bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comprehensive Investigation on the Effects of Biomass Particle Size in Cellulosic Biofuel Production
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhang Meng , Wang Donghai
Published: March 2018

Biofuels derived from cellulosic biomass offer one of the best near- to midterm alternatives to petroleum-based liquid transportation fuels. Biofuel conversion is mainly done through a biochemical pathway in which size reduction, pelleting, pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation are main processes. Many studies reveal that biomass particle size dictates the energy consumption in the size reduction. Biomass particle size also influences sugar yield in enzymatic hydrolysis, and biofuel yield in fermentation is approximately proportional to the former enzymatic hydrolysis sugar yield. Most reported studies focus on the effects of biomass particle size on a specific process; as a result, in the current literature, there is no commonly accepted guidance to select the overall optimum particle size in order to minimize the energy consumption and maximize sugar yield. This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation converting three types of biomass (big bluestem, wheat straw, and corn stover) into fermentable sugars and studies the effects of biomass particle size throughout the multistep bioconversion. Three particle sizes (4 mm, 2 mm, and 1 mm) were produced by knife milling and were pelletized with an ultrasonic pelleting system. Dilute acid method was applied to pretreat biomass before enzymatic hydrolysis. Results suggested 2 mm is the optimum particle size to minimize energy consumption in size reduction and pelleting and to maximize sugar yield among the three particle sizes for big bluestem and wheat straw biomass. Nevertheless, there is no significant difference in sugar yield for corn stover for the three particle sizes.
A Computational Investigation of Industrial Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems for NOx Control
Authors: Ogidiama Oghare Victor , Shamim Tariq
Published: March 2018

The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is a promising NOx (a mixture of NO and NO2) reduction technology for various applications. The SCR process entails the conversion of NOx by the use of a reducing agent such as ammonia and a suitable catalyst. Due to increasingly stricter NOx emission regulations, the SCR technology for NOx control needs continuous improvement. The improvement requires better understanding of complex processes occurring in the SCR system. The current study employs a mathematical model to elucidate the effect of key operating and geometric parameters on the performance of SCR systems. The model considers both standard and fast SCR reaction processes. The model was used to investigate the effects of NH3/NOx and NO2/NOx ratios in the exhaust on the SCR performance and the effect of using a dual layer SCR system. Furthermore, the effect of different operating parameters and the interdependence of parameters is analyzed by using a factorial approach. The results show that the SCR performance is very sensitive to NH3/NOx ratio. The SCR performance is also affected by the NO2/NOx ratio particularly at low temperatures. The optimal NOx conversion performance requires a combination of NH3/NOx ratio of 1.0, NO2/NOx ratio of 0.5, low space velocities, and high inlet temperature. The results depict that adding a second catalyzed layer results in increased reaction activity especially when the concentration is still high after the first layer.
Entropy Generation in Laminar Forced Convective Water Flow Due to Overloading Toward the Microscale
Authors: Rastogi Pallavi , Mahulikar Shripad P.
Published: March 2018

In this theoretical study, a fully developed laminar convective water flow in a circular tube is “convectively overloaded” toward the microscale, by decreasing the tube diameter below 1 mm. The entropy generation rate (S˙gen) is obtained (with and without the viscous dissipation term) for a given rate of heat removal using a fixed rate of coolant (water) flow. The uniform wall heat flux and mass flux in a tube increase toward the micro-scale, which is “thermal and flow overloading,” respectively. The variations of—S˙gen due to fluid friction, fluid conduction heat transfer, and their total (S˙gen,tot), toward the micro-scale, are analyzed. Since S˙gen,tot remains more or less the same toward the microscale, it is worth overloading a tube for miniaturization up to the laminar-flow limit.
Kinetic Effects of Methanol Addition on the Formation and Consumption of Formaldehyde and Benzene in Premixed n-Heptane/Air Flames
Authors: Hu Ge , Liao Shiyong , Zuo Zhaohong , Wang Kun , Zhu Zhengbing
Published: March 2018

A numerical investigation was conducted to explore the kinetic effects of methanol addition on the formation and consumption of formaldehyde and benzene in premixed stoichiometric n-heptane/air flames at atmospheric pressure. The flame modeling was performed by solving the premixed flame model with a comprehensive kinetic scheme of hydrocarbon fuels. We studied the species distributions, formation temperatures, temperature sensitivities, reaction contributions, and the rates of production and consumption for formaldehyde and benzene. Results showed that formaldehyde and benzene were produced in two temperature zones and the accumulation effect in the low-temperature zone was the most important factor for the peak concentrations of them in flames. When methanol was added into n-heptane/air flames, cross-reactions were hardly found in the formation routes of formaldehyde and benzene. Both the increased peak concentration and the decreased formation temperature of formaldehyde were primarily attributed to the fact that CH3O (+M) <=>CH2O + H (+M) and CH2OH + O2<=>CH2O + HO2 were promoted in low-temperature zone. Methanol addition decreased the rates of production and consumption of benzene proportionally, and served as a diluent fuel in benzene formation and consumption. CH3, CH3O, CH2OH, C3H3, and A-C3H5 were the most important precursors for the formation of formaldehyde and benzene. The conversion rates of these species into formaldehyde and benzene were explored as well. Results showed that methanol addition suppressed the conversion of C3 species into benzene, but it hardly showed obvious effect on the conversion of CH3, CH3O, and CH2OH into formaldehyde.
Forced Convective Heat Extraction in Underground High-Temperature Zones of Coal Fire Area
Authors: Tang Yan , Zhong Xiaoxing , Li Guangyu , Zhang Xinhao
Published: March 2018

