bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Capability of Backward Swept Blades to Mitigate Loads of Wind Turbines in Shear Flow
Authors: Chen Jinge , Shen Xin , Zhu Xiaocheng , Du Zhaohui
Published: February 2019

The vertical wind shear is one of the major sources of fatigue loads on the blades of a horizontal axis wind turbine. Traditionally, the active individual pitch control system is used to alleviate the cyclic load fluctuations, which requires sensors and actuators. In this paper, a passive load control technique by using backward swept blades is explored of its potential capability of mitigating load variations in shear wind. An advanced aeroelastic model based on free wake vortex lattice model (FWVLM) and geometrically exact beam theory (GEBT) is developed for the study. Both the aerodynamic and structural solvers are able to account for the three-dimensional (3D) shape effects of the undeformed and deformed swept blades. The NREL 5-MW reference wind turbine is analyzed by adding backward sweep to the baseline blade. Comparisons are made between the baseline and swept blades for the time-varying root moments and rotor moments under sheared inflow. Different amounts of tip sweep are discussed. An effective reduction in the amplitude of the flapwise root moment variations is obtained, while the edgewise root moment is less influenced. Reduced mean values of the rotor yaw and tilt moments are also achieved, at the cost of increased blade root torsion moment.
Experimental Study of a Photovoltaic Direct Current Water Pumping System for Irrigation in Rural-Isolated Region of Arequipa, Peru
Authors: Peralta Vera Aixa Anel , del Carpio Beltrán Herbert Jesús , Zúñiga Torres Juan Carlos , Milón Guzmán Juan José , Braga Sergio Leal
Published: February 2019

In the present experimental study, a photovoltaic (PV)-powered system in continuous current (4 kW) for the pumping of water in an isolated, rural agricultural zone in Arequipa—Peru was analyzed. A meteorological station was installed in the studied zone, measuring solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The electrical and hydraulic parameters of the solar-pumping system (i.e., electric current, voltage, mass flow, and hydraulic pressure) were measured in order to evaluate the efficiency of the energy transformation processes. The results indicate that, during the year of 2017, the PV pumping system in direct current (DC) functions from 07 h 30 min to 15 h 30 min, during an average of 8 h a day. The PV array, hydraulic, and global efficiencies were evaluated. This allows for the interpretation of efficiency independent of solar irradiance. The efficiency of the PV array and global efficiency remained constant (11.5% f and 8.5%, respectively). The functioning interval of the PV array ranges from 880 W up to 3400 W, making evident the versatility of the system of generation and consumption in DC, which is able to function since solar irradiance is at least 200 W/m2, corresponding to 880 W of PV array power, 27 m of total dynamic head (TDH) and 2 kg/s of mass flow, and 70% hydraulic efficiency. With greater mass flows (6.3 kg/s), the PV array power was 3256 W with a hydraulic efficiency of 55%, a TDH of 30 m, and a peak solar irradiance of 1190 W/m2. When the whole system functions in DC, the efficiencies are superior to those of systems, which operate with DC/alternating current (AC) current inverters.
Investigation of In-Cylinder Engine Flow Quadruple Decomposition Dynamical Behavior Using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition and Dynamic Mode Decomposition Methods
Authors: Qin Wenjin , Zhou Lei , Liu Daming , Jia Ming , Xie Maozhao
Published: February 2019

In order to study the in-cylinder flow characteristics, one hundred consecutive cycles of velocity flow fields were investigated numerically by large eddy simulation, and the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) algorithm was used to decompose the results. The computed flow fields were divided into four reconstructed parts, namely mean part, coherent part, transition part, and turbulent part. Then, the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) algorithm was used to analyze the characteristics of the reconstructed fields. The results show that DMD method is capable of finding the dominant frequencies in every reconstructed flow part and identifying the flow structures at equilibrium state. In addition, the DMD results also reveal that the reconstructed parts are related to each other through the break-up and attenuation process of unstable flow structures, while the flow energy cascade occurs among these parts through different scale vortex generation and dissipation process.
Ferrous Nitrate–Nickel Oxide (Fe(NO3)2–NiO) Nanospheres Incorporated With Carbon Black and Polyvinylidenefluoride for Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Muzaffar Aqib , Muthusamy Keerthana , Basheer Ahamed M.
Published: February 2019

Ferrous nitrate/nickel oxide {Fe(NO3)2–NiO} nanocomposite was synthesized via two-step facile hydrothermal route. The nanocomposite exhibits crystalline structure as unveiled by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, while as the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images divulge spherical morphologies for both Fe(NO3)2 as well as NiO nanoparticles differentiating from each other in size. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques were used to investigate supercapacitive behavior of the symmetrically fabricated nanocomposite electrode configuration using aqueous KOH as the electrolyte. The CV analyses demonstrate dominant electrical double layer capacitance (EDLC) behavior in the potential range of 0–1 V. From charge–discharge curves, the maximum specific capacitance calculated was 460 F g−1 corresponding to the energy density of 16 W h kg−1 at a high power density of 250 W kg−1. EIS data affiliate well with the CV and GCD results justifying the maximum contribution of specific capacitance due to double layer capacitance. The nanocomposite retained 84% of its original capacitance after 1000 cycles and yielded maximum efficiency of 78%.
A new species, a redescription of Aceria lamii (Liro, 1943) and two new records of eriophyoid mites (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea) on weeds in Golestan province, Iran
Authors: Gol Ali , Sadeghi-Namaghi Hussein , De Lillo Enrico
Published: February 2019

