bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fitness for Service of Dents Associated With Metal Loss due to Corrosion
Authors: Heggen Hans Olav , Bratton Joe , Kemp David , Liu Jun , Austin Jason
Published: December 2014

Current federal regulations in the U.S. require excavation of all dents associated with metal loss due to corrosion identified through in line inspection surveys. Once a dent has been found to be associated with metal loss through excavation, there is little guidance to determine the serviceability of the anomaly.

Past research has provided methodologies to assess the fatigue life of plain dents, considering the shape of the dent, but there are no widely accepted assessment methodologies to predict the effect of associated metal loss due to corrosion on the fatigue life of dents.

This paper focuses on the fitness for service of dents associated with metal loss, particularly corrosion in dents. Currently, fitness for service assessments of plain dents provide an estimated remaining life of a dent based on the geometry of the dent and current pressure cycling of the pipeline. Dynamic pressure cycling at each dent location is estimated using the upstream and downstream pressure cycle data, elevation, and distance along the pipe. The dynamic pressure cycle data at each dent is then converted into equivalent stress cycles based on the results of rainflow cycle counting.

Finite element analysis (FEA) of a dent without metal loss and with metal loss is performed to compare the maximum stress concentration areas. The FEA program Abaqus is used with solid elements to model the dents. The differences between maximum stress concentration areas is compared for a matrix of extent of metal loss, and orientation of metal loss to analyze the general effect of metal loss and the interaction of metal loss in a dent. The stress concentration areas of dents without metal loss and with metal loss are then applied to current fatigue assessment methodologies provided in API 579 to analyze the effect of metal loss on the fatigue life of dents.
Correlating Corrosion Field Data With Experimental Findings for the Development of Pipeline Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Chevil Karina , Chen Weixing , Van Boven Greg , Kania Richard , Been Jenny
Published: December 2014

Coating disbondment on pipelines is a common phenomenon that leads to exposure of the pipeline metal to ground water solutions, promoting a corrosive environment which is associated with stress corrosion cracking (SCC). This investigation aims to understand the corrosion behavior and rate of pipeline steel under coating disbondments of varying sizes based on field data and experimental studies. In the analysis of the field data, dig reports provided by a Canadian gas transportation company were analyzed for cases of anaerobic corrosion under tape coatings. The analyzed field data provided a correlation between the tape coating disbondment size and corrosion rate found under the coating. The experimental studies aimed to understand the field findings. The analyses were performed on X-65 pipeline steel coupons placed in a vertical coupon holder with a PMMA shielding. To imitate the variation in the disbondment size, the gap size between the metal coupons and the shielding was varied (2 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm, and infinite). The general corrosion rates were obtained through weight loss calculations. The experimental results were compared and correlated with dig-report data from the field for a development of cathodic protection and pipeline mitigation strategies.
Application of Compressive Strain Capacity Models to Multiple Grades of Pipelines
Authors: Zhang Zhenyong , Yu Zhifeng , Liu Ming , Kotian Kunal , Zhang Fan
Published: December 2014

Local buckling due to excessive compressive strain generated by bending and/or longitudinal compression is one of the main threats to pipeline integrity. Strain-based design and assessment (SBDA) methods have been developed for designing and maintaining pipelines under high longitudinal strain. In SBDA, the resistance to local buckling is often measured by compressive strain capacity.

Extensive work has been performed on the compressive strain capacity of pipes through both experimental and numerical modeling. Models for calculating the compressive strain capacity have been developed over many decades. Some earlier models were developed using experimental test data of low strength linepipes. High strength linepipes are being increasingly used for the construction of new pipelines. The applicability of the existing models to modern high strength pipelines needs to be evaluated.

In this paper, selected compressive strain capacity models were reviewed and evaluated. An experimental database of 61 experimental tests from public-domain publications was created. Approximately 34% of the testing data are from high strength pipes (primarily X80). The calculated compressive strain capacity from the selected models was compared with the test results. The performance of the selected models was evaluated and the applicability of the models to the linepipes of different strengths was discussed.
Relationship Between J and CTOD in SE(T) and SE(B) Specimens for Stationary and Growing Cracks
Authors: Sarzosa Diego F. B. , Ruggieri Claudio
Published: December 2014

Current defect assessment procedures of large engineering structures, including pipeline systems and their welded components such as field girth welds, employ crack growth resistance curves in terms of J-resistance or CTOD-resistance curves. Standardized techniques for crack growth resistance testing of structural steels are based upon laboratory measurements of load-displacement records and adopt two related estimation formulas for fracture toughness values: 1) estimating J from plastic work based on crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD), and 2) determining the CTOD value from first evaluating the plastic component of J using the plastic work defined by the area under the load vs. CMOD curve and then converting it into the corresponding value of plastic CTOD. This work addresses an investigation on the relationship between J and CTOD for three-point SE(B) and clamped SE(T) fracture specimens based upon extensive numerical analyses conducted for crack configurations with varying crack sizes. These analyses include stationary and crack growth plane-strain results to determine J and CTOD for the cracked configurations based on load-displacement records. The numerical computations show strong similarities between the J-CTOD relationship for stationary and growth analysis with important implications for experimental measurements of CTOD-resistance curves. The study provides a body of results which enables establishing accurate relationships between J and CTOD for use in testing protocols for toughness measurements.
A Review of Fracture Toughness Testing and Evaluation Using SENT Specimens
Authors: Zhu Xian-Kui , McGaughy Tom
Published: December 2014

