bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Thickness of Zirconium Liner on Stress-Strain Characteristics of U10Mo Monolithic Plates
Authors: Ozaltun Hakan , Allen Robert M. , Han You Sung
Published: April 2014

The effects of the thickness of Zirconium liner on stress-strain behavior of monolithic fuel mini-plates during fabrication and irradiation processes were studied. Monolithic plate-type fuel elements is a new fuel form being developed for research and test reactors to achieve higher uranium densities which allows the use of low-enriched uranium fuel in reactor core. These fuel elements are comprised of a high density, low enrichment, U–Mo alloy based fuel foil encapsulated in a cladding material made of Aluminum. Early RERTR experiments indicated that the presence of an interaction layer between the fuel and cladding materials causes mechanical problems. To minimize the fuel/cladding interaction, employing a diffusion barrier between the cladding and the fuel materials was proposed. Current monolithic plate design employs a 0.025 mm thick, 99.8% pure annealed Zirconium diffusion barrier between the fuel foil (U10Mo) and the cladding materials (AL6061-O). To benchmark the irradiation performance, a number of plates were irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) with promising irradiation performance. To understand the effects of the thickness of the Zirconium diffusion barrier on the stress-strain behavior of the plates during fabrication, irradiation and shutdown stages, a representative plate from RERTR-12 experiments (Plate L1P7A0) was selected and simulated. Both fabrication and irradiation stages were considered. Simulations were repeated for various Zirconium thicknesses to understand the effects of the thickness of the diffusion barrier. Results of fabrication simulations indicated that Zirconium thickness has noticeable effects on foil’s stresses. Irradiation simulations revealed that the fabrication stresses of the foil would be relieved rapidly in the reactor. Results also showed that Zirconium thickness has little or no effects on irradiation and shutdown stresses.
Beyond Liquid Nitrogen Coolant: Extreme Freezing to Maximize Cryosurgical Ablation of Tumor
Authors: He Zhi Zhu , Xue Xu , Deng Zhong Shan , Liu Jing
Published: April 2014

As a minimally invasive physical therapy for targeted tumor treatment, cryosurgery is increasingly used in a wide variety of clinical situations such as for freezing ablation of skin cancers, glaucoma, lung tumor etc. owing to its outstanding virtues like quick, clean, relatively painless, good homeostasis, and satisfactory of little scar. A most important issue in performing such a surgical operation is to guarantee a strong enough freezing while minimizing the mechanical insertion trauma. Among the many freezing protocols ever developed, using a needle to deliver liquid nitrogen to the target tissues has been the most popular way to ablate the tumor. A critical need from the clinical aspect is that the size of the freezing needle should be as small as possible while supplying extremely large amount of cold to the target so as to take full use of the unique minimally invasive merit of the cryosurgery. This paper evaluated the freezing performance of different working fluids including liquid helium (He), liquid nitrogen (N2), alcohol (Alc), dichlorodifluoromethane (R12) and 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R134a). The freezing capabilities inside the biological tissues of several most promising coolant candidates were comparatively evaluated through the three-dimensional phase change bioheat transfer simulation. Future applications were suggested. It is expected that the present freezing strategy would offer new opportunities for realizing a better tumor cryosurgical ablation over existing coolants.
Optofluidics for Energy: Fuel and Electricity From Plasmonically-Excited Photosynthetic Bacteria
Authors: Samsonoff Nathan , Sinton David
Published: April 2014

Microalgae have been demonstrated to be the only viable major biofuel avenue due to globally finite cropland[1]. Traditional photobioreactors used to cultivate microalgae and cyanobacteria for biofuel production are plagued by low cell density due to limited light penetration depth [2]. An optofluidic approach to cultivation of cyanobacteria provides an opportunity to overcome these difficulties by leveraging the inherent density advantages of biofilm growth [3]. A biophotovoltaic cell (BPV) is presented that is capable of high-density cultivation of cyanobacteria using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enhanced evanescent fields as well as producing electrical power. This device, a photosynthetic-plasmonic-voltaic cell (PPV), demonstrated significant power output under direct illumination and plasmonic excitation and demonstrates for the first time the dual use of a gold film for photosystem excitation and electron harvesting. The techniques used in this device are amenable to scale up of an ultra-high density photobioreactor that is capable of coproducing electrical power and biofuel.
3D Wind Field Construction for Suburban Environment by Parallel Computational Fluid Dynamics Techniques
Authors: Ge Yuntian , Zhang Rui , Wang Xiuling
Published: April 2014

The objective of this paper is to analysis the wind farm properties in suburban environment by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. In order to do the simulation of a suburban environment, geometry model was built and mesh was generated by commercial software GAMBIT®. Simulation was conducted by FLUENT®. Parallel computing technique was applied in simulation. Simulation results showed different kinds of wind properties such as path lines, velocity distributions, turbulence intensity, etc., and it is also indicated that parallel computing is an appropriate way to conduct wind farm simulation [1].
Optimizing Jets for Active Wake Control of Ground Vehicles
Authors: Barsotti Domenic L. , Boetcher Sandra K. S.
Published: April 2014

