bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy Management Integrated Circuit for Multi-Source Energy Harvesters in WBAN Applications
Authors: Kim Sung-Eun , Kang Taewook , Oh Kwang-Il , Park Mi Jeong , Park Hyung-Il , Lim In Gi , Lee Jae-Jin
Published: August 2018

This paper presents an energy management integrated circuit for multiple energy harvesters in wireless body area network applications. The electrical power acquired from a single energy harvester around a human body is limited to micro watts, which is insufficient to drive a wearable electronic device. To increase this small amount, the energy from a number of harvesters has to be combined. By combining the energy from multiple distributed harvesters, each one producing negligible energy, significant energy for wearable devices can be obtained. In designing an energy management circuit for a wearable device, there are two issues to be resolved. The first is related to the power consumption of the circuit, and the second issue is related to the methods needed to manage the wide range of power that occurs as the energy input changes during harvesting. In this paper, an energy management circuit that resolves the two issues above is described. The circuit was integrated using 0.13 µm Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. The energy management circuit is designed to combine up to three sources of harvested energy with more than 90% operating efficiency over the entire power range of the energy harvested.
Thermal Failure Propagation in Lithium-Ion Battery Modules with Various Shapes
Authors: Ouyang Dongxu , Liu Jiahao , Chen Mingyi , Weng Jingwen , Wang Jian
Published: August 2018

Thermal failure propagation is one of the most severe challenges for battery modules and it usually aggravates the thermal hazards, further resulting in serious accidents. This work conducted two groups of experiments to investigate the influence of discharging treatment and module shape on the thermal failure propagation of battery modules, where the triangle module, rectangle module, parallelogram module, line module, hexagon module, and square module were researched. Based on the results, it can be found that an evident domino effect existed on the thermal failure propagation of battery modules. Namely, the failure propagation process consisted of several phases and the number of phases depended on the shape of the module. Besides, it is indicated that discharging treatment on a battery module when it was in a high-temperature environment would aggravate its thermal failure propagation by bringing an earlier thermal failure, a quicker failure propagation, and a larger mass loss. Combining the results of safety and space utilization, it is revealed that the triangular module may be the best choice of battery module due to its smaller failure propagation speed and higher space utilization.
Complementary Cooperation of Dual Power Circuits to Drive Active Magnetic Bearings
Authors: Chiu Hsin-Lin , Tsai Nan-Chyuan
Published: August 2018

A compact-design hybrid power amplifier for AMB (active magnetic bearing) units, named as dual cooperative drive circuit (DC2), is designed and verified by intensive experiments. DC2 can operate under dual mode: either digital driving mode (DDM) or analog driving mode (ADM). By taking advantages of the complementary cooperation between DDM and ADM, the proposed DC2 manifests its superiorities mainly in three aspects: (i) Compared to a traditional 2-level PWM (pulse width modulation) drive circuit, the improvement degree of reducing the amplitudes of current ripples is up to 62%. (ii) By taking advantages of mutually complementary cooperation between DDM and ADM, the steady-state errors of output current, which is exerted to the coils of AMBs, can be much reduced by DC2. (iii) DC2 can provide a high-current slew rate so that the response of AMBs is fast and quick enough to regulate the high-speed rotor back to the neutral position within a very short time period below 0.40 ms. In addition, the proposed DC2 is particularly suitable to be compliant with digital controllers and DSPs (digital signal processors) since the commands or drive sequences are all in DC (direct current) manner.
Strain Ratio as a Quantification Tool in Strain Imaging
Authors: Havre Roald Flesland , Waage Jo Erling Riise , Mulabecirovic Anesa , Gilja Odd Helge , Nesje Lars Birger
Published: August 2018

Ultrasound-based strain imaging is available in several ultrasound (US) scanners. Strain ratio (SR) can be used to quantify the strain recorded simultaneously in two different user-selected areas, ideally exposed to the same amount of stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate SR variability when assessed in an in-vitro setup with a tissue-mimicking phantom on resected tissue samples and in live tissue scanning with endoscopic applications. We performed an in vivo retrospective analysis of SR variability used for quantification of elastic contrasts in a tissue-mimicking phantom containing four homogenous inclusion in 38 resected bowel wall lesions and 48 focal pancreatic lesions. Median SR and the inter-quartile range (IQR) were calculated for all external and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) applications. The IQR and median provide a measure of SR variability focusing on the two percentiles of the data closest to the median value. The overall SR variability was lowest in a tissue-mimicking phantom (mean QR/median SR: 0.07). In resected bowel wall lesions representing adenomas, adenocarcinomas, or Crohn lesions, the variability increased (mean IQR/Median: 0.62). During an in vivo endoscopic examination of focal pancreatic lesions, the variability increased further (mean IQR/Median: 2.04). SR variability increased when assessed for different targets with growing heterogeneity and biological variability from homogeneous media to live tissues and endoscopic application. This may indicate a limitation for the accuracy of SR evaluation in some clinical applications.
Influence of Substrate Modification with Dipole Monolayers on the Electrical Characteristics of Short-Channel Polymer Field-Effect Transistors
Authors: Nagase Takashi , Hirose Takeshi , Kobayashi Takashi , Ueda Rieko , Otomo Akira , Naito Hiroyoshi
Published: August 2018