Fracture toughness is an important material property in describing material resistance against fracture with a point value or in the format of a resistance curve. For ductile materials, the commonly used fracture parameters are the J-integral and the crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD, or δ). ASTM E1820 provides standard procedures for determining the JIc, δIc, J-R curve and δ-R curve using bending specimens with deep cracks. This usually leads to high crack-tip constraint conditions and conservative fracture resistance curves.

Actual cracks found in pipelines and welds are often shallow and dominated by tensile forces, resulting in low constraint conditions and elevated resistance curves. Thus the standard resistance curves can be overly conservative for a shallow crack. To obtain realistic fracture toughness values to meet the practical needs for pipelines, different test methods have been developed using a single edge-notched tension (SENT) specimen. This includes the multiple specimen method, the single specimen method, the J-R curve test procedure, and the δ-R curve test procedure. This paper presents a critical technical review of existing fracture toughness test methods and procedures using SENT specimens, with discussions on the toughness estimation equation, key parameter calibration, rotation correction, and test procedure limitation. Historical efforts related to the SENT testing and applications of ASTM fracture test standards to the SENT specimens are also reviewed briefly.
Integration of a MEMS-type vacuum pump with a MEMS-type Pirani pressure gauge
Authors: Grzebyk Tomasz , Górecka-Drzazga Anna , Dziuban Jan A. , Maamari Khodr , An Seyoung , Dankovic Tatjana , Feinerman Alan , Busta Heinz
Published: December 2014

The paper concerns the problems associated with the generation and measurement of vacuum in small-volume microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices. A concept of equipping vacuum MEMS with miniature vacuum pump and gauge has been presented. The ion-sorption vacuum micropump developed by the authors has been integrated with two “external” miniature pressure sensors: a specially developed miniature Bayard-Alpert gauge and a MEMS-type Pirani sensor. The pressure during the pumping process was in-situ measured and co-work of vacuum micropump and sensors has been investigated. The experimental results confirmed good pumping properties of the micropump, but indicated that the work of micropump significantly affects the operation of vacuum sensors and vice versa.
Effects of toll-like receptor 3 on herpes simplex virus type-1-infected mouse neural stem cells
Authors: Sun Xiuning , Shi Lihong , Zhang Haoyun , Li Ruifang , Liang Ruiwen , Liu Zhijun
Published: December 2014

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection on the phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and the expression of interferon-β (IFN-β), as well as to clarify the functions of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) infected with HSV-1. In HSV-1-infected cultured NSCs, immunofluorescence, reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and ELISA were performed to reveal the expression patterns of TLR3, IRF3, and IFN-β. Then, lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) was used to block the expression of TLR3, and its effect on host resistance to HSV-1 infection was investigated. Under uninfected conditions, NSCs expressed TLR3 and phosphorylated IRF3, but after infection, the expression level of TLR3 was upregulated and the phosphorylation level of IRF3 in the nucleus was significantly enhanced, while IFN-β was also expressed. After TLR3 expression was blocked by lentivirus-mediated RNAi, IRF3 phosphorylation and IFN-β expression were downregulated. Therefore, HSV-1 upregulated the expression of TLR3 in NSCs and promoted nuclear translocation after IRF3 was phosphorylated to induce IFN-β expression. TLR3 exhibited an anti-HSV-1 infection capacity via innate immune functions.
Odor fingerprinting ofListeria monocytogenesrecognized by SPME–GC–MS and E-nose
Authors: Yu Yong-xin , Sun Xiao-hong , Liu Yuan , Pan Ying-jie , Zhao Yong
Published: December 2014

Microorganisms can produce species-specific microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs), or odor compounds, which can be characterized by odor fingerprinting. The objective of this study was to characterize the odor fingerprint of Listeria monocytogenes. Solid-phase microextraction – gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS) and electronic nose (E-nose) were used to recognize the MVOCs of L. monocytogenes in pure culture medium. The main MVOCs of L. monocytogenes were identified by SPME–GC–MS analysis as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, alkanes, and heterocyclics, among which the relative peak area of one compound, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, increased along with the growth of L. monocytogenes. The odor fingerprint of L. monocytogenes at different growth stages could be clearly discriminated by E-nose. In addition, E-nose signals had a very good linear relationship with the concentration of this bacterium (R2= 0.9937). Our study may help to establish the analysis of the odor fingerprint of microorganisms as a potential routine method in microbiology.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Trilinolein from Panax notoginseng Through the Suppression of NF-κB and MAPK Expression and Proinflammatory Cytokine Expression
Authors: Huang Shyh-Shyun , Deng Jeng-Shyan , Lin Jaung-Geng , Lee Chao-Ying , Huang Guan-Jhong
Published: December 2014

