabolites in the dysfunctional endothelial cells. The significantly-altered metabolites were involved in the impaired tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, activated pyruvate metabolism, up-regulated glucogenic amino acid metabolism, and increased pyrimidine metabolism. The current metabolic findings further suggest that the metabolic changes linked to TCA cycle dysfunction, glycosylation of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP), and compensatory responses to genomic instability and energy deficiency may be generally associated with dysfunctional phenotypes, characterized by decreased NO production, a proinflammatory state, and non-significant oxidative stress, in endothelial cells following non-toxic Cd exposure.
Frequent Releases in Open Source Software: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cesar Brandão Gomes da Silva Antonio , De Figueiredo Carneiro Glauco , Brito e Abreu Fernando , Pessoa Monteiro Miguel
Published: September 2017

Context: The need to accelerate software delivery, supporting faster time-to-market and frequent community developer/user feedback are issues that have led to relevant changes in software development practices. One example is the adoption of Rapid Release (RR) by several Open Source Software projects (OSS). This raises the need to know how these projects deal with software release approaches. Goal: Identify the main characteristics of software release initiatives in OSS projects, the motivations behind their adoption, strategies applied, as well as advantages and difficulties found. Method: We conducted a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to reach the stated goal. Results: The SLR includes 33 publications from January 2006 to July 2016 and reveals nine advantages that characterize software release approaches in OSS projects; four challenge issues; three possibilities of implementation and two main motivations towards the adoption of RR; and finally four main strategies to implement it. Conclusion: This study provides an up-to-date and structured understanding of the software release approaches in the context of OSS projects based on findings systematically collected from a list of relevant references in the last decade.
Influence of Process Parameters on the Vertical Forces Generated during Friction Stir Welding of AA6082-T6 and on the Mechanical Properties of the Joints
Authors: Forcellese Archimede , Simoncini Michela , Casalino Giuseppe
Published: September 2017

The influence of the process parameters on the vertical force generated during friction stir welding of AA6082-T6 aluminium alloy sheet blanks was studied by performing experiments with constant values of the rotational speed, varying between 1200 and 2500 rpm, and welding speed, ranging between 30 and 100 mm/min. The effect of the tool dwelling was also analysed. The force vs. processing time curve has shown a very complex behaviour during the lowering motion of the pin tool related to the occurrence of both primary and secondary plunging. The tool dwelling produces a quick decrease in the vertical force with growing processing time until reaching a constant value. It was also seen that the tool dwelling does not influence the vertical force in the subsequent stage. As the tool began its welding motion, the vertical force immediately gets to a constant value until tool pulling out takes place. Furthermore, it was shown that the growth in the welding speed and the decrease in the rotational speed lead to an increase in the vertical force. The mechanical properties of the joints were evaluated versus the process parameters and the relationships among the ultimate tensile strength and ultimate elongation and the vertical force were defined. Finally, the microstructure developed during the friction stir welding was investigated and related to the mechanical properties of the joints.
Study on the Fluorescent Activity of N2-Indolyl-1,2,3-triazole
Authors: Zhang You-Can , Jin Rui , Li Luo-Yuan , Chen Zili , Fu Li-Min
Published: September 2017

A new type of blue emitter, N2-Indolyl-1,2,3-triazoles (NITs), with the λmax ranging from 420–480 nm and the Stokes shift from 89–143 nm, were synthesized through the coupling reaction of indoles with triazole derivatives. The influence of different substitution patterns on the optical properties (efficiency, excitation, and emission wavelengths) of the NITs was investigated. In addition, one palladium complex were synthesized by using NITs as the ligands, which, however, exhibited no fluorescent activity, but did show the enhanced co-planarity. Lastly, two bio-active molecule derivatives were explored for the potential use of these novel dyes in related chemical and biological applications.
Deep Eutectic Solvents as Convenient Media for Synthesis of Novel Coumarinyl Schiff Bases and Their QSAR Studies
Authors: Molnar Maja , Komar Mario , Brahmbhatt Harshad , Babić Jurislav , Jokić Stela , Rastija Vesna
Published: September 2017

