bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who Will Defend Democracy? Evaluating Tradeoffs in Candidate Support Among Partisan Donors and Voters
Authors: Nyhan Brendan , Helmke Gretchen , Sanders Mitchell , Clayton Katherine , Carey John , Stokes Susan
Published: September 2019

Scholars and pundits fear that the American public’s commitment to democracy is declining and that citizens are willing to embrace candidates who would trample democratic principles. We examine whether violations of democratic principles generate resistance from voters and top campaign donors and whether such resistance extends across partisan lines. In a conjoint survey experiment, we investigate how regular citizens and donor elites trade off partisanship, policy positions, and democratic values when choosing between hypothetical political candidates. Our findings indicate that both citizens and donors punish violations of democratic principles irrespective of party. However, we find partisan polarization (especially among donors) in the effects of candidates supporting voter identification laws that threaten access to the franchise. These results suggest that the public and donors may sometimes be willing to forgive transgressions against democratic norms that align with their partisan and policy preferences.
Knowledge Management Practices and Innovation Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Risk-Taking and Proactiveness
Authors: García-Piqueres Gema , Serrano-Bedia Ana-M. , Pérez-Pérez Marta
Published: September 2019

This study, by the application of a linear regression by ordinary least squares (OLS), aimed to explore the relationships between knowledge management practices (KMP) and innovation outcomes (product, process, organizational, and commercial), and how they can be moderated by two dimensions of the entrepreneurial orientation (proactiveness and risk taking). This empirical study used survey data from a sample of 288 Spanish family small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The results revealed a positive effect of all the KMPs studied for at least one of the innovation variables studied. Regarding the moderating effect of proactiveness and risk taking on the KMP-innovation outcomes relationship, proactiveness negatively moderated the relationship between knowledge creation and product/process innovation. Moreover, a positive moderating effect was found for the case of knowledge application and process innovation. With regard to risk taking, the evidence found was mixed, and confirmed for some KMPs and all the innovation measures, with the exception of process innovation. The only positive moderating effect found was for knowledge storage and product innovation, whereas, contrary to expected, a negative moderating effect was found for knowledge creation, transfer, and application practices and commercial, product, and organizational innovations, respectively.
The Effect of Dietary Camelina sativa Oil or Cake in the Diets of Broiler Chickens on Growth Performance, Fatty Acid Profile, and Sensory Quality of Meat
Authors: Orczewska-Dudek Sylwia , Pietras Mariusz
Published: September 2019

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of supplementing the diets of broiler chickens with Camelina sativa oil or cake as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on their growth performance, fatty acid profile, and sensory quality of meat. The 456 Ross 308 broilers aged 21–42 days were divided into 3 groups with 4 replicates of 38 birds in each. Chickens in the control group I (CTR) were fed a standard grower–finisher feed mixture containing 60 g/kg rapeseed oil. The experimental components, C. sativa oil—CSO (group II) or cake—CSC (group III), were included in a diet based on wheat and soybean at 40 and 100 g/kg, respectively. The use of Camelina oil and cake as feed components did not have a significant effect on the growth performance of the chickens. Analysis of the fatty acid profile in the lipids of the breast muscles showed that Camelina oil and cake reduced the content of monounsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05) but increased the content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially α-linolenic acid (C18:3) (p < 0.01). Furthermore, both components reduced the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs in the breast muscles (p < 0.01). Sensory analysis revealed that Camelina oil had a beneficial effect on meat juiciness, whereas Camelina cake slightly worsened the flavor and tastiness of the meat. In conclusion, supplementing the diet of broiler chickens with Camelina oil or cake can be an efficient method for modifying the fatty acid profile of the meat lipids in a beneficial way, without any negative impact on the growth performance of the chickens. According to the dietetic recommendations for humans, broiler chicken meat with a higher level of PUFA n-3 can be a good alternative source of these fatty acids in the human diet. Furthermore, Camelina oil improved the juiciness of breast meat.
Application of Fuzzy Theory to the Evaluation Model of Product Assembly Design and Usability Operation Complexity
Authors: Ko Ya-Chuan
Published: September 2019

In order to make people’s lives more convenient and enhance living standards, the composition of a product usually includes more than one component. However, a product is created by the joint endeavor of people from various territories and therefore one of the important considerations is making a product merge into consumers’ daily lives rather than simply fulfilling its functions. There might be conflicts with people’s existing life patterns or existing values, which should be taken into consideration during the manufacturing process. This study is an investigation of the process of assembly by considering the assembly operations and the assembly operating time. By determining the relationship between components, the assembly concept of most components was analyzed. A fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was carried out during the evaluation of the degree of complexity of user operations. Depending on the ranking of membership, the most appropriate assembly was determined and this serves as a reference for designers to select the optimal product assembly. By recording the consumer usage models, the optimal assembly and usage model of product design were also proposed. The goal of this study is to find the balance between assembly evaluation and user usage model by the process in order to allow designers to determine the new assembly concepts that meet consumer usage models. A case study of four bedside stereos was carried out by implementing the proposed approach in order to determine the evaluation principle of assembly. The purpose of this is to enhance the balance between assembly design and user operation complexity for making efficient decisions. A product design can comply with the spirit of concurrent engineering and the quality of a product design can be enhanced.
Revisiting Epigraphic Evidence of the Oldest Synagogue in Morocco in Volubilis
Authors: Andreeva Sofia , Fedorchuk Artem , Nosonovsky Michael
Published: September 2019