The present study investigates the simulation of slot jets on the rear of an Ahmed body to reduce drag. Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) turbulence model is used to model flow separation and vortex shedding on a 25° Ahmed body. Several optimizations are conducted to maximize drag reduction with a net reduction of 16%. This is accomplished by creating a fluid structure in the wake.
Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Paper Tubes
Authors: Kitamura Takanori , Suda Mitsunori , Ito Kanta , Teramura Suguru , Zhang Zhiyuan , Hamada Hiroyuki
Published: April 2014

Recycled paper is helpful to reduce trash discharge, save resource and cost. Recycled paper tube is one of the most successful cases in application of recycled paper. It is an excellent choice for packing. It’s also used in the construction of temporary structures for both exhibition spaces or for rapid-recovery shelters in emergency operations. As paper tubes are laminated composite materials composited of paperboard which is inherent anisotropy materials, the research on mechanical property and fracture behavior becomes more complicated. In order to analyze deformation and fracture behavior of paper tubes under lateral compressive load, six types of paper tube fabricated with different kinds of paperboard and number of ply were examined in this study. The six types included three different kinds of paperboard. Cracks propagation was observed through lateral compression test process. At the same time, energy absorption in elastic stage was discussed between different paper tubes.
What Fraction of the Electrical Energy Produced in a Hybrid Solar-Fossil Power Plant Should Qualify as ‘Renewable Electricity’?
Authors: Iora Paolo , Ghoniem Ahmed F. , Beretta Gian Paolo
Published: April 2014

Hybrid power production facilities, based on the integration of renewable resources into conventional fossil-fuel-fired power plants have gained a growing interest during the past decades due to a world-wide continuous increase of shares of the renewable sources into the electricity generation market. In fact, in spite of the variable nature of most of the renewable sources, the hybrid configuration may provide a more economic, sustainable, and reliable use of the renewables in all load-demand conditions compared to renewable single-resource facilities. Nonetheless, the question of what fraction of the electricity produced in such facilities is to be considered as generated from renewables, still remains not fully addressed. This implies that there is space for some arbitrariness in the quantification of the share of the produced electricity to be qualified for the subsidies granted to renewable electricity, as normally prescribed by most of the policies that promote the applications of renewable primary energy resources. To overcome this problem, in this work we first define the classical Single-Resource Separate-Production Reference allocation method (SRSPR) usually considered by the regulators which is based on reference partial primary energy factors that must be chosen by some authority as representative of the performance of the (best available or representative average single-resource) power production technologies that use the same renewable resource and the same fossil fuel as the hybrid facility. Then we propose a Self-Tuned Average-Local-Productions Reference allocation method (STLAPR) whereby the electricity allocation fractions are based on the energy scenario of the local area of interest that includes the hybrid plant itself. We compare the two methods for a case study consisting on the renewable-to-fossil allocation of the power produced in an Solar-Integrated Combined-Cycle System (SICCS) with parabolic trough solar field. It turns out that the differences between the classical SRSPR and the STLAPR method become significant as the hybrid facilities take on a sizable fraction of the production of electricity in the local area.
Investigation of Some Circular Membrane-Patch Acoustic Meta-Materials
Authors: Ayorinde Emmanuel , Al-Zubi Mohammad , Mohammad Fouad , Dundar Mehmet Akif
Published: April 2014

A great need exists for vibration and noise control with thinner and smaller devices, especially at lower frequencies than those at which the usual magnetic and electrical metamaterials operate. Acoustic metamaterials have been under development for such purposes. Some of the present authors have experimentally and numerically investigated circular acoustic metamaterials made of lexan plate and silicon membranes. In this work, the authors extend the investigation to the use of some other materials and relative see if and how well such a construction may be utilized for meta-material applications.
Design and Optimization of a Low Temperature Organic Rankine Cycle and Turbine
Authors: Erbas Murat , Sofuoglu Mehmet Alper , Biyikoglu Atilla , Uslan Ibrahim
Published: April 2014

In this study, low temperature Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems with single and two-stage turbine are proposed for the production of electricity. The refrigerant R-134a is selected as working fluid based on peak temperature of the cycle for solar and geothermal applications. The design criteria of ORC system is introduced and explained in detail. The radial inflow turbine is selected to satisfy the design requirements. The cycle performance is taken as a key point in the design criteria. The system performance map is constructed based on both velocity triangles and approximate efficiency of turbine. The procedures for turbine and cycle design are introduced in detail. The components of cycle and turbine are modeled using baseline correlations via real gas tables and macros created on Excel for the refrigerant, R134a. Finally, the turbine geometry is optimized to attain maximum turbine efficiency via MATLAB optimization toolbox.
Multiscale and Multiphase in Physics, Oceanology and Economics
Authors: Nigmatulin R. I.
Published: April 2014

