bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rill morphology and deposition characteristics on row sideslopes under seepage conditions
Authors: Liu L. , Liu Q. J. , An J. , Yu J. S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractConcentrated flow can induce rill and ephemeral gully erosion in contour ridging systems. To better understand the morphological features of rills, deposition characteristics in contour ridging systems and their influencing factors, rainfall simulation experiments were conducted considering four factors: field slope, row grade, ridge height and seepage discharge. The results showed that a simplified power equation that considered the maximum rill depth and length predicts the erosion volume better than an equation that only accounts for rill length, with prediction accuracies of R2 = 0.96 and R2 = 0.61, respectively. The ridge height could promote seepage and extend the maximum rill width and depth. The relationships between seepage and rill width, and seepage and soil loss could be fitted with quadratic equations. Seepage exerted a positive effect when the rill width and total soil loss were <14.3 cm and 0.7 kg, respectively, and presented a negative effect when the rill width and total soil loss were greater. Seepage had a positive effect on the maximum rill depth. Sediment deposition was divided into two types: (i) deposition downstream of the rill and (ii) no deposition on the row sideslope. Greater row grades could result in deposition up to the ridge. The simple rill volume prediction equation could help predicting the soil loss induced by rill erosion in contour ridging systems. The effect of field slope, row grade, ridge height and seepage discharge on soil loss could provide guidance for choosing appropriate ridge morphology on slopeland to reduce rill erosion.
Polymorphisms of RAD50, IL33 and IL1RL1 are associated with atopic asthma in Chinese population
Authors: Chen J. , Zhang J. , Hu H. , Jin Y. , Xue M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractGenetic architecture of asthma remains obscure. This study aimed to investigate whether the genetic polymorphisms of CDHR3 (rs6967330), GSDMB (rs2305480), IL33 rs928413, RAD50 (rs6871536) and IL1RL1 (rs1558641) are associated with the development of atopic asthma in Chinese population. Genotype and allele frequencies were compared between 516 patients and 552 controls by Chi‐square test. Patients were found to have significantly higher allele G of rs928413 and allele C of rs6871536 (9.5% vs 6.2%, P = 0.004 for rs928413; 26.1% vs 19.9%, P < 0.001 for rs6871536). Besides, patients were found to have significantly lower frequency of allele A of rs1558641 (17.2% vs 21.7%, P = 0.007). This is the first study validating that IL33, IL1R1, and RAD50 genes are associated with the risk of asthma in Chinese population.
The RNA helicase, eIF4A‐1, is required for ovule development and cell size homeostasis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Bush Maxwell S. , Crowe Natalie , Zheng Tao , Doonan John H. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryeIF4A is a highly conserved RNA‐stimulated ATPase and helicase involved in the initiation of mRNA translation. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two isoforms, one of which (eIF4A‐1) is required for the coordination between cell cycle progression and cell size. A T‐DNA mutant eif4a1 line, with reduced eIF4A protein levels, displays slow growth, reduced lateral root formation, delayed flowering and abnormal ovule development. Loss of eIF4A‐1 reduces the proportion of mitotic cells in the root meristem and perturbs the relationship between cell size and cell cycle progression. Several cell cycle reporter proteins, particularly those expressed at G2/M, have reduced expression in eif4a1 mutant meristems. Single eif4a1 mutants are semisterile and show aberrant ovule growth, whereas double eif4a1 eif4a2 homozygous mutants could not be recovered, indicating that eIF4A function is essential for plant growth and development.
