bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of anti-Aeromonas hydrophila serum from Rabbits
Authors: Rakib SM , Hossen Md Nazmul , Rahman Md Ashikur , Sku Sonia , Akter Shirin , Rashid M Mamnur
Published: May 2018

An experiment was conducted to prepare anti-Aeromonas hydrophila serum in two rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Formalin killed cell (FKC) and heat killed cell (HKC) were prepared by adding 0.5% formalin and 2.5 h heat treatment at 60°C of freshly cultured Aeromonas hydrophila (AQC810) isolated from naturally infected koi fish kidney respectively. Slide agglutination tests were performed for the determination of the presence of specific antibody against Aeromonas hydrophila in the serum collected from the blood of pre-immune rabbits or post immune rabbits. No agglutination of pre-immune serum with the homologous antigen proved that the rabbits had no previous Aeromonas contamination. Rabbits were injected subcutaneously with the FKC added with same amount of Freund’s complete adjuvant. Three booster doses were given without the adjuvant at weekly intervals after second week of first injection. Agglutination titration of anti-Aeromonas hydrophila rabbit serum against HKC and FKC of homologous bacteria showed that the titers increased with the post inoculation days which rose at their peak during the fifth week of immunization and after three consecutive booster doses at weekly intervals starting from second week of first immunization. Rabbits were sacrificed after six weeks of immunization, whole blood, collected and centrifuged to accumulate the serum that were complementinactivated by heating to 58ºC for 30 min and stored at -20°C in appendorph tubes, with the aim of rapid diagnosis of Aeromonas infections in fishes. Result of this study would initiate the way of vaccine development against MAS (motile Aeromonas septicemia) in the aquaculture fishes of Bangladesh.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.5(1): 137-145, April 2018
Sea Urchins and Circuses: The Modernist Natural Histories of Jean Painlevé and Alexander Calder
Authors: Chu Patricia E.
Published: May 2018

The Paris avant-garde milieu from which both Cirque Calder/Calder's Circus and Painlevé’s early films emerged was a cultural intersection of art and the twentieth-century life sciences. In turning to the style of current scientific journals, the Paris surrealists can be understood as engaging the (life) sciences not simply as a provider of normative categories of materiality to be dismissed, but as a companion in apprehending the “reality” of a world beneath the surface just as real as the one visible to the naked eye. I will focus in this essay on two modernist practices in new media in the context of the history of the life sciences: Jean Painlevé’s (1902–1989) science films and Alexander Calder's (1898–1976) work in three-dimensional moving art and performance—the Circus. In analyzing Painlevé’s work, I discuss it as exemplary of a moment when life sciences and avant-garde technical methods and philosophies created each other rather than being classified as separate categories of epistemological work. In moving from Painlevé’s films to Alexander Calder's Circus, Painlevé’s cinematography remains at the forefront; I use his film of one of Calder's performances of the Circus, a collaboration the men had taken two decades to complete. Painlevé’s depiction allows us to see the elements of Calder's work that mark it as akin to Painlevé’s own interest in a modern experimental organicism as central to the so-called machine-age. Calder's work can be understood as similarly developing an avant-garde practice along the line between the bestiary of the natural historian and the bestiary of the modern life scientist.
The Value of a Valuation Perspective for Theorizing about Social Change and Climate Change: A Study on Carbon Pricing in China
Authors: Engels Anita , Wang Chen
Published: May 2018

This study combines three purposes: to advance a valuation perspective for theorizing about social change and climate change; to contribute to the general debate on pricing as the dominant policy to meet climate mitigation goals; to improve our understanding of potential decarbonization processes in China. We apply a valuation perspective to an in-depth case study of an emerging carbon market in Hubei Province in Central China. The study builds on original data collected during field trips to Hubei (2014, 2015) and additional documents covering recent developments in the Chinese carbon market. It shows how putting a price on carbon in China emerges as the outcome of a long-term cultural and institutional process in which China’s high-carbon growth model is increasingly contested. We emphasize the work that was required before a carbon price could emerge as a market price, and focus on the uncertainty that needed to be overcome in the complex multilevel Chinese system. We suggest that China’s introduction of low-carbon policies are a side effect of other political, economic and social pressures, and that it is largely facilitated because such policies are consistent with many other changes that are occurring simultaneously both in the Chinese context and globally.
Energy-Dynamics Resulting in Turbulent and Acoustic Phenomena in an Underexpanded Jet
Authors: Sasidharan Nair Unnikrishnan , Goparaju Kalyan , Gaitonde Datta
Published: May 2018

