bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forecasting Flammable Properties of Substances
Authors: Калач  , Kalach A. , Королев  , Korolev D. , Рудаков  , Rudakov O.
Published: January 2016

One of the current key problems is forecasting flammable properties of substances. The lack of information about the applied substance prevents developing complete fire-prevention systems. To solve this problem authors suggest a forecasting method based on molecular descriptors and artificial neuron networks. As an example of the method they predicted the self-ignition point of anthraquinone and anthraquinone-based colorants. Average absolute error did not exceed 13,1 °C.
Toxicity Parameters of Exhaust Gases of Diesel Engine Running on Mixed Composition Biofuels
Authors: Девянин  , Devyanin S. , Марков  , Markov V. , Неверова  , Neverova V.
Published: January 2016

The article displays advantages of using multicomponent mixed biofuels for diesel engines, i.e. mixtures of oil diesel fuel

and rapeseed oil, rapeseed oil methyl ester, gasoline. The results of experimental research on a D-245.12C type automotive

diesel engine running on these fuels are presented. A method of determining the optimal composition of multicomponent

biofuels is proposed. Using this method optimization calculations of the fuel compositions are made. It is demonstrated that

among tested biofuels the mixture of 80% oil diesel fuel, 10% of rapeseed oil and 10% of gasoline possesses the superior

ecological parameters.
Introduction of New Technical Solutions for Improving Environmental Protection for Biotech Companies
Authors: Сеник  , Senik E. , Виноградов  , Vinogradov M. , Таранов  , Taranov R. , Козодаев  , Kozodaev A. , Ксенофонтов  , Ksyenofontov Boris , Воропаева  , Voropaeva A.
Published: January 2016

The paper discusses the environmental issues of biotech industries. It presents a schematic diagram of yeast biomass

feed on paraffin oil and producing fodder yeast hydrolysis. Possible ways of optimizing the thickening stage activated

sludge, including through the use of various separators are described. Results of industrial tests of various separators

are presented. In the process of carrying out pilot tests we found that for biotech companies the most appropriate way of

thickening activated sludge is its pre-flotation and further centrifugation. We define the ways of recycling activated sludge,

in particular in its processing operation, followed by acid hydrolysis using an additional substrate when growing feed yeast.

The dependence of yeast biomass yield on the amount applied to the fermentation of the hydrolysate activated sludge is

offered. The importance of quality used activated sludge, in particular on the content of mineral elements is emphasized.

Other ways of handling and recycling or disposal of excess sludge are also considered.
The Exponomial Choice Model: A New Alternative for Assortment and Price Optimization
Authors: Alptekinoğlu Aydın , Semple John H.
Published: January 2016

We investigate the use of a canonical version of a discrete choice model due to Daganzo (1979) [Daganzo C (1979) Multinomial Probit: The Theory and Its Application to Demand Forecasting (Academic Press, New York).] in optimal pricing and assortment planning. In contrast to multinomial and nested logit (the prevailing choice models used for optimizing prices and assortments), this model assumes a negatively skewed distribution of consumer utilities, an assumption we motivate by conceptual arguments as well as published work. The choice probabilities in this model can be derived in closed form as an exponomial (a linear function of exponential terms). The pricing and assortment planning insights we obtain from the exponomial choice (EC) model differ from the literature in two important ways. First, the EC model allows variable markups in optimal prices that increase with expected utilities. Second, when prices are exogenous, the optimal assortment may exhibit leapfrogging in prices, i.e., a product can be skipped in favor of a lower-priced one depending on the utility positions of neighboring products. These two plausible pricing and assortment patterns are ruled out by multinomial logit (and by nested logit within each nest). We provide structural results on optimal pricing for monopoly and oligopoly cases, and on the optimal assortments for both exogenous and endogenous prices. We also demonstrate how the EC model can be easily estimated—by establishing that the log-likelihood function is concave in model parameters and detailing an estimation example using real data.
Efficient Feed-In-Tariff Policies for Renewable Energy Technologies
Authors: Alizamir Saed , de Véricourt Francis , Sun Peng
Published: January 2016

Feed-in-tariff (FIT) policies aim at driving down the cost of renewable energy by fostering learning and accelerating the diffusion of green technologies. Under FIT mechanisms, governments purchase green energy at tariffs that are set above market price. The success or failure of FIT policies, in turn, critically depend on how these tariffs are determined and adjusted over time. This paper provides insights into designing cost-efficient and socially optimal FIT programs. Our modeling framework captures key market dynamics as well as investors’ strategic behavior. In this framework, we establish that the current practice of maintaining constant profitability is theoretically rarely optimal. By contrast, we characterize a no-delay region in the problem’s parameters, such that profitability should strictly decrease over time if the diffusion and learning rates belong to this region. In this case, investors never strategically postpone their investment to a later period. When the diffusion and learning rates fall outside the region, profitability should increase at least temporarily over some time periods and strategic delays occur. The presence of strategic delays, however, makes the practical problem of computing optimal FIT schedules very difficult. To address this issue, the regulator may focus on policies that disincentivize investors to postpone their investment. With this additional constraint, a constant profitability policy is optimal if and only if the diffusion and learning rates fall outside the no-delay region. This provides partial justifications for current FIT implementations.
Sclerostin Immunoreactivity Increases in Cortical Bone Osteocytes and Decreases in Articular Cartilage Chondrocytes in Aging Mice
Authors: Thompson Michelle L. , Jimenez-Andrade Juan Miguel , Mantyh Patrick W.
Published: January 2016