A pig‐to‐mouse coronary artery transplantation model for investigating the pathogenicity of anti‐pig antibody
Authors: Lin Yi , Miyagi Naoto , Byrne Guerard W. , Du Zeji , Kogelberg Heide , Gazi Mozammel H. , Tazelaar Henry D. , Wang Chunsheng , McGregor Christopher G. A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackgroundRejection of Gal‐free (GTKO) donor pig cardiac xenografts is strongly associated with vascular non‐Gal antibody binding, endothelial cell (EC) injury, and activation and microvascular thrombosis. We adopted a pig‐to‐SCID/beige small animal transplant model to compare the pathogenicity of baboon and human anti‐pig antibody.MethodsWild‐type (GT+) or GTKO porcine coronary arteries (PCAs) were transplanted into the infrarenal aorta of SCID/beige mice. Three days after transplant, recipients were infused with anti‐pig antibody (anti‐SLA class I, an isotype control, naive or sensitized baboon serum, or naive human serum). PCAs were recovered 24 h after antibody infusion and examined using histology, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization.ResultsDose‐dependent intragraft thrombosis occurred after infusion of anti‐SLA I antibody (but not isotype control) in GT+ and GTKO PCA recipients. Naive baboon serum induced thrombosis in GT+ grafts. Thrombosis was significantly reduced by pre‐treating naive baboon serum with Gal polymer and not observed when this serum was infused to GTKO PCA recipients. Naive human serum caused dose‐dependent intragraft thrombosis of GTKO PCAs. In all cases, thrombosis involved graft‐specific vascular antibody and complement deposition, macrophage adherence, EC delamination, and subendothelial thrombus formation.ConclusionsThis study provides the first direct in vivo comparison of the pathogenicity of naive human and baboon serum. The results suggest that human preformed non‐Gal antibody may have increased pathogenicity compared to baboon. This model, which showed a rejected graft histopathology similar to antibody‐mediated rejection in cardiac xenotransplantation, may be useful to assess the pathogenicity of individual protein or carbohydrate specific non‐Gal reactive antibodies.
Engraftment and reversal of diabetes after intramuscular transplantation of neonatal porcine islet‐like clusters
Authors: Wolf‐van Buerck Lelia , Schuster Marion , Baehr Andrea , Mayr Tanja , Guethoff Sonja , Abicht Jan , Reichart Bruno , Nam‐Apostolopoulos Yun‐Chung , Klymiuk Nikolai , Wolf Eckhard , Seissler Jochen 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackgroundIntraportal infusion is currently the method of choice for clinical islet cell transplantation but suffers from poor efficacy. As the liver may not represent an optimal transplantation site for Langerhans islets, we examined the potential of neonatal porcine islet‐like clusters (NPICCs) to engraft in skeletal muscle as an alternative transplantation site.MethodsNeonatal porcine islet‐like clusters were isolated from 2‐ to 5‐day‐old piglets and either transplanted under the kidney capsule (s.k.) or injected into the lower hindlimb muscle (i.m.) of streptozotocin‐diabetic NOD‐SCID IL2rγ−/− (NSG) mice. Survival, vascularization, maturation, and functional activity were analyzed by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance testing and immunohistochemical analyses.ResultsIntramuscular transplantation of NPICCs resulted in development of normoglycemia and restored glucose homeostasis. Time to reversal of diabetes and glucose tolerance (AUC glucose and AUC insulin) did not significantly differ as compared to s.k. transplantation. Intramuscular grafts exhibited rapid neovascularization and graft composition with cytokeratin‐positive ductal cells and beta cells at post‐transplant weeks 2 and 8 and after establishment of normoglycemia was comparable in both groups.ConclusionsIntramuscular injection represents a minimally invasive but efficient alternative for transplantation of NPICCs and, thus, offers an attractive alternative site for xenotransplantation approaches. These findings may have important implications for improving the outcome and the monitoring of pig islet xenotransplantation.
