bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Wall Boundary Conditions on Flame Propagation in Micro-Chambers
Authors: Ugarte Orlando , Demir Sinan , Demirgok Berk , Akkerman V’yacheslav , Bychkov Vitaly , Valiev Damir
Published: October 2015

Flame dynamics in micro-pipes have been observed to be strongly affected by the wall boundary conditions. In this respect, two mechanisms of flame acceleration are related to the momentum transferred in these regions: 1) that associated with flame stretching produced by wall friction forces; and 2) when obstacles are placed at the walls, as a result of the delayed burning occurring between them, a jet-flow is formed, intensively promoting the flame spreading. Wall thermal conditions have usually been neglected, thus restricting the cases to adiabatic wall conditions. In contrast, in the present work, the effect of the boundary conditions on the flame propagation dynamics is investigated, computationally, with the effect of wall heat losses included in the consideration. In addition, the powerful flame acceleration attained in obstructed pipes is studied in relation to the obstacle size, which determines how different this mechanism is from the wall friction. A parametric study of two-dimensional (2D) channels and cylindrical tubes, of various radiuses, with one end open is performed. The walls are subjected to slip and non-slip, adiabatic and constant temperature conditions, with different fuel mixtures described by varying the thermal expansion coefficients. Results demonstrate that higher wall temperatures promote slower propagation as they reduce the thermal expansion rate, as a result of the post-cooling of the burn matter. In turn, smaller obstacle sizes generate weaker flame acceleration, although the mechanism is noticed to be stronger than the wall friction-driven, even for the smaller sizes considered.
Statistical Exergy-Based Analysis of a Steam Power Plant for Concept Verification and Plant Optimization
Authors: Mira Sari S. , Doty John H.
Published: October 2015

In this statistical exergy study of a conventional power plant, the concept of statistical exergy analysis as an alternative to common engineering approaches is examined. The statistical aspect is drawn from conducting Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) factorial design on the components of a proposed system. The exergy aspect comes in the extension of the typical energy analysis on engineering systems to include the limitations on the system imposed by the second law of thermodynamics.

To test this approach, a steam power plant discussed in an example exercise in Cengel and Boles’ 5th Edition Thermodynamics textbook was used as the subject of analysis. Effects of three input parameters on 13 responses were closely examined.

While using only 8 data points, the analysis still showed highly reliable and predictable results with square of residuals (R2) values of almost 100%. Predicted R2 values ranged between 88% and 99% with one outlier of 14.36%, depending on the input parameters.

Derived from the results, a new plant design concept was proposed and analyzed. This design eliminated all theoretically unnecessary drivers of exergy destruction in the plant. It also utilized the force of gravity to achieve the desired power output. The design showed an increase of 3.85% to 18% in kilowatts of work output and 5% to 7% in first and second law efficiencies. In this case, the derived design was shown to be impractical due to difficult maintenance as well as the difficulty in reaching the required pressures without a pump. However, this method of statistical exergy analysis is still valuable, as practicality of application will vary from one proposed system to another.
Solar Desalination System Model for Sizing of Photovoltaic Reverse Osmosis (PVRO)
Authors: Habib Abdulelah , Zamani Vahraz , Kleissl Jan
Published: October 2015

The focus of this paper is to optimize the solar energy utilization in the water desalination process. Due to variable nature of solar energy, new system design is needed to address this challenge. Here, reverse osmosis units, as the electrical loads, are considered as an ON/OFF units to track these solar energy variations. Reverse osmosis units are different in sizes and numbers. Various combinations of reverse osmosis units in size and capacity provide different water desalination system performances. To assess each scenario of reverse osmosis units, the total capital cost and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost are considered. The implemented optimization algorithm search all of the possible scenarios to find the best solution. This paper deploys the solar irradiance data which is provided from west coast (Red Sea) of Saudi Arabia for model construction and optimization algorithm implementation.
Review of Geothermal and Solar Thermal Power Plants and a Comparative Design Analysis
Authors: Venegas Roberto , Kuravi Sarada , Kota Krishna , Nguyen Troy , McCay Mary
Published: October 2015

Thermodynamics indicates that the lower the temperature of a resource, the less energy that could be extracted from it due to lower maximum thermal efficiency. Geothermal resources exist in varying temperatures. The lowest ones (around 120°C), are too small for economic power production. On the other hand, concentrating solar power (CSP) can achieve high temperatures during the day (from 350 to 550°C, based on a Parabolic Trough CSP plant [1]) but once the sun is not shining, that temperature is reduced drastically.