During a faunistic survey on eriophyoid mites associated with weeds in Golestan province of Iran, four eriophyoid species were collected. A new species, Aculops hyperisaemum sp. nov., was found on Hypericum androsaemum L. (Hypericaceae) and herein described and illustrated. Paraphytoptus paradoxus Nalepa, 1896, Aceria lamii (Liro, 1943) and Aceria verbenacae de Lillo et al., 2017, were found respectively on Artemisia absinthium L. (Asteraceae), Lamium album L. and Salvia nemorosa L. (Lamiaceae) and are reported for the first time in Iran. Aculops hyperisaemum sp. nov. and A. lamii were vagrant on the underside of the leaves of their host plants and no symptoms were detected. Aceria lamii is redescribed using modern microscopy and terminology. Paraphytoptus paradoxus was vagrant on the leaf underside and caused discoloration of the leaves; this is the first record of Paraphytoptus from Iran. Aceria verbenacae induced erinea on leaves, petioles, stems and flowers on a new host plant species.
Area selective deposition of TiO2 by intercalation of plasma etching cycles in PEALD process: A bottom up approach for the simplification of 3D integration scheme
Authors: Vallat Rémi , Gassilloud Rémy , Salicio Olivier , El Hajjam Khalil , Molas Gabriel , Pelissier Bernard , Vallée Christophe
Published: February 2019

A selective deposition process for bottom-up approach was developed in a modified plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) sequence. As a case study, a very standard PEALD TiO2 using organo-amine precursor and O2 plasma is chosen. The metal oxide selectivity is obtained on TiN versus Si-based surfaces by adding one etching/passivation plasma step of fluorine every n cycles in a PEALD-TiO2 process. Fluorine gas NF3 allows (1) to etch the TiO2 layer on Si, SiO2, or SiN surface while keeping few nanometers of TiO2 on the TiN substrate and (2) to increase the incubation time on the Si-based surface. Quasi-in situ XPS measurements were used to study the incubation time between Si/SiO2 substrates versus TiN substrate. Results show that Si–F bonds are formed on Si and lock the surface reactions. The effectiveness of this atomic layer selective deposition method was successfully tested on a 3D patterned substrate with the metal oxide deposited only at the edge of metal lines.
Hydrocarbon catalyzed-selective catalytic reduction catalysts using core-shell atomic layer deposited CeO2 and ZrO2
Authors: Jackson David H. K. , Schwartz Michael M. , Ngo Chilan , Facteau Dustin , Pylypenko Svitlana , Marshall Christopher L. , Dameron Arrelaine A.
Published: February 2019

The authors have developed low light-off temperature, hydrothermally stable catalysts for the removal of nitrogen oxide contaminants from lean-diesel emissions using hydrocarbon catalyzed selective catalytic reduction (SCR). This study utilizes the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to apply precisely controlled coatings onto metal ion exchanged zeolite particles to prepare drop-in ready catalysts with improved stability and activity. ALD was used to develop a bifunctional, core-shell coating on Cu-exchanged ZSM-5 particles, with ZrO2 deposited within the pore volume acting as a catalytic promoter in conjunction with an outer ZrO2/CeO2 layer for stabilization and to adsorb NOx. The core-shell ALD-catalyst synthesis approach demonstrated here provides a general strategy for a bifunctional zeolite stabilization and promotion. This work offers a pathway to minimize the usage of expensive rare earth metal oxides in the catalyst, providing an NOx removal strategy that mitigates emissions, storage, and corrosion concerns associated with ammonia SCR, the predominant SCR technology.
Texture and phase variation of ALD PbTiO3 films crystallized by rapid thermal anneal
Authors: Strnad Nicholas A. , Potrepka Daniel M. , Pulskamp Jeffrey S. , Liu Yang , Jones Jacob L. , Phaneuf Raymond J. , Polcawich Ronald G.
Published: February 2019