Sclerostin is a 24-kDa secreted glycoprotein that has been identified as a negative modulator of new bone formation and may play a major role in age-related decline in skeletal function. Although serum levels of sclerostin markedly increase with age, relatively little is known about whether cells in the skeleton change their expression of sclerostin with aging. Using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, we explored sclerostin immunoreactivity (sclerostin-IR) in the femurs of 4-, 9-, and 24-month-old adult C3H/HeJ male mice. In the femur, the only two cell types that expressed detectable levels of sclerostin-IR were bone osteocytes and articular cartilage chondrocytes. At three different sites along the diaphysis of the femur, only a subset of osteocytes expressed sclerostin-IR and the percentage of osteocytes that expressed sclerostin-IR increased from approximately 36% to 48% in 4- vs. 24-month-old mice. In marked contrast, in the same femurs, there were ~40% fewer hypertrophic chondrocytes of articular cartilage that expressed sclerostin-IR when comparing 24- vs. 4-month-old mice. Understanding the mechanism(s) that drive these divergent changes in sclerostin-IR may provide insight into understanding and treating the age-related decline of the skeleton.
An Improved Immunostaining and Imaging Methodology to Determine Cell and Protein Distributions within the Bone Environment
Authors: Akkiraju Hemanth , Bonor Jeremy , Nohe Anja
Published: January 2016

Bone is a dynamic tissue that undergoes multiple changes throughout its lifetime. Its maintenance requires a tight regulation between the cells embedded within the bone matrix, and an imbalance among these cells may lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Identifying cell populations and their proteins within bone is necessary for understanding bone biology. Immunolabeling is one approach used to visualize proteins in tissues. Efficient immunolabeling of bone samples often requires decalcification, which may lead to changes in the structural morphology of the bone. Recently, methyl-methacrylate embedding of non-decalcified tissue followed by heat-induced antigen retrieval has been used to process bone sections for immunolabeling. However, this technique is applicable for bone slices below 50-µm thickness while fixed on slides. Additionally, enhancing epitope exposure for immunolabeling is still a challenge. Moreover, imaging bone cells within the bone environment using standard confocal microscopy is difficult. Here we demonstrate for the first time an improved methodology for immunolabeling non-decalcified bone using a testicular hyaluronidase enzyme-based antigen retrieval technique followed by two-photon fluorescence laser microscopy (TPLM) imaging. This procedure allowed us to image key intracellular proteins in bone cells while preserving the structural morphology of the cells and the bone.
Ulex Europaeus Agglutinin-1 Is a Reliable Taste Bud Marker for In Situ Hybridization Analyses
Authors: Yoshimoto Joto , Okada Shinji , Kishi Mikiya , Misaka Takumi
Published: January 2016

Taste signals are received by taste buds. To better understand the taste reception system, expression patterns of taste-related molecules are determined by in situ hybridization (ISH) analyses at the histological level. Nevertheless, even though ISH is essential for determining mRNA expression, few taste bud markers can be applied together with ISH. Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1) appears to be a reliable murine taste bud marker based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses. However, there is no evidence as to whether UEA-1 can be used for ISH. Thus, the present study evaluated UEA-1 using various histochemical methods, especially ISH. When lectin staining was performed after ISH procedures, UEA-1 clearly labeled taste cellular membranes and distinctly indicated boundaries between taste buds and the surrounding epithelial cells. Additionally, UEA-1 was determined as a taste bud marker not only when used in single-colored ISH but also when employed with double-labeled ISH or during simultaneous detection using IHC and ISH methods. These results suggest that UEA-1 is a useful marker when conducting analyses based on ISH methods. To clarify UEA-1 staining details, multi-fluorescent IHC (together with UEA-1 staining) was examined, resulting in more than 99% of cells being labeled by UEA-1 and overlapping with KCNQ1-expressing cells.
Stem Cell-Associated Marker Expression in Canine Hair Follicles
Authors: Gerhards Nora M. , Sayar Beyza S. , Origgi Francesco C. , Galichet Arnaud , Müller Eliane J. , Welle Monika M. , Wiener Dominique J.
Published: January 2016

Functional hair follicle (HF) stem cells (SCs) are crucial to maintain the constant recurring growth of hair. In mice and humans, SC subpopulations with different biomarker expression profiles have been identified in discrete anatomic compartments of the HF. The rare studies investigating canine HF SCs have shown similarities in biomarker expression profiles to that of mouse and human SCs. The aim of our study was to broaden the current repertoire of SC-associated markers and their expression patterns in the dog. We combined analyses on the expression levels of CD34, K15, Sox9, CD200, Nestin, LGR5 and LGR6 in canine skin using RT-qPCR, the corresponding proteins in dog skin lysates, and their expression patterns in canine HFs using immunohistochemistry. Using validated antibodies, we were able to define the location of CD34, Sox9, Keratin15, LGR5 and Nestin in canine HFs and confirm that all tested biomarkers are expressed in canine skin. Our results show similarities between the expression profile of canine, human and mouse HF SC markers. This repertoire of biomarkers will allow us to conduct functional studies and investigate alterations in the canine SC compartment of different diseases, like alopecia or skin cancer with the possibility to extend relevant findings to human patients.
TGF-β/SMAD Pathway and Its Regulation in Hepatic Fibrosis
Authors: Xu Fengyun , Liu Changwei , Zhou Dandan , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2016

