bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breakfast Skipping in Female College Students Is a Potential and Preventable Predictor of Gynecologic Disorders at Health Service Centers
Authors: Fujiwara Tomoko , Ono Masanori , Iizuka Takashi , Sekizuka-Kagami Naomi , Maida Yoshiko , Adachi Yumi , Fujiwara Hiroshi , Yoshikawa Hiroaki
Published: July 2020

Inadequate dietary habits in youth are known to increase the risk of onset of various diseases in adulthood. Previously, we found that female college students who skipped breakfast had higher incidences of dysmenorrhea, suggesting that breakfast skipping interferes with ovarian and uterine functions. Since dietary habits can be managed by education, it is preferable to establish a convenient screening system for meal skipping that is associated with dysmenorrhea as part of routine services of health service centers. In this study, we recruited 3172 female students aged from 18 to 25 at Kanazawa University and carried out an annual survey of the status of students’ health and lifestyle in 2019, by a questionnaire. We obtained complete responses from 3110 students and analyzed the relationship between dietary habits, such as meal skipping and history of dieting, and menstrual disorders, such as troubles or worries with menstruation, menstrual irregularity, menstrual pain, and use of oral contraceptives. The incidence of troubles or worries with menstruation was significantly higher in those with breakfast skipping (p < 0.05) and a history of dieting (p < 0.001). This survey successfully confirmed the positive relationship between breakfast skipping and menstrual pain (p < 0.001), indicating that this simple screening test is suitable for picking up breakfast skippers who are more prone to gynecologic disorders. In conclusions, since dysmenorrhea is one of the important clinical signs, breakfast skipping may become an effective marker to predict the subsequent onset of gynecological diseases at health service centers. Considering educational correction of meal skipping, breakfast skipping is a potential and preventable predictor that will contribute to managing menstrual disorders from a preventive standpoint in the future.
A Broader Perspective on Anti-Ro Antibodies and Their Fetal Consequences—A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Popescu Mihaela Roxana , Dudu Andreea , Jurcut Ciprian , Ciobanu Anca Marina , Zagrean Ana-Maria , Panaitescu Anca Maria
Published: July 2020

The presence of maternal Anti-Ro/Anti-La antibodies causes a passively acquired autoimmunity that may be associated with serious fetal complications. The classic example is the autoimmune-mediated congenital heart block (CHB) which is due in most cases to the transplacental passage of Anti-Ro/Anti-La antibodies. The exact mechanisms through which these pathologic events arise are linked to disturbances in calcium channels function, impairment of calcium homeostasis and ultimately apoptosis, inflammation and fibrosis. CHB still represents a challenging diagnosis and a source of debate regarding the best management. As the third-degree block is usually irreversible, the best strategy is risk awareness and prevention. Although CHB is a rare occurrence, it affects one in 20,000 live births, with a high overall mortality rate (up to 20%, with 70% of in utero deaths). There is also concern over the lifelong consequences, as most babies need a pacemaker. This review aims to offer, apart from the data needed for a better understanding of the issue at hand, a broader perspective of the specialists directly involved in managing this pathology: the rheumatologist, the maternal–fetal specialist and the cardiologist. To better illustrate the theoretical facts presented, we also include a representative clinical case.
Multidetector Computed Tomography with Dedicated Protocol for Breast Cancer Locoregional Staging: Feasibility Study
Authors: Felipe Vinicius C. , Graziano Luciana , Barbosa Paula N. V. P. , Calsavara Vinicius F. , Bitencourt Almir G. V.
Published: July 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of performing multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with a dedicated protocol for locoregional staging in breast cancer patients. Methods: This prospective single-center study included newly diagnosed breast cancer patients submitted to contrast-enhanced chest MDCT and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MDCT was performed in prone position and using subtraction techniques. Fleiss’ Kappa coefficient (K) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess agreement between MRI, MDCT, and pathology, when available. Results: Thirty-three patients were included (mean age: 47 years). Breast MRI and MDCT showed at least substantial agreement for evaluation of tumor extension (k = 0.674), presence of multifocality (k = 0.669), multicentricity (k = 0.857), nipple invasion (k = 1.000), skin invasion (k = 0.872), and suspicious level I axillary lymph nodes (k = 0.613). MDCT showed higher number of suspicious axillary lymph nodes than MRI, especially on levels II and III. Both methods had similar correlation with tumor size (MRI ICC: 0.807; p = 0.008 vs. MDCT ICC: 0.750; p = 0.020) and T staging (k = 0.699) on pathology. Conclusions: MDCT with dedicated breast protocol is feasible and showed substantial agreement with MRI features in stage II or III breast cancer patients. This method could potentially allow one-step locoregional and systemic staging, reducing costs and improving logistics for these patients.
The Use of High Frequency Vibration and Clear Aligners in Management of an Adult Patient with Class III Skeletal Malocclusion with Open Bite and Severe Bimaxillary Protrusion: Case Report
Authors: El-Bialy Tarek
Published: July 2020