Coal fires exist in almost every coal-producing country and generate huge amounts of heat energy every year. In this paper, forced convective heat-extraction is presented as a method to exploit the potential heat in coal fire zones as an energy resource. A geological model of coal fire zones and a combustion model for underground coal in an O2-depleted atmosphere are established. The borehole layouts, the heat transfer medium (HTM) injection rates, and the cooling effect of the HTM on the coal and rock are analyzed using a three-dimensional (3D) simulation software (fluent). The results show that a borehole layout of multihole injection and oriented type proves to be suitable for coal fire zones. The simulation predicts that the temperature of the extracted HTM and the rate of heat extraction decrease as extraction time increases. The simulation further predicts that the temperature of the extracted HTM can be increased by reducing the rate at which the HTM injected. Additionally, the heat-extraction rate is more stable for relatively low HTM injection rates. The temperature of the coal fire zones can be reduced effectively by using forced convective heat-extraction, with the maximum temperature of the coal fire zones and the average temperature in the residual coal zone being cubic and quadratic function relationship of the heat-extraction time, respectively. This research provides a reference for waste-energy exploitation in coal fire areas.
Investigation of Stress Behavior in the Vicinity of Singular Points of Elastic Bodies Made of Functionally Graded Materials
Authors: Fedorov Andrey Yu. , Matveenko Valerii P.
Published: March 2018

This paper presents the results of analytical and numerical investigations into stress behavior in the vicinity of different types of singular points on two-dimensional (2D) elastic bodies made of functionally graded materials (FGMs). A variant of constructing eigensolutions for plane FGM wedges, where the elastic properties are represented as a series expansion with respect to the radial coordinates, was considered. It was shown that, in the vicinity of singular points, the stress behavior is determined by solving the problem for the corresponding homogeneous wedge, where the elastic characteristics coincide with the characteristics of FGMs at the wedge vertex. Numerical investigations were carried out to evaluate the stress state of elastic bodies containing FGM elements at singular points, where the type of boundary conditions changes or where dissimilar materials come into contact. The results of the calculations showed that the behavior of stresses in FGMs in the vicinity of singular points can also be determined from an analysis of the eigensolutions for the corresponding homogeneous wedges, where the elastic properties coincide with the elastic constants of FGMs at singular points and that the functionally graded properties are dependent on one or two polar coordinates.
Nonlinear Vibration of Orthotropic Rectangular Membrane Structures Including Modal Coupling
Authors: Li Dong , Zheng Zhou Lian , Todd Michael D.
Published: March 2018

The membrane structure has been applied throughout different fields such as civil engineering, biology, and aeronautics, among others. In many applications, large deflections negate linearizing assumptions, and linear modes begin to interact due to the nonlinearity. This paper considers the coupling effect between vibration modes and develops the theoretical analysis of the free vibration problem for orthotropic rectangular membrane structures. Von Kármán theory is applied to model the nonlinear dynamics of these membrane structures with sufficiently large deformation. The transverse displacement fields are expanded with both symmetric and asymmetric modes, and the stress function form is built with these coupled modes. Then, a reduced model with a set of coupled equations may be obtained by the Galerkin technique, which is then solved numerically by the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The model is validated by means of an experimental study. The proposed model can be used to quantitatively predict the softening behavior of amplitude–frequency, confirm the asymmetric characters of mode space distribution, and reveal the influence of various geometric and material parameters on the nonlinear dynamics.
Intersurface Adhesion in the Presence of Capillary Condensation
Authors: Sun Jianfeng , Müftü Sinan , Gu April Z. , Wan Kai-Tak
Published: March 2018

An elastic sphere adheres to a rigid substrate in the presence of moisture. The adhesion–detachment trajectory is derived based on the Hertz contact theory that governs the contact mechanics and Laplace–Kelvin equation that governs the water meniscus at the interface. The intersurface attraction is solely provided by the Laplace pressure within the meniscus. Interrelation between the applied load, contact radius, and approach distance is derived based on a force balance. The resulting “pulloff” force to detach the sphere exceeds the critical load in the Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov (DMT) limit which only holds at saturated moisture. The new model accounts for the finite size of water molecules that is missing in virtually all classical models.
Properties of the Temporomandibular Joint in Growing Pigs
Authors: Lowe Jesse , Bansal Rohan , Badylak Stephen F. , Brown Bryan N. , Chung Willian L. , Almarza Alejandro J.
Published: March 2018

