bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Buoyancy on the Mechanism of Heat Transfer Deterioration of Supercritical Water in Horizontal Tubes
Authors: Lei Xianliang , Li Huixiong , Zhang Yifan , Zhang Weiqiang
Published: June 2013

In order to get insights into the mechanisms governing the heat transfer deterioration (HTD) of supercritical water, systematical numerical simulations were carried out in the present study for the flow and heat transfer of supercritical pressure water in horizontal smooth tubes. The numerical results were found in very good agreement with the corresponding experimental data, validating the reliability and accuracy of the numerical model and the computational method. It was found that from these profiles along the top generatrix of the wall of the horizontal tube, there exists a thin fluid layer in which the thermo-physical properties of the fluid, including the specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, density and viscosity, all approach its minimum at a roughly identical axial position of the tube with the increasing of the bulk fluid enthalpy along the flow direction. The maximum wall temperature of the top generatrix, obviously show the occurrence of HTD. It was especially interesting that the axial position of the maximum top generatrix wall temperature (HTD position) just coincided with the axial positions of the minimum of the above-mentioned thermophysical properties in the near top generatrix layer, which reveals the inherent connection between the HTD and the minimum value of the above-mentioned thermophysical properties of the supercritical water. It was concluded that the HTD of supercritical water in horizontal tubes was evidently due to the vertical stratification and the accumulation of light supercritical pressure fluid (very high enthalpy but low density) in the near top generatrix region. Also, the HTD phenomena under supercritical condition was similar to that of the film boiling of the subcritical pressure water. This result clearly reveals why the axial position of the HTD occurred on the top wall of horizontal tubes (with bulk fluid enthalpy of roughly 1750 kJ/kg) is axially far ahead of the position corresponding to the critical point of the supercritical water (with bulk fluid enthalpy of roughly 2150 kJ/kg) in terms of the bulk fluid enthalpy.
Numerical Optimization of Domestic Hot Water Systems Based on Global Cost
Authors: Paglioni Pataro Faria Lucas , Huebner Rudolf , Marques Duarte Pereira Elizabeth , Magela Corgozinho Ivan
Published: June 2013

The scope of this work is motivated by the large number of solar heaters recently installed by the government in joint housing developments for the low-income population in Brazil, the technical challenges inherent in deploying domestic hot water systems, and innovative new models of sustainability technology being developed in Brazil. Computational algorithms were developed to establish the criteria for optimization, such as minimizing the required recycling, the energy consumption in pumping, and the diameter of the pipes in the secondary circuit of the distribution network. The numerical method adopted, the conjugate gradient method combined with a genetic algorithm, has exhibited a very satisfactory degree of convergence, even though high-oscillation amplitudes were observed, which are attributed to slight variations in the pipe diameters (commercial).
Hybrid Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System Design and Optimization
Authors: McLarty Dustin , Brouwer Jack , Samuelsen Scott
Published: June 2013

Ultrahigh efficiency, ultralow emission fuel cell gas turbine (FC/GT) hybrid technology represents a significant breakthrough in electric power generation. FC/GT hybrid designs are potentially fuel flexible, dynamically responsive, scalable, low-emission generators. The current work develops a library of dynamic component models and system design tools that are used to conceptualize and evaluate hybrid cycle configurations. The physical models developed for the design analysis are capable of off-design simulation, perturbation analysis, dispatch evaluation, and control development. A parametric variation of seven fundamental design parameters provides insights into design and development requirements of FC/GT hybrids. As the primary generator in most configurations, the FC design choices dominate the system performance, but the optimal design space may be substantially different from a stand-alone FC system. FC operating voltage, fuel utilization, and balance of plant component sizing has large impacts on cost, performance, and functionality. Analysis shows that hybridization of existing fuel cell and gas turbine technology can approach 75% fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency.
Nonenzymatic Alkaline Direct Glucose Fuel Cell With a Silicon Microchannel Plate Supported Electrocatalytic Electrode
Authors: Miao Fengjuan , Tao Bairui , Chu JunHao
Published: June 2013

Highly active Pd-Ni/Si microchannel plate (MCP) electrocatalytic electrode has been synthesized by combining conventional microelectronics technology with electrochemical techniques. The obtained Pd-Ni/Si-MCP electrocatalytic electrode was characterized by SEM, energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), XRD, and electrochemical measurements. The results show that Pd-Ni/Si-MCP electrocatalytic electrode possesses better stability and higher activity in comparison with Pd-Ni/Si prepared by the same procedure. The high performance of the fuel cell is mainly attributed to the increased kinetics of both the glucose oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction, rendered by a better electrocatalytic activity of Pd-Ni nanoparticles, ordered microchannels, and high surface-to-volume ratio of backbone Si-MCP. Especially, the compatibility of silicon microelectronics processing could achieve monolithic integration of Si-based microfabricated fuel cells.
Effect of Strain Rate on the Material Properties of Human Liver Parenchyma in Unconfined Compression
Authors: Kemper Andrew R. , Santago Anthony C. , Stitzel Joel D. , Sparks Jessica L. , Duma Stefan M.
Published: June 2013

