bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimación de máximos niveles de sismicidad para el Litoral Ecuatoriano a través de la integración de datos geológicos y sismo-tectónicos.
Authors: Chunga Kervin , Pazmiño Nelson , Martillo Carlos , Quiñonez María , Huaman Freddy
Published: July 2017

Una evaluación de riesgo sísmico para el litoral ecuatoriano es presentada en este artículo. La máxima magnitud estimada y el máximo desplazamiento lateral para cada falla activa y capaz es calculada usando la relación empírica de regresión de magnitud-ruptura/desplazamiento de falla, propuesta por Well y Coppersmith (1994). Distribución espacial de los sismos y modelos tectónicos de subducción han permitido individualizar posibles estructuras sismogenéticas en la zonas de “backgroundseismicity”, “intraslab” y “megathrust”. Los niveles de sismicidad para los segmentos centro y sur del litoral ecuatoriano han sido calculados con el análisis de 129 terremotos históricos (escalas de intensidades aplicadas MSK-1956 y ESI-2007), 985 grados de intensidades reportadas en áreas impactadas(fuente: IG-EPN) y 5997 datos de sismicidad instrumental (Catálogos seleccionados NEIC, CERESIS y IG-EPN) entre 4,0 a 8,8. Fenómenos geológicos cosísmicos que podrían generarse durante un terremoto en la ciudad de Guayaquil fueron tambiénindividualizados en este estudio
Estratificación socioeconómica de la población urbana de la provincia de Santa Elena.
Authors: Álvarez Roxana
Published: July 2017

Los estudios socioeconómicos son de interés general; los ciudadanos para identificar sus símiles y disimiles, que es parte de la vida cotidiana. El entorno en general requiere de información acerca de la población no solamente como un dato descriptivo, sino con más información que una cantidad. La determinación de los niveles o estratos económicos y con ello lo social, debe ser una tarea cotidiana, por el momento se han realizado estudios para las ciudades ecuatorianas de mayor concentración poblacional. Las provincias pequeñas e intermedias no han sido objeto de estudio de parte de los organismos estatales. Este trabajo se basa en una muestra de la población urbana de la provincia de Santa Elena. Se ha ponderado mediante proporciones debido especialmente a la peculiaridad poblacional del cantón La Libertad, su población total es urbana. El cantón Salinas se caracteriza por tener una población flotante absolutamente elevada y una población residente inferior a los otros cantones de la Provincia. Con este antecedente se procede a tomar información solamente de la población residente en el sector urbano de la provincia de Santa Elena. El instrumento de recolección de datos utilizado es el elaborado por el INEC, de igual forma los resultados se basan en los mismos parámetros y nomenclatura que utiliza esta Institución para este tipo de estudios.AbstractSocioeconomic studies are of general interest; citizens to identify their similes and dissimilar, which is part of everyday life. The environment generally requires information about the population not only as descriptive data, but with a lot more information. The determination of the levels or economic strata and hence social, should be an everyday task, yet studies have been performed for the Ecuadorian cities with high population density. Small and middle provinces have not been studied on the part of state agencies. This work is based on a sample of the urban population of the province of Santa Elena. It is weighted by proportions especially due to the peculiar population of La Libertad; its total population is urban. The Salinas Canton is characterized by quite high floating population and less than the other cantons of the province resident population. With this background information is necessary to take only the population living in urban areas of the province of Santa Elena. The data collection instrument used is prepared by the INEC, just as the results are based on the same parameters and nomenclature used by this institution for such studies.
Análisis de la situación actual de la interpretación judicial para los extranjeros privados de la libertad en Ecuador
Authors: Freire Maria
Published: July 2017

Las personas privadas de la libertad tienen derecho a un abogado con quien puedan comunicarse en su propio idioma y a conocer las causas de su detención y cómo se manejará su caso previo a la obtención de la libertad. Sin embargo, existen casos en los que ciudadanos son detenidos en un país extraño y no hablan el idioma de dicho país, el cual además no cuenta con un servicio de intérpretes profesionales que puedan romper esa brecha de comunicación. Esto ocasiona que algunos de estos detenidos pasen incluso meses sin conocer si quiera las causas de su detención o sentencia. Este trabajo buscó determinar las falencias del sistema en Guayaquil, Ecuador, debido a la falta de conocimiento que existe acerca de nuestro campo laboral. Se realizaron encuestas y entrevistas a extranjeros privados de La Libertad en el Centro de Rehabilitación Social de Varones y la Cárcel de Mujeres en Guayaquil. Se concluyó que 44 % de los detenidos no contó en ningún momento con el servicio de interpretación y que el 11 % de ellos siente que sus derechos no fueron respetados y que, el intrusismo profesional prevalece en nuestro mercado.

