bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An experimentally investigate the fin thermal performance to the different fin spaces by natural convections
Authors: Mohammed Al-Jewaree Hazim
Published: October 2018

In oil and gas industries there are a lot off heat transfer devices used for different purposes. These devices are widely used in various industrial, transportation, or domestic applications such as heat exchangers thermal power plants, means of transport, heating and air conditioning systems, electronic equipments and space vehicles. In all these applications, improvements in the efficiency of heat exchangers can lead to substantial cost, space and materials savings. The research work summarized in this articles presents an experimental investigation on the effect of fin space (s)  and aluminum materials on the fin performance using rectangular  fins. The steady-state natural convection heat transfer from vertical rectangular fins extending perpendicularly from horizontal square base was investigated experimentally at new range not found in the previous works, this range of temperatures from 50 to 150 Co  . The effects of fin space parameter and base-to-ambient temperature difference on the heat transfer performance of fin arrays were observed and the environmental condition were determined. Five fin space settings,( 22, 27, 30, 35 and 38 mm) with a constant fin height is 50mm for all types of configuration are presented in this work  were employed under free convection heat transfer conditions. This range of fin space not found on previous study or research. The heat transfer area was kept the same. The performance of the fin expressed in terms of fin efficiency, effectiveness and thermal resistance as a function of the ambient temperature and fin space parameters has been study in this work. The dimensionless parameter Biot no. on the locally variable environmental condition is examined for different fin spaces to the fin heat transfer rate. Also, the effect of environmental condition is study.  Experimental results show that the effect fin space on fin performance is more significant.. The maximum increase in convection heat transfer coefficient value obtained is about 22 percent. The increase in heat transfer coefficient value is also manifested by a corresponding decrease in the fin base temperature. Also, it is concluded from the experimental results that the performance of heat transfer rate increase with decreasing the fin space  in respect of heat transfer coefficient, thermal resistance ,overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Modernization of power settings dry cargo and tank vessels
Authors: Batygin O. E.
Published: October 2018

The current problem of the need to modernize the Russian fleet and, in particular, the power plants of ships, is caused by the decommissioning the most of the dry cargo and bulk  carriers that are in using at this moment. Over time, most of these boards have ceased to  be suitable for navigation and can not be repaired, and modern shipyards and shipyards are  unable  to use and service new ships designed for the domestic fleet. In view of this, there is a discrepancy between the number of required boards and the volume of orders from  shipbuilders. The new brand of a foreign manufacturer's engines using on dry cargo and bulk ships of the previous generation significantly reduces the operating costs and repairing  diesel engine’s costs, and also increases their service life. The comparison of the aggregates  used at this moment and the model under consideration is made and a conclusion is made  about the expediency of using the proposed engine for the purpose the Russian  shipbuilding’s and ship repair’s long-term development.

 

Subject: the study’s subject is the possibility of using foreign ships’ dry-cargo and tanker vessels for the modernization and improvement of the sides of the selected type.

Materials and methods: in the work’s course is a comparative analysis of several types of diesel engines, possible for installation on the sides of the Volga-Don and Volgoneft, was carried out.

Results: as a result of the work, a comparative table was developed for the characteristics of the diesel engine’s types under consideration, and the efficiency of using the considered brand’s foreign aggregates was revealed.

Conclusions: the use of Yachai YC6CL diesel engines as powerplants on board dry cargo and liquid ships is advisable, because of their undeniable advantages in comparison with domestic units and economic feasibility.
Atrial Septal Defect Presenting as Platypnea
Orthodeoxia Syndrome
Authors: Agdamag Arianne Clare , Gomez Joanne Michelle
Published: October 2018

Platypnea orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is an uncommon phenomenon characterized by dyspnea and arterial desaturation in an upright position improved with recumbency. It is due to an anatomical factor that allows for interatrial communication and a functional factor that promotes right to left shunting. Once identified, early intervention allows for rapid symptomatic improvement. This case highlights that among patients who present with positional hypoxia, POS should be considered as a possible etiology. Thorough evaluation is warranted to identify potentially reversible etiologies and guide management.

Keywords: Platypnea orthodeoxia syndrome, Atrial septal defect, Amplatzer closure device
Case Report: Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis Triggered by Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid
Authors: Alraddadi Bushra Salah , Magliah Tahani , Al Otaibi Yasser
Published: October 2018

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) is rare autoimmune disease that can be caused with or without drugs. We present a 32 year old male with LABD secondary to Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with complete recovery after the antibiotic was discontinued.

Keywords: Linear IgA Bullous disease, Vancomycin, Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid
Atypical Early Onset Juvenile Sarcoidosis Presenting with Osteolytic Lesions
Authors: Alwafi Samar , Alluhaibi Razan , Alsharif Sahar , AlOmair Bader
Published: October 2018

Sarcoidosis is a potentially fatal systemic inflammatory granulomatous disease, can occur in adult and pediatric patients, but it is relatively rare in children. Juvenile sarcoidosis has a diverse clinical course depending on the age of onset. Bone involvement is rarely noted in children with sarcoidosis and usually seen late in the course of the disease and is rarely the initial manifestation. Here we report a case of early onset juvenile sarcoidosis revealed by cutaneous and osseous lytic lesions of the phalanges.

