bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and development of shovel type-spring steel furrow opener for cultivator mounted seed metering mechanism
Authors: Verma Ajay , Shrivastava Ankitesh
Published: December 2017

The cultivator mounted seed metering mechanism consists of cultivator frame, tines, seed box, seed tubes, metering mechanism, power transmission unit, furrow opener and hitching attachments. The drawings of the developed machine were generated using CAD software and the machine was fabricated in the workshop of Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, IGAU, Raipur. Power was transmitted from ground wheel through sprocket-chain drive to the main shaft. At the average working speed of 3.8 km/h of tractor drawn cultivator, depth of operation was found 129 mm, average weed efficiency was found 76.42 %,effective field capacity was found 0.826 ha/h with field efficiency of 87.40 %. The cost of operation and energy requirement of cultivator was found to be Rs 387 per ha and 241 MJ/ha. The Energy requirement for cultivator-cum-seed drill was found to be 454.18 MJ/ha.BIBECHANA 15 (2018) 79-84
Far infrared cavity of a post C-rich AGB star under IRAS survey
Authors: Gautam A K , Aryal B
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we discuss about the physical properties of the dusty environment around the mass losing carbon rich post AGB star located at R.A. (J2000) =06 h 53m 01s and Dec (J2000) =-02o 16’ 00”, in the far infrared  IRAS maps. A cavity like structure (major diameter ∼ 103.3 pc & minor diameter ∼33.1 pc) is found to lie at R.A. (J2000)= 06 h 51 m 54.02 s and DEC (J2000) =  -01o 35’ 43”, located at a distance ∼ 6.11 kpc from the star. We studied the distribution of flux density, dust color temperature, dust mass  in the cavity. The dust color temperature is found to lie in the range 18.7 K to 20.5 K which shows the cavity is isolated and  independently evolved. Such a low offset temperature variation shows that there is symmetric outflow or symmetric distribution of density and temperature. It further suggests that our structure is bigger in size and is far away from the far infrared loops(kk loops). The cavity may be in thermally pulsating phase.  A possible explanation of the results will be discussed.BIBECHANA 90 (2018) 96
Reviewers of BIBECHANA-2018
Authors: Adhikari Devendra
Published: December 2017

Thanks to all reviewers who voluntarily worked as reviewer of BIBECHANA for volume 15, 2018. The contribution of reviewers is very important to maintain the high quality  the journal. We are grateful to all reviewers for their selfless contribution.BIBECHANA 15 (2018) i
Design and Synthesis of Novel Vitamin D–Coumarin Hybrids using Microwave Irradiation
Authors: Zhang Hengrui , Fang Zhijie
Published: December 2017

A series of novel vitamin D–coumarin hybrids were synthesised by esterification of the corresponding coumarin-3-carboxylic acids and vitamin D or vitamin D CD-ring alcohol in CH2Cl2 under microwave irradiation. They were obtained in higher yields (from 64–81% up to 79–87%) and shorter reaction time (from 3 h down to 15 min), compared with earlier conventional methodologies. The structures of all the target compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS. This provides an attractive and alternative method for the preparation of high-value vitamin D–coumarin hybrids.
Prevalence of Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Inpatients with and without Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review
Authors: Redston Mitchell R. , Hilmer Sarah N. , McLachlan Andrew J. , Clough Alexander J. , Gnjidic Danijela
Published: December 2017

Background:

Older people with cognitive impairment, including dementia and delirium, are high users of acute care services internationally. Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use may be associated with adverse outcomes, including hospital re-admission, functional disability, and mortality.

Objective:

This systematic review aimed to quantify and compare the prevalence of PIMs in older inpatients with and without cognitive impairment.

Methods:

A systematic search of observational studies was performed independently assessed by two reviewers in Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Scopus, and Informit. Articles published in English during the period January 2007–June 2017 that reported PIM prevalence in hospital inpatients ≥ 65 years were included. PIMs were defined as the presence of polypharmacy (multiple medication use) and using implicit or explicit tools, such as the Beers criteria, and ‘ Screening Tool of Older Person’ s Prescriptions’ (STOPP).

Results:

47 articles were included. In studies measuring polypharmacy ( n = 15), the prevalence of PIMs ranged from 53.2% to 89.8% and 30.4% to 97.1% for inpatients with and without cognitive impairment, respectively, and 24.0% to 80.0% when cognitive status was unreported. In studies employing explicit and implicit tools ( n = 35), the prevalence of PIMs when cognitive impairment was reported ranged from 20.6% to 80.5% using the Beers criteria, and 39.3% to 88.5% using STOPP. When cognitive status was unreported, the prevalence of PIMs ranged from 7.0% to 79.2% using the Beers criteria, and 20.0% to 63.4% using STOPP.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest a high prevalence of PIMs in older inpatients with and without cognitive impairment. Future studies should investigate the impact of PIM use on patient-centered outcomes, such as functional status and quality of life, to inform enhanced acute care services.
The paradox of democratic equality
Authors: Wedin Tomas
Published: December 2017