Underexpanded jets exhibit interactions between turbulent shear layers and shock-cell trains that yield complex phenomena that are absent in the more commonly studied perfectly expanded jets. We quantitatively analyze these mechanisms by considering the interplay between hydrodynamic (turbulence) and acoustic modes, using a validated large-eddy simulation. Using momentum potential theory (MPT) to achieve energy segregation, the following observations are made. The sharp gradients in fluctuations introduced by the shock-cell structure are captured mostly in the hydrodynamic mode, whose amplitude is an order of magnitude larger than the acoustic mode. The acoustic mode has a relatively smoother distribution, exhibiting a compact wavepacket form. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) identifies the third-to-sixth cells as the most dynamic structures. The imprint of shock cells is discernible in the nearfield of the acoustic mode, primarily along the sideline direction. Energy interactions that feed the acoustic mode remain compact in nature, facilitating a simple propagation technique for farfield noise prediction. The farfield sound spectra show peak directivity at 30 ∘ to the downstream axis. The POD modes of the acoustic component also identify two main energetic components in the wavepacket: one representative of the periodic internal structure and the other of intermittent downstream lobes. The latter component occurs at exactly the same frequency as, and displays high correlation with, the farfield peak noise spectra, making the acoustic mode a better predictor of the dynamics than velocity fluctuations.
Fault Detection in a Multistage Gearbox Based on a Hybrid Demodulation Method Using Modulation Intensity Distribution and Variational Mode Decomposition
Authors: Hu Chaofan , Wang Yanxue , Yang Jianwei , Zhang Suofeng
Published: May 2018

It is critical to detect hidden, periodically impulsive signatures caused by tooth defects in a gearbox. A hybrid demodulation method for detecting tooth defects has been developed in this work based on the variational mode decomposition algorithm combined with modulation intensity distribution. An original multi-component signal is first non-recursively decomposed into a number of band-limited mono-components with specific sparsity properties in the spectral domain using variational mode decomposition. The hidden meaningful cyclostationary features can be clearly identified in the bi-frequency domain via the modulation intensity distribution (MID) technique. Moreover, the reduced frequency aliasing effect of variational mode decomposition is evaluated as well, which is very useful for separating noise and harmonic components in the original signal. The influences of the spectral coherence density and the spectral correlation density of the modulation intensity distribution on the demodulation were also investigated. The effectiveness and noise robustness of the proposed method have been well-verified using a simulated signal compared with the empirical mode decomposition algorithm associated with modulation intensity distribution. The proposed technique is then applied to detect four different defects in a multi-stage gearbox. The results demonstrated that the demodulated numerical information and pigmentation directly illustrated in the bi-frequency plot of the modulation intensity distribution can be successfully used to quantitatively differentiate the four gear defects.
Predicting the Failure of Dental Implants Using Supervised Learning Techniques
Authors: Liu Chia-Hui , Lin Cheng-Jyun , Hu Ya-Han , You Zi-Hung
Published: May 2018

Prosthodontic treatment has been a crucial part of dental treatment for patients with full mouth rehabilitation. Dental implant surgeries that replace conventional dentures using titanium fixtures have become the top choice. However, because of the wide-ranging scope of implant surgeries, patients’ body conditions, surgeons’ experience, and the choice of implant system should be considered during treatment. The higher price charged by dental implant treatments compared to conventional dentures has led to a rush among medical staff; therefore, the future impact of surgeries has not been analyzed in detail, resulting in medial disputes. Previous literature on the success factors of dental implants is mainly focused on single factors such as patients’ systemic diseases, operation methods, or prosthesis types for statistical correlation significance analysis. This study developed a prediction model for providing an early warning mechanism to reduce the chances of dental implant failure. We collected the clinical data of patients who received artificial dental implants at the case hospital for a total of 8 categories and 20 variables. Supervised learning techniques such as decision tree (DT), support vector machines, logistic regressions, and classifier ensembles (i.e., Bagging and AdaBoost) were used to analyze the prediction of the failure of dental implants. The results show that DT with both Bagging and Adaboost techniques possesses the highest prediction performance for the failure of dental implant (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, AUC: 0.741); the analysis also revealed that the implant systems affect dental implant failure. The model can help clinical surgeons to reduce medical failures by choosing the optimal implant system and prosthodontics treatments for their patients.
Numerical Simulation of Temperature Fields in a Three-Dimensional SiC Crystal Growth Furnace with Axisymmetric and Spiral Coils
Authors: Yang Chunzhen , Liu Guangxia , Chen Chengmin , Hou Yanjin , Xu Min , Zhang Yongxian
Published: May 2018

Three-dimensional numerical simulation platform for silicon carbide crystal growth furnace was established using C programing language, where a physical model of the furnace was built based on cylindrical coordinates; governing equations for electromagnetic and temperature fields were discretized by finite volume method; radiation characteristics were studied with the help of S2S model (surface to surface radiation model); and the least distance method was proposed to check radiation faces visibility efficiently. LU decomposition algorithm based on graphic processing unit (GPU) technology was developed to accelerate the solving process of surface to surface radiation. Then the radiation heat transfer in silicon carbide crystal (SiC) growth chamber and temperature field of silicon carbide growth furnace were studied quantificationally at I = 1250 A and F = 16 kHz. The effects of coil structures (axisymmetric and spiral) on temperature field and its gradient distributions were investigated by standard deviation method. The simulation results demonstrate that spiral electromagnetic coil generates non-axisymmetric temperature field easily; the radiation heat flux is 102~103 times more than conduction heat flux, radiation heat transfer is helpful to increase temperature evenness; the spiral temperature field on the SiC crystal cross-section reduces the poor homogeneity of temperature gradient, which will cause crystal to generate large defects.
Calibrated Phase-Shifting Digital Holographic Microscope Using a Sampling Moiré Technique
Authors: Xia Peng , Wang Qinghua , Ri Shien , Tsuda Hiroshi
Published: May 2018