Keywords: Atypical, Early onset, Juvenile, Sarcoidosis, Osteolytic lesions, Osseous sarcoidosis, Phalanges.
Numerical Simulation of Heat-and-Mass Transfer Processes in the Cooling Passages of a Cylinder Head in a Diesel Locomotive Engine
Authors: Avramenko Andrey N. , Abramchuk Fedor I.
Published: October 2018

Results are given for the comparative numerical simulation of heat-and-mass transfer processes in the cooling passages of a cylinder head in diesel locomotive engine 16 FN 26/27 running under rated power conditions at different engine boost levels. The advanced numerical methods used are shown to ensure a high degree of accuracy and information content when simulating heat-and-mass transfer processes, and enable evaluating the local values of flow parameters with account of the complex configuration of the flow parts in the cooling passages and the impact of operating parameters. The results show that an increasing boost level of a diesel engine and, respectively, a growing thermal load degrade drastically the conditions of heat rejection from the most thermally stressed zones of the cylinder head – the central part of the bottom face in the area of the injector bore and of the bridge between the bores of exhaust valve seats. The paper assesses the impact of the boost level on the effectiveness of heat rejection from the most thermally stressed areas of the cylinder head of a diesel locomotive engine. Conclusions and recommendations for improving the operating conditions of the cylinder head are given.
Micropropagation of Isoplexis chalcantha Svent, O´Shanahan from Mature Plants
Authors: Mederos-Molina S.
Published: October 2018

Culture medium requirements for micropropagation of Isoplexis chalcantha was achieved for the first time after high degree of contamination and phenolic exudates were detected and solved. Cultures were established from axillary shoots using juvenile branches collected from this medicinal plant. Most satisfying results were obtained using a solidified and a modified MS medium (NO3- : NH4+ ratios) enriched with ascorbic acid or soluble PVP plus GA3, BAP and NAA. Explants (nodal segments) were used for in vitro shoots multiplication and best results were achieved with modified MS plus BAP and auxins. Vigorous shoots rooted without symptoms in the half-strength modified MS enriched with low concentration of IBA. Key words: Isoplexis chalcantha, axillary shoots, contamination, phenolic exudates, culture media, NO3- : NH4+ ratios D.O.I. 10.3329/ptcb.v18i2.3395 Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 18(2): 131-137, 2008 (December)
‘Strangers to themselves’: Ageing, the Individual, and the Community in the Fiction of Iris Murdoch, John Banville, and John McGahern
Authors: Ingman Heather
Published: October 2018

Irish literary gerontology has been slow to develop and this article aims to stimulate discussion by engaging with gerontologists' assertions that ageing in a community of peers is enriching. Juxtaposing the experience of ageing individuals in the novels of Iris Murdoch and John Banville with the more social experiences of John McGahern's protagonists, the article finds parallels between Murdoch's The Sea, The Sea (1978) and Banville's fiction with its emphasis on the ageing individual, invariably male, who attempts to fashion a coherent identity through narration. By contrast, McGahern's The Barracks (1963), is focused through the eyes of a female protagonist whose final months are shaped by interaction with the society around her, while in That They May Face the Rising Sun (2002) ageing is experienced through an entire community.
Brian Friel and Theodor W. Adorno: Utopia, Dialectics and Performances
Authors: Velten-Mrowka Christa
Published: October 2018

For many philosophical thinkers since Thomas More's Utopia, the idea of a perfect human society has been aporetic – present in the imagination, yet beyond existent reality. The atrocities of the 20th century convinced the philosopher and musicologist Adorno that utopia is realizable only in meta-physical moments of aesthetic experience, enabled through the mediating powers of art. Reality is artistically placed into a context of possibility, thus being liberated from its confines. Independent of Adorno, Friel has made these ideas substance and theme of Friel's plays. He has treated them most concisely and compellingly in his late work, Performances, a celebration of the redemptive and creative powers of Eros, which dialectically intertwines the physical and the meta-physical.
‘These people know what they're fighting for’: Denis Johnston and the Partisans
Authors: Woodward Guy
Published: October 2018

In March 1944 the dramatist and BBC radio correspondent Denis Johnston travelled to the Croatian island of Vis, to record spoken and sung contributions by Yugoslav Partisans and British Royal Air Force officers stationed there. Examining Johnston's wartime memoir Nine Rivers From Jordan alongside his broadcasts, manuscripts and notebooks, this essay considers the visit as a moment of imaginative liberation and escape, made possible both by Vis's utopian status as an island free from Nazi occupation and by the egalitarian social environment that he found there. Johnston's accounts are not entirely celebratory however, and the register of escape is complicated by the affinities he detects between the landscape of Vis and that of the West of Ireland, and between the communist Partisans and Irish Republicans.
Real-Time Tumor Motion Tracking in 3D Using Planning 4D CT Images during Image-Guided Radiation Therapy
Authors: Choi Jang-Hwan , Lee Sooyeul
Published: October 2018

