bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecological and Economical Violations as a Threat for Sustainable Development and National Environmental Safety (on Example of Kemerovo Region)
Authors: Drapezo Roman , Shelestukov Vitaly
Published: June 2019

The article considers the analytical and statistical materials unfolding parameters of economic and ecological crime in Kemerovo Oblast. The close interrelation of quality indicators of the presented groups of crime is caused by the specifics of the coal-mining region. The illegal coal-mining developing in the territory of Kemerovo Oblast within the decades led to the irreversible ecological effects: pollution of rivers, air, soil, deforestation, etc. The administration of Kemerovo Oblast and the enterprises of the coal-mining industry paid attention to the problem not bringing desirable results. Formed in 2011 upon the request of the governor of Kemerovo Oblast the Prosecutor’s Office on the supervision of respecting the rule of law in the coal-mining industry combines the efforts of Rostekhnadzor (the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision) and Rosprirodnadzor (the Federal Service for Nature Management Supervision) for the prevention of proliferation of crimes in this sphere. Kemerovo State University combines the efforts of scientific community, executive authorities, public organizations and not indifferent residents of Kemerovo Oblast to recognize and prevent economic and ecological offenses. Kemerovo State University has been regularly holding the ecological and tax forums on its basis in recent years. They let bring the factors causing threat of the national security of the region and country in general to the authorities and the public.
Current State and Prospects of Environmental Problems Legal Regulation in Coal Industry (on Example of Kemerovo Mining Region)
Authors: Agienko Marina , Moroz Elena , Naumov Alexandr
Published: June 2019

The legal aspect of subsoil use in our country is one of the most controversial today. It requires its improvement to create the conditions for the transition to a sustainable economic development in our country. In addition, a comparative analysis of the legal documents of the Russian Federation in this area shows that there are obvious flaws in this issue for legislative purposes. The article assesses the state of legal interfacing in the field of mining (processing), the use of coal and coal products, and discusses the problems arising in this industry. Perspectives were identified and the need to develop special legislation in the coal sector, consistent with the norms of environmental, civil, labor and other branches of legislation was shown.
International Practice of Environmental Challenges Regulation
Authors: Chistyakova Galina , Rolgayzer Anastasia , Bondareva Evgeniya , Schlee Inessa
Published: June 2019

Modern society needs to establish a balance between social and economic development and environment conservation. This target can be met through the integrated use of legislative, economic and administrative measures developed and implemented by various international, national and regional organizations. Environmental management can achieve the maximum efficiency only through the joint use of three environmental policy instruments: direct regulating, market-based instruments, and voluntary programs. Direct regulating is inherently directive in terms of establishing emission standards / discharge limits, industry product and process specifications, and transparency reporting requirements. The implementation of market-based instruments depends on the day-to-day use of private sector financial calculations. Economic methods include price-based instruments and property-based instruments. Voluntary programs, actively encouraged by governments, offer intangible rewards such as public recognition. The vast legislative framework and activities of governmental and public organizations encourage mining and processing enterprises to strictly conform to environmental rules and regulations. While multiple market-based instruments of environmental management and voluntary programs provides businesses with greater autonomy in choosing ways, means and terms of restructuring their environmental policies to meet pressing environmental challenges.
Innovations in Monitoring Conveyor Belts with Implemented RFID Technology
Authors: Marasova Daniela , Cehlar Michal , Ambrisko Lubomir , Taraba Vladimir , Staricna Nikola
Published: June 2019

Belt conveyors are used as efficient conveyance systems for the continuous transportation of materials. However, they are also used for a wide range of applications in the transport of ores and non-metallic materials. The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system represents a key technology in many industries due to its ability of automatic data processing. The purpose of the present article is to discuss the implementation of RFID tags into fabric conveyor belts as carriers of the information on conveyor belts (ozone-induced ageing or accelerated thermal ageing, damage to cover layers and the carcass, and ignition). During the monitoring, it is important to record conveyor belt failures and damage causes, as well as other problems arising during the use of belt conveyors. The article presents the results of the experimental research on RFID tags and the analysis of their behaviour in accelerated thermal ageing. This facilitates simulating the conditions of hot vulcanisation of conveyor belts, especially when splicing (as well as producing) them, and of ozone-induced ageing of conveyor belts. The output of the article is the verification of the possibility to implement the RFID technology in the transport of mineral materials by belt conveyance systems in real operations.
Diagnostics of Gearboxes of Mining Belt Conveyors Using Floating Spectral Masks
Authors: Kuzin Evgeniy , Gerike Boris , Mamaeva Mariya , Singh Kumar
Published: June 2019

The article shows the relevance of improving the maintenance system of belt conveyors. The work features of mining gearboxes and the complexity of diagnosing the processes of wear in their elements are considered. On the one hand, the variable character of the load and changeable speed of the conveyor in accordance with the needs of the technological process from another part interferes in the operation of diagnostic systems. The results of the distribution of the overall level of vibration on the same type of gearboxes show different rates of degradation of their nodes. A solution to the problem of assessing the technical condition of the gearbox elements using the “floating” reference spectral masks is proposed. Spectral masks are created for several speeds of the belt movement. The amplitude levels of the velocity vibration characterize defects. They are changing depending on the frequency. They so to say “float”. The spectral masks of the “warning” level and the results of assessing the state of the gearbox with their use are shown.
Modern Problems of Increasing Coal Mines Power Supply Efficiency
Authors: Nepsha Fedor , Belyaevsky Roman , Efremenko Vladimir , Varnavskiy Kirill
Published: June 2019

