bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultimate Strength of Hull Plates under Monotonic and Cyclic Uniaxial Compression
Authors: Hu-wei Cui , Ping Yang
Published: August 2018

As the most fundamental structural components of the ship hull, the hull plates' ultimate strength not only affects their own load bearing capacity, but also contributes to the ultimate strength of the whole ship hull. Through the literature survey of the ultimate strength of hull plates, it can be found that most of the ultimate strength research studies focused on the ultimate strength behavior of hull plates under monotonic increasing loading. Considering the motion and deformation of hull girders among sea waves, the ultimate bearing capacity research of the hull structures under cyclic loading maybe more in line with reality. In this article, the local instability tests of plates under cyclic uniaxial loading carried out by Fukumoto and Kusama is reanalyzed. Based on the tests carried out by Fukumoto and Kusama, some fundamental behaviors about the ultimate strength and unloading and reloading paths of the plates under cyclic uniaxial compression are summarized. Then, a simple approach to construct the average stress-average strain relationship of the hull plates exposed to cyclic compression is proposed. Finally, tests on six square-column models are carried out to simulate the collapse behavior of the hull plates under cyclic uniaxial compression. The present study shows that the average stress-average strain relationship of hull plates under cyclic compression can be constructed by a simple approach conveniently and accurately. Meanwhile, the ultimate strength behavior of the hull plates under cyclic uniaxial compression can also be reflected well by the simple approach.

1. Introduction

Ultimate strength is a critical and fundamental consideration in the design of ship and offshore structures. An appropriate level of the ultimate strength of a ship hull is perhaps its most important guarantee of structural safety. Accurate assessment of the ultimate strength and/or residual ultimate strength of a ship is pertinent not only for the initial design, but also for the operation, maintenance, repair, and even disaster management, rescue, and salvage assessment of the ship hulls in accident situations. The first attempt to calculate the ultimate hull girder strength was developed by Caldwell (1965), who applied "Rigid Plastic Mechanism Analysis" to evaluate the ultimate strength of the hull girder. From then on, the ultimate strength of ship structures (including plates, stiffened plates, and hull girders) was widely studied by numerous scholars. Certainly, a great deal of developments have made naval architects obtain a clearer understanding of the ultimate strength behaviors of ship structures. However, because of the complexity and importance of the problems related to the ultimate strength, they still need to be explored more deeply. As described in the report of 19th International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress (ISSC 2015), "with these developments ultimate strength assessment is now becoming a more important issue to ensure the safety of ship structures."
The impact of personality in the selection of teacher students: Is there more to it than the Big Five?
Authors: Koschmieder Corinna , Weissenbacher Barbara , Pretsch Jürgen , Neubauer Aljoscha C.
Published: August 2018

The bandwidth-fidelity dilemma is a controversially discussed problem in personality measurement. In this study, we contrasted the utility of broad versus narrow personality traits in an admission exam for teacher students. We compared the Big Five and narrow personality constructs (social-communicative behavior, achievement behavior, health and recreation behavior), which were part of an assessment battery for teacher student selection (N = 1120), regarding overlap and predictive validity. As criterion variables, academic satisfaction (N = 184) and GPA (N = 680) were assessed later. Reasonableness of including both questionnaires in one assessment may be questioned in terms of overlap of the personality inventories. Results show that health and recreation behavior cannot be covered by the Big Five in a selection procedure. Empirically, both broad and narrow traits show predictive validity for academic success and satisfaction.
OPTIMIZATION OF TENSILE STRAIN ON INJECTION MOLDED POLYAMID-6 PARTS BY NEURAL NETWORKS AND NONLINEAR PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUES
Authors: NAVARRETE DAMIÁN JAIME , CALDERON RAMIREZ MARIO , ZITZUMBO GUZMAN ROBERTO , LOUVIER HERNANDEZ JOSE FRANCISCO
Published: August 2018

The objective of this research is optimizate tensile stress of injection molded parts of polyamid-6 to establish process conditions that maximize tensile strength of parts in a real industrial process. The methodology consisted in development of essays based on I-optimal experimental design in order to get a data base. During experimentation four parameters were considered as inputs: injection holding pressure, injection time holding, % wt virgin material and % wt recycled material. Measurement of máximum tensile stress in parts was made according to ISO 527-1 standard.
Three models were developed by the techniques Response Surface Metodology, Back Propagation Neural Network and Generalized Regression Neural Network (with Radial Basis Function) to predict parts máximum tensile stress. Finally, the best model (lowest forecasting error) was optimized by Trust Region Method Based on Interior Point Techniques for Nonlinear Programming to maximize tensile strength.
Was concluded that this proposed methodology is capable for modeling the injection molding process with low error and for stablish process conditions to obtain the máximum tensile stress on molded parts.
Keywords: Plastic Injection Molding, Tensile stress, Polyamid-6, Response Surface, Backpropagation Neural Network, Generalized Regression Neural Network, Nonlinear programming.
ARE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY COMPATIBLE WITH THE COMMON GOOD?
Authors: ARGANDOÑA RAMIZ ANTONIO
Published: August 2018

