bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analytic Model and the Influence of Actuator Number on the Performance of Plasma Synthetic Jet Actuator Array
Authors: Huang Shengfang , Zhang Zhibo , Song Huimin , Wu Yun , Sun Zhengzhong , Li Yinghong
Published: September 2018

Coupled with the multichannel discharge model and plasma synthetic jet actuator (PSJA) aerodynamic model, an analytical model to predict the performance of the PSJA array is put forward. The multichannel discharge model takes these factors into consideration, the delay time in the breakdown process, the electrical transformation of the discharge channel from a capacitor to a resistor induced by the air breakdown, and the varying plasma resistance in the discharge process. The PSJA aerodynamic model is developed based on the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy, and the lumped capacitance method. The multichannel discharge model can simulate the multichannel discharge process and give the discharge energy in the plasma channel. With a constant heating efficiency, the time-independent heating energy deposition power in a discharge channel is obtained. Importing the heating energy, the PSJA aerodynamic model presents the evolution process of the jet. Simulation results show that the jet strength induced by a single actuator decreases with the number of actuators in the PSJA array. When the actuator number increases from 1 to 20, the weakening extent of mass ejected, peak jet velocity, and jet duration time is 62%, 54%, and 33%, respectively. The discharge efficiency increases with the actuator number, while the thermodynamic efficiency decreases with the actuator number. As a result, the total energy efficiency doesn’t always increase with an increase in the number of actuators. When the discharge efficiency of a conventional one channel discharge has been a relatively large value, the total energy efficiency actually decreases with the growth of actuator number.
Remote-Sensing Image Encryption Algorithm Using the Advanced Encryption Standard
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqiang , Wang Xuesong
Published: September 2018

With the increasing use of multimedia in communications, the content security of remote-sensing images attracts much attention in both the academia and industry. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a famous symmetric cryptosystem. A symmetric remote-sensing image encryption algorithm using AES is presented. Firstly, to reduce the encryption times, the sender groups 16 pixel values together, and converts them into big integers; secondly, the sender encrypts big integers with AES and the chaotic system; finally, the encrypted image is obtained from encrypted big integers. Simulation data show that our algorithm exhibits both the high security and efficiency.
The Characteristics and Contributing Factors of Air Pollution in Nanjing: A Case Study Based on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Experiment and Multiple Datasets
Authors: Zhou Shudao , Peng Shuling , Wang Min , Shen Ao , Liu Zhanhua
Published: September 2018

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experiments, multiple datasets from ground-based stations and satellite remote sensing platforms, and backward trajectory models were combined to investigate the characteristics and influential mechanisms of the air pollution episode that occurred in Nanjing during 3–4 December 2017. Before the experiments, the position of the detector mounted on a UAV that was minimally disturbed by the rotation of the rotors was analyzed based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The combined analysis indicated that the surface meteorological conditions—high relative humidity, low wind speed, and low temperature—were conducive to the accumulation of PM2.5. Strongly intense temperature inversion layers and the low thickness of the atmospheric mixed layer could have resulted in elevated PM2.5 mass concentrations. In the early stage, air pollution was affected by the synoptic circulation of the homogenous pressure field and low wind speeds, and the pollutants mainly originated from emissions from surrounding areas. The aggravated pollution was mainly attributed to the cold front and strong northwesterly winds above 850 hPa, and the pollutants mostly originated from the long-distance transport of emissions with northwesterly winds, mainly from the Beijing‒Tianjin‒Hebei (BTH) region and its surrounding areas. This long-distance transport predominated during this event. The air pollution level and aerosol optical depth (AOD) were positively correlated with respect to their spatial distributions; they could reflect shifts in areas of serious pollution. Pollution was concentrated in Anhui Province when it was alleviated in Nanjing. Polluted dust, polluted continental and smoke aerosols were primarily observed during this process. In particular, polluted dust aerosols accounted for a major part of the transport stage, and existed between the surface and 4 km. Moreover, the average extinction coefficient at lower altitudes (<1 km) was higher for aerosol deposition.
Numerical Study on the Effect of Urbanization and Coastal Change on Sea Breeze over Qingdao, China
Authors: Hai Shangfei , Miao Yucong , Sheng Lifang , Wei Linbo , Chen Qing
Published: September 2018

During the past few decades, rapid economic development occurred in Qingdao. Inevitably, human activities have caused great changes to the underlying surface, including urbanization and coastal change. Coastal change mainly refers to the expansion of the coastline to increase coastal land area. Sea-land breeze (SLB) is important for local weather and the transport of air pollutant. However, the impact of human activities on the SLB over Qingdao is not yet clear. Thus, the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model is applied to study the effect of urbanization and coastal change on SLB. The study shows that urbanization strengthens the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Due to the expansions of urban area during past decades, sea breeze is strengthened before it passes through the urban areas. When it penetrates into the city, the inland progress of sea breeze is slowed down due to the UHI effect and stronger frictional force. Besides, the expansions of coastline can delay the SLB conversion time, lead to the changes in the sea breeze penetration path and the weakening of SLB intensity.
Review of Recent Advances in the Analytical Theory of Stark Broadening of Hydrogenic Spectral Lines in Plasmas: Applications to Laboratory Discharges and Astrophysical Objects
Authors: Oks Eugene
Published: September 2018

