bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variable Speed Control of Wind Turbines Based on the Quasi-Continuous High-Order Sliding Mode Method
Authors: Jing Yanwei , Sun Hexu , Zhang Lei , Zhang Tieling
Published: October 2017

The characteristics of wind turbine systems such as nonlinearity, uncertainty and strong coupling, as well as external interference, present great challenges in wind turbine controller design. In this paper, a quasi-continuous high-order sliding mode method is used to design controllers due to its strong robustness to external disturbances, unmodeled dynamics and parameter uncertainties. It can also effectively suppress the chattering toward which the traditional sliding mode control method is ineffective. In this study, the strategy of designing speed controllers based on the quasi-continuous high order sliding mode method is proposed to ensure the wind turbine works well in different wind modes. First, the plant model of the variable speed control system is built as a linearized model; and then a second order speed controller is designed for the model and its stability is proved. Finally, the designed controller is applied to wind turbine pitch control. Based on the simulation results from a simulation of 1200 s which contains almost all wind speed modes, it is shown that the pitch angle can be rapidly adjusted according to wind speed change by the designed controller. Hence, the output power is maintained at the rated value corresponding to the wind speed. In addition, the robustness of the system is verified. Meanwhile, the chattering is found to be effectively suppressed.
Integrated BMS-MMC Balancing Technique Highlighted by a Novel Space-Vector Based Approach for BEVs Application
Authors: Brando Gianluca , Dannier Adolfo , Spina Ivan , Tricoli Pietro
Published: October 2017

This paper proposes a new mathematical model of modular multilevel converters for battery electric vehicles with space-vectors enabling a critical analysis of cell balancing for the battery management system. In particular, the requirements for power balancing and the actual number of degrees of freedom of the control are investigated. The paper shows that the traditional approach of cell balancing is a special case of the proposed control methodology. Numerical analyses with Matlab/Simulink™ highlight the reasons of the slow response of the standard balancing technique for specific operating conditions of the battery electric vehicle. The paper suggests potential improvements that could be introduced through the proposed generalised approach.
Numerical Study of the Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Self-Designed Mixer for a Ga-R113 MHD System
Authors: Lu Peng , Zheng Xingwen , Fang Lulu , Huang Hulin , Xu Shu , Yu Yezhen
Published: October 2017

Liquid metal MHD (Magneto-Hydro-Dynamic) systems can be employed to produce electricity from a wide range of heat resources. In such a system, a low-boiling organic fluid and a high-temperature liquid metal fluid mix. The former evaporates, and carries the latter to flow through an MHD channel, where the electricity is generated. The mixing process and the gas-liquid flow characteristics will have a significant effect on the power generating efficiency. In the present work, trifluorotrichloroethane (R113) was chosen as the organic fluid, and gallium (Ga) as the liquid metal, respectively. Numerical study was subsequently carried out on the gas-liquid flow and heat transfer in a self-designed spherical mixer. The effects of the main factors, including the inlet velocities and inlet temperatures of Ga and R113, were separately determined, with suggested values or ranges discussed in detail.
A Model Predictive Control-Based Power Converter System for Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converters
Authors: Rajapakse Gimara , Jayasinghe Shantha , Fleming Alan , Negnevitsky Michael
Published: October 2017

Despite the predictability and availability at large scale, wave energy conversion (WEC) has still not become a mainstream renewable energy technology. One of the main reasons is the large variations in the extracted power which could lead to instabilities in the power grid. In addition, maintaining the speed of the turbine within optimal range under changing wave conditions is another control challenge, especially in oscillating water column (OWC) type WEC systems. As a solution to the first issue, this paper proposes the direct connection of a battery bank into the dc-link of the back-to-back power converter system, thereby smoothening the power delivered to the grid. For the second issue, model predictive controllers (MPCs) are developed for the rectifier and the inverter of the back-to-back converter system aiming to maintain the turbine speed within its optimum range. In addition, MPC controllers are designed to control the battery current as well, in both charging and discharging conditions. Operations of the proposed battery direct integration scheme and control solutions are verified through computer simulations. Simulation results show that the proposed integrated energy storage and control solutions are capable of delivering smooth power to the grid while maintaining the turbine speed within its optimum range under varying wave conditions.
High Ethanol Contents of Spirit Drinks in Kibera Slums, Kenya: Implications for Public Health
Authors: Okaru Alex , Abuga Kennedy , Kibwage Isaac , Lachenmeier Dirk
Published: October 2017

