Passive, semi-active and active suspensions are three main types of car suspensions that are used by automotive industries. All suspension systems aim to improve the car performance consisting of ride comfort, handling, road holding, suspension deflection, static deflection, etc. Conventional passive suspensions are effective only in a certain frequency range and optimal design performance cannot be achieved when the system and its operating conditions are changed. On the contrary, it has been well recognized that active suspensions have a great potential to meet the tight performance requirements demanded by users. Therefore, in recent years more and more attention has been devoted to the development of active suspensions and various approaches have been proposed to solve the crucial problem of designing a suitable control law for these active suspension systems [1] [2] [3] .

Therefore, in recent years more and more attention has been devoted to the development of active suspensions and various approaches have been proposed to solve the crucial problem of designing a suitable control law for these active suspension systems.


In addition to aforementioned aspects, another important goal of the controller design for active suspension systems is to maintain the robustness of the closed-loop systems [11] . In real cars, the total vehicle mass varies due to the changes in passenger load and cargo while characteristics of the actuators change due to aging and nonlinearities. When parameters in the plants change like this, the control performance specified in the design stage tends to deteriorate especially in LQG controllers [12] . However, a constant performance is desired in automotive suspensions, so, this deterioration should be kept as small as possible. Therefore, the analysis and synthesis of robust control for active suspension systems have become a research concern in recent years [13] . The application of the standard robust control theory has an assumption that the controller can be realized exactly. However, in practice, many physical limitations such as the effects of finite word length in any digital system, round-off errors in numerical arithmetics, inherent imprecision in analog devices, etc. lead to a loss of precision in controller implementation. Accordingly, even though the designed controllers are robust with respect to system uncertainties, they may be very sensitive to their own uncertainties. Recently, much attention has been paid to the so-called fragility problems of controllers [14] [15] . This problem is basically associated with performance decrease of a closed-loop system due to the inaccuracies in the controller implementation [16] . In recent years, many works have been made to solve the non-fragile controller design problem for linear systems [17] [18] . Some state feedback non-fragile H∞ controller design method with respect to additive and multiplicative norm-bounded controller gain variations are given in some literature [18] [19] . In addition, this kind of controller has been implemented on an active suspension system [20] .

In addition to aforementioned aspects, another important goal of the controller design for active suspension systems is to maintain the robustness of the closed-loop systems.

When parameters in the plants change like this, the control performance specified in the design stage tends to deteriorate especially in LQG controllers.

Therefore, the analysis and synthesis of robust control for active suspension systems have become a research concern in recent years.

Recently, much attention has been paid to the so-called fragility problems of controllers.

This problem is basically associated with performance decrease of a closed-loop system due to the inaccuracies in the controller implementation.

In recent years, many works have been made to solve the non-fragile controller design problem for linear systems.

Some state feedback non-fragile H∞ controller design method with respect to additive and multiplicative norm-bounded controller gain variations are given in some literature.

In addition, this kind of controller has been implemented on an active suspension system.


Most of the present studies on active suspensions are concerned with vibration reduction of the sprung mass containing vertical acceleration of Center of Gravity (CoG), pitch acceleration and roll acceleration [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] . However, passengers do not sit on the CoG of the vehicle and so, vertical, roll and pitch motion of the vehicle affect the acceleration of the passenger's seats. In addition, around the resonance frequency of the seated human, the passenger's vibration magnitude due to the seated human dynamics becomes larger than the seated position's vibration of the sprung mass. Moreover, these vibrations cause the driver's whole body to vibrate. Undesirable effects of the driver's body vibration are experienced when the exposure time is longer than the recommended standard set by ISO 2631-1 [9] . So, to take into consideration the driver's biodynamics in the controller design can improve its performance [10] .

Most of the present studies on active suspensions are concerned with vibration reduction of the sprung mass containing vertical acceleration of Center of Gravity (CoG), pitch acceleration and roll acceleration.

Undesirable effects of the driver's body vibration are experienced when the exposure time is longer than the recommended standard set by ISO 2631-1.

So, to take into consideration the driver's biodynamics in the controller design can improve its performance.


An integrated mitigation plan must be implemented by all the stakeholders concerned, including governmental authorities, mining companies and interest groups, followed by continuous water management and monitoring (Hobbs and Cobbing, 2007a; 2007b) . Ultimately, the integrated significance of environmental management as a multi-disciplinary concept must be understood before it can be effectively implemented. The medium-high significance ratings of irreplaceable heritage in the COHWHS may be reduced by prompt and decisive intervention.

An integrated mitigation plan must be implemented by all the stakeholders concerned, including governmental authorities, mining companies and interest groups, followed by continuous water management and monitoring.


Environmental management is a multi-disciplinary concept that is especially important in large scale industrial developments such as gold mining, that have the potential to negatively affect the environment and its resources. Although South Africa possesses some of the world's most progressive environmental guidelines and legislation, the practical implementation of these guidelines and recommendations by specialists are often constrained by limitations such as a lack of authority, lack of funding, lack of human resources, a lack of proactive environmental management and pressing time constraints (Deacon, 2007; Fourie, 2007) . The ineffective implementation of national guidelines and legislative requirements can subsequently lead to environmental disasters that are difficult to mange or control such as water pollution, health risks and environmental degradation (Van Eeden et al., 2009) .

Although South Africa possesses some of the world's most progressive environmental guidelines and legislation, the practical implementation of these guidelines and recommendations by specialists are often constrained by limitations such as a lack of authority, lack of funding, lack of human resources, a lack of proactive environmental management and pressing time constraints.

The ineffective implementation of national guidelines and legislative requirements can subsequently lead to environmental disasters that are difficult to mange or control such as water pollution, health risks and environmental degradation.


Amlexanox is a novel anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agent that has been evaluated for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) and is currently the only clinically proven product approved by the US FDA for the treatment of aphthous ulcers. The chemical name of amlexanox is 2-acid amino-7-isopropyl-5-oxo-5H-chromeno [2,3-b] pyridine-3-carboxylic acid (Figure 1) . RAU is the most prevalent oral mucosal disease in humans. Prior to amlexanox available treatment was largely symptomatic, with patient management being either entirely empiric or based on clinicians' perception of the cause of the ulcers. Amlexanox effectively treats aphthous ulcers by accelerating healing of ulcer and by accelerating complete resolution of pain. Amlexanox is commercially available as 5% oral paste and as biodegradable muco-adhesive disc. Amlexanox potently inhibits the release of histamine and leukotrienes from mast cells, basophils and neutrophils under invitro settings, possibly through increasing intracellular cyclic AMP content in inflammatory cells, a membrane-stabilizing effect or inhibition of calcium influx [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] .

Amlexanox potently inhibits the release of histamine and leukotrienes from mast cells, basophils and neutrophils under invitro settings, possibly through increasing intracellular cyclic AMP content in inflammatory cells, a membrane-stabilizing effect or inhibition of calcium influx.


Applications requiring specifically tailored magnetic fields are widespread in industry and research. The field sources for such applications come in a diverse variety of shape and form, but can be approximately divided into pow-ered and static categories. Powered sources use electromagnets, which require an electric current to create the field. Static sources consist of arrangements of permanently magnetized hard magnetic material, possibly augmented with softer magnetic materials (Coey, 2002) . Although far higher field strengths can be reached with electromagnetic sources, static sources have the natural advantage that they require no continuous input of energy.

Static sources consist of arrangements of permanently magnetized hard magnetic material, possibly augmented with softer magnetic materials.


Green leafhopper Nephotettix virescens Dist (Cicadellidae, Hemiptera) and plant hoppers Cofana spectra Dist (Delphacidae, Hemiptera) and C. yasumatsui Young (Kolla mimica, Hemiptera) are important insect pests of rice (Oriza sativa). These insects are serious pests in Asia, where not only cause direct damage by removing plant sap, but also act as vectors of rice virus diseases, such as rice tungro virus. Rice gundhi bug Leptocoriza acuta Thunberg (Alydidae, Hemiptera) is the most important insect pest in rice growing areas of India especially in state of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). This is a serious pest of rice and can reduce yield by as much as 30%. Rice bug nymphs are more destructive than the adults. They prefer grains at milky stage. Rice bugs damage rice by sucking out the contents of developing grains from pre flowering spikelets to soft dough stage. Both nymphs and adults feed on grains at the milky stage. Such grains remain empty or only partially filled. The panicles in heavy infested fields contain many shriveled and unfilled grains and usually remain erect. An infested field can be recognized by the rice bugs severe odour. Adults are active in the late afternoon and early morning, resting in the shaded areas (Pathak, 1977) .

They prefer grains at milky stage.

Adults are active in the late afternoon and early morning, resting in the shaded areas.


It is important to realize that the plasmapause and drainage plumes are three-dimensional structures. The high-altitude plasmapause maps to the equatorward edge of the mid-latitude ionospheric trough (Foster et al. 1978; Yizengaw & Moldwin 2005) . Enhanced storm-time density structures are monitored by GPS total electron content (TEC) techniques and incoherent scatter radars and are the low altitude signatures of drainage plumes (Foster et al. 2002; Yizengaw et al. 2008) .

The high-altitude plasmapause maps to the equatorward edge of the mid-latitude ionospheric trough.

Enhanced storm-time density structures are monitored by GPS total electron content (TEC) techniques and incoherent scatter radars and are the low altitude signatures of drainage plumes.