Deep eutectic solvents, as green and environmentally friendly media, were utilized in the synthesis of novel coumarinyl Schiff bases. Novel derivatives were synthesized from 2-((4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy)acetohydrazide and corresponding aldehyde in choline chloride:malonic acid (1:1) based deep eutectic solvent. In these reactions, deep eutectic solvent acted as a solvent and catalyst as well. Novel Schiff bases were synthesized in high yields (65–75%) with no need for further purification, and their structures were confirmed by mass spectra, 1H and 13C NMR. Furthermore, their antioxidant activity was determined and compared to antioxidant activity of previously synthesized derivatives, thus investigating their structure–activity relationship utilizing quantitative structure-activity relationship QSAR studies. Calculation of molecular descriptors has been performed by DRAGON software. The best QSAR model (Rtr = 0.636; Rext = 0.709) obtained with three descriptors (MATS3m, Mor22u, Hy) implies that the pairs of atoms higher mass at the path length 3, three-dimensional arrangement of atoms at scattering parameter s = 21 Å−1, and higher number of hydrophilic groups (-OH, -NH) enhanced antioxidant activity. Electrostatic potential surface of the most active compounds showed possible regions for donation of electrons to 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals.
Design of a Sensor System for On-Line Monitoring of Contact Pressure in Chalcographic Printing
Authors: Jiménez José , Meca Francisco , Santiso Enrique , Martín Pedro
Published: September 2017

Chalcographic printer is the name given to a specific type of press which is used to transfer the printing of a metal-based engraved plate onto paper. The printing system consists of two rollers for pressing and carrying a metal plate onto which an engraved inked plate is placed. When the driving mechanism is operated, the pressure exerted by the rollers, also called contact pressure, allows the engraved image to be transferred into paper, thereby obtaining the final image. With the aim of ensuring the quality of the result, in terms of good and even transfer of ink, the contact pressure must be uniform. Nowadays, the strategies utilized to measure the pressure are implemented off-line, i.e., when the press machines are shut down for maintenance, which poses limitations. This paper proposes a novel sensor system aimed at monitoring the pressure exerted by the rollers on the engraved plate while chalcographic printer is operating, i.e., on-line. The purpose is two-fold: firstly, real-time monitoring reduces the number of breakdown repairs required, reduces machine downtime and reduces the number of low-quality engravings, which increases productivity and revenues; and secondly, the on-line monitoring and register of the process parameters allows the printing process to be reproducible even with changes in the environmental conditions or other factors such as the wear of the parts that constitute the mechanical system and a change in the dimensions of the printing materials. The proposed system consists of a strain gauge-based load cell and conditioning electronics to sense and treat the signals.
An Adaptive Low-Cost INS/GNSS Tightly-Coupled Integration Architecture Based on Redundant Measurement Noise Covariance Estimation
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhang Hai , Zhou Qifan , Che Huan
Published: September 2017

The main objective of the introduced study is to design an adaptive Inertial Navigation System/Global Navigation Satellite System (INS/GNSS) tightly-coupled integration system that can provide more reliable navigation solutions by making full use of an adaptive Kalman filter (AKF) and satellite selection algorithm. To achieve this goal, we develop a novel redundant measurement noise covariance estimation (RMNCE) theorem, which adaptively estimates measurement noise properties by analyzing the difference sequences of system measurements. The proposed RMNCE approach is then applied to design both a modified weighted satellite selection algorithm and a type of adaptive unscented Kalman filter (UKF) to improve the performance of the tightly-coupled integration system. In addition, an adaptive measurement noise covariance expanding algorithm is developed to mitigate outliers when facing heavy multipath and other harsh situations. Both semi-physical simulation and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture and were compared with state-of-the-art algorithms. The results validate that the RMNCE provides a significant improvement in the measurement noise covariance estimation and the proposed architecture can improve the accuracy and reliability of the INS/GNSS tightly-coupled systems. The proposed architecture can effectively limit positioning errors under conditions of poor GNSS measurement quality and outperforms all the compared schemes.
Capillary Electrophoresis as Analysis Technique for Battery Electrolytes: (i) Monitoring Stability of Anions in Ionic Liquids and (ii) Determination of Organophosphate-Based Decomposition Products in LiPF6-Based Lithium Ion Battery Electrolytes
Authors: Pyschik Marcelina , Winter Martin , Nowak Sascha
Published: September 2017