Cheap licit and artisanal illicit spirit drinks have been associated with numerous outbreaks of alcohol poisoning especially with methanol. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of cheap spirit drinks in Kibera slums in Nairobi County, Kenya. The samples consisted of cheap licit spirits (n = 11) and the artisanal spirit drink, ‘chang’aa’, (n = 28). The parameters of alcoholic strength and volatile composition were used as indicators of quality and were determined using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) respectively. The ranges for alcoholic strength were 42.8–85.8% vol and 28.3–56.7% vol for chang’aa and licit spirit drinks respectively, while the pH ranges were 3.3–4.2 and 4.4–4.8 for chang’aa and licit spirit drinks respectively. The majority of volatiles were found in artisanal spirits and they included higher alcohols, ethyl esters and carbonyl compounds. The alcoholic strength of all the artisanal spirits (100%) and 91% of the licit spirits was above the 40% vol of standard spirits such as vodka. The high ethanol content of the alcohol products was the only element of public health significance in this study.
Moral Entitlements and Aspiration Formation in Asymmetric Bargaining: Experimental Evidence from Germany and China
Authors: Hennig-Schmidt Heike , Walkowitz Gari
Published: October 2017

Using a unique experimental data set, we investigate how asymmetric legal rights shape bargainers’ aspiration levels through moral entitlements derived from equity norms and number prominence. Aspiration formation is typically hard to observe in real life. Our study involves 15 negotiations from Germany and China. Over the course of the negotiation, bargainers discuss the distribution of an amount of money by alternating offers until they consent or break off. Legal rights are randomly assigned by asymmetric outside options. We videotape and code the in-group discussions. In total, verbal data from 30 groups, 1100 pages of transcripts, and 65 h of discussions are content-analyzed. Our main finding is that strong groups derive and defend moral entitlements from equity concerns with regard to their outside options. They strive for equitable but unequal distributions (e.g., proportional split and split the difference). Moral entitlements materialize in the recorded aspiration levels and final payoffs, which exceed the equal split. By contrast, weak groups aim at equality. Over the course of the negotiation, equity tends to lose, while the prominence of round numbers gains importance. Similarities between the subject pools are found in that equity and prominence are both decisive for the formation of aspiration levels. Chinese negotiations are characterized by long periods of stagnation, only minimal concessions, and the communication of false goals. By contrast, Germans steadily reduce their goals and make concessions.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and Coding Genes Uncovers a Complex Regulatory Network That Is Involved in Maize Seed Development
Authors: Zhu Ming , Zhang Min , Xing Lijuan , Li Wenzong , Jiang Haiyang , Wang Lei , Xu Miaoyun
Published: October 2017

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in the development of maize plant. However, few focused on seed development of maize. Here, we identified 753 lncRNA candidates in maize genome from six seed samples. Similar to the mRNAs, lncRNAs showed tissue developmental stage specific and differential expression, indicating their putative role in seed development. Increasing evidence shows that crosstalk among RNAs mediated by shared microRNAs (miRNAs) represents a novel layer of gene regulation, which plays important roles in plant development. Functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) in plants, particularly in maize seed development, are unclear. We combined analyses of consistently altered 17 lncRNAs, 840 mRNAs and known miRNA to genome-wide investigate potential lncRNA-mediated ceRNA based on “ceRNA hypothesis”. The results uncovered seven novel lncRNAs as potential functional ceRNAs. Functional analyses based on their competitive coding-gene partners by Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG biological pathway demonstrated that combined effects of multiple ceRNAs can have major impacts on general developmental and metabolic processes in maize seed. These findings provided a useful platform for uncovering novel mechanisms of maize seed development and may provide opportunities for the functional characterization of individual lncRNA in future studies.
Identification and Characterization of TALE Homeobox Genes in the Endangered Fern Vandenboschia speciosa
Authors: Ruiz-Estévez Mercedes , Bakkali Mohammed , Martín-Blázquez Rubén , Garrido-Ramos Manuel
Published: October 2017

We report and discuss the results of a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of the expression patterns of seven three amino acid loop extension (TALE) homeobox genes (four KNOTTED-like homeobox (KNOX) and three BEL1-like homeobox (BELL) genes) identified after next generation sequencing (NGS) and assembly of the sporophyte and gametophyte transcriptomes of the endangered fern species Vandenboschia speciosa. Among the four KNOX genes, two belonged to the KNOX1 class and the other two belonged to the KNOX2 class. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences supported the typical domain structure of both types of TALE proteins, and the homology to TALE proteins of mosses, lycophytes, and seed plant species. The expression analyses demonstrate that these homeodomain proteins appear to have a key role in the establishment and development of the gametophyte and sporophyte phases of V. speciosa lifecycle, as well as in the control of the transition between both phases. Vandenboschia speciosa VsKNAT3 (a KNOX2 class protein) as well as VsBELL4 and VsBELL10 proteins have higher expression levels during the sporophyte program. On the contrary, one V. speciosa KNOX1 protein (VsKNAT6) and one KNOX2 protein (VsKNAT4) seem important during the development of the gametophyte phase. TALE homeobox genes might be among the key regulators in the gametophyte-to-sporophyte developmental transition in regular populations that show alternation of generations, since some of the genes analyzed here (VsKNAT3, VsKNAT6, VsBELL4, and VsBELL6) are upregulated in a non-alternating population in which only independent gametophytes are found (they grow by vegetative reproduction outside of the range of sporophyte distribution). Thus, these four genes might trigger the vegetative propagation of the gametophyte and the repression of the sexual development in populations composed of independent gametophytes. This study represents a comprehensive identification and characterization of TALE homeobox genes in V. speciosa, and gives novel insights about the role of these genes in fern development.
Comparison of Two Sources of Clinical Audit Data to Assess the Delivery of Diabetes Care in Aboriginal Communities
Authors: Regan Timothy , Paul Christine , Ishiguchi Paul , D’Este Catherine , Koller Claudia , Forshaw Kristy , Noble Natasha , Oldmeadow Christopher , Bisquera Alessandra , Eades Sandra
Published: October 2017

