bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A zálogjog és a hitelbiztosítéki nyilvántartás
Authors: Ferenczi Fanni
Published: June 2017

Analyzing th esystem of mortgage we must reach back to the Roman Law. At that era it had been possible to pledge liabilities, rights and moreover aggregated asset, property. Mortgage is a long term institute of Hungarian Private Law as well. Paragraphs 251 – 269 of Act IV of 1959 on the Civil Code of the Republic of Hungary regulates mortgage in the Law of Obligations, placed among collaterals. In the last two decades the old Civil Code of the Republic of Hungary has been modified twice. Act V of 2013on the Civil Code of the Republic of Hungary weakens but definitely rewritten the principles of lending. Regulation of mortgage and the system of chattel mortgage registry has significantly changed. Several novelty has been introduced therefore the system of chattel mortgage registry was reformed too. Detailed regulations of credit guarantee registry in Act CCXXI of 2013 and Act 18/2014. (III. 13.) KIM has also been accepted correspondingly to the previous changes.
A pszichiátriai betegek gyógykezelése elrendelésének és bírósági felülvizsgálatának elméleti és gyakorlati kérdései
Authors: Kerekes Szilvia
Published: June 2017

We can see that the practice of the judicial inspection is not always in accordance with the legislation.

The decisions made during the judicial inspection should be written down and delivered as soon as possible. The patient, the head of the institute and the designated medical doctor must be heard smoothly in all cases. All these questions form essential elements of the legal institution of judicial inspection, and, unfortunately, they are still waiting for legal clarification.
Tube Expansion Under Various Down-Hole End Conditions
Authors: Sanchez FJ , Al-Abri OS
Published: June 2017

Fossil hydrocarbons are indispensables commodities that motorize the global economy, and oil and gas are two of those conventional fuels that have been extracted and processed for over a century. During last decade, operators face challenges discovering and developing reservoirs commonly found up to several kilometers underground, for which advanced technologies are developed through different research programs. In order to optimize the current processes to drill and construct oil/gas wells, a large number of mechanical technologies discovered centuries ago by diverse sectors are implemented by well engineers. In petroleum industry, the ancient tube forming manufacturing process founds an application once well engineers intend to produce from reservoirs that cannot be reached unless previous and shallower troublesome formations are isolated. Solid expandable tubular is, for instance, one of those technologies developed to mitigate drilling problems and optimize the well delivery process. It consists of in-situ expansion of a steel-based tube that is attained by pushing/pulling a solid mandrel, which permanently enlarge its diameters. This non-linear expansion process is strongly affected by the material properties of the tubular, its geometry, and the pipe/mandrel contact surface. The anticipated force required to deform long sections of the pipe in an uncontrollable expansion environment, might jeopardize mechanical properties of the pipe and the well structural integrity. Scientific-based solutions, that depend on sound theoretical formulation and are validated through experiments, will help to understand possible tubular failure mechanisms during its operational life. This work is aimed to study the effect of different loading/boundary conditions on mechanical/physical properties of the pipe after expansion. First, full-scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the geometrical and behavioral changes. Second, simulation of deformation process was done using finite element method and validated against experimental results to assess the effects on the post-expansion tubular properties. Finally, the authors bring a comparison study where in a semi-analytical model is used to predict the force required for expansion.
The Future of Swelling Elastomers: An Elastomer Manufacturer's View of Swelling Elastomer Developments and Market Trends
Authors: Seyger R , Resink S , Harms H , Hibberd R
Published: June 2017

Swelling elastomers have gained acceptance as very effective products for creating sealing in various industries, including those creating energy from fossil fuels and geothermal resources. This paper outlines the research and development work being conducted not only in the application of these elastomers but also in the development work required to create new generations of elastomers. It touches on fundamental research into the mechanics of swelling with the intent to create a better and more predictable sealing as well as more advanced elastomers. It lifts the veil on the direction of work being done on new elastomers being developed in order to enable a better control of swelling. By doing so, the research is opening up field of applications for new equipment designs and mechanical possibilities in the future. Additionally, it addresses the need for a better and more in-depth dialogue between both chemical and mechanical engineers, and the elastomer companies and their customers on the potential that both swelling and non-swelling elastomers can offer to the industry as a whole.
Solution Methods for the Periodic Petrol Station Replenishment Problem
Authors: Triki C
Published: June 2017

In this paper we introduce the Periodic Petrol Station Replenishment Problem (PPSRP) over a T-day planning horizon and describe four heuristic methods for its solution. Even though all the proposed heuristics belong to the common partitioning-then-routing paradigm, they differ in assigning the stations to each day of the horizon. The resulting daily routing problems are then solved exactly until achieving optimalization. Moreover, an improvement procedure is also developed with the aim of ensuring a better quality solution. Our heuristics are tested and compared in two real-life cases, and our computational results show encouraging improvements with respect to a human planning solution
Comparison of Interleaved Boost Converter Configurations for Solar Photovoltaic System Interface
Authors: Ramaprabha R , Balaji K , Raj SB , Logeshwaran VD
Published: June 2017

