bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The sorption of some diatomic gases on stainless steel and iron surfaces and its relation to passivity
Authors: McKinnell William P. , Speiser Rudolph , Fontana M. G. , Beck F. H.
Published: August 2023

The mechanism by which 18 Cr ‐ 8 Ni stainless steel becomes passive after the sulfuric acid pickle ‐ air exposure treatment is probably one of oxidation. The protective film is most likely an amorphous hydrous oxide. Oxygen is picked up slowly at room temperature on pickled surfaces of Type 304 stainless steel whether outgassed or reduced at 400 °C in a hydrogen atmosphere. The quantity of oxygen required for saturation is less than half the amount necessary to produce a molecular monolayer in both cases. Oxide film thickening is a logical reason for this irreversible sorption of oxygen.
Über die Passivierung des Chroms in verdünnter Schwefelsäure
Authors: Heumann Th. , Diekötter F. W.
Published: August 2023

Mit Hilfe eines Gleichspannungsverstärkers, bei welchem die Gleichspannung einer Wechselspannung aufmoduliert wird, sind nach der galvanostatischen Methode Potential‐Zeit‐Kurven an Elektrolytchrom aufgenommen worden. Als Elektrolyt diente verdünnte H2SO4 mit m/10 K2SO4 im PH‐Bereich von 0,6 bis 2,2; Temperatur 20°C. Unmittelbar nach Einschalten des Anodenstromes setzt der Potentialanstieg ein. Die Kurven zeigen bei etwa 250 mV eine Verzögerung und erreichen mit zunehmender Abflachung das End‐potential. Dadurch unterscheiden sie sich in ihrem Verlauf wesentlich von den Zeitkurven für Eisen, Nickel und Eisen‐Chrom‐Legierungen. Es gilt die Beziehung i — i0 = —K/tp. Die Grenzstromdichten i0 steigen mit fallendem pH‐Wert an, während die Konstante K mit 0,0023 A. sec/cm2 von der H‐Ionenkonzentration unabhängig ist. Die Größe der Passivierungsströme wird in hohem Maße von der H2‐Entwicklung beeinflußt, die auch bei anodischer Polarisation noch nennenswerte Beträge beibehält. Die Ergebnisse werden im Zusammenhang mit jenen, die an Eisen und Eisen‐Chromlegierungen erhalten worden sind, diskutiert.
A contribution to the knowledge of the passivation and passivity of nickel: Part I (aqueous solutions)
Authors: Piontelli R. , Serravalle G.
Published: August 2023

The anodic behavior of nickel, the passivation phenomena and passivity conditions (see Appendix) have been investigated in aqueous solutions of chloride, fluoride, sulphate, sulfamate, perchlorate and their mixtures, at different PH, temperature (T) and current density (c. d.).

The influence of the factors involved, the meaning of the electrode voltages (EV), and the structural aspects have been discussed.
A contribution to the knowledge of the passivation and passivity phenomena of nickel part II (Pyridine and fused salts)
Authors: Piontelli R. , Bertocci U. , Sternheim G.
Published: August 2023

Anodic nickel behavior in pyridine solutions and fused salts has been investigated. The results are discussed.
A technique for anodic polarisation and passivation measurements
Authors: Le Boucher B.
Published: August 2023

A technique for anodic polarisation and passivation measurements which makes use of rectangular current pulses or rectangular current cut off is described. Special care is given to electrode surface preparation.

As an application it is shown that anodic passivation can occur on an adsorbed O2‐free surface of iron in 0.1 M NaHCO3 deaerated solution. The unstable state preceding passivation is evidenced.
Dielektrisches Relaxationszeitspektrum von Methylzellulose in Wasser
Authors: Kuhn W. , Moser P.
Published: August 2023

Aus dem dielektrischen Inkrement von Methylzellulose in Wasser wird auf ein dielektrisches Relaxationszeitspektrum geschlossen, welches sich praktisch genommen über einen Frequenzbereich von 10−4 bis 10−6 sec erstreckt. Das Spektrum kann auf Grund von früher bestimmten Parametern betreffend die Knäuelabmessungen und die Formzähigkeit des Moleküls vorausberechnet werden.
Dielektrische Verluste von Wasser im Mikrowellengebiet bei Tonen mit verschiedenem Wassergehalt
Authors: Amrhein Eva‐Maria
Published: August 2023

Es wurden Brechungsindex und Absorptionskoeffizient an Kolloid‐Kaolin in Abhängigkeit vom Wassergehalt bei 9600 MHz zwischen − 60 °C und + 70°C gemessen. Die ersten adsorbierten Schichten (bis etwa 2 Gew.‐% H2O vom Gesamtgewicht) zeigen elektrisch kein wasserähnliches Verhalten, wohl aber eine Absorption bei Zimmertemperatur, die nicht näher untersucht werden konnte. Für die weiteren Wasserbelegungen zeigen die Absorptions‐Temperatur‐Kurven eine Verschiebung bzw. Verschmierung des Gefrierpunkts bis zu −50°C, was durch teilweise Entassoziation des Wassers gedeutet wird. Der Vergleich mit den Werten des Brechungsindex ergibt, daß 10–15 Gew.‐% Wasser den Effekt der Entassoziation zeigen, und daß für diesen Wasseranteil das Dispersionsgebiet zu höheren Frequenzen verschoben ist. Von 25 Gew.‐% Wasser an tritt eine ideale Mischung neu hinzukommenden Wassers mit dem Tom‐Wasser‐System ein; Polarisierbarkeit und Absorption gehorchen dann dem Beerschen Gesetz.
Relaxation bei der Zugwechselbeanspruchung von Hochpolymeren
Authors: Kemmnitz G. , Espanion G.
Published: August 2023

Aus dem Verhalten von Hochpolymeren bei der zyklischen Beanspruchung wird auf eine lineare und nicht‐lineare Nachwirkung geschlossen. Der Verlauf der nichtlinearen Nachwirkung wird von einzelnen Beispielen mitgeteilt.