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), a key member in the TGF-β superfamily, plays a critical role in the development of hepatic fibrosis. Its expression is consistently elevated in affected organs, which correlates with increased extracellular matrix deposition. SMAD proteins have been studied extensively as pivotal intracellular effectors of TGF-β1, acting as transcription factors. In the context of hepatic fibrosis, SMAD3 and SMAD4 are pro-fibrotic, whereas SMAD2 and SMAD7 are protective. Deletion of SMAD3 inhibits type I collagen expression and blocks epithelial-myofibroblast transition. In contrast, disruption of SMAD2 upregulates type I collagen expression. SMAD4 plays an essential role in fibrosis disease by enhancing SMAD3 responsive promoter activity, whereas SMAD7 negatively mediates SMAD3-induced fibrogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that divergent miRNAs participate in the liver fibrotic process, which partially regulates members of the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway. In this review, we focus on the TGF-β/SMAD and other relative signaling pathways, and discussed the role and molecular mechanisms of TGF-β/SMAD in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, we address the possibility of novel therapeutic approaches to hepatic fibrosis by targeting to TGF-β/SMAD signaling.
Comentario de Quiroz-Acurio V en: Valoración nutricional, evaluación de la composición corporal y su relación con el rendimiento deportivo en un equipo de fútbol femenino
Authors: Arias Kevyn , Quiroz-Acurio Valeria , Rivera Alexandra
Published: January 2016

Comentarios sobre: http://dx.doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.19.1.109
Respuesta de los autores al comentario de Quiroz-Acurio V en: Valoración nutricional, evaluación de la composición corporal y su relación con el rendimiento deportivo en un equipo de fútbol femenino
Authors: González-Neira María , San Mauro-Martín Ismael , García-Angulo Belén , Fajardo Diana , Garicano-Vilar Elena
Published: January 2016

Comentarios sobre: http://dx.doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.19.1.109
Price Discrimination with Varying Qualities of Information
Authors: Liu Qihong , Shuai Jie
Published: January 2016

Advances in information technology have greatly enhanced firms’ ability to collect, market and utilize consumer information. As the market for consumer information expands rapidly, businesses are armed with unprecedented means to target any group of consumers they desire. This has important and far-reaching impacts on consumer welfare. In this paper we analyze the welfare impacts of price discrimination facilitated by increasing qualities of consumer information. We employ a two-dimensional spatial differentiation model where consumer information is available on one dimension, and better information leads to more refined price discrimination. We find that as information quality improves, equilibrium prices and profits monotonically increase while consumer surplus and social surplus monotonically decrease. Price discrimination has a reduced demand elasticity effect which becomes stronger when consumer information becomes more precise. Our results suggest that regulators need to pay more attention to the potential damage to consumer welfare by the increasing collection and utilization of consumer information. We also endogenize firms’ information acquisition decisions.
Optimal Penalties for Repeat Offenders – The Role of Offence History
Authors: Endres Alfred , Rundshagen Bianca
Published: January 2016

Within an infinite and a corresponding finite game framework we analyse intertemporal punishment for repeat offenders. The legal authority is assumed to maximize social welfare by minimizing the sum of harm from crimes and cost of punishment. We show that the time horizon considerably affects the structure of the optimal penalty scheme. In the finite game framework decreasing as well as escalating penalty schemes may be optimal. For the more appropriate infinite game framework we show three main results: First, any penalty scheme can be replaced by a (weakly) escalating penalty scheme that leads to the same criminal activity and the same social penalization cost. Second, the optimal penalty scheme is of the escalating type. Third, the socially optimal level of crime under escalating penalties may be higher than the level which would be optimal under uniform penalties.
Characterization of Y2O3 and CeO2 doped SiO2-SrO-Na2O glasses
Authors: Placek Lana M. , Keenan Timothy J. , Laffir Fathima , Coughlan Aisling , Wren Anthony W.
Published: January 2016

The structural effects of yttrium (Y) and cerium (Ce) are investigated when substituted for sodium (Na) in a 0.52SiO2–0.24SrO–(0.24−x)Na2O–xMO (where x = 0.08; MO = Y2O3 and CeO2) glass series. Network connectivity (NC) was calculated assuming both Y and Ce can act as a network modifier (NC = 2.2) or as a network former (NC up to 2.9). Thermal analysis showed an increase in glass transition temperature (Tg) with increasing Y and Ce content, Y causing the greater increase from the control (Con) at 493∘C to 8 mol% Y (HY) at 660∘C. Vickers hardness (HV) was not significantly different between glasses. 29Si Magic Angle Spinning-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS-NMR) did not show peak shift with addition of Y, however Ce produced peak broadening and a negative shift in ppm. The addition of 4 mol% Ce in the YCe and LCe glasses shifted the peak from Con at −81.3 ppm to −82.8 ppm and −82.7 ppm respectively; while the HCe glass produced a much broader peak and a shift to −84.8 ppm. High resolution X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy for the O 1s spectral line showed the ratio of bridging (BO) to non-bridging oxygens (NBO), BO:NBO,was altered,where Con had a ratio of 0.7, HY decreased to 0.4 and HCe to 0.5.
Fit between Conservation Instruments and Local Social Systems: Cases of Co-management and Payments for Ecosystem Services
Authors: Sarkki Simo , Rantala Lauri , Karjalainen Timo P.
Published: January 2016