Pediatric Emergency Departments (EDs) provide excellent training environments for residents to develop and enhance their NTS. Residents must swiftly build positive relationships with patients and parents, provide quality care, and ensure that patients and parents understand the management of medical conditions. However, despite their importance, residents' NTS are not wellassessed during ED rotations. Time and limited resources are cited as major barriers to the assessment of these skills [3, 4] . In busy EDs, it is challenging for supervising physicians to personally observe and assess all residents [5] . Yet, parents have personal experience of how residents interact with them and their children and can contribute to assessment processes [6] [7] [8] [9] . Unfortunately, there are no assessment tools designed specifically for parents to assess residents' NTS in pediatric EDs [10] .

Time and limited resources are cited as major barriers to the assessment of these skills.

In busy EDs, it is challenging for supervising physicians to personally observe and assess all residents.

Yet, parents have personal experience of how residents interact with them and their children and can contribute to assessment processes.

Unfortunately, there are no assessment tools designed specifically for parents to assess residents' NTS in pediatric EDs.


We are interested in functionals which -without random perturbation-model the free energy of a material with two (or several) phases on a so called mesoscopic scale, i.e a scale which is much larger than the atomistic scale so that the adequate description of the state of the material is by a continuous scalar order parameter m : D ⊆ R d → R. The minimizers of these functionals are functions m * representing the states or phases of the materials. The natural question that we pose is the following: What happens to these minimizers when an external, even very weak, random force is added to the deterministic functional? Are there still the same number of minimizers, i.e will the material always have the same number of states (or phases)? Is there some significant difference in the qualitative properties of the material when the randomness is added? These are standard questions in a calculus of variations framework. However, standard techniques applicable for deterministic calculus of variation problems might not give a satisfactory answer when randomness is involved. In the case under consideration in this paper one needs to deal with a family of nonlinear functionals which are not convex and not bounded uniformly from below. So one needs to find, depending on the functionals, a way to answer these questions. It turns out that methods used in statistical mechanics, suitably modified, might give an answer to these problems in certain cases. In the last years there has been a quite intensive flux in both directions to built a bridge between techniques and methods used in analysis and calculus of variations and those used in statistical mechanics, see for a surveys on these issues [19] . This paper is in this context.

In the last years there has been a quite intensive flux in both directions to built a bridge between techniques and methods used in analysis and calculus of variations and those used in statistical mechanics, see for a surveys on these issues.

This paper is in this context.


However, according to a World Bank report published in 2010, the electricity production (MWh) in Kuwait was reported at 57082 GWh in 2010 [4] . This energy is totally generated by fossil fuel (64.4% oil sources and 35.7% natural gas), while the alternative energy sources including solar, wind, hydro-, and nuclear ones are not used at all [5] . Based on this, the Kuwaiti government has set recently the most ambitious target for using renewable energy in the Gulf region. The new Kuwaiti government renewable energy policy aims to generate 10% of its electricity from sustainable sources by 2020. The Kuwaiti government is trying to free up oil for export and expand its generation capacity to support increased tourism, manufacturing, and home building in a $112-billion development program. However, renewable energy is a new subject for Kuwait, and that is why there is a lack of information regarding the suitability of renewable energy sources for Kuwait's weather [6] .

However, according to a World Bank report published in 2010, the electricity production (MWh) in Kuwait was reported at 57082 GWh in 2010.

This energy is totally generated by fossil fuel (64.4% oil sources and 35.7% natural gas), while the alternative energy sources including solar, wind, hydro-, and nuclear ones are not used at all.

However, renewable energy is a new subject for Kuwait, and that is why there is a lack of information regarding the suitability of renewable energy sources for Kuwait's weather.


Most of the previous PBCF research has been conducted experimentally at model scale conditions analysing different PBCF parameters independently and seeking the local optimum by analysing different case studies. Investigating ESDs using modelscale experimental methods give rise to some extrapolation issues. For example, energy saving devices are generally fitted within the boundary layer of the hull and are strongly affected by viscous effects that cannot be directly extrapolated to full scale conditions. Some studies have indicated that ESDs tend to be more efficient at full scale than model scale [5, 6] . ESD investigation, optimisation and analyses should therefore be performed at full scale to minimise uncertainties and error [9] . Furthermore, using experimental methods requires extensive resources and time, only allowing for a limited number of designs to be analysed. However, it is also difficult to analyse a vast range of design candidates at full scale using accurate numerical methods due to computational limitations. A common approach is to therefore run various designs with a less demanding numerical model, followed by further optimisation on promising design candidates employing more accurate simulations, such as CFD. However, a concern with the optimisation of promising design candidates is the consideration of the PBCF parameters independently that might result in local optima solutions being found and not necessarily the global optimum. To the best of authors' knowledge, no study has yet focused on optimising PBCF fins at full scale using RANS CFD methods seeking the global optimum for maximum savings by taking into consideration a number of parameters that might be dependent on each other.

Some studies have indicated that ESDs tend to be more efficient at full scale than model scale.

ESD investigation, optimisation and analyses should therefore be performed at full scale to minimise uncertainties and error.


CAESES is a powerful and flexible 3D parametric modeller that can be integrated with a CFD solver to enable design optimisation with post-processing capabilities. For this particular study, CAESES was integrated with Star-CCM+ ensuring proper interaction and file transfer. CAESES has a choice of different algorithms and optimisers built-into the software but only the Sobol and the T-search methods were used for this particular study. These two engines generally complement each other with the Sobol examining a design space (batch design approach) to identify the best candidates and T-Search analysing those candidates further and modifying them to meet certain goals within specified constraints (optimisation). The Sobol sequence is a deterministic algorithm of a quasirandom low-discrepancy sequence (Fig. 9 ) that produces a pattern in the design space that seems random but is somewhat deterministic. It is designed to generate uniform sampling over a design space by generating candidates in regions that are least populated thus avoiding the repetition of the same geometry [28] . On the other hand, random sequences (Fig. 10) tend to produce busy areas as well as voids in the sample space. Quasi-random or low discrepancy sequences are less random than pseudorandom number sequences because they tend to sample space smartly and more uniformly making them more effective for global optimisation. The quasi-random approach generates a more efficient variation than the random sequence over a design space leaving no clusters or voids, hence resulting in better analysis for design exploration [29] .

It is designed to generate uniform sampling over a design space by generating candidates in regions that are least populated thus avoiding the repetition of the same geometry.

The quasi-random approach generates a more efficient variation than the random sequence over a design space leaving no clusters or voids, hence resulting in better analysis for design exploration.


Concepts presented below are built on the mainstream comprehension of sustainability (Brundtland, 1987) . This definition does not question the capitalist market economy and the associated concept of growth which are responsible for most of the environmental problems (Buclet, 2011a) . This research adopts the ambition to sustain the ecosphere (i.e. the planet) (Holmberg, Rob ert, 2000) . This is in contradiction with the usual utilitarian approaches of preserving a resource, a product, a company or an organization (Hallstedt et al., 2013) . This research is based on the assumption that industrial companies and ecosphere sustainability are compatible if sustainability and competitiveness principles are adopted (Allais et al., 2015) .

Concepts presented below are built on the mainstream comprehension of sustainability.

This definition does not question the capitalist market economy and the associated concept of growth which are responsible for most of the environmental problems.

This research adopts the ambition to sustain the ecosphere (i.e. the planet).

This is in contradiction with the usual utilitarian approaches of preserving a resource, a product, a company or an organization.

This research is based on the assumption that industrial companies and ecosphere sustainability are compatible if sustainability and competitiveness principles are adopted.


An anthropocentric definition of sustainability was adopted that focuses on the social sphere and uses the economy as a means (not as a goal) while considering constraints from the environmental sphere. The political sphere is the only legitimate arena to define development guidelines and must find a prominent place and take precedence over economic actors. The territorial dimension should also be taken into account in adapting to local policy constraints to the development of appropriate solutions (Figui ere and Rocca, 2008) .

The territorial dimension should also be taken into account in adapting to local policy constraints to the development of appropriate solutions.


To see if the larger range of the number of understood words compared to produced words contributed to the observed difference between the understood and produced iconicity functions in Figure 4 , we found 173 children that had an understood vocabulary of 1-26 words, with an average of 13.93 words. The average iconicity for understood words across these 173 children was 0.955. This value is significantly smaller than the average iconicity of 1.34 for produced words for a comparable 172 children with an average production vocabulary of 12.59 words, ranging from 8 to 17 words. Thus, the distribution of the number of words in understood versus productive vocabulary does not appear to be completely responsible for the difference between the understood and produced iconicity functions. The earliest words that a child produces appear to be more iconic than the rest of the words that comprise the child's receptive vocabulary. This result is analogous to a previous finding that difficulty of articulation had a bigger impact on the acquisition of words in productive use than in understanding (Massaro and Rowe, 2015) .

This result is analogous to a previous finding that difficulty of articulation had a bigger impact on the acquisition of words in productive use than in understanding.


To perform a finer-grained analysis of how iconicity varies across the temporal course of vocabulary acquisition, we evaluated 4 groups of 26 words shown in Table 1 that were rated with high, some, neutral, or opposite iconicity (with average iconicity ratings of 2.97, 1.06, 0, and −0.767, respectively). As can be seen in Table 1 , the high group with the highest iconicity ratings included obvious onomatopoeic words, which allowed us to examine the development of these words compared to words in the some FigUre 3 | The frequency of occurrence per 1 million words across age for the 4 groups of 26 words with high, some, neutral, and opposite iconicity. Age represents the 6-month intervals beginning with the age indicated on the abscissa. The production results taken from ChildFreq (Baath, 2014) .

The production results taken from ChildFreq.


Propofol is an anesthetic agent with sedative and hypnotic effects [33] . Anesthesia induction with propofol is fast and smooth. It is also a useful agent for induction of anesthesia in geriatric patients [24] .