Solar photovoltaic (SPV) panels that convert light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect have nonlinear internal resistance. Hence, with the variation in the intensity of light falling on the panel, the internal resistance varies. For effective utilization of the SPV panel, it is necessary to extract the maximum power from it. For maximum power extraction from SPV panels, DC-DC converter interface is used. The problem in using high frequency converter interface is the resultant high frequency ripple interaction with the SPV system. In this work, an interleaved boost converter (IBC) is considered to reduce the ripple. Our finding is that IBC fed by a SPV panel reduces this ripple to a greater extent. IBC also has a faster transient response as compared to conventional boost converters with reduced ripple contents. The main aim of this paper is to present a comparative analysis of the performance of IBC with inductors that are coupled in different ways. The results of the simulation were extrapolated with the help of MATLAB software and verified through experimentation.
On Directed Edge-Disjoint Spanning Trees in Product Networks, An Algorithmic Approach
Authors: Touzene A.R. , Day K.
Published: June 2017

In (Ku et al. 2003), the authors have proposed a construction of edge-disjoint spanning trees EDSTs in undirected product networks. Their construction method focuses more on showing the existence of a maximum number (n1+n2-1) of EDSTs in product network of two graphs, where factor graphs have respectively n1 and n2 EDSTs. In this paper, we propose a new systematic and algorithmic approach to construct (n1+n2) directed routed EDST in the product networks. The direction of an edge is added to support bidirectional links in interconnection networks. Our EDSTs can be used straightforward to develop efficient collective communication algorithms for both models store-and-forward and wormhole.
Investigations on Hysteresis-Based Current Control Techniques for Grid Connected Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Rajini V.
Published: June 2017

This paper focuses on delivering an effective performance qualification (PQ) control strategy for a grid connected photovoltaic (PV) system. A PV-based distributed generation system with a capacity of 10 kilo volt amps (kVA) was connected to the utility side of a power grid operating at 415 V. The power grid was modelled with a capacity of 100 kVA, 11 kV, and 100 km transmission line length. The PQ control strategy was implemented with three hysteresis-based current control techniques. To overcome the drawbacks of conventional hysteresis-control techniques, adaptive tuning of the hysteresis band was carried out, and a vector-based hysteresis current control is proposed to improve the results.
Semi Interlocking Masonry as Infill Wall System for Earthquake Resistant Buildings: A Review
Authors: Totoev Y. , Al Harthy A.
Published: June 2017

Masonry is one of the most popular building materials. It has many excellent material properties and proven durability. Over time, masonry structures have evolved from massive walls, which work mainly through compression, to more slender walls, which could also experience tension and shear. Earthquake-induced tensile and shear stresses often exceed the capacity of traditional unreinforced masonry resulting in substantial damage and failure. A new mortar-less masonry system called semi-interlocking masonry (SIM) is presented in this paper. It has reduced stiffness and susceptibility to damage and utilized a special method of interlocking bricks that allows relative sliding of brick courses in-plane of a wall and prevents out-of-plane relative movement of bricks. The paper reviews the research on SIM to date and identifies new research opportunities in this area.
Classification of Static Security Status Using Multi-Class Support Vector Machines
Authors: Kalyani S , Swarup KS
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a Multi-class Support Vector Machine (SVM) based Pattern Recognition (PR) approach for static security assessment in power systems. The multi-class SVM classifier design is based on the calculation of a numeric index called the static security index. The proposed multi-class SVM based pattern recognition approach is tested on IEEE 57 Bus, 118 Bus and 300 Bus benchmark systems. The simulation results of the SVM classifier are compared to a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) network and the Method of Least Squares (MLS). The SVM classifier was found to give high classification accuracy and a smaller misclassification rate compared to the other classifier techniques.
Simulation Study on Multipassed Welding Distortion of Combined Joint Types using Thermo-Elastic-Plastic FEM
Authors: Lidam RN , Yupiter HPM , Redza MR , Rahim MR , Sulaiman MS , Zakaria MY , Tham G , Abasa SK , Haruman E , Chau CY
Published: June 2017

This paper investigates the angular distortion induced by the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process on the combined butt and T-joint with a thickness of 9 mm. The material used in this study was low manganese carbon steel S355J2G3. A 2-D and 3-D thermo-elastic-plastic finite element (FE) analysis has been developed to simulate the induced distortion of multipassed welding. In this research, SYSWELD 2010 with its computation management tool, known as multipassed welding advisor (MPA), was applied to analyze the distortion behavior of combined joint types. To model the heat source of GMAW, Goldak's double ellipsoid representation, which is available within this finite element analysis (FEA) code was selected. Prior to the results discussion, this paper also shows the step-bystep procedures to simulate combined jointing which begins with metallurgical and customized heat source modeling, and is followed by creating geometrical mesh using Visual-Mesh 6.5 for analyzing and processing the results. Apart from 2-D and 3-D comparison analysis, the final objective of this research is also aimed to be a baseline study to provide preliminary information in preparing the tools and equipment for experimental investigation.
Comparative Study on Impacts of Power Curve Model on Capacity Factor Estimation of Pitch-Regulated Turbines
Authors: Albadi MH , El-Saadany EF
Published: June 2017

