bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optical Study of Electronic Structure and Photoinduced Dynamics in the Organic Alloy System [(EDO-TTF)0.89(MeEDO-TTF)0.11]2PF6
Authors: Ishikawa Tadahiko , Urasawa Yohei , Shindo Taiki , Okimoto Yoichi , Koshihara Shin-ya , Tanaka Seiichi , Onda Ken , Hiramatsu Takaaki , Nakano Yoshiaki , Tanaka Koichiro , Yamochi Hideki
Published: March 2019

Over the past two decades (EDO-TTF)2PF6 (EDO-TTF = 4,5-ethylenedioxytetrathiafulvalene), which exhibits a metal–insulator (M–I) phase transition with charge–ordering (CO), has been investigated energetically because of attractive characteristics that include ultrafast and massive photoinduced spectral and structural changes. In contrast, while its crystal structure has much in common with the (EDO-TTF)2PF6 crystal, the organic alloy system of [(EDO-TTF)0.89(MeEDO-TTF)0.11]2PF6 (MeEDO-TTF = 4,5-ethylenedioxy-4′-methyltetrathiafulvalene) exhibits a quite different type of M–I phase transition that is attributed to Peierls instability. Here, an optical study of the static absorption spectra and the time-resolved changes in the absorption spectra of [(EDO-TTF)0.89(MeEDO-TTF)0.11]2PF6 are reported. The observed absorption spectra related to the electronic structure are highly anisotropic. With a reduction in temperature (T), the opening of a small optical gap and a small shift in the center frequency of the C=C stretching mode are observed along with the M–I phase transition. Additionally, photoinduced transient states have been assigned based on their relaxation processes and transient intramolecular vibrational spectra. Reflecting small valence and structural changes and weak donor–anion interactions, a photoinduced transient state that is similar to the thermal-equilibrium high-T metallic phase appears more rapidly in the alloy system than that in (EDO-TTF)2PF6.
Classification and Disposal Strategy of Excess Sludge in the Petrochemical Industry
Authors: Guo Lei , Zhang Hongzhe , Jiang Xueyan , Wang Yan , Liu Zhengwei , Fang Shiping , Zhang Zhiyuan
Published: March 2019

The excess sludge in the petrochemical industry is large in quantity, complex in composition, and highly harmful, and its rational disposal is of great significance for environmental protection and sustainable development. In the present study, a classification and disposal strategy for the excess sludge in the petrochemical industry is proposed. The strategy first analyzes the dioxin, flammability, corrosivity, reactivity, and leaching properties of the sludge, from which the waste type of the sludge (general waste or hazardous waste) can be determined. Then, methods of disposal can be selected depending on the type of waste and the corresponding risk analysis, enabling rationalized disposal of the sludge. To verify the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed sludge classification and disposal strategy, research on petrochemical excess sludge samples (i.e., Ah, Bl, and Cq) originated from three different regions in China is carried out as a case study. The component analysis of the above three sludge samples revealed that they are all general wastes. In addition, the possibility of employing Cq sludge for landfill, soil modification, and greening mud, as well as the risk of landfill and incineration disposal in solid waste landfills are investigated. Furthermore, natural radioactive elements uranium and thorium in Cq sludge sample are studied. The results show that Cq sludge cannot be used for landfill, soil modification, and greening mud due to excessive arsenic content. The proposed strategy provides a basis for the selection of reasonable petrochemical excess sludge disposal methods.
Increasing Resolution in Live Cell Microscopy by Structured Illumination (SIM)
Authors: Richter Verena , Piper Mathis , Wagner Michael , Schneckenburger Herbert
Published: March 2019

In the context of various approaches to super-resolution microscopy, structured illumination microscopy (SIM) offers several advantages: it needs rather low light doses (with a low risk of phototoxicity or photobleaching), is comparably fast and flexible concerning the use of microscopes, objective lenses and cameras, and has potential for 3D imaging. This paper describes an experimental setup for SIM with first diffraction orders of a spectral light modulator (SLM) creating an interference pattern in two dimensions. We kept this system rather compact with a comparably large illuminated object field, validated it with nano-beads and applied it further to living cells for imaging the cytoskeleton, mitochondria or cell nuclei with a resolution slightly above 100 nm. Its advantages, challenges and limitations—concerning cameras, acquisition time, depth of imaging, light exposure, and combining it with further super-resolving methods—are discussed.
Learning Kernel-Based Robust Disturbance Dictionary for Face Recognition
Authors: Ding Biwei , Ji Hua
Published: March 2019