Lecture given in Bilbao on 15 December 2017, convened by the Basque Group of the Spanish Chapter of the Club of Rome. Antonio Argandoña is Professor Emeritus of Economics and Business Ethics and holder of the CaixaBank Chair of Corporate Social Responsibility at IESE Business School. Retired professor of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis, he is a member of the Academic Numerary of the Royal Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences of Spain and Chairman of the Professional Ethics and Standards Committee of the Association of Economists of Catalonia. Author of numerous books and articles on the international and Spanish economy, economic and business ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
NUCLEAR FUSION: THE ITER PROJECT INTO THE FUTURE
Authors: SANCHEZ SANZ JOAQUIN PEDRO
Published: August 2018

Nuclear fusion has all the ingredients that a definitive solution to the energy problem would require: it is safe, environmentally friendly, uses an abundant fuel distributed throughout the planet and can be developed on a large scale, being able to meet the present and future needs of humanity, including some that are currently being overlooked, such as the massive production of drinking water and food or the large-scale recycling of raw materials. However, these advantages have been overshadowed by the intrinsic difficulty of the process: an energy-efficient fusion reaction requires keeping the fuel at temperatures of hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius, a problem on which the scientific community has been working for decades.
Une dynamique tensive
Authors: Dumais Fabien
Published: August 2018

Dans sa conférence de clôture présentée lors du premier colloque du CRI en 1999, Éric Méchoulan se questionnait déjà sur l’étrange usage, que font certains chercheurs en études intermédiales, des ouvrages de Gilles Deleuze : « [...] il faudrait à ce moment-là se dire que l’intermédialité ne consisterait pas tant à traquer les jeux incessants et innombrables des médiations qui nous constituent, mais plus sourdement à repérer les moments d'immédiateté qui nous emportent. » C’est la lecture de cette phrase qui a déclenché la présente réflexion; on tentera justement d’articuler théoriquement ces deux manières de penser l’intermédialité, en décrivant par le biais de la philosophie deleuzienne ce que l’on pourrait définir comme une dynamique tensive entre les médiations et ce que Méchoulan appelle les immédiatetés complexes.
“Arts Once More United”: Bridging Disciplines through Creative Media Research, Toronto, 1953–551
Authors: Darroch Michael
Published: August 2018

From 1953 to 1955, the Ford Foundation funded a unique experiment in intermedial study and experimentation at the University of Toronto. The Culture and Communications Seminar and the journal Explorations, led by Edmund Carpenter, Marshall McLuhan, and Jaqueline Tyrwhitt, are indicative of the ways in which intermedial studies became organized and institutionalized in the 1950s and 1960s. The scholarly network that took shape during these years of Ford Foundation funding laid the framework in Canada for initiatives in creative media research that have become fundamental aspects of arts and humanities education. This article charts the assemblage of geographic, disciplinary, artistic, and organizational connections that facilitated this educational experiment.
Readings at the Intersection: Social Ecologies in Critical Texts
Authors: Holdsworth Claire M.
Published: August 2018

Taking extracts from Readings, a short-lived reviews magazine edited by artists Annabel Nicolson and Paul Burwell in 1977, this article explores the intersection between two collectively organized artist-led groups—the London Musicians’ Collective and the London Film-makers’ Co-operative, which were based at the same address between 1977 and 1988. It considers how texts, as extensions of artistic practices, garnered innovative performance criticism and cultures in London at that time. Magazines such as this are posited as a productive means of mapping complex social ecologies and histories involving multiple disciplines.
Intermedial Products for Digital Natives: British Theatre-Cinema on Italian Screens
Authors: Pennacchia Maddalena
Published: August 2018

The concept of intermediality underwent a deep transformation with the digital turn, when the difference between media became entirely virtual and a continuous communication system superseded the discontinuous analogic system. Does intermediality still make sense in the era of post-media? And, in particular, how do digital natives, with their specific cognitive abilities, perceive intermediality? Can we think of literature in terms of a fluid intermedial relation of writing to other media? And does such an approach help when it comes to teaching literature to digital natives? What are the intermedial products that the creative industries are designing specifically for them? Taking Shakespeare as an eminent example of a writer whose work has been adapted to all kinds of media, this article focuses on the phenomenon of British theatre productions that are conceived to be screened live in cinemas all over the world and presents the results of a pilot experiment devised to investigate the reception of one of these productions by a sample audience of Italian teenagers.
Survey on Electrical Activity in Earth’s Atmosphere
Authors: Paras M. K. , Rani P.
Published: August 2018

Lightning discharge is a spectacular, luminous and one of the most dangerous short lived phenomenon which occurs in the Earth’s atmosphere ranging from troposphere to the lower ionosphere. Lightning in troposphere is mainly classified as cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning, intra-cloud lightning and inter-cloud lightning discharges. It is assumed that these discharges are caused by the electrically charged thunderclouds. CG lightning has been studied more and is further categorized as positive CG and negative CG lightning. Positive CG lightning is more powerful and accounts only (5-10) percent of the total global lightning and may carry a peak current of >300 kA. An entire family of other electrical discharges also has been reported by the scientific community. They are called “Transient’s Luminous Events (TLE’s)”. TLEs occur from top of the thunderclouds up to the lower ionospheric altitudes. Their first visual evidence was documented in 1989. TLE’s are included as blue starters, blue jets, gigantic jets, red sprites, halos, and elves. They are named according to their optical properties, terminal altitudes and different shapes. It has been observed that TLE’s are associated with underlying thunderstorm activity and strong CG lightning.