Die Differentialgleichung der zyklischen nichtlinearen Beanspruchung wird angegeben, ebenso wie die Gleichungen für den komplexen E‐Modul und den Verlustfaktor tg δ.
Spannungsrelaxation von Hochpolymeren bei verschiedenen Beanspruchungsarten
Authors: Becker Gerhard W. , Vogel Klaus
Published: August 2023

Es werden Meßverfahren zur Untersuchung des Spannungsrelaxations‐Verhaltens von Hochpolymeren bei Dehn‐ und Torsionsbeanspruchung stabförmiger Proben beschrieben. Bei diesen Verfahren war eine möglichst große Meßgenauigkeit erforderlich. Gemessen wurden der zeitabhängige Elastizitätsmodul und der zeitabhängige Torsionsmodul von Polystyrol bei verschiedenen Temperaturen zwischen 23 und 123°C. Aus beiden Moduln wurde die Querkontraktionszahl berechnet. Es zeigt sich, daß die berechnete Quer‐kontraktionszahl beim Übergang vom glasig‐amorphen in den gummielastischen Zustand des Prüfmaterials im Rahmen der Meßfehlergrenzen monoton von 0,33 bis 0,50 ansteigt.
Konvektive Diffusion an einer Kugel in schleichender Strömung
Authors: Neumann H. P.
Published: August 2023

Im gesamten umgebenden Raum einer Kugel, in der homogen oder fast homogen eine Substanz gelöst ist und welche von einem schleichend und stationär strömenden Lösungsmittel umspült wird, wird für kleine Peclet‐Zahlen eine näherungsweise gültige Substanzdichteverteilung im Lösungsmittel angegeben. Es wird weiterhin die gesamte je Zeiteinheit aus der Kugel ins Lösungsmittel übertretende Substanzmenge J berechnet.
Die Anwendung der Elektrokatalyse für Bestimmungen in vivo
Authors: Pradác J. , Koryta J.
Published: August 2023

Cyklische Voltametrie ist eine für Messungen mit Platinelektroden in vivo geeignete Methode, da sie die Elektrode in einem reproduzierbaren Zustand bringt. So können zu analytischen Zwecken geeignete Stromspannungskurven von Cystein und Askorbinsäure auch in Blutserum erhalten werden. Die Messung der Zeitabhängigkeit der Askorbinkonzentration mit einer in die Rinde einer isolierten Niere eingetauchten Platinmikroelektrode nach Zugabe der Askorbinsäure in die Perfusionslösung kann Angaben über Cirkulationsverhältnisse in der Niere geben.
Zum Mechanismus der anodischen Oxidation von Phenol
Authors: Bub F. P. , Wisser K. , Lorenz W. J. , Heimann W.
Published: August 2023

Die anodische Oxidation von Phenol wurde an Gold‐ und Kohleelektroden in wäßrigen Lösungen im Bereich O < pH < 14 bei T = 298°K mit Hilfe potentiostatischer Dreieckspannungsmessungen untersucht. Die erhaltenen Stromdichtepotentialkurven weisen auf einen ECE‐Mechanismus hin. Aus der Abhängigkeit des Oxidationsvorganges vom pH‐Wert und der Spannungsvorschubgeschwindigkeit folgt als potentialbestimmender Primärschritt die Bildung des Phenoxyradikals. Nachgelagert sind Additionsreaktionen der theoretisch möglichen Radikalformen zu Diphenolen, die wiederum reversible Redoxsysteme darstellen.
Modulations‐Reflexionsspektroskopie an passivem Nickel
Authors: Heusler K. E. , Schoner K.
Published: August 2023

Die vom Elektrodenpotential abhängige Reflektivität eines Metallspiegels wurde am Beispiel des passiven Nickels in alkalischen Lösungen untersucht. Mit polarisiertem, monochromatischem Licht im Wellenlängenbereich von 210 nm bis 900 nm konnte unter beliebig wählbarem Einfallswinkel der zeitliche Verlauf der relativen Reflektivitätsänderung ΔR/R nach periodischer oder aperiodischer Potentialänderung gemessen werden.