In this paper, a kernel-based robust disturbance dictionary (KRDD) is proposed for face recognition that solves the problem in modern dictionary learning in which significant components of signal representation cannot be entirely covered. KRDD can effectively extract the principal components of the kernel by dimensionality reduction. KRDD not only performs well with occluded face data, but is also good at suppressing intraclass variation. KRDD learns the robust disturbance dictionaries by extracting and generating the diversity of comprehensive training samples generated by facial changes. In particular, a basic dictionary, a real disturbance dictionary, and a simulated disturbance dictionary are acquired to represent data from distinct subjects to fully represent commonality and disturbance. Two of the disturbance dictionaries are modeled by learning few kernel principal components of the disturbance changes, and then the corresponding dictionaries are obtained by kernel discriminant analysis (KDA) projection modeling. Finally, extended sparse representation classifier (SRC) is used for classification. In the experimental results, KRDD performance displays great advantages in recognition rate and computation time compared with many of the most advanced dictionary learning methods for face recognition.
Mechanical Performance of Built-Up Columns Composed of Four Cold-Formed Square Steel Tubes
Authors: Chen Xiaomiao , Xia Junwu , Xu Bo , Ma Renwei
Published: March 2019

This study presents an experimental investigation into the mechanical performance of built-up columns composed of four cold-formed square steel tubes under axial load. The four tubes were assembled together with several C-shaped connectors through two self-tapping screws in each junction. The influence of parameters including spacing between tubes, type of connectors and transverse diaphragm were analyzed based on the failure modes, ultimate loads, load-displacement relationships and load-strain relationships measured in the tests. Moreover, a further numerical analysis was carried out to study the effect of the number of connectors, web height of connectors and installing connectors at column ends by means of the verified finite element models. Finally, the numerical results were compared with the strengths predicted by the AISI-S100-2012 code. Results show that the performance of built-up columns can be influenced by the change in the number of connectors and ratio of web height of connectors to spacing between tubes as well as the installation of connectors at column ends. In addition, the current AISI-S100-12 specifications do not provide a good prediction of the built-up columns composed of four cold-formed square steel tubes.
Motivational Orientations and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: The Moderator Role of Perceived Discrimination in the Brexit Context
Authors: Fernández-Salinero San Martín Samuel , Topa Gabriela
Published: March 2019

The current study aims to explain how motivational orientations influence organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) through organizational identification considering the moderator effect of perceived discrimination. A sample of 286 Spanish immigrants in the United Kingdom was included. Main conclusions support that learning orientation shows a significant direct relation with OCB. Both performance and performance-avoid goal orientation have a statistically significant impact on OCB, and this impact is mediated by organizational identification and moderated by perceived discrimination. The practical implications of the study and its possible limitations are discussed.
Acquired Resistance to Antibody-Drug Conjugates
Authors: Collins Denis , Bossenmaier Birgit , Kollmorgen Gwendlyn , Niederfellner Gerhard
Published: March 2019

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine the tumor selectivity of antibodies with the potency of cytotoxic small molecules thereby constituting antibody-mediated chemotherapy. As this inherently limits the adverse effects of the chemotherapeutic, such approaches are heavily pursued by pharma and biotech companies and have resulted in four FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved ADCs. However, as with other cancer therapies, durable responses are limited by the fact that under cell stress exerted by these drugs, tumors can acquire mechanisms of escape. Resistance can develop against the antibody component of ADCs by down-regulation/mutation of the targeted cell surface antigen or against payload toxicity by up-regulation of drug efflux transporters. Unique resistance mechanisms specific for the mode of action of ADCs have also emerged, like altered internalization or cell surface recycling of the targeted tumor antigen, changes in the intracellular routing or processing of ADCs, and impaired release of the toxic payload into the cytosol. These evasive changes are tailored to the specific nature and interplay of the three ADC constituents: the antibody, the linker, and the payload. Hence, they do not necessarily endow broad resistance to ADC therapy. This review summarizes preclinical and clinical findings that shed light on the mechanisms of acquired resistance to ADC therapies.
Limited Sensitivity of Circulating Tumor DNA Detection by Droplet Digital PCR in Non-Metastatic Operable Gastric Cancer Patients
Authors: Cabel Luc , Decraene Charles , Bieche Ivan , Pierga Jean-Yves , Bennamoun Mostefa , Fuks David , Ferraz Jean-Marc , Lefevre Marine , Baulande Sylvain , Bernard Virginie , Vacher Sophie , Mariani Pascale , Proudhon Charlotte , Bidard Francois-Clement , Louvet Christophe
Published: March 2019