 

Abstract

When arrested, people have the right to an attorney whom they can communicate with in their native language and know the grounds of their detention and how the case will be handled prior their release. However, there are some cases where people are arrested in foreign countries whose language they do not speak. If said country does not provide the services of professional interpreters that can breach that communication gap, some of these detainees will remain in prison sometimes for months without even knowing why. This research aimed to determine the situation in Guayaquil, Ecuador, due to the lack of knowledge about our field. Surveys and interviews were carried out with foreign citizens detained at the Centro de Rehabilitación Social de Varones and the female detention center in Guayaquil. It was concluded that 44 % of these detainees did not have an interpreter at any time; that 11 % of the detainees consider their rights had been violated and that the unauthorized practice of our profession dominates our market.
Ecuador: Revisión a las principales características del recurso forestal y de la deforestación
Authors: Sanchez Marcos
Published: July 2017

El presente trabajo pretende ubicar al lector sobre las principales características del recurso forestal en el Ecuador, ya que al poseer condiciones climatológicas innatas que favorecen el crecimiento de especies forestales, dispone de amplias zonas para su aprovechamiento; sin embargo, el incremento de la actividad económica ha ocasionado un considerable deterioro ambiental, que ha dado como consecuencia una modificación de la cobertura boscosa y el uso de los suelos. Adicionalmente, se analiza los patrones históricos causantes de la deforestación y la evolución que experimenta la tasa de deforestación. En este contexto, el diseño de una adecuada política ambiental, que promueva equilibrio entre el crecimiento económico y la sustentabilidad de los recursos naturales, le permitiría al sector maderero desarrollarse y mejorar las condiciones sociales, económicas y ambientales del País. AbstractThis paper seeks to place the reader on the main characteristics of forest resources in Ecuador, as it has innate weather conditions that favor the growth of forest species, having large areas for exploitation; however, the increase in economic activity has caused considerable environmental deterioration, producing a change in the forest cover and land use in the country as a consequence. Additionally, historical patterns of deforestation and the evolution of deforestation rate are analyzed. In this context, the design of an adequate environmental policy, which promotes a balance between economic growth and the sustainability of natural resources, will allow the timber industry to develop and improve social, economic and environmental conditions of the country.
Influencia de las herramientas de promoción de ventas en el comportamiento de los consumidores de mercados municipales
Authors: Collins Nathyn
Published: July 2017

Hoy en día toda organización sin importar la actividad que realicen, necesitan de herramientas que persuadan e induzcan al cliente meta a la acción de compro. Por ello la importancia de diseñar estrategias de promoción de ventas, que influyan de forma positiva en el comportamiento de compra de los mismos. Así mismo, parte de la promoción de ventas, es crear estímulos positivo de la empresa en el cliente, que logren la acción de compra del consumidor, para que en el proceso de la compra. En este trabajo se analiza a partir de una encuesta y sesiones de grupo la influencia de la promoción de ventas en el comportamiento del consumidor. Los datos del estudio muestran el alto nivel de influencia que se origina por las herramientas de promociones de ventas aplicadas, las cuales permiten crear estímulos y sensaciones de una empresa ante el cliente meta. La presente investigación se realizó mediante investigación cualitativa y cuantitativa, en ella se identificaron los hábitos y los valores de los consumidores de los estratos C+ y C- que acuden a los mercados municipales. El estudio permitió caracterizar, los consumidores e identificar las principales razones por las cuales las personas realizan la acción de compra, esta relación se ve afectada por un constante cambio que viene marcado por factores que influyen de forma directa en la transformación del consumidor y en definitiva de la sociedad. AbstractToday regardless of all the work they do, organization tools needed to persuade and induce customer action target to buy. Hence the importance of designing sales promotion strategies that positively influences the buying behavior of the same. Also, part of sales promotion is to create positive stimuli on a client achieve action consumer purchasing, so that in the process of purchase. This paper analyzes from a survey and focus groups the influence of sales promotion on consumer behavior. The study data show the high level of influence which is caused by the applied tools of sales promotions, which allow you to create stimuli and sensations of a company in the target client. This research was performed using qualitative and quantitative research, in it the habits and values of consumers strata C + and C- attending municipal markets were identified. The study allowed us to characterize , consumers and identify the main reasons why people make the purchase action , this relationship is affected by a constant change that is marked by factors that influence directly in the transformation of the consumer and ultimately of society.
Incidencia de la gestión de marketing y procedimientos de injerencia contable en las empresas privadas de la Provincia de Santa Elena, año 2014-2015
Authors: Caamaño Libi , Collins Nathyn , Valencia Adrián , Valencia Lilia
Published: July 2017

