bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Evaluation for Real-Time Compaction Quality Using i-AHP and i-GAM: Case Study of Earth-Rock Dam
Authors: Liu Minghui , Wang Xiaoling , Wang Jiajun , Cui Bo , Deng Boqi , Shi Mengnan
Published: April 2019

The real-time compaction quality evaluation of earth-rock dam plays a pivotal role in ensuring dam safety. However, the current real-time compaction quality evaluation only takes the physical properties of compacted dam materials into account, which fails to characterize whether their mechanical property meets the requirements of deformation and destruction, and no quantitative heterogeneity of real-time compaction quality is studied. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation method to address these problems. First, based on on-site tests, real-time physical and mechanical indices are obtained. Next, the analytic hierarchy process, extended by the interval model (i-AHP) method, is introduced for real-time compaction quality evaluation considering both these indices, and the hybrid compaction index (HCI) is firstly proposed based on the i-AHP method. Finally, an improved geostatistical analysis method (i-GAM) is developed to quantify the real-time compaction quality heterogeneity. A case study of an earth-rock dam project in southwest China demonstrates the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method.
An Inductive Debris Sensor for a Large-Diameter Lubricating Oil Circuit Based on a High-Gradient Magnetic Field
Authors: Xiao Hong , Wang Xinyu , Li Hongcheng , Luo Jiufei , Feng Song
Published: April 2019

Wear is one of the main factors of machine failure. If abnormal wear was not detected in time during the operation of a mechanical system, it probably leads to catastrophic consequences. The wear debris in the lubricating oil circuit contains much information about equipment wear. Consequently, debris detection is regarded as an effective way to detect mechanical faults. In this paper, an inductive debris sensor based on a high-gradient magnetic field is presented for high-throughput lubricating oil circuits. The excitation coil of the sensor is driven by a constant current to generate a high-gradient magnetic field, and the induction coil is wound around the flow path. When wear debris cuts the magnetic line through the flow path, a corresponding induced voltage is generated. The experimental results show that the sensor output signal is linear with the drive current and the wear debris velocity. In addition, the shortest distance between the particles that the sensor output signals can be completely separated is 25 mm. When the distance is smaller, the induced signals are superimposed.
Life-Cycle Optimization of a Chiller Plant with Quantified Analysis of Uncertainty and Reliability in Commercial Buildings
Authors: Yan Chengchu , Cheng Qi , Cai Hao
Published: April 2019

Conventional and most optimal design methods for chiller plants often address the annual cooling load distribution of buildings and their peak cooling loads based on typical meteorological year (TMY) data, while the peak cooling load only appears a few times during the life-cycle and the sized chiller plant usually operates within its low efficient region. In this paper, a robust optimal design method based on life-cycle total cost was employed to optimize the design of a chiller plant with quantified analysis of uncertainty and reliability. By using the proposed design method, the optimized chiller plant can operate at its highly efficient region under various cooling load conditions, and provide sufficient cooling capacity even alongside some equipment/systems with failures. The minimum life-cycle total cost, which consists of the capital cost, operation, and availability-risk cost, can be achieved through optimizing the total cooling capacity and the numbers/sizes of chillers. A case study was conducted to illustrate the detailed implementation process of the proposed method. The performance of this design method was evaluated by comparing with that of other design methods.
Enhancement of ECE SuperPin Curved Reflex Reflector by the Use of Double Pins with Corner Cubes
Authors: Le Lanh-Thanh , Le Hien-Thanh , Chen Ming-Jui , Luo Guo-Feng , Liao Hsing-Yuan , Ma Hsin-Yi , Lee Hsiao-Yi
Published: April 2019

A new, highly efficient curved reflex reflector is proposed to meet the requirement of EU ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) regulations based on the commercial design provided by an automotive company which has been in mass production. We used double pins with corner cubes which served as the building element of a SuperPin curved retro-reflector to enhance reflectivity performance. Our experiment outcomes indicated 46% higher retro-reflection efficiency and 33% larger working areas compared with the commercial design.
When Energy Trading Meets Blockchain in Electrical Power System: The State of the Art
Authors: Wang Naiyu , Zhou Xiao , Lu Xin , Guan Zhitao , Wu Longfei , Du Xiaojiang , Guizani Mohsen
Published: April 2019

With the rapid growth of renewable energy resources, energy trading has been shifting from the centralized manner to distributed manner. Blockchain, as a distributed public ledger technology, has been widely adopted in the design of new energy trading schemes. However, there are many challenging issues in blockchain-based energy trading, e.g., low efficiency, high transaction cost, and security and privacy issues. To tackle these challenges, many solutions have been proposed. In this survey, the blockchain-based energy trading in the electrical power system is thoroughly investigated. Firstly, the challenges in blockchain-based energy trading are identified and summarized. Then, the existing energy trading schemes are studied and classified into three categories based on their main focuses: energy transaction, consensus mechanism, and system optimization. Blockchain-based energy trading has been a popular research topic, new blockchain architectures, models and products are continually emerging to overcome the limitations of existing solutions, forming a virtuous circle. The internal combination of different blockchain types and the combination of blockchain with other technologies improve the blockchain-based energy trading system to better satisfy the practical requirements of modern power systems. However, there are still some problems to be solved, for example, the lack of regulatory system, environmental challenges and so on. In the future, we will strive for a better optimized structure and establish a comprehensive security assessment model for blockchain-based energy trading system.
Changes in Precipitation and Drought Extremes over the Past Half Century in China
Authors: Liu Min , Shen Yanjun , Qi Yongqing , Wang Yanfang , Geng Xinxin
Published: April 2019

