bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and evaluation of the methylene blue removal ability of Cu2O nanoparticles/TiO2 nanotubes heterostructure
Authors: Pham Viet Van , Nguyen Trung Chanh , Le Hieu Van , Cao Thi Minh
Published: September 2018

Cu2O nanoparticles loaded TiO2 nanotubes (Cu2O/TNTs) were synthesized by photoreduction method for the enhancement of photocatalyst activity of TNTs under sunlight condition. Characteristic properties of these materials were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). XPS spectra confirmed the existence of Cu2O nanoparticles in the sample. The photocatalytic activity of Cu2O/TNTs was evaluated by the survey of the removal of methylene blue (MB) solution under direct sunlight condition. The discoloration of MB solution by Cu2O/TNTs was faster and better than by TNTs after 30 minute – irradiation. The MB removal efficiency of Cu2O/TNTs was up to 89.7 % with the above condition. The results of this study demonstrated that this material for the treatment of the toxic organic substances in the polluted water poses extremely potentials.
Synthesis and survey of the photocatalytic activity of SnO2/TiO2 nanotubes material under visible light
Authors: Nguyen Thanh Thi Thai , Tran Huy Hong , Tran Han Hoai , Pham Viet Van , Le Hieu Van , Cao Thi Minh
Published: September 2018

In this paper, SnO2 nano particles were loaded on TiO2 nanotubes (SnO2/TNTs) by onestep hydrothermal method with the purpose to enhance the photocatalytic ability of TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs). Structure and morphology of the material were characterized by X-ray diffraction measurement (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SnO2 nano particles onto TNTs prevent the recombination of electronhole pairs at the interface area. This contribution increased the photocatalytic efficiency of the material. The effect of SnO2 contents on the photocatalytic activities of the composite materials was also investigated with methylene blue that is chosen as the pollutant in industry. The results showed that SnO2/TNTs composite materials had been successfully synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method and SnO2/TNTs composite material with 2 % SnO2 content loading possesses the highest photocatalytic efficiency with 70 % after 180 minutes illuminated under sunlight.
The developments of drought in the Cai river basin – Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan province
Authors: Dao Huyen Thi Thu , Tran Tu Tuan
Published: September 2018

In Vietnam, the Cai river basin - Phan Rang in Ninh Thuan province is considered to tolerate the most serious drought, which has influenced seriously on the lives and economy of the people in the region. Using Multi-Criteria Analysis method - MCA integrated with GIS for eight factors: evaporation (ETo), rainfall, groundwater, surface water annual flow module, vegetable matter (NDVI), river density, humidity of land and slope to build a system of component maps identifying the level and the change of drought, namely meteorological one in the Cai river basin - Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan province each year. According to the average results of the study period (2000–2014), the drought at this region has 3 levels: medium drought with 0.05 %, severe drought with 80.90 %, very severe drought with 19.05 % of the studied area. At the same time, the value of factors: evaporation (ETo) is from 1417.02–1817.00 mm, rainfall is from 640.9– 910.8 mm, groundwater is from 0–11 (1/s/km2), surface water annual flow module is from 9 – 23 (1/s/km2), vegetable matter is (NDVI) from -0.4 – 0.6, river density is from 0–1.6 km/km2, humidity of land is from 3.65–55 % and slope is from 0o– 62.8o. This study focuses only on the meteorological drought, we need more detailed researchs to continue estimating the 3 types of drought (agricultural, hydrological, socio-economic) to be able to recognize drought in this region more fully, thereby giving effective measures against drought.
Thermal properties of α,ա- aminoalkylterephthalamides prepared from waste poly(ethyleneterephthalate) bottle and aliphatic diamines
Authors: Hoang Cuong Ngoc , Dang Yen Hoang
Published: September 2018

Trimers and pentamers of α,ա- aminoalkylterephthalamides were prepared from aminolysis of waste poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) bottle with tetramethylene diamine (TMDA) and hexamethylene diamine (HMDA). The thermal properties of these products determined by DSC and TG showed that the melting points were the temperatures at which physical melting process and chemical transamidation polymerization occured concurrently. This chemical reaction had converted trimers and pentamers into polymers, then at the higher temperature ranges, the observed decomposition temperatures were just specific for newly formed polyamides, not for initial trimers or pentamers. The application of thermogravimetric chamber as mini reactor is quite useful to investigate the heating conditions for solid-state polymerization of α,ա- aminoalkylterephthalamides.
KBRN Tehdit ve Tehlikelerden Kaynaklı Zararlar Nedeniyle İdarenin Tehlike (Risk) İlkesine Dayalı Sorumluluğu
Authors: Ütük Utku
Published: September 2018