Los sistemas de control contable permiten a la empresa conocer sobre la situación económica y tomar decisiones; por otro lado la gestión de marketing facilita el cumplimiento de los objetivos comerciales, al captar la atención del mercado meta, estimulando a los clientes a la acción de compra, y fidelización de clientes actuales, estos dos componentes permiten a las empresas de cualquier índole aprovechar las oportunidades del entorno al conocer la situación actual, de esta manera se minimiza el impacto negativo. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo evaluar la incidencia de los sistemas de control contable y de marketing en la gestión administrativa de las empresas privadas en la provincia de Santa Elena, el proceso de levantamiento de información se orientó en la obtención de información por parte de los gerentes de las empresas, personal financiero y el personal de relaciones públicas al no existir departamento de marketing en la mayorías de las empresas. Se evidenció que no existen acciones estratégicas innovadoras en las empresas, que permitan generar conocimiento de marca efectiva en el mercado meta, sin embargo, los sistemas contables que se emplean son adecuados, aunque sean efectuados en su mayoría de forma tradicional, es decir, no se emplean herramientas tecnológicas. Se determinó la importancia de implementar sistemas de control contable que mejoren las gestiones administrativas de las empresas privadas de la provincia, así como gestiones de marketing que mejoren el cumplimiento de objetivos comerciales de las entidades. AbstractAccounting control systems allow the company to know about the economic situation and make decisions; secondly marketing management facilitates compliance with business objectives, to capture the attention of the target market, encouraging customers to purchase action, and current customer loyalty, these two components enable companies to take advantage of any kind environmental opportunities to know the current situation, so the negative impact is minimized. This study aims to assess the impact of accounting control systems and marketing in the administration of private enterprises in the province of Santa Elena, the process of gathering information was aimed at obtaining information from the company managers, financial personnel and public relations in the absence of marketing department in the majority of companies. It was evident that no innovative strategic actions in companies, that will generate knowledge effectively brand in the target market, however, the accounting systems used are appropriate, whether made mostly traditional way, not technological tools are used. The importance of implementing accounting control systems that improve the administrative management of private enterprise in the province, as well as marketing efforts to improve compliance with business objectives entities was determined.
Evaluación de las topologías físicas de redes WSN para la medición de variables ambientales
Authors: Saigua Carvajal S. , Villafuerte Haro M. , Ávila Pesantez D. , Arellano A.
Published: July 2017

En este trabajo se presenta un estudio comparativo entre las topologías físicas que apoyan WSN con el fin de determinar la más eficaz aplicado a una red inalámbrica de sensores ambientales. La investigación se realizó mediante el apoyo del Network Simulator 2 (NS-2), que permite crear un entorno similar al real y simulado su funcionamiento, para determinar la mejor topología de un método inductivo se aplicó para evaluar los datos de NS-2 que se basaron en las métricas de rendimiento, tales como: el envío de paquetes, el consumo de energía y la cobertura. Como resultado se obtuvo que la topología física estrella es la mejor manera de aplicar una red WSN para las mediciones ambientales, que tiene una relación de Entrega de paquetes del 97,9%, el rendimiento de 0,7542 Kbps, un retraso de 0,0162 ms, un consumo de energía bajo y una mayor área de cobertura del sensor. AbstractThis paper presents a comparative study between physical topologies that support WSN in order to determine the most efficient applied to a wireless network of environmental sensors. The research was performed by the support of Network Simulator 2 (NS-2), it allows to create an environment similar to real and simulated its operation, to determine the best topology an inductive method was applied to evaluate the data from NS-2 that were based on the performance metrics such as: sending packages, energy consumption and coverage. As a result it was obtained that the star physical topology is the best to implement a WSN network for environmental measurements, that has Packet Delivery Ratio of 97,9 %, Throughput of 0,7542 Kbps, a delay of 0,0162 ms, a low energy consumption and a greater sensor coverage area.
Efecto de la vinculación con la colectividad en el beneficio económico de las asoociaciones de producción. Caso de estudio: Paja Toquilla en la Comuna Barcelona, Parroquia Manglaralto. Provincia de Santa Elena, año 2015
Authors: Arriaga Baidal Germán , Carriel Juan , Reyes Johnny , Reyes Mariela
Published: July 2017

La Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena y la Carrera de Contabilidad y Auditoría; en el marco de un proceso de vinculación con la colectividad, permite la interacción de la institución con la sociedad, a través del diseño y la ejecución de proyectos que aporten a su desarrollo, constituyéndose como beneficio en el avance del conocimiento, la formación del talento humano, el intercambio de ideas y la solución de problemas específicos de las comunidades. En Ecuador, los artesanos ocupan un lugar importante, en cuanto, a desarrollo económico se refiere, además, de contar con leyes de respaldo, como La ley de defensa del artesano, la ley de fomento artesanal, código de la producción, cuyo fin común es permitir el crecimiento económico de los artesanos y contribuir al cumplimiento de los objetivo 1, 3, 10 del Plan Nacional del Buen Vivir. Así la operazionalizaciòn de Vinculación con la Colectividad se ejecutó para los artesanos que se dedican a la producción de paja toquilla en la comuna Barcelona, parroquia Manglaralto, cantón Santa Elena, Provincia de Santa Elena, con la finalidad de contribuir al mejoramiento socioeconómico de las asociaciones gremiales por medio del intercambio de conocimientos y generar desde sus procesos de producción; información contable, donde se conozca el nivel de rentabilidad de la actividad, y además contar con una base de datos fiable para la toma oportuna de decisiones; que permita el desarrollo sostenible de los productores asociados

