bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-Situ Nanoparticles: A New Strengthening Method for Metallic Structural Material
Authors: Pan Shiwei , Zhou Xianglin , Chen Kaixuan , Yang Ming , Cao Yudong , Chen Xiaohua , Wang Zidong
Published: December 2018

Over the past several years, coherent interface strengthening was proposed and has since drawn much attention. Unfortunately, many fabrication techniques are restricted to very small size. Recently, a brand new method of in-situ nanoparticle strengthening was systematically investigated, which was proved to be an efficacious way to optimize microstructure and improve mechanical property by utilizing uniformly dispersed nanoparticles. In this review, we summarized recent related advances in investigated steels and Cu alloys, including details of preparation technique and characterization of in-situ nanoparticles. In-situ nanoparticles formed in the melt possess a coherent/semi-coherent relationship with the matrix, which has a similar effect of coherent interface strengthening. In this case, bulk metallic structural materials with dispersed nanoparticles in the matrix can be fabricated through conventional casting process. The effects of in-situ nanoparticles on grain refinement, inhibiting segregation, optimizing inclusions and strengthening are also deeply discussed, which is beneficial for obtaining comprehensive mechanical response. Consequently, it is expected that in-situ nanoparticle strengthening method will become a potential future direction in industrial mass production.
Breathable Materials for Triboelectric Effect-Based Wearable Electronics
Authors: Li Congju , Cao Ran , Zhang Xiuling
Published: December 2018

Wearable electronics are believed to be the future of the next-generation electric devices. However, the comfort of current wearable devices is greatly limited due to the use of airtight materials, which may even lead to inflammation of the skin. Therefore, breathable, skin-friendly materials, are highly desired for wearable devices. Here, the recent progress of the breathable materials used to fabricate skin-friendly electronics is reviewed by taking triboelectric effect-based wearable electronics as a typical example. Fibers, yarns, textiles, and nanofiber membranes are the most popular dielectric materials that serve as frictional materials. Metal mesh, silver yarn, and conductive networks made up of nanomaterial are preferred as air-permissive electrodes. The breathable materials for skin-friendly wearable electronics summarized in this review provide valuable references for future fabrication of humanized wearable devices and hold great significance for the practical application of wearable devices.
Three Dimensional CS-FEM Phase-Field Modeling Technique for Brittle Fracture in Elastic Solids
Authors: Bhowmick Sauradeep , Liu Gui-Rong
Published: December 2018

The cell based smoothed finite element method (CS-FEM) was integrated with the phase-field technique to model brittle fracture in 3D elastic solids. The CS-FEM was used to model the mechanics behavior and the phase-field method was used for diffuse fracture modeling technique where the damage in a system was quantified by a scalar variable. The integrated CS-FEM phase-field approach provides an efficient technique to model complex crack topologies in three dimensions. The detailed formulation of our combined method is provided. It was implemented in the commercial software ABAQUS using its user-element (UEL) and user-material (UMAT) subroutines. The coupled system of equations were solved in a staggered fashion using the in-built non-linear Newton–Raphson solver in ABAQUS. Eight node hexahedral (H8) elements with eight smoothing domains were coded in CS-FEM. Several representative numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the capability of the method. We also discuss some of its limitations.
A Novel Impact Rotary–Linear Motor Based on Decomposed Screw-Type Motion of Piezoelectric Actuator
Authors: Han Liling , Yu Liandong , Pan Chengliang , Zhao Huining , Jiang Yizhou
Published: December 2018

A novel impact two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) motor based on the decomposed screw-type motion of a piezoelectric actuator (PA) has been proposed. The fabricated prototype motor has a maximum diameter of 15 mm and a length of 100 mm which can produce a maximum torsional angle of about 1000 μrad and a maximum longitudinal displacement of about 1.03 μm under a saw-shaped driving voltage with 720 Vp-p (peak-to-peak driving voltage). When the axial prepressure generated by the spring is about 1N and the radial prepressure generated by the snap ring is about 14 N, the fabricated motor realizes rotary motion with the driving frequency from 200 Hz to 4 kHz. When the axial prepressure generated by the spring is about 11.7 N and the radial prepressure generated by the snap ring is about 21.1 N, the fabricated motor realizes linear motion with the driving frequency from 2 kHz to 11 kHz. In the experiments, the prototype motor can achieve 9.9 × 105 μrad/s rotary velocity at 2 kHz and it can achieve 2.4 mm/s linear velocity at 11 kHz under the driving voltage of 720 Vp-p.
Automated Classification Analysis of Geological Structures Based on Images Data and Deep Learning Model
Authors: Zhang Ye , Wang Gang , Li Mingchao , Han Shuai
Published: December 2018