Climate change, global warming, possible anthropogenic effects on climate processes due to a rapid growth of industry and agriculture are the most popular themes under discussion among the ecological problems. One of the most important issues in climatology yet undecided is whether the recent climate warming affects the deep ocean which may become the major long-term incoming heat flux from the atmosphere? After all, the state of the atmosphere depends to a great extent on the ocean the mass of which is 270 times as great as the mass of the atmosphere and heat capacity is 1,000 times as great. Hence, the ocean is the basic heat, greenhouse gas and moisture source and flux for the atmosphere.
Passive Split Ring Resonator for Continuous Physiological Sensing Through Conductivity Measurements
Authors: Baker Evan , Shaw Noah , Wang Chen , Zhang Hao , Sun Cheng
Published: April 2014

The Split Ring Resonator (SRR) has been developed and explored for a number of sensing technologies and devices. A SRR can be equivalently regarded as an LC circuit; changes in the dielectric environment will change the equivalent capacitance of the resonator, resulting in a shift of the resonant frequency as well as the quality factor (Q-factor).This makes the device a promising application for continuous personal health monitoring throughout the day. In this work, we are developing a passive radio frequency sensor based on ring resonator designs. The targeted frequency band is within 2.4–2.5GHz ISM (Industrial-Scientific-Medical radio band) and is available for medical devices. The resonator structure is first simulated using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method by CST Microwave Studio to determine the resonant frequency. Then for the experimental study, a microstrip transmission line with a double split ring resonator (DSRR) was fabricated on a printed circuit board (PCB) with biocompatible PVC coating on top. Tuning the thickness and material of the biocompatible coating can further improve the biocompatibility, Q-factor, and resulting sensitivity (mS) of the device. Reflection spectrum (S11) is measured using a network analyzer at 100 mW. The current design senses changes in conductivity down to 0.5 mS. By reducing coating thickness, reducing the spacing between resonators, and with more efficient resonator designs we expect to further improve this sensitivity. This sensor could be utilized by either implanted into the interstitial layer beneath the skin or embedded into a contact lens to sense tear salinity levels.
Recovery of Low-Velocity Impact Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced Composites Through Self-Healing Technique
Authors: Zainuddin Shaik , Tauhid Arefin , Hosur Mahesh V. , Jeelani Shaik , Kumar Ashok
Published: April 2014

In this study, we report the self-healing of e-glass/epoxy composites achieved through embedding self-healing agents (SHA) filled hollow glass fibers (HGFs). At first, catalytic technique was used to fill bonded HGFs with SHA. The HGFs were then laid on e-glass fibers and the laminates were fabricated using vacuum assisted resin molding (VARIM) technique. Low-velocity impact tests at two different energy levels were conducted multiple times in the closest proximity to determine the healing efficiency. Optical microscopic study was done to see the changes in the SHA filled HGFs samples before and after impact. Results showed significant recovery of impact properties with 4.47% lost in peak load after second impact in SHA samples whereas it was 27.7% in control samples. The loss in energy to peak load was 20.44% in SHA filled samples, whereas 41% in control samples. Optical microscopy images showed filling of cracks produced after impact with SHA reflecting the significant recovery of impact properties.
High Cycle Fatigue Life-Prediction for Lead-Free Interconnects Under Simultaneous High Temperature and Vibration
Authors: Lall Pradeep , Limaye Geeta
Published: April 2014

Current trends in the automotive industry warrant a variety of electronics for improved control, safety, efficiency and entertainment. Many of these electronic systems like engine control units, variable valve sensor, crankshaft-camshaft sensors are located under-hood. Electronics installed in under-hood applications are subjected simultaneously to mechanical vibrations and thermal loads. Typical failure modes caused by vibration induced high cycle fatigue include solder fatigue, copper trace or lead fracture. The solder interconnects accrue damage much faster when vibrated at elevated temperatures. Industry migration to lead-free solders has resulted in a proliferation of a wide variety of solder alloy compositions. Presently, the literature on mechanical behavior of lead-free alloys under simultaneous harsh environment of high-temperature vibration is sparse. In this paper, the reduction in stiffness of the PCB with temperature has been demonstrated by measuring the shift in natural frequencies. The test vehicle consisting of a variety of lead-free SAC305 daisy chain components including BGA, QFP, SOP and TSOPs has been tested to failure by subjecting it to two elevated temperatures and harmonic vibrations at the corresponding first natural frequency. The test matrix includes three test temperatures of 25C, 75C and 125C and simple harmonic vibration amplitude of 10G which are values typical in automotive testing. PCB deflection has been shown to increase with increase in temperature. The full field strain has been extracted using high speed cameras operating at 100,000 fps in conjunction with digital image correlation. Material properties of the PCB at test temperatures have been measured using tensile tests and dynamic mechanical analysis. FE simulation using global-local finite element models is thus correlated with the system characteristics such as modal shapes, natural frequencies and displacement amplitudes for every temperature. The solder level stresses have been extracted from the sub-models. Stress amplitude versus cycles to failure curves are obtained at all the three test temperatures. A comparison of failure modes for different surface mount packages at elevated test temperatures and vibration has been presented in this study.
Modification of Pullout Behavior of Kevlar Fabric by Zinc Oxide Nanowire Reinforcement
Authors: Hwang Hyun-Sik , Patterson Brendan A. , Malakooti Mohammad H. , Sodano Henry A.
Published: April 2014

