bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does best‐practice crow Corvus corone and magpie Pica pica control on UK farmland improve nest success in hedgerow‐nesting songbirds? A field experiment
Authors: Sage Rufus B. , Aebischer Nicholas J.
Published: December 2017

The role of predation by corvids on the breeding output of songbirds is unclear. Using a randomised‐pair design, we measured how nest success of hedgerow‐nesting passerines responded to the experimental removal of carrion crows and magpies. We worked in southern England at 32 paired sites around 4 km2 each, one with and one without best‐practice corvid control, studying four different pairs per year for four years 2011–2014. We counted corvids, and using songbird territory mapping and fledged brood counts without finding nests along transects, we estimated nest success as a brood/ territory ratio for the community of songbirds in 4 km of hedgerow at each site. Crows and magpies were still present at most removal sites but numbers were half as high as at paired non‐removal sites. Eighteen songbird species were frequently encountered at most sites with on average (±1 SD) 102 ± 30 territories per site. Using a generalised linear mixed model analysis the songbird community as a whole bred less well in treatment sites without corvid removal and in years with more rainfall. Nest success was down by 10% in non‐removal sites on average relative to removal sites over the four years. Excluding 2012 data because of exceptionally high spring rainfall that year, nest success was down 16% in the non‐removal sites on average in the other three years. For open‐cup nesting species as a group there was no difference in nest success between site types. Our data on hole nesters suggest that they were affected by treatment and contributed to our overall result. For species whose numbers are regulated through territoriality, nest‐site or habitat availability, spring abundance is unlikely to be affected by a 15% increase in breeding output. For species limited by nest success, it may be more important.
Microalloyed Engineering Steels with Improved Performance – an Overview*
Authors: Bleck W. , Bambach M. , Wirths V. , Stieben A.
Published: December 2017

Microalloying elements are added to a wide range of steels for improving microstructure, properties, processing or general performance. A survey is given on the various reasons for microalloying of engineering steels. In case hardening steels microalloying improves toughness and fatigue properties mainly due to a smaller and more homogeneous prior austenite grain size. In forging steels, microalloying controls the phase transformation during cooling after forging enabling shorter process routes. Furthermore, microallying contributes to the microstructural refinement improving the balance of fatigue, cyclic behavior and strength. Recently, microalloying supports the interface engineering in air hardening medium Mn steels and prevents embrittlement.
Bainitic Bearings for Demanding Applications*
Authors: Trojahn W. , Dinkel M.
Published: December 2017

Wheel bearings for high speed trains, which are expected to operate for more than 1.2 million kilometers without service, or the approx. 2 m diameter main bearing in the Millenium Wheel (London Eye), which has to operate for at least 15 years without service, are examples for demanding applications for bearings. Many constructors would choose case hardened bearings for this. In reality there are a lot of technical reasons to use through hardenable steels for these applications, the rings being bainitic hardened. This starts with the basic fatigue resistance and includes properties such as resistance against friction or contamination and structural stability. This paper compares bainitic hardened with case hardened bearings.
In-situ Investigation of Bainite Formation with fast X-Ray Diffraction (iXRD)*
Authors: Kopp A. , Bernthaler T. , Schmid D. , Ketzer-Raichle G. , Schneider G.
Published: December 2017

Using specific equipment for high temperature fast in-situ X-ray diffraction (iXRD) enables the collection of diffraction patterns over a range of 48 degrees in 2θ within one second. In combination with a high-temperature furnace, modifications in the crystallographic structure under a thermal treatment like phase transformations in steel can be observed nearly in real-time. We demonstrate the usefulness of fast high temperature iXRD using the ball bearing steel (100Cr6), which is of high industrial importance for many applications. The specimens were austenitized at 860 °C. Various isothermal annealings were carried out to develop a bainitic steel structure. The transformation was interrupted by further cooling at different stages. The specimens were further investigated with SEM and light microscopy using different etching techniques to correlate the microstructure with the diffraction patterns. We will show that iXRD can help to optimize heat treatments, validate time transformation diagrams and increase the understanding of phase transformations in steels.
L'efficacia del Customer Relationship Management nei mercati dei servizi tecnologici: il caso di una media impresa italiana
Authors: Gregori Gian Luca , Perna Andrea , Sabatini Andrea
Published: December 2017