In this work, a method for capillary electrophoresis (CE) hyphenated to a high-resolution mass spectrometer was presented for monitoring the stability of anions in ionic liquids (ILs) and in commonly used lithium ion battery (LIB) electrolytes. The investigated ILs were 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PYR13TFSI) and 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (PYR13FSI). The method development was conducted by adjusting the following parameters: buffer compositions, buffer concentrations, and the pH value. Also the temperature and the voltage applied on the capillary were optimized. The ILs were aged at room temperature and at 60 °C for 16 months each. At both temperatures, no anionic decomposition products of the FSI− and TFSI− anions were detected. Accordingly, the FSI− and TFSI− anions were thermally stable at these conditions. This method was also applied for the investigation of LIB electrolyte samples, which were aged at 60 °C for one month. The LP30 (50/50 wt. % dimethyl carbonate/ethylene carbonate and 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate) electrolyte was mixed with the additive 1,3-propane sultone (PS) and with one of the following organophosphates (OP): dimethyl phosphate (DMP), diethyl phosphate (DEP), and triethyl phosphate (TEP), to investigate the influence of these compounds on the formation of OPs.
The Relationships between Hip and Knee Extensor Cross-Sectional Area, Strength, Power, and Potentiation Characteristics
Authors: Suchomel Timothy , Stone Michael
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), maximal strength, power output, and maximum potentiation characteristics. The vastus lateralis and biceps femoris CSA, one repetition maximum (1RM) back squat, 1RM concentric-only half-squat (COHS) strength, static jump power output, and maximum potentiation characteristics of 17 resistance-trained men was assessed during several testing sessions. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationships between CSA, strength, power output, and maximum potentiation measures. Moderate-to-strong relationships existed between CSA and strength measures (r = 0.462–0.643) as well as power output (r = 0.396–0.683). In addition, moderate-to-strong relationships existed between strength and power output (r = 0.407–0.548), while trivial relationships existed between strength and maximum potentiation (r = −0.013–0.149). Finally, small negative relationships existed between CSA and maximum potentiation measures (r = −0.229–−0.239). The results of the current study provide evidence of the interplay between muscle CSA, strength, power, and potentiation. Vastus lateralis and biceps femoris CSA may positively influence an individual’s back squat and COHS maximal strength and squat jump peak power; however, muscle CSA and absolute strength measures may not contribute to an individual’s potentiation capacity. Practitioners may consider implementing resistance training strategies that improve vastus lateralis and biceps femoris size in order to benefit back squat and COHS strength. Furthermore, implementing squatting variations—both full and partial—may benefit jumping performance.
Eco-Efficiency of Government Policy and Exports in the Bioenergy Technology Market
Authors: Sung Bongsuk , Yeom Myung-Bae , Kim Hong-Gi
Published: September 2017

This study investigates how the eco-efficiency of government policy—continuously implementing innovation-friendly policy based on both environmental and economic considerations—affects the export performance of bioenergy technologies, using panel data from 16 countries during 1995–2012. Various heterogeneous panel framework tests are conducted. Our panel unit root and co-integration tests, which allow for cross-sectional dependence in the panel, show that the time series data on the eco-efficiency of public support, exports, and gross domestic product (GDP) are integrated and co-integrated. We set up a panel vector error correction model (VECM) to empirically test the casual relationship among the variables examined. The long-term parameters of the variables were calculated using dynamic ordinary lease squares (DOLS). Panel difference generalized method of moments (GMM) estimations were conducted to test the short-term relationship among the variables. The results of this study therefore show that the eco-efficiency of government policy positively influences export performance in the long run, but not in the short run. The presented findings also indicate that efficiently implemented government policy plays a crucial role in achieving environmentally sound and sustainable development, showing path dependence among the eco-efficiency of government policy, exports, and GDP. We finally suggest policy implications based on the results.
Participatory Sustainability Assessment for Sugarcane Expansion in Goiás, Brazil
Authors: Costa Coutinho Heitor , Dias Turetta Ana , Guimarães Monteiro Joyce , Simões de Castro Selma , Pietrafesa José
Published: September 2017