 

Abstract

The State University of Santa Elena Península and Accounting and Auditing Career; in the framework of a process of linking with the community, allows the interaction of the institution with the society, through the design and implementation of projects that contribute to the development, constituting itself as a benefit in the advancement of knowledge, training of human talent, the exchange of ideas and the solution of specific problems. In Ecuador, artisans occupy an important place, as regards to economic development is further directed to have laws backup as the law of defense of the artisan, the law to promote artisanal production code, whose common goal It is to enable economic growth of artisans and contribute to meeting the objective 1, 3, 10 of the National Plan for Good Living. So the implementation of links with the community was framed for artisans who are engaged in the production of straw shawl in the commune Barcelona, Manglaralto parish, canton Santa Elena, Province of Santa Elena, in order to contribute to the socioeconomic improvement associations union through the exchange of knowledge and generate from its production processes; accounting, where the level of profitability of the activity is known, and also have a reliable database for timely decision-making; allowing the sustainable development of the producer.
A Novel Indole-Containing Diarylethene: Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Photochromism
Authors: Zheng Chunhong , Liao Guanming , Fan Congbin , Wang Renjie , Pu Shouzhi
Published: July 2017

An indole-containing diarylethene with a trifluoromethyl function at the meta-position of the phenyl group attached to the thiophene moiety was synthesised. Its structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and its photochemical properties in solution and in the single crystalline phases were studied. The compound showed relatively high fluorescent modulation efficiency and cyclisation quantum yield.
Sharing the Cost of Dike Maintenance in the South-Western Netherlands: Comparing 'Calamitous Polders' in Three 'States', 1715-1795
Authors: van Cruyningen Piet
Published: July 2017

For early modern societies, distributing the costs of flood defences between the stakeholders in an equitable way was difficult. Institutions were abused by powerful groups to shift the financial burden to poorer groups. According to Epstein, such elite abuse of institutions was possible because in pre-modern states political and economic power were not separated, which made it possible for elite groups to hijack the decision-making process. By studying how three 'states' in the South-Western Netherlands distributed the high costs of dike maintenance, this paper partly confirms Epstein's thesis. No separation existed between political and economic power in the province of Zeeland and here this caused a stalemate because cities represented in the provincial government protected their elites' interests. In Holland and the territories of the States-General, however, taking quick and efficient measures for the repair and financing of sea defences was possible. Here the powerful cities had less significant interests in the areas concerned and were prepared to leave decision-making to technical and financial experts.
Cooperation and Private Enterprise in Water Management in Iraq: Continuity and Change between the Sasanian and Early Islamic Periods (Sixth to Tenth Centuries)
Authors: Campopiano Michele
Published: July 2017

This article shows that the management of water resources in Late Sasanian and Early Islamic Iraq (sixth to tenth centuries ad) implied the participation of local communities and the mutual cooperation of landholders. The organisation of water management in the Late Sasanian Period (sixth to seventh centuries) depended on a highly complex system of interaction between local communities, aristocratic rulers and the imperial bureaucracy. This interaction allowed the government to gather information from different regions of the empire and to understand the needs of the different stakeholders. As such, the system provided a favourable institutional framework for the expansion of irrigated agriculture. The system changed when landholding conditions were transformed in the Early Islamic period, during the ninth century. These institutional transformations allowed the influence of a group of tax-farmers and merchant-bankers to increase. Irrigation policies were therefore bent to the interests of these new elites, which often lay in short-term gains rather than in long-term success. The article suggests that, in the long run, these socio-economic and institutional changes contributed substantially to the breakdown of the agricultural system in Ancient Iraq.
'Public Interest' as a Basis for Early Modern State-Society Interactions: Water Control Projects in Qing China, 1750-1850
Authors: He Wenkai
Published: July 2017

The safeguarding of public interest was an important means to legitimate state power in the period between 1720 and 1850 in Qing China. Social historians have highlighted the vital importance of autonomous management and financing to water control on the part of local gentry in localities in China. However, there were limits to the capacity of social actors for self-financing and self-management in cross-regional water control projects, especially when considering the rivalry of interests between upstream and downstream areas, between people living along the opposite banks of major rivers, and between commercial transportation and irrigation needs. This paper examines the political process by which the Qing state behaved as an 'impartial' guardian of the public interest in both financing and settling cross-regional conflicts of interest over water. By examining cases of petitions involved in such hydraulic projects, this paper also shows how collusion between local gentry and government officials often sacrificed the public interest and how this problem could not be corrected by the political participation of a wider range of social actors.
Molecular Sieve Supported Lanthanum Catalyst for the Efficient Synthesis of Polyhydroquinolines via Hantzsch Synthesis
Authors: Magyar Ágnes , Hell Zoltán
Published: July 2017