L'analisi dell'efficacia dei sistemi CRM è un tema ancora fortemente dibattuto ed oggetto di numerosi studi nelle discipline di management (Elmuti et al., 2009; Perna-Baraldi, 2014). In tal senso, risulta interessante verificare le ragioni per cui numerosi progetti CRM intrapresi da imprese - soprattutto quelle operanti in mercati business-to-business e focalizzate sulla fornitura di servizi tecnologici più o meno complessi - non generino benefici attesi e, quindi, falliscano successivamente o addirittura durante la fase implementativa.Il principale obiettivo del presente lavoro è quello di comprendere i fattori e le dimensioni che impattano sul livello di efficacia del CRM. Gli autori sono interessati, in modo particolare, ad investigare il complesso rapporto tra efficacia del CRM ed aspettative che le imprese manifestano circa il raggiungimento di benefici tangibili durante le fasi di gestione del cliente. Metodologicamente gli autori fanno riferimento all'uso del caso di studio qualitativo come strategia di ricerca.Nello specifico viene proposto il caso del gruppo Loccioni, impresa operante nel settore della produzione e fornitura di macchine di collaudo e servizi integrati ad alto contenuto tecnologico. L'azienda si caratterizza per aver avviato un processo di implementazione di un software CRM che ha comportato sensibili effetti a livello organizzativo e strategico. Inoltre, interessante notare come l'uso del sistema abbia a sua volta generato effetti inaspettati, non sempre prevedibili e variabili rispetto le diverse tipologie di relazioni aziendali.Lo studio propone diversi tipi di contributi. Dal lato empirico, il caso evidenzia ed illustra le problematiche relative al miglioramento di processi gestionali legati alla implementazione ed uso del CRM in un settore abbastanza particolare come quello della fornitura di servizi altamente tecnologici. Dal punto di vista teorico, si vuole contribuire nel marketing b2b e dei servizi riguardo al tema della efficacia di azioni di marketing in contesti di mercato altamente complessi.
Imaging Flow Velocimetry with Laser Mie Scattering
Authors: Fischer Andreas
Published: December 2017

Imaging flow velocity measurements are essential for the investigation of unsteady complex flow phenomena, e.g., in turbomachines, injectors and combustors. The direct optical measurement on fluid molecules is possible with laser Rayleigh scattering and the Doppler effect. However, the small scattering cross-section results in a low signal to noise ratio, which hinders time-resolved measurements of the flow field. For this reason, the signal to noise ratio is increased by using laser Mie scattering on micrometer-sized particles that follow the flow with negligible slip. Finally, the ongoing development of powerful lasers and fast, sensitive cameras has boosted the performance of several imaging methods for flow velocimetry. The article describes the different flow measurement principles, as well as the fundamental physical measurement limits. Furthermore, the evolution to an imaging technique is outlined for each measurement principle by reviewing recent advances and applications. As a result, the progress, the challenges and the perspectives for high-speed imaging flow velocimetry are considered.
A Psychoacoustic-Based Multiple Audio Object Coding Approach via Intra-Object Sparsity
Authors: Jia Maoshen , Zhang Jiaming , Bao Changchun , Zheng Xiguang
Published: December 2017

Rendering spatial sound scenes via audio objects has become popular in recent years, since it can provide more flexibility for different auditory scenarios, such as 3D movies, spatial audio communication and virtual classrooms. To facilitate high-quality bitrate-efficient distribution for spatial audio objects, an encoding scheme based on intra-object sparsity (approximate k-sparsity of the audio object itself) is proposed in this paper. The statistical analysis is presented to validate the notion that the audio object has a stronger sparseness in the Modified Discrete Cosine Transform (MDCT) domain than in the Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) domain. By exploiting intra-object sparsity in the MDCT domain, multiple simultaneously occurring audio objects are compressed into a mono downmix signal with side information. To ensure a balanced perception quality of audio objects, a Psychoacoustic-based time-frequency instants sorting algorithm and an energy equalized Number of Preserved Time-Frequency Bins (NPTF) allocation strategy are proposed, which are employed in the underlying compression framework. The downmix signal can be further encoded via Scalar Quantized Vector Huffman Coding (SQVH) technique at a desirable bitrate, and the side information is transmitted in a lossless manner. Both objective and subjective evaluations show that the proposed encoding scheme outperforms the Sparsity Analysis (SPA) approach and Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) in cases where eight objects were jointly encoded.
Calibrating Radar Data in an Orographic Setting: A Case Study for the Typhoon Nakri in the Hallasan Mountain, Korea
Authors: Ku Jung , Yoo Chulsang
Published: December 2017

The Typhoon Nakri passed the Jeju Island in Korea (1–3 August 2014) and recorded one-day rainfall of 1182 mm at Witse-Oreum (a place name where a small volcanic cone is) of the Hallasan Mountain, Korea. This one-day rainfall amount was the highest rainfall that was ever recorded in Korea. As the altitude of Witse-Oreum is 1673 m, it was believed that the orographic effect enhanced the rainfall depth significantly. It was also argued that the maximum rainfall could be recorded in some other locations in the Hallasan Mountain. In this study, the rainfall event due to the Typhoon Nakri in the Jeju Island was analyzed using the radar and rain gauge data that were collected during this rainfall event. Fortunately, two radars are available on the eastern and western side of the Jeju Island. The entire Hallasan Mountain is covered by these two radars. A total of 23 rain gauges are also available in the Jeju Island. As a first step, independent ground-level Z-R relations were derived for every 250 m interval from the sea-level. Each Z-R relation was then applied to the corresponding-altitude radar reflectivity data to generate the rain rate field over the Jeju Island. Finally, the generated radar rain rate data were examined fully to evaluate the orographic effect in the Hallasan Mountain, also to locate the point where the maximum rain rate was recorded. This result shows that the maximum one-day rainfall amount could be up to 1500 mm, which was about 30% higher than the rain gauge measurement.
An Evaluation of the CHIMERE Chemistry Transport Model to Simulate Dust Outbreaks across the Northern Hemisphere in March 2014
Authors: Bessagnet Bertrand , Menut Laurent , Colette Augustin , Couvidat Florian , Dan Mo , Mailler Sylvain , Létinois Laurent , Pont Véronique , Rouïl Laurence
Published: December 2017

