bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Silico Prediction of Plasma Concentrations of Fluconazole Capsules with Different Dissolution Profiles and Bioequivalence Study Using Population Simulation
Authors: Duque Marcelo Dutra , Silva Daniela Amaral , Issa Michele Georges , Porta Valentina , Löbenberg Raimar , Ferraz Humberto Gomes
Published: May 2019

A biowaiver is accepted by the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) for immediate-release solid oral products containing Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class I drugs showing rapid drug dissolution. This study aimed to simulate plasma concentrations of fluconazole capsules with different dissolution profiles and run population simulation to evaluate their bioequivalence. The dissolution profiles of two batches of the reference product Zoltec® 150 mg capsules, A1 and A2, and two batches of other products (B1 and B2; C1 and C2), as well as plasma concentration–time data of the reference product from the literature, were used for the simulations. Although products C1 and C2 had drug dissolutions < 85% in 30 min at 0.1 M HCl, simulation results demonstrated that these products would show the same in vivo performance as products A1, A2, B1, and B2. Population simulation results of the ln-transformed 90% confidence interval for the ratio of Cmax and AUC0–t values for all products were within the 80–125% interval, showing to be bioequivalent. Thus, even though the in vitro dissolution behavior of products C1 and C2 was not equivalent to a rapid dissolution profile, the computer simulations proved to be an important tool to show the possibility of bioequivalence for these products.
Ascorbic Acid and Ozone: Novel Perspectives to Explain an Elusive Relationship
Authors: Bellini Erika , De Tullio Mario C.
Published: May 2019

A huge amount of studies highlighted the importance of high ascorbic acid (AA) content in ozone tolerance, yet the relationship between them appears more complex than a simple direct correlation. Sometimes the connection is clear, for example, two Arabidopsis mutants defective in the main AA biosynthetic pathway (vtc mutants) were identified by means of their ozone sensitivity. However, some low-AA containing mutants are relatively tolerant, suggesting that AA location/availability could be more relevant than total content. A clear distinction should also be made between ozone tolerance obtained when AA content is increased by experimental supplementation (exogenous AA), and the physiological role of plant-synthesized AA (endogenous AA), whose amount is apparently subjected to tight regulation. Recent findings about the role of AA in signal transduction and epigenetic regulation of gene expression open new routes to further research.
On the Electrical and Optical Features of the Plasma Coagulation Controller Low Temperature Atmospheric Plasma Jet
Authors: Cordaro Luigi , De Masi Gianluca , Fassina Alessandro , Mancini Davide , Cavazzana Roberto , Desideri Daniele , Sonato Piergiorgio , Zuin Matteo , Zaniol Barbara , Martines Emilio
Published: May 2019

We report on the electrical and optical characterization of the Plasma Coagulation Controller (PCC) device, a low temperature atmospheric plasma source for biomedical applications. This device, designed for the study of plasma-induced blood coagulation, has been developed to operate flexibly in several operational conditions, since it is possible to vary the applied voltage V p and the pulse repetition rate f in a quite wide range ( V p range: 2–12 kV, f range: 1–40 kHz). Emission spectroscopy measurements were conducted by varying the line of sight along the axis of helium and neon plasma plumes. The increase of the Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS) has been observed, as one moves from inside the gas pipe to the outside, as a consequence of the gas mixture with the surrounding air. Furthermore, high-speed photographs of the plasma jet were taken, showing that the plasma is not uniformly distributed in a continuous volumetric region, the plasma being concentrated in localized structures called Pulsed Atmospheric-pressure Plasma Streams (PAPS). The propagation velocities of these objects have been examined, noting that they are not related to the propagation of ion sound waves. Rather, we provide indications that the streamer propagation speed is proportional to the electron drift velocity.
Amplitude Modulation And Nonlinear Self-Interactions of the Geodesic Acoustic Mode at the Edge of MAST
Authors: Hnat Bogdan , Walkden Nicholas ,   The MAST Team
Published: May 2019

We studied the amplitude modulation of the radial electric field constructed from the Langmuir probe plasma potential measurements at the edge of the mega-ampere spherical tokamak (MAST). The Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) technique was applied, which allowed us to extract fluctuations on temporal scales of plasma turbulence, the Geodesic Acoustic Mode (GAM), and those associated with the residual poloidal flows. This decomposition preserved the nonlinear character of the signal. Hilbert transform (HT) was then used to obtain the amplitude modulation envelope of fluctuations associated with turbulence and with the GAM. We found significant spectral coherence at frequencies between 1–5 kHz, in the turbulence and the GAM envelopes and for the signal representing the low frequency zonal flows (LFZFs). We present the evidence of local and nonlocal, in frequency space, three wave interactions leading to coupling between the GAM and the low frequency (LF) part of the spectrum.
Potential of Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis Mass Spectrometry (LESA—MS) for the Characterization of Polymer-Based Materials
Authors: Issart Ambre , Szpunar Joanna
Published: May 2019

