bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tensile Behavior and Evolution of the Phases in the Al10Co25Cr8Fe15Ni36Ti6 Compositionally Complex/High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Manzoni Anna Maria , Haas Sebastian , Daoud Haneen , Glatzel Uwe , Förster Christiane , Wanderka Nelia
Published: August 2018

Compositionally complex alloys, or high entropy alloys, are good candidates for applications at higher temperatures in gas turbines. After their introduction, the equiatomic Al17Co17Cr17Cu17Fe17Ni17 (at.%) served as a starting material and a long optimization road finally led to the recently optimized Al10Co25Cr8Fe15Ni36Ti6 (at.%) alloy, which shows promising mechanical properties. Investigations of the as-cast state and after different heat treatments focus on the evolution of the microstructure and provide an overview of some mechanical properties. The dendritic solidification provides two phases in the dendritic cores and two different ones in the interdendritic regions. Three of the four phases remain after heat treatments. Homogenization and subsequent annealing produce a γ-γ’ based microstructure, similar to Ni-based superalloys. The γ phase is Co-Cr-Fe rich and the γ’ phase is Al-Ni-Ti rich. The understanding of the mechanical behavior of the investigated alloy is supported and enhanced by the study of the different phases and their nanohardness measurements. The observations are compared with mechanical and microstructural data from commercial Ni-based superalloys, Co-based alloys, and Co-Ni-based alloys at the desired application temperature of ~800 °C.
On the Geodesic Distance in Shapes K-means Clustering
Authors: Gattone Stefano Antonio , De Sanctis Angela , Puechmorel Stéphane , Nicol Florence
Published: August 2018

In this paper, the problem of clustering rotationally invariant shapes is studied and a solution using Information Geometry tools is provided. Landmarks of a complex shape are defined as probability densities in a statistical manifold. Then, in the setting of shapes clustering through a K-means algorithm, the discriminative power of two different shapes distances are evaluated. The first, derived from Fisher–Rao metric, is related with the minimization of information in the Fisher sense and the other is derived from the Wasserstein distance which measures the minimal transportation cost. A modification of the K-means algorithm is also proposed which allows the variances to vary not only among the landmarks but also among the clusters.
Beyond Moments: Extending the Maximum Entropy Principle to Feature Distribution Constraints
Authors: Baggenstoss Paul M.
Published: August 2018

The maximum entropy principle introduced by Jaynes proposes that a data distribution should maximize the entropy subject to constraints imposed by the available knowledge. Jaynes provided a solution for the case when constraints were imposed on the expected value of a set of scalar functions of the data. These expected values are typically moments of the distribution. This paper describes how the method of maximum entropy PDF projection can be used to generalize the maximum entropy principle to constraints on the joint distribution of this set of functions.
Entropy Production Associated with Aggregation into Granules in a Subdiffusive Environment
Authors: Weber Piotr , Bełdowski Piotr , Bier Martin , Gadomski Adam
Published: August 2018

We study the entropy production that is associated with the growing or shrinking of a small granule in, for instance, a colloidal suspension or in an aggregating polymer chain. A granule will fluctuate in size when the energy of binding is comparable to k B T , which is the “quantum” of Brownian energy. Especially for polymers, the conformational energy landscape is often rough and has been commonly modeled as being self-similar in its structure. The subdiffusion that emerges in such a high-dimensional, fractal environment leads to a Fokker–Planck Equation with a fractional time derivative. We set up such a so-called fractional Fokker–Planck Equation for the aggregation into granules. From that Fokker–Planck Equation, we derive an expression for the entropy production of a growing granule.
Stability Analysis on Magnetohydrodynamic Flow of Casson Fluid over a Shrinking Sheet with Homogeneous-Heterogeneous Reactions
Authors: Yahaya Rusya Iryanti , Md Arifin Norihan , Mohamed Isa Siti Suzilliana Putri
Published: August 2018

Two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stagnation point flow of incompressible Casson fluid over a shrinking sheet is studied. In the present study, homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions, suction and slip effects are considered. Similarity variables are introduced to transform the governing partial differential equations into non-linear ordinary differential equations. The transformed equations and boundary conditions are then solved using the bvp4c solver in MATLAB. The local skin friction coefficient is tabulated for different values of suction and shrinking parameters. The profiles for fluid velocity and concentration for various parameters are illustrated. It was found that two solutions were obtained at certain ranges of parameters. Then, the bvp4c solver was used to perform stability analysis on the dual solutions. Based on the results, the first solution was more stable and physically meaningful than the other solution. The skin friction coefficient increased when suction increased, but decreased when the magnitude of shrinking parameter increased. Meanwhile, the velocity and concentration profile increased in the presence of a magnetic field. It is also noted that the higher the strength of the homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions, the lower the concentration of reactants.
Understanding Plant Nutrition—The Genesis of Students’ Conceptions and the Implications for Teaching Photosynthesis
Authors: Messig Denis , Groß Jorge
Published: August 2018