The liver is one of the most frequently injured organs in abdominal trauma. Although motor vehicle collisions are the most common cause of liver injuries, current anthropomorphic test devices are not equipped to predict the risk of sustaining abdominal organ injuries. Consequently, researchers rely on finite element models to assess the potential risk of injury to abdominal organs such as the liver. These models must be validated based on appropriate biomechanical data in order to accurately assess injury risk. This study presents a total of 36 uniaxial unconfined compression tests performed on fresh human liver parenchyma within 48 h of death. Each specimen was tested once to failure at one of four loading rates (0.012, 0.106, 1.036, and 10.708 s−1) in order to investigate the effects of loading rate on the compressive failure properties of human liver parenchyma. The results of this study showed that the response of human liver parenchyma is both nonlinear and rate dependent. Specifically, failure stress significantly increased with increased loading rate, while failure strain significantly decreased with increased loading rate. The failure stress and failure strain for all liver parenchyma specimens ranged from −38.9 kPa to −145.9 kPa and from −0.48 strain to −1.15 strain, respectively. Overall, this study provides novel biomechanical data that can be used in the development of rate dependent material models and the identification of tissue-level tolerance values, which are critical to the validation of finite element models used to assess injury risk.
A Comparison of the Human Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Mechanical Response to Normal and Impact Loading Conditions
Authors: Jamison David , Cannella Marco , Pierce Eric C. , Marcolongo Michele S.
Published: June 2013

Thirty-four percent of U.S. Navy high speed craft (HSC) personnel suffer from lower back injury and low back pain, compared with 15 to 20% of the general population. Many of these injuries are specifically related to the intervertebral disc, including discogenic pain and accelerated disc degeneration. Numerous studies have characterized the mechanical behavior of the disc under normal physiological loads, while several have also analyzed dynamic loading conditions. However, the effect of impact loads on the lumbar disc—and their contribution to the high incidence of low back pain among HSC personnel—is still not well understood. An ex vivo study on human lumbar anterior column units was performed in order to investigate disc biomechanical response to impact loading conditions. Samples were subjected to a sequence of impact events of varying duration (Δt = 80, 160, 320, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 ms) and the level of displacement (0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 mm), stiffness k, and energy dissipation ΔE were measured. Impacts of Δt = 80 ms saw an 18–21% rise in k and a 3–7% drop in ΔE compared to the 1000 ms baseline, signaling an abrupt change in disc mechanics. The altered disc mechanical response during impact likely causes more load to be transferred directly to the endplates, vertebral bodies, and surrounding soft tissues and can help begin to explain the high incidence of low back pain among HSC operators and other individuals who typically experience similar loading environments. The determination of a “safety range” for impacts could result in a refinement of design criteria for shock mitigating systems on high-speed craft, thus addressing the low back injury problem among HSC personnel.
Computational systems for sound fields, as tools in design and diagnosis
Authors: Sakurai Masatsugu
Published: June 2013

Computational systems for design and diagnosis of sound field were developed. The concept of these systems are based on the model of human auditory-brain system [Y. Ando, Architectural Acoustics -Blending Sound Sources, Sound Fields, and Listeners (AIP/Springer-Verlag, New York, 1998)], including the autocorrelation mechanisms, interaural cross-correlation mechanism, and the specialization of the human cerebral hemispheres. Thesis consists of following four parts: (1) Computer simulation system for calculating the four orthogonal factors (LL, t1, Tsub and IACC) at each seat using architectural drawings were developed. The accuracy of this system were examined by comparing the calculated factors with the measured ones at Kirishima International Concert Hall. (2) The diagnostic system to measure the four orthogonal factors and additional factors (,IACCWIACC and A-value) was developed. This system can be used for the measurement in the scale model. The effect of the reflectors' array above stage which can not calculate at the design stage was evaluated at the scale model measurement of Tsuyama music cultural hall. (3) As an application of the subjective preference theory, seat selection system to maximize the preference of each individual was developed. This system, which is installed in Kirishima International Concert Hall, can find the seat where the preference is maximized by the paired comparison test with respect to the four orthogonal factors. (4) Noise measurement system to measure and identify the environment noise using the factors extracted from the autocorrelation function ( (0),e, 1 and 1) and the factors extracted from the interaural crosscorrelation function (IACC, ,IACC and WIACC) was developed. As an example, noises from different car engines were characterized by these factors measured by this system.

Thesis advisor: Yoichi Ando

Copies of this thesis written in English can be obtained from Masatsugu Sakurai, Yoshimasa Electronic Inc., Daiichi-Nishiwaki Bldg., 1-58-10 Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, 151-0053 Japan. E-mail address: saku@ymec.co.jp.
Reverberance and its control in relation to the physical factors of sound fields in halls
Authors: Hase Shigeo
Published: June 2013

Based on the theory of subjective preference, the author investigated the effects of the set of four orthogonal physical factors (listening level, initial time delay gap between the direct sound and the first reflection, subsequent reverberation time, and IACC) on the reverberance of sound fields. The study clarifies how much both temporal and spatial factors contribute to reverberance. Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the physical factors on reverberance in simulated sound fields and in actual halls. Scale values of reverberance for both music and speech signals were obtained by the paired-comparison method. The results of these experiments show that these four factors affect the scale values of reverberance independently, and that the scale values of a sound field at any seat in a room can be calculated by the linear combinations of these factors. On the basis of the results from this and previous studies, some methods for controlling the reverberance of sound fields in an actual hall are proposed. The results of this study will allow the design of various reverberances for sound fields that are optimal for various source signals with its effective duration of autocorrelation function, (e)min.

