bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Percentage of Ubiquitinated Spermatozoa does not Correlate with Fertilizing Capacity of Thawed Bovine Semen
Authors: Rodríguez‐Lozano I , Ávalos‐Rodríguez A , Castillo‐Juárez H , Borderas‐Tordesillas F , Roa‐Vidal JJ , Rosales‐Torres AM 
Published: July 2013

ContentsIn the spermatozoa of some species, the ubiquitin–proteasome system detects altered proteins and tags them for elimination by the proteasome. In some species' ejaculates, a high proportion of ubiquitinated spermatozoa (i.e. those having ubiquitin bound to the altered or damaged membrane proteins) has been related to infertility. The aim of this study was to assess whether the percentage of ubiquitinated spermatozoa relates to fertility of dairy bulls and whether ubiquitination increases during protein remodelling that occurs during in vitro spermatic capacitation. Thirty‐two frozen semen straws from four high‐fertility (ReproMax®) and four normal‐fertility (Normal) Holstein‐Friesian sires were evaluated. Ubiquitinated and capacitated spermatozoa were quantified by sperm ubiquitin tag immunoassay and chlortetracycline stain, respectively. Fertilizing capacity of sires was assessed by in vitro fertilization. No differences were found between Normal and ReproMax® sires with regard to the observed percentage of ubiquitinated spermatozoa (42.97 ± 3.69% and 49.68 ± 9.27%, respectively; p > 0.05). Additionally, no differences were found in the percentage of ubiquitinated spermatozoa as a consequence of spermatic capacitation in either Normal (42.97 ± 3.69% before capacitation vs 44.67 ± 7.5% after; p > 0.05) or ReproMax® sires (49.68 ± 9.27% before vs 45.05 ± 7.51% after; p > 0.05). The percentage of ubiquitinated spermatozoa in a thawed sperm samples did not correlate with its in vitro fertilizing capacity; thus, this assay does not prove useful to detect in vivo fertility differences between sires. Additionally, protein degradation occurring during remodelling of the spermatozoon plasma membrane during the capacitation process does not seem to involve the ubiquitin–proteasome system.
Suture anchor placement technique around the insertion of the ventral rectus muscle for the replacement of the prolapsed gland of the third eyelid in dogs: 100 dogs
Authors: Sapienza John S. , Mayordomo Aloma , Beyer Anne M. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate a rapid and efficacious procedure to anchor the prolapsed gland of the third eyelid in dogs.MethodsThis is a retrospective study of 100 affected dogs (122 eyes) with third eyelid gland prolapse that were surgically anchored with a nonabsorbable suture around the insertion of the ventral rectus muscle.ResultsHundred dogs (122 eyes) were included in this study. Twenty‐three pure‐bred and several mixed‐breed dogs were represented with the right eye affected in 60 cases and the left eye in 62 cases. Thirty‐four eyes (27.9%) were previously operated on at another facility prior to referral. The average age of the patients was 2.2 years (57 days to 11 years). No recurrences of gland prolapse were observed over the course of study. Minor intraoperative conjunctival perforations were observed and easily repaired at the time of the surgery in 21 cases (17.2%).Five cases demonstrated preexistent keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and all had improved Schirmer tear test following surgical correction and medical therapy.ConclusionsThe suture anchor placement technique provides a cosmetic, rapid, and successful replacement of the prolapsed gland of the third eyelid in dogs. No recurrences were noted. Complications were easily addressed.
The Concept of Research Utilization as Understood by Swedish Nurses: Demarcations of Instrumental, Conceptual, and Persuasive Research Utilization
Authors: Strandberg Elisabeth , Eldh Ann Catrine , Forsman Henrietta , Rudman Ann , Gustavsson Petter , Wallin Lars 
Published: July 2013

ABSTRACTBackground and AimsThe literature implies research utilization (RU) to be a multifaceted and complex phenomenon, difficult to trace in clinical practice. A deeper understanding of the concept of RU in a nursing context is needed, in particular, for the development of instruments for measuring nurses’ RU, which could facilitate the evaluation of interventions to support the implementation of evidence‐based practice. In this paper, we explored nurses’ demarcation of instrumental RU (IRU), conceptual RU (CRU), and persuasive RU (PRU) using an item pool proposed to measure IRU, CRU, and PRU.MethodsThe item pool (12 items) was presented to two samples: one of practicing registered nurses (n = 890) in Sweden 4 years after graduating and one of recognized content experts (n = 7). Correlation analyses and content validity index (CVI) calculations were used together with qualitative content analysis, in a mixed methods design.FindingsAccording to the item and factor analyses, CRU and PRU could not be distinguished, whereas IRU could. Analyses also revealed problems in linking the CRU items to the external criteria. The CVIs, however, showed excellent or good results for the IRU, CRU, and PRU items as well as at the scale level. The qualitative data indicated that IRU was the least problematic for the experts to categorize, whereas CRU and PRU were harder to demarcate.ConclusionsOur findings illustrate a difficulty in explicitly demarcating between CRU and PRU in clinical nursing. We suggest this overlap is related to conceptual incoherence, indicating a need for further studies. The findings constitute new knowledge about the RU concepts in a clinical nursing context, and highlight differences in how the concepts can be understood by RNs in clinical practice and experts within the field. We suggest that the findings are useful for defining RU in nursing and further development of measures of RU.
A Brucellosis Disease Control Strategy for the Kakheti Region of the Country of Georgia: An Agent‐Based Model
Authors: Havas K. A. , Boone R. B. , Hill A. E. , Salman M. D. 
Published: July 2013