This study was designed to monitor circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels during perioperative chemotherapy in patients with non-metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma. Plasma samples were prospectively collected in patients undergoing perioperative chemotherapy for non-metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma (excluding T1N0) prior to the initiation of perioperative chemotherapy, before and after surgery (NCT02220556). In each patient, mutations retrieved by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) on tumor samples were then tracked in circulating cell-free DNA from 4 mL of plasma by droplet digital PCR. Thirty-two patients with a diagnosis of non-metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma were included. A trackable mutation was identified in the tumor in 20 patients, seven of whom experienced relapse during follow-up. ctDNA was detectable in four patients (N = 4/19, sensitivity: 21%; 95% confidence interval CI = 8.5–43%, no baseline plasma sample was available for one patient), with a median allelic frequency (MAF) of 1.6% (range: 0.8–2.3%). No patient with available plasma samples (N = 0/18) had detectable ctDNA levels before surgery. After surgery, one of the 13 patients with available plasma samples had a detectable ctDNA level with a low allelic frequency (0.7%); this patient experienced a very short-term distant relapse only 3 months after surgery. No ctDNA was detected after surgery in the other four patients with available plasma samples who experienced a later relapse (median = 14.4, range: 9.3–26 months). ctDNA monitoring during preoperative chemotherapy and after surgery does not appear to be a useful tool in clinical practice for non-metastatic gastric cancer to predict the efficacy of chemotherapy and subsequent relapse, essentially due to the poor sensitivity of ctDNA detection.
Optimization Parameters, Kinetics, and Mechanism of Naproxen Removal by Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation with a Hybrid Iron-Based Magnetic Catalyst
Authors: Huaccallo-Aguilar Ysabel , Álvarez-Torrellas Silvia , Larriba Marcos , Águeda V. Ismael , Delgado José Antonio , Ovejero Gabriel , García Juan
Published: March 2019

This work presents a study of the assessment of the operating parameters of the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of naproxen (NAP) using magnetite/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe3O4/MWCNTs) as a catalyst. The effect of pH, temperature, and H2O2 dosage on CWPO process was evaluated by using the response surface model (RSM), allowing us to obtain an optimum NAP removal of 82% at the following operating conditions: pH = 5, T = 70 °C, [H2O2]0 = 1.5 mM, and [NAP]0 = 10.0 mg/L. Therefore, NAP degradation kinetics were revealed to follow a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and an activation energy value of 4.75 kJ/mol was determined. Adsorption and using only H2O2 experiments, both considered as blank tests, showed no significant removal of the pollutant. Moreover, Fe3O4/MWCNTs material exhibited good recyclability along three consecutive cycles, finding an average NAP removal percentage close to 80% in each cycle of 3 h reaction time. In addition, the scavenging tests confirmed that the degradation of NAP was mainly governed by •OH radicals attack. Two reaction sequences were proposed for the degradation mechanism according to the detected byproducts. Finally, the versatility of the catalyst was evidenced in the treatment of different environmentally relevant aqueous matrices (wastewater treatment plant effluent (WWTP), surface water (SW), and a hospital wastewater (HW)) spiked with NAP, obtaining total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies after 8 h in the following order: NAP-SW > NAP-HW > NAP-WWTP.
Morphology and Crystal-Plane Effects of Fe/W-CeO2 for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO with NH3
Authors: Liu Feihu , Wang Zhong , Wang Da , Chen Dan , Chen Fushan , Li Xuebing
Published: March 2019

The CeO2 ordinary amorphous, nanopolyhedrons, nanorods, and nanocubes were prefabricated by the hydrothermal method, and employed as carriers of Fe/W–CeO2 catalysts to selectively catalyze the reduction of NO with ammonia. Characterization results indicated that the morphology of CeO2 support originated from selectively exposing different crystal surfaces, which has a significant effect on oxygen vacancies, acid sites and the dispersion of Fe2O3. The CeO2 nanopolyhedrons catalyst (Fe/W–CeO2–P) showed most oxygen vacancies, the largest the quantity of acid sites, the largest BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) surface area and the best dispersion of Fe2O3, which was associated with predominately exposing CeO2 (111) planes. Consequently, the Fe/W–CeO2–P catalyst has the highest NO conversion rate in the temperature range of 100–325 °C among the ordinary amorphous, nanorods, and nanocubes Fe/W–CeO2 catalysts.
Untangling Extracellular Proteasome-Osteopontin Circuit Dynamics in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Dianzani Chiara , Vecchio Domizia , Clemente Nausicaa , Chiocchetti Annalisa , Martinelli Boneschi Filippo , Galimberti Daniela , Dianzani Umberto , Comi Cristoforo , Mishto Michele , Liepe Juliane
Published: March 2019

The function of proteasomes in extracellular space is still largely unknown. The extracellular proteasome-osteopontin circuit has recently been hypothesized to be part of the inflammatory machinery regulating relapse/remission phase alternation in multiple sclerosis. However, it is still unclear what dynamics there are between the different elements of the circuit, what the role of proteasome isoforms is, and whether these inflammatory circuit dynamics are associated with the clinical severity of multiple sclerosis. To shed light on these aspects of this novel inflammatory circuit, we integrated in vitro proteasome isoform data, cell chemotaxis cell culture data, and clinical data of multiple sclerosis cohorts in a coherent computational inference framework. Thereby, we modeled extracellular osteopontin-proteasome circuit dynamics during relapse/remission alternation in multiple sclerosis. Applying this computational framework to a longitudinal study on single multiple sclerosis patients suggests a complex interaction between extracellular proteasome isoforms and osteopontin with potential clinical implications.
Training Working Memory of Children with and without Dyslexia
Authors: Maehler Claudia , Joerns Christina , Schuchardt Kirsten
Published: March 2019