We draw on the concept of ‘fit’ to understand how co-management and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) as governance instruments could better acknowledge local social complexities. Achieving ‘participatory fit’ requires well-designed and fair processes, which enhance local acceptance towards the implemented rules. Thus, such fit can contribute to establishing new institutions in conservation governance. However, previous literature on participation has had strong focus on properties of decision-making processes, which often neglects the question on how local realities effect on local people’s ability and willingness to participate in the work of governance instruments. We approach ‘participatory fit’ by identifying six properties of heterogeneous local social systems that governance instruments need to acknowledge to nurture balanced bottom-up participation: 1) economic resources and structures, 2) relationships to land, 3) level of education, 4) relationships between diverse actors, 5) divergent problem definitions, and 6) local identities. We discuss related sources of misfits and develop proposals on how conservation instruments could function as bridging organizations facilitating polycentric institutional structures that fit better to the social systems they are intended to govern. Such hybridization of governance could avoid pitfalls of considering one particular instrument (e.g. co-management or PES) as a panacea able to create win-win solutions.
Approaches to Resource Management for the Nexus
Authors: Kumar Navneet , Gerber Nicolas
Published: January 2016

This report attempts to draw out the main messages covered during a session on “Approaches to Resource Management for the Nexus” (International conference on Sustainability in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. Synergies and Tradeoffs: Governance and Tools at various Scales held in Bonn, Germany, on 19th and 20th of May 2014). In this session, the audience was reminded of the importance to think about geography and topography to understand trade-offs in the WEF Nexus, and in particular to consider transboundary linkages across nations and ecosystems. Building on a large body of case studies, another presenter put forth the necessity to implement resource management across traditional (FAO) sectors (water, land use …) and along common guidelines. A framework was introduced to that effect. The remaining two speakers introduced new technical tools in resource allocation. Their common denominator is that they integrate models and model approaches of different disciplines.
Governance and Management of the Nexus: Structures and Institutional Capacities
Authors: Snorek Julie
Published: January 2016

Sustaining the water-energy-food nexus for the future requires new governance approaches and joint management across sectors. The challenges to the implementation of the nexus are many, but not insurmountable. These include trade-offs between sectors, difficulties of communication across the science-policy interface, the emergence of new vulnerabilities resulting from implementation of policies, and the perception of high social and economic costs. In the context of the Sustainability in the W-E-F Nexus conference May 19-20, 2014, the session on ‘Governance and Management of the Nexus: Structures and Institutional Capacities’ discussed these problems as well as tools and solutions to nexus management. The session demonstrated three key findings: 1. Trade-offs in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus should be expanded to include the varied and shifting social and power relations; 2. Sharing knowledge between users and policy makers promotes collective learning and science-policy-stakeholder communication; and 3. Removing subsidies or seeking the ‘right price’ for domestic resources vis à vis international markets is not always useful; rather the first imperative is to gauge current and future costs at the national scale.
Developing Capacities for Implementing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
Authors: Czunyi Sarah , Thiam Djiby Racine
Published: January 2016

The novelty of the W-E-F nexus approach, given that it requires new coordination mechanisms within and between institutions and disciplines, requires new forms and types of capacities in order to be effective. This paper identifies some of the existing capacity gaps and measures to address those gaps, in order to ensure a successful implementation of the W-E-F nexus approach. Capacity development for the nexus requires a variety of mechanisms from the individual to institutional levels. To successfully put the W-E-F nexus into practice we should build on the strengths of existing mechanisms, while also improving coordination and integration of seemingly divergent approaches in the water, energy, and food sectors. Capacity development within and between sectors will be key to a successful implementation of the W-E-F nexus approach.
Mass counts in World Englishes: A corpus linguistic study of noun countability in non-native varieties of English
Authors: Schmidtke Daniel , Kuperman Victor
Published: January 2016

Research on the morpho-syntax of non-native varieties of English has reported a widespread presence of mass noun pluralization such as
Duality of Hodge numbers of compact
complex nilmanifolds
Authors: Yamada Takumi
Published: January 2016

A compact K¨ahlerian manifoldM of dimension n satisfies hp,q(M) = hq,p(M) for each p, q.However,
a compact complex manifold does not satisfy the equations in general. In this paper, we consider duality of
Hodge numbers of compact complex nilmanifolds.
Functional coatings formed on the titanium and magnesium alloys as implant materials by plasma electrolytic oxidation technology: fundamental principles and synthesis conditions
Authors: Gnedenkov Sergey Vasilievich , Sharkeev Yurii Petrovich , Sinebryukhov Sergey Leonidovich , Khrisanfova Olga Alekseevna , Legostaeva Elena Viktorovna , Zavidnaya Alexandra Grigorievna , Puz’ Artem Viktorovich , Khlusov Igor Albertovivh , Opra Denis Pavlovich
Published: January 2016