Thesis advisor: Yoichi Ando

Copies of this thesis written in English can be obtained from Shigeo Hase, Theater Design Laboratory Co., 2-13-26 Makinohonmachi, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-1144 Japan. E-mail address: shigeo.hase@nifty.ne.jp
Blending architectural and acoustic factors in designing an event hall
Authors: Takatsu Akio
Published: June 2013

In order to synthesize both architectural design and acoustic design consisting of temporal and spatial design, a design process in which these elements are all considered is proposed in this study. Using this design process, a multi-purpose event hall, which is part of a larger architectural complex, was designed. This hall was measured for both temporal and spatial orthogonal factors after construction, with favorable results. One goal of this study was to solve the acoustic problems caused by the rounded shape of the event hall, where the architectural design had already been determined by the theme and concept of the complex. In a worst-case scenario, had the acoustic problems been solved without unduly affecting the architecture of the hall, the process would have been considered to be successful. Remarkably, some knowledge about methods to solve acoustic problems caused by the round shaped architecture was obtained through the design process blending architectural and acoustic factors.

Thesis advisor: Yoichi Ando

Copies of this thesis written in English can be obtained Akio Takatsu, Showa Sekkei Co., 1-2-1-800 Benten, Minato-ku, Osaka 552-0007, Japan.
An unusual foreign body in the nose of an adult
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Singh Abhishek Bahadur
Published: June 2013

We present the case of a 50-year-old-man with nasal blockage and recurrent epistaxis. Anterior rhinoscopy showed a polypoidal mass which bled on touching. It was confirmed by non contrast computed tomography (NCCT) and extracted through the nasal route. Later it was found to be a tooth surrounded by a necrotic material.
Comments on the dilemma in the May issue: ‘Anaesthetic death: who pays?’
Authors: Gray Carol
Published: June 2013

The May issue's dilemma dealt with a distraught owner who refused to pay following the unexpected death of his cat during a routine ovariohysterectomy. (In Practice, May 2013, volume 35, pages 286‐287). Anne Fawcett argued that taking the time to explain what steps were taken in monitoring and addressing complications during the procedure was vital, as clients often don't realise how much effort vets and support staff put into reviving an animal, or how upset they might be when an animal dies in such circumstances. She proposed that, although owners were expected to pay for services rather than outcomes, a possible way forward might be to offer a ‘compassionate discount’; this would show empathy for the client's distress while also being charged in a way that ensured that the practice did not lose money. The vet might also suggest performing a postmortem examination (also at cost), as obtaining a definitive diagnosis could help provide closure for the owner.
Creating bonds and engaging with the local community
Authors: Boland Zara
Published: June 2013

Having strong bonds with the local community can be an incredibly valuable resource for a practice; such a relationship fosters loyal clients and can help bring in new customers through word‐of‐mouth recommendations. Zara Boland discusses strategies for engaging clients with activities and initiatives both inside and outside the practice.
Acute kidney injury in dogs and cats 2. Management, treatment and outcome
Authors: Li Ronald , Mugford Adam , Humm Karen
Published: June 2013

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a commonly encountered emergency in small animal practice. Dogs and cats with AKI are mostly presented in the maintenance phase of the disease, by which point renal function has been severely compromised and clinical signs are apparent. The first article in this two‐part series, which was published in the May issue of In Practice discussed the pathogenesis and diagnosis of AKI. This article considers both specific therapy and general supportive treatment in dogs and cats.
Mycophenolic acid affects basic functions of human keratinocytes in the IMPDH-dependent manner
Authors: Borowczyk J. , Laczna E. , Sporniak-Tutak K. , Madeja Z. , Drukala J.
Published: June 2013

Clinical studies suggest that the immunosuppressant MPA is associated with impaired wound healing. It is believed that the main cause of impairment is the inhibition of inflammatory response. However, it is unknown whether MPA may directly affect epidermal cells. The aim of our study was to examine the direct influence of mycophenolic acid, the selective blocker of de novo purine synthesis, on human epidermal keratinocyte morphology, proliferation, motile activity, and differentiation in in vitro culture. The number of keratinocytes cultured in the presence of MPA was counted and cell motility was measured by a time-lapse computer-aided method. Cell morphology was determined by flow and image cytometry methods. Real-time RT-PCR analysis was employed to investigate the expression of markers of differentiation. We showed that MPA induces irreversible inhibition of cell proliferation, causes cell enlargement and impairs cell locomotion in a time-dependent manner. The level of expression of differentiation markers was significantly reduced by MPA treatment. All these effects were reversed by the addition of guanine. Our results indicated that MPA impairs basic functions of human skin keratinocytes via intracellular guanosine nucleotide depletion, which may be directly reflected in wound healing problems in patients treated with this immunosuppressant.
Comparative in vitro evaluation of transportability and toxicity of capecitabine and its metabolites in cells derived from normal human kidney and renal cancers
Authors: Damaraju Vijaya L. , Mowles Delores , Wilson Marnie , Kuzma Michelle , Cass Carol E. , Sawyer Michael B.
Published: June 2013