There is presented an overview of the latest advances in the analytical theory of Stark broadening of hydrogenic spectral lines in various types of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. They include: (1) advanced analytical treatment of the Stark broadening of hydrogenic spectral lines by plasma electrons; (2) center-of-mass effects for hydrogen atoms in a nonuniform electric field: applications to magnetic fusion, radiofrequency discharges, and flare stars; (3) penetrating-ions-caused shift of hydrogenic spectral lines in plasmas; (4) improvement of the method for measuring the electron density based on the asymmetry of hydrogenic spectral lines in dense plasmas; (5) Lorentz–Doppler broadening of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines: analytical solution for any angle of observation and any magnetic field strength, and its applications to magnetic fusion and solar physics; (6) Revision of the Inglis-Teller diagnostic method; (7) Stark broadening of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines by a relativistic electron beam: analytical results and applications to magnetic fusion; (8) Influence of magnetic-field-caused modifications of the trajectories of plasma electrons on shifts and relative intensities of Zeeman components of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines: applications to magnetic fusion and white dwarfs; (9) Influence of magnetic-field-caused modifications of trajectories of plasma electrons on the width of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines: applications to white dwarfs; (10) Stark broadening of hydrogen lines in plasmas of electron densities up to or more than Ne~1020 cm−3; and, (11) The shape of spectral lines of two-electron Rydberg atoms/ions: a peculiar Stark broadening.
Productivity Benchmarking Using Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)
Authors: Mazumder Shanta , Kabir Golam , Hasin M. Ahsan Akhtar , Ali Syed Mithun
Published: September 2018

Measuring productivity is the systematic process for both inter- and intra-organizational comparisons. The productivity measurement can be used to control and facilitate decision-making in manufacturing as well as service organizations. This study’s objective was to develop a decision support framework by integrating an analytic network process (ANP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to tackling productivity measurement and benchmarking problems in a manufacturing environment. The ANP was used to capture the interdependency between the criteria taking into consideration the ambiguity and vagueness. The nonparametric DEA approach was utilized to determine the input-oriented constant returns to scale (CRS) efficiency of different value-adding production units and to benchmark them. The proposed framework was implemented to benchmark the productivity of an apparel manufacturing company. By applying the model, industrial managers can gain benefits by identifying the possible contributing factors that play an important role in increasing the productivity of manufacturing organizations.
Analysis of Nonlinear Bypass Route Computation for Wired and Wireless Network Cooperation Recovery System
Authors: Nakayama Yu , Maruta Kazuki
Published: September 2018

It is a significant issue for network carriers to immediately restore telecommunication services when a disaster occurs. A wired and wireless network cooperation (NeCo) system was proposed to address this problem. The goal of the NeCo system is quick and high-throughput recovery of telecommunication services in the disaster area using single-hop wireless links backhauled by wired networks. It establishes wireless bypass routes between widely deployed leaf nodes to relay packets to and from dead nodes whose normal wired communication channels are disrupted. In the previous study, the optimal routes for wireless links were calculated to maximize the expected physical layer throughput by solving a binary integer programming problem. However, the routing method did not consider throughput reduction caused by sharing of wireless resources among dead nodes. Therefore, this paper proposes a nonlinear bypass route computation method considering the wireless resource sharing among dead nodes for the NeCo system. Monte Carlo base approach is applied since the nonlinear programming problem is difficult to solve. The performance of the proposed routing method is evaluated with computer simulations and it was confirmed that bandwidth division loss can be avoided with the proposed method.
Gender Differences and Comorbidities in U.S. Adults with Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Patel Rikinkumar S. , Virani Sanya , Saeed Hina , Nimmagadda Sai , Talukdar Jupi , Youssef Nagy A.
Published: September 2018

Background: Past studies have evaluated the association of various comorbidities with bipolar disorder. This study analyzes differences in the prevalence and association of medical and psychiatric comorbidities in bipolar patients by gender. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2010–2014). Using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes, we narrowed the study population to comprise those with a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder and then obtained information about comorbidities. The differences in comorbidities by gender were quantified using chi-square tests and the logistic regression model (odds ratio (OR)). Results: Hypertension (20.5%), asthma (12.5%) and hypothyroidism (8.1%) were the top medical comorbidities found in bipolar patients. Migraine and hypothyroidism were seen three times higher in females (OR = 3.074 and OR = 3.001; respectively). Females with bipolar disorder had higher odds of comorbid inflammatory disorders like asthma (OR = 1.755), Crohn’s disease (OR = 1.197) and multiple sclerosis (OR = 2.440) compared to males. Females had a two-fold higher likelihood of comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OR = 2.253) followed by personality disorders (OR = 1.692) and anxiety disorders (OR = 1.663) compared to males. Conclusion: Women with bipolar disorder have a much higher medical comorbidity burden than men and may highly benefit from an integrated team of physicians to manage their condition and improve their health-related quality of life.
Gold Nanoparticle Conjugated Water Soluble Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Bhattacharyya Tamoghna
Published: September 2018

