bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of children in cocoa production in sekyere south district in ashanti region, ghana: is this child labour or an apprenticeship training?
Authors: Asamoah PKB , Adubofour SB , Obodai J , Agyemang FO
Published: September 2018

Concerns have been growing in Ghana about the employment of children, aged between 5-17 years, in cocoa production activities. This concern is echoed by the International Labour Organisation in its attempt to eliminate Worst Form of Child Labour. The objectives of the study were as to: investigate whether the labour of the children are paid for; determine the extent of children’s involvement; and investigate the risks they are exposed to. Using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), participant groups made up of women, men, children and opinion leaders were purposely selected from 10 cocoa producing communities from the study area. Structured questionnaires were also administered to 50 cocoa farmers through face-to-face interviews. The study revealed that harvesting is the stage in the cocoa production process that children are directly and actively involved. The study concludes by indicating that child labour and cocoa production are inseparable in the cocoa producing areas in the study site.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 38-43, June, 2018
Factors affecting plant biodiversity in the homesteads of rural areas under process of modernization in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam MR , Baten MA , Hossain SMA , Afroz SM , Naher K
Published: September 2018

A study was carried out at selected villages in Gazipur district of Bangladesh during 2008- 2009 to assess the changes in biodiversity of rural homesteads with modernization and factors affecting the biodiversity. Three villages were selected purposively considering their degree of modernization e.g. traditional, semi-modern and modern village and biodiversity at 40 randomly selected homesteads from each of the three villages were studied. Shannon- Wiener diversity index (H) value for traditional village (1.652) was statistically similar to semi-modern village (1.373) but significantly higher (t = 2.47*) than that of modern village (1.029). It indicates that plant biodiversity is decreasing significantly with modernization and/or urbanization. For assessing factors affecting biodiversity in the homesteads, a total of 26 factors were considered of them 15 factors had significant relationship with biodiversity. Factors like, family size, establishment of homestead, agricultural knowledge, nutritional knowledge, primary health care knowledge, environmental awareness, innovativeness, homestead area, income from homestead, savings, access to credit, disturbance of theft and predators, and utilization of modern agro-technologies had significant positive relationship; while ‘fragmentation of homestead’ and ‘sanitation’ had significantly negative relationship with homestead biodiversity. Linear multiple regression analysis showed that eight factors such as, agricultural knowledge, nutritional knowledge, environmental awareness, homestead area, income from homestead, innovativeness, homestead fragmentation and sanitation had significant contribution to homestead biodiversity. These eight significant factors explained 75.2 percent (adjusted R2 = 0.752) of the total variation in the homestead biodiversity. However, stepwise regression analysis revealed that ‘homestead area’ had the largest possible contribution (55.7%) to variation in the homestead biodiversity, followed in descending order by agricultural knowledge (9.5%), income from homestead (5.0%), environmental awareness (2.9%), sanitation (2.3%), nutritional knowledge (1.6%), innovativeness (1.0%) and fragmentation of the homestead (1.0%).Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 44-54, June, 2018
People’s perception on agricultural vulnerabilities to climate change and SLR in Bangladesh: adaptation strategies and explanatory variables
Authors: Islam MA , Paul SK
Published: September 2018

The objective of this research is to evaluate people’s perception on vulnerabilities of agriculture and to explore effective adaptation options with identifying the underlying demographic, socio-economic and other relevant variables that influence the adaptation strategies in the sea level rise (SLR) hazard induced coastal areas of Bangladesh. The study finds that climate change and induced SLR are emerging threats to coastal agriculture of Bangladesh; hence, farmers are applying different adaptation strategies to reduce the vulnerabilities of coastal agriculture. Selection of effective adaptation strategies to vulnerabilities of agriculture depends not only on the magnitude, intensity and the impacts of climate change and SLR, but also perceptions and types of farmer, land, educational level, indigenous knowledge about adaptation, locational advantages, external support, community awareness and sharing of different effective mechanisms among the farmers. Effective adaptation strategies with high perceptions have significant influence to reduce the vulnerabilities of agriculture considering the adverse impacts of climate change and SLR. In time of extreme climatic hazards when a great loss in agriculture hamper the coastal agrobased economy, different effective indigenous local adaptation strategies through farmer awareness and community co-operation become vital for minimizing the impact of climatic hazards and reducing the vulnerabilities of coastal agriculture.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 70-78, June, 2018
Workplace-based Assessment: An Important Tool for Trainee Assessment
Authors: Jamal ABM
Published: September 2018