In der Umgebung des charakteristischen Potentials E1/H2 = 1,56 V gegen die reversible Wasserstoffelektrode in der gleichen Lösung ändert sich ΔR/R zwischen zwei Grenzzuständen annähernd linear mit der gleichzeitig in der Passivschicht gespeicherten Ladung. Das Spektrum von ΔR/R unterscheidet sich für verschiedene Änderungen des Elektrodenpotentials nur um von der Wellenlänge unabhängige Faktoren. Es zeigt ein flaches Maximum bei 5,2 eV und ein für Nickel(III) charakteristisches, steiles Maximum bei 1,4 eV. Die optischen und die elektrochemischen Effekte lassen sich übereinstimmend darauf zurückführen, daß die Passivschicht ihren Oxydationsgrad kontinuierlich und reversibel zwischen Nickel(II)oxid und Nickel(III)oxid in einer wasserhaltigen Phase ändert.
Digital Simulation of a Rotating Double‐Ring‐Electrode
Authors: Clarenbach S. , Grabner E. W. , Brauer E.
Published: August 2023

A rotating double‐ring electrode has been constructed consisting of two parallel platinum rings separated by a small distance. The electrode allows to perform electrochemiluminescence (ecl) experiments in a more efficient manner than by means of the rotating ring‐disc electrode. The method of digital simulation has been employed to calculate velocities of flow as well as concentration changes due to electrochemical and chemical reactions. The comparison of the results of digital simulation with the experimental data for both the ring current and eel intensity shows (i) that the theoretical assumptions made to evaluate the velocities of flow are valid and (ii) that digital simulation generally may be used to describe the mass transport at more complicated electrode systems for which an analytical solution of the convection problem is practically impossible.
Injection of Electrons into p‐Chloranil Crystals via Exciton Decay at Metal and Aqueous Electrodes
Authors: Haberkorn R. , Harengel W. , Braun H.‐P. , Michel‐Beyerle M. E.
Published: August 2023

In weakly or non‐luminescing molecular crystals like p‐chloranil, information concerning the exciton dynamics can be derived from injection currents when charge carriers are formed during electron transfer between excitons and an appropriate electron donor‐ or acceptor species in aqueous electrolyte. Due to the slow orientation polarization of water molecules as compared to the hopping frequency of injected charge carriers, image forces can be neglected when aqueous electrodes are applied. Consequently, at external field strengths of 10+ V/cm, steady state saturation currents and space‐charge‐free transients are observed which may yield information as to the kinetics of the electron transfer reaction and the diffusion of excitons (lifetime, diffusion length). In the same field strength region, photocurrents originating from exciton decay at a metal contact are still determined by the action of image forces and by surface recombination of charges. Secondary effects like enhanced trapping of charge carriers within the image potential barrier influence the current rise in space‐charge‐free transients.
Der Einfluß des Tunneleffektes auf die Geschwindigkeit von Redoxreaktionen an oxidbedeckten Platinelektroden
Authors: Kohl P. , Schultze J. W.
Published: August 2023

Edelmetallelektroden sind bei höheren Potentialen mit einer Oxidschicht bedeckt, die bei Redoxreaktionen den Elektronentransfer erschweren kann. Zur Untersuchung dieses Einflusses wurde die kathodische Reduktion von Cer‐(IV)‐lonen Ce4+ + e− ε Ce3+ an einer Platin‐Scheibenelektrode in Abhängigkeit vom Elektrodenpotential ε und von der mittleren Oxidschichtdicke dox im Bereich 5 Å < dox < 8 Å untersucht. Für die Durchtrittsstromdichte erhält man bei konstanter Schichtdicke angenähert eine Tafel‐Beziehung ε. Die Schichtdickenabhängigkeit bei konstantem Potential ε kann durch die Gleichung log i = A(e) ‐ doxdo beschrieben werden. die mit der bei zunehmender Schichtdicke dox abnehmenden Wahrscheinlichkeit für einen Tunnelübergang des Elektrons erklärt werden kann. Aus der Konstanten do kann die Höhe der Potentialschwelle abgeschätzt werden. Die Schichtdickenabhängigkeit anderer Redoxreaktionen, wie der kathodischen Chlorreduktion, der anodischen Sauerstoffentwicklung und der CO‐Oxydation, kann analog gedeutet werden.
Biochemical and cellular studies of three human 3‐phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase variants responsible for pathological reduced L‐serine levels
Authors: Murtas Giulia , Zerbini Elena , Rabattoni Valentina , Motta Zoraide , Caldinelli Laura , Orlando Marco , Marchesani Francesco , Campanini Barbara , Sacchi Silvia , Pollegioni Loredano
Published: August 2023

In the brain, the non‐essential amino acid L‐serine is produced through the phosphorylated pathway (PP) starting from the glycolytic intermediate 3‐phosphoglycerate: among the different roles played by this amino acid, it can be converted into D‐serine and glycine, the two main co‐agonists of NMDA receptors. In humans, the enzymes of the PP, namely phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (hPHGDH, which catalyzes the first and rate‐limiting step of this pathway), 3‐phosphoserine aminotransferase, and 3‐phosphoserine phosphatase are likely organized in the cytosol as a metabolic assembly (a “serinosome”). The hPHGDH deficiency is a pathological condition biochemically characterized by reduced levels of L‐serine in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and clinically identified by severe neurological impairment. Here, three single‐point variants responsible for hPHGDH deficiency and Neu‐Laxova syndrome have been studied. Their biochemical characterization shows that V261M, V425M, and V490M substitutions alter either the kinetic (both maximal activity and Km for 3‐phosphoglycerate in the physiological direction) and the structural properties (secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure, favoring aggregation) of hPHGDH. All the three variants have been successfully ectopically expressed in U251 cells, thus the pathological effect is not due to hindered expression level. At the cellular level, mistargeting and aggregation phenomena have been observed in cells transiently expressing the pathological protein variants, as well as a reduced L‐serine cellular level. Previous studies demonstrated that the pharmacological supplementation of L‐serine in hPHGDH deficiencies could ameliorate some of the related symptoms: our results now suggest the use of additional and alternative therapeutic approaches.
Using scaffolding theory in serious games to enhance traditional Chinese murals culture learning
Authors: Li Qiang , Wang Peng , Liu Zexue , Zhang Haoyan , Song Yujie , Zhang Yuxin
Published: August 2023

