bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of MoS2 Coating Performance on Bronze and Steel in Vacuum at High Temperatures
Authors: Prozhega Maksim V. , Kharkov Maksim M. , Reschikov Egor O. , Rykunov Georg I. , Kaziev Andrey V. , Kukushkina Margarita S. , Kolodko Dobrynya V. , Stepanova Tatiana V.
Published: January 2022

We compared two modes of magnetron sputter deposition of MoS2 on substrates made of steel AISI 316L and bronze CuAl9NiFe4Mn1 with different initial roughness Ra 0.05–2.32 µm. The deposition was carried out at a bias voltage of −20 and +100 V, and the deposition rate of these modes differed by 30%. Measurements of the friction coefficient and lifetime tests were made in accordance with ASTM G133. Measurements of the friction coefficient and lifetime tests in vacuum at load 7H, temperature of samples 250 °C, and pressure in the chamber <10−6 Pa were carried out according to ASTM G133. The adhesive strength, the chemical composition of the coatings before and after tribological tests, the degree of crystallinity of the coatings, and the distance between the planes were evaluated. Mechanical and structural properties of coatings are discussed concerning the deposition mode parameters. The average coefficient of friction of the MoS2 coatings in steady-state friction did not exceed 0.051 for all samples. The influence of the sample pretreatment method on the growth of molybdenum disulfide crystals was revealed.
The Influence of Pickling Treatment Parameters on the Surface State and Pre-Passivation Behavior of Super 13Cr Martensitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Dong Hui , Luo Zhuo , Han Yan , Liu Yan-Ming , Sun Liang , Zhai Wen-Yan
Published: January 2022

As a pre-treatment process in the pre-passivation of stainless steel, pickling treatment has a significant effect on the formation of the pre-passivation film. Thus, the surface composition and defects of Super 13Cr martensitic stainless steel (Super 13Cr) were evaluated under different pickling parameters to further improve the corrosion resistance of the pre-passivation film. The samples were prepared using the acid immersion method and by changing the immersion duration and the acid concentration. The inclusion and chemical composition on the Super 13Cr surface were characterized via a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The pickling treatment contributes little to the morphology, dimension, and other characteristic parameters of the inclusions. With the increasing duration and acidification concentration, the Cr content on the surface of Super 13Cr increases initially and then decreases. By contrast, the Fe content decreases initially and then increases. The pickling parameters corresponding to the lowest Fe content and the highest Cr content are identical, i.e., the exposure duration is 50 s and the acid concentration is 48 g/L. The pickling treatment in this case could be divided into two stages: outer film dissolution and inner film dissolution. The pickling parameters basically contribute little to the defects of martensitic stainless steel but can significantly affect the surface Cr and Fe content. Retaining the Cr-enriched inner layer could improve the content of Cr in the pre-passivation film and then improve the corrosion resistance of the film. Thus, compared with the original sample with native film, the corrosion resistance of the sample with a Cr-enriched inner layer improved by a factor of about 40.
Network-Compatible Unconditionally Secured Classical Key Distribution via Quantum Superposition-Induced Deterministic Randomness
Authors: Ham Byoung S.
Published: January 2022

Based on the addressability of quantum superposition and its unitary transformation, a network-compatible, unconditionally secured key distribution protocol is presented for arbitrary networking in a classical regime with potential applications of one-time-pad cryptography. The network capability is due to the addressable unitary transformation between arbitrary point-to-point connections in a network through commonly shared double transmission channels. The unconditional security is due to address-sensitive eavesdropping randomness via network authentication. The proposed protocol may offer a solid platform of unconditionally secured classical cryptography for mass-data communications in a conventional network, which would be otherwise impossible.
Composition and Distribution on a Host of Avian Lice of White Storks in North-Eastern Algeria
Authors: Touati Laïd , Athamnia Mohammed , Nedjah Riad , Boucheker Abdennour , Samraoui Farrah , El-Serehy Hamed A. , Samraoui Boudjéma
Published: January 2022

The diversity and spatial distribution of ectoparasites of a large colony of white stork Ciconia ciconia at Dréan, in north-eastern Algeria, were investigated during two consecutive breeding seasons. The results indicated that nestlings were infested by the following four louse species: Colpocephalum zebra (Burmeister, 1838), Neophilopterus incompletus (Denny, 1842), Ardeicola ciconiae (Linnaeus, 1758), and Ciconiphilus quadripustulatus (Burmeister, 1838). Overall, the distribution of chewing lice exhibited a clustered distribution, with C. zebra being the most frequent species, with a prevalence of 39.6% and 41.0% in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Our results also suggested niche partitioning among the four louse species within the host’s body parts. A generalized additive model indicated that size, sex, and year influenced the abundance of ectoparasites; the abundance of chewing lice increased with the size of the host and was greater in females, as well as in the first year of study. Further studies are needed to explore the spatio-temporal variability in white storks’ lice infestations.
Role of Combined 68Ga DOTA-Peptides and 18F FDG PET/CT in the Evaluation of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: Kaewput Chalermrat , Vinjamuri Sobhan
Published: January 2022