In this study, we have investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of trilinolein (TL) using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage (RAW264.7) and carrageenan (Carr)-induced mouse paw edema model. When RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with different concentrations of TL together with LPS, a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1β), and IL-6 production was detected. Western blotting revealed that TL blocked the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), IκBα, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In the anti-inflammatory test, TL decreased the paw edema at the 5th h after λ-Carr administration in paw edema. We also demonstrated TL significantly attenuated the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the edema paw at the 5th h after Carr injection. TL decreased the NO and TNF-α levels on the serum level at the 5th h after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that TL decreased Carr-induced iNOS and COX-2 expressions at the 5th h in the edema paw. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of TL might be related to the decrease in the level of iNOS, COX-2, IκBα, and MAPK pathway through the suppression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.
PEOPLE WATCH
Authors: Lim Rachel
Published: December 2014

3D Printing in the Medical World.
Characterization of percolation behavior in conductor–dielectric 0-3 composites
Authors: Zhang Lin , Bass Patrick , Dang Zhi-Min , Cheng Z.-Y.
Published: December 2014

The equation ε eff ∝ (ϕc - ϕ)-s which shows the relationship between effective dielectric constant (εeff) and the filler concentration (φ), is widely used to determine the percolation behavior and obtain parameters, such as percolation threshold φc and the power constant s in conductor–dielectric composites (CDCs). Six different systems of CDCs were used to check the expression by fitting experimental results. It is found that the equation can fit the experimental results at any frequency. However, it is found that the fitting constants do not reflect the real percolation behavior of the composites. It is found that the dielectric constant is strongly dependent on the frequency, which is mainly due to the fact that the frequency dependence of the dielectric constant for the composites close to φc is almost independent of the matrix.
Pricing European options in a delay model with jumps
Authors: Imdad Zaheer , Zhang Tusheng
Published: December 2014

In this paper, we extend the delay option pricing formula proposed by Arriojas et al. (2007) by adding a jump term in the price dynamics equations. We believe our model provides an excellent environment to price European options as it has the ability to incorporate jumps as well as it depends on the past price behaviors.
Topological Characterization of Hamming and Dragonfly Networks and Its Implications on Routing
Authors: Camarero Cristóbal , Vallejo Enrique , Beivide Ramón
Published: December 2014

Current High-Performance Computing (HPC) and data center networks rely on large-radix routers. Hamming graphs (Cartesian products of complete graphs) and dragonflies (two-level direct networks with nodes organized in groups) are some direct topologies proposed for such networks. The original definition of the dragonfly topology is very loose, with several degrees of freedom, such as the inter- and intragroup topology, the specific global connectivity, and the number of parallel links between groups (or trunking level). This work provides a comprehensive analysis of the topological properties of the dragonfly network, providing balancing conditions for network dimensioning, as well as introducing and classifying several alternatives for the global connectivity and trunking level. From a topological study of the network, it is noted that a Hamming graph can be seen as a canonical dragonfly topology with a high level of trunking. Based on this observation and by carefully selecting the global connectivity, the Dimension Order Routing (DOR) mechanism safely used in Hamming graphs is adapted to dragonfly networks with trunking. The resulting routing algorithms approximate the performance of minimal, nonminimal, and adaptive routings typically used in dragonflies but without requiring virtual channels to avoid packet deadlock, thus allowing for lower cost router implementations. This is obtained by properly selecting the link to route between groups based on a graph coloring of network routers. Evaluations show that the proposed mechanisms are competitive with traditional solutions when using the same number of virtual channels and enable for simpler implementations with lower cost. Finally, multilevel dragonflies are discussed, considering how the proposed mechanisms could be adapted to them.
Hypertext 2014 in Santiago de Chile
Authors: Herder Eelco , Ferres Leo , Parra Denis
Published: December 2014

This year was the 25th edition of the ACM Conferences on Hypertext and Hypermedia. Hypertext 2014 took place in Santiago de Chile, a location that is quite far away from the US and particularly from Europe. Nevertheless, the conference was well-attended with about 85 participants. There were two interesting keynote talks, given by César A. Hidalgo from MIT Media Lab and Ricardo Baeza-Yates from Yahoo! Research Labs. The Best Paper Awards went to a study on reader preferences and behavior on Wikipedia and an experimental study on scalable, generic and adaptive focused crawling. The conference was organized at PUC Chile in central Santiago. The evening slots were dedicated to eating, drinking and exploring the city together, which was a great opportunity to get to know the Hypertext community on a more personal level.
SIGWEB annual report
Authors: Harper Simon
Published: December 2014

We can characterise the SIG as exhibiting increasing impact and influence, while showing reduced membership.