The objective of this study was to determine the concordance between data extracted from two Clinical Decision Support Systems regarding diabetes testing and monitoring at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in Australia. De-identified PenCAT and Communicare Systems data were extracted from the services allocated to the intervention arm of a diabetes care trial, and intra-class correlations for each extracted item were derived at a service level. Strong to very strong correlations between the two data sources were found regarding the total number of patients with diabetes per service (Intra-class correlation [ICC] = 0.99), as well as the number (ICC = 0.98–0.99) and proportion (ICC = 0.96) of patients with diabetes by gender. The correlation was moderate for the number and proportion of Type 2 diabetes patients per service in the group aged 18–34 years (ICC = 0.65 and 0.8–0.82 respectively). Strong to very strong correlations were found for numbers and proportions of patients being tested for diabetes, and for appropriate monitoring of patients known to have diabetes (ICC = 0.998–1.00). This indicated a generally high degree of concordance between whole-service data extracted by the two Clinical Decision Support Systems. Therefore, the less expensive or less complex option (depending on the individual circumstances of the service) may be appropriate for monitoring diabetes testing and care. However, the extraction of data about subgroups of patients may not be interchangeable.
The Market-Timing Ability of Chinese Equity Securities Investment Funds
Authors: Sherman Meadhbh , O’Sullivan Niall , Gao Jun
Published: October 2017

This study examines the market-timing performance of Chinese equity securities investment funds during the period from May 2003 to May 2014 using the parametric tests of Treynor–Mazuy and Henriksson–Merton as well as the Jiang non-parametric test. Based on the non-parametric approach, the study finds that only one fund among the sample of 419 funds possessed statistically significant market-timing skill, while 9% of the funds were statistically significant negative market timers. Most funds do not time the market. This conclusion is robust when controlling for publicly available information in evaluating ‘private’ timing ability. Consistent with studies of other markets such as the UK, a higher prevalence of successful market timers is found by the Treynor–Mazuy and Henriksson–Merton methods compared to the non-parametric procedure.
Seco-B-Ring Steroidal Dienynes with Aromatic D Ring: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation
Authors: Szybinski Marcin , Brzeminski Pawel , Fabisiak Adrian , Berkowska Klaudia , Marcinkowska Ewa , Sicinski Rafal
Published: October 2017

Continuing our structure-activity studies on the vitamin D analogs with the altered intercyclic seco-B-ring fragment, we designed compounds possessing dienyne system conjugated with the benzene D ring. Analysis of the literature data and the docking experiments seemed to indicate that the target compounds could mimic the ligands with a good affinity to the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Multi-step synthesis of the C/D-ring building block of the tetralone structure was achieved and its enol triflate was coupled with the known A-ring fragments, possessing conjugated enyne moiety, using Sonogashira protocol. The structures of the final products were confirmed by NMR, UV and mass spectroscopy. Their binding affinities for the full-length human VDR were determined and it was established that compound substituted at C-2 with exomethylene group showed significant binding to the receptor. This analog was also able to induce monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells.
A Review: Expression of Aquaporins in Otitis Media
Authors: Jung Su Young , Kim Sung Su , Kim Young Il , Kim Sang Hoon , Yeo Seung Geun
Published: October 2017

Otitis media (OM) refers to inflammatory diseases of the middle ear (ME), regardless of cause or pathological mechanism. Among the molecular biological studies assessing the pathology of OM are investigations of the expression of aquaporins (AQPs) in the ME and Eustachian tube (ET). To date, fifteen studies have evaluated AQPs expression in the ME and ET. Although the expression of individual AQPs varies by species and model, eleven types of AQP, AQP1 to AQP11, were found to be expressed in mammalian ME and ET. The review showed that: (1) various types of AQPs are expressed in the ME and ET; (2) AQP expression may vary by species; and (3) the distribution and levels of expression of AQPs may depend on the presence or absence of inflammation, with variations even in the same species and same tissue. Fluid accumulation in the ME and ET is a common pathological mechanism for all types of OM, causing edema in the tissue and inducing inflammation, thereby possibly involving various AQPs. The expression patterns of several AQPs, especially AQP1, 4 and 5, were found to be altered in response to inflammatory stimuli, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), suggesting that AQPs may have immunological functions in OM.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin as a Pivotal Endocrine Immune Regulator Initiating and Preserving Fetal Tolerance
Authors: Schumacher Anne
Published: October 2017

The pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), is crucially involved in processes such as implantation and placentation, two milestones of pregnancy whose successful progress is a prerequisite for adequate fetal growth. Moreover, hCG determines fetal fate by regulating maternal innate and adaptive immune responses allowing the acceptance of the foreign fetal antigens. As one of the first signals provided by the embryo to its mother, hCG has the potential to regulate very early pregnancy-driven immune responses, allowing the establishment and preservation of fetal tolerance. This mini review focuses on how hCG modulates the adaptive arm of the immune system including dendritic cells as key regulators of adaptive immune responses.
Ferritin Heavy Subunit Silencing Blocks the Erythroid Commitment of K562 Cells via miR-150 up-Regulation and GATA-1 Repression
Authors: Zolea Fabiana , Battaglia Anna Martina , Chiarella Emanuela , Malanga Donatella , Marco Carmela De , Bond Heather Mandy , Morrone Giovanni , Costanzo Francesco , Biamonte Flavia
Published: October 2017

Erythroid differentiation is a complex and multistep process during which an adequate supply of iron for hemoglobinization is required. The role of ferritin heavy subunit, in this process, has been mainly attributed to its capacity to maintain iron in a non-toxic form. We propose a new role for ferritin heavy subunit (FHC) in controlling the erythroid commitment of K562 erythro-myeloid cells. FHC knockdown induces a change in the balance of GATA transcription factors and significantly reduces the expression of a repertoire of erythroid-specific genes, including α- and γ-globins, as well as CD71 and CD235a surface markers, in the absence of differentiation stimuli. These molecular changes are also reflected at the morphological level. Moreover, the ability of FHC-silenced K562 cells to respond to the erythroid-specific inducer hemin is almost completely abolished. Interestingly, we found that this new role for FHC is largely mediated via regulation of miR-150, one of the main microRNA implicated in the cell-fate choice of common erythroid/megakaryocytic progenitors. These findings shed further insight into the biological properties of FHCand delineate a role in erythroid differentiation where this protein does not act as a mere iron metabolism-related factor but also as a critical regulator of the expression of genes of central relevance for erythropoiesis.
Molecular Aspects of Circadian Pharmacology and Relevance for Cancer Chronotherapy
Authors: Ozturk Narin , Ozturk Dilek , Kavakli Ibrahim Halil , Okyar Alper
Published: October 2017

The circadian timing system (CTS) controls various biological functions in mammals including xenobiotic metabolism and detoxification, immune functions, cell cycle events, apoptosis and angiogenesis. Although the importance of the CTS is well known in the pharmacology of drugs, it is less appreciated at the clinical level. Genome-wide studies highlighted that the majority of drug target genes are controlled by CTS. This suggests that chronotherapeutic approaches should be taken for many drugs to enhance their effectiveness. Currently chronotherapeutic approaches are successfully applied in the treatment of different types of cancers. The chronotherapy approach has improved the tolerability and antitumor efficacy of anticancer drugs both in experimental animals and in cancer patients. Thus, chronobiological studies have been of importance in determining the most appropriate time of administration of anticancer agents to minimize their side effects or toxicity and enhance treatment efficacy, so as to optimize the therapeutic ratio. This review focuses on the underlying mechanisms of the circadian pharmacology i.e., chronopharmacokinetics and chronopharmacodynamics of anticancer agents with the molecular aspects, and provides an overview of chronotherapy in cancer and some of the recent advances in the development of chronopharmaceutics.
Replacing Nitrogen by Sulfur: From Structurally Disordered Eumelanins to Regioregular Thiomelanin Polymers
Authors: Iacomino Mariagrazia , Mancebo-Aracil Juan , Guardingo Mireia , Martín Raquel , D’Errico Gerardino , Perfetti Marco , Manini Paola , Crescenzi Orlando , Busqué Félix , Napolitano Alessandra , D’Ischia Marco , Sedó Josep , Ruiz-Molina Daniel
Published: October 2017

The oxidative polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxybenzothiophene (DHBT), the sulfur analog of the key eumelanin building block 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI), was investigated to probe the role of nitrogen in eumelanin build-up and properties. Unlike DHI, which gives a typical black insoluble eumelanin polymer on oxidation, DHBT is converted to a grayish amorphous solid (referred to as thiomelanin) with visible absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance properties different from those of DHI melanin. Mass spectrometry experiments revealed gradational mixtures of oligomers up to the decamer level. Quite unexpectedly, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the early oligomer fractions indicated linear, 4-, and 7-linked structures in marked contrast with DHI, which gives highly complex mixtures of partially degraded oligomers. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations supported the tendency of DHBT to couple via the 4- and 7-positions. These results uncover the role of nitrogen as a major determinant of the structural diversity generated by the polymerization of DHI, and point to replacement by sulfur as a viable entry to regioregular eumelanin-type materials for potential applications for surface functionalization by dip coating.
Experimental and Computational Study of Ductile Fracture in Small Punch Tests
Authors: Gülçimen Çakan Betül , Soyarslan Celal , Bargmann Swantje , Hähner Peter
Published: October 2017