A subset of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders is attributed to joint degeneration. The pig has been considered the preferred in vivo model for the evaluation of potential therapies for TMJ disorders, and practical considerations such as cost and husbandry issues have favored the use of young, skeletally immature animals. However, the effect of growth on the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the TMJ disk and articulating cartilage has not been examined. The present study investigates the effect of age on the biochemical and biomechanical properties of healthy porcine TMJs at 3, 6, and 9 months of age. DNA, hydroxyproline, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content were determined and the disks and condyles were tested in uniaxial unconfined stress relaxation compression from 10% to 30% strain. TMJ disks were further assessed with a tensile test to failure technique, which included the ability to test multiple samples from the same region of an individual disk to minimize the intraspecimen variation. No differences in biochemical properties for the disk or compressive properties at 30% stress relaxation in the disk and condylar cartilage were found. In tension, no differences were observed for peak stress and tensile modulus. The collagen content of the condyle was higher at 9 months than 3 months (p < 0.05), and the GAG content was higher at 9 months than 6 months (p < 0.05). There was a trend of increased compressive instantaneous modulus with age. As such, age-matched controls for growing pigs are probably appropriate for most parameters measured.
Treat All Integrals as Volume Integrals: A Unified, Parallel, Grid-Based Method for Evaluation of Volume, Surface, and Path Integrals on Implicitly Defined Domains
Authors: Yurtoglu Mete , Carton Molly , Storti Duane
Published: March 2018

We present a unified method for numerical evaluation of volume, surface, and path integrals of smooth, bounded functions on implicitly defined bounded domains. The method avoids both the stochastic nature (and slow convergence) of Monte Carlo methods and problem-specific domain decompositions required by most traditional numerical integration techniques. Our approach operates on a uniform grid over an axis-aligned box containing the region of interest, so we refer to it as a grid-based method. All grid-based integrals are computed as a sum of contributions from a stencil computation on the grid points. Each class of integrals (path, surface, or volume) involves a different stencil formulation, but grid-based integrals of a given class can be evaluated by applying the same stencil on the same set of grid points; only the data on the grid points changes. When functions are defined over the continuous domain so that grid refinement is possible, grid-based integration is supported by a convergence proof based on wavelet analysis. Given the foundation of function values on a uniform grid, grid-based integration methods apply directly to data produced by volumetric imaging (including computed tomography and magnetic resonance), direct numerical simulation of fluid flow, or any other method that produces data corresponding to values of a function sampled on a regular grid. Every step of a grid-based integral computation (including evaluating a function on a grid, application of stencils on a grid, and reduction of the contributions from the grid points to a single sum) is well suited for parallelization. We present results from a parallelized CUDA implementation of grid-based integrals that faithfully reproduces the output of a serial implementation but with significant reductions in computing time. We also present example grid-based integral results to quantify convergence rates associated with grid refinement and dependence of the convergence rate on the specific choice of difference stencil (corresponding to a particular genus of Daubechies wavelet).
Emission properties of undoped and boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond films coated silicon carbide field emitter arrays
Authors: Ivanov Oleg A. , Bogdanov Sergey A. , Vikharev Anatoly L. , Luchinin Victor V. , Golubkov Vladimir A. , Ivanov Alexey S. , Ilyin Vladimir A.
Published: March 2018

A new process for the fabrication of two-tier silicon carbide field emission array (FEA) of nanoscale tips coated with thin nanocrystalline undoped and highly boron-doped diamond films has been developed to improve the electron emission characteristics of the pure silicon carbide tips. The effects of boron-doped film on field emission properties have been studied in comparison with undoped ones, using a diode configuration. The FEA covered with highly boron-doped film demonstrated the lower turn on electric field and higher emission current due to lower work function, 1.5 times lower than for undoped one. Emission current at various values of the electrode gap from 10 to 500 μm has been studied. It was shown that field enhancement factor of two-tier FEA decreases at small interelectode gap (<100 μm) due to perturbations of electric field and mutual screening of microtips, which leads to significant increase in an applied electric field required for maintaining the preset emission current. Both fabricated FEAs demonstrated high current stability with fluctuations not exceeding 5% at relatively low vacuum (10−5–10−6 Torr).
Review Article: Challenge in determining the crystal structure of epitaxial 0001 oriented sp2-BN films
Authors: Chubarov Mikhail , Högberg Hans , Henry Anne , Pedersen Henrik
Published: March 2018

Boron nitride (BN) as a thin film is promising for many future electronic applications. On 0001 α-Al2O3 and 0001 4H/6H-SiC substrates, chemical vapor deposition yields epitaxial sp2-hybridized BN (sp2-BN) films oriented around the c-axis. Here, the authors seek to point out that sp2-BN can form two different polytypes; hexagonal BN (h-BN) and rhombohedral BN (r-BN), only differing in the stacking of the basal planes but with the identical distance between the basal planes and in-plane lattice parameters. This makes structural identification challenging in c-axis oriented films. The authors suggest the use of a combination of high-resolution electron microscopy with careful sample preparation and thin film x-ray diffraction techniques like pole figure measurements and glancing incidence (in-plane) diffraction to fully distinguish h-BN from r-BN.
Analytical expressions for stability regions in the Ince–Strutt diagram of Mathieu equation
Authors: Butikov Eugene I.
Published: March 2018