Plant nutrition and photosynthesis is one of the most difficult issues teachers are confronted with in science classes. This can be due to alternative conceptions students’ hold, which are often profoundly contrary to their scientific counterparts. Consequently, fruitful learning environments should build on learners’ alternative conceptions to initiate conceptual change towards a more scientific understanding. In this qualitative case study, high-school students’ pre-instructional conceptions about plant nutrition were identified empirically. Afterwards these students were exposed to the van-Helmont experiment in order to create a cognitive conflict. The learning processes and signs of conceptual change were identified using Qualitative Content Analysis. The results show that the van-Helmont experiment does not trigger conceptual change but reinforces students’ pre-instructional conceptions. Ultimately, a cognitive-linguistic analysis using Conceptual Metaphor Theory was conducted. Interestingly, underlying embodied conceptions and image schemas about human nutrition became evident. These thinking patterns were used metaphorically and, therefore, can be seen as the basis to understand plant nutrition. As a result, we propose a reverse approach of teaching photosynthesis and nutrition. Our Dissimilation-Before-Assimilation approach takes learners’ alternative conceptions and underlying image schemas into account in order to promote a fruitful learning of the concepts of plant nutrition.
Load-Sensing Pump Design to Reduce Heat Generation of Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator Systems
Authors: Chao Qun , Zhang Junhui , Xu Bing , Shang Yaoxing , Jiao Zongxia , Li Zhihui
Published: August 2018

The electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA) with variable pump displacement is considered to be a promising alternative to the currently popular EHA with fixed pump displacement in terms of heat reduction. This paper presents a load-sensing pump for the EHA which requires no additional power source and can adjust its volumetric displacement automatically with load pressure. A load-sensing pump prototype was developed and experiments were carried out on a test rig for it under different operating conditions. In addition, an experimental campaign was performed on an EHA test bench with a load-sensing pump and a fixed displacement pump. The results show that the load-sensing pump can decrease its volumetric displacement automatically at high pressure and thus reduce the heat generation of EHA system effectively.
Exploiting Coarse-Grained Parallelism Using Cloud Computing in Massive Power Flow Computation
Authors: Yoon Dong-Hee , Kang Sang-Kyun , Kim Minseong , Han Youngsun
Published: August 2018

We present a novel architecture of parallel contingency analysis that accelerates massive power flow computation using cloud computing. It leverages cloud computing to investigate huge power systems of various and potential contingencies. Contingency analysis is undertaken to assess the impact of failure of power system components; thus, extensive contingency analysis is required to ensure that power systems operate safely and reliably. Since many calculations are required to analyze possible contingencies under various conditions, the computation time of contingency analysis increases tremendously if either the power system is large or cascading outage analysis is needed. We also introduce a task management optimization to minimize load imbalances between computing resources while reducing communication and synchronization overheads. Our experiment shows that the proposed architecture exhibits a performance improvement of up to 35.32× on 256 cores in the contingency analysis of a real power system, i.e., KEPCO2015 (the Korean power system), by using a cloud computing system. According to our analysis of the task execution behaviors, we confirmed that the performance can be enhanced further by employing additional computing resources.
Performance Analysis of an Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Test Bench under a CO2-H2O Feed Stream
Authors: Fragiacomo Petronilla , De Lorenzo Giuseppe , Corigliano Orlando
Published: August 2018

Renewable sources and electric distribution network can produce or make available a surplus of electric and thermal energies. The Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Electrolyzer (IT-SOE) fed by CO2-steam mixtures can store these electric and thermal energies producing CO-H2 mixtures with high conversion efficiency. Inside the IT-SOE, the CO2-steam mixtures are converted into CO-H2 mixtures and O2 through cathodic and anodic electrochemical reactions and reverse water gas shift chemical reactions. In this article an IT-SOE stack fed by different types of steam mixtures was tested at different operating temperatures and the stack polarization and electric power curves were detected experimentally. At the highest hydrogen production operating temperature of the stack fed by steam mixtures, the experimental polarization and electric power curves of the stack fed by steam and CO2-steam mixtures were compared. A simulation model of the IT-SOE system (stack and furnace) fed by CO2-steam mixtures was formulated ad hoc and implemented in a MatLab environment and experimentally validated. At the highest hydrogen production stack operating temperature, the IT-SOE system thermal equilibrium current was evaluated through the simulation model. Moreover, the influence of this current on the IT-SOE system efficiency and the CO-H2 mixture degree of purity was highlighted.
Development of Energy Storage Systems for Power Network Reliability: A Review
Authors: Mohamad Farihan , Teh Jiashen , Lai Ching-Ming , Chen Liang-Rui
Published: August 2018