The sugarcane expansion in Brazil from 1990 to 2015 increased crop area by 135.1%, which represents more than 10 million hectares. Brazilian ethanol production hit a record high in 2015, reaching 30 billion liters, up 6% compared to 2014. In 2009, the Sugarcane Agroecology—ZAE-CANA—was launched to be a guideline to sustainable sugarcane production in Brazil. However, although it aims at sustainable production, it only considered natural aspects of the country, such as soil and climate. It is still necessary to develop instruments for studies on sustainability in all pillars. The aim of this study is to present the results regarding the application of the FoPIA (Framework for Participatory Impact Assessment) methodology in the Southwestern Goiás Planning Region (SGPR). FoPIA is a participatory methodology designed to assess the impacts of land use policies in regional sustainability, and the results showed the capacity of FoPIA to assess the impacts of land use change of the sugarcane expansion in that area. The major advantage of FoPIA is its participatory method feature, as it is possible to join stakeholders to debate and define sustainability guidelines.
A Comparative Study of GRACE with Continental Evapotranspiration Estimates in Australian Semi-Arid and Arid Basins: Sensitivity to Climate Variability and Extremes
Authors: Shen Hong , Leblanc Marc , Frappart Frédéric , Seoane Lucia , O’Grady Damien , Olioso Albert , Tweed Sarah
Published: September 2017

This study examines the dynamics and robustness of large-scale evapotranspiration products in water-limited environments. Four types of ET products are tested against rainfall in two large semi-arid to arid Australian basins from 2003 to 2010: two energy balance ET methods which are forced by optical satellite retrievals from MODIS; a newly developed land surface model (AWRA); and one approach based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and rainfall data. The two basins are quasi (Murray-Darling Basin: 1.06 million km2) and completely (Lake Eyre Basin: 1.14 million km2) endorheic. During the study period, two extreme climatic events—the Millennium drought and the strongest La Niña event—were recorded in the basins and are used in our assessment. The two remotely-sensed ET products constrained by the energy balance tended to overestimate ET flux over water-stressed regions. They had low sensitivity to climatic extremes and poor capability to close the water balance. However, these two remotely-sensed and energy balance products demonstrated their superiority in capturing spatial features including over small-scale and complicated landscapes. AWRA and GRACE formulated in the water balance framework were more sensitive to rainfall variability and yielded more realistic ET estimates during climate extremes. GRACE demonstrated its ability to account for seasonal and inter-annual change in water storage for ET evaluation.
Experimental Research on an Improved Slope Protection Structure in the Plunge Pool of a High Dam
Authors: Ma Bin , Liang Shuai , Liang Chao , Li Yijia
Published: September 2017

Due to impinging jets, the hydraulic load in a plunge pool can be very large and may cause serious damage to the slope and bottom protection structures. Conventional research mainly focuses on the stability of the plunge pool floor, and studies on slope protection safety are still lacking. Based on the Wudongde project, a physical model (that does not consider the plunge pool floor) was established. A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the protective measures for slope protection. Experimental results showed that the high seepage pressure on the back surface of the slope lining plate and poor correlation between the fluctuating pressures on both plate surfaces may cause large pressure differences that seriously threaten the stability of the slope lining plate. Therefore, a self-drainage slope protection structure was proposed to reduce the hydraulic load on a slope lining plate. It must be noted that the slope lining plate with the most violent water level fluctuation and adverse operating conditions (when the drainage system and part of the waterstops were invalid) were considered in the model tests. Test results indicated that self-drainage slope protection could enhance the synchronism of the pressure and water-level fluctuations on both plate surfaces. Therefore, the proposed slope protection structure could effectively reduce the total pressure on the plate and significantly increase the operational safety of the plunge pool.
ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT VISUAL STRATEGIES OF ‘ISOLATED VEHICLE’ AND ‘DISTURBED VEHICLE’
Authors: BONGIORNO Nicola , BOSURGI Gaetano , PELLEGRINO Orazio , SOLLAZZO Giuseppe
Published: September 2017

