bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoscale Compositional Modification in Co/Pd Multilayers for Controllable Domain Wall Pinning in Racetrack Memory
Authors: Jin Tianli , Kumar Durgesh , Gan Weiliang , Ranjbar Mojtaba , Luo Feilong , Sbiaa Rachid , Liu Xiaoxi , Lew Wen Siang , Piramanayagam S. N.
Published: August 2018

In the era of social media, storage of information plays an important role. Magnetic domain wall memory devices are promising alternatives to hard disk drives for high‐capacity storage. One of the challenges in making these devices for practical application is a precise control of domain wall displacement in nanowires. Researchers have extensively studied domain wall pinning based on topographical notches fabricated by lithography. However, scaling the domain wall memory to nanoscale requires better domain wall pinning strategies. In this letter, we demonstrate that the localized modification of magnetic properties in Co/Pd multilayer‐based nanowires by ion implantation is an effective non‐topographical approach to pin domain walls. First, by micromagnetic simulations, it is shown that the areas, where the composition is modified to tune the anisotropy and magnetization, act as domain wall pinning centers. Experimentally, from magnetization measurements and X‐ray diffraction measurements at the thin film level, it is shown that the ion‐implantation is effective in changing magnetic anisotropy. Devices have also been fabricated and, using Kerr images at different applied fields, it is shown that the domain walls are pinned at the B+ ion‐implanted regions. These results demonstrate that localized compositional modification using ion‐implantation can pin domain walls precisely. The achieved results are useful toward realizing high‐capacity information storage.
Chemomechanical models for soft tissues based on the reconciliation of porous media and swelling polymer theories
Authors: Stracuzzi A. , Mazza E. , Ehret A. E.
Published: August 2018

The interstitial fluid plays an important role for the deformability of soft biological tissues. While its high bulk modulus is often taken as an argument for tissue incompressibility, its ability to move through the interstitial space and across the boundary permits reversible changes of tissue volume through fluid exchange with the environment, which in turn is affected by the osmotic activity of the tissue constituents. Such coupled phenomena of fluid flow and deformation are characteristic both for hydrated biological tissues and swelling polymers, typically treated within the theory of porous media and chemoelasticity, respectively. In this contribution, the two theories are reconciled for biphasic materials with incompressible constituents and an inviscid liquid phase. Based on this analogy, and starting from the chemoelastic approach, a lean theoretical framework for the modelling of biphasic chemomechanical effects in soft biological tissues is presented. It provides access to fluid flux, variations in chemical potential and osmotic pressure in addition to stress and strain in the tissue. The framework is exemplified in application to arterial tissue, modifying and complementing an established monophasic, incompressible model, and the benefits of the alternative chemomechanical representation are illustrated in numerical examples.
Outcomes Following Non‐operative Management of Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysms
Authors: Piffaretti Gabriele , Bacuzzi Alessandro , Gattuso Andrea , Mozzetta Gaddiel , Cervarolo Maria Cristina , Dorigo Walter , Castelli Patrizio , Tozzi Matteo
Published: August 2018

Background

Surgical decision making remains difficult in several patients with aneurysmal disease of the descending thoracic (DT) or thoracoabdominal (TA) aorta. Despite previous studies that have investigated aneurysms treated non‐operatively using a prospective growth analysis, completeness and accuracy of follow‐up were inconsistent. We aim to describe the survival and freedom from adverse aortic events in patients with DT and TA who did not undergo operative repair.

Methods

This is a single‐center retrospective analysis of all patients with either a descending degenerative atherosclerotic or dissection‐related DT or TA aortic lesion who were treated non‐operatively from April 2002 to December 2016. We studied patients who did not undergo operative repair of descending degenerative atherosclerotic or dissection‐related DT or TA aortic lesion. Primary end points were overall survival and freedom from aortic‐related mortality (ARM).

Results

Of the 315 patients diagnosed with DT or TA disease, 56 (18%) did not undergo surgical repair. Mean aneurysm diameter was 65 mm ± 15 (range 50–120; IQR 5.4–7.15). Extent of the aortic aneurysms was DT in 36 (11%) patients and TA in 20 (6%). Median duration of follow‐up was 12 months (range 1–108; IQR 3–36). Over the course of the study, 41 (73%) patients died for an overall survival rate of 53% ± 7 at 1 year (95% CI 40–65) and 23% ± 7 at 3 year (95% CI 17–42.5). Aortic‐related mortality was 27% (n = 15), significantly higher in patients with aneurysms ≥ 60 mm [n = 13, (39%) vs. n = 2, (9%); P = 0.025; OR = 5.04]. Overall, estimated freedom from ARM was 81% ± 5.5 at 1 year (95% CI 68–89) and 66.5% ± 9 at 3 year (95% CI 48–81). Only TA extent was independently associated with freedom from ARM during the follow‐up (P = 0.005; HR: 5.74; 95% CI 1.711–19.729).