SummaryBrucellosis has been reported in livestock and humans in the country of Georgia with Brucella melitensis as the most common species causing disease. Georgia lacked sufficient data to assess effectiveness of the various potential control measures utilizing a reliable population‐based simulation model of animal‐to‐human transmission of this infection. Therefore, an agent‐based model was built using data from previous studies to evaluate the effect of an animal‐level infection control programme on human incidence and sheep flock and cattle herd prevalence of brucellosis in the Kakheti region of Georgia. This model simulated the patterns of interaction of human–animal workers, sheep flocks and cattle herds with various infection control measures and returned population‐based data. The model simulates the use of control measures needed for herd and flock prevalence to fall below 2%. As per the model output, shepherds had the greatest disease reduction as a result of the infection control programme. Cattle had the greatest influence on the incidence of human disease. Control strategies should include all susceptible animal species, sheep and cattle, identify the species of brucellosis present in the cattle population and should be conducted at the municipality level. This approach can be considered as a model to other countries and regions when assessment of control strategies is needed but data are scattered.
Experimental Test of Multi-Stage Vertical-Axis Turbines for Cellular Communication Applications
Authors: Abraham John , Plourde Brian , Mowry Greg , Sparrow Ephraim 
Published: July 2013

A multi-year research program has generated a working prototype for a vertical-axis wind turbine that is capable of powering cellular communication equipment. The turbine is designed to be affixed to already existing communication towers and thereby has a reduced cost of installation. The turbine is driven by air drag forces rather than by lift. It has a number of novel features including venting slots that are created to reduce the thrust loading on the communication tower. In addition, contoured caps are affixed to the upper and lower edges of the turbine blades to increase power production. As previously mentioned, the turbine design itself is a drag-based concept rather than the more typical lift-driven devices. The advantages of the drag-based design are: 1. lower startup wind speed, 2. slower rotation and a lessened vibrational load on the tower, 3. less sensitive to wind direction, and 4. it can be aligned with the tower.
The design of the device was carried out through a combination of numerical simulation and experimentation. The simulations have evolved from preliminary two-dimensional calculations to a fully three dimensional, unsteady, computational fluid dynamic analysis. Simultaneously, the experiments have included both in-field and wind-tunnel tests of various stages of the turbine design.
An outcome of the effort is a third-generation working vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) that is currently being evaluated with in-field tests. The results of the tests are positive and confirm the expectations that were developed during the product design phase. The turbine, which can be constructed with various rotor stages, has the capability of producing approximately 2–3 kW of power in wind-speed environments of 12–16 m/s. These power production levels are greatly in excess of that required to fully power the electronics equipment on a typical cellular communication tower. Unfortunately, subsequent tests showed that the turbine production dropped approximately sevenfold. The cause of the decrease in performance was friction in the mechanical components which coupled the rotating shaft to the support structure. This recognition reinforces the importance of low-resistance mechanical design for VAWTs.
Another aspect of the turbine design is the specialized electronics which allow the electronics to adapt to local wind speeds and consequently increase the efficiency of the power production.
Considering Uncertainties in Research by Probabilistic Modeling
Authors: Eck Markus , Kretschmann David , Feldhoff Jan Fabian , Wittmann Michael 
Published: July 2013

Technical and economical evaluation of solar thermal power plants constantly gains more importance for industry and research. The reliability of the results highly depends on the assumptions made for the applied parameters. Reducing a power plant system to one single, deterministic number for evaluation, like the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), might end in misleading results. Probabilistic approaches can help to better evaluate systems [1] and scenarios [2]. While industry looks for safety in investment and profitability, research is predominantly interested in the evaluation of concepts and the identification of promising new approaches. Especially for research, dealing with higher and hardly quantifiable uncertainties, it is desirable to get a detailed view of the system and its main influences. However, to get there, also a good knowledge on the stochastic interrelations and its interpretation is required.
Therefore, this paper mainly assesses the influences of basic stochastic assumptions and suggests a methodology to consider suitable stochastic input, especially for parameters of systems still under research. As examples, the comparison between a parabolic trough plant with synthetic oil and direct steam generation is used.
Analysis of Operation Test Results of a High Temperature Phase Change Storage for Parabolic Trough Power Plants With Direct Steam Generation
Authors: Laing Doerte , Eck Markus , Hempel Matthias , Steinmann Wolf-Dieter , Meyer-Grünefeldt Mirko , Eickhoff Martin 
Published: July 2013