Changes in climate extremes have become a hot issue in the research field of climate change recently. Many studies have reported that climate extremes have occurred more frequently and with increasing intensity in recent decades. In this study, thresholds of precipitation and drought extremes were determined by the cumulative distribution function, and their spatiotemporal changes over the past half-century in China were analyzed by relative change rate. The results show that: (1) precipitation extremes increased in all regions except North China, while increasing trends of drought extremes were detected in all regions except Northwest China and the Qing–Tibet Plateau; (2) the maximum change rates in frequency of precipitation extremes were found in Northwest China and the Qing–Tibet Plateau, with values of 16.13% and 8.12%, and the maximum change rates in frequency of drought extremes were in Southwest and Southeast China, whose increases in intensity of drought extremes were also the maximum; (3) variation in precipitation extremes showed a relatively mixed pattern with higher heterogeneity compared to that of drought extremes; and (4) changes in precipitation and drought extremes relate to mid-intensity, lower-intensity, and annual precipitation.
The Expression of Adipose Tissue-Derived Cardiotrophin-1 in Humans with Obesity
Authors: Stephens Jacqueline , Ravussin Eric , White Ursula
Published: April 2019

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a gp130 cytokine that was previously characterized for its effects on cardiomyocytes and identified as a marker of heart failure. More recent studies reported elevated circulating levels of CT-1 in humans with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, a subsequent rodent study implicated CT-1 as a potential therapeutic target for obesity and MetS. Adipose tissue (AT) is broadly acknowledged as an endocrine organ and is a substantial source of CT-1. However, no study has examined the expression of adipose-derived CT-1 in humans. We present the first analysis of CT-1 mRNA expression in subcutaneous AT and its association with clinical variables in 22 women with obesity and 15 men who were 40% overfed for 8-weeks. We observed that CT-1 expression was higher in the subcutaneous abdominal (scABD) than the femoral (scFEM) depot. Importantly, we reveal that scFEM but not scABD, CT-1 expression was negatively associated with visceral adiposity and intrahepatic lipid, while positively correlated with insulin sensitivity in obese women. Also, men with higher CT-1 levels at baseline had less of a decline in insulin sensitivity in response to overfeeding. Our data provide new knowledge on the regulation of adipose-derived CT-1 in obesity and during weight gain in response to overfeeding in humans and suggest that CT-1 may play a protective role in obesity and related disorders.
EEG Window Length Evaluation for the Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease over Different Brain Regions
Authors: Tzimourta Katerina D. , Giannakeas Nikolaos , Tzallas Alexandros T. , Astrakas Loukas G. , Afrantou Theodora , Ioannidis Panagiotis , Grigoriadis Nikolaos , Angelidis Pantelis , Tsalikakis Dimitrios G. , Tsipouras Markos G.
Published: April 2019

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurogenerative disorder and the most common type of dementia with a rapidly increasing world prevalence. In this paper, the ability of several statistical and spectral features to detect AD from electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings is evaluated. For this purpose, clinical EEG recordings from 14 patients with AD (8 with mild AD and 6 with moderate AD) and 10 healthy, age-matched individuals are analyzed. The EEG signals are initially segmented in nonoverlapping epochs of different lengths ranging from 5 s to 12 s. Then, a group of statistical and spectral features calculated for each EEG rhythm (δ, θ, α, β, and γ) are extracted, forming the feature vector that trained and tested a Random Forests classifier. Six classification problems are addressed, including the discrimination from whole-brain dynamics and separately from specific brain regions in order to highlight any alterations of the cortical regions. The results indicated a high accuracy ranging from 88.79% to 96.78% for whole-brain classification. Also, the classification accuracy was higher at the posterior and central regions than at the frontal area and the right side of temporal lobe for all classification problems.
Design and Fabrication of a Responsive Carrier Component Envelope
Authors: Chang Teng-Wen , Huang Hsin-Yi , Datta Sambit
Published: April 2019