Liquid extraction surface analysis mass spectrometry (LESA -MS) is a direct analysis method suitable for the analysis of polymers. It is based on a fast and efficient extraction of polymer components, such as non-intentionally added species (NIAS), post-polymerization residues, or additives, and residues resulting from specific uses followed by their MS detection. In comparison with batch methods, it is a “green” method, using negligible volumes of organic solvents, and it is cost-effective, avoiding lengthy sample preparation procedures. It can be used for the detection of known molecules (targeted analysis), identification of unknown species (exploratory analysis requiring MS/MS) and semi-quantative analysis, if standards are available. The to-date applications of LESA-MS in the field of polymer science are reviewed and critically discussed taking into account the hands-on experience from the authors’ laboratory. Future possibilities of LESA applications are highlighted.
Probing Chemical Changes in Holocellulose and Lignin of Timbers in Ancient Buildings
Authors: Zhao Chencheng , Zhang Xiaochun , Liu Lina , Yu Youming , Zheng Wei , Song Pingan
Published: May 2019

Wooden structures in China’s ancient buildings hold highly historical and cultural values. There is an urgent need to repair and replace the damaged wooden structures after hundreds and thousands of years of exposure to weather. Unfortunately, to date there is still a lack of insightful understanding on how the chemical structure, composition, and micro-morphology evolve over the long-term natural aging before artificial ancient timbers can be developed. This work aims to systematically examine the outer surface, middle layer, and inner surface of the same piece of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolate) collected from an ancient Chinese building. Based on qualitative and quantitative analysis, both cellulose and hemicellulose in aged woods are found to experience significant degrees of degradation. The crystalline regions of cellulose are also determined to undergo moderate degradation as compared to the control fresh wood. In comparison, the lignin basically remains unchanged and its content in the inner layer slightly increases, as evidenced by more free phenol groups determined. Relative to the outer and inner layer, the middle layer of the ancient wood shows the lowest degree of degradation close to that of the fresh wood. This work offers guidelines for fabricating artificial ancient woods to repair the destroyed ones in China’s ancient architectures.
Sound Absorption Properties of DFs/EVA Composites
Authors: Lyu Lihua , Liu Yingjie , Bi Jihong , Guo Jing
Published: May 2019

Using discarded feather fibers (DFs) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, the DFs/EVA composites with good sound absorption performance were prepared by hot-pressing method. The effects of hot-pressing temperature, mass fraction of DFs, density and thickness of composites on the sound absorption properties were studied by the controlling variable method. The sound absorption properties of the composites were studied by the transfer function method, and under the optimized technological conditions, the sound absorption coefficient of the composites was above 0.9 and the sound absorption band was wide. According to the box counting method based on the fractal theory, the fractal dimension of DFs/EVA sound absorption composites was calculated through Matlab programming, and the relationship between the fractal dimension and the mass fraction of DFs, the volume density of the composites were analyzed, then the quantitative relationship between the fractal dimension and the maximum sound absorption coefficient was deduced, which played a major role in the sound absorption design of porous sound absorption materials.
Dual Interactions of Amphiphilic Gelatin Copolymer and Nanocurcumin Improving the Delivery Efficiency of the Nanogels
Authors: Nguyen Dinh Trung , Dinh Van Thoai , Dang Le Hang , Nguyen Dang Nam , Giang Bach Long , Nguyen Cong Truc , Nguyen Thi Bich Tram , Thu Le Van , Tran Ngoc Quyen
Published: May 2019

Herein, a new process to manufacture multicore micelles nanoparticles reinforced with co-assembly via hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic interaction under the help of ultrasonication was developed. The precise co-assembly between negative/hydrophobic drug and positive charged amphiphilic copolymer based pluronic platform allows the formation of complex micelles structures as the multicore motif with predefined functions. In this study, curcumin was selected as a drug model while positively charged copolymer was based on a pluronic-conjugated gelatin with different hydrophobicity length of Pluronic F87 and Pluronic F127. Under impact of dual hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, the nCur-encapsulated core–shell micelles formed ranging from 40 nm to 70 nm and 40–100 nm by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), respectively. It is found that the structures emerged depended on the relative lengths of the hydrophobic blocks in pluronic. Regarding g2(τ) behavior from DLS measurement, the nanogels showed a high stability in spherical form. Surprisingly, the release profiles showed a sustainable behavior of Cur from this system for drug delivery approaches. In vitro study exhibited that nCur-encapsulated complex micelles increased inhibitory activity against cancer cells growth with IC50 is 4.02 ± 0.11 mg/L (10.92 ± 0.3 µM) which is higher than of free curcumin at 9.40 ± 0.17 mg/L (25.54 ± 0.18 µM). The results obtained can provide the new method to generate the hierarchical assembly of copolymers with incorporated loading with the same property.
Electrochemical Sensor of Double-Thiol Linked PProDOT@Si Composite for Simultaneous Detection of Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II)
Authors: Abdulla Mihray , Ali Ahmat , Jamal Ruxangul , Bakri Tursunnisahan , Wu Wei , Abdiryim Tursun
Published: May 2019

