bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local laser softening of press-hardened steel at high feed rates
Authors: Vogt S. , Bechheim L. , Banik J. , Flaischerowitz M. , Weisheit Andreas , Schleifenbaum J. H.
Published: June 2018

The development of hot stamped manganese–boron steels established new potentials for lightweight constructions for applications in the automotive industry. This type of high strength steel allows the usage of thin sheet thicknesses resulting in low specific weight retaining the optimized performance of passive safety. The parts have a high tensile strength of about 1500 MPa. However, this high strength is not favorable in all sections of a part, especially those which are relevant for safety or for joining. To ensure the requirements for the crash properties or the joining areas, a high ductility is required in these areas. A way to overcome this problem is a local softening of the crash and joining zones via laser heat treatment. By means of laser radiation, the brittle martensitic microstructure is either tempered or transformed into a ferrite/perlite dominated microstructure. A fiber-coupled diode laser with a maximum laser power of 12 kW and rectangular laser spot is used for the laser heat treatment. The temperature is controlled by a monochromic pyrometer integrated into the optical system. Generally, the necessary process feed rate of the heat treatment process is low (about 1000 mm/min), as a homogeneous result of the heat treatment is pursued. As the feed rates increase (up to 8000 mm/min), the temperature distribution across the thickness of the material becomes more inhomogeneous. With the topside being hotter than the backside, the material is tempered with a varying intensity resulting in a hardness distribution across the thickness. The influencing parameters for this effect are being characterized, and the mechanical properties of the anisotropic material are investigated.
Optimization of laser-remote-cutting of CFRP by means of variable exposure delay times – simulation and validation
Authors: Oberlander Max , Canisius Marten , Hergoss Philipp , Bartsch Katharina , Herzog Dirk , Emmelmann Claus
Published: June 2018

The growing interest in carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastics (CFRP) leads to a rising demand for cost-efficient, alternative production methods, such as laser-remote-cutting. Since the cycle times, particularly in the automotive industry, represent a significant cost factor, this paper presents a method for reducing the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the CFRP-laminate while maximizing the cutting speed. In pursuing this goal, in this paper, a comparison is made between a multi- and a single-mode laser system. In addition, simulation is used to investigate which mechanisms contribute to the formation of the HAZ and the effect of the delay times between the exposures on the HAZ. For the comparison of the beam sources, attempts are made with regard to the required cumulative energy per unit length to achieve a complete cut. The developed numerical simulation takes into account the thermal decomposition of the plastic matrix as well as the fibers, the heat conduction in the laminate, the flow of the gaseous decomposition products in the kerf and the heat transfer by forced convection on the cutting edge, the layer setup, the material properties as well as the laser parameters power, scanning speed, exposure number, and the delay times between the exposures. By means of Monte-Carlo-simulation, an optimization of the HAZ or the sum of all delay times is carried out. The experiments show that a complete cut with the single-mode laser requires a higher energy than the multi-mode system. It can be shown by the simulation that the primary target conflict in laser beam cutting of CFRP with several exposures exists between the average width of the heat-affected zone and the sum of the delay times between the exposures. The sum of the delay times is decisive in particular for the effective cutting speed. The simulation also shows that as a rule at least 50% of the width of the heat-affected zone is caused by the flow of the gaseous process emission within the kerf. The optimization could be used to calculate and validate that a skillful selection of the delay times results in a reduction of the HAZ or the sum of all delay times. By comparison of the beam sources, it can be seen that the aspect ratio between laser beam diameter and laminate thickness must be optimized. In addition to the optimization of the delay times, it is also necessary to adjust the laser power and the scanning speed from exposure to exposure.
DISTRIBUCIÓN DE ESFUERZOS Y DESPLAZAMIENTOS EN CÓNDILO-DISCO DE LA ATM CON ELÁSTICOS CLASE III
Authors: Castro Luz Joana , Moreno Liseth Patricia , Zarate Adriana Guadalupe , Ocampo Adriana Marcela , Reyna Maria Sueños
Published: June 2018

Objetivo. Determinar la distribución de esfuerzos y desplazamientos en el  cóndilo disco de la ATM con el uso de elásticos clase III, de 5/16¨ con una fuerza de 150 gramos, mediante la simulación por elementos finitos. Método. Se seleccionó un sujeto de 38 años de edad, sin sintomatología articular y muscular, sin rehabilitación, se obtuvo una tomografía computarizada y una resonancia magnética, a partir de las cuales se realizaron dos reconstrucciones en 3D, de la cavidad glenoidea, disco articular, cóndilo mandibular y maxilar inferior. Resultados. Se observó en la cavidad glenoidea derecha un mayor esfuerzo y  desplazamiento en la zona lateral y medial y en la izquierda un mayor esfuerzo y desplazamiento en la zona anterior y lateral. En el disco articular derecho un mayor esfuerzo en la zona medial externa y desplazamiento en la zona lateral, mientras que en el izquierdo el mayor esfuerzo se evidenció en la zona anterior y lateral  y el  desplazamiento en su cara posterior y lateral.  En el cóndilo derecho se encontró un mayor esfuerzo en la cabeza condilar, evidenciándose una distribución de esfuerzos desde la zona del polo medial hasta el lateral. Conclusiones. El patrón de movimiento del maxilar inferior que se presenta con el uso de elásticos clase III puede estar influenciado por la morfología de las estructuras articulares.  El movimiento del maxilar inferior con el uso de elásticos clase III, podría favorecer o no alteraciones a nivel del cóndilo-disco, teniendo en cuenta la tolerancia estructural  y la adaptación biológica del sujeto.
The effect of lysine supplementation on the performance of Myanmar local breed and DYL crossed breed pig
Authors: Ngeun Koung
Published: June 2018