This study investigates the influence of self-assembled monolayer treatment of gate insulators on the electrical characteristics of bottom-gate/bottom-contact organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with short channel lengths of 5 μm to 30 nm. The treatment of 3-chloropropyltrichlorosilane (CPTS) with large dipoles produces a high built-in electric field perpendicular to the SiO2 gate insulator surface, which results in a threshold voltage shift and enhanced hole injection compared to the treatment of phenethyltrichlorosilane (PETS) with small dipoles. Pronounced parabolic drain current‒voltage (ID‒VD) characteristics due to a space-charge limited current are observed in short-channel OFETs based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) with CPTS-treated gate insulators. CPTS treatment on short-channel OFETs based on poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-bithiophene) (F8T2) suppresses the nonlinear ID increase in the low VD region caused by the voltage drop at the Au/F8T2 contact. The influence of the increase in the net source-drain electric field associated with the reduced voltage drops on the channel-length dependence of the field-effect mobility of short-channel F8T2 FETs is also discussed.
3D Printing of Functional Assemblies with Integrated Polymer-Bonded Magnets Demonstrated with a Prototype of a Rotary Blood Pump
Authors: Von Petersdorff-Campen Kai , Hauswirth Yannick , Carpenter Julia , Hagmann Andreas , Boës Stefan , Schmid Daners Marianne , Penner Dirk , Meboldt Mirko
Published: August 2018

Conventional magnet manufacturing is a significant bottleneck in the development processes of products that use magnets, because every design adaption requires production steps with long lead times. Additive manufacturing of magnetic components delivers the opportunity to shift to agile and test-driven development in early prototyping stages, as well as new possibilities for complex designs. In an effort to simplify integration of magnetic components, the current work presents a method to directly print polymer-bonded hard magnets of arbitrary shape into thermoplastic parts by fused deposition modeling. This method was applied to an early prototype design of a rotary blood pump with magnetic bearing and magnetic drive coupling. Thermoplastics were compounded with 56 vol.% isotropic NdFeB powder to manufacture printable filament. With a powder loading of 56 vol.%, remanences of 350 mT and adequate mechanical flexibility for robust processability were achieved. This compound allowed us to print a prototype of a turbodynamic pump with integrated magnets in the impeller and housing in one piece on a low-cost, end-user 3D printer. Then, the magnetic components in the printed pump were fully magnetized in a pulsed Bitter coil. The pump impeller is driven by magnetic coupling to non-printed permanent magnets rotated by a brushless DC motor, resulting in a flow rate of 3 L/min at 1000 rpm. For the first time, an application of combined multi-material and magnet printing by fused deposition modeling was shown. The presented process significantly simplifies the prototyping of products that use magnets, such as rotary blood pumps, and opens the door for more complex and innovative designs. It will also help postpone the shift to conventional manufacturing methods to later phases of the development process.
Trajectory Tracking between Josephson Junction and Classical Chaotic System via Iterative Learning Control
Authors: Cheng Chun-Kai , Chao Paul
Published: August 2018

This article addresses trajectory tracking between two non-identical systems with chaotic properties. To study trajectory tracking, we used the Rossler chaotic and resistive-capacitive-inductance shunted Josephson junction (RCLs-JJ) model in a similar phase space. In order to achieve goal tracking, two stages were required to approximate target tracking. The first stage utilizes the active control technique to transfer the output signal from the RCLs-JJ system into a quasi-Rossler system. Next, the RCLs-JJ system employs the proposed iterative learning control scheme in which the control signals are from the drive system to trace the trajectory of the Rossler system. The numerical results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method and the tracking system is asymptotically stable.
Wavelet Decomposition and Convolutional LSTM Networks Based Improved Deep Learning Model for Solar Irradiance Forecasting
Authors: Wang Fei , Yu Yili , Zhang Zhanyao , Li Jie , Zhen Zhao , Li Kangping
Published: August 2018

Solar photovoltaic (PV) power forecasting has become an important issue with regard to the power grid in terms of the effective integration of large-scale PV plants. As the main influence factor of PV power generation, solar irradiance and its accurate forecasting are the prerequisite for solar PV power forecasting. However, previous forecasting approaches using manual feature extraction (MFE), traditional modeling and single deep learning (DL) models could not satisfy the performance requirements in partial scenarios with complex fluctuations. Therefore, an improved DL model based on wavelet decomposition (WD), the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is proposed for day-ahead solar irradiance forecasting. Given the high dependency of solar irradiance on weather status, the proposed model is individually established under four general weather type (i.e., sunny, cloudy, rainy and heavy rainy). For certain weather types, the raw solar irradiance sequence is decomposed into several subsequences via discrete wavelet transformation. Then each subsequence is fed into the CNN based local feature extractor to automatically learn the abstract feature representation from the raw subsequence data. Since the extracted features of each subsequence are also time series data, they are individually transported to LSTM to construct the subsequence forecasting model. In the end, the final solar irradiance forecasting results under certain weather types are obtained via the wavelet reconstruction of these forecasted subsequences. This case study further verifies the enhanced forecasting accuracy of our proposed method via a comparison with traditional and single DL models.
Has Akira Always Been a Cyberpunk Comic?
Authors: De la Iglesia Martin
Published: August 2018

Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, interest in the cyberpunk genre peaked in the Western world, perhaps most evidently when Terminator 2: Judgment Day became the highest-grossing film of 1991. It has been argued that the translation of Katsuhiro Ōtomo’s manga Akira into several European languages at just that time (into English beginning in 1988, into French, Italian, and Spanish beginning in 1990, and into German beginning in 1991) was no coincidence. In hindsight, cyberpunk tropes are easily identified in Akira to the extent that it is nowadays widely regarded as a classic cyberpunk comic. But has this always been the case? When Akira was first published in America and Europe, did readers see it as part of a wave of cyberpunk fiction? Did they draw the connections to previous works of the cyberpunk genre across different media that today seem obvious? In this paper, magazine reviews of Akira in English and German from the time when it first came out in these languages will be analysed in order to gauge the past readers’ genre awareness. The attribution of the cyberpunk label to Akira competed with others such as the post-apocalyptic, or science fiction in general. Alternatively, Akira was sometimes regarded as an exceptional, novel work that transcended genre boundaries. In contrast, reviewers of the Akira anime adaptation, which was released at roughly the same time as the manga in the West (1989 in Germany and the United States), more readily drew comparisons to other cyberpunk films such as Blade Runner.
The Almohad Caliphate: A Look at Al-Andalus through Arabic Documentation and Their Artistic Manifestations
Authors: González Cavero Ignacio
Published: August 2018

The main objective of this article is to reflect on the importance and influence of the Andalusian cultural legacy during the years of the Almohad dominance in the Islamic West. To do this, I will examine the written Arabic documentation and those material testimonies that have reached us, which will allow me to get closer to a greater knowledge of this reformist movement. In this sense, I will analyze the artistic, political and religious landscape, which will lead me to address a reality that becomes the vehicle of legitimation of this new caliphate.
Trees, Stumps, and Applications
Authors: Butcher John C.
Published: August 2018

The traditional derivation of Runge–Kutta methods is based on the use of the scalar test problem y′(x)=f(x,y(x)). However, above order 4, this gives less restrictive order conditions than those obtained from a vector test problem using a tree-based theory. In this paper, stumps, or incomplete trees, are introduced to explain the discrepancy between the two alternative theories. Atomic stumps can be combined multiplicatively to generate all trees. For the scalar test problem, these quantities commute, and certain sets of trees form isomeric classes. There is a single order condition for each class, whereas for the general vector-based problem, for which commutation of atomic stumps does not occur, there is exactly one order condition for each tree. In the case of order 5, the only nontrivial isomeric class contains two trees, and the number of order conditions reduces from 17 to 16 for scalar problems. A method is derived that satisfies the 16 conditions for scalar problems but not the complete set based on 17 trees. Hence, as a practical numerical method, it has order 4 for a general initial value problem, but this increases to order 5 for a scalar problem.
EMG Pattern Recognition in the Era of Big Data and Deep Learning
Authors: Phinyomark Angkoon , Scheme Erik
Published: August 2018

The increasing amount of data in electromyographic (EMG) signal research has greatly increased the importance of developing advanced data analysis and machine learning techniques which are better able to handle “big data”. Consequently, more advanced applications of EMG pattern recognition have been developed. This paper begins with a brief introduction to the main factors that expand EMG data resources into the era of big data, followed by the recent progress of existing shared EMG data sets. Next, we provide a review of recent research and development in EMG pattern recognition methods that can be applied to big data analytics. These modern EMG signal analysis methods can be divided into two main categories: (1) methods based on feature engineering involving a promising big data exploration tool called topological data analysis; and (2) methods based on feature learning with a special emphasis on “deep learning”. Finally, directions for future research in EMG pattern recognition are outlined and discussed.
Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Microneedles for Microencapsulated Cell Extrusion
Authors: Farias Chantell , Lyman Roman , Hemingway Cecilia , Chau Huong , Mahacek Anne , Bouzos Evangelia , Mobed-Miremadi Maryam
Published: August 2018