For the future school performance of a child in the fields of literacy and numeracy, the operational efficiency of working memory is a central predictor. Children affected by dyslexia exhibit specific deficits in the functions of working memory. A software application for elementary school-age children has been specifically developed for this study, attempting to improve the working memory’s operational efficiency. Based on Baddeley’s model of working memory (1986), the phonological loop, the visuo-spatial sketchpad, and the central executive were trained in 18 sessions over a period of six weeks. The group of test subjects undergoing this training was composed of third-graders, of which 43 were and 27 were not affected by dyslexia. The untrained control group was made up of 41 third-graders with dyslexia and 28 without dyslexia. While the short-term effects of the program could not be proven, the present analyses focus on long-term effects. The results obtained from a pre-test/follow-up design reveal that no long-term increases in performance regarding phonological and central executive working memory could be confirmed. Only the visuo-spatial Corsi block span exhibited a training effect over a period of three months. Additionally, training did not show any long-term effect of performance improvement, not even for a subgroup of children with dyslexia and an especially low working memory performance. Thus, even after this study, the question whether working memory can be trained or not remains partly unanswered but leaves us predominantly pessimistic.
The Effectiveness of a Resilience Intervention Program on Emotional Intelligence of Adolescent Students with Hearing Loss
Authors: Adibsereshki Narges , Hatamizadeh Nikta , Sajedi Firoozeh , Kazemnejad Anoshirvan
Published: March 2019

Adolescents with hearing loss have been shown to have some emotional difficulties. This study investigated the effectiveness of a resilience training program on the emotional intelligence of mainstreamed adolescent students with hearing loss. In this experimental study, a pre-test, post-test, follow up and control group design was implemented. After receiving informed consents, 122 students with hearing loss in mainstreaming settings were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups (61 students in interventional group and 61 in control). The interventional group received training in groups of 3 to 5, for 6 weeks (two times per week for 75 min). The intervention focused on feelings, thinking (positive, negative) and outcomes of negative thinking, coping strategies, strengths and weakness, problem solving, communication skills, social skills, negotiation, despising and ridiculing, intra- and interpersonal skills. The Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC) and the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale were used to measure the resilience and the emotional intelligence (EI) of participants respectively just before intervention, as well as at the 6- and 14-week marks. The Friedman Test was used to compare changes in emotional intelligence between interventional and control groups. The intervention increased the resilience scores by 20 points. Although the EI of both groups were similar at the beginning of the research, there was a significant difference between the control and interventional groups in emotional intelligence and its aspects after intervention, at the 6-week and 14-week measurements (p < 0.001). The effect size was 1.5 for the EI total score. The 6-week resilience training program was very effective at improving emotional intelligence and could be readily used to help students with hearing loss improve their emotional abilities.
The Dielectric Properties Improvement of Cable Insulation Layer by Different Morphology Nanoparticles Doping into LDPE
Authors: Yu Guang , Cheng Yujia , Zhang Xiaohong
Published: March 2019

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) doped with inorganic nano-MMT and nano-ZnO particles improved the dielectric properties of the cable insulation layer. In this article, nano-MMT/LDPE and nano-ZnO/LDPE composites were prepared by polymer intercalation and melt blending, respectively. The octadecyl quaternary ammonium salt and silane coupling agent were applied for surface modification in nano-MMT and nano-ZnO particles, and this then improved the compatibility of nanoparticles and polymeric matrix. These samples were characterized by FTIR, PLM, DSC and TSC, from which the effect of nanoparticles doping on polymer crystal habit and interface traps would be explored. In these experiments, the AC breakdown characteristics and space charge characteristic of different composites were studied. The experimental results showed that the interface bonding of nanoparticles and polymer was improved by coupling agents modifying. The dispersion of nanoparticles in matrix was better. When the mass fraction of nanoparticles doping was 3 wt.%, the crystallization rate and crystallinity of composites increased, and the crystalline structure was more complete. Besides, the amorphous regions in material decreased and the conducting channel was circuitous. At this time, the breakdown field strength of nano-MMT/LDPE and nano-ZnO/LDPE increased by 10.3% and 11.1%, compared to that of pure LDPE, respectively. Furthermore, the density and depth of interface traps in polymer increased with nanoparticles doping. Nano-MMT and nano-ZnO could both restrain the space charge accumulation, and the inhibiting effect of nano-ZnO was more visible.
An Overview of Strengths and Directionalities of Noncovalent Interactions: σ-Holes and π-Holes
Authors: Politzer Peter , Murray Jane S.
Published: March 2019

