bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy-Aware Autonomic Resource Scheduling Framework for Cloud
Authors: Dewangan Bhupesh Kumar , Agarwal Amit , M. Venkatadri , Pasricha Ashutosh
Published: March 2019

Cloud computing is a platform where services are provided through the internet either free of cost or rent basis. Many cloud service providers (CSP) offer cloud services on the rental basis. Due to increasing demand for cloud services, the existing infrastructure needs to be scale. However, the scaling comes at the cost of heavy energy consumption due to the inclusion of a number of data centers, and servers. The extraneous power consumption affects the operating costs, which in turn, affects its users. In addition, CO2 emissions affect the environment as well. Moreover, inadequate allocation of resources like servers, data centers, and virtual machines increases operational costs. This may ultimately lead to customer distraction from the cloud service. In all, an optimal usage of the resources is required. This paper proposes to calculate different multi-objective functions to find the optimal solution for resource utilization and their allocation through an improved Antlion (ALO) algorithm. The proposed method simulated in cloudsim environments, and compute energy consumption for different workloads quantity and it increases the performance of different multi-objectives functions to maximize the resource utilization. It compared with existing frameworks and experiment results shows that the proposed framework performs utmost.
Stress Concentration Studies in Flat Plates with Rectangular Cut-Outs Using Finite Element Method
Authors: Gunwant Dheeraj
Published: March 2019

Presence of cut-outs of different shapes is inevitable and is many times considered to be a desirable feature for the design of light-weight components. However, the presence of such cut-outs induces highly localized stresses in their vicinity which cannot be resolved using analytical relations and elementary equations of the strength of materials. In the recent years, FEM has evolved as a crucial tool for handling such problems with reduced degree of complexity. The present investigation is aimed at studying the effect of various geometrical parameters and loading scenarios on the SCF induced in an infinite plate in presence of rectangular cut-out with filleted corners. In the first step, the model was subjected to uniaxial load and the obtained values of SCF exhibited good agreement with analytical values. The model was further subjected to systematically varied stress states and geometrical parameters in order to study their effect on the SCF.
System Reliability Growth Analysis during Warranty
Authors: Li James , Collins Greg , Govindarajulu Ravi
Published: March 2019

This paper presents system reliability growth analysis using actual field failure data. The primary objective of the system reliability growth is to improve the achievement of system reliability performance during system reliability demonstration, in order to achieve the predicted or contractually required system reliability commitment. An effective reliability growth model can be utilized to predict when the reliability target can be achieved based on previous reliability performance. In this paper, the system reliability growth analysis is illustrated using the Duane and AMSAA reliability growth models to determine applicability and aid in choice determination. The Duane model is a better choice for failure terminated reliability growth while AMSAA is a better choice for time terminated reliability growth. Comparisons of the Duane versus AMSAA model are carried out by conducting the statistical analysis on the observed field failures.
Rayleigh-Bénard Convection for Nanofluids for More Realistic Boundary Conditions (Rigid-Free and Rigid-Rigid) Using Darcy Model
Authors: Ahuja Jyoti , Gupta Urvashi
Published: March 2019

In this article, Rayleigh-Bénard convection for nanofluids for more realistic boundary conditions (rigid-free and rigid-rigid) under the influence of the magnetic field is investigated. Presence of nanoparticles in base fluid has introduced one additional conservation equation of nanoparticles that incorporates the effect of thermophoretic forces and Brownian motion and the inclusion of magnetic field has introduced Lorentz’s force term in the momentum equation along with Maxwell’s equations. The solution of the Eigen value problem is found in terms of Rayleigh number by implementing the technique of normal modes and weighted residual Galerkin approximation. It is found that the stationary as well as oscillatory motions come into existence and heat transfer takes place through oscillatory motions. The critical Rayleigh number for alumina water nanofluid has an appreciable increase in its value with the rise in Chandrasekhar number and it increases moderately as we move from rigid-free to both rigid boundaries. The effect of different nanofluid parameters on the onset of thermal convection for two types of boundaries is investigated.
A New Application of Hermite Collocation Method
Authors: Baishya Chandrali
Published: March 2019

This paper reflects the advantage of a new approach of using Hermite orthogonal basis elements to solve nonlinear differential equations. This method is based on a successive integration technique. To illustrate the method and to establish the efficiency of the method, it is applied to certain linear and nonlinear differential equations. The obtained numerical results show that the proposed method is a powerful numerical technique to solve nonlinear differential equations.
Structural Mathematical Changes in Theoretical Music in the Early Renaissance
Authors: Abdounur Oscar João
Published: March 2019