In the last decade, a number of studies have been published relating the in media highlighted problems of the Swedish school to the cluster of reforms launched around 1990. It has been pointed out that, e.g., the municipalization of the school, the introduction of a management by objectives as well as an educational system structured by a voucher model, all carried out in the years around 1990, substantially have contributed to the current problems in Swedish schools. As has been shown in a number of studies, the ideas permeating the reforms are not specific to the educational sector, but can be related to other societal reforms aiming at increasing decentralization as well as a further market orientation.
Control-Oriented Models for SO Fuel Cells from the Angle of V&V: Analysis, Simplification Possibilities, Performance
Authors: Auer Ekaterina , Senkel Luise , Kiel Stefan , Rauh Andreas
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we take a look at the analysis and parameter identification for control-oriented, dynamic models for the thermal subsystem of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) from the systematized point of view of verification and validation (V&V). First, we give a possible classification of models according to their verification degree which depends, for example, on the kind of arithmetic used for both formulation and simulation. Typical SOFC models, consisting of several coupled differential equations for gas preheaters and the temperature distribution in the stack module, do not have analytical solutions because of spatial nonlinearity. Therefore, in the next part of the paper, we describe in detail two possible ways to simplify such models so that the underlying differential equations can be solved analytically while still being sufficiently accurate to serve as the basis for control synthesis. The simplifying assumption is to approximate the heat capacities of the gases by zero-order polynomials (or first-oder polynomials, respectively) in the temperature. In the last, application-oriented part of the paper, we identify the parameters of these models as well as compare their performance and their ability to reflect the reality with the corresponding characteristics of models in which the heat capacities are represented by quadratic polynomials (the usual case). For this purpose, the framework UniVerMeC (Unified Framework for Verified GeoMetric Computations) is used, which allows us to employ different kinds of arithmetics including the interval one. This latter possibility ensures a high level of reliability of simulations and of the subsequent validation. Besides, it helps to take into account bounded uncertainty in measurements.
A Case Study of Potential Reasons of Increased Soil Phosphorus Levels in the Northeast United States
Authors: Sharma Lakesh , Bali Sukhwinder , Zaeen Ahmed
Published: December 2017

Recent phosphorus (P) pollution in the United States, mainly in Maine, has raised some severe concerns over the use of P fertilizer application rates in agriculture. Phosphorus is the second most limiting nutrient after nitrogen and has damaging impacts on crop yield if found to be deficient. Therefore, farmers tend to apply more P than is required to satisfy any P loss after its application at planting. Several important questions were raised in this study to improve P efficiency and reduce its pollution. The objective of this study was to find potential reasons for P pollution in water bodies despite a decrease in potato acreage. Historically, the potato was found to be responsible for P water contamination due to its high P sensitivity and low P removal (25–30 kg ha−1) from the soil. Despite University of Maine recommended rate of 56 kg ha−1 P, if soil tests reveal that P is below 50 kg ha−1, growers tend to apply P fertilizer at the rate of 182 kg ha−1 to compensate for any loss. The second key reason for excessive P application is its tendency to get fixed by aluminum (Al) in the soil. Soil sampling data from UMaine Soil Testing Laboratory confirmed that in Maine reactive Al levels have remained high over the last ten years and are increasing further. Likewise, P application to non-responsive sites, soil variability, pH change, and soil testing methods were found to be other possible reasons that might have led to increases in soil P levels resulting in P erosion to water streams.
Open Knowledge about Slaughter on the Internet—A Case Study on Controversies
Authors: Algers Anne , Berg Charlotte
Published: December 2017

Knowledge about slaughter of animals for human food is often perceived as controversial and therefore not made widely available. An open educational resource on the Internet about the slaughter of animals has created tension at launch but also resolved tension. Aiming to explore how this resource at the boundary between academia and society is perceived, a study was carried out with participants from slaughterhouses, universities, authorities and NGOs. Focus group sessions were video recorded and transcripts were coded using an interpretive thematic analysis. The results show that an open educational resource in addition to contributing to learning and awareness raising can also induce dialogue (and thus resolve tension) about animal welfare and contribute to animal welfare resilience. Our results also indicate that participants had diverse opinions about the influence of multimedia on attitudes towards animal slaughter. The use of additional instruments such as comment fields may lead to more knowledgeable citizens and socially robust knowledge, but has to be carefully weighed against the risk of false or fake data.
Co-Enzyme Q10 and n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation Reverse Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Growth Restriction and Improved Antioxidant Profiles in Neonatal Rats
Authors: Beharry Kay , Cai Charles , Henry Michael , Chowdhury Sara , Valencia Gloria , Aranda Jacob
Published: December 2017