Propofol is an anesthetic agent with sedative and hypnotic effects.

It is also a useful agent for induction of anesthesia in geriatric patients.


The effect of different groups on heart rate was examined, the difference between them was not significant. In ovariohysterectomy operation on dogs total intravenous anesthesia with alphaxalone and propofol is performed. According to this research, the increase on heart rate due to alphaxalone and propofol was not statistically significant and the cardiopulmonary effects of both were similar [28] . Heart rate was increased with desflurane, sevoflurane, isoflurane, enflurane and halothane by concentration [20] . We can say that the increase in heart rate may be caused by both alphaxalone and propofol, and isoflurane and sevoflurane. In our research, two patients anesthetised with alphaxalone-isoflurane had arrhythmia in 60 min after recovery. Researchers investigated the effect of alphaxalone and etomidate on cardiopulmonary parameters in dogs, and none of the patients with alphaxalone had arrhythmia [25] . Isoflurane anesthesia, did not cause any heart rhythm disturbance in dogs. However, preanesthesics and anesthetics may cause changes in cardiac autonomy and result in important or unimportant forms of arrhythmias [12] . Isoflurane does not sensitize myocardium to catecholamines [27] . Different studies have demonstrated cardioprotective effect of isoflurane on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury by increasing diastolic function [13, 29, 31] . However, the heart reserve of geriatric animals is reduced. This can cause changes in the response to anesthetic drugs [6] . Arrhythmia, which occurs in two cases in our study, is thought to be caused by the geriatric nature of the patients.

According to this research, the increase on heart rate due to alphaxalone and propofol was not statistically significant and the cardiopulmonary effects of both were similar.

Heart rate was increased with desflurane, sevoflurane, isoflurane, enflurane and halothane by concentration.

Researchers investigated the effect of alphaxalone and etomidate on cardiopulmonary parameters in dogs, and none of the patients with alphaxalone had arrhythmia.

However, preanesthesics and anesthetics may cause changes in cardiac autonomy and result in important or unimportant forms of arrhythmias.

Isoflurane does not sensitize myocardium to catecholamines.

Different studies have demonstrated cardioprotective effect of isoflurane on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury by increasing diastolic function.

This can cause changes in the response to anesthetic drugs.


The mean duration of anesthesia recovery was 6.0 ± 2 in group 1, 4.6 ± 1.45 in group 2, 3.7 ± 1.23 in group 3 and 9.7 ± 3.09 min in group 4. In group 4 recovery was longer than other groups and statistically significant (P < 0.05). The reason is in this group a geriatric dog's recovery takes 60 min to raise the average of the group. In a study, the effects of sevoflurane and isoflurane anesthesia on cardiovascular system in dogs treated with experimental laparotomy is investigated. The recovery was faster with sevoflurane [3] . In another study the effects of sevoflurane, isoflurane and halothane on hemodynamic parameters and anesthesia recovery is compared. For 2 MAC, recovery was shorter with isoflurane, then sevoflurane and then halothane [21] . In our research, the recovery is shorter in the isoflurane treated groups than in the sevoflurane treated groups.

The recovery was faster with sevoflurane.

For 2 MAC, recovery was shorter with isoflurane, then sevoflurane and then halothane.


In our research, forty geriatric patients were anesthetised, only one patient had apnea after induction with alphaxalone. During this time the patient was entubated and mechanical ventilation was started. On the 15th min of the anesthesia, the spontaneous respiration of the patient returned. A researcher examined the effects of intramuscularly applied alphaxolone on rabbits, none of the animals encountered an apnea [22] . The spontaneous ventilation of patients after induction of anesthesia with intravenously given alphaxalone and propofol is evaluated. Propofol has been found to be a higher risk of apnea than alphaxalone [17] . Contrary to the studies mentioned, it was thought that in our study, apnea occured in a dog induced with alphaxalone, because of the individual sensitivity of the patient or the rapid intravasculary injection.

A researcher examined the effects of intramuscularly applied alphaxolone on rabbits, none of the animals encountered an apnea.

Propofol has been found to be a higher risk of apnea than alphaxalone.


The ubiquitously expressed calpain 1 (CAPN1) is well characterized [4] . It is a heterodimeric enzyme consisting of a large catalytic subunit (80 kDa) and a small regulatory subunit (30 kDa), common with the calpain 2. These two enzymes have mostly indistinguishable substrate and they are ubiquitously expressed, but they differ in the in vitro Ca 2+ requirement (µM versus mM) for the proteolytic activity. The large and small subunits contain four (I-IV) and two (V-VI) domains respectively: the regulatory N-terminal domain (I), the protease domain (II), the C2-domain-like Ca 2+ /phospholipid-binding domain (III), the penta-EF-hand domain (IV and VI) and the Glyclustering hydrophobic domain (V). In the presence of Ca 2+ , the binding of Ca 2+ to domains II, III, IV and the domain VI induces some conformational changes that allow domain II to form a single active domain [5] . Ubiquitous calpains are synthesized under inactive form, activated after translocation near the plasmic membrane [6] . Their activity is strictly regulated.

The ubiquitously expressed calpain 1 (CAPN1) is well characterized.

In the presence of Ca 2+ , the binding of Ca 2+ to domains II, III, IV and the domain VI induces some conformational changes that allow domain II to form a single active domain.

Ubiquitous calpains are synthesized under inactive form, activated after translocation near the plasmic membrane.

Their activity is strictly regulated.


To date, studies examining the use of IVIg and prednisone in epilepsy have been limited due to differences in treatment methodology and patient population [5] [6] [7] [8] . Currently, there is no clear consensus of superiority or inferiority between these two treatment options on seizure control. Furthermore, details on timing of response, duration of effect, relapse rate, and long term outcome are lacking.

To date, studies examining the use of IVIg and prednisone in epilepsy have been limited due to differences in treatment methodology and patient population.


Great interest currently exists in forecasting how ecosystem services may change under alternative land use and climate futures. Ecosystem services are diverse and include supporting services or functions (e.g., primary production, nutrient cycling), provisioning services (e.g., wildlife, groundwater), regulating services (e.g., water purification, floodwater retention), and even cultural services (e.g., ecotourism, cultural heritage) (Ruth and Stefano, 2005) . Hence, knowledge of numerous scientific disciplines is required to successfully develop models that can forecast multiple and simultaneous ecosystem services. Forecasting simultaneous change in multiple ecosystem services will be especially challenging, even for small ecosystems, because traditional forecasting was conducted by scientists within individual disciplines where a consistent means has rarely been used to develop the models, algorithms, and even the data structure among different scientific disciplines (Denzer, 2005) . In addition, ecosystem disciplinary models often involve exchanging and analyzing geospatial data, which makes interoperability more difficult (Rao et al., 2007; Lee and Percivall, 2008) . These differences must be resolved before it is possible to make disciplinary models interoperable for examining interdisciplinary ecological relationships and the dynamic evolution of ecosystems (Rizzoli and Young, 1997; Oxley et al., 2004) . It is unlikely that traditional standalone and closed network systems (systems that either running on intranet or using closed communication protocols, such as commercial private standards) will provide the storage or support for computing large geospatial models to forecast change in diverse ecosystem services.

Ecosystem services are diverse and include supporting services or functions (e.g., primary production, nutrient cycling), provisioning services (e.g., wildlife, groundwater), regulating services (e.g., water purification, floodwater retention), and even cultural services (e.g., ecotourism, cultural heritage).

Forecasting simultaneous change in multiple ecosystem services will be especially challenging, even for small ecosystems, because traditional forecasting was conducted by scientists within individual disciplines where a consistent means has rarely been used to develop the models, algorithms, and even the data structure among different scientific disciplines.

In addition, ecosystem disciplinary models often involve exchanging and analyzing geospatial data, which makes interoperability more difficult.

These differences must be resolved before it is possible to make disciplinary models interoperable for examining interdisciplinary ecological relationships and the dynamic evolution of ecosystems.


Based on the OGC WPS standard, we developed the GeoMSI to provide an explicit service interactive interface for sharing /accessing geospatial ecosystem models through model services. Besides the operational and metadata defined by the WPS, we added rules to specific input/output model parameters (e.g., measurement unit, coordinate reference system) for model applications. One of the main challenges for modelers to make traditional geospatial models sharable through the GeoMSI compliant services is that they understand the technology and develop appropriate services for the models. The GeoMSP developed in this study can handle issues related to establishing the geospatial model service, allowing modelers to implement the GeoMPI programming interface without directly developing model services and, therefore, focus on model algorithm implementation. Other modeling frameworks (e.g., the CSDMS, the ESMF, and the OpenMI) have proposed programming rules to dig inside the model structure and use the functionality to extract the most successful pieces from models (Voinov et al., 2008) . The approach proposed in this paper has highlighted the interoperability issues for model sharing in a distributed environment; further research is needed to investigate how to use this approach in other modeling frameworks to address the interoperability difficulties in these frameworks, especially in an Internet-based computing environment.

Other modeling frameworks (e.g., the CSDMS, the ESMF, and the OpenMI) have proposed programming rules to dig inside the model structure and use the functionality to extract the most successful pieces from models.