The poor solubility and dispersibility of carbon nanotubes in both aqueous and organic solvents restrict their applications in biological science. Herein, a simple and cheap method for synthesizing and purification of water soluble multiwall carbon nanotubes from coal combustion fly ash and characterization of this water soluble multiwall carbon nanotubes after conjugation with gold nanoparticles has been described.
Added Values of Linked Data in Education: A Survey and Roadmap
Authors: Nahhas Safia , Bamasag Omaimah , Khemakhem Maher , Bajnaid Nada
Published: September 2018

Education values such as knowledge sharing, and the linked data (LD) abilities such as interoperability are in perfect harmony. Much research has exploited that and provided important contributions and improvements in education through LD. International universities, large open education repositories, OpenCourseWare (OCW) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) initiatives, educational search engines, blending and adaptive learning, learning analysis and other various areas were the targets of many works on leveraging LD. However, this research exists in a scattered way without any type of categorization or organization. In this paper, we present a survey on the current works in educational linked data (ELD) to provide a starting point and a comprehensive roadmap to help researchers in recognizing the main tracks in ELD area. In addition, the paper extracted the common life cycle, outcome datasets and vocabularies from the overall presented works. The paper also provides samples of applications that exhibit the practical benefit of adopting LD in the various tracks and highlights the challenges that each track faced during the utilization of LD. Pioneer ELD’s projects, other existing overviews and landscapes and the most used tools based on the stages and prevalent are presented. Lastly, discussion and recommendations were provided based on the overall study.
Band Structures Analysis of Elastic Waves Propagating along Thickness Direction in Periodically Laminated Piezoelectric Composites
Authors: Li Qiangqiang , Guo Yongqiang , Wang Jingya , Chen Wei
Published: September 2018

Existing studies on elastic waves in periodically laminated piezoelectric structures mainly concerned the passive band properties, since the electrical boundaries in the considered structures cannot vary. This paper investigates the tuning of band properties of uncoupled primary and shear (P- and S-) waves along the thickness direction by actively varying the electrical field in periodically multilayered piezoelectric structures consisting of orthotropic materials. The alteration of the electrical field is realized in the multilayered unit cell here by either applying or switching four kinds of electrical boundary conditions, including the electric-open, applied electric capacitance, electric-short, and applied feedback voltage, to the constituent piezoelectric layer via the constituent electrode layers covering both its surfaces. First, the state space formalism is introduced to obtain the partial wave solution of any constituent orthotropic layer in the unit cell. Second, the traditional transfer matrix method is adopted to derive the dispersion equation of general, periodically laminated piezoelectric composites with unit cells consisting of an arbitrary number of piezoelectric layers with various boundaries and of elastic layers. Third, numerical examples are provided to verify the proposed analysis method, and to study the influences of electrode thickness as well as four electrical boundaries on the band structures. All the frequency-related dispersion curves are also illustrated by numerical examples to summarize the general dispersion characteristics of uncoupled P- and S-waves in periodically laminated piezoelectric composites. The main finding is that the innovative dispersion characteristic resulting from the negative capacitance may also be achieved via feedback control.
Genome-Based Classification and Therapy of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Angeles Arlou Kristina , Bauer Simone , Ratz Leonie , Klauck Sabine M. , Sültmann Holger
Published: September 2018

In the past decade, multi-national and multi-center efforts were launched to sequence prostate cancer genomes, transcriptomes, and epigenomes with the aim of discovering the molecular underpinnings of tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and therapy resistance. Multiple biological markers and pathways have been discovered to be tumor drivers, and a molecular classification of prostate cancer is emerging. Here, we highlight crucial findings of these genome-sequencing projects in localized and advanced disease. We recapitulate the utility and limitations of current clinical practices to diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy, and we provide examples of insights generated by the molecular profiling of tumors. Novel treatment concepts based on these molecular alterations are currently being addressed in clinical trials and will lead to an enhanced implementation of precision medicine strategies.
Circulating Tumor Cells for the Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Broncy Lucile , Paterlini-Bréchot Patrizia
Published: September 2018