The exact physical mechanism of lightning and TLE’s and their association with the underlying thunderstorms is still unknown and the research is going on. In this paper, we will study the possible mechanisms of these electrical discharges, their inter-connection and impacts on the atmosphere. This papers is aimed at the readers generally are unfamiliar with the lightning characteristics. We hope that this article will increase the interest among the researchers.
Synergy between roads and disturbance favourBromus tectorumL. invasion
Authors: Speziale Karina L. , di Virgilio Agustina , Lescano Maria N. , Pirk Gabriela , Franzese Jorgelina
Published: August 2018

Background

Global change produces pervasive negative impacts on biodiversity worldwide. Land use change and biological invasions are two of the major drivers of global change that often coexist; however, the effects of their interaction on natural habitats have been little investigated. In particular, we aimed to analyse whether the invasion of an introduced grass (Bromus tectorum; cheatgrass) along roads verges and the disturbance level in the natural surrounding habitat interact to influence the degree ofB. tectoruminvasion in the latter habitats in north-western Patagonia.

Methods

Along six different roads, totalling approximately 370 km, we set two 50 m × 2 m sampling plots every 5 km (73 plots in total). One plot was placed parallel to the road (on the roadside) and the other one perpendicular to it, towards the interior of the natural surrounding habitat. In each plot, we estimated theB. tectorumplant density in 1 m2subplots placed every 5 m. In the natural habitat, we registered the vegetation type (grassy steppe, shrub-steppe, shrubland, and wet-meadow) and the disturbance level (low, intermediate, and high). Disturbance level was visually categorized according to different signs of habitat degradation by anthropogenic use.

Results

B. tectorumdensity showed an exponential decay from roadsides towards the interior of natural habitats. The degree ofB. tectoruminvasion inside natural habitats was positively related toB. tectorumdensity on roadsides only when the disturbance level was low. Shrub-steppes, grassy steppes and shrublands showed similar mean density ofB. tectorum. Wet-meadows had the lowest densities ofB. tectorum. Intermediate and highly disturbed environments presented higherB. tectorumdensity than those areas with low disturbance.

Discussion

Our study highlights the importance of the interaction between road verges and disturbance levels onB. tectoruminvasion in natural habitats surrounding roads of north-western Patagonia, particularly evidencing its significance in the invasion onset. The importance of invasion in road verges depends on disturbance level, with better conserved environments being more resistant to invasion at low levels ofB. tectorumdensity along road verges, but more susceptible to road verges invasion at higher levels of disturbance. All the habitats except wet-meadows were invaded at a similar degree byB. tectorum, which reflects its adaptability to multiple habitat conditions. Overall, our work showed that synergies among global change drivers impact native environments favouring the invasion ofB. tectorum.
Reduced Graphene Oxide‐Based Artificial Synapse Yarns for Wearable Textile Device Applications
Authors: Park Youngjun , Park Myung‐Joo , Lee Jang‐Sik
Published: August 2018

A brain‐inspired neuromorphic system is a promising computing concept that processes information at low power. Such systems can be applied to wearable devices in which low power consumption is important. Solid‐state devices that have been used for neuromorphic device applications are not suitable for wearable applications that require high flexibility. Here, two‐terminal memristor‐based artificial synapses are proposed that are simply constructed by crossing two yarns coated with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by electrochemical deposition. The artificial synapses mimic several important synaptic functions of biological synapses, including excitatory postsynaptic current, paired‐pulse facilitation, and a transition from short‐term plasticity to long‐term plasticity. The artificial synapses can be operated stably without degradation during mechanical bending. By implementing a 2 × 2 cross‐point array using RGO‐coated yarns, the possibility of integrating artificial synapses for wearable neuromorphic systems is demonstrated. The yarn‐based artificial synapses can be a key component of future neuromorphic wearable systems.
Integrating Ultrathin Bulk‐Heterojunction Organic Semiconductor Intermediary for High‐Performance Low‐Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells with Low Energy Loss
Authors: Xu Guiying , Bi Pengqing , Wang Shuhui , Xue Rongming , Zhang Jingwen , Chen Haiyang , Chen Weijie , Hao Xiaotao , Li Yaowen , Li Yongfang
Published: August 2018