PbTiO3 (lead titanate) thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and crystallized via rapid thermal anneal. The films were grown using lead bis(3-N,N-dimethyl-2-methyl-2-propanoxide) and tetrakis dimethylamino titanium as cation precursors. A combination of H2O and ozone was used as oxidizers. Phase-pure, stoichiometric PbTiO3 was confirmed using x-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Ferroelectric hysteresis loops obtained by patterning circular capacitors with areas of 4.92 × 10−4 cm2 indicate a Pmax = 48 μC/cm2, 2Pr = 60 μC/cm2, Ec1 = −73 kV/cm, Ec2 = 125 kV/cm, and a leakage current density of 15 μA/cm2 at 138 kV/cm. Capacitance versus voltage measurements were used to obtain a maximum dielectric constant of 290 at 85 kV/cm and loss tangent under 4% tested in the range of ±275 kV/cm. ALD PbTiO3 grown with near-ideal cation ratios crystallized into randomly oriented perovskite grains when grown on a sputtered Pt-coated Si substrate. A variation of rapid thermal anneal temperatures, ramp rates, and nucleation layers was investigated and did not have a significant effect on perovskite grain orientation.
Thermal chemical vapor deposition of epitaxial rhombohedral boron nitride from trimethylboron and ammonia
Authors: Souqui Laurent , Pedersen Henrik , Högberg Hans
Published: February 2019

Epitaxial rhombohedral boron nitride (r-BN) films were deposited on α-Al2O3(001) substrates by chemical vapor deposition, using trimethylboron, ammonia, and a low concentration of silane in the growth flux. The depositions were performed at temperatures from 1200 to 1485 °C, pressures from 30 to 90 mbar, and N/B ratios from 321 to 1286. The most favorable conditions for epitaxy were a temperature of 1400 °C, N/B around 964, and pressures below 40 mbar. Analysis by thin film x-ray diffraction showed that most deposited films were polytype-pure epitaxial r-BN with an out-of-plane epitaxial relationship of r-BN[001]∥w-AlN[001]∥α-Al2O3[001] and with two in-plane relationships of r-BN[110]∥w-AlN[110]∥α-Al2O3[100] and r-BN[110]∥w-AlN[110]∥α-Al2O3[1¯00] due to twinning.
Formant estimation and tracking: A deep learning approach
Authors: Dissen Yehoshua , Goldberger Jacob , Keshet Joseph
Published: February 2019

Formant frequency estimation and tracking are among the most fundamental problems in speech processing. In the estimation task, the input is a stationary speech segment such as the middle part of a vowel, and the goal is to estimate the formant frequencies, whereas in the task of tracking the input is a series of speech frames, and the goal is to track the trajectory of the formant frequencies throughout the signal. The use of supervised machine learning techniques trained on an annotated corpus of read-speech for these tasks is proposed. Two deep network architectures were evaluated for estimation: feed-forward multilayer-perceptrons and convolutional neural-networks and, correspondingly, two architectures for tracking: recurrent and convolutional recurrent networks. The inputs to the former are composed of linear predictive coding–based cepstral coefficients with a range of model orders and pitch-synchronous cepstral coefficients, where the inputs to the latter are raw spectrograms. The performance of the methods compares favorably with alternative methods for formant estimation and tracking. A network architecture is further proposed, which allows model adaptation to different formant frequency ranges that were not seen at training time. The adapted networks were evaluated on three datasets, and their performance was further improved.
Inactivation of
cysL
Inhibits Biofilm Formation by Activating the Disulfide Stress Regulator Spx in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Kobayashi Kazuo
Published: February 2019

Bacillus subtilis
has been studied as a model organism for biofilm formation. In this study, I explored why the
cysL
deletion mutant was defective in biofilm formation. I demonstrated that the Δ
cysL
mutation activated the disulfide stress response regulator Spx, which inhibits biofilm formation by repressing biofilm matrix genes. Homologs of Spx are highly conserved among Gram-positive bacteria with low G+C contents. In some pathogens, Spx is also reported to inhibit biofilm formation by repressing biofilm matrix genes, even though these genes and their regulation are quite different from those of
B. subtilis
. Thus, the negative regulation of biofilm formation by Spx is likely to be well conserved across species and may be an appropriate target for control of biofilm formation.
The Small RNA Teg41 Regulates Expression of the Alpha Phenol-Soluble Modulins and Is Required for Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Zapf Rachel L. , Wiemels Richard E. , Keogh Rebecca A. , Holzschu Donald L. , Howell Kayla M. , Trzeciak Emily , Caillet Andrew R. , King Kellie A. , Selhorst Samantha A. , Naldrett Michael J. , Bose Jeffrey L. , Carroll Ronan K.
Published: February 2019

The alpha phenol-soluble modulins (αPSMs) are among the most potent toxins produced by
Staphylococcus aureus
. Their biological role during infection has been studied in detail; however, the way they are produced by the bacterial cell is not well understood. In this work, we identify a small RNA molecule called Teg41 that plays an important role in αPSM production by
S. aureus
. Teg41 positively influences αPSM production. The importance of Teg41 is highlighted by the fact that a strain containing a deletion in the 3′ end of Teg41 produces significantly less αPSMs and is attenuated for virulence in a mouse abscess model of infection. As the search for new therapeutic strategies to combat
S. aureus
infection proceeds, Teg41 may represent a novel target.
Evolution of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans Strains by Drug-Induced Mating Competence and Parasexual Recombination
Authors: Popp Christina , Ramírez-Zavala Bernardo , Schwanfelder Sonja , Krüger Ines , Morschhäuser Joachim
Published: February 2019