A unified experimental-computational study on ductile fracture initiation and propagation during small punch testing is presented. Tests are carried out at room temperature with unnotched disks of different thicknesses where large-scale yielding prevails. In thinner specimens, the fracture occurs with severe necking under membrane tension, whereas for thicker ones a through thickness shearing mode prevails changing the crack orientation relative to the loading direction. Computational studies involve finite element simulations using a shear modified Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman porous plasticity model with an integral-type nonlocal formulation. The predicted punch load-displacement curves and deformed profiles are in good agreement with the experimental results.
The Influence of the Polymer Amount on the Biological Properties of PCL/ZrO2 Hybrid Materials Synthesized via Sol-Gel Technique
Authors: Catauro Michelina , Tranquillo Elisabetta , Illiano Michela , Sapio Luigi , Spina Annamaria , Naviglio Silvio
Published: October 2017

Organic/inorganic hybrid materials are attracting considerable attention in the biomedical area. The sol-gel process provides a convenient way to produce many bioactive organic–inorganic hybrids. Among those, poly(e-caprolactone)/zirconia (PCL/ZrO2) hybrids have proved to be bioactive with no toxic materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of these materials on the cellular response as a function of the PCL content, in order to evaluate their potential use in the biomedical field. For this purpose, PCL/ZrO2 hybrids containing 6, 12, 24, and 50 wt % of PCL were synthesized by the sol-gel method. The effects of their presence on the NIH-3T3 fibroblast cell line carrying out direct cell number counting, MTT, cell damage assays, flow cytometry-based analysis of cell-cycle progression, and immunoblotting experiments. The results confirm and extend the findings that PCL/ZrO2 hybrids are free from toxicity. The hybrids containing 12 and 24 wt % PCL, (more than 6 and 50 wt % ones) enhance cell proliferation when compared to pure ZrO2 by affecting cell cycle progression. The finding that the content of PCL in PCL/ZrO2 hybrids differently supports cell proliferation suggests that PCL/ZrO2 hybrids could be useful tools with different potential clinical applications.
Bioactivity and Cell Compatibility of β-Wollastonite Derived from Rice Husk Ash and Limestone
Authors: Shamsudin Roslinda , Abdul Azam Farah ‘Atiqah , Abdul Hamid Muhammad , Ismail Hamisah
Published: October 2017

The aim of this study was to prepare β-wollastonite using a green synthesis method (autoclaving technique) without organic solvents and to study its bioactivity. To prepare β-wollastonite, the precursor ratio of CaO:SiO2 was set at 55:45. This mixture was autoclaved for 8 h and later sintered at 950 °C for 2 h. The chemical composition of the precursors was studied using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), in which rice husk ash consists of 89.5 wt % of SiO2 in a cristobalite phase and calcined limestone contains 97.2 wt % of CaO. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns after sintering showed that only β-wollastonite was detected as the single phase. To study its bioactivity and degradation properties, β-wollastonite samples were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for various periods of time. Throughout the soaking period, the molar ratio of Ca/P obtained was in the range of 1.19 to 2.24, and the phase detected was amorphous calcium phosphate, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) and XRD. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated that the peaks of the calcium and phosphate ions increased when an amorphous calcium phosphate layer was formed on the surface of the β-wollastonite sample. A cell viability and proliferation assay test was performed on the rice husk ash, calcined limestone, and β-wollastonite samples by scanning electron microscope. For heavy metal element evaluation, a metal panel that included As, Cd, Pb, and Hg was selected, and both precursor and β-wollastonite fulfilled the requirement of an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM F1538-03) standard specification. Apart from that, a degradation test showed that the loss of mass increased incrementally as a function of soaking period. These results showed that the β-wollastonite materials produced from rice husk ash and limestone possessed good bioactivity, offering potential for biomedical applications.
A Review of Statistical Failure Time Models with Application of a Discrete Hazard Based Model to 1Cr1Mo-0.25V Steel for Turbine Rotors and Shafts
Authors: Evans Mark
Published: October 2017

Producing predictions of the probabilistic risks of operating materials for given lengths of time at stated operating conditions requires the assimilation of existing deterministic creep life prediction models (that only predict the average failure time) with statistical models that capture the random component of creep. To date, these approaches have rarely been combined to achieve this objective. The first half of this paper therefore provides a summary review of some statistical models to help bridge the gap between these two approaches. The second half of the paper illustrates one possible assimilation using 1Cr1Mo-0.25V steel. The Wilshire equation for creep life prediction is integrated into a discrete hazard based statistical model—the former being chosen because of its novelty and proven capability in accurately predicting average failure times and the latter being chosen because of its flexibility in modelling the failure time distribution. Using this model it was found that, for example, if this material had been in operation for around 15 years at 823 K and 130 MPa, the chances of failure in the next year is around 35%. However, if this material had been in operation for around 25 years, the chance of failure in the next year rises dramatically to around 80%.
Dispersions of Goethite Nanorods in Aprotic Polar Solvents
Authors: Coursault Delphine , Dozov Ivan , Blanc Christophe , Nobili Maurizio , Dupont Laurent , Chanéac Corinne , Davidson Patrick
Published: October 2017