Transition to renewable energy systems is an environmentally friendly and potentially rewarding economic decision that society can make nowadays. This paper briefly reviews geothermal and solar thermal based plants in terms of energy growth or decay from one year to another (2012–2013). In addition, an example site location is chosen and the performance of both these types of power plants is analyzed in terms of capacity factor, Thermal Energy Storage (TES) hours, solar multiple, area requirement and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for a given set of environmental conditions. This analysis is performed using the System Advisor Model (SAM), on which simulation of parabolic trough, power tower, linear Fresnel, dish Stirling and geothermal (binary cycle) energy conversion systems are considered. At the same time, the analysis discussed will take place in a further study which will include economic viability for the two technologies running under the same combined cycle.
Preliminary Analysis of Compressor System Designed for Cyclical Operation
Authors: Kilchyk Viktor , Turgut Ozhan H. , Abdelwahab Ahmed
Published: October 2015

Conventional methods of the compressor performance analysis do not allow effective design matching to the specific operating conditions of cyclical or unsteady operated machines. Under dynamic loading the actual compressor performance often departs from the best efficiency region reducing its cycle efficiency. This departure may be caused by a number of reasons such as non-controlled deceleration, speed or torque constraints, and rapid boundary conditions variation caused by the cycle operation. In order to analyze this influence of cycle dynamics on compressor performance a modified lumped-parameter compressor-system model was applied. The model included time-dependent boundary conditions, effects of flow compressibility, motor and compressor inertia, and was combined with compressor speed control. The study was performed within the system constrains, e.g. surge avoidance, maximum motor torque and impeller speed. Results of the developed analysis showed that in the presence of rapidly changing boundary conditions the average cycle efficiency is strongly affected by the design specific speed of the compressor.
Maintenance Practices to Manage Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) of Outdoor Piping Systems in Power Plants
Authors: Mazzeo Joseph M. , New Jeromy
Published: October 2015

The outer walls of insulated pipes are susceptible to corrosion if the insulation stays wet for long periods of time. Corroded pipes have the potential for bursting without warning, releasing steam or combustibles and insulation debris which may contain asbestos, requiring significant cleanup and repairs. Managing the associated risks requires the consideration of a number of factors such as corrosion rates, examination methods, prioritization of inspection locations, and fitness for service evaluation and repair methods.

A number of factors affect the corrosion rate such as pipe material and geometry, proximity to saltwater environments, local weather, and prevailing wind directions, as well as insulation type and condition. Some locations on the piping system require additional scrutiny, such as at pipe supports where rain water can cascade down hanger rods and into openings in the insulation, and at the bottom of vertical pipe runs where moisture is prone to becoming trapped in the insulation cladding. To prioritize inspection locations, risk factors such as exposure of personnel, the potential amount of energy released, the postulated corrosion rate and failure potential based on pressure and temperature need to be taken into account. The most susceptible materials are carbon and low alloy steel. Pressurized dead leg small bore pipes are of concern due to the small wall thickness and low operating temperatures that do not provide an opportunity to dry out the insulation.

Digital Radiography Testing (DRT) through insulation provides excellent results for most 6” or less diameter piping systems. Highly sensitive digital exposure plates require less radiation compared to conventional Radiography, resulting in small radiation safety zones that allow work in surrounding areas to continue during inspection. The technique is effective for the evaluation of corroding fillet welds and threaded connections, and provides a digitized image that is database friendly. It provides information on pipe diameter and schedule, which aids in the preparation of repair sketches and bill of materials before an outage occurs.

Repair options include replacement and operational changes which allow abandonment as well as improvements or elimination of insulation.

Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) damage is a significant issue at some plant sites where limited run time doesn’t allow the insulation to dry. In the near future, older, less economic base loaded plants that will run less frequently may fall into this category.

To evaluate risk, the probability of failure needs to be considered with its potential consequence. For a pipe with CUI damage, probability of failure is dependent on the corrosion rate, pressure, pipe diameter, and thickness. The consequences are a potential injury and lost production.
The Importance of High Energy Piping Support Maintenance to Enhance System Useful Life
Authors: Huff Samuel A. , Leach John P. , Vail Daniel S.
Published: October 2015

As part of the design basis of any piping system utilized to convey materials, pipe supports are required to ensure those pipes remain in their designed locations and do not overly expand or move due to sustained or occasional loads. These loads represent the total forces and moments in the piping components and as a result create stresses that affect the life of the component. Proper design and maintenance of these supports per the applicable codes and standards provide a reasonable life expectancy for the piping systems.

This presentation will review the various codes and standards utilized for both pipe support design and maintenance. A high level overview of what information must be obtained to perform an analysis and meet ASME B31.1 Power Piping code requirements when modifying piping systems will be presented. Specific inputs to system design and computational software including material properties, stress intensification factors (SIF), thicknesses and tolerances, pressures, temperatures, insulation, coatings, the occasional loads, etc. will be discussed. Guidelines will be discussed for determining what piping modifications warrant a full pipe stress analysis to be performed. Recommendations for pipe support maintenance inspections will be provided to facilitate increased life expectancies of subject piping systems. The mandatory requirements of ASME B31.1 Chapter VII will be discussed, as well as recommendations from the non-mandatory appendix. Implementing maintenance programs at existing facilities will be discussed. Step by step recommendations for how to apply these guidelines within a long-term life extension program will be given. Tolerances and general guidelines associated with these programs will also be discussed.