KBRN (Kimyasal,
Biyolojik, Radyolojik, Nükleer) maddelerin kaza ile veya kasıtlı olarak çevreye
yayılması önemli can ve mal kayıplarına yol açmakta ayrıca uzun bir zaman
dilimi boyunca olumsuz etkiler doğurmaktadır. KBRN tehdit ve tehlikelerinin
önlenmesi ve oluşabilecek zararların azaltılması konusunda ise idareye önemli rol
düşmekte, bu bakımdan idarenin KBRN maddeler kaynaklı zararlar bakımından mali
sorumluluğu önemli bir sorun alanı haline gelmektedir. İdari işlem ve eylemler
nedeniyle idarenin sorumluluğu kusurlu ve kusursuz sorumluluk olmak üzere iki
şekilde ortaya çıkmaktadır. Kusursuz sorumluluk genellikle risk ilkesine dayalı
sorumluluk ve fedakârlığın denkleştirilmesi ayrımı doğrultusunda ele
alınmaktadır. Çalışmada KBRN tehdit ve tehlikeler nedeniyle oluşan zararlarda idarenin
risk ilkesine dayalı sorumluluğuna odaklanılmıştır. Öncelikle genel olarak Türk
Hukukunda idarenin risk ilkesi altında sorumluluğu açıklanmış, ardından idarenin
KBRN tehdit ve tehlikeler kaynaklı zararlar bakımından sorumluluğu risk ilkesi
bağlamında çözümlenmiştir.
Sel ve İstanbul: Sel Riskine Karşı Yapılan Dere Islah Çalışmaları ile İlgili Bir Değerlendirme
Authors: BODUR Alper
Published: September 2018

Afetlerin kötü etkisinden
korunmak amacıyla Türkiye’de birçok çalışma yapılmaktadır. Bu bakımdan, sel
riski bulunan alanlarda yapılan dere ıslah çalışmaları önemli çalışmalardan
biridir. Dere ıslahı çalışmaları, afet yönetiminin önemli bir ayağını oluşturan
zarar azaltma çalışmaları kapsamında değerlendirildiğinde, sadece sel ve diğer
tehlikelerin oluşmasını engellemez, ayrıca plansız yapılaşmanın ve çevre
kirliliğinin önüne geçilmesini de sağlar. Bu çalışma ile, İSKİ Genel Müdürlüğü
tarafından Anadolu Yakası’nda yapılan dere ıslah çalışmaları ile ilgili durum
değerlendirmesi yaparak karşılaşılan sorunları ortaya koymak, çalışmalarda
gelinen aşamaları değerlendirmek ve birtakım öneriler getirmek amaçlanmaktadır.
Araştırma kapsamında, çalışmalar esnasında karşılaşılan sorunlar irdelenmekte
olup bu sorunların en önemlileri; mülkiyet, imar, yapılaşma, inşaat sırasında
ortaya çıkan altyapı sorunlarıdır. Bütün bu sorunlara rağmen sel riskini
ortadan kaldırmak için dere ıslah çalışmalarına devam edilmekte, fakat daha iyi
bir koordinasyon ve yetki olması halinde dere ıslahlarının daha hızlı ve etkin
bir şekilde tamamlanacağı öngörülmektedir. Araştırmada, sel riskini azaltmaya
yönelik faaliyetlerin çok daha etkin bir şekilde tamamlanabilmesi için mevcut
kanun ve yönetmeliklerin yeterli olmadığı, birtakım hukuki ve kurumsal
düzenlemelere ihtiyaç olduğu kanısına ulaşılmıştır. Bütün bu olumsuzlukların
giderilebilmesi için diğer kurum ve kuruluşları da içine alacak hukuki birtakım
düzenlemeler yapılmalı, yetki karmaşasının önüne geçilmelidir. Ayrıca, kurum
içi organizasyonun sel riskini en aza indirecek şekilde tekrar düzenlenmesi,
acil durumlarda etkin müdahale amacıyla birtakım standart uygulama
prosedürlerinin uygulamaya geçirilmesi gerektiği kanaatine ulaşılmıştır.
Determination of spectrophotometric protonation constant of cholinesterase inhibitors
Authors: DALDAL Yaşar Doğan , ÇUBUK DEMİRALAY Ebru , ALSANCAK Güleren
Published: September 2018

The protonation constant (pKa) of rivastigmine, galantamine and
donepezil which are cholinesterase inhibitors used in cure of Alzheimer's disease in acetonitrile-water binary
mixtures were determined at 25 oC in ionic strength by
spectrophotometric method. Spectra of the drugs were recorded with 1 nm
resolution over the 200 to 400 nm interval. Data assessment was carried out with the STAR software program to calculate molar
absorbances and stability constants of the compounds studied. Aqueous protonation constant of these compounds were calculated from
determined through linear  relationship between the mole fraction of
acetonitrile and the pKa values and the Yasuda-Shedlovsky equality. The pKa values
of inhibitors at 25°C were converted to values at 37°C, without extra
estimation. The predicted and calculated pKa values were compared with literature values.
Examining phase response curve of nerve cell by using three different methods
Authors: ESKALEN Hasan , ÖZĞAN Şükrü
Published: September 2018

Rhythmic motion is
observed in a variety of different field including physical, chemical and
biological systems. Neural system, that consists of billions of neurons are
also exhibited periodic motion. Phase Response Curves (PRCs); act like a bridge
between, a single neuron and neural network; briefly measure change in period
of oscillation by giving perturbation at different points of oscillation. PRCs
can determined from measurements of electrical activities of neurons by
experimental methods or theoretically derived from three different methods. As
far as we know from the literature, these three different methods have never
been used at the same time before. The main purpose of this computational study
is to the obtain Phase Response Curve by three different methods and compare them
in terms of simulation times and peak to baseline ratio. First, the kinds of
excitability of neurons, the types of Phase Response Curve and peak to baseline
ratio are mentioned. After then, these three different methods to obtain PRC
are explained deeply. At a final step, Phase Response Curves are obtained from three
theoretical methods and compared regarding to peak to baseline ratio,
simulation time and applicability.
Electrochemical pesticide sensor based on anthraquinone substituted copper phthalocyanine
Authors: İPEK Yeliz , Şener M. Kasım , Koca Atıf
Published: September 2018