Metallic implants have been successfully used in medicine for the past 60–70 years. Historically, implants were designed only as mechanical devices, whereas the biological aspects of their application were beyond the researchers’ interest. The improvement of living conditions and the increase of the average life span have changed the situation. The clinical requirements for medical implants rise up substantially. Presently, it seems impossible to imagine the use of metallic implants in the human body without preliminary surface modification to modulate the interaction between the surrounding biological environment and the implant. The review highlights the most recent advances in the field of functional coatings formed on implants by the plasma electrolytic oxidation technology. Special attention is dedicated to the principles of surface modification of the commercially pure titanium, titanium nickelide, and Mg-Mn-Ce magnesium alloy. The advantages and disadvantages of the method and the characteristics of these materials are discussed from this point of view. Some aspects of this review are aimed at corrosion protection of implants with application of polymer materials.
Modeling and Simulation Environments for Sustainable Low-Carbon Energy Production – A Review
Authors: Tumilar Aldric , Sharma Manish , Milani Dia , Abbas Ali
Published: January 2016

This paper reviews research trends in modeling for low-carbon energy production. The focus is on two currently significant low-carbon energy processes; namely, bioenergy and post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) processes. The fundamentals of these two processes are discussed and the role of modeling and simulation tools (MSTs) is highlighted. The most popular modeling software packages are identified and their use in the literature is analyzed. Among commercially available packages, it is found that no single software package can handle all process development needs such as, configuration studies, techno-economic analysis, exergy optimization, and process integration. This review also suggests that optimal modeling results reported in literature can be viewed as optimal at the individual plant level, but sub-optimal for plant superstructure level. This review has identified key gaps pertinent to developing hybrid models that describe integrated energy production processes. ASPEN Plus is found to be dominant for modeling both bioenergy and PCC processes for both steady-state and dynamic modes respectively.
Hausdorff theory of dual approximation on planar curves
Authors: Huang Jing-Jing
Published: January 2016

Ten years ago, Beresnevich–Dickinson–Velani [Mem. Amer. Math. Soc. 179 (2006), no. 846] initiated a project that develops the general Hausdorff measure theory of dual approximation on non-degenerate manifolds. In particular, they established the divergence part of the theory based on their general ubiquity framework. However, the convergence counterpart of the project remains wide open and represents a major challenging question in the subject. Until recently, it was not even known for any single non-degenerate manifold. In this paper, we settle this problem for all curves inℝ2{\mathbb{R}^{2}}, which represents the first complete theory of its kind for a general class of manifolds.
Drip rate and tritium activity in the Niedźwiedzia Cave system (Poland) as a tool for tracking water circulation paths and time in karstic systems
Authors: Gąsiorowski Michał , Hercman Helena , Pruszczyńska Agata , Błaszczyk Marcin
Published: January 2016

The Niedźwiedzia Cave system is composed of 3 horizontal levels of passages and cham-bers. Changes in the drip rate of water from the upper level stalactites correlate well with changes in precipitation intensity. The transition time between the surface and the upper level of the cave was es-timated to 14 days. Drip sites in the middle and lower levels of the cave exhibited two types of re-charge: some did not correlate with precipitation intensity, whereas others correlated well with rain events. The transition times for the latter sites were estimated to be greater than 6 months. This esti-mate was confirmed by the calculation of the transition time based on tritium activity. The oldest wa-ter in the entire karst system was observed in a karst spring. The mean tritium age for this water dur-ing winter was estimated to be 3.9 ± 0.6 yr. More precise calculations of the tritium age of karst water require longer precipitation activity datasets.
Increased secretory sphingomyelinase activity in the first trimester of pregnancy in women later developing preeclampsia: a nested case-control study
Authors: Rodríguez-Sureda Víctor , Crovetto Francesca , Triunfo Stefania , Sánchez Olga , Crispi Fátima , Llurba Elisa , Gratacós Eduard , Figueras Francesc , Domínguez Carmen
Published: January 2016

The pathogenic basis of abnormal placentation and dysfunction in preeclampsia (PE) is highly complex and incompletely understood. Secretory sphyngomyelinase activity (S-ASM) was analyzed in plasma samples from 158 pregnant women developing PE and 112 healthy pregnant controls. Serum PlGF, sFlt-1, s-Endoglin and sVCAM were measured. Results showed S-ASM activity to be higher in women who later developed PE than in those with uncomplicated pregnancies (40.6% and 28.8% higher in the late- and early-onset groups, respectively). Plasma S-ASM activity correlated significantly with circulating markers of endothelial damage in the late-PE group (endoglin and sVCAM-1), with plasma cholesterol and total lipid levels. However, these significant associations were not observed in the early-PE or control groups. This work provides the first evidence of significantly elevated circulating S-ASM activity in the first trimester of pregnancy in women who go on to develop PE; thus, it may be deduced that the circulating form of ASM is biologically active in PE and could contribute to promoting endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular programming. Plasma S-ASM measurement may have clinical relevance as a further potential biomarker contributing to the earliest identification of women at risk of developing preeclampsia.
Staggered Grid Finite Volume Approach for Modeling Single Particle Char Gasification
Authors: Yadav Vinod Kumar , Kumar Vineet
Published: January 2016