The goal of this study was to understand roles of nucleoside and nucleobase transport processes in capecitabine pharmacology in cells derived from human renal proximal tubule cells (hRPTCs) and three human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines, A498, A704, and Caki-1. Human equilibrative nucleoside transporters 1 and 2 (hENT1 and hENT2) mediated activities and a sodium-independent nucleobase activity were present in hRPTCs. In hRPTCs, uptake of 5′-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (DFUR), a nucleoside metabolite of capecitabine, was pH dependent with highest uptake seen at pH 6.0. In RCC cell lines, hENT1 was the major nucleoside transporter. Nucleobase transport activity was variable among the three RCC cell lines, with Caki-1 showing the highest and A498 showing the lowest activities. Treatment of RCC cell lines with interferon alpha (IFN-α) increased thymidine phosphorylase levels and prior treatment of RCC cell lines with IFN-α followed by 5-FU or DFUR resulted in enhanced sensitivity of all cell lines to 5-FU and two of three cell lines to DFUR. We report for the first time a nucleobase transport activity in hRPTCs and RCC cell lines. In addition, our in vitro cytotoxicity results showed that RCC cell lines differed in their response to 5-FU and DFUR and prior treatment with IFN-α potentiated cytotoxic response to metabolites of capecitabine.
A comparative approach expands the protein–protein interaction node of the immune receptor XA21 in wheat and rice
Authors: Yang Baoju , Ruan Randy , Cantu Dario , Wang Xiaodong , Ji Wanquan , Ronald Pamela C. , Dubcovsky Jorge
Published: June 2013

The rice (Oryza sativa) OsXA21 receptor kinase is a well-studied immune receptor that initiates a signal transduction pathway leading to resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Two homologs of OsXA21 were identified in wheat (Triticum aestivum): TaXA21-like1 located in a syntenic region with OsXA21, and TaXA21-like2 located in a nonsyntenic region. Proteins encoded by these two wheat genes interact with four wheat orthologs of known OsXA21 interactors. In this study, we screened a wheat yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) library using the cytosolic portion of TaXA21-like1 as bait to identify additional interactors. Using full-length T. aestivum and T. monococcum proteins and Y2H assays we identified three novel TaXA21-like1 interactors (TaARG, TaPR2, TmSKL1) plus one previously known in rice (TaSGT1). An additional full-length wheat protein (TaCIPK14) interacted with TaXA21-like2 and OsXA21 but not with TaXA21-like1. The interactions of TaXA21-like1 with TmSKL1 and TaSGT1 were also observed in rice protoplasts using bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. We then cloned the rice homologs of the novel wheat interactors and confirmed that they all interact with OsXA21. This last result suggests that interspecific comparative interactome analyses can be used not only to transfer known interactions from rice to wheat, but also to identify novel interactions in rice.
THE GENERAL EVOLVING MODEL FOR ENERGY SUPPLY-DEMAND NETWORK WITH LOCAL-WORLD
Authors: SUN MEI , HAN DUN , LI DANDAN , FANG CUICUI
Published: June 2013

In this paper, two general bipartite network evolving models for energy supply-demand network with local-world are proposed. The node weight distribution, the "shifting coefficient" and the scaling exponent of two different kinds of nodes are presented by the mean-field theory. The numerical results of the node weight distribution and the edge weight distribution are also investigated. The production's shifted power law (SPL) distribution of coal enterprises and the installed capacity's distribution of power plants in the US are obtained from the empirical analysis. Numerical simulations and empirical results are given to verify the theoretical results.
HADRON SPECTRA IN p+p COLLISIONS AT RHIC AND LHC ENERGIES
Authors: KHANDAI P. K. , SETT P. , SHUKLA P. , SINGH V.
Published: June 2013

We present the systematic analysis of transverse momentum (pT) spectra of identified hadrons in p+p collisions at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider ([Formula: see text] and 200 GeV) and at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) energies ([Formula: see text], 2.76 and 7.0 TeV) using phenomenological fit functions. We review various forms of Hagedorn and Tsallis distributions and show their equivalence. We use Tsallis distribution which successfully describes the spectra in p+p collisions using two parameters, Tsallis temperature T which governs the soft bulk spectra and power n which determines the initial production in partonic collisions. We obtain these parameters for pions, kaons and protons as a function of center-of-mass energy [Formula: see text]. It is found that the parameter T has a weak but decreasing trend with increasing [Formula: see text]. The parameter n decreases with increasing [Formula: see text] which shows that production of hadrons at higher energies are increasingly dominated by point like qq scatterings. Another important observation is with increasing [Formula: see text], the separation between the powers for protons and pions narrows down hinting that the baryons and mesons are governed by same production process as one moves to the highest LHC energy.
LASER-INDUCED ELECTRON CAPTURE AND ACCELERATION ENHANCED BY A MODULATING LASER PULSE WITH DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES
Authors: CAI P. , YUAN C. J. , HUANG S. J. , WANG J. X. , WANG P. X.
Published: June 2013