Finally, common pipe support failures, what they can affect, and how to look for early indicators of fatigue or failure will be covered.
Application of Bio-fAEG: A Biofouling Assessment Model in Gas Turbines and the Effect of Degraded Fuels on Engine Performance Simulations
Authors: Onabanjo Tosin , Di Lorenzo Giuseppina , Nikolaidis Theoklis , Somorin Yinka
Published: October 2015

The recent advances for flexible fuel operation and the integration of biofuels and blends in gas turbines raise concern on engine health and quality. One of such potential threats involves the contamination and the growth of microorganisms in fuels and fuel systems with consequential effect on engine performance and health. In the past, the effects of microbial growth in fuels have been qualitatively described; however their effects in gas turbines have not necessarily been quantified. In this paper, the effects of fuel deterioration are examined on a simulated aero-derivative gas turbine. A diesel-type fuel comprising of thirteen (13) hydrocarbon fractions was formulated and degraded with Bio-fAEG, a bio fouling assessment model that defines degraded fuels for performance simulation and analysis, predicts biodegradation rates as well as calculates the amount of water required to initiate degradation under aerobic conditions. The degraded fuels were integrated in the fuel library of Turbomatch (v2.0) and a twin shaft gas turbine was modeled for fuel performance analysis. The results indicate a significant loss in performance with reduced thermal efficiency of 1% and 10.4% and increased heat rate of 1% and 11.6% for the use of 1% and 10% degraded fuels respectively. Also parameters such as exhaust gas temperature and mass flow deviated from the baseline data indicating potential impact on engine health. Therefore, for reliable and safe operation, it is important to ensure engines run on good quality of fuel.

This computational study provides insights on fuel deterioration in gas turbines and how it affects engine health.
Treatment of Electric Short-Circuit in Electrochemical-Thermal Coupled Battery Simulations
Authors: Li Genong , Li Shaoping , Kim Gi-Heon
Published: October 2015

Lithium-ion batteries have been widely used in electric vehicles (EVs). Their performance, life and safety are of great engineering importance. Using simulation tools, electric performance and thermal behavior of a battery can be computed to provide useful information in battery design. Internal short-circuit is one of the important failure modes in battery’s safety study. Internal short treatment is added to the framework of the multi-scale multi-dimensional (MSMD) battery modeling methodology. The method is demonstrated in the present paper by simulating a single lithium-ion battery cell.
Data Analysis for Tracking and Optimizing Boiler Performance
Authors: Sellahennedige Kushi , Lee Jason
Published: October 2015

In order to understand how a boiler is performing/ operating, it is critical to obtain data throughout its operation. Data collection and storage methods have evolved through the years improving the quality and quantity of the data. Data is valuable for tracking current unit performance, troubleshooting and helping to narrow down any potential issues/ concerns with performance. Proper use of data collection and analysis may minimize the need for scheduled performance testing except when specific data points are required. This paper will discuss how sensitivity analysis can be utilized to determine the effect lack of/poor quality data has on the desired analysis. It discusses data collection and evaluation for various cases and the relevant ASME codes. Other key features of the paper are the various methods available for data representation, allowing the engineer to easily track key operating parameters.
Roll-to-roll UV imprinting lithography for micro/nanostructures
Authors: Yi Peiyun , Wu Hao , Zhang Chengpeng , Peng Linfa , Lai Xinmin
Published: October 2015

Roll-to-roll (R2R) ultraviolet (UV) imprinting technology, because of its merits of low cost, high throughput, and large-area patterning, is attracting interest from academia and industry for continuous fabrication of micro/nanostructures. Early reports of UV imprinting can be traced back to the 1970s, while R2R UV imprinting did not appear in the literature until 2006. This review surveys recent progress of R2R UV imprinting technology in terms of UV-curing resin material behavior, innovative apparatus, and typical processes involved in this method including resist filling, UV exposure, UV curing, and demolding. Roller mold fabrication is also thoroughly discussed, and challenges and innovations in mold fabrication techniques are comprehensively summarized. Typical industrial applications of UV imprinting are systematically cataloged. Finally, technical challenges and future trends for R2R UV imprinting technology to fabricate micro/nanostructures are presented.
Resisting the World-Class City: Community Opposition and the Politics of a Local Arena Development
Authors: Scherer Jay
Published: October 2015

While the public subsidy of major league sport franchises and associated urban development projects remains wildly popular in some constituencies, these expenditures have, increasingly, been met with organized resistance. This article examines the formation of Voices for Democracy (VFD)—a grassroots community group that opposed the use of public funds to build a CAD $606.5 million arena and entertainment district in Edmonton, Alberta. I begin by providing an analysis of VFD’s division of labor and the collective development of the group’s political claims and tactical repertoire to challenge a powerful growth coalition between 2011–2013. Next, I examine the unfavorable political opportunity structure that set decisive limits on what the group could challenge. The article concludes with a discussion of why VFD was unable to cultivate a more widespread coalition of support and, in turn, how the ‘boosterish’ coalition in Edmonton—a coalition that included the Edmonton Oilers, the downtown business community, the mayor and a majority of council, and senior civil servants—were able to contain opposition over the course of this divisive debate.
“The Only Thing I Am Guilty of Is Taking Too Many Jump Shots1”: A Deleuzian Media Analysis of Diana Taurasi’s Drug Charge in 2010
Authors: Liao Judy , Markula Pirkko
Published: October 2015