Responsive architecture comprises the creation of buildings or structural elements of buildings that adapt in response to external stimuli or internal conditions. The responsiveness of such structures rests on addressing constraints from multiple domains of expertise. The dynamic integration of geometric, structural, material and electronic subsystems requires innovative design methods and processes. This paper reports on the design and fabrication of a responsive carrier component envelope (RCCE) that responds by changing shape through kinetic motion. The design of the RCCE is based on geometry and structure of carrier surfaces populated with a kinetic structural component that responds to external stimuli. We extend earlier prototypes to design a modular, component-driven bottom-up system assembly exploring full-scale material and electronic subsystems for the expansion and retraction of a symmetric polar array based on the Hobermann sphere. We test the kinetic responsiveness of the RCCE with material constraints and simulate responses by connecting the adaptive components with programmable input and behavior. Finally, a concrete situation from practice is presented where 16 fully-functional components of the adaptive component are assembled and tested as part of an interactive public placemaking installation at the Shenzhen MakerFaire Exhibition. The RCCE experimental prototype provides new results on the design and construction of an adaptive assembly in system design and planning, choice of fabrication and assembly methods and incorporation of dynamic forms. This paper concludes that the design and assembly of an adaptive structural component based on RCCE presents results for designing sensitive, creative, adaptable and sustainable architecture.
Efficacy of a Selective Binder of αVβ3 Integrin Linked to the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Sunitinib in Ovarian Carcinoma Preclinical Models
Authors: Sartori Andrea , Corno Cristina , De Cesare Michelandrea , Scanziani Eugenio , Minoli Lucia , Battistini Lucia , Zanardi Franca , Perego Paola
Published: April 2019

Ovarian carcinoma, the most lethal gynecological cancer, is characterized by late diagnosis, with drug resistance limiting the efficacy of platinum-based therapy. Since some integrins are upregulated in cancer, including ovarian carcinoma, they represent a potential target for drug delivery. Receptor tyrosine kinases are also deregulated in cancer and their expression has been associated with drug resistance. Here, the antitumor effects of three conjugates possessing a selective binder of the extracellular portion of integrin αVβ3 covalently linked to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib were investigated in cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant ovarian carcinoma cells expressing both tyrosine kinase VEGFR2 and αVβ3 at different levels. We found that one of the three compounds was active in inhibiting the growth of both drug-sensitive and -resistant cells in the micromolar range with a slightly increased potency in resistant cells as compared to sunitinib. The same compound markedly impaired cell migratory and invasive abilities and reduced paxillin phosphorylation. Antitumor activity studies in IGROV-1/Pt1 cells xenografted in nude mice revealed a striking activity of this conjugate versus sunitinib. Taken together, our results support the interest of integrin-targeted sunitinib conjugates for the treatment of drug-resistant tumors.
A Characterization of Dendritic Cells and Their Role in Immunotherapy in Glioblastoma: From Preclinical Studies to Clinical Trials
Authors: Srivastava Siddhartha , Jackson Christina , Kim Timothy , Choi John , Lim Michael
Published: April 2019

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and fatal primary central nervous system malignancy in adults with a median survival of less than 15 months. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are the standard of care and provide modest benefits in survival, but tumor recurrence is inevitable. The poor prognosis of GBM has made the development of novel therapies targeting GBM of paramount importance. Immunotherapy via dendritic cells (DCs) has garnered attention and research as a potential strategy to boost anti-tumor immunity in recent years. As the “professional” antigen processing and presenting cells, DCs play a key role in the initiation of anti-tumor immune responses. Pre-clinical studies in GBM have shown long-term tumor survival and immunological memory in murine models with stimulation of DC activity with various antigens and costimulatory molecules. Phase I and II clinical trials of DC vaccines in GBM have demonstrated some efficacy in improving the median overall survival with minimal to no toxicity with promising initial results from the first Phase III trial. However, there remains no standardization of vaccines in terms of which antigens are used to pulse DCs ex vivo, sites of DC injection, and optimal adjuvant therapies. Future work with DC vaccines aims to elucidate the efficacy of DC-based therapy alone or in combination with other immunotherapy adjuvants in additional Phase III trials.
Strategies to Improve Cancer Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Efficacy, Other Than Abscopal Effect: A Systematic Review
Authors: Longo Vito , Brunetti Oronzo , Azzariti Amalia , Galetta Domenico , Nardulli Patrizia , Leonetti Francesco , Silvestris Nicola
Published: April 2019

Despite that the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors on malignancies treatment is unprecedented, a lack of response to these molecules is observed in several cases. Differently from melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, where the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors results in a high efficacy, the response rate in other tumors, such as gastrointestinal cancers, breast cancer, sarcomas, and part of genitourinary cancers remains low. The first strategy evaluated to improve the response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors is the use of predictive factors for the response such as PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden, and clinical features. In addition to the identification of the patients with a higher expression of immune checkpoint molecules, another approach currently under intensive investigation is the use of therapeutics in a combinatory manner with immune checkpoint inhibitors in order to obtain an enhancement of efficacy through the modification of the tumor immune microenvironment. In addition to the abscopal effect induced by radiotherapy, a lot of studies are evaluating several drugs able to improve the response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors, including microbiota modifiers, drugs targeting co-inhibitory receptors, anti-angiogenic therapeutics, small molecules, and oncolytic viruses. In view of the rapid and extensive development of this research field, we conducted a systematic review of the literature identifying which of these drugs are closer to achieving validation in the clinical practice.
Low CD8+ T Cell Infiltration and High PD-L1 Expression Are Associated with Level of CD44+/CD133+ Cancer Stem Cells and Predict an Unfavorable Prognosis in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Hou Ya-Chin , Chao Ying-Jui , Hsieh Min-Hua , Tung Hui-Ling , Wang Hao-Chen , Shan Yan-Shen
Published: April 2019