A calibrated phase-shifting digital holographic microscope system capable of improving the quality of reconstructed images is proposed. Phase-shifting errors are introduced in phase-shifted holograms for numerous reasons, such as the non-linearity of piezoelectric transducers (PZTs), wavelength fluctuations in lasers, and environmental disturbances, leading to poor-quality reconstructions. In our system, in addition to the camera used to record object information, an extra camera is used to record interferograms, which are used to analyze phase-shifting errors using a sampling Moiré technique. The quality of the reconstructed object images can be improved by the phase-shifting error compensation algorithm. Both the numerical simulation and experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system.
Climate Change Impacts on Natural Sulfur Production: Ocean Acidification and Community Shifts
Authors: Menzo Zachary M. , Elliott Scott , Hartin Corinne A. , Hoffman Forrest M. , Wang Shanlin
Published: May 2018

Utilizing the reduced-complexity model Hector, a regional scale analysis was conducted quantifying the possible effects climate change may have on dimethyl sulfide (DMS) emissions within the oceans. The investigation began with a review of the sulfur cycle in modern Earth system models. We then expanded the biogeochemical representation within Hector to include a natural ocean component while accounting for acidification and planktonic community shifts. The report presents results from both a latitudinal and a global perspective. This new approach highlights disparate outcomes which have been inadequately characterized via planetary averages in past publications. Our findings suggest that natural sulfur emissions (ESN) may exert a forcing up to 4 times that of the CO2 marine feedback, 0.62 and 0.15 Wm−2, respectively, and reverse the radiative forcing sign in low latitudes. Additionally, sensitivity tests were conducted to demonstrate the need for further examination of the DMS loop. Ultimately, the present work attempts to include dynamic ESN within reduced-complexity simulations of the sulfur cycle, illustrating its impact on the global radiative budget.
Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ)
Authors: Nakano Hideki , Kodama Takayuki , Ukai Kazumasa , Kawahara Satoru , Horikawa Shiori , Murata Shin
Published: May 2018

In this study, we aimed to (1) translate the English version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ), which assesses motor imagery ability, into Japanese, and (2) investigate the reliability and validity of the Japanese KVIQ. We enrolled 28 healthy adults in this study. We used Cronbach’s alpha coefficients to assess reliability reflected by the internal consistency. Additionally, we assessed validity reflected by the criterion-related validity between the Japanese KVIQ and the Japanese version of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R) with Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the KVIQ-20 were 0.88 (Visual) and 0.91 (Kinesthetic), which indicates high reliability. There was a significant positive correlation between the Japanese KVIQ-20 (Total) and the Japanese MIQ-R (Total) (r = 0.86, p < 0.01). Our results suggest that the Japanese KVIQ is an assessment that is a reliable and valid index of motor imagery ability.
Preventing Dampness Related Health Risks at the Design Stage of Buildings in Mediterranean Climates: A Cyprus Case Study
Authors: Elinwa Ugochukwu Kenechi , Atakara Cemil , Ojelabi Ifeoluwa Oyeleke , Abiodun Abiola Ayopo
Published: May 2018

Dampness is a major building challenge that poses a health risk by aiding the growth of mold and other related microorganisms in very humid areas. Thus, the correction of these post-effects results in high maintenance costs via energy consumption, due to the prolonged heating of damp rooms and post-treatment, especially during the winter. A survey of 2000 valid respondents living in apartment-style buildings was conducted and analyzed using SPSS software. In this study, the AutoDesk Computational Fluid Dynamics (ACFD) software was used to perform a simulation for building materials analysis, to evaluate them for suitability in high humidity areas and to select the best building orientation for adequate and natural ventilation. The analysis aimed to observe the indoor air conditions due to environmental air flow conditions. The relationships of the airflow conditions to the material properties were measured. The methodology involves a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis to determine the level and nature of the dampness sources. The Design-Expert Statistical-Software 10 confirmed the simulation results. The simulation revealed a lower percentage of relative humidity and temperature in Adobe walls than in brick walls.
New Consolidant-Hydrophobic Treatment by Combining SiO2 Composite and Fluorinated Alkoxysilane: Application on Decayed Biocalcareous Stone from an 18th Century Cathedral
Authors: Facio Dario S. , Ordoñez Jose A. , Gil M. L. Almoraima , Carrascosa Luis A. M. , Mosquera Maria J.
Published: May 2018