In this study, a
biomimetic selective pesticide electrochemical sensor based on copper
phthalocyanine-anthraquinone hybrid (CuPc-AQ) was studied. Electrochemical
activities based on Pc ring and anthraquinone substituent of the CuPc-AQ make
it valuable material for electrochemical sensor studies in detecting of
pesticides. Thin film of CuPc-AQ on ITO electrode (ITO/CuPc-AQ) was exposed to
water samples containing eserine and carbofuran pesticides, separately. Then in
order to observe the sensor behavior of the modified electrode, square wave
voltammetry (SWV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and double
potential step chronocoulometry (DPSCC) techniques were used. When the
ITO/CuPc-AQ electrode was doped with nano-platinum (nPt) or nano-gold (nAu)
particles, the sensitivity of ITO/CuPc-AQ electrode increased. The lowest
detection limit (DL) (1.23x10-9 mol dm-3) was obtained with ITO/CuPc-AQ-nAu
electrode using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique.
Synthesis, characterization and catalytic properties of some transition metal complexes of new phenoxy-imine ligand
Authors: ÇAPAN Ali , CEYHAN Gökhan , SÖNMEZ Mehmet
Published: September 2018

In this study a new
Schiff base ligand was synthesized by the reaction of salicylaldehyde,
1,2-bis(bromomethyl)benzene and 4-nitrobenzenamine. [Cr(L)Cl2]Cl·H2O,
[Fe(L)Cl2]Cl·2H2Oand [Ru(L)Cl2]Cl complexes were synthesized with this ligand and Cr(III), Fe(III) and
Ru(III) chloride salts. The structures of the ligand and the obtained
complexes were characterized using Elemental Analysis, FT-IR, 1H-NMR,
13C-NMR, UV-Vis, Magnetic Susceptibility and Thermogravimetric Analysis.
The synthesized phenoxy-imine ligand is a ligand of the O2N2
type. The resulting metal complexes are mononuclear and have octahedral
geometry. Preliminary studies have also been carried out on the catalytic
effects of complexes in cycloalkane oxidation and in cycloalkene epoxidation.
In the general sense, the catalyst that triggers the highest product formation
in the synthesized catalysts are the Ru(III) complex. It is suggested that
Ru(III) complexes can be used in such catalysis reactions since they exhibit a
high catalytic effect on cyclohexane oxidation.
Synthesis and characterization of alkyd resin based on soybean oil and glycerin using zirconium octoate as catalyst
Authors: ELBA Mohamed E. , ABDEL REHİM Elsayed M. , Ashery Ramadan E.
Published: September 2018

A one
pot synthesis of alkyd resins based on the soybean oil and glycerin with  the zirconium octoate (zirconium 2-ethyl
hexanoate) as a new renewable raw material was performed. The alcoholysis
reaction of soybean oil and glycerin carried out in absence of nitrogen gas
inlet in the presence of zirconium octoate. The alkyd resin was obtained from polycondensation
of the alcoholysis products with phthalic anhydrid at 250 °C. The structure
confirmed by FT-IR and H1-NMR spectroscopy. Flexibility, drying
time, hardness, adhesion test, impact resistance, gloss test and chemical
resistance of synthesized alkyd resins was invesitigated. The prepared resin
was formulated in white lacqure and yellowing resistance
tested with commercial resins.
Practical synthesis, characterization and photo-physical properties of metallophthalocyanines bearing benzhydryloxy substituents
Authors: AĞIRTAŞ Mehmet , ÖNDEŞ Muhammed Yusuf , CABİR Beyza
Published: September 2018

The aim of present
study is to make practical synthesis of benzhydryloxy substituted
phthalocyanines with high solubility. Therefore, the synthesis and
characterization of benzhydryloxy substituted zinc and magnesium of phthalocyanines
were performed. The characterization of the new compounds was made by spectra
such as IR, NMR, UV and Mass spectra. In addition, fluorescence and aggregation
behaviors of these new compounds were investigated. It was seen to be obtained
the compounds more economically with the method used.
Biosorption of methylene blue and acid red 88 from wastewater by using peanut shell
Authors: YEL Onur
Published: September 2018

This study represents the removal of harmful dye
substances from wastewaters by using a waste and cheap biosorbent. For this aim, peanut shell was used as a biosorbent
for the removal of methylene blue and acid red 88 dyes. The effects biosorbent amount,
initial dye concentration, pH, temperature, contact time and dye type on
biosorption were studied. In the study, the highest removal of acid red 88 was
found as 88% using dye solution of 200 ppm with 5.0 grams of peanut shell at
contact time of 300 minutes. The highest removal of methylene blue was determined
as 99% using dye solution of 200 ppm with 4.0 grams of peanut shell at contact
time of 60 minutes. As a result of dye type, methylene blue which has a linear
geometric structure has demonsrated a high removal than acid red 88.
Biosorption isotherms for both dyes were found more consistent with the
Langmuir model according to Freundlich model.
Hydro-environmental pollution of Turag river in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam JB , Akter S , Bhowmick AC , Uddin MN , Sarkar M
Published: September 2018