The amount of energy produced by a turbine depends on the characteristics of both wind speed at the site under investigation and the turbine's power performance curve. The capacity factor (CF) of a wind turbine is commonly used to estimate the turbine's average energy production. This paper investigates the effect of the accuracy of the power curve model on CF estimation. The study considers three CF models. The first CF model is based on a power curve model that underestimates the turbine output throughout the ascending segment of the power curve. To compensate for the aforementioned discrepancy, the Weibull parameters, c and k, which are used to describe wind profile, are calculated based on cubic mean wind speed (CMWS). The second CF model is based on the most accurate generic power curve model available in open literature. The third CF model is based on a new model of power performance curve which mimics the behavior of a typical pitch-regulated turbine curve. As the coefficients of this power curve model are based on a general estimation of the turbine output at different wind speeds, they can be further tuned to provide a more accurate fit with turbine data from a certain manufacturer.
Rainfall Forecasting in Banyuwangi Using Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System
Authors: Alfarisy Gusti Ahmad Fanshuri , Mahmudy Wayan Firdaus
Published: June 2017

Rainfall forcasting is a non-linear forecasting process that varies according to area and strongly influenced by climate change. It is a difficult process due to complexity of rainfall trend in the previous event and the popularity of Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) with hybrid learning method give high prediction for rainfall as a forecasting model. Thus, in this study we investigate the efficient membership function of ANFIS for predicting rainfall in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. The number of different membership functions that use hybrid learning method is compared. The validation process shows that 3 or 4 membership function gives minimum RMSE results that use temperature, wind speed and relative humidity as parameters.
Integration of National Long-Distance Passenger Travel Demand Model with Tennessee Statewide Model and Calibration to Big Data
Authors: Bernardin Vincent L. , Ferdous Nazneen , Sadrsadat Hadi , Trevino Steven , Chen Chin-Cheng
Published: June 2017

The Tennessee Department of Transportation replaced the quick-response-based long-distance component in its statewide model by integrating the new national long-distance passenger travel demand model in a new statewide model and calibrating it to long-distance trips observed in cell phone origin–destination data. The national long-distance model is a tour-based simulation model developed from FHWA research on long-distance travel behavior and patterns. The tool allows the evaluation of many policy scenarios, including fare or service changes for various modes, such as commercial air, intercity bus, Amtrak rail, and highway travel. The availability of this tool presents an opportunity for state departments of transportation in developing statewide models. Commercial big data from cell phones for long-distance trips also pre-sents an opportunity and a new data source for long-distance travel patterns, which previously have been the subject of limited data collection, in the form of surveys. This project is the first to seize on both of these opportunities by integrating the national long-distance model with the new Tennessee statewide model and by processing big data for use as a calibration target for long-distance travel in a statewide model. The paper demonstrates the feasibility of integrating the national model with statewide models, the ability of the national model to be calibrated to new data sources, the ability to combine multiple big data sources, and the value of big data on long-distance travel, as well as important lessons on its expansion.
Demonstration of High-Speed Optical Transmission at 2 µm in Titanium Dioxide Waveguides
Authors: Lamy Manon , Finot Christophe , Fatome Julien , Arocas Juan , Weeber Jean-Claude , Hammani Kamal
Published: June 2017

We demonstrate the transmission of a 10-Gbit/s optical data signal in the 2 µm waveband into titanium dioxide waveguides. Error-free transmissions have been experimentally achieved taking advantage of a 23-dB insertion loss fiber-to-fiber grating-based injection test-bed platform.
Supercritical Transesterification of Waste Vegetable Oil: Characteristic Comparison of Ethanol and Methanol as Solvents
Authors: Karki Sujeeta , Sanjel Nawaraj , Poudel Jeeban , Choi Ja Hyung , Oh Sea Cheon
Published: June 2017

Transesterification of waste vegetable oil is one of the promising partial substitutes for fossil fuels. The degradation characteristics of waste vegetable oil using supercritical alcohols (ethanol and methanol) have been studied in this research. The elementary target was to conduct comparative analysis of the effect of supercritical methanol and supercritical ethanol as solvents on the transesterification along with the analysis of product obtained in terms of carbon number. The experiments were carried out at transesterification temperatures of 250, 270 and 290 °C, retention time of 0 to 60 min at an interval of 15 min and oil to alcohol molar ratios of 1:6, 1:12 and 1:18 for both alcohols. The conversion increased with increase in transesterification temperature and retention time. At 290 °C, almost 99% conversion was achieved for 60-min holding time for both alcohols. Increase in conversion of waste vegetable oil was observed as the molar ratio increased. Supercritical transesterification resulted into ester yield higher than 95% with non-ester composition and glycerol collectively less than 5%.
Experimental Investigation on the Effects of DBD Plasma on the Film Cooling Effectiveness of a 30-Degree Slot
Authors: Kim Ye , Kim Gi , Shin Youhwan , Kwak Jae
Published: June 2017

The effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on the film cooling effectiveness of a 30-degree slot was experimentally investigated in a low-speed wind tunnel. The pressure sensitive paint (PSP) technique was used to measure the film cooling effectiveness, and two blowing ratios (0.5 and 1.0) were tested. A sinusoidal waveform with a 1-kHz frequency was supplied to the exposed electrode. Two input voltages (6 and 7 kV) and two exposed electrode locations were considered. The results showed that the film cooling effectiveness of the slot was higher for the blowing ratio of the 1.0 case than that for the blowing ratio of the 0.5 case regardless of plasma operation. The higher input voltage case (7 kV) showed higher film cooling effectiveness than the lower input voltage case (6 kV). The improvement in film cooling effectiveness facilitated by the DBD plasma was more significant when the coolant had less momentum. The maximum improvement of the area averaged film cooling effectiveness was 2.3% for the case with the exposed electrode located at the slot exit and a blowing ratio of 0.5.
Contribution of the Degeneration of the Neuro-Axonal Unit to the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Salapa Hannah , Lee Sangmin , Shin Yoojin , Levin Michael
Published: June 2017

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. In recent years, it has become more evident that neurodegeneration, including neuronal damage and axonal injury, underlies permanent disability in MS. This manuscript reviews some of the mechanisms that could be responsible for neurodegeneration and axonal damage in MS and highlights the potential role that dysfunctional heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1) and antibodies to hnRNP A1 may play in MS pathogenesis.
Promotion of Tumor Invasion by Tumor-Associated Macrophages: The Role of CSF-1-Activated Phosphatidylinositol 3 Kinase and Src Family Kinase Motility Signaling
Authors: Dwyer Amy , Greenland Eloise , Pixley Fiona
Published: June 2017

Macrophages interact with cells in every organ to facilitate tissue development, function and repair. However, the close interaction between macrophages and parenchymal cells can be subverted in disease, particularly cancer. Motility is an essential capacity for macrophages to be able to carry out their various roles. In cancers, the macrophage’s interstitial migratory ability is frequently co-opted by tumor cells to enable escape from the primary tumor and metastatic spread. Macrophage accumulation within and movement through a tumor is often stimulated by tumor cell production of the mononuclear phagocytic growth factor, colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1). CSF-1 also regulates macrophage survival, proliferation and differentiation, and its many effects are transduced by its receptor, the CSF-1R, via phosphotyrosine motif-activated signals. Mutational analysis of CSF-1R signaling indicates that the major mediators of CSF-1-induced motility are phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and one or more Src family kinase (SFK), which activate signals to adhesion, actin polymerization, polarization and, ultimately, migration and invasion in macrophages. The macrophage transcriptome, including that of the motility machinery, is very complex and highly responsive to the environment, with selective expression of proteins and splice variants rarely found in other cell types. Thus, their unique motility machinery can be specifically targeted to block macrophage migration, and thereby, inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis.
Creating a Registry for Patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Authors: Humphries Misty
Published: June 2017

The creation of any patient database requires substantial planning. In the case of thoracic outlet syndrome, which is a rare disease, the Society for Vascular Surgery has defined reporting standards to serve as an outline for the creation of a patient registry. Prior to undertaking this task, it is critical that designers understand the basics of registry planning and a priori establish plans for data collection and analysis.
A Review of the Common Models Used in Mechanistic Studies on Demineralization-Remineralization for Cariology Research
Authors: Yu Ollie Yiru , Zhao Irene Shuping , Mei May Lei , Lo Edward Chin-Man , Chu Chun-Hung
Published: June 2017

Mechanistic studies on demineralization-remineralization play a critical role in investigating caries pathogenicity, testing effects of new caries prevention methods, and developing new caries-preventing products. Simulating the cariogenic challenges in the mouth, various demineralization-remineralization models have been used for cariology research. This review aimed to provide an overview of the common mechanistic studies on demineralization-remineralization for cariology research in recent literature. Most mechanistic studies were in vitro studies (n = 294, 84%) among the 350 cariology studies indexed in the Web of Science from 2014 to 2016. Among these in vitro studies, most studies (257/294, 87%) used chemical models that could be classified as simple mineralization models (159/257, 62%) or pH-cycling models (98/257, 38%). In vitro studies consumed less expense and time than in vivo studies. Furthermore, in vitro conditions were easier to control. However, they could hardly imitate the complex structures of oral cavities, the microbiological effect of oral biofilm, and the hydrodynamic instability of saliva. The advantages of chemical models included simplicity of the study, low cost, efficiency (time saving), reproducibility, and stability of experiments. However, the “caries” generated were not biological. Moreover, the chemical models were generally basic and could not mimic a carious lesion in the complex oral environment.
Dental Biofilm and Laboratory Microbial Culture Models for Cariology Research
Authors: Yu Ollie , Zhao Irene , Mei May , Lo Edward , Chu Chun-Hung
Published: June 2017