Simple analytical expressions are suggested for transition curves that separate, in the Ince–Strutt diagram, different types of solutions to the famous Mathieu equation. The derivations of these expressions in this paper rely on physically meaningful periodic solutions describing various regular motions of a familiar nonlinear mechanical system—a rigid planar pendulum with a vertically oscillating pivot. The paper is accompanied by a relevant simulation program.
Forced sound transmission through a finite-sized single leaf panel subject to a point source excitation
Authors: Wang Chong
Published: March 2018

In the case of a point source in front of a panel, the wavefront of the incident wave is spherical. This paper discusses spherical sound waves transmitting through a finite sized panel. The forced sound transmission performance that predominates in the frequency range below the coincidence frequency is the focus. Given the point source located along the centerline of the panel, forced sound transmission coefficient is derived through introducing the sound radiation impedance for spherical incident waves. It is found that in addition to the panel mass, forced sound transmission loss also depends on the distance from the source to the panel as determined by the radiation impedance. Unlike the case of plane incident waves, sound transmission performance of a finite sized panel does not necessarily converge to that of an infinite panel, especially when the source is away from the panel. For practical applications, the normal incidence sound transmission loss expression of plane incident waves can be used if the distance between the source and panel d and the panel surface area S satisfy d/S>0.5. When d/S ≈0.1, the diffuse field sound transmission loss expression may be a good approximation. An empirical expression for d/S=0  is also given.
Nitrosylation of GAPDH augments pathological tau acetylation upon exposure to amyloid-β
Authors: Sen Tanusree , Saha Pampa , Sen Nilkantha
Published: March 2018

Blocking the nitrosylation of GAPDH may reduce amyloid-induced tau toxicity in the brain and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
New connections: Amyloid-β in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: March 2018

Two studies in this issue of
Science Signaling
identify how amyloid-β causes various pathological mechanisms in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease.
A Naturally Occurring Deletion in the Effector Domain of H5N1 Swine Influenza Virus Nonstructural Protein 1 Regulates Viral Fitness and Host Innate Immunity
Authors: Wang Junyong , Zeng Yan , Xu Shuai , Yang Jiayun , Wang Wanbing , Zhong Bo , Ge Jinying , Yin Lei , Bu Zhigao , Shu Hong-Bing , Chen Hualan , Lei Cao-Qi , Zhu Qiyun
Published: March 2018

Nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of influenza A virus regulates innate immune responses via various mechanisms. We previously showed that a naturally occurring deletion (the EALQR motif) in the NS1 effector domain of an H5N1 swine-origin avian influenza virus impairs the inhibition of type I interferon (IFN) in chicken fibroblasts and attenuates virulence in chickens. Here we found that the virus bearing this deletion in its NS1 effector domain showed diminished inhibition of IFN-related cytokine expression and attenuated virulence in mice. We further showed that deletion of the EALQR motif disrupted NS1 dimerization, impairing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) sequestration and competitive binding with RIG-I. In addition, the EALQR-deleted NS1 protein could not bind to TRIM25, unlike full-length NS1, and was less able to block TRIM25 oligomerization and self-ubiquitination, further impairing the inhibition of TRIM25-mediated RIG-I ubiquitination compared to that with full-length NS1. Our data demonstrate that the EALQR deletion prevents NS1 from blocking RIG-I-mediated IFN induction via a novel mechanism to attenuate viral replication and virulence in mammalian cells and animals.

IMPORTANCE
H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses have infected more than 800 individuals across 16 countries, with an overall case fatality rate of 53%. Among viral proteins, nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of influenza virus is considered a key determinant for type I interferon (IFN) antagonism, pathogenicity, and host range. However, precisely how NS1 modulates virus-host interaction, facilitating virus survival, is not fully understood. Here we report that a naturally occurring deletion (of the EALQR motif) in the NS1 effector domain of an H5N1 swine-origin avian influenza virus disrupted NS1 dimerization, which diminished the blockade of IFN induction via the RIG-I signaling pathway, thereby impairing virus replication and virulence in the host. Our study demonstrates that the EALQR motif of NS1 regulates virus fitness to attain a virus-host compromise state in animals and identifies this critical motif as a potential target for the future development of small molecular drugs and attenuated vaccines.
Findings and Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Focusing on Acupuncture for Pregnancy-Related Acute Conditions
Authors: Bergamo Thaís Romera , Latorraca Carolina de Oliveira Cruz , Pachito Daniela Vianna , Martimbianco Ana Luiza Cabrera , Riera Rachel
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Major concerns regarding the use of medication during pregnancy justify the need for safer interventions. Acupuncture is an emerging alternative for several clinical conditions during this period. The objective of this study is to summarise evidence derived from systematic reviews (SRs) focusing on acupuncture for pregnancy-related acute conditions.

Methods

Review of SRs. A systematic literature search was carried out in several electronic databases, aiming to include all SRs assessing the effects of acupuncture for acute conditions during pregnancy. Methodological quality and quality of the publication/reporting of each SR were assessed by the application of AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), respectively.