The pollution due to minerals and anions in surface water and their settlement tendency on sediment of the Turag river has been studied. Higher concentration of potassium and phosphate ion in surface water and similar deposition on sediment has been recorded. The observed average concentration of Na, K, Cl-, PO4 3- in surface water and in surface sediment was 22.10, 13.20, 108.50, 17.80 mg/L and 1359.07, 2526.10, 37.50, 31.76 mg/kg, respectively. This high concentration of minerals and anions in surface water and sediments indicates that hidro-environment of the Turag river is badly affected.The minerals and ions are strongly correlated (r = 0.99) which implies that they come from similar sources and forcefully added to the river in a regular basis. Principal component analysis reveals that only one principal component is covering more than 99 % of cumulative variance. There are very few variations of parameters in the principal component to indicate that all parameters exert similar effect on hydro-environment and are contributing to deteriorate the ecological balance.These are supported by dendrogram analysis.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.53(3), 161-168, 2018
Production of biodiesel from neem seed oil
Authors: Banik SK , Rouf MA , Rabeya T , Khanam M , Sajal SI , Sabur SB , Islam MR
Published: September 2018

Neem oil was extracted from neem seeds by mechanical extraction method. Yield of oil was 21.32%. The physicochemical properties of the extracted oil were studied in detail. The oil corresponds to diesel except acid value (14.21%) and sulphur content. Acid esterification was performed to reduce the acid value which was followed by transesterification to produce biodiesel. The conditions of the transesterification of the oil were optimized and were found to be 20% methanol and 1.0% NaOH at 60 ̊ C for 90 min. The optimum yield of biodiesel was 98 %. Finally, the performance study in a diesel engine was conducted with diesel and biodiesel blends. The brake thermal efficiency for 5% blend of biodiesel was 16.67% for brake power of 0.79 KW.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.53(3), 211-218, 2018
Influence of size and plant growth regulators on corm and cormel production of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.)
Authors: Rashid MHA
Published: September 2018

Gladiolus is an excellent cut flower grown throughout the world for its spikes with florets of massive form, brilliant colours, attractive shapes, varying size and long shelf life. However, major constraint for gladiolus cultivation is the corm dormancy. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) play an important role in breaking dormancy and promote more number of quality corm and cormel productions in gladiolus. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study the influence of corm size and plant growth regulators on corm and cormel production of gladiolus during the period from October 2017 to April 2018 at the Landscaping section of the Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The two-factor experiment included two corm sizes viz., 3-4 cm and 4.1-5 cm, and two PGRs viz., GA3 @ 250, 500 and 750 ppm; and NAA @ 100, 200 and 300 ppm along with tap water as control. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results revealed that the corm size and PGRs at different concentrations significantly influenced the corm and cormel producing attributes of gladiolus. Maximum number of corms and cormels per plant, maximum weight of single corm, maximum weight of corms and cormels per plant, biggest size of single corm, highest yield of corms and cormels per hectare were recorded from 4.1-5 cm sized corms and GA3 @ 500 ppm, compared to rest of the treatments. It was observed that combined treatments had significant influence on all the parameters studied. The treatment combination of 4.1-5 cm sized corms and GA3 @ 500 ppm was found to be best in terms of corm and cormel production of gladiolus.Progressive Agriculture 29 (2): 91-98, 2018
Effects of Spirulina platensis on alloxan induced diabetic rats
Authors: Hussaini SMAK , Hossain MI , Islam MS , Rafiq K
Published: September 2018

The study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Spirulina platensis on body weight, blood glucose and lipid profile on alloxan induced diabetic rats. Fifteen Long Evans male rats at six weeks of age were used for the experiment. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan@ 150 mg/kg and experiment was carried out for a period of 6 weeks. Rats were divided into three groups of 5 rats each. The groups were i)healthy control, ii) diabetic control with both receiving rats’ pellet as supplement, and iii) diabetic treated with oral administration of Spirulina platensis  @ 400 mg/kg bwt. Results from the study showed that Spirulina platensis reduced blood glucose significantly (P<0.01) and increased body weight significantly (P<0.05) in contrast to diabetic control group after 6 weeks. Lipid profile analysis with Spirulina platensis @ 400 mg/kg showed that total cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, and LDL were lowered significantly   compared to diabetic groups in contrast to HDL levels which were increased following the use of Spirulina platensis. Our findings showed that oral administration of Spirulina platensis could reduce the adverse effect of alloxan induced diabetes in rats. Based on this research it can be concluded that Spirulina platensis has antihyperglycemic and hypolipidimic effects in alloxan induced diabetic rats.Progressive Agriculture 29 (2): 139-146, 2018
Beckett's ‘Mongrel Mime’: Politics and Poetics
Authors: Little James
Published: September 2018

This article analyses Beckett's unpublished and unperformed prison play ‘Mongrel Mime’, written for ex-San Quentin inmate Rick Cluchey in 1982–83. Drawing on Shane Weller's concept of Beckett's ‘anethics’, Dirk Van Hulle's model of authorial pentimenti and Anne Ubersfeld's semiotics of theatre space, it argues that close analyses of Beckett's manuscripts can give us a clearer picture of the politics of his work. While dominant models of Beckett's poetics focus on his ‘vaguening’ and ‘undoing’ of spatial detail, this article contends that Beckett's creative engagement with spaces of coercive confinement demonstrates a variety of working methods. The key role of carceral space in ‘Mongrel Mime’, an important though underexamined example of Beckett's use of confinement, presents a politics which is far from vague.
Data Fusion Based on Adaptive Interacting Multiple Model for GPS/INS Integrated Navigation System
Authors: Zhang Chuang , Guo Chen , Zhang Daheng
Published: September 2018