The present work is aimed at unsteady-state mathematical modeling and simulation of the steam gasification of a single char particle. The unsteady state diffusion-reaction competitive gasification of a porous non-catalytic solid (char) was solved numerically using the staggered grid finite volume method (SGFVM). It was assumed that the char particle is spherical in shape and there is no change in its size during the gasification, and temperature variation within the particle is negligible. The model is capable of predicting detailed point-to-point reaction, diffusion, and concentration profile in a spatiotemporal domain inside the particle. The study revealed that the gasification of the char particle at higher temperature (>1,100 K) bear a resemblance to the shrinking core model and at a lower temperature (<1,100 K) it follows the progressive conversion model. The study also includes the effects of the temperature, time, and carbon concentration on the rate and conversion inside the char particle.
Experimental Hydrogen Plant with Metal Hydrides to Store and Generate Electrical Power
Authors: Gonzatti Frank , Nizolli Vinícius , Ferrigolo Fredi Zancan , Farret Felix Alberto , de Mello Marcos Augusto Silva
Published: January 2016

Generation of electrical energy with renewable sources is interruptible due to the primary energy characteristics (sun, wind, hydro, etc.). In these cases, it is necessary to use energy storage so increasing penetrability of these sources connected to the distribution system. This paper discusses in details some equipment and accessories of an integrated power plant using fuel cell stack, electrolyzer and metal hydrides. During the plant operation were collected the power consumption data and established the efficiency of each plant component. These data demonstrated an overall efficiency of about 11% due to the low efficiencies of the commercial electrolyzers and power inverters used in the experiments.
Phytochemistry and gastrointestinal benefits of the medicinal spice, Capsicum annuum L. (Chilli): a review
Authors: Maji Amal K. , Banerji Pratim
Published: January 2016

Dietary spices and their active constituents provide various beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal system by variety of mechanisms such as influence of gastric emptying, stimulation of gastrointestinal defense and absorption, stimulation of salivary, intestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic secretions. Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae), commonly known as chilli, is a medicinal spice used in various Indian traditional systems of medicine and it has been acknowledged to treat various health ailments. Therapeutic potential of chilli and capsaicin were well documented; however, they act as double-edged sword in many physiological circumstances. In traditional medicine chilli has been used against various gastrointestinal complains such as dyspepsia, loss of appetite, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric ulcer, and so on. In chilli, more than 200 constituents have been identified and some of its active constituents play numerous beneficial roles in various gastrointestinal disorders such as stimulation of digestion and gastromucosal defense, reduction of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, inhibition of gastrointestinal pathogens, ulceration and cancers, regulation of gastrointestinal secretions and absorptions. However, further studies are warranted to determine the dose ceiling limit of chilli and its active constituents for their utilization as gastroprotective agents. This review summarizes the phytochemistry and various gastrointestinal benefits of chilli and its various active constituents.
Endo-trivial modules for finite groups with dihedral Sylow 2-subgroup
Authors: Koshitani Shigeo , Lassueur Caroline
Published: January 2016

We provide a description of the torsion subgroup

𝑇𝑇
⁢

(
G
)

${\mathit{TT}(G)}$

of the finitely generated abelian group

T
⁢

(
G
)

${T(G)}$

of endo-trivial kG-modules in the case that G has
a dihedral Sylow 2-subgroup of order at least 8 and k is an
algebraically closed field of characteristic

p
=
2

${p=2}$

. Specifically, we prove that

𝑇𝑇
⁢

(
G
)

≅

X
⁢

(
G
)

${\mathit{TT}(G)\cong X(G)}$

, the group of one-dimensional kG-modules,
except possibly when

G
/

O

2
′

⁢

(
G
)

≅

𝔄
6

${G/O_{2^{\prime}}(G)\cong{\mathfrak{A}}_{6}}$

, the alternating group of
degree 6;
in which case G may have nine-dimensional simple torsion
endo-trivial modules.
Our results complement the tame-representation type investigation
of endo-trivial modules
started by Carlson–Mazza–Thévenaz in the cases of
semi-dihedral
and generalized quaternion Sylow 2-subgroups.
Furthermore, we provide a general reduction result, valid at any prime p,
to recover the structure of

𝑇𝑇
⁢

(
G
)

${\mathit{TT}(G)}$

from the structure of

𝑇𝑇
⁢

(

G
/
H

)

${\mathit{TT}(G/H)}$

, where H is a normal

p
′

${p^{\prime}}$

-subgroup of G.
Higher D-dimer level in the early third trimester predicts the occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage
Authors: Endo-Kawamura Naho , Obata-Yasuoka Mana , Yagi Hiroya , Ohara Rena , Nagai Yuko , Mayumi Miyuki , Abe Kanako , Hamada Hiromi
Published: January 2016

This study aimed to determine effective predictive factors for primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) among clinical blood parameters associated with coagulation and fibrinolysis and demographic characteristics.

We retrospectively studied 1032 women who underwent determinations of clinical blood parameters at gestational week (GW) 29–32 and GW 35–37 and gave birth to singleton infants at our hospital between January 2011 and December 2013. PPH was defined as estimated blood loss ≥700 mL. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine independent risk factors and odds ratios (OR) for PPH.

PPH occurred in 104 of 1032 women (10%). Three blood variables, fibrinogen level <4.0 g/L (OR [95% CI], 1.96 [1.18–3.27]), antithrombin activity <85% of normal activity level (1.84 [1.05–3.21]), and D-dimer level >2.7 μg/mL (2.03 [1.29–3.19]) at GW 35–37, and three demographic characteristics, maternal age ≥35 years (1.75 [1.15–2.68]), BMI >28.2 kg/m

Among blood parameters, higher D-dimer levels and lower levels of antithrombin activity and fibrinogen in late gestation were independent risk factors for PPH.
Study on the thermal stability and ablation properties of metallic oxide-filled silicone rubber composites using uniform design method
Authors: Li Rui , Zhou Cheng , Yu Lin , Chen Yang , Zou Huawei , Liang Mei
Published: January 2016

The thermal stability and ablation properties of silicone rubber composites filled with Fe2O3, SnO2, CuO, MgO, and Al2O3 were researched using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the oxyacetylene torch test. The effecting laws of metallic oxide on the thermal stability and ablation properties of silicone rubber composites were analyzed by uniform design method. TGA indicated that the thermal degradation process of silicone rubber composites took a two mass loss steps. The effecting order of metallic oxide on enhancing thermal stability property of silicone rubber composites in step 1 was MgO>SnO2> Fe2O3>Al2O3>CuO, whereas the order in step 2 was CuO> SnO2>MgO>Fe2O3>Al2O3. Furthermore, Fe2O3 and SnO2 had an evident synergistic effect on enhancing the thermal stability property and residual carbon of silicone rubber composites. The oxyacetylene torch test showed that the effecting order of metallic oxide on increasing ablation resistance property of silicone rubber composites in ablation process was CuO>MgO>Fe2O3>SnO2>Al2O3. Moreover, the line ablation rate of specimen 2 was 0.0499, which indicated that it had the best ablation resistance among all uniform samples. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy also showed that the porous ceramic layer became much denser after the ablation process, and this will significantly improve the ablation resistance property.
Analysis on vibration characteristics of screw in filling process of dynamic injection molding machine
Authors: Wang Quan , Wu Zhenghuan
Published: January 2016

This paper presents a study of the characteristics of axial vibration of a screw in the filling process for a novel dynamic injection molding machine. By simplifying a generalized model of the injection screw, physical and mathematic models are established to describe the dynamic response of the axial vibration of a screw using the method of lumped-mass. The damping coefficient of the screw is calculated in the dynamic filling process. The amplitude-frequency characteristics are analyzed by the simulation and experimental test of polypropylene. The results show that the amplitude of a dynamic injection molding machine is not only is related to structure parameters of the screw and performance of the material, such as non-Newtonian index, but also depends on the processing parameters, such as vibration intensity and injection speed.
Formation cross-sections and chromatographic separation of protactinium isotopes formed in proton-irradiated thorium metal
Authors: Radchenko Valery , Engle Jonathan W. , Wilson Justin J. , Maassen Joel R. , Nortier Meiring F. , Birnbaum Eva R. , John Kevin D. , Fassbender Michael E.
Published: January 2016

Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is a treatment method of increasing interest to the clinical oncology community that utilizes α-emitting radionuclides conjugated to biomolecules for the selective killing of tumor cells. Proton irradiation of thorium generates a number of α-emitting radionuclides with therapeutic potential for application via TAT. In particular, the radionuclide 230Pa is formed via the 232Th(p, 3n) nuclear reaction and partially decays to 230U, an α emitter which has recently received attention as a possible therapy nuclide. In this study, we estimate production yields for 230Pa and other Pa isotopes from proton-irradiated thorium based on cross section measurements. We adopt existing methods for the chromatographic separation of protactinium isotopes from proton irradiated thorium matrices to combine and optimize them for effective fission product decontamination.
Development of 177Lu-DTPA-SPIO conjugates for potential use as a dual contrast SPECT/MRI imaging agent
Authors: Shanehsazzadeh Saeed , Grüttner Cordula , Yousefnia Hassan , Lahooti Afsaneh , Gholami Amir , Nosrati Sahar , Zolghadri Samaneh , Anijdan Sayyed Hossein Mousavie , Lotfabadi Alireza , Shiri Varnamkhasti Behrang , Daha Fariba Johari , Jalilian Amir Reza
Published: January 2016