Conclusions

Thoracoabdominal extent of the aneurysmal aortic disease is the most important predictor of ARM in unrepaired DT or TA aortic diseases. Mortality from aortic‐related events was significantly more premature than mortality from non‐aortic‐related mortality.
Single asperity friction in the wear regime
Authors: Yang Yongjian , Shi Yunfeng
Published: August 2018

We used molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the friction of a single asperity against a rigid substrate, while generating debris. In the low wear regime (i.e., non-linear wear rate dependence on the contact stress, via atom-by-atom attrition), the frictional stress is linearly dependent on the normal stress, without any lubrication effect from the wear debris particles. Both the slope (friction coefficient) and friction at zero normal stress depend strongly on asperity-substrate adhesion. In the high wear regime (i.e., linear wear rate dependence on the contact stress, via plastic flow), the friction-normal stress curves deviate from a linear relation merging toward plastic flow of the single asperity which is independent of the interfacial adhesion. One can further link wear and friction by considering debris generation as chemical reaction, driven by both normal and frictional forces. The coupling between wear and friction can then be quantified by a thermodynamic efficiency of the debris generation. While the efficiency is less than 5% in the low wear regime, indicating poor mechanochemical coupling, it increases with normal stress toward 50% in the high wear regime.
Authors who inspired Samuel Johnson’s language use in ‘The Rambler’
Authors: Ogura Masaaki
Published: August 2018

The present study attempts to identify some of the reading sources by which Samuel Johnson was inspired when writing his periodical, The Rambler (1750–1752). To this end, 4-grams were extracted both from The Rambler corpus and the 1710–1780 subset of The Corpus of Late Modern English Text 3.0 (CLMET 3.0). This was conducted to detect the phrases that appeared only in The Rambler and not found in the texts, as far as the corpus is concerned, that were contemporary to his collection of essays. The study exclusively focuses on the cluster “of our present state” and traces its use in the era that preceded Johnson’s time using the corpus of Early English Books Online (EEBO). It was found that “of our present state” was commonly used in sermon-style or theology-related works in the 17th century, which indicates, along with the fact that Johnson was religiously committed, that Johnson obtained some inspiration from these writings.
Visual language approach to representing KBimCode-based Korea building code sentences for automated rule checking
Authors: Kim Hayan , Lee Jin-Kook , Shin Jaeyoung , Choi Jungsik
Published: August 2018

The Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its applications enable an automatic building permit process based on 3D building models and their associated information. A crucial part of the building permit process is the interpretation and transformation of natural language-based building regulation into a computer-readable and executable format. As other countries and their projects have developed a certain type of rule-translation methods, KBimCode, part of the KBim application series, has been developed and supported by the Korean government to ignite an automatic, BIM-based building permit system on top of the current e-submission system, which is called Seumter. The rule translation process usually employs a computer hard-coded approach because of its ease of implementation, and there have been advances in making the computer understand the natural language-based building regulations using parametric input tables and script languages. This project includes a step for developing a logic rule-based approach for translating natural language into computer-executable code. However, the main contribution of this study is the introduction of an approach to represent such text-based regulations using visual language for novice programmers, architects, and rule reviewers. This paper describes a KBimCode visual language that is easy-to-write and intuitive because it uses visual symbols instead of textual coding.

Highlights KBVL is an approach to computer-readable building code in visual form. KBVL supports easy-to-make rules for complicated building design rules. This paper demonstrates KBVL using KBimCode for Korean Building permit requirements.
Knowing what you have: the road to effective data discovery
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: August 2018

It's hard to keep data secure when you're not sure what information you have. While your databases might be neatly ordered and well understood, much of the information washing around in organisations is likely to be in the form of unstructured data – emails, PDFs, word processor and spreadsheet files and many other data types in a wide variety of formats. In this interview, Colin Tankard, managing director of Digital Pathways, explains the security challenge posed by this ad hoc information and what you can do about it.

It's hard to keep data secure when you're not sure what information you have.

While your databases might be neatly ordered and well understood, much of the information washing around in organisations is likely to be in the form of unstructured data – emails, PDFs, word processor and spreadsheet files and many other data types in a wide variety of formats. In this interview, Colin Tankard of Digital Pathways explains the security challenge posed by this ad hoc information and what you can do about it.
Only Winners in Tough Times Repeat: Hedge Fund Performance Persistence over Different Market Conditions
Authors: Sun Zheng , Wang Ashley W. , Zheng Lu
Published: August 2018

We provide novel evidence that hedge fund performance is persistent following weak hedge fund markets but is not persistent following strong markets. Specifically, we construct two performance measures, RET_DOWN and RET_UP, conditioned on the level of overall hedge fund sector returns. After adjusting for risks, funds in the highest RET_DOWN quintile outperform funds in the lowest quintile by approximately 7% in the subsequent year, whereas funds with better RET_UP do not outperform subsequently. The RET_DOWN measure can predict future fund performance over a horizon as long as 3 years, for both winners and losers and for funds with few share restrictions.
Event-Related Exchange-Rate Forecasts Combining Information from Betting Quotes and Option Prices
Authors: Hanke Michael , Poulsen Rolf , Weissensteiner Alex
Published: August 2018