It is meaningful to study the geological structures exposed on the Earth’s surface, which is paramount to engineering design and construction. In this research, we used 2206 images with 12 labels to identify geological structures based on the Inception-v3 model. Grayscale and color images were adopted in the model. A convolutional neural network (CNN) model was also built in this research. Meanwhile, K nearest neighbors (KNN), artificial neural network (ANN) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were applied in geological structures classification based on features extracted by the Open Source Computer Vision Library (OpenCV). Finally, the performances of the five methods were compared and the results indicated that KNN, ANN, and XGBoost had a poor performance, with the accuracy of less than 40.0%. CNN was overfitting. The model trained using transfer learning had a significant effect on a small dataset of geological structure images; and the top-1 and top-3 accuracy of the model reached 83.3% and 90.0%, respectively. This shows that texture is the key feature in this research. Transfer learning based on a deep learning model can extract features of small geological structure data effectively, and it is robust in geological structure image classification.
Design and Testing of a Compact Optical Prism Module for Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Grating Interferometry Application
Authors: Li Xinghui , Shi Yaping , Xiao Xiang , Zhou Qian , Wu Guanhao , Lu Haiou , Ni Kai
Published: December 2018

In this research, a key optical component for multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) surface encoder was designed, fabricated and evaluated. In a MDOF grating interferometry system, there are four diffraction beams from a two-axis scale grating and reference grating, respectively. For further modulation, these beams will propagate more than 100 mm, which makes paralleling these beams necessary. In previous research, collimation lens, separate prisms and a home fabricated diffraction device by combining four separate one-axis line gratings in a glass substrate have been demonstrated. However, large power loss and assembly complicity makes these techniques less competitive. For solving this problem, this research proposed a new lens module, which is an improved type prism, quadrangular frustum pyramid (QFP) prism. The prism is designed in such a way that these four reflected beams from the grating are symmetrically incident into the prism through the upper surface, total reflected on the inner sides of the prism, and then parallel getting through the bottom surface. A prism that allows an incident beam diameter of 1 mm and four paralleling beams with a 10 mm distance between the two diffraction beams along one direction was designed, fabricated and tested. Testing results based on an entire grating interferometry system verified that the proposal in this research is greatly effective in beam paralleling in terms of less power loss and high paralleling and greatly reduces the assembly complicity, which will eventually be beneficial for grating interferometry application.
A Comparative Study of Bin and Bulk Cloud Microphysics Schemes in Simulating a Heavy Precipitation Case
Authors: Lee Hyunho , Baik Jong-Jin
Published: December 2018

Comparisons between bin and bulk cloud microphysics schemes are conducted by simulating a heavy precipitation case using a bin microphysics scheme and four double-moment bulk microphysics schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. For this, we implemented an updated bin microphysics scheme in the WRF model. All of the microphysics schemes underestimate observed strong precipitation, but the bin microphysics scheme yields the result that is closest to observations. The differences among the schemes are more pronounced in terms of hydrometeor number concentration than in terms of hydrometeor mixing ratio. In this case, the bin scheme exhibits remarkably more latent heat release by deposition and riming than the bulk schemes. This causes stronger updrafts and more upward transport of water vapor, which leads to more deposition, and again, increases the latent heat release. An additional simulation using the bin scheme but excluding the riming of cloud droplets on ice crystals, which is not or poorly treated in the examined bulk schemes, shows that surface precipitation is slightly weakened and moved farther downwind compared to that of the control simulation. This implies that the more appropriate representation of microphysical processes in the bin microphysics scheme contributes to the more accurate prediction of precipitation in this case.
The Impact of Divalent Cations on the Enrichment of Soluble Saccharides in Primary Sea Spray Aerosol
Authors: Schill Steven R. , Burrows Susannah M. , Hasenecz Elias S. , Stone Elizabeth A. , Bertram Timothy H.
Published: December 2018

Field measurements have shown that sub-micrometer sea spray aerosol (SSA) is significantly enriched in organic material, of which a large fraction has been attributed to soluble saccharides. Existing mechanistic models of SSA production struggle to replicate the observed enhancement of soluble organic material. Here, we assess the role for divalent cation mediated co-adsorption of charged surfactants and saccharides in the enrichment of soluble organic material in SSA. Using measurements of particle supersaturated hygroscopicity, we calculate organic volume fractions for molecular mimics of SSA generated from a Marine Aerosol Reference Tank. Large enhancements in SSA organic volume fractions (Xorg > 0.2) were observed for 50 nm dry diameter (dp) particles in experiments where cooperative ionic interactions were favorable (e.g., palmitic acid, Mg2+, and glucuronic acid) at seawater total organic carbon concentrations (<1.15 mM C) and ocean pH. Significantly smaller SSA organic volume fractions (Xorg < 1.5 × 10−3) were derived from direct measurements of soluble saccharide concentrations in collected SSA with dry diameters <250 nm, suggesting that organic enrichment is strongly size dependent. The results presented here indicate that divalent cation mediated co-adsorption of soluble organics to insoluble surfactants at the ocean surface may contribute to the enrichment of soluble saccharides in SSA. The extent to which this mechanism explains the observed enhancement of saccharides in nascent SSA depends strongly on the concentration, speciation, and charge of surfactants and saccharides in the sea surface microlayer.
Effects of Spray-Drying Temperatures and Ratios of Gum Arabic to Microcrystalline Cellulose on Antioxidant and Physical Properties of Mulberry Juice Powder
Authors: Do Hoa T. T. , Nguyen Ha V. H.
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to investigate the influences of inlet air temperatures (120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C and 150 °C, 160 °C) and the ratios of gum Arabic to microcrystalline cellulose on the quality of mulberry juice powder produced by the spray drying process. Determination of moisture content, bulk density, solubility, total phenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC) and antioxidant capacity (AC) of the obtained powders was performed. The study on temperatures showed that all parameters studied were significantly affected by the shift in temperatures. The powder dried at 160 °C had the highest TPC (38.32 ± 0.36 mg GAE/g DW) and water solubility index (78.70 ± 0.75%); however, it had the lowest moisture content (3.90 ± 0.14%) when compared with the samples dried at other temperatures. Meanwhile, at 140 °C, powder samples with the highest TAC (4.690 ± 0.18 mg cyd-3-glu/g DW) and highest AC (648.09 ± 22.98 µmol TE/g DW), respectively, were obtained. Increasing microcrystalline cellulose and decreasing gum Arabic contents in the carrier mixtures showed significant decreases in moisture content, bulk density, solubility, TPC, TAC and AC.
Evaluation of Continuous Lactate Monitoring Systems within a Heparinized In Vivo Porcine Model Intravenously and Subcutaneously
Authors: Wolf Alexander , Renehan Kevin , Ho Kenneth K. Y. , Carr Benjamin D. , Chen Chieh V. , Cornell Marie S. , Ye Minyi , Rojas-Peña Alvaro , Chen Hao
Published: December 2018