Volubilis was a Roman city located at the southwest extremity of the Roman Empire in modern-day Morocco. Several Jewish gravestone inscriptions in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, likely from the 3rd century CE, have been found there. One of them belongs to “Protopolites Kaikilianos, the head of a Jewish congregation (synagogue)”, and it indicates the presence of a relatively big Jewish community in the city. The Hebrew inscription of “Matrona, daughter of Rabbi Yehuda” is unique occurrence of using the Hebrew language in such a remote region. The Latin inscription belongs to “Antonii Sabbatrai”, likely a Jew. In addition, two lamps decorated with menorahs, one from bronze and one from clay, were found in Volubilis. In nearby Chellah, a Jewish inscription in Greek was also discovered. We revisit these inscriptions including their language, spelling mistakes, and their interpretations. We relate epigraphic sources to archaeological evidence and discuss a possible location of the synagogue in this remote city, which was the first synagogue in Morocco.
Graft Materials and Biologics for Spinal Interbody Fusion
Authors: D’Souza Marissa , Macdonald Nicholas A. , Gendreau Julian L. , Duddleston Pate J. , Feng Austin Y. , Ho Allen L.
Published: September 2019

Spinal fusion is the most widely performed procedure in spine surgery. It is the preferred treatment for a wide variety of pathologies including degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, segmental instability, and deformity. Surgeons have the choice of fusing vertebrae by utilizing cages containing autografts, allografts, demineralized bone matrices (DBMs), or graft substitutes such as ceramic scaffolds. Autografts from the iliac spine are the most commonly used as they offer osteogenic, osteoinductive, and osteoconductive capabilities, all while avoiding immune system rejection. Allografts obtained from cadavers and living donors can also be advantageous as they lack the need for graft extraction from the patient. DBMs are acid-extracted organic allografts with osteoinductive properties. Ceramic grafts containing hydroxyapatite can be readily manufactured and are able to provide osteoinductive support while having a long shelf life. Further, bone-morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), synthetic peptides, and autologous growth factors are currently being optimized to assist in improving vertebral fusion. Genetic therapies utilizing viral transduction are also currently being devised. This review provides an overview of the advantages, disadvantages, and future directions of currently available graft materials. The current literature on growth factors, stem cells, and genetic therapy is also discussed.
A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
Authors: Kummar Auretta S. , Correia Helen , Fujiyama Hakuei
Published: September 2019

Neuroimaging studies in the area of mindfulness research have provided preliminary support for the idea of fear extinction as a plausible underlying mechanism through which mindfulness exerts its positive benefits. Whilst brain regions identified in the fear extinction network are typically found at a subcortical level, studies have also demonstrated the feasibility of cortical measures of the brain, such as electroencephalogram (EEG), in implying subcortical activations of the fear extinction network. Such EEG studies have also found evidence of a relationship between brain reactivity to unpleasant stimuli (i.e., fear extinction) and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Therefore, the present paper seeks to briefly review the parallel findings between the neurophysiological literature of mindfulness and fear extinction (particularly that yielded by EEG measures), and discusses the implications of this for fear-based psychopathologies, such as trauma, and finally presents suggestions for future studies. This paper also discusses the clinical value in integrating EEG in psychological treatment for trauma, as it holds the unique potential to detect neuromarkers, which may enable earlier diagnoses, and can also provide neurofeedback over the course of treatment.
Data Fusion Techniques for the Integration of Multi-Domain Genomic Data from Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Pfeffer Max , Uschmajew André , Amaro Adriana , Pfeffer Ulrich
Published: September 2019

Uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare cancer that is well characterized at the molecular level. Two to four classes have been identified by the analyses of gene expression (mRNA, ncRNA), DNA copy number, DNA-methylation and somatic mutations yet no factual integration of these data has been reported. We therefore applied novel algorithms for data fusion, joint Singular Value Decomposition (jSVD) and joint Constrained Matrix Factorization (jCMF), as well as similarity network fusion (SNF), for the integration of gene expression, methylation and copy number data that we applied to the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) UM dataset. Variant features that most strongly impact on definition of classes were extracted for biological interpretation of the classes. Data fusion allows for the identification of the two to four classes previously described. Not all of these classes are evident at all levels indicating that integrative analyses add to genomic discrimination power. The classes are also characterized by different frequencies of somatic mutations in putative driver genes (GNAQ, GNA11, SF3B1, BAP1). Innovative data fusion techniques confirm, as expected, the existence of two main types of uveal melanoma mainly characterized by copy number alterations. Subtypes were also confirmed but are somewhat less defined. Data fusion allows for real integration of multi-domain genomic data.
Clinical Routine TERT Promoter Mutational Screening of Follicular Thyroid Tumors of Uncertain Malignant Potential (FT-UMPs): A Useful Predictor of Metastatic Disease
Authors: Hysek Martin , Paulsson Johan O. , Jatta Kenbugul , Shabo Ivan , Stenman Adam , Höög Anders , Larsson Catharina , Zedenius Jan , Juhlin Carl Christofer
Published: September 2019