Electricity plays a crucial role in the well-being of humans and is a determining factor of the economic development of a country. Electricity issues have encouraged researchers to focus on improving power availability and quality along with reliability. This pursuit has increasingly raised the intention to integrate renewable energy (RE) into power systems to curb the problem of energy deficiency. However, intermittency in the sources of RE supply coupled with fluctuating changes in demand with respect to time has induced high risk in maintaining system reliability in terms of providing adequate supply to consumers. Whilst an energy storage system (ESS) is not another source of electricity, it is proven to be effective and viable in solving the aforementioned issues. Thus, this paper comprehensively reviews the development of ESS technologies and discusses the benefits and real-life applications of these technologies. The concept of reliability in power systems is also explored to provide an improved understanding of this study. Lastly, notable studies that have addressed the reliability impact of ESSs on power systems are discussed. This review paper therefore is expected to provide a critical analysis of ESS developments, as well as recognize their research gaps in terms of reliability studies in modern RE-integrated power networks.
Evaluation of Energy Consumption in German Hospitals: Benchmarking in the Public Sector
Authors: González González Alfonso , García-Sanz-Calcedo Justo , Rodríguez Salgado David
Published: August 2018

The use of benchmarking in the management of healthcare facilities enables immediate comparison between hospitals. Benchmarking allows ascertaining their expected energy consumption and estimating the possible savings margin. In the 2005–2015 period, 90 EU Eco-Audits of 23 public hospitals in Germany were studied to analyze the energy consumption related with weather conditions, built surface area, gross domestic product (GDP), geographic location (GL), bed numbers, and employee numbers. The results reveal that the average annual energy consumption of a hospital under normal conditions, both climatic and operational, is 0.27 MWh/m2, 14.37 MWh/worker, and 23.41 MWh/bed. The indicator dependent on the number of beds proved to be the most suitable as a reference to quantify the energy consumption of a hospital.
Pyrolysis Kinetics of the Arid Land Biomass Halophyte Salicornia Bigelovii and Phoenix Dactylifera Using Thermogravimetric Analysis
Authors: Dzidzienyo Prosper , Bastidas-Oyanedel Juan-Rodrigo , Schmidt Jens Ejbye
Published: August 2018

Biomass availability in arid regions is challenging due to limited arable land and lack of fresh water. In this study, we focus on pyrolysis of two biomasses that are typically abundant agricultural biomasses in arid regions, focusing on understanding the reaction rates and Arrhenius kinetic parameters that describe the pyrolysis reactions of halophyte Salicornia bigelovii, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and co-pyrolysis biomass using thermo-gravimetric analysis under non-isothermal conditions. The mass loss data obtained from thermogravimetric analysis of S. bigelovii and date palm revealed the reaction rate peaked between 592 K and 612 K for P. dactylifera leaves and 588 K and 609 K for S. bigelovii at heating rates, 5 K/min, 10 K/min and 15 K/min during the active pyrolysis phase. The activation energy for S. bigelovii and P. dactylifera leaves during this active pyrolysis phase were estimated using the Kissinger method as 147.6 KJ/mol and 164.7 KJ/mol respectively with pre-exponential factors of 3.13 × 109/min and 9.55 × 1010/min for the respective biomasses. Other isoconversional models such as the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa were used to determine these kinetic parameters during other phases of the pyrolysis reaction and gave similar results.
Determination of the Energy Behaviour in Municipalities with Fewer than 6000 Inhabitants in Badajoz (Spain)
Authors: Segador-Vegas Cosme , García-Sanz-Calcedo Justo , Encinas-Martín Daniel
Published: August 2018

Most of the municipalities in Europe have a population of less than 6000 inhabitants and high energy consumption. In order to reduce consumption, it is necessary to know the energy behaviour of a municipality beforehand. The purpose of this article is to analyse the energy and environmental situation of the municipalities of the province of Badajoz (Spain) and formulates energy efficiency and environmental indicators. The method is based in the analysis of 74 energy audits were carried out between 2012 and 2014 in the corresponding municipalities, and the average final energy consumption was studied in terms of four different variables: area of the municipality, number of inhabitants, cost of energy, and annual CO2 emissions. In addition, a statistical analysis based on variance was carried out. The results obtained show that the average annual energy consumption of a municipality of less than 6000 inhabitants is 300 kWh per inhabitant and 1 kWh per m2 of surface area. A great variability was observed in the average cost of energy for each municipality, between 0.11 and 0.25 €/kWh, with an average of 0.17 €/kWh. In addition, by statistical methods it was determined that the energy consumption of a municipality is proportional to the surface area that it occupies and its number of inhabitants, proposing an equation that allows determining the final energy consumption according to both variables. This benchmarking is valid to implement energy saving techniques and to prioritize investments in the renovation of the facilities. There are no precedents of similar research studies with such a large number of municipalities.
Digital Control of an Interleaving Operated Buck-Boost Synchronous Converter Used in a Low-Cost Testing System for an Automotive Powertrain
Authors: Rodič Miran , Milanovič Miro , Truntič Mitja
Published: August 2018