Electron acceleration is simulated under the superposition of two co-propagating laser beams. The numerical results indicate that the acceleration effect is clearly enhanced when a modulating field with different frequencies is applied. Our results also show that the modulating field should not be too strong or too weak, and the final energy gain is not sensitive to the wave polarization state of the modulating field.
INVESTIGATION OF OPTICAL TRANSMISSION THROUGH A GOLD GRATING WITH SEMICIRCLE BUMPS USING FDTD METHOD
Authors: ZHOU XIN , FANG JIANSHU , ZHU QIANQUAN , TANG BIN , LIU ZHIMIN
Published: June 2013

The optical transmissions through a gold grating with semicircle bumps were investigated using finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. As the semicircle bumps are set symmetrically in the slits, the resonant peaks for even modes exhibit a redshift, while odd modes exhibit a blueshift compared with the resonant peaks of the smooth slit grating. When the semicircle bumps are set asymmetrically, obvious resonant dips in the transmission spectrum appeared and they can be modulated by shifting the position of bumps in one slit and changing one slit width. Based on the electric and magnetic field distributions, Fabry–Pérot-like resonance, field interference and phase resonance mechanisms have been suggested for the physical origins of these observations.
PREPARATION AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OFBiFeO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3MULTILAYERS
Authors: ZHU HUIWEN , WANG SHUNLI , LI XIAOYUN
Published: June 2013

( La0.7Sr0.3MnO312 nm/ BiFeO312 nm)10was grown on SrTiO3(001) substrate using rf magnetron sputtering. The structure analysis indicated that BiFeO3/ La0.7Sr0.3MnO3multilayers were highly (001)-oriented. Compared with bottom La0.7Sr0.3MnO3electrode, the top La0.7Sr0.3MnO3electrode displayed a rougher surface. The electric transport characteristics of the sample were investigated mainly at low temperature, and it was found that the sample exhibited resistance–temperature curves similar to those of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3with the exception of an upturn at lower temperature region. Furthermore, a nonlinear I–V curve, which is characteristic of a tunneling conduction mechanism, was observed at 50 K. At higher temperature, the I–V curves were found to be diode-like. When the temperature was further increased to 300 K, the sample showed a space charge limited conduction (SCLC) characteristic.
MODULATION EFFECT ON SPIN HALL RESONANCE
Authors: FIROZ ISLAM SK
Published: June 2013

The effect of a weak electrical modulation on spin Hall resonance is presented here. In presence of the magnetic field normal to the plane of the motion of electron, the Landau levels are formed which get broadened due to the weak modulation. The width of the Landau levels broadening are periodic with the inverse magnetic field. There is a certain magnetic field for which the crossing of Landau levels between spin-up and spin-down branches takes place. This gives rise to the resonance in the spin Hall conductivity (SHC). The Landau levels broadening or the energy correction due to the modulation removes the singularity which appears at the resonance field in SHC, leading to the suppression of SHC accompanied by two new peaks around this point. The separation of these two peaks increases with the increase of the modulation period. Moreover, we find that the height of the two peaks are also modulation period dependent.
AN FPGA-BASED PLATFORM FOR A NETWORK ARCHITECTURE WITH DELAY GUARANTEE
Authors: WIELGOSZ MACIEJ , PANGGABEAN MAURITZ , WANG JIANG , RØNNINGEN LEIF ARNE
Published: June 2013

The background that underlies this work is the envisioned real-time tele-immersive collaboration system for the future that supports delay-sensitive applications involving participants from remote places via their collaboration spaces (CSs). The end-to-end delay as high as 20 ms is required for good synchronization of such applications, for example collaborative dancing and remote conducting of choir. It is much lower than that facilitated by existing teleconference systems. A novel network architecture with delay guarantee, namely Distributed Multimedia Plays (DMP), has been proposed and designed to realize the vision. The maximum low latency is guaranteed because DMP network nodes can drop DMP packets of multimedia data from the CSs due to instantaneous traffic condition. Besides ultrafast processing time, modularity, and scalability must be taken into account in hardware design and implementation of the nodes for seamless incorporation of the modules. These lead us to employing field-programmable gate array (FPGA) due to its substantial computational power and flexibility. This paper presents an FPGA-based platform for the design and implementation of DMP network nodes. It provides a detailed introduction to the platform architecture and the simulation-implementation environment for the design. The modularity of the implemented node is shown by addressing three important modules for packet dropping, 3D warping, and image transform. Our compact implementation of the network node on Xilinx Virtex-6 ML605 mostly consumes very small amount of available resources. Moreover the elementary operations on our implementation takes (much) less than 5 μs as desired to meet the low-latency requirement.
MAIN MODULES AND SOME CHARACTERIZATIONS OF RINGS WITH GLOBAL CONDITIONS ON PRERADICALS
Authors: RAGGI FRANCISCO , RÍOS JOSÉ , RINCÓN HUGO , FERNÁNDEZ-ALONSO ROGELIO , GAVITO SILVIA
Published: June 2013