Mineral dust is one of the most important aerosols over the world, affecting health and climate. These mineral particles are mainly emitted over arid areas but may be long-range transported, impacting the local budget of air quality in urban areas. While models were extensively used to study a single specific event, or make a global analysis at coarse resolution, the goal of our study is to simultaneously focus on several affected areas—Europe, North America, Central Asia, east China and the Caribbean area—for a one-month period, March 2014, avoiding any parameter fitting to better simulate a single dust outbreak. The simulation is performed for the first time with the hemispheric version of the CHIMERE model, with a high horizontal resolution (about 10 km). In this study, an overview of several simultaneous dust outbreaks over the Northern Hemisphere is proposed to assess the capability of such modeling tools to predict dust pollution events. A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the most striking episodes is presented with comparisons to satellite data, ground based particulate matter and calcium measurements. Despite some overestimation of dust concentrations far from emission source areas, the model can simulate the timing of the arrival of dust outbreaks on observational sites. For instance, several spectacular dust storms in the US and China are rather well captured by the models. The high resolution provides a better description and understanding of the orographic effects and the long-range transport of dust plumes.
The Role of Motion Concepts in Understanding Non-Motion Concepts
Authors: Khatin-Zadeh Omid , Banaruee Hassan , Khoshsima Hooshang , Marmolejo-Ramos Fernando
Published: December 2017

This article discusses a specific type of metaphor in which an abstract non-motion domain is described in terms of a motion event. Abstract non-motion domains are inherently different from concrete motion domains. However, motion domains are used to describe abstract non-motion domains in many metaphors. Three main reasons are suggested for the suitability of motion events in such metaphorical descriptions. Firstly, motion events usually have high degrees of concreteness. Secondly, motion events are highly imageable. Thirdly, components of any motion event can be imagined almost simultaneously within a three-dimensional space. These three characteristics make motion events suitable domains for describing abstract non-motion domains, and facilitate the process of online comprehension throughout language processing. Extending the main point into the field of mathematics, this article discusses the process of transforming abstract mathematical problems into imageable geometric representations within the three-dimensional space. This strategy is widely used by mathematicians to solve highly abstract and complex problems.
Catalytic Enantioselective Addition of Me2Zn to Isatins
Authors: Vila Carlos , Del Campo Andrés , Blay Gonzalo , Pedro José
Published: December 2017

Chiral α-hydroxyamide L5 derived from (S)-(+)-mandelic acid catalyzes the enantioselective addition of dimethylzinc to isatins affording the corresponding chiral 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-oxindoles with good yields and er up to 90:10. Furthermore, several chemical transformations were performed with the 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles obtained.
Understanding the Heteroatom Effect on the Ullmann Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of X-Arylation (X = NH, O, S) Mechanism
Authors: Andrada Diego , Soria-Castro Silvia , Caminos Daniel , Argüello Juan , Peñéñory Alicia
Published: December 2017

Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out in order to unravel the governing reaction mechanism in copper-catalyzed cross-coupling Ullmann type reactions between iodobenzene (1, PhI) and aniline (2-NH, PhNH2), phenol (2-O, PhOH) and thiophenol (2-S, PhSH) with phenanthroline (phen) as the ancillary ligand. Four different pathways for the mechanism were considered namely Oxidative Addition–Reductive Elimination (OA-RE), σ-bond Metathesis (MET), Single Electron Transfer (SET), and Halogen Atom Transfer (HAT). Our results suggest that the OA-RE route, involving CuIII intermediates, is the energetically most favorable pathway for all the systems considered. Interestingly, the rate-determining step is the oxidative addition of the phenyl iodide to the metal center regardless of the nature of the heteroatom. The computed energy barriers in OA increase in the order O < S < NH. Using the Activation Strain Model (ASM) of chemical reactivity, it was found that the strain energy associated with the bending of the copper(I) complex controls the observed reactivity.
In Silico Switch from Second- to First-Row Transition Metals in Olefin Metathesis: From Ru to Fe and from Rh to Co
Authors: Luque-Urrutia Jesús , Gimferrer Martí , Casals-Cruañas Èric , Poater Albert
Published: December 2017