In this article, the authors consider the main problems of increasing the efficiency of coal mines electrical power system (EPS). The identified problems are divided into two groups: problems that can be solved at the design stage and problems that can be solved at the operation stage. Within each group, the authors consider various problems and propose possible solutions. It is noted that as a result of the solution of formulated problems it is possible to form the problem of developing an intelligent coal mines EPS. To solve this problem it is necessary to use modern technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things) and BIG DATA. In prospective it will allow to create a unified cyber-physical system uniting the virtual and real worlds within the framework of the coal mining technological process and ensuring the rational management of the coal mine EPS by the criterion of minimizing the energy consumption for extracting one ton of coal. As a conclusion, the authors note the necessity of solving the formulated problems for the implementation of the “Industry 4.0” concept, which has great importance for the Russian coal industry.
Life Quality Investments and Environmental Damage Decreasing in Coal Mining Regions
Authors: Sagdeeva Lyudmila , Starikova Lyudmila , Trapeznikova Irina
Published: June 2019

The industrialized Kuzbass (Kemerovo Region, Russia) is not only a source of raw materials for the planet, but also a manufacturer of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and chemical products. Since 1990s, the “lungs of the planet” – Siberian taiga – has been actively cut down, and mining and processing enterprises are being built. A large part of the territory of Kuzbass is exposed to a strong technogenic impact. The consequence of the irreversible process of destruction and degradation of soil under industrial waste dumps during open-pit mining of coal, pollution of groundwater and surface water, atmospheric pollution by industrial emissions is the disappearance of natural flora and fauna, as well as the catastrophic threat to the health of people living in the region. Only 30% of the territory of the region, where 5-10% of the population lives, correspond to satisfactory environmental conditions. The article discusses the problems of anthropogenic pressure and environmental capacity of the territory on the example of the Kemerovo region, attempts to assess damage to land resources in the Kemerovo region on the example of 2017, based on the standard methodology for assessing the need for investment in environmental protection.
Rental and Investment Regulation of Mining Companies in Subsoil Developing Industries
Authors: Alexandrov Gennady , Yablonev Alexander
Published: June 2019

Despite the fact that the problem of rental regulation of more and more becomes the object of scientists and practitioners attention, however, with regard to the results of the study of mining still cannot serve as a robust theoretical basis for the development of practical steps towards the establishment of organizational and economic relations and mechanisms, which would be able to determine the investment attractiveness of extractive activities and, consequently – the motivation to sustainable development. This is largely due to the fact that economic relations in mineral extracting industries, unlike other fields of activity are special. Their determinant is the existence of two types of band property relations, folding, firstly, regarding the ownership and administration of mineral resources, and, secondly, with regard to their use by entrepreneur as object of management. Therefore, between the owner of the subsoil and economic entity, there are special, rental relations in which inherently embedded contradiction in interests. It must and can be resolved solely on the principles of consensus and, we believe, through the institutionalization of these relations, their regulation and administration.
Application of SWOT Analysis of Exploitation of Mineral Resources for Defining the Strategy of Support of Sustainable Development of the Slovak Republic
Authors: Ocilková Jana , Ocilka Martin , Cvoliga Martin
Published: June 2019

The article deals with a quantifiable approach which leads to the definition of a strategy for promoting sustainable development through the exploitation of mineral resources in Slovakia. It points to a clear identification of a potential strategy by using SWOT analysis, which integrates the interaction of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the exploitation of mineral resources, which forms the basal platform for the functioning of sustainable development of the Slovak Republic. The paper presents the implementation of the principles of Saaty’s matrix in the quantification of the factors weights of individual areas of SWOT analysis with the aim of their objectification. It describes in detail the quantification of predefined weights of the mentioned analysis, which leads to the definition of the strategy of promoting sustainable development of the Slovak Republic through the exploitation of mineral resources. In conclusion, it presents a graphical representation of the SWOT analysis with an emphasis on supporting the mitigation of developmental interregional disparities in Slovakia.
Advanced Management Training for Sustainable Development of the Mining Region
Authors: Panina Тatjana , Dochkin Sergej
Published: June 2019

The article presents the experience of advanced training and retraining for mining enterprises in the region. Special emphasis is placed on the training of specialists required for the management of innovative production, solving the problem of digital transformation of the economy. The analysis revealed the need to change approaches to learning and transition to new trends aimed at the formation of a new level of specialist with cross-functional knowledge on a wide range of issues and expertise in one of the subject areas. The achievement of such results in training is based on the introduction into the educational process of Advanced Learning Technologies components, involving the merger of “learning” and “e-learning” environments, the creation of an intellectual learning environment; taking into account the individual needs and abilities of trainees; offering individual learning paths. The presented approaches are implemented within the framework of the Presidential program of management training for the national economy, which presents technologies and special training modules on the use of digital technologies and platform solutions in the economy and management.
Coal-Mining Industry as a Forming Factor of Social, Cultural, and Linguistic Environment of Kuzbass as Resource Region of Siberia
Authors: Kuznetsov Dmitryi , Rabkina Nadezda , Ryabova Marina , Valko Olga
Published: June 2019