In November 2010, the US media reported that basketball player Diana Taurasi tested positive for a banned substance while playing in Turkey. In this study, we explore the media coverage of Taurasi’s positive drug test from a Deleuzian perspective. We consider the media coverage as an assemblage (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987; Malins, 2004) to analyze how Taurasi’s drug using body is articulated with the elite female sporting body in the coverage of her doping incident (Markula, 2004; Wise, 2011). Our analysis demonstrates that Taurasi’s position as a professional basketball player in the US dominated the discussion to legitimize her exoneration of banned substance use. In addition, Turkey, its “amateur” sport and poor drug control procedure, was located to the periphery to normalize a certain type of professionalism, doping control, and body as the desirable elements of sporting practice.
Within-Host Selection of Drug Resistance in a Mouse Model of Repeated Incomplete Malaria Treatment: Comparison between Atovaquone and Pyrimethamine
Authors: Nuralitha Suci , Siregar Josephine E. , Syafruddin Din , Roelands Jessica , Verhoef Jan , Hoepelman Andy I. M. , Marzuki Sangkot
Published: October 2015

The evolutionary selection of malaria parasites within individual hosts is an important factor in the emergence of drug resistance but is still not well understood. We have examined the selection process for drug resistance in the mouse malaria agent
Plasmodium berghei
and compared the dynamics of the selection for atovaquone and pyrimethamine. Resistance to these drugs has been shown to be associated with genetic lesions in the dihydrofolate reductase gene in the case of pyrimethamine and in the mitochondrial cytochrome
b
gene for atovaquone. A mouse malaria model for the selection of drug resistance, based on repeated incomplete treatment (RICT) with a therapeutic dose of antimalarial drugs, was established. The number of treatment cycles for the development of stable resistance to atovaquone (2.47 ± 0.70;
n
= 19) was found to be significantly lower than for pyrimethamine (5.44 ± 1.46;
n
= 16;
P
< 0.0001), even when the parental
P. berghei
Leiden strain was cloned prior to the resistance selection. Similar results were obtained with
P. berghei
Edinburgh. Mutational changes underlying the resistance were identified to be S110N in dihydrofolate reductase for pyrimethamine and Y268N, Y268C, Y268S, L271V-K272R, and G280D in cytochrome
b
for atovaquone. These results are consistent with the rate of mitochondrial DNA mutation being higher than that in the nucleus and suggest that mutation leading to pyrimethamine resistance is not a rare event.
Emergence of Mutations in the K13 Propeller Gene of Plasmodium falciparum Isolates from Dakar, Senegal, in 2013-2014
Authors: Boussaroque Agathe , Fall Bécaye , Madamet Marylin , Camara Cheikhou , Benoit Nicolas , Fall Mansour , Nakoulima Aminata , Dionne Pierre , Fall Kadidiatou Ba , Diatta Bakary , Diémé Yaya , Wade Boubacar , Pradines Bruno
Published: October 2015

The kelch 13 (K13) propeller gene is associated with artemisinin resistance. In a previous work, there were no mutations found in 138
Plasmodium falciparum
isolates collected in 2012 and 2013 from patients residing in Dakar, Senegal (M. Torrentino-Madamet et al., Malar J 13:472, 2014,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-13-472
). However, the N554H, Q613H, and V637I mutations were identified in the propeller region of K13 in 92 (5.5%) isolates in 2013 and 2014. There were five polymorphisms identified in the
Plasmodium
/
Apicomplexa
-specific domain (K123R, N137S, N142NN/NNN, T149S, and K189T/N).
Shiga Toxins Activate the NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway To Promote Both Production of the Proinflammatory Cytokine Interleukin-1β and Apoptotic Cell Death
Authors: Lee Moo-Seung , Kwon Haenaem , Lee Eun-Young , Kim Dong-Jae , Park Jong-Hwan , Tesh Vernon L. , Oh Tae-Kwang , Kim Myung Hee
Published: October 2015

Shiga toxin (Stx)-mediated immune responses, including the production of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), may exacerbate vascular damage and accelerate lethality. However, the immune signaling pathway activated in response to Stx is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that enzymatically active Stx, which leads to ribotoxic stress, triggers NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion in differentiated macrophage-like THP-1 (D-THP-1) cells. The treatment of cells with a chemical inhibitor of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, which suppresses the expression of the Stx receptor globotriaosylceramide and subsequent endocytosis of the toxin, substantially blocked activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and processing of caspase-1 and IL-1β. Processing and release of both caspase-1 and IL-1β were significantly reduced or abolished in Stx-intoxicated D-THP-1 cells in which the expression of NLRP3 or ASC was stably knocked down. Furthermore, Stx mediated the activation of caspases involved in apoptosis in an NLRP3- or ASC-dependent manner. In Stx-intoxicated cells, the NLRP3 inflammasome triggered the activation of caspase-8/3, leading to the initiation of apoptosis, in addition to caspase-1-dependent pyroptotic cell death. Taken together, these results suggest that Stxs trigger the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway to release proinflammatory IL-1β as well as to promote apoptotic cell death.
Functional Analysis of Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Enterocin NKR-5-3B, a Novel Circular Bacteriocin
Authors: Perez Rodney H. , Ishibashi Naoki , Inoue Tomoko , Himeno Kohei , Masuda Yoshimitsu , Sawa Narukiko , Zendo Takeshi , Wilaipun Pongtep , Leelawatcharamas Vichien , Nakayama Jiro , Sonomoto Kenji
Published: October 2015