Adult orthodontic patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion, open bite and bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion are complex problems that normally require surgical intervention to correct. This is a report of an adult female with a skeletal Class III jaw relationship; in addition, the patient had anterior open bite and bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion. The patient also had three premolars in the lower left quadrant. Treatment involved extracting the extra premolar distal to lower left canine, retraction of lower anterior teeth, closing extraction space and anterior open bite utilizing Invisalign clear aligners. The patient initially changed aligners every week before this was changed to 3–5 days after starting to use a high frequency vibration (HFV = 120 Hz) device. Satisfactory results were achieved in a relatively shorter period. Comparing before and after treatment cone beam computed tomography revealed that new bone has been formed labial to the lower incisors after their retraction/correction of their initial proclined position and the use of HFV and myofunctional therapy without gingival graft. The present case report shows the comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach in treatment for such cases and the advantage of using HFV to improve bone formation.
A Hybrid Voronoi Tessellation/Genetic Algorithm Approach for the Deployment of Drone-Based Nodes of a Self-Organizing Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) in Unknown and GPS Denied Environments
Authors: Eledlebi Khouloud , Hildmann Hanno , Ruta Dymitr , Isakovic A. F.
Published: July 2020

Using autonomously operating mobile sensor nodes to form adaptive wireless sensor networks has great potential for monitoring applications in the real world. Especially in, e.g., disaster response scenarios—that is, when the environment is potentially unsafe and unknown—drones can offer fast access and provide crucial intelligence to rescue forces due the fact that they—unlike humans—are expendable and can operate in 3D space, often allowing them to ignore rubble and blocked passages. Among the practical issues faced are the optimizing of device–device communication, the deployment process and the limited power supply for the devices and the hardware they carry. To address these challenges a host of literature is available, proposing, e.g., the use of nature-inspired approaches. In this field, our own work (bio-inspired self-organizing network, BISON, which uses Voronoi tessellations) achieved promising results. In our previous approach the wireless sensors network (WSN) nodes were using knowledge about their coverage areas center of gravity, something which a drone would not automatically know. To address this, we augment BISON with a genetic algorithm (GA), which has the benefit of further improving network deployment time and overall coverage. Our evaluations show, unsurprisingly, an increase in energy cost. Two variations of our proposed GA-BISON deployment strategies are presented and compared, along with the impact of the GA. Counter-intuitively, performance and robustness increase in the presence of noise.
Optimal Linear Error Correcting Delivery Schemes for Two Optimal Coded Caching Schemes
Authors: Sageer Karat Nujoom , Thomas Anoop , Sundar Rajan Balaji
Published: July 2020

For coded caching problems with small buffer sizes and the number of users no less than the amount of files in the server, an optimal delivery scheme was proposed by Chen, Fan, and Letaief in 2016. This scheme is referred to as the CFL scheme. In this paper, an extension to the coded caching problem where the link between the server and the users is error prone, is considered. The closed form expressions for average rate and peak rate of error correcting delivery scheme are found for the CFL prefetching scheme using techniques from index coding. Using results from error correcting index coding, an optimal linear error correcting delivery scheme for caching problems employing the CFL prefetching is proposed. Another scheme that has lower sub-packetization requirement as compared to CFL scheme for the same cache memory size was considered by J. Gomez-Vilardebo in 2018. An optimal linear error correcting delivery scheme is also proposed for this scheme.
Using E-Learning to Deliver In-Service Teacher Training in the Vocational Education Sector: Perception and Acceptance in Poland, Italy and Germany
Authors: Hofmeister Christian , Pilz Matthias
Published: July 2020

For teachers in vocational education and training (VET), lifelong learning and related further training is important to meet the growing demands of the teaching profession. This paper analyses the perception of technology and e-learning of teachers in Poland, Italy and Germany. The innovative aspect of this study lies in its combination of general perceptions of online learning and technology on the one hand and findings in relation to a specific online Teacher Training Tool on the other hand. The aims of this study are to show the relevance of e-learning in teacher training and to measure the perception and acceptance of this form of further training by VET teachers. The results should provide support for the further design and development of online education formats for teachers. The evaluation was carried out using a quantitative cross-cutting study using a standardised questionnaire. The results of an online questionnaire show that the approach of online learning as a form of teacher training was met with great interest among VET teachers and that the perception of one’s own benefit from such a training option was positive. The quality of the online learning units is decisive for the acceptance of e-learning opportunities. One limitation of this study is that the diverse country-specific cultural aspects and systems of teacher training could only be taken into account to a limited extent. This paper enables international comparative research on teacher training to be integrated using e-learning formats.
The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Anxiety Disorders. A Systematic Meta-Review
Authors: Fumero Ascensión , Peñate Wenceslao , Oyanadel Cristián , Porter Bárbara
Published: July 2020