Quantum mechanics, through the Hellmann–Feynman theorem and the Schrödinger equation, show that noncovalent interactions are classically Coulombic in nature, which includes polarization as well as electrostatics. In the great majority of these interactions, the positive electrostatic potentials result from regions of low electronic density. These regions are of two types, designated as σ-holes and π-holes. They differ in directionality; in general, σ-holes are along the extensions of covalent bonds to atoms (or occasionally between such extensions), while π-holes are perpendicular to planar portions of molecules. The magnitudes and locations of the most positive electrostatic potentials associated with σ-holes and π-holes are often approximate guides to the strengths and directions of interactions with negative sites but should be used cautiously for this purpose since polarization is not being taken into account. Since these maximum positive potentials may not be in the immediate proximities of atoms, interatomic close contacts are not always reliable indicators of noncovalent interactions. This is demonstrated for some heterocyclic rings and cyclic polyketones. We briefly mention some problems associated with using Periodic Table Groups to label interactions resulting from σ-holes and π-holes; for example, the labels do not distinguish between these two possibilities with differing directionalities.
Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties of Three Cobalt(II) Coordination Polymers Constructed from 3,5-Pyridinedicarboxylic Acid or 3,4-Pyridinedicarboxylic Acid Ligands
Authors: Zhou Xiaojing , Guo Xiaolei , Liu Lili , Shi Zhan , Pang Yan , Tai Xishi
Published: March 2019

Three 2D new coordination polymers Co2(L1)2(1,10-Phenanthroline)2(DMF)0.5(H2O) (1), (H2L1 = Pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid) Co(L1)(2,2-bipyridine) (2), and Co(L2)(2,2-bipyridine) (DMF) (3) (H2L2 = Pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylic acid) were synthesized through a solvothermal reaction of cobalt nitrate and pyridine carboxylic acid ligand with the auxiliary ligand (1,10-Phenanthroline or 2,2-bipyridine). They were characterized by X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry analysis, and magnetism. Compounds 1–3 featured 2D hexagonal (6,3) networks which linked into 3D supramolecular architectures through π–π interaction. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 showed the antiferromagnetic exchange interactions, and the magnetic property of compound 3 exhibited ferromagnetic exchange interactions.
The Observable Representation
Authors: Schulman L. S.
Published: March 2019

The observable representation (OR) is an embedding of the space on which a stochastic dynamics is taking place into a low dimensional Euclidean space. The most significant feature of the OR is that it respects the dynamics. Examples are given in several areas: the definition of a phase transition (including metastable phases), random walks in which the OR recovers the original space, complex systems, systems in which the number of extrema exceed convenient viewing capacity, and systems in which successful features are displayed, but without the support of known theorems.
Examining Gender Safety in Schools: Teacher Agency and Resistance in Two Primary Schools in Kirinyaga, Kenya
Authors: Vanner Catherine
Published: March 2019

This article introduces Stein, Tolman, Porche, and Spencer’s concept of gender safety in schools (GSS) as a useful framework for providing a gendered analysis of safety and equality at the school level within the global context of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 goal of equitable, inclusive and quality education for all. This article examines practices that support as well as undermine GSS in two primary schools in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. In these schools, individual teacher agency was the main factor enhancing GSS. Teachers’ efforts were, however, constrained by competing discourses emphasizing hierarchical administration and a narrow understanding of the school’s responsibilities. Teacher agency, therefore, was insufficient to systematically protect students and foster gender equity. The article suggests that teacher agency to enhance GSS in Kenya could be expanded through teachers’ collective empowerment using community-based networks alongside the integration of monitoring and evaluation processes in existing gender equality and child protection policies. It further recommends the GSS framework as a means for monitoring SDG 4’s commitments to gender equality and child protection in schools.
Major Barriers to the New Residential Building Energy-Efficiency Promotion in China: Frontlines’ Perceptions
Authors: Li Yinan , Zhu Neng , Qin Beibei
Published: March 2019

The energy-efficiency promotion of new residential buildings in China has achieved great progress in the past three decades. However, the expected policy outcomes cannot be fully achieved due to the barriers in the policy-making and implementation process. Whereas governments play a critical role in policy formation, perceptions of stakeholders involved in the building life cycle and the industrial value chain (such as developers, design institutes and relevant material manufactures) are fundamental to the successful implementation. To collect and identify the barriers of significant influence on the industry from stakeholders’ perspectives, this paper used a nationwide institutes’ questionnaire to collect stakeholders’ voices regarding the barriers, the corresponding popularity and the severity. All the barriers were categorized according to institutions’ scorings through cluster analysis. The relationships between barriers were also analyzed according to the framework based on policy cycle and policy environment. Results indicated that the core problem is the ineffectiveness translating energy savings into benefits and profits. Accordingly, three major barriers were identified, namely the (1) unsatisfied policy design and implementation; (2) stakeholders’ lack of implementation capacity in developing and constructing high-performance new residential building projects and adopting relevant technologies; and (3) insufficient legalization of relevant market. Other identified barriers either were those not agreed by all institutions, or those could be eliminated easily after the removal of the above three barriers.
Practical Operation Strategies for Energy Storage System under Uncertainty
Authors: Kim Minsoo , Kim Kangsan , Choi Hyungeun , Lee Seonjeong , Kim Hongseok
Published: March 2019