This paper investigates interrelationships between theories of ratio and theoretical music originating in Antiquity, with special attention to the early Renaissance in Europe. It considers evidence from different theories of ratio, stressing tendencies in mathematical treatment involving such concepts, which show similarities with music in structure and⁄or terminology and also examines their reflection in music in the period in question. It could be said that from later times and in particular in Euclid's Elements Book V, ratios were seen as musical intervals generalized, whose nature was very different from numbers or magnitudes. The change is from operations with ratios related to contiguous musical intervals to theories admitting compounding ratios in general sense with an essentially arithmetic character, manifested for instance in the idea that a ratio is equal to a number. It will be investigated here some attributes of these competing theories of ratios, as well as its close relationships with theoretical music up to the 16th century.
The Generalized Gamma Shared Frailty Model under Different Baseline Distributions
Authors: Sidhu Sukhmani , Jain Kanchan , Sharma Suresh K. Sharma
Published: March 2019

In the analysis of clustered survival data, shared frailty models are often used when observations in the same group share common unknown risk factors or frailty. There is dependence in the event times belonging to the same group, while event times from different groups are conditionally independent given their covariates. In such models, the known effect on survival time is described using the baseline distribution and regression coefficients while the unknown effect is described through a frailty distribution. In this paper, the Gompertz, log-logistic, and generalized exponential distributions are studied as baseline distributions, under a shared frailty effect described by the generalized gamma distribution. Their hazard functions have been compared and their applicability under different settings and performance with generalized gamma frailty has been explored. These models are fitted to three real life datasets using Bayesian estimation methods and compared using the Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC, BIC, and DIC) and the Bayes Factor.
A Benchmarking Strategy for Delhi Transport Corporation: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Saxena Punita
Published: March 2019

The growth of any developing economy depends largely on its transport sector. Growing economy leads to more job opportunities and movement of people from rural to urban areas. Public road transport hence plays a significant role as a support system in carrying passengers. This paper discusses the efficiency of State Transport Undertakings of India, in particular, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) using the technique of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and regression analysis. A data set of 46 State Transport Undertakings of India have been considered for the study. DEA was applied to compute the efficiencies of units under study. Potential improvements in the input and output variables were computed for the inefficient units. Regression analysis was then performed to identify the explanatory variables that significantly affect the input and output variables. It was observed that DTC is one amongst the worst performers. It showed a technical inefficiency of 50.94% and was operating on decreasing returns to scale. Further, DTC needs to increase its output substantially in order to attain the level of efficiency. Also it is not utilizing its resources optimally as it needs to reduce all its inputs. In other words, DTC is not utilizing its resources as optimally as its efficient peers. This paper is an attempt to apply regression technique along with the non parametric technique of Data Envelopment Analysis so that the decision makers of DTC can identify the areas where improvement is required and plan a strategy to improve their performance. This would enable DTC to move from a loss incurring to a profit making unit.
Integrating Lean, Green, and Resilience Criteria in a Sustainable Food Supply Chain Planning Model
Authors: Das Kanchan
Published: March 2019

Given the current food supply chain (SC) situations that generates substantial amount of wastes and emissions (CO2e) starting from input supply point to the marketing; increasing demand for food for growing population, requirements of water, and energy for processing the food, it is not sustainable. In addition, it is exposed to natural calamity and risks from supply, production and quality system failures and other disruptions and disasters. As such a sustainable food SC network design model is proposed that integrates resilience criteria, lean, and green based practices to overcome limitations of the current practices of the chain and improve its performances. The research designs and plans sustainable food collection regional grids, their potential locations, capacities, operations, establishment of relationship with food processing centers, and big-name retailers. The model is defined as a deterministic model to improve sustainability performance of a grid based supply chain network. Each grid is run by food collection cooperatives formed by the local farmers or small business organization. The research contributes by designing and planning potential grid locations, their capacities and integrates resilience criteria and lean based practices for improving sustainability performances. Applicability of the model is illustrated by the grid network of an example region (state).
Study of Implication of Qualification and Experience in Perception of Risks and Barriers for Innovative Projects
Authors: Narkhede Balkrishna E. , Ghadage Yogesh D. , Raut Rakesh D. , Luthra Sunil
Published: March 2019

Risks and barriers identification and management in innovative projects is a crucial phase. The risk and barrier evaluation is a critical task for the risk manager. The correctness of the evaluation process leads to effective management of risks and barriers. Effective management of risks and barriers improve the probability of success rate of the innovative projects. The current study attempt to understand the effect of Qualification & Experience (QE) in the perception of risks and barriers. This study intends to conclude on the effect of the above factors in the evaluation process. The evaluation of outcome indicates that the QE factors have their independent perception in the risk and barrier evaluation process.
Some Observations on 2-tuple Linguistic and Interval 2-tuple Linguistic Operators
Authors: Singh Anjali , Gupta Anjana
Published: March 2019