In this paper we propose a novel method for tracking the respiratory phase and 3D tumor position in real time during treatment. The method uses planning four-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) obtained through the respiratory phase, and a kV projection taken during treatment. First, digitally rendered radiographs (DRRs) are generated from the 4DCT, and the structural similarity (SSIM) between the DRRs and the kV projection is computed to determine the current respiratory phase and magnitude. The 3D position of the tumor corresponding to the phase and magnitude is estimated using non-rigid registration by utilizing the tumor path segmented in the 4DCT. This method is evaluated using data from six patients with lung cancer and dynamic diaphragm phantom data. The method performs well irrespective of the gantry angle used, i.e., a respiration phase tracking accuracy of 97.2 ± 2.5%, and tumor tracking error in 3D of 0.9 ± 0.4 mm. The phantom study reveals that the DRRs match the actual projections well. The time taken to track the tumor is 400 ± 53 ms. This study demonstrated the feasibility of a technique used to track the respiratory phase and 3D tumor position in real time using kV fluoroscopy acquired from arbitrary angles around the freely breathing patient.
Free and Forced Vibration of Laminated and Sandwich Plates by Zig-Zag Theories Differently Accounting for Transverse Shear and Normal Deformability
Authors: Icardi Ugo , Urraci Andrea
Published: October 2018

A number of mixed and displacement-based zig-zag theories are derived from the zig-zag adaptive theory (ZZA). As a consequence of their different assumptions on displacement, strain, and stress fields, and layerwise functions, these theories account for the transverse shear and normal deformability in different ways, but their unknowns are independent of the number of layers. Some have features that are reminiscent of ones that have been published in the literature for the sake of comparison. Benchmarks with different length-to-thickness ratios, lay-ups, material properties, and simply supported or clamped edges are studied with the intended aim of contributing toward better understanding the influence of transverse anisotropy on free vibration and the response of blast-loaded, multilayered, and sandwich plates, as well as enhancing the existing database. The results show that only theories whose layerwise contributions identically satisfy interfacial stress constrains and whose displacement fields are redefined for each layer provide results that are in agreement with elasticity solutions and three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) (mixed solid elements with displacements and out-of-plane stresses as nodal degrees of freedom (d.o.f.)) with a low expansion order of polynomials in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions. The choice of their layerwise functions is shown to be immaterial, while theories with fixed kinematics are shown to be strongly case-sensitive and often inadequate (even for slender components).
Fallow Land, Recession and Socio-Demographic Local Contexts: Recent Dynamics in a Mediterranean Urban Fringe
Authors: Zambon Ilaria , Serra Pere , Salvia Rosanna , Salvati Luca
Published: October 2018

Urban settlements have globally expanded into rural land. Being influenced by complex socio-environmental dynamics and sometimes acting as a reserve of economic value, fallow land has characterized rural areas in a distinctive way over the last decades. The present work debates on the role of fallow land as a component of Mediterranean peri-urban landscapes, considering together different aspects from environmental/agronomic and regional science perspectives. An empirical analysis of the latent relationship between spatial distribution of fallow land, agricultural landscape (land-use, territorial, and topographic characteristics), and urban sprawl was carried out in a representative Mediterranean case study (Athens, Greece) evidencing the possible linkage between urban growth/containment, conservation of rural biodiversity/local traditions, and fallow land (intended as a candidate source of buildable land) in fringe districts. Urban growth at the local scale was contrasted with the spatial distribution of fallow land under sequential expansions and recessions of the regional economic system. Conservation of marginal rural land in fringe districts—including fallow land—is a necessary target of any sustainable land management strategy in metropolitan contexts experiencing rapid socioeconomic transformations.
Application of Benchmarking and Principal Component Analysis in Measuring Performance of Public Irrigation Schemes in Kenya
Authors: Muema Faith M. , Home Patrick G. , Raude James M.
Published: October 2018

The inefficient water use, and variable and low productivity in Kenyan public irrigation schemes is a major concern. It is, therefore, necessary to periodically monitor and evaluate the performance of public irrigation schemes. This prompted evaluation of performance of three rice growing irrigation schemes in western Kenya using benchmarking and principal component analysis. The aim of the study was to quantify and rank the performance of selected irrigation schemes. The performance of the irrigation schemes was evaluated for the period from 2012 to 2016 using eleven performance indicators under agricultural productivity, water supply and financial performance categories. The performance indicators were weighted using principal component analysis and combined to form a single performance score using linear aggregation method. The average performance in the Ahero, West Kano and Bunyala irrigation schemes was 48%, 49% and 56%, respectively. Based on performance score, the Bunyala irrigation scheme is the highest performing rice irrigation scheme in western Kenya. The three irrigation schemes have an average performance. Operation and management measures to improve the current performance of the irrigation schemes are needed.
Dispersion-Engineered Step-Index Tellurite Fibers for Mid-Infrared Coherent Supercontinuum Generation from 1.5 to 4.5 μm with Sub-Nanojoule Femtosecond Pump Pulses
Authors: Froidevaux Paul , Lemière Arnaud , Kibler Bertrand , Désévédavy Frédéric , Mathey Pierre , Gadret Grégory , Jules Jean-Charles , Nagasaka Kenshiro , Suzuki Takenobu , Ohishi Yasutake , Smektala Frédéric
Published: October 2018

Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation from 1.5 to 4.5 µm with sub-nanojoule femtosecond pump pulses is demonstrated by using a short segment of dispersion-engineered step-index tellurite fiber with very low OH content. Distinct group-velocity dispersion regimes in a simple design of step-index tellurite fiber are also reported, which allows to choose the nonlinear pulse propagation regime according to the required tailoring of the supercontinuum source. Numerical simulations based on the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation are used to determine optimized fiber parameters before experimental demonstrations. We also analyse the coherence properties of the resulting supercontinuum sources.
A Novel Hybrid Boundary-Type Meshless Method for Solving Heat Conduction Problems in Layered Materials
Authors: Xiao Jing-En , Ku Cheng-Yu , Huang Wei-Po , Su Yan , Tsai Yung-Hsien
Published: October 2018

In this article, we propose a novel meshless method for solving two-dimensional stationary heat conduction problems in layered materials. The proposed method is a recently developed boundary-type meshless method which combines the collocation scheme from the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) with the collocation Trefftz method (CTM) to improve the applicability of the method for solving boundary value problems. Particular non-singular basis functions from cylindrical harmonics are adopted in which the numerical approximation is based on the superposition principle using the non-singular basis functions expressed in terms of many source points. For the modeling of multi-layer composite materials, we adopted the domain decomposition method (DDM), which splits the domain into smaller subdomains. The continuity of the flux and the temperature has to be satisfied at the interface of subdomains for the problem. The validity of the proposed method is investigated for several test problems. Numerical applications were also carried out. Comparison of the proposed method with other meshless methods showed that it is highly accurate and computationally efficient for modeling heat conduction problems, especially in heterogeneous multi-layer composite materials.
The Enhancing Effects of Amelogenin Exon 5-Encoded Peptide from Enamel Matrix Derivative on Odontoblast-Like KN-3 Cells
Authors: Kato Hirohito , Taguchi Yoichiro , Imai Kazutaka , Ruan Yaru , Tsai Yu-Wei , Chen Yi-Chie , Shida Muneyasu , Taguchi Reiko , Tominaga Kazuya , Umeda Makoto
Published: October 2018

Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) is applied for periodontal therapy. We created a synthetic amelogenin peptide (SP) derived from EMD, and have previously investigated the biological function of SP. However, it is unknown whether SP affects odontoblastic differentiation. In this study, we tested the effects of SP in the odontoblast-like cells, KN-3 cells. KN-3 cells were cultured with SP (0 to 1000 ng/mL) and then cultured for 3, 8, 24, or 48 h in order to determine the effects of SP on cell proliferation and detect its optimum concentration. KN-3 cells were treated with SP in odontogenic differentiation medium cultured for 3 or 7 days. Odontogenic markers were measured by the detection of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and dentin sialo phosphoprotein (DSPP) expression, the calcified nodule formation, and calcium deposition. The addition of SP significantly promoted cell proliferation at 100 ng/mL, generating the greatest change in cell proliferation. SP also showed increased odontogenic expression markers and mineralization. These results suggest that SP, derived from EMD, could have potential for application in dental pulp capping.
Theoretical Analysis of a Molecular Optical Modulator for a Continuous-Wave Laser Based on a Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber
Authors: Zaitsu Shin-ichi , Tanabe Takumi , Oshima Kota , Hirata Hiroyuki
Published: October 2018

A THz optical modulator for a continuous-wave laser using a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) was proposed and theoretically analyzed. Lightwaves traveling through the HC-PCF is modulated by interactions with coherently driven Raman-active molecules in the core. The coherent molecular motion is excited by a pulse train having an interval between successive pulses shorter than the molecular dephasing time. In principle, a rotational transition of molecular hydrogen (S 0 (1)) at a pressure of 1 atm has a long enough dephasing time to maintain molecular coherence during a 1 GHz commercially available mode-locked pulse train. Optimization of the waveguide dispersion would enable phase-matching between the probe beam and generated sidebands during optical modulation. The proposed scheme would be achievable with a reasonable pump beam power and HC-PCF length, and with a feasible pressure of molecules in the core.
Comprehensive Evaluation on an ID-Based Side-Channel Authentication with FPGA-Based AES
Authors: Li Yang , Kasuya Momoka , Sakiyama Kazuo
Published: October 2018

Various electronic devices are increasingly being connected to the Internet. Meanwhile, security problems, such as fake silicon chips, still exist. The significance of verifying the authenticity of these devices has led to the proposal of side-channel authentication. Side-channel authentication is a promising technique for enriching digital authentication schemes. Motivated by the fact that each cryptographic device leaks side-channel information depending on its used secret keys, cryptographic devices with different keys can be distinguished by analyzing the side-channel information leaked during their calculation. Based on the original side-channel authentication scheme, this paper adapts an ID-based authentication scheme that can significantly increase the authentication speed compared to conventional schemes. A comprehensive study is also conducted on the proposed ID-based side-channel authentication scheme. The performance of the proposed authentication scheme is evaluated in terms of speed and accuracy based on an FPGA-based AES implementation. With the proposed scheme, our experimental setup can verify the authenticity of a prover among 2 70 different provers within 0.59 s; this could not be handled effectively using previous schemes.
Development of Lift Control System Algorithm and P-M-E Analysis in the Workplace
Authors: Afa Michael Inikuro
Published: October 2018