Mixed tin (Sn)–lead (Pb) perovskite is considered the most promising low‐bandgap photovoltaic material for both pursuing the theoretical limiting efficiency of single‐junction solar cells and breaking the Shockley–Queisser limitation by constructing tandem solar cells. However, their power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) are still lagging behind those of medium‐bandgap perovskite solar cells (pero‐SCs) due to their serious energy loss (Eloss). Here, an ultrathin bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) organic semiconductor (PBDB‐T:ITIC) layer is used as an intermediary between the hole transporting layer and Sn–Pb‐based low‐bandgap perovskite film to minimize Eloss. It is found that this BHJ PBDB‐T:ITIC intermediary simultaneously provided a cascading energy alignment in the device, facilitated high‐quality Sn–Pb perovskite film growth, and passivated the antisite defects of the perovskite surface. In this simple way, the Eloss of pero‐SCs based on (FASnI3)0.6(MAPbI3)0.4 (bandgap ≈1.25 eV) is dramatically reduced below 0.4 eV, leading to a high open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.86 V. As a result, the best pero‐SC showed a significantly improved PCE of 18.03% with negligible J–V hysteresis and high stability. As far as it is known, the PCE of 18.03% and Voc of 0.86 V are the highest values among the low‐bandgap pero‐SCs to date.
Vertical Cavity Biexciton Lasing in 2D Dodecylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskites
Authors: Booker Edward P. , Price Michael B. , Budden Peter J. , Abolins Haralds , del Valle‐Inclan Redondo Yago , Eyre Lissa , Nasrallah Iyad , Phillips Richard T. , Friend Richard H. , Deschler Felix , Greenham Neil C.
Published: August 2018

Layered Ruddlesden‐Popper‐type (2D) metal‐halide perovskites exhibit markedly increased exciton binding energies, exceeding 150 meV, compared to their 3D counterparts. Many‐body physics, enabled by Coulomb interactions, plays a strong role and raises the biexciton binding energy to 50 meV. Here, photoluminescence at a range of temperatures and carrier concentrations in thin films of the layered perovskite material (C12H25NH3)2PbI4 is reported. Biexcitons are directly observed up to a sample temperature of 225 K. An optical microcavity (comprising a distributed Bragg reflector and a metal mirror), with photonic resonances tuned near to the biexciton energy, is constructed. Optically‐pumped biexciton lasing up to 125 K, with a threshold peak excitation density of 5.6 × 1018 cm−3, is observed. The demonstration of biexciton lasing above liquid nitrogen temperatures is a crucial step for the application of layered perovskites in photonic applications.
Kinetics of Astaxanthin Degradation in Three Types of Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba) Oil during Storage
Authors: Song Yukun , Song Liang , Yin Fawen , Zhang Jianrun , Zhang Jing , Zhou Dayong , Wang Tong
Published: August 2018

Three types of Antarctic krill oil (KO), namely, phospholipid‐type krill oil (PKO), whole krill oil (WKO), and triacylglycerol‐rich krill oil (TKO), were stored at three different temperatures (−20, 4, and 25 °C) with or without oxygen to investigate the effects of temperature and oxygen on astaxanthin (AST) degradation during storage. Additionally, the influence of fatty acid composition on AST degradation in the three types of KO was compared. The results revealed that the degradation of AST followed first‐order kinetics, and the temperature dependence of the reaction was well explained by the Arrhenius relationship. A high storage temperature led to faster AST degradation. AST degradation rates under nitrogen were lower than those under an oxygen atmosphere. The higher degradation rate of AST in PKO is ascribed to its higher level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in comparison to WKO and TKO. This is the first time the energy of activation of AST degradation was evaluated to determine how the fatty acid composition of the oil matrix and storage atmosphere affect the reaction kinetics.
Economic Support for Decisions on Source Water Protection
Authors: Price James I. , Heberling Matthew T. , Nietch Christopher T.
Published: August 2018

Quantifying relationships between treatment costs and source water conditions can estimate avoided‐treatment expenditures and determine whether source water protection would be cost‐effective.
Systematic assessment of triticale‐based biorefinery strategies: market competitive analysis for business model development
Authors: Téguia Cédric Diffo , Chambost Virginie , Stuart Paul R
Published: August 2018

Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) is a high‐productivity cereal crop that holds great promise as an industrial feedstock for agricultural biorefineries, as it can grow on marginal lands. Several product derivatives can be envisioned; however, they need to be systematically explored and assessed using a sustainability perspective, in order to define a business model that would lead to a long‐term competitive position. This study presents a competitive analysis of triticale‐based product‐process alternatives defined on ethanol, polylactic acid (PLA), and thermoplastic starch polymer blends (TPS/PLA) product platforms. As part of the analysis framework, we sought to identify a set of important market‐oriented criteria for multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM), prior to an overall sustainability assessment in which techno‐economic and environmental criteria are considered as well. From an initial set of necessary competitiveness criteria, three ‘most‐important’ competitiveness criteria for the sustainability assessment of the PLA platform were identified including competitive access to biomass, competitiveness on production costs, and the potential to manage market price volatility. Certain key factors have been highlighted for each platform as an outcome of the competitiveness assessment, such as the impact of value‐added co‐products on the competitive position of commodity‐based product portfolios, and the advantage of combining grain and straw process lines for specialty‐based product portfolios leading to improved competitive potential. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Chemical Composition and Phytotoxic Activity of Seriphidium terrae‐albae (Krasch.) Poljakov (Compositae) Essential Oil
Authors: Shao Hua , Hu Yunxia , Han Caixia , Wei Caixia , Zhou Shixing , Zhang Chenpeng , Zhang Chi
Published: August 2018