We present an animal model used to evaluate the in vivo performance of electrochemical amperometric continuous lactate sensors compared to blood gas instruments. Electrochemical lactate sensors were fabricated, placed into 5 Fr central venous catheters (CVCs), and paired with wireless potentiostat devices. Following in vivo evaluation and calibration, sensors were placed within the jugular and femoral veins of a porcine subject as a preliminary assessment of in vivo measurement accuracy. The mobile electronic circuit potentiostat devices supplied the operational voltage for the sensors, measured the resultant steady-state current, and recorded the sensor response values in internal memory storages. An in vivo time trace of implanted intravenous (IV) sensors demonstrated lactate values that correlated well with the discrete measurements of blood samples on a benchtop point-of-care sensor-based instrument. Currents measured continuously from the implanted lactate sensors over 10 h were converted into lactate concentration values through use of a two-point in vivo calibration. Study shows that intravenously implanted sensors had more accurate readings, faster peak-reaching rates, and shorter peak-detection times compared to subcutaneously placed sensors. IV implanted and subcutaneously placed sensors closer to the upper body (in this case neck) showed faster response rates and more accurate measurements compared to those implanted in the lower portion of the porcine model. This study represents an important milestone not only towards continuous lactate monitoring for early diagnosis and intervention in neonatal patients with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries, but also in the intervention of critical ill patients in the Intensive Care Units or during complex surgical procedures.
Differing Roles of Hyaluronan Molecular Weight on Cancer Cell Behavior and Chemotherapy Resistance
Authors: Price Zoe K. , Lokman Noor A. , Ricciardelli Carmela
Published: December 2018

Hyaluronan (HA), a glycosaminoglycan located in the extracellular matrix, is important in embryo development, inflammation, wound healing and cancer. There is an extensive body of research demonstrating the role of HA in all stages of cancer, from initiation to relapse and therapy resistance. HA interacts with multiple cell surface receptors, including CD44, receptor for hyaluronan mediated motility (RHAMM) and intracellular signaling pathways, including receptor tyrosine kinase pathways, to promote the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. Additionally, HA promotes the formation of cancer stem cell (CSC) populations, which are hypothesized to be responsible for the initiation of tumors and therapy resistance. Recent studies have identified that the molecular weight of HA plays differing roles on both normal and cancer cell behavior. This review explores the role of HA in cancer progression and therapy resistance and how its molecular weight is important in regulating CSC populations, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter expression and receptor tyrosine kinase pathways.
The Role of Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Bladder Cancer Progression
Authors: Ide Hiroki , Inoue Satoshi , Miyamoto Hiroshi
Published: December 2018

Previous preclinical studies have indicated that the activation of glucocorticoid receptor signaling results in inhibition of the growth of various types of tumors. Indeed, several glucocorticoids, such as dexamethasone and prednisone, have been prescribed for the treatment of, for example, hematological malignancies and castration-resistant prostate cancer. By contrast, the role of glucocorticoid-mediated glucocorticoid receptor signaling in the progression of bladder cancer remains far from being fully understood. Nonetheless, emerging evidence implies its unique functions in urothelial cancer cells. Moreover, the levels of glucocorticoid receptor expression have been documented to significantly associate with the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer. This review summarizes the available data suggesting the involvement of glucocorticoid-mediated glucocorticoid receptor signaling in urothelial tumor outgrowth and highlights the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. The molecules/pathways that contribute to modulating glucocorticoid receptor activity and function in bladder cancer cells are also discussed.
Role of BRCA Mutations in Cancer Treatment with Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase (PARP) Inhibitors
Authors: Faraoni Isabella , Graziani Grazia
Published: December 2018