Results

The initial search retrieved 11 492 records, of which 16 SRs met our inclusion criteria. The average AMSTAR score was 7.3, the lowest score being 3 and the highest 11. The lowest PRISMA score was 12, the highest 25, and the average PRISMA score was 19.9. The results support the proposal that acupuncture might be considered an option for alleviating pain during labour, for correcting breech presentation, and for managing pelvic and back pain during pregnancy. There is insufficient evidence to recommend acupuncture for inducing labour, managing nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, improving sleep quality, controlling nausea and vomiting associated with Caesarean delivery, and managing urinary infection.

Conclusions

Acupuncture might be an option for alleviating pain during labour, for correcting breech presentation, and for managing pelvic and back pain during pregnancy. More studies are needed to confirm the effects of acupuncture for other pregnancy-related acute conditions.
Mexican American and South Asian population-based cohorts reveal high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and crucial differences in metabolic phenotypes
Authors: Watt Gordon P , Fisher-Hoch Susan P , Rahbar Mohammad H , McCormick Joseph B , Lee Miryoung , Choh Audrey C , Thanikachalam Sadagopan , Thanikachalam Mohan
Published: March 2018

Objective

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes varies by region and ancestry. However, most guidelines for the prevention of diabetes mellitus (DM) are based on European or non-Hispanic white populations. Two ethnic minority populations—Mexican Americans (MAs) in Texas, USA, and South Indians (SIs) in Tamil Nadu, India—have an increasing prevalence of DM. We aimed to understand the metabolic correlates of DM in these populations to improve risk stratification and DM prevention.

Research design and methods

The Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC; n=3023) served as the MA sample, and the Population Study of Urban, Rural, and Semi-Urban Regions for the Detection of Endovascular Disease (PURSE; n=8080) served as the SI sample. Using design-based methods, we calculated the prevalence of DM and metabolic comorbidities in each cohort. We determined the association of DM with metabolic phenotypes to evaluate the relative contributions of obesity and metabolic health to the prevalence of DM.

Results

In the CCHC (overall DM prevalence 26.2%), good metabolic health was associated with lower prevalence of DM, across age groups, regardless of obesity. In PURSE (overall prevalence 27.6%), probability of DM was not strongly associated with metabolic phenotypes, although DM prevalence was high in older age groups irrespective of metabolic health.

Conclusion

Our study provides robust, population-based data to estimate the prevalence of DM and its associations with metabolic health. Our results demonstrate differences in metabolic phenotypes in DM, which should inform DM prevention guidelines in non-European populations.
Two-day home blood pressure monitoring may offer an alternative to costlier methods
Authors: Devereux Gavin , Gibney Daniel , Fadhlillah Fiqry , Brown Paul , Macey Neil , Rudland Simon
Published: March 2018

Background

Key benefits of home-based blood pressure measurements are the potential to reduce the risk of ‘white coat hypertension’, encouraging patients to take ownership of their condition and be more actively involved in their long-term condition care, and to move work out of the doctor’s office.

Aim

To assess whether performing 20 resting blood pressure measurements over a 2-day period would provide a reliable, stable representation of patients’ resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Following clinician recommendation, each participant completed the Stowhealth home blood pressure monitoring procedure.

Method

One thousand and forty-five participants (mean age 66±13 years, 531 women and 514 men) completed the procedure, of 10 resting measurements per day, for 2 days (20 resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings in total). All measurements were made using automated oscillometric monitors.

Results

Within-patient coefficient of variation for the entire participant cohort was 8% for systolic blood pressure (cohort mean 141±11 mm Hg), and 8% for diastolic blood pressure (cohort mean 79±6 mm Hg). There were no significant differences between the first and second day, for either systolic (142±1vs 141±1 mm Hg, respectively, p>0.05) or diastolic blood pressures (79±1vs 78±1 mm Hg, respectively, p>0.05 in both cases).

Conclusion

The overall duration of home blood pressure monitoring may be able to be reduced to just 48 hours. This method would offer meaningful time saving for patients, and financial and time benefits for doctors and their surgery administration.
Increasing socioeconomic gap between the young and old: temporal trends in health and overall deprivation in England by age, sex, urbanity and ethnicity, 2004–2015
Authors: Kontopantelis Evangelos , Mamas Mamas A , van Marwijk Harm , Buchan Iain , Ryan Andrew M , Doran Tim
Published: March 2018

Background

At a low geographical level, little is known about the associations between population characteristics and deprivation, and their trends, which would be directly affected by the house market, labour pressures and government policies. We describe temporal trends in health and overall deprivation in England by age, sex, urbanity and ethnicity.

Methods

Repeated cross-sectional whole population study for England, 2004–2015, at a low geographical level (average 1500 residents). We calculated weighted medians of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) for each subgroup of interest.

Results

Over time, we observed increases in relative deprivation for people aged under 30, and aged 30–59, while median deprivation decreased for those aged 60 or over. Subgroup analyses indicated that relative overall deprivation was consistently higher for young adults (aged 20–29) and infants (aged 0–4), with increases in deprivation for the latter. Levels of overall deprivation in 2004 greatly varied by ethnicity, with the lowest levels observed for White British and the highest for Blacks. Over time, small reductions were observed in the deprivation gap between White British and all other ethnic groups. Findings were consistent across overall IMD and its health and disability subdomain, but large regional variability was also observed.