Renal cell carcinoma is a highly malignant cancer that would benefit from non-invasive innovative markers providing early diagnosis and recurrence detection. Circulating tumor cells are a particularly promising marker of tumor invasion that could be used to improve the management of patients with RCC. However, the extensive genetic and immunophenotypic heterogeneity of cells from RCC and their trend to transition to the mesenchymal phenotype when they circulate in blood constitute a challenge for their sensitive and specific detection. This review analyzes published studies targeting CTC in patients with RCC, in the context of the biological, pathological, and molecular complexity of this particular cancer. Although further analytical and clinical studies are needed to pinpoint the most suitable approach for highly sensitive CTC detection in RCC patients, it is clear that this field can bring a relevant guide to clinicians and help to RCC patients. Furthermore, as described, a particular subtype of RCC—the ccRCC—can be used as a model to study the relationship between cytomorphological and genetic cellular markers of malignancy, an important issue for the study of CTC from any type of solid cancer.
Wine and Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds Interaction in Humans
Authors: Boronat Anna , Martínez-Huélamo Miriam , Cobos Ariadna , De la Torre Rafael
Published: September 2018

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and red wine (RW) are two basic elements that form part of the so-called Mediterranean diet. Both stand out because of their high phenolic compound content and their potential related health benefits. The present study is focused on the metabolic disposition of resveratrol (RESV), tyrosol (TYR), and hydroxytyrosol (HT) following the consumption of EVOO, RW, and a combination of both. In this study, 12 healthy volunteers consumed a single dose of 25 mL of EVOO, 150 mL of RW, and a combination of both in a crossover randomized clinical trial. Urinary recovery of RESV, TYR, and HT was analysed in urine samples collected over a 6-h period following the intake of each treatment. Higher HT levels were observed following EVOO compared to RW (3788 ± 1751 nmols and 2308 ± 847 nmols respectively). After the combination of EVOO and RW, the recovery of TYR and HT metabolites increased statistically compared to their separate consumption (4925 ± 1751 nmols of TYR and 6286 ± 3198 nmols of HT). EVOO triggered an increase in glucuronide conjugates, while RW intake raised sulfate metabolites. Marginal effects were observed in RESV increased bioavailability after the combination of RW with the fat matrix provided by EVOO.
Determining Equipment Capacity of Electric Vehicle Charging Station Operator for Profit Maximization
Authors: Baik Se Hoon , Jin Young Gyu , Yoon Yong Tae
Published: September 2018

Related to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, numerous electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to be integrated to the power grid. However, the introduction of EVs, particularly in Korea, is still marginal due to the lack of EV charging infrastructure, even though various supportive policies exist. To address this shortage of EV charging stations, the EV charging business needs to be profitable. As with any business, the profitability of the EV charging business is significantly affected by the initial capital investment related to EV chargers and auxiliary equipment such as power conditioning system (PCS), battery energy storage system (BESS), and on-site photovoltaic (PV) generation system. Thus, we propose a formulation to determine the number of EV chargers and the capacity of auxiliary equipment with the objective of a charging station operator (CSO) maximizing profit under regulatory, economic, and physical constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified with simulations considering various EV charging patterns. The study results will help improve the EV charging infrastructure by encouraging individuals and companies to participate in EV charging business.
Factors Affecting the Economics of Distributed Natural Gas-Combined Cooling, Heating and Power Systems in China: A Systematic Analysis Based on the Integrated Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory-Interpretative Structural Modeling (DEMATEL-ISM) Technique
Authors: Shen Jianfei , Li Fengyun , Shi Di , Li Hongze , Yu Xinhua
Published: September 2018

As a clean and efficient energy, natural gas is the main driving force for China’s energy transformation and the realization of green energy development. Distributed natural gas combined cooling, heating and power (DNG-CCHP) is the main utilization method of distributed natural gas with many advantages. However, the economics of China’s DNG-CCHP system are poor, hindering the healthy and sustainable development of the system in China. Thus, this paper systematically analyzes the factors affecting the economics of DNG-CCHP system in China. Firstly, through the analysis of the development status and obstacles of China’s DNG-CCHP system, the economic impact factor set of DNG-CCHP systems involving 34 factors is constructed. Then, the integrated DEMTTEL-ISM method is used to construct the multi-level hierarchical structure of influencing factors, the influence mechanism of the factors on the economics of DNG-CCHP system is systematically and comprehensively analyzed, and the path of improving system economics is proposed accordingly. Finally, based on the research findings and the development of China’s DNG-CCHP, the coordinated development of DNG-CCHP and distributed renewable energy was discussed, and several policy suggestions are put forward to contribute to the integration of distributed natural gas and distributed renewable energy.
Optimizing Spacer Length for Positioning Functional Groups in Bio-Waste
Authors: Iyengar Revathi , Faure-Betancourt Maria , Talukdar Saleh , Ye Jinting , Navarro Abel E.
Published: September 2018