The use of laminated composite materials has become increasingly common in a wide range of structural components for nearly four decades due to their superior specific properties; such as high strength and stiffness to weight ratio, improved corrosion, and environmental resistance. Nowadays, airframe manufactures utilize composite materials external areas such as wing flaps, elevators, rudders, spoilers, and landing gear doors [1] . With this increased use of composite materials on the exterior of aircraft, it is very important that designer understand how these materials behave under all loading conditions. One of these loading conditions is a low velocity impact loading due to foreign object impact. The type of loading could be created by tool drops, collision with runway derbies, or encounters with hail during their service life. If a composite laminate is subjected to low velocity impact of sufficient energy, impact could cause various damages, such as matrix cracks, delaminations, fiber fracture, fibermatrix debonding and fiber pull-out. The damage modes cause the reduction of the compression, bending and buckling strengths because they produce the separation of the plies and an overall reduction of the laminate stiffness [2] . Therefore, a lot of studies have been carried out to help understand and improve the impact response of composite materials and structures [3] [4] [5] [6] .

Nowadays, airframe manufactures utilize composite materials external areas such as wing flaps, elevators, rudders, spoilers, and landing gear doors.

The damage modes cause the reduction of the compression, bending and buckling strengths because they produce the separation of the plies and an overall reduction of the laminate stiffness.

Therefore, a lot of studies have been carried out to help understand and improve the impact response of composite materials and structures.


The findings on the farms' involvement in such new forms of energy production correspond with research on current transition processes of Europe's agricultural systems and countryside towards rural development [31, 32] . The significance of regional energy supply tasks as impulses for overall regional development processes can be found in research with a focus on the development of bioenergy villages or bioregions [33, 34] . These pieces of research also show the impact of regional economic cycles and value chains built on endogenous resources.

The findings on the farms' involvement in such new forms of energy production correspond with research on current transition processes of Europe's agricultural systems and countryside towards rural development.

The significance of regional energy supply tasks as impulses for overall regional development processes can be found in research with a focus on the development of bioenergy villages or bioregions.


One of the side effects is the continuing interwovenness of the sector's growth with a fossil fuel-intensive type of agriculture, demonstrated by the significance of corn cropped in monocultures for substrate supply [5] . Many production units are solely cultivating corn as an energy crop because of its excellent ratios of cost input to energy output. All in all, corn accounts for about 48%, measured in mass fraction, of all substrates that have been utilized in biogas plants since 2004 [6] . Between 2005 and 2010, the area for cultivating corn as an energy crop increased nearly eightfold from 70,000 to 525,000 ha [7] .

One of the side effects is the continuing interwovenness of the sector's growth with a fossil fuel-intensive type of agriculture, demonstrated by the significance of corn cropped in monocultures for substrate supply.

All in all, corn accounts for about 48%, measured in mass fraction, of all substrates that have been utilized in biogas plants since 2004.

Between 2005 and 2010, the area for cultivating corn as an energy crop increased nearly eightfold from 70,000 to 525,000 ha.


Another side effect is the difficulty of achieving efficiency within the whole life cycle of the converted resources. The most notable aspect is the relatively low level of heat usage of biogas plants, with which heatpower cogeneration is coupled. On average, below 50% of the generated heat is used [6] . Only 10% of all biogas plant operators who have started after the 2004 amendment of the German Renewable Energy Law use more than 50% of the available heat energy [6] .

On average, below 50% of the generated heat is used.

Only 10% of all biogas plant operators who have started after the 2004 amendment of the German Renewable Energy Law use more than 50% of the available heat energy.


The performance requirements of medical PSAs based on acrylics are demanding as their ability to adhere well to varying skin types (both dry and moist), they must be removable without leaving adhesive residue or causing skin damage, and should not irritate the skin. Ideally, medical PSA adheres strongly to the skin but can be easily removed with little or no trauma (adhesion properties) and without adhesive residues (cohesion properties). Aggressive PSA may cause skin irritation as well as pain. In the case of long-term wearing of the PSA on the skin, low shear strength values make a patch or bandage esthetically unacceptable, as the adhesive oozes leave adhesive residues on the outside edges of the backing layer. Moreover, when detached, the patch can leave visible residues. Thus, highly critical PSA adhesive properties are peel adhesion and shear strength [5, 6] .

Thus, highly critical PSA adhesive properties are peel adhesion and shear strength.


UV-crosslinkable acrylic PSA are becoming increasingly important due to the environmental hazards and medical applications associated with conventional crosslinkable solvent-borne PSAs and the performance shortcomings of PSAs based on aqueous systems. The economics of UV-crosslinking coating technology are also superior to those of typical solvent-borne or water-borne coatings. UV-crosslinkable solvent-borne acrylic PSA systems are available without stabilizers and other additives. So far, the major healthcare applications of that acrylic PSA have been in plaster, medical tapes, self-adhesive bandages, and TDD systems. The major disadvantage of suitable acrylic PSAs in skin-contact applications is the high peel force required to remove them, reflecting their low cohesive strength and hence aggressive nature. The best approach for improving the cohesive strength of these PSAs is to incorporate into polymer chain of special crosslinking agent in form of unsaturated photoinitiators ( Fig. 1 ) [11] .

The best approach for improving the cohesive strength of these PSAs is to incorporate into polymer chain of special crosslinking agent in form of unsaturated photoinitiators ( Fig. 1 ).


Three criteria, such as the type of raw material, the available technologies, and the application, establish the basis for trends in the development of adhesives for medical products. The use of highly tolerable substances with minimal allergenic potential is the primary factor with regard to raw materials. The choice is further limited by other external influences [10] .

The choice is further limited by other external influences.


The skin, which is the largest organ of the body, averaging 3,000 square inches and 7 pounds in an adult, presents a substantial challenge, as a surface to which medical adhesives must stick. It is a very complex organ consisting of two layers: an inner layer (dermis) and an outer layer (epidermis). Collagen and elastin, the two major proteins of the dermis, form a matrix that supports the epidermis. As the interface between the body and the outside world, the skin provides protection against microbial invasion, controls perspiration for temperature regulation, limits loss of moisture through transpiration, and transmits sensory information [7] .

As the interface between the body and the outside world, the skin provides protection against microbial invasion, controls perspiration for temperature regulation, limits loss of moisture through transpiration, and transmits sensory information.


Under diverse PSA based on suitable kinds of polymers, such as acrylic, rubber, silicones, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyether, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) even acrylic offer promising advantages in comparison to other groups of polymers. PSA acrylics can be applied in forms as a solvent-borne, as a waterborne (dispersions) and as a solvent-free system. Solvent-borne acrylic PSAs offer several advantages, such as excellent aging characteristics and resistance to elevated temperatures and plasticizers, exceptional optical clarity due to the polymer compatibility and non-yellowing. They also have the highest balance of adhesion and cohesion and an excellent water resistance [4] .

They also have the highest balance of adhesion and cohesion and an excellent water resistance.


Legal processes for those seeking asylum require individuals to share their story but ignore the power structures and interplay between race, gender, culture and ethnicity. In determining the credibility of asylum seekers' applications, most officials rely on the applicants being able to share their story (due to a lack of concrete evidence), yet psychological and cultural barriers can impact on perceived credibility of stories (Melloy, 2007) . For example, research indicates many women have difficulty with detailed disclosure and are more likely to experience shame and PTSD symptoms, and may attempt to protect themselves through disassociation (Baillot, Cowan, & Munro, 2009 , Chantler, 2011 Melloy, 2007) . It is common for someone suffering from PTSD to appear "withdrawn, uninterested and detached" and to block/forget painful experiences (Melloy, 2007, p. 653) .

In determining the credibility of asylum seekers' applications, most officials rely on the applicants being able to share their story (due to a lack of concrete evidence), yet psychological and cultural barriers can impact on perceived credibility of stories.

For example, research indicates many women have difficulty with detailed disclosure and are more likely to experience shame and PTSD symptoms, and may attempt to protect themselves through disassociation.


Current research on HIV-positive asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland is sparse. Tallis (2002, p.18) argued that programs designed to tackle HIV/AIDS must include the "lived realities" of those affected and ensure they are involved in both defining the problem and reaching a resolution. Yet there remains a significant absence of empirical research that examines the experiences of asylum seekers in Scotland (Bowes, Ferguson, & Sim, 2009) . Despite a growing awareness of the need to understand issues that affect this marginalized and vulnerable group, both qualitative and quantitative data remain limited.

Yet there remains a significant absence of empirical research that examines the experiences of asylum seekers in Scotland.


In an effort to tackle the problems of e-VLBI data transmission in fast long distance networks, this paper presents a new application-based TCP (AppTCP) based on the Closed-Loop Control theory [12] . With the proposed protocol, the transmission can swiftly reach the required rate by increasing the congestion control window (cwnd) aggressively; in addition, it keeps the transmission rate and allows the other TCP flows to share the remaining bandwidth. We further implement AppTCP on Linux platform, and conduct extensive experiments in the both FLDnet test-bed and the actual national and international networks to verify the efficiency of the proposed AppTCP. The experimental results show that the performance of AppTCP in bulk data transmission in FLDnets significantly outperforms that of the existing TCP variants.

In an effort to tackle the problems of e-VLBI data transmission in fast long distance networks, this paper presents a new application-based TCP (AppTCP) based on the Closed-Loop Control theory.


Recently, the essential oils and various extracts of plants have provoked interest as sources of natural products. They have been screened for their potential uses as alternative remedies for the treatment of many infectious diseases and the preservation of foods from the toxic effects of oxidants. Particularly, the antimicrobial activities of plant oils and extracts have formed the basis of many applications, including raw and processed food preservation, pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine and natural therapies [5, 6] . Following questions about the quality and safety of foods, only selected food additives are allowed [7] . Because of the possible toxicities of the synthetic antioxidants, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), increasing attention has been directed toward natural antioxidants [8] .

Particularly, the antimicrobial activities of plant oils and extracts have formed the basis of many applications, including raw and processed food preservation, pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine and natural therapies.