This review article summarizes the role of combined 68Ga DOTA-peptides and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the evaluation of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs). Patients with GEP-NENs can initially present themselves to a gastroenterologist or endocrinologist rather than cancer specialist; hence, it is vital for a wider group of clinicians to be familiar with the range of tests available for the evaluation of these patients. The role of PET scanning by using 68Ga DOTA-peptides has a high sensitivity in the diagnosis of GEP-NENs and to guide patient selection for treatment with somatostatin analogues (SSA) and/or peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). The loss of somatostatin receptor (SSTR) expression was found to be associated with an increased glucose metabolism in cells. However, the routine use of SSTR targeted radiotracers in combination with 18F-FDG to evaluate glucose utilization in GEP-NENs is still debatable. In our opinion, in patients with NENs, 18F-FDG PET should be performed in the case of a negative or slightly positive 68Ga DOTA-peptides PET scan for assessing the dedifferentiation status, to guide correct therapeutic strategy and to evaluate the prognosis. The approach of combined receptor and metabolic imaging can improve diagnostic accuracy, especially considering the heterogeneity of these lesions. Therefore, 68Ga DOTA-peptides and 18F-FDG PET should be considered complementary in patients with GEP-NENs.
Sufficient Dimension Reduction: An Information-Theoretic Viewpoint
Authors: Ghosh Debashis
Published: January 2022

There has been a lot of interest in sufficient dimension reduction (SDR) methodologies, as well as nonlinear extensions in the statistics literature. The SDR methodology has previously been motivated by several considerations: (a) finding data-driven subspaces that capture the essential facets of regression relationships; (b) analyzing data in a ‘model-free’ manner. In this article, we develop an approach to interpreting SDR techniques using information theory. Such a framework leads to a more assumption-lean understanding of what SDR methods do and also allows for some connections to results in the information theory literature.
Amplitude Control of Stall-Induced Nonlinear Aeroelastic System Based on Iterative Learning Control and Unified Pitch Motion
Authors: Liu Tingrui , Sun Changle , Zhao Kang , Gong Ailing
Published: January 2022

In this study, vibration control, a behavior which subordinates to stall-induced nonlinear vibration and amplitude control of a wind turbine’s blade section, based on unified pitch motion driven by slider-linkage mechanism, is investigated by using an iterative learning control (ILC) method. The nonlinear dynamical system is a nonlinear aeroelastic system. The aeroelastic system equations consist of three parts: the nonlinear structural equations derived by using Lagrange’s equations, the improved stall-induced nonlinear ONERA (ISNO) aerodynamic equations, and the pitch control equation. The ISNO model is not only suitable for the actual external pitch motion, but also suitable for the solution by using an ILC algorithm due to its fitted nonlinear aerodynamic coefficients. The ILC algorithm used here is an improved iterative learning algorithm (IILC) which considers the large-range, linearized, residual terms, and realizes gain adaptive tuning based on PID controller. On the one hand, it can control the amplitude of an unsteady flutter through trajectory tracking. On the other hand, when the preset value of the amplitude of the ideal trajectory is very small, it can make the system directly tend to convergence and stability of a nonlinear aeroelastic system. To simplify the extremely difficult iterative process, the pitch movement can track the elastic twist displacement in time, thus simplifying the aeroelastic equations and accelerating the IILC iteration process. Therefore, amplitude control for flap-wise/lead-lag displacements is realized by the unified pitch motion and the trajectory tracking controlled by using the IILC algorithm.
Managing the Demand in a Micro Grid Based on Load Shifting with Controllable Devices Using Hybrid WFS2ACSO Technique
Authors: Venkatesh Banala , Sankaramurthy Padmini , Chokkalingam Bharatiraja , Mihet-Popa Lucian
Published: January 2022