Heavy metal ions in water, cosmetics, and arable land have become a world-wide issue as they cause a variety of diseases and even death to humans and animals when a certain level is exceeded. Therefore, it is necessary to development a new kind of sensor material for the determination of heavy metal ions. In this paper, we present an electrochemical sensor based on composite material (thiol(–SH) grafted poly(3,4-proplenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT(MeSH)2)/ porous silicon spheres (Si) composite, denoted as PProDOT(MeSH)2@Si) from the incorporation of thiol(–SH) grafted poly(3,4-proplenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT(MeSH)2) with porous silicon spheres (Si) for the electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions (Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II)). The PProDOT(MeSH)2@Si composite was synthesized via a chemical oxidative polymerization method. The structure and morphology of PProDOT(MeSH)2@Si composite were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET). Furthermore, the electrochemical performance of PProDOT(MeSH)2@Si was evaluated by detecting of Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II) ions using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The relationship between structural properties and the electrochemical performance was systematically studied. The results showed that the entry of two thiol-based chains to the monomer unit resulted in an increase in electrochemical sensitivity in PProDOT(MeSH)2, which was related to the interaction between thiol group(-SH) and heavy metal ions. And, the combination of PProDOT(MeSH)2 with Si could improve the electrocatalytic efficiency of the electrode material. The PProDOT(MeSH)2@Si/GCE exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity in the rage of 0.04 to 2.8, 0.024 to 2.8, and 0.16 to 3.2 μM with the detection limit of 0.00575, 0.0027, and 0.0017 µM toward Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II), respectively. The interference studies demonstrated that the PProDOT(MeSH)2@Si/GCE possessed a low mutual interference and high selectivity for simultaneous detection of Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II) ions.
Copper and Nickel Coating of Carbon Fiber for Thermally and Electrically Conductive Fiber Reinforced Composites
Authors: Bard Simon , Schönl Florian , Demleitner Martin , Altstädt Volker
Published: May 2019

In this paper, the thermal and electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of fiber reinforced composites produced from nickel- and copper-coated carbon fibers compared to uncoated fibers are presented. The carbon fibers were processed by our prepreg line and cured to laminates. In the fiber direction, the thermal conductivity doubled from ~3 W/mK for the uncoated fiber, to ~6 W/mK for the nickel, and increased six times to ~20 W/mK for the copper-coated fiber for a fiber volume content of ~50 vol %. Transverse to the fiber, the thermal conductivity increased from 0.6 W/mK (uncoated fiber) to 0.9 W/mK (nickel) and 2.9 W/mK (copper) at the same fiber content. In addition, the electrical conductivity could be enhanced to up to ~1500 S/m with the use of the nickel-coated fiber. We showed that the flexural strength and modulus were in the range of the uncoated fibers, which offers the possibility to use them for lightning strike protection, for heatsinks in electronics or other structural heat transfer elements.
Nanotechnology-Based Strategy to Upgrade the Performances of Plastic Flexible Film Waste
Authors: Garofalo Emilia , Di Maio Luciano , Scarfato Paola , Di Gregorio Fabrizio , Incarnato Loredana
Published: May 2019

The aim of this work was to improve the performances of Fil-s (film-small), a recycled material obtained from plastic flexible film waste that is made of polyethylene and a minor amount of polypropylene, with traces of polar contaminants (polyamides, maleic anhydride, etc.). The idea was to upgrade the material’s mechanical properties by applying a nanotechnology-based strategy that takes advantage of the composition of Fil-s. In particular, different amounts of copolyamide (CoPA) and its masterbatch with an organic-modified nanosilicate were melt compounded with Fil-s in a twin-screw extruder. The good affinity between Fil-s and CoPA, proved by means of spectroscopic and rheological analysis, allowed for the obtaining of a well-refined morphology for the neat and hybrid blends. This resulted in very interesting increments of the strain at break, which was particularly impressive (10 times higher) in the case of the blend with the lower amount of copolyamide masterbatch, but without sacrificing the stiffness and strength of Fil-s.
New Condensation Polymer Precursors Containing Consecutive Silicon Atoms—Decaisopropoxycyclopentasilane and Dodecaethoxyneopentasilane—And Their Sol–Gel Polymerization
Authors: Park Sung Jin , Lee Myong Euy , Cho Hyeon Mo , Shim Sangdeok
Published: May 2019