This paper analyses the driver’ visual behaviour in the different conditions of ‘isolated vehicle’ and ‘disturbed vehicle’. If the meaning of the former is clear, the latter condition considers the influence on the driving behaviour of various objects that could be encountered along the road. These can be classified in static (signage, stationary vehicles at the roadside, etc.) and dynamic objects (cars, motorcycles, bicycles). The aim of this paper is to propose a proper analysis regarding the driver’s visual behaviour. In particular, the authors examined the quality of the visually informa-tion acquired from the entire road environment, useful for detecting any critical safety condition. In order to guaran-tee a deep examination of the various possible behaviours, the authors combined the several test outcomes with other variables related to the road geometry and with the dynamic variables involved while driving. The results of this study are very interesting. As expected, they obviously confirmed better performances for the ‘isolated vehicle’ in a rural two-lane road with different traffic flows. Moreover, analysing the various scenarios in the disturbed condition, the proposed indices allow the authors to quantitatively describe the different influence on the visual field and effects on the visual behaviour, favouring critical analysis of the road characteristics. Potential applications of these results may contribute to improve the choice of the best maintenance strategies for a road, to select the optimal signage location, to define forecasting models for the driving behaviour and to develop useful instruments for intelligent transportation systems.
DIFFERENT URBAN CONSOLIDATION CENTRE SCENARIOS: IMPACT ON EXTERNAL COSTS OF LAST-MILE DELIVERIES
Authors: Veličković Marko , Stojanović Đurđica , Nikoličić Svetlana , Maslarić Marinko
Published: September 2017

The identification and mitigation of negative externalities from goods deliveries in urban areas are important aspects of sustainable urban development. Previous studies have shown that urban freight consolidation increases the load factor of Delivery Vehicles (DVs), reducing the vehicle-kilometres driven and thus reducing negative freight transport externalities in urban areas. The objective of this paper is to explore the possible impact of the number of Urban Consolidation Centres (UCCs) on the external costs of last-mile deliveries in freight transport and to determine the possible contribution of such consolidation scenarios to external cost mitigation. Therefore, several consolidation scenarios are considered assuming different numbers of UCCs in operation. A new consolidation scheme is proposed with more than one UCC to serve a given city area. Input data are obtained from a roadside questionnaire survey with a sample of 1617 drivers at 9 access roads to an urban area as part of the NOvi Sad TRAnsport Model (NOSTRAM) study. Externalities are calculated using the IMPACT methodology and discussed for different urban freight consolidation options. The best option is identified, and the results indicate that properly planned, organised and managed urban freight consolidation can significantly reduce transport externalities. The main research results showed that all of the proposed consolidation options increase the total driving distance in an urban area. However, some consolidation options significantly reduce the driving distance of less manageable vehicles in last-mile deliveries (long-haul heavy- and light-duty vehicles). Consequently, the external costs ranged from 2108.3 to 5420.5 EUR for the consolidation option, whereas the current state externalities are 2791.4 EUR. Thus, more small UCCs may provide better results than the central centre even in medium-sized cities.
Kinematics of Parsec-scale Jets of Gamma-Ray Blazars at 43 GHz within the VLBA-BU-BLAZAR Program
Authors: Jorstad Svetlana G. , Marscher Alan P. , Morozova Daria A. , Troitsky Ivan S. , Agudo Iván , Casadio Carolina , Foord Adi , Gómez José L. , MacDonald Nicholas R. , Molina Sol N. , Lähteenmäki Anne , Tammi Joni , Tornikoski Merja
Published: September 2017

We analyze the parsec-scale jet kinematics from 2007 June to 2013 January of a sample of γ-ray bright blazars monitored roughly monthly with the Very Long Baseline Array at 43 GHz. In a total of 1929 images, we measure apparent speeds of 252 emission knots in 21 quasars, 12 BL Lacertae objects (BLLacs), and 3 radio galaxies, ranging from 0.02c to 78c; 21% of the knots are quasi-stationary. Approximately one-third of the moving knots execute non-ballistic motions, with the quasars exhibiting acceleration along the jet within 5 pc (projected) of the core, and knots in BLLacs tending to decelerate near the core. Using the apparent speeds of the components and the timescales of variability from their light curves, we derive the physical parameters of 120 superluminal knots, including variability Doppler factors, Lorentz factors, and viewing angles. We estimate the half-opening angle of each jet based on the projected opening angle and scatter of intrinsic viewing angles of knots. We determine characteristic values of the physical parameters for each jet and active galactic nucleus class based on the range of values obtained for individual features. We calculate the intrinsic brightness temperatures of the cores,

, at all epochs, finding that the radio galaxies usually maintain equipartition conditions in the cores, while ∼30% of

measurements in the quasars and BLLacs deviate from equipartition values by a factor >10. This probably occurs during transient events connected with active states. In the Appendix, we briefly describe the behavior of each blazar during the period analyzed.