Conclusions

Government policies, the financial crisis of 2008, education funding and the increasing cost of houses relative to real wages are important parameters in interpreting our findings. Socioeconomic deprivation is an important determinant of health and the inequalities this work highlights may have significant implications for future fiscal and healthcare policy.
Framework to assess pseudo-static approach for seismic stability of clayey slopes
Authors: Karray Mourad , Hussien Mahmoud N. , Delisle Marie-Christine , Ledoux Catherine
Published: March 2018

Approaches commonly used to assess the seismic stability of slopes range from the relatively simple pseudo-static method to more complicated nonlinear numerical methods, e.g., finite element (FE) and finite difference (FD). The pseudo-static method, in particular, is widely used in practice as it is inexpensive and substantially less time consuming compared to the much more rigorous numerical methods. However, the pseudo-static method is widely criticized because it does not take into account the effects of the earthquake on the shear strength of the slope material nor the seismic response of the slope. Hence, some researchers recommend its use only in slopes composed of cohesive materials that do not develop significant pore pressures or that lose less than about 15% of their peak shear strength during earthquake shaking. However, the use of the pseudo-static method in these soils is also problematic as clayey slopes generally fail in pseudo-static stability analyses (i.e., factors of safety are less than 1) and the failure surface is completely predominated by the thickness of the clayey layer in the slope or foundation. The reliability of the pseudo-static method in natural clayey slopes is examined here based on rigorous numerical simulations with FLAC. The numerical results are compared and verified using available static and dynamic 1g laboratory tests. This article then addresses some of the crude assumptions of the pseudo-static method and provides practical suggestions to be applied to refine the outcomes of pseudo-static analyses not only in terms of the computed safety factors, but also in the prediction of the failure surface through the consideration of additional aspects of the dynamic responses of the clayey slopes.
Shear modulus reduction and damping ratio curves for earth core materials of dams
Authors: Park DongSoon , Kishida Tadahiro
Published: March 2018

It is essential to obtain shear modulus reduction and damping ratio curves to perform dynamic analyses of earth-cored embankment dams. Many studies have been performed for dynamic properties of clayey soils, but they have been limited for earth core materials of dams. This study conducted resonant column tests to obtain shear modulus reduction (G/Gmax) and damping ratio (D) curves for 31 specimens (17 undisturbed and 14 remolded specimens) from 13 earth-cored embankment dams. Empirical G/Gmaxand D curves are proposed for dynamic properties of clayey earth core materials. Fitting curves are provided by using the functional forms of the Ramberg–Osgood and Darendeli models. The observation shows that the undisturbed earth cores yield relatively higher G/Gmaxand lower D curves than the remolded cores. G/Gmaxcurves of compacted earth cores are relatively higher than those of Vucetic and Dobry curves for a similar level of plasticity index. Uncertainty and bias are calculated by performing residual analysis, which shows that there is no clear bias in predicting G/Gmaxand the uncertainties between undisturbed earth core materials and natural deposits are at a similar level. A proposed empirical relationship of G/Gmaxand D curves for earth core materials can be utilized for dynamic analyses of embankment dams for cases where there is insufficient in situ data.
Cellular crosstalk mediated by platelet-derived growth factor BB and transforming growth factor β during hepatic injury activates hepatic stellate cells
Authors: Mekala Sowmya , Tulimilli SubbaRao V. , Geesala Ramasatyaveni , Manupati Kanakaraju , Dhoke Neha R. , Das Amitava
Published: March 2018

Apoptotic hepatocytes release factors that activate hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), thereby inducing hepatic fibrosis. In the present study, in vivo and in vitro injury models were established using acetaminophen, ethanol, carbon tetrachloride, or thioacetamide. Histology of hepatotoxicant-induced diseased hepatic tissue correlated with differential expression of fibrosis-related genes. A marked increase in co-staining of transforming growth factor β receptor type II (TGFRIIβ) – desmin or α-smooth muscle actin – platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ), markers of activated HSCs, in liver sections of these hepatotoxicant-treated mice also depicted an increase in Annexin V – cytokeratin expressing hepatocytes. To understand the molecular mechanisms of disease pathology, in vitro experiments were designed using the conditioned medium (CM) of hepatotoxicant-treated HepG2 cells supplemented to HSCs. A significant increase in HSC proliferation, migration, and expression of fibrosis-related genes and protein was observed, thereby suggesting the characteristics of an activated phenotype. Treating HepG2 cells with hepatotoxicants resulted in a significant increase in mRNA expression of platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ). CM supplemented to HSCs resulted in increased phosphorylation of PDGFRβ and TGFRIIβ along with its downstream effectors, extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 and focal adhesion kinase. Neutralizing antibodies against PDGF-BB and TGFβ effectively perturbed the hepatotoxicant-treated HepG2 cell CM-induced activation of HSCs. This study suggests PDGF-BB and TGFβ as potential molecular targets for developing anti-fibrotic therapeutics.
On Basic Properties of Jumping Finite Automata
Authors: Vorel Vojtěch
Published: March 2018