To evaluate the potential value of Seriphidium terrae‐albae (Krasch.) Poljakov essential oil as bioherbicide, its chemical composition as well as phytotoxic activity was investigated. Seventeen compounds were identified via GC/MS, representing 98.1 % of the total oil, and the most abundant constituents were α‐thujone (43.18 %), β‐thujone (16.92 %), eucalyptol (17.55 %), and camphor (13.88 %). Phytotoxic assay revealed that the essential oil as well as its major constituents exhibited inhibitory activity on root and shoot growth of receiver plants in a dose‐dependent manner. When the concentration reached 20 μg/mL, root length of Amaranthus retroflexus was reduced to 31.3 %, 70.6 %, 36.9 %, and 66.6 % of the control, respectively, when treated with α‐thujone, eucalyptol, camphor, and the mixture of these compounds; meanwhile, root length of Poa annua was 3.0 %, 24.2 %, 0 %, and 4.4 % of the control when the same chemicals were applied. On the other hand, the essential oil showed a much stronger activity. At 1.5 μL/mL, root and shoot length of A. retroflexus and P. annua were reduced to 0.65 %, 0.5 %, and 1.53 %, 1.51 % of the control, respectively, and seed germination of A. retroflexus and P. annua was completely inhibited when the oil concentration reached 3 μg/mL and 5 μg/mL, respectively. This is the first report on the chemical composition of the essential oil of S. terrae‐albae, and our results indicated that it has the potential to be further exploited as a bioherbicide.
The use of intralipid emulsion therapy to treat severe cardiotoxicity secondary to lamotrigine ingestion in a dog
Authors: Bellis Tara J. , Gibeon Laura
Published: August 2018

Key Clinical Message

Lamotrigine is a sodium and calcium channel blocker, used to treat seizures in people. Dogs metabolize Lamotrigine to a cardiotoxic metabolite that causes severe, often fatal ventricular arrhythmias. This report documents the successful treatment of refractory Lamotrigine cardiotoxicity in a dog, using intralipid emulsion therapy.
Growth of ZnO Nanorods on Graphitic Carbon Nitride gCN Sheets for the Preparation of Photocatalysts with High Visible‐Light Activity
Authors: Moussa Hatem , Chouchene Bilel , Gries Thomas , Balan Lavinia , Mozet Kevin , Medjahdi Ghouti , Schneider Raphaël
Published: August 2018

The light photoresponse, the separation of photogenerated charge carriers and the specific surface area are of great importance for the development of semiconductor‐based photocatalysts. We report the anchorage of small‐sized ZnO nanorods with a length of ca. 38 nm at the surface of graphitic carbon nitride (gCN) sheets. The gCN loading in the ZnO/gCN composites was varied and the materials characterized by TEM, XRD, XPS, BET and UV‐vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The ZnO/gCN (10 %) composite exhibits a high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dyes (Orange II, Resazurin and Reactive Black 5) under visible light irradiation of low intensity (2.5 mW/cm2) and for salicylic acid under simulated sunlight irradiation (5 mW/cm2). These results are supported by photoluminescence, photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The photocatalytic activity originates from synergistic effects in ZnO/gCN composites including a high specific surface area (60.4 m2/g), an enhanced visible light absorption capacity and the charge carriers separation. The ZnO/gCN photocatalyst exhibits a high stability and could be reused up to ten times with no loss of efficiency. A mechanism is proposed for the degradation of dyes using the ZnO/gCN composites.
Design of self‐adaptable data parallel applications on multicore clusters automatically optimized for performance and energy through load distribution
Authors: Reddy Manumachu Ravi , Lastovetsky Alexey L.
Published: August 2018

Self‐adaptability is a highly preferred feature in HPC applications. A crucial building block of a self‐adaptable application is a data partitioning algorithm that must possess several essential qualities apart from low runtime and memory costs. On modern platforms composed of multicore CPU processors, data partitioning algorithms striving to solve the bi‐objective optimization problem for performance and energy (BOPPE) face a formidable challenge. They must take into account the new complexities inherent in these platforms such as severe resource contention and non‐uniform memory access (NUMA). Novel model‐based methods and data partitioning algorithms have been proposed that address the challenge. However, these methods take as input full functional performance and energy models (FPM and FEM), which have prohibitively high model construction costs. Therefore, they are not suitable for employment in self‐adaptable applications. In this paper, we present a self‐adaptable data partitioning algorithm called ADAPTALEPH, which solves BOPPE on homogeneous clusters of multicore CPUs. Unlike the state‐of‐the‐art solving BOPPE that take as inputs full FPM and FEM, it constructs partial FPM and FEM during its execution using all the available processors. It returns a locally Pareto‐optimal set of solutions, which are the heterogeneous workload distributions that achieve inter‐node optimization of data‐parallel applications for performance and energy. We experimentally study the efficiency of ADAPTALEPH for three data‐parallel applications, ie, matrix‐vector multiplication, matrix‐matrix multiplication, and fast Fourier transform, on a modern multicore CPU and simulations for homogeneous clusters of such CPUs. We demonstrate that the locally Pareto‐optimal front approaches the globally Pareto‐optimal front as the number of points in the partial discrete FPM and FEM functions are increased. The number of points in the partial FPM/FEM when the locally Pareto‐optimal front becomes the globally Pareto‐optimal front is considerably less than the number of points in the full FPM/FEM thereby suggesting development of methods that can leverage this finding to drastically reduce the model construction times.
Graphitic Carbon Nitride and Titanium Dioxide Modified with 1 D and 2 D Carbon Structures for Photocatalysis
Authors: Baca Martyna , Kukułka Wojciech , Cendrowski Krzysztof , Mijowska Ewa , Kaleńczuk Ryszard Józef , Zielińska Beata
Published: August 2018