The coal-mining industry ensures its sustainable development by forming the complex regional environment, embracing urban, social, cultural, linguistic, and academic components. The environment eventually exerts itself in a number of outcomes. It makes up a multiform regional cogniosphere (i.e. noosphere, ideosphere, logosphere, semiosphere, conceptosphere) responsible for increasing the regional population’s awareness of the coal mining specifics, as well as forms positive attitudes to the mining sector of economy and mining professions, and finally forges the regional identity. The environment is responsible for increasing the popularity of professional coal-mining education which enables the stability and survivability of the mining professions and efficient personnel change in due time. The environment affects adjacent economic spheres (tourism, service, recreation, production, etc.) so as they can make use of the regional specific features and diversify their products and services. Thus, the coal-mining industry and the above mentioned environment form a closed-cycle system whose constituents affect each other mutually and ensure efficient coexistence and development. The cultural, linguistic, and urban environment of the region can be viewed as additional means of supporting and promoting sustainable development of the regional economy and culture through its manipulative potential.
Preface
Authors: Brun S. , Mathis S. , Charbonnel C. , Dubrulle B.
Published: June 2019

Astro Fluid – An international conference in memory of Professor Jean-Paul Zahn’s great scientific achievements.
Atmospheric tides and their consequences on the rotational dynamics of terrestrial planets
Authors: Auclair-Desrotour P. , Laskar J. , Mathis S.
Published: June 2019

Atmospheric tides can have a strong impact on the rotational dynamics of planets. They are of most importance for terrestrial planets located in the habitable zone of their host star, where their competition with solid tides is likely to drive the body towards non-synchronized rotation states of equilibrium, as observed in the case of Venus. Contrary to other planetary layers, the atmosphere is sensitive to both gravitational and thermal forcings, through a complex dynamical coupling involving the effects of Coriolis acceleration and characteristics of the atmospheric structure. These key physics are usually not taken into account in modelings used to compute the evolution of planetary systems, where tides are described with parametrised prescriptions. In this work, we present a new ab initio modeling of atmospheric tides adapting the theory of the Earth’s atmospheric tides (Chapman & Lindzen 1970) to other terrestrial planets. We derive analytic expressions of the tidal torque, as a function of the tidal frequency and parameters characterizing the internal structure (e.g. the Brunt-Väisälä frequency, the radiative frequency, the pressure heigh scale). We show that stratification plays a key role, the tidal torque being strong in the case of convective atmospheres (i.e. with a neutral stratification) and weak in case of atmosphere convectively stable. In a second step, the model is used to determine the non-synchronized rotation states of equilibrium of Venus-like planets as functions of the physical parameters of the system. These results are detailed in Auclair-Desrotour et al. (2016a) and Auclair-Desrotour et al. (2016b).
On tidal theories and the rotation of viscous bodies
Authors: Boué G. , Correia A.C.M. , Laskar J.
Published: June 2019

Celestial bodies are complex systems with the ability to get deformed by tides. Modelling accurately this process is a difficult task even for the planets of our own solar system. This is why tidal theories applied to exoplanets are often reduced to a simple formula accounting for our lack of knowledge. In this work, we identify the three minimal assumptions leading to this level of simplification. We then compare different rheologies compatible with these hypotheses and discuss their qualitative behaviour. Finally, we apply the viscous model to close-in planets and describe their rotation evolution, emphasising the apparition of spin-orbit resonances as the viscous timescale increases.
Observations of tides and circularization in red-giant binaries from Kepler photometry
Authors: Beck P.G. , Mathis S. , Kallinger T. , García R.A. , Benbakoura M.
Published: June 2019

Binary stars are places of complex stellar interactions. While all binaries are in principle converging towards a state of circularization, many eccentric systems are found even in advanced stellar phases. In this work we discuss the sample of binaries with a red-giant component, discovered from observations of the NASA Kepler space mission. We first discuss which effects and features of tidal interactions are detectable in photometry, spectroscopy and the seismic analysis. In a second step, the sample of binary systems observed with Kepler, is compared to the well studied sample of Verbunt & Phinney (1995, hereafter VP95). We find that this study of circularization of systems hosting evolving red-giant stars with deep convective envelopes is also well applicable to the red-giant binaries in the sample of Kepler stars.
Statistical analysis of period-eccentricity distribution for large samples of close binaries from Kepler, CoRoT and SB9 databases
Authors: Sztakovics J. , Forgács-Dajka E. , Borkovits T. , Hajdu T. , Marschalkó G.
Published: June 2019