While the conferences we run and the research we publish are increasingly relevant to the community (seen by increasing conference attendance and therefore revenue, and increasing digital library downloads, again increasing revenue) we can also see a continued and slight decline in membership - which we need to address.

In short SIGWEB has successfully expanded its range of conference sponsorships, is working hard on membership and volunteer development and benefits, and is financially healthy with a solid leadership.
"Applying fuzzy ontologies to implement the social semantic web" by Edy Portmann, Patrick Kaltenrieder and Noémie Zurlinden with Martin Vesely as coordinator
Authors: Portmann Edy , Kaltenrieder Patrick , Zurlinden Noémie
Published: December 2014

Because the knowledge in the World Wide Web is continuously expanding, Web Knowledge Aggregation, Representation and Reasoning (abbreviated as KR) is becoming increasingly important. This article demonstrates how fuzzy ontologies can be used in KR to improve the interactions between humans and computers. The gap between the Social and Semantic Web can be reduced, and a Social Semantic Web may become possible. As an illustrative example, we demonstrate how fuzzy logic and KR can enhance technologies for cognitive cities. The underlying notion of these technologies is based on connectivism, which can be improved by incorporating the results of digital humanities research.
Upcoming SIGWEB supported conferences
Authors: Samuel Hamman
Published: December 2014

The Special Interest Group on Hypertext and the Web, SIGWEB was created in 1989 to support the community participating in the annual ACM Hypertext Conference. Now in its third decade, SIGWEB has grown considerably and now sponsors five annual conferences of different sizes and covering a wide range of topics. SIGWEB supports several specialized conferences, short courses, and workshops, as well as the Annual Hypertext Conference. SIGWEB sponsored conferences focus on timely topics in applied and computational hypertext and Web disciplines and provide a place for members and the entire applied Hypermedia and Web community to exchange ideas and to meet with and expand their network of colleagues. In this article, we provide a brief overview of SIGWEB sponsored conferences, in addition to events that are in cooperation with SIGWEB.
Performance Analysis of the Multi-GPU System with ExpEther
Authors: Nomura Shimpei , Mitsuishi Takuji , Suzuki Jun , Hayashi Yuki , Kan Masaki , Amano Hideharu
Published: December 2014

A GPU cluster in which each node provides a few GPUs connected with PCIe (PCI Express) is commonly used for acceleration of a large application program requiring the performance beyond a single GPU. However, in such a system, programmers are required to describe two parallel programming between nodes in MPIs or other message passing library as well as the fine grained parallel programming for intra-GPUs. As a cost effective alternative of such clusters, we propose a novel multi-GPU system with ExpEther, a virtualization technique which extends PCIe of a host CPU to Ethernet. All devices connected by ExpEther can be treated as if they were directly connected to the host. Evaluation with two application programs with and without GPU-GPU communication revealed that the proposed system with four GPUs achieved 3.88 and 3.29 times performance improvement respectively compared with a single GPU system. Compared with GPU cluster system in which each node provides a GPU, the proposed system achieved about 7% and 30% performance improvement, respectively.
GPU and FPGA Acceleration of Level Set Method
Authors: Tsuyama Haruhisa , Maruyama Tsutomu
Published: December 2014

The level set method is one of the most powerful image segmentation methods. Its computational complexity, however, is very high, and many approaches to reduce the computation time have been proposed. In this paper, we describe a new level set algorithm for parallel processing, and its implementation on GPU and FPGA. The computational complexity of this algorithm is higher than previous algorithms, but it is possible to achieve higher performance by parallel processing. We implemented the algorithm on GeForce GTX780Ti, and Xilinx XC7VX485T, and compared their performances.
Areatime Efficient Implementation of Local Adaptive Image Thresholding in Reconfigurable Hardware
Authors: Torres-Huitzil Cesar , Nuño-Maganda Marco Aurelio
Published: December 2014

Local adaptive thresholding plays an important role in image binarization since it is used to effectively distinguish objects of interest from background regions. This step affects the performance of further processing stages in embedded computer vision applications. In local thresholding, a threshold is defined for each pixel as a function of all pixels within a rectangular neighborhood, and as a consequence, this yields a high computational cost requiring significant processing time when thresholding high resolution images or large data sets. This paper presents an area-time efficient hardware implementation of a local adaptive thresholding technique based on the Bernsen algorithm targeted to a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device. Experimental results show that the proposed implementation is resource efficient and able to process a 1024x1024 gray level image in less than 10 milliseconds independent of the neighborhood size. The architecture demonstrates over 100-fold speedup compared to a straightforward software implementation of the original Bernsen algorithm on a desktop computer.
Reconfigurable Multiprocessor Systems
Authors: Göhringer Diana
Published: December 2014