The sol–gel polymerization of alkoxysilanes is a convenient and widely used method for the synthesis of silicon polymers and silicon–organic composites. The development of new sol–gel precursors is very important for obtaining new types of sol–gel products. New condensation polymer precursors containing consecutive silicon atoms—decaisopropoxycyclopentasilane (CPS) and dodecaethoxyneopentasilane (NPS)—were synthesized for the preparation of polysilane–polysiloxane material. The CPS and NPS xerogels were prepared by the sol–gel polymerization of CPS and NPS under three reaction conditions (acidic, basic and neutral). The CPS and NPS xerogels were characterized using N2 physisorption measurements (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller; BET and Brunauer-Joyner-Halenda; BJH), solid-state CP/MAS (cross-polarization/magic angle spinning) NMRs (nuclear magnetic resonances), TEM, and SEM. Their porosity and morphology were strongly affected by the structure of the precursors, and partial oxidative cleavage of Si-Si bonds occurred during the sol–gel process. The new condensation polymer precursors are expected to expand the choice of approaches for new polysilane–polysiloxane.
Extended Utilization of Constraint-Based Metabolic Model in a Long-Growing Crop
Authors: Chiewchankaset Porntip , Kalapanulak Saowalak , Saithong Treenut
Published: May 2019

The constraint-based rMeCBM-KU50 model of cassava storage root growth was analyzed to evaluate its sensitivity, with respect to reaction flux distribution and storage root growth rate, to changes in model inputted data and constraints, including sucrose uptake rate-related data—photosynthetic rate, total leaf area, total photosynthetic rate, storage root dry weight, and biomass function-related data. These mainly varied within ±90% of the model default values, although exceptions were made for the carbohydrate (−90% to 8%) and starch (−90% to 9%) contents. The results indicated that the predicted storage root growth rate was highly affected by specific sucrose uptake rates through the total photosynthetic rate and storage root dry weight variations; whereas the carbon flux distribution, direction and partitioning inclusive, was more sensitive to the variation in biomass content, particularly the carbohydrate content. This study showed that the specific sucrose uptake rate based on the total photosynthetic rate, storage root dry weight, and carbohydrate content were critical to the constraint-based metabolic modeling and deepened our understanding of the input–output relationship—specifically regarding the rMeCBM-KU50 model—providing a valuable platform for the modeling of plant metabolic systems, especially long-growing crops.
Effect of the Heterogeneity on Sorptivity in Sandstones with High and Low Permeability in Water Imbibition Process
Authors: Wu Yang , Zhao Yixin , Li Peng
Published: May 2019

Capillary imbibition in unsaturated rocks is important for the exploitation of tight reservoirs, such as oil and gas reservoirs. However, the physical properties of natural rocks tend to be relatively uneven, mainly in the heterogeneity of material composition and pore space. Reservoir heterogeneity is an important factor affecting the exploitation of oil fields and other reservoirs, which can be evaluated by the pore structure tortuosity fractal dimension DT of rock. The greater the value of DT, the stronger the heterogeneity of sandstone. Two types of sandstone with high and low permeability were selected to study the effect of heterogeneity on the imbibition behavior by using high-resolution X-ray imaging and neutron radiography. Quantitative results of the wetting front position for each specimen were extracted from the neutron images. The wetting front advanced linearly with the power index of time t1/(2DT). Different values of DT were selected to estimate and discuss the effect of the heterogeneity on sorptivity. A modified L-W equation was employed to predict the sorptivity. Comparing with the experimental results, the heterogeneity plays a significant role in determining the sorptivity. The modified model provides a reference for the prediction of the sorptivity of the same types of sandstones studied in this paper.
Special Issue on “Membrane Materials, Performance and Processes”
Authors: Diniz da Costa João C. , Motuzas Julius
Published: May 2019

This Special Issue on “Membrane Materials, Performance and Processes” of Processes provides a collection of interdisciplinary work representative of the current development in the fields ofmembrane science and technology [...]
Viscoelastic MHD Nanofluid Thin Film Flow over an Unsteady Vertical Stretching Sheet with Entropy Generation
Authors: Ullah Asad , Shah Zahir , Kumam Poom , Ayaz Muhammad , Islam Saeed , Jameel Muhammad
Published: May 2019

The boundary-layer equations for mass and heat energy transfer with entropy generation are analyzed for the two-dimensional viscoelastic second-grade nanofluid thin film flow in the presence of a uniform magnetic field (MHD) over a vertical stretching sheet. Different factors, such as the thermophoresis effect, Brownian motion, and concentration gradients, are considered in the nanofluid model. The basic time-dependent equations of the nanofluid flow are modeled and transformed to the ordinary differential equations system by using similarity variables. Then the reduced system of equations is treated with the Homotopy Analysis Method to achieve the desire goal. The convergence of the method is prescribed by a numerical survey. The results obtained are more efficient than the available results for the boundary-layer equations, which is the beauty of the Homotopy Analysis Method, and shows the consistency, reliability, and accuracy of our obtained results. The effects of various parameters, such as Nusselt number, skin friction, and Sherwood number, on nanoliquid film flow are examined. Tables are displayed for skin friction, Sherwood number, and Nusselt number, which analyze the sheet surface in interaction with the nanofluid flow and other informative characteristics regarding this flow of the nanofluids. The behavior of the local Nusselt number and the entropy generation is examined numerically with the variations in the non-dimensional numbers. These results are shown with the help of graphs and briefly explained in the discussion. An analytical exploration is described for the unsteadiness parameter on the thin film. The larger values of the unsteadiness parameter increase the velocity profile. The nanofluid film velocity shows decline due the increasing values of the magnetic parameter. Moreover, a survey on the physical embedded parameters is given by graphs and discussed in detail.
CDL4CDRP: A Collaborative Deep Learning Approach for Clinical Decision and Risk Prediction
Authors: Sun Mingrui , Min Tengfei , Zang Tianyi , Wang Yadong
Published: May 2019