The extended Kalman filter (EKF) as a primary integration scheme has been applied in the Global Positioning System (GPS) and inertial navigation system (INS) integrated system. Nevertheless, the inherent drawbacks of EKF contain not only instability caused by linearization, but also massive calculation of Jacobian matrix. To cope with this problem, the adaptive interacting multiple model (AIMM) filter method is proposed to enhance navigation performance. The soft-switching characteristic, which is provided by interacting multiple model algorithm, permits process noise to be converted between upper and lower limits, and the measurement covariance is regulated by Sage adaptive filtering on-line Moreover, since the pseudo-range and Doppler observations need to be updated, an updating policy for classified measurement is considered. Finally, the performance of the GPS/INS integration method on the basis of AIMM is evaluated by a real ship, and comparison results demonstrate that AIMM could achieve a more position accuracy.
Stochastic Wind Curtailment Scheduling for Mitigation of Short-Term Variations in a Power System with High Wind Power and Electric Vehicle
Authors: Lee Jaehee , Lee Jinyeong , Wi Young-Min , Joo Sung-Kwan
Published: September 2018

Occasionally, wind curtailments may be required to avoid an oversupply when wind power, together with the minimum conventional generation, exceed load. By curtailing wind power, the forecast uncertainty and short-term variations in wind power can be mitigated so that a lower spinning reserve is sufficient to maintain the operational security of a power system. Additionally, the electric vehicle (EV) charging load can relieve the oversupply of wind power generation and avoid uneconomical wind power curtailments. This paper presents a stochastic generation scheduling method to ensure the operation security against wind power variation as well as against forecast uncertainty considering the stochastic EV charging load. In the paper, the short-term variations of wind power that are mitigated by the wind curtailment are investigated, and incorporated into a generation scheduling problem as the mixed-integer program (MIP) forms. Numerical results are also presented in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Frequency Enhancement of Oil Whip and Oil Whirl in a Ferrofluid–Lubricated Hydrodynamic Bearing–Rotor System by Magnetic Field with Permanent Magnets
Authors: Luo Liao-Yong , Fan Yi-Hua , Tang Jyh-Haw , Chen Ting-Yu , Zhong Nai-Rong , Feng Pin-Chieh , Kao Yu-Chun
Published: September 2018

The article describes the effect of a magnetic field applied to a ferrofluid–lubricated hydrodynamic journal bearing–rotor system. A rotor with a single journal bearing in one end was built to be the test rig. The experimental results showed that 3 to 8 permanent magnets, arranged by different methods, can all increase the instability threshold of the oil bearing. Especially, the magnetic field formed by eight magnets has the optimal effect. The whirl speed and the whip speed can be increased from 3024 rpm to 4480 rpm, and from 3184 rpm to 5268 rpm.
Frequency Selective Surfaces: A Review
Authors: Anwar Rana , Mao Lingfeng , Ning Huansheng
Published: September 2018

The intent of this paper is to provide an overview of basic concepts, types, techniques, and experimental studies of the current state-of-the-art Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSSs). FSS is a periodic surface with identical two-dimensional arrays of elements arranged on a dielectric substrate. An incoming plane wave will either be transmitted (passband) or reflected back (stopband), completely or partially, depending on the nature of array element. This occurs when the frequency of electromagnetic (EM) wave matches with the resonant frequency of the FSS elements. Therefore, an FSS is capable of passing or blocking the EM waves of certain range of frequencies in the free space; consequently, identified as spatial filters. Nowadays, FSSs have been studied comprehensively and huge growth is perceived in the field of its designing and implementation for different practical applications at frequency ranges of microwave to optical. In this review article, we illustrate the recent researches on different categories of FSSs based on structure design, array element used, and applications. We also focus on theoretical breakthroughs with fabrication techniques, experimental verifications of design examples as well as prospects and challenges, especially in the microwave regime. We emphasize their significant performance parameters, particularly focusing on how advancement in this field could facilitate innovation in advanced electromagnetics.
Excimer Laser Three-Dimensional Micromachining Based on Image Projection and the Optical Diffraction Effect
Authors: Hung Yu-Hsuan , Chien Hung-Liang , Lee Yung-Chun
Published: September 2018

An excimer laser three-dimensional (3D) micromachining system is proposed based on a mask image projection method and the optical diffraction effect. The effects of optical diffraction on the laser machining rate are evaluated using a hole-arrayed mask pattern with various feature sizes and hole-area opening ratios. The practical feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated by machining conical, trihedral, and pyramidal 3D microstructures on polycarbonate substrates. The proposed method greatly simplifies the photo-mask design and preparation task in traditional excimer laser 3D micromachining systems and provides a powerful technique for achieving large-area 3D microstructures with complex patterns and atypical profiles.
Post-Sputtering Heat Treatments of Molybdenum on Silicon Wafer
Authors: Jia Xuguang , Lin Ziyun , Yang Terry Chien-Jen , Puthen-Veettil Binesh , Wu Lingfeng , Conibeer Gavin , Perez-Wurfl Ivan
Published: September 2018

