bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Viscosity–temperature relationship of lipid‐based excipients amenable for spray congealing: Derivation of a rheological parameter with good correlation to particle size
Authors: Wong Priscilla Chui Hong , Heng Paul Wan Sia , Chan Lai Wah 
Published: October 2015

The objective of this paper was to investigate the viscosity‐temperature relationship of lipid‐based materials (fatty alcohol, fatty acid, fatty ester and glycerides) amenable for spray congealing. The flow properties and viscosity–temperature relationship of cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, myristyl myristate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl dibehenate, hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil and hydrogenated cottonseed oil were investigated using continuous ramping and temperature ramping tests. The viscosity–temperature data obtained was fitted into two existing viscosity–temperature models as well as a series of mathematical functions. The peak melting points of the materials were established by differential scanning calorimetry. Morphology and size of the spray‐congealed microparticles were analysed by scanning electron microscopy and laser diffractometry. Correlation analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between viscosity and microparticle median size. When molten, all eight lipid‐based materials used were Newtonian liquids. Viscosity of these materials decreased in a biphasic manner with increasing temperature which fitted a simple biexponential equation. The viscosity–temperature curves showed distinct transition points, from which mathematical manipulations generated a new rheological parameter termed Tp. Compared to the conventionally used viscosity values at spraying temperature, the Tp values of materials showed a stronger correlation with the median size of spray‐congealed microparticles produced.Practical applications: From this work, a new temperature‐independent constant (Tp) unique to each lipid‐based material was derived and found to have good correlation with the resultant spray‐congealed microparticle median size. This work aims to introduce Tp as a viable parameter of the rheology of lipid‐based materials for optimisation of formulation in spray congealation. Besides spray congealing, the application of Tp may be extended to other melt processes, such as melt granulation, melt extrusion and hot melt coating.(A) A typical biexponential temperature ramping curve showing the location of the characteristic transition point (Tp). (B) Graph of median size (μm) of spray‐congealed microparticles against Tp values.
A Deep Eutectic Solvent‐based Amperometric Sensor for the Detection of Low Oxygen Contents in Gaseous Atmospheres
Authors: Toniolo Rosanna , Dossi Nicolò , Svigelj Rossella , Pigani Laura , Terzi Fabio , Abollino Ornella , Bontempelli Gino 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe possibility of adopting deep eutectic solvents (DESs) instead of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) in membrane‐free electrochemical gas probes was estimated by first evaluating the performance of ethaline as electrochemical medium. This very easily prepared DES was chosen as prototype since it displays high conductivity and fairly modest viscosity, comparable with those of RTILs usually adopted in electrochemical measurements. Its electrostability window at Au, Pt and GC electrodes was first detected, together with diffusion coefficients displayed in this medium by ferrocene in the range 2.0–26.5 °C, it being adopted as prototype analyte in view of its well known electrochemical behavior and high enough solubility in ethaline. These diffusion coefficients were then used to infer viscosity values of ethaline at all temperatures considered, by exploiting the Stokes‐Einstein equation. Even though ferrocene diffusion coefficients turned out to be remarkably lower than those displayed in usual aprotic solvents, they were fairly higher than those usually found in electrochemical measurements conducted in RTILs, thus pointing out that the use of DESs as solvents adhering to electrode surfaces for assembling electroanalytical gas sensors could be advantageous. On these bases, a conveniently assembled DES‐based probe was tested for the electrochemical detection of low oxygen contents in cooled atmospheres. The quite satisfactory results found indicated that the drawback affecting DESs, consisting in the low values of diffusion coefficients displayed by dissolved analytes, can be overcome by using thin enough DES layers and resorting to a high sensitive detection approach such as amperometry under flow conditions. In fact, good sensitivities were found at all temperatures considered (2.0–26.5 °C), accompanied by a low detection limit (ca. 0.1 % v/v).