Literature of aggregation operators defined in the domains of linguistic and interval-valued linguistic information is extensive and vast. But, some operators are not well-defined and do not benefit the researchers. In this paper, we have highlighted the flaws in defining the operators and demonstrated them via examples. Further, some remedial suggestions for the improvement of the definitions are given.
Mathematical Modeling for Hospitalization due to Temperature Variations
Authors: Shah Nita H. , Pandya Purvi M. , Satia Moksha H. , Thakkar Foram
Published: March 2019

Sudden changes in temperature occur due to ecological disturbances which results into global warming, volcanic eruption, depletion of ozone layer etc. This has become a crucial environmental and social issue all over the world. Changes in temperature influences transmission pattern for several diseases which leads to increase in the death rate. This research focusses on hospitalization due to temperature variations. Here, class of exposed individuals are divided into two types: asymptomatic individuals who do not show any symptoms and symptomatic individuals which shows symptoms. The indoor or outdoor medications are the remedial steps to get cured. Severe dehydration, blood pressure fluctuations etc. need hospitalization. The rate at which the individual gets hospitalized is scrutinized using SEIRS - model. The system of non-linear ordinary differential equations is formulated for the given model and the reproduction number is then computed using next generation matrix method which connotes the recovery rate of an individual. Stability and numerical simulations are carried out.
Optimal Capacity Allocation when Patients encounter Congestion in Primary Healthcare Network
Authors: Kumar Kaushal
Published: March 2019

Universal health care aims at providing low cost or if possible free primary care to everyone. Most countries pursue this goal and it is pertinent for developing countries to make the best use of their limited resources to achieve it. In spite of every effort from the government, unfortunately patients in India spend significant amount of money on travelling and out-of-pocket expenses for availing primary care services even at public funded facilities. We propose an optimization model to help health decision makers in managing existing capacity for alleviation of this problem. The model can be used in the identification of existing health care facilities that need to be upgraded or reduced with a view to improve their utilization at minimum cost. The model recognizes increase in patient out-of-pocket expenses incurred at facilities due to longer waiting time (congestion). Results from numerical experiments are presented to explicate the functioning of the model.
Development of Design Charts Considering the Effect of Backfill Inclination and Wall Inclination on the Seismic Active Pressure for c-ϕ Soil
Authors: Gupta Ashish , Yadav Vikas , Sawant Vishwas A. , Agarwal Ruchin
Published: March 2019

In this paper, the design charts have been presented to calculate the seismic active pressure for c-ϕ soil with surcharge. For developing the design charts, the explicit generalised equation based on pseudo-static approach is used. In the present study, the design charts have been presented for positive and negative wall inclination considering the inclined backfill. The effect of backfill inclination along with the effect of positive and negative wall inclination on the seismic active pressure has been noticed in the design charts. The design charts are very easy to use for the field.
Evaluation of Mechanical Strength Characteristics of Double Ducted Unmanned Amphibious Aerial Vehicle using Finite Element Analysis
Authors: P. Gokul Raj , Esakki Balasubramanian , Ganesan Surendar
Published: March 2019

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are extensively exploited for diverse applications importantly surveillance, defence and military, photography. Development of unmanned amphibious vehicle with integrating features of hovercraft principles and multirotor to navigate along and above the water surface, land surface and flying in the air is challenging demand. This article presents conceptual design of amphibious vehicle for the payload capacity of 7 kg with an endurance of 20 minutes and provision for mounting water sampler to collect water samples in remote water bodies. Structural strength characteristics of each part of the amphibious vehicle and integrity of same are analysed by Finite Element Analysis. FEA results indicated that the designed amphibious vehicle structure is well within the stress limit and minimal displacement is obtained. Based on structural analysis materials for various parts of the amphibious vehicle are determined and integrated structure is analysed.
Conservation Adoption Among Owners and Tenant Farmers in the Southern United States
Authors: Adusumilli Naveen , Wang Hua
Published: March 2019

This study investigates owner and tenant characteristics and differences between these two groups in their participation in federal conservation initiatives. Bivariate probit model analysis, based on a 2016–2017 Louisiana row-crop producer’s survey show that owners, relative to tenant farmers, are more likely to adopt conservation in early years of ownership. The results emphasize the need for mechanisms for tenants in short-term contracts to invest in long-term conservation. Moreover, conservation initiatives should be tailored, as tenant farmers are increasingly farming more land and policies should carefully account for this growing group of farmers.
Assessing Spatial and Temporal Variability for Some Edaphic Characteristics of Mediterranean Rainfed and Irrigated Soils
Authors: Telo da Gama José , Rato Nunes José , Loures Luís , Lopez Piñeiro António , Vivas Paulo
Published: March 2019