Following questions about the quality and safety of foods, only selected food additives are allowed.

Because of the possible toxicities of the synthetic antioxidants, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), increasing attention has been directed toward natural antioxidants.


Mentha is an important genus of the family containing 25 to 30 aromatic herbs of difficult taxonomic classification due to a great variability in their morphological characters and frequent hybridization. The aromatic Mentha herbs are perennials found in damp or wet places. Members of this genus are the most important sources of essential oil production in the world. It has been estimated that the annual production of oils from the three Mentha species, namely, peppermint (M. piperita L.), cornmint (M. arvensis L.) and spearmint (M. spicata), is in excess of 23,000 metric tons with a value exceeding $400 million. This makes them the most economically important essential oils produced [2] .

This makes them the most economically important essential oils produced.


In order to prolong the storage stability of foods and to reduce the damage to the human body, synthetic antioxidants are used for industrial processing. But according to toxicologists and nutritionists, the side effects of some synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) have already been documented. For example, these substances can show carcinogenic effects in living organisms [13, 20] . From this point of view, governmental authorities and consumers are concerned about the safety of their food and about the potential effects of synthetic additives on health [21] . When compared to the antioxidative potential of the standard compounds used in this study (BHT, Tocopherol and BHA), essential oil of M. pulegium exerted strong antioxidant activity, which is almost equal to BHT in the DPPH system especially. On the other hand, further studies are urgently needed for better clarifying the cytotoxicity and other biological properties of the plant species presented here In conclusion, to drive health benefits from these highly effective natural antioxidants, their application in the dairy industry may be very valuable and desirable [22] .

For example, these substances can show carcinogenic effects in living organisms.

From this point of view, governmental authorities and consumers are concerned about the safety of their food and about the potential effects of synthetic additives on health.

On the other hand, further studies are urgently needed for better clarifying the cytotoxicity and other biological properties of the plant species presented here In conclusion, to drive health benefits from these highly effective natural antioxidants, their application in the dairy industry may be very valuable and desirable.


To enhance our conventional understanding of corner separation and to investigate the effect of secondary vortices on 3D corner separation, numerical simulations are conducted under different incidences in a linear Prescribed Velocity Distribution (PVD) compressor cascade, in which cascade the flow mechanisms and some control methods for 3D corner separation have been investigated at Cambridge University [9] [10] [11] . In this paper, the detailed vortex structures in corner separation are analyzed using the delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES) method. The effect of secondary flow on 3D corner separation is investigated with the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method.

To enhance our conventional understanding of corner separation and to investigate the effect of secondary vortices on 3D corner separation, numerical simulations are conducted under different incidences in a linear Prescribed Velocity Distribution (PVD) compressor cascade, in which cascade the flow mechanisms and some control methods for 3D corner separation have been investigated at Cambridge University.


The corner separation that appears reverse flow on both endwall and suction surface in compressor is typically 3D; sometimes if the reverse flow is enlarged to some extent that the separation deteriorates compressor performance seriously, the corner stall appears. The principal 3D effect is the secondary flow, caused by the cross-passage pressure gradient, which lowers stagnation pressure and introduces low-momentum fluid into the hub-corner region. The types of secondary flow structures in compressor cascades include horseshoe vortex, passage vortex, shedding vortex and leakage vortex. These structures significantly influence evolution of corner flow [5, 6] .

These structures significantly influence evolution of corner flow.


Recently there has been a growing interest in using microwave photonic techniques for generating arbitrary waveforms. The reason behind this is that microwave photonic waveform generators have the ability to generate an arbitrary waveform with a high frequency and a large bandwidth that cannot be obtained using electronic techniques. Furthermore, electronic waveform generators have issues such as high timing jitter, susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, high loss and large size [1] . Among various waveforms, a triangular waveform has a number of applications including signal processing and communication system engineering [2] . For example, it is used in the frequency modulated continuous waveform (FMCW) radar for multi-target detection in vehicular applications [3] .

Furthermore, electronic waveform generators have issues such as high timing jitter, susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, high loss and large size.

Among various waveforms, a triangular waveform has a number of applications including signal processing and communication system engineering.

For example, it is used in the frequency modulated continuous waveform (FMCW) radar for multi-target detection in vehicular applications.


BLCAP is a highly conversed gene with two exons and an intron encoding a 10kDa protein, which was originally identified from invasive bladder carcinoma in 2002 [2] . We previously published data from in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that BLCAP might be a potential anti-tumor gene in cervical cancer [3] . Other researchers reported that overexpression of BLCAP induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis, suggested that BLCAP may function as a potential tumor suppressor in carcinogenesis through regulating cell proliferation and survival [4] [5] [6] . In addition, BLCAP represented a negative correlation with tumor progression by comparing its expression pattern in different grades and stages of bladder cancer and breast cancer, suggesting that it might be of value as a biomarker and providing a new perspective for the clinical application of this protein [7, 8] .

BLCAP is a highly conversed gene with two exons and an intron encoding a 10kDa protein, which was originally identified from invasive bladder carcinoma in 2002.

We previously published data from in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that BLCAP might be a potential anti-tumor gene in cervical cancer.

Other researchers reported that overexpression of BLCAP induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis, suggested that BLCAP may function as a potential tumor suppressor in carcinogenesis through regulating cell proliferation and survival.

In addition, BLCAP represented a negative correlation with tumor progression by comparing its expression pattern in different grades and stages of bladder cancer and breast cancer, suggesting that it might be of value as a biomarker and providing a new perspective for the clinical application of this protein.


In gravitational theories it is expected that very high energy scattering at small impact parameter is dominated by the formation and evaporation of black holes. Our basic understanding of how this might happen in a semiclassical approximation has led to Hawking's paradox, the statement that black holes might lose information with the scattering being non-unitary [1] . The same understanding that has led to this paradox shows that black holes have a very large entropy and that they also have a temperature. Both of these features cannot be explained by classical means.

Our basic understanding of how this might happen in a semiclassical approximation has led to Hawking's paradox, the statement that black holes might lose information with the scattering being non-unitary.


Acidity amelioration is one of the most important strategies in the management of highly weathered soils for an adequate crop growth. Approximately 70% of the Brazilian cultivated soils are highly acidic, showing toxic levels of aluminum (Al 3+ ) and manganese (Mn 2+ ), and low availability of exchangeable bases (Ritchey et al., 1982) . Therefore, the application of soil amendments is a primary strategy to achieve satisfactory yields in Brazilian agricultural systems.

Approximately 70% of the Brazilian cultivated soils are highly acidic, showing toxic levels of aluminum (Al 3+ ) and manganese (Mn 2+ ), and low availability of exchangeable bases.


Firstly, this study investigates the magnitude of deviations of mean values and turbulence quantities, when measuring with a calibration that does not exactly match the airspeed during the experiment. To some extent this is not avoidable, since turbulence and non-stationary flow causes the UAS to accelerate and decelerate due to its momentum, drag, and the flight-mechanical properties. To evaluate that, the deviations when calculating mean values and the deviations when calculating turbulent quantities must be considered. It is impossible to setup an experimental study in the wind tunnel, since atmospheric turbulence cannot be artificially produced in a representative way. Qualitative studies in the wind tunnel, where the turbulence intensity increased consecutively, showed that the flow separation on the probe's tip is influenced, especially for Re < 20 × 10 3 [22] .

Qualitative studies in the wind tunnel, where the turbulence intensity increased consecutively, showed that the flow separation on the probe's tip is influenced, especially for Re < 20 × 10 3.


Current practices and research for the security of software components consist of several defensive approaches such as firewalls, trusted operating systems, security In Web services area, WS-Security addresses Web service security by using existing security standards and specifications. WS-Security is simply a framework that adds existing mechanisms such as XML Encryption, XML Signature and XML Canonicalization into a SOAP message. XML Canonicalization prepares the XML messages to be signed and encrypted. In other words, WS-Security is a specification for an XML-based security metadata container [9] . What WS-Security actually does is that it enables security properties to be defined independently in the message in terms of composable message elements to exchange SOAP messages securely. From this perspective, WS-Trust, WS-SecureConversation, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) are not much different than the WS-Security. None of these, in fact, introduces a new technique or approach to address security composition and specification at the end-users level.

In other words, WS-Security is a specification for an XML-based security metadata container.


Balancing selection describes the suite of adaptive forces that maintain genetic variation for longer than expected by random chance. It can have many causes, including heterozygous advantage, negative frequency-dependent selection, and environmental heterogeneity in space and time. The unifying characteristic of these situations is that the turnover of alleles is slowed, resulting in increased diversity at linked sites (Charlesworth, 2006) . In principle, it should be simple to detect the resulting footprints of increased coalescence times surrounding balanced sites, and many candidates have been identified using diverse methodology (Fijarczyk and Babik, 2015) . However, theoretical models predict even strongly balanced alleles will be stochastically lost over long time spans, suggesting that most balanced polymorphism is short lived (Tellier et al., 2014) .

The unifying characteristic of these situations is that the turnover of alleles is slowed, resulting in increased diversity at linked sites.

In principle, it should be simple to detect the resulting footprints of increased coalescence times surrounding balanced sites, and many candidates have been identified using diverse methodology.

However, theoretical models predict even strongly balanced alleles will be stochastically lost over long time spans, suggesting that most balanced polymorphism is short lived.