Cell-hydrogel based therapies offer great promise for wound healing. The specific aim of this study was to assess the viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells immobilized in atomized alginate capsules (3.5% (w/v) alginate, d = 225 µm ± 24.5 µm) post-extrusion through a three-dimensional (3D) printed methacrylate-based custom hollow microneedle assembly (circular array of 13 conical frusta) fabricated using stereolithography. With a jetting reliability of 80%, the solvent-sterilized device with a root mean square roughness of 158 nm at the extrusion nozzle tip (d = 325 μm) was operated at a flowrate of 12 mL/min. There was no significant difference between the viability of the sheared and control samples for extrusion times of 2 h (p = 0.14, α = 0.05) and 24 h (p = 0.5, α = 0.05) post-atomization. Factoring the increase in extrusion yield from 21.2% to 56.4% attributed to hydrogel bioerosion quantifiable by a loss in resilience from 5470 (J/m3) to 3250 (J/m3), there was no significant difference in percentage relative payload (p = 0.2628, α = 0.05) when extrusion occurred 24 h (12.2 ± 4.9%) when compared to 2 h (9.9 ± 2.8%) post-atomization. Results from this paper highlight the feasibility of encapsulated cell extrusion, specifically protection from shear, through a hollow microneedle assembly reported for the first time in literature.
Merging Heterocyclic Chemistry and Biocatalysis in One-Pot Processes through Compartmentalization of the Reaction Steps
Authors: Zumbrägel Nadine , Gröger Harald
Published: August 2018

A proof of concept for a one-pot process merging a heterocycle formation by a classical chemical approach at basic conditions with a biocatalytic reduction, running at neutral pH conditions, is reported. A crucial component for this process is the compartmentalization of the single reactions by the use of polydimethylsiloxane thimbles. This process was applied successfully towards an asymmetric synthesis of (S)-2,2,3-trimethyl-1-thia-4-azaspiro[4.4]nonane, leading to excellent enantioselectivities of 99% enantiomeric excess (ee).
Role of Uric Acid in Semen
Authors: Banihani Saleem Ali
Published: August 2018

Since 1963, various research studies and reports have demonstrated the role of uric acid (2,6,8-trihydroxypurine), an end product of adenosine and guanosine catabolism, on semen quality and sperm function. However, this effect has not yet been collectively discussed, even though uric acid has been a well-recognized constituent in semen. Here, we systematically and comprehensively discuss and summarize the role/effect of uric acid in semen quality by searching the main databases for English language articles considering this topic. Additionally, certain significant and relevant papers were considered to support discussions and perceptions. In conclusion, uric acid contributes to maintaining and enhancing sperm motility, viability, and morphology; therefore, protecting sperm function and fertilizing ability. This contribution is performed mainly by neutralizing the damaging effect of oxidizing (e.g., endogenous free radicals and exogenous toxins) and nitrating agents and enhancing certain bioactive enzymes in spermatozoa. In contrast, high levels of uric acid may induce adverse effects to sperm function, at least in part, by reducing the activity of vital enzymes in spermatozoa. However, further research, mainly clinical, is still required to fully explore the role/effect of uric acid in semen.
Bioinspired Temperature-Responsive Multilayer Films and Their Performance under Thermal Fatigue
Authors: Athanasopoulos Nikolaos , Siakavellas Nicolaos J.
Published: August 2018

The structure of certain nonliving tissues determines their self-shaping and self-folding capabilities in response to a stimulus. Predetermined movements are realized according to changes in the environmental conditions due to the generated stresses of the multilayer anisotropic structure. In this study, we present bioinspired responsive anisotropic multilayer films and their fabrication process which comprises low-cost techniques. The anisotropic multilayer materials are capable of deforming their geometry caused by small temperature changes (<40 °C). The mismatch in the thermo-mechanical properties between three or more anisotropic thin layers creates responsive materials that alter their shape owing to the developed internal stresses. The movements of the material can be controlled by forming anisotropic homogenous metallic strips over an anisotropic thermoplastic layer. As a result, responsive multilayer films made of common materials can be developed to passively react to a temperature stimulus. We demonstrate the ability of the anisotropic materials to transform their geometry and we present a promising fabrication process and the thermal fatigue resistance of the developed materials. The thermal fatigue performance is strongly related to the fabrication method and the thickness of the strips. We studied the thermal fatigue performance of the materials and how the thermal cycling affects their sensitivity, as well as their failure modes and crack formation.
Effect of Chronic Administration of Nickel on Affective and Cognitive Behavior in Male and Female Rats: Possible Implication of Oxidative Stress Pathway
Authors: Lamtai Mouloud , Chaibat Jihane , Ouakki Sihame , Zghari Oussama , Mesfioui Abdelhalem , El Hessni Aboubaker , Rifi El-Housseine , Marmouzi Ilias , Essamri Azzouz , Ouichou Ali
Published: August 2018

Nickel (Ni) toxicity has been reported to produce biochemical and behavioral dysfunction. The present study was undertaken to examine whether Ni chronic administration can induce alterations of affective and cognitive behavior and oxidative stress in male and female rats. Twenty-four rats, for each gender, divided into control and three test groups (n = 6), were injected intraperitoneally with saline (0.9% NaCl) or NiCl2 (0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. After treatment period, animals were tested in the open-field, elevated plus maze tests for anxiety-like behavior, and forced swimming test for depression-like behavior. The Morris Water Maze was used to evaluate the spatial learning and memory. The hippocampus of each animal was taken for biochemical examination. The results showed that Ni administration dose dependently increased anxiety-like behavior in both tests. A significant increase in depression-like symptoms was also exhibited by Ni treated rats. In the Morris Water Maze test, the spatial learning and memory were significantly impaired just in males treated with 1 mg/kg of Ni. With regard to biochemical analysis, activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly decreased, while the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the hippocampus were significantly increased in the Ni-treated groups. Consequently, chronic Ni administration induced behavioral and biochemical dysfunctions.
Feasibility Study of Mass-Timber Cores for the UBC Tall Wood Building
Authors: Connolly Thomas , Loss Cristiano , Iqbal Asif , Tannert Thomas
Published: August 2018