Demand Side Management (DSM) is an effective tool for utilities through reducing the demand of peak load and controlling the utilization of the energy of the system. The implementation of DSM provides benefits for utilities and is profitable for the customers who are involved in this process. DSM based on a load shifting strategy is proposed in this paper by employing various devices to minimize the energy consumption pattern in the system. The proposed hybrid strategy is the joint implementation of the Wingsuit Flying Search Algorithm (WFSA) and Artificial Cell Swarm Optimization (ACSO). The searching behavior of WFSA is enhanced by ACSO. Hence, it is named the WFS2ACSO technique. The implementation of this load shifting technique was carried out on three different types of loads, these being residential loads, commercial loads, and industrial loads. Two case studies, over summer and winter, were validated to check the feasibility of the test system. The proposed method aimed to achieve the load demand in an effective way for the minimization of bill electrification, Peak to Average Ratio (PAR), and the consumption of power. The Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing was implemented to calculate the savings in energy bills. The proposed test system of the Micro Grid (MG) was executed on a MATLAB platform with two case studies based on the optimization methods WFSA and WFS2ACSO. Simulation results demonstrated the comparative analysis of electricity cost and peak load with different algorithms and were carried out with and without DSM consideration. The projected DSM methodology achieved considerable savings as the peak load demand of MG decreased. Furthermore, the decrease in PAR levels of 14% in the residential load, 16% in the commercial load, and 10% in the industrial load, with and without the DSM methodology, was presented. The flight length and awareness of probability tuning parameters make the proposed algorithm more effective in obtaining better results. The test results obtained prove the effectiveness of the hybridized algorithm as compared with other trend-setting optimization techniques such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Ant Lion Optimization (ALO).
External Environmental Analysis for Sustainable Bike-Sharing System Development
Authors: Macioszek Elżbieta , Cieśla Maria
Published: January 2022

The paper introduces a discussion regarding the development of a public bike-sharing system, considering random factors, based on selected external environmental analysis methods. The global energy crisis is forcing scientists to continuously improve energy-efficient sustainable methods and scientific solutions. It is particularly important in transportation since transport activities and the constant increase in the number of vehicles have a large share in global energy consumption. The following study investigates the social, technological, economic, environmental, and political aspects of bike-sharing systems in cities. The research purpose of the article is to select the most important macro-environmental factors and their mutual interaction influencing the sustainable development of bike-sharing systems based on the Polish cities case study. The evaluation was carried out through expert methods with STEEP environmental analysis, evaluation of factors with the weighted score, and structural analysis method with MICMAC computer application. The classification of key factors influencing the development of a bike-sharing system has divided them into five groups. It can support public transport service providers and organizers. This can optimize the planning process with decision-making based on future environmental trends.
An Investigation of the Vibration Modes of an External Gear Pump through Experiments and Numerical Modeling
Authors: Woo Sangbeom , Vacca Andrea
Published: January 2022

This paper presents an experimental and numerical modal analysis for an external gear pump considering its mounting on a test rig in a laboratory setting. Most of the previous studies on experimental modal analysis (EMA) of hydraulic pumps focused on the modal frequencies to allow model validation. However, the mode shapes of pump bodies have not extensively been discussed. Furthermore, the nature of the pump components assembly and mounting poses some modeling challenges, such as the uncertain material properties of each component, the behavior of the bolted joints, and some critical modeling boundary conditions related to pump mounting. In this regard, the experimentally obtained vibration modes of a reference pump using the least-square complex exponential (LSCE) method are analyzed with an emphasis on the characteristics of the mode shapes. Then, simple modeling strategies are proposed and validated by performing the analysis from the component level to the full assembly. As a result, the mode shapes are categorized depending on the type of motions that the modes exhibit. It is observed that the pump casing does not show any substantial deformation but is close to the rigid body motion. Moreover, without considerably increasing model complexities, the proposed numerical approach provides reasonable accuracy with average errors in modal frequencies of 6%, as well as good agreement in terms of mode shapes. The vibration reduction strategy is briefly discussed based on the measured mode shapes, and the proposed modeling approaches can be useful to study external gear pumps with minimal model complexities yet allowing reasonable result accuracy.
A Study on Improving Economy Efficiency of Pumping Stations Based on Tariff Changes
Authors: Napierała Michał
Published: January 2022

In this paper, research on improving the economic efficiency of 38 drainage pumping stations was undertaken. Particular attention was paid to the effectiveness of activities without considering any expenditures. Energy costs for this type of machine are usually high, approximately 45% of the total maintenance cost. The main assumption of this work was the selection of appropriate energy tariffs to reduce operating costs. Liquid transport in any economy consumes significant amounts of electricity, estimated at 20–30% of the total electricity production. The optimization of the energy consumption of pumping processes is, therefore, very important. While analyzing the choice of energy tariffs, we designed profitability ratios (PR) specifically for different daily time zones. With the forecasted distribution of energy demands for different daily time zones (usually 2 or 3 zones), it was possible to compare multi-zone tariffs with 24 h tariffs. The profitability of the tariffs was decided by the value of the PR indicator. The lower, the better. In practice, this meant that the analyzed multi-zone tariffs, in most cases, are more profitable compared to single-zone tariffs. In the Polish energy system, each entrepreneur, depending on the connection power, has a right to choose a particular energy tariff from three tariff groups, i.e., high (A), medium (B), and low (C) voltage. In the case of land reclamation pumping stations, energy tariffs are usually from groups B and C. The choice of tariffs largely depends on the contracted capacity and is determined by tariff regulation. Nowadays, the current energy system forces entrepreneurs to declare a connected power load at the level corresponding to the maximum use of the production potential. Lack of knowledge of the hydrological regime, quite common for land reclamation pumping stations, usually results in overestimating the contracted capacity. When comparing the effect of changing tariffs, it was found that the profitability of this method is significant. The four-year study period (2010–2013) showed that active energy in the multi-part tariffs of groups B and C is on average 10.2% cheaper than in the single-part tariffs and varies in a wide range from 2% to 20.4%. The analysis carried out on 38 drainage pumping stations shows that for only five pumping stations could changing the current tariff be unjustified. In the other cases, the four years of analysis demonstrates that changing the current energy tariff could reduce electricity costs by approximately 5%., i.e., approximately PLN 124,000 per year (approximately EUR 27,000).
Estimating the Employment and Fiscal Consequences of Thermal Coal Phase-Out in China
Authors: Clark Alex , Zhang Weirong
Published: January 2022