Recent advances in battery technologies have reduced the financial burden of using the energy storage system (ESS) for customers. Peak cut, one of the benefits of using ESS, can be achieved through proper charging/discharging scheduling of ESS. However, peak cut is sensitive to load-forecasting error, and even a small forecasting error may result in the failure of peak cut. In this paper, we propose a two-phase approach of day-ahead optimization and real-time control for minimizing the total cost that comes from time-of-use (TOU), peak load, and battery degradation. In day-ahead optimization, we propose to use an internalized pricing to manage peak load in addition to the cost from TOU. The proposed method can be implemented by using dynamic programming, which also has an advantage of accommodating the state-dependent battery degradation cost. Then in real-time control, we propose a concept of marginal power to alleviate the performance loss incurred from load-forecasting error and mimic the offline optimal battery scheduling by learning from load-forecasting error. By exploiting the marginal power, real-time ESS charging/discharging power gets close to the offline optimal battery scheduling. Case studies show that under load-forecasting uncertainty, the peak power using the proposed method is only 22.4% higher than the offline optimal peak power, while the day-ahead optimization has 76.8% higher peak power than the offline optimal power. In terms of profit, the proposed method achieves 77.0% of the offline optimal profit while the day-ahead method only earns 19.6% of the offline optimal profit, which shows the substantial improvement of the proposed method.
A Novel Vector Control Strategy for a Six-Phase Induction Motor with Low Torque Ripples and Harmonic Currents
Authors: Heidari Hamidreza , Rassõlkin Anton , Vaimann Toomas , Kallaste Ants , Taheri Asghar , Holakooie Mohammad , Belahcen Anouar
Published: March 2019

In this paper, a new vector control strategy is proposed to reduce torque ripples and harmonic currents represented in switching table-based direct torque control (ST-DTC) of a six-phase induction motor (6PIM). For this purpose, a new set of inputs is provided for the switching table (ST). These inputs are based on the decoupled current components in the synchronous reference frame. Indeed, using both field-oriented control (FOC) and direct torque control (DTC) concepts, precise inputs are applied to the ST in order to achieve better steady-state torque response. By applying the duty cycle control strategy, the loss subspace components are eliminated through a suitable selection of virtual voltage vectors. Each virtual voltage vector is based on a combination of a large and a medium vector to make the average volt-seconds in loss subspace near to zero. Therefore, the proposed strategy not only notably reduces the torque ripples, but also suppresses the low frequency current harmonics, simultaneously. Simulation and experimental results clarify the high performance of the proposed scheme.
Distributed Reconciliation in Day-Ahead Wind Power Forecasting
Authors: Bai Li , Pinson Pierre
Published: March 2019

With increasing renewable energy generation capacities connected to the power grid, a number of decision-making problems require some form of consistency in the forecasts that are being used as input. In everyday words, one expects that the sum of the power generation forecasts for a set of wind farms is equal to the forecast made directly for the power generation of that portfolio. This forecast reconciliation problem has attracted increased attention in the energy forecasting literature over the last few years. Here, we review the state of the art and its applicability to day-ahead forecasting of wind power generation, in the context of spatial reconciliation. After gathering some observations on the properties of the game-theoretical optimal projection reconciliation approach, we propose to readily rethink it in a distributed setup by using the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). Three case studies are considered for illustrating the interest and performance of the approach, based on simulated data, the National Renewable Energy Labaratory (NREL) Wind Toolkit dataset, and a dataset for a number of geographically distributed wind farms in Sardinia, Italy.
3E-Analysis of a Bio-Solar CCHP System for the Andaman Islands, India—A Case Study
Authors: Wegener Moritz , Isalgué Antonio , Malmquist Anders , Martin Andrew
Published: March 2019

Energy services are especially expensive on remote islands due to longer and more unstable fuel supply chains. In this paper, different renewable energy systems utilizing locally available biomass and solar energy are proposed as alternatives for a hotel resort on Neil Island, India. Based on local demand data, commercial information, and scientific literature, four cases are modelled with the simulation software HOMER and their economic, energetic, as well as ecological (3E) performances are compared. The robustness of each case configuration is tested with a sensitivity analysis. The results show that a biomass-based, solar-assisted combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system offers an economic saving potential of more than 500,000 USD over twenty years and could decrease CO2 emissions by 365 t per year. When not applying CCHP measures, system performance is significantly worsened. A solar and battery-assisted diesel generator system shows similar economic outcomes as the CCHP system but worse ecological performance. Implementing the biomass-based CCHP system could improve the ecological footprint of the island, substantially decrease expenditure for the hotel owner, and generate a new source of income for surrounding farmers through biomass selling.
Comment on Collins, C.N.; et al. Body Composition Changes of United States Smokejumpers during the 2017 Fire Season. Fire 2018, 1, 48
Authors: Ruby Brent C.
Published: March 2019