This paper investigated the property evolutions of Mo thin films that were subjected to post-sputtering heat treatments from 700 °C to 1100 °C. It was found that, after annealing, the use of Si wafers eliminated crack formations found in previously reported Mo thin films sputtered on fused silica substrates. The recrystallization of the Mo thin film was found to start at 900 °C, which led to rearrangements of the preferred crystalline orientation and enhancement of grain size when the annealing temperature was further increased. The electrical conductivity of the Mo thin films was majorly affected by the increase of Mo crystallite size as the annealing temperature was increased. Overall, the improvement of material sustainability and compatibility in the high temperature annealing process has made it positive to implement a Mo-Si contact-substrate scheme for vertical structured Si QDs solar cells.
Biomechanical Modeling of Prosthetic Mesh and Human Tissue Surrogate Interaction
Authors: Chanda Arnab , Ruchti Tysum , Upchurch Weston
Published: September 2018

Surgical repair of hernia and prolapse with prosthetic meshes are well-known to cause pain, infection, hernia recurrence, and mesh contraction and failures. In literature, mesh failure mechanics have been studied with uniaxial, biaxial, and cyclic load testing of dry and wet meshes. Also, extensive experimental studies have been conducted on surrogates, such as non-human primates and rodents, to understand the effect of mesh stiffness, pore size, and knitting patterns on mesh biocompatibility. However, the mechanical properties of such animal tissue surrogates are widely different from human tissues. Therefore, to date, mechanics of the interaction between mesh and human tissues is poorly understood. This work addresses this gap in literature by experimentally and computationally modeling the biomechanical behavior of mesh, sutured to human tissue phantom under tension. A commercially available mesh (Prolene®) was sutured to vaginal tissue phantom material and tested at different uniaxial strains and strain rates. Global and local stresses at the tissue phantom, suture, and mesh were analyzed. The results of this study provide important insights into the mechanics of prosthetic mesh failure and will be indispensable for better mesh design in the future.
Optimized Modeling and Control Strategy of the Single-Phase Photovoltaic Grid-Connected Cascaded H-bridge Multilevel Inverter
Authors: Lee Seongjun , Kim Jonghoon
Published: September 2018

This paper presents the modeling and control-loop design method with an inverted decoupling scheme of a single-phase photovoltaic grid-connected five-level cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter. For the unity power factor, the proportional and integral current controller with a duty ratio feed-forward compensation is used. In addition, in order to achieve the maximum power point tracking of each photovoltaic array, when the stacked modules are in the partial shading condition, each direct current (DC) voltage is stably controlled to their maximum power points (MPP) by dedicated voltage controllers of each H-bridge module. This paper also presents a control method that minimizes the effect of the loop-interaction in the design of an individual DC-link voltage control loop in a two-input two-output system. The proposed control methods of the cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter are validated through the simulation and experimental results of the 2-kW prototype hardware.
Improved Data Center Energy Efficiency and Availability with Multilayer Node Event Processing
Authors: Matko Vojko , Brezovec Barbara
Published: September 2018

This article presents an overview of a new multilayer node event processing (MNEP) method for improved data center energy efficiency and event management monitoring in its physical infrastructure. Event management is essential for the provision and maintenance of the reliability and functionality of the physical infrastructure. For effective maintenance, action preventing any downtime accurate event information as well as appropriate energy support is of outmost importance. The novelty of this approach lies in the enhanced availability and reliability of the physical infrastructure, improved data center infrastructure energy efficiency, as well as lower costs when designing a new physical infrastructure system. The MNEP method presents a data model based on the node tree processing. The experimental results show that the number of all potential unexpected events is reduced significantly as a result of the accurate identification of the alarm root cause. The comparison of time parameters required to evaluate the maintenance factors shows that the time needed to detect, identify, and react to alarm events decreases and has a significant impact on maintaining a defined high level of availability and energy efficiency in a data center physical infrastructure.
Experimental Research on the Thermal Performance and Semi-Visualization of Rectangular Flat Micro-Grooved Gravity Heat Pipes
Authors: Gou Xiang , Zhang Qiyan , Li Yamei , Liu Yingfan , Liu Shian , Iram Saima
Published: September 2018

To strengthen the heat dissipating capacity of a heat pipe used for integrated insulated gate bipolar transistors, as an extension of our earlier work, the effect of micro-groove dimension on the thermal performance of flat micro-grooved gravity heat pipe was studied. Nine pipes with different depths (0.4 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.2 mm) and widths (0.4 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.2 mm) were fabricated and tested under a heating load range from 80 W to 180 W. The start-up time, temperature difference, relative thermal resistance and equivalent thermal conductivity were presented as performance indicators by comparison of flat gravity heat pipes with and without micro-grooves. Results reveal that the highest equivalent thermal conductivity of the flat micro-grooved gravity heat pipes is 2.55 times as that of the flat gravity heat pipe without micro-grooves. The flat gravity heat pipes with deeper and narrower micro-grooves show better thermal performance and the optimal rectangular micro-groove dimension among the selected options is determined to be 1.2 mm (depth) × 0.4 mm (width). Furthermore, the liquid–vapor phase behaviors were observed to verify the heat transfer effects and analyze the heat transfer mechanism of the flat micro-grooved heat pipes.
A Compensation Control Scheme of Voltage Unbalance Using a Combined Three-Phase Inverter in an Islanded Microgrid
Authors: Ren Biying , Sun Xiangdong , Chen Shasha , Liu Huan
Published: September 2018