An effective procedure has been developed to consolidate and hydrophobize decayed monumental stones by a simple sol-gel process. The sol contains silica oligomer, silica nanoparticles and a surfactant, preventing gel cracking. The effectiveness of the process on biocalcareous stone samples from an 18th century cathedral has been evaluated, and it was found that the gel creates effective linking bridges between mineral grains of the stone. Silica nanoparticles produced a significant increase in the mechanical resistance and cohesion of the stone. The application of an additional fluorinated oligomer onto the consolidated stone gave rise to a surface with lasting hydrophobicity, preventing water absorption.
A Phononic Crystal-Based High Frequency Rheometer
Authors: Lanoy Maxime , Bretagne Alice , Leroy Valentin , Tourin Arnaud
Published: May 2018

Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) allows for the measurement of the complex shear modulus of an elastomer. Measurements at frequencies above the frequency range of the device can be reached thanks to the Time–Temperature Equivalence principle. Yet, frequencies higher than a few kHz are not attainable. Here, we propose a method exploiting the physics of bubble phononic crystals to measure the complex shear modulus at frequencies of a few tens of kHz. The idea is to fabricate a phononic crystal by creating a period arrangement of bubbles in the elastomer of interest, here PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), and to measure its transmission against frequency. Fitting the results with an analytic model provides both the loss and storage moduli. Physically, the shear storage modulus drives the position of the dip observed in transmission while the loss modulus controls the damping, and thus the level of transmission. Using this method, we are able to compare the high-frequency rheological properties of two commercial PDMS and to monitor the ageing process.
A Study on the Evolution of Carbon Capture and Storage Technology Based on Knowledge Mapping
Authors: Qiu Hong-Hua , Liu Lu-Ge
Published: May 2018

As a useful technical measure to deal with the problem of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has been highly regarded in both theory and practice under the promotion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Knowledge mapping is helpful for understanding the evolution in terms of research topics and emerging trends in a specific domain. In this work knowledge mapping of CCS technology was investigated using CiteSpace. Several aspects of the outputs of publications in the CCS research area were analyzed, such as annual trends, countries, and institutions. The research topics in this particular technology area were analyzed based on their co-occurring keyword networks and co-citation literature networks, while, the emerging trends and research frontiers were studied through the analysis of burst keywords and citation bursts. The results indicated that the annual number of publications in the research field of CCS technology increased rapidly after 2005. There are more CCS studies published in countries from Asia, North America, and Europe, especially in the United States and China. The Chinese Academy of Sciences not only has the largest number of publications, but also has a greater impact on the research area of CCS technology, however, there are more productive institutions located in developed countries. In the research area of CCS technology, the main research topics include carbon emissions and environmental protection, research and development activities, and social practical issues, meanwhile, the main emerging trends include emerging techniques and processes, emerging materials, evaluation of technological performance, and socioeconomic analysis.
Short-Term Solar Irradiance Forecasts Using Sky Images and Radiative Transfer Model
Authors: Du Juan , Min Qilong , Zhang Penglin , Guo Jinhui , Yang Jun , Yin Bangsheng
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we propose a novel forecast method which addresses the difficulty in short-term solar irradiance forecasting that arises due to rapidly evolving environmental factors over short time periods. This involves the forecasting of Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) that combines prediction sky images with a Radiative Transfer Model (RTM). The prediction images (up to 10 min ahead) are produced by a non-local optical flow method, which is used to calculate the cloud motion for each pixel, with consecutive sky images at 1 min intervals. The Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) and the diffuse radiation intensity field under clear sky and overcast conditions obtained from the RTM are then mapped to the sky images. Through combining the cloud locations on the prediction image with the corresponding instance of image-based DNI and diffuse radiation intensity fields, the GHI can be quantitatively forecasted for time horizons of 1–10 min ahead. The solar forecasts are evaluated in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) in relation to in-situ measurements and compared to the performance of the persistence model. The results of our experiment show that GHI forecasts using the proposed method perform better than the persistence model.
Optimal Design and Real Time Implementation of Autonomous Microgrid Including Active Load
Authors: Hassan Mohamed A. , Worku Muhammed Y. , Abido Mohamed A.
Published: May 2018

Controller gains and power-sharing parameters are the main parameters affect the dynamic performance of the microgrid. Considering an active load to the autonomous microgrid, the stability problem will be more involved. In this paper, the active load effect on microgrid dynamic stability is explored. An autonomous microgrid including three inverter-based distributed generations (DGs) with an active load is modeled and the associated controllers are designed. Controller gains of the inverters and active load as well as Phase Locked Loop (PLL) parameters are optimally tuned to guarantee overall system stability. A weighted objective function is proposed to minimize the error in both measured active power and DC voltage based on time-domain simulations. Different AC and DC disturbances are applied to verify and assess the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. The results demonstrate the potential of the proposed controller to enhance the microgrid stability and to provide efficient damping characteristics. Additionally, the proposed controller is compared with the literature to demonstrate its superiority. Finally, the microgrid considered has been established and implemented on real time digital simulator (RTDS). The experimental results validate the simulation results and approve the effectiveness of the proposed controllers to enrich the stability of the considered microgrid.
Variations of PV Panel Performance Installed over a Vegetated Roof and a Conventional Black Roof
Authors: Alshayeb Mohammed J. , Chang Jae D.
Published: May 2018