Mediterranean soils are particularly threatened by salinization and low levels of organic matter content. In order to assess an edaphic sustainable use, we need to study its characteristics and better understand the temporal and spatial evolution. In this study, a total of 14,852 ha located in a western Mediterranean basin were selected as the study site where 1417 and 1451 topsoil samples were analyzed in 2001/2002 and 2011/2012, respectively, for Soil Organic Matter (SOM) content, pH water (pHw) and electrical conductivity (EC). Classical statistics and geostatistics techniques were used and the individual soil samples were related with the cultural system (CS) practiced–rainfed/irrigation–and the Reference Soil Group (RSG)–Cambisols, Calcisols, Luvisols, and Fluvisols. Predictive maps were created by interpolation using the Ordinary Kriging algorithm. The main results of this study were that, when transitioning from a rainfed to irrigation CS, SOM content is maintained in Cambisols but decreases in the other RSGs, pHw is maintained and EC increases in Fluvisols, Luvisols, and Cambisols. Over time in the rainfed CS all RSGs maintained SOM and pHw but EC increased in Fluvisols, Luvisols, and Calcisols and in the irrigation CS SOM decreased in Luvisols, pHw increased in Fluvisols and Calcisols and EC increased in all RSGs.
Peptides for Infectious Diseases: From Probe Design to Diagnostic Microarrays
Authors: Cretich Marina , Gori Alessandro , D’Annessa Ilda , Chiari Marcella , Colombo Giorgio
Published: March 2019

Peptides and peptidomimetics have attracted revived interest regarding their applications in chemical biology over the last few years. Their chemical versatility, synthetic accessibility and the ease of storage and management compared to full proteins have made peptides particularly interesting in diagnostic applications, where they proved to efficiently recapitulate the molecular recognition properties of larger protein antigens, and were proven to be able to capture antibodies circulating in the plasma and serum of patients previously exposed to bacterial or viral infections. Here, we describe the development, integration and application of strategies for computational prediction and design, advanced chemical synthesis, and diagnostic deployment in multiplexed assays of peptide-based materials which are able to bind antibodies of diagnostic as well as therapeutic interest. By presenting successful applications of such an integrated strategy, we argue that they will have an ever-increasing role in both basic and clinical realms of research, where important advances can be expected in the next few years.
Chemical Profile, Antibacterial Activity and Antibiotic-Modulating Effect of the Hexanic Zea Mays L. Silk Extract (Poaceae)
Authors: Carvalho Ana Beatriz Linard de , Cruz Cleciana Alves , Freitas Cicero Lucas Almeida de , Aguiar José Junior dos Santos , Nunes Paula Leticia Wendy de Souza , Lima Valéria Maria da Silva , Matias Edinardo Fagner Ferreira , Muniz Débora Feitosa , Coutinho Henrique Douglas Melo
Published: March 2019

The present study aimed to determine the chemical profile and to evaluate the antibacterial activity and antibiotic-modulating action of the hexanic Zea mays silk extract in association with aminoglycosides. Standard Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 strains, as well as multi-resistant Escherichia coli 27, Staphylococcus aureus 35, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 31 strains, were used in this study. Phytochemical prospection revealed the presence of the following secondary metabolites: tannins, flavones, flavonoids, and xanthones, with the main chemical constituents being identified in plant extracts obtained with apolar organic solvents such as hexane. The extract presented a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥1024 μg/mL against all the tested strains. The association of the extract with aminoglycoside antibiotics showed significant synergistic effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, except for amikacin, which was antagonized by the extract against E. coli. These results indicate the Zea mays silk presents bioactive compounds with antibiotic-modulating properties. However, further research is required to characterize the effects of isolated compounds and determine their potential for drug development.
Cut-Price Fabrication of Free-standing Porous Carbon Nanofibers Film Electrode for Lithium-ion Batteries
Authors: Zhao Pengfei , Li Wei , Fang Shiqing , Yu Ji , Yang Zhenyu , Cai Jianxin
Published: March 2019

Freestanding thin film electrodes are competitive candidate materials for high-performance energy stockpile equipment due to their self-supporting structure and because they lack any polymer binder or conductive additive. In our work, a porous carbon nanofiber film (PCNF) electrode has been synthesized via a convenient and low-cost electrospinning approach and the following carbonization and air etching process. The obtained PCNF electrode sample shows a high reversible capacity (1138 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C), remarkable rate capacity (101.2 mAh g−1 at 15 C), and superior cycling stability with a lower capacity decay rate of ~0.013% each cycle upon 1000 cycles (278 mAh g−1 at 5 C). The prominent electrochemical performance of PCNF can be put down to the stable self-supporting conductive structure and the porous feature in each carbon nanofiber, which will significantly promote the transfer tempo of Li-ion and electron and relieve the large volume change during inserting lithium ion. More interestingly, this work exhibits a low-cost and primitive strategy to fabricate thin film anode for lithium-ion batteries.
Influence of Initial Phase Modulation on the Sensitivity of the Optical Fiber Sagnac Acoustic Emission Sensor
Authors: Cheng Zhuming , Zeng Jie , Liang Dakai , Chang Chen , Wang Bing
Published: March 2019