Objective: There has been a growing interest in the study of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Many clinical trials and experimental designs have been implemented, with different samples and diverse MBI procedures. Reviews have shown unclear results, apart from a tendency to identify low-to-moderate effectiveness. The purpose of this review is to examine the effectiveness of MBIs on anxiety complaints, analyzing available systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Method: The literature search was done in MEDLINE (PubMed) and PsycINFO, from the first available review in 2003 until March 2020. From 82 initial references, 12 reviews were selected. Results: Reviews confirmed a moderate effect size of MBIs in improving anxiety symptoms. This efficacy was similar to that of well-established therapies for reducing anxiety symptoms, such as cognitive behavioral therapies. A large effect size was found when well-developed MBI protocols were applied. Discussion: More refined clinical trials are needed to establish clear conditions of MBI effectiveness (protocols, samples, psychological mechanisms, etc.). In addition, considering mindfulness processes, new outcome measures are needed (such as acceptance, self-awareness, or well-being) to test the incremental value of MBIs.
Survey on Power-Aware Optimization Solutions for MANETs
Authors: Kanellopoulos Dimitris , Sharma Varun Kumar
Published: July 2020

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) possess numerous and unique characteristics, such as high channel error-rate, severe link-layer contentions, frequent link breakage (due to node mobility), and dissimilar path properties (e.g., bandwidth, delay, and loss rate) that make these networks different from the traditional ones. These characteristics seriously interfere with communication and hence, ultimately degrade the overall performance in terms of end-to-end delay, packet delivery ratio, network throughput, and network overhead. The traditional referenced layered strict architecture is not capable of dealing with MANET characteristics. Along with this, the most important apprehension in the intent of MANETs is the battery-power consumption, which relies on non-renewable sources of energy. Even though improvements in battery design have not yet reached that great a level, the majority of the routing protocols have not emphasized energy consumption at all. Such a challenging aspect has gained remarkable attention from the researchers, which inspired us to accomplish an extensive literature survey on power-aware optimization approaches in MANETs. This survey comprehensively covers power-aware state-of-the-art schemes for each suggested group, major findings, crucial structures, advantages, and design challenges. In this survey, we assess the suggested power-aware policies in the past in every aspect so that, in the future, other researchers can find new potential research directions.
Fast Logic Function Extraction of LUT from Bitstream in Xilinx FPGA
Authors: Choi Soyeon , Yoo Hoyoung
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a fast method to extract logic functions of look-up tables (LUTs) from a bitstream in Xilinx FPGAs. In general, FPGAs utilize LUTs as a primary resource to realize a logic function, and a typical N-input LUT comprises 2N 1-bit SRAM and N – 1 multiplexers. Whereas the previous research demands 2N exhaustive processing to find a mapping rule between an LUT and a bitstream, the proposed method decreases the processing to 2N by eliminating unnecessary processing. Experimental results show that the proposed method can reduce reversing time by more than 57% and 85% for Xilinx Spartan-3 and Virtex-5 compared to the previous exhaustive algorithm. It is noticeable that the reduction time becomes more significant as a commercial Xilinx FPGA tends to include a more tremendous number of LUTs.
Improvement in Target Range Estimation and the Range Resolution Using Drone
Authors: Lee Kwan Hyeong
Published: July 2020

This study measured the speed of a moving vehicle in multiple lanes using a drone. The existing methods for measuring a vehicle’s speed while driving on the road measure the speed of moving automobiles by means of a sensor that is mounted on a structure. In another method, a person measures the speed of a vehicle at the edge of a road using a speed-measuring tool. The existing method for measuring a vehicle’s speed requires the installation of a gentry-structure; however, this produces a high risk for traffic accidents, which makes it impossible to measure a vehicle’s speed in multiple lanes at once. In this paper, a method that used a drone to measure the speed of moving vehicles in multiple lanes was proposed. The suggested method consisted of two LiDAR sets mounted on the drone, with each LiDAR sensor set measuring the speed of vehicles moving in one lane; that is, estimating the speed of moving vehicles in multiple lanes was possible by moving the drone over the road. The proposed method’s performance was compared with that of existing equipment in order to measure the speed of moving vehicles using the manufactured drone. The results of the experiment, in which the speed of moving vehicles was measured, showed that the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the first lane and the second lane was 3.30 km/h and 2.27 km/h, respectively. The vehicle detection rate was 100% in the first lane. In the second lane, the vehicle detection rate was 94.12%, but the vehicle was not detected twice in the experiment. The average vehicle detection rate is 97.06%. Compared with the existing measurement system, the multi-lane moving vehicle speed measurement method that used the drone developed in this study reduced the risk of accidents, increased the convenience of movement, and measured the speed of vehicles moving in multiple lanes using a drone. In addition, it was more efficient than current measurement systems because it allowed an accurate measurement of speed in bad environmental conditions.
Software-Based Approach towards Automated Authorship Acknowledgement—Chi-Square Test on One Consonant Group
Authors: Khomytska Iryna , Teslyuk Vasyl , Kryvinska Natalia , Bazylevych Iryna
Published: July 2020