China hosts over half of global coal-fired power generation capacity and has the world’s largest coal reserves. Its 2060 carbon neutrality goal will require coal-fired electricity generation to shrink dramatically, with or without carbon capture and storage technology. Two macroeconomic areas in which the socioeconomic impact of this decline is felt are losses in jobs and tax revenues supported by thermal coal mining, transport and power generation. At the national level, under a ‘baseline’ (B) scenario consistent with China’s carbon neutrality goal, labour productivity growth in coal mining implies that significant job losses will occur nationally in the medium term, even if all coal plants continue operating as planned. Jobs supported by the coal power industry would decline from an estimated 2.7 million in 2021, to 1.44 million in 2035 and 94,000 in 2050, with jobs losses from mining alone expected to exceed 1.1 million by 2035. Tax revenues from thermal coal would total approximately CNY 300 billion annually from 2021–2030, peaking in 2023 at CNY 340 billion. This is significantly less than estimated subsidies of at least CNY 480 billion, suggesting coal is likely a net fiscal drain on China’s public finances, even without accounting for the costs of local pollution and the social cost of carbon. As coal plant retirements accelerate, from 2034 onwards, fiscal revenues begin to fall more rapidly, with rates of decline rising from 1% in the 2020s to over 10% a year by the 2040s. More aggressive climate policy and technology scenarios bring job and tax losses forward in time, while a No Transition policy, in which all currently planned coal plants are built, delays but does not ultimately prevent these losses. At the provincial level, China’s major coal-producing provinces will likely face challenges in managing the localised effects of expected job losses and finding productive alternative uses for this labour. Governments of coal-producing provinces like Inner Mongolia, with an industry highly dependent on exports to other provinces, are more exposed than others to declining tax revenues from coal, and more insulated from job losses, given their high current degree of labour efficiency. Although their provincial revenues are likely to remain stable until the early 2030s under the B scenario, the possibility of increasing policy stringency underlines the need for revenue and skill base diversification. At the firm level, China’s ‘Big Five’ state-owned power companies were responsible for over 40% of both jobs and tax revenues in 2021. The number of jobs supported by the activities of each of the largest ten firms, with one exception, will decline by 71–84% by the early 2040s, with the tax contribution of each declining by 43–69% in the same period.
A Position Sensorless Closed-Loop Control Mode of a Three-Phase Hybrid Stepper Motor
Authors: Peng Zhen , Bi Chao
Published: January 2022

The demand for the high-performance and low-cost position control actuators in many applications promotes the development of three-phase hybrid stepper motors. The torque ripple, loss, and pullout torque of the motor are the key factors to be considered in the motor application. In order to solve the problems of the open-loop control mode, this paper proposes a new “sensorless closed-loop” control mode to significantly improve the performance of three-phase hybrid stepper motors. This control mode is developed by estimating the rotor position with the Extended Kalman filter observer, thereby realizing the closed-loop control of the motor with sensorless technology. This paper illustrates the effects of this control mode by analyzing motor noise, losses, and pullout-torque. The results show that the use of the “sensorless closed-loop” control mode presented can effectively improve the performance of the stepper motor while maintaining the advantages of the motor in terms of cost and size. These results have positive significance for the development, application, and promotion of high-performance three-phase hybrid stepper motor systems.
Private Hospital Energy Performance Benchmarking Using Energy Audit Data: An Italian Case Study
Authors: Dadi Daniele , Introna Vito , Santolamazza Annalisa , Salvio Marcello , Martini Chiara , Pastura Tiberio , Martini Fabrizio
Published: January 2022