Sexual reproduction is an important mechanism in the evolution of species, since it allows the combination of advantageous traits of individual members in a population. The pathogenic yeast
Candida albicans
is a diploid organism that normally propagates in a clonal fashion, because heterozygosity at the mating type locus (
MTL
) inhibits mating between cells. Here we show that
C. albicans
cells that have acquired drug resistance mutations during treatment with the commonly used antifungal agent fluconazole rapidly develop further increased resistance by genome rearrangements that result in simultaneous loss of heterozygosity for the mutated allele and the mating type locus. This enables the drug-resistant cells of a population to switch to the mating-competent opaque morphology and mate with each other to combine different individually acquired resistance mechanisms. The tetraploid mating products reassort their merged genomes and, under selective pressure by the drug, generate highly resistant progeny that have retained the advantageous mutated alleles. Parasexual propagation, promoted by stress-induced genome rearrangements that result in the acquisition of mating competence in cells with adaptive mutations, may therefore be an important mechanism in the evolution of
C. albicans
populations.
Noncanonical Inhibition of mTORC1 by Coxiella burnetii Promotes Replication within a Phagolysosome-Like Vacuole
Authors: Larson Charles L. , Sandoz Kelsi M. , Cockrell Diane C. , Heinzen Robert A.
Published: February 2019

Coxiella burnetii
is an intracellular pathogenic bacterium that replicates within a lysosomal vacuole. Biogenesis of the
Coxiella
-containing vacuole (CCV) requires effector proteins delivered into the host cell cytosol by the type 4B secretion system (T4BSS). Modifications to lysosomal physiology required for pathogen replication within the CCV are poorly understood. Mammalian (or mechanistic) target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a master kinase that regulates lysosome structure and function. Nutrient deprivation inhibits mTORC1, which promotes cell catabolism in the form of accelerated autophagy and increased lysosome biosynthesis. Here, we report that
C. burnetii
growth is enhanced by T4BSS-dependent inhibition of mTORC1 that does not activate autophagy. Canonical inhibition of mTORC1 by starvation or inhibitor treatment that induces autophagic flux does not benefit
C. burnetii
growth. Furthermore, hyperactivation of mTORC1 impairs bacterial replication. These findings indicate that
C. burnetii
inhibition of mTORC1 without accelerated autophagy promotes bacterial growth.
Small bowel obstruction with multiple perforations post chestnut ingestion
Authors: Ravindra Raevin K , Das Atandrila , Chew Grace L , Daniel Eric
Published: February 2019

Phytobezoars are a rare cause of small bowel obstruction (SBO), which consists of vegetable matter such as seeds, skins, fibres of fruit and vegetables that have solidified. We present the case of a 61-year-old man with no previous surgery who presented with central abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. An abdominal CT scan demonstrated SBO with a transition point in the left anterior abdomen. He proceeded to a laparoscopy, which revealed multiple perforations throughout the small bowel, from the proximal jejunum to the terminal ileum. Laparotomy was performed, and undigested chestnuts were milked out through the largest perforation and the perforations were oversewn. While obstruction due to phytobezoars is rare, this case demonstrates the importance of considering small bowel trauma and perforation due to phytobezoars and highlights the need for close inspection of the entire gastrointestinal tract for complications in the setting of phytobezoar-related bowel obstruction.
Antibiotic susceptibility ofPropionibacterium acnesisolated from patients with acne in a public hospital in Southwest China: prospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhu Tingting , Zhu Wenyi , Wang Qisa , He Li , Wu Wenjuan , Liu Jinju , Li Yan , Sun Dongjie
Published: February 2019

Objective

Antibiotics have been routinely used for several decades againstPropionibacterium acnes(P. acnes), but antibiotic resistance ofP. acnesis becoming a global problem. Only one related Chinese study is available. The aim of this study was to assess the antibiotic susceptibility ofP. acnesobtained from patients with acne in Southwest China.

Design

This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Cutaneous samples were obtained from acne lesions on the face of 375 patients. Samples were cultured in anaerobic medium to identify the presence ofP. acnes. Susceptibility tests of isolatedP. acneswere performed for tetracycline, doxycycline, clindamycin, erythromycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin using the Epsilometer test.

Results

P. acneswas isolated from 227 patients; 224 isolates (98.7%) were susceptible to doxycycline and 220 (96.9%) were susceptible to tetracycline, followed by clindamycin and clarithromycin in 101 (44.5%) and 102 (44.93%) isolates, respectively. Susceptibility ofP. acneswas detected for erythromycin in 96 (42.3%) patients, followed by azithromycin in 94 (41.4%). Subjects who received antibiotics (topical and oral) had higher frequencies of antibiotic-resistantP. acnesas well as increased antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentrations compared with patients without antibiotic treatment.