Improving the phase sensitivity of the optical fiber Sagnac sensor is very important for accurately detecting weak signals of acoustic emission. Theoretical analysis shows that the initial phase of the sensor is π under ideal conditions, and the maximum phase sensitivity is obtained when the bias phase is π/2. In this work, an experimental system was built with an aluminum alloy plate as the experimental object. The initial phase of the sensor was modulated by a Y-branch waveguide, and the fitting curve of the experimental data was in good agreement with the curve of the numerical simulation. Moreover, our experiments show there was a single value for the bias phase of π/2, which significantly deviated from the theoretical value. The results show that the greatest phase sensitivity of the sensor not only could be increased by nearly nine times through modulating the initial phase, but also could suppress the harmonic interferences in the sensing system. This study can provide a useful reference for improving the phase sensitivity of the optical fiber Sagnac AE sensor in practical applications.
The Growth Methods and Field Emission Studies of Low-Dimensional Boron-Based Nanostructures
Authors: Gan Haibo , Zhang Tong , Guo Zekun , Lin Haojian , Li Zijuan , Chen Huanjun , Chen Jun , Liu Fei
Published: March 2019

Based on the morphology characteristics, low-dimensional (LD) nanostructures with high aspect ratio can be usually divided into nanowire, nanocone, nanotube, nanorod, nanoribbon, nanobelt and so on. Among numerous LD nanostructures, boron-based nanostructures attracted much interest in recent years because they have high melting-point, large electric and thermal conductivity, and low work function. Compared to traditional thermal emission, field emission (FE) has notable advantages, such as lower power dissipation, longer working life, room-temperature operation, higher brightness and faster switching speed. Most studies reveal they have lower turn-on and threshold fields as well as high current density, which are believed as ideal cold cathode nanomaterials. In this review, we will firstly introduce the growth methods of LD boron-based nanostructures (boron monoelement and rare-earth metal hexaboride). Then, we will discuss their FE properties and applications. At last, the conclusions and outlook will be summarized based on the above studies.
Analysis of Life Cycle Environmental Impact of Recycled Aggregate
Authors: Park Won-Jun , Kim Taehyoung , Roh Seungjun , Kim Rakhyun
Published: March 2019

This study assessed the influence of matter discharged during the production (dry/wet) of recycled aggregate on global warming potential (GWP) and acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), biotic resource depletion potential (ADP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP) using the ISO 14044 (LCA) standard. The LCIA of dry recycled aggregate was 2.94 × 10−2 kg-CO2eq/kg, 2.93 × 10−5 kg-SO2eq/kg, 5.44 × 10−6 kg-PO43eq/kg, 4.70 × 10−10 kg-CFC11eq/kg, 1.25 × 10−5 kg-C2H4eq/kg, and 1.60 × 10−5 kg-Antimonyeq/kg, respectively. The environmental impact of recycled aggregate (wet) was up to 16~40% higher compared with recycled aggregate (dry); the amount of energy used by impact crushers while producing wet recycled aggregate was the main cause for this result. The environmental impact of using recycled aggregate was found to be up to twice as high as that of using natural aggregate, largely due to the greater simplicity of production of natural aggregate requiring less energy. However, ADP was approximately 20 times higher in the use of natural aggregate because doing so depletes natural resources, whereas recycled aggregate is recycled from existing construction waste. Among the life cycle impacts assessment of recycled aggregate, GWP was lower than for artificial light-weight aggregate but greater than for slag aggregate.
A Multi-Period Approach for the Optimal Energy Retrofit Planning of Street Lighting Systems
Authors: Carli Raffaele , Dotoli Mariagrazia , Pellegrino Roberta
Published: March 2019

Investing in the optimal measures for improving the energy efficiency of urban street lighting systems has become strategic for the economic, technological and social development of cities. The decision-making process for the selection of the optimal set of interventions is not so straightforward. Several criticalities-such as difficulties getting access to credit for companies involved in street lighting systems refurbishment, budget constraints of municipalities, and unawareness of the actual energy and economic performance after a retrofitting intervention-require a decision-making approach that supports the city energy manager in selecting the optimal street lighting energy efficiency retrofitting solution while looking not only based on the available budget, but also based on the future savings in energy expenditures. In this context, the purpose of our research is to develop an effective decision-making model supporting the optimal multi-period planning of the street lighting energy efficiency retrofitting, which proves to be more effective and beneficial than the classical single-period approach and has never before been applied to the considered public lighting system context. The proposed methodology is applied to a real street lighting system in the city of Bari, Italy, showing the energy savings and financial benefit obtained through the proposed method. Numerical experiments are used to investigate and quantify the effects of using a multi-period planning approach instead of a single-period approach.
Selection of Optimal Hyperspectral Wavebands for Detection of Discolored, Diseased Rice Seeds
Authors: Baek Insuck , Kim Moon S. , Cho Byoung-Kwan , Mo Changyeun , Barnaby Jinyoung Y. , McClung Anna M. , Oh Mirae
Published: March 2019