Neonatal intermittent hypoxia (IH) increases the risk for many morbidities in extremely low birth weight/gestational age (ELBW/ELGA) neonates with compromised antioxidant systems and poor growth. We hypothesized that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, ubiquinol) or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during neonatal IH improves antioxidant profiles and somatic growth in neonatal rats. Newborn rats were exposed to two IH paradigms at birth (P0): (1) 50% O2 with brief hypoxic episodes (12% O2); or (2) room air (RA) with brief hypoxia, until P14 during which they received daily oral CoQ10 in olive oil, n-3 PUFAs in fish oil, or olive oil only from P0 to P14. Pups were studied at P14 or placed in RA until P21 for recovery from IH (IHR). Body weight and length; organ weights; and serum antioxidants and growth factors were determined at P14 and P21. Neonatal IH resulted in sustained reductions in somatic growth, an effect that was reversed with n-3 PUFAs. Improved growth was associated with higher serum growth factors. CoQ10 decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione, but increased catalase, suggesting reduced oxidative stress. Further studies are needed to determine the synergistic effects of CoQ10 and n-3 PUFA co-administration for the prevention of IH-induced oxidative stress and postnatal growth deficits.
The Role of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidases in Lung Architecture Remodeling
Authors: Harijith Anantha , Natarajan Viswanathan , Fu Panfeng
Published: December 2017

Chronic lung disorders, such as pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), are characterized by airway and/or vascular remodeling. Despite differences in the pathology, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been highlighted as a critical contributor to the initiation and development of airway and vascular remodeling. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (Nox) appear to play a pivotal role in lung signaling, leading to marked changes in pulmonary airway and vascular cell phenotypes, including proliferation, hypertrophy and apoptosis. In this review, we summarized the current literature regarding the role of Nox in the airway and vascular remodeling.
Fast Object Detection in Light Field Imaging by Integrating Deep Learning with Defocusing
Authors: Ren Mingjun , Liu Runxing , Hong Haibo , Ren Jieji , Xiao Gaobo
Published: December 2017

Although four-dimensional (4D) light field imaging has many advantages over traditional two-dimensional (2D) imaging, its high computation cost often hinders the application of this technique in many fields, such as object detection and tracking. This paper presents a hybrid method to accelerate the object detection in light field imaging by integrating the deep learning with the depth estimation algorithm. The method takes full advantage of computation imaging of the light field to generate an all-in-focus image, a series of focal stacks, and multi-view images at the same time, and convolutional neural network and defocusing are consequently used to perform initial detection of the objects in three-dimensional (3D) space. The estimated depths of the detected objects are further optimized based on multi-baseline super-resolution stereo matching while efficiency is maintained, as well by compressing the searching space of the disparity. Experimental studies are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Bibliometric Analysis of Social Robotics Research: Identifying Research Trends and Knowledgebase
Authors: Mejia Cristian , Kajikawa Yuya
Published: December 2017

As robotics becomes ubiquitous, there is increasing interest in understanding how to develop robots that better respond to social needs, as well as how robotics impacts society. This is evidenced by the growing rate of publications on social robotics. In this article, we analyze the citation network of academic articles on social robotics to understand its structure, reveal research trends and expose its knowledgebase. We found eight major clusters, namely robots as social partners, human factors and ergonomics on human robot interaction, robotics for children’s development, swarm robotics, emotion detection, assessment of robotic surgery, robots for the elderly and telepresence and human robot interaction in rescue robots. In addition, despite its social focus, social science literature as a source of knowledge is barely present. Research trends point to studies on applications, rather than to specific technologies or morphologies, and in particular, towards robots as partners, for child development and assistance for the elderly.
Current-Fluctuation Mechanism of Field Emitters Using Metallic Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with High Crystallinity
Authors: Shimoi Norihiro , Tohji Kazuyuki
Published: December 2017

Field emitters can be used as a cathode electrode in a cathodoluminescence device, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that are synthesized by arc discharge are expected to exhibit good field emission (FE) properties. However, a cathodoluminescence device that uses field emitters radiates rays whose intensity considerably fluctuates at a low frequency, and the radiant fluctuation is caused by FE current fluctuation. To solve this problem, is very important to obtain a stable output for field emitters in a cathodoluminescence device. The authors consider that the electron-emission fluctuation is caused by Fowler–Nordheim electron tunneling and that the electrons in the Fowler–Nordheim regime pass through an inelastic potential barrier. We attempted to develop a theoretical model to analyze the power spectrum of the FE current fluctuation using metallic SWCNTs as field emitters, owing to their electrical conductivity by determining their FE properties. Field emitters that use metallic SWCNTs with high crystallinity were successfully developed to achieve a fluctuating FE current from field emitters at a low frequency by employing inelastic electron tunneling. This paper is the first report of the successful development of an inelastic-electron-tunneling model with a Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin approximation for metallic SWCNTs based on the evaluation of FE properties.
Modeling the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Precipitation in Northwest Iran
Authors: Arab Amiri Mohammad , Mesgari Mohammad
Published: December 2017