Molecular sieve supported lanthanum catalyst proved to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the one-pot, four-component synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives from aromatic aldehydes, dimedone, ethyl acetoacetate and ammonium acetate in ethanol via Hantzsch reaction. The method has several advantages such as simple reaction conditions, short reaction time, high yields and simple workup procedure, which make it an attractive route for the synthesis of polyhydroquinolines. The catalyst could be reused several times without the loss of its initial activity.
Transportation in Brazil: Joinville
Authors: Török Árpád , Schmalz Alan Albrecht
Published: July 2017

This article shows the situation of transportation in Brazil, in particular in the case of Joinville, a medium size city, contemplated with federal investment  for improve the urban mobility.
Assessment of Conservation Agriculture Practices by Smallholder Farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
Authors: Muzangwa Lindah , Mnkeni Pearson Nyari Stephano , Chiduza Cornelius
Published: July 2017

Conservation agriculture (CA) can sustainably address soil degradation and improve crop yields. However, the success of CA amongst South African smallholder farmers is not known. The aims of the study were to find out: (1) the extent of CA practice by the Eastern Cape smallholder farmers; (2) perceptions towards CA amongst smallholder farmers with some history of practising the technology; and (3) the impact of practised CA components on soil quality indicators. Diagnostic survey techniques and soil sampling in farmers’ fields were employed to gather data from five districts of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The most common CA principle adopted by surveyed farmers was no-till (34.81%), whilst crop rotation and residue retention were practised by only 25.93% and 22.22% of the farmers, respectively. Education level and CA training influenced the likelihood of a farmer to practise no-till farming, whilst the likelihood of farmers to retain residues was influenced by education level and access to grazing lands. Lack of appropriate equipment and costly herbicides were the major constraining factors to practising CA. Crop residue retention conflicted with the common practice of free-range livestock grazing. Cabbage, maize and beans were the most common crops of choice for the few farmers that practised crop rotations. No significant (p > 0.05) improvement on soil quality indicators was observed with CA compared to the conventional farming method. The noted high dependency on government grants by the smallholder farmers could be a disincentive towards the adoption of agricultural innovations such as CA. Identification of practical key CA entry points is recommended, bearing in mind the noted impediments to CA adoption.
A Survey of Public Opinion on Cat (Felis catus) Predation and the Future Direction of Cat Management in New Zealand
Authors: Walker Jessica , Bruce Stephanie , Dale Arnja
Published: July 2017

Cat predation is a prominent issue in New Zealand that provokes strong and opposing views. We explored, via 1011 face-to-face questionnaires, public opinion on (a) support for a National Cat Management Strategy (78% support); (b) concern regarding predation of wildlife by owned and un-owned cats (managed stray, unmanaged stray, and feral cats); (c) the acceptability of management techniques for owned cats; and (d) the acceptability of population management techniques for un-owned cats. The highest concern was expressed regarding the predation of non-native and native wildlife by feral cats (60 and 86% repectively), followed by unmanaged stray cats (59 and 86% respectively), managed stray cats (54 and 82% respectively), and finally owned cats (38 and 69% repectively). Limits to the number of cats owned and cat restriction zones received high levels of support (>65%), and compulsory microchipping, Council registration, and de-sexing were supported by the majority (>58%). Public support of population control methods for unowned cats was explored, and the influence of participant demographic variables on responses is described. These findings provide insight into public opinion regarding the management of cats in New Zealand, which should be considered during the development of legislation in this area.
Silencing of NRF2 Reduces the Expression of ALDH1A1 and ALDH3A1 and Sensitizes to 5-FU in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Authors: Duong Hong-Quan , You Kyu , Oh Seunghoon , Kwak Sahng-June , Seong Yeon-Sun
Published: July 2017

Pancreatic cancer remains an intractable cancer with a poor five-year survival rate, which requires new therapeutic modalities based on the biology of pancreatic oncogenesis. Nuclear factor E2 related factor-2 (NRF2), a key cytoprotective nuclear transcription factor, regulates antioxidant production, reduction, detoxification and drug efflux proteins. It also plays an essential role in cell homeostasis, cell proliferation and resistance to chemotherapy. We aimed to evaluate the possibility that modulation of NRF2 expression could be effective in the treatment of pancreatic cancer cells. We investigated whether the depletion of NRF2 by using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) is effective in the expression of biomarkers of pancreatic cancer stemness such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1 (ALDH1A1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family, member A1 (ALDH3A1). NRF2 knockdown markedly reduced the expression of NRF2 and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) in cell lines established from pancreatic cancers. NRF2 silencing also decreased the ALDH1A1 and ALDH3A1 expression. Furthermore, this NRF2 depletion enhanced the antiproliferative effects of the chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in pancreatic cancer cells.
Numerical Investigation of Heat-Insulating Layers in a Cold Region Tunnel, Taking into Account Airflow and Heat Transfer
Authors: Yan Qixiang , Li Binjia , Zhang Yanyang , Yan Jian , Zhang Chuan
Published: July 2017