The inspection of rice grain that may be infected by seedborne disease is important for ensuring uniform plant stands in production fields as well as preventing proliferation of some seedborne diseases. The goal of this study was to use a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique to find optimal wavelengths and develop a model for detecting discolored, diseased rice seed infected by bacterial panicle blight (Burkholderia glumae), a seedborne pathogen. For this purpose, the HSI data spanning the visible/near-infrared wavelength region between 400 and 1000 nm were collected for 500 sound and discolored rice seeds. For selecting optimal wavelengths to use for detecting diseased seed, a sequential forward selection (SFS) method combined with various spectral pretreatments was employed. To evaluate performance based on optimal wavelengths, support vector machine (SVM) and linear and quadratic discriminant analysis (LDA and QDA) models were developed for detection of discolored seeds. As a result, the violet and red regions of the visible spectrum were selected as key wavelengths reflecting the characteristics of the discolored rice seeds. When using only two or only three selected wavelengths, all of the classification methods achieved high classification accuracies over 90% for both the calibration and validation sample sets. The results of the study showed that only two to three wavelengths are needed to differentiate between discolored, diseased and sound rice, instead of using the entire HSI wavelength regions. This demonstrates the feasibility of developing a low cost multispectral imaging technology based on these selected wavelengths for non-destructive and high-throughput screening of diseased rice seed.
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Guided Wave Propagation in a Multi-Wire Cable
Authors: Zhang Pengfei , Tang Zhifeng , Lv Fuzai , Yang Keji
Published: March 2019

Ultrasonic guided waves (UGWs) have attracted attention in the nondestructive testing and structural health monitoring (SHM) of multi-wire cables. They offer such advantages as a single measurement, wide coverage of the acoustic field, and long-range propagation ability. However, the mechanical coupling of multi-wire structures complicates the propagation behaviors of guided waves and signal interpretation. In this paper, UGW propagation in these waveguides is investigated theoretically, numerically, and experimentally from the perspective of dispersion and wave structure, contact acoustic nonlinearity (CAN), and wave energy transfer. Although the performance of all possible propagating wave modes in a multi-wire cable at different frequencies could be obtained by dispersion analysis, it is ineffective to analyze the frequency behaviors of the wave signals of a certain mode, which could be analyzed using the CAN effect. The CAN phenomenon of two mechanically coupled wires in contact was observed, which was demonstrated by numerical guided wave simulation and experiments. Additionally, the measured guided wave energy of wires located in different layers of an aluminum conductor steel-reinforced cable accords with the theoretical prediction. The model of wave energy distribution in different layers of a cable also could be used to optimize the excitation power of transducers and determine the effective monitoring range of SHM.
Controlling the Oxygen Electrocatalysis on Perovskite and Layered Oxide Thin Films for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes
Authors: Yang Gene , Jung Wonsang , Ahn Sung-Jin , Lee Dongkyu
Published: March 2019

Achieving the fast oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics at the cathode of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is indispensable to enhance the efficiency of SOFCs at intermediate temperatures. Mixed ionic and electronic conducting (MIEC) oxides such as ABO3 perovskites and Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) oxides (A2BO4) have been widely used as promising cathode materials owing to their attractive physicochemical properties. In particular, oxides in forms of thin films and heterostructures have enabled significant enhancement in the ORR activity. Therefore, we aim to give a comprehensive overview on the recent development of thin film cathodes of SOFCs. We discuss important advances in ABO3 and RP oxide thin film cathodes for SOFCs. Our attention is also paid to the influence of oxide heterostructure interfaces on the ORR activity of SOFC cathodes.
Biologically-Inspired Learning and Adaptation of Self-Evolving Control for Networked Mobile Robots
Authors: Xu Sendren Sheng-Dong , Huang Hsu-Chih , Chiu Tai-Chun , Lin Shao-Kang
Published: March 2019

This paper presents a biologically-inspired learning and adaptation method for self-evolving control of networked mobile robots. A Kalman filter (KF) algorithm is employed to develop a self-learning RBFNN (Radial Basis Function Neural Network), called the KF-RBFNN. The structure of the KF-RBFNN is optimally initialized by means of a modified genetic algorithm (GA) in which a Lévy flight strategy is applied. By using the derived mathematical kinematic model of the mobile robots, the proposed GA-KF-RBFNN is utilized to design a self-evolving motion control law. The control parameters of the mobile robots are self-learned and adapted via the proposed GA-KF-RBFNN. This approach is extended to address the formation control problem of networked mobile robots by using a broadcast leader-follower control strategy. The proposed pragmatic approach circumvents the communication delay problem found in traditional networked mobile robot systems where consensus graph theory and directed topology are applied. The simulation results and numerical analysis are provided to demonstrate the merits and effectiveness of the developed GA-KF-RBFNN to achieve self-evolving formation control of networked mobile robots.
Extreme Weather Impacts on Inland Waterways Transport of Yangtze River
Authors: Liu Lijun , Wen Yuanqiao , Liang Youjia , Zhang Fan , Yang Tiantian
Published: March 2019