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity induces synthetic lethality in mutated BRCA1/2 cancers by selectively targeting tumor cells that fail to repair DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). Clinical studies have confirmed the validity of the synthetic lethality approach and four different PARP inhibitors (PARPi; olaparib, rucaparib, niraparib and talazoparib) have been approved as monotherapies for BRCA-mutated or platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer and/or for BRCA-mutated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. PARPi therapeutic efficacy is higher against tumors harboring deleterious germline or somatic BRCA mutations than in BRCA wild-type tumors. BRCA mutations or intrinsic tumor sensitivity to platinum compounds are both regarded as indicators of deficiency in DSB repair by homologous recombination as well as of favorable response to PARPi. However, not all BRCA-mutated or platinum-responsive patients obtain clinical benefit from these agents. Conversely, a certain percentage of patients with wild-type BRCA or platinum-resistant tumors can still get benefit from PARPi. Thus, additional reliable markers need to be validated in clinical trials to select patients potentially eligible for PARPi-based therapies, in the absence of deleterious BRCA mutations or platinum sensitivity. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of action of PARPi and the clinical evidence supporting their use as anticancer drugs as well as the additional synthetic lethal partners that might confer sensitivity to PARPi in patients with wild-type BRCA tumors.
Ir-Based Bimetallic Catalysts for Hydrogen Production through Glycerol Aqueous-Phase Reforming
Authors: Espinosa-Moreno Francisco , Balla Putrakumar , Shen Wenjie , Chavarria-Hernandez Juan C. , Ruiz-Gómez Miguel , Tlecuitl-Beristain Saúl
Published: December 2018

Iridium, Iridium-Nickel and Iridium-Copper catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and evaluated in the aqueous-phase reforming of glycerol using La2O3 or CeO2 as supports. The catalysts were characterized by N2 physisorption, XRD, H2-TPR, XPS, and EDS. The reactions were carried out in a fixed bed reactor feeding a solution of glycerol (10 wt %) in water, at 270 °C and 58 bar. All IrNi catalysts showed higher activity than Ir and IrCu, and in general, La2O3 catalysts showed a better performance when compared to CeO2 catalysts. The highest hydrogen production yield was reached by bimetallic IrNi catalysts with over 250 µmol min−1 gcat−1 for La2O3 and 150 µmol min−1 gcat−1 for CeO2.
Enzymatic Synthesis of Novel Glycyrrhizic Acid Glucosides Using a Promiscuous Bacillus Glycosyltransferase
Authors: Dai Longhai , Li Jiao , Yang Jiangang , Men Yan , Zeng Yan , Cai Yi , Sun Yuanxia
Published: December 2018

Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and glycyrrhizin (GA-3-O-[β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucuronopyranoside], GL) are the major bioactive components of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and possess multifarious notable biological activities. UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT)–catalyzed glycosylation remarkably extends the structural and functional diversification of GA-glycoside derivatives. In this study, six glucosides (1–6) of GA and GL were synthesized using a Bacillus subtilis 168–originated flexible UDP-glycosyltransferase Bs-YjiC. Bs-YjiC could transfer a glucosyl moiety from UDP-glucose to the free C3 hydroxyl and/or C30 carboxyl groups of GA and GL and further elongate the C30 glucosyl chain via a β-1-2-glycosidic bond. Glycosylation significantly increased the water solubility of these novel glucosides by 4–90 folds. In vitro assays showed that GA monoglucosides (1 and 2) showed stronger antiproliferative activity against human liver cancer cells HepG2 and breast cancer cells MCF-7 than that of GL and GL glucosides. These findings provide significant insights into the important role of promiscuous UGTs for the enzymatic synthesis of novel bioactive GA derivatives.
Direct Dehydrogenative Coupling of Alcohols with Hydrosilanes Promoted by Sodium tri(sec-butyl)borohydride
Authors: Skrodzki Maciej , Zaranek Maciej , Witomska Samanta , Pawluc Piotr
Published: December 2018

Alkoxysilanes find application in many areas of chemistry ranging from research-scale organic synthesis to multi-ton production of materials. Classically, they are obtained in stoichiometric reaction of alcoholysis of chlorosilanes, however, recent years brought development in the field of direct dehydrogenative coupling of hydrosilanes with alcohols, which is a more atom-economic and benign alternative to the former process. In this paper, we report the use of sodium tri(sec-butyl)borohydride as a convenient promoter of this reaction. Exemplary syntheses carried out under mild conditions and without additional solvents, followed by very easy work-up procedure, show excellent potential for application of so devised catalytic system.
Lead Selenide Polycrystalline Coatings Sensitized Using Diffusion and Ion Beam Methods for Uncooled Mid-Infrared Photodetection
Authors: Yang Hao , Li Xiaojiang , Wang Guodong , Zheng Jianbang
Published: December 2018