Colloidal suspensions of anisotropic nanoparticles can spontaneously self-organize in liquid-crystalline phases beyond some concentration threshold. These phases often respond to electric and magnetic fields. At lower concentrations, usual isotropic liquids are observed but they can display very strong Kerr and Cotton-Mouton effects (i.e., field-induced particle orientation). For many examples of these colloidal suspensions, the solvent is water, which hinders most electro-optic applications. Here, for goethite (α-FeOOH) nanorod dispersions, we show that water can be replaced by polar aprotic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), without loss of colloidal stability. By polarized-light microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and electro-optic measurements, we found that the nematic phase, with its field-response properties, is retained. Moreover, a strong Kerr effect was also observed with isotropic goethite suspensions in these polar aprotic solvents. Furthermore, we found no significant difference in the behavior of both the nematic and isotropic phases between the aqueous and non-aqueous dispersions. Our work shows that goethite nanorod suspensions in polar aprotic solvents, suitable for electro-optic applications, can easily be produced and that they keep all their outstanding properties. It also suggests that this solvent replacement method could be extended to the aqueous colloidal suspensions of other kinds of charged anisotropic nanoparticles.
Marine-Derived 2-Aminoimidazolone Alkaloids. Leucettamine B-Related Polyandrocarpamines Inhibit Mammalian and Protozoan DYRK & CLK Kinases
Authors: Loaëc Nadège , Attanasio Eletta , Villiers Benoît , Durieu Emilie , Tahtouh Tania , Cam Morgane , Davis Rohan , Alencar Aline , Roué Mélanie , Bourguet-Kondracki Marie-Lise , Proksch Peter , Limanton Emmanuelle , Guiheneuf Solène , Carreaux François , Bazureau Jean-Pierre , Klautau Michelle , Meijer Laurent
Published: October 2017

A large diversity of 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids is produced by various marine invertebrates, especially by the marine Calcareous sponges Leucetta and Clathrina. The phylogeny of these sponges and the wide scope of 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids they produce are reviewed in this article. The origin (invertebrate cells, associated microorganisms, or filtered plankton), physiological functions, and natural molecular targets of these alkaloids are largely unknown. Following the identification of leucettamine B as an inhibitor of selected protein kinases, we synthesized a family of analogues, collectively named leucettines, as potent inhibitors of DYRKs (dual-specificity, tyrosine phosphorylation regulated kinases) and CLKs (cdc2-like kinases) and potential pharmacological leads for the treatment of several diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. We assembled a small library of marine sponge- and ascidian-derived 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids, along with several synthetic analogues, and tested them on a panel of mammalian and protozoan kinases. Polyandrocarpamines A and B were found to be potent and selective inhibitors of DYRKs and CLKs. They inhibited cyclin D1 phosphorylation on a DYRK1A phosphosite in cultured cells. 2-Aminoimidazolones thus represent a promising chemical scaffold for the design of potential therapeutic drug candidates acting as specific inhibitors of disease-relevant kinases, and possibly other disease-relevant targets.
Sea Cucumber Glycosides: Chemical Structures, Producing Species and Important Biological Properties
Authors: Mondol Muhammad Abdul Mojid , Shin Hee Jae , Rahman M. Aminur , Islam Mohamad Tofazzal
Published: October 2017

Sea cucumbers belonging to echinoderm are traditionally used as tonic food in China and other Asian countries. They produce abundant biologically active triterpene glycosides. More than 300 triterpene glycosides have been isolated and characterized from various species of sea cucumbers, which are classified as holostane and nonholostane depending on the presence or absence of a specific structural unit γ(18,20)-lactone in the aglycone. Triterpene glycosides contain a carbohydrate chain up to six monosaccharide units mainly consisting of d-xylose, 3-O-methy-d-xylose, d-glucose, 3-O-methyl-d-glucose, and d-quinovose. Cytotoxicity is the common biological property of triterpene glycosides isolated from sea cucumbers. Besides cytotoxicity, triterpene glycosides also exhibit antifungal, antiviral and hemolytic activities. This review updates and summarizes our understanding on diverse chemical structures of triterpene glycosides from various species of sea cucumbers and their important biological activities. Mechanisms of action and structural–activity relationships (SARs) of sea cucumber glycosides are also discussed briefly.
Trajectory Analysis of Copper and Glass Particles in Electrostatic Separation for the Recycling of ASR
Authors: Kim Beom-uk , Han Oh-hyung , Jeon Ho-seok , Baek Sang-ho , Park Chul-hyun
Published: October 2017