Cancer immunotherapy targeting immune checkpoints has exhibited promising clinical outcomes in many cancers, but it offers only limited benefits for pancreatic cancer (PC). Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a minor subpopulation of cancer cells, play important roles in tumor initiation, progression, and drug resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that CSCs employ immunosuppressive effects to evade immune system recognition. However, the clinical implications of the associations among CD8+ T cells infiltration, programmed death receptor ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression, and CSCs existence are poorly understood in PC. Immunostaining and quantitative analysis were performed to assess CD8+ T cells infiltration, PD-L1 expression, and their relationship with CD44+/CD133+ CSCs and disease progression in PC. CD8+ T cells infiltration was associated with better survival while PD-L1 expression was correlated with PC recurrence. Both the low CD8+ T cells infiltration/high PD-L1 expression group and the high CD8+ T cells infiltration/high PD-L1 expression group show high levels of CD44+/CD133+ CSCs, but patients with low CD8+ T cells infiltration/high PD-L1 expression had worse survival and higher recurrence risk than those with high CD8+ T cells infiltration/high PD-L1 expression. Moreover, high infiltration of CD8+ T cells could reduce unfavorable prognostic effect of high co-expression of PD-L1 and CD44/CD133. Our study highlights an interaction among CD8+ T cells infiltration, PD-L1 expression, and CD44+/CD133+ CSCs existence, which contributes to PC progression and immune evasion.
Parabolic, Flight-Induced, Acute Hypergravity and Microgravity Effects on the Beating Rate of Human Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Acharya Aviseka , Brungs Sonja , Lichterfeld Yannick , Hescheler Jürgen , Hemmersbach Ruth , Boeuf Helene , Sachinidis Agapios
Published: April 2019

Functional studies of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (hCMs) under different gravity conditions contribute to aerospace medical research. To study the effects of altered gravity on hCMs, we exposed them to acute hypergravity and microgravity phases in the presence and absence of the β-adrenoceptor isoprenalin (ISO), L-type Ca2+ channel (LTCC) agonist Bay-K8644, or LTCC blocker nifedipine, and monitored their beating rate (BR). These logistically demanding experiments were executed during the 66th Parabolic Flight Campaign of the European Space Agency. The hCM cultures were exposed to 31 alternating hypergravity, microgravity, and hypergravity phases, each lasting 20–22 s. During the parabolic flight experiment, BR and cell viability were monitored using the xCELLigence real-time cell analyzer Cardio Instrument®. Corresponding experiments were performed on the ground (1 g), using an identical set-up. Our results showed that BR continuously increased during the parabolic flight, reaching a 40% maximal increase after 15 parabolas, compared with the pre-parabolic (1 g) phase. However, in the presence of the LTCC blocker nifedipine, no change in BR was observed, even after 31 parabolas. We surmise that the parabola-mediated increase in BR was induced by the LTCC blocker. Moreover, the increase in BR induced by ISO and Bay-K8644 during the pre-parabola phase was further elevated by 20% after 25 parabolas. This additional effect reflects the positive impact of the parabolas in the absence of both agonists. Our study suggests that acute alterations of gravity significantly increase the BR of hCMs via the LTCC.
Three-Dimensional Casson Nanofluid Thin Film Flow over an Inclined Rotating Disk with the Impact of Heat Generation/Consumption and Thermal Radiation
Authors: Saeed Anwar , Shah Zahir , Islam Saeed , Jawad Muhammad , Ullah Asad , Gul Taza , Kumam Poom
Published: April 2019

In this research, the three-dimensional nanofluid thin-film flow of Casson fluid over an inclined steady rotating plane is examined. A thermal radiated nanofluid thin film flow is considered with suction/injection effects. With the help of similarity variables, the partial differential equations (PDEs) are converted into a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The obtained ODEs are solved by the homotopy analysis method (HAM) with the association of MATHEMATICA software. The boundary-layer over an inclined steady rotating plane is plotted and explored in detail for the velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles. Also, the surface rate of heat transfer and shear stress are described in detail. The impact of numerous embedded parameters, such as the Schmidt number, Brownian motion parameter, thermophoretic parameter, and Casson parameter (Sc, Nb, Nt, γ), etc., were examined on the velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles, respectively. The essential terms of the Nusselt number and Sherwood number were also examined numerically and physically for the temperature and concentration profiles. It was observed that the radiation source improves the energy transport to enhance the flow motion. The smaller values of the Prandtl number, Pr, augmented the thermal boundary-layer and decreased the flow field. The increasing values of the rotation parameter decreased the thermal boundary layer thickness. These outputs are examined physically and numerically and are also discussed.
The Role of Ammonium Chloride in the Powder Thermal Diffusion Alloying Process on a Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Lu Dongzhu , Jiang Quantong , Zheng Meng , Zhang Jie , Huang Yanliang , Hou Baorong
Published: April 2019