Spatial and temporal variability analysis of precipitation is an important task in water resources planning and management. This study aims to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation in the northeastern corner of Iran using data from 24 well-distributed weather stations between 1991 and 2015. The mean annual rainfall, precipitation concentration index (PCI), and their coefficients of variation were mapped to examine the spatial variability of rainfall. An artificial neural network (ANN) in association with the inverse distance weighted (IDW) method was proposed as a hybrid interpolation method to map the spatial distribution of the detected trends of mean annual rainfall and PCI over the study region. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to annual precipitation time series in order to verify the results of the analysis using the mean annual rainfall and PCI data sets. Results show high variation in inter-annual precipitation in the west, and a moderate to high intra-annual variability over the whole region. Irregular year-to-year precipitation concentration is also observed in the northeastern and northwestern parts. All in all, the highest variations in inter-annual and intra-annual precipitation occurred over the western and northern parts, while the lowest variability was observed in the eastern part (i.e., the coastal region).
Tourists, Weather and Climate. Official Tourism Promotion Websites as a Source of Information
Authors: Gómez-Martín María , Armesto-López Xosé , Martínez-Ibarra Emilio
Published: December 2017

On the basis of the establishment and analysis of 29 indicators, this article analyses the quality of the climate and meteorological information that is provided to tourists on the websites of the bodies responsible for promoting Spanish tourist destinations at a state and regional level. Official tourism promotion websites are a prominent source of information for tourists, so it is necessary to control the quality levels of the information contained in them. The objective is to detect weaknesses that can be corrected to achieve the improvement of the public service that is offered by these websites. The results indicate that the weather information provided on the institutional websites does not meet the information needs of tourists in the different phases of the travel experience, and as a result contributes little to tactical and strategic decision-making regarding the various activities for tourists, in which the weather or climate are relevant factors. This could make it more difficult for them to interact and integrate with the destination and worsen the quality of their tourist experience.
Different Characteristics of New Particle Formation Events at Two Suburban Sites in Northern China
Authors: Peng Yan , Dong Yan , Li Xingmin , Liu Xiaodong , Dai Jin , Chen Chuang , Dong Zipeng , Du Chuanli , Wang Zhaosheng
Published: December 2017

The formation of new atmospheric aerosol particles and their subsequent growth have been observed under different environmental conditions globally; such observations are few over northwest China. Here, we present an analysis of some case studies for new particle formation (NPF) events from two distinct suburban locations in northern China during May and June of two consecutive years, and provide more information to understand the characteristics of NPF events in North China. Particle number size distribution was measured at suburbs of Beijing (39.75° N, 116.96° E) during 1 June to 2 July 2013 and at suburbs of Xi’an (34.09° N, 108.55° E) during 1 to 25 May 2014. The average of total particle number concentration in the similar size range of 10–487 nm at the suburbs of Beijing (9.0 × 103 cm−3) was about two times higher than those observed at Xi’an (4.7 × 103 cm−3), and the mean particle mode diameter at Beijing was 1.4-fold higher than that at Xi’an. The estimated total condensation sink (CS) at Beijing (3.11 × 10−2 s−1) was also higher than at Xi’an (1.13 × 10−2 s−1). The frequency of NPF events at suburb of Beijing was 24%, lower than that in Xi’an (50%), and also lower than urban site of Beijing (35% in June) and another suburb of Beijing (over 50% in June). The NPF events with (Class I) or without (Class II) subsequent growth were both observed at the two suburb sites. The derived GR at the suburb of Beijing (range from 4.6 to 8.6 nm h−1) was a little higher than that at Xi’an (range from 3.3 to 6.7 nm h−1), which are generally comparable to typical values in mid-latitude reported in previous studies. The air masses coming from north or northwest China favor the occurrence of NPF event under low condensation sink and clear days. The number size distributions of freshly nucleated particles showed clear bimodal distributions on both sites. Additionally, Mode Dp of nucleated particles at the two sites was 17 ± 1 nm and 22 ± 4 nm, respectively during the periods with NPF events. The case study of NPF events at the two suburb sites shows that the surface area concentration and total scattering coefficient (SC) was significant decreased during the NPF events at both sites. High temperature, low condensation sink and low relative humidity furthered the occurrence of NPF events, and wind direction shifts were important for the subsequent growth of particles. NPF events in the suburbs of Beijing usually occurred when relative humidity (RH) < 55%, CS < 0.02 s−1, or 55% < RH < 68%, CS < 0.01 s−1. However, there is no clear range for Xi’an. Furthermore, we observed that some NPF events occurred at higher RH and very low CS in this study on both sites, which means that low CS may be more important than low RH for the particle formation on clear days.
Stability of Signaling Pathways during Aging—A Boolean Network Approach
Authors: Schwab Julian , Siegle Lea , Kühlwein Silke , Kühl Michael , Kestler Hans
Published: December 2017