The total worldwide photovoltaic (PV) capacity has been growing from about 1 GW at the beginning of the twenty-first century to over 300 GW in 2016 and is expected to reach 740 GW by 2022. PV panel efficiency is reported by PV manufacturers based on laboratory testing under Standard Testing Condition with a specific temperature of 25 °C and solar irradiation of 1000 W/m2. This research investigated the thermal interactions between the building roof surface and PV panels by examining the differences in PV panel temperature and energy output for those installed over a green roof (PV-Green) and those installed over a black roof (PV-Black). A year-long experimental study was conducted over the roof of an educational building with roof mounted PV panels with a system capacity of 4.3 kW to measure PV underside surface temperature (PV-UST), ambient air temperature between PV panel and building roof (PV-AT), and PV energy production (PV-EP). The results show that during the summer the PV-Green consistently recorded lower PV-UST and PV-AT temperatures and more PV-EP than PV-Black. The average hourly PV-EP difference was about 0.045 kWh while the maximum PV-EP difference was about 0.075 kWh, which represents roughly a 3.3% and 5.3% increase in PV-EP. For the entire study period, EP-Green produced 19.4 kWh more energy, which represents 1.4% more than EP-Black.
Hierarchical Energy Management of Microgrids including Storage and Demand Response
Authors: Fan Songli , Ai Qian , Piao Longjian
Published: May 2018

Battery energy storage (BES) and demand response (DR) are considered to be promising technologies to cope with the uncertainty of renewable energy sources (RES) and the load in the microgrid (MG). Considering the distinct prediction accuracies of the RES and load at different timescales, it is essential to incorporate the multi-timescale characteristics of BES and DR in MG energy management. Under this background, a hierarchical energy management framework is put forward for an MG including multi-timescale BES and DR to optimize operation with the uncertainty of RES as well as load. This framework comprises three stages of scheduling: day-ahead scheduling (DAS), hour-ahead scheduling (HAS), and real-time scheduling (RTS). In DAS, a scenario-based stochastic optimization model is established to minimize the expected operating cost of MG, while ensuring its safe operation. The HAS is utilized to bridge DAS and RTS. In RTS, a control strategy is proposed to eliminate the imbalanced power owing to the fluctuations of RES and load. Then, a decomposition-based algorithm is adopted to settle the models in DAS and HAS. Simulation results on a seven-bus MG validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Effects of Water and Brine Saturation on Mechanical Property Alterations of Brown Coal
Authors: Zhang Xiaogang , Gamage Ranjith Pathegama , Perera Mandadige Samintha Anne , Ranathunga Ashani Savinda
Published: May 2018

The adsorption of moisture or brine into coal causes the coal mass mechanical properties to be significantly altered, which can greatly affect the coal mining and coal seam gas extraction process. A study was therefore initiated to investigate the influence of moisture and brine saturations (5–25%) on brown coals’ strength through a series of unconfined compressive strength tests, with the aid of acoustic emission, optical 3-D deformation analysis and scanning electron microscopy. According to the results, the coal mass is weakened by up to 26% upon the adsorption of moisture and water saturated samples show no crack propagation, whereas brine saturation enhances coal strength by up to 21% and delays crack propagation due to the crystallization of sodium chloride. Besides, a high brine concentration (25%) greatly improves coal mass strength but impairs the increase of Young’s modulus due to its corrosive nature, which is consistent with the values of maximum strain at failure of the tested samples (3.9%, 3.1% and 3.6% for 5%, 15% and 25% brine saturated samples, respectively). In addition, because of the precipitation of sodium chloride in coal and the increase of conductivity of pore fluid, more acoustic emission signals are detected for brine saturated samples, while water saturated samples exhibit mush less acoustic release compared to the unsaturated samples.
Sustainability Assessment of Electricity Generation Technologies in Egypt Using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis
Authors: Shaaban Mostafa , Scheffran Jürgen , Böhner Jürgen , Elsobki Mohamed S.
Published: May 2018

Future electricity planning necessitates a thorough multi-faceted analysis of the available technologies in order to secure the energy supply for coming generations. To cope with worldwide concerns over sustainable development and meet the growing demands of electricity we assess the future potential technologies in Egypt through covering their technical, economic, environmental and social aspects. In this study we fill the gap of a lacking sustainability assessment of energy systems in Egypt where most of the studies focus mainly on the economic and technical aspects of planning future installation of power plants in Egypt. Furthermore, we include the stakeholder preferences of the indicators in the energy sector into our assessment. Moreover, we perform a sensitivity analysis through single dimension assessment scenarios of the technologies as well as a sustainable scenario with equal preferences of all dimensions of the sustainability. We employ two multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodologies: the analytical hierarchy process for weighing the assessment criteria, and the weighted sum method for generating a general integrated sustainability index for each technology. The study investigates seven technologies: coal, natural gas, wind, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, biomass and nuclear. The results reveal a perfect matching between the ranking of the technologies by the stakeholders and the sustainable scenario showing the highest ranking for natural gas and the lowest for nuclear and coal. There is a strong potential for renewable energy technologies to invade the electricity market in Egypt where they achieve the second ranking after natural gas. The Monte-Carlo approach gives photovoltaics a higher ranking over concentrated solar power as compared to the sample data ranking. The study concludes the importance of a multi-dimensional evaluation of the technologies while considering the preferences of the stakeholders in order to achieve a reliable and sustainable future energy supply.
Performance Analysis for One-Step-Ahead Forecasting of Hybrid Solar and Wind Energy on Short Time Scales
Authors: Huang Jing , Boland John
Published: May 2018