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to investigate the behavior of different transition metals from Groups 8 (Fe and Ru) and 9 (Co and Rh) in an already well-known catalytic mechanism, which is based on an Ru(SIMes)(PPh3)Cl2=CH(Ph) complex. As expected, Ru has proven to perform better than their Fe, Co, and Rh counterparts. Even though the topographic steric maps analysis shows no difference in sterical hindrance for any of the metal centers, geometrically, the Fe-based species show a high rigidity with shorter and stronger bonds confirmed by Mayer Bond Orders. The systems bearing Co as a metallic center might present a reactivity that is, surprisingly, too high according to conceptual DFT, which would consequently be a drawback for the formation of the fundamental species of the reaction pathway: the metallacycle intermediate.
A Green Route to Copper Loaded Silica Nanoparticles Using Hyperbranched Poly(Ethylene Imine) as a Biomimetic Template: Application in Heterogeneous Catalysis
Authors: Tsiourvas Dimitris , Papavasiliou Aggeliki , Deze Evangelia , Papageorgiou Sergios , Katsaros Fotios , Romanos George , Poulakis Evangelos , Philippopoulos Constantine , Xin Qi , Cool Pegie
Published: December 2017

Copper containing silica nanostructures are easily produced through a low cost versatile approach by means of hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (PEI), a water soluble dendritic polymer. This dendritic molecule enables the formation of hybrid organic/inorganic silica nanoparticles in buffered aqueous media, at room temperature and neutral pH, through a biomimetic silicification process. Furthermore, the derived hybrid organic/inorganic materials dispersed in water can be easily loaded with various copper amounts, due to the presence of PEI, which, despite having been integrated in the silica network, retains its strong copper chelating ability. Following calcination, the obtained copper loaded nanopowders are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption, Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance (UV-Vis-DR) techniques and evaluated for automotive exhaust purification under simulated conditions at the stoichiometric point. Effective control over final materials’ pore structural and morphological characteristics is provided by employing different buffer solutions, i.e., tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) or phosphate buffer. It was found that the enhancement of the nanopowders textural features, obtained in the presence of Tris buffer, had a great impact on the material’s catalytic behavior, improving significantly its activity towards pollutants oxidation.
Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Assisted Electrodeposition of Silver Dendrite Coating as a Catalytic Film
Authors: Fu Li , Xie Kefeng , Zhang Huaiwei , Zheng Yuhong , Su Weitao , Liu Zhong
Published: December 2017

A multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-coated indium tin oxide (ITO) slide was used as a platform for the growth of a silver dendrite (Ag-D) film using cyclic voltammetry. The particular dendritic nanostructures were formed by the diffusion-limited-aggregation model due to the potential difference between the MWCNTs and the ITO surface. The Ag-D-coated ITO film was then used for the catalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) under static aqueous conditions. The network structure of the Ag-D allows the efficient diffusion of MO and MB, and consequently enhances the catalytic performance. Since the thin film is much easier to use for the post-treatment of powder catalysts, the proposed method shows great potential in many catalytic applications.
Influence of External Static Magnetic Fields on Properties of Metallic Functional Materials
Authors: Zuo Xiaowei , Zhang Lin , Wang Engang
Published: December 2017

Influence of external static magnetic fields on solidification, solid phase transformation of metallic materials have been reviewed in terms of Lorentz force, convection, magnetization, orientation, diffusion, and so on. However, the influence of external static magnetic fields on properties of metallic functional materials is rarely reviewed. In this paper, the effect of static magnetic fields subjected in solidification and/or annealing on the properties of Fe–Ga magnetostrictive material, high strength high conductivity Cu-based material (Cu–Fe and Cu–Ag alloys), and Fe–Sn magnetic material were summarized. Both the positive and negative impacts from magnetic fields were found. Exploring to maximize the positive influence of magnetic fields is still a very meaningful and scientific issue in future.
Stable Stacking Faults Bounded by Frank Partial Dislocations in Al7075 Formed through Precipitate and Dislocation Interactions
Authors: Li Sijie , Luo Hongyun , Wang Hui , Xu Pingwei , Luo Jun , Liu Chu , Zhang Tao
Published: December 2017

Through high-resolution electron microscopy, stacking faults (SFs) due to Frank partial dislocations were found in an aluminum alloy following deformation with low strain and strain rate, while also remaining stable during artificial aging. Extrinsic stacking faults were found surrounded by dislocation areas and precipitates. An intrinsic stacking fault was found between two Guinier-Preston II (GP II) zones when the distance of the two GP II zones was 2 nm. Defects (precipitates and dislocations) are considered to have an influence on the formation of the SFs, as their appearance may cause local strain and promote the gathering of vacancies to lower the energy.
Aromatic C-Nitroso Compounds and Their Dimers: A Model for Probing the Reaction Mechanisms in Crystalline Molecular Solids
Authors: Biljan Ivana , Vančik Hrvoj
Published: December 2017