Betting quotes provide valuable information on market-implied probabilities for outcomes of events such as elections or referendums, which may have an impact on exchange rates. We generate exchange-rate forecasts around such events based on a model that combines risk-neutral event probabilities implied from betting quotes with risk-neutral exchange-rate densities extracted from currency option prices. Its application to predict exchange rates around the Brexit referendum and the U.S. presidential elections shows that these forecasts, conditional on the respective outcomes, were accurate, and markets were able to separate their views on the likelihood and the impact of these events.
Author Correction: Regulation of synaptic architecture and synaptic vesicle pools by Nervous wreck at Drosophila Type 1b glutamatergic synapses
Authors: Hur Joon Haeng , Lee Sang-Hee , Kim A-Young , Koh Young Ho
Published: August 2018

After online publication of this article, the authors noticed an error in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section.
Intrathecal delivery of human ESC-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheres promotes recovery of a primate multiple sclerosis model
Authors: Yan Li , Jiang Bin , Niu Yuyu , Wang Hongxuan , Li Enqin , Yan Yaping , Sun Huiyan , Duan Yanchao , Chang Shaohui , Chen Guokai , Ji Weizhi , Xu Ren-He , Si Wei
Published: August 2018

Nonhuman primate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a valuable model for multiple sclerosis, an inflammatory demyelinating disease in the central nervous system (CNS). Human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (EMSC) are effective in treating murine EAE. Yet, it remains unknown whether the EMSC efficacy is translatable to humans. Here we induced a primate EAE model in cynomolgus monkeys and delivered EMSC in spheres (EMSCsp) to preserve the cell viability during long-distance transportation. EMSCsp intrathecally injected into the CNS, remarkably reduced the clinical symptoms, brain lesions, and neuronal demyelination in the EAE monkeys during a 3-month observation. Whereas, symptoms in the vehicle control-injected EAE monkey remained and reduced slowly and MRI lesions in brain expanded. Moreover, EMSC could transdifferentiate into neural cells in vivo in the CNS of the treated animals. Supporting evidence demonstrated that EMSCsp cells cultured in cerebrospinal fluid from the EAE monkeys largely converted to neural cells with elevated expression of genes for neuronal markers, neurotrophic factors, and neuronal myelination. Thus, this study demonstrates that EMSCsp injected directly into the CNS, can attenuate the disease progression in the primate EAE model, highly encouraging for clinical translation.
Formal group insertion into aryl C‒N bonds through an aromaticity destruction-reconstruction process
Authors: Han Dandan , He Qiuqin , Fan Renhua
Published: August 2018

Given the abundance and the ready availability of anilines, the selective insertion of atoms into the aryl carbon–nitrogen bonds will be an appealing route for the synthesis of nitrogen-containing aromatic molecules. However, because aryl carbon–nitrogen bonds are particularly inert, anilines are normally activated by conversion to more reactive intermediates such as aryldiazonium salts to achieve functionalization of the aryl carbon–nitrogen bonds, but the nitrogen atom is usually not incorporated into products, instead being discarded. The selective insertion of groups into aryl carbon–nitrogen bonds remains an elusive challenge and an unmet need in reaction design. Here we show an aromaticity destruction-reconstruction process that selectively inserts a trimethylenemethane (TMM) group into the aromatic carbon–nitrogen bond of anilines concomitant with a benzylic carbon–hydrogen bond functionalization. This process provides a transformative mode for anilines, and the insertion products are versatile precursor to various nitrogen-containing aromatic molecules through simple conversions.
Insights from 200+ years of personalized learning
Authors: Dockterman David
Published: August 2018

Current initiatives to personalize learning in schools, while seen as a contemporary reform, actually continue a 200+ year struggle to provide scalable, mass, public education that also addresses the variable needs of individual learners. Indeed, some of the rhetoric and approaches reformers are touting today sound very familiar in this historical context. What, if anything, is different this time? In this paper I provide a brief overview of historical efforts to create a scaled system of education for all children that also acknowledged individual learner variability. Through this overview I seek patterns and insights to inform and guide contemporary efforts in personalized learning.
Sodium Reduction, miRNA Profiling and CVD Risk in Untreated Hypertensives: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Chen Li , He Feng J. , Dong Yanbin , Huang Ying , Harshfield Gregory A. , Zhu Haidong
Published: August 2018