The future development of body armor is to develop a lightweight, and wearable garment system without a loss of ballistic impact resistance. High performance fabrics, such as Kevlar, have been utilized for body armor due to their high energy absorption and lightweight characteristics. However, additional reinforcement is necessary for Kevlar fabric to meet the protection requirements for body armor against typical ballistic threats. Thick layers of fabric or embedded ceramic plates have been used to meet these requirements at the expense of increased weight of the armor and reduced mobility of the user. Thus, much research has been conducted on this topic to increase the ballistic impact resistance of Kevlar fabrics, mainly focused on the understanding and modeling of ballistic impact behavior. Due to the significant effect of damage mechanisms on ballistic impact response, these mechanisms should vastly be studied to better understand the ballistic impact response of Kevlar. When a projectile impacts a woven fabric, the imparted energy is dissipated through several damage mechanisms including tow pullout, local tow failure at the point of impact, and remote tow failure. Among those mechanisms, tow pullout is especially critical in the case of a penetrator with a blunt face impacting a fabric with non-penetrating velocities and is strongly influenced by friction between tows. In this work, we employed a novel method to increase the friction between Kevlar tows by synthesizing zinc oxide nanowires onto the fabric surface. As a result, vertically-aligned zinc oxide nanowires were grown on the fabric surface and tailored to achieve an optimum ballistic performance response reaching an enhancement of up to 390% in tow pullout peak load compared to untreated fabrics. Additionally, the effect of various surface functionalization processes and nanowire morphology is investigated so that an optimum process is developed for an efficient ballistic performance response.
A Method for FE Model Updating of Coupled Vibro-Acoustic Systems Using Constrained Optimization
Authors: Nehete D. V. , Modak S. V. , Gupta K.
Published: April 2014

Finite element (FE) model updating is now recognized as an effective approach to reduce modeling inaccuracies present in an FE model. FE model updating has been researched and studied well for updating FE models of purely structural dynamic systems. However there exists another class of systems known as vibro-acoustics in which acoustic response is generated in a medium due to the vibration of enclosing structure. Such systems are commonly found in aerospace, automotive and other transportation applications. Vibro-acoustic FE modeling is essential for sound acoustic design of these systems. Vibro-acoustic system, in contrast to purely structural system, has not received sufficient attention from FE model updating perspective and hence forms the topic of present paper.

In the present paper, a method for finite element model updating of coupled structural acoustic model, constituted as a problem of constrained optimization, is proposed. An objective function quantifying error in the coupled natural frequencies and mode shapes is minimized to estimate the chosen uncertain parameters of the system. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through a numerical study on a 3D rectangular cavity attached to a flexible panel. The material property and the stiffness of joints between the panel and rectangular cavity are used as updating parameters. Robustness of the proposed method under presence of noise is investigated. It is seen that the method is not only able to obtain a close match between FE model and corresponding ‘measured’ vibro-acoustic characteristics but is also able to estimate the correction factors to the updating parameters with reasonable accuracy.
A Multi-Scale CFD Analysis of the Hybrid Norwood Palliative Treatment for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Effect of Reverse Blalock-Taussing Shunt Diameter
Authors: Ceballos Andres , Divo Eduardo , Argueta-Morales Ricardo , Calderone Christopher , Kassab Alain , DeCampli William
Published: April 2014

A multiscale model of the neonatal Hypoplastic Left Heart syndrome (HLHS) circulation following the Hybrid Norwood procedure was used to obtain systemic and pulmonary perfusion rates as well as detailed hemodynamics in the aortic arch region. The effects varying degrees of aortic arch stenosis, an obstruction to flow through the mid aortic arch, were studied. Implementation of a 3.0mm and 4.mm reverse-BT shunt (RBTS), a synthetic bypass from the main pulmonary to the innominate artery, and its effects on local and global hemodynamics were also studied.
Flow Control on the Ahmed Body Vehicle Model Using Fluidic Oscillators
Authors: Metka Matthew
Published: April 2014

Aerodynamic drag accounts for a sizable portion of transportation energy consumption. Transportation of goods and people always involves moving objects through air, which leads to a force opposing motion. This force can account for more than 60% of power consumed by a ground vehicle, such as a car or truck, at highway speeds. There is a wide range of drag coefficient seen on ground vehicles with a strong correlation to vehicle shape. The shape of the vehicle is often determined by functional necessity or aesthetics, which places a limit on vehicle aerodynamic improvements. It is desirable to increase the aerodynamic performance of a vehicle with little penalty to these design considerations, which leads to the investigation of active flow control methods. Active flow control methods can involve a type of air jet at critical locations on the vehicle shell and require little to no shape modification. The focus of this experimental study is drag reduction on an Ahmed body vehicle analogue using a variety of configurations involving fluidic oscillators to promote attachment and reduce wake size. A fluidic oscillator is a simple device that converts a steady pressure input into a spatially oscillating jet. This type of actuator may be more efficient at influencing the surrounding flow than a steady jet. The model was tested in the OSU subsonic wind tunnel. Changes in drag were measured using a load cell mounted within the vehicle model. Different flow visualization methods were used to characterize the flow structure changes behind the model. A 7% drag decrease was realized with the 25° spanwise oscillator array configuration, attributed to the reduction of the closed recirculation bubble size. Testing showed that attachment is promoted on high angle configurations with a Coanda surface and steady blowing however this led to a drag increase, possibly due to the formation of longitudinal vortices. This indicates that future methods may require vortex control in conjunction with separation control to achieve a net base pressure increase on the high angle configurations.
Boy and the Postcolonial Taniwha
Authors: Kavka Misha , Turner Stephen
Published: April 2014