Polycrystalline lead selenide material that is processed after a sensitization technology offers the additional physical effects of carrier recombination suppression and carrier transport manipulation, making it sufficiently sensitive to mid-infrared radiation at room temperature. Low-cost and large-scale integration with existing electronic platforms such as complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology and multi-pixel readout electronics enable a photodetector based on polycrystalline lead selenide coating to work in high-speed, low-cost, and low-power consumption applications. It also shows huge potential to compound with other materials or structures, such as the metasurface for novel optoelectronic devices and more marvelous properties. Here, we provide an overview and evaluation of the preparations, physical effects, properties, and potential applications, as well as the optoelectronic enhancement mechanism, of lead selenide polycrystalline coatings.
Real-Time Fuzzy Data Processing Based on a Computational Library of Analytic Models
Authors: Kondratenko Yuriy , Kondratenko Nina
Published: December 2018

This work focuses on fuzzy data processing in control and decision-making systems based on the transformation of real-timeseries and high-frequency data to fuzzy sets with further implementation of diverse fuzzy arithmetic operations. Special attention was paid to the synthesis of the computational library of horizontal and vertical analytic models for fuzzy sets as the results of fuzzy arithmetic operations. The usage of the developed computational library allows increasing the operating speed and accuracy of fuzzy data processing in real time. A computational library was formed for computing of such fuzzy arithmetic operations as fuzzy-maximum. Fuzzy sets as components of fuzzy data processing were chosen as triangular fuzzy numbers. The analytic models were developed based on the analysis of the intersection points between left and right branches of considered triangular fuzzy numbers with different relations between their parameters. Our study introduces the mask for the evaluation of the relations between corresponding parameters of fuzzy numbers that allows to determine the appropriate model from the computational library in automatic mode. The simulation results confirm the efficiency of the proposed computational library for different applications.
Effect of Binding and Dispersion Behavior of High-Entropy Alloy (HEA) Powders on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties in a Novel HEA/Diamond Composite
Authors: Zhang Mingyang , Zhang Wei , Liu Fangzhou , Peng Yingbo , Hu Songhao , Liu Yong
Published: December 2018

This study reports the results of the addition of diamonds in the sintering process of a FCC-structured CoCrFeNiMo high-entropy alloy. The effect of raw powder states such as elemental mixed (EM) powder, gas atomization (GA) powder and mechanical alloying (MA) powder on the uniformity of constituent phase was also investigated. Examination of microstructure and evaluation of mechanical properties of the composites depending on the mixing processes were performed. As a result, GA+MA powder composite showed the highest mechanical properties. The experimental results indicated that the powder manufacturing method was an essential parameter to determine the quality of HEA/diamond composites such as the uniformity of phase and binding behavior.
Rolling Element Bearing Fault Diagnosis by Combining Adaptive Local Iterative Filtering, Modified Fuzzy Entropy and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Zhu Keheng , Chen Liang , Hu Xiong
Published: December 2018

A new fault feature extraction method for rolling element bearing is put forward in this paper based on the adaptive local iterative filtering (ALIF) algorithm and the modified fuzzy entropy. Due to the bearing vibration signals’ non-stationary and nonlinear characteristics, the ALIF method, which is a new approach for the analysis of the non-stationary signals, is used to decompose the original vibration signals into a series of mode components. Fuzzy entropy (FuzzyEn) is a nonlinear dynamic parameter for measuring the signals’ complexity. However, it only emphasizes the signals’ local characteristics while neglecting its global fluctuation. Considering the global fluctuation of bearing vibration signals will change with the bearing working condition varying, we modified the FuzzyEn. The modified FuzzyEn (MFuzzyEn) of the first few modes obtained by the ALIF is utilized to form the fault feature vectors. Subsequently, the corresponding feature vectors are input into the multi-class SVM classifier to accomplish the bearing fault identification automatically. The experimental analysis demonstrates that the presented ALIF-MFuzzyEn-SVM approach can effectively recognize the different fault categories and different levels of bearing fault severity.
Micro-Macro Connected Stochastic Dynamic Economic Behavior Systems
Authors: Judge George
Published: December 2018

In this paper, we borrow some of the key concepts of nonequilibrium statistical systems, to develop a framework for analyzing a self-organizing-optimizing system of independent interacting agents, with nonlinear dynamics at the macro level that is based on stochastic individual behavior at the micro level. We demonstrate the use of entropy-divergence methods and micro income data to evaluate and understand the hidden aspects of stochastic dynamics that drives macroeconomic behavior systems and discuss how to empirically represent and evaluate their nonequilibrium nature. Empirical applications of the information theoretic family of power divergence measures-entropic functions, interpreted in a probability context with Markov dynamics, are presented.
FacePET: Enhancing Bystanders’ Facial Privacy with Smart Wearables/Internet of Things
Authors: Perez Alfredo , Zeadally Sherali , Matos Garcia Luis , Mouloud Jaouad , Griffith Scott
Published: December 2018