The fetal brain sparing response to hypoxia: physiological mechanisms
Authors: Giussani Dino A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractHow the fetus withstands an environment of reduced oxygenation during life in the womb has been a vibrant area of research since this field was introduced by Joseph Barcroft, a century ago. Studies spanning five decades have since used the chronically instrumented fetal sheep preparation to investigate the fetal compensatory responses to hypoxia. This defence is contingent on the fetal cardiovascular system, which in late gestation adopts strategies to decrease oxygen consumption and redistribute the cardiac output away from peripheral vascular beds and towards essential circulations, such as those perfusing the brain. The introduction of simultaneous measurement of blood flow in the fetal carotid and femoral circulations by ultrasonic transducers has permitted investigation of the dynamics of the fetal brain sparing response for the first time. Now we know that major components of fetal brain sparing during acute hypoxia are triggered exclusively by a carotid chemoreflex and that they are modified by endocrine agents and the recently discovered vascular oxidant tone. The latter is determined by the interaction between nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species. The fetal brain sparing response matures as the fetus approaches term, in association with the prepartum increase in fetal plasma cortisol, and treatment of the preterm fetus with clinically relevant doses of synthetic steroids mimics this maturation. Despite intense interest into how the fetal brain sparing response may be affected by adverse intrauterine conditions, this area of research has been comparatively scant, but it is likely to take centre stage in the near future.image
Compressible Air Effects in CFD Simulations of Free Fall Lifeboat Drop
Authors: Tregde Vidar 
Published: October 2015

A free fall lifeboat is typically dropped from heights between 30 and 40m, but during full scale testing, drop heights have been exceeding 60 m. During a drop, the free fall lifeboat is going through several phases; sliding on the skid, rotation on skid, free fall, water entry, ventilation, maximum submergence, resurfacing and the sailing phase. During impact and submergence the lifeboat will go through a ventilation phase. In this phase the lifeboat creates an air cavity behind the pilot house and a larger one behind the stern.
The air cavity formed on top of canopy, aft of the pilot house is compressed and then starts to oscillate in time giving rise to large oscillating pressures. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with compressible air flow model are compared with full scale experimental results. The results compare very well, both in oscillating frequency and amplitude.
Later in the ventilation phase, an air bubble aft of the vessel will be drawn down several meters below the water surface. This bubble collapses in an imploding manner and slams with large pressures on the aft bulkhead of the lifeboat. This is simulated in CFD with compressible air model and compares very well to the full scale experimental results. Using incompressible air flow will not capture these effects, and the calculated pressures on the aft bulkhead are a fraction of the real pressures.
The water surface in the cavity eventually hits the aft bulkhead with a high slamming velocity. The structure of the air pocket does not have any symmetry, and seem to be chaotic in nature. The local pressures can be very high and distributed over a small area. The effects of the air cavity also influence the motion and acceleration of the lifeboat in the ventilation phase; this is shown and compared to full scale experimental results.
Influence of Mooring Lines and Risers on the Trim, Heel and Displacement on FPUs
Authors: Coelho Cecília , Nabuco Bruna 
Published: October 2015

By monitoring the variation of weights of floating production units (FPUs), the sum of total weight computed by load calculators on board very often does not match the actual displacement based on the current drafts. Differences can also be observed in the trim and heel of FPUs, which present values different from zero degree in the calculations, but in fact they are frequently kept near zero by ballast control.
The mooring lines and risers tensions are one of the most uncertain weight items in loading conditions reported by the crew on board, therefore, this paper aims to assess the influence and behavior of these systems to a variety of situations in which FPUs operate.
Analyses were performed for semi-submersibles and FPSOs considering two configurations of mooring system: catenary and taut-leg. The purpose is to evaluate how the magnitude of the resulting force varies — and hence how the trim and heel change — for a range of offsets caused by environmental conditions.
The effect of mooring lines and risers is also discussed regarding the water depth by means of case studies considering a range of water depths. Actual lines properties and seabed bathymetry from mooring system models of platforms located offshore Brazil have been taken as reference.
In short, the mooring lines and risers loads will be calculated for different types of floating production units, mooring system configurations and water depths in order to evaluate their influence on the trim, heel and displacement of FPUs.