Boy and the Postcolonial Taniwha
A Short Commentary on Boy
Authors: Pehama Leonie
Published: April 2014

A Short Commentary on Boy
Molecular Testing for Clinical Diagnosis and Epidemiological Investigations of Intestinal Parasitic Infections
Authors: Verweij Jaco J. , Stensvold C. Rune
Published: April 2014

Over the past few decades, nucleic acid-based methods have been developed for the diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections. Advantages of nucleic acid-based methods are numerous; typically, these include increased sensitivity and specificity and simpler standardization of diagnostic procedures. DNA samples can also be stored and used for genetic characterization and molecular typing, providing a valuable tool for surveys and surveillance studies. A variety of technologies have been applied, and some specific and general pitfalls and limitations have been identified. This review provides an overview of the multitude of methods that have been reported for the detection of intestinal parasites and offers some guidance in applying these methods in the clinical laboratory and in epidemiological studies.
Microevolution During Serial Mouse Passage Demonstrates
FRE3
as a Virulence Adaptation Gene in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Hu Guowu , Chen Shu Hui , Qiu Jin , Bennett John E. , Myers Timothy G. , Williamson Peter R.
Published: April 2014

Passage in mice of opportunistic pathogens such as
Cryptococcus neoformans
is known to increase virulence, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in virulence adaptation. Serial mouse passage of nine environmental strains of serotype A
C. neoformans
identified two highly adapted virulent strains that showed a 4-fold reduction in time to death after four passages. Transcriptome sequencing expression studies demonstrated increased expression of a
FRE3
-encoded iron reductase in the two strains but not in a control strain that did not demonstrate increased virulence during mouse passage.
FRE3
was shown to express an iron reductase activity and to play a role in iron-dependent growth of
C. neoformans
. Overexpression of
FRE3
in the two original environmental strains increased growth in the macrophage cell line J774.16 and increased virulence. These data demonstrate a role for
FRE3
in the virulence of
C. neoformans
and demonstrate how the increased expression of such a “virulence acquisition gene” during the environment-to-mammal transition, can optimize the virulence of environmental strains in mammalian hosts.

IMPORTANCE
Cryptococcus neoformans
is a significant global fungal pathogen that also resides in the environment. Recent studies have suggested that the organism may undergo microevolution in the host. However, little is known about the permitted genetic changes facilitating the adaptation of environmental strains to mammalian hosts. The present studies subjected environmental strains isolated from several metropolitan areas of the United States to serial passages in mice. Transcriptome sequencing expression studies identified the increased expression of an iron reductase gene,
FRE3
, in two strains that adapted in mice to become highly virulent, and overexpression of
FRE3
recapitulated the increased virulence after mouse passage. Iron reductase in yeast is important to iron uptake in a large number of microbial pathogens. These studies demonstrate the capacity of
C. neoformans
to show reproducible changes in the expression levels of small numbers of genes termed “virulence adaptation genes” to effectively increase pathogenicity during the environment-to-mammal transition.
Buccal mucosa tumour around the parotid papilla
Authors: Kojima Yuki , Shibata Akiharu , Akiba Masakazu
Published: April 2014

We present a case of a 50-year-old male patient with a lump around the right parotid papilla. A 25×20 mm soft pendulous lump was identified around the right parotid duct. After obtaining non-malignant results from a tissue biopsy, we resected the tumour to preserve the right parotid duct under local anaesthesia. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course and maintained normal salivary secretion function. Based on the histopathological features, the lump was thought to have developed secondary to being repeatedly bitten. Several cases of parotid duct disease have been reported, but a literature search revealed that the present case is rare.
Exercise training decreases gene expression of endo- and xeno-sensors in rat small intestine
Authors: Ngo Sock Emilienne Tudor , Farahnak Zahra , Lavoie Jean-Marc
Published: April 2014