Period–eccentricity distribution of eccentric eclipsing binaries (eEB) has inevitable importance in the study of the different kinds of tidal circularization (and synchronization) processes. Recent space missions provide a large amount of continuous and precise light curves, which enable us to determine several accurate stellar and dynamical parameters for thousands of freshly discovered eEBs. For statistical analysis we developed a fast, automated, although approximating method for determining eccentricity and argument of periastron from the displacement of the secondary minima and the difference of primary and secondary eclipse durations for large samples of eclipsing lightcurves. Applying this method to several hundreds of recently discovered eEBs in the fields of the primordial and secondary Kepler and also the CoRoT missions, we present a comprehensive statistical analysis of the period–eccentricity relation for different subgroups of these double star systems.
Core overshooting under the light of fluid dynamics
Authors: Rieutord M.
Published: June 2019

We discuss the possible contraints that are brought about by a fluid mechanical analysis of the overshooting phenomenon at the interface of convective cores and radiative envelopes of early-type stars. We investigate an improvement of Roxburgh’s criterion by taking into account the viscous dissipation but show that this criterion remains not stringent enough to be predictive. We then discuss the thickness of the overshooting layer and show that all estimates, including the one of Zahn (1991), lead to a very thin mixing layer typically less than a percent of the pressure scale height.
The mic-mac connection inside stars: the interdependence of atomic diffusion and hydrodynamic instabilities
Authors: Vauclair S.
Published: June 2019

The interdependence of microscopic (atomic) and macroscopic (hydrodynamic) processes inside stars and their consequences for stellar structure and evolution were recognized by Jean-Paul Zahn several decades ago. He was a pioneer in that respect, discussing the importance of the macroscopic motions related to stellar rotation, in competition with the chemical stratification induced by gravitational settling and radiative accelerations. This has been much developed in recent years, in connection with the improvement of observational data, including asteroseismology. Morover, it has been recently discovered that the microscopic atomic diffusion processes can lead to macroscopic results which may infuence in a non negligible way the internal stellar structure, independently of the abundances observed at the surface.
Turbulence, magnetism, and transport inside stars
Authors: Brun A.S. , Strugarek A.
Published: June 2019

We present recent progress made in modelling stars and their turbulent magnetized dynamics in 3-D. This work is inspired by many years of discussion with Jean-Paul Zahn. I (ASB) first met him as a professor of astrophysical fluid dynamics (AFD) at the Paris-Meudon observatory's graduate school of astrophysics in 1994–1995. He made me the honor of accepting to be my PhD's advisor (1995–1998). He then supported me during my postdoc years in Boulder with his long time friend Prof. Juri Toomre between January 1999 and December 2002 and through the difficult process of getting a tenure position, and then since as a tenure researcher in Department of Astrophysics at CEA Paris-Saclay. I have been fortunate and lucky to share so many years discussing and doing scientific projects with Jean-Paul. As I was getting more experienced and started supervising my own students, he was always available, guiding us with his acute scientific vista and encouraging them. Antoine Strugarek, who co-author this paper, was like me fortunate to share Jean-Paul's knowledge. The three of us published several papers together during Antoine's PhD (2009–2012) addressing the dynamics of the solar tachocline and its interplay with convection. We miss him greatly. In this paper, we discuss mainly two topics that benefited from Jean-Paul's deep understanding of AFD: a) the dynamics of the solar tachocline and angular momentum transport in stellar interior and b) turbulent convection and dynamo action in stellar convection zones.
Study of mixed convection in closed enclosure with a ceiling fan
Authors: Nasseri Lyes , Rahli Omar , Ameziani Djamel Eddine , Bennacer Rachid
Published: June 2019

This paper presents a numerical study of heat transfer by convection in a square cavity. The vertical walls of the cavity are differentially heated and the horizontal ones are considered adiabatic. A fan is placed in the middle of the cavity and releases a jet down. Numerical simulation was performed using the lattice Boltzmann method to show the flow patterns and the heat flux depending on the Rayleigh number (thermal convection intensity) and the Reynolds number (fan-driven flow intensity). A parametric study was performed presenting the influence of Reynolds number (20 ≤ Re ≤ 500), Rayleigh number (10 ≤ Ra ≤ 106) and the fan position (0.2 ≤ HF ≤ 0.8). In forced convection mode, the flow structure has been mapped according to the position and the power of the fan. Three structures have emerged: two symmetrical cells, four symmetrical cells and asymmetrical structure. It has been observed that the heat transfer rate increases with the rise of Reynolds number and the reduction of the distance of the fan position from the ceiling. For the latter one, an unfavorable evolution of Nusselt number is observed for Ra > 104.
Caractérisation de la sécheresse et du comportement hydrologique au niveau du bassin versant de l’oued Louza (Algérie occidentale)
Authors: Djellouli F. , Bouanani A. , Baba-Hamed K.
Published: June 2019