Biological pathways are thought to be robust against a variety of internal and external perturbations. Fail-safe mechanisms allow for compensation of perturbations to maintain the characteristic function of a pathway. Pathways can undergo changes during aging, which may lead to changes in their stability. Less stable or less robust pathways may be consequential to or increase the susceptibility of the development of diseases. Among others, NF- κ B signaling is a crucial pathway in the process of aging. The NF- κ B system is involved in the immune response and dealing with various internal and external stresses. Boolean networks as models of biological pathways allow for simulation of signaling behavior. They can help to identify which proposed mechanisms are biologically representative and which ones function but do not mirror physical processes—for instance, changes of signaling pathways during the aging process. Boolean networks can be inferred from time-series of gene expression data. This allows us to get insights into the changes of behavior of pathways such as NF- κ B signaling in aged organisms in comparison to young ones.
A Proposed Mechanism for Development of CTE Following Concussive Events: Head Impact, Water Hammer Injury, Neurofilament Release, and Autoimmune Processes
Authors: Kornguth Steven , Rutledge Neal , Perlaza Gabe , Bray James , Hardin Allen
Published: December 2017

During the past decade, there has been an increasing interest in early diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The subjects involved range from soldiers exposed to concussive injuries from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to a significant number of athletes involved in repetitive high force impacts. Although the forces from IEDs are much greater by a magnitude than those from contact sports, the higher frequency associated with contact sports allows for more controlled assessment of the mechanism of action. In our study, we report findings in university-level women soccer athletes followed over a period of four and a half years from accession to graduation. Parameters investigated included T1-, T2-, and susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance images (SWI), IMPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), and C3 Logix behavioral and physiological assessment measures. The MRI Studies show several significant findings: first, a marked increase in the width of sulci in the frontal to occipital cortices; second, an appearance of subtle hemorrhagic changes at the base of the sulci; third was a sustained reduction in total brain volume in several soccer players at a developmental time when brain growth is generally seen. Although all of the athletes successfully completed their college degree and none exhibited long term clinical deficits at the time of graduation, the changes documented by MRI represent a clue to the pathological mechanism following an injury paradigm. The authors propose that our findings and those of prior publications support a mechanism of injury in CTE caused by an autoimmune process associated with the release of neural proteins from nerve cells at the base of the sulcus from a water hammer injury effect. As evidence accumulates to support this hypothesis, there are pharmacological treatment strategies that may be able to mitigate the development of long-term disability from TBI.
PRIMA-1 and PRIMA-1Met (APR-246): From Mutant/Wild Type p53 Reactivation to Unexpected Mechanisms Underlying Their Potent Anti-Tumor Effect in Combinatorial Therapies
Authors: Perdrix Anne , Najem Ahmad , Saussez Sven , Awada Ahmad , Journe Fabrice , Ghanem Ghanem , Krayem Mohammad
Published: December 2017

p53 protects cells from genetic assaults by triggering cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Inactivation of p53 pathway is found in the vast majority of human cancers often due to somatic missense mutations in TP53 or to an excessive degradation of the protein. Accordingly, reactivation of p53 appears as a quite promising pharmacological approach and, effectively, several attempts have been made in that sense. The most widely investigated compounds for this purpose are PRIMA-1 (p53 reactivation and induction of massive apoptosis )and PRIMA-1Met (APR-246), that are at an advanced stage of development, with several clinical trials in progress. Based on publications referenced in PubMed since 2002, here we review the reported effects of these compounds on cancer cells, with a specific focus on their ability of p53 reactivation, an overview of their unexpected anti-cancer effects, and a presentation of the investigated drug combinations.
Stochastic Thermodynamics: A Dynamical Systems Approach
Authors: Rajpurohit Tanmay , Haddad Wassim M.
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we develop an energy-based, large-scale dynamical system model driven by Markov diffusion processes to present a unified framework for statistical thermodynamics predicated on a stochastic dynamical systems formalism. Specifically, using a stochastic state space formulation, we develop a nonlinear stochastic compartmental dynamical system model characterized by energy conservation laws that is consistent with statistical thermodynamic principles. In particular, we show that the difference between the average supplied system energy and the average stored system energy for our stochastic thermodynamic model is a martingale with respect to the system filtration. In addition, we show that the average stored system energy is equal to the mean energy that can be extracted from the system and the mean energy that can be delivered to the system in order to transfer it from a zero energy level to an arbitrary nonempty subset in the state space over a finite stopping time.
Molecular Conformational Manifolds between Gas-Liquid Interface and Multiphasic
Authors: Nasiri Rasoul , Luo Kai Hong
Published: December 2017