This study describes the preparation, biodistribution of 177Lu-DTPA-SPIO after intravenous injection in rats. The chelator
DTPA dianhydride was conjugated to SPIO NPs using a small modification of the well-known cyclic anhydride method. Conjugation was done
at a 1:2 (SPIO : ccDTPA) molar ratio. Conjugation reaction was purified with Magnetic assorting column (MACs) using high gradient
magnetic field following incubation, the radio labeled conjugate was checked using RTLC method for labeling and purity checked. The
RTLC showed that labeling yield was above 99% after purification and the compound have good in-vitro stabilities until
48 h post injection in the presence of human serum. The biodistribution of 177Lu-DTPA-SPIO in rats showed
dramatic uptake in the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and their clearance is so fast in other organs especially in the blood. In
conclusion, due to high uptakes of this radiotracer in the liver and spleen and their fast clearance from other tissues, especially in
blood, it is suggested that this radiotracer would be suitable for RES studies.
Optimisation of the ceramic-like body for ceramifiable EVA-based composites
Authors: Gong Xinhao , Wang Tingwei
Published: January 2016

Various ceramifiable ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) composites were prepared by melt blending with two kinds of glass frits, organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) and whitened and capsulised red phosphorus (WCRP). The influence of different filler components and firing temperatures on the ceramifiable properties of the composites was studied. The dripping behaviour of the composites was analyzed by a vertical burning test. The microstructure of the residues was characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the optimised EVA composite was free of melt dripping during burning with the addition of OMMT. A dimensionally stable and dense ceramic residue was also obtained, especially with the addition of WCRP. It was suggested that new phases were formed at firing temperatures, and WCRP could promote the formation of ceramic body which was not fused during firing at 900°C as evidenced by XRD.
Unified speed estimation of various stabilities
Authors: Chen Mu-Fa
Published: January 2016

The main topic of this talk is the speed estimation of stability/instability. The word “various” comes with no surprising since there are a lot of different types of stability/instability and each of them has its own natural distance to measure. However, the adjective “unified” is very much unexpected. The talk surveys our recent progress on the topic, made in the past five years or so.
The Smith normal form of product distance matrices
Authors: Bapat R. B. , Sivasubramanian Sivaramakrishnan
Published: January 2016

Let G = (V, E) be a connected graph with 2-connected blocks H
1, H
2, . . . , Hr
. Motivated by the exponential distance matrix, Bapat and Sivasubramanian in [4] defined its product distance matrix DG
and showed that det DG
only depends on det DHi

for 1 ≤ i ≤ r and not on the manner in which its blocks are connected. In this work, when distances are symmetric, we generalize this result to the Smith Normal Form of DG
and give an explicit formula for the invariant factors of DG
.
Sufficient conditions to be exceptional
Authors: Johnson Charles R. , Reams Robert B.
Published: January 2016

A copositive matrix A is said to be exceptional if it is not the sum of a positive semidefinite matrix and a nonnegative matrix. We show that with certain assumptions on A
−1, especially on the diagonal entries, we can guarantee that a copositive matrix A is exceptional. We also show that the only 5-by-5 exceptional matrix with a hollow nonnegative inverse is the Horn matrix (up to positive diagonal congruence and permutation similarity).
Orthogonal diagonalization for complex skew-persymmetric anti-tridiagonal Hankel matrices
Authors: Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez Jesús , Zárraga-Rodríguez Marta
Published: January 2016

In this paper, we obtain an eigenvalue decomposition for any complex skew-persymmetric anti-tridiagonal Hankel matrix where the eigenvector matrix is orthogonal.
Deterioration of palatal myoclonus after acute thalamic hemorrhage
Authors: Guo Chun-Jie , Niu Kai , Lv Yu-Dan , Ma Di-Hui
Published: January 2016

Background: Palatal myoclonus (PM) is the hallmark of hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD); however, little
is known regarding the association of thalamic lesions and PM. Case presentation: Here, we report a case of
deteriorative PM after an acute small ventrolateral thalamic hemorrhage in a female Chinese patient with HOD.
The sudden and severe deterioration of PM was preceded by at least 10 days of an occasionally occurring PM,
which was related to an acute cerebellar hemorrhage 8 months earlier. A computed tomography scan upon
admission showed a small intracerebral hematoma in the left ventrolateral thalamus, and a magnetic resonance
imaging scan revealed the typical signs of HOD as well as a remote lesion in the dentate nucleus. Symptoms of
PM were controlled by carbamazepine and clonazepam. Conclusion: These findings indicated that the damaged
dentatothalamic tract might be due to a unique pathogenic mechanism involving a lesion of the ventrolateral
thalamus and Guillain-Mollaret triangle.
Studying Nuclear Level Densities of 238U in the Nuclear Reactions within the Macroscopic Nuclear Models
Authors: Razavi Rohallah , Rahmatinejad Azam , Kakavand Tayeb , Taheri Fariba , Aghajani Maghsood , Khooy Asghar
Published: January 2016

In this work the nuclear level density parameters of 238U have been extracted in the back-shifted Fermi gas model (BSFGM), as well as the constant temperature model (CTM), through fitting with the recent experimental data on nuclear level densities measured by the Oslo group. The excitation functions for 238U(p,2nα)233Pa, and 238U(p,4n)235Np reactions and the fragment yields for the fragments of the 238U(p,f) reaction have been calculated using obtained level density parameters. The results are compared to their corresponding experimental values. It was found that the extracted excitation functions and the fragment yields in the CTM coincide well with the experimental values in the low-energy region. This finding is according to the claim made by the Oslo group that the extracted level densities of 238U show a constant temperature behaviour.