This review is focused on the dimerization and dissociation of aromatic C-nitroso compounds and their dimers, the reactions that could be used as a convenient model for studying the thermal organic solid-state reaction mechanisms. This molecular model is simple because it includes formation or breaking of only one covalent bond between two nitrogen atoms. The crystalline molecular solids of nitroso dimers (azodioxides) dissociate by photolysis under the cryogenic conditions, and re-dimerize by slow warming. The thermal re-dimerization reaction is examined under the different topotactic conditions in crystals: disordering, surface defects, and phase transformations. Depending on the conditions, and on the molecular structure, aromatic C-nitroso compounds can associate to form one-dimensional polymeric structures and are able to self-assemble on gold surfaces.
Influence of Alkali Metal Substitution on the Phase Transition Behavior of CsGaQ2 (Q = S, Se)
Authors: Friedrich Daniel , Schlosser Marc , Etter Martin , Pfitzner Arno
Published: December 2017

The formation of solid solution series Cs1−xMxGaQ2-mC64 (M = K, Rb; Q = S, Se; x = 0–1) was studied by X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods, revealing a complete miscibility of CsGaQ2-mC64 with RbGaQ2 and KGaSe2, and a large miscibility gap with KGaS2. All solid solution members exhibit similar Raman spectra, indicating the covalent Ga-Q bonding character. The similar optical band gaps likewise further contribute to this conclusion. Up to a certain degree of substitution, these solid solutions undergo a phase transition similar to CsGaQ2-mC64. The influence of the substitution parameter x on phase transition process was investigated in situ using high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction experiments. Phase-pure solid solutions of the high-temperature polymorphs Cs1−xMxGaQ2-mC16 were obtained up to xmax(K) = 0.1 and xmax(Rb) = 0.3. The crystal structures of these new CsGaQ2-mC16 analogous high-temperature phases were refined from synchrotron diffraction data by Rietveld-refinement.
The Effect of the Vertex Angles of Wedged Indenters on Deformation during Nanoindentation
Authors: Hu Xiaowen , Ni Yushan
Published: December 2017

In order to study the effect of the angle of wedged indenters during nanoindentation, indenters with half vertex angles of 60°, 70° and 80° are used for the simulations of nanoindentation on FCC aluminum (Al) bulk material by the multiscale quasicontinuum method (QC). The load-displacement responses, the strain energy-displacement responses, and hardness of Al bulk material are obtained. Besides, atomic configurations for each loading situation are presented. We analyze the drop points in the load-displacement responses, which correspond to the changes of microstructure in the bulk material. From the atom images, the generation of partial dislocations as well as the nucleation and the emission of perfect dislocations have been observed with wedged indenters of half vertex angles of 60° and 70°, but not 80°. The stacking faults move beneath the indenter along the direction [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] . The microstructures of residual displacements are also discussed. In addition, hardness of the Al bulk material is different in simulations with wedged indenters of half vertex angles of 60° and 70°, and critical hardness in the simulation with the 70° indenter is bigger than that with the 60° indenter. The size effect of hardness in plastic wedged nanoindentation is observed. There are fewer abrupt drops in the strain energy-displacement response than in the load-displacement response, and the abrupt drops in strain energy-displacement response reflect the nucleation of perfect dislocations or extended dislocations rather than partial dislocations. The wedged indenter with half vertex angle of 70° is recommended for investigating dislocations during nanoindentation.
Avid 18F-FDG Uptake in Idiopathic Tumoral Calcinosis Mimicking Lymph Node Metastasis
Authors: Strandberg Jesper , Zacho Helle D.
Published: December 2017

Tumoral calcinosis is a benign condition characterized by periarticular calcified lesions that is frequently observed in patients with chronic renal failure. Tumoral calcinosis often presents with subcutaneous masses and joint swelling. We present a case of tumoral calcinosis with dramatically increased 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) that mimicked lymphoma or lymph node metastases.
Experimental Characterization of a Dual-Polarised Parasitic Patch Antenna
Authors: Pinchera Daniele , Lucido Mario , Migliore Marco , Schettino Fulvio , Panariello Gaetano
Published: December 2017

The aim of this paper is to present the experimental characterization of a reconfigurable parasitic patch antenna for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) applications. The proposed antenna is able to work with two different polarizations, providing separate control of the antenna pattern of each of the two polarizations. Both numerical and experimental results show the adaptive capabilities of the antenna, proving its effectiveness for MIMO applications.
Characteristics of Anisotropic Conducting Polymers Suggest Feasibility of Test Fixtures up to 110 GHz
Authors: Sippel Mark , Lomakin Konstantin , Gold Gerald , Helmreich Klaus
Published: December 2017

Applications and volume of integrated circuits operating at frequencies up to 100 GHz are steadily increasing. This establishes serious challenges, especially for temporarily contacting such products during manufacturing tests with appropriate signal integrity. At present, existing test socket concepts have reached their applicability limit. The most promising candidates to meet the requirements of future microwave device interfacing are thin, anisotropic conducting polymers. This paper reports a survey covering measurement methodology for signal integrity properties of conducting polymers, model parameter extraction, measurement results from various materials, reliability issues, and a prototype application.
Wide Area Coordinated Control of Multi-FACTS Devices to Damp Power System Oscillations
Authors: Xu Shiyun , Yang Ying , Peng Kaixiang , Li Linlin , Hayat Tasawar , Alsaedi Ahmed
Published: December 2017