Microalgae have an ancient history that left a footprint 3.4 bil lion years aga, when the oldest known microalga, belonging to the group of cyanobacteria, fossilised in rocks of Western Australia. Studies confirmed that until our days their structure remains unchanged and, no matter how primitive they are, they still represent rather complicated and expertly organised forms of life [1 ] . Nevertheless, other reports estimated that the actual time of evolution of cyanobacteria is thought to be doser to 2.7 billion years aga [2, 3] . Hence, evolutionary biologists estimate that algae could be the ancestors of plants. Thus, through time algae gave rise to other marine plants and moved to the land during the Palaeozoic Age 450 millions years aga just like the scenario of animais moving from water onto land. However, evolutionists need to overcome multiple obstacles ( danger of drying, feed, reproduction, and protection from oxygen) to definitely confirm this scenario complemented with more scientific evidence.

Studies confirmed that until our days their structure remains unchanged and, no matter how primitive they are, they still represent rather complicated and expertly organised forms of life.

Nevertheless, other reports estimated that the actual time of evolution of cyanobacteria is thought to be doser to 2.7 billion years aga.


Spray drying is one of the oldest methods used for the manufacture of particulate products in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and in the household and personal care products. It involves drying of droplets of a solution or slurry into particles by a hot gas. Thus converting a pumpable feed into dried powder in a single, continuous unit operation. The spray drying process involves multiphase flow with heat, mass and momentum transfer between the three-dimensional, complex, swirling, drying gas flow (continuous phase) and the discrete phase comprising polydispersed droplets/particles. Additionally, there is interaction between the droplets/particles, resulting in coalescence, agglomeration and breakage, as well as droplets/particle and wall interaction resulting in wall deposition, re-entrainment of deposited material, and breakage of particles. The aim of spray drying process is to produce dried powder of required characteristics (size distribution, moisture content, density, flowability etc.). Operating and design parameters can be varied to determine the optimum conditions for the required product attributes. This is carried out mainly by expensive and time consuming experimental investigations [1] [2] [3] . The modeling of spray drying towers can reduce the time and costs associated with the determination of optimized design and operating parameters. The complexity of gas flow patterns and interacting transport processes in spray drying towers poses challenges in the modeling of spray drying towers. The trajectories and hence the residence times of the droplets/particles are dependent on the gas flow patterns, therefore it is important to have a reliable prediction of gas flow profiles.

This is carried out mainly by expensive and time consuming experimental investigations.


In laboratory-reared S. furcifera, CI caused by Cardinium in crosses between uninfected females and infected males was quite strong. CI was expressed as a strong reduction in egg hatchability and a strongly male-biased sex ratio in crosses between uninfected females and infected males and the only CI type found for Cardinium was female mortality. In this study, CI expression was nearly complete: on average, only one daughter was produced in each incompatible cross. This is concordant with the female mortality type of CI (Vavre et al. 2000) . S. furcifera is the fourth host species in which Cardinium induced CI has been observed, and this study reveals the strongest CI effect found for Cardinium so far.

This is concordant with the female mortality type of CI.


Theoretical propositions state that differences between entity and incremental theorists in achievement-related affect and behaviour will be most apparent under conditions of adversity (Dweck, 1999) . However, we suggest that the effectiveness and ecological validity of the negative feedback used in the present investigation can be enhanced in future studies. Each participant received negative feedback on one occasion during their golf putting trial, and it can be questioned whether this is sufficient to influence the participant's perception of their performance, and to impact on the outcomes under consideration. In school physical education, for example, individuals may be exposed repeatedly to this type of information over the course of a unit of work. Future field experimental research, operating within ethical boundaries, should consider the type, frequency, timing, clarity, and meaningfulness of the negative feedback provided. For example, we need to ensure, with respect to the timing of the negative feedback and the measurement of enjoyment, that participants respond to their feelings of enjoyment toward the task and not provide their reaction to the feedback per se.

Theoretical propositions state that differences between entity and incremental theorists in achievement-related affect and behaviour will be most apparent under conditions of adversity.


With respect to the physical task employed in future work, investigators should seek to utilise tasks that both male and female students value, tasks in which participants are experienced, as well as tasks such as gymnastic movements for which young people are less likely to endorse an incremental theory and more likely to endorse an entity theory (Spray & Warburton, 2003) . Evidence from the current study suggested that male students valued the golf putting task more highly, and perceived themselves as more competent at golf putting, in comparison to female students. The novelty of the putting task, along with the minimal physical effort involved in such an activity, may also help to explain the high incremental beliefs found among all participants.

With respect to the physical task employed in future work, investigators should seek to utilise tasks that both male and female students value, tasks in which participants are experienced, as well as tasks such as gymnastic movements for which young people are less likely to endorse an incremental theory and more likely to endorse an entity theory.


A further developed neural network configuration is the recurrent neural network (RNN), namely, a supervised learning engine that contains feedback loops. The memorizing ability in RNN renders it interesting for time series prediction and modeling with historical data. The recurrent NARX neural network (RNARXNN) is a proper engine for chaotic nonlinear forecasting problems. RNARXNN uses feedback from the output layer, instead of hidden layers in the conventional RNN structure. This configuration improves the learning capability, convergence, and generalization performances of the learning engine [32] .

This configuration improves the learning capability, convergence, and generalization performances of the learning engine.


Integration of renewable energy resources into the power grid causes major deregulation in the electricity market. Keeping the generation cost down in the deregulated power system as well as providing a reliable load to customers necessitates the use of remote measurements and smart metering in the power system, which leads to smart grid development. A smart grid is able to establish a two-way communication by means of advanced sensors to improve the reliability and performance of a system. While these cyber resources enable market operators to enhance the performance of a system, they bring new challenges to the infrastructure. Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) render smart grids more vulnerable to cutting-edge undetectable cyber-physical attacks. Therefore, the impact assessment of cyber-attacks on smart grids is considered as one of the most serious issues in recent years [1] .

Therefore, the impact assessment of cyber-attacks on smart grids is considered as one of the most serious issues in recent years.


Buruli ulcer is mycobacterial disease, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. It is an emerging and neglected tropical disease marked by devastating skin ulceration, and sometimes by bone lesion. Buruli ulcer represents a public health problem in Cote d'Ivoire, where it remains endemic. Until recently, surgery was the only treatment for this disease [1] .

Until recently, surgery was the only treatment for this disease.


Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease with a possible involvement of all organs and systems, with an extremely wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. The immune-pathogenesis of SLE is complex and involves both innate and adaptive immunity. SLE therapy varies according to clinical manifestations and is based on the use of glucocorticoids, synthetic antimalarials, immunosuppressants and, recently, biological drugs (in particular, directed against B-lymphocytes) [13, 14] . Crescent literature data clearly demonstrated an increased CVDs prevalence and mortality in SLE, due to accelerated atherosclerosis [15] [16] [17] . SLE patients present higher prevalence of insulin-resistance and MeS compared to age and sex matched healthy controls [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] . According to available studies, in SLE patients, MeS seems to be related to traditional CVDs risk factors, age, disease duration, low complement levels, renal involvement and glucocorticoid therapy [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] . Data from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Registry for Atherosclerosis inception cohort, concerning 1494 recently diagnosed SLE, demonstrated that MeS was present at enrollment visit in 16% of patients suggesting that lupus-related inflammatory factors could facilitate insulin-resistance and MeS development. In the same study, factors associated to MeS in multivariate analysis were renal lupus, higher corticosteroid doses, Korean and Hispanic ethnicity [25] . In a longitudinal analysis of patients enrolled in SLICC registry, in addition to the factors already highlighted, presence of organ damage according to SLICC damage index and higher disease activity were independently associated with MeS over the first 2 years of follow-up [26] .

SLE therapy varies according to clinical manifestations and is based on the use of glucocorticoids, synthetic antimalarials, immunosuppressants and, recently, biological drugs (in particular, directed against B-lymphocytes).

Crescent literature data clearly demonstrated an increased CVDs prevalence and mortality in SLE, due to accelerated atherosclerosis.

SLE patients present higher prevalence of insulin-resistance and MeS compared to age and sex matched healthy controls.

According to available studies, in SLE patients, MeS seems to be related to traditional CVDs risk factors, age, disease duration, low complement levels, renal involvement and glucocorticoid therapy.

In the same study, factors associated to MeS in multivariate analysis were renal lupus, higher corticosteroid doses, Korean and Hispanic ethnicity.

In a longitudinal analysis of patients enrolled in SLICC registry, in addition to the factors already highlighted, presence of organ damage according to SLICC damage index and higher disease activity were independently associated with MeS over the first 2 years of follow-up.


In some cases position can be obtained by having Global Positioning System (GPS) on each sensor node, however this can have high expense, power cost, and put problematic constraints on deployment. Instead of using GPS, most self-localization algorithms assume only some sensor nodes can obtain their position information directly, and they are called anchors or beacons (by contrast, some algorithms construct relative coordinates only, and may use constraint solving techniques to combine local maps [14] ). Using anchor positions, positions of other sensor nodes will then be calculated. Already there is extensive literature on the general problem of localization in wireless sensor networks, with solutions ranging from specialized ranging assumptions to complex algorithms that minimize overall positioning error [12, 15, 19, 21, 10, 4, 23, 25, 2, 13, 8, 9, 18] .

Instead of using GPS, most self-localization algorithms assume only some sensor nodes can obtain their position information directly, and they are called anchors or beacons (by contrast, some algorithms construct relative coordinates only, and may use constraint solving techniques to combine local maps).

Already there is extensive literature on the general problem of localization in wireless sensor networks, with solutions ranging from specialized ranging assumptions to complex algorithms that minimize overall positioning error.