In cold regions, heat-insulating layers play a crucial role in frost prevention in tunnels. This paper presents a numerical study on the anti-freezing behavior of a cold region tunnel (the Dege tunnel) with heat-insulating layers. A numerical model based on the temperature field coupling theory is firstly proposed and validated using field test data of the Dege tunnel. Subsequently, a comprehensive parametric study is carried out to investigate the influences of heat-insulating layers on the temperature characteristics of airflows inside the tunnel, the surrounding rock, and the tunnel lining. Furthermore, a numerical investigation based on the proposed numerical model is carried out to propose reasonable design parameters of heat-insulating layers for different velocities of mechanical ventilation, and different heat-insulating materials for cold region tunnels. The numerical results show that using the heat-insulating layer can effectively reduce the heat transfer between the surrounding rock and the airflow inside the tunnel. It is also found that the design parameters for the heat-insulating layer are greatly affected by the tunnel ventilation conditions and heat-insulating materials.
Robust Co-Optimization to Energy and Reserve Joint Dispatch Considering Wind Power Generation and Zonal Reserve Constraints in Real-Time Electricity Markets
Authors: Li Chunlai , Yun Jingyang , Ding Tao , Liu Fan , Ju Yuntao , Yuan Shun
Published: July 2017

This paper proposes an energy and reserve joint dispatch model based on a robust optimization approach in real-time electricity markets, considering wind power generation uncertainties as well as zonal reserve constraints under both normal and N-1 contingency conditions. In the proposed model, the operating reserves are classified as regulating reserve and spinning reserve according to the response performance. More specifically, the regulating reserve is usually utilized to reduce the gap due to forecasting errors, while the spinning reserve is commonly adopted to enhance the ability for N-1 contingencies. Since the transmission bottlenecks may inhibit the deliverability of reserve, the zonal placement of spinning reserve is considered in this paper to improve the reserve deliverability under the contingencies. Numerical results on the IEEE 118-bus test system show the effectiveness of the proposed model.
A 3D Human Skeletonization Algorithm for a Single Monocular Camera Based on Spatial–Temporal Discrete Shadow Integration
Authors: Hou Jie , Guo Baolong , He Wangpeng , Wu Jinfu
Published: July 2017

Three-dimensional (3D) human skeleton extraction is a powerful tool for activity acquirement and analyses, spawning a variety of applications on somatosensory control, virtual reality and many prospering fields. However, the 3D human skeletonization relies heavily on RGB-Depth (RGB-D) cameras, expensive wearable sensors and specific lightening conditions, resulting in great limitation of its outdoor applications. This paper presents a novel 3D human skeleton extraction method designed for the monocular camera large scale outdoor scenarios. The proposed algorithm aggregates spatial–temporal discrete joint positions extracted from human shadow on the ground. Firstly, the projected silhouette information is recovered from human shadow on the ground for each frame, followed by the extraction of two-dimensional (2D) joint projected positions. Then extracted 2D joint positions are categorized into different sets according to activity silhouette categories. Finally, spatial–temporal integration of same-category 2D joint positions is carried out to generate 3D human skeletons. The proposed method proves accurate and efficient in outdoor human skeletonization application based on several comparisons with the traditional RGB-D method. Finally, the application of the proposed method to RGB-D skeletonization enhancement is discussed.
Merging MODIS and Ground-Based Fine Mode Fraction of Aerosols Based on the Geostatistical Data Fusion Method
Authors: Zhao Aimei , Li Zhengqiang , Zhang Ying , Zhang Yang , Li Donghui
Published: July 2017

With the rapid development of the economy and society, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has not only caused severe environmental problems, but also posed a threat to public health. In order to improve the estimated accuracy of PM2.5, the input data fine mode fraction (FMF), a key parameter to the PM2.5 remote sensing method (PMRS), should be improved due to its significant errors. In this study, we merge the observations of the fine mode fraction (FMF) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and the Sun-sky radiometer Observation Network (SONET) using the universal kriging (UK) method to obtain accurate FMF distribution over eastern China. PM2.5 mass concentration is estimated by the fusion and MODIS FMF distributions using the PMRS model. The results show that the parameters in the variogram are relatively stable except for significant differences in correlation lengths in summer. The FMF in the Winter of 2015 shows that the mean error decreases from 0.38 to 0.13 compared with that from MODIS using leave-one-out cross-validation, with the maximum error decreasing from 0.75 to 0.34, indicating that the UK method can provide better estimates of FMF. We also find that PM2.5 estimated from FMF fusion results is closer to the in situ PM2.5 from the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) (87.2 vs. 88.9 μg/m3).
Mutations in Cancer Cause Gain of Cysteine, Histidine, and Tryptophan at the Expense of a Net Loss of Arginine on the Proteome Level
Authors: Tsuber Viktoriia , Kadamov Yunus , Brautigam Lars , Berglund Ulrika Warpman , Helleday Thomas
Published: July 2017