The UBC Brock Commons building in Vancouver, which comprises of 18 stories and stands 53 m in height, was at the time of completion in 2016 the world’s tallest hybrid wood-based building. The building’s 17 stories of mass-timber superstructure, carrying all gravity loads, rest on a concrete podium with two concrete cores that act as both the wind and seismic lateral load-resisting systems. Whereas the construction of the concrete cores took fourteen weeks in time, the mass-timber superstructure took only ten weeks from initiation to completion. A substantial reduction in the project timeline could have been achieved if mass-timber had been used for the cores, leading to a further reduction of the building’s environmental footprint and potential cost savings. The objective of this research was to evaluate the possibility of designing the UBC Brock Commons building using mass-timber cores. The results from a validated numerical structural model indicate that applying a series of structural adjustments, that is, configuration and thickness of cores, solutions with mass-timber cores can meet the seismic and wind performance criteria as per the current National Building Code of Canada. Specifically, the findings suggest the adoption of laminated-veneer lumber cores with supplementary ‘C-shaped’ walls to reduce torsion and optimize section’s mechanical properties. Furthermore, a life cycle analysis showed the environmental benefit of these all-wood solutions.
Shear Performance Assessment of Timber Log-House Walls under In-Plane Lateral Loads via Numerical and Analytical Modelling
Authors: Sciomenta Martina , Bedon Chiara , Fragiacomo Massimo , Luongo Angelo
Published: August 2018

Log-house is an ancient construction technology based on the superposition of linear timber logs, connected to the orthogonal walls by a system of carvings, notches and corner joints. Due to the fact that this solution is widely used in constructions located in seismic or windy areas, the in-plane behaviour of walls represents an attractive research topic. In this paper, major outcomes of a Finite-Element (FE) numerical investigation carried out on single corner joints currently in use for log-house buildings are discussed under different loading conditions (i.e., in-plane lateral and vertical compressive loads), including parametric analyses to capture the key aspects of their typical structural response. Careful consideration is paid for the elastic stiffness of such joints, being of primary interest for design purposed. At the same time, a linear analytical formulation is presented, with the aim of providing a simple but useful tool in support of design, and especially to estimate the maximum lateral displacement/resistance for a given log-house wall when subjected to in-plane lateral forces. There, the intrinsic mechanical features of corner joints and related aspects are properly considered (i.e., static friction phenomena, as well as the presence of small gaps, etc.). The analytical model, in addition, takes advantage of the numerically predicted joint stiffness values, being dependent on several parameters. As shown, rather good agreement is obtained between the FE model output, the analytical predictions and past reference experimental/numerical results available in the literature for full-scale log-house walls under in-plane lateral loads, hence suggesting the potential of the proposed approach. In conclusion, possible Force-Preload-Displacement (FPD) charts are presented, to act as simplified tools for preliminary design considerations.
CSF1R-Expressing Tumor-Associated Macrophages, Smoking and Survival in Lung Adenocarcinoma: Analyses Using Quantitative Phosphor-Integrated Dot Staining
Authors: Inamura Kentaro , Shigematsu Yasuyuki , Ninomiya Hironori , Nakashima Yasuhiro , Kobayashi Maki , Saito Haruyuki , Takahashi Katsuhiro , Futaya Etsuko , Okumura Sakae , Ishikawa Yuichi , Kanda Hiroaki
Published: August 2018

CSF1R-expressing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) induce a tumor-promoting microenvironment by regulating immunity. Evidence demonstrates that the expression and single nucleotide polymorphisms of CSF1R relate with survival and risk of lung cancer in never smokers. However, no previous studies have examined the association of CSF1R expression in TAMs with mortality or whether the prognostic association differs according to smoking status in lung adenocarcinoma. Quantitative phosphor-integrated dot staining was used to precisely assess CSF1R expression in TAMs. Using 195 consecutive cases of lung adenocarcinoma, we examined the association of CSF1R expression with mortality and whether the prognostic association differs according to smoking status. We observed high expression levels of CSF1R in TAMs in 65 of 195 (33%) cases of lung adenocarcinoma. High expression levels of CSF1R were associated with high lung cancer-specific mortality (log-rank p = 0.037; hazard ratio (HR) = 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02−2.52, p = 0.043). This prognostic association differed according to smoking status (p for interaction = 0.049, between never-smoking and ever-smoking patients). The association between high expression levels of CSF1R and lung cancer-specific mortality was stronger in never-smoking patients (log-rank p = 0.0027; HR = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.41−6.11, p = 0.0041) than in ever-smoking patients (log-rank p = 0.73; HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.59−2.00, p = 0.73). The findings suggest that CSF1R-expressing TAMs may exert stronger tumor-promoting immunity in never-smoking patients with lung adenocarcinoma and serve as a therapeutic target in precision immunotherapies.
Dehydrogenative Transformation of Alcoholic Substrates in Aqueous Media Catalyzed by an Iridium Complex Having a Functional Ligand with α-Hydroxypyridine and 4,5-Dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl Moieties
Authors: Yoshida Masato , Wang Han , Shimbayashi Takuya , Fujita Ken-ichi
Published: August 2018