Mutations of the Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene promoter are recurrently found in follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and follicular tumors of uncertain malignant potential (FT-UMP), but nearly never in follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA). We, therefore, believe these mutations could signify malignant potential. At our department, postoperative TERT promoter mutational testing of FT-UMPs was implemented in 2014, with a positive mutation screening leading to vigilant follow-up and sometimes adjuvant treatment. To date, we screened 51 FT-UMPs and compared outcomes to 40 minimally invasive FTCs (miFTCs) with known TERT genotypes. Eight FT-UMPs (16%) displayed TERT promoter mutations, of which four cases underwent a completion lobectomy at the discretion of the patient, and a single patient also opted in for radioiodine (RAI) treatment. Three mutation-positive patients developed distant metastases, registered in one patient receiving a completion lobectomy and in two patients with no additional treatment. Three out of four patients who received additional surgery, including the RAI-treated patient, are still without metastatic disease. We conclude that FT-UMPs with TERT promoter mutations harbor malignant potential and exhibit at least similar recurrence rates to TERT-promoter-mutated miFTCs. Mutational screening should constitute a cornerstone analysis in the histopathological work-up of FT-UMPs.
NF-κB Dependent Chemokine Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Geismann Claudia , Schäfer Heiner , Gundlach Jan-Paul , Hauser Charlotte , Egberts Jan-Hendrik , Schneider Günter , Arlt Alexander
Published: September 2019

Pancreatic cancer is one of the carcinomas with the worst prognoses, as shown by its five-year survival rate of 9%. Although there have been new therapeutic innovations, the effectiveness of these therapies is still limited, resulting in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) becoming the second leading cause of cancer-related death in 2020 in the US. In addition to tumor cell intrinsic resistance mechanisms, this disease exhibits a complex stroma consisting of fibroblasts, immune cells, neuronal and vascular cells, along with extracellular matrix, all conferring therapeutic resistance by several mechanisms. The NF-κB pathway is involved in both the tumor cell-intrinsic and microenvironment-mediated therapeutic resistance by regulating the transcription of a plethora of target genes. These genes are involved in nearly all scenarios described as the hallmarks of cancer. In addition to classical regulators of apoptosis, NF-κB regulates the expression of chemokines and their receptors, both in the tumor cells and in cells of the microenvironment. These chemokines mediate autocrine and paracrine loops among tumor cells but also cross-signaling between tumor cells and the stroma. In this review, we will focus on NF-κB-mediated chemokine signaling, with an emphasis on therapy resistance in pancreatic cancer.
Evaluation of Intensity- and Contour-Based Deformable Image Registration Accuracy in Pancreatic Cancer Patients
Authors: Kubota Yoshiki , Okamoto Masahiko , Li Yang , Shiba Shintaro , Okazaki Shohei , Komatsu Shuichiro , Sakai Makoto , Kubo Nobuteru , Ohno Tatsuya , Nakano Takashi
Published: September 2019

We aimed to clarify the accuracy of rigid image registration and deformable image registration (DIR) in carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for pancreatic cancer. Six patients with pancreatic cancer who were treated with passive irradiation CIRT were enrolled. Three registration patterns were evaluated: treatment planning computed tomography images (TPCT) to CT images acquired in the treatment room (IRCT) in the supine position, TPCT to IRCT in the prone position, and TPCT in the supine position to the prone position. After warping the contours of the original CT images to the destination CT images using deformation matrices from the registration, the warped delineated contours on the destination CT images were compared with the original ones using mean displacement to agreement (MDA). Four contours (clinical target volume (CTV), gross tumor volume (GTV), stomach, duodenum) and four registration algorithms (rigid image registration [RIR], intensity-based DIR [iDIR], contour-based DIR [cDIR], and a hybrid iDIR-cDIR ([hDIR]) were evaluated. The means ± standard deviation of the MDAs of all contours for RIR, iDIR, cDIR, and hDIR were 3.40 ± 3.30, 2.2 1± 2.48, 1.46 ± 1.49, and 1.46 ± 1.37 mm, respectively. There were significant differences between RIR and iDIR, and between RIR/iDIR and cDIR/hDIR. For the pancreatic cancer patient images, cDIR and hDIR had better accuracy than RIR and iDIR.
A Network Analysis of Multiple Myeloma Related Gene Signatures
Authors: Liu Yu , Yu Haocheng , Yoo Seungyeul , Lee Eunjee , Laganà Alessandro , Parekh Samir , Schadt Eric E. , Wang Li , Zhu Jun
Published: September 2019