Accumulation of somatic mutations is critical for the transition of a normal cell to become cancerous. Mutations cause amino acid substitutions that change properties of proteins. However, it has not been studied as to what extent the composition and accordingly chemical properties of the cell proteome is altered as a result of the increased mutation load in cancer. Here, we analyzed data on amino acid substitutions caused by mutations in about 2000 protein coding genes from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia that contains information on nucleotide and amino acid alterations in 782 cancer cell lines, and validated the analysis with information on amino acid substitutions for the same set of proteins in the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC; v78) in circa 18,000 tumor samples. We found that nonsynonymous single nucleotide substitutions in the analyzed proteome subset ultimately result in a net gain of cysteine, histidine, and tryptophan at the expense of a net loss of arginine. The extraordinary loss of arginine may be attributed to some extent to composition of its codons as well as to the importance of arginine in the functioning of prominent tumor suppressor proteins like p53.
Vascular Mechanobiology: Towards Control of In Situ Regeneration
Authors: Van Haaften Eline , Bouten Carlijn , Kurniawan Nicholas
Published: July 2017

The paradigm of regenerative medicine has recently shifted from in vitro to in situ tissue engineering: implanting a cell-free, biodegradable, off-the-shelf available scaffold and inducing the development of functional tissue by utilizing the regenerative potential of the body itself. This approach offers a prospect of not only alleviating the clinical demand for autologous vessels but also circumventing the current challenges with synthetic grafts. In order to move towards a hypothesis-driven engineering approach, we review three crucial aspects that need to be taken into account when regenerating vessels: (1) the structure-function relation for attaining mechanical homeostasis of vascular tissues, (2) the environmental cues governing cell function, and (3) the available experimental platforms to test instructive scaffolds for in situ tissue engineering. The understanding of cellular responses to environmental cues leads to the development of computational models to predict tissue formation and maturation, which are validated using experimental platforms recapitulating the (patho)physiological micro-environment. With the current advances, a progressive shift is anticipated towards a rational and effective approach of building instructive scaffolds for in situ vascular tissue regeneration.
Synthesis Methods of Two-Dimensional MoS2: A Brief Review
Authors: Sun Jie , Li Xuejian , Guo Weiling , Zhao Miao , Fan Xing , Dong Yibo , Xu Chen , Deng Jun , Fu Yifeng
Published: July 2017

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is one of the most important two-dimensional materials after graphene. Monolayer MoS2 has a direct bandgap (1.9 eV) and is potentially suitable for post-silicon electronics. Among all atomically thin semiconductors, MoS2’s synthesis techniques are more developed. Here, we review the recent developments in the synthesis of hexagonal MoS2, where they are categorized into top-down and bottom-up approaches. Micromechanical exfoliation is convenient for beginners and basic research. Liquid phase exfoliation and solutions for chemical processes are cheap and suitable for large-scale production; yielding materials mostly in powders with different shapes, sizes and layer numbers. MoS2 films on a substrate targeting high-end nanoelectronic applications can be produced by chemical vapor deposition, compatible with the semiconductor industry. Usually, metal catalysts are unnecessary. Unlike graphene, the transfer of atomic layers is omitted. We especially emphasize the recent advances in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition, where gaseous precursors are used. These processes grow MoS2 with the smallest building-blocks, naturally promising higher quality and controllability. Most likely, this will be an important direction in the field. Nevertheless, today none of those methods reproducibly produces MoS2 with competitive quality. There is a long way to go for MoS2 in real-life electronic device applications.
Fast Turn-Off Switching of Vertically-Aligned Negative Liquid Crystals by Fine Patterning of Pixel Electrodes
Authors: Choi Yeongyu , Choi Tae-Hoon , Woo Jae-Hyeon , Jeon Byoung-Gyu , Yoon Tae-Hoon
Published: July 2017

We investigated the two-dimensional (2D) confinement effect on the switching of vertically-aligned negative liquid crystals (LCs) by an electric field applied between the top and bottom patterned electrodes. When an electric field is applied to a patterned vertical alignment (PVA) cell, virtual walls form in the middle of the gaps between and at the center of the patterned electrodes. These virtual walls formed in a PVA cell results in the turn-off time being dependent on the pitch of the patterned electrodes as well as the cell gap. We found that a short response time can be achieved by the fine patterning of pixel electrodes with little decrease in the transmittance. The obtained numerical results agree well with the model based on the 2D confinement effect of LCs.
An Improved Ångström-Type Model for Estimating Solar Radiation over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Liu Jiandong , Pan Tao , Chen Deliang , Zhou Xiuji , Yu Qiang , Flerchinger Gerald , Liu De , Zou Xintong , Linderholm Hans , Du Jun , Wu Dingrong , Shen Yanbo
Published: July 2017