A new catalytic system that employs water as an environmentally friendly solvent for the dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols and lactonization of diols has been developed. In this catalytic system, a water-soluble dicationic iridium complex having a functional ligand that comprises α-hydroxypyridine and 4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl moieties exhibits high catalytic performance. For example, the catalytic dehydrogenative oxidation of 1-phenylethanol in the presence of 0.25 mol % of the iridium catalyst and base under reflux in water proceeded to give acetophenone in 92% yield. Additionally, under similar reaction conditions, the iridium-catalyzed dehydrogenative lactonization of 1,2-benzenedimethanol gave phthalide in 98% yield.
MicroRNAs and Osteoarthritis
Authors: Malemud Charles J.
Published: August 2018

An imbalance in gene expressional events skewing chondrocyte anabolic and catabolic pathways toward the latter causes an aberrant turnover and loss of extracellular matrix proteins in osteoarthritic (OA) articular cartilage. Thus, catabolism results in the elevated loss of extracellular matrix proteins. There is also evidence of an increase in the frequency of chondrocyte apoptosis that compromises the capacity of articular cartilage to undergo repair. Although much of the fundamental OA studies over the past 20 years identified and characterized many genes relevant to pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)/a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif (ADAMTS), more recent studies focused on epigenetic mechanisms and the associated role of microRNAs (miRs) in regulating gene expression in OA cartilage. Thus, several miRs were identified as regulators of chondrocyte signaling pathways, apoptosis, and proteinase gene expression. For example, the reduced expression of miR-146a was found to be coupled to reduced type II collagen (COL2) in OA cartilage, whereas MMP-13 levels were increased, suggesting an association between MMP-13 gene expression and COL2A1 gene expression. Results of these studies imply that microRNAs could become useful in the search for diagnostic biomarkers, as well as providing novel therapeutic targets for intervention in OA.
The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer: Cargo, Function, and Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Jabalee James , Towle Rebecca , Garnis Cathie
Published: August 2018

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous collection of membrane-bound structures that play key roles in intercellular communication. EVs are potent regulators of tumorigenesis and function largely via the shuttling of cargo molecules (RNA, DNA, protein, etc.) among cancer cells and the cells of the tumor stroma. EV-based crosstalk can promote proliferation, shape the tumor microenvironment, enhance metastasis, and allow tumor cells to evade immune destruction. In many cases these functions have been linked to the presence of specific cargo molecules. Herein we will review various types of EV cargo molecule and their functional impacts in the context of oncology.
The Potential of Tribological Application of DLC/MoS2 Coated Sealing Materials
Authors: Wang Chao , Hausberger Andreas , Nothdurft Philipp , Lackner Jürgen Markus , Schwarz Thomas
Published: August 2018

The potential of the combination of hard and soft coating on elastomers was investigated. Diamond-like carbon (DLC), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and composite coatings of these two materials with various DLC/MoS2 ratios were deposited on four elastomeric substrates by means of the magnetron sputtering method. The microstructures, surface energy of the coatings, and substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle, respectively. The chemical composition was identified by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). A ball on disc configuration was used as the model test, which was performed under dry and lubricated conditions. Based on the results from the model tests, the best coating was selected for each substrate and subsequently verified in component-like test. There is not one coating that is optimal for all substrates. Many factors can affect the coatings performance. The topography and the rigidity of the substrates are the key factors. However, the adhesion between coatings and substrates, and also the coating processes, can impact significantly on the coatings performance.
Sliding Wear Behavior of Fe-Al Coatings at High Temperatures
Authors: Cinca Núria , Cygan Slawomir , Senderowski Cezary , Jaworska Lucyna , Dosta Sergi , G. Cano Irene , Guilemany Josep M.
Published: August 2018

The medium and high temperature tribological behavior of different iron aluminide thermal spray coatings was investigated. Several powders synthesized through different routes (ball milling, self-decomposition, and self-propagating high-temperature sintering (SHS)) were evaluated. High heterogeneity of conventional High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) coatings plays a vital role in their sliding performance, but as long as their integrity is preserved under high temperature oxidizing conditions, the wear rates are found to be acceptable, as it occurs in the case of ball milled Fe-40Al (at.%) powder. The friction phenomenon and wear mechanisms were analyzed in detail through the wear track morphology, contact surface, and friction coefficients. The occurrence of brittle phases in the sprayed coatings, which are also present when tested at high temperatures, appeared to be crucial in accelerating the coating failure.
Optical Properties of KTP Crystals and Their Potential for Terahertz Generation
Authors: Mamrashev Alexander , Nikolaev Nazar , Antsygin Valery , Andreev Yury , Lanskii Grigory , Meshalkin Arkady
Published: August 2018