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most prevalent hematological cancer. MM is a complex and heterogeneous disease, and thus, it is essential to leverage omics data from large MM cohorts to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying MM tumorigenesis, progression, and drug responses, which may aid in the development of better treatments. In this study, we analyzed gene expression, copy number variation, and clinical data from the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC) dataset and constructed a multiple myeloma molecular causal network (M3CN). The M3CN was used to unify eight prognostic gene signatures in the literature that shared very few genes between them, resulting in a prognostic subnetwork of the M3CN, consisting of 178 genes that were enriched for genes involved in cell cycle (fold enrichment = 8.4, p value = 6.1 × 10−26). The M3CN was further used to characterize immunomodulators and proteasome inhibitors for MM, demonstrating the pleiotropic effects of these drugs, with drug-response signature genes enriched across multiple M3CN subnetworks. Network analyses indicated potential links between these drug-response subnetworks and the prognostic subnetwork. To elucidate the structure of these important MM subnetworks, we identified putative key regulators predicted to modulate the state of these subnetworks. Finally, to assess the predictive power of our network-based models, we stratified MM patients in an independent cohort, the MMRF-CoMMpass study, based on the prognostic subnetwork, and compared the performance of this subnetwork against other signatures in the literature. We show that the M3CN-derived prognostic subnetwork achieved the best separation between different risk groups in terms of log-rank test p-values and hazard ratios. In summary, this work demonstrates the power of a probabilistic causal network approach to understanding molecular mechanisms underlying the different MM signatures.
TGR5 Activation Modulates an Inhibitory Effect on Liver Fibrosis Development Mediated by Anagliptin in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Kaya Daisuke , Kaji Kosuke , Tsuji Yuki , Yamashita Satoko , Kitagawa Koh , Ozutsumi Takahiro , Fujinaga Yukihisa , Takaya Hiroaki , Kawaratani Hideto , Moriya Kei , Namisaki Tadashi , Akahane Takemi , Yoshiji Hitoshi
Published: September 2019

Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia activate the proliferative potential of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and promote hepatic fibrosis. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, antidiabetic agents, reportedly inhibit the HSC proliferation. Additionally, Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) agonists induce the systemic release of glucagon-like peptides from intestinal L cells, which maintains glycemic homeostasis. This study assessed the combined effect of TGR5 agonist and DPP-4 inhibitor on diabetes-based liver fibrosis development. Male diabetic rats received intraperitoneal injection of porcine serum (PS) to induce liver fibrosis, and they were orally administered the following agents: oleanolic acid (OA) as a TGR5 agonist, anagliptin (ANA) as a DPP-4 inhibitor, and a combination of both agents. Treatment with OA or ANA significantly improved glycemic status and attenuated intrahepatic steatosis and lipid peroxidation in diabetic rats. PS-induced liver fibrosis development was also drastically suppressed by treatment with either agent, and the combination of both reciprocally enhanced the antifibrotic effect. Fecal microbiome demonstrated that both agents inhibited the increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, an indicator of dysbiosis related to metabolic syndromes. Furthermore, ANA directly inhibited in vitro HSC proliferative and profibrogenic activities. Collectively, TGR5 agonist and DPP-4 inhibitor appears to be a novel strategy against liver fibrosis under diabetic conditions.
Precipitation Trends over the Indus Basin
Authors: Krakauer Nir Y. , Lakhankar Tarendra , Dars Ghulam H.
Published: September 2019

A large population relies on water input to the Indus basin, yet basinwide precipitation amounts and trends are not well quantified. Gridded precipitation data sets covering different time periods and based on either station observations, satellite remote sensing, or reanalysis were compared with available station observations and analyzed for basinwide precipitation trends. Compared to observations, some data sets tended to greatly underestimate precipitation, while others overestimate it. Additionally, the discrepancies between data set and station precipitation showed significant time trends in many cases, suggesting that the precipitation trends of those data sets were not consistent with station data. Among the data sets considered, the station-based Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) gridded data set showed good agreement with observations in terms of mean amount, trend, and spatial and temporal pattern. GPCC had average precipitation of about 500 mm per year over the basin and an increase in mean precipitation of about 15% between 1891 and 2016. For the more recent past, since 1958 or 1979, no significant precipitation trend was seen. Among the remote sensing based data sets, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) compared best to station observations and, though available for a shorter time period than station-based data sets such as GPCC, may be especially valuable for parts of the basin without station data. The reanalyses tended to have substantial biases in precipitation mean amount or trend relative to the station data. This assessment of precipitation data set quality and precipitation trends over the Indus basin may be helpful for water planning and management.
Application of Confocal Raman Microscopy for the Analysis of the Distribution of Wood Preservative Coatings
Authors: Kanbayashi Toru , Ishikawa Atsuko , Matsunaga Masahiro , Kobayashi Masahiko , Kataoka Yutaka
Published: September 2019