In the recent manuscript by Collins et al [...]
A Novel Insight into Functional Divergence of the MST Gene Family in Rice Based on Comprehensive Expression Patterns
Authors: Deng Xiaolong , An Baoguang , Zhong Hua , Yang Jing , Kong Weilong , Li Yangsheng
Published: March 2019

Sugars are critical for plant growth and development as suppliers of carbon and energy, as signal molecules, or as solute molecules for osmotic homeostasis. Monosaccharide transporter (MST) genes are involved in various processes of plant growth and development as well as in response to abiotic stresses. However, the evolution and their roles of MST genes in growth and development and in coping with abiotic stresses in rice are poorly known. Here, we identified 64 MST genes in rice genome, which are classified into seven subfamilies: STP, PLT, AZT, ERD, pGlcT, INT, and XTPH. MST genes are not evenly distributed between chromosomes (Chrs) with a bias to Chr 3, 4, 7, and 11, which could be a result of duplication of fragments harboring MST genes. In total, 12 duplication events were found in the rice MST family, among which, two pairs were derived from fragmental duplications and ten pairs were from tandem duplications. The synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates of duplicate gene pairs demonstrated that the MST family was under a strong negative selection during the evolution process. Furthermore, a comprehensive expression analysis conducted in 11 different tissues, three abiotic stresses, five hormone treatments, and three sugar treatments revealed different expression patterns of MST genes and indicated diversified functions of them. Our results suggest that MST genes play important roles not only in various abiotic stresses but also in hormone and sugar responses. The present results will provide a vital insight into the functional divergence of the MST family in the future study.
Evidences for Paleo-Gas Hydrate Occurrence: What We Can Infer for the Miocene of the Northern Apennines (Italy)
Authors: Argentino Claudio , Conti Stefano , Fioroni Chiara , Fontana Daniela
Published: March 2019

The occurrence of seep-carbonates associated with shallow gas hydrates is increasingly documented in modern continental margins but in fossil sediments the recognition of gas hydrates is still challenging for the lack of unequivocal proxies. Here, we combined multiple field and geochemical indicators for paleo-gas hydrate occurrence based on present-day analogues to investigate fossil seeps located in the northern Apennines. We recognized clathrite-like structures such as thin-layered, spongy and vuggy textures and microbreccias. Non-gravitational cementation fabrics and pinch-out terminations in cavities within the seep-carbonate deposits are ascribed to irregularly oriented dissociation of gas hydrates. Additional evidences for paleo-gas hydrates are provided by the large dimensions of seep-carbonate masses and by the association with sedimentary instability in the host sediments. We report heavy oxygen isotopic values in the examined seep-carbonates up to +6‰ that are indicative of a contribution of isotopically heavier fluids released by gas hydrate decomposition. The calculation of the stability field of methane hydrates for the northern Apennine wedge-foredeep system during the Miocene indicated the potential occurrence of shallow gas hydrates in the upper few tens of meters of sedimentary column.
Determinants of Flooding and Strategies for Mitigation: Two-Year Case Study of Benin City
Authors: Cirella Giuseppe T. , Iyalomhe Felix O. , Adekola Paul O.
Published: March 2019

Recent flood disasters in Benin City, Nigeria have claimed a number of lives, damaged property, and threatened the overall livelihood of residents. The economic burden of such events has forced a vast reallocation of monetary resources for clean-up and recovery, as well as forcibly altered and suspended internal trade via devastated transportation routes. Secondary trends include inflation and migration concerns. As a result, the aim has been to prioritize mitigation by examining easily read, rapidly accessible flood hazard maps, as well as assess and identify areas within the city prone to flooding. We used a number of data sources and conducted a questionnaire surveying three of the local government areas of Benin City over a two-year period. Findings indicate excessive unsustainable land use and land cover change and a flat and high water table area with close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean make the city susceptible to flood risk. Heavy rainfall and drainage system blockage are leading causes of flooding which have destroyed property and houses—two major side effects. A number of mitigation and disaster risk reduction measures were, hereafter, recommended to reduce flooding occurrence in Benin City or lessen its effects on inhabitants.
Appraisal of Temporal Transferability of Cold Region Winter Weather Traffic Models for Major Highway Segments in Alberta Canada
Authors: Roh Hyuk-Jae , Bhat Furqan A. , Sahu Prasanta K. , Sharma Satish , Mehran Babak , Khan Ata M. , Rodriguez Orlando
Published: March 2019