Sedimentary rocks exhibit anisotropic wave propagation behavior due to the thin layering of transversely isotropic (TI) rocks with different properties (Stoep, 1966) . If the layering is horizontal, this gives rise to a TI medium with a vertical axis of symmetry (VTI). However, tectonic movements of the crust and migration of salt bodies may cause tilt and rotation of the plane containing the symmetry axis, giving rise to a TI medium with a tilted axis of symmetry (TTI). Many sedimentary formations, including sands and carbonates, and natural fracture networks contain vertical or steeply dipping fracture sets and should be described by symmetries lower than TI, such as orthorhombic (Bakulin et al., 2000; Tsvankin et al., 2010) . In the presence of tilt and rotation, the symmetry is referred to as tilted orthorhombic (TOR).

Sedimentary rocks exhibit anisotropic wave propagation behavior due to the thin layering of transversely isotropic (TI) rocks with different properties.

Many sedimentary formations, including sands and carbonates, and natural fracture networks contain vertical or steeply dipping fracture sets and should be described by symmetries lower than TI, such as orthorhombic.


Here we meet a subtle point, namely, the problem of passing through the zero value of the denominator 1 + ρb(t) in Eqs. (52) and (53) [or the determinant of matrix I + B(t) in the general case (43)]. We tried to avoid it, but probably this difficulty indicates the incompleteness of the expansion (9) of the total electromagnetic field over the standing modes E n and B n in the case, when the function ε(r) + δε(r, t) becomes negative. In this case, the surface plasmon polariton waves can exist [38] . The corresponding EM field has the evanescent behavior, which is not taken into account in the expansion (9) .

In this case, the surface plasmon polariton waves can exist.

The corresponding EM field has the evanescent behavior, which is not taken into account in the expansion.


Bachmann has reported that late initiation of HIV treatment was less cost-effective than early initiation of therapy in southern Africa [45] . It is therefore pertinent that an assessment is made to determine at which points in the care continuum delays occur in accessing care. Delays can occur due to patient factors and intrinsic health system factors [46] .

Bachmann has reported that late initiation of HIV treatment was less cost-effective than early initiation of therapy in southern Africa.

Delays can occur due to patient factors and intrinsic health system factors.


The question which we study in this paper, which arose from these works, is whether one can classify such fibrations when no singular fibers are allowed. For such manifolds the smooth collapsing was proved by Fine [16] . Here we show that these fibrations are very special. Our first result is: Theorem 1.1. If f : X → Y is a holomorphic submersion with connected fibers between projective manifolds with K X ∼ = O X , then there is a finite unramified coveringỸ → Y with KỸ ∼ = OỸ such that the pullback family X × YỸ →Ỹ is trivial, i.e. it is biholomorphic to the product familyỸ ×F → Y , where F is a projective manifold with trivial canonical bundle.

For such manifolds the smooth collapsing was proved by Fine.

Our first result is: Theorem 1.1.


Comparison within a group (different concentrations of basil) in a two-factorial experiment showed that among controls, basil concentrations of 1%, 2.5% and 5%, and the dynamics of the epidemical strain of Salmonella Enteritidis in egg-based pasta there was no significant difference. Essential oils of Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis showed strong antimicrobial activity (both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect) against Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli in concentrations ranging from 0.125 to 2% (v/v) (Niculae et al., 2009) . Comparison within the group (of varying concentrations of thyme) in a two-factorial experiment showed that among the control, concentrations of 1%, 2.5% and 5% of thyme and the dynamics of the epidemical strain of Salmonella Enteritidis there was no significant difference.

Essential oils of Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita and Rosmarinus officinalis showed strong antimicrobial activity (both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect) against Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli in concentrations ranging from 0.125 to 2% (v/v).


Salmonellosis is an infectious disease of humans and animals. Although primarily intestinal bacteria, salmonellae are widespread in the environment and may commonly be found in farm effluents, human sewage and in any material subject to fecal contamination. Salmonellosis has been recognized in all countries, but appears to be most prevalent in areas of intensive animal husbandry, especially that of poultry or pigs (OIE, 2008) .

Salmonellosis has been recognized in all countries, but appears to be most prevalent in areas of intensive animal husbandry, especially that of poultry or pigs.


Second, stock markets co-movements and correlations provide particular clues about spillover effects. This issue is important for risk managers because the transmission of shocks among financial markets is assumed to be higher in times of crisis (Dimitriou et al., 2013) . In this line, most of the research studies discovered that correlations between markets were growing during and after periods of high volatility (Longin and Solnik, 1995; Morana and Beltratti, 2008; Tamakoshi and Hamori, 2013) . Finally, studying the stock markets correlation is important also for supervision authorities and international financial institutions (Ahmad et al., 2013) . Additional information is released, allowing the policy makers to undertake coordinated rescue measures for contagious financial systems.

This issue is important for risk managers because the transmission of shocks among financial markets is assumed to be higher in times of crisis.

In this line, most of the research studies discovered that correlations between markets were growing during and after periods of high volatility.

Finally, studying the stock markets correlation is important also for supervision authorities and international financial institutions.


Although BP-lowering agents can aggravate both susceptibility for reflex syncope and orthostatic hypotension, prevalent hypertension and use of antihypertensive drugs, traditionally beta-blockers and diuretics at that time, were associated with hospitalizations due to syncope only but not orthostatic hypotension. Interestingly, recent data from the SBP Intervention Trial (SPRINT) have provided the important observation about the association between orthostatic hypotension and the use of antihypertensive drugs. In that study, orthostatic hypotension was significantly less common among nondiabetic hypertensive patients at high risk of cardiovascular events randomized to intensive BP treatment (target SBP < 120 mmHg) compared with the control group treated less aggressively [28] . However, in concordance with our findings, the incidence of syncope in the SPRINT was significantly higher when more aggressive antihypertensive treatment was applied.

In that study, orthostatic hypotension was significantly less common among nondiabetic hypertensive patients at high risk of cardiovascular events randomized to intensive BP treatment (target SBP < 120 mmHg) compared with the control group treated less aggressively.


However, the record on measuring and controlling ICT investments has not been impressive. While financial economics is well-established and applied in many areas, there is not much data published on quantitative financial analyses for major IT-investments [4] . Most companies are still characterised by an ad hoc, unstructured, and unpredictable investment processes (phase 1 of the GAO developed maturity model) [5, 6] . Only a fraction of the organizations rely on rigorous methods to calculate the benefits of investment in IT [4, 7, 8] . The reasons for these failures can be complex: technical, human resource, environmental, organizational and management issues interrelate where explanations are sought. Major barriers, identified by a range of studies, occur in how the ICT investment is evaluated and controlled [4, 7, 10, 11, 12] .

While financial economics is well-established and applied in many areas, there is not much data published on quantitative financial analyses for major IT-investments.

Most companies are still characterised by an ad hoc, unstructured, and unpredictable investment processes (phase 1 of the GAO developed maturity model).

Only a fraction of the organizations rely on rigorous methods to calculate the benefits of investment in IT.

Major barriers, identified by a range of studies, occur in how the ICT investment is evaluated and controlled.


The demand for safe operation in the industry has propelled research into fault detection and diagnosis methods. Based on principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), partial least squares (PLSs), and canonical correlation analysis (CVA), the statistical method can represent high-dimensional process data in a reduced dimension, which contains most of the variance of the original data. These methods have been used in various applications [1] [2] [3] [4] .

These methods have been used in various applications.


Other NLETL applications include soliton wave generation in the radiofrequency (RF) range for UWB radars used in satellites and defense mobile platforms. Soliton waves from a NLCL can reach peak power of the order of hundreds of MW in the RF range. For instance, a group from Oxford University built a NLCL that produced a 175 MW peak power at a frequency of about 80 MHz [4] . On the other hand, other group from BAE Systems Company (UK) constructed a counterpart NLIL, achieving higher frequency operation (1 GHz) but with lower peak power of 20 MW [5] .

For instance, a group from Oxford University built a NLCL that produced a 175 MW peak power at a frequency of about 80 MHz.

On the other hand, other group from BAE Systems Company (UK) constructed a counterpart NLIL, achieving higher frequency operation (1 GHz) but with lower peak power of 20 MW.


In this Letter we propose another simple way to relax the upper bound of the axion window. We show that, if the Hubble parameter during inflation is comparable to or lower than the QCD scale, the axion already acquires a nonzero mass during inflation, and the distribution of its initial position follows the Bunch-Davies distribution [29] . The distribution is peaked at the CP conserving minimum if there is no other light degree of freedom contributing to the strong CP phase. In other words, the typical initial misalignment angle is actually given by a function of the Hubble parameter during inflation. As a result, the upper bound of the axion window can be significantly relaxed for such a low-scale inflation. We also provide concrete lowscale inflation models where successful reheating takes place via perturbative decays or dissipation processes.

We show that, if the Hubble parameter during inflation is comparable to or lower than the QCD scale, the axion already acquires a nonzero mass during inflation, and the distribution of its initial position follows the Bunch-Davies distribution.


Workflow management systems (WFMSs) improve business processes by automating tasks, getting the right information to the right place for a specific job function, and integrating information in the enterprise [4, 5, 8, 14] . Many workflow systems use the web as transportation media for process data. Although currently available commercial workflow products offer sophisticated modeling tools for specifying and analyzing workflow processes, their time management functionality is rudimentary.

Workflow management systems (WFMSs) improve business processes by automating tasks, getting the right information to the right place for a specific job function, and integrating information in the enterprise.