The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that gene expression of members of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily known to act as endo- and xeno-sensors is reduced in the ileum of exercise-trained (Tr) rats. Healthy female rats were either treadmill-trained for 8 weeks, 5 times/week, or remained sedentary (Sed). Training resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in plasma free fatty acid (0.18 ± 0.01 to 0.15 ± 0.01 mmol/L) and glycerol (24.8 ± 0.8 to 18.7 ± 0.8 mg/L) concentrations. Gene expressions of NRs farnesoid X receptor (FXR; p < 0.05), liver X receptor (LXR; p < 0.05), pregnane X receptor (PXR; p < 0.01), and retinoid X receptor (RXR; p < 0.06) were reduced in the ileum of Tr compared with Sed animals. Tr was also associated with a reduction (p < 0.05) in gene expression of FXR downstream heterodimeric organite solute transporters α (OSTα) and β (OSTβ) involved in the transport of bile acids, LXR downstream genes heterodimeric ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCG5/G8) involved in transport of absorbed cholesterol back to the lumen, and Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) involved in cholesterol absorption. These data indicate that exercise training lowers the expression of molecules involved in the defense system of the ileum against endobiotic and xenobiotic insults under normal conditions, thus, suggesting that regular exercise contributes to the intestinal maintenance of cholesterol and bile acid homeostasis.
Acoustic detection of mesopelagic fishes in scattering layers of the Balearic Sea (western Mediterranean)
Authors: Peña Marian , Olivar M. Pilar , Balbín Rosa , López-Jurado Jose Luis , Iglesias Magdalena , Miquel Joan
Published: April 2014

The distributions of micronekton layers in the Balearic Sea (western Mediterranean) were investigated by acoustic methods. Two multidisciplinary surveys were carried out in late autumn 2009 and summer 2010, recording acoustic, biological, and hydrographic data. We described acoustic layers, migratory behavior, sampled species, and water masses processes. Acoustic modeling of gas-bearing organisms was employed to explain differences between acoustic estimates and sampled abundances. The influence of environmental variables on the vertical distribution and migration pattern of these organisms was analyzed. The thermocline depth was related to the preferred depth for migrating myctophids, while nonmigrant species dwelled in the oxygen minimum zone of the water column both in late autumn and summer periods.
Optical vibrations in alkali halide crystals
Authors: Stupka Anton
Published: April 2014

We consider long-wave phonon–polaritons and longitudinal optical phonons in alkali–halide ionic crystals. The model of point charges that are polarized in the self-consistent electromagnetic field in a dielectric environment is used. The standard dispersion laws for both branches of phonon–polaritons and longitudinal optical phonons are obtained. The transversal optical phonon frequency is found from the electrostatic equilibrium condition. It is proved by comparison with tabular data that the found frequency coincides with the ion plasma frequency multiplied on the relation [Formula: see text] where ε∞ and ε0 are the high-frequency dielectric and static constants, respectively.
COMPOSITIONAL VERIFICATION OF THE GENERALIZED NONBLOCKING PROPERTY USING ABSTRACTION AND CANONICAL AUTOMATA
Authors: WARE SIMON , MALIK ROBI
Published: April 2014

This paper brings together two methods to compositionally verify the generalized non-blocking property, which is a weak liveness property to express the ability of concurrent systems to terminate under given preconditions. Appropriate notions of equivalence and refinement for the generalized nonblocking property are discussed, and abstraction rules to simplify finite-state automata accordingly are presented. The paper also presents a unique canonical automaton representation for all generalized nonblocking equivalent automata, which gives rise to more general means of abstraction and to effective decision procedures for generalized nonblocking equivalence. Experimental results demonstrate how abstraction rules and canonical automata can be combined to model-check large models of concurrent software.
CONSTRUCTING NEW APN FUNCTIONS FROM KNOWN PN FUNCTIONS
Authors: ZHA ZHENGBANG , HU LEI
Published: April 2014

We present a method for constructing almost perfect nonlinear (APN) functions in odd characteristic by modifying some values of known perfect nonlinear functions. As a consequence, new APN polynomial functions such as ones over 𝔽13 which are CCZ-inequivalent to known APN functions are obtained.
ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE HIDDEN SUBGROUP PROBLEM
Authors: FENNER STEPHEN , ZHANG YONG
Published: April 2014

We study the computational complexity of the HIDDEN SUBGROUP problem, a well-studied problem in quantum computing. First we show that several proposed generalizations or variants of this problem, including HIDDEN COSET, HIDDEN SHIFT, and ORBIT COSET, are all equivalent or reducible to HIDDEN SUBGROUP. Then we study the relationship between the decision version and search version of HIDDEN SUBGROUP over various group classes. We show that the two versions are polynomial-time equivalent over permutation groups, and over dihedral groups given the order of the group is smooth. Finally, we give nonadaptive program checkers for HIDDEN SUBGROUP and its decision version.
New algorithm to test percolation conditions within the Newman–Ziff algorithm
Authors: Tronin I. V.
Published: April 2014