This paper evaluates the effect of inclement weather conditions on the travel demand for three classes of vehicles for a primary highway in the province of Alberta, Canada. The demand variables are passenger cars, trucks, and total traffic. It is well known from previous studies that adverse weather conditions such as low temperatures and heavy snowfall cause variation in traffic flow patterns. A winter weather model, based on the dummy variable regression model, was developed to quantify the variations in traffic volume due to snowfall and temperature changes. To establish the relationships, vehicular data was collected from six weigh-in-motion (WIM) sites, and the weather data associated with the WIM sites was collected from nearby weather stations. The study revealed that the variation in truck traffic, due to inclement weather conditions, was insignificant compared to variation in passenger car traffic. This study also investigated the temporal transferability of the developed winter weather model to test if a model can be applied irrespective of the time when it was developed. In addition, an attempt was made to check if the model coefficients could be optimized differently for different classes of traffic for estimating correct traffic variations. To evaluate transferability, the performance of both dummy variable regression and naive (without dummy variables) models was investigated. The results revealed that the dummy variable regression models show better performance for passenger car traffic and total traffic and naive winter weather models give better results for truck traffic.
Subsampling of Regional-Scale Database for improving Multivariate Analysis Interpretation of Groundwater Chemical Evolution and Ion Sources
Authors: Walter Julien , Chesnaux Romain , Gaboury Damien , Cloutier Vincent
Published: March 2019

Multivariate statistics are widely and routinely used in the field of hydrogeochemistry. Trace elements, for which numerous samples show concentrations below the detection limit (censored data from a truncated dataset), are removed from the dataset in the multivariate treatment. This study now proposes an approach that consists of avoiding the truncation of the dataset of some critical elements, such as those recognized as sensitive elements regarding human health (fluoride, iron, and manganese). The method aims to reduce the dataset to increase the statistical representativeness of critical elements. This method allows a robust statistical comparison between a regional comprehensive dataset and a subset of this regional database. The results from hierarchical Cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were generated and compared with results from the whole dataset. The proposed approach allowed for improvement in the understanding of the chemical evolution pathways of groundwater. Samples from the subset belong to the same flow line from a statistical point of view, and other samples from the database can then be compared with the samples of the subset and discussed according to their stage of evolution. The results obtained after the introduction of fluoride in the multivariate treatment suggest that dissolved fluoride can be gained either from the interaction of groundwater with marine clays or from the interaction of groundwater with Precambrian bedrock aquifers. The results partly explain why the groundwater chemical background of the region is relatively high in fluoride contents, resulting in frequent excess in regards to drinking water standards.
Improving Urban Runoff in Multi-Basin Hydrological Simulation by the HYPE Model Using EEA Urban Atlas: A Case Study in the Sege River Basin, Sweden
Authors: Tanouchi Hiroto , Olsson Jonas , Lindström Göran , Kawamura Akira , Amaguchi Hideo
Published: March 2019

In this study, the high-resolution polygonal land cover data of EEA Urban Atlas was applied for land-use characterization in the dynamic multi-basin hydrological model, HYPE. The objective of the study was to compare this dedicated urban land cover data in semi-distributed hydrological modelling with the widely used but less detailed EEA CORINE. The model was set up for a basin including a small town named Svedala in southern Sweden. In order to verify the ability of the HYPE model to reproduce the observed flow rate, the simulated flow rate was evaluated based on river flow time series, statistical indicators and flow duration curves. Flow rate simulated by the model based on Urban Atlas generally agreed better with observations of summer storm events than the CORINE-based model, especially when the daily rainfall amount was 10 mm/day or more, or the flow exceedance probability was 0.02 to 0.5. It suggests that the added value of the Urban Atlas model is higher for heavy-to-medium storm events dominated by direct runoff. To conclude, the effectiveness of the proposed approach, which aims at improving the accuracy of hydrological simulations in urbanized basins, was supported.
The Relationship between Power Type, Work Engagement, and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors
Authors: Park Kwang O.
Published: March 2019

The focus of this study is to investigate if power type improves organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) through work engagement. Based on existing research, power can be classified into two main types: coercive and non-coercive power. Coercive power is divided into the categories of coercion, reward, and legitimate power, and non-coercive power can be divided into information, expert, and reference power. Therefore, this study examines what kind of relationship is formed in the work engagement of organization members based on power type, and ultimately empirically investigates the effects on OCB. Although it is very important in organizational research, no study has yet been conducted on the relationships between power type, work engagement, and OCB. The survey targets of this study were the companies listed on the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), a stock market in South Korea. The companies listed on the KOSPI are the representative companies of South Korea, as announced by the South Korean government based on their market representativeness, liquidity, and industry representativeness. This study sheds new light on the relationships between power type, work engagement, and OCB which have been overlooked from both the academic and practical perspectives. Based on this study, it is expected that power types that have practical influence will be further investigated, and the plans required for the maintenance of better relationships in an organization could then be established.