The powder thermal diffusion alloying method could be utilized to fabricate Al-rich intermetallic coatings on magnesium alloys in the air. While the role of ammonium chloride powder in the diffusion alloying source is still to be investigated. This research took the AZ91D magnesium alloy as the substrate. Diffusion sources with various powders were utilized as the diffusion source. Microstructure observation and phase identification were enrolled to investigate the role of the ammonium chloride powder in the diffusion alloying process. Results indicate that HCl gas could turn some solid Al powder into gaseous AlCl3 to enhance the transport of active Al atoms, moreover, it reacts with the dense MgO film and converts it to a loose one, which enables the AlCl3 gas to penetrate MgO and arrive the matrix to form a protective coating. Furthermore, the ammonium chloride content should be confined to 10 wt. % of the diffusion alloying source. Too much ammonium chloride powder would result in a worse intermetallic coating.
Dielectric and Piezoelectric Properties of Textured Lead-Free Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-Based Ceramics
Authors: Dong Nannan , Gao Xiaoyi , Xia Fangquan , Liu Hanxing , Hao Hua , Zhang Shujun
Published: April 2019

This work provides a comparative study of the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of randomly oriented and textured 0.88Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-0.08K0.5Bi0.5TiO3-0.04BaTiO3 (88NBT) ceramics. Textured ceramics were fabricated by template grain growth (TGG) method using NaNbO3 (NN) for templates. For textured ceramics with 4 wt% NN templates, a Lotgering factor of 96% and piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 185 pC/N were obtained. Compared to the randomly oriented ceramics, textured ceramics show lower strain hysteresis (H = 7.6%), higher unipolar strain of 0.041% with corresponding large signal piezoelectric coefficient d33* of 200 pm/V at applied field of 2 kV/mm. This enhancement can be explained by the grain orientation along <001> direction by texturing, where an engineered domain configuration is formed after polarization, leading to decreased hysteresis and increased piezoelectric property.
Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of NbTiAlSiZrNx High-Entropy Films Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Xing Qiuwei , Wang Haijiang , Chen Mingbiao , Chen Zhaoyun , Li Rongbin , Jin Peipeng , Zhang Yong
Published: April 2019

In this study, we designed and fabricated NbTiAlSiZrNx high-entropy alloy (HEA) films. The parameters of the radio frequency (RF) pulse magnetron sputtering process were fixed to maintain the N2 flux ratio at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. Subsequently, NbTiAlSiZrNx HEA films were deposited on the 304 stainless steel (SS) substrate. With an increasing N2 flow rate, the film deposited at a RN of 50% had the highest hardness (12.4 GPa), the highest modulus (169 GPa), a small roughness, and a beautiful color. The thicknesses of the films were gradually reduced from 298.8 nm to 200 nm, and all the thin films were of amorphous structure. The electrochemical corrosion resistance of the film in a 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 solution at room temperature was studied and the characteristics changed. The HEA films prepared at N2 flow rates of 10% and 30% were more prone to corrosion than 304 SS, but the corrosion rate was lower than that of 304 SS. NbTiAlSiZrNx HEA films prepared at N2 flow rates of 20%, 40%, and 50% were more corrosion-resistant than 304 SS. In addition, the passivation stability of the NbTiAlSiZrNx HEA was worse than that of 304 SS. Altogether, these results show that pitting corrosion occurred on NbTiAlSiZrNx HEA films.
Understanding the Role, Expectations, and Challenges That Policy-Makers Face in Using Educational Research
Authors: Ion Georgeta , Iftimescu Simona , Proteasa Carmen , Marin Elena
Published: April 2019

This study provides an insight into the challenges faced in establishing a closer collaboration between educational research and its use in the policy-making process. It aims to identify the factors influencing transfer from research to policy-making and the policy-makers’ needs, expectations, and perception on the use of educational research. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of Romanian national and local institutions. Specific software was used to facilitate data management and coding. The results indicate that there is a disconnect between policy-makers’ expectations and the input they receive from the research community, as well as a lack of an institutional framework to facilitate communication and interaction between them. There are systemic blockages on both sides: politics and the cost of opportunity for decision-making, a high level of bureaucracy, limited resources and accessibility of results, a lack of financing and of institutionalized communication, as well as a lack of consultation and cooperation between the two parties. The results indicate a willingness on the policy-makers’ side to acknowledge the importance of using research to inform decisions and their role in facilitating this process. This implies that researchers have limited control over the subsequent stages and could indicate the early point in the research process when other actors should be involved in order to ensure the potential or actual impact of research on policy.
A High-Performance Elliptic Curve Cryptographic Processor of SM2 over GF(p)
Authors: Hu Xianghong , Zheng Xin , Zhang Shengshi , Li Weijun , Cai Shuting , Xiong Xiaoming
Published: April 2019

Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is widely used in practical applications because ECC has far fewer bits for operands at the same level of security than other public-key cryptosystems such as RSA. The performance of an ECC processor is usually determined by modular multiplication (MM) and point multiplication (PM) operations. For recommended prime field, MM operation can consist of multiplication and fast reduction operations. In this paper, a 256-bit multiplication operation is implemented by a 129-bit (half-word) multiplier using Karatsuba–Ofman multiplication algorithm. The fast reduction is a modulo operation, which gets 512-bit input data from multiplication and outputs a 256-bit result ( 0 ≤ Z < p ) . We propose a two-stage fast reduction algorithm (TSFR) over SCA-256 prime field, which can obtain an intermediate result of 0 ≤ Z < 2 p instead of 0 ≤ Z < 14 p in traditional algorithm, avoiding a lot of repetitive subtraction operations. The PM operation is implemented in width nonadjacent form (NAF) algorithm and its operational schedules are improved to increase the parallelism of multiplication and fast reduction operations. Synthesized with a 0.13 μ m complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) standard cell library, the proposed processor costs an area of 280 k gates and PM operation takes 0.057 ms at the frequency of 250 MHz. The design is also implemented on Xilinx Virtex-6 platform, which consumes 27.655 k LUTs and takes 0.37 ms to perform one 256-bit PM operation, attaining six times speed-up over the state-of-the-art. The processor makes a tradeoff between area and performance, thus it is better than other methods.
Innovative Control Strategies for the Diagnosis of Injector Performance in an Internal Combustion Engine via Turbocharger Speed
Authors: Becciani Michele , Romani Luca , Vichi Giovanni , Bianchini Alessandro , Asai Go , Minamino Ryota , Bellissima Alessandro , Ferrara Giovanni
Published: April 2019

In order to ensure a high level of performance and to comply with the increasingly severe limitations in terms of fuel consumption and pollution emissions, modern diesel engines need continuous monitoring of their operating conditions by their control units. With particular focus on turbocharged engines, which are presently the standard in a large number of applications, the use of the average and the instantaneous turbocharger speeds is thought to represent a valuable feedback of the engine behavior, especially for the identification of the cylinder-to-cylinder injection variations. The correct operation of the injectors and control of the injected fuel quantity allow the controller to ensure the right combustion process and maintain engine performance. In the present study, two different techniques are presented to fit this scope. The techniques are discussed and experimentally validated, leading to the definition of an integrated control strategy, which features the main benefits of the two, and is able to correctly detect the cylinder-to-cylinder injection variation and, consequently, properly correct the injection in each cylinder in order to balance the engine behavior. In addition, the possibility of detecting misfiring events was assessed.
Feasibility of Continuous Pretreatment of Corn Stover: A Comparison of Three Commercially Available Continuous Pulverizing Devices
Authors: Gu Yang Mo , Kim Sunghyun , Sung Daekyung , Sang Byoung-In , Lee Jin Hyung
Published: April 2019

We determined the potential of three mechanical pulverizers—a continuous ball mill (CBM), an air classifier mill (ACM), and a high-speed mill (HSM)—in the continuous pretreatment of corn stover. The mean diameters of the pulverized biomasses were not significantly different in the three cases, and the glucose yields from the CBM-, ACM-, and HSM-pulverized samples were 29%, 49%, and 44%, respectively. The energy requirements and process capacities for the ACM and HSM were similar. We conclude that the ACM and HSM could be used in the continuous pretreatment of corn stover and would be useful in biofuel production.
Integration of Large Scale PV-Based Generation into Power Systems: A Survey
Authors: Rakhshani Elyas , Rouzbehi Kumars , J. Sánchez Adolfo , Tobar Ana Cabrera , Pouresmaeil Edris
Published: April 2019

This paper reports a general overview of current research on analysis and control of the power grid with grid scale PV-based power generations as well as of various consequences of grid scale integration of PV generation units into the power systems. Moreover, the history of PV renewable growth, deregulation of power system and issues related to grid-connected PV systems considering its contribution to various responsibilities like frequency control, virtual inertia capabilities and voltage regulation are discussed. Moreover, various outcomes of the high-penetrated grid with PV power plants such as power quality, active and reactive power control, protection, balancing and reliability under various loading conditions are reviewed and discussed.
Theoretical and Numerical Analysis of Freezing Risk During LNG Evaporation Process
Authors: Rogala Zbigniew , Brenk Arkadiusz , Malecha Ziemowit
Published: April 2019

The liquid natural gas (LNG) boiling process concerns most LNG applications due to a need for regasification. Depending on the pressure, the equilibrium temperature of LNG is 112–160 K. The low boiling temperature of LNG makes the vaporization process challenging because of a large temperature difference between the heating medium and LNG. A significant risk included in the regasification process is related to the possibility of solid phase formation (freezing of the heating fluid). A solid phase formation can lead to an increase in pressure loss, deterioration in heat transfer, or even to the destruction of the heat exchanger. This prompts the need for a better understanding of the heat transfer during the regasification process to help avoid a solid phase formation. The present research is focused on the investigation of the mutual interactions between several parameters, which play a significant role in the regasification process. The research is based on a zero-dimensional (0D) model, which was validated through the comparison with a state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. This made fast calculations and the study of the risk of freezing for a wide range of parameter space possible, including the LNG boiling regime. The boiling regime of LNG was shown to be a key factor in determining the risk of freezing.
The Paradox of Energy Consumption Decrease in the Transition Period towards a Digital Society
Authors: Pelau Corina , Acatrinei Carmen
Published: April 2019

The digital transformation era is in full motion, steadily making its way into common households, triggering changes in behavior as well as consumption patterns. While some changes can occur only within the context of the household mean income, such as the upgrade of appliances or devices, correlated with a personal preference in adopting such tools and technologies, there is one area that must keep with the pace of change, regardless of the household’s subjective criteria: energy consumption. The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of digitalization on the household energy consumption, with the intent to understand trends, anticipate future changes as well as impact energy consumption efficiency. The results of the panel regressions based on the quantity of consumed energy and the popularity of several internet activities have revealed an inverse relation. The increased number of consumers doing certain internet activities such as: internet calling, reading online newspapers, activities on social media networks and uploading content online determine a lower energy consumption for that economy. There was no significant evidence for the relation between the energy consumption and internet activities such as: reading e-mails, searching for, doing internet banking and online purchases.
Numerical and Experimental Study of Flow Characteristics in Solar Collector Manifolds
Authors: Karvounis Panagiotis , Koubogiannis Dimitrios , Hontzopoulos Elias , Hatziapostolou Antonios
Published: April 2019

The flow through a forced circulation Z-type flat plate solar collector was investigated by means of combined experimental measurements and numerical simulations. The efficient operation of such collectors depends on the uniformity of the flow rate distribution among their riser tubes, while low pumping power demand is also sought. Mass flow rate measurements in the riser tubes were performed, utilizing a specially adapted ultrasound instrument for various values of total flow rates in the collector. By means of a commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code, laminar and turbulent flow models in different computational grids were tested and validated against the experiments. Appropriate metrics were introduced to quantify flow rate distribution non-uniformity among the risers, and pressure drop through the manifold was calculated. Parametric studies for flow conditions outside the experimental window were performed utilizing the CFD method in order to assess the effect of the Reynolds number in the flow distribution among the riser tubes. Furthermore, aiming to enhance flow rate uniformity, a methodology based on modifying the diameter of each riser tube was applied and successfully demonstrated. The proposed method can be employed in large solar collector arrays, either as stand-alone systems or as belonging to hybrid alternative sources of energy (ASE) systems, aiming to optimize their overall efficiency.
Reconfiguration Method to Extract More Power from Partially Shaded Photovoltaic Arrays with Series-Parallel Topology
Authors: Liu Xiaoguang , Wang Yuefeng
Published: April 2019

A photovoltaic (PV) array is composed of several panels connected in series-parallel topology in most actual applications. However, partial shading of a PV array can dramatically reduce power generation. This paper presents a new reconfiguration method to extract more power from PV arrays under partial shade conditions. The method is designed using the effective maximum power point current and voltage of a PV panel. Its advantages involve (i) the method reconfigures the PV array without measuring the irradiance profile, and (ii) the reconfiguration is executed on the level of a PV module. Based on these two aspects, the method disperses the shade uniformly within the PV array, reducing the mismatch loss significantly and increasing power generation. The performance of the proposed method is investigated for different shade patterns and results show improved performance under partial shade conditions.
Genetic Diversity and Differentiation of Relict Plant Liriodendron Populations Based on 29 Novel EST-SSR Markers
Authors: Long Xiaofei , Weng Yuhao , Liu Siqin , Hao Zhaodong , Sheng Yu , Guan Lanhua , Shi Jisen , Chen Jinhui
Published: April 2019

Surviving relict populations of species that were more widespread in ancient times can teach us a lot, such as evolution and genetic differentiation. One such relict plant is Liriodendron, of which populations remain in China (L. chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg.) and the USA (L. tulipifera L.). Studying the genetic structure of these populations would give insight into the genetic differentiation and the breeding strategy. In this work, we developed and characterized 29 novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers based on expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from hybrid Liriodendron (Liriodendron chinense × tulipifera) callus. In total, 29 SSRs with perfect primer-designed were used to assess genetic diversity and differentiation. The set of polymorphic EST-SSR loci was identified in 48 Liriodendron individuals, represented by 35 individuals sampled from 14 provenances of L. chinense and 13 individuals sampled from 5 provenances of L. tulipifera. Our results indicated that L. chinense populations possess slightly higher genetic diversity than L. tulipifera populations. Based on genetic distances, 48 Liriodendron individuals clustered into three groups (the eastern China L. chinense, the western China L. chinense and L. tulipifera), although the STRUCTURE analysis of the Liriodendron populations revealed just two clear genetic clusters (L. chinense and L. tulipifera). Among these 29 novel markers, ESSR119 showed an obvious species-specific characteristic which can be very useful in marker-assisted selection (MAS). In general, all these EST-SSR markers may have agronomic potential and constitute a basis for future studies on the identification, innovation, and even preservation of Liriodendron germplasms.
Post-Border Forest Biosecurity in Australia: Response to Recent Exotic Detections, Current Surveillance and Ongoing Needs
Authors: Carnegie Angus J. , Nahrung Helen F.
Published: April 2019

Assessing exotic pest response and eradication programs can identify factors that will lead to increased pest detection and provide information for prioritizing and enhancing future eradication attempts. We review the forest-related insect and pathogen detections and responses in Australia between 1996 and 2017. Thirty-four detections of new exotic forest species were made in this timeframe; seventeen each of insects and pathogens. Twenty-nine of the species are now established in mainland Australia and another in the Torres Strait. Four of the established species cause high impact, and three of these were subject to failed eradication programs. Two of the four established high-impact species were not previously recognised as threats; indeed, 85% of all new detections were not considered high-priority risks. Only one forest pest has been successfully eradicated, suggesting a lower success rate of Australian forest eradication programs than the world average. Most of these exotic pests and pathogens were not detected early enough to attempt eradication, or they were not deemed a significant enough pest to warrant an eradication attempt. Early detection is key to successful eradication. We discuss current surveillance programs in Australia and the methods (general, specific), locations (urban, regional, amenity, plantation, nursery, native forest), and surveillance type (public, industry, ad-hoc researcher, forest health surveillance, high-risk site surveillance, pest-specific trapping) that detections were made under. While there has been an increase in detections using specific surveillance since 2010, there remains a need for a structured national approach to forest biosecurity surveillance, preparedness, and responses.
Agricultural Waste as a Reinforcement Particulate for Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite (AMMCs): A Review
Authors: Joseph Olufunmilayo O. , Babaremu Kunle O.
Published: April 2019

The desire to create sustainable development through research birthed this study. Over time, several authors have focused on the utilization of various chemical particulates as reinforcement constituents for metallic matric composites (MMCs) and aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMCs), which has thus far yielded positive outcomes for achieving the chemical, mechanical, microstructural, thermal, corrosion, and wear property improvement of various reinforced composites. However, this study focused on the search for the residing potentials in alternative materials that can be used as reinforcement particulates in place of the commonly used graphite, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, zirconium, and the likes. This study literarily revealed, via several reviews of literature, that the search for less expensive and easily procured materials with a silicon oxide and magnesium oxide chemical content instigated the utilization of materials from agricultural waste (agro-waste). According to the reviewed literature, some of the waste materials from agriculture that have been found to be useful for the particulate reinforcement of composites are groundnut shell, coconut shell, rice husk, breadfruit seed hull ash, aloe vera, bean pod ash, cow horn, and so on. It was discovered that processed agro-wastes in the form of powdery particulates have demonstrated great reinforcing abilities, as recorded in literature. In addition, they enhanced the mechanical properties of the various composites developed in comparison to the as-cast materials.
Environmental Sounds Influence the Multisensory Perception of Chocolate Gelati
Authors: Lin Yi Hsuan Tiffany , Hamid Nazimah , Shepherd Daniel , Kantono Kevin , Spence Charles
Published: April 2019

Recently, it has been shown that various auditory stimuli modulate flavour perception. The present study attempts to understand the effects of environmental sounds (park, food court, fast food restaurant, cafe, and bar sounds) on the perception of chocolate gelato (specifically, sweet, bitter, milky, creamy, cocoa, roasted, and vanilla notes) using the Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) method. Additionally, affective ratings of the auditory stimuli were obtained using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) in terms of their valence, arousal, and dominance. In total, 58 panellists rated the sounds and chocolate gelato in a sensory laboratory. The results revealed that bitterness, roasted, and cocoa notes were more evident when the bar, fast food, and food court sounds were played. Meanwhile, sweetness was cited more in the early mastication period when listening to park and café sounds. The park sound was significantly higher in valence, while the bar sound was significantly higher in arousal. Dominance was significantly higher for the fast food restaurant, food court, and bar sound conditions. Intriguingly, the valence evoked by the pleasant park sound was positively correlated with the sweetness of the gelato. Meanwhile, the arousal associated with bar sounds was positively correlated with bitterness, roasted, and cocoa attributes. Taken together, these results clearly demonstrate that people’s perception of the flavour of gelato varied with the different real-world sounds used in this study.