La sécheresse est une grave catastrophe écologique qui touche de nombreuses régions du monde. Elle se définit comme une absence prolongée ou une insuffisance marquée des précipitations. Elle peut être détectée à l’aide de divers indices de sécheresse (météorologiques, hydrologiques et agricoles). Le bassin versant de l’oued Louza (Nord-Ouest algérien), qui appartient au sous-bassin de l’oued El Hammam, se caractérise par une forte variabilité climatique et se localise dans une région faible en ressources en eau par rapport aux autres régions de l’ouest de l’Algérie. Ce déficit hydrique est accentué par la sécheresse qui persiste et perdure dans la région depuis le milieu des années 1970, aussi, l’absence d’étude sur la caractérisation de la sécheresse sur cette zone nous invite, à travers ce travail de recherche, étudier la sécheresse au niveau du bassin versant de l’oued Louza et son impact sur les ressources en eau. Les données utilisées couvrent une période de 30 ans (1978-2008). Pour la surveillance et la caractérisation de la variabilité de la sécheresse météorologique, l’indice de sécheresse efficace (EDI) est utilisé aux différents pas de temps (1, 3, 9 et 12 mois). Le calage et la validation du modèle Gardénia en période humide et en période sèche ont pour objectif l’étude de la robustesse du modèle, la quantification des différentes composantes d’écoulements et les différents flux ainsi que l’identification de l’impact de la sécheresse sur les ressources en eau du bassin versant de l’oued Louza. Les résultats obtenus à l’aide de l’indice EDI démontrent que le bassin versant étudié a connu des périodes de sécheresse météorologique sévère et extrême. L’application du modèle Gardénia au pas de temps mensuel indique que la sécheresse a eu une grande influence sur la réduction des ressources en eau. En phase de calage et de validation, le modèle présente une robustesse pour générer des simulations fiables des flux et une certaine efficacité pour les différentes périodes (sèche et humide). En effet, la quantification des différentes composantes de l’écoulement indique que l’augmentation de la recharge est de 115 % supérieure en période humide qu’en période sèche.
Traitement des micropolluants en station de potabilisation
Authors: Mechouk C. , Hauret A. , Khajehnouri F. , Burnet P.
Published: June 2019

Dans le cadre de la réhabilitation de l’usine de potabilisation de Saint-Sulpice (Lausanne, Suisse), le service de l’eau de la ville de Lausanne a conduit des essais pilotes afin de choisir la filière de traitement la plus adaptée. L’usine actuelle de 1971 est une filière de traitement simple consistant en une filtration sur sable suivie d’une chloration. Malgré la production d’une eau potable de qualité satisfaisante, la filière actuelle n’est pas capable de faire face aux nouveaux défis du domaine du traitement de l’eau (micropolluants). Les essais pilotes, réalisés entre 2014 et 2017, ont porté sur des technologies améliorant l’abattement des micro-organismes, des matières en suspension (MES) et des micropolluants. Il existe trois méthodes pour abattre les micropolluants : l’adsorption sur charbon actif (CA), la filtration membranaire fine (nanofiltration ou osmose inverse) ou l’oxydation. Trois mises en œuvre de charbon ont été testées : filtration sur CA en grain (CAG), suspension de CA micrograins (CAµG) ou mise en contact de CA poudre (CAP) (sur l’usine de Lutry). Un pilote de nanofiltration a également été testé, ainsi qu’un procédé d’oxydation avancée (AOP), avec de l’ozone et du peroxyde d’hydrogène, suivi d’un filtre CAG. Chaque procédé présente des spécificités qui lui permettent de mieux abattre certaines molécules par rapport à d’autres. L’étude s’est particulièrement focalisée sur l’abattement des trois principaux micropolluants retrouvés en permanence en concentrations les plus élevées dans l’eau du lac Léman : metformine (450 ng/L), 1H-benzotriazole (80 ng/L) et gabapentine (30 ng/L). Hormis une élimination faible du 1H-benzotriazole (35 % environ), la filtration membranaire par nanofiltration ou par osmose inverse basse pression permet des abattements supérieurs à 80 % pour la majorité des micropolluants. L’AOP, couplée avec une filtration sur CAG, permet d’atteindre de bons rendements d’élimination des micropolluants (70 %). L’ozonation des micropolluants engendre des sous-produits, aujourd’hui difficilement identifiables et quantifiables. Globalement, le charbon actif permet un abattement moyen des micropolluants de 20 à 40 % selon sa mise en œuvre. La future filière sera composée autour d’une unité d’ultrafiltration (MES et micro-organismes). Le traitement des micropolluants sera, lui, assuré soit par une étape d’adsorption sur charbon actif, soit par une étape de nanofiltration ou une combinaison des deux. Le traitement par charbon actif pourrait éventuellement être amélioré par le couplage avec un procédé AOP.
Gemeinsam geht’s besser – Unbeliebte Aufgaben verteilen
Authors: Freitag-Herse Barbara
Published: June 2019

Nicht immer findet sich für jede Aufgabe bereitwillig jemand aus dem Team, der sie übernimmt. Was nun? Als Chefin entscheiden? Es selbst übernehmen? Es gibt noch einen anderen Weg, bei dem alle mit der Entscheidung zufrieden sein werden, wie unattraktiv die Aufgabe auch sein mag – versprochen!
A Retrospective Study Using the String of Pearls Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy Locking Plate for the Treatment of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease
Authors: McGregor Ross E. , Buffa Eugene A. , Tan Christopher J. , Schembri Mark A. , Badcock Caro-Anne , Lai Alen
Published: June 2019

Objective The aim of this study was to describe the use of String of Pearls (SOP) tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) locking plates for the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease and retrospectively assess osteotomy healing, tibial plateau angle (TPA) change (c) and overall complication rates.

Methods Medical records and radiographic studies of 170 SOP TPLO surgical procedures were analysed. Radiographic measurement of TPAc and osteotomy union was determined 6 to 8 weeks postoperatively. Intra- and postoperative major and minor complications were identified. Factors influencing TPAc, osteotomy union and complications were assessed.

Results Mean (standard deviation) TPAc was 1.3° (1.61) and median osteotomy union was graded as 2 (26–50%) union. Improved osteotomy union was associated with retention of the antirotational pin (odds ratio [OR]: 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3–4; p = 0.005) and reduced TPAc (OR: 0.8; 95%CI: 0.66–0.97; p = 0.02). Complications occurred in 42 (24.7%) procedures with 11 (6.5%) considered major and 31 (18.2%) minor.

Clinical significance The use of the SOP TPLO plating system resulted in a median grade 2 (26–50%) radiographic osteotomy union score at 6 to 8 weeks' follow-up, less than previous TPLO locking plate studies. Osteotomy union was associated with retention of the antirotational pin and reduced TPAc. Major and minor complication rates were marginally greater than recent locking plate studies with fibular fracture and screw loosening common complications. The use of SOP TPLO plates is cautioned and further study is warranted.
Measurement of Shoulder Abduction Angles in Dogs: An Ex Vivo Study of Accuracy and Repeatability
Authors: Jones Stephen C. , Howard James , Bertran Judith , Johnson Brittney , Pozzi Antonio , Litsky Alan S. , Wittum Thomas E. , Kieves Nina
Published: June 2019

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy and repeatability of the shoulder abduction test and to assess the effect of transection of the medial shoulder support structures in canine cadavers.

Materials and Methods The shoulder abduction angle was measured by three separate observers, both with the shoulder extended and at a neutral angle. Shoulder abduction was then measured, using craniocaudal fluoroscopic images. Arthroscopy was performed in all shoulder joints, with the medial support structures transected in one shoulder of each dog. The three observers again measured shoulder abduction angles in all dogs. Shoulder abduction was measured again using fluoroscopy. Accuracy and repeatability of the abduction test were assessed using linear mixed models.

Results All three observers had different measured abduction angles when compared with fluoroscopy (p < 0.01); however, the experienced surgeon had an error of only 2.9°. Inter-observer repeatability was poor, with all three observers having different abduction measurements (p < 0.001). Intra-observer repeatability, however, indicated no differences on repeated measurements (p = 0.26). Placing the shoulder at a neutral standing angle, and transection of support structures caused an average increase in abduction by 8.2° (p < 0.001) and 4.4° respectively.

Conclusion Significant variation exists between observers performing this test, increased accuracy seen in the more experienced observer. Shoulder flexion angle can significantly affect measured abduction angles.
Ion cyclotron emission diagnostic system on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak and first detection of energetic-particle-driven radiation
Authors: Liu L. N. , Zhang X. J. , Zhu Y. B. , Qin C. M. , Zhao Y. P. , Yuan S. , Mao Y. Z. , Li M. H. , Chen Y. , Cheng J. , Ping L. L. , Li H. , Ai L.
Published: June 2019

A passive and noninvasive diagnostic system based on high-frequency B-dot probes (HFBs) has been designed and developed for the measurement and identification of ion cyclotron emission (ICE) in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Details of the hardware components of this system including HFBs, direct current blockers, radio frequency splitters, filters, and power detectors as well as data acquisition systems are presented. A spectrum analyzer is used in addition to the ordinary speed acquisition card for data registration and analysis. The reliability of a HFB based diagnostic system has been well validated during the 2018 spring experiments on the EAST. ICE signals corresponding to fundamental cyclotron frequency of hydrogen ions and harmonics of deuterium ions were observed in experiments where deuterium plasmas were heated with deuterium neutral beams. The field dependence of ICE has been verified by recent experiments with three different background magnetic fields. The observed ratio of the ICE frequency is consistent with the ratio of the magnetic field intensity within measurement errors of a few percent.
Temperature regulation of the contact angle of water droplets on the solid surfaces
Authors: Qi Chonghai , Lei Xiaoling , Zhou Bo , Wang Chunlei , Zheng Yujun
Published: June 2019

We investigate theoretically the stability of the wetting property, i.e., the contact angle values, as a function of the temperature. We find that the estimated temperature coefficient of the contact angle for the water droplets on an ordered water monolayer on a 100 surface of face-center cubic (FCC) is about one order of magnitude larger than that on a hydrophobic hexagonal surface in the temperature range between 290 K and 350 K, using molecular dynamics simulations. As temperature rises, the number of hydrogen bonds between the ordered water monolayer and the water droplet will increase, which therefore enhances the hydrophilicity of the ordered water monolayer at the FCC model surface. Our work thus provides an easily controllable and reversible way to control the degree of hydrophobicity of various solid surfaces exhibiting a similar wetting property of water droplets on the ordered water monolayer as such particular FCC (100) surfaces.
Ultra-sensitive single-beam atom-optical magnetometer using weak measurement method
Authors: Francis T. J. Vineeth , Suna Rashmi Ranjan , Madhu P. K. , Viswanathan Nirmal K. , Rajalakshmi G.
Published: June 2019