A putative biosynthetic gene cluster of the enterocin NKR-5-3B (Ent53B), a novel circular bacteriocin, was analyzed by sequencing the flanking regions around
enkB
, the Ent53B structural gene, using a fosmid library. A region approximately 9 kb in length was obtained, and the
enkB1
,
enkB2
,
enkB3
, and
enkB4
genes, encoding putative biosynthetic proteins involved in the production, maturation, and secretion of Ent53B, were identified. We also determined the identity of proteins mediating self-immunity against the effects of Ent53B. Heterologous expression systems in various heterologous hosts, such as
Enterococcus faecalis
and
Lactococcus lactis
strains, were successfully established. The production and secretion of the mature Ent53B required the cooperative functions of five genes. Ent53B was produced only by those heterologous hosts that expressed protein products of the
enkB
,
enkB1
,
enkB2
,
enkB3
, and
enkB4
genes. Moreover, self-immunity against the antimicrobial action of Ent53B was conferred by at least two independent mechanisms. Heterologous hosts harboring the intact
enkB4
gene and/or a combination of intact
enkB1
and
enkB3
genes were immune to the inhibitory action of Ent53B.

IMPORTANCE
In addition to their potential application as food preservatives, circular bacteriocins are now considered possible alternatives to therapeutic antibiotics due to the exceptional stability conferred by their circular structure. The successful practical application of circular bacteriocins will become possible only if the molecular details of their biosynthesis are fully understood. The results of the present study offer a new perspective on the possible mechanism of circular bacteriocin biosynthesis. In addition, since some enterococcal strains are associated with pathogenicity, virulence, and drug resistance, the establishment of the first multigenus host heterologous production of Ent53B has very high practical significance, as it widens the scope of possible Ent53B applications.
Unusual presentations and pitfalls of secondary syphilis: osteitis, pneumonia and malignancy
Authors: Crouzy Frederike , Alvarez Veronica , Gex Grégoire , Troillet Nicolas
Published: October 2015

Syphilis can show unexpected clinical characteristics rendering its diagnosis difficult. We report on two cases of secondary syphilis presenting with atypical histories of knee or cervical pain and cough. Both had bone involvement and one, pulmonary involvement, documented by MRI, CT scan and PCR. Both responded well to therapy with intravenous aqueous penicillin G followed by intramuscular benzathine penicillin G, but a pulmonary adenocarcinoma was diagnosed during follow-up in one case.
Use of enoximone in management of anaphylaxis complicated by labetalol use
Authors: Hayhoe Sophie , Navapurkar Vilas , Conway Morris Andrew
Published: October 2015

A 42-year-old woman with end-stage renal failure was admitted to the intensive care unit following resuscitation from a pulseless electrical activity cardiac arrest after intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam. Persistent bradycardia and hypotension, unresponsive to epinephrine and norepinephrine, were suspected to have been exacerbated by chronic labetalol therapy for resistant arterial hypertension. As an alternative, the non-adrenergic inotrope, enoximone, was started. This, combined with thrombolysis for possible pulmonary embolism, heralded significant haemodynamic improvement, allowing weaning from inotropic support. A clear CT pulmonary angiogram 2 days post-arrest and significantly raised mast cell tryptase levels confirmed anaphylaxis rather than pulmonary embolism as the precipitating cause. We believe this to be the first case report of phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor use in the management of anaphylaxis complicated by α/β-blockade, and discuss the mechanism behind this effect and comparison with the more commonly reported use of glucagon.
In vitro probiotic profiling of novelEnterococcus faeciumandLeuconostoc mesenteroidesfrom Tunisian freshwater fishes
Authors: El-Jeni Rim , El Bour Monia , Calo-Mata Pilar , Böhme Karola , Fernández-No Inmaculada C. , Barros-Velázquez Jorge , Bouhaouala-Zahar Balkiss
Published: October 2015