The distribution of wood preservative coatings in wood surface layer was assessed at the cellular level using confocal Raman microscopy. Raman images were created based on the fingerprint Raman bands of the different wood polymers and coating components (resin and pigment). The wood cell walls and the distribution of the resin and pigment were clearly visualized at the same time. It was concluded that confocal Raman microscopy is suitable for the evaluation of the microdistribution of wood coatings, providing valuable information for the improvement of wood coating technology.
Credibilistic Mean-Semi-Entropy Model for Multi-Period Portfolio Selection with Background Risk
Authors: Zhang Jun , Li Qian
Published: September 2019

In financial markets, investors will face not only portfolio risk but also background risk. This paper proposes a credibilistic multi-objective mean-semi-entropy model with background risk for multi-period portfolio selection. In addition, realistic constraints such as liquidity, cardinality constraints, transaction costs, and buy-in thresholds are considered. For solving the proposed multi-objective problem efficiently, a novel hybrid algorithm named Hybrid Dragonfly Algorithm-Genetic Algorithm (HDA-GA) is designed by combining the advantages of the dragonfly algorithm (DA) and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA II). Moreover, in the hybrid algorithm, parameter optimization, constraints handling, and external archive approaches are used to improve the ability of finding accurate approximations of Pareto optimal solutions with high diversity and coverage. Finally, we provide several empirical studies to show the validity of the proposed approaches.
Secure Degrees of Freedom in Networks with User Misbehavior
Authors: Banawan Karim , Ulukus Sennur
Published: September 2019

We investigate the secure degrees of freedom (s.d.o.f.) of three new channel models: broadcast channel with combating helpers, interference channel with selfish users, and multiple access wiretap channel with deviating users. The goal of introducing these channel models is to investigate various malicious interactions that arise in networks, including active adversaries. That is in contrast with the common assumption in the literature that the users follow a certain protocol altruistically and transmit both message-carrying and cooperative jamming signals in an optimum manner. In the first model, over a classical broadcast channel with confidential messages (BCCM), there are two helpers, each associated with one of the receivers. In the second model, over a classical interference channel with confidential messages (ICCM), there is a helper and users are selfish. By casting each problem as an extensive-form game and applying recursive real interference alignment, we show that, for the first model, the combating intentions of the helpers are neutralized and the full s.d.o.f. is retained; for the second model, selfishness precludes secure communication and no s.d.o.f. is achieved. In the third model, we consider the multiple access wiretap channel (MAC-WTC), where multiple legitimate users wish to have secure communication with a legitimate receiver in the presence of an eavesdropper. We consider the case when a subset of users deviate from the optimum protocol that attains the exact s.d.o.f. of this channel. We consider two kinds of deviation: when some of the users stop transmitting cooperative jamming signals, and when a user starts sending intentional jamming signals. For the first scenario, we investigate possible responses of the remaining users to counteract such deviation. For the second scenario, we use an extensive-form game formulation for the interactions of the deviating and well-behaving users. We prove that a deviating user can drive the s.d.o.f. to zero; however, the remaining users can exploit its intentional jamming signals as cooperative jamming signals against the eavesdropper and achieve an optimum s.d.o.f.
Entropic Matroids and Their Representation
Authors: Abbe Emmanuel , Spirkl Sophie
Published: September 2019

This paper investigates entropic matroids, that is, matroids whose rank function is given as the Shannon entropy of random variables. In particular, we consider p-entropic matroids, for which the random variables each have support of cardinality p. We draw connections between such entropic matroids and secret-sharing matroids and show that entropic matroids are linear matroids when p = 2 , 3 but not when p = 9 . Our results leave open the possibility for p-entropic matroids to be linear whenever p is prime, with particular cases proved here. Applications of entropic matroids to coding theory and cryptography are also discussed.
Research and Application of Hybrid Wind-Energy Forecasting Models Based on Cuckoo Search Optimization
Authors: Hou Ru , Yang Yi , Yuan Qingcong , Chen Yanhua
Published: September 2019

Wind energy is crucial renewable and sustainable resource, which plays a major role in the energy mix in many countries around the world. Accurately forecasting the wind energy is not only important but also challenging in order to schedule the wind power generation and to ensure the security of wind-power integration. In this paper, four kinds of hybrid models based on cyclic exponential adjustment, adaptive coefficient methods and the cuckoo search algorithm are proposed to forecast the wind speed on large-scale wind farms in China. To verify the developed hybrid models’ effectiveness, wind-speed data from four sites of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region located in northwest China are collected and analyzed. Multiple criteria are used to quantitatively evaluate the forecasting results. Simulation results indicate that (1) the proposed four hybrid models achieve desirable forecasting accuracy and outperform traditional back-propagating neural network, autoregressive integrated moving average as well as single adaptive coefficient methods, and (2) the parameters of hybrid models optimized by artificial intelligence contribute to higher forecasting accuracy compared with predetermined parameters.
Coupling Influence on the dq Impedance Stability Analysis for the Three-Phase Grid-Connected Inverter
Authors: Li Chuanyue , Qoria Taoufik , Colas Frederic , Liang Jun , Ming Wenlong , Gruson Francois , Guillaud Xavier
Published: September 2019