Lifts play an important role in human transportation in multi-storage buildings, which experience continuous improvements to their architecture and structure. As a result of these improvements, the development of efficient lift systems with more programs is required to meet these changes. In this work, a lift control system based on a programmable logic controller (PLC) is introduced, elucidating the development of the lift control algorithm and network based on a dispatching algorithm that utilizes a fuzzy system and exploits the traffic situation and condition. The PLC language ladder logic is implemented to facilitate a reduction in the average waiting time of passengers and the power consumption. Ladder diagrams for different scenarios are compared. The analysis of personnel-machine-environment (P-M-E) system conditions was conducted, examining numerous physical factors that could pose health and safety threats to workers. The present study opens doors for future lift systems studies based on PLC and the estimation of a safe workplace for machines and operators.
Vegetation Dynamics and Diverse Responses to Extreme Climate Events in Different Vegetation Types of Inner Mongolia
Authors: Na Li , Na Risu , Zhang Jiquan , Tong Siqin , Shan Yin , Ying Hong , Li Xiangqian , Bao Yulong
Published: October 2018

As the global climate has changed, studies on the relationship between vegetation and climate have become crucial. We analyzed the long-term vegetation dynamics and diverse responses to extreme climate changes in Inner Mongolia, based on long-term Global Inventory Monitoring and Modelling Studies (GIMMS) NDVI3g datasets, as well as the eight extreme precipitation indices and six extreme temperature indices that are highly correlated with the occurrence of droughts or floods, heat or cold temperature disasters, and vegetation growth in Inner Mongolia. These datasets were analyzed using linear regression analysis, the Hurst exponent index, residual analysis, and the Pearson correlation analysis. The results showed the following: (1) The vegetation dynamical changes exhibited trends of improvement during 1982 to 2015, and 68% of the vegetation growth changes in Inner Mongolia can be explained by climate changes. (2) The extreme precipitation indices exhibited a slight change, except for the annual total wet–day precipitation (PRCPTOT). The occurrence of extreme cold temperatures showed a significant decline, while the occurrence of extreme warm temperatures showed an upward trend in Inner Mongolia. (3) The typical steppe, desert steppe, and forest steppe regions are more sensitive to extreme large precipitation, and the forest regions are more sensitive to extreme warm temperatures. (4) Extreme precipitation exhibits a one-month lagged effect on vegetation that is larger than the same-month effects on the grassland system. Extreme temperature exhibits same-month effects on vegetation, which are larger than the one-month lagged effects on the forest system. Therefore, studies of the relationship between extreme climate indices and vegetation are important for performing risk assessments of droughts, floods, and other related natural disasters.
Spectroscopic BIL-SFG Invariance Hides the Chaotropic Effect of Protons at the Air-Water Interface
Authors: Pezzotti Simone , Gaigeot Marie-Pierre
Published: October 2018

The knowledge of the water structure at the interface with the air in acidic pH conditions is of utmost importance for chemistry in the atmosphere. We shed light on the acidic air-water (AW) interfacial structure by DFT-MD simulations of the interface containing one hydronium ion coupled with theoretical SFG (Sum Frequency Generation) spectroscopy. The interpretation of SFG spectra at charged interfaces requires a deconvolution of the signal into BIL (Binding Interfacial Layer) and DL (Diffuse Layer) SFG contributions, which is achieved here, and hence reveals that even though H 3 O + has a chaotropic effect on the BIL water structure (by weakening the 2D-HBond-Network observed at the neat air-water interface) it has no direct probing in SFG spectroscopy. The changes observed experimentally in the SFG of the acidic AW interface from the SFG at the neat AW are shown here to be solely due to the DL-SFG contribution to the spectroscopy. Such BIL-SFG and DL-SFG deconvolution rationalizes the experimental SFG data in the literature, while the hydronium chaotropic effect on the water 2D-HBond-Network in the BIL can be put in perspective of the decrease in surface tension at acidic AW interfaces.
A Climatological Study of Western Mediterranean Medicanes in Numerical Simulations with Explicit and Parameterized Convection
Authors: Ragone Francesco , Mariotti Monica , Parodi Antonio , Von Hardenberg Jost , Pasquero Claudia
Published: October 2018