Novel lactic acid bacteria isolated from different organs of freshwater fish were examined for their potential application as probiotics in raw and processed foods. Four isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were identified at the molecular level by 16S rRNA sequencing and random amplification of polymorphic DNA – polymerase chain reaction, and their antimicrobial activity against a panel of pathogens and food-poisoning bacteria was investigated. The whole bacteriocins of the 4 isolates were characterized by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequences in PCR. The isolates exhibited high inhibitory activities against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microbial species and have significant probiotic profiles, since they survived at pH 3.0 and in the presence of bile salts, pancreatin, and pepsin, without any detectable hemolytic activity. Further, moderate heat resistance, adhesion ability to steel surfaces, and sensitivity to clinically relevant antimicrobial agents were revealed for all the isolates. These results highlight the specific probiotic properties of the strains and give evidence for potential application in minimally processed foods subjected to moderate heat processing.
A link-adding strategy for transport efficiency of complex networks
Authors: Ma Jinlong , Han Weizhan , Guo Qing , Wang Zhenyong , Zhang Shuai
Published: October 2015

The transport efficiency is one of the critical parameters to evaluate the performance of a network. In this paper, we propose an improved efficient (IE) strategy to enhance the network transport efficiency of complex networks by adding a fraction of links to an existing network based on the node’s local degree centrality and the shortest path length. Simulation results show that the proposed strategy can bring better traffic capacity and shorter average shortest path length than the low-degree-first (LDF) strategy under the shortest path routing protocol. It is found that the proposed strategy is beneficial to the improvement of overall traffic handling and delivering ability of the network. This study can alleviate the congestion in networks, and is helpful to design and optimize realistic networks.
Paraquantum strings in noncommutative space–time
Authors: Seridi M. A. , Belaloui N.
Published: October 2015

A parabosonic string is assumed to propagate in a total noncommutative target phase space. Three models are investigated: open strings, open strings between two parallel [Formula: see text] branes and closed ones. This leads to a generalization of the oscillators algebra of the string and the corresponding Virasoro algebra. The mass operator is no more diagonal in the ordinary Fock space, a redefinition of this later will modify the mass spectrum, so that, neither massless vector state nor massless tensor state are present. The restoration of the photon and the graviton imposes specific forms of the noncommutativity parameter matrices, partially removes the mass degeneracy and gives new additional ones. In particular, for the [Formula: see text]-branes, one can have a tachyon free model with a photon state when more strict conditions on these parameters are imposed, while, the match level condition of the closed string model induces the reduction of the spectrum.
AdS/CFT correspondence beyond its supergravity approximation
Authors: Faizal Mir , Ali Ahmed Farag , Nassar Ali
Published: October 2015

We will study the AdS/CFT correspondence in an intermediate region between the strong form of this correspondence (string theory on AdS being dual to a boundary CFT), and the weak form of this correspondence (supergravity on AdS being dual to a boundary CFT). We will go beyond the supergravity approximation in the AdS by using the fact that strings have an extended structure. We will also calculate the CFT dual to such string corrections in the bulk, and demonstrate that they are consistent with the strong form of the AdS/CFT correspondence. So, even though the conformal dimensions of both the relevant and the irrelevant operators will receive string corrections, the conformal dimension of marginal operators will not receive any such corrections.
On the Amplitude of External Perturbation and Chaos via Devil's Staircase — Stability of Attractors
Authors: Furui Sadataka , Takano Tomoyuki
Published: October 2015

We designed a chaotic memristive circuit proposed by Chua and Muthuswamy, and analyzed the behavior of the voltage of the capacitor, electric current in the inductor and the voltage of the memristor by adding an external sinusoidal oscillation of a type γω cos ωt to [Formula: see text], when [Formula: see text] is expressed by y(t)/C, and studied Devil's staircase route to chaos.

We compared the frequency of the driving oscillation fs and the frequency of the response fd in the window and assigned W = fs/fd to each window. When capacitor C = 1.0, we observe stable attractors of Farey sequences [Formula: see text], which can be interpreted as hidden attractors, while when C = 1.2, we observe disturbed attractors. Frequency dependent stability of chaotic circuits due to octonions is discussed.
A New Fourth-Order Memristive Chaotic System and Its Generation
Authors: Li Yuxia , Huang Xia , Song Yiwen , Lin Jinuan
Published: October 2015

In this paper, a new fourth-order memristive chaotic system is constructed on the basis of Chua's circuit. Chaotic behaviors are verified through a series of dynamical analyses, including Lyapunov exponent analysis, bifurcation analysis, and phase diagram analysis. In addition, chaos attractors in the newly-proposed system are implemented by hardware circuits.
EFFECT OF SURFACE LAYER ON ELECTROMECHANICAL STABILITY OF TWEEZERS AND CANTILEVERS FABRICATED FROM CONDUCTIVE CYLINDRICAL NANOWIRES
Authors: KEIVANI MARYAM , KOOCHI ALI , SEDIGHI HAMID M. , ABADYAN MOHAMADREZA , FARROKHABADI AMIN , SHAHEDIN ABED MOHEB
Published: October 2015

Herein, the impact of surface layer on the stability of nanoscale tweezers and cantilevers fabricated from nanowires with cylindrical cross section is studied. A modified continuum based on the Gurtin–Murdoch surface elasticity is applied for incorporating the presence of surface layer. Considering the cylindrical geometry of the nanowire, the presence of the Coulomb attraction and dispersion forces are incorporated in the derived formulations. Three different approaches, i.e. numerical differential quadrature method (DQM), an approximated homotopy perturbation method (HPM) and developing lumped parameter model (LPM) have been employed to solve the governing equations. The impact of surface layer on the instability of the system is demonstrated.
Two-Player Preplay Negotiation Games with Conditional Offers
Authors: Goranko Valentin , Turrini Paolo
Published: October 2015