There has been a great concern that trainees are seldom observed, instructed, assessed and provide feedback during their training period. It is customary that most of the post graduate institute relies on end of assessment or so called single shot final assessment and pass or fail is the only outcome. Recent trends in medical education states on giving importance of formative assessment and in training assessment. As physicians become ever busier in their own clinical practice, being effective teachers becomes more challenging in the context of expanding clinical responsibilities and shrinking time for teaching. Trainers are often unaware of their role for the trainees. They often reluctant to assess the trainees due to lack of monitoring at faculty level. Now a day trainees are assessed mainly on non documented methods and not in a structured way. Moreover there is little if any feedback is being given to them. The modern medical education given emphasize on workplace-based assessment rather than end of assessment or final assessment.J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2018; 36(4): 159-165
Successful One Stage Operation for Giant Frontonasal Encephalocele in a Very Young Child: A Case Report
Authors: Arman DM , Muhammad Ekramullah Sheikh , Mukherjee Sudipta Kumer , Chowdhury Md Rahimullah , Mia Md Abdul Quddus , Asfia Kazi Nur
Published: September 2018

Encephalocele is defined as protrusion of cranial contents like meninges and cerebral tissue beyond the normal confines of the skull through a defect in the cranium. It is one form of a neural tube defect as are anencephaly and spina bifida. There are 2 main types of encephalomeningocele, frontoethmoidal and occipital, according to the location of the defect. The frontoethmoidal type defect, which is located in the area of the frontal and ethmoidal bones. The authors present a case of frontonasal encephalocele in a very young child.Journal of National Institute of Neurosciences Bangladesh, 2018;4(1): 58-62
Quantitative Pupillometry for Detection of Intracranial Pressure Changes During Head-Down Tilt
Authors: Soeken Timothy A. , Alonso Al , Grant Aaron , Calvillo Eusebia , Gutierrez-Flores Barbara , Clark Jonathan , Donoviel Dorit , Bershad Eric M.
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND: There is a need to develop noninvasive methods to monitor intracranial pressure (ICP). Pupillary reactivity decreases in patients with elevated ICP with demonstrated cerebral edema. We sought to determine whether pupillary reactivity is affected when ICP is elevated
in the absence of brain edema.METHODS: Healthy subjects and individuals with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) underwent pupillometry in different positions (upright, supine, and head-down tilt) and during different physiological maneuvers. A separate group of healthy subjects
were tested in the upright resting position only. The pupillary dynamics were measured with a pupillometer.RESULTS: Healthy and IIH subjects were enrolled. In the healthy subjects the change from upright to head-down tilt led to a Neurological Pupil Index (NPI) decrease from 4.30
to 4.12, while maximum pupil size and minimum pupil size increased from 4.74 to 5.19 and 3.04 to 3.44, respectively. In the IIH group the maximum pupil size, minimum pupil size, and latency increased in magnitude with a decline in head tilt. The mean NPI of IIH subjects, 4.37, was greater
than the healthy mean, 4.25. Also, the mean IIH Max and Min, 5.02 and 3.25, were greater than the healthy mean, 4.62 and 2.92.DISCUSSION: We observed changes in the pupillary reactivity in all subjects based on changes in position and task. There were also differences between the
healthy and IIH subjects. This is consistent with our hypothesis that elevated intracranial pressure may result in decreased pupillary reactivity even in the absence of brain edema.Soeken TA, Alonso A, Grant A, Calvillo E, Gutierrez-Flores B, Clark J, Donoviel D, Bershad EM. Quantitative
pupillometry for detection of intracranial pressure changes during head-down tilt. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(8):717–723.
Portable Autorefractors for Detecting Axial Length Changes in Space
Authors: Masterova Kseniya S. , Anderson Allison P. , Cowan Devin R. , Fellows Abigail M. , Zegans Michael E. , Buckey Jay C.
Published: September 2018