The goal of this study was to determine the optimal chain length needed for tethering functional groups on bio-wastes. The purpose of modifying the surface of bio-waste is to improve their affinity for phenols. To this end, four different aminated green tea leaves, with the amine group located at the end of 6, 8, 10, and 12 carbons were synthesized. Green approaches to functionalization lead to fewer reactive sites. Optimizing spacer length is one way to ameliorate this. The aminated tea leaves were prepared by a tosylation reaction followed by displacement with a diamine used in excess. The tea leaves with the amine at the end of six carbons proved to have the best ability to remove 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) from its aqueous solution. It was at least 3–4 times better than native spent tea leaves. The mechanism by which the phenol was removed proved to be primarily an acid–base reaction followed by H-bonding and dipole–dipole interactions. Because of the acid–base interactions, the relatively low-boiling 2-CP did not volatilize off the aminated tea leaves enabling recycling. On the other hand, with activated charcoal, the adsorbed 2-CP volatilized almost completely under ambient conditions.
Potential of Mild Torrefaction for Upgrading the Wood Energy Value of Different Eucalyptus Species
Authors: Araújo Solange de Oliveira , Neiva Duarte M. , Carneiro Angélica de Cássia , Esteves Bruno , Pereira Helena
Published: September 2018

Torrefaction is a promising pre-treatment for improving the fuel quality of biomass. This study examined the effect of a mild torrefaction (from 160 to 230 °C) on the heating value, elemental composition, and thermogravimetric analysis of wood from eight Eucalyptus species (E. botryoides Sm., E. globulus Labill., E. grandis W.Hill ex Maiden, E. maculata (Hook.) K.D. Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, E. propinqua Maiden Deane, E. rudis Endl., E. saligna Sm., and E. viminalis Labill.). The higher heating values (HHV) increased from the initial average of 19 MJ kg−1 to 21 MJ kg−1 in the torrefied samples. The carbon content increased from 48.2% to 53.3% and the C/O ratio from 1.08 to 1.35. The torrefied wood samples showed more thermal stability with a shift of the mass loss peaks to higher temperatures and a higher residual mass at 450 °C of 36%, in comparison to 30% of the untreated samples. Torrefaction concentrated the biomass samples in the more energetic and thermal resistant components and decreased their sulfur and chlorine content, leading to a better combustion performance. The wood of the eight Eucalyptus species had a similar behavior and showed quality improvement. Therefore, torrefaction showed potential as a pre-treatment for eucalyptus biomass fuel improvement.
Influence of Natural and Anthropogenic Linear Canopy Openings on Forest Structural Patterns Investigated Using LiDAR
Authors: Vepakomma Udayalakshmi , Kneeshaw Daniel D. , De Grandpré Louis
Published: September 2018

In much of the commercial boreal forest, dense road networks and energy corridors have been developed to access natural resources with unintended and poorly understood effects on surrounding forest structure. In this study, we compare the effects of anthropogenic and natural linear openings on surrounding forest conditions in black spruce stands (gap fraction, tree and sapling height, and density). Forest structure within a 100 m band around the edges of anthropogenic (roads and power lines), natural linear openings (streams), and a reference black spruce forest was measured by identifying individual stems and canopy gaps on recent high density airborne LiDAR canopy height models. CUSUM curves were used to assess the distance of edge influence. Forests surrounding anthropogenic openings were found to be gappier, less dense, and have smaller trees than those around natural openings. Forests were denser around natural and anthropogenic linear openings than in the reference forest with edge effects observed up to 24–75 m and 18–54 m, respectively, into the forest. A high density of saplings in the gappier forests surrounding anthropogenic openings may eventually lead to a higher forest biomass in the zone area surrounding roads as is currently observed around natural openings.
Forest Carbon Sequestration, Pathogens and the Costs of the EU’s 2050 Climate Targets
Authors: Gren Ing-Marie , Aklilu Abenezer Zeleke , Elofsson Katarina
Published: September 2018

Carbon sequestration is suggested as a low-cost option for climate change mitigation, the functioning of which can be threatened by pathogen infestation. This study calculates the effects of infectious pathogens on the cost of achieving the EU’s 2050 climate targets by combining the so-called production function method with the replacement cost method. Pathogens are then assumed to affect carbon sink enhancement through the impact on productivity of forest land, and carbon sequestration is valued as the replacement for costly reductions in emissions from fossil fuels for reaching the EU’s 2050 climate targets. To this end, we have constructed a numerical dynamic optimization model with a logistic forest growth function, a simple allometric representation of the spread of pathogens in forests, and reductions in emissions from fossil fuels. The results show that the annual value of forest carbon sequestration ranges between approximately 6.4 and 14.9 billion Euros, depending on the impact and dispersal of pathogens. Relatively large values are obtained for countries with large emissions from fossil fuels, e.g., Germany, France, Spain and Italy, which also face costs of pathogen together with countries with large forest area, such as Romania.
An Empirical Model for the Effect of Wind on Fire Spread Rate
Authors: Rossa Carlos G. , Fernandes Paulo M.
Published: September 2018