Novel solutions are needed to fulfill the increasing demands of embedded systems, i.e. lowering the energy consumption, increasing the performance, reducing the development time and keeping the costs as low as possible. In addition, there exist several applications, which require runtime adaptations of the algorithms based on the connection to its environment. These challenges can be solved by using reconfigurable Multiprocessor Systems-on- Chip (MPSoCs), which can adapt the hardware as well as the software to the application requirements and therefore achieve a high computational efficiency as well as a high flexibility. However, the development, the programming and the operation of such flexible and heterogeneous systems is very complex as the many criteria (Performance, power consumption, costs, development time, runtime adaptations, etc.) open a huge design space. In this paper an overview of the challenges faced when developing runtime adaptive MPSoCs is given. Finally, for each challenge a survey of possible solutions are presented.
A Case Study of FPGA Blokus Duo Solver by System-Level Design
Authors: Ando Yuki , Ogawa Masataka , Mizoguchi Yuya , Kumagai Kouta , Torng-Der Miaw , Honda Shinya
Published: December 2014

This paper presents a case study to design a Blokus Duo solver by using our system-level design toolkitnamed SystemBuilder. We start with a modeling of the Blokus nDuo solver by C language and communication APIs which are provided by SystemBuilder. Then, we iteratively verified and tuned the parameters in the solver by running the model on a general computer in order to improve the performance of the solver. Finally, the implementation on FPGA was automatically generated from the model by SystemBuilder. Despite the FPGA implementation, we have never written hardware description language throughout the case study. The case study demonstrates the easiness to design system on FPGA by System-level design tools.
ENORM
Authors: Torres Alexandre , Galante Renata , Pimenta Marcelo
Published: December 2014

Despite the growing adoption of object-relational mapping frameworks, UML and its most widespread extensions do not represent these mappings in a platform independent way. Maintaining mappings scattered in the code is difficult and error prone, specially if the schema is large and serves several systems. This paper proposes ENORM, a notation that extends class models representing all the essential mappings. ENORM is platform independent, providing a meta-model based on design patterns employed by three frameworks of Java, Ruby, and Python languages. An empirical evaluation indicates that ENORM performs well in comparison to separated models.
Text-Mining, Structured Queries, and Knowledge Management on Web Document Corpora
Authors: Mousavi Hamid , Atzori Maurizio , Gao Shi , Zaniolo Carlo
Published: December 2014

Wikipedia's InfoBoxes play a crucial role in advanced applications and provide the main knowledge source for DBpedia and the powerful structured queries it supports. However, InfoBoxes, which were created by crowdsourcing for human rather than computer consumption, suffer from incompleteness, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies. To overcome these problems, we have developed (i) the IBminer system that extracts InfoBox information by text-mining Wikipedia pages, (ii) the IKBStore system that integrates the information derived by IBminer with that of DBpedia, YAGO2,WikiData,WordNet, and other sources, and (iii) SWiPE and InfoBox Editor (IBE) that provide a user-friendly interfaces for querying and revising the knowledge base. Thus, IBminer uses a deep NLP-based approach to extract from text a semantic representation structure called TextGraph from which the system detects patterns and derives subject-attribute-value relations, as well as domain-specific synonyms for the knowledge base. IKBStore and IBE complement the powerful, user-friendly, by-example structured queries of SWiPE by supporting the validation and provenance history for the information contained in the knowledge base, along with the ability of upgrading its knowledge when this is found incomplete, incorrect, or outdated.
The Database Group at TUM
Authors: Kemper Alfons , Neumann Thomas
Published: December 2014

The database group at TUM was established in 1972 by Rudolf Bayer [4] who retired in 2004. The group is reponsible for the foundational and advanced database curriculum of the department's 3500 undergraduate and graduate students. The group consists of two post-docs and around 15 doctoral students. In the following we will overview the research agenda of the last couple of years only; previous projects and publications can be viewed on our web site.
ICER conference report
Authors: Cutts Quintin
Published: December 2014

ICER 2014, the 10th conference in the series, was held at the University of Glasgow in Scotland in early August. The stats, in brief: 68 paper submissions, 17 accepted; 10 lightning talks; 18 students attended the doctoral consortium. 79 folks attended the conference, including 13 Scottish high school CS teachers involved in a research programme.
Training for department chairs at SIGCSE 2015
Authors: DeLoatch Sandra J.
Published: December 2014

Are you a new chair, a veteran chair, or considering a chair position? If so, please plan to participate in the SIGCSE 2015 Roundtable for Department Chairs. The insights likely to be gained should be beneficial to helping you become a more effective and successful chair.
Analysis of Load‐Carrying Capacity for Redundant Free‐Floating Space Manipulators in Trajectory Tracking Task
Authors: Jia Qingxuan , Liu Yong , Chen Gang , Sun Hanxu , Peng Junjie
Published: December 2014