Dental caries form through a complex interaction over time among dental plaque, fermentable carbohydrate, and host factors (including teeth and saliva). As a key factor, dental plaque or biofilm substantially influence the characteristic of the carious lesions. Laboratory microbial culture models are often used because they provide a controllable and constant environment for cariology research. Moreover, they do not have ethical problems associated with clinical studies. The design of the microbial culture model varies from simple to sophisticated according to the purpose of the investigation. Each model is a compromise between the reality of the oral cavity and the simplification of the model. Researchers, however, can still obtain meaningful and useful results from the models they select. Laboratory microbial culture models can be categorized into a closed system and an open system. Models in the closed system have a finite supply of nutrients, and are also simple and cost-effective. Models in the open system enabled the supply of a fresh culture medium and the removal of metabolites and spent culture liquid simultaneously. They provide better regulation of the biofilm growth rate than the models in the closed system. This review paper gives an overview of the dental plaque biofilm and laboratory microbial culture models used for cariology research.
Modeling Multi-Event Non-Point Source Pollution in a Data-Scarce Catchment Using ANN and Entropy Analysis
Authors: Chen Lei , Sun Cheng , Wang Guobo , Xie Hui , Shen Zhenyao
Published: June 2017

Event-based runoff–pollutant relationships have been the key for water quality management, but the scarcity of measured data results in poor model performance, especially for multiple rainfall events. In this study, a new framework was proposed for event-based non-point source (NPS) prediction and evaluation. The artificial neural network (ANN) was used to extend the runoff–pollutant relationship from complete data events to other data-scarce events. The interpolation method was then used to solve the problem of tail deviation in the simulated pollutographs. In addition, the entropy method was utilized to train the ANN for comprehensive evaluations. A case study was performed in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China. Results showed that the ANN performed well in the NPS simulation, especially for light rainfall events, and the phosphorus predictions were always more accurate than the nitrogen predictions under scarce data conditions. In addition, peak pollutant data scarcity had a significant impact on the model performance. Furthermore, these traditional indicators would lead to certain information loss during the model evaluation, but the entropy weighting method could provide a more accurate model evaluation. These results would be valuable for monitoring schemes and the quantitation of event-based NPS pollution, especially in data-poor catchments.
Recycling COR-TEN® Sea Containers into Service Modules for Military Applications: Thermal Analysis
Authors: Ulloa Carlos , Arce María Elena , Rey Guillermo , Míguez José Luis , Hernández José
Published: June 2017

It is thought that there are 14 million standardised sea containers out of order, equal to 23.3 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), which could be devoted for other purposes. The COR-TEN®steel containers are the best, due to the features of the materials, to be used in applications intended for the accommodation of people. One of the uses is framed in the area of humanitarian help, as service modules in areas of social emergency. Moreover, the deployment of these kinds of modules is quite simple, as the Army is generally able to transport containers in its units. In this project we have selected three typologies of service modules and we have designed modules based on sea containers which can fit into these typologies. The container chosen to be recycled is the 1 TEU, to which the closings and divisions are defined, which must reflect the different typologies of the service modules chosen. Afterwards, a study of thermal charges is carried out on three different settings of service modules located in five locations spread in different climate areas. Throughout a thermal simulation in Trnsys® (V17, Thermal Energy System Specialists, LLC, Madison, WI, USA), the consumption and maximum demand of heat and cold are analysed. Based on these results, the best equipment to cover the energy demand of the modules analysed in this study could be chosen. Moreover, the results can be used to estimate the operational costs of the deployment of the modules.
Performance Evaluation of Photovoltaic Solar System with Different Cooling Methods and a Bi-Reflector PV System (BRPVS): An Experimental Study and Comparative Analysis
Authors: Khan Muhammad , Ko Byeonghun , Alois Nyari Esebi , Park S. , Kim Hee-Je
Published: June 2017

Reducing the price of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has been a constant challenge. Despite recent advances, solar PV systems are still more costly than conventional energy resources. For the first time, this study examines the effectiveness of three different structures/materials: (i) silvered glass plane mirror; (ii) convex spherical mirrors; and (iii) aluminum (Al) foil as reflector. Comparative analysis of four different cooling techniques, i.e., water sprinkling system, passive heat sink method, active air fan method, and closed loop method, for enhancement of output power was performed. A novel Bi reflector solar PV system (BRPVS) was suggested to control the working of the reflectors. The Al foil enhanced the power output compared to the others. In addition, the effect of using a reflector on the temperature of a solar PV system was studied. High operating temperatures resulted in a decrease in the maximum output power under the same solar radiation conditions. The combined enhancement of the output power by both Al foil BRPVS system and cooling system was almost 22.75–38.55%. An optimal control algorithm to use cooling and BRPVS in an efficient manner is described.
Understanding the Impact of Human Mobility Patterns on Taxi Drivers’ Profitability Using Clustering Techniques: A Case Study in Wuhan, China
Authors: Naji Hasan , Wu Chaozhong , Zhang Hui
Published: June 2017