Automobile-shredder-residue (ASR) recycling techniques have been widely applied for improving the total recycling rate of end-of-life vehicles. In this study, to obtain useful information for predicting or improving ASR-separation efficiency, trajectory analyses of conductors (copper) and non-conductors (glass) were performed using a lab-scale induction electrostatic separator. The copper-wire trajectories obtained showed a good agreement depending significantly on the electric field strength and particle size. The observed copper-wire trajectories showed consistent congruity with the coarse-particles simulation (0.5 and 0.25 mm). The observed fine-particles (0.06 mm) trajectory was deflected toward the (−) attractive electrode, owing to the charge density effects due to the particle characteristics and relative humidity. This results in superior separation performance because more copper enters the conductor products bin. The actual dielectric-glass trajectory was deflected toward the (−) attractive electrode, thus showing characteristics similar to conductive-particle characteristics. Through analyses conducted using a stereoscopic microscope, scanning electron microscope, and energy dispersive spectroscope, we found heterogeneous materials (fine ferrous particles and conductive organics) on the glass surface. This demonstrates the separation-efficiency decrease for non-ferrous metals during electrostatic separation in the recycling of ASR. Future work should include a pretreatment process for eliminating impurities from the glass and advanced trajectory-simulation processes.
Controlled Solvent-Free Formation of Embedded PDMS-Derived Carbon Nanodomains with Tunable Fluorescence Using Selective Laser Ablation with A Low-Power CD Laser
Authors: González-Vázquez María , Hautefeuille Mathieu
Published: October 2017

We present a study of the application of a single-step and solvent-free laser-based strategy to control the formation of polymer-derived fluorescent carbon nanodomains embedded in poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels. A low-power, laser-induced microplasma was used to produce a localised combustion of a PDMS surface and confine nanocarbon byproducts within the exposed microregions. Patterns with on-demand geometries were achieved under dry environmental conditions thanks to a low-cost 3-axis CD-DVD platform motorised in a selective laser ablation fashion. The high temperature required for combustion of PDMS was achieved locally by strongly focusing the laser spot on the desired areas, and the need for high-power laser was bypassed by coating the surface with an absorbing carbon additive layer, hence making the etching of a transparent material possible. The simple and repeatable fabrication process and the spectroscopic characterisation of resulting fluorescent microregions are reported. In situ Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to identify the nature of the nanoclusters left inside the modified areas and their fluorescence spectra as a function of excitation wavelength. Interestingly, the carbon nanodomains left inside the etched micropatterns showed a strong dependency on the additive materials and laser energy that were used to achieve the incandescence and etch microchannels on the surface of the polymer. This dependence on the lasing conditions indicates that our cost-effective laser ablation technique may be used to tune the nature of the polymer-derived nanocarbons, useful for photonics applications in transparent silicones in a rapid-prototyping fashion.
Effects of an Advocacy Trial on Food Industry Salt Reduction Efforts—An Interim Process Evaluation
Authors: Trevena Helen , Petersen Kristina , Thow Anne , Dunford Elizabeth , Wu Jason , Neal Bruce
Published: October 2017

The decisions made by food companies are a potent factor shaping the nutritional quality of the food supply. A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocate for corporate action to reduce salt levels in foods, but few data define the effectiveness of advocacy. This present report describes the process evaluation of an advocacy intervention delivered by one Australian NGO directly to food companies to reduce the salt content of processed foods. Food companies were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 22) or control (n = 23) groups. Intervention group companies were exposed to pre-planned and opportunistic communications, and control companies to background activities. Seven pre-defined interim outcome measures provided an indication of the effect of the intervention and were assessed using intention-to-treat analysis. These were supplemented by qualitative data from nine semi-structured interviews. The mean number of public communications supporting healthy food made by intervention companies was 1.5 versus 1.8 for control companies (p = 0.63). Other outcomes, including the mean number of news articles, comments and reports (1.2 vs. 1.4; p = 0.72), a published nutrition policy (23% vs. 44%; p = 0.21), public commitment to the Australian government’s Food and Health Dialogue (FHD) (41% vs. 61%; p = 0.24), evidence of a salt reduction plan (23% vs. 30%; p = 0.56), and mean number of communications with the NGO (15 vs. 11; p = 0.28) were also not significantly different. Qualitative data indicated the advocacy trial had little effect. The absence of detectable effects of the advocacy intervention on the interim markers indicates there may be no impact of the NGO advocacy trial on the primary outcome of salt reduction in processed foods.
Interactions of Biocidal Polyhexamethylene Guanidine Hydrochloride and Its Analogs with POPC Model Membranes
Authors: Luo Xuliang , Jiang Ziran , Zhang Niya , Yang Zixin , Zhou Zhongxin
Published: October 2017