(1) Background: Recommendation algorithms have played a vital role in the prediction of personalized recommendation for clinical decision support systems (CDSSs). Machine learning methods are powerful tools for disease diagnosis. Unfortunately, they must deal with missing data, as this will result in data error and limit the potential patterns and features associated with obtaining a clinical decision; (2) Methods: Recent years, collaborative filtering (CF) have proven to be a valuable means of coping with missing data prediction. In order to address the challenge of missing data prediction and latent feature extraction, neighbor-based and latent features-based CF methods are presented for clinical disease diagnosis. The novel discriminative restricted Boltzmann machine (DRBM) model is proposed to extract the latent features, where the deep learning technique is adopted to analyze the clinical data; (3) Results: Proposed methods were compared to machine learning models, using two different publicly available clinical datasets, which has various types of inputs and different quantity of missing. We also evaluated the performance of our algorithm, using clinical datasets that were missing at random (MAR), which were missing at various degrees; and (4) Conclusions: The experimental results demonstrate that DRBM can effectively capture the latent features of real clinical data and exhibits excellent performance for predicting missing values and result classification.
Enhancement Study of Ice Storage Performance in Circular Tank with Finned Tube
Authors: Zhou Hua , Chen Mengting , Han Xiaotian , Cao Peng , Yao Feng , Wu Liangyu
Published: May 2019

Combined experimental and numerical studies are conducted to study ice storage performance of an ice storage tank with finned tube. Axially arranged fins on the refrigerant tube are applied to enhance the solidification. The evolution of the solid–liquid interface and the variation of temperature of the typical position is examined. The effect of natural convection is discussed in detail. In addition, the effects of refrigerant temperature and initial water temperature on the ice storage performance are analyzed. The results indicate that the ice storage performance is enhanced by the metal fins remarkably. The defection of poor heat transfer after ice is formed can be solved by applying fins in ice storage devices. Natural convection leads to unnecessary mixing of water with different temperatures, lessening the cooling energy stored and acting as a disadvantage during solidification. Decreasing the refrigerant temperature and initial water temperature is beneficial for ice storage.
Simple Preparation of Diverse Neoagaro-Oligosaccharides
Authors: Lin Fudi , Ye Jing , Huang Yayan , Yang Yucheng , Xiao Meitian
Published: May 2019

A simple method for obtaining pure and well-defined oligosaccharides was established by hydrolyzing agar with β-agarase from Vibrio natriegens. The conditions for enzymolysis were optimized as follows: a temperature of 45 °C, a pH of 8.5, a substrate concentration of 0.3%, an enzyme amount of 100 U/g and an enzymolysis time of 20 h. Neoagaro-oligosaccharides with different degrees of polymerization were obtained by hydrolyzing agar with β-agarase for different lengths of time. After removing pigments using activated carbon and salts by dialyzing, the enzyme hydrolysis solution was separated with Bio-Gel P2 column chromatography. Neoagaro-oligosaccharides with different degrees of polymerization were acquired. By comparing with authentic standard substances, along with further confirmation by FTIR, MS and NMR, structures of the purified neoagaro-oligosaccharides were identified as neoagarobiose (NA2), neoagaroteraose (NA4), neoagarohexaose (NA6), neoagarooctaose (NA8), neoagaro-decaose (NA10) and neoagarododecaose (NA12) with purities of more than 97.0%. The present study established a method for the preparation of various neoagaro-oligosaccharides that may be of great significance for further study of their bioactivities.
Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction on Antioxidative Activity of Malus toringoides Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Ye Qiang , Guo Li , Liu Hongmei , Liu Yushi , Zhang Cunyan , Peng Cheng , Liu Zhiming , Huang Shan , Li Bin
Published: May 2019

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to maintain the cyto-protective activity of M.toringoides against oxidative stress. The optimal conditions for UAE were a 58 mL/g liquid-solid ratio, a 38 °C extraction temperature, an 85% solvent concentration, and a 19-min extraction time, which resulted in a protection rate of 54.57% against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). These results were comparable to the predicted value of 53.75%. The extracts showed excellent antioxidant activity, and phlorizin was detected in the dried leaves of Malus.toringoides. The highest yield of phlorizin (101.239 mg/g) was also obtained using these conditions. Taken together, these results showed that the method successfully integrated RSM and partial least squares regression methods to optimize M.toringoides extraction to yield the highest cyto-protective activity and effectively increase the yield of phlorizin from M.toringoides.
Thermodynamic vs. Kinetic Basis for Polymorph Selection
Authors: Hodnett Benjamin K. , Verma Vivek
Published: May 2019