Enhancing the photocatalytic performance of graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4, GCN) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) has played a key role in the energy and environmental protection research community. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the synergy of both materials with carbon nanostructures for photocatalysis. Among the variety of carbon materials, graphene flakes and nanotubes, as nanoadditives to improve electron charge transfer and the optical absorption behavior in the visible‐light region, have been widely explored. Thus, flake‐like (2 D) and tubular (1 D) carbon structures in composition with GCN and/or TiO2 are reviewed, as are their photocatalytic response. Current trends clearly indicate that this type of molecular hybrids can be efficiently exploited in this field. This Minireview covers state‐of‐the‐art research over the period of 2015 to 2018.
Sustainable Utilization of Biomass Refinery Wastes for Accessing Activated Carbons and Supercapacitor Electrode Materials
Authors: Chernysheva Daria V. , Chus Yuri A. , Klushin Victor A. , Lastovina Tatiana A. , Pudova Lyudmila S. , Smirnova Nina V. , Kravchenko Oleg A. , Chernyshev Victor M. , Ananikov Valentine P.
Published: August 2018

Biomass processing wastes (humins) are anticipated to become a large‐tonnage solid waste in the near future, owing to the accelerated development of renewable technologies based on utilization of carbohydrates. In this work, the utility of humins as a feedstock for the production of activated carbon by various methods (pyrolysis, physical and chemical activation, or combined approaches) was evaluated. The obtained activated carbons were tested as potential electrode materials for supercapacitor applications and demonstrated combined micro‐ and mesoporous structures with a good capacitance of 370 F g−1 (at a current density of 0.5 A g−1) and good cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 92 % after 10 000 charge/discharge cycles (at 10 A g−1 in 6 m aqueous KOH electrolyte). The applicability of the developed activated carbon for practical usage as a supercapacitor electrode material was demonstrated by its successful utilization in symmetric two‐electrode cells and by powering electric devices. These findings provide a new approach to deal with the problem of sustainable wastes utilization and to advance challenging energy storage applications.
Development of probe control system and median nerve extraction in ultrasound images for 3D visualization
Authors: Katayama Koutaro , Shibata Keiji , Sasaki Tohru , Osada Ryuusuke , Horita Yuukou
Published: August 2018

In the diagnosis of peripheral nerve disorder such as carpal tunnel syndrome, the doctor and the scientific occupational therapist mainly narrow down the position of the lesion by function evaluation. The diagnosis has been decided by the evaluation of the electrophysiological nerve conduction characteristics. In addition to this, in recent years, it has become possible to observe the median nerve as a tomogram using an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, so it is possible to check the thickness and shape of the median nerve without cutting the wrist joint part. However, in order to objectively observe a tissue having a three‐dimensional structure such as a median nerve, it is required to obtain not only tomographic images of the median nerve but also three‐dimensional shape information. Therefore, in order to visualize the median nerve as the three‐dimensional structure, we develop a device that mechanically manipulates an ultrasound probe, while operating an ultrasound probe, it takes photographs of the nerve tomographic images as well as it extracts the nerve from the images. In this paper, we describe the development of a device that operates an ultrasound probe and extract the median nerve in an ultrasound images.
Optical sensory arrays for the detection of urinary bladder cancer‐related volatile organic compounds
Authors: Zhu Simian , Corsetti Stella , Wang Qifan , Li Chunhui , Huang Zhihong , Nabi Ghulam
Published: August 2018

Non‐invasive detection of urinary bladder cancer remains a significant challenge. Urinary volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a promising alternative to cell‐based biomarkers. Herein, we demonstrate a novel diagnosis system based on an optic fluorescence sensor array for detecting urinary bladder cancer VOCs biomarkers. This study describes a fluorescence‐based VOCs sensor array detecting system in detail. The choice of VOCs for the initial part was based on an extensive systematic search of the literature and then followed up using urinary samples from patients with urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma. Canonical discriminant analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) were employed and correctly detected 31/48 urinary bladder cancer VOC biomarkers and achieved an overall 77.75% sensitivity and 93.25% specificity by PLS‐DA modelling. All five urine samples from bladder cancer patients, and five healthy controls were successfully identified with the same sensor arrays. Overall, the experiments in this study describe a real‐time platform for non‐invasive bladder cancer diagnosis using fluorescence‐based gas‐sensor arrays. Pure VOCs and urine samples from the patients proved such a system to be promising; however, further research is required using a larger population sample.
Grignard Reagents and Their N‐analogues in the Synthesis of Tricyclic and Tetracyclic Cage‐like Lactams
Authors: Tkachenko Igor V. , Tarabara Igor N. , Omelchenko Irina V. , Palchykov Vitalii A.
Published: August 2018