A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was comprised 2x3 factorial arrangements of two breeds (DYL and local breed) and three different lysine levels. The 18 weeks old, nine castrated DYL and nine local breed were randomly allocated in each individual pen to six treatment groups with three replicates into 18 pens. Two breeds of pigs (DYL and local breed) were exposed to the three different dietary treatments, L1- basal diet without lysine supplementation, L2- basal diet with 0.95% total lysine for finisher and L3- basal diet with 1.45% total lysine for finisher. The growth performance and back fat thickness were determined for finishing pigs. Significantly better body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and lower back fat were observed in pigs fed L2 but did not significantly differ from those fed L3. Otherwise, diets without lysine supplementation (L1) showed no better effect on the growth performances of both DYL and local breeds. It could be noted that L2 was the best level to obtain optimal growth performances and feed efficiency. Between the two breeds, growth performances of DYL were superior over that of local breed. Back fat thicknesses of DYL were also thinner than that of local breed. The interactions were observed between lysine levels and different breeds regard for final body weight, cumulative gain and feed conversion ratio. It was noticeable that lysine supplementation helped to improve growth performance and reduce back fat thickness of both local breed and DYL crossed breed. The result also showed that a comparison of the two different breed revealed the improved performances in DYL crossed breed rather than that of local breed.
Bir çağrı merkezindeki bekleme sürelerinin kuyruk modelleri ile iyileştirilmesi
Authors: AYDIN KESKİN Gülşen , ÇOLAK Murat , KARANFİL KOSTAK Gülay
Published: June 2018

Hizmet sektörünün önemli rol oynamaya başladığı günümüzde çağrı merkezleri her alanda karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bankalar başta olmak üzere hastaneler, teknik servisler, telekomünikasyon firmaları gibi pek çok yerde çağrı merkezleri etkin olarak kullanılmaktadır. Çağrı merkezleri pek çok hizmeti kolayca sağlamasına rağmen, arayan müşterilerin uzun süre beklemeleri memnuniyetsizliğe neden olmaktadır. Bu noktada, çağrı merkezleri müşterilerin bekleme sürelerini azaltmak için çeşitli yöntemler ve stratejiler uygulamakta ve sonuçlarını takip etmektedir. Bu makalede, bir çağrı merkezindeki bekleme sürelerini azaltarak müşteri memnuniyetini artırmak amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada ilk olarak mevcut durum analizi ile çağrı merkezinde yapılan işlemler arasında en uzun süreli olanı tespit edilmiştir. Sonraki aşamada, kuyruktaki beklemeleri azaltmak için bu işlemin sesli yanıtlama sisteminde, müşteriler tarafından gerçekleştirilmesi sağlanmıştır. Sonuç olarak, müşteri temsilcisine giden çağrılarda %5 oranında iyileşme ve kuyrukta bekleme sürelerinde de ortalama 6,84 sn azalma elde edilmiştir.
Лексико-семантический и психолингвистический анализ отношения калмыков к труду
Authors: Esenova Tamara S. , Kharchevnikova Rosa P. , Esenova Galina B.
Published: June 2018

В статье представлен анализ отношения калмыков к труду, основанный на сочетании лексико-семантических и психолингвистических подходов. Рассматриваются языковые средства, связанные с концептосферой «труд», и результаты психолингвистического эксперимента авторов, проведенного в 2015 г.: анкетирование и сочинение. Респондентами выступили 100 чел. — жители 13 районов Калмыкии и г. Элисты, калмыки от 18 до 30 лет (младшая группа), от 60 до 80 лет (старшая группа). Материалы исследования вводятся в научный оборот впервые.Языковым материалом выступили словари разных лет издания, откуда были выписаны все слова, обозначающие характеристики человека, мотивированные трудовой деятельностью. Также были проанализированы устойчивые обороты речи, выбранные методом сплошной выборки из лексикографических источников. Отмечено, что в калмыцком языке существует разнообразная лексика, передающая те или иные характеристики человека, которые складываются под влиянием разных обстоятельств, особенностей воспитания и проявляются в общении, в процессе трудовой деятельности, обуславливая определенную линию поведения человека. Особенности традиционной хозяйственной деятельности сформировали в калмыках такие черты характера, как старание, ответственность, прилежание, целеустремленность. Помимо этого, для калмыков характерны неспешность, планомерность, выносливость, непритязательность. Трудолюбие оценивается калмыками как добродетель, залог благополучия и достатка, понимается как морально необходимый вклад в благосостояние семьи, близких людей. Более высоко оценивается умственный, а не физический труд.По результатам психолингвистического исследования выявлено, что современные калмыки не рассматривают традиционный скотоводческий труд как занятие, которому они хотели бы себя посвятить, что косвенно свидетельствует об ослаблении этнического компонента в сознании современных калмыков. Мнения информантов отражают изменения, которые произошли в сознании современных калмыков под влиянием социокультурных реалий.
Mikrodalga ve Pastörizasyon Uygulamalarının Siyah Havucun Kalite Parametreleri Üzerine Etkisinin Belirlenmesi
Authors: UÇAN TÜRKMEN Filiz , MERCİMEK TAKCI Hatice Aysun , ÖZMERMER Sümeyye , BOZKURT Yasemin , GÜNERİ Ayşegül , ELAGÖZ Zeliha
Published: June 2018