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the reproducibility of two portable, self-administered autorefractors (Netra and SVOne Pro) to assess the time course of visual changes on the ISS.METHODS: We measured cycloplegic refractive error at 5 visits at least a week apart in 13 subjects
(6 women, 7 men, 30 ± 9 yr) using both devices seated and also prone with lower body positive pressure (LBPP) applied. Axial length was measured with an optical biometer. Subjects completed a questionnaire on device preferences.RESULTS: The SVOne seated intrasession reproducibility
coefficient (RPC) was 0.37 diopters (D), while the Netra’s was 0.41 D. Intersession seated results were: RPC = 0.67 D for the SVOne and RPC = 0.54 D for the Netra. The average seated to prone LBPP differences were significantly different from zero for both the SVOne and Netra. The SVOne
was preferred in four out of five categories on the questionnaire and took half the time to complete a measurement set compared to the Netra.DISCUSSION: Users preferred the SVOne and it took less time. An SVOne refraction change of 0.67 D from baseline would happen by chance less
than 5% of the time. If multiple separate measurements were taken, the detection limit could be reduced (e.g., three repeated measurements could reduce it to 0.38 D). Since astronauts with visual changes show spherical equivalent changes of 0.5 to 1.0 D, in-flight autorefractors could help
determine the time course of refractive changes in space from which changes in axial length could be inferred.Masterova KS, Anderson AP, Cowan DR, Fellows AM, Zegans ME, Buckey JC. Portable autorefractors for detecting axial length changes in space. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(8):724–730.
PERCLOS as an Indicator of Slow-Onset Hypoxia in Aviation
Authors: Thropp Jennifer E. , Scallon Jeffrey F. V. , Buza Paul
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND: PERCLOS is a metric that has been primarily studied in the domain of driver fatigue to predict performance decrements, but there is comparatively less research applying it to aviation, where hypoxia is a safety concern. Hypoxic exposure was expected to increase blink
activity, possibly by means of impairing blink inhibition behavior, thereby leading to increased eyelid closure time.METHODS: PERCLOS, blink rate, and blink duration were measured using head-mounted eye-tracking on pilots using a flight simulator inside a hypobaric chamber. Pilot
subjects were tasked with programming the autopilot of a G-1000 console according to instructions from a simulated air traffic controller. Data was collected at 5% decrements in blood oxygen saturation (Spo2) through progressive decreases in hypobaric pressure to model
slow-onset hypoxia.RESULTS: PERCLOS, blink rate, and blink duration increased significantly and linearly as a function of decreasing Spo2, and largely recovered in the posthypoxia normoxia condition. The greatest change in PERCLOS relative to the prehypoxia
baseline occurred in the 80% Spo2 condition, whereas the greatest change in blink rate and duration occurred at 75% Spo2. As Spo2 decreased, a higher frequency of long blink durations was observed.DISCUSSION: The
increase in blink rate and duration in the absence of task demand manipulation could suggest hypoxia-induced sympathetic excitation and impairment of adaptive blink inhibition behavior. The effect of hypoxia on oculomotor features is also likely task-specific. In consideration of the extensive
demand made upon the visual modality in flight, increased PERCLOS may further tax visual information processing.Thropp JE, Scallon JFV, Buza P. PERCLOS as an indicator of slow-onset hypoxia in aviation. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(8):700–707.
A Case Study of Severe Space Motion Sickness
Authors: Reschke Millard F. , Wood Scott J. , Clément Gilles R.
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND: Motion sickness remains a significant and unpredictable problem during spaceflight. One of the major difficulties in understanding the etiology of space motion sickness has been a lack of data at the time the symptoms occur, i.e., immediately after entry into space
and during return to Earth; in these phases of the mission is when critical operational tasks are performed.CASE REPORT: We report here the case of a crewmember who experienced severe motion sickness symptoms immediately after launching into space and for several days into the mission.
Verbal reports recorded during and immediately after the flight describe in detail the symptoms and their underlying causes. The prominent cause was oscillopsia that was induced by moving the head, wearing prescription eyeglasses, and translating the whole body.DISCUSSION: In this
case, space motion sickness was sudden and induced by voluntary or involuntary head or body movements in any plane. These head movements caused a visual disturbance that induced the perception that the environment was oscillating. The exaggerated motion perceptions suggest an increased vestibular
sensitivity and/or decreased pursuit-optokinetic mechanisms in orbit and immediately after landing.Reschke MF, Wood SJ, Clément GR. A case study of severe space motion sickness. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(8):749–753.
Networking across the North Sea: The Influence of German Civilian Authors on Sir George MacKenzie's “Laws and Customs of Scotland on Matters Criminal”
Authors: Krause Thomas
Published: September 2018

In his treatise “The Laws and Customs of Scotland in Matters Criminal”, which was first published in 1678, Sir George Mackenzie gave the first thorough account of Scots criminal law. Being heavily influenced by Roman and Civil Law authorities most of the latter ones hail from Italy, France, the Low Countries, and Spain. There are, however, also a number of German civilian authors Mackenzie relies on. Their influence on his line of argumentation is the subject of Thomas Krause's article.
The Colour of Social Realism
Authors: Street Sarah
Published: September 2018

During the 1960s Eastmancolor, a relatively cheap, widely available film stock, revolutionised the British film industry's approach to colour. This article discusses the consequences of this major representational and aesthetic shift on social realism, a sub-genre of British cinema primarily associated with black and white cinematography. While colour provided an opportunity for greater realism, critics argued that it distracted audiences with hues considered inappropriate for social commentary. The article examines how a number of notable 1950s and 1960s British colour films navigated entrenched critical positions while deploying colour in distinctive, often innovative ways to reflect their social realist environments and themes. Films examined include A Kid for Two Farthings (1955), Miracle in Soho (1957), Sapphire (1959), Flame in the Streets (1961), Some People (1962), The Family Way (1966) and Poor Cow (1967). It is argued that critics' preoccupation with the New Wave cycle of films, 1959–63, has been at the expense of colour films that extended the range of representation, both aesthetically and thematically. Bringing colour more centrally into scholarship about British cinema contributes to revisionist research on social realism that privileges the foregrounding of style and textual aesthetics. In addition, the article shows how analysing films from the perspective of colour encourages relating them to broader chromatic tastes and trends. By the mid-1960s, as culture was generally becoming more chromatically vibrant, film-makers were able to take greater advantage of the colour stocks that enabled them to experiment with realist conventions.
Surviving The Jungle Book: Trans-temporal Ventriloquism in Ian Iqbal Rashid's Surviving Sabu
Authors: Cristina Mendes Ana
Published: September 2018