Given the availability of cameras in mobile phones, drones and Internet-connected devices, facial privacy has become an area of major interest in the last few years, especially when photos are captured and can be used to identify bystanders’ faces who may have not given consent for these photos to be taken and be identified. Some solutions to protect facial privacy in photos currently exist. However, many of these solutions do not give a choice to bystanders because they rely on algorithms that de-identify photos or protocols to deactivate devices and systems not controlled by bystanders, thereby being dependent on the bystanders’ trust in these systems to protect his/her facial privacy. To address these limitations, we propose FacePET (Facial Privacy Enhancing Technology), a wearable system worn by bystanders and designed to enhance facial privacy. We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of the FacePET and discuss some open research issues.
Studies on a Thermal Fault Simulation Device and the Pyrolysis Process of Insulating Oil
Authors: Du Lin , Wang Yubo , Wang Wujing , Chen Xiangxiang
Published: December 2018

In order to analyze the composition of pyrolysis products of insulating oil at different thermal fault levels, this paper proposes a thermal fault simulator device for oil-filled equipment. This device simulates different thermal fault levels by changing the heat source temperature, provides the real pressure environment by using a closed container and analyzes the composition of the insulation products by chromatographic analysis methods. By analyzing the temperature and velocity of flow distributions, it is proved that the fault simulator results are consistent with the actual results. The influence of heat source energy on the pyrolysis reaction of insulating oil is also discussed. The obtained results show that the correlation coefficient between pyrolysis product and heat source energy reaches 0.978. As a result, a multivariate nonlinear energy calculation model is presented to establish the relationship between the complete reaction process and energy. By calculating the energy absorbed by different products during the reaction, it can be found that the decomposition of alkanes absorbs a large amount of energy at the initial stage of pyrolysis, which corresponds to low temperature overheating fault. When the pyrolysis reaction continues, dehydrogenation occupies the leading role, which corresponds to high temperature overheating fault. This can be used as an effective basis for distinguishing fault levels according to the corresponding relationship between energy and fault level.
Energy-Storage Optimization Strategy for Reducing Wind Power Fluctuation via Markov Prediction and PSO Method
Authors: Yun Pingping , Ren Yongfeng , Xue Yu
Published: December 2018

Wind power penetration ratios of power grids have increased in recent years; thus, deteriorating power grid stability caused by wind power fluctuation has caused widespread concern. At present, configuring an energy storage system with corresponding capacity at the grid connection point of a large-scale wind farm is an effective solution that improves wind power dispatchability, suppresses potential fluctuations, and reduces power grid operation risks. Based on the traditional energy-storage battery dispatching scheme, in this study, a multi-objective hybrid optimization model for joint wind-farm and energy-storage operation is designed. The impact of two new aspects, the energy-storage battery output and wind-power future output, on the current energy storage operation are considered. Wind-power future output assessment is performed using a wind-power-based Markov prediction model. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to optimize the wind-storage grid-connected power in real time, to develop an optimal operation strategy for an energy storage battery. Simulations incorporating typical daily wind power data from a several-hundred-megawatt wind farm and rolling optimization of the energy storage output reveal that the proposed method can reduce the grid-connected wind power fluctuation, the probability of overcharge and over-discharge of the stored energy, and the energy storage dead time. For the same smoothing performance, the proposed method can reduce the energy storage capacity and improve the economic efficiency of the wind-storage joint operation.
Prospects of a Meshed Electrical Distribution System Featuring Large-Scale Variable Renewable Power
Authors: Cruz Marco , Fitiwi Desta , Santos Sérgio , Mariano Sílvio , Catalão João
Published: December 2018

Electrical distribution system operators (DSOs) are facing an increasing number of challenges, largely as a result of the growing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as photovoltaic (PV) and wind power. Amid global climate change and other energy-related concerns, the transformation of electrical distribution systems (EDSs) will most likely go ahead by modernizing distribution grids so that more DERs can be accommodated. Therefore, new operational strategies that aim to increase the flexibility of EDSs must be thought of and developed. This action is indispensable so that EDSs can seamlessly accommodate large amounts of intermittent renewable power. One plausible strategy that is worth considering is operating distribution systems in a meshed topology. The aim of this work is, therefore, related to the prospects of gradually adopting such a strategy. The analysis includes the additional level of flexibility that can be provided by operating distribution grids in a meshed manner, and the utilization level of variable renewable power. The distribution operational problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming approach in a stochastic framework. Numerical results reveal the multi-faceted benefits of operating distribution grids in a meshed manner. Such an operation scheme adds considerable flexibility to the system and leads to a more efficient utilization of variable renewable energy source (RES)-based distributed generation.
Low-Carbon Energy Planning: A Hybrid MCDM Method Combining DANP and VIKOR Approach
Authors: Liu Ruijun , Sun Hao , Zhang Lu , Zhuang Qianwei , Zhang Lele , Zhang Xueyi , Chen Ye
Published: December 2018