Sodium reduction decreases blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular mortality. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that reduction of sodium intake would change miRNA expression in hypertensive patients, and those changes would be associated with improved cardiovascular phenotypes. A whole genome RNA sequencing was performed in paired serum samples collected at the end of usual sodium intake and reduced sodium intake periods from 10 (age 56.8 ± 8.9) untreated black male hypertensives, selected from a randomized crossover trial of sodium reduction as the discovery cohort. Validation was carried out by the PCR Serum/Plasma Focus panel profiling in paired samples in all 64 (50% males, age 50.2 ± 9.5) untreated black hypertensives from the same trial. Fifteen respondent miRNAs were identified in the discovery stage. miR-143-3p was replicated. Sodium reduction up-regulated miR-143-3p. The increase in miR-143-3p was associated with the reduction of BP and arterial stiffness and the increase in skin capillary density. In conclusion, dietary sodium reduction alters circulating miRNA expressions, and those miRNA changes are associated with reduced BP and improved arterial compliance in untreated black hypertensives, suggesting that miRNA regulation may be one of the underlying mechanisms that dietary sodium regulates cardiovascular health.
Phase-field modeling for pH-dependent general and pitting corrosion of iron
Authors: Tsuyuki Chisa , Yamanaka Akinori , Ogimoto Yasushi
Published: August 2018

This study proposes a new phase-field (PF) model to simulate the pH-dependent corrosion of iron. The model is formulated based on Bockris’s iron dissolution mechanism to describe the pH dependence of the corrosion rate. We also propose a simulation methodology to incorporate the thermodynamic database of the electrolyte solutions into the PF model. We show the applications of the proposed PF model for simulating two corrosion problems: general corrosion and pitting corrosion in pure iron immersed in an acid solution. The simulation results of general corrosion demonstrate that the incorporation of the anodic and cathodic current densities calculated by a Corrosion Analyzer software allows the PF model to simulate the migration of the corroded iron surface, the variation of ion concentrations in the electrolyte, and the electrostatic potential at various pH levels and temperatures. The simulation of the pitting corrosion indicates that the proposed PF model successfully captures the anisotropic propagation of a pit that is affected by the local pH of the electrolyte solution and the aggregation of Cl− ions in the pit.
Associations between Variants in BDNF/BDNFOS Gene and Lumbar Disc Herniation Risk among Han Chinese People
Authors: Zhu Yong , Jia Haiyu , Li Jiabin , Ren Shaodong , Huang Zhi , Li Feng , Xing Wenhua , Li Shunan , Yang Xuejun
Published: August 2018

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a low back pain disorder and associated with several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and BDNFOS gene in LDH susceptibility remains unknown. To examine whether the variants contribute to LDH, 7 SNPs were genotyped in 380 patients and 692 healthy controls among Han Chinese population. Multiple genetic models, stratification by age/gender and haploview analysis was used by calculating odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Rs11030064 in BDNFOS gene was associated with modified susceptibility for LDH at age ≤50 years but three loci (rs6265, rs11030104 and rs10767664) of BDNF gene increased LDH risk at age >50 years. Further, rs11030096 polymorphism in BDNFOS gene was associated with LDH the increased susceptibility of LDH in females. Haplotype analysis shown that haplotype “GCC” in the block (rs988712, rs7481311, and rs11030064) increased LDH risk (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.06–2.10, p = 0.022) at age ≤50 years. However, there was no significant association between BDNF/BDNFOS gene and LDH risk in the overall before stratified analysis. For the first time, our results provide evidence on polymorphism of BDNF / BDNFOS gene associated with LDH risk in Chinese Han population.
A magnet-actuated biomimetic device for isolating biological entities in microwells
Authors: Sharma Himani , John Kimberley , Gaddam Anvesh , Navalkar Ambuja , Maji Samir K. , Agrawal Amit
Published: August 2018

Microwell platforms show great promise in single-cell studies and protein measurements because of their low volume sampling, rapid analysis and high throughput screening ability. However, the existing actuation mechanisms to manipulate the target samples and fabrication procedures involved in the microwell-based microfluidic devices are complex, resource-intensive and require an external power source. In this work, we present proof of concept of a simple, power-free and low-cost closed magnet digital microfluidics device for isolating biological entities in femtoliter-sized microwells. The target biological entities were encapsulated in magnetic liquid marbles and shuttled back and forth between micropatterned top and bottom plates in the microdevice to obtain high loading efficiency and short processing time. The microdevice performance was studied through fluorescent detection of three different entities: microbeads, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Escherichia coli, captured in the microwell array. Almost 80% of the microwells were loaded with single microbeads in five shuttling cycles, in less than a minute. Further, a low volume of BSA was compartmentalized in the microwell array over a two order range of concentration. The microdevice exhibits two unique features: lotus leaf stamps were used to fabricate micropatterns (microwells and micropillars) on top and bottom plates to impart functionality and cost-effectiveness, and the target samples were actuated by a permanent magnet to make the microdevice power-free and simple in operation. The developed biomimetic microdevice is therefore capable of capturing a multitude of biological entities in low-resource settings.
Square planar or octahedral after all? The indistinct solvation of platinum(ii)
Authors: Saleh Muhammad , Hofer Thomas S.
Published: August 2018