Predicting wind-driven rate of fire spread (RoS) has been the aim of many studies. Still, a field-tested model for general use, regardless of vegetation type, is currently lacking. We develop an empirical model for wind-aided RoS from laboratory fires (n = 216), assuming that it depends mainly on fire-released energy and on the extension of flame over the fuel bed in still air, and that it can be obtained by multiplying RoS in no-wind and no-slope conditions by a factor quantifying the wind effect. Testing against independent laboratory and field data (n = 461) shows good agreement between observations and predictions. Our results suggest that the fuel bed density effect detected by other work may be a surrogate for the amount of fuel involved in combustion, which depends on fuel load. Because RoS under windless conditions is unaffected by fuel load, the involved mechanisms differ from wind-aided propagation. Compared to shallow fuel beds, the wind effect is usually modest in deep vegetation, because tall fuel complexes are dominated by live fuels (high moisture content) and flames extend less above the vegetation when fuel moisture is high. The present work warrants further inspection in a broader range of field conditions.
Implementation and Validation of a Free Open Source 1D Water Hammer Code
Authors: Kjerrumgaard Jensen Rune , Kær Larsen Jesper , Lindgren Lassen Kasper , Mandø Matthias , Andreasen Anders
Published: September 2018

This paper presents a free code for calculating 1D hydraulic transients in liquid-filled piping. The transient of focus is the Water Hammer phenomenon which may arise due to e.g., sudden valve closure, pump start/stop etc. The method of solution of the system of partial differential equations given by the continuity and momentum balance is the Method of Characteristics (MOC). Various friction models ranging from steady-state and quasi steady-state to unsteady friction models including Convolution Based models (CB) as well as an Instantaneous Acceleration Based (IAB) model are implemented. Furthermore, two different models for modelling cavitation/column separation are implemented. Column separation may occur during low pressure pulses if the pressure decreases below the vapour pressure of the fluid. The code implementing the various models are compared to experiments from the literature. All experiments consist of an upstream reservoir, a straight pipe and a downstream valve.
Food Safety Analysis Using Electrochemical Biosensors
Authors: Mishra Geetesh , Barfidokht Abbas , Tehrani Farshad , Mishra Rupesh
Published: September 2018

Rapid and precise analytical tools are essential for monitoring food safety and screening of any undesirable contaminants, allergens, or pathogens, which may cause significant health risks upon consumption. Substantial developments in analytical techniques have empowered the analyses and quantitation of these contaminants. However, conventional techniques are limited by delayed analysis times, expensive and laborious sample preparation, and the necessity for highly-trained workers. Therefore, prompt advances in electrochemical biosensors have supported significant gains in quantitative detection and screening of food contaminants and showed incredible potential as a means of defying such limitations. Apart from indicating high specificity towards the target analytes, these biosensors have also addressed the challenge of food industry by providing high analytical accuracy within complex food matrices. Here, we discuss some of the recent advances in this area and analyze the role and contributions made by electrochemical biosensors in the food industry. This article also reviews the key challenges we believe biosensors need to overcome to become the industry standard.
L Chromosome Behaviour and Chromosomal Imprinting in Sciara Coprophila
Authors: Singh Prim B. , Belyakin Stepan N.
Published: September 2018

The retention of supernumerary chromosomes in the germ-line of Sciara coprophila is part of a highly-intricate pattern of chromosome behaviours that have fascinated cytogeneticists for over 80 years. Germ-line limited (termed L or “limited”) chromosomes are cytologically heterochromatic and late-replicating, with more recent studies confirming they possess epigenetic hallmarks characteristic of constitutive heterochromatin. Little is known about their genetic constitution although they have been found to undergo cycles of condensation and de-condensation at different stages of development. Unlike most supernumeraries, the L chromosomes in S. coprophila are thought to be indispensable, although in two closely related species Sciara ocellaris and Sciara reynoldsi the L chromosomes, have been lost during evolution. Here, we review what we know about L chromosomes in Sciara coprophila. We end by discussing how study of the L chromosome condensation cycle has provided insight into the site and timing of both the erasure of parental “imprints” and also the placement of a putative “imprint” that might be carried by the sperm into the egg.
Right-Angle Pattern of Minor Fluvial Networks from the Ionian Terraced Belt, Southern Italy: Passive Structural Control or Foreland Bending?
Authors: Gioia Dario , Schiattarella Marcello , Giano Salvatore
Published: September 2018