Ratios of equilibrium solubilities rarely exceed two-fold for polymorph pairs. A model has been developed based on two intrinsic properties of polymorph pairs, namely the ratio of equilibrium solubilities of the individual pairs (C*me/C*st) and the ratio of interfacial energies (γst/γme) and one applied experimental condition, namely the supersaturation identifies which one of a pair of polymorphs nucleates first. A domain diagram has been developed, which identifies the point where the critical free energy of nucleation for the polymorph pair are identical. Essentially, for a system supersaturated with respect to both polymorphs, the model identifies that low supersaturation with respect to the stable polymorph (Sst) leads to an extremely small supersaturation with respect to the metastable polymorph (Sme), radically driving up the critical free energy with respect to the metastable polymorph. Generally, high supersaturations sometimes much higher than the upper limit of the metastable zone, are required to kinetically favour the metastable polymorph.
Control Strategy of Electric Heating Loads for Reducing Power Shortage in Power Grid
Authors: Xue Siyuan , Che Yanbo , He Wei , Zhao Yuancheng , Zhang Ruiping
Published: May 2019

With the development of demand response technology, it is possible to reduce power shortages caused by loads participating in power grid dispatching. Based on the equivalent thermal parameter model, and taking full account of the virtual energy storage characteristics presented during electro-thermal conversion, a virtual energy storage model suitable for electric heating loads with different electrical and thermal parameters is proposed in this paper. To avoid communication congestion and simplify calculations, the model is processed by discretization and linearization. To simplify the model, a control strategy for electric heating load, based on the virtual state ofcharge priority list, is proposed. This paper simulates and analyzes a control example, explores the relevant theoretical basis affecting the control effect, and puts forward an optimization scheme for the control strategy. The simulation example proved that the proposed method in this paper can reduce power storage in the grid over a long period of time and can realize a power response in the grid.
A Simulation-Based Multi-Objective Optimization Design Method for Pump-Driven Electro-Hydrostatic Actuators
Authors: Xue Longxian , Wu Shuai , Xu Yuanzhi , Ma Dongli
Published: May 2019

A pump-driven actuator, which usually called an electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), is widely used in aerospace and industrial applications. It is interesting to optimize both its static and dynamic performances, such as weight, energy consumption, rise time, and dynamic stiffness, in the design phase. It is difficult to decide the parameters, due to the high number of objectives to be taken into consideration simultaneously. This paper proposes a simulation-based multi-objective optimization (MOO) design method for EHA with AMESim and a python script The model of an EHA driving a flight control surface is carried out by AMESim. The python script generates design parameters by using an intelligent search method and transfers them to the AMESim model. Then, the script can run a simulation of the AMESim model with a pre-set motion and load scenario of the control surface. The python script can also obtain the results when the simulation is finished, which can then be used to evaluate performance as the objective of optimization. There are four objectives considered in the present study, which are weight, energy consumption, rise time, and dynamic stiffness. The weight is predicted by the scaling law, based on the design parameters. The performances of dynamic response energy efficiency and dynamic stiffness are obtained by the simulation model. A multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is applied to search for the parameter solutions at the Pareto-front of the desired objectives. The optimization results of an EHA, based on the proposed methodology, are demonstrated. The results are very useful for engineers, to help determine the design parameters of the actuator in the design phase. The proposed method and platform are valuable in system design and optimization.
Comparison of Proteome Composition of Serum Enriched in Extracellular Vesicles Isolated from Polycythemia Vera Patients and Healthy Controls
Authors: Fel Anna , Lewandowska Aleksandra E. , Petrides Petro E. , Wiśniewski Jacek R.
Published: May 2019

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), e.g., exosomes and microvesicles, are one of the main networks of intercellular communication. In myeloproliferative neoplasms, such as polycythemia vera (PV), excess of EVs originating from overabundant blood cells can directly contribute to thrombosis through their procoagulant activity. However, the proteomic composition of these vesicles in PV patients has not been investigated before. In this work, we examined the proteomic composition of serum EVs of PV patients in comparison to healthy controls. We processed EV-enriched serum samples using the Multiple Enzyme Filter Aided Sample Preparation approach (MED-FASP), conducted LC-MS/MS measurements on a Q-Exactive HF-X mass spectrometer, and quantitatively analyzed the absolute concentrations of identified proteins by the Total Protein Approach (TPA). Thirty-eight proteins were present at statistically significant different concentrations between PV patients’ study group and healthy controls’ group. The main protein components deregulated in PV were primarily related to excessive amounts of cells, increased platelet activation, elevated immune and inflammatory response, and high concentrations of procoagulant and angiogenic agents. Our study provides the first quantitative analysis of the serum EVs’ proteome in PV patients. This new knowledge may contribute to a better understanding of the secondary systemic effects of PV disease and further development of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
Experimental Study on the Biological Effect of Cluster Ion Beams in Bacillus subtilis Spores
Authors: Hase Yoshihiro , Satoh Katsuya , Chiba Atsuya , Hirano Yoshimi , Tomita Shigeo , Saito Yuichi , Narumi Kazumasa
Published: May 2019

Cluster ion beams have unique features in energy deposition, but their biological effects are yet to be examined. In this study, we employed bacterial spores as a model organism, established an irradiation method, and examined the lethal effect of 2 MeV C, 4 MeV C2, and 6 MeV C3 ion beams. The lethal effect per particle (per number of molecular ions) was not significantly different between cluster and monomer ion beams. The relative biological effectiveness and inactivation cross section as a function of linear energy transfer (LET) suggested that the single atoms of 2 MeV C deposited enough energy to kill the spores, and, therefore, there was no significant difference between the cluster and monomer ion beams in the cell killing effect under this experimental condition. We also considered the behavior of the atoms of cluster ions in the spores after the dissociation of cluster ions into monomer ions by losing bonding electrons through inelastic collisions with atoms on the surface. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to provide a basis for examining the biological effect of cluster ions.
Coloured Plastic Bags for Kerbside Collection of Waste from Households—To Improve Waste Recycling
Authors: Sörme Louise , Voxberg Elin , Rosenlund Joacim , Jensen Sara , Augustsson Anna
Published: May 2019

Today, considerable amounts of resources are landfilled or incinerated, and recyclable materials such as metal, glass, plastic, and paper are disposed of as residual waste instead of being sorted into recyclable fractions. Recycling is one way of transitioning towards a circular economy and a more resource-efficient society. However, in many older cities there is insufficient space for waste bins, which makes waste sorting difficult. The aim of the study was to test how the introduction of a new kerbside collection system, using different-coloured plastic bags, would influence the amounts of residual waste and separately collected food waste. Coloured plastic bags were introduced in an old city centre in Kalmar, in the southeast of Sweden. This type of kerbside collection was applied to 38 apartments with a total of 87 residents for four weeks. Results show that residual waste decreased directly by 15 percent and the collected amount of food waste increased directly by 35 percent. The residents perceived that the sorting system facilitated sorting and that the sorting of recyclable materials increased. Kerbside collection, close to properties, seemed to be an important factor in reducing the amount of residual waste, leading to increased sorting, and hence improved recycling.
Role of Knowledge in Management of Innovation
Authors: Nurulin Yury , Skvortsova Inga , Tukkel Iosif , Torkkeli Marko
Published: May 2019

Knowledge has always been, and still is, a crucial source of economy. However, during the past few years we have seen a growing interest in treating knowledge as a significant organizational resource for innovation. This trend coincides with the rapid development of ICT, indicating the strong influence that ICTs have on the processes of creating, disseminating, and using knowledge. At present, issues of innovation management and knowledge management are studied independently, which creates a certain gap in the systemic understanding of the innovation development processes. The paper proposes an integrated approach to the issues mentioned. The hierarchy and taxonomy of knowledge are considered from the point of view of their influence on decision-making at different stages of the innovation lifecycle. Our proposition complements and contributes to several recent models of decision-making developed in the frame of the innovation process.
Towards Circular Economy: Evaluation of Sewage Sludge Biogas Solutions
Authors: Kiselev Andrey , Magaril Elena , Magaril Romen , Panepinto Deborah , Ravina Marco , Zanetti Maria Chiara
Published: May 2019

Today it is obvious that the existing linear model of the economy does not correlate with the principles of sustainable development. The circular economy model can replace the current linear economy whilst addressing the issues of environmental deterioration, social equity and long-term economic growth. In the context of effectively implementing circular economy objectives, particular importance should be attributed to wastewater treatment sludge management, due to the possibility of recovering valuable raw materials and using its energy potential. Anaerobic digestion is one of the methods of recovering energy from sewage sludge. The main goal of this study is to make a preliminary evaluation of possible sewage sludge biogas and biomethane solutions using a computation model called MCBioCH4 and compare its results with laboratory tests of sewage sludge fermentation from the northern wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Ekaterinburg (Russian Federation). Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the volume and qualitative composition of biogas produced throughout anaerobic fermentation of raw materials coming from the WWTP. The specific productivity of samples ranged between 308.46 Nm3/tvs and 583.08 Nm3/tvs depending if mesophilic or thermophilic conditions were analyzed, or if the experiment was conducted with or without sludge pre-treatment. Output values from the laboratory were used as input for MCBioCH4 to calculate the flow of biogas or biomethane produced. For the case study of Ekaterinburg two possible energy conversion options were selected: B-H (biogas combustion with cogeneration of electrical and thermal energy) and M-T (biomethane to be used in transports). The results of the energy module showed a net energy content of the biogas between 6575 MWh/year and 7200 MWh/year. Both options yielded a favorable greenhouse gas (GHG) balance, meaning that avoided emissions are higher than produced emissions. The results discussion also showed that, in this case, the B-H option is preferable to the M-T option. The implementation of the biogas/biomethane energy conversion system in Ekaterinburg WWTP necessitates further investigations to clarify the remaining technical and economic aspects
Trace Evidence from Mars’ Past: Fingerprinting Transverse Aeolian Ridges
Authors: Scuderi Louis , Nagle-McNaughton Timothy , Williams Joshua
Published: May 2019