Conclusions

P. acneswas highly sensitive to cyclines (doxycycline and tetracycline).P. acnesshowed higher resistance rates to macrolides–lincosamides–streptogramins antibiotics (such as erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin and clindamycin). The irrational use of antibiotics for acne treatment is probably a problem in China and elsewhere. These results suggest that dermatologists should be more prudent in prescribing antibiotics for acne.
HORYZONS trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a moderated online social therapy to maintain treatment effects from first-episode psychosis services
Authors: Alvarez-Jimenez Mario , Bendall Sarah , Koval Peter , Rice Simon , Cagliarini Daniela , Valentine Lee , D’Alfonso Simon , Miles Christopher , Russon Penni , Penn David L , Phillips Jess , Lederman Reeva , Wadley Greg , Killackey Eoin , Santesteban-Echarri Olga , Mihalopoulos Cathrine , Herrman Helen , Gonzalez-Blanch Cesar , Gilbertson Tamsyn , Lal Shalini , Chambers Richard , Daglas-Georgiou Rothanthi , Latorre Cristina , Cotton Sue M , McGorry Patrick D , Gleeson John F
Published: February 2019

Introduction

Specialised early intervention services have demonstrated improved outcomes in first-episode psychosis (FEP); however, clinical gains may not be sustained after patients are transferred to regular care. Moreover, many patients with FEP remain socially isolated with poor functional outcomes. To address this, our multidisciplinary team has developed a moderated online social media therapy (HORYZONS) designed to enhance social functioning and maintain clinical gains from specialist FEP services. HORYZONS merges: (1) peer-to-peer social networking; (2) tailored therapeutic interventions; (3) expert and peer-moderation; and (4) new models of psychological therapy (strengths and mindfulness-based interventions) targeting social functioning. The aim of this trial is to determine whether following 2 years of specialised support and 18-month online social media-based intervention (HORYZONS) is superior to 18 months of regular care.

Methods and analysis

This study is a single-blind randomised controlled trial. The treatment conditions include HORYZONS plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. We recruited 170 young people with FEP, aged 16–27 years, in clinical remission and nearing discharge from Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, Melbourne. The study includes four assessment time points, namely, baseline, 6-month, 12-month and 18-month follow-up. The study is due for completion in July 2018 and included a 40-month recruitment period and an 18-month treatment phase. The primary outcome is social functioning at 18 months. Secondary outcome measures include rate of hospital admissions, cost-effectiveness, vocational status, depression, social support, loneliness, self-esteem, self-efficacy, anxiety, psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, quality of life, positive and negative psychotic symptoms and substance use. Social functioning will be also assessed in real time through our Smartphone Ecological Momentary Assessment tool.

Ethics and dissemination

Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee (2013.146) provided ethics approval for this study. Findings will be made available through scientific journals and forums and to the public via social media and the Orygen website.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12614000009617; Pre-results.
Depression and anxiety in pet owners after a diagnosis of cancer in their pets: a cross-sectional study in Japan
Authors: Nakano Yuko , Matsushima Masato , Nakamori Azusa , Hiroma Junshiro , Matsuo Eiji , Wakabayashi Hidetaka , Yoshida Shuhei , Ichikawa Hiroko , Kaneko Makoto , Mutai Rieko , Sugiyama Yoshifumi , Yoshida Eriko , Kobayashi Tetsuya
Published: February 2019

Objective

To determine the presence and predictors of depression and anxiety in pet owners after a diagnosis of cancer in their pets.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

A veterinary medical centre specialised in oncology for dogs and cats and two primary veterinary clinics in Japan.

Participants

The participants for analysis were 99 owners of a pet with cancer diagnosis received in the past 1–3 weeks and 94 owners of a healthy pet.

Main outcome measures

Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess depression and anxiety. Depression was assessed using the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and anxiety was measured by using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form JYZ.

Results

Depression scores were significantly higher in owners of a pet with cancer than owners of a healthy pet, even after adjustment for potential confounders (p<0.001). Within the owners of a pet with cancer, depression was significantly more common in those who were employed than those who were unemployed (p=0.048). State anxiety scores were significantly higher in owners of a pet with cancer than owners of a healthy pet, even after adjustment for potential confounders, including trait–anxiety scores (p<0.001). Furthermore, in owners of a pet with cancer, state anxiety was higher in owners with high trait anxiety (p<0.001) and in owners whose pets had a poor prognosis (p=0.027).

Conclusion

The results indicate that some owners tended to become depressed and anxious after their pets had received a diagnosis of cancer. Employment may be a predictor of depression. High trait anxiety and a pet with a poor prognosis may increase owners’ state anxiety. Including the pet in a family genogram and attention to the pet’s health condition may be important considerations for family practice.
Folding during soft-sediment deformation
Authors: Alsop G. I. , Weinberger R. , Marco S. , Levi T.
Published: February 2019