For estimating the annual mean of daily solar irradiation in plateau mountainous regions, observed data from 15 radiation stations were used to validate different empirical estimation methods over the Tibetan Plateau. Calibration indicates that sunshine-based site-dependent models perform better than temperature-based ones. Then, the highly rated sunshine-based Ångström model and temperature-based Bristow model were selected for regional application. The geographical models perform much better than the average models, but still not ideally. To achieve better performance, the Ångström-type model was improved using altitude and water vapor pressure as the leading factors. The improved model can accurately predict the coefficients at all the stations, and performs the best among all models with an average Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency value of 0.856. Spatial distribution of the annual mean of daily solar irradiation was then estimated with the improved model. It is indicated that there is an increasing trend of radiation from east to west, with a great center of the annual mean of daily solar irradiation on southwest Tibetan Plateau ranging from 20 to 24 MJ·m−2. The improved model should be further validated against observations before its applications in other plateau mountainous regions.
An Investigation of Fuel Mixing and Reaction in a CH4/Syngas/Air Premixed Impinging Flame with Varied H2/CO Proportion
Authors: Chiu Chih-Pin , Yeh Szu-I , Tsai Yu-Ching , Yang Jing-Tang
Published: July 2017

For industrial applications, we propose a concept of clean and efficient combustion through burning syngas on an impinging burner. We performed experimental measurements of particle image velocimetry, OH radical (OH*) chemiluminescence, flame temperature, and CO emission to examine the fuel mixing and reaction of premixed impinging flames of CH4/syngas/air with H2/CO in varied proportions. The velocity distribution of the combustion flow field showed that a deceleration area in the main flow formed through the mutual impingement of two jet flows, which enhanced the mixing of fuel and air because of an increased momentum transfer. The deceleration area expanded with an increased CO proportion, which indicated that the mixing of fuel and air also increased with the increased CO proportion. Our examination of the OH* chemiluminescence demonstrated that its intensity increased with increased CO proportion, which showed that the reaction between fuel and air accordingly increased. CO provided in the syngas hence participated readily in the reaction of the CH4/syngas/air premixed impinging flames when the syngas contained CO in a large proportion. Although the volume flow rate of the provided CO quadrupled, the CO emission increased by only 12% to 15%. The results of this work are useful to improve the feasibility of fuel-injection systems using syngas as an alternative fuel.
Multi-Party Energy Management for Networks of PV-Assisted Charging Stations: A Game Theoretical Approach
Authors: Liu Nian , Cheng Minyang , Ma Li
Published: July 2017

Motivated by the development of electric vehicles (EVs), this paper addresses the energy management problem for the PV-assisted charging station (PVCS) network. An hour-ahead optimization model for the operation of PVCS is proposed, considering the profit of the PVCS, the local consumption of the photovoltaic (PV) energy and the impacts on the grid. Moreover, a two-level feasible charging region (FCR) model is built to guarantee the service quality for EVs and learning-based decision-making is designed to assist the optimization of the PVCS in various scenarios. The multi-party energy management problem, including several kinds of energy flows of the PVCS network, is formulated as a non-cooperative game. Then, the strategies of the PVCSs are modeled as the demand response (DR) activities to achieve their own optimization goals and a two-level distributed heuristic algorithm is introduced to solve the problem. The simulation results show that the economic profit of the network is increased by 6.34% compared with the common time of use (TOU) prices approach. Besides, the percentage of the PV energy in total charging load (PPTCL) and load rate are promoted by 28.93% and 0.3125, respectively, which demonstrates the validity and practicability of the proposed method.
Finite Control Set–Model Predictive Control with Modulation to Mitigate Harmonic Component in Output Current for a Grid-Connected Inverter under Distorted Grid Conditions
Authors: Nguyen Tien Hai , Kim Kyeong-Hwa
Published: July 2017

This paper presents an improved current control strategy for a three-phase grid-connected inverter under distorted grid conditions. In terms of performance, it is important for a grid-connected inverter to maintain the harmonic contents of inverter output currents below the specified limit even when the grid is subject to harmonic distortion. To address this problem, this paper proposes a modulated finite control set–model predictive control (FCS-MPC) scheme, which effectively mitigates the harmonic components in output current of a grid-connected inverter. In the proposed scheme, the system behavior in the future is predicted from the system model in the discrete-time domain. Then, the cost function is selected based on the control objective of system. This cost function is minimized during the optimization process to determine the control signals that minimize the cost function. In addition, since the proposed scheme requires pure sinusoidal reference currents in the stationary frame to work successfully, the moving average filter (MAF) is employed to enhance the performance of the traditional phase lock loop (PLL). Due to the control performance of the FCS-MPC scheme as well as the harmonic disturbance rejection capability of the MAF-PLL, the proposed scheme is able to suppress the harmonic distortion even in the presence of distorted grid condition, while retaining fast transient response. Comparative simulation results of different controllers verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme in compensating the harmonic disturbance. To validate the practical feasibility of the proposed scheme, the whole control algorithm is implemented on a 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor (DSP) TMS320F28335 to control a 2 kW three-phase grid-connected inverter. As a result, the proposed scheme is a promising approach toward improving the current quality of a grid-connected inverter under distorted grid conditions.