Aiming at damping the inter-area oscillations of power systems, the present study proposes a wide-area decentralized coordinated control framework, where the upper-level controller is designed to coordinate the lower-level multiple FACTS devices. Based on the polytopic differential inclusion method, the derived controller adopts a decentralized structure and it is guaranteed to be robust to meet the demand of operation under multiple operating conditions. Since time delay of wide area signal transmission is inevitable, in what follows, the quantum evolution algorithm (QEA) method is introduced to find an optimal solution of the time-delay coordinated controller. In this regard, the stability of the system with a prescribed time delay is guaranteed and the system damping ratio is increased. Effectiveness and applicability of the proposed controller design methods have been demonstrated through numerical simulations.
Does Dynamic Efficiency of Public Policy Promote Export Prformance? Evidence from Bioenergy Technology Sector
Authors: Sung Bongsuk , Song Woo-Yong
Published: December 2017

This study examines how the dynamic efficiency of public policy influences the export performance of bioenergy technologies in the short and long run using panel data over the 1995–2012 period for 16 countries that are members of the OECD. Various dynamic panel framework tests to check data characteristics are performed. The study found evidence of co-movement among the series, and set up the panel vector error correction mechanism to evaluate the short- and long-run Granger-causality between the following variables: dynamic efficiency of public policy, export, and environmental policy stringency. This study highlighted positive effects of the dynamic efficiency of public policy and environmental policy efforts on exports in both the short and long run. This study proposes policy considerations based on its results.
Certifying Forests to Achieve Sustainability in Industrial Plantations: Opinions of Stakeholders in Spain
Authors: Diaz-Balteiro Luis , Jalón Silvestre García de
Published: December 2017

Forest certification is a practice that has been consolidated worldwide in recent years as a result of certification often being associated with sustainability. However, there is not much research available on the perception of stakeholders and experts of that association. This study evaluates how key stakeholders relate certification to sustainability, and its implications for forest management. A survey was implemented in the eucalyptus plantations of Galicia, northwestern Spain, to assess how forest managers; advisors; environmental organizations; researchers; and members from the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), PEFC (the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification), and forest companies and associations, perceive this relationship. The opinions indicate that it should not be assumed that certified plantations are necessarily perceived as the most sustainable ones, that there is always a direct relationship between certification, nor that forest owners and managers certify their woodlands in order to guarantee sustainability. The results also showed that perceptions of certification and sustainability were not influenced by the opinions of different groups of stakeholders.
High-Throughput Sequencing of Small RNA Transcriptomes in Maize Kernel Identifies miRNAs Involved in Embryo and Endosperm Development
Authors: Xing Lijuan , Zhu Ming , Zhang Min , Li Wenzong , Jiang Haiyang , Zou Junjie , Wang Lei , Xu Miaoyun
Published: December 2017

Maize kernel development is a complex biological process that involves the temporal and spatial expression of many genes and fine gene regulation at a transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, and microRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles during this process. To gain insight into miRNA-mediated regulation of maize kernel development, a deep-sequencing technique was used to investigate the dynamic expression of miRNAs in the embryo and endosperm at three developmental stages in B73. By miRNA transcriptomic analysis, we characterized 132 known miRNAs and six novel miRNAs in developing maize kernel, among which, 15 and 14 miRNAs were commonly differentially expressed between the embryo and endosperm at 9 days after pollination (DAP), 15 DAP and 20 DAP respectively. Conserved miRNA families such as miR159, miR160, miR166, miR390, miR319, miR528 and miR529 were highly expressed in developing embryos; miR164, miR171, miR393 and miR2118 were highly expressed in developing endosperm. Genes targeted by those highly expressed miRNAs were found to be largely related to a regulation category, including the transcription, macromolecule biosynthetic and metabolic process in the embryo as well as the vitamin biosynthetic and metabolic process in the endosperm. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that these miRNAs displayed a negative correlation with the levels of their corresponding target genes. Importantly, our findings revealed that members of the miR169 family were highly and dynamically expressed in the developing kernel, which will help to exploit new players functioning in maize kernel development.
Absence of Correlation between Chimeric RNA and Aging
Authors: Huang Reyna , Kumar Shailesh , Li Hui
Published: December 2017