The bacterial membrane-targeted polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHGH) and its novel analog polyoctamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (POGH) had excellent antimicrobial activities against antibiotics-resistant bacteria. However, the biocompatibility aspects of PHGH and POGH on the phospholipid membrane of the eukaryotic cell have not yet been considered. Four chemically synthesized cationic oligoguanidine polymers containing alkyl group with different carbon chain lengths, including PHGH, POGH, and their two analogs, were used to determine their interactions with zwitterionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) phospholipids vesicles mimicking the eukaryotic cell membrane. Characterization was conducted by using bactericidal dynamics, hemolysis testing, calcein dye leakage, and isothermal titration calorimetry. Results showed that the gradually lengthened alkyl carbon chain of four oligoguanidine polymers increased the biocidal activity of the polymer, accompanied with the increased hemolytic activity, calcein dye leakage rate and the increased absolute value of the exothermic effect of polymer-POPC membrane interaction. The thermodynamic curve of the polymer-POPC membrane interaction exhibited a very weak exothermic effect and a poorly unsaturated titration curve, which indicated that four guanidine polymers had weak affinity for zwitterionic POPC vesicles. Generally, PHGH of four guanidine polymers had high biocidal activity and relatively high biocompatibility. This study emphasized that appropriate amphiphilicity balanced by the alkyl chain length, and the positive charge is important factor for the biocompatibility of cationic antimicrobial guanidine polymer. Both PHGH and POGH exhibited destructive power to phospholipid membrane of eukaryotic cell, which should be considered in their industry applications.
Spirituality in Nursing: An Overview of Research Methods
Authors: Martins Helga , Romeiro Joana , Caldeira Sílvia
Published: October 2017

Spirituality has been widely considered important for patients’ health and for healthcare practice and is related to connectedness, meaning in life, and transcendence. Research concerning spirituality is growing rapidly, and the implementation of spiritual care should be based on evidence. This literature review aims to describe the methods that have been used in nursing research focusing on spirituality. The electronic search on databases through EBSCOhost identified 2091 citations, and a total of 231 studies were included. The methods used in research on spirituality in nursing are mostly quantitative (52.4%), but some are qualitative (42.8%) and mixed (4.8%). Regarding the quantitative research, most studies are observational (90.9%), and these are mainly descriptive (82.7%) and correlational (17.3%). Most studies used a cross-sectional design (98.7%), and few used longitudinal design (1.3%). The qualitative research is descriptive (39.4%), phenomenological (26.3%), and grounded theory (14.1%). Research on spirituality in nursing is based on both main paradigms (quantitative and qualitative), but also on mixed methods. Studies have mainly been conducted using cross-sectional designs when compared to longitudinal designs. The latter seem to constitute a gap in nursing knowledge and evidence regarding the changes of spirituality over time, which is particularly important for nurses’ delivery of spiritual care.
Crop Classification and LAI Estimation Using Original and Resolution-Reduced Images from Two Consumer-Grade Cameras
Authors: Zhang Jian , Yang Chenghai , Zhao Biquan , Song Huaibo , Clint Hoffmann Wesley , Shi Yeyin , Zhang Dongyan , Zhang Guozhong
Published: October 2017

Consumer-grade cameras are being increasingly used for remote sensing applications in recent years. However, the performance of this type of cameras has not been systematically tested and well documented in the literature. The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of original and resolution-reduced images taken from two consumer-grade cameras, a RGB camera and a modified near-infrared (NIR) camera, for crop identification and leaf area index (LAI) estimation. Airborne RGB and NIR images taken over a 6.5-square-km cropping area were mosaicked and aligned to create a four-band mosaic with a spatial resolution of 0.4 m. The spatial resolution of the mosaic was then reduced to 1, 2, 4, 10, 15 and 30 m for comparison. Six supervised classifiers were applied to the RGB images and the four-band images for crop identification, and 10 vegetation indices (VIs) derived from the images were related to ground-measured LAI. Accuracy assessment showed that maximum likelihood applied to the 0.4-m images achieved an overall accuracy of 83.3% for the RGB image and 90.4% for the four-band image. Regression analysis showed that the 10 VIs explained 58.7% to 83.1% of the variability in LAI. Moreover, spatial resolutions at 0.4, 1, 2 and 4 m achieved better classification results for both crop identification and LAI prediction than the coarser spatial resolutions at 10, 15 and 30 m. The results from this study indicate that imagery from consumer-grade cameras can be a useful data source for crop identification and canopy cover estimation.
Improving Land Use/Cover Classification with a Multiple Classifier System Using AdaBoost Integration Technique
Authors: Chen Yangbo , Dou Peng , Yang Xiaojun
Published: October 2017

Guangzhou has experienced a rapid urbanization since 1978 when China initiated the economic reform, resulting in significant land use/cover changes (LUC). To produce a time series of accurate LUC dataset that can be used to study urbanization and its impacts, Landsat imagery was used to map LUC changes in Guangzhou from 1987 to 2015 at a three-year interval using a multiple classifier system (MCS). The system was based on a weighted vector to combine base classifiers of different classification algorithms, and was improved using the AdaBoost technique. The new classification method used support vector machines (SVM), C4.5 decision tree, and neural networks (ANN) as the training algorithms of the base classifiers, and produced higher overall classification accuracy (88.12%) and Kappa coefficient (0.87) than each base classifier did. The results of the experiment showed that, based on the accuracy improvement of each class, the overall accuracy was improved effectively, which combined advantages from each base classifier. The new method is of high robustness and low risk of overfitting, and is reliable and accurate, and could be used for analyzing urbanization processes and its impacts.