The semi-enclosed Mediterranean basin, surrounded by high mountains, is placed in a favorable location for cyclonic storms development. Most of these are extratropical cyclones of baroclinic and orographic origin, but occasionally, some low pressure systems may develop to assume features characteristic of tropical cyclones. Medicanes (MEDIterranean hurriCANES) are infrequent and small-sized tropical-like cyclones. They originate and develop over sea, and are associated with strong winds and heavy precipitations. Proper definitions and classifications for Medicanes are still partially lacking, and systematic climatic studies have appeared only in recent years. In this work, we provide climatologies of Medicanes in the Western Mediterranean basin based on multidecadal runs performed with the Weather Research and Forecasting regional model with different resolutions and setups. The detection of Medicanes is based on a cyclone tracking algorithm and on the methodology of Hart cyclone phase space diagrams. We compare the statistics of Medicanes in the historical period 1979–1998 between runs at a resolution of 11 km with different convective parameterizations and microphysics schemes and one run at a resolution of 4 km with explicitly resolved convection. We show how different convective parameterization schemes lead to different statistics of Medicanes, while the use of different microphysical schemes impacts the length of the cyclone trajectories.
Homotransfer FRET Reporters for Live Cell Imaging
Authors: Snell Nicole , Rao Vishnu , Seckinger Kendra , Liang Junyi , Leser Jenna , Mancini Allison , Rizzo M.
Published: October 2018

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorophores of the same species was recognized in the early to mid-1900s, well before modern heterotransfer applications. Recently, homotransfer FRET principles have re-emerged in biosensors that incorporate genetically encoded fluorescent proteins. Homotransfer offers distinct advantages over the standard heterotransfer FRET method, some of which are related to the use of fluorescence polarization microscopy to quantify FRET between two fluorophores of identical color. These include enhanced signal-to-noise, greater compatibility with other optical sensors and modulators, and new design strategies based upon the clustering or dimerization of singly-labeled sensors. Here, we discuss the theoretical basis for measuring homotransfer using polarization microscopy, procedures for data collection and processing, and we review the existing genetically-encoded homotransfer biosensors.
Mechanical Properties of Innovative, Multi-Layer Composite Laminated Panels
Authors: Niederwestberg Jan , Zhou Jianhui , Chui Ying-Hei
Published: October 2018

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) possesses both good shape stability and possible two-way force transfer ability due to its crosswise lamination. However, the transverse layers in CLT are prone to rolling shear failure under an out-of-plane load. An innovative multi-layer composite laminated panel (CLP) was developed by combining structural composite lumber (SCL) and dimension lumber to overcome the rolling shear failure while maintaining the high mechanical performance and aesthetic appearance of natural wood. The mechanical properties of 5-layer CLP that consisted of laminated strand lumber (LSL) and dimension lumber with different layups were evaluated by both static and modal tests. The results showed that the shear resistance, bending stiffness, and moment resistance of CLP were up to 143%, 43%, and 87% higher than their counterparts of regular CLT, respectively. The failure modes observed in both shear and bending tests indicated that the use of LSL in transverse layers could eliminate the potential rolling shear failure in CLT. With the lamination properties from components tests as inputs, the validity of shear analogy method was assessed by test results. The mechanical properties can be well predicted by shear analogy method except for the bending moment resistance of CLP and CLT with either rolling failure in the cross layer or tension failure in the bottom layer.
AAA Proteases: Guardians of Mitochondrial Function and Homeostasis
Authors: Opalińska Magdalena , Jańska Hanna
Published: October 2018

Mitochondria are dynamic, semi-autonomous organelles that execute numerous life-sustaining tasks in eukaryotic cells. Functioning of mitochondria depends on the adequate action of versatile proteinaceous machineries. Fine-tuning of mitochondrial activity in response to cellular needs involves continuous remodeling of organellar proteome. This process not only includes modulation of various biogenetic pathways, but also the removal of superfluous proteins by adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-driven proteolytic machineries. Accordingly, all mitochondrial sub-compartments are under persistent surveillance of ATP-dependent proteases. Particularly important are highly conserved two inner mitochondrial membrane-bound metalloproteases known as m-AAA and i-AAA (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities), whose mis-functioning may lead to impaired organellar function and consequently to development of severe diseases. Herein, we discuss the current knowledge of yeast, mammalian, and plant AAA proteases and their implications in mitochondrial function and homeostasis maintenance.
Influence of Molecular Design on the Targeting Properties of ABD-Fused Mono- and Bi-Valent Anti-HER3 Affibody Therapeutic Constructs
Authors: Altai Mohamed , Leitao Charles Dahlsson , Rinne Sara S. , Vorobyeva Anzhelika , Atterby Christina , Ståhl Stefan , Tolmachev Vladimir , Löfblom John , Orlova Anna
Published: October 2018

Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 3 (HER3) is associated with tumour cell resistance to HER-targeted therapies. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting HER3 are currently being investigated for treatment of various types of cancers. Cumulative evidence suggests that affibody molecules may be appropriate alternatives to mAbs. We previously reported a fusion construct (3A3) containing two HER3-targeting affibody molecules flanking an engineered albumin-binding domain (ABD035) included for the extension of half-life in circulation. The 3A3 fusion protein (19.7 kDa) was shown to delay tumour growth in mice bearing HER3-expressing xenografts and was equipotent to the mAb seribantumab. Here, we have designed and explored a series of novel formats of anti-HER3 affibody molecules fused to the ABD in different orientations. All constructs inhibited heregulin-induced phosphorylation in HER3-expressing BxPC-3 and DU-145 cell lines. Biodistribution studies demonstrated extended the half-life of all ABD-fused constructs, although at different levels. The capacity of our ABD-fused proteins to accumulate in HER3-expressing tumours was demonstrated in nude mice bearing BxPC-3 xenografts. Formats where the ABD was located on the C-terminus of affibody binding domains (3A, 33A, and 3A3) provided the best tumour targeting properties in vivo. Further development of these promising candidates for treatment of HER3-overexpressing tumours is therefore justified.
A Decade of NT-proBNP in Acute Kawasaki Disease, from Physiological Response to Clinical Relevance
Authors: Dionne Audrey , Dahdah Nagib
Published: October 2018