The process of screen adaptation is an act of ventriloquism insofar as it gives voice to contemporary anxieties and desires through its trans-temporal use of a source text. Screen adaptations that propose to negotiate meanings about the past, particularly a conflicted past, are acts of ‘trans-temporal ventriloquism’: they adapt and reinscribe pre-existing source texts to animate contemporary concerns and anxieties. I focus on the acts of trans-temporal ventriloquism in Ian Iqbal Rashid's Surviving Sabu (1998), a postcolonial, turn-of-the-twenty-first century short film that adapts Zoltan and Alexander Korda's film The Jungle Book (1942), itself an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's collection of short stories by the same name. Surviving Sabu is about the survival and appropriation of orientalist films as a means of self-expression in a postcolonial present. Inherent in this is the idea of cinema as a potentially redemptive force that can help to balance global power inequalities. Surviving Sabu's return to The Jungle Book becomes a means both of tracing the genealogy of specific orientalist discourses and for ventriloquising contemporary concerns. This article demonstrates how trans-temporal ventriloquism becomes a strategy of political intervention that enables the film-maker to take ownership over existing media and narratives. My argument examines Surviving Sabu as an exemplar of cultural studies of the 1980s and 1990s: a postcolonial remediation built on fantasy and desire, used as a strategy of writing within rather than back to empire.
An Ordinary Spectacle: Critical Responses to Fantasy and Whimsy in Looking for Eric and The Angels’ Share
Authors: Rickards Carolyn
Published: September 2018

The extensive career of the British film director Ken Loach has been defined by his perceived commitment to portraying the lives of ordinary, everyday people on screen. The realist impulse underpinning this output can be determined from early television credits on the BBC's ‘Wednesday Play’ series to more recent films such as Jimmy's Hall (2014) and I, Daniel Blake (2016). It could be argued that this aesthetic tendency also continues to inform critical appropriations of Loach's work. This article considers Looking for Eric (2009) and The Angels' Share (2012) as two films which appear to challenge this established discourse. In Looking for Eric, the spectacle is manifold: the appearance of Eric Cantona, a well-known French actor and celebrity, is complicated by his fantasised role while The Angels' Share evokes the whimsical tradition of Ealing comedies. This study explores critical response to both films, finding a disruption of existing preconceptions attributed to Loach as a British film director, and also considers the potential wider impact of such discourse.
An Auto-Adjustable Semi-Supervised Self-Training Algorithm
Authors: Livieris Ioannis E. , Kanavos Andreas , Tampakas Vassilis , Pintelas Panagiotis
Published: September 2018

Semi-supervised learning algorithms have become a topic of significant research as an alternative to traditional classification methods which exhibit remarkable performance over labeled data but lack the ability to be applied on large amounts of unlabeled data. In this work, we propose a new semi-supervised learning algorithm that dynamically selects the most promising learner for a classification problem from a pool of classifiers based on a self-training philosophy. Our experimental results illustrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms its component semi-supervised learning algorithms in terms of accuracy, leading to more efficient, stable and robust predictive models.
Application of Geographic Information System and Automated Guidance System in Optimizing Contour and Terrace Farming
Authors: Guo Wenxuan
Published: September 2018

Farming contour and terrace fields using automated guidance systems with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers requires appropriate geographic features for effective guidance and soil and water conservation. The objective of this paper was to develop methodologies for improving and designing guidance features for operating guidance systems in contour and terrace fields. This study was conducted in the Texas High Plains where contour and terrace farming practices are prevalent in slope fields. Four case studies were used to demonstrate the application of a geographic information system (GIS) in optimizing guidance geographic features, including line smoothing, line extending and connecting, creating swath AB lines, and guide-to-line features. Line smoothing removes sharp angularities and curve oscillations on guidance line features, resulting in smooth and more effective guidance operations. The line extension and connection method creates a more convenient and simple guidance feature by combining multiple AB lines. Guide-to-line features derived from AB lines can eliminate confusions when using a guidance system with multiple AB lines in fields with complicated topographic attributes. A methodology was also developed to create guidance AB lines by processing the elevation data generated by a guidance system with a real-time kinematic (RTK) receiver. Guidance line features created in this study satisfy user requirements for effective guidance operations and soil and water conservation. Integrating the application of GIS spatial analysis capabilities and automated guidance systems can enhance farming operations by improving or creating guidance line features, as well as satisfying soil and water conservation needs. Parameter selection for enhancing or creating guidance line features needs to consider unique field conditions and user requirements for simple, convenient, and effective field operations.
Interface Separation Detection of Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Using a Distributed Temperature Measuring System
Authors: Pan Shengshan , Zhu Yuxi , Li Dongsheng , Mao Jian
Published: September 2018