The analysis of conformational changes of hydrocarbon molecules is imperative in the prediction of their transport properties in different phases, such as evaporation/condensation coefficients (β) in the gas-liquid interface and evaporation rates of fuel droplets (k) in multiphases. In this letter, we analyze the effects of entropic contributions ( T Δ S e v ( T ) ) to Δ G e v ( T ) during the evaporation/condensation of chain conformers at the interface with a modified version of the solvation model SMD/ωB97X-D/cc-pVTZ in which the temperature dependency of surface tension and the interfacial flow density of the conformers is taken into account. The evaporation/condensation coefficient (β) and evaporation rate (k) are respectively calculated using the statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT) and a combined quantum-classical reaction rate theory named quantum transition state theory-classical kinetic gas theory (QTST-CKGT). The detailed analyses show the importance of internal entropic states over the interfacial layer induced by meso-confinement phenomena in the very vicinity of fuel droplets surfaces.
The (R)evolution of China: Offshore Wind Diffusion
Authors: Poulsen Thomas , Hasager Charlotte Bay
Published: December 2017

This research presents an industry level gap analysis for Chinese offshore wind, which serves as a way to illuminate how China may fast track industry evolution. The research findings provide insight into how the Chinese government strongly and systematically decrees state-owned Chinese firms to expand into overseas markets to speed up learning efforts. Insights are offered regarding the nation-level strategic plans and institutional support policies mobilized by China in order to be able to conquer market shares internationally by building a strong home market and then facilitating an end-to-end and fully financed export solution. This is interesting in itself and in particular so because it now also includes complex billion-dollar megaprojects such as turnkey offshore wind farm assets with an expected lifespan of 30+ years. Research findings are provided on how European and Chinese firms may successfully forge long-term alliances also for future Chinese wind energy export projects. Examples of past efforts of collaboration not yielding desired results have been included as well. At policy level, recommendations are provided on how the evolution of the Chinese offshore wind power industry can be fast-tracked to mirror the revolutionary pace, volume, and velocity which the Chinese onshore wind power industry has mustered.
Power Decoupling Method Based on the Diagonal Compensating Matrix for VSG-Controlled Parallel Inverters in the Microgrid
Authors: Li Bin , Zhou Lin
Published: December 2017

The thought of the virtual synchronous generator (VSG) for controlling the grid-connected inverters and providing virtual inertia to the microgrid is emerging as a wide extension of the droop control, power coupling that always exists in the low-voltage microgrid, which may deteriorate the dynamic response and the stability of the system. In this paper, the principle of VSG control is introduced first. As an important issue of VSG control, the mechanism of the power coupling in the low-voltage microgrid is analyzed and the small-signal equivalent model of the power transmission loop is established. Subsequently, a power decoupling method based on the diagonal compensating matrix for VSG is proposed, which can realize the power decoupling with no impact on the original control channel. Meanwhile, the feasibility analysis of the decoupling method and the improved approach for reactive power sharing are also discussed. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the decoupling strategy for VSGs.
A Combined Electro-Thermal Breakdown Model for Oil-Impregnated Paper
Authors: Huang Meng , Zhou Yuanxiang , Zhou Zhongliu , Qi Bo
Published: December 2017

The breakdown property of oil-impregnated paper is a key factor for converter transformer design and operation, but it is not well understood. In this paper, breakdown voltages of oil-impregnated paper were measured at different temperatures. The results showed that with the increase of temperature, electrical, electro-thermal and thermal breakdown occurred successively. An electro-thermal breakdown model was proposed based on the heat equilibrium and space charge transport, and negative differential mobility was introduced to the model. It was shown that carrier mobility determined whether it was electrical or thermal breakdown, and the model can effectively explain the temperature-dependent breakdown.
Numerical Investigation of the Air-Steam Biomass Gasification Process Based on Thermodynamic Equilibrium Model
Authors: Eri Qitai , Wu Wenzhen , Zhao Xinjun
Published: December 2017

In the present work, the air-steam biomass gasification model with tar has been developed based on the equilibrium constants. The simulation results based on two different models (with and without tar) have been validated by the experimental data. The model with tar can well predict the tar content in gasification; meanwhile, the predicted gas yield (GY), based on the model with tar, is much closer to the experimental data. The energy exchange between the gasifier and the surrounding has been studied based on the dimensionless heat transfer ratio (DHTR), and the relationship between DHTR and the process parameters is given by a formula. The influence of process parameters on the syngas composition, tar content, GY, lower heating value (LHV), and exergy efficiency have been researched.
Performance Recovery of Natural Draft Dry Cooling Systems by Combined Air Leading Strategies
Authors: Wang Weijia , Chen Lei , Huang Xianwei , Yang Lijun , Du Xiaoze
Published: December 2017

The cooling efficiency of natural draft dry cooling system (NDDCS) are vulnerable to ambient winds, so the implementation of measures against the wind effects is of great importance. This work presents the combined air leading strategies to recover the flow and heat transfer performances of NDDCS. Following the energy balance among the exhaust steam, circulating water, and cooling air, numerical models of natural draft dry cooling systems with the combined air leading strategies are developed. The cooling air streamlines, volume effectiveness, thermal efficiency and outlet water temperature for each cooling delta of the large-scale heat exchanger are obtained. The overall volume effectiveness, average outlet water temperature of NDDCS and steam turbine back pressure are calculated. The results show that with the air leading strategies inside or outside the dry-cooling tower, the thermo-flow performances of natural draft dry cooling system are improved under all wind conditions. The combined inner and outer air leading strategies are superior to other single strategy in the performance recovery, thus can be recommended for NDDCS in power generating units.
Nuclear Power Learning and Deployment Rates; Disruption and Global Benefits Forgone
Authors: Lang Peter
Published: December 2017