A convenient method is reported for the synthesis of 34 novel tricyclic and tetracyclic cage‐like lactams in high to excellent yields. The method involves treatment of easily available exo‐2,3‐epoxy(or Ts‐aziridino)bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan‐endo‐5,6‐dicarboximides by Grignard reagents, their N‐analogues, or phenyl lithium in tetrahydrofuran. In silico screening of biological activity spectrum showed high probability levels of glyceryl‐ether monooxygenase inhibitory, testosterone 17β‐dehydrogenase (NADP+) inhibitory, bilirubin oxidase inhibitory, and anti‐ischemic activity for tetracyclic derivatives.
Synthesis, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities of Some New 2‐(3‐fluorobenzyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole Derivatives
Authors: Bektas Hakan , Albay Canan , Sökmen Bahar Bilgin , Aydın Sinem , Menteşe Emre , Aydın Gülbahar , Şen Dilem
Published: August 2018

A new series of 2‐(3‐fluorobenzyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole derivatives containing Schiff base, 1,3,4‐oxadiazole, thiosemicarbazide, and 1,3,4‐thiadiazole moiety was synthesized. All the synthesized compounds were investigated for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities.
A Commitment to HIV Diagnostic Accuracy – a comment on “Towards more accurate HIV testing in sub‐Saharan Africa: a multi‐site evaluation of HIV RDTs and risk factors for false positives” and “HIV misdiagnosis in sub‐Saharan Africa: a performance of diagnostic algorithms at six testing sites”
Authors: Kravitz Del Solar Amy S , Parekh Bharat , Douglas Meaghan O'Keefe , Edgil Dianna , Kuritsky Joel , Nkengasong John
Published: August 2018

As part of the global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is committed to the provision of high‐quality services and ensuring testing accuracy. Two recently published papers focusing on HIV testing and misdiagnosis in sub‐Saharan Africa by Kosack et al. report on evaluations of HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and found lower than expected specificity and sensitivity on some tests when used in certain geographic locations. The magnitude of PEPFAR's global HIV response has been possible due to the extensive use of RDTs, which have made HIV diagnosis accessible all over the world. We take the opportunity to address concerns raised about the potential implications that these findings could have on real‐world HIV testing accuracy. PEPFAR supported countries adhere to the normative guidance by World Health Organization (WHO) supporting algorithms which require sequential positive tests for diagnostic accuracy. An analysis of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) RDT site‐specific data applied to PEPFAR in‐country protocols demonstrate a variation in the diagnostic accuracy of the testing algorithms, but with a very small population‐level effect. The data demonstrate, with the use of these algorithms, that the RDT outcomes found in the study by Kosack et al. would be largely mitigated and would not be expected to have a significant impact on diagnostic accuracy and overall programming in most countries. Avoiding any misdiagnosis is a priority for PEPFAR, and it remains vital to gain a deeper understanding of the causes and the extent of diagnostic errors and any misclassification. Extensive quality control mechanisms and continued research are essential. With a focus on epidemic control and ensuring diagnostic accuracy, PEPFAR recommends that all countries use WHO pre‐qualified RDTs within the recommended strategies and algorithms for HIV testing. We also support validation of HIV testing algorithms using in‐country specimens to determine optimal performance, and the reverification testing of all people diagnosed with HIV prior to starting treatment as an essential quality assurance measure.
Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus subtypes circulating in Algeria and seroprevalence of HDV infection
Authors: Gourari Samir , Brichler Ségolène , Le Gal Frédéric , Abdou‐Chekaraou Mariama , Beloufa Mohamed Amine , Khelifa Rim , Djaballah Hafida , Boufekane Mounira , Nani Abdelbasset , Afredj Nawel , Debzi Nabil , Dény Paul , Gordien Emmanuel , Tazir Mohamed
Published: August 2018

Background

Little is known about molecular characteristics of HBV strains circulating in Algeria and there are few data regarding HDV infection.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to describe the genetic diversity of HBV and HDV strains existing in Algeria and to determine the seroprevalence of HDV infection.

Study design

Plasma samples from 134 patients were analyzed by enzyme immunoassay method for HBV and HDV serological markers. Genotyping of HBV and HDV strains were performed using direct sequencing followed by phylogenetic analyses of the PreS1 and R0 region of the HBV and HDV genome respectively.

Results

The PreS1 gene was successfully amplified in 119 patients (82 males and 37 females). Phylogenetic analysis of HBV strains revealed the presence of genotypes D (86.5%) and A2 (11.76%). The subgenotypes D are distributed as follows: HBV/D7 (43.5%), HBV/D3 (24.75%), HBV/D1 (16.8%) and HBV/D2 (14.85%). A recombinant between genotypes A, E and D was found. The seroprevalence of HDV infection among HBV carriers was less than 5.35%. Only one isolate of HDV genotype 1 was identified.