A one-consonant group approach to the authorship attribution has been proposed. The approach is based on determining, by the chi-square test, the consonant group in which the difference between the texts by different authors is statistically significant. The developed model determines author-differentiating capability of each consonant group in a relation of the number of comparisons, in which the difference between the texts by two authors is statistically significant to the total number of comparisons. The determined general author-differentiating capability of the group of stop consonants, which is a statistical parameter of the authorial style, is the highest in the comparisons of texts from the publicist and belles-lettres styles. The one-consonant group approach simplifies the whole process of authorship attribution and ensures a higher level of automation. The conducted experiments on the Java programming language have proved that the chi-square test is a powerful nonparametric statistical test that can be used for author identification on the level of English consonants with a test validity of 95%.
Comparison of Hardwired and Microprogrammed Statechart Implementations
Authors: Cereijo García Javier , Osorio Roberto R.
Published: July 2020

In scientific facilities such as particle accelerators, fast and jitter-free synchronization is required in order to trigger a large number of actuators at the right time in a variety of situations. The behaviour of the control systems and subsystems may be specified by using statechart diagrams, which expand the capabilities of finite state machines allowing concurrency, a hierarchy of states, and history. Hence, there is a need of tools for synthesizing those diagrams so that a new control configuration may be deployed in a short time and an error-free manner in the required environments. In this work, we present a tool that analyses the specification of a variant of the State Chart XML (SCXML) standard tailored to hardware systems and produces a hardware description language (HDL) code suited to implement the required control systems using FPGAs. A number of solutions are provided to deal with the specific features of statecharts, such as multiple triggering events and concurrent super-states. We also present a microprogrammed architecture able to implement statecharts defined as firmware. Finally, we compare the advantages of each strategy in terms of usability, resource usage, and performance, and their applicability to a specific facility is evaluated.
Pattern Detection Model Using a Deep Learning Algorithm for Power Data Analysis in Abnormal Conditions
Authors: Lee Jeong-Hee , Kang Jongseok , Shim We , Chung Hyun-Sang , Sung Tae-Eung
Published: July 2020

Building a pattern detection model using a deep learning algorithm for data collected from manufacturing sites is an effective way for to perform decision-making and assess business feasibility for enterprises, by providing the results and implications of the patterns analysis of big data occurring at manufacturing sites. To identify the threshold of the abnormal pattern requires collaboration between data analysts and manufacturing process experts, but it is practically difficult and time-consuming. This paper suggests how to derive the threshold setting of the abnormal pattern without manual labelling by process experts, and offers a prediction algorithm to predict the potentials of future failures in advance by using the hybrid Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN)–Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) algorithm, and the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique. We found that it is easier to detect abnormal patterns that cannot be found in the existing time domain after preprocessing the data set through FFT. Our study shows that both train loss and test loss were well developed, with near zero convergence with the lowest loss rate compared to existing models such as LSTM. Our proposition for the model and our method of preprocessing the data greatly helps in understanding the abnormal pattern of unlabeled big data produced at the manufacturing site, and can be a strong foundation for detecting the threshold of the abnormal pattern of big data occurring at manufacturing sites.
Generation Expansion Planning in the Presence of Wind Power Plants Using a Genetic Algorithm Model
Authors: Sahragard Ali , Falaghi Hamid , Farhadi Mahdi , Mosavi Amir , Estebsari Abouzar
Published: July 2020

One of the essential aspects of power system planning is generation expansion planning (GEP). The purpose of GEP is to enhance construction planning and reduce the costs of installing different types of power plants. This paper proposes a method based on a genetic algorithm (GA) for GEP in the presence of wind power plants. Since it is desirable to integrate the maximum possible wind power production in GEP, the constraints for incorporating different levels of wind energy in power generation are investigated comprehensively. This will allow the maximum reasonable amount of wind penetration in the network to be obtained. Besides, due to the existence of different wind regimes, the penetration of strong and weak wind on GEP is assessed. The results show that the maximum utilization of wind power generation capacity could increase the exploitation of more robust wind regimes. Considering the growth of the wind farm industry and the cost reduction for building wind power plants, the sensitivity of GEP to the variations of this cost is investigated. The results further indicate that for a 10% reduction in the initial investment cost of wind power plants, the proposed model estimates that the overall cost will be minimized.
Energy Consumption in Public Buildings: The Determinants of Occupants’ Behavior
Authors: Cibinskiene Akvile , Dumciuviene Daiva , Andrijauskiene Meda
Published: July 2020