This paper presents evidence of the disruption of a transition from fossil fuels to nuclear power, and finds the benefits forgone as a consequence are substantial. Learning rates are presented for nuclear power in seven countries, comprising 58% of all power reactors ever built globally. Learning rates and deployment rates changed in the late-1960s and 1970s from rapidly falling costs and accelerating deployment to rapidly rising costs and stalled deployment. Historical nuclear global capacity, electricity generation and overnight construction costs are compared with the counterfactual that pre-disruption learning and deployment rates had continued to 2015. Had the early rates continued, nuclear power could now be around 10% of its current cost. The additional nuclear power could have substituted for 69,000–186,000 TWh of coal and gas generation, thereby avoiding up to 9.5 million deaths and 174 Gt CO2 emissions. In 2015 alone, nuclear power could have replaced up to 100% of coal-generated and 76% of gas-generated electricity, thereby avoiding up to 540,000 deaths and 11 Gt CO2. Rapid progress was achieved in the past and could be again, with appropriate policies. Research is needed to identify impediments to progress, and policy is needed to remove them.
Effects of Mixture Stratification on Combustion and Emissions of Boosted Controlled Auto-Ignition Engines
Authors: Hunicz Jacek , Tmar Aymen , Krzaczek Paweł
Published: December 2017

The stratification of in-cylinder mixtures appears to be an effective method for managing the combustion process in controlled auto-ignition (CAI) engines. Stratification can be achieved and controlled using various injection strategies such as split fuel injection and the introduction of a portion of fuel directly before the start of combustion. This study investigates the effect of injection timing and the amount of fuel injected for stratification on the combustion and emissions in CAI engine. The experimental research was performed on a single cylinder engine with direct gasoline injection. CAI combustion was achieved using negative valve overlap and exhaust gas trapping. The experiments were performed at constant engine fueling. Intake boost was applied to control the excess air ratio. The results show that the application of the late injection strategy has a significant effect on the heat release process. In general, the later the injection is and the more fuel is injected for stratification, the earlier the auto-ignition occurs. However, the experimental findings reveal that the effect of stratification on combustion duration is much more complex. Changes in combustion are reflected in NOX emissions. The attainable level of stratification is limited by the excessive emission of unburned hydrocarbons, CO and soot.
Modeling and Stability Analysis of a Single-Phase Two-Stage Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System
Authors: Huang Liying , Qiu Dongyuan , Xie Fan , Chen Yanfeng , Zhang Bo
Published: December 2017

The stability issue of a single-phase two-stage grid-connected photovoltaic system is complicated due to the nonlinear v-i characteristic of the photovoltaic array as well as the interaction between power converters. Besides, even though linear system theory is widely used in stability analysis of balanced three-phase systems, the application of the same theory to single-phase systems meets serious challenges, since single-phase systems cannot be transformed into linear time-invariant systems simply using Park transformation as balanced three-phase systems. In this paper, (1) the integrated mathematical model of a single-phase two-stage grid-connected photovoltaic system is established, in which both DC-DC converter and DC-AC converter are included also the characteristic of the PV array is considered; (2) an observer-pattern modeling method is used to eliminate the time-varying variables; and (3) the stability of the system is studied using eigenvalue sensitivity and eigenvalue loci plots. Finally, simulation results are given to validate the proposed model and stability analysis.
Large-Scale Integrative Analysis of Epigenetic Modifications Induced by Isotretinoin, Doxycycline and Metronidazole in Murine Colonic Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Becker Eugenia , Bengs Susan , Aluri Sirisha , Opitz Lennart , Atrott Kirstin , Rost Felix , Leonardi Irina , Stanzel Claudia , Raselli Tina , Kasper Stephanie , Ruiz Pedro , Rogler Gerhard
Published: December 2017