With ever increasing demand for electricity and the huge potential of renewable energy, an increasing number of renewable-energy sources are being used to generate electricity. However, due to the intermittency of renewable-energy generation, many researchers try to overcome the variable nature of renewable energy. A hybrid renewable-energy system is one possible way to introduce smoothing of the supply. Many hybrid renewable-energy studies focus on system optimization and management. This paper mainly researches the performance prediction accuracy of a hybrid solar and wind system. Through a mixed autoregressive and dynamical system model, we test the predictability of the hybrid system and compare it with individual solar and wind series forecasting. After error analysis, the predictability of the hybrid system shows a better performance than solar or wind for Adelaide global solar radiation and Starfish Hill wind farm data. The prediction errors were reduced by 13% to more than 30% according to various error analyses. This result indicates an advantage of the hybrid solar and wind system compared to solar and wind systems taken individually.
Performance and Regulated/Unregulated Emission Evaluation of a Spark Ignition Engine Fueled with Acetone–Butanol–Ethanol and Gasoline Blends
Authors: Li Yuanxu , Ning Zhi , Lee Chia-fon F. , Lee Timothy H. , Yan Junhao
Published: May 2018

An experimental investigation was conducted on the effect of equivalence ratios and engine loads on performance and emission characteristics using acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) and gasoline blends. Gasoline blends with various ABE content (0 vol % to 80 vol % ABE, referred to as G100, ABE10, ABE20, ABE30, ABE60, and ABE80, respectively) were used as test fuels, where the volumetric concentration of A/B/E was 3:6:1. The experiments were conducted at engine loads of 3, 4, 5, and 6 bar brake mean effective pressure at an engine speed of 1200 rpm and under various equivalence ratios (φ = 0.83–1.25). The results showed that ABE addition in the fuel blends could increase brake thermal efficiency and decrease unburned hydrocarbon (UHC), carbon dioxide (CO), and oxynitride (NOx). As for unregulated emissions, acetaldehyde and 1,3-budatiene emissions increased with the increased ABE content in blend fuels. Regarding the aromatic emissions, ABE addition led to a decrease in benzene, toluene, and xylene emissions. The study indicated that ABE could be used as a promising alternative fuel in spark ignition (SI) engines for enhancing the brake thermal efficiency and reducing regulated emissions and aromatic air toxics.
Optimal Design of a High Efficiency LLC Resonant Converter with a Narrow Frequency Range for Voltage Regulation
Authors: Luo Junhao , Wang Junhua , Fang Zhijian , Shao Jianwei , Li Jiangui
Published: May 2018

As a key factor in the design of a voltage-adjustable LLC resonant converter, frequency regulation range is very important to the optimization of magnetic components and efficiency improvement. This paper presents a novel optimal design method for LLC resonant converters, which can narrow the frequency variation range and ensure high efficiency under the premise of a required gain achievement. A simplified gain model was utilized to simplify the calculation and the expected efficiency was initially set as 96.5%. The restricted area of parameter optimization design can be obtained by taking the intersection of the gain requirement, the efficiency requirement, and three restrictions of ZVS (Zero Voltage Switch). The proposed method was verified by simulation and experiments of a 150 W prototype. The results show that the proposed method can achieve ZVS from full-load to no-load conditions and can reach 1.6 times the normalized voltage gain in the frequency variation range of 18 kHz with a peak efficiency of up to 96.3%. Moreover, the expected efficiency is adjustable, which means a converter with a higher efficiency can be designed. The proposed method can also be used for the design of large-power LLC resonant converters to obtain a wide output voltage range and higher efficiency.
Influence of Hydrogen Sulfide and Redox Reactions on the Surface Properties and Hydrogen Permeability of Pd Membranes
Authors: Feng Wei , Wang Qingyuan , Zhu Xiaodong , Kong Qingquan , Wu Jiejie , Tu Peipei
Published: May 2018

Although hydrogen sulfide (H2S) was always a negative factor leading to the reduction of hydrogen permeability of palladium (Pd) membranes, its proper application could result in a positive effect. In this study, pure Pd membranes were firstly reacted with H2S at 23–450 °C, and then treated by redox reactions. Afterwards, the hydrogen permeability was tested under different reaction conditions using a hydrogen penetrant testing device. Moreover, both products and morphology changes occurred on the Pd membrane surface were analyzed using XRD, XPS and SEM. The results showed that H2S was dissociated to produce sulfides at 23 °C. With a rise of temperature, a regular change took place in the reaction products, morphology of the Pd membrane surface and hydrogen permeability. Adsorbed impurities such as sulfides and free carbon on the Pd membrane surface were removed by the redox treatment. The hydrogen permeability was improved by about 80% for the Pd membrane material subjected to the treatment method stated the above against the untreated one.
Aluminum Adjuvant-Containing Vaccines in the Context of the Hygiene Hypothesis: A Risk Factor for Eosinophilia and Allergy in a Genetically Susceptible Subpopulation?
Authors: Terhune Todd D. , Deth Richard C.
Published: May 2018