Considering the critical amount of power consumption in public buildings, sustainable energy use in the workplace can present an opportunity to tackle the worldwide problem of climate change. A systematic literature review revealed that, though the majority of scientific papers emphasize the importance of appliances and new technologies, human behavior in this area is not less significant. It can contribute to the reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions and address a number of environmental issues. The main purpose of this work is to analyze and compare the research performed on the topic of the determinants of sustainable energy consumption and investigate their impacts on the behavior of employees in three public buildings in Greece. The questionnaire survey discloses that, despite the organizations paying the bill, the employees believe that saving energy at work is important. The results also show that female employees feel more responsible for energy problems, such as the exhaustion of energy sources or global warming. Finally, a regression analysis affirms that the willingness to save a substantial amount of energy at the workplace is greater when employees have higher personal norms, that is, they feel morally obliged to consider the environment and nature in their daily behavior.
Regional Factors Driving the Deployment of Wind Energy in Spain
Authors: Gutiérrez-Pedrero María-Jesús , Ruiz-Fuensanta María J. , Tarancón Miguel-Ángel
Published: July 2020

There is significant regional heterogeneity in terms of relative positioning in relation to the issue of sustainability and, in particular, in relation to the implementation of renewable energy. For this reason, the aim of this work is to analyze whether these differences in attributes for each region are likely to condition the expansion of renewable energy production. In this paper, we focus on wind energy. Therefore, the evolution of the installed capacity of wind energy is studied for a set of Spanish regions over the period between 2004 and 2017. The results obtained confirm that, in effect, there are factors linked to investment and environmental knowledge capable of conditioning the deployment of wind energy at the regional level.
Quantitative Evaluation of the Emissions of a Transport Engine Operating with Diesel-Biodiesel
Authors: Pérez Armando , Mateos David , García Conrado , Caraveo Camilo , Montero Gisela , Coronado Marcos , Valdez Benjamín
Published: July 2020

The present work is about evaluating the emission characteristics of biodiesel-diesel blends in a reciprocating engine. The biodiesel was produced and characterized before the test. A virtual instrument was developed to evaluate the velocity, fuel consumption, temperature, and emissions of O2, CO, SO2, and NO from an ignition-compression engine of four cylinders with a constant rate of 850 rpm. The percentages of soybean-biodiesel (B) blended with Mexican-diesel (D) analyzed were 2% B-98% D (B2), 5% B-95% B (B5), and 20% B-80% D (B20). The biodiesel was obtained through a transesterification process and was characterized using Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Our results indicate that CO emission is 6%, 10%, and 18% lower for B2, B5, and B20, respectively, in comparison with 100% (D100). The O2 emission is 12% greater in B20 than D100. A reduction of 3% NO and 2.6% SO2 was found in comparison to D100. The obtained results show 44.9 kJ/g of diesel’s lower heating value, this result which is 13% less than the biodiesel value, 2.8% less than B20, 1.3% than B5, and practically the same as B2. The specific viscosity stands out with 0.024 Poise for the B100 at 73 °C, which is 63% greater than D100. The infrared spectra show characteristics signals of esters groups (C-O) and the pronounced peak from the carbonyl group (C=O). It is observed that the increase in absorbance of the carbonyl group corresponds to an increase in biodiesel concentration.
Simulation of the Dynamic Characteristics of a PEMFC System in Fluctuating Operating Conditions
Authors: Yan Jiangyan , Zhou Chang , Rong Zhihai , Wang Haijiang , Li Hui , Hu Xuejiao
Published: July 2020

A greater understanding of the dynamic processes inside the stack is urgently needed to optimize the PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell). In this study, we examined the gas, water and electrochemical processes inside the stack, studied the physical dynamics of system accessories such as gas supplement, flow and pressure-regulating devices, then used Simulink to build a mathematical model of a complete PEMFC system; a segmented testing platform was built to test the spatial distribution of RH (relative humidity) and pressure, which was used to verify the simulation model; based on this model, the complicated phenomena occurring inside the stack during fluctuating operating states were calculated. Our findings showed that the pressure in the gas channel and exhaust manifolds decreased when the external load increased, changing sharply at the moment of load change. The transient pressure difference between the cathode and anode sides (several kPa) had a huge impact on the MEA (membrane electrode assembly); when the load current increased, RH in cathode and cathode channel increased gradually, and the increasing rate of anode side was bigger than that in cathode side. The influence of variance magnitude and change interval of external load were also studied based on the model.
Investigation on the Insulation Resistance Characteristics of Low Voltage Cable
Authors: Kang Sin-Dong , Kim Jae-Ho
Published: July 2020