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an inflammatory febrile illness of early childhood and the primary cause of acquired heart disease during childhood. Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are a serious complication of KD, leading to ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. Timely diagnosis in the first ten days of fever is crucial to reduce the risk of coronary artery complications. Nitrogen-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), originally used for the management of adults with heart disease, was shown to be useful in the diagnosis and management of patients with KD. NT-proBNP is released by cardiomyocytes in response to mechanical factors such as the dilation of cardiac chambers, and to pro-inflammatory cytokines. The utility of NT-proBNP as a biological marker in KD is based on the universal myocardial inflammatory component early in the course of the disease. Patients with KD have higher NT-proBNP at the time of diagnosis than febrile controls, with a pooled sensitivity of 89% (95% confidence interval 78–95), and a specificity of 72% (95% confidence interval 58–82). The positive likelihood ratio is 3.2:1 (95% confidence interval 2.1–4.8). Moreover, patients with resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin treatment and CAA were found to have higher levels of NT-proBNP, suggesting a prognostic role. Nevertheless, the non-specificity of NT-proBNP to KD limits its use as a stand-alone test. In this light, a tentative associative retrospective diagnostic algorithm was highly reliable for including all cases at risk of CAA, which warrants further prospective studies for a better diagnostic index of suspicion and risk stratification of patients.
Isothermal Oxidation Behavior of Zr-Y Coating on γ-TiAl by Double Glow Plasma Surface Metal Alloying Technique
Authors: Ding Feng , Zhang Pingze , Wei Dongbo , Chen Xiaohu , Wang Shiyuan , Wang Zhangzhong , Zhu Yimin
Published: October 2018

Oxidation resistance of Zr-Y coating on γ-TiAl alloy prepared by a double-glow plasma surface alloying technique was investigated in static air at 750 °C, 800 °C and 850 °C for 100 h. A pure Zr coating was also prepared for comparison. Addition of Y improved high-temperature oxidation resistance of the alloying coating because of its refining effect and inhibition of cationic diffusion. Oxidation kinetic curves indicated that the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the Zr-Y coating was about eight times higher than that of the bare substrate and about 3 times higher than that of pure Zr coating.
Efficient One-Time Signatures from Quasi-Cyclic Codes: A Full Treatment
Authors: Persichetti Edoardo
Published: October 2018

The design of a practical code-based signature scheme is an open problem in post-quantum cryptography. This paper is the full version of a work appeared at SIN’18 as a short paper, which introduced a simple and efficient one-time secure signature scheme based on quasi-cyclic codes. As such, this paper features, in a fully self-contained way, an accurate description of the scheme setting and related previous work, a detailed security analysis, and an extensive comparison and performance discussion.
Study of Detector-Grade CdMnTe:In Crystals Obtained by a Multi-Step Post-Growth Annealing Method
Authors: Yu Pengfei , Chen Yongren , Li Wei , Liu Wenfei , Liu Bin , Yang Jie , Ni Kun , Luan Lijun , Zheng Jiahong , Li Zhuo , Bai Min , Sun Guodong , Li Hui , Jie Wanqi
Published: October 2018

A multi-step annealing method was successfully applied to inclusions reduction and resistivity improvement of CdMnTe:In (CMT:In) single crystals with high resistivity, including a Cd atmosphere annealing step followed by a Te atmosphere annealing step. After the Cd atmosphere annealing step, the density of Te inclusions was reduced distinctly, and it could be also decreased in the subsequent step of re-annealing under Te atmosphere. Both the resistivity and IR transmittance decreased notably after Cd atmosphere annealing, whereas they increased tremendously after re-annealing under a Te atmosphere. The reduction of full-width at-half-maximum (FWHM) and the increase of the intensity of the X-ray rocking curve indicated an improvement of the crystal quality. Meanwhile, after Cd atmosphere annealing, the increase of the intensity of the (D0,X) peak and the disappearance of the (A0,X) peak in photoluminescence (PL) measurements suggested further that the crystal quality was improved. The detector performance was enhanced obviously after annealing. The higher the annealing temperature, the better the performance was. The detector fabricated by CMT:In slice (Cd atmosphere annealing at 1073 K for 240 h and Te atmosphere re-annealing at 773 K for 120 h) with 9.43% energy resolution and 1.25 × 10−3 cm2/V μτ value had the best detector performance.
Unconventional Deformation Behaviours of Nanoscaled High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Bu Yeqiang , Peng Shenyou , Wu Shiwei , Wei Yujie , Wang Gang , Liu Jiabin , Wang Hongtao
Published: October 2018