Main injective modules, which determine every left exact preradical, were introduced in a former work. In this paper, we consider those modules which determine every preradical and we call them main modules. We prove that a main module exists if and only if the lattice of preradicals R-pr is a set, and in this case we give a general construction. Some properties of main modules are proven. We also prove some characterizations of rings for which (a) every preradical is left exact, (b) every preradical is idempotent, (c) every preradical is a radical, (d) every preradical is a t-radical, (e) every preradical which is not the identity functor is prime. These characterizations relate to semisimple artinian rings, rings that are a direct product of a finite number of simple rings, left V-rings, simple rings, among others. In order to illustrate the theory introduced in this paper, several examples are provided.
THEORETICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON ELUCIDATING FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS OF CATALYSIS AND DYNAMICS INVOLVED IN TRANSCRIPTION BY RNA POLYMERASE
Authors: PARDO-AVILA FÁTIMA , DA LIN-TAI , WANG YING , HUANG XUHUI
Published: June 2013

RNA polymerase is the enzyme that synthesizes RNA during the transcription process. To understand its mechanism, structural studies have provided us pictures of the series of steps necessary to add a new nucleotide to the nascent RNA chain, the steps altogether known as the nucleotide addition cycle (NAC). However, these static snapshots do not provide dynamic information of these processes involved in NAC, such as the conformational changes of the protein and the atomistic details of the catalysis. Computational studies have made efforts to fill these knowledge gaps. In this review, we provide examples of different computational approaches that have improved our understanding of the transcription elongation process for RNA polymerase, such as normal mode analysis, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, Markov state models (MSMs). We also point out some unsolved questions that could be addressed using computational tools in the future.
SKYPE RESILIENCE TO HIGH MOTION VIDEOS
Authors: EXARCHAKOS GEORGE , DRUDA LUCA , MENKOVSKI VLADO , BELLAVISTA PAOLO , LIOTTA ANTONIO
Published: June 2013

Skype is one of the most popular video call services in the current Internet world. One of its strengths is the use of an adaptive mechanism to match the constraints of the underlying network. This work is focused on how this mechanism can maximize the video quality as perceived by the viewers using objective assessment methods. We built a testbed to stream certain video sequences through Skype between two clients over impaired communication channels. Original and recorded videos were compared to assess the achieved quality. Extensive experimentation has shown that Skype has problems when transmitting high motion videos and especially complex videos with frequent interchange between frames of low and high temporal information. The results suggest that random packet loss intensifies quality degradation for those videos more than packet loss bursts or jitter.
THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF p-TYPE SKUTTERUDITES (Pr0.25Nd0.75)xFe3CoSb12 BY LEVITATION MELTING AND SPARK PLASMA SINTERING
Authors: XU JINGSHU , FU CHENGUANG , XIE JIAN , ZHAO XINBING , ZHU TIEJUN
Published: June 2013

The p-type skutterudite compounds of ( Pr 0.25 Nd 0.75)x Fe 3 CoSb 12 (x = 0.67–0.78) have been successfully synthesized by levitation melting followed by annealing and spark plasma sintering. The thermoelectric properties have been characterized by the measurements of Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity in the temperature range from 300 K to 850 K. The improvement in the thermoelectric properties was realized due to the reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity when the voids were partially filled by Pr 0.25 Nd 0.75. The maximum ZT value of ~ 0.83 for ( Pr 0.25 Nd 0.75)0.76 Fe 3 CoSb 12 was obtained at 700 K.
OXYCHALCOGENIDES AS NEW EFFICIENT p-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS
Authors: BARRETEAU CELINE , PAN LIN , PEI YAN-LING , ZHAO LI-DONG , BERARDAN DAVID , DRAGOE NITA
Published: June 2013

During the past two years, we have underlined the great potential of p-type oxychalcogenides, with parent compound BiCuSeO , for thermoelectric applications in the medium temperature range (400–650°C). These materials, which do not contain lead and are less expensive than Te containing materials, exhibit large thermoelectric figure of merit, exceeding 1 in a wide temperature range, mainly due to an intrinsically very low thermal conductivity. This paper summarizes the main chemical and crystallographic features of this system, as well as the thermoelectric properties. It also gives new directions to improve these properties, and discuss the potential of these materials for wide scale applications in thermoelectric conversion system in the medium temperature range.
A MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR THE DEPLETION OF FORESTRY RESOURCES DUE TO POPULATION AND POPULATION PRESSURE AUGMENTED INDUSTRIALIZATION
Authors: MISRA A. K. , LATA KUSUM , SHUKLA J. B.
Published: June 2013

In this paper, a nonlinear mathematical model is proposed and analyzed to study the depletion of forestry resources caused simultaneously by population and population pressure augmented industrialization. The control of population pressure, using economic efforts is also considered in the modeling process. It is assumed that cumulative biomass density of forestry resources and the density of population follow logistic models. It is further assumed that the density of population and the level of industrialization increase as the cumulative biomass density of forestry resources increases. The cumulative density of economic efforts, which are applied to control the population pressure, is considered to be proportional to the population pressure. The model analysis shows that as the population pressure increases, the level of industrialization increases leading to decrease in the cumulative biomass density of forestry resources. It is found that if population pressure is controlled by using some economic efforts, the decrease in cumulative biomass density of forestry resources can be made much less than the case when no control is applied. It is also noted that if the population pressure augmented industrialization increases without control, the forestry resources may become extinct.
A Review of Surface Water Quality Models
Authors: Wang Qinggai , Li Shibei , Jia Peng , Qi Changjun , Ding Feng
Published: June 2013