The impact of extreme weather events on the navigation environment in the inland waterways of the Yangtze River is an interdisciplinary hotspot in subjects of maritime traffic safety and maritime meteorology, and it is also a difficult point for the implementation of decision-making and management by maritime and meteorological departments in China. The objective of this study is to review the variation trends and distribution patterns in the periods of adverse and extreme weather events that are expected to impact on inland waterways transport (IWT) on the Yangtze River. The frequency of severe weather events, together with the changes in their spatial extension and intensity, is analyzed based on the ERA-Interim datasets (1979–2017) and the GHCNDEX dataset (1979–2017), as well as the research progresses and important events (2004–2016) affecting the navigation environment. The impacts of extreme weather events on IWT accidents and phenomena of extreme weather (e.g., thunderstorms, lightning, hail, and tornadoes) that affect the navigation environment are also analyzed and discussed. The results show that: (1) the sections located in the plain climate zone is affected by extreme weather in every season, especially strong winds and heat waves; (2) the sections located in the hilly mountain climate zone is affected particularly by spring extreme phenomena, especially heat waves; (3) the sections located in the Sichuan Basin climate zone is dominated by the extreme weather phenomena in autumn, except cold waves; (4) the occurrence frequency of potential flood risk events is relatively high under rainstorm conditions and wind gusts almost affect the navigation environment of the Jiangsu and Shanghai sections in every year; (5) the heat wave indices (TXx, TR, and WSDI) tend to increase and the temperature of the coldest day of the year gradually increases; (6) the high occurrences of IWT accidents need to be emphasized by relevant departments, caused by extreme weather during the dry season; and (7) the trends and the degree of attention of extreme weather events affecting IWT are ranked as: heat wave > heavy rainfall > wind gust > cold spell > storm. Understanding the seasonal and annual frequency of occurrence of extreme weather events has reference significance for regional management of the Yangtze River.
Passing the Wake: Using Multiple Fins to Shape Forces for Swimming
Authors: Mignano Anthony P. , Kadapa Shraman , Tangorra James L. , Lauder George V.
Published: March 2019

Fish use coordinated motions of multiple fins and their body to swim and maneuver underwater with more agility than contemporary unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The location, utilization and kinematics of fins vary for different locomotory tasks and fish species. The relative position and timing (phase) of fins affects how the downstream fins interact with the wake shed by the upstream fins and body, and change the magnitude and temporal profile of the net force vector. A multifin biorobotic experimental platform and a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamic simulation were used to understand how the propulsive forces produced by multiple fins were affected by the phase and geometric relationships between them. This investigation has revealed that forces produced by interacting fins are very different from the vector sum of forces from combinations of noninteracting fins, and that manipulating the phase and location of multiple interacting fins greatly affect the magnitude and shape of the produced propulsive forces. The changes in net forces are due, in large part, to time-varying wakes from dorsal and anal fins altering the flow experienced by the downstream body and caudal fin. These findings represent a potentially powerful means of manipulating the swimming forces produced by multifinned robotic systems.
Full-Scale Measurements of Wind-Pressure Coefficients in Twin Medium-Rise Buildings
Authors: Charisi Stergiani , Thiis Thomas K. , Aurlien Tormod
Published: March 2019

Wind pressure coefficients (Cp) are important values for building engineering applications, such as calculation of wind loads or wind-induced air infiltration and especially for tall buildings that are more susceptible to wind forces. Wind pressure coefficients are influenced by a plethora of parameters, such as building geometry, position on the façade, exposure or sheltering degree, and wind direction. On-site measurements have been performed on a twin medium-rise building complex. Differential pressure measurements have been employed in order to determine the wind pressure coefficients at various positions along the windward façades of the twin buildings. The measurements show that one building provides substantial wind shelter to its twin and the microclimatic effect is captured by the measured wind pressure coefficients. They also showed that the wind pressure coefficients vary significantly spatially along the windward façades of the medium-rise buildings. Furthermore, the pressure measurements showed that the wind pressure coefficients fluctuate significantly during the measuring period. The use of the fluctuating Cp values by means of probability distribution function (pdf) for the calculation of air infiltration has been evaluated. The results indicate that the air flows deriving using fluctuating Cp values are more accurate than the ones calculated by the conventional method of using mean Cp values.
An Enzyme Cascade Synthesis of Vanillin
Authors: Klaus Tobias , Seifert Alexander , Häbe Tim , Nestl Bettina M. , Hauer Bernhard
Published: March 2019