This study evaluated the insulation resistance characteristics of TFR-8 (Tray Frame Retardant power cable for fire service) and VCTF (Light PVC Sheathed Circular Cord) cables under external flame, over-current, and accelerated degradation tests. In the accelerated degradation test of the cable, aging times of 10, 20, 30, and 40 years were tested according to a temperature derived using the Arrhenius equation. The insulation resistance of the TFR-8 cables was reduced from a maximum of 7.5 T ohm to 0.008 T ohm during the flame contact and recovered to its original state after cooling. However, dielectric breakdown occurred in the VCTF cable during flame contact and the cable did not return to its original state, even after cooling. In the forced convection oven test, the insulation resistance of the cable was reduced at 160 °C, whereas the insulation resistance of the cable was reduced at 125 °C in the over-current test. This result implied that the over-current had a greater impact than did heat applied externally on the degradation of the cable insulator. In the accelerated degradation tests from 10–30 years, the TFR-8 cable did not show any reduction in insulation resistance at room temperature. However, after an induced aging time of 40 years, the cable showed a rapid reduction in insulation resistance at room temperature.
Biogas Production in the Russian Federation: Current Status, Potential, and Barriers
Authors: Nevzorova Tatiana
Published: July 2020

Russia has signed the Paris Agreement and recently approved its ratification. However, the Russian Government does not consider abandoning the production and use of hydrocarbons to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To meet the goals of the Agreement, Russia must find new innovative solutions. This study demonstrates that biogas is one of the most necessary renewable sources in Russia. Despite this, the deployment of biogas technologies is currently extremely slow. In this regard, to assess their subsequent impact on the Russian energy sector as a whole, it is important to identify the factors that hinder the wider implementation of biogas technologies. Based on the findings, the most critical barriers were identified and discussed in detail. In the light of the results, some policy-related recommendations are also proposed.
Energy Performance Contracting and Public-Private Partnership: How to Share Risks and Balance Benefits
Authors: Martiniello Laura , Morea Donato , Paolone Francesco , Tiscini Riccardo
Published: July 2020

Public private partnerships (PPPs) are a well-known instrument used worldwide by public administration (PA) to build public infrastructure using private knowhow and financial resources, and sharing risks. In recent years, PPPs have been widely adopted to develop energy efficiency projects between public and private sectors. In this context, a successful project requires a contractual arrangement based on energy performance contracting (EPC) that balances the interests of the two parties. This paper aims to answer two questions: how to share the benefits between the contractual parties and reach an optimal long-term contractual agreement; and which type of contract ensures a consistent risk transfer to the private partner, allowing the PA an “off balance” accounting treatment. The research questions are answered through the development of a mathematical equation able to calculate the optimal percentage of benefits sharing between partners in a long-term contractual agreement. The results are tested with a simulation based on a case study about the energy efficiency project of an Italian hospital. The paper is innovative because it provides suggestions to improve the EPC-PPP contractual structure and realize a balanced agreement between the public and private partners. Moreover, it analyzes the different allocation of risks in EPC contracts to identify the implication for the PA in terms of on-off balance accounting treatment in energy efficiency investment. We show how a successful long-term EPC-PPP can benefit from a mixed contractual structure in which profit-sharing percentage changes during the contract’s life to ensure the same net present value (NPV) to both public and private partners. This paper supports public decision making in order to choose contracts that are able to transfer energy and management risks. Moreover, it helps to understand the balance between public and private interests in a long-term EPC-PPP contract.
Analysis of Torque Ripples of an Induction Motor Taking into Account a Inter-Turn Short-Circuit in a Stator Winding
Authors: Pietrowski Wojciech , Górny Konrad
Published: July 2020

Despite the increasing popularity of permanent magnet synchronous machines, induction motors (IM) are still the most frequently used electrical machines in commercial applications. Ensuring a failure-free operation of IM motivates research aimed at the development of effective methods of monitoring and diagnostic of electrical machines. The presented paper deals with diagnostics of an IM with failure of an inter-turn short-circuit in a stator winding. As this type of failure commonly does not lead immediately to exclusion of a drive system, an early stage diagnosis of inter-turn short-circuit enables preventive maintenance and reduce the costs of a whole drive system failure. In the proposed approach, the early diagnostics of IM with the inter-turn short-circuit is based on the analysis of an electromagnetic torque waveform. The research is based on an elaborated numerical field–circuit model of IM. In the presented model, the inter-turn short-circuit in the selected winding has been accounted for. As the short-circuit between the turns can occur in different locations in coils of winding, computations were carried out for various quantity of shorted turns in the winding. The performed analysis of impact of inter-turn short-circuit on torque waveforms allowed to find the correlation between the quantity of shorted turns and torque ripple level. This correlation can be used as input into the first layer of an artificial neural network in early and noninvasive diagnostics of drive systems.
A Novel Fuel-Cell Electric Articulated Vehicle and Its Drop-and-Pull Transport System
Authors: Liu Yanwei , Li Zhenye , Chen Yuzhong , Zhao Kegang
Published: July 2020