Chimeric RNAs have been recognized as a phenomenon not unique to cancer cells. They also exist in normal physiology. Aging is often characterized by deregulation of molecular and cellular mechanisms, including loss of heterochromatin, increased transcriptional noise, less tight control on alternative splicing, and more stress-induced changes. It is thus assumed that chimeric RNAs are more abundant in older people. In this study, we conducted a preliminary investigation to identify any chimeric RNAs with age-based trends in their expression levels in blood samples. A chimeric RNA candidate list generated by bioinformatic analysis indicated the possibility of both negative and positive trends in the expression of chimeric RNAs. Out of this candidate list, five novel chimeric RNAs were successfully amplified in multiple blood samples and then sequenced. Although primary smaller sample sizes displayed some weak trends with respect to age, analysis of quantitative PCR data from larger sample sizes showed essentially no relationship between expression levels and age. Altogether, these results indicate that, contradictory to the common assumption, chimeric RNAs as a group are not all higher in older individuals and that placing chimeric RNAs in the context of aging will be a much more complex task than initially anticipated.
Environmental Concerns, Environmental Policy and Green Investment
Authors: Gao Xuexian , Zheng Haidong
Published: December 2017

Environmental regulators often use environmental policy to induce green investment by firms. However, if an environmental policy fails to exert a long-run effect on regulating the economic agents’ behavior, it may be more reasonable to think of the firm as the leader in the game, since the investment in green technology is usually a strategic decision. In this paper, we consider a three-stage Stackelberg game to address the interaction between a profit-maximizing firm (Stackelberg leader) facing emission-dependent demand, and the environmental regulator (Stackelberg follower). The firm decides on the green technology level in the first stage of the game based on its understanding of the regulator’s profits function, especially an environmental concern that is introduced as an exogenous variable. In the current research, we show that high levels of the regulator’s environmental concerns do not necessarily lead to the choice of green technology by the firm, and green investment level depends on the combined effects of the market and operational factors for a given level of the regulator’s environmental concerns. The result also shows that increasing environmental awareness amongst the consumers is an effective way to drive the firm’s green investment.
Effect of Guar Gum with Sorbitol Coating on the Properties and Oil Absorption of French Fries
Authors: Jia Bo , Fan Daming , Li Jinwei , Duan Zhenhua , Fan Liuping
Published: December 2017

This paper investigated the effects of guar gum with sorbitol coating on the oil absorption of French fries by combined dye oil methods, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that pretreatment of blanching with calcium ions and coating with guar gum and sorbitol could significantly reduce the structural oil (STO) and penetrated surface oil (PSO) of French fries and have no negative effects on its texture and also effectively control the final moisture content (p < 0.05). Compared with control or samples coated with guar gum (blanching with or without calcium ions), the total oil (TO) of French fries with guar gum and sorbitol reduced by 50.8%, 33.1% and 30.6%, respectively. CLSM photographs confirmed that STO significantly reduced after coating with guar gum and sorbitol, followed by PSO. In the process of frying, the coatings of guar gum or guar gum with sorbitol could effectively prevent oil from infiltrating the potato tissue, which can be seen in the SEM photographs. The barrier properties of French fries were enhanced by coating guar gum, and sorbitol was added to avoid pores and cracks. Blanching with calcium ion can significantly reduce the final moisture content of coating French fries.
Design Process Control for Improved Surface Finish of Metal Additive Manufactured Parts of Complex Build Geometry
Authors: Jamal Mikdam , Morgan Michael
Published: December 2017

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly used to create complex 3D components at near net shape. However, the surface finish (SF) of the metal AM part is uneven, with surface roughness being variable over the facets of the design. Standard post-processing methods such as grinding and linishing often meet with major challenges in finishing parts of complex shape. This paper reports on research that demonstrated that mass finishing (MF) processes are able to deliver high-quality surface finishes (Ra and Sa) on AM-generated parts of a relatively complex geometry (both internal features and external facets) under select conditions. Four processes were studied in this work: stream finishing, high-energy (HE) centrifuge, drag finishing and disc finishing. Optimisation of the drag finishing process was then studied using a structured design of experiments (DOE). The effects of a range of finishing parameters were evaluated and optimal parameters and conditions were determined. The study established that the proposed method can be successfully applied in drag finishing to optimise the surface roughness in an industrial application and that it is an economical way of obtaining the maximum amount of information in a short period of time with a small number of tests. The study has also provided an important step in helping understand the requirements of MF to deliver AM-generated parts to a target quality finish and cycle time.
Pharmacogenomics Guided-Personalization of Warfarin and Tamoxifen
Authors: Wigle Theodore , Jansen Laura , Teft Wendy , Kim Richard
Published: December 2017

The use of pharmacogenomics to personalize drug therapy has been a long-sought goal for warfarin and tamoxifen. However, conflicting evidence has created reason for hesitation in recommending pharmacogenomics-guided care for both drugs. This review will provide a summary of the evidence to date on the association between cytochrome P450 enzymes and the clinical end points of warfarin and tamoxifen therapy. Further, highlighting the clinical experiences that we have gained over the past ten years of running a personalized medicine program, we will offer our perspectives on the utility and the limitations of pharmacogenomics-guided care for warfarin and tamoxifen therapy.
A Stakeholders’ Analysis of Eastern Mediterranean Landscapes: Contextualities, Commonalities and Concerns
Authors: Terkenli Theano , Kavroudakis Dimitris
Published: December 2017