Ultra-sensitive measurement of the magneto-optical rotation, due to interaction of linearly-polarized light passing through room-temperature Rb85 atoms, in response to change in longitudinal magnetic field (δBz) is demonstrated using the weak measurement method. The polarization rotation angle measurement sensitivity (δϕ) of 16 μrad and hence of the magnetometer of 1 nT, achieved using the weak measurement method is better than the balanced optical polarimetry results by a factor of three. The improvement in the measurement sensitivity is realized via optical amplification of the polarization rotation angle via spin-orbit coupled light beam-field. The method is devoid of external rf(/ac) modulation, allows for optimal tunability of sensitivity depending on the dynamic range of the applied magnetic field and the sensitivity can be further enhanced by operating in the spin exchange relaxation free regime of alkali spin polarization.
Temperature-controlled tunable underwater acoustic topological insulators
Authors: Dai Hongqing , Xia Baizhan , Yu Dejie
Published: June 2019

Topological insulators provide a new route to design acoustic metamaterials, which can exhibit novel propagation properties. However, most of the current topological acoustic metamaterials are characterized by a passive response and operated at fixed frequency ranges, and there are few reports on the effect of temperature of water on acoustic topological insulators. Therefore, in this paper, we design the temperature-controlled tunable underwater acoustic topological insulators. The topological acoustic system is composed of a triangular array of triangular steel columns embedded in water. We calculate the Dirac point frequencies and bulk band structures at different temperatures. The results show that the topological nontrivial bandgap frequency range is very sensitive to the temperature of water. We also use some numerical examples to demonstrate the robustness and defect-immune properties of the topological phononic crystals, and the topological properties can be switched by controlling the temperature of water. Our study shows that the change in the temperature can behave as an acoustic switch, which may have applications in the underwater sound waveguide as well as underwater communications.
Scalable microphysiological system to model three-dimensional blood vessels
Authors: de Graaf Mees N. S. , Cochrane Amy , van den Hil Francijna E. , Buijsman Wesley , van der Meer Andries D. , van den Berg Albert , Mummery Christine L. , Orlova Valeria V.
Published: June 2019

Blood vessel models are increasingly recognized to have value in understanding disease and drug discovery. However, continued improvements are required to more accurately reflect human vessel physiology. Realistic three-dimensional (3D) in vitro cultures of human vascular cells inside microfluidic chips, or vessels-on-chips (VoC), could contribute to this since they can recapitulate aspects of the in vivo microenvironment by including mechanical stimuli such as shear stress. Here, we used human induced pluripotent stem cells as a source of endothelial cells (hiPSC-ECs), in combination with a technique called viscous finger patterning (VFP) toward this goal. We optimized VFP to create hollow structures in collagen I extracellular-matrix inside microfluidic chips. The lumen formation success rate was over 90% and the resulting cellularized lumens had a consistent diameter over their full length, averaging 336 ± 15 μm. Importantly, hiPSC-ECs cultured in these 3D microphysiological systems formed stable and viable vascular structures within 48 h. Furthermore, this system could support coculture of hiPSC-ECs with primary human brain vascular pericytes, demonstrating their ability to accommodate biologically relevant combinations of multiple vascular cell types. Our protocol for VFP is more robust than previously published methods with respect to success rates and reproducibility of the diameter between- and within channels. This, in combination with the ease of preparation, makes hiPSC-EC based VoC a low-cost platform for future studies in personalized disease modeling.
Characteristics of atomic elastic stiffness at GSF energy surface, edge and screw dislocation cores in fcc, bcc and hcp metals
Authors: Yashiro K.
Published: June 2019

Basic characteristics of 6 × 6 matrix of atomic elastic stiffness (AES), Bija=Δσia/Δεj, or the deformation resistance at each atom point, are discussed first in static analyses of generalized stacking fault (GSF) energy surface for 8 fcc, 4 bcc and 4 hcp metals with Zhou’s EAM potential. For hcp metals, the stress–strain peak along the GSF path exactly coincides with the point where the AES loses the resistance showing negative 1st eigenvalue ηa(1), or the solution of BijaΔεj=ηaΔεi=Δσia; however, all fcc and 2 bcc (Mo and W) never have negative ηa(1) along the GSF path. Fe and Ta transiently show ηa(1) < 0 while they also have positive ηa(1) at the GSF energy peak. Then we performed MD simulations of edge and screw dislocation dipoles in a periodic slab cell of typical elements of fcc, bcc and hcp; and discussed the eigenvalue and the corresponding eigenvector {Δεxx, Δεyy, Δεzz, Δγyz, Δγzx, Δγxy} of the dislocation cores. As expected from the results of the GSF analyses, dislocation cores in fcc Ni have no ηa(1) < 0 atoms, even in their glide process under external shear loading. Bcc Fe and hcp Co definitely have ηa(1) < 0 atoms in the dislocation cores and their migration direction can be visualized by the maximum shear direction of the strain tensor of the corresponding eigenvector.
Wide-wavelength-range control of photoluminescence polarization in closely stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots
Authors: Kaizu Toshiyuki , Tajiri Yusuke , Kita Takashi
Published: June 2019