Morphometric analyses of both the topography and drainage network have been carried out in a large sector of the Ionian coastal belt of southern Italy in order to unravel the possible control of Late Quaternary thrust front activity on the evolution of the fluvial net. The study area extends in the southernmost sector of the Bradano Foredeep and is featured by several orders of uplifted marine terraces, ranging in age from Middle Pleistocene to Late Quaternary. The flight of the marine terraces is deeply cut by a trellis-type and regularly spaced minor fluvial network. Morphotectonic investigations based on field survey, photo-aerial interpretation, topographic attributes, morphometric indices, and analysis of longitudinal river profiles suggest a strong control on the drainage network arrangement by a pervasive orthogonal fracture system, produced and preserved into the brittle caprock of the terraces, made by conglomerate. Since a similar pervasive and orthogonal fracture pattern is typically generated by gentle folding of rocks, the development of the Ionian hydrographic networks could be attributed to a general—maybe still active—bending of the foredeep area due to the eastward propagation of blind thrusting of the Apennines orogenic chain.
Does Physical Fitness Affect Academic Achievement among Japanese Adolescents? A Hybrid Approach for Decomposing Within-Person and Between-Persons Effects
Authors: Kyan Akira , Takakura Minoru , Miyagi Masaya
Published: September 2018

Positive association between physical fitness and academic achievement in adolescents has been suggested yet the causal effect of physical fitness on academic achievement remains unclear. This study examined if longitudinal changes in physical fitness were associated with changes in academic achievement among junior high school students. Analyses were based on a two-year with three time-point data of 567 students (aged 12–13 years old at the baseline-point; 303 boys) who entered in five Japanese junior high schools in 2015. Academic achievement was evaluated using the student’s overall grade point average. Comprehensive physical fitness score was summed up from eight fitness tests: 50-m sprint, standing broad jump, repeated side-steps, sit and reach, sit-ups, hand-grip strength, handball throw, and 20-m shuttle run or endurance run. The hybrid regression model was applied to examine the impact of change in physical fitness on change in academic achievement using multiple imputation to account for non-response at follow-up. The changes in fitness score within-person and the differences in average of fitness score of three-time points between-person were associated with change in overall grade point average for boys. No significant association between fitness score and overall grade point average was observed in girls. Opportunities for increased physical fitness may be important to support academic achievement, particularly in junior high school boys.
Impact of Antidepressant Use on Healthcare Utilization among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Depression Symptoms in the United States: Sociodemographic, Clinical, and Behavioral Factors Matter
Authors: Binsaleh Ammena Y. , Perez Alexandra , Popovici Ioana , Rabionet Silvia E.
Published: September 2018

Individuals with diabetes are twice as likely to struggle from depressive symptoms than individuals without diabetes. However, this joint condition is undertreated in nearly two-thirds of patients. Failure to monitor the comorbidity may lead to suboptimal therapy. This study evaluated the association of antidepressant use with healthcare utilization in a national sample of patients with type 2 diabetes and depression symptoms in the United States. It further assessed the differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors between those who use antidepressants and those who do not. This study was a secondary data analysis using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the period 2005–2014. To assess if there were significant differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors between those who were taking antidepressants or not, Chi Square and independent t-tests were used. To assess if there was a significant association between antidepressant use and healthcare utilization, univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Of the 955 participants, only 33% were on antidepressants. There were significant differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors among those who used antidepressants and those who did not. Regardless of antidepressant use, the study population had access to health care. Those on antidepressants had fewer diabetes specialists’ visits and more mental health care. There might be underlying health care disparities related to the use of, and access to, antidepressants. Further studies are needed to comprehensively explore the management of these comorbidities.
Association between Airborne Fine Particulate Matter and Residents’ Cardiovascular Diseases, Ischemic Heart Disease and Cerebral Vascular Disease Mortality in Areas with Lighter Air Pollution in China
Authors: Cai Junfang , Yu Shuyuan , Pei Yingxin , Peng Chaoqiong , Liao Yuxue , Liu Ning , Ji Jiajia , Cheng Jinquan
Published: September 2018

Background: China began to carry out fine particulate matter (PM2.5) monitoring in 2013 and the amount of related research is low, especially in areas with lighter air pollution. This study aims to explore the association between PM2.5 and cardiovascular disease (CVD), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebral vascular disease (EVD) mortality in areas with lighter air pollution. Methods: Data on resident mortality, air pollution and meteorology in Shenzhen during 2013–2015 were collected and analyzed using semi-parametric generalized additive models (GAM) with Poisson distribution of time series analysis. Results: Six pollutants were measured at seven air quality monitoring sites, including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO and O3. The PM2.5 daily average concentration was 35.0 ± 21.9 μg/m3; the daily average concentration range was from 7.1 μg/m3 to 137.1 μg/m3. PM2.5 concentration had significant effects on CVD, IHD and EVD mortality. While PM2.5 concentration of lag5 and lag02 rose by 10 μg/m3, the excess risk (ER) of CVD mortality were 1.50% (95% CI: 0.51–2.50%) and 2.09% (95% CI: 0.79–3.41%), respectively. While PM2.5 concentration of lag2 and lag02 rose by 10 μg/m3, the ER of IHD mortality were 2.87% (95% CI: 0.71–5.07%) and 3.86% (95% CI: 1.17–6.63%), respectively. While PM2.5 concentration of lag4 and lag04 rose by 10 μg/m3, the ER of EVD mortality were 2.09% (95% CI: 2.28–3.92%) and 3.08% (95% CI: 0.68–5.53%), respectively. Conclusions: PM2.5 increased CVD mortality. The government needs to strengthen the governance of air pollution in areas with a slight pollution.
The CLoTH Simulator for HTLC Payment Networks with Introductory Lightning Network Performance Results
Authors: Conoscenti Marco , Vetrò Antonio , De Martin Juan Carlos , Spini Federico
Published: September 2018