Linear dunes and human fingerprints share many characteristics. Both have ridges, valleys, and defects (minutiae) in the form of bifurcations and termination of ridgeline features. For dunes, determining how defects vary across linear and transverse dunefields is critical to understanding the physics of their formative processes and the physical forcing mechanisms that produce dunefields. Unfortunately, manual extraction of defect locations and higher order characteristics (type, orientation, and quality) from remotely sensed imagery is both time-consuming and inconsistent. This problem is further exacerbated when, in the case of imagery from sensors in orbit around Mars, we are unable to field check interpretations. In this research, we apply a novel technique for extracting defects from multiple imagery sources utilizing a robust and well-documented fingerprint minutiae detection and extraction software (MINDTCT: MINutiae DecTeCTion) developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). We apply our ‘fingerprinting’ approach to Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs), relict aeolian features commonly seen on the surface of Mars, whose depositional and formative processes are poorly understood. Our algorithmic approach demonstrates that automating the rapid extraction of defects from orbitally-derived high-resolution imagery of Mars is feasible and produces maps that allow the quantification and analysis of these features.
Upstream Remotely-Sensed Hydrological Variables and Their Standardization for Surface Runoff Reconstruction and Estimation of the Entire Mekong River Basin
Authors: Zhou Linghao , Fok Hok , Ma Zhongtian , Chen Qiang
Published: May 2019

River water discharge (WD) is an essential component when monitoring a regional hydrological cycle. It is expressed in terms of surface runoff (R) when a unit of river basin surface area is considered. To compensate for the decreasing number of hydrological stations, remotely-sensed WD estimation has been widely promoted over the past two decades, due to its global coverage. Previously, remotely-sensed WD was reconstructed either by correlating nearby remotely-sensed surface responses (e.g., indices and hydraulic variables) with ground-based WD observations or by applying water balance formulations, in terms of R, over an entire river basin, assisted by hydrological modeling data. In contrast, the feasibility of using remotely-sensed hydrological variables (RSHVs) and their standardized forms together with water balance representations (WBR) obtained from the river upstream to reconstruct estuarine R for an entire basin, has been rarely investigated. Therefore, our study aimed to construct a correlative relationship between the estuarine observed R and the upstream, spatially averaged RSHVs, together with their standardized forms and WBR, for the Mekong River basin, using estuarine R reconstructions, at a monthly temporal scale. We found that the reconstructed R derived from the upstream, spatially averaged RSHVs agreed well with the observed R, which was also comparable to that calculated using traditional remote sensing data (RSD). Better performance was achieved using spatially averaged, standardized RSHVs, which should be potentially attributable to spatially integrated information and the ability to partly bypass systematic biases by both human (e.g., dam operation) and environmental effects in a standardized form. Comparison of the R reconstructed using the upstream, spatially averaged, standardized RSHVs with that reconstructed from the traditional RSD, against the observed R, revealed a Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) above 0.91 and below 0.81, a root-mean-squares error (RMSE) below 6.1 mm and above 8.5 mm, and a Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NSE) above 0.823 and below 0.657, respectively. In terms of the standardized water balance representation (SWBR), the reconstructed R yielded the best performance, with a PCC above 0.92, an RMSE below 5.9 mm, and an NSE above 0.838. External assessment demonstrated similar results. This finding indicated that the standardized RSHVs, in particular its water balance representations, could lead to further improvement in estuarine R reconstructions for river basins affected by various systematic influences. Comparison between hydrological stations at the Mekong River Delta entrance and near the estuary mouth revealed tidally-induced backwater effects on the estimated R, with an RMSE difference of 4–5 mm (equivalent to 9–11% relative error).
Monitoring the Indian Summer Monsoon Evolution at the Granularity of the Indian Meteorological Sub-divisions using Remotely Sensed Rainfall Products
Authors: Bhardwaj Amit , Misra Vasubandhu
Published: May 2019

We make use of satellite-based rainfall products from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) to objectively define local onset and demise of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) at the spatial resolution of the meteorological subdivisions defined by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). These meteorological sub-divisions are the operational spatial scales for official forecasts issued by the IMD. Therefore, there is a direct practical utility to target these spatial scales for monitoring the evolution of the ISM. We find that the diagnosis of the climatological onset and demise dates and its variations from the TMPA product is quite similar to the rain gauge based analysis of the IMD, despite the differences in the duration of the two datasets. This study shows that the onset date variations of the ISM have a significant impact on the variations of the seasonal length and seasonal rainfall anomalies in many of the meteorological sub-divisions: for example, the early or later onset of the ISM is associated with longer and wetter or shorter and drier ISM seasons, respectively. It is shown that TMPA dataset (and therefore its follow up Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG)) could be usefully adopted for monitoring the onset of the ISM and therefore extend its use to anticipate the potential anomalies of the seasonal length and seasonal rainfall anomalies of the ISM in many of the Indian meteorological sub-divisions.