The bulk high-entropy alloys (HEAs) exhibit similar deformation behaviours as traditional metals. These bulk behaviours are likely an averaging of the behaviours exhibited at the nanoscale. Herein, in situ atomic-scale observation of deformation behaviours in nanoscaled CoCrCuFeNi face-centred cubic (FCC) HEA was performed. The deformation behaviours of this nanoscaled FCC HEA (i.e., nanodisturbances and phase transformations) were distinct from those of nanoscaled traditional FCC metals and corresponding bulk HEA. First-principles calculations revealed an obvious fluctuation of the stacking fault energy and stability difference at the atomic scale in the HEA. The stability difference was highlighted only in the nanoscaled HEA and induced unconventional deformation behaviours. Our work suggests that the nanoscaled HEA may provide more chances to discover the long-expected essential distinction between the HEAs and traditional metals.
Bouncing Oil Droplets, de Broglie’s Quantum Thermostat, and Convergence to Equilibrium
Authors: Hatifi Mohamed , Willox Ralph , Colin Samuel , Durt Thomas
Published: October 2018

Recently, the properties of bouncing oil droplets, also known as “walkers,” have attracted much attention because they are thought to offer a gateway to a better understanding of quantum behavior. They indeed constitute a macroscopic realization of wave-particle duality, in the sense that their trajectories are guided by a self-generated surrounding wave. The aim of this paper is to try to describe walker phenomenology in terms of de Broglie–Bohm dynamics and of a stochastic version thereof. In particular, we first study how a stochastic modification of the de Broglie pilot-wave theory, à la Nelson, affects the process of relaxation to quantum equilibrium, and we prove an H-theorem for the relaxation to quantum equilibrium under Nelson-type dynamics. We then compare the onset of equilibrium in the stochastic and the de Broglie–Bohm approaches and we propose some simple experiments by which one can test the applicability of our theory to the context of bouncing oil droplets. Finally, we compare our theory to actual observations of walker behavior in a 2D harmonic potential well.
A New and Stable Estimation Method of Country Economic Fitness and Product Complexity
Authors: Servedio Vito D. P. , Buttà Paolo , Mazzilli Dario , Tacchella Andrea , Pietronero Luciano
Published: October 2018

We present a new metric estimating fitness of countries and complexity of products by exploiting a non-linear non-homogeneous map applied to the publicly available information on the goods exported by a country. The non homogeneous terms guarantee both convergence and stability. After a suitable rescaling of the relevant quantities, the non homogeneous terms are eventually set to zero so that this new metric is parameter free. This new map almost reproduces the results of the original homogeneous metrics already defined in literature and allows for an approximate analytic solution in case of actual binarized matrices based on the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) indicator. This solution is connected with a new quantity describing the neighborhood of nodes in bipartite graphs, representing in this work the relations between countries and exported products. Moreover, we define the new indicator of country net-efficiency quantifying how a country efficiently invests in capabilities able to generate innovative complex high quality products. Eventually, we demonstrate analytically the local convergence of the algorithm involved.
Entropy Inequalities for Lattices
Authors: Harremoës Peter
Published: October 2018

We study entropy inequalities for variables that are related by functional dependencies. Although the powerset on four variables is the smallest Boolean lattice with non-Shannon inequalities, there exist lattices with many more variables where the Shannon inequalities are sufficient. We search for conditions that exclude the existence of non-Shannon inequalities. The existence of non-Shannon inequalities is related to the question of whether a lattice is isomorphic to a lattice of subgroups of a group. In order to formulate and prove the results, one has to bridge lattice theory, group theory, the theory of functional dependences and the theory of conditional independence. It is demonstrated that the Shannon inequalities are sufficient for planar modular lattices. The proof applies a gluing technique that uses that if the Shannon inequalities are sufficient for the pieces, then they are also sufficient for the whole lattice. It is conjectured that the Shannon inequalities are sufficient if and only if the lattice does not contain a special lattice as a sub-semilattice.
An Anti-Islanding Protection Technique Using a Wavelet Packet Transform and a Probabilistic Neural Network
Authors: Ahmadipour Masoud , Hizam Hashim , Lutfi Othman Mohammad , Amran Mohd Radzi Mohd
Published: October 2018

This paper proposes a new islanding detection technique based on the combination of a wavelet packet transform (WPT) and a probabilistic neural network (PNN) for grid-tied photovoltaic systems. The point of common coupling (PCC) voltage is measured and processed by the WPT to find the normalized Shannon entropy (NSE) and the normalized logarithmic energy entropy (NLEE). Subsequently, the yield feature vectors are fed to the PNN classifier to classify the disturbances. The PNN is trained with different spread factors to obtain better classification accuracy. For the best performance of the proposed method, the precise analysis is done for the selection of the type of input data for the PNN, the type of mother wavelet, and the required transform level which is based on the accuracy, simplicity, specificity, speed, and cost parameters. The results show that, by using normalized Shannon entropy and the normalized logarithmic energy entropy, not only it offers simplicity, specificity and reduced costs, it also has better accuracy compared to other smart and passive methods. Based on the results, the proposed islanding detection technique is highly accurate and does not mal-operate during islanding and non-islanding events.