Inverted Bulk‐Heterojunction Solar Cells using Polyethylenimine‐Ethoxylated Processed from a Fully Aqueous Dispersion as Electron‐Transport Layer
Authors: Polino Giuseppina , Casaluci Simone , Dianetti Martina , Dell'Elce Simone , Liscio Andrea , Mirruzzo Valentina , Cardone Giorgio , Susanna Gianpaolo , Salamandra Luigi , Brown Thomas M. , Reale Andrea , Di Carlo Aldo , Brunetti Francesca 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn this work, we present the realization and characterization of bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells in which we use a spin‐coated polyethylenimine‐ethoxylated (PEIE) layer as electron‐transporting layer deposited from a fully water‐based solution. We investigated several concentrations of PEIE in aqueous solution and characterized the chemical and electrical behavior of PEIE‐coated fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) substrates. We realized BHJ solar cells using P3HT:PC60BM as active layer achieving a maximum efficiency of 4 % that outperform the device fabricated using a 2‐methoxyethanol‐based PEIE solution considered as reference. Moreover, devices fabricated with the water‐based PEIE solution showed a higher shelf‐life stability compared to those made with the 2‐methoxyethanol‐based PEIE solution. The performances of the devices realized with the water‐based solution were characterized over a period of more than 6 months showing a decrease of 30 % in efficiency.
Hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase induction in the common kingfisher from an electronic waste recycling site
Authors: Wu Jiang-Ping , Mo Ling , Zhi Hui , Peng Ying , Tao Lin , Ren Zi-He , Luo Xiao-Jun , Mai Bi-Xian 
Published: October 2015

Abstract

The health effects of exposure to electronic waste (e-waste)-derived pollutants are an important issue. The authors explored the association between the hepatic levels of e-waste–derived halogenated contaminants (including polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], polybrominated diphenyl ethers [PBDEs], and polybrominated biphenyls [PBBs]) and hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity of the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) from an e-waste site and 2 reference sites in South China. The summed concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, and PBBs ranged from 620 ng/g to 15 000 ng/g, 25 ng/g to 900 ng/g, and 14 ng/g to 49 ng/g wet weight, respectively, in the kingfishers from the e-waste site, and these values were significantly greater (2–3 orders of magnitude) than those obtained at the 2 reference sites. Correspondingly, significant hepatic EROD induction was observed in the kingfishers from the e-waste site compared with the reference sites. The EROD activity was significantly correlated to the levels of most of the PCB and PBDE congeners examined as well as PBB 153, suggesting that EROD induction may be evoked by these e-waste–derived pollutants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1594–1599. © 2015 SETAC
Associations between polygenic risk for schizophrenia and brain function during probabilistic learning in healthy individuals
Authors: Lancaster Thomas M. , Ihssen Niklas , Brindley Lisa M. , Tansey Katherine E. , Mantripragada Kiran , O'Donovan Michael C. , Owen Michael J. , Linden David E.J. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA substantial proportion of schizophrenia liability can be explained by additive genetic factors. Risk profile scores (RPS) directly index risk using a summated total of common risk variants weighted by their effect. Previous studies suggest that schizophrenia RPS predict alterations to neural networks that support working memory and verbal fluency. In this study, we apply schizophrenia RPS to fMRI data to elucidate the effects of polygenic risk on functional brain networks during a probabilistic‐learning neuroimaging paradigm. The neural networks recruited during this paradigm have previously been shown to be altered to unmedicated schizophrenia patients and relatives of schizophrenia patients, which may reflect genetic susceptibility. We created schizophrenia RPS using summary data from the Psychiatric Genetic Consortium (Schizophrenia Working Group) for 83 healthy individuals and explore associations between schizophrenia RPS and blood oxygen level dependency (BOLD) during periods of choice behavior (switch–stay) and reflection upon choice outcome (reward–punishment). We show that schizophrenia RPS is associated with alterations in the frontal pole (PWHOLE‐BRAIN‐CORRECTED = 0.048) and the ventral striatum (PROI‐CORRECTED = 0.036), during choice behavior, but not choice outcome. We suggest that the common risk variants that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia can be associated with alterations in the neural circuitry that support the processing of changing reward contingencies. Hum Brain Mapp 37:491–500, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Statistical identification of orographic effects in the regional analysis of extreme rainfall
Authors: Furcolo Pierluigi , Pelosi Anna , Rossi Fabio 
Published: October 2015

AbstractRegional models of extreme rainfall must address the spatial variability induced by orographic obstacles. However, the proper detection of orographic effects often depends on the availability of a well‐designed rain gauge network. The aim of this study is to investigate a new method for identifying and characterizing the effects of orography on the spatial structure of extreme rainfall at the regional scale, including where rainfall data are lacking or fail to describe rainfall features thoroughly.We analyse the annual maxima of daily rainfall data in the Campania region, an orographically complex region in Southern Italy, and introduce a statistical procedure to identify spatial outliers in a low order statistic (namely the mean). The locations of these outliers are then compared with a pattern of orographic objects that has beena prioriidentified through the application of an automatic geomorphological procedure. The results show a direct and clear link between a particular set of orographic objects and a local increase in the spatial variability of extreme rainfall. This analysis allowed us to objectively identify areas where orography produces enhanced variability in extreme rainfall. It has direct implications for rain gauge network design criteria and has led to promising developments in the regional analysis of extreme rainfall. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the effects of catchment‐scale urban green infrastructure retrofits on hydrograph characteristics