The increased focus on energy efficiency, both at the national and international levels, has fostered the diffusion and development of specific energy consumption benchmarks for most relevant economic sectors. In this context, energy-intensive facilities, such as hospitals and health structures, represent a unique case. Indeed, despite the high energy consumption of these structures, scientific literature lacks the presence of adequate energy performance benchmarks, especially in regard to the European context. Thus, this study aimed at defining energy benchmark indicators for the Italian private healthcare sector using data collected from the Italian mandatory energy audits according to Art.8 EU Directive 27/2012. The benchmark indicators’ definition was made using a methodology proposed by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA). This methodology provided the calculation of specific energy performance indicators (EnPIs) by considering the global energy consumption of the different sites and the sector’s relevant variables. The results obtained were compared with those obtained from a consolidated but more complex methodology: the one envisaged by the Environmental Protection Agency. The results obtained allowed us to validate the reliability of the proposed methodology, as well as the validity and future usability of the calculated indicators. Relying on a significant database containing actual data from recent energy audits, this study was thus able to provide an up-to-date and reliable benchmark for the private healthcare sector.
CBLSTM-AE: A Hybrid Deep Learning Framework for Predicting Energy Consumption
Authors: Jogunola Olamide , Adebisi Bamidele , Hoang Khoa Van , Tsado Yakubu , Popoola Segun I. , Hammoudeh Mohammad , Nawaz Raheel
Published: January 2022

Multisource energy data, including from distributed energy resources and its multivariate nature, necessitate the integration of robust data predictive frameworks to minimise prediction error. This work presents a hybrid deep learning framework to accurately predict the energy consumption of different building types, both commercial and domestic, spanning different countries, including Canada and the UK. Specifically, we propose architectures comprising convolutional neural network (CNN), an autoencoder (AE) with bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM), and bidirectional LSTM BLSTM). The CNN layer extracts important features from the dataset and the AE-BLSTM and LSTM layers are used for prediction. We use the individual household electric power consumption dataset from the University of California, Irvine to compare the skillfulness of the proposed framework to the state-of-the-art frameworks. Results show performance improvement in computation time of 56% and 75.2%, and mean squared error (MSE) of 80% and 98.7% in comparison with a CNN BLSTM-based framework (EECP-CBL) and vanilla LSTM, respectively. In addition, we use various datasets from Canada and the UK to further validate the generalisation ability of the proposed framework to underfitting and overfitting, which was tested on real consumers’ smart boxes. The results show that the framework generalises well to varying data and constraints, giving an average MSE of ∼0.09 across all datasets, demonstrating its robustness to different building types, locations, weather, and load distributions.
Ship-Based Carbon Capture and Storage: A Supply Chain Feasibility Study
Authors: Buirma Max , Vleugel Jaap , Pruyn Jeroen , Doedée Vincent , Schott Dingena
Published: January 2022

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) calls for the maritime industry to restrict its CO2 emissions by −40% (IMO2030) and −70% (IMO2050). This paper answered the following research question: “Which technical, economic and emissions-related conditions predominantly determine the feasibility of a conceptual supply chain of liquid CO2 that is captured from the exhaust gases of LNG powered offshore vessels?” The captured CO2 is transported to land where it is utilized by a final customer. The study followed a systems engineering approach. Problem definition was followed by a requirements analysis (technology, emissions, economy and operations), design with scenarios and a case study with realistic vessel deployment, modeling and evaluation. All designs have technical uncertainties and financial risks, but the sale of captured CO2 could be a crucial advantage of the proposed concept over other concepts. The main conclusion is that emission and financial targets (payback time) can be met by aligning the offshore transportation distance with the capacity to store CO2 on board and the available means of transport to the final user. Specialists from the vessel owner indicate that capturing, storage and off-loading is likely to have minor implications for the vessel availability and regular operations.
Compensation of Torque-Producing Stator Current Error for Vector-Controlled Induction Motor Drives
Authors: Kuchar Martin , Palacky Petr , Perdukova Daniela , Sobek Martin
Published: January 2022

This paper presents a detailed analysis of dynamic properties and accuracy issues of the torque-producing stator current control loop for vector-controlled induction motor drives. In this paper, a necessary mathematical description of vector control of an induction motor is shown with respect to the x-axis and y-axis current control in the rotating reference frame. A derivation of a steady-state error for the torque-producing stator current control scheme with and without a decoupling algorithm is described. The presented derivation and dynamic behavior of both these schemes were extensively tested in the MATLAB-SIMULINK software, considering different values for the moment of inertia. This solution was implemented in a DSC-based induction motor drive using a voltage source inverter to obtain experimental results. Moreover, the advantages of using the presented decoupling block for compensation of the problem are discussed at the end of the paper.
Real Time Scheduling of a Microgrid Equipped with Ultra-Fast Charging Stations
Authors: di Noia Luigi Pio , Mottola Fabio , Proto Daniela , Rizzo Renato
Published: January 2022