In recent years, concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) bridges have been widely used in bridge construction. However, interface disengaging is one of the bridges’ most common defects. It affects not only the confinement of the steel tube to the core concrete, but also the bearing capacity and the structure durability. In order to solve the problem of disengaging at the interface of steel tube-confined concrete and ensure the integrity of the structure, a new method based on a distributed temperature detection system is proposed to identify disengaging at the interface between steel tube and concrete. Through the analysis of experiments and numerical simulation, it was found that when the structure surface was heated, the temperature of the void area was higher than that of the solid area. The temperature of the maximum void height was the highest, the temperature increase rate was the fastest, and the cooling rate was the slowest. The boundary of the void suffered from sudden changes in temperature. The more serious the void, the greater was the temperature difference between the void and the solid. After changing the heating direction, the temperature distribution could still be identified. This study achieved simplicity and efficiency with respect to the detection of interface separation.
Antifungal and Antiaflatoxigenic Activities of 1,8-Cineole and t-Cinnamaldehyde on Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Kim Hyeong-Mi , Kwon Hyunwoo , Kim Kyeongsoon , Lee Sung-Eun
Published: September 2018

Aspergillus flavus and A. parsiticus produce aflatoxins that are highly toxic to mammals and birds. In this study, the inhibitory effects of 1,8-cineole and t-cinnamaldehyde were examined on the growth of Aspergillus flavus ATCC 22546 and aflatoxin production. 1,8-Cineole showed 50% inhibition of fungal growth at a concentration of 250 ppm, while t-cinnamaldehyde almost completely inhibited fungal growth at a concentration of 50 ppm. Furthermore, no fungal growth was observed when the growth medium was treated with 100 ppm t-cinnamaldehyde. 1,8-Cineole also exhibited 50% inhibition on the production of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin B2 at a concentration of 100 ppm, while the addition of 100 ppm t-cinnamaldehyde completely inhibited aflatoxin production. These antiaflatoxigenic activities were related to a dramatic downregulation of the expression of aflE and aflL by 1,8-cineole, but the mode of action for t-cinnamaldehyde was unclear. Collectively, our results suggest that both of the compounds are promising alternatives to the currently used disinfectant, propionic acid, for food and feedstuff preservation.
Broadband and Triple-Wavelength Continuous Wave Orange Laser by Single-Pass Sum-Frequency Generation in Step-Chirped MgO:PPLN
Authors: Li Guangwei , Choge Dismas K. , Chen Huaixi , Xu Yibin , Guo Lei , Liang Wanguo
Published: September 2018

We have demonstrated sum-frequency generation of a compact continuous-wave orange laser in a step-chirped magnesium oxide doped periodically poled lithium niobate in single-pass mode. A 974 nm laser diode was mixed with a C-band amplified spontaneous emission laser source to yield a triple-wavelength operation at 594.9, 596.9, and 598.6 nm with a maximum output power of 9.3 mW and broad bandwidth of ~4.4 nm. The triple-wavelength output power stability was ~2.5% in 30 min. This technique provides a path to generate broadband laser sources at shorter wavelengths which are potentially useful for biomedical and spectroscopic applications.
Future-Year Ozone Isopleths for South Coast, San Joaquin Valley, and Maryland
Authors: Collet Susan , Kidokoro Toru , Karamchandani Prakash , Shah Tejas
Published: September 2018

Many areas of the United States are working toward achieving the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) attainment level. The objective of this study was to develop future-year (2030) volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides (VOC-NOx) isopleth diagrams of the 4th highest maximum daily 8-h average ozone design value concentrations at monitors of interest in the South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) and San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in California, and in Maryland. The simulation results showed there would be attainment of the 2015 ozone NAAQS in 2030 without further controls at the selected monitors: 27% in SoCAB, 57% in SJV, and 100% in Maryland. The SoCAB ozone isopleths developed in this study were compared with those reported in the South Coast Air Quality Management District 2016 Air Quality Management Plan. There are several differences between the two modeling studies, the results are qualitatively similar for most of the monitors in the relative amounts of additional emission reductions needed to achieve the ozone NAAQS. The results of this study provide insight into designing potential control strategies for ozone attainment in future years for areas currently in non-attainment. Additional photochemical modeling using these strategies can then provide confirmation of the effectiveness of the controls.
Improvement of Corrosion Resistance of Hastelloy-N Alloy in LiF-NaF-KF Molten Salt by Laser Cladding Pure Metallic Coatings
Authors: Zhu Hongmei , Li Baichun , Chen Minghui , Qiu Changjun , Tang Zhongfeng
Published: September 2018

The corrosion protection of Hastelloy-N alloy in LiF-NaF-KF (commonly referred to as FLiNaK) molten salt has been developed by pure Ni and Co coatings using the laser cladding technique. An immersion experiment with samples was performed in molten FLiNaK salt at 900 °C for 100 h. It was found that the corrosion rates of the pure Ni-coated specimen and the pure Co-coated specimen are 39.9% and 35.7% of that of Hastelloy-N alloy, respectively. A careful microstructural characterization indicates that a selective dissolution of the elemental Cr occurred in the surface of bare Hastelloy-N alloy, showing a severe intergranular corrosion. For pure metal-coated specimens, in contrast, only metal oxide formed during the laser cladding process dissolved into the molten fluoride salt. The dense pure metal (Ni or Co) coatings exhibit a slightly general corrosion and protect the Hastelloy-N substrate effectively. The possible corrosion mechanism for both coated and uncoated Hastelloy-N under the current experimental condition are discussed in this work.
Torsional Fretting Wear Properties of Thermal Oxidation-Treated Ti3SiC2 Coatings
Authors: Wang Jian , Luo Xiaohui , Sun Yanhua
Published: September 2018