For future parabolic trough plants direct steam generation in the receiver pipes is a promising option for reducing the costs of solar thermal energy [1]. These new solar thermal power plants require innovative storage concepts, where the two phase heat transfer fluid poses a major challenge [2]. For the regions where the heat transfer fluid is in a single phase (water or steam), sensible heat storage using molten salt [3] or concrete [4] as storage material can be applied. However, efficient energy storage in the two-phase evaporation/condensation region requires heat storage operation within a narrow temperature range.
For this two phase region, a high performance PCM storage technology was developed and demonstrated by DLR. A test module using 14 tons of PCM with 700 kWh capacity was built in 2009 and commissioned in 2010 in a direct steam test loop, set up at the power plant Litoral of Endesa in Carboneras, Spain [5]. The PCM-storage uses Sodium nitrate as phase change material with a melting temperature of 305 °C. Cycle testing has started end of 2010. Cycling tests have proven the expected discharge capacity of approx. 700 kWh for the PCM-storage module. System operation in constant pressure mode and sliding pressure mode has been conducted for the PCM-storage. While in the constant pressure mode a peak performance of the storage of more than 700 kW could be demonstrated, in the sliding pressure mode a constant power output over almost the whole charge and discharge period could be provided.
The paper discusses the test results and evaluation for different operation modes for the phase change storage for discharge operation. Charging of the phase change storage is always in a once-through mode. However, for discharge, the steam can be generated either in forced or natural circulation mode or in once-through mode, leading to very different effects for the two-phase flow and filling level inside the heat exchanger pipes in the storage. The effects for forced and natural circulation discharge will be analysed and described in the paper.
Optimization of an Integrated Energy Storage Scheme for a Dispatchable Wind Powered Energy System
Authors: Garrison Jared B. , Webber Michael E. 
Published: July 2013

The intermittency of wind and solar power and the mismatch between when they are available and when demand is high have hindered the expansion of these two primary renewable resources. The goal of this research is to analyze an integrated energy system (named DSWiSS for dispatchable solar wind storage system) that includes a novel configuration of wind and solar together with compressed air energy storage (CAES) that is driven from excess nighttime wind energy and thermal storage energized by concentrated solar power in order to make these sources dispatchable during peak demand.
This paper builds off prior published work for the DSWiSS configuration with an analysis of actual historical meteorological data for West Texas solar insolation, generation output data for a wind farm in West Texas, recorded electricity demand data of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, and historical temperature data for West Texas to assess system performance. In this analysis, a comparison approach was taken by optimizing both the operation of a conventional CAES facility that does not incorporate wind and solar directly and the operation of a CAES facility directly coupled to a wind farm, which will be referred to as CAES-plus-Wind. Dynamic parameters for wind generation, electricity price, and ambient temperature were utilized in the optimization models.
Through the use of optimization models and the incorporation of a thermodynamic model of the CAES equipment, we found that in each season the electricity price is a key factor in determining whether the facility stores or generates energy. For the CAES equipment, the summer season yields the highest profits primarily because of the larger spread between highest and lowest daily price for electricity. Even though profits for the CAES equipment in the other seasons are small or negative, it appears that the value of the facility in the summer is greater than the costs in the other three seasons combined. Additionally, we found that the value of directly coupling the CAES facility to a wind farm versus operating the two entities separately yielded no significant increase in profits. Lastly, this analysis did not attempt to quantify the possible increase in wind farm generation output that could result from reduced curtailment with the use of an energy storage system such as is proposed in this paper. This additional source of revenue could be a major contributor to the economic justification for large scale energy storage.
A Reconfigureable Passive Solar Test Facility
Authors: Robinson Brian S. , Sharp M. Keith 
Published: July 2013