Demand for liquid fuel sources combined with political unrest in some of the world's regions most abundant in oil and natural gas, in addition to the recent natural gas boom from hydraulic fracturing have pushed global and domestic energy policies to focus on domestic production and sustainability. This drive for domestic supplies of fuel provides opportunities for industrial innovation in developing and improving alternative liquid fuel sources, including natural gas, biomass, and coal. The FischerTropsch synthesis (FTS) is one commercially proven process for producing hydrocarbon products from carbon monoxide and hydrogen (syngas) and is a key step in gas to liquid (GTL), biomass to liquid (BTL), and coal to liquid (CTL) technologies [1] .

The FischerTropsch synthesis (FTS) is one commercially proven process for producing hydrocarbon products from carbon monoxide and hydrogen (syngas) and is a key step in gas to liquid (GTL), biomass to liquid (BTL), and coal to liquid (CTL) technologies.


Microalgae are the subject of extensive research today. The photosynthetic capacity and high growth rate are the attractive features of microalgae to consider them for biotechnology industries. More than a thousand species of microalgae have been reported from Indian waters which are useful for producing valuable metabolites. The range of products researched from microalgae includes protein, carbohydrates, lipids, carotenoids and vitamins. All these metabolites can be used as foods, feeds, high value bioactives and energy sources [1] - [5] . In fact, many species of microalgae are used as live feed in aquaculture firm. Microalgae are also useful in the area of wastewater treatment because of their efficiency in nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

All these metabolites can be used as foods, feeds, high value bioactives and energy sources.


It is known that CT emphysema quantification is affected by both radiation dose (i.e. image noise) and Fig. 1 Example of the semi-automatic software which was used for emphysema quantification. First, the airways, lungs and lung lobes are segmented (a). Subsequently, a histogram is made which displays the number of voxels with a certain density (b). In this example the percentage of voxels below -950 HU is displayed [14] [15] [16] .

In this example the percentage of voxels below -950 HU is displayed.


Interestingly, there was a certain overlap in the determinants of diet quality as assessed by AHEI or MDS. The two scores showed, indeed, a moderate level of agreement. As mentioned before, although some components of AHEI and MDS are highly similar, the two diet quality scores are computed differently. The AHEI is based on fixed cut-offs and, therefore, allows for comparisons across different populations [12] . To our knowledge, there are no comparable AHEI data computed for the populations of the neighboring countries Germany, France and Italy. However, the mean AHEI score obtained in the present study (45.3 points [SD = 12.8]) was similar to the score observed in a US, UK and Chinese population [42] [43] [44] . A lower mean AHEI score was instead observed for a subgroup of the Swiss population in a previous study (32.9 points [SD = 10.1] for women and 30.6 points [SD = 9.9] for men) [24] . Nevertheless, the authors used the original version of the AHEI, which differs to some extent from the 2010 version used in the present study, and the component trans fat was not included in the score [24] . For these reasons, the results are not directly comparable.

The AHEI is based on fixed cut-offs and, therefore, allows for comparisons across different populations.

However, the mean AHEI score obtained in the present study (45.3 points [SD = 12.8]) was similar to the score observed in a US, UK and Chinese population.

A lower mean AHEI score was instead observed for a subgroup of the Swiss population in a previous study (32.9 points [SD = 10.1] for women and 30.6 points [SD = 9.9] for men).

Nevertheless, the authors used the original version of the AHEI, which differs to some extent from the 2010 version used in the present study, and the component trans fat was not included in the score.


To standardise the S-N curves belonging to different load ratios, the influence of the mean stresses was considered through the fatigue enhancement factor f (R) according to IIW recommendations [13] . The fatigue lives of all tested loading configurations are related to the standardised stress values in Fig. 7 . The failure criterion is the specimen rupture. Regression analysis leads to the life curve (solid line in Fig. 7) , having a slope of k = 3.0 and a scatter value of T  = 1:2.0. The scatter band for 10% and 90% probabilities of survival is illustrated with dashed curves.

To standardise the S-N curves belonging to different load ratios, the influence of the mean stresses was considered through the fatigue enhancement factor f (R) according to IIW recommendations.


A rapid rise in serum transaminase activity allows early detection of hepatotoxicity, and peak activity typically occurs at around 48 hours after ingestion. In contrast, acute renal failure is defined by rising serum creatinine concentrations and does not normally become evident until 2-5 days after acetaminophen overdose. Peak serum creatinine concentrations typically occur at around 6-9 days after ingestion, and recover slowly thereafter [1, 3, 7] . Irrespective of etiology, serum creatinine concentrations are of limited value for detecting an early acute decline in kidney function [8] . A variety of indices have been examined as potential early markers of acute renal failure: serum cystatin C and urine concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, interleukin-18, glutathione-S-transferase-pi, and gamma-glutathione-S-transferase [9] . There are insufficient data to support the routine use of any of these after acetaminophen overdose. Acetaminophen is associated with increased urinary ␤-2 microglobin concentrations and ␥-glutamyl transferase activity, and these predict nephrotoxicity in some patients [10, 11] . In animals, acetaminophen-induced acute tubular injury is associated with excess urinary albumin excretion [12] . If a similar mechanism were operating in patients after acetaminophen overdose, then proteinuria could provide an early indication of renal drug effect, and might allow identification of those at greatest risk of nephrotoxicity. Laboratory assays are sufficiently sensitive to detect abnormally high urinary protein excretion in the microalbuminuria range (30-300 mg/L).

Peak serum creatinine concentrations typically occur at around 6-9 days after ingestion, and recover slowly thereafter.

Irrespective of etiology, serum creatinine concentrations are of limited value for detecting an early acute decline in kidney function.

A variety of indices have been examined as potential early markers of acute renal failure: serum cystatin C and urine concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, interleukin-18, glutathione-S-transferase-pi, and gamma-glutathione-S-transferase.

Acetaminophen is associated with increased urinary ␤-2 microglobin concentrations and ␥-glutamyl transferase activity, and these predict nephrotoxicity in some patients.

In animals, acetaminophen-induced acute tubular injury is associated with excess urinary albumin excretion.


Petroleum products and natural gas are commonly transported by buried pipelines under the soil for mechanical protection from third-party damage to provide thermal insulation [16] . Failure mechanisms associated with pipelines can be classified into three categories: third-party damage, material defects, and corrosion. Corrosion is recognised as one of the most dominant forms of the deterioration process and has been identified as one of the major causes of loss of containment in steel pipelines [17] . Corrosion may attack the pipelines either internally, or externally, or both. External corrosion is a major factor contributing to the deterioration of buried pipelines by weakening the pipe wall, which increases the risk of failure [18] . Even though buried pipelines are protected with coatings and cathodic protection, the pipelines are still vulnerable to various types of corrosion mechanisms [19] . MIC is one of the possible threats to buried pipelines because SRB grow well in soil sediment [20] .

Petroleum products and natural gas are commonly transported by buried pipelines under the soil for mechanical protection from third-party damage to provide thermal insulation.

Corrosion is recognised as one of the most dominant forms of the deterioration process and has been identified as one of the major causes of loss of containment in steel pipelines.

External corrosion is a major factor contributing to the deterioration of buried pipelines by weakening the pipe wall, which increases the risk of failure.

Even though buried pipelines are protected with coatings and cathodic protection, the pipelines are still vulnerable to various types of corrosion mechanisms.

MIC is one of the possible threats to buried pipelines because SRB grow well in soil sediment.


Despite the aggressive conditions occurring during machining of Ni alloys for both tool and workpiece, dry cutting of this family of materials is desirable due to economical and environmental reasons. Global cost associated to coolant (acquisition, use, disposal and the cleaning of workpieces) is significant, up to four times the one of cutting tools used in cutting operations [21] . Coolants are widely used for disposal of chip, improvement of machining accuracy and surface finish, and extension of tool life, especially in aggressive cutting conditions. Dry cutting is the best technique under the point of view of non generation of residual cutting fluid and Minimal Quantity Lubrication(MQL) involves significant reduction of industrial waste.

Global cost associated to coolant (acquisition, use, disposal and the cleaning of workpieces) is significant, up to four times the one of cutting tools used in cutting operations.


Cutting tool selection is an important factor when machining Ni based alloys. Tool material should exhibit elevated wear resistance, high strength and toughness, high hardness at high temperature, chemical stability and thermal shock resistance. Cemented carbides have been used for decades and the use of multilayer coatings (TiN_TiCN_TiN) have improved their suitability for machining Ni-based alloys. Cemented carbide tools should not be used to machine nickel-based alloys at high speed since they cannot withstand the conditions of extreme high temperature and stress in the cutting zone. In general, the recommended cutting speeds range up to 30 m/min for uncoated inserts and up to 100 m/min when machining nickel-based alloys using cemented carbide tools properly coated [4] . Ceramic and CBN tools have superior hot hardness and can be used at speeds around an order of magnitude higher than the coated carbide cutting tools. Ceramic tools (Al 2 O 3 -TiC, Si 3 N 4 Sialon and SiC wisker reinforced Al 2 O 3 ) have been used increasingly in cutting operations of Ni alloys. High cutting speed can be achieved with the use of wisker reinforced ceramics [5] . Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) cutting tools give good performance and considerable increment in cutting speed when machining nickel-based alloys due to their notch wear resistance, however it should be considered their elevated cost [6, 7] . Despite the advances in tool materials for cutting Ni alloys, coated cemented carbides are still competitive and widely used in industry.

In general, the recommended cutting speeds range up to 30 m/min for uncoated inserts and up to 100 m/min when machining nickel-based alloys using cemented carbide tools properly coated.

High cutting speed can be achieved with the use of wisker reinforced ceramics.

Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) cutting tools give good performance and considerable increment in cutting speed when machining nickel-based alloys due to their notch wear resistance, however it should be considered their elevated cost.