Based on the standardization in the automotive industry, systems require extensive testing, which represents significant costs regarding personnel and equipment. The testing systems must be built in such a way that a bidirectional power flow is possible between the power source and the tested system. Additionally, applied testing systems have to possess high disturbance immunity. Classical current programmed control performed using an analogue approach suffers from low disturbance rejection during switching operation. The digital control of DC–DC converter can solve this problem with the use of digital integration in a measurement chain. The integrals of values are obtained by using a Voltage Control Oscillator (VCO) and appropriate counters. Digital control of an interleaving operated bidirectional buck-boost synchronous converter can be applied in the testing system for automotive powertrains. The voltage and current measurements with the application of an integral-measurement principle act as low-pass filters, which remove the disturbances from the measured values. The digital implementation of a compensation ramp (current mode control) and method for choice of control parameters are described. All the tasks for measurements, as well as current and voltage control, were implemented within the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The presented converter can operate as a close to ideal voltage or current source, and satisfies the requirements of testing electric motor drive-trains with bidirectional DC–AC converters that are applied in automotive applications. The proposed system was verified by simulation and experiments.
Visualization Study of Startup Modes and Operating States of a Flat Two-Phase Micro Thermosyphon
Authors: Wu Liangyu , Chen Yingying , Wu Suchen , Zhang Mengchen , Yang Weibo , Tang Fangping
Published: August 2018

The flat two-phase thermosyphon has been recognized as a promising technique to realize uniform heat dissipation for high-heat-flux electronic devices. In this paper, a visualization experiment is designed and conducted to study the startup modes and operating states in a flat two-phase thermosyphon. The dynamic wall temperatures and gas–liquid interface evolution are observed and analyzed. From the results, the sudden startup and gradual startup modes and three quasi-steady operating states are identified. As the heat load increases, the continuous large-amplitude pulsation, alternate pulsation, and continuous small-amplitude pulsation states are experienced in sequence for the evaporator wall temperature. The alternate pulsation state can be divided into two types of alternate pulsation: lengthy single-large-amplitude-pulsation alternated with short multiple-small-amplitude-pulsation, and short single-large-amplitude-pulsation alternated with lengthy multiple-small-amplitude alternate pulsation state. During the continuous large-amplitude pulsation state, the bubbles were generated intermittently and the wall temperature fluctuated cyclically with a continuous large amplitude. In the alternate pulsation state, the duration of boiling became longer compared to the continuous large-amplitude pulsation state, and the wall temperature of the evaporator section exhibited small fluctuations. In addition, there was no large-amplitude wall temperature pulsation in the continuous small-amplitude pulsation state, and the boiling occurred continuously. The thermal performance of the alternate pulsation state in a flat two-phase thermosyphon is inferior to the continuous small-amplitude pulsation state but superior to the continuous large-amplitude pulsation state.
Variation in Organ Biomass with Changing Climate and Forest Characteristics across Chinese Forests
Authors: Fang Yiran , Zou Xiaojun , Lie Zhiyang , Xue Li
Published: August 2018

Forest biomass allocation patterns are important for understanding global carbon cycling and climate change, which might change with environmental conditions and forest characteristics. However, the effects of climate and forest characteristics on biomass allocation fractions (the fraction of total forest biomass distributed in organs) remains unknown. The authors use a large Chinese biomass dataset (1081 forests encompassing 10 forest types) to analyse the responses of biomass allocation fractions to biogeography, climate, and forest characteristics. The authors found that the stem mass fraction significantly increased with age and precipitation and significantly decreased with latitude and temperature. The branch mass fraction significantly decreased with age and density, but significantly increased with temperature and latitude. The leaf mass fraction significantly decreased with age and precipitation and significantly increased with temperature. The root mass fraction significantly increased with latitude and density, and significantly decreased with precipitation. The results suggest that latitude, temperature, precipitation, stand age and density are good predictors of biomass partitioning. These findings support the hypotheses that variation in resource availability constrains organ allocation and provides biogeographically explicit relationships between biomass allocation and both environmental and forest characteristics, which might be used for assessing the impact of changing environmental and forest characteristics on forest carbon dynamics and fixation.
An Explanatory Model for the Relationship between Motivation in Sport, Victimization, and Video Game Use in Schoolchildren
Authors: Castro-Sánchez Manuel , Chacón-Cuberos Ramón , Ubago-Jiménez José Luis , Zafra-Santos Edson , Zurita-Ortega Félix
Published: August 2018

(1) Background: Society is changing amazingly fast, and this is bringing about changes in the way that people spend their free time. In the 21st century, free time is increasingly spent using technological devices such as video games, thus increasing levels of sedentariness. The aim of the present study was to define an explanatory model for the problematic use of video games, physical activity, motivational climate in sports, and victimization in schoolchildren, and to analyze the relationships between these variables according to gender; (2) Methods: A total of 734 schoolchildren, of both sexes, participated in this research study. They were aged from 10 to 12 and lived in the province of Granada (Spain). The main instruments used were the questionnaires PMCSQ-2, PAQ-C, QERV, and SVS. A multigroup structural equation model was used, which had an excellent fit (χ2 = 319.472; df = 72; p < 0.001; CFI = 0.962; NFI = 0.952; IFI = 0.962; RMSEA = 0.048); (3) Results: The practice of physical activity was related negatively and indirectly to the problematic use of video games ((r = −0.085, boys); (r = −0.081, girls)), and this in turn was related positively and directly to victimization ((r = 0.094, boys); (r = 0.174, girls)). Additionally, task climate was inversely related to the problematic use of video games for girls (r = −0.133), and ego climate was directly related to the use of these devices only with regard to boys (r = 0.250). (4) Conclusions: It must be noted that schoolchildren’s pathological use of video games is closely related to lower levels of physical activity. In addition, those motivational climates in sports that are oriented towards performance exacerbate this pathological behavior, which accentuates the importance of promoting motivational climates that are oriented towards tasks in schoolchildren.
Changes in Urinary Hydrogen Peroxide and 8-Hydroxy-2′-Deoxyguanosine Levels after a Forest Walk: A Pilot Study
Authors: Wang Da-Hong , Yamada Ai , Miyanaga Masamitsu
Published: August 2018