We consider an extension of strategic normal form games with a phase before the actual play of the game, where players can make binding offers for transfer of utilities to other players after the play of the game, contingent on the recipient playing the strategy indicated in the offer. Such offers transform the payoff matrix of the original game but preserve its noncooperative nature. The type of offers we focus on here are conditional on a suggested matching offer of the same kind made in return by the receiver. Players can exchange a series of such offers, thus engaging in a bargaining process before a strategic normal form game is played. In this paper, we study and analyze solution concepts for two-player normal form games with such preplay negotiation phase, under several assumptions for the bargaining power of the players, as well as the value of time for the players in such negotiations. We obtain results describing the possible solutions of such bargaining games and analyze the degrees of efficiency and fairness that can be achieved in such negotiation process. We show the similarities and the differences with a variety of frameworks in the literature of bargaining games and games with a preplay phase.
Predicting GHS toxicity using RTCA and discrete-time Fourier transform
Authors: Chen Jiao , Pan Tianhong , Pu Tianqing , Huang Biao , Huang Dorothy Yu , Zhang Weiping , Gabos Stephan , Jin Can
Published: October 2015

In order to promote the acceptance of cell-based toxicity testings, the accuracy of cytotoxicity test must be determined when compared to in vivo results. Traditional methods of cytotoxicity analysis, such as LC[Formula: see text] (concentration where 50% of the cells are killed) can be problematic since they have been found to vary with time. Technological advances in cytotoxicity testing make it easy to record the dynamic data on changes in cell proliferation, morphology, and damage. To effectively and reasonably analyze the dynamic data, we present a new in vitro toxicity assessed method using the discrete-time Fourier transform (DTFT) which maps the measured cell index from the time domain to the frequency domain. The direct current (DC) component of the DTFT is extracted as a feature which reflects the intensity of cytotoxicity. The smaller the value, the higher the cytotoxicity. Then, a novel toxicity index, as expressed in terms of DC[Formula: see text], is calculated. Results generated with selected test chemicals are compared favorably with data obtained from The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Method (ICCVAM) report concerning the prediction of acute systemic toxicity in rodents. The method can be applied with the standard and high throughput to estimate acute rodent oral toxicity which reduces the number of animals required in subsequent pharmacological/toxicological studies.
Why Research Partnerships Fail in the Biotechnology Sector — An Empirical Analysis of Strategic Partnerships
Authors: Kehrel Uwe , Klischan Kai , Sick Nathalie
Published: October 2015

Over half of all research-oriented partnerships in the biotechnology industry fail due to problems in inter-organizational relationships. The analysis of factors that determine the success of strategic partnerships can help companies to reduce the high failure rates. Based on the resource-oriented and relationship-oriented approach, this study examines the influence of three structural factors and three dynamic factors on the success of strategic, research-oriented partnerships in the biotechnology industry. In the empirical study, data of 48 research collaborations by 28 companies were collected and analyzed. The results confirm the significant influence of the factors “complementary resources”, “operational compatibility”, “bilateral exchange of information” and “opportunistic behavior”. On the basis of these findings, companies can find approaches to influence the success of their own research collaborations. In particular, appropriate recommendations for action can be formulated in the areas of the structural design of partnerships and the dynamic exchange process.
Common but Differentiated Commitments: China's Engagement with the 2030 Agenda Global Partnership
Authors: Zhang Chun
Published: October 2015

Since the basic framework of the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals (SDGs) was created, the focal point of relevant discussions has been shifted to global partnership and implementation. As a key component of this development initiative, global partnership has the potential to determine the means of implementation and follow-up implementation of the 2030 agenda, to which China is expected to make greater contributions. China's participation in global partnership will definitely generate benefits and incur costs. On one hand, the continuing rise of China could lead to future shrinkage of physical gains, leaving enormous potential for augmenting non-physical gains. On the other hand, the rest of the world expects China to contribute more global public goods in physical terms but not necessarily intellectual ones. With regard to cost-benefit balance, the costs of China's involvement in global partnership will be greater than the benefits it generates, while its non-physical gains will be hard to assess due to many uncertainties. For China, as a developing country, to contribute further to global partnership for the 2030 agenda, it should make clear strategic commitments on multilateral platforms, promise concrete material assistance at bilateral (collective) forums, and deepen its comprehensive domestic reforms.
On the Impact of Replacing Low-Speed Configuration Buses on FPGAs with the Chip’s Internal Configuration Infrastructure
Authors: Heyse Karel , Basteleus Jente , Farisi Brahim Al , Stroobandt Dirk , Kadlcek Oliver , Pell Oliver
Published: October 2015