We complete the initial study of jumping finite automata, which was started in a former article of Meduna and Zemek [7]. The open questions about basic closure properties are solved. Besides this, we correct erroneous results presented in the article. Finally, we point out important relations between jumping finite automata and some other models studied in the literature.
Design and Implementation of a Novel Bit-Parallel Systolic Multiplier Over GF(2m) for Irreducible Pentanomials
Authors: Mathe Sudha Ellison , Boppana Lakshmi
Published: March 2018

Cryptography in current digital world offers integrity and confidentiality of data being transferred over a communication network. Modern cryptography provides such security through cryptographic algorithms which mainly involve multiplication operation in finite fields. Since the finite field multiplication operation is a computationally intensive operation, various algorithms and architectures are proposed in the literature to obtain efficient finite field multiplications in both hardware and software. In this paper, a modified interleaved multiplication algorithm to perform multiplication of two finite field elements over GF(2m) for pentanomials is derived from a conventional interleaved multiplication algorithm using a novel Pre-Computation (PC) technique to reduce the computational complexity of the algorithm. Consequently, an m-bit systolic multiplier for pentanomials (SMP) is designed by employing the proposed algorithm. Hardware and delay complexity analysis is performed and comparison of the proposed SMP structure with similar multipliers available in the literature is presented. The SMP structure achieves about 28% improvement in hardware for [Formula: see text] when compared with the best multiplier available in the literature. The functionality of the proposed SMP structure is verified by implementing on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) Virtex-7 (XC7V2000TFLG1925-2) prototype board and synthesizing in application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) using Synopsys Design Vision compiler with 90[Formula: see text]nm generic library. It can be observed from FPGA and ASIC implementation results that the proposed SMP structure shows improvement in area and power consumption when compared with similar multipliers available in the literature.
FRACTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TIGHT OIL RESERVOIR PORE STRUCTURE USING NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE AND MERCURY INTRUSION POROSIMETRY
Authors: WANG FUYONG , YANG KUN , CAI JIANCHAO
Published: March 2018

Tight oil sandstones have the characteristics of narrow pore throats, complex pore structures and strong heterogeneities. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), this paper presents an advanced fractal analysis of the pore structures and petrophysical properties of the tight oil sandstones from Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin of China. Firstly, nine typical tight oil sandstone core samples were selected to conduct NMR and MIP test for pore structure characterization. Next, with the pore size distribution derived from MIP, it was found that the relationships between NMR transverse relaxation time [Formula: see text] and pore size are more accordant with the power function relations, which were applied to derive pore size distribution from NMR rather than the linear relation. Moreover, fractal dimensions of micropores, mesopores and macropores were calculated from NMR [Formula: see text] spectrum. Finally, the relationships between the fractal dimensions of different size pores calculated from NMR [Formula: see text] spectrum and petrophysical properties of tight oil sandstones were analyzed. These studies demonstrate that the combination of NMR and MIP can improve the accuracy of pore structure characterization and fractal dimensions calculated from NMR [Formula: see text] spectrum are effective for petrophysical properties analysis.
A REVIEW ON VIBRATION-ASSISTED EDM, MICRO-EDM AND WEDM
Authors: MAITY K. P. , CHOUBEY M.
Published: March 2018

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is an unconventional machining process used for machining of hard-to-cut materials. Both EDM and micro-EDM processes are extensively used for producing dies and molds, complex cavities, and 3D structures. In recent years, researchers have intensively focused on improving the performance of both micro-EDM and EDM processes. This paper reviews the research work carried out by the researchers on vibration-assisted EDM, micro-EDM, and wire EDM. The consolidated review of this research work enables better understanding of the vibration-assisted EDM process. This study also discusses the influence of vibration parameters such as vibration frequency and amplitude on the material removal rate (MRR), electrode wear rate (EWR), and surface roughness (SR). The important issues and research gaps in the respective area of research are also presented in this paper.
Structural development of the Devono-Carboniferous plays of the UK North Sea
Authors: Arsenikos Stavros , Quinn Martyn , Kimbell Geoff , Williamson Paul , Pharaoh Tim , Leslie Graham , Monaghan Alison
Published: March 2018

Decades of oil and gas exploration across the North Sea have led to a detailed understanding of its Cenozoic–Mesozoic structure. However, the deeper basin architecture of Paleozoic petroleum systems has been less well defined by seismic data. This regional structural overview of the Devono-Carboniferous petroleum systems incorporates interpretations from more than 85 000 line-kilometres of 2D seismic data and 50 3D seismic volumes, plus a gravity, density and magnetic study, from the Central Silverpit Basin to the East Orkney Basin. A complex picture of previously unmapped or poorly known basins emerges on an inherited basement fabric, with numerous granite-cored blocks. These basins are controlled by Devono-Carboniferous normal, strike-slip and reverse faults.