There are similarities between the immune response following immunization with aluminum adjuvants and the immune response elicited by some helminthic parasites, including stimulation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophilia. Immunization with aluminum adjuvants, as with helminth infection, induces a Th2 type cell mediated immune response, including eosinophilia, but does not induce an environment conducive to the induction of regulatory mechanisms. Helminths play a role in what is known as the hygiene hypothesis, which proposes that decreased exposure to microbes during a critical time in early life has resulted in the increased prevalence and morbidity of asthma and atopic disorders over the past few decades, especially in Western countries. In addition, gut and lung microbiome composition and their interaction with the immune system plays an important role in a properly regulated immune system. Disturbances in microbiome composition are a risk factor for asthma and allergies. We propose that immunization with aluminum adjuvants in general is not favorable for induction of regulatory mechanisms and, in the context of the hygiene hypothesis and microbiome theory, can be viewed as an amplifying factor and significant contributing risk factor for allergic diseases, especially in a genetically susceptible subpopulation.
The Expression Pattern of PLIN2 in Differentiated Adipocytes from Qinchuan Cattle Analysis of Its Protein Structure and Interaction with CGI-58
Authors: Li Peiwei , Wang Yaning , Zhang Le , Ning Yue , Zan Linsen
Published: May 2018

PLIN2 (Perilipin-2) is a protein that can anchor on the membrane of lipid droplets (LDs), playing a vital role in the early formation of LDs and in the regulation of LD metabolism in many types of cells. However, little research has been conducted in cattle adipocytes. In the present study, we found that the expression of PLIN2 mRNA peaks at Day 2 during cattle adipocyte differentiation (p < 0.01), but PLIN2 protein levels maintain high abundance until Day 4 and then decrease sharply. We first built an interaction model using PyMOL. The results of a pull-down assay indicated that bovine PLIN2 and CGI-58 (ABHD5, α/β hydrolase domain-containing protein 5) had an interaction relationship. Furthermore, Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation-Flow Cytometry (BiFC-FC) was used to explore the function of the PLIN2-CGI-58 interaction. Interestingly, we found that different combined models had different levels of fluorescence intensity; specifically, PLIN2-VN173+CGI-58-VC155 expressed in bovine adipocytes exhibited the highest level of fluorescence intensity. Our findings elucidate the PLIN2 expression pattern in cattle adipocytes, the protein structure and the function of protein–protein interactions (PPI) as well as highlight the characteristics of bovine PLIN2 during the early formation and accumulation of lipid droplets.
Coastal Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Based on Geomorphic, Oceanographic and Demographic Parameters: The Case of the Peloponnese (Southern Greece)
Authors: Tragaki Alexandra , Gallousi Christina , Karymbalis Efthimios
Published: May 2018

Today low-lying coastal areas around the world are threatened by climate change-related hazards. The identification of highly vulnerable coastal areas is of great importance for the development of coastal management plans. The purpose of this study is to assess the physical and social vulnerability of the Peloponnese (Greece) to coastal hazards. Two indices were estimated: The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) and the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). CVI allows six physical variablesto be related in a quantitative manner whilethe proposed SVI in this studycontains mainly demographic variables and was calculated for 73 coastal municipal communities. The results reveal that 17.2% of the shoreline (254.8 km) along the western and northwestern coast of the Peloponnese, as well as at the inner Messiniakos and Lakonikos Gulfs, is of high and very high physical vulnerability. High and very high social vulnerabilities characterize communities along the northwestern part of the study area, along the coasts of the Messinian and Cape Malea peninsulas, as well as at the western coast of Saronikos Gulf.
Justiciability of the Right to Water in the SADC Region: A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Matchaya Greenwell , Kaaba O’brien , Nhemachena Charles
Published: May 2018

Weak justiciability of socio-economic rights almost circumscribes the trajectory of socio-economic development over time as individuals whose rights are violated cannot easily get a remedy through courts, which negatively affects the latter’s ability to meaningfully realize their development potential. The available literature on this issue is scant and disorganised and hence necessitating a critical appraisal. This review focuses on the justiciability of the right to water in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) focusing particularly on South Africa and Malawi. This is because socio-economic rights are clearly justiciable under South African law as opposed to the other SADC countries where national constitutions do not enshrine the right to water, and at best, the right to water can only be inferred from the right to life and to development. Deriving the right to water from other rights, and especially those that impose a negative obligation on the state, masks its importance and the likelihood that it can be justly adjudicated on. It is argued herein that for most of the other SADC countries to realize the right to water, the law should be crafted to expressly protect the right to water and this must be obvious in the respective constitutions, as well as other related water laws. This will enable courts to adjudicate disputes concerning water and possibly evolve jurisprudence that is responsive to the water needs of people according to their circumstances.
Synthesis, Structure and Magnetic and Electrochmical Properties of Tetrakis(benzamidato)diruthenium(II,III) Tetrafluoroborate
Authors: Handa Makoto , Yano Natsumi , Okuno Airi , Nakai Hiroki , Mitsumi Minoru , Mikuriya Masahiro , Kataoka Yusuke
Published: May 2018