The detailed analysis of folding in rocks was in part pioneered by John Ramsay, and resulted in a range of techniques and criteria to define folds. Although folding of unlithified or ‘soft’ sediments is typically assumed to produce similar geometries to those in ‘hard rocks’, there has to date been little detailed analysis of such folds. The aim of this paper is therefore to investigate folds developed during soft-sediment deformation (SSD) by applying techniques established for the analysis of tectonic folds during hard-rock deformation (HRD). We use the Late Pleistocene Lisan Formation exposed around the Dead Sea as our case study, as the laminated lake sediments record intricacies of fold detail generated during seismically triggered slumping of mass transport deposits (MTDs) towards the depocentre of the basin. While it is frequently assumed that folds created during SSD are chaotic and form disharmonic structures, we provide analyses that show harmonic fold trains may form during slumping, although larger upright folds cannot be traced for significant distances and are more typically disharmonic. Our analysis also reveals a range of fold styles, with more competent detrital-rich layers displaying buckles (Class 1B), as well as upright Class 1A folds marked by thickened limbs. Class 1A buckle folds are generally considered to be created by flattening that overprints folds with an original Class 1B geometry. As thickened fold limbs are truncated by overlying erosive surfaces, the vertical flattening is considered to have occurred during the slump event. Different fold shapes may partially reflect variable flattening, depending on the original orientation of upright or recumbent folds, together with continued downslope-directed simple-shear deformation that modifies the fold geometry. Analysis of fold wavelength, amplitude and bed thickness allows us to plot strain contour maps, and indicates that beds defining slump folds display viscosity contrasts in the range of 50–250, which are similar to values estimated from folds created during HRD in metamorphic rocks. A range of refold patterns, similar to those established by John Ramsay in metamorphic rocks, are observed within slumps, and are truncated by the overlying sediments, indicating that they formed during a single progressive slump event rather than distinct ‘episodes’ of superimposed deformation. This study confirms that techniques developed for the analysis of folds created during HRD are equally applicable to those formed during SSD, and that resulting folds are generally indistinguishable from one another. Extreme caution should therefore be exercised when interpreting the origin of folds in the rock record where the palaeogeographical and tectonic contexts become increasingly uncertain, thereby leading to potential misidentification of folds created during SSD.
Functionally Graded Materials: An Overview of Stability, Buckling, and Free Vibration Analysis
Authors: Zhang Ning , Khan Tahir , Guo Haomin , Shi Shaoshuai , Zhong Wei , Zhang Weiwei
Published: February 2019

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) are novel materials whose properties change gradually with respect to their dimensions. It is the advanced development of formerly used composite materials and consists of two or more materials in order to achieve the desired properties according to the application where an FGM is used. FGMs have obtained a great attention of researchers in the past decade due to their graded properties at every single point in various dimensions. The properties of an FGM are not identical to the materials that constitute it. This paper aims to present an overview of the existing literature on stability, buckling, and free vibration analysis of FGM carried out by numerous authors in the past decade. Moreover, the analyses of mathematical models adopted for the aforementioned analyses are not the core purpose of this paper. At the end, future work is also suggested in this review paper.
Pricing of European Currency Options with Uncertain Exchange Rate and Stochastic Interest Rates
Authors: Wang Xiao
Published: February 2019

Suppose that the interest rates obey stochastic differential equations, while the exchange rate follows an uncertain differential equation; this paper proposes a new currency model. Under the proposed currency model, the pricing formula of European currency options is then derived. Some numerical examples recorded illustrate the quality of pricing formulas. Meanwhile, this paper analyzes the relationship between the pricing formula and some parameters.
Dynamic Analysis of a Planar Hydraulic Rock‐Breaker Mechanism with Multiple Clearance Joints
Authors: Chen Ke , Zhang Guojun , Wu Rui , Wang Li , Zheng Hongmei , Chen Shunhua
Published: February 2019

Clearance exists in the joint of a mechanism because of the assemblage, manufacturing tolerances, wear, and other conditions, and it is a focus of research in the field of multibody dynamics. This study built a planar hydraulic rock‐breaker model with multiple joint clearances by combining the hydraulic cylinder model, the clearance joints based on the Lankarani–Nikravesh contact force model, and the Lagrange multiplier method. Dynamic simulation results indicated that multiple clearance joints can degrade the dynamic responses of a rock‐breaker model, which can be decomposed to rapid vibrations and slow movements. The rapid vibrations are excited by coupling the spring‐mass system of hydraulic cylinder and clearances. The effects of the clearance size, input force, damping coefficient, and friction on the dynamic behaviour of the rock‐breaker mechanism are also investigated. The friction could reduce the rapid vibration state significantly, which is feasible for practical engineering applications. As compared with the traditional models without clearances, the present model provides not only better predictions for the theoretical study of the hydraulic rock‐breaker but also useful guidance for reducing the vibrations of the hydraulic rock‐breaker in practical engineering applications.
Effects of Revised Toll‐by‐Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh‐in‐Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
Authors: Huang Haiyun , Zhou Junyong , Zhang Junping , Xu Wangxi , Chen Zhixing , Li Ningning
Published: February 2019