Authors: Jarden Kimberly M. , Jefferson Anne J. , Grieser Jennifer M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractRun‐off from impervious surfaces has pervasive and serious consequences for urban streams, but the detrimental effects of urban stormwater can be lessened by disconnecting impervious surfaces and redirecting run‐off to decentralized green infrastructure. This study used a before–after‐control‐impact design, in which streets served as subcatchments, to quantify hydrologic effectiveness of street‐scale investments in green infrastructure, such as street‐connected bioretention cells, rain gardens and rain barrels. On the two residential treatment streets, voluntary participation resulted in 32.2% and 13.5% of parcels having green infrastructure installed over a 2‐year period. Storm sewer discharge was measured before and after green infrastructure implementation, and peak discharge, total run‐off volume and hydrograph lags were analysed. On the street with smaller lots and lower participation, green infrastructure installation succeeded in reducing peak discharge by up to 33% and total storm run‐off by up to 40%. On the street with larger lots and higher participation, there was no significant reduction in peak or total stormflows, but on this street, contemporaneous street repairs may have offset improvements. On the street with smaller lots, lag times increased following the first phase of green infrastructure construction, in which streetside bioretention cells were built with underdrains. In the second phase, lag times did not change further, because bioretention cells were built without underdrains and water was removed from the system, rather than just delayed. We conclude that voluntary green infrastructure retrofits that include treatment of street run‐off can be effective for substantially reducing stormwater but that small differences in design and construction can be important for determining the level of the benefit. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring the effect of different time resolutions to calculate the rainfall erosivity factor R in Calabria, southern Italy
Authors: Porto Paolo 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe rainfall erosivity factor R of the Universal Soil Loss Equation is a good indicator of the potential of a storm to erode soil, as it quantifies the raindrop impact effect on the soil based on storm intensity. The R‐factor is defined as the average annual value of rainfall erosion index, EI, calculated by cumulating the EI values obtained for individual storms for at least 22 years. By definition, calculation of EI is based on rainfall measurements at short time intervals over which the intensity is essentially constant, i.e. using so‐called breakpoint data. Because of the scarcity of breakpoint rainfall data, many authors have used different time resolutions (Δt = 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min) to deduce EI in different areas of the world. This procedure affects the real value of EI because it is strongly dependent on Δt. In this contribution, after a general overview of similar studies carried out in different countries, the relationship between EI and Δt is explored in Calabria, southern Italy. The use of 17 139 storm events collected from 65 rainfall stations allowed the calculation of EI for different time intervals ranging from 5 to 60 min. The overall results confirm that calculation of EI is dependent on time resolution and a conversion factor able to provide its value for the required Δt is necessary. Based on these results, a parametric equation that gives EI as a function of Δt is proposed, and a regional map of the scale parameter a that represents the conversion factor for converting fixed‐interval values of (EI30)Δt to values of (EI30)15 is provided in order to calculate R anywhere in the region using rainfall data of 60 min. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Open Standards Simulation Flow for Heterogeneous System Models1
Authors: Broodney Henry , Greenberg Lev , Hirose Shinichi , Palachi Eldad 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe main responsibility of the Systems Engineer is to understand the system as a whole. In modern Model‐Based approaches, powerful analytic tools are employed to assist the professionals. Yet the need to address the disparate aspects of the system in a single analytic process creates a new challenge stemming from the incompatibility of heterogeneous domain models. A further complication is the ubiquitous software that monitors and controls almost every aspect of a physical system behavior, adding yet another aspect that requires attention. This manuscript offers details of the construction of a Model‐Based tool chain automating the simulation flow between disparate domain models, with a special place for discrete models used for description of software functionality. The proposed flow is based on the open Functional Mockup Interface standard with partial functionality already available in the commercial offerings. The paper further identifies several missing components in existing standards and tools.