The aim of this paper is to analyze load‐carrying capacity of redundant free‐floating space manipulators (FFSM) in trajectory tracking task. Combined with the analysis of influential factors in load‐carrying process, evaluation of maximum load‐carrying capacity (MLCC) is described as multiconstrained nonlinear programming problem. An efficient algorithm based on repeated line search within discontinuous feasible region is presented to determine MLCC for a given trajectory of the end‐effector and corresponding joint path. Then, considering the influence of MLCC caused by different initial configurations for the starting point of given trajectory, a kind of maximum payload initial configuration planning method is proposed by using PSO algorithm. Simulations are performed for a particular trajectory tracking task of the 7‐DOF space manipulator, of which MLCC is evaluated quantitatively. By in‐depth research of the simulation results, significant gap between the values of MLCC when using different initial configurations is analyzed, and the discontinuity of allowable load‐carrying capacity is illustrated. The proposed analytical method can be taken as theoretical foundation of feasibility analysis, trajectory optimization, and optimal control of trajectory tracking task in on‐orbit load‐carrying operations.
Current Perspectives in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapies for Osteoarthritis
Authors: Kristjánsson Baldur , Honsawek Sittisak
Published: December 2014

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease most commonly occurring in the ageing population. It is a slow progressive condition resulting in the destruction of hyaline cartilage followed by pain and reduced activity. Conventional treatments have little effects on the progression of the condition often leaving surgery as the last option. In the last 10 years tissue engineering utilising mesenchymal stem cells has been emerging as an alternative method for treating OA. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells found in various tissues, most commonly bone marrow and adipose tissue. MSCs are capable of differentiating into osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Autologous MSCs can be easily harvested and applied in treatment, but allogenic cells can also be employed. The early uses of MSCs focused on the implantations of cell rich matrixes during open surgeries, resulting in the formation of hyaline-like durable cartilage. More recently, the focus has completely shifted towards direct intra-articular injections where a great number of cells are suspended and injected into affected joints. In this review the history and early uses of MSCs in cartilage regeneration are reviewed and different approaches in current trends are explained and evaluated.
The Efficacy of Intranasal Desmopressin as an Adjuvant in the Acute Renal Colic Pain Management
Authors: Masoumi Kambiz , Asgari Darian Ali , Forouzan Arash , Barzegari Hassan , Rahim Fakher , Feli Maryam , Fallah Bagher Sheidaii Mehdi , Porozan Samaneh
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to compare analgesic effect of intramuscular (IM) sodium diclofenac and intranasal desmopressin combination with IM sodium diclofenac alone in patients with acute renal colic. In this randomized double-blind clinical trial, all patients aged 18 to 55 years who were diagnosed as acute renal colic and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomized into two groups to receive 40 μg intranasal desmopressin spray and 75 mg IM sodium diclofenac combination (Group A) or 75 mg IM sodium diclofenac alone (Group B). The pain score of patients was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after administration. Of all 159 patients who were assessed for eligibility finally, the results of 120 patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference regarding age and gender between two groups. The baseline VAS score was not significantly different between two groups (P=0.44). The Mean ± SD scores of two groups reduced 15 minutes after drug administration, but this decrease was significantly more in Group A compared with Group B (P=0.02). This pattern continued in minutes 30, 45, and 60 of drug administration. Our results showed that desmopressin could be used as an effective adjuvant in acute renal colic pain management.
UV Blocking Glass: Low Cost Filters for Visible Light Photocatalytic Assessment
Authors: Dunnill Charles W.
Published: December 2014

A number of commercially available art protection products have been compared and assessed for their suitability as UV blocking filters in the application of “visible light” photocatalytic research. Many groups claiming visible light photocatalytic success employ filters to block out stray UV radiation in order to justify that their photocatalysts are indeed visible light photocatalysts and not UV light photocatalysts. These filters come in varying degrees of ability and price and many authors fail to correctly characterise their filters in individual papers. The use of effective filters to prevent both false positive and false negative results is important to maintain scientific rigor and create accurate understanding of the subject. The optimum UV filter would have the highest UV blocking properties (<390 nm) and simultaneously the highest visible light transmission (390–750 nm). Single and double layers of each of the glass products were assessed as well as laminate products. The conclusions show an inexpensive and highly effective setup for the conduction of visible light photochemistry that should be incorporated as a standard part in any researcher’s work where the claim of visible light activity is made.
Current Trends in Bioethanol Production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Substrate, Inhibitor Reduction, Growth Variables, Coculture, and Immobilization
Authors: Tesfaw Asmamaw , Assefa Fassil
Published: December 2014