Bu
çalışmada siyah havuca pastörizasyon ve mikrodalga uygulama olmak üzere iki
farklı ön işlem uygulanmıştır. Uygulanan bu işlemler sonucunda siyah havuç
örneklerinin, POD (peroksidaz), PME (pektinmetilesteraz), pH değeri, SÇKM (suda
çözünür kuru madde), toplam titrasyon asitliği, % nem tayini, askorbik asit, toplam
fenolik madde miktarı, toplam flavonoid madde miktarı, toplam monomerik
antosiyanin miktarı, antioksidan kapasite değeri, renk ve HMF
(hidroksimetilfurfural) özelliklerinin değişimi incelenmiştir. Araştırma
sonucunda, pastörizasyon ön işlemi uygulanan örneklerde; pH, % nem, antioksidan,
toplam monomerik antosiyanin ve renk (a, b) değerlerinde artış gözlemlenmiştir.
Ayrıca mikrodalga ön işlemi uygulanan örneklerde; SÇKM, PME, HMF, toplam
fenolik, toplam flavonoid, askorbik asit ve renk (L, hue ve kroma) değerlerinde
artış gözlemlenmiştir.
The Role of Case Studies in Effective Data Sharing, Reuse and Impact
Authors: Parsons Rebecca , Summers Scott
Published: June 2018

The Role of Case Studies in Effective Data Sharing, Reuse and Impact
Data Sharing and Archiving Qualitative and QL Data in Poland
Authors: Binder Piotr , Filipkowski Piotr
Published: June 2018

Data Sharing and Archiving Qualitative and QL Data in Poland
How to Develop a Preservation Policy: Guidelines From the nestor Working Group
Authors: Friese Yvonne
Published: June 2018

How to Develop a Preservation Policy: Guidelines From the nestor Working Group
Social Science Data Files and Bibliographic Control: Contributions Sue A. Dodd
Authors: Stephenson Libbie
Published: June 2018

Social Science Data Files and Bibliographic Control: Contributions Sue A. Dodd
Sue A. Dodd’s Lasting Influence: Libraries, Standards, and Professional Contributions
Authors: Gray Ann S.
Published: June 2018

Sue A. Dodd’s Lasting Influence: Libraries, Standards, and Professional Contributions
The Evolution of Data Citation: From Principles to Implementation
Authors: Crosas Mercè
Published: June 2018

The Evolution of Data Citation: From Principles to Implementation
IASSIST Session 5P Summary: Big Picture Metadata, June 5, Toronto, CA
Authors: Cannon San
Published: June 2018

IASSIST Session 5P Summary: Big Picture Metadata, June 5, Toronto, CA
From Data to the Creation of Meaning Part II: Data Librarian as Translator Kristin Partlo
Authors: Partlo Kristin
Published: June 2018

From Data to the Creation of Meaning Part II: Data Librarian as Translator Kristin Partlo
Researchers’ Interest in Data Service in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia
Authors: Bradic-Martinovic Aleksandra , Zdravkovic Aleksandar
Published: June 2018

Researchers’ Interest in Data Service in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia
Data Curation at U.Porto: Identifying current practices across disciplinary domains
Authors: Ribeiro Cristina , Fernandes Maria Eugénia Matos
Published: June 2018

Data Curation at U.Porto: Identifying current practices across disciplinary domains
Management Accounting and Control System
Authors: Dahal Rewan Kumar
Published: June 2018

A larger entity of the cost management system which assists executives in fulfilling organizational objectives is known as management accounting and control system (MACS). It is used for planning, monitoring and control of different organizational activities, to optimize the use of resources, to support the process of decision making and to the performance evaluation process. The scope of the MACS can be divided into two broad groups: technical considerations and behavioral considerations. Technical considerations fall into two categories: (i) the relevance of information generated and (ii) the scope of the system like the value chain, total life cycle costing, target costing, kaizen costing, benchmarking, balanced scorecard etc. whereas the behavioral consideration involves individuals and their behavior within organizations.NCC JournalVol. 3, No. 1, 2018, Page: 153-166
The law of strangers: The form and substance of other-regarding international adjudication
Authors: Agon Sivan Shlomo , Benvenisti Eyal
Published: June 2018