It is common for large hardware designs to have a number of registers or memories whose contents have to be changed very seldom (e.g., only at startup). The conventional way of accessing these memories is through a low-speed memory bus. This bus uses valuable hardware resources, introduces long global connections, and contributes to routing congestion. Hence, it has an impact on the overall design even though it is only rarely used. A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) already contains a global communication mechanism in the form of its configuration infrastructure. In this article, we evaluate the use of the configuration infrastructure as a replacement for a low-speed memory bus on the Maxeler HPC platform. We find that by removing the conventional low-speed memory bus, the maximum clock frequency of some applications can be improved by 8%. Improvements by 25% and more are also attainable, but constraints of the Xilinx reconfiguration infrastructure prevent fully exploiting these benefits at the moment. We present a number of possible changes to the Xilinx reconfiguration infrastructure and tools that would solve this and make these results more widely applicable.
SMPL
Authors: Loper Matthew , Mahmood Naureen , Romero Javier , Pons-Moll Gerard , Black Michael J.
Published: October 2015

We present a learned model of human body shape and pose-dependent shape variation that is more accurate than previous models and is compatible with existing graphics pipelines. Our Skinned Multi-Person Linear model (SMPL) is a skinned vertex-based model that accurately represents a wide variety of body shapes in natural human poses. The parameters of the model are learned from data including the rest pose template, blend weights, pose-dependent blend shapes, identity-dependent blend shapes, and a regressor from vertices to joint locations. Unlike previous models, the pose-dependent blend shapes are a linear function of the elements of the pose rotation matrices. This simple formulation enables training the entire model from a relatively large number of aligned 3D meshes of different people in different poses. We quantitatively evaluate variants of SMPL using linear or dual-quaternion blend skinning and show that both are more accurate than a Blend-SCAPE model trained on the same data. We also extend SMPL to realistically model dynamic soft-tissue deformations. Because it is based on blend skinning, SMPL is compatible with existing rendering engines and we make it available for research purposes.
Garment modeling with a depth camera
Authors: Chen Xiaowu , Zhou Bin , Lu Feixiang , Wang Lin , Bi Lang , Tan Ping
Published: October 2015

Previous garment modeling techniques mainly focus on designing novel garments to dress up virtual characters. We study the modeling of real garments and develop a system that is intuitive to use even for novice users. Our system includes garment component detectors and design attribute classifiers learned from a manually labeled garment image database. In the modeling time, we scan the garment with a Kinect and build a rough shape by KinectFusion from the raw RGBD sequence. The detectors and classifiers will identify garment components (e.g. collar, sleeve, pockets, belt, and buttons) and their design attributes (e.g.
falbala collar
or
lapel collar, hubble-bubble sleeve
or
straight sleeve
) from the RGB images. Our system also contains a 3D deformable template database for garment components. Once the components and their designs are determined, we choose appropriate templates, stitch them together, and fit them to the initial garment mesh generated by KinectFusion. Experiments on various different garment styles consistently generate high quality results.
Closure-aware sketch simplification
Authors: Liu Xueting , Wong Tien-Tsin , Heng Pheng-Ann
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to simplify sketch drawings. The core problem is how to group sketchy strokes meaningfully, and this depends on how humans understand the sketches. The existing methods mainly rely on thresholding low-level geometric properties among the strokes, such as proximity, continuity and parallelism. However, it is not uncommon to have strokes with equal geometric properties but different semantics. The lack of semantic analysis will lead to the inability in differentiating the above semantically different scenarios. In this paper, we point out that, due to the gestalt phenomenon of
closure
, the grouping of strokes is actually highly influenced by the interpretation of regions. On the other hand, the interpretation of regions is also influenced by the interpretation of strokes since regions are formed and depicted by strokes. This is actually a chicken-or-the-egg dilemma and we solve it by an iterative cyclic refinement approach. Once the formed stroke groups are stabilized, we can simplify the sketchy strokes by replacing each stroke group with a smooth curve. We evaluate our method on a wide range of different sketch styles and semantically meaningful simplification results can be obtained in all test cases.
Color changing effects with anisotropic halftone prints on metal
Authors: Pjanic Petar , Hersch Roger D.
Published: October 2015

We propose a color reproduction framework for creating specularly reflecting color images printed on a metallic substrate that change hue or chroma upon in-plane rotation by 90°. This framework is based on the anisotropic dot gain of line halftones when viewed under specular reflection. The proposed framework relies on a spectral prediction model specially conceived for predicting the color of non-rotated and of 90° in-plane rotated cross-halftones formed of superpositions of horizontal and vertical cyan, magenta and yellow line halftones. Desired non-rotated and rotated image colors are mapped onto the sub-gamut allowing for the desired hue or chroma shift and then, using a 6D correspondence table, converted to optimal cross-halftone ink surface coverages. The proposed recolorization and decolorization framework is especially effective for creating surprising effects such as image parts whose hues change, or gray regions that become colorful. It can be adapted to commercial printers capable of printing with cyan, magenta and yellow inks on substrates formed by an ink attracting polymer lying on top of a metallic film layer. Applications may include art, advertisement, exhibitions and document security.