Conclusions

Our data indicate the predominance of HBV subgenotype D7 and a low prevalence of HDV infection.
Prediagnostic electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings of biopsy‐proven hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Seki Shunji , Yamashita Erika , Tanoue Kazuyuki , Nuruki Norihito , Sonoda Masahiro , Ohno Seiko , Ishibashi‐Ueda Hatsue , Tanaka Yuji , Yoshinaga Masao
Published: August 2018

We present two cases of biopsy‐proven hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Both cases showed abnormal electrocardiographic (ECG) findings more than 8 years before diagnosis. A 16‐year‐old healthy male experienced a rescued cardiac arrest. Another male adolescent showed abnormal Q wave and thickened ventricular wall at 15 years old. Retrospective analyses of ECGs performed at 6 years old indicated abnormal ECG findings. However, the diagnosis was normal because no ventricular wall thickening was present in echocardiography. For early diagnosis of HCM to prevent sudden cardiac arrest or death, it is essential to establish ECG and echocardiographic criteria to screen HCM in the young.
Selective determination of nitrite/nitrate based on photo‐induced redox activity of titanium dioxide
Authors: Wang Lijuan , Wang Qiuquan
Published: August 2018

Given its unique photocatalytic and structural properties, titanium dioxide was used as a sensitizer for the quantification of nitrite and nitrate contents by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet/nano‐titanium dioxide photo‐induced chemiluminescence detection. The photo‐induced chemiluminescence signal was enhanced after the introduction of titanium dioxide. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, as a positive hole scavenger, considerably improved the signal. The peak area of the chemiluminescence signal was enhanced 85 times after ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was added to 1 × 10−6 mol/L of nitrite. The detection limits of nitrite and nitrate were 9.0 × 10−9 and 1.4 × 10−7 mol/L, respectively. Our method was applied for the determination of nitrite and nitrate contents in water samples. In contrast to other methods, our method is simple and environmentally friendly and enables the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate.
Development and evaluation of a low‐cost, portable, LED‐based device for PDT treatment of early‐stage oral cancer in resource‐limited settings
Authors: Liu Hui , Daly Liam , Rudd Grant , Khan Amjad P. , Mallidi Srivalleesha , Liu Yiran , Cuckov Filip , Hasan Tayyaba , Celli Jonathan P.
Published: August 2018

Background

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using δ‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photosensitization has shown promise in clinical studies for the treatment of early‐stage oral malignancies with fewer potential side effects than traditional therapies. Light delivery to oral lesions can also carried out with limited medical infrastructure suggesting the potential for implementation of PDT in global health settings.

Objectives

We sought to develop a cost‐effective, battery‐powered, fiber‐coupled PDT system suitable for intraoral light delivery enabled by smartphone interface and embedded electronics for ease of operation.

Methods

Device performance was assessed in measurements of optical power output, spectral stability, and preclinical assessment of PDT response in ALA‐photosensitized squamous carcinoma cell cultures and murine subcutaneous tumor xenografts.

Results

The system achieves target optoelectronic performance with a stable battery‐powered output of approximately 180 mW from the fiber tip within the desired spectral window for PpIX activation. The device has a compact configuration, user friendly operation and flexible light delivery for the oral cavity. In cell culture, we show that the overall dose‐response is consistent with established light sources and complete cell death of ALA photosensitized cells can be achieved in the irradiated zone. In vivo PDT response (reduction in tumor volume) is comparable with a commercial 635 nm laser.

Conclusions

We developed a low‐cost, LED‐based, fiber‐coupled PDT light delivery source that has stable output on battery power and suitable form factor for deployment in rural and/or resource‐limited settings. Lasers Surg. Med. 9999:1–7, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Elevated Plasma Levels of Cell‐Free DNA During Liver Transplantation Are Associated With Activation of Coagulation
Authors: von Meijenfeldt Fien A. , Burlage Laura C. , Bos Sarah , Adelmeijer Jelle , Porte Robert J. , Lisman Ton
Published: August 2018

Patients undergoing liver transplantation have complex changes in their hemostatic system, and the net effect of these changes appears to be a “rebalanced” hemostatic profile. Recently, a process called NETosis in which a neutrophil expels DNA and proteins that form a weblike structure, has been described as a mechanism of pathogen entrapment. Increasing evidence suggests a pivotal role for neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and their main component, cell‐free DNA (cfDNA), in activation of coagulation. Because liver transplantation is associated with substantial (hepatocyte) cell death and intrahepatic neutrophil accumulation, NETs might play an important role in the hemostatic balance during liver transplantation. Here, we determined markers for NETs in the plasma of patients undergoing a liver transplantation and examined their association with activation of coagulation. Markers for NETs and markers for activation of coagulation were determined in serial plasma samples taken from patients undergoing a liver transplantation (n = 21) and compared with plasma levels in healthy controls. We found perioperative increases of markers for NETs with levels of cfDNA and nucleosomes that peaked after reperfusion and myeloperoxidase (MPO)–DNA complexes that peaked during the anhepatic phase. CfDNA and nucleosome levels, but not MPO‐DNA levels, correlated with prothrombin fragment 1+2 and thrombin‐antithrombin complex levels, which are established markers for activation of coagulation. Neutrophils undergoing NETosis were observed by immunostainings in postreperfusion biopsies. In conclusion, although NETosis occurs during liver transplantation, the majority of circulating DNA appears to be derived from cell death within the graft. The perioperative increases in cfDNA and nucleosomes might contribute to the complex hemostatic rebalance during liver transplantation.