The ever-intensifying trends of global interdependence have created a complex reality in which decisions of sovereign states, like those of international courts, radiate far beyond their traditional confines, affecting the interests of a range of strangers (third states, individuals, corporations, and others), without being politically accountable to them. Could and should international courts narrow these accountability gaps by insisting that states take the interests of disregarded strangers into account and by opening the courts’ own doors to the strangers affected by their judgments? In this article, we analyze the judicial commitment to bridge these accountability gaps toward globally affected others by (a) ratcheting up the substantive and procedural duties that states owe to strangers affected by their national policies and (b) by facilitating the consideration and voice of affected strangers in the adjudication process itself. In analyzing these two other-regarding judicial responses, we focus on one pivotal site of global judicial governance, the World Trade Organization dispute settlement system (WTO DSS). Based on a close analysis of the rich WTO jurisprudence, the article shows that since its inception in 1995, other-regarding considerations have played a significant role in the WTO DSS operation. This WTO’s adjudicative philosophy of regard for others, the article argues, demonstrates an evolving judicial sensitivity to the challenges of accountability and voice generated by globalization at the national and international levels.
ПЕДАГОГІЧНІ УМОВИ ФОРМУВАННЯ КУЛЬТУРИ МОВЛЕННЯ СТУДЕНТІВ З КНР У ПРОЦЕСІ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ
Authors:   Сумський державний педагогічний університет імені А. С. Макаренка, Лулу Бянь
Published: June 2018

The article deals with the methodology of forming a culture of speech of students from the PRC in the process of professional training. In this context, the author considers the following pedagogical conditions: the development of students' sustainable motivation to learn the Russian language on the basis of the introduction of a special course on “The Basics of Forming a Culture of Speech for Foreign Students”; use of infocommunication technologies in the process of forming a culture of speech of students from China in the process of professional training; organization of out-of-class work of foreign students on the formation of a culture of speech in the process of professional training. Key words: pedagogical conditions, the culture of speech, forms, methods, special courses, vocational training.
PRACTICAL EDUCATION ON A HIGHER LEVEL IN POLAND: EXAMPLE OF KATOWICE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY
Authors:   Katowice School of Technology, Poland, Ostenda A. , Nestorenko T. ,   Berdiansk State Pedagogical University, Ukraine, Ostenda J. ,   University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland / Social worker Caritas, Germany
Published: June 2018

The aim of the present article is to show the benefits of practical education on the level of higher education. The authors used the Katowice School of Technology (KST) as an example, a school which is planning dual education with the participation of external companies at various fields of study, including mechatronics. Key words: practical education, innovative education, higher education.
УПРАВЛІННЯ ЗНАННЯМИ В ПРОЦЕСІ ФОРМУВАННЯ ПРЕДМЕТНИХ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТЕЙ МАЙБУТНІХ УЧИТЕЛІВ ІНФОРМАТИКИ
Authors:   Житомирський державний університет імені Івана Франка, Сікора Я.
Published: June 2018

The article substantiates the interrelation of two innovations – a concept of knowledge management and the application of a competent approach in education. Based on the classification of knowledge it is determined that tacit knowledge is present in the formation of competence, it distinguishes one student from another. The main concepts of knowledge management are described on the basis of the DIKW information model. The stages of knowledge life cycle identified, their transfer to the branch of education. Key words: сompetence, knowledge, knowledge management, knowledge life cycle.
ПЕДАГОГІЧНІ УМОВИ ВИХОВАННЯ ТОЛЕРАНТНОСТІ В СТАРШОКЛАСНИКІВ
Authors:   Київський університет Бориса Грінченка, Пономарьова О.
Published: June 2018

The article deals with the pedagogical conditions for upbringing tolerance in senior school pupils. The essence of the concept “condition” is revealed. Different approaches by scientists on the pedagogical conditions for upbringing tolerance in senior school pupils are determined. A wide range of pedagogical conditions for upbringing tolerance and various components of tolerance are shown. Given various forms of student’s self-management, which develop communication and cooperation skills for young personality. Key words: pedagogical conditions, upbringing, tolerance, senior school pupils.
ВІКОВІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ СПРИЙМАННЯ ДІТЬМИ ДОШКІЛЬНОГО ВІКУ МЕДІА-ПРОДУКЦІЇ
Authors:   Бердянський державний педагогічний університет, Семеняко Ю.
Published: June 2018