Ultra-fast charging infrastructures are gaining increasing interest thanks to their ability to reduce the charging-time of plug-in electric vehicles to values comparable to those of the refueling of traditional vehicles in gas stations. This is a consequence of the increasing rated power of both on-board batteries and charging equipment. On the other hand, the increased values of charging power have led to an increased impact on the power distribution networks, particularly in terms of line currents and bus voltages. In presence of large penetration of ultra-fast charging devices, in fact, both currents and voltages are affected by larger variations whose values can exceed the admissible limits imposed by the technical constraints and by the levels of quality of service. In order to reduce the impact of this typology of vehicles’ charging on the electrical infrastructure, in this paper a methodology is presented which allows managing a microgrid in presence of ultra-fast charging stations by satisfying the constraints of the grid, while preserving the expected short charging-time for electric vehicles. To this end, a proper optimal strategy is proposed which coordinates the demands of electric vehicles and of the other loads of the microgrid with the power provided by the renewable energy generation resources. The proposed approach aims to optimally control the active and reactive power of charging stations and renewable generation units and to minimize the charging time of a fleet of plug-in electric vehicles while satisfying the constraints on the technical aspects and on the quality of service. The proposed approach has been tested on a test system and the results, proposed in the last part of the paper, demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Effect of Environmental Parameters on Streamer Discharge in Short Air Gap between Rod and Plate
Authors: Ren Xiaodong , Jiang Xingliang , Yang Guolin , Huang Yafei , Wu Jianguo , Yang Zhongyi
Published: January 2022

Environmental meteorological parameters (temperature, humidity, air pressure, etc.) have an important impact on short gap streamer discharge. Based on the streamer theory and particle continuity equation of gas discharge, a short gap streamer discharge simulation model is established, and the influence of environmental parameters on the dynamic development process of streamer discharge is simulated and analyzed. The short gap air gap discharge characteristics were tested in a self-made gas discharge chamber. The results show that at low humidity (relative humidity <80%), with the increase of humidity, the electron density of the streamer channel increases, the field strength of the streamer head increases, the streamer development speed speeds up, and the gap breakdown voltage decrease; At higher humidity (relative humidity >80%), with the increase of humidity, the electron density of the streamer channel decreases, the field strength of the streamer head decreases, the development speed of the streamer slows down, and the gap breakdown voltage increase. With a decrease of gas pressure, the electron density of the streamer channel decreases, the field strength of the streamer head decreases, the development speed of the streamer increases, and the gap breakdown voltage decreases; The temperature change has little effect on the streamer development process.
Analysis of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer inside a Batch Reactor for Hydrothermal Carbonization Process of a Biomass
Authors: Chater Hamza , Asbik Mohamed , Koukouch Abdelghani , Mouaky Ammar , Bostyn Stéphane , Sarh Brahim , Tabet Fouzi
Published: January 2022

This work analyzes the heat transfer and fluid flow within a batch reactor for hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of raw olive pomace (ROP). The autoclave is partially filled with a mixture of ROP and distilled water and hence it is considered as a dispersed medium. The reactor is heated through its lateral surface, whereas the bottom wall and the upper surface of the mixture are thermally insulated. Under the effect of heat and pressure, the fluid moves inside the reactor, while particles are subject to other forces. Additionally, the biomass (ROP) is decomposed into very fine particles to produce a solid product (hydrochar). COMSOL Multiphysics software is used for the analysis of heat transfer and fluid dynamics. Chemical kinetics of the reactions are modeled by a basic kinetics model. Numerical results are validated using experimental data carried out in similar operating conditions. They are in good agreement since the deviation between them does not exceed 6%. Isotherms, velocity fields, and isobars are evaluated within the reactor as well as velocity and distribution of particles. These amounts are influenced by the imposed heat flux at the lateral wall (q0). Also, it has been shown that the temperature and pressure values reached are above those required by the HTC process and, consequently, a HTC reactor could be designed with optimal operating conditions.
Preliminary Studies of Methylene Blue Remotion from Aqueous Solutions by Ocimum basilicum
Authors: Karaghool Haneen A. K. , Hashim Khalid , Kot Patryk , Muradov Magomed
Published: January 2022

The continuous expansion in the textile industry results in high loads of coloured wastewaters that heavily pollute the limited freshwater sources. Therefore, a wide array of treatment methods has been used to remediate water/wastewater from dyes. One common practice is the use of plants to degrade, absorb, metabolise, and detoxify different types of pollutants, including dyes. This study employs sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) as a phytoremediation model herb to remove different concentrations (5–25 mg/L) of methylene blue (MB) dye from synthetic water, taking into account the effects of the MB dye concentration (5–25 mg/L) and contact time (up to 10 days). The results showed that the ability of Ocimum basilicum to absorb MB dye decreased with the increase of the MB dye concentration and increased with the increase of the contact time. The best removal of the MB dye was 93% when the concentration of the MB dye was 25 mg/L and the contact time was 10 days. Additionally, it was noticed that the relative growth rate (RGR) of the herbs was adversely influenced by increasing MB dye concentrations and that the best RGR value was 2.2 g/day when the MB dye concentration was 5 mg/L.
Hydraulic Function Analysis of Conifer Xylem Based on a Model Incorporating Tracheids, Bordered Pits, and Cross-Field Pits
Authors: Qu Wen , Yang Chunmei , Zhang Jiawei , Ma Yan , Tian Xinchi , Zhao Shuai , Yu Wenji
Published: January 2022