With the development of urbanization, people’s living standards have improved. Simultaneously, the growing aggravation of resource shortages and environmental pollution have also gradually attracted widespread attention. Low-carbon energy planning can effectively reduce dependence on fossil resources and carbon emissions to the atmosphere, as well as improve the utilization of resources. Therefore, the formulation and evaluation of low-carbon energy planning have become the focus of attention for related colleges and institutions. This paper puts forward a hybrid multi-criteria decision making(MCDM) method combining decision making trial and evaluation laboratory(DEMATEL), analytical network process(ANP), and VIKOR to obtain the weight of each criterion and evaluate each alternative about low-carbon energy planning for building. A hierarchy structure of criteria involving cost, safety, reliability, and environment protection is built. Afterwards, a case of four alternatives is applied for testifying this methodology. Lastly, a comparison with prior methodologies serves as proof of the raised ranking. The presentation has proved that this methodology offers a more precise and effective foundation for decisions about low-carbon energy planning evaluation.
Tracing of Listeria monocytogenes Contamination Routes in Fermented Sausage Production Chain by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Typing
Authors: Pažin Valerij , Jankuloski Dean , Kozačinski Lidija , Dobranić Vesna , Njari Bela , Cvrtila Željka , Lorenzo José Manuel , Zdolec Nevijo
Published: December 2018

In this study, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes was assessed along the production process of fermented sausages in a small-scale facility. Following the isolation of the pathogen from the final product (ISO 11290-1), retrospective sampling was performed during the production of a new batch of sausages, including raw materials, casings, additives, sausage mixtures, sausages during fermentation, and environmental samples. L. monocytogenes was recovered from the following sampling points: the defrosting room and the cuttering, mixing, stuffing, and fermentation phases. Ten strains were isolated, molecularly confirmed as L. monocytogenes by means of a molecular detection system, and subjected to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing. On the basis of an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram from Ascl pulsotypes, the strains were indistinguishable (no band difference). The same pulsotypes of strains present in both batches of sausages, as well as in environmental samples, indicated the persistence of L. monocytogenes in the sausage production unit.
The Discovery of the Expansion of the Universe
Authors: Grøn Øyvind
Published: December 2018

Alexander Friedmann, Carl Wilhelm Wirtz, Vesto Slipher, Knut E. Lundmark, Willem de Sitter, Georges H. Lemaître, and Edwin Hubble all contributed to the discovery of the expansion of the universe. If only two persons are to be ranked as the most important ones for the general acceptance of the expansion of the universe, the historical evidence points at Lemaître and Hubble, and the proper answer to the question, “Who discovered the expansion of the universe?”, is Georges H. Lemaître.
What Is the Giant Wall Gecko Having for Dinner? Conservation Genetics for Guiding Reserve Management in Cabo Verde
Authors: Pinho Catarina Jesus , Santos Bárbara , Mata Vanessa A. , Seguro Mariana , Romeiras Maria M. , Lopes Ricardo Jorge , Vasconcelos Raquel
Published: December 2018

Knowledge on diet composition of a species is an important step to unveil its ecology and guide conservation actions. This is especially important for species that inhabit remote areas within biodiversity hotspots, with little information about their ecological roles. The emblematic giant wall gecko of Cabo Verde, Tarentola gigas, is restricted to the uninhabited Branco and Raso islets, and presents two subspecies. It is classified as Endangered, and locally Extinct on Santa Luzia Island; however, little information is known about its diet and behaviour. In this study, we identified the main plant, arthropods, and vertebrates consumed by both gecko subspecies using next generation sequencing (NGS) (metabarcoding of faecal pellets), and compared them with the species known to occur on Santa Luzia. Results showed that plants have a significant role as diet items and identified vertebrate and invertebrate taxa with higher taxonomic resolution than traditional methods. With this study, we now have data on the diet of both subspecies for evaluating the reintroduction of this threatened gecko on Santa Luzia as potentially successful, considering the generalist character of both populations. The information revealed by these ecological networks is important for the development of conservation plans by governmental authorities, and reinforces the essential and commonly neglected role of reptiles on island systems.
Reoptimized UNRES Potential for Protein Model Quality Assessment
Authors: Faraggi Eshel , Krupa Pawel , Mozolewska Magdalena A. , Liwo Adam , Kloczkowski Andrzej
Published: December 2018

Ranking protein structure models is an elusive problem in bioinformatics. These models are evaluated on both the degree of similarity to the native structure and the folding pathway. Here, we simulated the use of the coarse-grained UNited RESidue (UNRES) force field as a tool to choose the best protein structure models for a given protein sequence among a pool of candidate models, using server data from the CASP11 experiment. Because the original UNRES was optimized for Molecular Dynamics simulations, we reoptimized UNRES using a deep feed-forward neural network, and we show that introducing additional descriptive features can produce better results. Overall, we found that the reoptimized UNRES performs better in selecting the best structures and tracking protein unwinding from its native state. We also found a relatively poor correlation between UNRES values and the model’s Template Modeling Score (TMS). This is remedied by reoptimization. We discuss some cases where our reoptimization procedure is useful.
Homologous Recombination: To Fork and Beyond
Authors: Prado Félix
Published: December 2018