The solvation structures of Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) are typically reduced to the well-known square-planar structural motif, although it has been shown, in both experimental and theoretical investigations, that these solutes demonstrate the affinity to bind ligand molecules at elongated distance in axial coordination sites.
The first investigation of europium silicate melilite for second-order nonlinear optical application: experimental and theoretical studies
Authors: Chi Yang , Xue Huai-Guo , Guo Sheng-Ping
Published: August 2018

Eu2MgSi2O7 shows a strong nonlinear optical effect among the known silicates, which is addressed by experimental and theoretical investigations.
Gibberellin application ameliorates the adverse impact of short-term flooding onGlycine maxL.
Authors: Khan Muhammad Aaqil , Hamayun Muhammad , Iqbal Amjad , Khan Sumera Afzal , Hussain Anwar , Asaf Sajjad , Khan Abdul Latif , Yun Byung-Wook , Lee In-Jung
Published: August 2018

Flooding is an abiotic stress that creates hypoxic conditions triggered by redox potential leading to restricted growth and grain yield in plants. In the current study, we have investigated the effect of exogenous gibberellins (GA4+7) on soybean under flooding stress. A regulatory role of GAs on biochemical changes in soybean plants [including chlorophyll contents, endogenous bioactive GA1 and GA4, endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA)] has been elucidated after 3 and 6 h of flooding stress. The modulation of stress-related bio-chemicals and their genetic determinants [for instance, ABA (Timing of CAB expression1—TOC1, ABA-receptor—ABAR) and NO (S-nitrosoglutathione reductase—GSNOR1, NO overproducer1—NOX, and nitrite reductase—NR)] in response to short-term flooding stress were also explored. The current study showed that exogenous GAs rescued chlorophyll contents, enhanced endogenous bioactive GA1 and GA4 levels, endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and checked the rate of ABA biosynthesis under short-term flooding. The exo-GAs induced the glutathione activity and reduced the resulting superoxide anion contents during short-term flooding in Pungsannamul soybean. Exo-GAs also triggered the endogenous S-nitrosothiols (precursor for increased NO production) that have been decreased over the time. Moreover, the exo-GAs could impinge a variety of biochemical and transcriptional programs that are ameliorative to plant growth during short-term flooding stress. The presence of GA1 and GA4 also confirms the presence of both C13-hydroxylation pathway and non-C13-hydroxylation pathway in soybean, respectively.
Southward shift of the coronal neutral line and the heliospheric current sheet: Evidence for radial evolution of hemispheric asymmetry
Authors: Koskela J. S. , Virtanen I. I. , Mursula K.
Published: August 2018

Aims. The heliospheric current sheet (HCS) has been observed to be southward shifted in the late declining to minimum phase of the solar cycle. Here we study the existence of a simultaneous shift in the heliosphere and in the corona using a robust new method.

Methods. We use the synoptic maps of the photospheric field of the Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO) and the Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) together with the potential field source surface (PFSS) model to calculate the coronal magnetic field and compare it with the simultaneous heliospheric magnetic field of the NASA/NSSDC OMNI 2 dataset. We divide the magnetic field into the two sectors, towards (T) and away (A) from the Sun, and calculate how often the sector polarities at 1 AU and in the corona match each other. We divide the sectors both at 1 AU and in the corona. We also calculate the annual (T − A)/(T + A) ratios of sector occurrence both at 1 AU and in the corona.

Results. We verify that the HCS/neutral line is southward shifted both in the corona and heliosphere. We find that the coronal shift is systematically larger than the simultaneous heliospheric shift.

Conclusions. The fact that the southward shift of the coronal neutral line is larger than the simultaneous shift of the heliospheric current sheet at 1 AU implies that the radial evolution of the magnetic field between the two sites is different between the northern and southern hemispheres.
Infrastructure system planning for affordable housing for workers in Hanoi, Vietnam
Authors: Dang Hoang Quyen
Published: August 2018

Established industrial zones have contributed to the development of economy, the creation of jobs, and an increase in the income for workers. However, their living condition has yet been recognized with full attention. Affordable housing projects for laborers have been built in some areas, but the infrastructure system has not been carried out for a long time, leading to negative impacts on the lives of workers. Therefore, it is necessary to study the planning process of infrastructure system for social housing. The research reveals a few methods to establish infrastructure system consistently, such as planning solutions, investing process, and policy innovation. Besides, the study proposes the solution for assessment of infrastructure quality in affordable housing for workers. The research applied the assessing system to evaluate two social housing areas in Hanoi, Vietnam. Results of this study may become a reference for planning infrastructure system for workers' housing. Ensuring the lives of employees is the foundation of social security that helps improve the efficiency of labor and develop national economy.
Development of small Russian towns in the 19th–21st centuries: socioeconomic factors
Authors: Pryadko Igor
Published: August 2018