This study explores a game model that uses scaffolding to learn about cultural heritage based on adventure games. A case study using traditional Chinese murals tested the effectiveness of serious games in improving learning performance and knowledge acquisition. This study observed and evaluated the learning outcomes of 64 students by using serious game learning compared to traditional video learning in an experimental setting. Changes in knowledge acquisition, intrinsic motivation, cognitive load (extrinsic load vs. germane load), and engagement were collected through a series of tests and scales. Experimental results show that digital adventure games have better learning performance and knowledge retention effects, higher intrinsic motivation, germane load, and engagement than traditional video learning. The reasons affecting academic performance were analyzed from the data, and it was found that intrinsic motivation and germane cognitive load positively affected game performance, and external cognitive load hurt game performance. This study provides experience on the design of serious games in cultural heritage learning.
APA calls for safe work environments for adolescents
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: August 2023

This summer the American Psychological Association (APA) issued a resolution highlighting the need for safe work environments for adolescents
Enhancing the Cycle Performance of Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries by Coating the Separator with a Cation‐Selective Polymer Layer
Authors: Li Zhong , Pan Qiyun , Yang Peiyue , Jiang Shan , Zheng Zhongxiang , Wu Wenfei , Xia Jingyi , Tang Sishi , Wu Dabei , Cao Yi , Xuan Jinnan , Yang Lun , Ma Longlong , Tian Yayang
Published: August 2023

Lithium‐sulfur batteries are believed to possess the feasibility to power electric vehicles in the future ascribed to the competitive energy density. However, soluble polysulfides continuously shuttle between the sulfur electrode and lithium anode across the separator, which dramatically impairs the battery's capacity. Herein, the surface of a polypropylene separator (PP film) is successfully modified with a delicately designed cation‐selective polymer layer to suppress the transport of polysulfides. In principle, since bis‐sulfonimide anions groups on the backbone of the polymer are immobilized, only cations can pass through the polymer layer. Furthermore, plenty of ethoxy chains in the polymer can facilitate lithium‐ion mobility. Consequently, in addition to obstructing the movement of negatively charged polysulfides by the electrostatic repulsive force of fixed anions, the coated multi‐functional layer on the PP film also guarantees the smooth conduction of lithium ions. The investigations demonstrate that the battery with the pristine PP film only delivers 228.5 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 2 C with a high capacity fading rate of 60.9 %. By contrast, the polymer‐coated sample can release 409.4 mAh g−1 under the identical test condition and the capacity fading rate sharply declines to 43.2 %, illustrating superior cycle performance.
Linking employees' work orientation and corporate social responsibility practices: Multilevel and multistakeholder cross‐sectional study
Authors: Belay Habtie Alemnew , Hailu Fentaye Kasaa , Sinshaw Gedif Tessema
Published: August 2023

In its part to contribute to the query of “why some firms act responsibly while others do not?”, the work has devised a “moderated micro‐macro model,” wherein employees' work orientation took the micro (individual‐level) independent variable role, stakeholder‐based corporate social responsibility practice conceived as the macro (organizational‐level) dependent variable, and organizational culture singled out as macro‐level (organizational‐level) moderating variable for the link. A sample of 53 large manufacturing firms in the Amhara region of Ethiopia constituted the organizational‐level units. A random sample of 473 employees evaluated the recent performance of the firms and themselves. Croon and van Veldhoven's multilevel analytical package suited the designed model. The study has revealed that (1) concerning CSR practice, even though CSR performance varies across stakeholder groups, overall, healthy (responsible) business behavior has been in general evident, (2) work orientation is indeed a potential driver of corporate social responsibility practice, (3) organizational culture and one of its dimensions, adhocracy culture, played a buffering moderation role in job orientation‐corporate social responsibility practice link, and (4) while firm effect has been paramount in explaining CSR practices, the individual effect has attributed a non‐negligible part to CSR practices. Notwithstanding its limitations, the study has provided valuable insights into CSR theory and practice. Similar studies with tailored designs are encouraged for future research.
Hospitalization for acute heart failure during non‐working hours impacts on long‐term mortality: the REPORT‐HF registry
Authors: Katsanos Spyridon , Ouwerkerk Wouter , Farmakis Dimitrios , Collins Sean P. , Angermann Christiane E. , Dickstein Kenneth , Tomp Jasper , Ertl Georg , Cleland John , Dahlström Ulf , Obergfell Achim , Ghadanfar Mathieu , Perrone Sergio V. , Hassanein Mahmoud , Stamoulis Konstantinos , Parissis John , Lam Carolyn , Filippatos Gerasimos
Published: August 2023

Aims

Hospital admission during nighttime and off hours may affect the outcome of patients with various cardiovascular conditions due to suboptimal resources and personnel availability, but data for acute heart failure remain controversial. Therefore, we studied outcomes of acute heart failure patients according to their time of admission from the global International Registry to assess medical practice with lOngitudinal obseRvation for Treatment of Heart Failure.