In this study, efforts were made to oxidize the Ti3SiC2 coating surface to improve its wear resistance by producing oxide layers and healing microcracks that initiated from the thermal sprayed process. Tribological behaviors of the thermal oxidation-treated Ti3SiC2 coatings subjected to various temperatures (200, 300, and 400 °C) and durations (1, 3, and 5 h) were investigated comparatively by fretting wear. The results showed that the thickness of the oxide layer and the average content of element O on the surface were gradually increased with increasing temperature. Lower friction coefficients were observed in coatings at 200–400 °C for 1 h. Better performance of crack-healing features was demonstrated at 400 °C, whereas fresh microcracks were formed under the fretting condition due to the fragility of oxides at the same time. The tribological behavior of thermal oxidation-treated Ti3SiC2 coatings was mainly controlled by delamination and abrasive wear. The volume losses induced by wear scars decreased with the increase in oxidation time under the oxidation treatment at 200 °C and increased with increasing oxidation time under the oxidation temperatures of 300 and 400 °C.
Spatial Organization of Five-Fold Morphology as a Source of Geometrical Constraint in Biology
Authors: López-Sauceda Juan , López-Ortega Jorge , Laguna Sánchez Gerardo Abel , Sandoval Gutiérrez Jacobo , Rojas Meza Ana Paola , Aragón José Luis
Published: September 2018

A basic pattern in the body plan architecture of many animals, plants and some molecular and cellular systems is five-part units. This pattern has been understood as a result of genetic blueprints in development and as a widely conserved evolutionary character. Despite some efforts, a definitive explanation of the abundance of pentagonal symmetry at so many levels of complexity is still missing. Based on both, a computational platform and a statistical spatial organization argument, we show that five-fold morphology is substantially different from other abundant symmetries like three-fold, four-fold and six-fold symmetries in terms of spatial interacting elements. We develop a measuring system to determine levels of spatial organization in 2D polygons (homogeneous or heterogeneous partition of defined areas) based on principles of regularity in a morphospace. We found that spatial organization of five-fold symmetry is statistically higher than all other symmetries studied here (3 to 10-fold symmetries) in terms of spatial homogeneity. The significance of our findings is based on the statistical constancy of geometrical constraints derived from spatial organization of shapes, beyond the material or complexity level of the many different systems where pentagonal symmetry occurs.
Energy Dissipation and Information Flow in Coupled Markovian Systems
Authors: Quenneville Matthew E. , Sivak David A.
Published: September 2018

A stochastic system under the influence of a stochastic environment is correlated with both present and future states of the environment. Such a system can be seen as implicitly implementing a predictive model of future environmental states. The non-predictive model complexity has been shown to lower-bound the thermodynamic dissipation. Here we explore these statistical and physical quantities at steady state in simple models. We show that under quasi-static driving this model complexity saturates the dissipation. Beyond the quasi-static limit, we demonstrate a lower bound on the ratio of this model complexity to total dissipation, that is realized in the limit of weak driving.
Morphogenesis of Urban Water Distribution Networks: A Spatiotemporal Planning Approach for Cost-Efficient and Reliable Supply
Authors: Zischg Jonatan , Rauch Wolfgang , Sitzenfrei Robert
Published: September 2018

Cities and their infrastructure networks are always in motion and permanently changing in structure and function. This paper presents a methodology for automatically creating future water distribution networks (WDNs) that are stressed step-by-step by disconnection and connection of WDN parts. The associated effects of demand shifting and flow rearrangements are simulated and assessed with hydraulic performances. With the methodology, it is possible to test various planning and adaptation options of the future WDN, where the unknown (future) network is approximated via the co-located and known (future) road network, and hence different topological characteristics (branched vs. strongly looped layout) can be investigated. The reliability of the planning options is evaluated with the flow entropy, a measure based on Shannon’s informational entropy. Uncertainties regarding future water consumption and water loss management are included in a scenario analysis. To avoid insufficient water supply to customers during the transition process from an initial to a final WDN state, an adaptation concept is proposed where critical WDN components are replaced over time. Finally, the method is applied to the drastic urban transition of Kiruna, Sweden. Results show that without adaptation measures severe performance drops will occur after the WDN state 2023, mainly caused by the disconnection of WDN parts. However, with low adaptation efforts that consider 2–3% pipe replacement, sufficient pressure performances are achieved. Furthermore, by using an entropy-cost comparison, the best planning options are determined.
Power and Voltage Control for Single-Phase Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Converters under Unbalanced Loads
Authors: Yang Daliang , Yin Li , Xu Shengguang , Wu Ning
Published: September 2018