The dq impedance stability analysis for a grid-connected current-control inverter is based on the impedance ratio matrix. However, the coupled matrix brings difficulties in deriving its eigenvalues for the analysis based on the general Nyquist criterion. If the couplings are ignored for simplification, unacceptable errors will be present in the analysis. In this paper, the influence of the couplings on the dq impedance stability analysis is studied. To take the couplings into account simply, the determinant-based impedance stability analysis is used. The mechanism between the determinant of the impedance-ratio matrix and the inverter stability is unveiled. Compared to the eigenvalues-based analysis, only one determinant rather than two eigenvalue s-function is required for the stability analysis. One Nyquist plot or pole map can be applied to the determinant to check the right-half-plane poles. The accuracy of the determinant-based stability analysis is also checked by comparing with the state-space stability analysis method. For the stability analysis, the coupling influence on the current control, the phase-locked loop, and the grid impedance are studied. The errors can be 10% in the stability analysis if the couplings are ignored.
Evaluation of Energy and Daylight Performance of Old Office Buildings in South Korea with Curtain Walls Remodeled Using Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) Films
Authors: Oh Myunghwan , Lee Chulsung , Park Jaesung , Lee Kwangseok , Tae Sungho
Published: September 2019

Globally, energy standards for new buildings are being reinforced to improve energy efficiency, and remodeling policies are being promoted for old buildings. The South Korean Government is promoting green remodeling projects, and focusing on research and product development to improve the performance of old windows and curtain walls. In line with this, the present study proposes two remodeling methods using polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films, which can adjust solar radiation for old office buildings. In addition, energy efficiency improvement and daylight performance according to remodeling were analyzed. Attaching PDLC films to the glass of old curtain walls was analyzed; this can reduce heating and cooling energy, reduce the annual discomfort glare occurrence rate, and increase the annual indoor appropriate illuminance ratio. Furthermore, producing a window by laminating a PDLC film between two sheets of glass and putting it over the existing curtain wall was also analyzed; this can reduce annual building energy consumption and the annual discomfort glare occurrence rate, and improve the annual indoor appropriate illuminance ratio. Therefore, PDLC film is expected to be applicable as a next-generation green remodeling material because using it in remodeling can improve energy efficiency of old office buildings and indoor daylight performance.
Can LiDARs Replace Meteorological Masts in Wind Energy?
Authors: Goit Jay Prakash , Shimada Susumu , Kogaki Tetsuya
Published: September 2019

This paper discusses whether profiling LiDARs can replace meteorological tower-based wind speed measurement for wind energy applications without severely compromising accuracy. To this end, the accuracy of LiDAR is evaluated in a moderately complex terrain by comparing long-term wind data measured by a profiling LiDAR against those obtained from tower-mounted cup and sonic anemometers. The LiDAR-measured wind speeds show good agreement with those measured using the sonic anemometer, with the slope of regression line being 1.0 and R 2 > 0.99 . Furthermore, the turbulence intensity obtained from the LiDAR has better agreement with that from the sonic anemometer compared to the cup anemometer which showed the lowest turbulence intensities among the three devices. A comparison of the turbulence intensity obtained from the 90th percentile of the standard deviation distribution shows that the LiDAR-measured turbulence intensities are mostly larger (by 2% or less) than those measured by the sonic anemometer. The gust factors obtained from both devices roughly converged to 1.9, showing that LiDAR is able to measure peak wind speed with acceptable accuracy. The accuracy of the wind speed and power distributions measured using the profiling LiDAR are then evaluated by comparing them against the corresponding distributions obtained from the sonic anemometer. Furthermore, the annual capacity factor—for the NREL 5-MW wind turbine—from the LiDAR-measured wind speed is 2% higher than that obtained from the sonic anemometer-measured wind speed. Numerical simulations are performed using OpenFAST in order to compute fatigue loads for the wind speed and turbulence distributions for the LiDAR and the sonic anemometer measurements. It is found that the 20 years lifetime Damage Equivalent Loads (DELs) computed for the LiDAR wind speed were higher than those for the sonic anemometer wind speeds, by 2%–6% for the blade root bending moments and by 11%–13% for the tower base bending moments. This study shows that even with some shortcomings, profiling LiDARs can measure wind speeds and turbulence intensities with acceptable accuracy. Therefore, they can be used to analyze wind resource and wind power potential of prospective sites, and to evaluate whether those sites are suitable for wind energy development.
Screening of Spontaneous Ignition Feasibility During Air Injection EOR Process Based on Thermal Experiments
Authors: Huang Siyuan , Sheng James J. , Jiang Qi , Liu Jiali
Published: September 2019

The feasibility of spontaneous ignition is extremely important to the success of AIP (air injection process) projects. However, no laboratory experiments were reported on the detection of crude oil spontaneous ignition during AIP. The initial intention of the thermal experiments is to screen candidate oil reservoirs for the application of AIP in a faster and less expensive way than combustion tube tests. However, instead of performing a feasibility study, most of the research only employed thermal experiments as a tool to obtain kinetic data and to characterize the thermal-oxidative behavior for different crude oil samples. The question of how to use the thermal experiments to determine the feasibility of spontaneous ignition has not been answered yet. This study proposes a practical method to investigate the spontaneous ignition feasibility during AIP, which directly relates the oil reactivity and reservoir properties. An example of the application of this method was presented in this paper, where a mixture of a light oil and sand was tested by the TGA and DSC to obtain the kinetic data and net heat. The obtained parameters were then used to evaluate the feasibility of spontaneous ignition. The results showed that the tested oil and sand mixture cannot lead to spontaneous ignition due to crude oil’s insufficient reactivity. Furthermore, the typical crude oil kinetic data and reservoir conditions were used to investigate the screening criteria for spontaneous ignition. The results indicated that the crude oil’s activation energy and frequency factor need to be less than 60 kJ/mole and higher than 2 s−1, respectively, in order to satisfy the need of spontaneous ignition.
Comprehensive Quality Assessment Algorithm for Smart Meters
Authors: Liu Shengyuan , Ye Fangbin , Lin Zhenzhi , Yang Jia , Liu Haigang , Lin Yinghe , Xie Haiwei
Published: September 2019

With the improvement of operation monitoring and data acquisition levels of smart meters, mining data associated with smart meters becomes possible. Besides, precisely assessing the operation quality of smart meters plays an important role in purchasing metering equipment and improving the economic benefits of power utilities. First, seven indexes for assessing operation quality of smart meters are defined based on the metering data and the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) clustering algorithm is applied to extract the typical index data from the massive data of smart meters. Then, the combination optimization model of index’s weight is presented with the subject experience of experts and object difference of data considered; and the comprehensive assessment algorithm based on the revised technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) is proposed to evaluate the operation quality of smart meters. Finally, the proposed data-driven assessment algorithm is illustrated by the actual metering data from Zhejiang Ningbo power supply company of China and practical application is briefly introduced. The results show that the proposed algorithm is effective for assessing the operation quality of smart meters and could be helpful for energy measurement and asset management.
Sliding-Mode Approaches to Control a Microinverter Based on a Quadratic Boost Converter
Authors: Valderrama-Blavi Hugo , Rodríguez-Ramos Ezequiel , Olalla Carlos , Genaro-Muñoz Xavier
Published: September 2019

A comparative analysis of the dynamic features of a step-up microinverter based on the cascade connection of two synchronized boost stages and a full-bridge is presented in this work. In the conventional approach the output of the cascaded boost converter is a 350–400 DC voltage that supplies the full-bridge that makes the DC-AC conversion. Differently from the classical approach, in this work, the cascaded boost converter delivers a sinusoidal rectified voltage of 230 Vrms to the full-bridge converter that operates as unfolding stage. This stage changes the voltage sign of one of every two periods of the rectified sinusoidal signal providing the final output AC waveform. In contrast to a classical full-bridge inverter, the unfolding stage lacks output filter, and has zero order dynamics. Thus, the approach presented here implies a second order dynamics reduction that will be increased applying sliding motions to control the system. After introducing the inverter circuit, two sliding control alternatives, input current mode and pseudo-oscillating mode, are presented. Both alternatives are analyzed, simulated, and verified experimentally. Furthermore, detailed description of the microinverter power stage and control circuits are also given.
Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Geothermal Field of Buried Pipe Group Coupled with Heat and Permeable Groundwater
Authors: Lei Xinbo , Zheng Xiuhua , Duan Chenyang , Ye Jianhong , Liu Kang
Published: September 2019

The flow of groundwater and the interaction of buried pipe groups will affect the heat transfer efficiency and the distribution of the ground temperature field, thus affecting the design and operation of ground source heat pumps. Three-dimensional numerical simulation is an effective method to study the buried pipe heat exchanger and ground temperature distribution. According to the heat transfer control equation of non-isothermal pipe flow and porous media, combined with the influence of permeable groundwater and tube group, a heat-transfer coupled heat transfer model of the buried pipe group was established, and the accuracy of the model was verified by the sandbox test and on-site thermal response test. By processing the layout of the buried pipe in the borehole to reduce the number of meshes and improve the meshing quality, a three-dimensional numerical model of the buried pipe cluster at the site scale was established. Additionally, the ground temperature field under the thermal-osmotic coupling of the buried pipe group during groundwater flow was simulated and the influence of the head difference and hydraulic conductivity on the temperature field around the buried pipe group was calculated and analyzed. The results showed that the research on the influence of the tube group and permeable groundwater on the heat transfer and ground temperature field of a buried pipe simulated by COMSOL software is an advanced method.
Potential Reductions in Greenhouse Gas and Fine Particulate Matter Emissions Using Corn Stover for Ethanol Production in China
Authors: Yang Yang , Ni Ji-Qin , Bao Weiqing , Zhao Lei , Xie Guang Hui
Published: September 2019