A novel approach for the synthesis of vanillin employing a three-step two-enzymatic cascade sequence is reported. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases are known to catalyse the selective hydroxylation of aromatic compounds, which is one of the most challenging chemical reactions. A set of rationally designed variants of CYP102A1 (P450 BM3) from Bacillus megaterium at the amino acid positions 47, 51, 87, 328 and 437 was screened for conversion of the substrate 3-methylanisole to vanillyl alcohol via the intermediate product 4-methylguaiacol. Furthermore, a vanillyl alcohol oxidase (VAO) variant (F454Y) was selected as an alternative enzyme for the transformation of one of the intermediate compounds via vanillyl alcohol to vanillin. As a proof of concept, the bi-enzymatic three-step cascade conversion of 3-methylanisole to vanillin was successfully evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.
HCV Pit Stop at the Lipid Droplet: Refuel Lipids and Put on a Lipoprotein Coat before Exit
Authors: Vieyres Gabrielle , Pietschmann Thomas
Published: March 2019

The replication cycle of the liver-tropic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is tightly connected to the host lipid metabolism, during the virus entry, replication, assembly and egress stages, but also while the virus circulates in the bloodstream. This interplay coins viral particle properties, governs viral cell tropism, and facilitates immune evasion. This review summarizes our knowledge of these interactions focusing on the late steps of the virus replication cycle. It builds on our understanding of the cell biology of lipid droplets and the biosynthesis of liver lipoproteins and attempts to explain how HCV hijacks these organelles and pathways to assemble its lipo-viro-particles. In particular, this review describes (i) the mechanisms of viral protein translocation to and from the lipid droplet surface and the orchestration of an interface between replication and assembly complexes, (ii) the importance of the triglyceride mobilization from the lipid droplets for HCV assembly, (iii) the interplay between HCV and the lipoprotein synthesis pathway including the role played by apolipoproteins in virion assembly, and finally (iv) the consequences of these complex virus–host interactions on the virion composition and its biophysical properties. The wealth of data accumulated in the past years on the role of the lipid metabolism in HCV assembly and its imprint on the virion properties will guide vaccine design efforts and reinforce our understanding of the hepatic lipid metabolism in health and disease.
Selected Aspects of Chemoresistance Mechanisms in Colorectal Carcinoma—A Focus on Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition, Autophagy, and Apoptosis
Authors: Skarkova Veronika , Kralova Vera , Vitovcova Barbora , Rudolf Emil
Published: March 2019

Chemoresistance has been found in all malignant tumors including colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Nowadays chemoresistance is understood as a major reason for therapy failure, with consequent tumor growth and spreading leading ultimately to the patient’s premature death. The chemotherapy-related resistance of malignant colonocytes may be manifested in diverse mechanisms that may exist both prior to the onset of the therapy or after it. The ultimate function of this chemoresistance is to ensure the survival of malignant cells through continuing adaptation within an organism, therefore, the nature and spectrum of cell-survival strategies in CRC represent a highly significant target of scientific inquiry. Among these survival strategies employed by CRC cells, three unique but significantly linked phenomena stand out—epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), autophagy, and cell death. In this mini-review, current knowledge concerning all three mechanisms including their emergence, timeline, regulation, and mutual relationships will be presented and discussed.
ATG-18 and EPG-6 are Both Required for Autophagy but Differentially Contribute to Lifespan Control in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Takacs Zsuzsanna , Sporbeck Katharina , Stoeckle Jennifer , Prado Carvajal Maria Jhaneth , Grimmel Mona , Proikas-Cezanne Tassula
Published: March 2019

During macroautophagy, the human WIPI (WD-repeat protein interacting with phosphoinositides) proteins (WIPI1–4) function as phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate effectors at the nascent autophagosome. Likewise, the two WIPI homologues in Caenorhabditis elegans, ATG-18 and EPG-6, play important roles in autophagy, whereby ATG-18 is considered to act upstream of EPG-6 at the onset of autophagy. Due to its essential role in autophagy, ATG-18 was found to be also essential for lifespan extension in Caenorhabditis elegans; however, this has not yet been addressed with regard to EPG-6. Here, we wished to address this point and generated mutant strains that expressed the autophagy marker GFP::LGG-1 (GFP-LC3 in mammals) and harbored functional deletions of either atg-18 (atg18(gk378)), epg-6 (epg-6(bp242)) or both (atg-18(gk378);epg-6(bp242)). Using quantitative fluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, and lifespan assessments, we provide evidence that in the absence of either ATG-18 or EPG-6 autophagy was impaired, and while atg-18 mutant animals showed a short-lived phenotype, lifespan was significantly increased in epg-6 mutant animals. We speculate that the long-lived phenotype of epg-6 mutant animals points towards an autophagy-independent function of EPG-6 in lifespan control that warrants further mechanistic investigations in future studies.