The conventional control method for a single-phase cascaded H-bridge (CHB) multilevel converter is vector (dq) control; however, dq control requires complicated calculations and additional time delays. This paper presents a novel power control strategy for the CHB multilevel converter. A power-based dc-link voltage balance control is also proposed for unbalanced load conditions. The new control method is designed in a virtual αβ stationary reference frame without coordinate transformation or phase-locked loop (PLL) to avoid the potential issues related to computational complexity. Because only imaginary voltage construction is needed in the proposed control method, the time delay from conventional imaginary current construction can be eliminated. The proposed method can obtain a sinusoidal grid current waveform with unity power factor. Compared with the conventional dq control method, the power control strategy possesses the advantage of a fast dynamic response. The stability of the closed-loop system with the dc-link voltage balance controller is evaluated. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the accuracy of the proposed power and voltage control method.
Steering Stability Control for a Four Hub-Motor Independent-Drive Electric Vehicle with Varying Adhesion Coefficient
Authors: Hou Rufei , Zhai Li , Sun Tianmin
Published: September 2018

In order to enhance the steering stability of a four hub-motor independent-drive electric vehicle (4MIDEV) on a road with varying adhesion coefficient, for example on a joint road, this paper proposes a hierarchical steering stability control strategy adapted to the road adhesion. The upper control level of the proposed strategy realizes the integrated control of the sideslip angle and yaw rate in the direct yaw moment control (DYC), where the influences of the road adhesion and sideslip angle are both studied by the fuzzy control. The lower control level employs a weight-based optimal torque distribution algorithm in which weight factors for each motor torque are designed to accommodate different adhesion of each wheel. The proposed stability control strategy was validated in a co-simulation of the Carsim and Matlab/Simulink platforms. The results of double-lane-change maneuver simulations under different conditions indicate that the proposed strategy can effectively achieve robustness to changes in the adhesion coefficient and improve the steering stability of the 4MIDEV.
Insulation Reconstruction for OPGW DC De-Icing and Its Influence on Lightning Protection and Energy Conservation
Authors: Li Xiangxin , Zhou Ming , Luo Yazhou , Xia Chao , Cao Bin , Chen Xiujuan
Published: September 2018

In order to satisfy demands for DC de-icing of optical fiber composite overhead ground wire (OPGW) and solve questions such as those relating to circulating current loss and liability of suffering from lightning strike, the grounding method of OPGW must be changed from the current commonly used method of being grounded at every tower to being grounded at one tower. The OPGW would be connected to the tower by an insulator, which is often shunt connected with a protective discharge clearance. The recommended value of the discharge clearance is from 70 to 80 mm. The lightning impulse discharge voltage of such a clearance is generally not more than 100 kV. However, as the transmission line is struck by lightning, over-voltage on the clearance is 885 kV at least, even up to a few MV. The clearance can be broken down reliably. The influence of insulation reconstruction for OPGW on the induced current and the power loss of the AC transmission line was studied by means of theoretical analysis and simulation calculations. Results indicate that change of the OPGW grounding mode could reduce the induced current of the ground wire to below 1 A and reduce the power loss of the line to below 1 W/km. Power loss could be reduced by over 99%. Adoption of a suitable grounding mode for OPGW is of great significance for DC de-icing, lightning protection safety, and energy savings for UHV projects.
Correlations to Predict Elemental Compositions and Heating Value of Torrefied Biomass
Authors: Hasan Mahmudul , Haseli Yousef , Karadogan Ernur
Published: September 2018

Measurements reported in the literature on ultimate analysis of various types of torrefied woody biomass, comprising 152 data points, have been compiled and empirical correlations are developed to predict the carbon content, hydrogen content, and heating value of a torrefied wood as a function of solid mass yield. The range of torrefaction temperature, residence time and solid yield of the collected data is 200–300 °C, 5–60 min and 58–97%, respectively. Two correlations are proposed for carbon content with a coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) of 81.52% and 89.86%, two for hydrogen content with R 2 of 79.01% and 88.45%, and one for higher heating value with R 2 of 92.80%. The root mean square error (RMSE) values of the proposed correlations are 0.037, 0.028, 0.059, 0.043 and 0.023, respectively. The predictability of the proposed relations is examined with an additional set of experimental data and compared with the existing correlations in the literature. The new correlations can be used as a useful tool when designing torrefaction plants, furnaces, or gasifiers operating on torrefied wood.
Demand-Side Management with a State Space Consideration
Authors: Oh HyungSeon
Published: September 2018

Power networks are gateways to transfer power from generators to end-users. Often, it is assumed that the transfer occurs freely without any limiting factors. However, power flows over a network can be limited by predetermined limits that may come from physical reasons, such as line capacity or Kirchhoff’s laws. When flow is constrained by these limits, this is called congestion, which reduces the energy efficiency and splits the price for electricity across the congested lines. One promising, cost-effective way to relieve the impact of the congestion is demand-side management (DSM). However, it is unclear how much DSM can impact congestion and where it can control the demand. This paper proposes a new DSM mechanism based on locational willingness-to-pay (WTP) centered around income statistics; utilizes a state-space tool to determine the possibility to alter prices by DSM; and formulates a convex optimization problem to decide the DSM. The proposed methodology is tested on IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) systems with two commonly used objectives: cost minimization and social welfare maximization.
Analyzing the Impact of Renewable Energy Incentives and Parameter Uncertainties on Financial Feasibility of a Campus Microgrid
Authors: Hau Vu , Husein Munir , Chung Il-Yop , Won Dong-Jun , Torre William , Nguyen Truong
Published: September 2018