This research is focused on small Russian towns and the socioeconomic aspects of their development in the 19th through 21st centuries. Several towns, including Mytischi, Yuzovka, Naro-Fominsk, Myshkin, etc., serve as examples employed to assess the practice of founding townships, to analyze the economic, social, cultural, and political conditions of their functioning, and to make projections for their future development. The methods, employed by this research project, consist in the look-back analysis of sources and the analysis of statistics, including the relevant urban demography. The main conclusion, made by the author, is the need for the revival of small Russian towns in the post-industrial era through their assumption of supplementary administrative functions against the background of continuing de-industrialization and the shutdown of the township-forming production facilities. The author believes that the conversion of small towns into tourist resort areas is a debatable practice. The author addresses this issue in the Discussion section of the article. He offers his pros and cons in respect of these actions. The academic novelty of the article consists in the provision of the novel data concerning the development of small towns as the urban districts of major megalopolises.
From understanding of national design characters and suggestion of the improvement of Vietnamese urban outdoor furniture toward a sustainable cultural environment
Authors: Thi Thu Trang Ngo
Published: August 2018

Recognizing the threat of losing local identity under the pressures of modernization and globalization, the aim of the research is to extract the vital characteristics representing for a national style in order to propose a guideline for the modern industrial products in Vietnam in general, and urban outdoor furniture in particular. From the database of over two thousands Vietnamese traditional daily products, this paper presents the major results of analyses carried out on the use of materials, shapes and forms, colors and decoration, the four basic components of aesthetic appearance. The correlations between those four components are also looked at in this study. Continuously, all important results which show strength and distinction of each appearance’s component are extracted and classified into clusters which recognize the repeat pattern of the overall characteristics of the four main appearance’s components. The name of each cluster is listed as keywords of Vietnamese national identity such as Harmonious, Focused, Orthodox, Dynamic, Feminine, Slightly recessive, and Outward. Finally, the article suggests a sustainable solution for creating aesthetic identity of urban outdoor furniture by integrating those essential characters of tradition into the modern design. In other words, the characters of Vietnamese traditional daily products found out in this study are proposed as the guidelines for aesthetic improvement of Vietnamese urban outdoor furniture which can be an effective medium to introduce the culture of the local area and represents the image of a city.
Risk-oriented approach to ensuring environmental safety of the devastated territories for urban development
Authors: Voskresenskaya Elena , Vorona-Slivinskaya Lybov , Ponomareva Tatyana
Published: August 2018

The article considers the possibilities to improve the use of devastated territories of the Russian Federation, particularly of the Northwest Federal District and the Leningrad Oblast. The work provides data on monitoring the formation, usage and disposal of waste and outlines the range of environmental problems occurring due to exploitation of devastated territories. Measures of optimizing these territories, prospects for their implementation and related risks that may entail economic losses for urban development were determined in the article. This work reveals the important role of geoecological factors played in addressing the issues of preparing such areas for further building development. The study of characteristics and classification of devastated lands is of great importance for the rational planning of urban space. Successful rehabilitation of devastated lands enables their integration into the urban environment, the most effective usage and ensuring their social and economic potential growth for urban development.
Management system for the development of industrial parks to increase the competitiveness of resident enterprises
Authors: Krivorotov Vadim , Tikhanov Evgeniy , Tarasenko Aleksandr , Chepur Petr , Gruchenkova Alesya
Published: August 2018

Industrial parks are the most dynamically developing, universal and effective format for the organization of investment sites, allowing enterprises to create modern competitive production at minimal costs and in optimal terms. In this regard, a relevant problem is ensuring further development of such investment sites aimed at improving the competitive positions of business entities operating on their territory. The authors proposed an algorithm for the formation of a management system for the development of an industrial park to increase the competitiveness of resident enterprises, which is based on establishing the relationship between the quantitative assessment of the level of competitiveness of residents of an industrial park and the key indicators of its activities. Approbation of the proposed system is presented for the purpose of forming a program for the development of the industrial park "Chemical Park "Tagil", operating in the Sverdlovsk region.
The use of a safety construction for explosion relief venting
Authors: Gorev Vycheslav
Published: August 2018

The emergency venting of gaseous deflagration is widely used to prevent severe consequences of a confined explosion. Processes of vented deflagrations have been studied extensively and experimental data has been analysed. It is determined that venting starts after a safety construction is destroyed and the area of expiration of gases is opened. In the protecting structures of buildings of explosive production it is necessary to establish protective designs. In the work, triplex panels are considered as protective designs. Process of opening and driving of the panel with release of the area for a depressurization is studied during explosion development. In the work, questions of influence of pressure of opening and speed of explosive combustion at pressure peak size are investigated. The criterion for determination of efficiency of opening of panels is injected.
Risk of the loess pseudo-karst development during construction and its link with natural and technogenic processes
Authors: Lavrusevich Andrey
Published: August 2018