A large number of single-phase loads in an islanded microgrid have a bad influence on the alternating current (AC) bus voltage symmetry, which will further impact the power supply for the other loads. In this paper, the combined three-phase inverter is adopted as the distributed generation (DG) interface circuit for its independent control of each bridge. However, the combined three-phase inverter will generate an asymmetrical voltage with the traditional droop control. Moreover, the system impedance also effects the voltage symmetry. Therefore, the improved droop control method based on the self-adjusting P-f and Q-U droop curves and the system impedance voltage drop compensation are proposed. The system control scheme is also designed in detail. A simulation and an experiment under the conditions of the balanced, unbalanced loads are carried out, and the results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the control strategy.
Effect of Rotation Age and Thinning Regime on Visual and Structural Lumber Grades of Douglas-Fir Logs
Authors: Lowell Eini C. , Turnblom Eric C. , Comnick Jeff M. , Huang CL
Published: September 2018

Douglas-fir, the most important timber species in the Pacific Northwest, US (PNW), has high stiffness and strength. Growing it in plantations on short rotations since the 1980s has led to concerns about the impact of juvenile/mature wood proportion on wood properties. Lumber recovered from four sites in a thinning trial in the PNW was analyzed for relationships between thinning regime and lumber grade yield. Linear mixed-effects models were developed for understanding how rotation age and thinning affect the lumber grade yield. Log small-end diameter was overall the most important for describing the presence of an appearance grade, generally exhibiting an indirect relationship with the lower quality grades. Stand Quadratic Mean Diameter (QMD) was found to be the next most uniformly important predictor, its influence (positive or negative) depending on the lumber grade. For quantity within a grade, as log small-end diameter increased, the quantity of the highest grade increased, while decreasing the quantity of the lower grades differentially. Other tree and stand attributes were of varying importance among grades, including stand density, tree height, and stand slope, but logically depicted the tradeoffs or rebalancing among the grades as the tree and stand characteristics change. Structural lumber grade presence was described best by acoustic wave flight time, log position (decreasing presence in upper logs), and an increasing presence with rotation age. A smaller set of variables proved useful for describing quantity within a structural grade. Forest managers can use these results in planning to best capture value in harvesting, allowing them to direct raw materials (logs) to appropriate manufacturing facilities given market demand.
Preventing Overflow Metabolism in Crabtree-Positive Microorganisms through On-Line Monitoring and Control of Fed-Batch Fermentations
Authors: Habegger Loïc , Rodrigues Crespo Kelly , Dabros Michal
Published: September 2018

At specific growth rates above a particular critical value, Crabtree-positive microorganisms exceed their respiratory capacity and enter diauxic growth metabolism. Excess substrate is converted reductively to an overflow metabolite, resulting in decreased biomass yield and productivity. To prevent this scenario, the cells can be cultivated in a fed-batch mode at a growth rate maintained below the critical value, µcrit. This approach entails two major challenges: accurately estimating the current specific growth rate and controlling it successfully over the course of the fermentation. In this work, the specific growth rate of S. cerevisiae and E. coli was estimated from enhanced on-line biomass concentration measurements obtained with dielectric spectroscopy and turbidity. A feedforward-feedback control scheme was implemented to maintain the specific growth rate at a setpoint below µcrit, while on-line FTIR measurements provided the early detection of the overflow metabolites. The proposed approach is in line with the principles of Bioprocess Analytical Technology (BioPAT), and provides a means to increase the productivity of Crabtree-positive microorganisms.
Feature Extraction and Selection of Sentinel-1 Dual-Pol Data for Global-Scale Local Climate Zone Classification
Authors: Hu Jingliang , Ghamisi Pedram , Zhu Xiao Xiang
Published: September 2018

The concept of the local climate zone (LCZ) has been recently proposed as a generic land-cover/land-use classification scheme. It divides urban regions into 17 categories based on compositions of man-made structures and natural landscapes. Although it was originally designed for temperature study, the morphological structure concealed in LCZs also reflects economic status and population distribution. To this end, global LCZ classification is of great value for worldwide studies on economy and population. Conventional classification approaches are usually successful for an individual city using optical remote sensing data. This paper, however, attempts for the first time to produce global LCZ classification maps using polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) data. Specifically, we first produce polarimetric features, local statistical features, texture features, and morphological features and compare them, with respect to their classification performance. Here, an ensemble classifier is investigated, which is trained and tested on already separated transcontinental cities. Considering the challenging global scope this work handles, we conclude the classification accuracy is not yet satisfactory. However, Sentinel-1 dual-Pol SAR data could contribute the classification for several LCZ classes. According to our feature studies, the combination of local statistical features and morphological features yields the best classification results with 61.8% overall accuracy (OA), which is 3% higher than the OA produced by the second best features combination. The 3% is considerably large for a global scale. Based on our feature importance analysis, features related to VH polarized data contributed the most to the eventual classification result.
Excellent Degradation Performance of a Versatile Phthalic Acid Esters-Degrading Bacterium and Catalytic Mechanism of Monoalkyl Phthalate Hydrolase
Authors: Fan Shuanghu , Wang Junhuan , Yan Yanchun , Wang Jiayi , Jia Yang
Published: September 2018