Surface water quality models can be useful tools to simulate and predict the levels, distributions, and risks of chemical pollutants in a given water body. The modeling results from these models under different pollution scenarios are very important components of environmental impact assessment and can provide a basis and technique support for environmental management agencies to make right decisions. Whether the model results are right or not can impact the reasonability and scientificity of the authorized construct projects and the availability of pollution control measures. We reviewed the development of surface water quality models at three stages and analyzed the suitability, precisions, and methods among different models. Standardization of water quality models can help environmental management agencies guarantee the consistency in application of water quality models for regulatory purposes. We concluded the status of standardization of these models in developed countries and put forward available measures for the standardization of these surface water quality models, especially in developing countries.
Spiritual Dryness as a Measure of a Specific Spiritual Crisis in Catholic Priests: Associations with Symptoms of Burnout and Distress
Authors: Büssing Arndt , Günther Andreas , Baumann Klaus , Frick Eckhard , Jacobs Christoph
Published: June 2013

Spirituality/religiosity is recognized as a resource to cope with burdening life events and chronic illness. However, less is known about the consequences of the lack of positive spiritual feelings. Spiritual dryness in clergy has been described as spiritual lethargy, a lack of vibrant spiritual encounter with God, and an absence of spiritual resources, such as spiritual renewal practices. To operationalize experiences of “spiritual dryness” in terms of a specific spiritual crisis, we have developed the “spiritual dryness scale” (SDS). Here, we describe the validation of the instrument which was applied among other standardized questionnaires in a sample of 425 Catholic priests who professionally care for the spiritual sake of others. Feelings of “spiritual dryness” were experienced occasionally by up to 40%, often or even regularly by up to 13%. These experiences can explain 44% of variance in daily spiritual experiences, 30% in depressive symptoms, 22% in perceived stress, 20% in emotional exhaustion, 19% in work engagement, and 21% of variance of ascribed importance of religious activity. The SDS-5 can be used as a specific measure of spiritual crisis with good reliability and validity in further studies.
Regulatory Systems in Bone Marrow for Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells Mobilization and Homing
Authors: Alvarez P. , Carrillo E. , Vélez C. , Hita-Contreras F. , Martínez-Amat A. , Rodríguez-Serrano F. , Boulaiz H. , Ortiz R. , Melguizo C. , Prados J. , Aránega A.
Published: June 2013

Regulation of hematopoietic stem cell release, migration, and homing from the bone marrow (BM) and of the mobilization pathway involves a complex interaction among adhesion molecules, cytokines, proteolytic enzymes, stromal cells, and hematopoietic cells. The identification of new mechanisms that regulate the trafficking of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) cells has important implications, not only for hematopoietic transplantation but also for cell therapies in regenerative medicine for patients with acute myocardial infarction, spinal cord injury, and stroke, among others. This paper reviews the regulation mechanisms underlying the homing and mobilization of BM hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, investigating the following issues: (a) the role of different factors, such as stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), among other ligands; (b) the stem cell count in peripheral blood and BM and influential factors; (c) the therapeutic utilization of this phenomenon in lesions in different tissues, examining the agents involved in HSPCs mobilization, such as the different forms of G-CSF, plerixafor, and natalizumab; and (d) the effects of this mobilization on BM-derived stem/progenitor cells in clinical trials of patients with different diseases.
High Pressure Equation of State for Nanomaterials
Authors: Bhatt Jeewan C. , Kholiya Kuldeep , Kumar Ravindra
Published: June 2013

Shanker Equation of State is used to study the volume compression of nanocrystalline materials under different pressure. On comparing with the experimental data it gives good results at low pressure, but for higher compression it deviates from the experimental points. Therefore, the Equation of State is modified empirically to study the pressure-volume relation for nanomaterials, namely, n-Rb3C60, n-CdSe (rocksalt phase), n-TiO2 (anatase and rutile phase), Fe-filled nanotube, and γ-Fe2O3, at high pressure. The results obtained from the empirical Equation of State are found to be in better agreement with the available experimental data.
Tunable Optical Filter Based on Mechanically Induced Cascaded Long Period Optical Fiber Grating
Authors: Ugale Sunita P. , Mishra Vivekanand
Published: June 2013

We have proposed and demonstrated experimentally a novel and simple tunable optical filter based on mechanically induced and cascaded long period optical fiber gratings. In this filter variable FWHM and center wavelength is provided by cascading long period and ultralong period optical fiber gratings with different periods in a novel fiber structure. We report here for the first time to our knowledge the characterization of mechanically induced long period fiber gratings with periods up to several millimeters in novel multimode-single-mode-multimode fiber structure. We have obtained maximum loss peak of around 20 dB.
Giant Cell Tumor of Lower End of Tibia
Authors: Bami Monish , Nayak Ashok R. , Kulkarni Shreepad , Kulkarni Avinash , Gupta Rupali
Published: June 2013