Crowning the tops of geological cuts and occupying considerable territories in favorable physiographic conditions, loess rocks are the very basis, which have been actively used by human society since ancient times. For example, the Loess plateau in China is the place of origin of the Chinese civilization. The loess pseudo-karst began to develop actively in loess massifs because of development of a technogenesis and active construction of civil, industrial and hydraulic engineering constructions, water supply on earlier not-developed territories for agricultural development. This dangerous geological phenomenon leads to the destruction of structures, initiates development of landslides, collapses, mud streams, ravines and as the result, quite often forms pseudo-karstic bad land. Cases, when the increase in danger of a loess pseudo-karst at high degree of vulnerability of structures, resulted both in economic and social risk are known. Knowledge of principles of danger assessment of the loess pseudo-karst development during construction and maintenance of structures of different purposes as well as the developments which have not been involved in economic activity earlier will allow minimizing economic and social damages.
Study on creation of water sources supplying the inner river system in Hanoi city with continuous flow for cleaning the aquatic environment
Authors: Huu Nguyen Hue , Huu Nguyen Thanh
Published: August 2018

Vietnam is currently facing major challenges from ongoing water pollution in urban rivers. In the city of Hanoi, the amount of domestic waste water, industrial waste water, and waste water from unprocessed trade villages are discharged directly into the rivers, which are the main causes of water pollution. The biggest problem now is how to deal with the current state of water pollution in the inner rivers of Hanoi with the focus on Day, Nhue, and To Lich river systems. This article presents the study to determine Route Works for a gravity based water supply system that provides continuous flows to these rivers. Then, the one-dimensional hydrodynamic model (HEC-RAS V4.1) is used as a basis for assessing the effectiveness of the solution. Through the results of the study, it was once again confirmed that the construction of a gravity based water supply system is feasible, both to improve the aquatic environment of the rivers and to ensure the supply of irrigation water for production.
Activated sludge biocenosis regulation for intensifying aerating constructions
Authors: Dzhumagulova Nazira , Gavrilov Ivan , Nguyen Dinh Dap
Published: August 2018

One of the most effective methods of wastewater treatment is a biochemical method that almost completely disposes various dissolved organic matter. To improve the oxidation capacity of aerotanks and to control the biochemical processes of wastewater treatment, it was necessary to determine experimentally biocenosis variability influenced by the environment and other factors.The goal of the present research is intensification of biological wastewater treatment by means of direct effect upon the metabolism of activated sludge microorganisms. The experiment studied the organization of species and quantitative composition of active sludge biocenosis in aerotanks while removing contaminants from wastewater. The experiments were carried out in continuous-flow aerotanks of publicly owned treatment facilities. Everyday over a period of three weeks, samples of microorganisms were obtained from aerotanks, quality and quantity objectives of purified water.
Environmental protection in the integrated mechanization of technological processes of high-rise construction
Authors: Kazaryan Ruben R. , Khvan Vitaly
Published: August 2018

Construction is a complex and multifaceted activity, in which a great many diverse specialists are involved, each of which is a professional in its scientific and practical field. One of such areas is the actual and rather popular in our time high-rise construction, which serves various self-sufficient sub-areas of activity. In the paper, the problems of parity and priority that arise during the construction process are considered on the example of the interaction of two of them (integrated mechanization of technological processes of erecting high-rise buildings and protecting the environment). Parity involves balancing the situations, circumstances, costs, forces, and capabilities of each of these components of activities in the overall process of constructing a high-rise building. A global confrontation between these concrete sub-areas of construction activity is not permissible. But dialectically, the priority of one of them over the other, according to the goal-setting, naturally arises at each particular moment or period of construction production. The order of their implementation in time is formed, presupposing concentrating precisely on those goals that are more important and significant at the moment. This aspect of activity is called a priority.
Guidelines on calculation of the concrete thermal treatment modes
Authors: Sinenko Sergey , Zhadanovskiy Boris
Published: August 2018

The article provides guidelines on calculation of the cast-in-place reinforced concrete thermal treatment modes: the problem of thermal treatment mode by setting the mathematical temperature field model in the hardening concrete has been solved; model equation which allows calculating the temperature field in the hardening concrete structure using computer software has been solved numerically. One of the most pressing social problems in the world is the problem of housing for citizens, towards whom the state has obligations in accordance with applicable law. Currently, the most efficient way to solve this problem directly is a mechanism of provision of housing at the expense of state funds. Successful completion of such programs is also achieved due to the formation of an affordable economy class housing market that meets the requirements of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. In turn, the energy efficiency criterion is achieved by rational choice of technology and organization of construction operations. An important criterion for energy efficiency of cast reinforced concrete technology utilization is the rational temperature condition of concrete hardening.
Analytical calculation of the deflection of the lattice truss
Authors: Kirsanov Mikhail , Tinkov Dmitriy
Published: August 2018