Some studies have shown that exposure to forests has positive effects on human health, although the mechanisms underlying the health benefits of a forest environment have not been elucidated yet. The current study was aimed at examining how the levels of urinary hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 8-hydroxy-2’deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) change after a forest or urban walk in healthy subjects. Twenty-eight volunteers (19 men and 9 women) participated in the study. The forest walks were carried out in a forest in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, and the urban walks (15 men and 7 women) were carried out in the downtown area of Okayama city, each for two hours. Spot urine samples were collected before the walk, the next day and one week after the forest or urban walk. Compared with pre-forest walk levels, urinary H2O2 (p < 0.1) and 8-OHdG (p < 0.1) concentrations significantly decreased in the participants the day after the forest walk; furthermore, urinary 8-OHdG remained at a low level even at one week after the forest walk (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant changes in the concentrations of these oxidative biomarkers after the urban walk. These findings suggest the possibility that exposure to forests may alleviate oxidative stress in the body.
The Impacts of Land Use Patterns on Water Quality in a Trans-Boundary River Basin in Northeast China Based on Eco-Functional Regionalization
Authors: Cheng Peixuan , Meng Fansheng , Wang Yeyao , Zhang Lingsong , Yang Qi , Jiang Mingcen
Published: August 2018

The relationships between land use patterns and water quality in trans-boundary watersheds remain elusive due to the heterogeneous natural environment. We assess the impact of land use patterns on water quality at different eco-functional regions in the Songhua River basin during two hydrological seasons in 2016. The partial least square regression indicated that agricultural activities associated with most water quality pollutants in the region with a relative higher runoff depth and lower altitude. Intensive grazing had negative impacts on water quality in plain areas with low runoff depth. Forest was related negatively with degraded water quality in mountainous high flow region. Patch density and edge density had major impacts on water quality contaminants especially in mountainous high flow region; Contagion was related with non-point source pollutants in mountainous normal flow region; landscape shape index was an effective indicator for anions in some eco-regions in high flow season; Shannon’s diversity index contributed to degraded water quality in each eco-region, indicating the variation of landscape heterogeneity influenced water quality regardless of natural environment. The results provide a regional based approach of identifying the impact of land use patterns on water quality in order to improve water pollution control and land use management.
Evaluating the Impact of the Dementia Care in Hospitals Program (DCHP) on Hospital-Acquired Complications: Study Protocol
Authors: Yates Mark , Watts Jennifer J. , Bail Kasia , Mohebbi Mohammadreza , MacDermott Sean , Jebramek Jessica C. , Brodaty Henry
Published: August 2018

Despite the increasing number of older people, many with cognitive impairment (CI), in hospitals, there is yet to be an evaluation of hospital-wide interventions improving the management of those with CI. In hospitalized patients with CI, there are likely to be associations between increased complications that impact on outcomes, length of stay, and costs. This prospective study will evaluate the effectiveness of an established hospital CI support program on patient outcomes, patient quality of life, staff awareness of CI, and carer satisfaction. Using a stepped-wedge, continuous-recruitment method, the pre-intervention patient data will provide the control data for usual hospital care. The intervention, the Dementia Care in Hospitals Program, provides hospital-wide CI awareness and support education, and screening for all patients aged 65+, along with a bedside alert, the Cognitive Impairment Identifier. The primary outcome is a reduction in hospital-acquired complications: urinary tract infections, pressure injuries, pneumonia and delirium. Secondary outcome measures include cost effectiveness, patient quality of life, carer satisfaction, staff awareness of CI, and staff perceived impact of care. This large-sample study across four sites offers an opportunity for research evaluation of health service functioning at a whole-of-hospital level, which is important for sustainable change in hospital practice.
Updates on Old and Weary Haematopoiesis
Authors: Konieczny Joanna , Arranz Lorena
Published: August 2018

Blood formation, or haematopoiesis, originates from haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), whose functions and maintenance are regulated in both cell- and cell non-autonomous ways. The surroundings of HSCs in the bone marrow create a specific niche or microenvironment where HSCs nest that allows them to retain their unique characteristics and respond rapidly to external stimuli. Ageing is accompanied by reduced regenerative capacity of the organism affecting all systems, due to the progressive decline of stem cell functions. This includes blood and HSCs, which contributes to age-related haematological disorders, anaemia, and immunosenescence, among others. Furthermore, chronological ageing is characterised by myeloid and platelet HSC skewing, inflammageing, and expanded clonal haematopoiesis, which may be the result of the accumulation of preleukaemic lesions in HSCs. Intriguingly, haematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukaemia have a high incidence among elderly patients, yet not all individuals with clonal haematopoiesis develop leukaemias. Here, we discuss recent work on these aspects, their potential underlying molecular mechanisms, and the first cues linking age-related changes in the HSC niche to poor HSC maintenance. Future work is needed for a better understanding of haematopoiesis during ageing. This field may open new avenues for HSC rejuvenation and therapeutic strategies in the elderly.
Ultrastructural Analysis of Prune Dwarf Virus Intercellular Transport and Pathogenesis
Authors: Kozieł Edmund , Otulak-Kozieł Katarzyna , Bujarski Józef J.
Published: August 2018

Prune dwarf virus (PDV) is an important viral pathogen of plum, sweet cherry, peach, and many herbaceous test plants. Although PDV has been intensively investigated, mainly in the context of phylogenetic relationship of its genes and proteins, many gaps exist in our knowledge about the mechanism of intercellular transport of this virus. The aim of this work was to investigate alterations in cellular organelles and the cell-to-cell transport of PDV in Cucumis sativus cv. Polan at ultrastructural level. To analyze the role of viral proteins in local transport, double-immunogold assays were applied to localize PDV coat protein (CP) and movement protein (MP). We observe structural changes in chloroplasts, mitochondria, and cellular membranes. We prove that PDV is transported as viral particles via MP-generated tubular structures through plasmodesmata. Moreover, the computer-run 3D modeling reveals structural resemblances between MPs of PDV and of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), implying similarities of transport mechanisms for both viruses.
Cardiotonic Steroids and the Sodium Trade Balance: New Insights into Trade-Off Mechanisms Mediated by the Na+/K+-ATPase
Authors: Khalaf Fatimah K. , Dube Prabhatchandra , Mohamed Amal , Tian Jiang , Malhotra Deepak , Haller Steven T. , Kennedy David J.
Published: August 2018

In 1972 Neal Bricker presented the “trade-off” hypothesis in which he detailed the role of physiological adaptation processes in mediating some of the pathophysiology associated with declines in renal function. In the late 1990’s Xie and Askari published seminal studies indicating that the Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) was not only an ion pump, but also a signal transducer that interacts with several signaling partners. Since this discovery, numerous studies from multiple laboratories have shown that the NKA is a central player in mediating some of these long-term “trade-offs” of the physiological adaptation processes which Bricker originally proposed in the 1970’s. In fact, NKA ligands such as cardiotonic steroids (CTS), have been shown to signal through NKA, and consequently been implicated in mediating both adaptive and maladaptive responses to volume overload such as fibrosis and oxidative stress. In this review we will emphasize the role the NKA plays in this “trade-off” with respect to CTS signaling and its implication in inflammation and fibrosis in target organs including the heart, kidney, and vasculature. As inflammation and fibrosis exhibit key roles in the pathogenesis of a number of clinical disorders such as chronic kidney disease, heart failure, atherosclerosis, obesity, preeclampsia, and aging, this review will also highlight the role of newly discovered NKA signaling partners in mediating some of these conditions.
Are Colon and Rectal Cancer Two Different Tumor Entities? A Proposal to Abandon the Term Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Paschke Stephan , Jafarov Sakhavat , Staib Ludger , Kreuser Ernst-Dietrich , Maulbecker-Armstrong Catharina , Roitman Marc , Holm Torbjörn , Harris Curtis C. , Link Karl-Heinrich , Kornmann Marko
Published: August 2018

Colon cancer (CC) and rectal cancer (RC) are synonymously called colorectal cancer (CRC). Based on our experience in basic and clinical research as well as routine work in the field, the term CRC should be abandoned. We analyzed the available data from the literature and results from our multicenter Research Group Oncology of Gastrointestinal Tumors termed FOGT to confirm or reject this hypothesis. Anatomically, the risk of developing RC is four times higher than CC, while physical activity helps to prevent CC but not RC. Obvious differences exist in molecular carcinogenesis, pathology, surgical topography and procedures, and multimodal treatment. Therefore, we conclude that CC is not the same as RC. The term “CRC” should no longer be used as a single entity in basic and clinical research as well as other areas of classification.
Onset of Motion of Sediment underneath Scour Protection around a Monopile
Authors: Nielsen Anders Wedel , Petersen Thor Ugelvig
Published: August 2018

The stability of scour protections is, potentially, an important issue during the design of fixed foundations for offshore wind turbines. One of the failure mechanisms observed at placed scour protection around offshore foundations is suction of sediment through the scour protection and subsequent sinking of the scour protection. Incipient motion of sediment and the initiation of suction underneath scour protections around piles in the marine environment were studied under waves, current and combined waves and current conditions. The motion of a thin layer of sediment underneath the scour protection was studied through the glass bottom of the test flume, which provided a clear view of the initiation of the motion of the sediment. The results show that the mobility depends on the Keulegan–Carpenter ( K C ) number for the pile, the ratio between waves and current flow and the ratio between the thickness of the scour protection and the base sediment. The critical mobility number is smaller for the wave-dominated situation compared to current-dominated conditions, which again are smaller than for combined waves and current conditions. Consequently, larger K C -numbers cause larger critical mobility numbers than smaller K C -numbers. Design diagrams are presented for the threshold of incipient motion of sediment underneath a scour protection in waves, current and combined waves and current.
(3-Ammonio-2,2-dimethyl-propyl)carbamate Dihydrate
Authors: Heimgert Jaqueline , Neumann Dennis , Reiss Guido
Published: August 2018

(3-Ammonio-2,2-dimethylpropyl)carbamate dihydrate was synthesised. The title compound was characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction and IR-/Raman-spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated that a mixture of dilute acetic acid and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane is able to capture CO2 spontaneously from the atmosphere. An intramolecular hydrogen bond stabilises the conformation of the ylide-type title molecule. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds between all moieties connect them to a strand-type chain structure.
Joint Optimization of Process Flow and Scheduling in Service-Oriented Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Vargas Joe , Calvo Roque
Published: August 2018

Customer-oriented management of manufacturing systems is crucial in service-oriented production and product service systems. This paper develops the selection of dispatching rules in combination with alternative process flow designs and demand mix, for a maintenance, repair and overhaul center (MRO) of turbo shaft engines, both for complete engines and engine modules. After an initial systematic screening of priority dispatching rules, the design of experiments and discrete-event simulation allows a quantitative analysis of the better rules for the alternative process flows with internal and service metrics. Next, the design of experiments with analysis of variance and the Taguchi approach enables a search for the optimal combination of process flow and dispatching rules. The consideration of extra costs for overdue work orders into the costing breakdown provides a quantitative evaluation of the optimum range of load for the facility. This facilitates the discussion of the significant trade-offs of cost, service, and flexibility in the production system and the operational management alternatives for decision-making.
Frontiers of Additively Manufactured Metallic Materials
Authors: Zadpoor Amir A.
Published: August 2018

Additive manufacturing (AM) (=3D printing) has emerged during the last few years as a powerful technological platform for fabrication of functional parts with unique complex geometries and superior functionalities that are next to impossible to achieve using conventional manufacturing techniques. Due to their importance in industrial applications and the maturity of the applicable AM techniques, metallic materials are at the forefront of the developments in AM. In this editorial, which has been written as a preamble to the special issue “Perspectives on Additively Manufactured Metallic Materials”, I will highlight some of the frontiers of research on AM of metallic materials to help readers better understand the cutting edge of research in this area. Some of these topics are addressed in the articles appearing in this special issue, while others constitute worthy avenues for future research.
Inverse Stackelberg Solutions for Games with Many Followers
Authors: Averboukh Yurii
Published: August 2018

The paper is devoted to inverse Stackelberg games with many players. We consider both static and differential games. The main assumption of the paper is the compactness of the strategy sets. We obtain the characterization of inverse Stackelberg solutions and under additional concavity conditions, establish the existence theorem.
A Complex Variable Solution for Lining Stress and Deformation in a Non-Circular Deep Tunnel II Practical Application and Verification
Authors: Li Yansong , Chen Shougen
Published: August 2018

A new complex variable method is presented for stress and displacement problems in a non-circular deep tunnel with certain given boundary conditions at infinity. In order to overcome the complex problems caused by non-circular geometric configurations and the multiply-connected region, a complex variable method and continuity boundary conditions are used to determine stress and displacement within the tunnel lining and within the surrounding rock. The coefficients in the conformal mapping function and stress functions are determined by the optimal design and complex variable method, respectively. The new method is validated by FLAC3D finite difference software through an example. Both the new method and the numerical simulation obtained similar results for the stress concentration and the minimum radial displacement occurred at a similar place in the tunnel. It is demonstrated that the new complex variable method is reliable and reasonable. The new method also provides another way to solve non-circular tunnel excavation problems in a faster and more accurate way.
Toward the Synthesis and Improved Biopotential of an N-methylated Analog of a Proline-Rich Cyclic Tetrapeptide from Marine Bacteria
Authors: Dahiya Rajiv , Kumar Suresh , Khokra Sukhbir Lal , Gupta Sheeba Varghese , Sutariya Vijaykumar B. , Bhatia Deepak , Sharma Ajay , Singh Shamjeet , Maharaj Sandeep
Published: August 2018