Methods and results

Overall, 18 553 acute heart failure patients were divided according to time of admission into ‘morning’ (7:00–14:59), ‘evening’ (15:00–22:59), and ‘night’ (23:00–06:59) shift groups. Patients were also dichotomized to admission during ‘working hours’ (9:00–16:59 during standard working days) and ‘non‐working hours’ (any other time). Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were compared across groups. The hospital length of stay was longer for morning (odds ratio: 1.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.10, P < 0.001) and evening shift (odds ratio: 1.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.07–1.12, P < 0.001) as compared with night shift. The length of stay was also longer for working vs. non‐working hours (odds ratio: 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.05, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in in‐hospital mortality among the groups. Admission during working hours, compared with non‐working hours, was associated with significantly lower mortality at 1 year (hazard ratio: 0.88; 95% confidence interval: 0.80–0.96, P = 0.003).

Conclusions

Acute heart failure patients admitted during the night shift and non‐working hours had shorter length of stay but similar in‐hospital mortality. However, patients admitted during non‐working hours were at a higher risk for 1 year mortality. These findings may have implications for the health policies and heart failure trials.
Model Based Verification and Validation Planning for a Solar‐Powered High‐Altitude Platform
Authors: Rothe Daniel , Rahm Malte , Hagen Christoph , Bierig Andreas
Published: August 2023

Developing a solar‐powered High‐Altitude Platform is a challenging endeavor. These aircraft are able to remain airborne for extremely long time periods, since they harvest all necessary energy from the sun. This is only possible if the design can handle all operating conditions with minimal margins. The systems therefore need to be well matched, which can be more efficiently facilitated by utilizing model‐based engineering. This paper shows how a SysML profile can be used to conduct verification and validation planning within such a large project. Key benefits are the development of a single source of truth, better overview from a management point of view, unified processes and document styles within the project, improved change management as well as reduced workloads when generating readable export documents.
Shifting the Paradigm from Lessons Learned to Lessons Applied through Digitally Enabled Transformation
Authors: Wach Paul , Wittenberg Donald , Koziol Matthew , Sandman Karson
Published: August 2023

Lessons learned are generally documented with limited review until the next policy driven decision point. Additionally, data collected in lessons learned repositories may lack the depth necessary to determine root causes, leading to additional disparate data being required. This passive, disconnected approach is an example of the type of current processes that are desired to be supplanted by the outcome of the digital transformation. Our customer defined a task to deliver a pilot incorporating active lessons management, for which we designed around digital engineering principles to facilitate data manipulation and sharing. To deliver the capability, we re‐envisioned the passive lessons learned as active lesson applied by developing an enterprise‐level methodology for identifying root causes and risk mitigations based on lessons learned. We are also evolving a digital ecosystem for implementing the lessons applied methodology. This article serves to provide documentation of our lessons applied methodology and insight to our supporting digital infrastructure and the unique benefits gained from the infrastructure.
Model‐Based FMEA & FTA with Case‐Based Reasoning
Authors: Arifin Habibi Husain , Kawamura Ken , Robert Ong Ho Kit , Pepper Brian , Chimplee Nasis , Pavalkis Saulius
Published: August 2023

The main challenge of performing safety & reliability analysis in multi‐disciplinary products is the lack of information and knowledge within an organization to guide them in the beginning. In fact, such knowledge can be extracted and consolidated from historical data, technical experiences, and system architectures. This paper proposes an approach to leverage the value of system architecture models, safety & reliability models, and the CBR method to enable a systematic, adaptive, and multi‐disciplinary knowledge management system. As a result, the engineers can retrieve and reuse the information from historical failures to guide their analysis in their existing or new product development. To improve the knowledge in CBR casebase, this paper demonstrates a conceptual idea to leverage the values of FMEA‐FTA integration and SysML relationships. The idea enables a broader analysis and more systematic way for information correctness.
Improving Systems Engineering Competency and Capability in an Organization
Authors: Zipes Lori Fretz
Published: August 2023

How do you improve the capability of an organization to practice a valuable, disciplined form of engineering that is rarely taught in academic engineering programs and often misunderstood in the workplace? This paper is based upon a multi‐year effort to improve the skills and capabilities of the Systems Engineering (SE) workforce at a Naval Research and Development center. Specific topics to be addressed will include: identifying the systems engineering workforce in an organization, facilitating the development of capabilities of this workforce, motivating and inspiring the workforce to continue improving their skills, and assessing the level of competence developed. Lessons learned from the effort will provide important insights to those pursuing a similar goal.
Coping with Verification in Complex Engineered Product Development
Authors: Skreddernes Ola , Haugen Rune André , Haskins Cecilia
Published: August 2023

Coping with system verification in complex systems is a challenging task. This paper reports on how the high complexity of closely integrated systems and long timelines in development affects the verification process in an engineering company in Norway. The literature on verification in development and a survey within the industry‐as‐laboratory method were used to research the practice of verification in the case company to identify where the company's practice deviates from the recommended practice according to the literature. The research found that the company is taking shortcuts in its documented processes resulting in integration testing late in the development. The authors propose the use of metrics to monitor the progress of the system of interest and the project. In conclusion, continuously tracking and improving the work process is recommended to cope with the complexity of developing the company products.
The INCOSE Systems Engineering Heuristics: What Are They Telling Us About the Discipline?
Authors: Thomas Caroline G. , Fridlin Carly R. , Kenley C. Robert
Published: August 2023

The INCOSE Fellows have been leading an effort to develop heuristics that will help systems engineers pass on their knowledge of the best practices within the discipline.

We performed bibliometric analysis on the text corpus of 164 heuristics and of the sources cited in them to gain insights into what the heuristics data is telling us about the discipline of systems engineering.

We performed co‐occurrence analysis using VOSviewer, which is a software application that identifies pairs of terms and connects them. This analysis found terms that occur together across multiple heuristics by applying a natural language processing algorithm that identified the terms and formed clusters of terms that are strongly related to each other. To gain further insight into the cooccurrence results, the INCOSE Fellows participated in a contest to name the clusters and create narratives that provide a rationale for the cluster names and why it makes sense for the terms to belong to the clusters they were assigned to. Finally, a ballot was created to send out to a broader collection of INCOSE members to vote on the best name for each cluster among the names provided by the Fellows. The three‐step process of bibliometric analysis, cluster naming by the Fellows, and voting by the members identified emergent disciplines essential to the practice of systems engineering.

We also performed bibliographic coupling analysis and co‐citation analysis using VOSviewer. A bibliographic coupling link is a link between two heuristics that both cite the same source. A co‐citation link is a link between two sources that are both cited by the same heuristic. The coupling analysis identified clusters among the heuristics that revealed communities of practice within systems engineering, and the co‐citation analysis identified clusters among the cited references to reveal communities of theory in systems engineering.
On Evaluating System Resilience by the Degree of Order Disruption
Authors: Moghadasi Negin , Lambert James H.
Published: August 2023

Resilience curves describe the diminished performance of a system over time following a shock, with the area integral above the curve representing the persistence of the lost performance. For example, in a power system, the lost power generation is measured in megawatts, and the persistence of the disruption is in megawatt hours; in a communications system, the performance in gigabits per second can be integrated over time as gigabits. The persistence metrics from the examples are not comparable. Ongoing engineering systems work is focused on disrupted order rather than disrupted performance. The Kendall's tau statistic is used to compare an initial, pre‐shock set of priorities with the priorities after the shock. This paper will describe complementing system performance with system order in the estimation and integration of resilience curves, thus enabling a new quantification of resilience as a disruption of system order can be used across application domains of risk analysis.
Agile Systems Engineering – Eight Core Aspects
Authors: Dove Rick , Lunney Kerry , Orosz Michael , Yokell Mike
Published: August 2023

Agile engineering, of any kind, employs strategies for designing, building, sustaining, and evolving purpose‐fulfilling creations when knowledge is uncertain and operational environments are dynamic. Strategies address what needs to be accomplished and why, without constraints or directions on how. How those strategies manifest as operational methods depends upon the engineering context. For instance, though single‐domain software engineering is different than multi‐domain systems engineering, both share the same goals and strategies. This article describes eight agility‐supporting strategic aspects with application discussions and examples relevant to systems engineering and exposes common myths and misunderstandings. Each of the eight aspects can individually improve capability to deal with uncertain knowledge and dynamic environments.
Agile Processes Applied to Los Alamos National Laboratory SE approach: The Agile Processes and Technology (APT) Team
Authors: Dominguez Owen , Chavez Gregory M.
Published: August 2023

A myriad of industries is investigating and applying new technologies, approaches, and software to improve the systems engineering life cycle status quo, by reducing the time duration and lowering the cost incurred in the systems engineering process. One effort undertaken, and described herein, is pairing an Agile‐Lean framework with models‐based systems engineering (MBSE) to achieve time saving and cost efficiencies quickly within systems engineering concepts to production systems phases. This is being done by the Agile Processes and technologies (APT) team who are tasked to deliver a weapon prototype in three years. For this purpose, APT has adopted practices currently used in industry to speed up the conventional processes and practices within Los Alamos National Laboratory and partners, particularly by implementing Agile‐Lean within MBSE. APT has demonstrated agility by implementing changes at the organizational scale; given that most of the work done at the facilities is heavily based on design and hardware performance. In addition, MBSE is used to support verification and validation activities to drive acquisition of necessary evidence to establish traceability and compliance needed for qualification and certification, as per stakeholders' requirements. This paper describes the current efforts towards implementing MBSE in an Agile‐lean framework to represent a complex system —weapon prototype—, in a rapidly moving and changing environment to enable informed decisions through the identification and capture of useful decision criteria.
Managing Knowledge Transfer in Innovative Complex Systems Development: Case Study of Renewable Energy Project in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Chen Yayun , Zhao YangyYang , Kjenner Svein , Hasan Kamrul
Published: August 2023

Many oil and gas companies are looking for new opportunities in the renewable energy market. New energy systems, especially those with subsea large‐scale hydrogen storage functions, have become an important part of the global energy transition. Oil and gas companies, like the case company, utilize experience and technologies from the subsea oil and gas sector to develop large‐scale hydrogen storage systems. In systems development, there is a need for efficient knowledge transfer from the current team to new stakeholders joining the team. To meet this need, this research investigates how to use A3 Architectural Overviews (A3AOs) to facilitate the efficient knowledge transfer between the current team and the future engineer team in the renewable energy project of the case company. Drawing from the system engineering methodology, we first identified key stakeholders and their needs and studied the current knowledge transfer situation. The solution based on A3AOs has been developed and optimized in this study. This final solution has been verified and validated by the testing workshop, survey, and expert evaluation.
A Geo‐Spatial Method for Calculating BEV Charging Inconvenience using Publicly Available Data
Authors: Rabinowitz Aaron I. , Smart John G. , Coburn Timothy C. , Bradley Thomas H.
Published: August 2023

As governments and the automotive industry push towards electrification, it becomes increasingly critical to address the factors which influence individual car buying decisions. Evidence suggests that operational inconvenience or the perception thereof plays a large role in consumer decisions concerning Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). BEV ownership inconvenience and its causal factors have been relatively understudied, rendering efforts to mitigate the issues insufficiently informed. This paper presents a method of producing an empirical equation which relates operational inconvenience to a small number of housing and local Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) infrastructure factors. The paper then further provides a method of applying the equation in a geo‐spatial context allowing for the evaluation of the effects of policies in a geographical manner. this method enables future quantitative analyses concerning investment in EVSE infrastructure to be directly sensitive to BEV operational inconvenience due to charging.
Proposing a novel combination of Earned Value Management and Requirements Management
Authors: Jarlsberg Kristian Frederik Wedel , Andersson Jonas
Published: August 2023

A wide range of methodologies is used to report progress in projects, all with different strengths and limitations. One such methodology is Earned Value Management. However, both industry and academia highlight substantial issues when applying Earned Value Management on complex projects, creating a need for organizations to seek for ways to improve Earned Value Management. This paper presents the current ways of reporting progress within an organisation using Earned Value Management, its shortcomings, and how combining Earned Value Management with Systems Engineering and Requirements Management may improve the methodology. The proposed solution uses an application of requirement attributes to report previously excluded aspects, such as technical progress, the risk to schedule and budget, and customer concerns.
Future Trends Influencing Technical Leaders and Technical Leadership
Authors: West Timothy D. , Silva Fabio , Daida Midori , Sharifi Nazanin , Jean Paul
Published: August 2023

This paper summarizes the authors' reflections on global trends and key factors influencing systems engineering in the post‐COVID era. The discussion builds upon INCOSE's Systems Engineering Vision 2035, as well as multiple virtual workshops and peer discussions conducted by the authors as part of their experience in INCOSE's Technical Leadership Institute (TLI). The authors focus on three key factors affecting technical leaders and their technical leadership role: (1) the heightened societal awareness of environmental concerns along with the associated demand for more environmentally friendly products, (2) the increasingly interconnected, multicultural, multigenerational work environment, and (3) the increasing capability of advanced digital tools, techniques, and processes. The authors' analysis acknowledges the need for technical leaders to think green, build an inclusive work environment, welcome differing viewpoints, avoid stereotyping, and expand their virtual tradecraft. Ultimately technology changes how technical leaders do their jobs, but not the job itself. Leaders must still set the vision and direction of the organization, communicate that vision to their stakeholders, and provide the resources and support that the team needs to achieve the vision. Emerging technologies offer leaders new and innovative means to do this in a more inviting and inclusive manner.
Small satellite Extracurricular projects – Implementing a context‐driven SysEng engine for improved adaptability and student agency
Authors: Kindem Håkon
Published: August 2023

University student projects usually attempt to follow, and often fail to follow, industry frameworks and standards to ensure the success of their development effort. The typical student satellite project follows ESA ECSS or NASA project frameworks, prescribing document artefacts, project reviews, the project life cycle, and typical project processes. In the case of Orbit NTNU, this was done without understanding the underlying dependencies and supporting connections between artefacts, design steps, and project phases. This paper presents a framework for increased understanding of the purpose of common design artefacts and their interdependencies by applying model‐centric system thinking and systemigrams as a tool for highlighting relationships and dependencies within the SysEng discipline, thus enabling the students to complete well‐informed and planned design iterations that build a solid and coherent system understanding throughout the project lifecycle. The method is built to be adapted to the needs of the project team and can readily be used by 1st year university students with one semester of SysEng experience.
A Case for Model‐Based Systems Engineering in an Agile World and Principles for Growth
Authors: Call Daniel R. , Herber Daniel R.
Published: August 2023

Systems engineering enabled the development of some of the greatest engineering marvels of the 20th century. With the advent of the information age and software‐centric systems, which drove a dramatic increase in system complexity, the practice of systems engineering has encountered growing pains. As organizations developing these software‐centric systems work to adopt agile software development methods, the rigor of systems engineering work has been compromised. The linguistic relativity hypothesis suggests that the cognitive ability to engineer effective systems is developed and enhanced by the “language” of systems engineering. An improved understanding of what constitutes model‐based systems engineering (MBSE) as opposed to systems modeling can improve MBSE outcomes. We put forth here that agile systems engineering, enabled by MBSE, is the bridge that will allow the principles and processes that have been developed through decades of research and experience to be applied to benefit modern systems.
MIKA: Manager for Intelligent Knowledge Access Toolkit for Engineering Knowledge Discovery and Information Retrieval
Authors: Andrade Sequoia , Walsh Hannah
Published: August 2023