Bioethanol is one of the most commonly used biofuels in transportation sector to reduce greenhouse gases. S. cerevisiae is the most employed yeast for ethanol production at industrial level though ethanol is produced by an array of other yeasts, bacteria, and fungi. This paper reviews the current and nonmolecular trends in ethanol production using S. cerevisiae. Ethanol has been produced from wide range of substrates such as molasses, starch based substrate, sweet sorghum cane extract, lignocellulose, and other wastes. The inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates can be reduced by repeated sequential fermentation, treatment with reducing agents and activated charcoal, overliming, anion exchanger, evaporation, enzymatic treatment with peroxidase and laccase, in situ detoxification by fermenting microbes, and different extraction methods. Coculturing S. cerevisiae with other yeasts or microbes is targeted to optimize ethanol production, shorten fermentation time, and reduce process cost. Immobilization of yeast cells has been considered as potential alternative for enhancing ethanol productivity, because immobilizing yeasts reduce risk of contamination, make the separation of cell mass from the bulk liquid easy, retain stability of cell activities, minimize production costs, enable biocatalyst recycling, reduce fermentation time, and protect the cells from inhibitors. The effects of growth variables of the yeast and supplementation of external nitrogen sources on ethanol optimization are also reviewed.
Classifying Lupus Nephritis: An Ongoing Story
Authors: Kiremitci Saba , Ensari Arzu
Published: December 2014

The role of the renal biopsy in lupus nephritis is to provide the diagnosis and to define the parameters of prognostic and therapeutic significance for an effective clinicopathological correlation. Various classification schemas initiated by World Health Organization in 1974 have been proposed until the most recent update by International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society in 2004. In this paper, we reviewed the new classification system with the associated literature to highlight the benefits and the weak points that emerged so far. The great advantage of the classification emerged to provide a uniform reporting for lupus nephritis all over the world. It has provided more reproducible results from different centers. However, the studies indicated that the presence of glomerular necrotizing lesion was no longer significant to determine the classes of lupus nephritis leading to loss of pathogenetic diversity of the classes. Another weakness of the classification that also emerged in time was the lack of discussions related to the prognostic significance of tubulointerstitial involvement which was not included in the classification. Therefore, the pathogenetic diversity of the classification still needs to be clarified by additional studies, and it needs to be improved by the inclusion of the tubulointerstitial lesions related to prognosis.
HBV and HCV Coinfection among HIV/AIDS Patients in the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, Vietnam
Authors: Huy Bùi Vũ , Vernavong Kanxay , Kính Nguyễn Văn
Published: December 2014

Aim. To examine prevalence and characterization of HBV and HCV coinfection among HIV/AIDS patients.Methods. This cross-sectional, retrospective study analyzed 724 HIV/AIDS patients in the HIV clinic at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases (NHTD), from 5/2005 to 4/2011.Results. The prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV coinfection was 50.3% (364/724), of which HbsAg, HCV, and both of HbsAg, and HCV positivity were 8.4%, 35.4%, and 6.5%, respectively. The cohort (364 patients) with HBV, HCV, and HIV coinfection live in the 30 provinces/cities in the North and Central area of Vietnam. We found statistically significant associations between heightened risk of coinfection with HIV and HCV in the age group 30–39 years (P<0.001), male gender (P<0.001), never married patients (P<0.001), patients with a history of injection drug use (P<0.001), and clinical stages 2–4 (P<0.001). Coinfection with HBV/HIV was statistically significant associations between heightened risk of marital status (never married) (P<0.001) and those who reported transmission through sexual intercourse.Conclusion. Coinfection with viral hepatitis is common in HIV patients; further study of the impact and evolution of coinfection is necessary to find effective treatment algorithms.
Inventory and Credit Decisions under Day-Terms Credit Linked Demand and Allowance for Bad Debts
Authors: Aggarwal K. K. , Tyagi Arun Kumar
Published: December 2014

In order to stimulate demand of their product, firms generally give credit period to their customers. However, selling on credit exposes the firms to the additional dimension of bad debts expense (i.e., customer’s default). Moreover, credit period through its influence on demand becomes a determinant of inventory decisions and inventory sold on credit gets converted to accounts receivable indicating the interaction between the two. Since inventory and credit decisions are interrelated, inventory decisions must be determined jointly with credit decisions. Consequently, in this paper, a mathematical model is developed to determine inventory and credit decisions jointly. The demand rate is assumed to be a logistic function of credit period. The accounts receivable carrying cost along with an explicit consideration of bad debt expense which have been often ignored in previous models are incorporated in the present model. The discounted cash flow approach (DCF) is used to develop the model and the objective is to maximize the present value of the firm’s net profit per unit time. Finally, numerical example and sensitivity analysis have been done to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Ureterolithotomy for Proximal Ureteral Calculi in Selected Patients
Authors: Hu Qingfeng , Ding Weihong , Gou Yuancheng , Ho Yatfaat , Xu Ke , Gu Bin , Sun Chuanyu , Xia Guowei , Ding Qiang
Published: December 2014