An N-methylated analog of a marine bacteria-derived natural proline-rich tetracyclopeptide was synthesized by coupling the deprotected dipeptide fragments Boc-l-prolyl-l-N-methylleucine-OH and l-prolyl-l-N-methylphenylalanine-OMe. A coupling reaction was accomplished utilizing N,N′-Dicyclohexylcarbodidimde (DCC) and 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC·HCl) as coupling agents and Triethylamine (TEA) or N-methylmorpholine (NMM) as the base in the presence of the racemization suppressing agent. This was followed by the cyclization of the linear tetrapeptide fragment under alkaline conditions. The structure of the synthesized cyclooligopeptide was confirmed using quantitative elemental analysis, FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), 1H NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry. From the bioactivity results, it was clear that the newly synthesized proline-rich tetracyclopeptide exhibited better anthelmintic potential against Megascoplex konkanensis, Pontoscotex corethruses, and Eudrilus eugeniae at a concentration of 2 mg/mL as well as improved antifungal activity against pathogenic dermatophytes Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum audouinii at a concentration of 6 μg/mL, as compared to non-methylated tetracyclopeptide. Moreover, N-methylated tetracyclopeptide displayed significant activity against pathogenic Candida albicans.
Development and Evaluation of a Reconstitutable Dry Suspension to Improve the Dissolution and Oral Absorption of Poorly Water-Soluble Celecoxib
Authors: Kim Hye-In , Park Sang , Park Seok , Lee Jewon , Cho Kwan , Jee Jun-Pil , Kim Hee-Cheol , Maeng Han-Joo , Jang Dong-Jin
Published: August 2018

This study aims at developing and evaluating reconstitutable dry suspension (RDS) improved for dissolution rate, oral absorption, and convenience of use of poorly water-soluble celecoxib (CXB). Micro-sized CXB particle was used to manufacture nanosuspension by using bead milling and then RDS was made by spray-drying the nanosuspension with effective resuspension agent, dextrin. The redispersibility, morphology, particle size, crystallinity, stability, dissolution, and pharmacokinetic profile of the RDS were evaluated. RDS was effectively reconstituted into nanoparticles in 775.8 ± 11.6 nm. It was confirmed that CXB particles are reduced into needle-shape ones in size after the bead-milling process, and the description of CXB was the same in the reconstituted suspension. Through the CXB crystallinity study using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and XRD analysis, it was identified that CXB has the CXB active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)’s original crystallinity after the bead milling and spray-drying process. In vitro dissolution of RDS was higher than that of CXB powder (93% versus 28% dissolution at 30 min). Furthermore, RDS formulation resulted in 5.7 and 6.3-fold higher area under the curve (AUC∞) and peak concentration (Cmax) of CXB compared to after oral administration of CXB powder in rats. Collectively, our results suggest that the RDS may be a potential oral dosage formulation for CXB to improve its bioavailability and patient compliance.
An Investigation into the Quality of Medicines in Yangon, Myanmar
Authors: Islam Md. , Yoshida Naoko , Kimura Kazuko , Uwatoko Chisana , Rahman Mohammad , Kumada Shoma , Endo Jamie , Ito Kana , Tanimoto Tsuyoshi , Zin Theingi , Tsuboi Hirohito
Published: August 2018

Many poor-quality medicines are supplied to patients mainly in developing countries. No systematic survey on counterfeit medicines has been conducted in Myanmar since 1999. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current situation of substandard or counterfeit medicines in Myanmar. Samples of oral medicines, cefuroxime axetil (CXM), donepezil hydrochloride (DN) and omeprazole (OM), and injections, ceftriaxone sodium (CTRX), and gentamicin sulfate (GM), were collected from pharmacies, hospitals, and wholesalers in Yangon, Myanmar in 2014. Authenticity and quality were verified. There were 221 (94%) foreign medicines among 235 collected samples. Five samples of GM and 1 DN sample were not registered with the Food and Drug Administration, Myanmar. In quality analysis, 36 samples out of 177 (20.3%) did not pass quantity tests, 27 samples out of 176 (15.3%) did not pass content uniformity tests, and 23 out of 128 samples (18.0%) did not pass dissolution tests. Three of the unregistered GM samples failed in both identification and microbial assay tests. Counterfeit GM is being sold in Yangon. Also, the quality of OM is a matter of concern. Poor-quality medicines were frequently found among the products of a few manufacturers. Regular surveys to monitor counterfeit and substandard medicines in Myanmar are recommended.
Communicating Science through Comics: A Method
Authors: Friesen Jan , Van Stan John T. , Elleuche Skander
Published: August 2018

Scientists are trained to tell stories, scientific stories. Training is also needed to comprehend and contextualize these highly nuanced and technical stories because they are designed to explicitly convey scientific results, delineate their limitations, and describe a reproducible “plot” so that any thorough reenactment can achieve a similar conclusion. Although a carefully constructed scientific story may be crystal clear to other scientists in the same discipline, they are often inaccessible to broader audiences. This is problematic as scientists are increasingly expected to communicate their work to broader audiences that range from specialists in other disciplines to the general public. In fact, science communication is of increasing importance to acquire funding and generate effective outreach, as well as introduce, and sometimes even justify, research to society. This paper suggests a simple and flexible framework to translate a complex scientific publication into a broadly-accessible comic format. Examples are given for embedding scientific details into an easy-to-understand storyline. A background story is developed and panels are generated that convey scientific information via plain language coupled with recurring comic elements to maximize comprehension and memorability. This methodology is an attempt to alleviate the inherent limitations of interdisciplinary and public comprehension that result from standard scientific publication and dissemination practices. We also hope that this methodology will help colleagues enter into the field of science comics.