The popularity of microgrids is increasing considerably because of their environmental and technical advantages. However, the major challenge in microgrid integration is its financial feasibility due to high capital costs. To address this obstacle, renewable energy incentive programs, which are the motivation of this study, have been proposed in many countries. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of the technical and financial feasibility of a campus microgrid based on a techno-economic analysis using the Microgrid Decision Support Tool, which was implemented to support decision-making in the context of microgrid project investment. A method for microgrid design aiming to maximize system profitability is presented. The optimal microgrid configuration is selected depending on financial indices of the project, which directly address the returns on an investment. Most importantly, this analysis captures all the benefits of financial incentives for microgrid projects in California, U.S., which presents a key difference between the California market and other markets. The impact of incentives and uncertain financial parameters on the project investment is verified by sensitivity analysis. The outcomes show that the optimal configuration generates significant electricity savings, and the incentives strongly determine the financial feasibility and the optimal design of a microgrid.
Native Plant Diversity and Composition Across a Pinus radiata D.Don Plantation Landscape in South-Central Chile—The Impact of Plantation Age, Logging Roads and Alien Species
Authors: Heinrichs Steffi , Pauchard Aníbal , Schall Peter
Published: September 2018

Alien tree plantations are expanding globally with potential negative effects for native biodiversity. We investigated plant species diversity and composition in a Pinus radiata landscape in south-central Chile, a biodiversity hotspot, by sampling understory vegetation in different plantation age classes, along forest roads and in natural forest remnants in order to find effective conservation measures for native biodiversity. Plantations, including different age classes and roadsides, maintained high native species richness at the landscape scale but supported a completely different community composition than natural forests. Thus, natural forest remnants must be conserved as plantations cannot replace them. Certain natural forest species occurred frequently in mature plantations and can represent starting points for retaining natural elements in plantations. Generalist native and alien species benefited from plantation management, mainly in young plantations and along roadsides. Stand maturation and a closed canopy, though, reduced alien species occurrences within plantations. Along roads, shade-tolerant aliens should be monitored and removed as they can potentially invade natural forests. Native species conservation in plantations requires a holistic approach of the full mosaic of land uses including the protection of remaining natural forests, alien species monitoring along roadsides and patches with continuous canopy cover to reduce pressure by alien species.
EU Legislation on Forest Plant Health: An Overview with a Focus on Fusarium circinatum
Authors: Vettraino Anna Maria , Potting Roel , Raposo Rosa
Published: September 2018

The increase in arrivals of new forest pests highlights the need for effective phytosanitary legislation and measures. This paper introduces legislation targeted at prevention and management of potential introductions of forest pests and pathogens. An overview is given on plant health regulations on global and regional level with detailed information on the situation in the European Union (EU). The current and new European legislation is discussed, and a particular focus is given on eradication and contingency plans for Fusarium circinatum. We identified key aspects relevant for the improvement of the efficacy of measures aimed to prevent alien pests.
miRmapper: A Tool for Interpretation of miRNA–mRNA Interaction Networks
Authors: Da Silveira Willian A. , Renaud Ludivine , Simpson Jonathan , Glen William B. , Hazard Edward. S. , Chung Dongjun , Hardiman Gary
Published: September 2018

It is estimated that 30% of all genes in the mammalian cells are regulated by microRNA (miRNAs). The most relevant miRNAs in a cellular context are not necessarily those with the greatest change in expression levels between healthy and diseased tissue. Differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs that modulate a large number of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts ultimately have a greater influence in determining phenotypic outcomes and are more important in a global biological context than miRNAs that modulate just a few mRNA transcripts. Here, we describe the development of a tool, “miRmapper”, which identifies the most dominant miRNAs in a miRNA–mRNA network and recognizes similarities between miRNAs based on commonly regulated mRNAs. Using a list of miRNA–target gene interactions and a list of DE transcripts, miRmapper provides several outputs: (1) an adjacency matrix that is used to calculate miRNA similarity utilizing the Jaccard distance; (2) a dendrogram and (3) an identity heatmap displaying miRNA clusters based on their effect on mRNA expression; (4) a miRNA impact table and (5) a barplot that provides a visual illustration of this impact. We tested this tool using nonmetastatic and metastatic bladder cancer cell lines and demonstrated that the most relevant miRNAs in a cellular context are not necessarily those with the greatest fold change. Additionally, by exploiting the Jaccard distance, we unraveled novel cooperative interactions between miRNAs from independent families in regulating common target mRNAs; i.e., five of the top 10 miRNAs act in synergy.