Accurate completion of genome duplication is threatened by multiple factors that hamper the advance and stability of the replication forks. Cells need to tolerate many of these blocking lesions to timely complete DNA replication, postponing their repair for later. This process of lesion bypass during DNA damage tolerance can lead to the accumulation of single-strand DNA (ssDNA) fragments behind the fork, which have to be filled in before chromosome segregation. Homologous recombination plays essential roles both at and behind the fork, through fork protection/lesion bypass and post-replicative ssDNA filling processes, respectively. I review here our current knowledge about the recombination mechanisms that operate at and behind the fork in eukaryotes, and how these mechanisms are controlled to prevent unscheduled and toxic recombination intermediates. A unifying model to integrate these mechanisms in a dynamic, replication fork-associated process is proposed from yeast results.
Autochthonous Micrite to Aphanodolomite: The Microbialites in the Dolomitization Processes
Authors: Guido Adriano , Russo Franco , Miriello Domenico , Mastandrea Adelaide
Published: December 2018

In the present paper, we examine the influence of micrite types, autochthonous or allochthonous, on the dolomitization processes. The recrystallized and dolomitized Carnian samples from Rifugio Vallandro and Alpe di Specie erratic boulders (South Tyrol, Italy) offer a unique example for studying the relationship between microbialites and dolomitization processes. The comparison between the carbonates of the well-preserved erratic boulders of Alpe di Specie and the isochronous, recrystallized, and dolomitized, samples of Rifugio Vallandro, allows for hypothesizing the role of microbialites on dolomitization processes. The Rifugio Vallandro samples represent variously dolomitized boundstone (made of corals, sponges, and peloidal crusts) with a fine texture (aphanodolomite) which contain organic matter relics, suggesting microbial-mediated mineralization. Geomicrobiological characterization of the microbialites from Alpe di Specie indicates that they formed through microbial metabolic activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria, which thrive on organic matter accumulated in the suboxic to anoxic interspaces of the skeletal framework. Similar processes can be hypothesized for the microbialite precursor of Rifugio Vallandro. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and other organic compounds trapped inside the fine crystal matrix can have a role in the dolomitization processes of the microbialites. High pH and high alkalinity, derived from the degradation of organic matter, may be critical in promoting the dolomitization of microbialites because the high pH increases the concentration and activity of the dissolved CO32−, thereby increasing the dolomite supersaturation and reaction rates. This process produces very fine dolomite (aphanodolomite) that replaces the original organic-rich micrite, while the fine crystalline dolomite forming larger euhedral crystals seems to derive from the allochthonous micrite due to the presence of a large amount of siliciclastics and the absence of organic remains.
Survey Tool for Rapid Assessment of Socio-Economic Vulnerability of Fishing Communities in Vietnam to Climate Change
Authors: Avelino John Erick , Crichton Richard Nathan , Valenzuela Ven Paolo , Odara Merenchi Galappaththige Nipuni , Padilla Michael Adrian Triguero , Kiet Nguyen , Anh Dang Hoang , Van Pham Cam , Bao Ho Dac , Thao Nguyen Hoang Phuong , Linh Mai Thi Yen , Hoai Pham Thi Phuoc , Thao Nguyen Danh , Onuki Motoharu , Esteban Miguel
Published: December 2018

Climate change will likely affect the effectiveness of future management of coastal ecosystems, impacting communities that reside within the coastal area. In order to formulate appropriate adaptation counter-measures it is important to understand the actual vulnerability of the communities that depend on these ecosystems. The present research proposes a tool for assessing the vulnerability of coastal communities to climate change by combining survey results with secondary and observed data available from national and local governments. The study focused on fisheries, given that they constitute the source of livelihood for many communities in developing countries such as Vietnam. The results showed that two coastal wards in Binh Thuan province, Vietnam, are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, mainly because of their dependence on fisheries and the topography of the area. The seasonality of their source of livelihood affects the adaptive capacity of residents, making it less likely that they will be able to successfully adapt to changes in fishery resources that could be brought about by climate change. The results also showed that the communities are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, given that they are both located in the immediate vicinity of the sea and are particularly low in elevation.
Sea-Air CO2 Exchange in the SW Iberian Upwelling System during Two Contrasting Climate Cycles: 860–780 ka and 630–520 ka
Authors: Martin-Garcia Gloria M.
Published: December 2018

Analysis of planktonic and benthic foraminifers’ accumulation rates from the Iberian margin reveal a substantial change in the biogenic ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchange during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT; ~800–650 ka from present). Such changes resulted from the major reorganisations in both surface and deep-water circulation that occurred in the North Atlantic at the time, and affected the behaviour of this upwelling region as a CO2 uptake/release area during climate cycles before and after the MPT. During Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 21-MIS 20 (860–780 ka), this margin acted mostly as an uptake area during interglacials and early glacials. During glacial maxima and terminations it would be neutral because, although surface production and export were very low, carbon storage occurred at the seafloor. During MIS 15-MIS 14 (630–520 ka), the pattern was the opposite, and the Iberian margin worked as a neutral, or as a source area during most interglacials, while during glacials it acted as an important uptake area. Present findings support the idea that glacial/interglacial atmospheric pCO2 oscillations are partly driven by alterations in the meridional overturning circulation that results in substantial variations of the biological pump, and carbon sequestration rate, in some high-productivity regions.