Drop-and-pull transportation can repeatedly utilize tractors with different trailers and reduce costs, carbon emissions, and the number of tractors to purchase and use. Fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) possess high power and long drive endurance. These performance characteristics complement the performance requirements of drop-and-pull transportation of heavy loads and long mileage. This paper proposes a novel fuel-cell electric articulated vehicle featuring three power sources: fuel cell, power battery, and ultracapacitor. Then, based on the proposed vehicle, we expound on a highly efficient and flexible transport system. To compare economics and durability of fuel-cell electric trailers with two energy sources (i.e., fuel-cell-battery) and three energy sources, we developed and simulated a rule-based energy management strategy under driving conditions. The results indicate that, although similar levels of fuel economy and capacity degradation of the fuel cell occur for the proposed vehicle and its two-energy-source counterpart, the ampere–hour throughput of three-energy-source vehicles was 64% lower than that of two-energy-source vehicles, which indicates the introduction of the ultracapacitor in fuel-cell-battery electric articulated vehicles can offer significant protection to the power battery. This result shows that the three energy sources increase the service life of the energy system.
Influence of Prenatal Methamphetamine Abuse on the Brain
Authors: Tomášková Anežka , Šlamberová Romana , Černá Marie
Published: July 2020

Methamphetamine (MA), a psychostimulant, has become a serious problem in recent years. It is one of the most widely abused psychostimulants in the world. In the Czech Republic, ecstasy is the most commonly used non-cannabis drug, followed by hallucinogenic fungi, LSD, MA, cocaine, and finally heroin. The prevalence of the usage of all addictive substances is highest in the age category of 15–34. Approximately 17.2% of registered drug addicts, both male and female, in the Czech Republic use MA as their first-choice drug. This group consists mostly of women who are unemployed and addicted to MA (85%). Almost half of the addicted women switched to MA from other drugs in the course of pregnancy. Psychostimulants such as amphetamine and its synthetic derivate MA induce feelings of calm and happiness by suppressing anxiety and depression. When MA is abused for longer periods, it mimics symptoms of mania and can lead to the development of psychosis. MA is often abused for its anorectic effect, its simple preparation, and compared to heroin and cocaine, its low price. There are significant differences in the susceptibility of users to the stimulant, with reactions to MA fluctuating from person to person. Molecular mechanisms related to the variable response among users might represent an explanation for increased addiction-associated bipolar disorder and psychosis. Currently, there is limited information regarding genetic mechanisms linked to these disorders and the transmission of drug addiction. As such, animal models of drug addiction represent significant sources of information and assets in the research of these issues. The aim of this review is to summarize the mechanism of action of methamphetamine and its effect on pregnant addicted women and their children, including a detailed description of the anatomical structures involved.
Determinants of Bilateral REDD+ Cooperation Recipients in Kyoto Protocol Regime and Their Implications in Paris Agreement Regime
Authors: Kim Dong-hwan , Kim Do-hun , Kim Hyun Seok , Kim Seong-il , Lee Dong-Ho
Published: July 2020

A cooperative approach for REDD+ between developing and developed countries can be a sound means to achieve national and global mitigation targets. To accomplish the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of countries and the global 2 °C climate target more effectively, it is necessary to explore the coordination options, based on the understanding of bilateral REDD+ cooperation. This study explains the current status of bilateral REDD+ cooperation and investigates determinants affecting REDD+ recipient decisions of donor countries, by analyzing bilateral REDD+ arrangements, which has been promoted for 10 years under the the Kyoto Protocol regime from 2006 until 2015. The results show that Norway and Japan supported more than half of the total financial pledges for bilateral REDD+ projects for 10 years. Out of 87 REDD+ recipients, four countries—Brazil, India, Indonesia, and China—accounted for more than half of the 10-year financial pledges. Approximately 78% of total financing was found to be concentrated in the top 10 recipients. The aid darlings and orphans problem, the concentration of bilateral supports in a few developing countries and the exclusion of several developing countries from the recipient selection process, which has been discussed in ODA researches, was also observed. Applying a shared frailty model, recipient need, recipient merit, and donor interest was found to be the main determinants of donors’ REDD+ recipient decision. Donor interest and recipient merit were found to have more significant effects on the decision than recipient need. A balanced two-track approach is further required, in which, along with the bilateral REDD+ cooperation in the REDD+ darling countries, international organizations and multilateral funds for REDD+ need to increase financial accessibility, including the result-based compensation system for the REDD+ orphan countries.
Impacts of Global Climate Change on Duration of Logging Season in Siberian Boreal Forests
Authors: Chugunkova Anna V. , Pyzhev Anton I.
Published: July 2020