High nonlinearity, wide transparency range and optical quality allowed potassium titanyl phosphate (KTiOPO4, KTP) crystals to be used in a wide range of nonlinear applications. The success of KTP usage in the visible and infrared (IR) ranges drives interest in applying it at longer wavelengths, that is, in the terahertz (THz) range. We use THz optical properties of KTP crystals measured by terahertz time-domain spectrometer (THz-TDS) and refractive index approximated in the form of Sellmeier equations to investigate KTP application possibilities for IR-to-THz and THz-to-THz wave conversion. As a result, phase matching for s − f → f and s − f → s types of difference frequency generation (DFG) of Ti:Sapphire laser (at the wavelengths of 0.65, 0.8 and 1.1 µm) is found possible, as well as second harmonic generation (SHG) of THz waves by f + s→f type of interaction in the XZ principle plane of the crystal. Terahertz wave generation by phase-matched parametric processes in KTP demonstrates evident advantages in comparison with that of widely used MgO-doped LiNbO3 crystals.
MOCVD Growth of InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs Laser Structures with Quantum Wells on Ge/Si Substrates
Authors: Baidus Nikolay , Aleshkin Vladimir , Dubinov Alexander , Kudryavtsev Konstantin , Nekorkin Sergei , Novikov Alexey , Pavlov Dmiriy , Rykov Artem , Sushkov Artem , Shaleev Mikhail , Yunin Pavel , Yurasov Dmitriy , Krasilnik Zakhariy
Published: August 2018

The paper presents the results of the application of MOCVD growth technique for formation of the GaAs/AlAs laser structures with InGaAs quantum wells on Si substrates with a relaxed Ge buffer. The fabricated laser diodes were of micro-striped type designed for the operation under the electrical pumping. Influence of the Si substrate offcut from the [001] direction, thickness of a Ge buffer and insertion of the AlAs/GaAs superlattice between Ge and GaAs on the structural and optical properties of fabricated samples was studied. The measured threshold current densities at room temperatures were 5.5 kA/cm2 and 20 kA/cm2 for lasers operating at 0.99 μm and 1.11 μm respectively. In order to obtain the stimulated emission at wavelengths longer than 1.1 μm, the InGaAs quantum well laser structures with high In content and GaAsP strain-compensating layers were grown both on Ge/Si and GaAs substrates. Structures grown on GaAs exhibited stimulated emission under optical pumping at the wavelengths of up to 1.24 μm at 300 K while those grown on Ge/Si substrates emitted at shorter wavelengths of up to 1.1 μm and only at 77 K. The main reasons for such performance worsening and also some approaches to overcome them are discussed. The obtained results have shown that monolithic integration of direct-gap A3B5 compounds on Si using MOCVD technology is rather promising approach for obtaining the Si-compatible on-chip effective light source.
Lack of Behavioral and Chemical Interference Competition for Refuges among Native Treefrogs and Invasive Cuban Treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis)
Authors: Hoffmann Kristine E. , McGarrity Monica E. , Johnson Steve A.
Published: August 2018

The introduction of a novel competitor can dramatically alter community dynamics, and competition-mediated impacts often result from biological invasions. Interference competition can be especially problematic as a source of methodological bias for studies seeking to evaluate population and community-level impacts of invasive species. We used polyvinyl chloride (PVC) refugia to conduct laboratory trials to determine whether behavioral or chemical cues of invasive Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilusseptentrionalis) interfere with artificial refuge use by conspecifics or treefrogs native to Florida (USA). We found no evidence of behavioral or chemical competition for refuges by Cuban treefrogs or native treefrogs. The inability of native treefrogs to avoid chemical cues from Cuban treefrogs, despite living sympatrically with the invasive treefrogs for 10–20 years, has important implications for predation risk.
Concept Raps versus Concept Maps: A Culturally Responsive Approach to STEM Vocabulary Development
Authors: Young Jamaal , Young Jemimah , Cason Marti , Ortiz Nickolaus , Foster Marquita , Hamilton Christina
Published: August 2018

This article argues that the development of rap song lyrics or lyrical concept mapping can be a viable pedagogical alternative to the development of concept maps as a means to reinforce STEM vocabulary. Hip-hop pedagogy is a culturally responsive pedagogy that leverages the funds of knowledge acquired from hip-hop culture. Unfortunately, many students with strong hip-hop cultural identities may lack equally strong mathematics identities. Given the success of hip-hop pedagogies within the science content area, we posit that hip-hop pedagogies are appropriate in other STEM content areas such as mathematics. Concept mapping is an instructional tool that has been empirically validated as an effective means to develop strong conceptualizations of mathematics content. While hip-hop pedagogy is well established in the science content area, it remains underdeveloped within mathematics education. We argue that the lyrical structure of a rap song is fundamentally similar to the structure of a concept map. This article provides a framework to support lyrical concept mapping as a culturally responsive instructional tool that can be used as an alternative to traditional concept mapping. Special attention is placed on the use of hip-hop pedagogy to affirm and empower dually marginalized students.
Multiple Wavelength Optical Coherence Tomography Assessments for Enhanced Ex Vivo Intra-Cochlear Microstructural Visualization
Authors: Kim Sungwook , Wijesinghe Ruchire Eranga , Lee Jaeyul , Shirazi Muhammad Faizan , Kim Pilun , Jang Jeong Hun , Jeon Mansik , Kim Jeehyun
Published: August 2018