The Lightning Network (LN) is one of the most promising off-chain scaling solutions for Bitcoin, as it enables off-chain payments which are not subject to the well-known blockchain scalability limit. In this work, we introduce CLoTH, a simulator for HTLC payment networks (of which LN is the best working example). It simulates input-defined payments on an input-defined HTLC network and produces performance measures in terms of payment-related statistics (such as time to complete payments and probability of payment failure). CLoTH helps to predict issues and obstacles that might emerge in the development stages of an HTLC payment network and to estimate the effects of an optimisation action before deploying it. We conducted simulations on a recent snapshot of the HTLC payment network of LN. These simulations allowed us to identify network and payments configurations for which a payment is more likely to fail than to succeed. We proposed viable solutions to avoid such configurations.
Mordellidae (Coleoptera) Research: A Review Based on the Zoological Record from 1864 through 2013
Authors: Liu Yang , Erwin Terry L. , Yang Xingke
Published: September 2018

Mordellidae (tumbling flower beetles) is a globally distributed family of Coleoptera; it is among the most species-rich families (containing 115 genera and 2308 species described). It is important because of its agroforestry significance and its ecosystem-sustaining attributes. However, the past and current status of Mordellidae research remains unclear. A comprehensive literature review of Mordellidae articles published over the period of 1864–2013 based on the Zoological Record was conducted for the first time. A total of 863 articles were used for analysis after a strict literature search using screening protocols. These articles were then assigned to four categories based on the year of publication, topics/themes, primary authors, and frequently utilized journals for publication of Mordellidae-related articles. The results reveal that: (1) there are three prosperous research periods (1876–1898, 1922–1957, and 1977–2012) for Mordellidae during 1864–2013 that are associated with the active period of three generations of the main taxonomists. However, it is unfortunate that it also demonstrates there is a lack of upcoming researchers to continue the work after the retirement of the current generation, thus action should be taken immediately to promote research on Mordellidae; (2) on average, each primary author published 3.1 papers, but ~35% of the Mordellidae articles were published by less than 3% of the primary authors; (3) researchers tended to mostly publish their articles in local journals of their home countries; (4) more than 90% of the articles pertain to traditional taxonomy, with those of early times generally containing only simple descriptions of the species and the holotypes chosen are sparsely deposited with the researchers or amateurs around the world, thus making them difficult to be checked; (5) nearly half of the studies described Mordellidae species from Palaearctic realm, about one-third of the studies described species in other areas rather than in the fauna in which the authors lived, and about two-fifths of the studies described species from countries outside of the authors’ country of origin. Therefore, the in-depth systematic study of worldwide Mordellidae is required to reconstruct Mordellidae phylogeny and a revision of its classification system with modern methods of comparative morphology, molecular biology, zoogeography, and cladistics. In order to better understand the life stages and biology of Mordellidae insects, more work on Mordellidae ecology should be undertaken to develop strategies for pest control. We hope that this review will provide information to the novice and expert alike in Mordellidae research pertaining to its past and current status, possible future research areas, and attract more attention from the scientific world and renew an interest in Mordellidae research.
Chemical Stability of Tricalcium Phosphate–Iron Composite during Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Casas-Luna Mariano , Horynová Miroslava , Tkachenko Serhii , Klakurková Lenka , Celko Ladislav , Diaz-de-la-Torre Sebastián , Montufar Edgar B.
Published: September 2018

Tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2, TCP) is a ceramic widely used as a bone filler material due to its good osteoconductivity. Nevertheless, its poor mechanical properties do not allow its use for load-bearing applications. Therefore, the option of improving its strength and toughness by adding a biocompatible metallic component is a promising alternative to overcome this drawback, leading to the fabrication of improved bone implants. The present work is focused on defining the thermal stability of alpha-TCP (α-TCP) when it is sintered together with iron (Fe) by spark plasma sintering. The results showed the thermal stability of the composite with no degradation or oxidation in the ceramic or metal phase. A clear advantage from the TCP-Fe composites when compared with others, such as hydroxyapatite-titanium, is the complete retention of the TCP due to the less reactivity with iron respect to titanium. Furthermore, the allotropic phase transformation from alpha to beta-TCP polymorph was reduced by sintering at 900 °C. However, the densification of the material was also impaired at this temperature. It is expected that spark plasma sintering will allow the fabrication of TCP–Fe composites free of secondary phases that compromise the mechanical strength of the material.