This study aims at demonstrating and critically assessing high-level landscape stakeholders’ perceptions and understandings of landscape-related issues, threats and problems, in the Eastern Mediterranean, through a purposive comparative research survey of four case studies: Cyprus, Greece, Jordan and Lebanon. Employing qualitative data analysis of intensive stakeholder interviews, performed in the broader context of the MEDSCAPES ENPI-MED project (www.enpi-medscapes.org), the paper draws together the insights and concerns of a total of 61 public entities, private entrepreneurs, academicians and NGO representatives, on landscape knowledge, understanding, management and public awareness, in these four countries. The results point to significant commonalities among them and begin to show relational and synthetic nature of the interrelationship between humans and the landscape, as it developed in the context of the local and regional geographies and histories of this broader region, affected by and involving a series of relevant geophysical, economic, political, social, moral, institutional and other parameters.
Fracture Assessment of PEEK under Static Loading by Means of the Local Strain Energy Density
Authors: Peron Mirco , Razavi Nima , Torgersen Jan , Berto Filippo
Published: December 2017

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has gained interest in many industrial applications due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent heat tolerance and high corrosion resistance. Stress concentrators such as notches and geometrical discontinuities are present in many such components necessitating the reliable assessment of notch sensitivity of PEEK in monotonic tension. Here we evaluate the applicability of the strain energy density (SED) approach for the assessment of the fracture strength of experimentally tested notched geometries subject to corrosion. The fracture behavior of neat, circumferentially razor-grooved dog-bone specimens and circumferentially U-notched specimens with different notch radii can be predicted with a discrepancy lower than ±10%. Reliable predictions are shown on two previously published datasets employing both computed and published mechanical properties as inputs for the SED calculations. This report presents the first successful application of SED for PEEK as well as the successful prediction of tensile behavior in corrosive environments. This opens the road towards future applications of PEEK in fields its compliant use is of growing popularity.
Thermo-Viscoplastic Behavior of Ni-Based Superalloy Haynes 282 and Its Application to Machining Simulation
Authors: Rodríguez-Millán Marcos , Díaz-Álvarez José , Bernier Richard , Cantero José , Rusinek Alexis , Miguelez María
Published: December 2017

Ni-based superalloys are extensively used in high-responsibility applications in components of aerospace engines and gas turbines with high temperature service lives. The wrought, γ’-strengthened superalloy Haynes 282 has been recently developed for applications similar to other common superalloys, such as Waspaloy or Inconel 718, with improved creep behavior, thermal stability, and fabrication ability. Despite the potential of Haynes 282, there are still important gaps in the knowledge of the mechanical behavior of this alloy. In fact, it was not possible to find information concerning the mechanical behavior of the alloy under impulsive loading. This paper focuses on the mechanical characterization of the Haynes 282 at strain rates ranging from 0.1 to 2800 s−1 and high temperatures ranging from 293 to 523 K using Hopkinson bar compression tests. The experimental results from the thermo-mechanical characterization allowed for calibration of the Johnson–Cook model widely used in modeling metallic alloy’s responses under dynamic loading. Moreover, the behavior of Haynes 282 was compared to that reported for Inconel 718, and the results were used to successfully model the orthogonal cutting of Haynes 282, being a typical case of dynamic loading requiring previous characterization of the alloy.
Friction Stir Welding of near α and α + β Titanium Alloys: Metallurgical and Mechanical Characterization
Authors: Gangwar Kapil , Mamidala Ramulu , Sanders Daniel G.
Published: December 2017

Butt welds of friction stir welded dissimilar titanium alloys (near α: Ti-6242 standard grain (SG) and

α
+
β

; Ti-54M) were produced for varying processing parameters (rotation speed: rpm and traverse speed; mm·min−1). Microstructures, microhardness, and fractured surfaces were analyzed for three different rpms and mm·min−1 with Ti-6242 SG and Ti-54M kept on the advancing and retreating side, respectively. While constant traverse speed (varying rotation speed) has no significant effect on micrographic patterns in weld nugget, constant rotation speed (with increasing traverse speed) results in an increasing number of streaks with specified spacing (advances per revolution) (consisting of material migrating from retreating side) on the advancing side. Although, hardness variation within streaks (due to lower values of

v
ω

; where

v
 
and
 
ω

are traverse and rotation speed) were challenging to evaluate, yet hardness maps imitated the micrographic morphology of the weld nugget. For varying rotation (225–325 rpm) and traverse speed (100–150 mm·min−1), corresponding microstructure evolutions on the advancing and retreating side were related, with variations in evolving temperatures for corresponding welding parameters. Fractured surfaces revealed an appearance of a combination of transcrystalline and intercrystalline fracture for all the processing parameters. Nature of solid state joining has been shown with a distinct boundary between Ti-6242 SG and Ti-54M, demonstrating the interlocking between streaks of different aspect ratios of these two alloys.