Taxi trajectories reflect human mobility over the urban roads’ network. Although taxi drivers cruise the same city streets, there is an observed variation in their daily profit. To reveal the reasons behind this issue, this study introduces a novel approach for investigating and understanding the impact of human mobility patterns (taxi drivers’ behavior) on daily drivers’ profit. Firstly, a K-means clustering method is adopted to group taxi drivers into three profitability groups according to their driving duration, driving distance and income. Secondly, the cruising trips and stopping spots for each profitability group are extracted. Thirdly, a comparison among the profitability groups in terms of spatial and temporal patterns on cruising trips and stopping spots is carried out. The comparison applied various methods including the mash map matching method and DBSCAN clustering method. Finally, an overall analysis of the results is discussed in detail. The results show that there is a significant relationship between human mobility patterns and taxi drivers’ profitability. High profitability drivers based on their experience earn more compared to other driver groups, as they know which places are more active to cruise and to stop and at what times. This study provides suggestions and insights for taxi companies and taxi drivers in order to increase their daily income and to enhance the efficiency of the taxi industry.
Effect of Cervical Kinesthetic Motor Imagery on Postural Control of Healthy Young Adults with Fear of Falling
Authors: Silva de Souza Nélio , Martins Ana , Ferreira Caroline , Motizuki Yasmin , Machado Christiano , Orsini Marco , Leite Marco , Bastos Victor
Published: June 2017

Motor imagery (MI) is the act of coding the mental aspect of an intended task without executing it. Fear consists of an anxiogenic response to a previous event, which provides a state of alertness to the individual in the face of a threat. These two conditions (imagery and fear) may modulate orthostatic postural control, but their combined effect is still unknown. To investigate whether cervical kinesthetic motor imagery induces modulations in postural control and in the fear of falling (FoF) sensation in healthy young adults. Participants (n = 20) were placed on the Wii Balance Board® and oriented to perform and imagine three tasks for 60 s: (1) closed eyes; (2) cervical flexion; and (3) cervical inclination. The number of performed and imagined repetitions were recorded, and participants responded to a question at the end of each task regarding the FoF. There were four relevant effects: (1) there was no difference between the number of performed and imagined repetitions (p > 0.05) indicating similarities; (2) there was a greater sensation of FoF induced by kinesthetic MI tasks (p < 0.001); (3) there was a greater modulation of the center of pressure (mean velocity and amplitude) in the anteroposterior direction in phobic subjects (p < 0.05); and (4) there was no modulation between the non-phobic subjects in the anteroposterior direction (p > 0.05). The FoF during kinesthetic MI tasks may influence the orthostatic postural control, favoring the reduction in postural stability.
Tribological Properties of Porous PEEK Composites Containing Ionic Liquid under Dry Friction Condition
Authors: Huang Xianzhu , Wu Jian , Lu Xiaohua , Feng Xin , Shi Yijun
Published: June 2017

NaCl particles were added into Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and its composites to produce porous PEEK-based materials by washing NaCl away after the high-temperature compression molding process. After that, an ionic liquid was added into the porous materials under vacuum condition. Carbon fibers (CF), as reinforcement, and PTFE, as an internal solid lubricant, were employed to prepare PEEK composites. Tribological properties under dry friction condition were studied on a ring-on-disc tribo-meter. The influence of CF and PTFE on tribological properties was carefully investigated. The results indicated that, in comparison with traditional PEEK composites (CF/PTFE/PEEK), the porous PEEK composites containing ionic liquid showed much better tribological properties. It is found that CF can help PEEK form effective pores to suck in the ionic liquid resulting in a better tribological performance. CF reinforced porous PEEK containing ionic liquid (p-CF/PEEK + IL) demonstrated the lowest friction coefficient (27% of CF/PTFE/PEEK) and the lowest wear loss (only 0.9% of CF/PTFE/PEEK). Long time tribological test revealed that the wear mass loss comes from the running-in period, while its wear is negligible after this period. It is also found that the addition of PTFE has a negative influence on the tribological behaviors, especially under high sliding velocity and applied load.
Thermal Stability and Fire Properties of Salen and Metallosalens as Fire Retardants in Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)
Authors: Ramgobin Aditya , Fontaine Gaëlle , Penverne Christophe , Bourbigot Serge
Published: June 2017

This study deals with the synthesis and evaluation of salen based derivatives as fire retardants in thermoplastic polyurethane. Salens, hydroxysalens and their first row transition metal complexes (salen-M) were synthesized (Copper, Manganese, Nickel and Zinc). They were then incorporated in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with a loading as low as 10:1 weight ratio. The thermal stability as well as the fire properties of the formulations were evaluated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that different coordination metals on the salen could induce different decomposition pathways when mixed with TPU. The Pyrolysis Combustion Flow Calorimetry (PCFC) results showed that some M-salen have the ability to significantly decrease the peak heat release rate (−61% compared to neat TPU) and total heat released (−63% compared to neat TPU) when formulated at 10:1 wt % ratio in TPU. Mass Loss Cone Calorimetry (MLC) results have shown that some additives (salen-Cu and salen-Mn) exhibit very promising performance and they are good candidates as flame-retardants for TPU.
Mechanical Behavior of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Beams Bonded with External Carbon Fiber Sheets
Authors: Gribniak Viktor , Tamulenas Vytautas , Ng Pui-Lam , Arnautov Aleksandr K. , Gudonis Eugenijus , Misiunaite Ieva
Published: June 2017