Corn stover is an abundant raw material that can be used to produce ethanol and reduce air pollution. This paper studied the potential reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions across China if corn stover was used for ethanol production. Field surveys in nine provincial regions were conducted. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) was used to assess the GHG and PM2.5 emissions from a corn stover based ethanol system. The LCA system boundaries included several process stages from corn planting to ethanol fuel used in vehicles. Corn stover geographical distributions and emission reduction factors were combined. Results showed that the total surplus quantity of corn stover in China was 86.2 million metric tons (Mt) in 2015. It was sufficient to reach the ethanol production target set by the Chinese government. In the scenario that 38.5 Mt or 44.6% of corn stover surplus were used for ethanol production, the total potential emission reductions were 36.5 Mt CO2-eq GHG and 450.9 kt PM2.5. Among the 31 provincial regions in China, the reduction potentials varied from 0.001 to 8.9 Mt CO2-eq for GHG and from 0.013 to 109.7 kt for PM2.5. This study provided useful information to policy makers, researchers and industry managers who work on environmental control and corn stover management.
Research on the Kinetics of Pyrolysis of Wood-Based Panels in Terms of Waste Management
Authors: Jaworski Tomasz , Kajda-Szcześniak Małgorzata
Published: September 2019

Currently, there is a lot of interest in implementing the idea of a circular economy along with searching for optimal methods of waste management in terms of raw materials and energy. Waste wood-based floor panels are part of this discussion with regard to its management. The interest in this waste results from statistics and the prediction of its future quantities on the waste market. The separation and testing of individual layers of the waste floor panel was undertaken to answer the following question: Is it reasonable to mechanically separate the contaminated upper panel layer from the remaining part (which is suitable for material recycling) and subject it to thermal transformation methods? Thermogravimetric studies did not confirm the rationale of mechanical separation of layers for further management. Therefore, the use of pyrolysis was proposed as an alternative by showing the advantages of this process in the thermal transformation of the tested waste. The analyzed kinetics of this process included: mass loss, the influence of heating rate on the decomposition process, the impact of volatile parts in the substrate on the rate of mass loss, and the share of coke residue. Empirical formulas of the tested substrates in the molecular formula C–H–O–N (carbon-hydrogen-oxygen-nitrogen) were also proposed to assess its energy usefulness by entering the analyzed waste into a Van Krevelen diagram.
The Potential of Wind Power-Supported Geothermal District Heating Systems—Model Results for a Location in Warsaw (Poland)
Authors: Ciapała Bartłomiej , Jurasz Jakub , Kies Alexander
Published: September 2019

Geothermal heat is considered a sustainable energy source with significant global potential. Together with heat distribution networks, it can provide clean thermal energy to individual and commercial consumers. However, peaks in heat demand can require additional peaking sources at times. In this paper, we investigated how wind turbines can act as a peak energy source for a geothermal district heating system. We studied a model consisting of a geothermal heat source, a heat storage and wind power generator using historical weather data of Warsaw (Poland) and showed that wind power could increase the renewable share to supply a considerable heat demand compared to a geothermal heat source alone. The results indicate that wind power can be a suitable complement for a geothermal heat source to provide energy for heating. It is shown that a theoretical geo-wind-thermal storage based district heating network supplying 1000 m2, which requires 100 W/m2 at an outdoor temperature of −20 °C should have the following parameters: 4.8 MWh of thermal energy storage capacity, 45 kW of geothermal capacity and 5 kW of wind capacity. Such a system would ensure minimal wind curtailment, high utilization of geothermal source and high reliability of supply.
Design of a Chamfering Tool Diagnosis System Using Autoencoder Learning Method
Authors: Hung Chung-Wen , Li Wei-Ting , Mao Wei-Lung , Lee Pal-Chun
Published: September 2019

In this paper, the autoencoder learning method is proposed for the system diagnosis of chamfering tool equipment. The autoencoder uses unsupervised learning architecture. The training dataset that requires only a positive sample is quite suitable for industrial production lines. The abnormal tool can be diagnosed by comparing the output and input of the autoencoder neural network. The adjustable threshold can effectively improve accuracy. This method can effectively adapt to the current environment when the data contain multiple signals. In the experimental setup, the main diagnostic signal is the current of the motor. The current reflects the torque change when the tool is abnormal. Four-step conversions are developed to process the current signal, including (1) current-to-voltage conversion, (2) analog-digital conversion, (3) downsampling rate, and (4) discrete Fourier transform. The dataset is used to find the best autoencoder parameters by grid search. In training results, the testing accuracy, true positive rate, and precision approach are 87.5%, 83.33%, and 90.91%, respectively. The best model of the autoencoder is evaluated by online testing. The online test means loading the diagnosis model in the production line and evaluating the model. It is shown that the proposed tool can effectively detect abnormal conditions. The online assessment accuracy, true positive rate, and precision are 75%, 90%, and 69.23% in the original threshold, respectively. The accuracy can be up to 90% after adjusting the threshold, and the true positive rate and precision are up to 80% and 100%, respectively.