Development of FIS for Identification of Potential Failure Locations in Topside Piping Sub-Systems: An Expert System Based Approach
Authors: Seneviratne A. M. N. D. B. , Ratnayake R. M. Chandima 
Published: October 2015

The identification of potential failure locations in ageing topside piping equipment of offshore production and process facilities (P&PFs) requires rigorous analyses. The risk based inspection (RBI) analysis methods defined in industrial standards classify the equipment according to the risk levels. The RBI analysis carried out on the plant equipment of P&PFs identifies the systems and sub-systems according to the different risk levels. However, the sub-systems (i.e. corrosion loops) are mainly defined according to the degradation behavior of the equipment. The equipment hierarchy for P&PFs is designed based on the RBI analysis outcome.
The major part of risk level evaluation is based on equipment’s probability of failure, which is related to degradation. The risk level analysis of equipment and thickness measurement locations (TMLs) within a sub-system is based on the expert engineering judgments of field experts. This analysis varies depending on the expertise of the evaluator in identifying and classifying critical TMLs in a sub-system. This manuscript illustrates an expert system using fuzzy inference systems (FISs) to identify the potential failure of TMLs in a sub-system suppressing the variation of analysis results given by different field experts. The method is illustrated by considering two degradation mechanisms (corrosion and erosion) to identify the probability of potential failure and integrating the production and process data to the FIS based expert system to generate a dynamic output.
Evaluation of Fairing Performance by Three-Dimensional Tests Using a Flexible Riser Model
Authors: Skaugset Kjetil , Baarholm Rolf , Lie Halvor , Braaten Henning 
Published: October 2015

Due to its low drag and suppression effectiveness, fairings are considered to be an attractive alternative to helical strakes for mitigation of riser Vortex Induced Vibrations (VIV). The Norwegian Deepwater Programme has conducted a project with the objective to develop and qualify effective low drag fairing concepts with respect to VIV and galloping. Furthermore, emphasis is put on easy handling and installation.
By use of 2D small scale tests in a towing tank and in a large cavitation tunnel, a total of 10 different fairing designs have been evaluated and screened in terms of hydrodynamic performance [1]. Three fairing design candidates were promoted for further development. This paper describe the work and findings when studying the effectiveness of promoted fairings on a 3D flexible riser model with respect to galloping and VIV. Three different fairing profiles have been studied in the present model tests.
The tests were carried out in the sub-critical Reynolds number regime with Rn up to about 53000. Four different fairing coverages were tested for each design: full coverage, 60 % coverage, 40 % coverage and full coverage of the lower half of riser.
Differences in performance have been noticed for the fairing profiles, and the findings have laid the ground for further development of the most promising candidates for real life applications. Further, it is concluded that the combination of 2D and 3D tests, as well as combination of small scale and prototype scale tests, has been an efficient strategy in development of VIV suppression devices.
Numerical Investigation of the Installation Process and the Bearing Capacity of Suction Bucket Foundations
Authors: Stapelfeldt Marc , Bubel Julian , Grabe Jürgen 
Published: October 2015

This paper was developed in cooperation between the TUHH and Overdick GmbH & Co. KG. The goal of the presented work is gaining further knowledge about the installation and bearing behavior of suction bucket foundations for fixed offshore platforms based on sand.
Buckets are usually made of steel and consist of a cylinder and a lid at the top. They are installed into the sea floor by pumping water out of the buckets to create suction, which drives the bucket into the soil. Suction buckets do not require heavy hammer-equipment for construction like common piles. Thus the installation procedure is much faster and protects the environment significantly by avoiding noise emissions. Therefore, suction buckets are to be considered as a serious foundation alternative compared to steel piles.
For this paper numerical investigations are performed with the finite analyses software ABAQUS. A total of five finite element models — three for the bearing and two for the installation — were created to carry out parametric studies, while using a hypoplastic constitutive model to describe the soil conditions. Therefore, the buckets diameter, embedded depth and the pore-ratio are to be investigated. In addition three different load conditions are applied in the bearing capacity tests: the maximum vertical load, the maximum horizontal load and the minimum vertical load. During the simulation of the installation procedure different pore ratios are tested and it is attempted to simulate an installation by water-extraction.