A lantern-type diruthenium(II,III) complex [Ru2(HNOCPh)4(BF4)(H2O)] was prepared from [Ru2(HNOCPh)4Cl]n by removal of the axial chlorido-bridge using AgBF4 in THF. The room temperature magnetic moment (per Ru25+ unit) of [Ru2(HNOCPh)4(BF4)(H2O)] is 3.84 μB, which is similar to that (4.15 μB) of [Ru2(HNOCPh)4Cl]n, for which magnetic measurement was newly performed in this study. These results indicate that both of the complexes have a spin state of S = 3/2, although temperature-variable (VT) magnetic moments (2–300 K) showed that considerable antiferromagnetic interaction (zJ = −2.8 cm−1) exists through the axial chlorido-bridge for [Ru2(HNOCPh)4Cl]n, but such a large interaction (zJ = −0.08 cm−1) does not exist for [Ru2(HNOCPh)4(BF4)(H2O)], where the large zero-field splitting D = 61 cm−1 is operative for both complexes, like other lantern-type diruthenium(II,III) complexes. The X-ray single-crystal structure analysis of [Ru2(HNOCPh)4(BF4)(H2O)]·2(acetone) showed that the axial positions of the complex were occupied by a fluorine atom of the BF4− ion and an oxygen atom of the water molecule, with distances of Ru-Fax = 2.3265(19) Å and Ru-Oax = 2.280(2) Å, respectively. The Ru-Ru bond distance was 2.2793(4) Å, which is shorter than those (2.295(2) and 2.290(2) Å) reported for [Ru2(HNOCPh)4Cl]n. The quartet ground states (S = 3/2) were reasonably interpreted for [Ru2(HNOCPh)4(BF4)(H2O)] and [Ru2(HNOCPh)4Cl]n, as well as the theoretically modeled complex cation [Ru2(HNOCPh)4]+, by DFT calculation results. A Ru26+/Ru25+ redox couple was observed at 1.12 V (vs. SCE) for [Ru2(HNOCPh)4(BF4)(H2O)] in dichloromethane containing Bu4NPF6 as electrolyte.
A Simple Spectral Observer
Authors: Torres Lizeth , Jiménez-Cabas Javier , Gómez-Aguilar José , Pérez-Alcazar Pablo
Published: May 2018

The principal aim of a spectral observer is twofold: the reconstruction of a signal of time via state estimation and the decomposition of such a signal into the frequencies that make it up. A spectral observer can be catalogued as an online algorithm for time-frequency analysis because is a method that can compute on the fly the Fourier Transform (FT) of a signal, without having the entire signal available from the start. In this regard, this paper presents a novel spectral observer with an adjustable constant gain for reconstructing a given signal by means of the recursive identification of the coefficients of a Fourier series. The reconstruction or estimation of a signal in the context of this work means to find the coefficients of a linear combination of sines a cosines that fits a signal such that it can be reproduced. The design procedure of the spectral observer is presented along with the following applications: (1) the reconstruction of a simple periodical signal, (2) the approximation of both a square and a triangular signal, (3) the edge detection in signals by using the Fourier coefficients, (4) the fitting of the historical Bitcoin market data from 1 December 2014 to 8 January 2018 and (5) the estimation of a input force acting upon a Duffing oscillator. To round out this paper, we present a detailed discussion about the results of the applications as well as a comparative analysis of the proposed spectral observer vis-à-vis the Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT), which is a well-known method for time-frequency analysis.
Two New Terpenoids from Talaromyces purpurogenus
Authors: Wang Wenjing , Wan Xiao , Liu Junjun , Wang Jianping , Zhu Hucheng , Chen Chunmei , Zhang Yonghui
Published: May 2018

A new sesquiterpenoid 9,10-diolhinokiic acid (1) and a new diterpenoid roussoellol C (2), together with 4 known compounds, were isolated from the extracts of laboratory cultures of marine-derived fungus Talaromyces purpurogenus. 9,10-diolhinokiic acid is the first thujopsene-type sesquiterpenoid containing a 9,10-diol moiety, and roussoellol C possesses a novel tetracyclic fusicoccane framework with an unexpected hydroxyl at C-4. These new structures were confirmed by spectroscopic data, chemical method, NMR data calculations and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. The selected compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines, including SW480, HL-60, A549, MCF-7, and SMMC-7721 and the IC50 values of compound 2 against MCF-7 and 3 against HL-60 cells were 6.5 and 7.9 μM, respectively.