This study investigates the mechanical behavior of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams internally reinforced with steel bars and externally bonded with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets fixed by adhesive and hybrid jointing techniques. In particular, attention is paid to the load resistance and failure modes of composite beams. The steel fibers were used to avoiding the rip-off failure of the concrete cover. The CFRP sheets were fixed to the concrete surface by epoxy adhesive as well as combined with various configurations of small-diameter steel pins for mechanical fastening to form a hybrid connection. Such hybrid jointing techniques were found to be particularly advantageous in avoiding brittle debonding failure, by promoting progressive failure within the hybrid joints. The use of CFRP sheets was also effective in suppressing the localization of the discrete cracks. The development of the crack pattern was monitored using the digital image correlation method. As revealed from the image analyses, with an appropriate layout of the steel pins, brittle failure of the concrete-carbon fiber interface could be effectively prevented. Inverse analysis of the moment-curvature diagrams was conducted, and it was found that a simplified tension-stiffening model with a constant residual stress level at 90% of the strength of the SFRC is adequate for numerically simulating the deformation behavior of beams up to the debonding of the CFRP sheets.
Influence of Tension Stiffening on the Flexural Stiffness of Reinforced Concrete Circular Sections
Authors: Morelli Francesco , Amico Cosimo , Salvatore Walter , Squeglia Nunziante , Stacul Stefano
Published: June 2017

Within this paper, the assessment of tension stiffening effects on a reinforced concrete element with the circular sections subjected to axial and bending loads is presented. To this purpose, an enhancement of an analytical model already present within the actual technical literature is proposed. The accuracy of the enhanced method is assessed by comparing the experimental results carried out in past research and the numerical ones obtained by the model. Finally, a parametric study is executed in order to study the influence of axial compressive force on the flexural stiffness of reinforced concrete elements that are characterized by a circular section, comparing the secant stiffness evaluated at yielding and at maximum resistance, considering and not considering the effects of tension stiffness.
Microbial Diseases of Bivalve Mollusks: Infections, Immunology and Antimicrobial Defense
Authors: Zannella Carla , Mosca Francesco , Mariani Francesca , Franci Gianluigi , Folliero Veronica , Galdiero Marilena , Tiscar Pietro Giorgio , Galdiero Massimiliano
Published: June 2017

A variety of bivalve mollusks (phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia) constitute a prominent commodity in fisheries and aquacultures, but are also crucial in order to preserve our ecosystem’s complexity and function. Bivalve mollusks, such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, are relevant bred species, and their global farming maintains a high incremental annual growth rate, representing a considerable proportion of the overall fishery activities. Bivalve mollusks are filter feeders; therefore by filtering a great quantity of water, they may bioaccumulate in their tissues a high number of microorganisms that can be considered infectious for humans and higher vertebrates. Moreover, since some pathogens are also able to infect bivalve mollusks, they are a threat for the entire mollusk farming industry. In consideration of the leading role in aquaculture and the growing financial importance of bivalve farming, much interest has been recently devoted to investigate the pathogenesis of infectious diseases of these mollusks in order to be prepared for public health emergencies and to avoid dreadful income losses. Several bacterial and viral pathogens will be described herein. Despite the minor complexity of the organization of the immune system of bivalves, compared to mammalian immune systems, a precise description of the different mechanisms that induce its activation and functioning is still missing. In the present review, a substantial consideration will be devoted in outlining the immune responses of bivalves and their repertoire of immune cells. Finally, we will focus on the description of antimicrobial peptides that have been identified and characterized in bivalve mollusks. Their structural and antimicrobial features are also of great interest for the biotechnology sector as antimicrobial templates to combat the increasing antibiotic-resistance of different pathogenic bacteria that plague the human population all over the world.
Repurposing Established Compounds to Target Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
Authors: Renz Bernhard , D’Haese Jan , Werner Jens , Westphalen C. , Ilmer Matthias
Published: June 2017

The diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) carries a dismal prognosis, in particular, when patients present with unresectable disease. While significant progress has been made in understanding the biology of PDAC, this knowledge has not translated into a clear clinical benefit and current chemotherapeutic strategies only offer a modest improvement in overall survival. Accordingly, novel approaches are desperately needed. One hypothesis that could—at least in part—explain the desolate response of PDAC to chemotherapy is the so-called cancer stem cell (CSC) concept, which attributes specific traits, such as chemoresistance, metastatic potential and a distinct metabolism to a small cellular subpopulation of the whole tumor. At the same time, however, some of these attributes could make CSCs more permissive for novel therapeutic strategies with compounds that are already in clinical use. Most recently, several publications have tried to enlighten the field with the idea of repurposing established drugs for antineoplastic use. As such, recycling drugs could present an intriguing and fast-track method with new therapeutic paradigms in anti-cancer and anti-CSC treatments. Here, we aim to summarize important aspects and novel findings of this emerging field.
Modeling the Influence of Tool Deflection on Cutting Force and Surface Generation in Micro-Milling
Authors: Huo Dehong , Chen Wanqun , Teng Xiangyu , Lin Chao , Yang Kai
Published: June 2017