The article presents the overview of the research of perception of printed, audio and audiovisual media information and outlines the psychological features of such perception. In particular, the characteristics of media products that attract the attention of children's audience are considered. The author focuses on negative aspects of media in order to minimize this destructive influence. Key words: perception, visual perception, media production, screen information, media perception, media competence, preschool age.
МІСЦЕ МОВЛЕННЄВОГО РОЗВИТКУ В СТРУКТУРІ КОМУНІКАТИВНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ ШКОЛЯРІВ
Authors:   ДВНЗ “Переяслав-Хмельницький державний педагогічний університет імені Григорія Сковородиˮ, Кулик О.
Published: June 2018

The present article provides reasoning to the belief that: the notions of “language competency / competence,” “speech competency / competence,” “communicative competency / competence” are not identical but have semantic and structural differences, and therefore exist in hierarchical framework; the level of a person’s speech development is an indicator of relative quality of the acquired knowledge and skills, and it is subject to improvement and further development with consideration of low or high performance in real communicative processes; speech development ranks below the level of speech competence and above the level of speech activity in the structure of communicative competence. Key words: competency, competence, language, speech, communicative, speech development, structure, students, Ukrainian.
Learning to Read Social Reality in the Light of the Revelation
Authors: Arbab Haleh
Published: June 2018

Bahá’í contribution to discourses concerned with the betterment of the world and the advancement of civilization is a vast field of diverse activity, and it is by no means the intention of this article to address it in any comprehensive way. The purpose of this discussion is to make a modest offering to understanding one aspect of this endeavor—learning to read social reality in light of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh—as it relates to the thinking behind the programs of the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity. The Institute works in a relatively narrow area of this field to learn systematically about enhancing the capacity of individuals and groups to participate in some of the prevalent discourses of society.
History of EBBF
Authors: Couillard Francois
Published: June 2018

The European Bahá’í Business Forum (EBBF)1 is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2015. This Bahá’í-inspired organization is a small network of individuals dedicated to promoting ethical behavior and other Bahá’í values in the workplace. Although relatively unknown in North America, it has had significant influence at the local, national, and international levels. This paper considers how EBBF has helped its members understand the broader conversations of society and contribute to the advancement of discourse in a business context. It offers an analysis of fields in which it has had an impact, and of capacities and methods that have been developed, and suggests ideas worth exploring further for those engaged in contributing to the discourses of society.
1 As the article explains later, the name of the organization has been changed to Ethical Business Building Future.
Multi-AUV Cooperative Target Hunting Based on Improved Potential Field in a Surface-Water Environment
Authors: Ge Hengqing , Chen Guibin , Xu Guang
Published: June 2018

In this paper, target hunting aims to detect target and surround the detected target in a surface-water using Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (multi-AUV) in a given area. The main challenge in multi-AUV target hunting is the design of AUV’s motion path and coordination mechanism. To conduct the cooperative target hunting by multi-AUV in a surface-water environment, an integrated algorithm based on improved potential field (IPF) is proposed. First, a potential field function is established according to the information of the surface-water environment. Then, the dispersion degree, the homodromous degree, and district-difference degree are introduced to increase the cooperation of the multi-AUV system. Finally, the target hunting is solved by embedding the three kinds of degree into the potential field function. The simulation results show that the proposed approach is applicable and feasible for multi-AUV cooperative target hunting.
A Simple High-Order Shear Deformation Triangular Plate Element with Incompatible Polynomial Approximation
Authors: Gou Yudan , Cai Yongchang , Zhu Hehua
Published: June 2018

The High-order Shear Deformation Theories (HSDTs) which can avoid the use of a shear correction factor and better predict the shear behavior of plates have gained extensive recognition and made quite great progress in recent years, but the general requirement of C1 continuity in approximation fields in HSDTs brings difficulties for the numerical implementation of the standard finite element method which is similar to that of the classic Kirchhoff-Love plate theory. As a strong complement to HSDTs, in this work, a series of simple High-order Shear Deformation Triangular Plate Elements (HSDTPEs) using incompatible polynomial approximation are developed for the analysis of isotropic thick-thin plates, cracked plates, and through-thickness functionally graded plates. The elements employ incompatible polynomials to define the element approximation functions u/v/w, and a fictitious thin layer to enforce the displacement continuity among the adjacent plate elements. The HSDTPEs are free from shear-locking, avoid the use of a shear correction factor, and provide stable solutions for thick and thin plates. A variety of numerical examples are solved to demonstrate the convergence, accuracy, and robustness of the present HSDTPEs.
Honey-Based Templates in Wound Healing and Tissue Engineering
Authors: Minden-Birkenmaier Benjamin A. , Bowlin Gary L.
Published: June 2018

Over the past few decades, there has been a resurgence in the clinical use of honey as a topical wound treatment. A plethora of in vitro and in vivo evidence supports this resurgence, demonstrating that honey debrides wounds, kills bacteria, penetrates biofilm, lowers wound pH, reduces chronic inflammation, and promotes fibroblast infiltration, among other beneficial qualities. Given these results, it is clear that honey has a potential role in the field of tissue engineering and regeneration. Researchers have incorporated honey into tissue engineering templates, including electrospun meshes, cryogels, and hydrogels, with varying degrees of success. This review details the current state of the field, including challenges which have yet to be overcome, and makes recommendations for the direction of future research in order to develop effective tissue regeneration therapies.
Exergy Evaluation of Desalination Processes
Authors: Gude Veera Gnaneswar
Published: June 2018

Desalination of sea or brackish water sources to provide clean water supplies has now become a feasible option around the world. Escalating global populations have caused the surge of desalination applications. Desalination processes are energy intensive which results in a significant energy portfolio and associated environmental pollution for many communities. Both electrical and heat energy required for desalination processes have been reduced significantly over the recent years. However, the energy demands are still high and are expected to grow sharply with increasing population. Desalination technologies utilize various forms of energy to produce freshwater. While the process efficiency can be reported by the first law of thermodynamic analysis, this is not a true measure of the process performance as it does not account for all losses of energy. Accordingly, the second law of thermodynamics has been more useful to evaluate the performance of desalination systems. The second law of thermodynamics (exergy analysis) accounts for the available forms of energy in the process streams and energy sources with a reference environment and identifies the major losses of exergy destruction. This aids in developing efficient desalination processes by eliminating the hidden losses. This paper elaborates on exergy analysis of desalination processes to evaluate the thermodynamic efficiency of major components and process streams and identifies suitable operating conditions to minimize exergy destruction. Well-established MSF, MED, MED-TVC, RO, solar distillation, and membrane distillation technologies were discussed with case studies to illustrate the exergy performances.
An Underactuated Bio-Inspired Helical Swimming Microrobot Using Fuzzy-PI Controller with Novel Error Detection Method for 5-DOF Micromanipulation
Authors: Pourmand Mohammad , Taghvaei Sajjad , Vatankhah Ramin , Arefi Mohammad
Published: June 2018

The potential of microrobots to bring about revolutionary changes over micro-operation demands is increasing day to day. This paper presents a controller to provide 5 degrees of freedom for an underactuated bio-inspired helical swimming microrobot. The considered system is a helical swimming microrobot with three flagella in a low Reynolds performance environment. Control of the considered system is performed to reach any desired location, roll angle and pitch angle. The proposed controlling error definition extracted from the system geometry is general for similar actuation configurations. An error detection method for multi-propulsion-unit systems is utilized for 5-DOF micromanipulation of an underactuated bio-inspired helical swimming microrobot by fuzzy-PI controller. A fuzzy-PI controller is proposed to use modified experimental data of PI controller debugging to maintain a suitable efficient control. The comparison of two other possible controllers and the proposed fuzzy-PI controller is discussed, and the performance of trajectory tracking is evaluated by simulations.
Non-Quadratic Distances in Model Assessment
Authors: Markatou Marianthi , Chen Yang
Published: June 2018

One natural way to measure model adequacy is by using statistical distances as loss functions. A related fundamental question is how to construct loss functions that are scientifically and statistically meaningful. In this paper, we investigate non-quadratic distances and their role in assessing the adequacy of a model and/or ability to perform model selection. We first present the definition of a statistical distance and its associated properties. Three popular distances, total variation, the mixture index of fit and the Kullback-Leibler distance, are studied in detail, with the aim of understanding their properties and potential interpretations that can offer insight into their performance as measures of model misspecification. A small simulation study exemplifies the performance of these measures and their application to different scientific fields is briefly discussed.
Performance of LiCl Impregnated Mesoporous Material Coating over Corrugated Heat Exchangers in a Solid Sorption Chiller
Authors: Liu Hongzhi , Nagano Katsunori , Togawa Junya
Published: June 2018

The composite material made by impregnating 40 wt. % lithium chloride (LiCl) into the mesopores of a kind of natural porous rock (Wakkanai Siliceous Shale: WSS) micropowders (short for “WSS + 40 wt. % LiCl”) had been developed previously, and can be regenerated below 100 °C with a cooling coefficient of performance (COP) of approximately 0.3 when adopted as a sorbent in a sorption cooler. In this study, experiments have been carried out on an intermittent solid sorption chiller with the WSS + 40 wt. % LiCl coating over two aluminum corrugated heat exchangers. Based on the experimental condition (regeneration temperature of 80 °C, condensation temperature of 30 °C in the desorption process; sorption temperature of 30 °C and evaporation temperature of 12 °C in the sorption process), the water sorption amount changes from 20 wt. % to 70 wt. % in one sorption cooling cycle. Moreover, a specific cooling power (SCP) of 86 W/kg, a volumetric specific cooling power (VSCP) of 42 W/dm3, and a specific sorption power of 170 W/kg can be achieved with a total sorption and desorption time of 20 min. The obtained cooling COP is approximately 0.16.
Design and Implementation of the Battery Energy Storage System in DC Micro-Grid Systems
Authors: Chang Yuan-Chih , Chang Hao-Chin , Huang Chien-Yu
Published: June 2018

The design and implementation of the battery energy storage system in DC micro-grid systems is demonstrated in this paper. The battery energy storage system (BESS) is an important part of a DC micro-grid because renewable energy generation sources are fluctuating. The BESS can provide energy while the renewable energy is absent in the DC micro-grid. The circuit topology of the proposed BESS will be introduced. The design of the voltage controller and the current controller for the battery charger/discharger are also illustrated. Finally, experimental results are provided to validate the performance of the BESS.
Fast Transient Modulation for a Step Load Change in a Dual-Active-Bridge Converter with Extended-Phase-Shift Control
Authors: Sun Chuan , Li Xiaodong
Published: June 2018

The manipulation of the bidirectional power in a dual-active-bridge converter relies on the adjustment of several phase-shift angles. Improper implementation of those adjustments during the transient process of a step load change may induce transient DC bias current in the transformer and accompanied high peak current, which may result in excess loss and safety issues potentially. The paper proposes a load transient modulation to execute the adjustments of the two phase-shift angles for extended-phase-shift (EPS) control in a predictive manner. An unknown phase-shift is introduced to the gating signals of one bridge arm, and the gating signals of other bridge arms would be modified accordingly to realize the required adjustment of the two phase-shift angles together. With the proper selection of the introduced phase-shift, the power adjustment can be done in less than one high-frequency cycle without resulting in DC bias and overshoot current. Although there are four different operation modes existing in EPS, a universal solution of the unknown phase-shift can be obtained for all possible power transition cases between different modes. Validation of the proposed method is performed by means of both simulation and experimental tests.
A Parallel Software Pipeline for DMET Microarray Genotyping Data Analysis
Authors: Agapito Giuseppe , Guzzi Pietro Hiram , Cannataro Mario
Published: June 2018

Personalized medicine is an aspect of the P4 medicine (predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory) based precisely on the customization of all medical characters of each subject. In personalized medicine, the development of medical treatments and drugs is tailored to the individual characteristics and needs of each subject, according to the study of diseases at different scales from genotype to phenotype scale. To make concrete the goal of personalized medicine, it is necessary to employ high-throughput methodologies such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), Mass Spectrometry or Microarrays, that are able to investigate a single disease from a broader perspective. A side effect of high-throughput methodologies is the massive amount of data produced for each single experiment, that poses several challenges (e.g., high execution time and required memory) to bioinformatic software. Thus a main requirement of modern bioinformatic softwares, is the use of good software engineering methods and efficient programming techniques, able to face those challenges, that include the use of parallel programming and efficient and compact data structures. This paper presents the design and the experimentation of a comprehensive software pipeline, named microPipe, for the preprocessing, annotation and analysis of microarray-based Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping data. A use case in pharmacogenomics is presented. The main advantages of using microPipe are: the reduction of errors that may happen when trying to make data compatible among different tools; the possibility to analyze in parallel huge datasets; the easy annotation and integration of data. microPipe is available under Creative Commons license, and is freely downloadable for academic and not-for-profit institutions.
Urban Resources Selection and Allocation for Emergency Shelters: In a Multi-Hazard Environment
Authors: Chen Wei , Zhai Guofang , Ren Chongqiang , Shi Yijun , Zhang Jianxin
Published: June 2018

This study explores how emergency shelters can adapt to a multi-hazard environment by geographic information system (GIS) and takes Guangzhou as a case for analysis. The physical suitability of the overall urban resources was first assessed by aiming to select the suitable resources and safe locations for emergency shelters in the context of multiple disasters. Afterward, by analyzing the scale and spatial distribution of affected areas and populations under different types of disaster scenarios, the demand for different kinds of shelters were predicted. Lastly, taking into account the coverage of the affected people, shelters were allocated according to different conditions in the districts. This work will hopefully provide a reference for the construction of emergency shelters and help form emergency operations in order to mitigate the impact of hazards. The issues identified in the study need to be further studied in medium or small-scale cities.
Handling Points of Interest (POIs) on a Mobile Web Map Service Linked to Indoor Geospatial Objects: A Case Study
Authors: Kim Kwangseob , Lee Kiwon
Published: June 2018

Managing geo-based indoor content is important, because the components used to construct an urban environment are complex. Geospatial data are available worldwide, but services are tailored only to local features. As the accuracy of online maps increases, the buildings in a web-mapping service can be created exactly as they are, in terms of actual features and geometric properties, and can provide some information on indoor elements. Nevertheless, not many practical use cases exist, as the available scope and volume of indoor content are limited. In Korea’s metropolitan areas, an indoor geospatial information management scheme was built to manage internal facility information for public and underground buildings on a three-dimensional (3D) basis and to provide online visualization services for users. Based on this enterprise system for public use of indoor 3D content, we conducted a case study with add-on features to manipulate and manage data by adding two-dimensional (2D) building data that are linked to the 3D models. We also changed the classification system of the points of interest (POIs) for each internal facility. To enhance public usability, a portion of the usable information in this scheme can be offered via an open application programming interface (Open API). To create a 2D POIs obtained from an indoor 3D object that was provided as a relative coordinate with only 3D geometric features, several steps were needed: adding the object to the system, storing the object as an absolute coordinate, and linking the object with an outdoor mapping service. In addition, to provide more useful information about indoor POIs generated from 3D models for users, detailed information should be further managed by directly using the Open APIs designed in this study. Subsequently, a mobile web mapping service system to visualize indoor contents was deployed to deliver practical processing and improvements based on the deployed Open API. The possibility of effective management and application of POIs related to indoor contents was confirmed through the mobile web-mapping demo service that was established using Open API.
IL-6 and IL-8 Serum Levels Predict Tumor Response and Overall Survival after TACE for Primary and Secondary Hepatic Malignancies
Authors: Loosen Sven H. , Schulze-Hagen Maximilian , Leyh Catherine , Benz Fabian , Vucur Mihael , Kuhl Christiane , Trautwein Christian , Tacke Frank , Bruners Philipp , Roderburg Christoph , Luedde Tom
Published: June 2018

While surgical resection represents the standard potentially curative therapy for liver cancer, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has evolved as a standard therapy for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as liver metastases. However, it is still not fully understood which patients particularly benefit from TACE. Cytokines represent a broad category of signaling molecules that might reflect concomitant inflammation as an adverse prognostic factor. Here, we evaluated the role of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and CC-chemokine ligand (CCL)22 as biomarkers in the context of TACE treatment. Cytokine serum levels were analyzed by multiplex immunoassay in 54 patients (HCC: n = 44, liver metastases: n = 10) undergoing TACE as well as 51 healthy controls. Patients with primary and secondary liver cancer showed significantly elevated levels of IL-6 and IL-8 but not CCL22 compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, low pre-interventional levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were predictors for an objective response after TACE in binary logistic regression. In contrast, patients with high pre-interventional IL-6 and IL-8 serum levels not only poorly responded to TACE but had a significantly impaired overall survival. Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 represent promising biomarkers for patients undergoing TACE and might help to pre-interventionally identify patients who particularly benefit from TACE regarding objective treatment response and overall survival.
Big Sound and Extreme Fungi—Xerophilic, Halotolerant Aspergilli and Penicillia with Low Optimal Temperature as Invaders of Historic Pipe Organs
Authors: Sterflinger Katja , Voitl Christian , Lopandic Ksenija , Piñar Guadalupe , Tafer Hakim
Published: June 2018

Recent investigations have shown that xerophilic fungi may pose a biodeterioration risk by threatening objects of cultural heritage including many types of materials, including wood, paint layers, organic glues or leather and even metal. Historic—and also new built—pipe organs combine all those materials. In this study, halotolerant aspergilli and penicillia with low optimal temperatures were shown to be the most frequent invaders of pipe organs. The fungi form white mycelia on the organic components of the organs with a clear preference for the bolus paint of the wooden pipes, the leather-made hinges of the stop actions and all parts fixed by organic glue. Physiological tests showed that the strains isolated from the instruments all show a halotolerant behavior, although none was halophilic. The optimum growth temperature is below 20 °C, thus the fungi are perfectly adapted to the cool and relatively dry conditions in the churches and organs respectively. The de-novo genome sequences analyses of the strains are currently ongoing and will reveal the genomic basis for the halotolerant behavior of the fungi.
Lymph node retrieval after resection of rectal cancer following preoperative chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Latkauskas Tadas , Lizdenis Paulius , Jančiauskienė Rasa , Pranys Darius , Tamelis Algimantas , Pavalkis Dainius
Published: June 2018

Background. According to the current guidelines of proper TNM staging, 12 lymph nodes per specimen are crucial. This study assessed the role of preoperative radiochemotherapy on the number of lymph nodes detected in the tumor-bearing specimen. Material and methods. Retrospective data of 138 patients who underwent surgery for stage II and III rectal cancer without preoperative radiochemotherapy during the period of 2004–2006 (control group) were compared with prospective data of 38 patients who received preoperative radiochemotherapy during the period of 2007–2008 (study group). The number of patients with metastatic lymph nodes, number of lymph nodes per specimen, number of metastatic lymph nodes per specimen, and the size of the tumor between the groups were compared. Results. Positive lymph nodes were detected in 88 (64%) patients in the control group as compared with 9 (21%) patients in the study group (P<0.05). The mean number of lymph nodes per specimen in the control group was 13.5, while in the study group, the mean number of lymph nodes per specimen was 6.29 (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the mean number of metastatic lymph nodes per specimen between the groups (5.12 in the control group versus 2.11 in the study group; P<0.05). The mean size of the tumor was 4.37 cm in the control group and 2.45 cm in the study group (P<0.01). Conclusions. Preoperative radiochemotherapy for advanced rectal cancer significantly decreased the number of lymph nodes detected in the tumor-bearing specimen. This also resulted in a significant decrease in the number of metastatic lymph nodes detected in the specimen, and fewer patients with stage III (N+) cancer were diagnosed. Preoperative radiochemotherapy could induce a significant downsizing and downstaging of advanced rectal cancer, but great care in operative and pathologic examination techniques must be taken to ensure appropriate staging.