The precise identification of intra-cochlear microstructures is an essential otorhinolaryngological requirement to diagnose the progression of cochlea related diseases. Thus, we demonstrated an experimental procedure to investigate the most optimal wavelength range, which can enhance the visualization of ex vivo intra-cochlear microstructures using multiple wavelengths (i.e., 860 nm, 1060 nm, and 1300 nm) based optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems. The high-resolution tomograms, volumetric, and quantitative evaluations obtained from Basilar membrane, organ of Corti, and scala vestibule regions revealed complementary comparisons between the aforementioned three distinct wavelengths based OCT systems. Compared to 860 nm and 1300 nm wavelengths, 1060 nm wavelength OCT was discovered to be an appropriate wavelength range verifying the simultaneously obtainable high-resolution and reasonable depth range visualization of intra-cochlear microstructures. Therefore, the implementation of 1060 nm OCT can minimize the necessity of two distinct OCT systems. Moreover, the results suggest that the performed qualitative and quantitative analysis procedure can be used as a powerful tool to explore further anatomical structures of the cochlea for future studies in otorhinolaryngology.
Solar Panel Supplier Selection for the Photovoltaic System Design by Using Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Approaches
Authors: Wang Tien-Chin , Tsai Su-Yuan
Published: August 2018

The period of industrialization and modernization has increased energy demands around the world. As with other countries, the Taiwanese government is trying to increase the proportion of renewable energy, especially solar energy resources. Thus, there are many solar power plants built in Taiwan. One of the most important components of a solar power plant is the solar panel. The solar panel supplier selection process is a complex and multi-faceted decision that can reduce the cost of purchasing equipment and supply this equipment on time. In this research, we propose fuzzy MCDM approach that includes fuzzy analytical hierarchy process model (FAHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) for evaluation and selection of solar panel supplier for a photovoltaic system design in Taiwan. The main objective of this work is to design a fuzzy MCDM approach for solar panel supplier selection based on qualitative and quantitative factors. In the first step of this research, FAHP is applied to define the priority of suppliers. The AHP combined with fuzzy logic (FAHP) can be used to rank suppliers; however, the disadvantages of the FAHP model is that input data, expressed in linguistic terms, depends on experience of experts and the number of suppliers is practically limited, because of the number of pairwise comparison matrices. Thus, we applied several DEA models for ranking potential suppliers in the final stages. As the result, decision making unit 1 (DMU 1) is the optimal solar panel supplier for photovoltaic system design in Taiwan. The contribution of this research is a new fuzzy MCDM for supplier selection under fuzzy environment conditions. This paper also lies in the evolution of a new approach that is flexible and practical to the decision maker. It provides a useful guideline for solar panel supplier selection in many countries as well as a guideline for supplier selection in other industries.
Operation and Economic Assessment of Hybrid Refueling Station Considering Traffic Flow Information
Authors: Zhou Suyang , Zhuang Yuxuan , Gu Wei , Wu Zhi
Published: August 2018

It is anticipated that the penetration of “Green-Energy” vehicles, including Electric Vehicle (EV), Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV), and Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) will keep increasing in next decades. The demand of refueling stations will correspondingly increase for refueling these “Green-Energy” vehicles. While such kinds of “Green-Energy” vehicles can provide both social and economic benefits, effective management of refueling various kinds of these vehicles is necessary to maintain vehicle users’ comfortabilities and refueling station’s return on investment. To tackle these problems, this paper proposes a novel energy management approach for hybrid refueling stations with EV chargers, Hydrogen pumps and gas pumps. Firstly, the detailed models of EV chargers, Hydrogen pumps with electrolyte and hydrogen tank, the gas pumps with gas tank, renewable resources, and battery energy storage systems are established. The forecasting methodologies for renewable energy, electricity price and the traffic flow are also presented to support the hybrid refueling station modeling and operation. Then, a management approach is adopted to manage the refueling various kinds of vehicles with considerations of the refueling station profitability. Finally, the proposed management approach is verified under four different kinds of tariffs- Economy-7, Economy-10, Flat-rate, and Real-Time Pricing (RTP), finding that the proposed management approach has the best performance under RTP tariff. The economic assessment of the Energy Storage System (ESS) is also performed. It is found that the ESS can make the saving up to $127 per day. Different sizes of gas storage tank are compared in the final section as well. The result shows that increasing the size of the tank does not bring attractive extra benefits with the consideration of the investment on enlarging the tank size.