In micro-milling, cutting forces generate non-negligible tool deflection, which has a significant influence on the machining process and on workpiece accuracy. This paper investigates the tool deflection during micro-milling and its effect on cutting force and surface generation. The distribution of cutting forces acting on the tool is calculated with a mathematical model that considers tool elasticity and runout, and the tool deflection caused by the cutting forces is then obtained. Furthermore, an improved cutting force model and side wall surface generation model are established, including the tool deflection effect. Both cutting force and surface simulation models were verified by the micro-end-milling experiment, and the results show a very good agreement between the simulation and experiments.
The Influence of Ca2+ and pH on the Interaction between PAHs and Molybdenite Edges
Authors: Wan He , Yang Wei , He Tingshu , Yang Jianbo , Guo Lin , Peng Yongjun
Published: June 2017

Nonpolar hydrocarbon oils are widely used as collectors for floating molybdenite. However, they can only adsorb on molybdenite faces and not on molybdenite edges, resulting in limited molybdenite recovery, especially in processed water containing a high amounts of Ca2+. In this study, the influence of Ca2+ and pH on the adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as part of composite collection on molybdenite edges, was studied. It was found that PAHs could only adsorb on molybdenite edges in the presence of Ca2+. Ca2+ reacted with molybdenite edges to form CaMoO4 precipitates. Then, CaMoO4 precipitates interacted with PAHs to form a structure of π–cation–π by (1) the cation–π interaction, (2) the π–π interaction and (3) the electrostatic interaction. It was also found that CaMoO4 precipitates on molybdenite edges promoted the adsorption of PAHs. The more the CaMoO4 precipitates, the easier the PAHs adsorption occurred. As a result, the high amount of Ca2+and low pH enhanced the adsorption of PAHs on molybdenite edges. This study provides insights into reducing the deleterious effect of Ca2+ on fine molybdenite flotation.
The Preparation and Characterization of Pyrolysis Bio-Oil-Resorcinol-Aldehyde Resin Cold-Set Adhesives for Wood Construction
Authors: Ren Xueyong , Cai Hongzhen , Du Hongshuang , Chang Jianmin
Published: June 2017

Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin is a kind of excellent exterior-grade wood structural adhesive, which can be conveniently cold-set for various applications. In order to decrease the production cost, pyrolysis bio-oil from renewable bioresources was used to replace resorcinol to synthesize the bio-oil-resorcinol-aldehyde (BRF) resin. The effect of replacing resorcinol with bio-oil on the properties, bonding performance, and characterization of resorcinol-aldehyde resin was comparatively investigated. A higher solid content and viscosity, albeit a lower shear strength, was found when the replacement ratio of bio-oil increased. The bonding performance of BRF with 10 and 20 wt % bio-oil was close to that of the pure RF resin. However, the trends of being less cross-linked, more easily decomposed, but more porous were found when the substitution ratio of bio-oil was higher than 20 wt %. Interestingly, it was found that the wood failure values of the BRF resins with bio-oil of no more than 20 wt % were slightly higher than that of the pure RF resin. On the whole, BRF resins with 20 wt % bio-oil is recommended as a wood structural adhesive, comprehensively considering the bio-oil substitution ratio and resin properties. The results obtained here showed that pyrolysis bio-oil is a promising green raw material for the production of RF resin with lower cost.
Stoichiometric Network Analysis of Cyanobacterial Acclimation to Photosynthesis-Associated Stresses Identifies Heterotrophic Niches
Authors: Beck Ashley , Bernstein Hans , Carlson Ross
Published: June 2017

Metabolic acclimation to photosynthesis-associated stresses was examined in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1 using integrated computational and photobioreactor analyses. A genome-enabled metabolic model, complete with measured biomass composition, was analyzed using ecological resource allocation theory to predict and interpret metabolic acclimation to irradiance, O2, and nutrient stresses. Reduced growth efficiency, shifts in photosystem utilization, changes in photorespiration strategies, and differing byproduct secretion patterns were predicted to occur along culturing stress gradients. These predictions were compared with photobioreactor physiological data and previously published transcriptomic data and found to be highly consistent with observations, providing a systems-based rationale for the culture phenotypes. The analysis also indicated that cyanobacterial stress acclimation strategies created niches for heterotrophic organisms and that heterotrophic activity could enhance cyanobacterial stress tolerance by removing inhibitory metabolic byproducts. This study provides mechanistic insight into stress acclimation strategies in photoautotrophs and establishes a framework for predicting, designing, and engineering both axenic and photoautotrophic-heterotrophic systems as a function of controllable parameters.