Wood has a highly complex and anisotropic structure. Its xylem characteristics are key in determining the hydraulic properties of plants to transport water efficiently and safely, as well as the permeability in the process of wood impregnation modification. Previous studies on the relationship between the xylem structure and hydraulic conductivity of conifer have mainly focused on tracheids and bordered pits, with only a few focusing on the conduction model of cross-field pits which connect tracheids and rays. This study takes the xylem structure of conifer as an example, drawing an analogy between water flow under tension and electric current, and extends the model to the tissue scale, including cross-field pits by establishing isometric scaling. The structure parameters were collected by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The improved model can quantify the important hydraulic functional characteristics of xylem only by measuring the more easily obtained tracheid section size. Then, this model was applied to quantify the relationship between the xylem anatomical structure and hydraulic properties in the pine (Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongholica Litv.) and the spruce (Picea koraiensis Nakai), and also to evaluate the effects of the number and size of cross-field pits on xylem conduction. The results showed that the growth ring conduction value of the pine was more than twice that of the spruce for the two tree species with similar growth widths in this study. The tracheid wall resistance of the pine reflected the result of the interaction of the size and number of cross-field pits, in comparison, the wall resistance of the spruce was more sensitive to the number of cross-field pits. Finally, the calculation output of the new model was cross-validated with the literature, which verified the accuracy and effectiveness of the model. This study provides an effective and complete solution for xylem conductivity measurement and the study of wood ecophysiological diversity and processing.
The Influence of Delayed Sealing and Repeated Air Ingress during the Storage of Maize Silage on Fermentation Patterns, Yeast Development and Aerobic Stability
Authors: Weiß Kirsten , Kroschewski Bärbel , Auerbach Horst Uwe
Published: January 2022

This study investigates the effects of delayed sealing and repeated air ingress on the formation of primary fermentation products and other volatile organic compounds (VOC), the development of yeasts and the aerobic stability (ASTA) of maize (26.8% dry matter, DM). After packing, the silos were sealed either promptly or with a delay of 24 h, with repeated air ingress after 27, 55 and 135 days of storage. Losses of DM, fermentation pattern, including VOC, yeast numbers and aerobic stability, were determined 6 times during storage for 142 days. Yeast numbers markedly increased during the first three fermentation days, with the effect being much stronger in silage sealed with a delay than in promptly sealed silage (log10 cfu/g FM 7.27 vs. 5.88, p < 0.002). Simultaneously, the concentrations of ethanol and ethyl esters and DM losses increased. The DM losses were closely correlated with the total concentrations of alcohols and acetic acid (delay: R2 = 0.71, p < 0.001; prompt: R2 = 0.91, p < 0.001, respectively). The repeated air ingress for 24 h during storage after completion of the main fermentation phase had only a minor effect on fermentation pattern, VOC formation and DM losses. The relationship between the counts of total yeasts and lactate-assimilating yeasts (LAY) was very strong (R2 = 0.995, p < 0.001), and LAY numbers were shown to be largely responsible for aerobic instability (R2 = 0.752, p < 0.001). This trial proved the detrimental effects of air on silage fermentation with delayed sealing to be much more deleterious than repeated short-term air ingress after about one month of storage.
Geometric Properties of a Certain Class of Mittag–Leffler-Type Functions
Authors: Srivastava Hari M. , Kumar Anish , Das Sourav , Mehrez Khaled
Published: January 2022

The main objective of this paper is to establish some sufficient conditions so that a class of normalized Mittag–Leffler-type functions satisfies several geometric properties such as starlikeness, convexity, close-to-convexity, and uniform convexity inside the unit disk. Moreover, pre-starlikeness and k-uniform convexity are discussed for these functions. Some sufficient conditions are also derived so that these functions belong to the Hardy spaces Hp and H∞. Furthermore, the inclusion properties of some modified Mittag–Leffler-type functions are discussed. The various results, which are established in this paper, are presumably new, and their importance is illustrated by several interesting consequences and examples. Some potential directions for analogous further research on the subject of the present investigation are indicated in the concluding section.
Effectiveness of Newtonian Heating on Magneto-Free Convective Flow of Polar Nanofluid across a Solid Sphere
Authors: Nabwey Hossam A. , Rashad Ahmed M. , EL-Hakiem Amal M. A. , Alshber Sumayyah I.
Published: January 2022