Since 2000, overloaded trucks have caused more than 50 bridges to collapse in China. In an effort to ensure the structural safety and extend the service life of the highway infrastructure, the Chinese government has proposed a series of policies in the past decade to mitigate truck overloading. This study aimed at investigating the effects of China’s recently revised toll‐by‐weight policy on truck overloading behavior and bridge infrastructure damage using weigh‐in‐motion data that spanned seven years (January 2011 to March 2018) and two successive toll‐by‐weight policies (with the new one implemented from August 2016), wherein truck data were measured from a typical national freeway segment. We first compared truck traffic volumes, compositions, and weight distributions under the initial and revised toll‐by‐weight policies. Next, we compared bridge infrastructure performance with respect to safety and fatigue based on the overloaded truck traffic observed under the initial and revised toll‐by‐weight policies. The results indicated that the revised toll‐by‐weight policy, which uses a stepwise incremental fee structure based on vehicle weight, was more effective at controlling truck overloading behavior and reducing bridge infrastructure damage than the initial toll‐by‐weight policy. Under the current policy, average daily truck volumes, overloaded truck proportions, and maximum truck weights decreased significantly. Concurrently, extreme and equivalent load effects for safety and fatigue assessments, respectively, decreased by an average of 20% for small‐ to medium‐span bridges. Despite these noted improvements, overloaded truck traffic persisted, with loads often exceeding bridge design levels. This study’s findings can support future efforts by the Chinese government to further refine their toll‐by‐weight policies and subsequently ensure a safe and viable transportation network.
The Effectiveness of Triple Dose Albendazole in Treating Soil Transmitted Helminths Infection
Authors: Sungkar Saleha , Putri Kartika Q. , Taufik Muhammad I. S. , Gozali Meutia N. , Sudarmono Pratiwi
Published: February 2019

Soil transmitted helminths (STH) infection is a major health problem in tropical countries such as Indonesia. Albendazole is an effective and widely used anthelmintic agent to treat STH; however, it is not effective towards T. trichiura and its effectiveness varies between populations. Hence, we conducted a study to determine the effectiveness of triple dose albendazole in children of Perobatang village, Southwest Sumba, Indonesia. A pre-post study was carried out in Perobatang village on July 2016. Children aged 1-15 years old were enrolled in the study and asked to collect stool samples which were then examined using Kato-Katz method. The children infected with STH were given albendazole 400 mg for three consecutive days. From 246 subjects examined, 192 (78%) were positive for any STH consisting of T. trichiura (64%), A. lumbricoides (60%), and hookworms (10%). After treatment, the prevalence of STH decreased significantly (McNemar test, p<0.001) to 27%, T. trichiura 25%, A. lumbricoides 2%, and hookworm 0%. Cure rate for T. trichiura, A. lumbricoides, and hookworms was 61%, 97%, and 100%, respectively. Significant decrease of eggs per gram of feces was found in all STH (Wilcoxon test, p value <0.001 for A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, p value = 0.027 for hookworms); egg reduction rate for T. trichiura was 91%, A. lumbricoides was 100%, and hookworms was 100%. In conclusion, triple dose albendazole is effective in controlling STH in children of Perobatang village, Southwest Sumba, Indonesia.
Identification of Anthocyanins and Optimization of Their Extraction from Rabbiteye Blueberry Fruits in Nanjing
Authors: Hutabarat R. P. , Xiao Y. D. , Wu H. , Wang J. , Li D. J. , Huang W. Y.
Published: February 2019

Blueberries are rich in bioactive anthocyanins, which are associated with health benefits contributing to reducing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to improve the yield of anthocyanins extracted from rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) fruits cultivated in Nanjing using ultrasound-assisted extraction and to identify the individual anthocyanins present in the extract. The extraction conditions of blueberry anthocyanins were optimized using response surface methodology. The Box–Behnken test was designed to investigate the effect of extraction using different ethanol concentrations, extraction time, and liquid-to-solid ratios. The optimum conditions of the extraction derived from the model were as follows: extraction time 24 h at 30°C using 72.50% ethanol which contains 0.02% v/v hydrochloric acid as a solvent and liquid-to-solid ratio 20 : 1 v/w. The extraction yield was 16.21 ± 0.44 mg/g under these optimum conditions. The 13 peaks of the anthocyanin extract from rabbiteye blueberry fruits in Nanjing were tentatively identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization interface-mass spectrometer (HPLC-ESI-MS), which are the derivatives of delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin, and malvidin that were glycosylated by glucose, galactose, or arabinose. This research provides a reliable scientific basis for efficacious extraction and identification of anthocyanins from blueberry fruits, which would be helpful for further investigation of the function and application of blueberry anthocyanins extract to human health.
IHDETBO: A Novel Optimization Method of Multi‐Batch Subtasks Parallel‐Hybrid Execution Cloud Service Composition for Cloud Manufacturing
Authors: Zhu Li-Nan , Li Peng-Hang , Zhou Xiao-Long
Published: February 2019