A new algorithm to test percolation conditions for the solution of percolation problems on a lattice and continuum percolation for spaces of an arbitrary dimension has been proposed within the Newman–Ziff algorithm. The algorithm is based on the use of bitwise operators and does not reduce the efficiency of the operation of the Newman–Ziff algorithm as a whole. This algorithm makes it possible to verify the existence of both clusters touching boundaries at an arbitrary point and single-loop clusters continuously connecting the opposite boundaries in a percolating system with periodic boundary conditions. The existence of a cluster touching the boundaries of the system at an arbitrary point for each direction, the formation of a one-loop cluster, and the formation of a cluster with an arbitrary number of loops on a torus can be identified in one calculation by combining the proposed algorithm with the known approaches for the identification of the existence of a percolation cluster. The operation time of the proposed algorithm is linear in the number of objects in the system.
Magnetic field, chiral transition and Pauli interaction
Authors: Partyka Tomasz L.
Published: April 2014

The possibility that the Pauli interaction could influence the critical temperature of chiral transition is investigated. We work within the Nambu-Jona–Lasinio model at the mean field level, with quark anomalous magnetic moment as a parameter.
ON-LINE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION USING MULTIRESOLUTION FEATURE EXTRACTION AND SELECTION
Authors: NILCHIYAN MOHAMMAD REZA , YUSOF RUBIYAH BTE
Published: April 2014

Handwritten signatures are a common behavioral biometric. They are widely accepted for identification purposes, such as approbating and authenticating legal documents and financial contracts. The main challenge of signature verification is the high dimensionality of the signature features dataset that makes the corroboration procedure computationally costly. In this paper, we reduced the dimension of the input data with almost no loss of information. To this end, wavelet transform and fusion techniques were used to propose a new set of features. In addition, we introduced an effective feature selection technique, which was based on applying a filter box to find the most informative parts of the data and eliminate redundancies. These methods improved operating speeds and reduced memory usage, as shown by our empirical studies using the Signature Verification Competition 2004 (SVC04) database. We obtained a competitive Equal Error Ratio (EER) of 2.5%, with considerably fewer features. These results suggest that the proposed package is comparable with the state-of-the-art methods while using a significantly smaller number of features.
Modeling a Nanocantilever-Based Biosensor Using a Stochastically Perturbed Harmonic Oscillator
Authors: Snyder Patrick , Joshi Amitabh , Serna Juan D.
Published: April 2014

Nanoscale biosensors are devices designed to detect analytes by combining biological components and physicochemical detectors. A well-known design of these sensors involves the implementation of nanocantilevers. These microscopic diving boards are coated with binding probes that have an affinity for a particular amino acid, enzyme or protein in living organisms. When these probes attract target particles, such as biomolecules, the binding of these particles changes the vibrating frequency of the cantilever. This process is random in nature and produces fluctuations in the frequency and damping of the cantilever. In this paper, we studied the effect of these fluctuations using a stochastically perturbed, classical harmonic oscillator.
Probing the structure and aromaticity in coinage Rhenium trimer ${\rm Re}_{3}^{+}$ and its all-metal compounds Re3Li2+, Re3X3+ (X = Be, Mg and Ca) and Re3Y (Y = Al and Ga)
Authors: Jin Qiao , Jin Biao , Jin Fu-Kai
Published: April 2014

The extensive search for the global minimum structure of [Formula: see text] at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of the theory revealed that [Formula: see text] is the ground state. Molecular orbital (MO) analysis reveal that delocalized partial σ and δ bonding in [Formula: see text] makes partial (σ- and δ-) aromaticity. The multiple d-orbital aromaticities are responsible for a three-center metal–metal bond of the triangular Re 3. We also search the pyramidal Re 3 Li 2+, Re 3X3+ ( X = Be , Mg and Ca ) and Re 3 Y ( Y = Al and Ga ) clusters containing [Formula: see text] to reveal that the [Formula: see text] was preserved perfectly in all-metal compounds, which also possess partially σ- and δ-multiple aromatic characters.
Chinese Society: Rebuilding the Momentum of Social Reform
Authors: ZHAO Litao
Published: April 2014

The Third Plenum of the 18th Party Congress is determined to deepen reform in a wide range of areas. On the social front, three broad areas have received substantial attention. One is the urbanisation programme, or integrated ruralurban development; the second is the development and reform of “social sectors”, a broad term encompassing education, employment, income distribution, social security, healthcare and population policy; and the third is the innovation of “social governance”.
Chinese Society: Social Stability and Social Governance
Authors: QI Dongtao
Published: April 2014

Several explosions launched by discontented individuals in politically significant locations became the new manifestation of social instability in 2013. The Third Plenum's Decision announced a series of reforms for the Letters and Visits System and the termination of the Re-education through Labour System. The new Xi Jinping-Li Keqiang leadership will continue with the dual strategies of repression and liberation to maintain social stability in its tenure.
Taiwan's Politics: Stumbling Forward amid Uncertainties
Authors: TSENG Hui-yi
Published: April 2014

In 2013, the Ma administration had implemented various domestic reforms, such as revamping the military trial system and the fourth nuclear power plant construction plan. Ma's popularity rating plummeted after the Wang Jin-pyng wiretapping scandal broke out. Ma managed to balance between China, the United States and Japan. The ineffectualness of the Ma administration is likely to negatively impact on the Kuomintang's performance in the coming local election in end 2014.
Japanese Politics: “Abe and Japan are Back”
Authors: LAM Peng Er
Published: April 2014