This paper explains the free convective flowing of micropolar nanofluid through a solid sphere with Newtonian heating and the magnetic field influence. Sets of partial differential equations are converted by using convenient transformations to ordinary differential equations. The system of similar and nonsimilar equations is solved numerically using the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method (RKF45) using MAPLE software (version 20).The numerical results are validated by comparison with previously published works, and excellent agreement is found between them. The influence of the magnetic field parameter, solid volume fraction, and micropolar parameter on velocity, temperature, and angular velocity profiles are shown graphically. In addition, both the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are also discussed. It is found that the skin friction increases with an increase in the solid volume fraction of both nanoparticles and Newtonian heating and micropolar parameters. In addition, the magnetic field reduces both the skin friction and the Nusselt number. Moreover, the solid volume fraction and Newtonian heating parameter enhance the Nusselt number.
Identification and Functional Analysis of the Regulatory Elements in the pHSPA6 Promoter
Authors: Jiao Shuyu , Bai Chunyan , Qi Chunyun , Wu Heyong , Hu Lanxin , Li Feng , Yang Kang , Zhao Chuheng , Ouyang Hongsheng , Pang Daxin , Tang Xiaochun , Xie Zicong
Published: January 2022

Functional and expressional research of heat shock protein A6 (HSPA6) suggests that the gene is of great value for neurodegenerative diseases, biosensors, cancer, etc. Based on the important value of pigs in agriculture and biomedicine and to advance knowledge of this little-studied HSPA member, the stress-sensitive sites in porcine HSPA6 (pHSPA6) were investigated following different stresses. Here, two heat shock elements (HSEs) and a conserved region (CR) were identified in the pHSPA6 promoter by a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated precise gene editing strategy. Gene expression data showed that sequence disruption of these regions could significantly reduce the expression of pHSPA6 under heat stress. Stimulation studies indicated that these regions responded not only to heat stress but also to copper sulfate, MG132, and curcumin. Further mechanism studies showed that downregulated pHSPA6 could significantly affect some important members of the HSP family that are involved in HSP40, HSP70, and HSP90. Overall, our results provide a new approach for investigating gene expression and regulation that may contribute to gene regulatory mechanisms, drug target selection, and breeding stock selection.
Rec8 Cohesin: A Structural Platform for Shaping the Meiotic Chromosomes
Authors: Sakuno Takeshi , Hiraoka Yasushi
Published: January 2022

Meiosis is critically different from mitosis in that during meiosis, pairing and segregation of homologous chromosomes occur. During meiosis, the morphology of sister chromatids changes drastically, forming a prominent axial structure in the synaptonemal complex. The meiosis-specific cohesin complex plays a central role in the regulation of the processes required for recombination. In particular, the Rec8 subunit of the meiotic cohesin complex, which is conserved in a wide range of eukaryotes, has been analyzed for its function in modulating chromosomal architecture during the pairing and recombination of homologous chromosomes in meiosis. Here, we review the current understanding of Rec8 cohesin as a structural platform for meiotic chromosomes.
Recent Tendencies in the Use of Optimization Techniques in Geotechnics: A Review
Authors: Boumezerane Djamalddine
Published: January 2022

The use of optimization methods in geotechnics dates back to the 1950s. They were used in slope stability analysis (Bishop) and evolved to a wide range of applications in ground engineering. We present here a non-exhaustive review of recent publications that relate to the use of different optimization techniques in geotechnical engineering. Metaheuristic methods are present in almost all the problems in geotechnics that deal with optimization. In a number of cases, they are used as single techniques, in others in combination with other approaches, and in a number of situations as hybrids. Different results are discussed showing the advantages and issues of the techniques used. Computational time is one of the issues, as well as the assumptions those methods are based on. The article can be read as an update regarding the recent tendencies in the use of optimization techniques in geotechnics.
An Innovative Approach for Improving Information Exchange between Palliative Care Providers in Slovenian Primary Health—A Qualitative Analysis of Testing a New Tool
Authors: Zelko Erika , Ramsak Pajk Jozica , Škvarč Nevenka Krčevski
Published: January 2022

Background: Interprofessional collaboration is an important part of palliative care. Effective communication and information exchange is essential for a high quality of care. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a new tool for exchanging information between professionals in palliative care on primary healthcare level. Methods: With suggestions from the experts regarding palliative care needs in an interprofessional team from the Delphi study and community nurses from the field, we developed a paper version of the tool. The paper version was tested in a pilot phase, and subsequently, we conducted ten semi-structured interviews with the users of the new tool to test its feasibility and usability. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, leading to improvement and development of the digital version of the new tool. Results: After completing the pilot phase of the research, we identified the following four categories: a systematic tool for more consistent treatment and better communication during the patient’s visit; training and empowerment; quality, safety and digitalization; these categories were later included in the final version of the digital communication tool. Conclusion: Effective palliative care requires a good exchange of information and communication between all care professionals who work with the patient. Effective communication contributes to making patients and their relatives feel safe in their home environment and allows patients to stay in their homes even as their disease progresses. The systematical new tool was assessed as useful to improve interdisciplinary cooperation and prepared in a digital version. Further research after the long-term use of the developed digital tool in everyday work might confirm its sustaining importance.