Despites lots of characterized microorganisms that are capable of degrading phthalic acid esters (PAEs), there are few isolated strains with high activity towards PAEs under a broad range of environmental conditions. In this study, Gordonia sp. YC-JH1 had advantages over its counterparts in terms of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) degradation performance. It possessed an excellent degradation ability in the range of 20–50 °C, pH 5.0–12.0, or 0–8% NaCl with the optimal degradation condition 40 °C and pH 10.0. Therefore, strain YC-JH1 appeared suitable for bioremediation application at various conditions. Metabolites analysis revealed that DEHP was sequentially hydrolyzed by strain YC-JH1 to mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and phthalic acid (PA). The hydrolase MphG1 from strain YC-JH1 hydrolyzed monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-n-hexyl phthalate (MHP), and MEHP to PA. According to molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation between MphG1 and monoalkyl phthalates (MAPs), some key residues were detected, including the catalytic triad (S125-H291-D259) and the residues R126 and F54 potentially binding substrates. The mutation of these residues accounted for the reduced activity. Together, the mechanism of MphG1 catalyzing MAPs was elucidated, and would shed insights into catalytic mechanism of more hydrolases.
Methodological Approaches to Study Extracellular Vesicle miRNAs in Epstein–Barr Virus-Associated Cancers
Authors: Sun Li , Meckes David G.
Published: September 2018

Epstein Barr-virus (EBV) was the first virus identified to be associated with human cancer in 1964 and is found ubiquitously throughout the world’s population. It is now established that EBV contributes to the development and progression of multiple human cancers of both lymphoid and epithelial cell origins. EBV encoded miRNAs play an important role in tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, immune escape, tissue invasion, and metastasis. Recently, EBV miRNAs have been found to be released from infected cancer cells in extracellular vesicles (EVs) and regulate gene expression in neighboring uninfected cells present in the tumor microenvironment and possibly at distal sites. As EVs are abundant in many biological fluids, the viral and cellular miRNAs present within EBV-modified EVs may serve as noninvasion markers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we discuss recent advances in EV isolation and miRNA detection, and provide a complete workflow for EV purification from plasma and deep-sequencing for biomarker discovery.
Deletion of Bmal1 Prevents Diet-Induced Ectopic Fat Accumulation by Controlling Oxidative Capacity in the Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Wada Taira , Ichihashi Yuya , Suzuki Emi , Kosuge Yasuhiro , Ishige Kumiko , Uchiyama Taketo , Makishima Makoto , Nakao Reiko , Oishi Katsutaka , Shimba Shigeki
Published: September 2018

Brain and muscle arnt-like protein 1 (BMAL1), is a transcription factor known to regulate circadian rhythm. BMAL1 was originally characterized by its high expression in the skeletal muscle. Since the skeletal muscle is the dominant organ system in energy metabolism, the possible functions of BMAL1 in the skeletal muscle include the control of metabolism. Here, we established that its involvement in the regulation of oxidative capacity in the skeletal muscle. Muscle-specific Bmal1 KO mice (MKO mice) displayed several physiological hallmarks for the increase of oxidative capacity. This included increased energy expenditure and oxygen consumption, high running endurance and resistance to obesity with improved metabolic profiles. Also, the phosphorylation status of AMP-activated protein kinase and its downstream signaling substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase in the MKO mice were substantially higher than those in the Bmal1flox/flox mice. In addition, biochemical and histological studies confirmed the substantial activation of oxidative fibers in the skeletal muscle of the MKO mice. The mechanism includes the regulation of Cacna1s expression, followed by the activation of calcium—nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) axis. We thus conclude that BMAL1 is a critical regulator of the muscular fatty acid level under nutrition overloading and that the mechanism involves the control of oxidative capacity.
Transcriptional Homeostasis of Oxidative Stress-Related Pathways in Altered Gravity
Authors: Tauber Svantje , Christoffel Swantje , Thiel Cora Sandra , Ullrich Oliver
Published: September 2018

Whereby several types of cultured cells are sensitive to gravity, the immune system belongs to the most affected systems during spaceflight. Since reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) are serving as signals of cellular homeostasis, particularly in the cells of the immune system, we investigated the immediate effect of altered gravity on the transcription of 86 genes involved in reactive oxygen species metabolism, antioxidative systems, and cellular response to oxidative stress, using parabolic flight and suborbital ballistic rocket experiments and microarray analysis. In human myelomonocytic U937 cells, we detected a rapid response of 19.8% of all of the investigated oxidative stress-related transcripts to 1.8 g of hypergravity and 1.1% to microgravity as early as after 20 s. Nearly all (97.2%) of the initially altered transcripts adapted after 75 s of hypergravity (max. 13.5 g), and 100% adapted after 5 min of microgravity. After the almost complete adaptation of initially altered transcripts, a significant second pool of differentially expressed transcripts appeared. In contrast, we detected nearly no response of oxidative stress-related transcripts in human Jurkat T cells to altered gravity. In conclusion, we assume a very well-regulated homeostasis and transcriptional stability of oxidative stress-related pathways in altered gravity in cells of the human immune system.