Repositories of safety reports are often underutilized and only analyzed manually by trained experts, despite safety management systems requiring reports. These collections of documents contain a wealth of information from past projects and operations that could improve system safety and design. Advances in natural language processing techniques have improved information extraction and retrieval in consumer technology, biomedicine, and finance, for instance, but have not been applied to engineering documents on the same scale. To this end, the Manager for Intelligent Knowledge Access (MIKA) open‐source toolkit has been developed for rapid knowledge discovery and information retrieval in safety engineering applications. The MIKA toolkit uses state‐of‐the‐art natural language processing algorithms and allows a user to apply these methods to their own dataset. This paper describes the MIKA toolkit and its two primary capabilities, knowledge discovery and information retrieval, and demonstrates the toolkit via a case study on National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports.
Carbon Considerations for Systems Evolution
Authors: Flanigan David , Robinson Kevin
Published: August 2023

In the early stages of systems development, Systems Engineers will typically evaluate alternatives based on performance, cost, risk, and schedule to evaluate the solution space of alternatives. While these criteria have proven to be successful, there is growing interest in the analysis of carbon costs as well to contribute to the decision making. These decision criteria are very good to help the decision maker select the best alternative within the solution space in which to develop a system concept. We offer another criterion for consideration in order to account for carbon expenditure throughout the SE lifecycle. We believe that including this dimension can influence decision makers to evaluate a richer portion of the solution space. This approach is developed and exercised with a notional example.
The Safety Aspect of Measuring System Trust
Authors: Kovalovsky Kate
Published: August 2023

Digital transformation brings opportunities to improve how engineering data is tracked and interpreted. Safety analyses, a critical aspect of engineering, are more powerful when captured directly alongside foundational system models. Integrating analyses within the authoritative source of truth provides the team current information and improved context. A model‐based safety approach is a strong first step, but more opportunities await. The value of system safety metrics data increases significantly when elevated into actionable information that decision‐makers need. This paper articulates a specific approach to obtain the software safety aspect of the system trust metric for defense systems, recommends an initial structure of a system trust metric, and identifies future steps for this topic of research. Getting safety data into the digital engineering environment is the first step toward an overall system trust metric as described in the INCOSE 2035 Systems Engineering Vision.
Metabolic Fate of Lignin in Birch Glucuronoxylan Extracts as Dietary Fiber Studied in a Rat Model
Authors: Lahtinen Maarit H. , Kynkäänniemi Emma , Jian Ching , Salonen Anne , Pajari Anne‐Maria , Mikkonen Kirsi S.
Published: August 2023

Scope

While previously considered inert, recent studies suggest lignin metabolism with unknown metabolic fates is occurring in the gastrointestinal tract of several animal models. This study focuses on analyzing the potential metabolites of lignin.

Methods and results

The diets of rats include relatively pure birch glucuronoxylan (pureGX) with residual lignin or lignin‐rich GX (GXpoly) in their diet. Nuclear magnetic spectroscopy of the lignin isolated from the GXpoly‐fed rats fecal sample shows high alteration in chemical structure, whereas lignin‐carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are enriched in fecal samples from the pureGX group. Moreover, the increased syringyl‐to‐guaiacyl (S/G) ratio suggests that lignin G‐units are predominantly metabolized based on pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (pyr‐GC/MS). The presence of small phenolic metabolites identified in urine samples of the GXpoly group, for example, ferulic and sinapic acids, their sulfate and glucuronide derivatives, and 4‐sulfobenzylalcohol, suggests that the small fragmented lignin metabolites in the large intestine enter the plasma, and are further processed in the liver. Finally, the relative abundances of polyphenol‐degrading Enterorhabdus and Akkermansia in the gut microbiota are associated with lignin metabolism.

Conclusion

These findings give further evidence to lignin metabolism in the gut of nonruminants and provide insight to the potential microbes and metabolic routes.
Das sächsische „Berggeschrey“ geht um die Welt
Authors: Reschetilowski Wladimir
Published: August 2023

Der Reichtum an Erzen und Mineralien im Erzgebirge machte das sächsische Montanwesen zur Wiege des modernen Bergbaus.
Pro & Contra PFAS‐Verbot: PFAS im Regenwasser in Tibet, im Fettgewebe von Eisbären
Authors: Herkert Lorena
Published: August 2023

Ohne eine Beschränkung der Stoffklasse der PFAS können die steigenden Konzentrationen in Mensch und Umwelt zu weitreichenden Schäden führen.
Trendbericht Biochemie 2023 (2/3): Encapsulin in der Katalyse
Authors: Jessen‐Trefzer Claudia , Grimmeisen Michael
Published: August 2023

Fortschritte bei der Analyse epigenetischer Basen helfen unter anderem dabei, Krankheiten früher zu diagnostizieren. In Inneren von Encapsulinen, das sind proteinbasierte Nanocapside, laufen (bio)chemische Reaktionen geschützt ab, sie können daher für die Katalyse genutzt werden. Deuterierung von Fluoreszenzfarbstoffen erhöht deren Extinktion, Fluoreszenzlebensdauer und Helligkeit, sodass sich die deuterierten Farbstoffe besser für hochauflösende Mikroskopiemethoden eignen.