A 12′ by 24′ passive solar test building has been constructed on the campus of the University of Louisville. The building envelope is comprised of structural insulated panels (SIPs), 12″ thick, (R-value of 45 ft2F/Btu) for the floor and walls and 16″ (R-63) for the roof. The building is divided into two symmetrical rooms with a 12″ SIPs wall separating the rooms. All joints between panels are caulked to reduce infiltration. Each room contains one window (R-9) on the north side wall, and two windows (also R-9) facing south for ventilation and daylighting, but which will also provide some direct gain heating. The south wall of each room features an opening that will accommodate a passive solar heating system so that performance of two systems can be compared side-by-side. The overhang above the south openings is purposely left short to accommodate an awning to provide adjustable shading. The calculated loss coefficient (UA) for each room of the building is 6.07 W/K. Each room is also equipped with a data acquisition system consisting on an SCXI 1600 16 bit digitizer and an SCXI 1102B isolation amplifier with an SCXI 1303 thermocouple module. Pyranometers are placed on the south wall and the clerestory wall to measure insolation on the solar apertures.
For initial tests, one room is equipped with an original heat pipe system previously tested in another building, while the other is equipped with a modified heat pipe system. Changes to the modified system include copper absorbers versus aluminum, an adiabatic section constructed of considerably less thermally-conductive DPM rubber than the copper used for the original design, and one of the five condenser sections of the heat pipes is exposed directly to the room air to provide early-morning heating. Experimental results will be compared to simulations with as-built building characteristics and actual weather data. Previous simulations with a load to collector ratio of 10 W/m2K, a defined room comfort temperature range between 65°F to 75°F, and TMY3 weather data for Louisville, KY, showed that the modified heat pipe wall design improves annual solar fraction by 16% relative to the original design.
Experimental and Simulation Study on a Solar Domestic Hot Water System With Flat-Plate Collectors for the Canadian Climatic Conditions
Authors: Yaïci Wahiba , Entchev Evgueniy , Lombardi Kathleen 
Published: July 2013

This paper presents thermal performance results of an experimental and numerical simulation study of a solar domestic hot water system (SDHW) for Canadian weather conditions. The experimental test setup includes two solar panels, a solar preheat tank, and an auxiliary propane-fired storage water heater, and an air handler unit for space heating. Experiments were performed on the SDHW system during a different season of the year, over the period March through October 2011 to assess the system performance for different solar gain and water draw schedules. Sunny, partly cloudy and cloudy conditions were explored. The test results were analysed in terms of solar fraction, solar efficiency, and the effects of thermosyphoning and stratification in the solar storage tank.
Modelling and simulation of the solar thermal energy system using TRNSYS software was performed. The objective was to optimise key design parameters and to suggest an effective control strategy to maximise the heat extraction from solar collectors. The developed model was based on the experimental test setup. It was first adjusted and verified with the solar gain and water draw schedule experimental data. The results of the numerical simulations were then validated with experimental results obtained with other water draw schedule and weather conditions. Acceptable agreements between the predicted and measured values were obtained at this early stage of development. Further refinements in system and model validation are in progress in order to improve the accuracy of the predictions. Ultimately, as the final product of this investigation, this model will be used to predict the performance of solar domestic hot water and space heating systems in different Canadian locations, different operating conditions and water draw schedules.
CFD Simulation of Multiphase Flow in an Airlift Column Photobioreactor for the Cultivation of Microalgae
Authors: García Samira , Paternina Edgardo , Pupo Oscar R. , Bula Antonio , Acuña Francisco 
Published: July 2013

Due to their better operational advantages, such as good scalability, operational flexibility, high mass and heat transfer characteristics, homogenous shear stress, good mixing and better control over fluid circulation, airlift column photobioreactors (PBR) have become a promising design alternative for microalgae culture, among bubble column and other types of photobioreactors. The good hydrodynamic environment for fragile microorganisms in airlift columns have led to numerous investigations in order to understand the hydrodynamic phenomena of multiphase flow, particularly gas-liquid, inside this type of PBR.
In the present paper, a CFD (Computer Fluid Dynamics) simulation in CFX, ANSYS Inc. 11.0, is developed following a multiphase flow model with an Eulerian-Eulerian approach. For evaluating turbulence, the modified k–ε model is chosen. Gas holdup, gas superficial velocity and liquid velocity profiles for different heights column are obtained by varying air volumetric flow rates at 2, 5 and 8 L/min. Also gas holdup, gas superficial velocity and liquid velocity contours are obtained for a sequence of five step times. An experimental video validation to compare the multiphase flow behavior has been made with a high-resolution video camera. The experiments are carried out by using an airlift column photobioreactor with air supply by a porous sparger.
The profiles of the hydrodynamic variables made for 5 different column heights show that the trends of gas holdup and gas superficial velocity are very similar and do not depend on the variation of inlet air flow. For the liquid velocity profiles, the trends don’t show the same behavior, the profiles at lower heights are off-centered and less symmetric and the maximum velocities are reached at h = 0.2 m.
The time sequences with the variable contours are made to enhance the visualization and understanding of the hydrodynamic behavior, especially when air supply begins and the bubble plume starts to form.