Objectives. To summarize our experience of retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy for ureteral calculi and evaluate the safety and efficiency of this procedure.Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 197 patients with proximal ureteral calculi who accepted retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy from June 2005 to June 2014.Results. All procedures were performed successfully and the mean operating time and estimated blood loss were 87 min and 64 mL. The clearance rate was 98.5% and the rates of urine leak and ureteral stricture were 2.5% and 1.0%.Conclusions. Retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy is a safe and effective procedure for patients with complex stones or anatomic abnormalities, and, with experience of high volume series, it is also a reasonable choice as the primary treatment for such selected patients.
IFNL4 ss469415590 Variant Is Associated with Treatment Response in Japanese HCV Genotype 1 Infected Individuals Treated with IFN-Including Regimens
Authors: Miyamura Tatsuo , Kanda Tatsuo , Nakamoto Shingo , Arai Makoto , Nakamura Masato , Wu Shuang , Jiang Xia , Sasaki Reina , Haga Yuki , Yasui Shin , Ooka Yoshihiko , Chiba Tetsuhiro , Imazeki Fumio , Mikami Shigeru , Yokosuka Osamu
Published: December 2014

Aim. Eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is still challenging even if interferon- (IFN-) free regimens with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for HCV-infected individuals are available in clinical practice. IFNL4 is a newly described protein, associated with human antiviral defenses. We investigated whether IFNL4 ss469415590 variant has an effect on the prediction of treatment response in HCV-infected patients treated with IFN-including regimens.Patients and Methods. In all, 185 patients infected with HCV genotype 1 treated with peg-IFN plus ribavirin, with or without telaprevir, were genotyped for IFNL4 ss469415590. We retrospectively investigated whether the role of IFNL4 ss469415590 variant and other factors could predict sustained virological response (SVR) in Japanese patients infected with HCV genotype 1.Results. There were 65.7%, 31.5%, and 2.8% patients in the IFNL4 ss469415590 TT/TT, TT/-G, and -G/-G groups, respectively. SVR rates were 82.1% or 49.3% in patients treated with peg-IFN plus ribavirin with or without telaprevir, respectively. IFNL4 ss469415590 variant and HCV viral loads or IFNL4 ss469415590 variant and early virological response were better predictors of SVR in patients treated with peg-IFN plus ribavirin with or without telaprevir, respectively.Conclusion. In the era of DAAs, measurement of IFNL4 ss469415590 variant could help the prediction of SVR in Japanese HCV genotype 1 infected individuals treated with IFN-including regimens.
Antimicrobial Activity of Perspiration Pads and Cotton Cloth Fabricated with the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms
Authors: Lalitha P. , Jayanthi P. , Sujitha R.
Published: December 2014

Waterhyacinth is one of the most dangerous aquatic weeds causing various ecological and environmental issues. The plant has several pharmaceutical properties in spite of its harmful nature. In the present study, perspiration pads and cotton cloth fabricated with the ethyl acetate extract of waterhyacinth were evaluated for its activity against Corynebacterium. Perspiration pads and samples of cotton cloth were fabricated with ethyl acetate extract of Eichhornia crassipes by three methods, namely, dipping, sonication, and homogenization. The antimicrobial activity of the fabricated textile materials was tested against Corynebacterium, a microorganism commonly seen in human sweat. Disc diffusion method (AATCC 147) was used for evaluating the antimicrobial nature of the fabricated samples. Sonication was found to be efficient for coating of the extract on the cotton cloth, whereas dipping method was found to be efficient in case of perspiration pads. No bacterial growth was observed under and on the fabricated cloth and perspiration pads indicating that the fabrics possess bacteriostatic property and not bactericidal property and the absence of leaching of the extract. The results showed significant antimicrobial activity of the ethyl acetate extract of Eichhornia crassipes coated onto fabrics against Corynebacterium with no growth under and on the test sample.
Partial Block by Riluzole of Muscle Sodium Channels in Myotubes from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Deflorio Cristina , Onesti Emanuela , Lauro Clotilde , Tartaglia Giorgio , Giovannelli Aldo , Limatola Cristina , Inghilleri Maurizio , Grassi Francesca
Published: December 2014

Denervated muscles undergo fibrillations due to spontaneous activation of voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channels generating action potentials. Fibrillations also occur in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Riluzole, the only approved drug for ALS treatment, blocks voltage-gated Na+channels, but its effects on muscle Na+channels and fibrillations are yet poorly characterized. Using patch-clamp technique, we studied riluzole effect on Na+channels in cultured myotubes from ALS patients. Needle electromyography was used to study fibrillation potentials (Fibs) in ALS patients during riluzole treatment and after one week of suspension. Patients were clinically characterized in all recording sessions. In myotubes, riluzole (1 μM, a therapeutic concentration) reduced Na+current by 20%. The rate of rise and amplitude of spikes evoked by depolarizing stimuli were also reduced. Fibs were detected in all patients tested during riluzole treatment and riluzole washout had no univocal effect. Our study indicates that, in human myotubes, riluzole partially blocks Na+currents and affects action potentials but does not prevent firing. In line with thisin vitrofinding, muscle Fibs in ALS patients appear to be largely unaffected by riluzole.