Introduction. Giant cell tumor of bones is an unusual neoplasm that accounts for 4% of all primary tumors of bone, and it represents about 10% of malignant primary bone tumors with its different grades from borderline to high grade malignancy.Case Report. A 35-year-old patient presented with complains of pain and swelling in left ankle since 1 year following a twisting injury to his left ankle. On examination, swelling was present over the distal and anterior part of leg and movements of ankle joint were normal. All routine blood investigations were normal. X-ray and CT ankle showed morphology of subarticular well-defined expansile lytic lesion in lower end of left tibia suggestive of giant cell tumor. Histopathology of the tissue shows multinucleated giant cells with uniform vesicular nucleus and mononuclear cells which are spindle shaped with uniform vesicular nucleus suggestive of GCT. The patient was treated by excision, curettage, and bone cement to fill the defect.Conclusion. The patient at 12-month followup is doing well and walking without any pain comfortably and with full range of motion at ankle joint with articular congruity maintained and no signs of recurrences.
Effects of Chitosan onCandida albicans: Conditions for Its Antifungal Activity
Authors: Peña Antonio , Sánchez Norma Silvia , Calahorra Martha
Published: June 2013

The effects of low molecular weight (96.5 KDa) chitosan on the pathogenic yeastCandida albicanswere studied. Low concentrations of chitosan, around 2.5 to 10 μg·mL−1produced (a) an efflux of K+and stimulation of extracellular acidification, (b) an inhibition of Rb+uptake, (c) an increased transmembrane potential difference of the cells, and (d) an increased uptake of Ca2+. It is proposed that these effects are due to a decrease of the negative surface charge of the cells resulting from a strong binding of the polymer to the cells. At higher concentrations, besides the efflux of K+, it produced (a) a large efflux of phosphates and material absorbing at 260 nm, (b) a decreased uptake of Ca2+, (c) an inhibition of fermentation and respiration, and (d) the inhibition of growth. The effects depend on the medium used and the amount of cells, but in YPD high concentrations close to 1 mg·mL−1are required to produce the disruption of the cell membrane, the efflux of protein, and the growth inhibition. Besides the findings at low chitosan concentrations, this work provides an insight of the conditions required for chitosan to act as a fungistatic or antifungal and proposes a method for the permeabilization of yeast cells.
Protein Kinase CαModulates Estrogen-Receptor-Dependent Transcription and Proliferation in Endometrial Cancer Cells
Authors: Thorne Alicia M. , Jackson Twila A. , Willis Van C. , Bradford Andrew P.
Published: June 2013

Endometrial cancer is the most common invasive gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The most prevalent endometrioid tumors are linked to excessive estrogen exposure and hyperplasia. However, molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying their etiology and pathophysiology remain poorly understood. We have shown that protein kinase Cα(PKCα) is aberrantly expressed in endometrioid tumors and is an important mediator of endometrial cancer cell survival, proliferation, and invasion. In this study, we demonstrate that expression of active, myristoylated PKCαconferred ligand-independent activation of estrogen-receptor- (ER-) dependent promoters and enhanced responses to estrogen. Conversely, knockdown of PKCαreduced ER-dependent gene expression and inhibited estrogen-induced proliferation of endometrial cancer cells. The ability of PKCαto potentiate estrogen activation of ER-dependent transcription was attenuated by inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt. Evidence suggests that PKCαand estrogen signal transduction pathways functionally interact, to modulate ER-dependent growth and transcription. Thus, PKCαsignaling, via PI3K/Akt, may be a critical element of the hyperestrogenic environment and activation of ER that is thought to underlie the development of estrogen-dependent endometrial hyperplasia and malignancy. PKCα-dependent pathways may provide much needed prognostic markers of aggressive disease and novel therapeutic targets in ER positive tumors.
Unilateral Pulmonary Agenesis and Gastric Duplication Cyst: A Rare Association
Authors: Halilbasic Amir , Skokic Fahrija , Hotic Nesad , Husaric Edin , Radoja Gordana , Muratovic Selma , Dedic Nermina , Halilbasic Meliha
Published: June 2013

Lung agenesis and gastric duplication cysts are both rare congenital anomalies. Gastric duplication cysts can present with nausea, vomiting, hematemesis, or vague abdominal pain. Unilateral pulmonary agenesis can present with respiratory distress which usually occurs due to retention of bronchial secretions and inflammations. We report the unique case of right pulmonary agenesis associated with gastric duplication cyst.
Jejunojejunal Intussusception as the Initial Presentation of Non-Hodgkin’s B-Cell Lymphoma in an Adult Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Stohlner V. , Chatzizacharias N. A. , Parthasarathy M. , Groot-Wassink T.
Published: June 2013

Introduction. Intussusception is a rare cause of bowel obstruction in adults and is usually associated with an underlying pathology, benign, or malignant. This is a report of a case of jejunojejunal intussusception secondary to non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma in an adult patient.Case Presentation. A 74-year-old male with no previous significant medical history presented with symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed 2 areas of jejunojejunal intussusception, which were surgically managed successfully. Histopathological examination of the specimen revealed the presence of high grade diffuse large B-cell-type non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the patient was referred to the oncology team for further management.Discussion. B-cell lymphoma is a rare but well-documented cause of intussusception in adults, with most cases being at the ileocolic region. We present a rare case of jejunojejunal intussusception as the initial presentation of non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma in an adult patient.