Cloud manufacturing (CMfg) is a new service‐oriented smart manufacturing paradigm, and it provides a new product development model in which users are enabled to configure, select, and utilize customized manufacturing service on‐demand. Because of the massive manufacturing resources, various users with individualized demands, heterogeneous manufacturing system or platform, and different data type or file type, CMfg is fully recognized as a kind of complex manufacturing system in complex environment and has received considerable attention in recent years. In practical scenarios of CMfg, the amount of manufacturing task may be very large, and there are always quite a lot of candidate manufacturing services in cloud pool for corresponding subtasks. These candidate services will be selected and composed together to complete a complex manufacturing task. Obviously, manufacturing service composition plays a very important role in CMfg lifecycle and thus enables complex manufacturing system to be stable, safe, reliable, and efficient and effective. In this paper, a new manufacturing service composition scheme named as Multi‐Batch Subtasks Parallel‐Hybrid Execution Cloud Service Composition for Cloud Manufacturing (MBSPHE‐CSCCM) is proposed, and such composition is one of the most difficult combination optimization problems with NP‐hard complexity. To address the problem, a novel optimization method named as Improved Hybrid Differential Evolution and Teaching Based Optimization (IHDETBO) is proposed and introduced in detail. The results obtained by simulation experiments and case study validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
The Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Optimal Strategy of the Tobacco Control
Authors: Pang Liuyong , Liu Sanhong , Zhang Xinan , Tian Tianhai
Published: February 2019

This paper aims at investigating how the media coverage and smoking cessation treatment should be implemented, for a certain period, to reduce the numbers of smokers and patients caused by smoking while minimizing the total cost. To this end, we first propose a new mathematical model without any control strategies to investigate the dynamic behaviors of smoking. Furthermore, we calculate the basic reproduction number R0 and discuss the global asymptotic stabilities of the equilibria. Then, from the estimated parameter values, we know that the basic reproduction number R0 is more than 1, which reveals that smoking is one of the enduring problems of the society. Hence, we introduce two control measures (media coverage and smoking cessation treatment) into the model. Finally, in order to investigate their effects in smoking control and provide an analytical method for the strategic decision-makers, we apply a concrete example to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and analyze the cost-effectiveness of all possible combinations of the two control measures. The results indicate that the combination of media coverage and smoking cessation treatment is the most cost-effective strategy for tobacco control.
Integrated Optimization of Mixed Cargo Packing and Cargo Location Assignment in Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems
Authors: Lei Bin , Jiang Zhaoyuan , Mu Haibo
Published: February 2019

To improve the delivery efficiency of automated storage and retrieval system, the problem of the integrated optimization of mixed cargo packing and cargo location assignment is addressed. An integrated optimization model of mixed cargo packing and location assignments with the shortest time for the stacker in a certain historical period is established and is transformed into a conditional packing problem. An improved hybrid genetic algorithm based on a group coding method is designed to solve the problem. When the initial population is generated, a new heuristic algorithm is designed to improve the convergence speed of the genetic algorithm considering the correlation and frequency of the goods outbound. A heuristic algorithm for a two-dimensional rectangular-packing problem is designed to determine whether a variety of goods can be mixed in packing. Taking actual data from an automated storage and retrieval system for an aviation food company as an example, the established model and design algorithm are verified and the influence of changes in the outbound delivery orders on the optimization result is analyzed. The results show that compared to the method of separate storage of goods based on cube-per-order index rules and a phased optimization method of mixed storage of goods, an integrated optimization method of mixed cargo packing and location assignment can improve the outbound delivery efficiency of the stacking machine by 11.43–25.98% and 1.73–5.51%, respectively, and reduce the cargo location used by 50–55% and 0–10%, respectively. The stronger the correlation of the goods leaving a warehouse, the greater the potential of the design method in this paper to improve the efficiency of the stacker.
Rapid Magnetic 3D Printing of Cellular Structures with MCF-7 Cell Inks
Authors: Mishriki S. , Abdel Fattah A. R. , Kammann T. , Sahu R. P. , Geng F. , Puri I. K.
Published: February 2019

A contactless label-free method using a diamagnetophoretic ink to rapidly print three-dimensional (3D) scaffold-free multicellular structures is described. The inks consist of MCF-7 cells that are suspended in a culture medium to which a paramagnetic salt, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid gadolinium (III) dihydrogen salt hydrate (Gd-DTPA), is added. When a magnetic field is applied, the host fluid containing the paramagnetic salt is attracted towards regions of high magnetic field gradient, displacing the ink towards regions with a low gradient. Using this method, 3D structures are printed on ultra-low attachment (ULA) surfaces. On a tissue culture treated (TCT) surface, a 3D printed spheroid coexists with a two-dimensional (2D) cell monolayer, where the composite is termed as a 2.5D structure. The 3D structures can be magnetically printed within 6 hours in a medium containing 25 mM Gd-DTPA. The influence of the paramagnetic salt on MCF-7 cell viability, cell morphology, and ability of cells to adhere to each other to stabilize the printed structures on both ULA and TCT surfaces is investigated. Gene expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) allow comparison of the relative stresses for the printed 3D and 2.5D cell geometries with those for 3D spheroids formed without magnetic assistance. This magnetic printing method can be potentially scaled to a higher throughput to rapidly print cells into 3D heterogeneous cell structures with variable geometries with repeatable dimensions for applications such as tissue engineering and tumour formation for drug discovery.