Implementing Structured Requirements to Improve Requirements Quality
Authors: Carson Ronald S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe Boeing Company has implemented a standard approach to the engineering of high‐quality requirements using the concept of “structured, natural language”, a specific grammar for how to write requirements. This approach helps our requirements engineers write more unambiguous and verifiable requirements as required by ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148:2011 and related commercial and military standards.Boeing has identified four types of specification requirements, plus a verification requirement type. Each type of requirement has a standard grammar, a set of mandatory and optional elements that ensure verifiability related to the type. This approach is implied by recent guidance from the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), and by recommendations of other industry practitioners.In combination with these standards for writing requirements we have also integrated a scoring method for evaluating how well any requirement satisfies the standard criteria. This approach provides immediate feedback to the requirement writer regarding the absence of critical information or deficiencies in the information provided, e.g., unobservable functions, or ambiguous performance criteria or conditions. In contrast with other industry methods we score elements of the requirement individually on a graded (rather than binary) scale. We are thus able to not only score for the presence or absence of a required element, but are able to identify degrees of compliance with the Boeing standard. This enables us to quantify the risk of less‐than‐perfect requirements.
Version 0.5 of the Proposed INCOSE Systems Engineering Competency Framework
Authors: Gelosh Don S. , Snoderly John R. , Heisey Mimi , Nidiffer Ken 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis paper presents Version 0.5 of the proposed INCOSE Systems Engineering (SE) Competency Framework. This paper also presents the newly developed competency framework tables along with notional examples and provides a working example of a framework derived competency model for Systems Security Engineering. The competency framework is being developed as an evolution of the current INCOSE United Kingdom (UK) SE Competencies Framework (INCOSE, 2010). The INCOSE Competency Working Group (CWG) is conducting this project in collaboration with the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), SE Division, Education and Training Committee in order to develop a common approach to the definition of an SE Competency Framework.
Methodology and Tools for Next Generation Cyber‐Physical Systems: The iCyPhy Approach
Authors: Nuzzo Pierluigi , Sangiovanni‐Vincentelli Alberto L. , Murray Richard M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe realization of complex, cyber‐physical “systems of systems” can substantially benefit from model‐based hierarchical and compositional methodologies to make their design possible let alone optimal. In this paper, we introduce the methodology being developed within the industrial Cyber‐Physical (iCyPhy) research consortium, which addresses the complexity and heterogeneity of cyber‐physical systems by formalizing the design process in a hierarchical and compositional way, and provides a unifying framework where different modeling, analysis and synthesis tools can seamlessly interconnect. We use assume‐guarantee contracts and their algebra (e.g. composition, conjunction, refinement) to provide formal support to the entire design flow. The design is carried out as a sequence of refinement steps from a high‐level specification (top‐down phase) to an implementation built out of a library of components at the lower level (bottom‐up phase). At each step, the design is refined by combining synthesis from requirements, optimization and simulation‐based design space exploration methods. We illustrate our approach on design examples of embedded controllers for aircraft power distribution and air management systems.
Ontology for Systems Engineering as a base for MBSE
Authors: van Ruijven L.C. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis paper presents a method for creating a Systems Engineering ontology to enable Model‐Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). This method is based on creating a set of information models as defined in ISO 15926‐11. ISO 15926 is a well‐known life cycle data integration standard from the process industry. During the engineering phase of several capital facility projects, the method has also shown to be helpful in Systems Engineering communication between involved parties. Based on the information models and the set of relationships defined herein and in combination with a Reference Data Library (RDL), one can build or configure an information management system or data exchange mechanism to support Systems Engineering processes. The presented ontology has been validated in real projects based respectively on the software tool Relatics and on a RDF Named Graph application using a triple store. Experiences with the described ontology have shown that the topic of ontology is important for systems engineering and that there is merit in further examining the suitability of ISO 15288 as an ontological foundation, enabling formalized MBSE.
Measuring the Uncertainty Impacts During the Systems Engineering Lifecycle
Authors: Flanigan David , Dixon Jeffery 
Published: October 2015

AbstractUncertainty is a large part of the Systems Engineering (SE) development process. Particularly absent is the quantification of uncertainty of the threat, operating environment, and friendly force factors at each step of this lifecycle. This paper will explore a methodology to quantify the amount of uncertainty and the interdependencies of the uncertainty factors during the development. Included for consideration are internal and external factors and their contribution to the overall system uncertainty. An illustrative example is provided to exercise this methodology.