The main basins across Quadrants 29–44 trend NW–SE, influenced by the Tornquist trend inherited from the Caledonian basement. North of Quadrants 27 and 28, and the presumed Iapetus suture, the major depocentres are NE–SW (e.g. the Forth Approaches and Inner Moray Firth basins) to east–west (e.g. the Caithness Graben), and WNW–ESE trending (e.g. the East Orkney Basin), reflecting the basement structural inheritance. From seismic interpretation, there are indications of an older north–south fault trend in the Inner Moray Firth that is difficult to image, since it has been dissected by subsequent Permo-Carboniferous and Mesozoic faulting and rifting.
Hydrocarbon potential of the Visean and Namurian in the northern Dutch offshore
Authors: ter Borgh M. M. , Eikelenboom W. , Jaarsma B.
Published: March 2018

Following the play-opening successes of the Breagh and Pegasus gas fields, we evaluated the potential of the Visean and Namurian (Carboniferous) petroleum plays in the northern Dutch offshore. This evaluation incorporated seismic and well data from the Dutch, British and German North Sea sectors. The abundance and thickness of reservoir-quality Visean–Namurian sandstones was found to increase from Breagh towards the NE. Visean–Namurian coals and shales are considered promising source rocks to charge these reservoirs in the Dutch Central Graben (DCG) and Step Graben (SG). The presence of a mature Paleozoic source rock in the SG and DCG is supported by hydrocarbon shows and vitrinite reflectance data. In the southern E and F blocks, charge may also occur laterally from Upper Carboniferous Westphalian coals. A regional post-well analysis showed that the Visean and Namurian plays are virtually untested in the Dutch northern offshore. Two tests were positive but had high N
2
contents, one was negative, while 10 wells were drilled off-structure and are therefore considered invalid tests of this play. Hence, it is concluded that the Visean and Namurian in the northern Dutch offshore have significant hydrocarbon potential.
Changes of KEAP1/NRF2 and IKB/NF‐κB Expression Levels Induced by Cell‐Free DNA in Different Cell Types
Authors: Kostyuk Svetlana V. , Porokhovnik Lev N. , Ershova Elizaveta S. , Malinovskaya Elena M. , Konkova Marina S. , Kameneva Larisa V. , Dolgikh Olga A. , Veiko Vladimir P. , Pisarev Vladimir M. , Martynov Andrew V. , Sergeeva Vasilina A. , Kaliyanov Andrew A. , Filev Anton D. , Chudakova Julia M. , Abramova Margarita S. , Kutsev Serguey I. , Izhevskaya Vera L. , Veiko Nataliya N.
Published: March 2018

Cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) is a circulating DNA of nuclear and mitochondrial origin mainly derived from dying cells. Recent studies have shown that cfDNA is a stress signaling DAMP (damage‐associated molecular pattern) molecule. We report here that the expression profiles of cfDNA‐induced factors NRF2 and NF‐κB are distinct depending on the target cell’s type and the GC‐content and oxidation rate of the cfDNA. Stem cells (MSC) have shown higher expression of NRF2 without inflammation in response to cfDNA. In contrast, inflammatory response launched by NF‐κB was dominant in differentiated cells HUVEC, MCF7, and fibroblasts, with a possibility of transition to massive apoptosis. In each cell type examined, the response for oxidized cfDNA was more acute with higher peak intensity and faster resolution than that for nonoxidized cfDNA. GC‐rich nonoxidized cfDNA evoked a weaker and prolonged response with proinflammatory component (NF‐κB) as predominant. The exploration of apoptosis rates after adding cfDNA showed that cfDNA with moderately increased GC‐content and lightly oxidized DNA promoted cell survival in a hormetic manner. Novel potential therapeutic approaches are proposed, which depend on the current cfDNA content: either preconditioning with low doses of cfDNA before a planned adverse impact or eliminating (binding, etc.) cfDNA when its content has already become high.
Right Coronary Artery Originating from the Left: Do Not Miss the Diagnosis!
Authors: Türkoğlu Sedat , Ünlü Serkan , Taçoy Gülten Aydoğdu , Özdemir Murat
Published: March 2018

Objective. Left circumflex (LCx) artery originating from the right coronary arterial (RCA) system has been reported as the most common form of anomalous origination of a coronary artery from the opposite sinus (ACAOS). However, some studies claim that RCA originating from the left coronary sinus (LCS) is the most frequent form. The aim of this study was to determine the most common type of ACAOS in a single center.Materials and Methods. The database of the catheterization laboratory was retrospectively searched. All patients who were performed coronary angiography between 1999 and 2006 were included to registry. All examinations were carefully analyzed to determine the most frequent type of ACAOS.Results. We detected ACAOS in 35 cases (16 RCA originating from the LCS, 13 LCx from the RCS or the RCA, and 6 others) out of 5165 coronary angiograms. The most common form was RCA originating from LCS. Moreover, we revealed that 5 cases with RCA originating from the LCS were previously misdiagnosed and not reported as a coronary anomaly.Conclusions. RCA originating from the LCS was the most common form of ACAOS in our registry. The high change of misdiagnosis or underreporting of this anomaly could have biased the true prevalence.