We developed a method of growing closely stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) to control the photoluminescence (PL) polarization characteristics in a wide wavelength range. The emission wavelength of the closely stacked QDs redshifted with decreasing substrate temperature during stacking growth, while the PL polarization characteristic was controlled by the GaAs spacer layer thickness and the number of QD layers. A unified rule for the optimum GaAs spacer layer thickness that both enhances the transverse magnetic (TM)-polarized component and achieves a high PL intensity for all growth temperatures was revealed. 30-layer stacked QDs with the optimum spacer layer thickness grown at substrate temperatures from 430 to 480 °C exhibited TM-enhanced polarization characteristics in the 1.15–1.3 μm band. Moreover, we studied the one-dimensional electronic states in the closely stacked QDs with the optimized GaAs spacer layer thickness by time-resolved PL.
Surface tension of supercooled water nanodroplets from computer simulations
Authors: Malek Shahrazad M. A. , Poole Peter H. , Saika-Voivod Ivan
Published: June 2019

We estimate the liquid-vapor surface tension from simulations of TIP4P/2005 water nanodroplets of size N = 100 to 2880 molecules over a temperature T range of 180 K–300 K. We compute the planar surface tension γp, the curvature-dependent surface tension γs, and the Tolman length δ, via two approaches, one based on the pressure tensor (the “mechanical route”) and the other on the Laplace pressure (the “thermodynamic route”). We find that these two routes give different results for γp, γs, and δ although in all cases, we find that δ ≥ 0 and is independent of T. Nonetheless, the T dependence of γp is consistent between the two routes and with that of Vega and de Miguel [J. Chem. Phys. 126, 154707 (2007)] down to the crossing of the Widom line at 230 K for ambient pressure. Below 230 K, γp rises more rapidly on cooling than predicted from behavior for T ≥ 300 K. We show that the increase in γp at low T is correlated with the emergence of a well-structured random tetrahedral network in our nanodroplet cores and thus that the surface tension can be used as a probe to detect behavior associated with the proposed liquid-liquid phase transition in supercooled water.
Toward air-stable field-effect transistors with a tin iodide-based hybrid perovskite semiconductor
Authors: Matsushima Toshinori , Terakawa Shinobu , Leyden Matthew R. , Fujihara Takashi , Qin Chuanjiang , Adachi Chihaya
Published: June 2019

The tin iodide-based hybrid perovskite (C6H5C2H4NH3)2SnI4 [(PEA)2SnI4] is promising as the semiconductor in field-effect transistors (FETs) because of its easy film processability and high carrier mobility. However, the stability of (PEA)2SnI4 FETs in air remains a significant issue. In this study, we show that the source of this degradation is oxygen. We observed that the structure of (PEA)2SnI4 degraded in the presence of oxygen, along with the formation of gaps between grains. With the aim of suppressing the oxygen-induced degradation, we optimized (PEA)2SnI4 spin-coating conditions to increase the grain size and simply encapsulated a (PEA)2SnI4 semiconductor with the fluorine-based polymer CYTOP. Adopting these methods led to the greatly improved stability of FET performance in air. We propose that oxygen had reduced penetration into (PEA)2SnI4 films with larger grains. The drain current of optimized FETs remained almost unchanged over 5 h of operation, which is in contrast to the control device that decayed within 1 h.
Strategies for using mathematical modeling approaches to design and interpret multi-organ microphysiological systems (MPS)
Authors: Sung Jong Hwan , Wang Ying , Shuler Michael L.
Published: June 2019

Recent advances in organ-on-a-chip technology have resulted in numerous examples of microscale systems that faithfully mimic the physiology and pathology of human organs and diseases. The next step in this field, which has already been partially demonstrated at a proof-of-concept level, would be integration of organ modules to construct multiorgan microphysiological systems (MPSs). In particular, there is interest in “body-on-a-chip” models, which recapitulate complex and dynamic interactions between different organs. Integration of multiple organ modules, while faithfully reflecting human physiology in a quantitative sense, will require careful consideration of factors such as relative organ sizes, blood flow rates, cell numbers, and ratios of cell types. The use of a mathematical modeling platform will be an essential element in designing multiorgan MPSs and interpretation of experimental results. Also, extrapolation to in vivo will require robust mathematical modeling techniques. So far, several scaling methods and pharmacokinetic and physiologically based pharmacokinetic models have been applied to multiorgan MPSs, with each method being suitable to a subset of different objectives. Here, we summarize current mathematical methodologies used for the design and interpretation of multiorgan MPSs and suggest important considerations and approaches to allow multiorgan MPSs to recapitulate human physiology and disease progression better, as well as help in vitro to in vivo translation of studies on response to drugs or chemicals.