Environmental factors are playing a central role in triggering inflammatory responses in the intestine. There is increasing evidence that the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is deriving from an aberrant immune response to the commensal gut microbiota triggered by various environmental factors in a susceptible host. A vitamin A derivate used in acne therapy (isotretinoin) has been inconsistently associated with the onset of IBD. However, what needs to be considered is the previous treatment of acne patients with antibiotics that are also associated with the development of IBD, thus representing a crucial confounding factor. Here, we studied whether doxycycline (acne therapy), metronidazole (IBD therapy) or isotretinoin are able to induce alterations in DNA methylation and microRNA expression patterns in murine colonic intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Additionally, we analyzed time-dependent changes in the aforementioned epigenetic mechanisms to study how epigenetic signatures evolve over time. As for changes in DNA methylation, we found isotretinoin to have strong demethylating effects, while antibiotic treatment had only a moderate impact. Isotretinoin-mediated demethylation resolved after a washout phase, not supporting an association between isotretinoin treatment and IBD. Regarding microRNA and mRNA expression, isotretinoin and doxycycline, but not metronidazole, potentially induce long-term changes in microRNA/mRNA expression profiles towards the down-regulation of immune responses. Analysis of time-dependent DNA methylation showed stable marks over a time frame of 4 weeks. Furthermore, novel microRNAs were identified (e.g., microRNA-877-3p), which might be of relevance in IEC development.
Milk Technological Properties as Affected by Including Artichoke By-Products Silages in the Diet of Dairy Goats
Authors: Muelas Raquel , Monllor Paula , Romero Gema , Sayas-Barberá Estrella , Navarro Casilda , Díaz José , Sendra Esther
Published: December 2017

Traditional farming practices include the use of local agricultural by-products in the diet of ruminants. Artichoke harvesting and transformation yield high amounts of by-products that, if properly used, may reduce farming costs and the environmental impact of farming. The present study tests the inclusion of silages from artichoke by-products (plant and outer bracts) in the diet of dairy goats (0%, 12.5% and 25% inclusion) on the technological and sensory properties of milk during a five-month study. Milk composition, color, stability, coagulation and fermentation properties remained unaffected by diet changes. Panelists were not able to differentiate among yogurts obtained from those milks by discriminant triangular sensory tests. Silages of artichoke by-products can be included in isoproteic and isoenergetic diets for dairy goats, up to a 25% (feed dry matter), without negatively affecting milk technological and sensory properties whereas reducing feeding costs.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Male and Female Conelets and Development of Microsatellite Markers in Pinus bungeana, an Endemic Conifer in China
Authors: Duan Dong , Jia Yun , Yang Jie , Li Zhong-Hu
Published: December 2017

The sex determination in gymnosperms is still poorly characterized due to the lack of genomic/transcriptome resources and useful molecular genetic markers. To enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the determination of sexual recognition of reproductive structures in conifers, the transcriptome of male and female conelets were characterized in a Chinese endemic conifer species, Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl. The 39.62 Gb high-throughput sequencing reads were obtained from two kinds of sexual conelets. After de novo assembly of the obtained reads, 85,305 unigenes were identified, 53,944 (63.23%) of which were annotated with public databases. A total of 12,073 differentially expressed genes were detected between the two types of sexes in P. bungeana, and 5766 (47.76%) of them were up-regulated in females. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enriched analysis suggested that some of the genes were significantly associated with the sex determination process of P. bungeana, such as those involved in tryptophan metabolism, zeatin biosynthesis, and cysteine and methionine metabolism, and the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. Meanwhile, some important plant hormone pathways (e.g., the gibberellin (GA) pathway, carotenoid biosynthesis, and brassinosteroid biosynthesis (BR) pathway) that affected sexual determination were also induced in P. bungeana. In addition, 8791 expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) from 7859 unigenes were detected in P. bungeana. The most abundant repeat types were dinucleotides (1926), followed by trinucleotides (1711). The dominant classes of the sequence repeat were A/T (4942) in mononucleotides and AT/AT (1283) in dinucleotides. Among these EST-SSRs, 84 pairs of primers were randomly selected for the characterization of potential molecular genetic markers. Finally, 19 polymorphic EST-SSR primers were characterized. We found low to moderate levels of genetic diversity (NA = 1.754; HO = 0.206; HE = 0.205) across natural populations of P. bungeana. The cluster analysis revealed two distinct genetic groups for the six populations that were sampled in this endemic species, which might be caused by the fragmentation of habitats and long-term geographic isolation among different populations. Taken together, this work provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms of sexual identity in the reproductive organs of P. bungeana. The molecular genetic resources that were identified in this study will also facilitate further studies in functional genomics and population genetics in the Pinus species.
Comparative Analysis of Four Calypogeia Species Revealed Unexpected Change in Evolutionarily-Stable Liverwort Mitogenomes
Authors: Ślipiko Monika , Myszczyński Kamil , Buczkowska-Chmielewska Katarzyna , Bączkiewicz Alina , Szczecińska Monika , Sawicki Jakub
Published: December 2017

Liverwort mitogenomes are considered to be evolutionarily stable. A comparative analysis of four Calypogeia species revealed differences compared to previously sequenced liverwort mitogenomes. Such differences involve unexpected structural changes in the two genes, cox1 and atp1, which have lost three and two introns, respectively. The group I introns in the cox1 gene are proposed to have been lost by two-step localized retroprocessing, whereas one-step retroprocessing could be responsible for the disappearance of the group II introns in the atp1 gene. These cases represent the first identified losses of introns in mitogenomes of leafy liverworts (Jungermanniopsida) contrasting the stability of mitochondrial gene order with certain changes in the gene content and intron set in liverworts.