In Siberia, most boreal forests are located in an area with relatively moist forest soils, which makes logging activities possible exclusively during the frost period with a permanent snow cover and stable sub-zero temperatures. As the global climate is experiencing a trend towards warming, it is reasonable to suppose that the duration of the logging season might shorten over time, influencing the economic potential of Siberian forests. To test this hypothesis, we created a concept for calculating the duration of the logging season, taking into account the economic and climatic peculiarities of doing forest business in these territories. Using the long-run daily-observed climatic data, we calculated the duration of the logging season for eight representative stations in Krasnoyarsk Krai (Yeniseysk, Boguchany, Achinsk, and Minusinsk) and Irkutsk Oblast (Bratsk, Kirensk, Tulun, and Yerbogachen) in 1966–2018. We found strong evidence of logging season duration shortening for almost all considered stations, with an uneven effect on the start and end boundaries of the season. Climate warming has almost no effect on the start date of the season in winter, but it significantly shifts the boundaries of the season end in spring. Using the autoregressive-integrated-moving average modeling (ARIMA) models, we demonstrated that, in the near future, the trends of the gradual shortening of the logging season will hold for the most part of the considered stations. The most pronounced effect is observed for the Achinsk station, where the logging season will shorten from 148.4 ± 17.3 days during the historical sample (1966–2018) to 136.2 ± 30 days in 2028, which reflects global warming trend patterns. From an economic perspective, a shorter duration of the logging season means fewer wood stocks available for cutting, which would impact the ability of companies to enact their logging plans and lead them to suffer losses in the future. To avoid losses, Siberian forest firms will have to adapt to these changes by redefining their economic strategies in terms of intensifying logging operations.
Forest Phenology Shifts in Response to Climate Change over China–Mongolia–Russia International Economic Corridor
Authors: Yu Lingxue , Yan Zhuoran , Zhang Shuwen
Published: July 2020

Vegetation phenology is a sensitive indicator of climate change. With the intensification of global warming, the changes in growing seasons of various vegetation types have been widely documented across the world. However, as one of the most vulnerable regions in response to the global climate change, the phenological responses and associated mechanisms in mid–high latitude forests are still not fully understood. In this study, long-term changes in forest phenology and the associated relationship with the temperature and snow water equivalent in the China–Mongolia–Russia International Economic Corridor were examined by analyzing the satellite-measured normalized difference vegetation index and the meteorological observation data during 1982 to 2015. The average start date of the growing season (SOS) of the forest ecosystem in our study area advanced at a rate of 2.5 days/decade, while the end date of the growing season (EOS) was delayed at a rate of 2.3 days/decade, contributing to a growing season that was approximately 15 days longer in the 2010s compared to that in 1980s. A higher April temperature is beneficial to the advance in the SOS, and a higher summer temperature has the potential to extend the EOS in the forest ecosystem. However, our results also suggest that a single temperature cannot fully explain the advance of the SOS, as well as the delay in the EOS. The preseason Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) is also an essential factor in influencing the growing season. A higher SWE in February and March and lower SWE in April tend to advance the SOS, while higher SWE in pre-year December and lower SWE in current year October are beneficial to the extension of the EOS.
Modeling Drying of Degenerated Calluna vulgaris for Wildfire and Prescribed Burning Risk Assessment
Authors: Log Torgrim
Published: July 2020

Research highlights: Moisture diffusion coefficients for stems and branches of degenerated Calluna vulgaris L. have been obtained and a mathematical model for the drying process has been developed and validated as an input to future fire danger modeling. Background and objectives: In Norway, several recent wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires have been attributed to climate changes and accumulation of elevated live and dead biomass in degenerated Calluna stands due to changes in agricultural activities, i.e., in particular abandonment of prescribed burning for sheep grazing. Prescribed burning is now being reintroduced in these currently fire prone landscapes. While available wildfire danger rating models fail to predict the rapidly changing fire hazard in such heathlands, there is an increasing need for an adapted fire danger model. The present study aims at determining water diffusion coefficients and develops a numerical model for the drying process, paving the road for future fire danger forecasts and prediction of safe and efficient conditions for prescribed burning. Materials and methods: Test specimens (3–6 mm diameter) of dead Calluna stems and branches were rain wetted 48 h and subsequently placed in a climate chamber at 20 °C and 50% relative humidity for mass loss recordings during natural convection drying. Based on the diameter and recorded mass versus time, diffusion coefficients were obtained. A numerical model was developed and verified against recoded mass loss. Results: Diffusion coefficients were obtained in the range 1.66–10.4 × 10−11 m2/s. This is quite low and may be explained by the very hard Calluna “wood”. The large span may be explained by different growth conditions, insect attacks and a varying number of years of exposure to the elements after dying. The mathematical model described the drying process well for the specimens with known diffusion coefficient. Conclusions: The established range of diffusion coefficients and the developed model may likely be extended for forecasting moisture content of degenerated Calluna as a proxy for fire danger and/or conditions for efficient and safe prescribed burning. This may help mitigate the emerging fire risk associated with degenerated Calluna stands in a changing climate.