In February 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo confidently declared: “I am back, and so shall Japan be”. Japan is also back in at least two ways. First, the country is poised to end its economic doldrums (the so-called two “lost decades”) and chronic deflation thanks to Abenomics. Second, an Abe-led Japan has become more assertive in international affairs and is prepared to stand up to a rising China.
Nucleation in Polymers and Soft Matter
Authors: Xu Xiaofei , Ting Christina L. , Kusaka Isamu , Wang Zhen-Gang
Published: April 2014

Nucleation is a ubiquitous phenomenon in many physical, chemical, and biological processes. In this review, we describe recent progress on the theoretical study of nucleation in polymeric fluids and soft matter, including binary mixtures (polymer blends, polymers in poor solvents, compressible polymer–small molecule mixtures), block copolymer melts, and lipid membranes. We discuss the methodological development for studying nucleation as well as novel insights and new physics obtained in the study of the nucleation behavior in these systems.
Elucidation of Intermediates and Mechanisms in Heterogeneous Catalysis Using Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Savara Aditya , Weitz Eric
Published: April 2014

Infrared spectroscopy has a long history as a tool for the identification of chemical compounds. More recently, various implementations of infrared spectroscopy have been successfully applied to studies of heterogeneous catalytic reactions with the objective of identifying intermediates and determining catalytic reaction mechanisms. We discuss selective applications of these techniques with a focus on several heterogeneous catalytic reactions, including hydrogenation, deNOx, water-gas shift, and reverse-water-gas shift. The utility of using isotopic substitutions and other techniques in tandem with infrared spectroscopy is discussed. We comment on the modes of implementation and the advantages and disadvantages of the various infrared techniques. We also note future trends and the role of computational calculations in such studies. The infrared techniques considered are transmission Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, sum-frequency generation, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance, infrared emission spectroscopy, photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy, and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy.
Adipose tissue insulin resistance due to loss of PI3K p110α leads to decreased energy expenditure and obesity
Authors: Nelson Victoria L. B. , Jiang Ya-Ping , Dickman Kathleen G. , Ballou Lisa M. , Lin Richard Z.
Published: April 2014

Adipose tissue is a highly insulin-responsive organ that contributes to metabolic regulation. Insulin resistance in the adipose tissue affects systemic lipid and glucose homeostasis. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) mediates downstream insulin signaling in adipose tissue, but its physiological role in vivo remains unclear. Using Cre recombinase driven by the aP2 promoter, we created mice that lack the class 1A PI3K catalytic subunit p110α or p110β specifically in the white and brown adipose tissue. The loss of p110α, not p110β, resulted in increased adiposity, glucose intolerance and liver steatosis. Mice lacking p110α in adipose tissue exhibited a decrease in energy expenditure but no change in food intake or activity compared with control animals. This low energy expenditure is a consequence of low cellular respiration in the brown adipocytes caused by a decrease in expression of key mitochondrial genes including uncoupling protein-1. These results illustrate a critical role of p110α in the regulation of energy expenditure through modulation of cellular respiration in the brown adipose tissue and suggest that compromised insulin signaling in adipose tissue might be involved in the onset of obesity.
Maternal high-fat diet induces insulin resistance and deterioration of pancreatic β-cell function in adult offspring with sex differences in mice
Authors: Yokomizo Hisashi , Inoguchi Toyoshi , Sonoda Noriyuki , Sakaki Yuka , Maeda Yasutaka , Inoue Tomoaki , Hirata Eiichi , Takei Ryoko , Ikeda Noriko , Fujii Masakazu , Fukuda Kei , Sasaki Hiroyuki , Takayanagi Ryoichi
Published: April 2014

Intrauterine environment may influence the health of postnatal offspring. There have been many studies on the effects of maternal high-fat diet (HFD) on diabetes and glucose metabolism in offspring. Here, we investigated the effects in male and female offspring. C57/BL6J mice were bred and fed either control diet (CD) or HFD from conception to weaning, and offspring were fed CD or HFD from 6 to 20 wk. At 20 wk, maternal HFD induced glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in offspring. Additionally, liver triacylglycerol content, adipose tissue mass, and inflammation increased in maternal HFD. In contrast, extending previous observations, insulin secretion at glucose tolerance test, islet area, insulin content, and PDX-1 mRNA levels in isolated islets were lower in maternal HFD in males, whereas they were higher in females. Oxidative stress in islets increased in maternal HFD in males, whereas there were no differences in females. Plasma estradiol levels were lower in males than in females and decreased in offspring fed HFD and also decreased by maternal HFD, suggesting that females may be protected from insulin deficiency by inhibiting oxidative stress. In conclusion, maternal HFD induced insulin resistance and deterioration of pancreatic β-cell function, with marked sex differences in adult offspring accompanied by adipose tissue inflammation and liver steatosis. Additionally, our results demonstrate that potential mechanisms underlying sex differences in pancreatic β-cell function may be related partially to increases in oxidative stress in male islets and decreased plasma estradiol levels in males.