Based on these numerical investigations it is possible to investigate known and currently more or less unknown phenomena of the bearing and the installation of suction buckets. Thus, a more detailed knowledge about the function of this kind of foundation is to be gained. In addition, the numerical studies are compared to the design-procedure according to API RP-2A-WSD and the DNV CN-30.4.
Experimental RAO’s Analysis of a Monolithic Concrete SPAR Structure for Offshore Floating Wind Turbines
Authors: Campos Alexis , Molins Climent , Gironella Xavier , Trubat Pau , Alarcón Daniel 
Published: October 2015

Nowadays the offshore wind energy market is clearly oriented to be extended around the world. Bottom fixed solutions for supporting offshore wind turbines are useful in shallow waters which are available in a limited extent unless a continental shelf exists. Considering the Oil & Gas background knowledge, move from bottom fixed solutions to floating solutions is not a technical challenge, but the cost of each structure in terms of industry profit is currently the main issue for its commercial implementation. That point has induced huge research efforts on the topic.
Recently, a new concept consisting of a monolithic concrete SPAR platform was experimentally and numerically studied in the framework of the AFOSP KIC-InnoEnergy project (Alternative Floating Platform Designs for Offshore Wind Towers using Low Cost Materials) [1] [2]. The studies comprised a set of hydrodynamic tests performed in the CIEM wave flume facility at UPC, with a 1:100 scaled model assuming Froude similitude.
The whole test campaign includes free decay tests, RAO’s determination, regular and irregular waves with and without wind mean force. For the determination of the platform RAO’s, a set of 21 regular waves trains with periods ranging from 0.8s up to 4.8s were applied. The 6 DOF motions of the platform were measured with an infrared stereoscopic vision system.
In this paper, a summary of pitch and heave RAO’s tests will be presented with the main objective to calibrate and validate the accuracy of the Morison-based numerical model for floating wind turbine platforms developed at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
Because the wave flume spatial constraints, both Airy and Stokes wave theories are necessary to reproduce the correct wave kinematics. The numerical model includes both theories and a comparison between them has been done, checking the validity range of each one.
The simulations revealed a reasonable good agreement with the experimental results, as well with the computed RAO’s in commercial software.
Motion RAOs of a SSCV at Deep and Inconvenient Draft Using CFD
Authors: Ottens Harald , Pistidda Alessio 
Published: October 2015

As an offshore contractor Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) is specialized in the transportation and installation of offshore structures such as jackets, topsides and subsea infrastructure. Semi-Submersible Crane Vessels (SSCVs) are a part of the fleet currently operated. These vessels are mainly used for heavy lift and subsea construction operations in deep water. However, in recent years heavy lift operations in shallow waters have been increased. In very shallow waters the lift operation cannot be performed on the standard deep operational draft and shallower drafts are required, to maintain sufficient bottom clearance.
Diffraction programs using potential theory are a quick and effective method in calculating wave forces and ship motions. However for shallow drafts, where only a small layer of water is present on top of a submerged body, diffraction calculations typically overpredict motion and wave load RAOs. This shortcoming of diffraction programs is well known and observed after conducting model tests on a free floating SSCV at a shallow draft. As such, from a numerical point of view, these shallow drafts can be considered “inconvenient drafts”.
To verify whether CFD is able to predict the SSCV motions at these inconvenient drafts, CFD simulations are performed on a SSCV in waves. The SSCV is free to heave, roll and pitch. The focus will be on beam incoming waves with the SSCV at different drafts ranging from a deep draft, where potential theory is able to predict the motions very well to shallow drafts, where potential theory typically overpredicts the motions.
To limit the simulation domain an Euler Overlay Method is used where in the vicinity of the SSCV the domain is simulated using CFD by overlaying an Euler solution defined at the outer domain. To allow the SSCV to heave, roll and pitch within the domain the overset mesh method is used.