An algorithm is given for deriving the dependence of the deflection of a planar statically determinate beam truss on the number of panels, dimensions and load. Three load cases are considered: uniform load on the lower belt, upper belt and vertical force in the middle of the span. By induction, generalizing a series of solutions for trusses with a consecutively increasing number of panels, the desired formula is obtained for the deflection and horizontal displacement of the mobile support of the truss. All transformations are performed in the system of symbolic mathematics Maple. For a sequence of coefficients of the desired formula, using the special Maple operators, homogeneous recurrent equations are constructed and solved. The coefficients found are in the form of polynomials in the number of panels. The asymptotic property of the solution is found. On the graphs of the dependence of the deflection on the number of panels and on the height, extreme points are found. The solution can be used to test the calculations obtained numerically.
Water absorption by multifunctional protective epoxy composites
Authors: Smirnov Vladimir , Korolev Evgeniy
Published: August 2018

Currently, thermoset-based polymer matrix composites are widely used in many areas of construction industry. Such composites demonstrate high compressive and flexural strength and are often characterized by high chemical stability under severe environmental conditions. One of the new promising areas of application of thermoset-based polymer matrix composites is the intumescent protective coating for metals; in normal conditions, such coatings can prevent the corrosion of metal constructions; during fire, expanded layer can prolong the time before critical failure. Water absorption is one of the primary characteristics of corrosion-protective materials; however, till now, there is only limited information about water absorption of multifunctional protective thermoset-based polymer matrix composites for intumescent coatings. In the present work, asymptotic values of water absorption of epoxy composites with polysiloxanes and fluorine-chlorine liquids are examined. The boundaries of control variables, within which the materials with required properties can be made, are determined. Silica, intercalated (expandable) graphite, and asbestos are used as fillers. Experiments were carried out in accordance with central composite experimental designs for full second-order regression models. It is shown that some admixtures can lead to notable decrease of water absorption.
The stress-strein state from its own weight in ground base with trapezoidal cutout
Authors: Agakhanov Elephan , Agakhanov Murad , Batmanov Edward
Published: August 2018

In order to determine the deformation of the base, the shrinkage of the structures erected on them, as well as to study the strength of the bases, it is necessary to determine the stresses in the soil massif. The stresses in the soil massif from the action of the structure are superimposed on the existing stresses in it from the action of its own weight, taking into account the excavation during the development of the pit. Therefore, the paper considers the stress-strain state of the ground base with a trapezoidal cutout under its own weight. It is shown that the effect of the own weight of the ground base with a trapezoidal cutout can be replaced by the fictitious action of the ball tensor of forced deformations and external load. At the same time, the previously known methods of replacing the own weight of the soil base by the action of fictitious surface forces, existing in the presence of rigid restrictions, are special cases of the solutions obtained in this work. In modern conditions, in relation to the total amount of accumulated professional knowledge, the volume of active information resources is increasing, and construction practice is constantly enriched with new experimental and theoretically sound accurate knowledge.
Assessment of enclosing structure moisture regime using moisture potential theory
Authors: Gagarin Vladimir , Akhmetov Vadim , Zubarev Kirill
Published: August 2018

The paper describes principal development directions of mathematical models of enclosing structure moisture regime. Benefits of mathematical models based on moisture potential theory are demonstrated. Moisture regime calculation by means of moisture potential, taking liquid and vapor moisture transfer into consideration, and using discrete-continual approach is proposed. New formulas for single-layer and multi-layer enclosing structures allowing for numerical analytic determination of moisture potential value in any enclosing structure section, at any moment of time, under continuous control of temperature distribution, have been derived. Moisture distribution has been studied for a number of enclosing structures using different methods of moisture potential theory: unsteady-state method, quasi-stationary method, the proposed discrete-continual method. Moisture regime has been determined for single-layer enclosing structure with ceramic brick basement and lime brick cladding in Moscow. It is shown that the greatest moisture value is achieved in enclosing structure calculation by means of steady-state method. Unsteady-state method gives more accurate moisture distribution. The proposed discrete-continual method gives quantitative and qualitative result of moisture distribution similar to results obtained by unsteady-state method. The benefit of discrete-continual method is a distribution obtained analytically, which allows to use solution results without numerical method application.
Research of nitrogen oxides generation during low-temperature swirl fuel combustion
Authors: Trinchenko Alexey
Published: August 2018

The work is devoted to the solution of the issue of environmental protection from harmful emissions of thermal power plants. Mechanisms of nitrogen oxides generation in a low-temperature swirl furnace process are considered. The analysis of the combustion process characteristics influence on the final level of nitrogen oxide concentration in the flue gases of the boilers is presented. Calculations and experimental studies have shown that the method of low-temperature swirl combustion provides a significant reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere.