Local Growth Rate Research Articles

Analisis Efektivitas dan Laju Pertumbuhan Pajak Daerah serta Kontribusinya Terhadap Pendapatan Asli Daerah Di Kota Bogor Periode 2013-2017

The existence of regional autonomy that applies in Indonesia, the autonomous region both provincial and district / city must be able to regulate and manage their own regions and are required to try to increase Regional Original Revenue (PAD) which has potential in the region one of which is in the collection of local taxes. Hotel Tax, Restaurant Tax and Entertainment Tax have the potential to increase PAD in Bogor City. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of effectiveness of hotel tax collection, restaurant tax and entertainment tax in the city of Bogor for the period 2013-2017, find out how much the growth rate of hotel taxes, restaurant tax and entertainment tax in the city of Bogor in the period 2013-2017 and how much the contribution of tax hotel, restaurant tax and entertainment tax on Regional Original Revenue (PAD) in Bogor City for the period 2013-2017. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method.The results of this study indicate that the effectiveness of hotel tax, restaurant tax and entertainment tax for the 2013-2017 period in the city of Bogor are included as very effective criteria with the effectiveness level of hotel tax collection, restaurant tax and entertainment that exceeds 100% each year. The average growth rate for hotel tax, restaurant tax and entertainment tax for the 2013-2017 period in Bogor City is as follows, 14.15%, 17.55% and 11.93%. The increase / decrease in the growth rate of hotel taxes, restaurant taxes and entertainment taxes each year is caused by several factors including the policies of the central government, the influence of the increase / decrease in the number of visitors who come, and the level of tourists visiting Bogor City. Meanwhile, the average contribution of hotel tax, restaurant tax and entertainment tax to PAD for the 2013-2017 period in the City was 8.58% with very less criteria, 11.50% with less criteria and 3.09% with very less criteria. The decrease in the contribution of hotel tax, restaurant tax and entertainment tax is influenced by the central government policy, the number of visitors and the significant increase in the realization of other regional tax revenues (BPHTB). Keywords: Local Revenue, Hotel Tax, Restaurant Tax, Entertainment Tax, Effectiveness, Growth Rate and Contribution.

Shade avoidance responses become more aggressive in warm environments.

When exposed to neighbour cues, competitive plants increase stem growth to reduce the degree of current or future shade. The aim of this work is to investigate the impact of weather conditions on the magnitude of shade avoidance responses in Arabidopsis thaliana. We first generated a growth rate database under controlled conditions and elaborated a model that predicts daytime hypocotyl growth as a function of the activity of the main photosensory receptors (phytochromes A and B, cryptochromes 1 and 2) in combination with light and temperature inputs. We then incorporated the action of thermal amplitude to account for its effect on selected genotypes, which correlates with the dynamics of the growth-promoting transcription factor PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 4. The model predicted growth rate in the field with reasonable accuracy. Thus, we used the model in combination with a worldwide data set of current and future whether conditions. The analysis predicted enhanced shade avoidance responses as a result of higher temperatures due to the geographical location or global warming. Irradiance and thermal amplitude had no effects. These trends were also observed for our local growth rate measurements. We conclude that, if water and nutrients do not become limiting, warm environments enhance the shade avoidance response.

Flow/noise control of a rod–airfoil configuration using “natural rod-base blowing”: Numerical experiments

When the vortices shedding from an upstream rod impinge upon the surface of a downstream airfoil, the resultant vortex–body interaction noise can be significant. The use of “natural rod-base blowing” to reduce this interaction noise is investigated numerically using a 3D hybrid computational aeroacoustics approach. The natural blowing is generated through an internal slot that interconnects the stagnation and base region of the rod. Numerical simulation is performed for a straight blowing at blowing rates (BRs) between 6.4% and 16.3% and an oblique blowing with slot–incidence angles (θ) between 0° and 15°, respectively. Far-field noise evaluation demonstrates that the natural rod-base blowing under tested BRs can reduce significantly the noise emission, whereas loses its efficiencies gradually with the increase of angle θ. The most effective case is the straight blowing (θ=0°) at BR≥13.6% where the far-field tonal noise associated with the steady-periodic von Karman vortex shedding is annihilated. The changes in transient flow structures indicate that the natural blowing gradually attenuates the von Karman vortex shedding when BR increases, resulting in a mitigation of vortex–body​ interaction on the airfoil leading surface and hence a reduction of the unsteady lift. At BR=13.6%, as the angle θ reaches 15° from below, a new von Karman vortex street reforms in the flow field, leading to another tonal noise. Linear stability analysis based on a local concept of absolute/convective instability suggests that the absolutely unstable region in the near-wake of the rod elongates first and then shrinks with the increase of BR, while the local absolute growth rate decreases monotonously.

Electrode roughness dependent electrodeposition of sodium at the nanoscale

Na metal is an attractive anode material for rechargeable Na ion batteries, however, the dendritic growth of Na can cause serious safety issues. Along with modifications of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI), engineering the electrode has been reported to be effective in suppressing Na dendritic growth, likely by reducing localized current density accumulation. However, fundamental understanding of Na growth at the nanoscale is still limited. Here, we report an in-situ study of Na electrodeposition in electrochemical liquid cells with the electrodes in different surface roughness, e.g., flat or sharp curvature. Real time observation using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals the Na electrodeposition with remarkable details. Relatively large Na grains (in the micrometer scale) are achieved on the flat electrode surface. The local SEI thickness variations impact the growth rate, thus the morphology of individual grains. In contrast, small Na grains (in tens of nanometers) grow explosively on the electrode at the point with sharp curvature. The newly formed Na grains preferentially deposit at the base of existing grains close to the electrode. Further studies using continuum-based computational modeling suggest that the growth mode of an alkali metal (e.g. Na) is strongly influenced by the transport properties of SEI. Our direct observation of Na deposition in combination with the theoretical modeling provides insights for comprehensive understanding of electrode roughness and SEI effects on Na electrochemical deposition. Electrode engineering has been explored to direct the deposition of Na in battery applications. However, the fundamental understanding of Na electrodeposition at the nanoscale is still lacking. By developing electrochemical liquid TEM cells with patterned electrodes, we have directly observed Na deposition on the electrodes with flat or sharp curvature. It shows different growth mode and grain morphology depending on the electrode roughness. “Base growth” and smaller grains are found on the sharp nodules of an electrode, in contrast to the occurrence on an electrode with flat curvature. The individual Na grain growth and morphology are also influenced by the local variations of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). • In-situ TEM observation unveils Na growth at the nanoscale on patterned electrodes. • Different electrode roughness results in different growth mode and grain sizes. • SEI thickness variations on Na grains impact local growth rate and grain morphology. • Na shows “base growth” at a sharp nodule on the rough electrode. • Continuum-based modeling suggests Na growth is strongly influenced by the transport properties of SEI.

Rethinking China’s local government debts in the frame of modern money theory

Local government debt is a great threat to China’s financial stability. Local government debt in China is in a dynamic process of financial innovation. The competition of local officials for promotion and the characteristics of China’s fiscal system are the reasons behind the growth in local government debt. The yardstick for the promotion competition is the local GDP growth rate and this drives local officials to increase expenditure to achieve their targets. Because in China’s fiscal system the central government often gives priority to reducing its fiscal deficit and the central government can largely determine the distribution of revenue and expenditure between itself and local governments, there is a tendency for the fiscal burden to be shifted from the central government to the local governments. Resolving China’s local government debt problem requires not only strengthening regulation, but also abandoning the central government’s fiscal balance target, because this target may make regulation hard to sustain in times of economic downturn. This paper discusses central-local fiscal relations in the framework of Modern Money Theory, suggesting that China’s central government should bear more fiscal burden because a central government with currency sovereignty can always afford any spending denominated in its own currency.

Membrane fouling by clay suspensions during NF-like forward osmosis: Characterization via optical coherence tomography

The use of a membrane with a relatively loose ‘active layer’ opened a new paradigm for the application of osmotically driven processes. An effective way of imparting the osmotic pressure difference across the ‘active layer’ is to employ divalent salts as the draw solute, whose negative effects on the organic fouling have been documented in the literature. This study was targeted on investigating the fouling by clay suspensions when performing the forward osmosis (FO) with a nanofiltration (NF)-like membrane. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was exploited to analyze the fouling phenomena in a way of determining the critical point of the initial flux, below which the fouling could be completely or partially inhibited. In comparison with the flux-decline measurements, the OCT-based characterization generated a series of digitalized cake layers for numerically evaluating the surface coverage and specific deposit, which provides direct evidence to support the hypothesis that the back diffusion of the draw solute could have significant impact on the initial deposition of the clay particles. That is, the presence of the draw solute in the boundary layer could favor the slow growth of the cake layer even if the initial flux was lower than the critical point. Mapping the local growth rates also indicates that the increase in affinity between the membrane and the clay particles could vary the characteristics of the instability-induced streamwise vortices. In particular, the markedly decreased critical point of the initial flux highlights the role of divalent cations in forming coordinate bonds between the clay particles and the NF-like membrane. All the characterization results offer valuable knowledge to enhance the design of the novel osmotically driven processes.

Abstract P1-06-04: SimBioSys TumorScope: Spatio-temporal modeling of the breast tumor microenvironment accurately predicts chemotherapeutic response

Abstract Background A single neuron cannot think, just as a single hepatocyte cannot filter blood. The functions of the tissues that make up our bodies are emergent, depending on both their constituent cells' internal biology, as well as how they interact with the other cells around them. Tumors are no different. They interact with nearby cells through both mechanical and molecular mechanisms, adapting their own behaviors to suit local environmental conditions, and even hijacking the functions of nearby tissues for tumor-promoting purposes. As such, predicting how a given tumor will grow or respond to treatment requires more than just an understanding of the tumor's intrinsic characteristics, it requires a spatially- and temporally-resolved description of the tumor's shape, its surrounding tissues, and the milieu of diffusible molecules that drive its behavior and interactions. Methods SimBioSys TumorScope for Breast Cancer implements a multi-scale simulation methodology that couples genome-scale metabolic modeling with reaction-diffusion and material mechanics models in order to predict how individual patients' breast tumors will respond to different chemotherapeutic regimens. The simulations explicitly track the 3D morphology of the tumor and surrounding adipose, fibroglandular, and vascular tissues (initialized using pre-treatment MRI images), as well as the concentrations of key nutrients, metabolic byproducts, and drugs as they change over time. The vasculature serves as both source and sink for the modeled chemicals; nutrients and drugs are able to diffuse out of the blood vessels, while metabolic byproducts can diffuse in. The vascular concentrations of the drugs are assumed to vary in accordance with their administration schedules and known pharmacokinetics. At each location within the simulation, the local metabolic response of the tissues to the available nutrients is modeled using flux balance analysis, yielding uptake and efflux rates for each chemical species, as well as local growth rates for the tissues. At the same time, drugs may also be taken up by the cells, leading to cell death at rates that depend on the local intracellular drug concentrations, as well as their pharmacodynamic properties. As different regions of the tissues grow or shrink in response to their microenvironmental conditions, the macroscopic tissues stretch and deform. Results SimBioSys TumorScope for Breast Cancer was retrospectively applied to over 100 patients that received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) culled from publicly-available datasets (via the TCIA). Simulations were initialized with pre-treatment MRI data, and run through the entirety of each patient's specified treatment regimen. Predicted changes in tumor volume and longest dimension were then compared against measured values at several time-points after initiation of therapy, yielding Pearson correlations of over 0.93 for both. Conclusions Through accurate spatio-temporal modeling of drug and nutrient perfusion, metabolic behavior, and the physico-chemical interactions that arise between tissues, the SimBioSys TumorScope for Breast Cancer can accurately predict the response of patients treated with NACT. Citation Format: John A Cole Jr., Joseph R. Peterson, Tyler M. Earnest, Michael J. Hallock, Eduardo Braun. SimBioSys TumorScope: Spatio-temporal modeling of the breast tumor microenvironment accurately predicts chemotherapeutic response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-06-04.

Whistler Growth Rates in the Magnetosphere According to Measurements of Energetic Electron Fluxes on the Van Allen Probe A Satellite

Measurements of the differential fluxes of energetic electrons in the equatorial region of the magnetosphere in the energy range from units of keV to hundreds of keV carried out on Van Allen Probes make it possible to obtain the distribution function of electrons resonantly interacting with whistlers in the VLF range and to calculate the corresponding local growth rates (or increments) of the waves. The article presents the results of the reconstruction of the distribution function of energetic electrons, as well as the direct calculation of the wave increments without any model assumptions about the form of the distribution function. The data from the Van Allen Probe A satellite on electron fluxes in the energy range of 33–143 keV are used, and the dependence of the increment on frequency along the satellite path is calculated. The obtained increment values are compared with the spatial and temporal variations in VLF emissions detected by the satellite. An important feature of the calculated increments is their significant variation during the time between successive measurements of the fluxes, i.e., at times on the order of 11 s.

Shear Flow‐Interchange Instability in Nightside Magnetotail as Proposed Cause of Auroral Beads as a Signature of Substorm Onset

AbstractA geometric wedge model of the near‐Earth nightside plasma sheet is used to derive a wave equation for low‐frequency shear flow‐interchange waves which transmit sheared zonal flows along magnetic flux tubes toward the ionosphere. Discrepancies with the wave equation result used in Kalmoni et al. (2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021470) for shear flow‐ballooning instability are discussed. The shear flow‐interchange instability appears to be responsible for substorm onset. The wedge wave equation is used to compute rough expressions for dispersion relations and local growth rates in the midnight region of the nightside magnetotail where the instability develops, forming the auroral beads characteristic of geomagnetic substorm onset. Stability analysis for the shear flow‐interchange modes demonstrates that nonlinear analysis is necessary for quantitatively accurate results and determines the spatial scale on which the instability varies.

Устойчивость сверхзвукового пограничного слоя на сублимирующей поверхности

Theoretical investigation of the supersonic flat-plate boundary-layer properties under conditions of the surface material sublimation has been performed for Mach number M = 2. Naphthalene (C10H8) was chosen as the substance for the sublimation coating. Performed computations show that with increasing surface temperature due to stagnation temperature increase, the mass flow rate of naphthalene evaporation increases. Calculations performed on the basis of linear stability theory show that such an increase of evaporation leads to a noticeable decrease of the local growth rates of unstable perturbations in the boundary layer. It is found that stabilization of the boundary layer by the surface coating sublimation occurs with increasing temperature of the sublimation coating, reaching a maximum near the triple point temperature of the sublimation material. The carried out experiments confirmed the stabilizing effect of surface sublimation.

A level-set method for the evolution of cells and tissue during curvature-controlled growth.

Most biological tissues grow by the synthesis of new material close to the tissue's interface, where spatial interactions can exert strong geometric influences on the local rate of growth. These geometric influences may be mechanistic or cell behavioural in nature. The control of geometry on tissue growth has been evidenced in many in vivo and in vitro experiments, including bone remodelling, wound healing, and tissue engineering scaffolds. In this paper, we propose a generalisation of a mathematical model that captures the mechanistic influence of curvature on the joint evolution of cell density and tissue shape during tissue growth. This generalisation allows us to simulate abrupt topological changes such as tissue fragmentation and tissue fusion, as well as three dimensional cases, through a level-set-based method. The level-set method developed introduces another Eulerian field than the level-set function. This additional field represents the surface density of tissue-synthesising cells, anticipated at future locations of the interface. Numerical tests performed with this level-set-based method show that numerical conservation of cells is a good indicator of simulation accuracy, particularly when cusps develop in the tissue's interface. We apply this new model to several situations of curvature-controlled tissue evolutions that include fragmentation and fusion.

Entanglement entropy of an annulus in holographic thermalization * * Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (11575195, 11875053 (Y.L.), 11847229 (Z.-Y.X.)), Y.L. also acknowledges the support from 555 talent project of Jiangxi Province. Z.-Y.X. also acknowledges the support from the National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents (BX20180318)

The thermalization process of the holographic entanglement entropy (HEE) of an annular domain is investigated in the Vaidya-AdS geometry. We determine numerically the Hubeny-Rangamani-Takayanagi (HRT) surface, which may be a hemi-torus or two disks, depending on the ratio of the inner radius to the outer radius of the annulus. More importantly, for some fixed ratio of the two radii, the annulus undergoes a phase transition, or a double phase transition, during thermalization from a hemi-torus to a two-disk configuration, or vice versa. The occurrence of various phase transitions is determined by the ratio of the two radii of the annulus. The rate of entanglement growth is also investigated during the thermal quench. The local maximal rate of entanglement growth occurs in the region with a double phase transition. Finally, if the quench process is sufficiently slow, which may be controlled by the thickness of the null shell, the region with a double phase transition vanishes.

3D numerical study of the asymmetric phenomenon in 200 mm floating zone silicon crystal growth

Abstract In this paper, we propose a three-dimensional model for a 200 mm floating zone silicon crystal growth process to investigate the fluid flow and solid–liquid interface. To study the effect of high-frequency (HF) electromagnetic (EM) heating on the melt flow and interface shape, HF-EM and heat transfer calculations were conducted in three dimensions. Through comparison of EM and Marangoni forces, EM force was found to have a larger effect than Marangoni force on the free surface flow. By considering 3D Marangoni and EM forces at the free surface, a more accurate melt flow distribution has been obtained. Moreover, the results showed that local growth rate became more inhomogeneous when the rotation speed of the crystal was increased. However, a more homogeneous three-phase line could be obtained with a high rotational crystal speed.

Using bear rub data and spatial capture-recapture models to estimate trend in a brown bear population

Trends in population abundance can be challenging to quantify during range expansion and contraction, when there is spatial variation in trend, or the conservation area is large. We used genetic detection data from natural bear rubbing sites and spatial capture-recapture (SCR) modeling to estimate local density and population growth rates in a grizzly bear population in northwestern Montana, USA. We visited bear rubs to collect hair in 2004, 2009—2012 (3,579—4,802 rubs) and detected 249—355 individual bears each year. We estimated the finite annual population rate of change 2004—2012 was 1.043 (95% CI = 1.017—1.069). Population density shifted from being concentrated in the north in 2004 to a more even distribution across the ecosystem by 2012. Our genetic detection sampling approach coupled with SCR modeling allowed us to estimate spatially variable growth rates of an expanding grizzly bear population and provided insight into how those patterns developed. The ability of SCR to utilize unstructured data and produce spatially explicit maps that indicate where population change is occurring promises to facilitate the monitoring of difficult-to-study species across large spatial areas.

InAlGaAs encapsulation of MOVPE-grown InAs quantum dots on InP(0 0 1) substrate

Stranski-Krastanow (S-K) grown self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) are considered as an efficient active layer for many optoelectronic applications, such as semiconductor laser, photodetector, due to the possibility to confine carriers in three dimensions. Towards the device application, the subsequent growth of an encapsulation layer is a key step to obtain the desired QDs-based heterostructures. In this work, we have studied step-by-step the encapsulation process of S-K grown InAs QDs/InP(0 0 1) by InAlGaAs (lattice matched to InP) in MOVPE. A detailed investigation with Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging (ECCI) and cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), indicated that after the InAlGaAs capping the partially relaxed, dome shaped InAs QDs are transformed into fully biaxially strained, truncated pyramids however without introducing any defects in the heterostructure. The study also presents the important role of the capping layer thickness on the QDs photoluminescence efficiency. The gradual change of the surface morphology during the encapsulation process, has been investigated step-by-step in-depth by atomic force microscopy. The morphological changes can be explained by a capping model based on the localized growth rates. We show that two growth steps of Non-uniform capping, where growth rates are different from each other, result in the successful planarization of the InAlGaAs capping without forming any defect.

Accelerate stochastic subgradient method by leveraging local growth condition

In this paper, a new theory is developed for first-order stochastic convex optimization, showing that the global convergence rate is sufficiently quantified by a local growth rate of the objective function in a neighborhood of the optimal solutions. In particular, if the objective function [Formula: see text] in the [Formula: see text]-sublevel set grows as fast as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] represents the closest optimal solution to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] quantifies the local growth rate, the iteration complexity of first-order stochastic optimization for achieving an [Formula: see text]-optimal solution can be [Formula: see text], which is optimal at most up to a logarithmic factor. To achieve the faster global convergence, we develop two different accelerated stochastic subgradient methods by iteratively solving the original problem approximately in a local region around a historical solution with the size of the local region gradually decreasing as the solution approaches the optimal set. Besides the theoretical improvements, this work also includes new contributions toward making the proposed algorithms practical: (i) we present practical variants of accelerated stochastic subgradient methods that can run without the knowledge of multiplicative growth constant and even the growth rate [Formula: see text]; (ii) we consider a broad family of problems in machine learning to demonstrate that the proposed algorithms enjoy faster convergence than traditional stochastic subgradient method. We also characterize the complexity of the proposed algorithms for ensuring the gradient is small without the smoothness assumption.

P81. Mitigating distal migration of apex by reducing apical vertebral wedging alongside guided growth technique: active apex compression technique

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Distraction system either cause immense morbidity to the patient by several consecutive and invasive distraction episodes or are extremely expensive and not immediately affordable for a major of patients worldwide. SHILLA procedure, although it doesn't result in consecutive surgeries, there still remains severe complications of loss of correction or reappearance of deformity through crankshafting or adding-on (for eg, distal migration). The main culprit of this complication is the vertebral growth anteriorly at the apex, which mostly remains unmodulated by static fusion posteriorly. The current study presents a modified approach to SHILLA that could help dynamically remodulate, ie, reverse modulate, the apex of the deformity. PURPOSE To determine if active remodulation in the apex of the curve is possible in scoliosis and kyphoscoliosis patients, using a modified SHILLA; APC technique for guided growth. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING A retrospective cohort with paired control group. PATIENT SAMPLE Twenty patients paired as follows: (1) 20 adjacent vertebra; (2) 20 compressed wedged vertebra. OUTCOME MEASURES The convex and concave heights of the wedged vertebra were recorded at the time of the surgery and at follow up, both using CT. For comparison a control vertebra was chosen, whose physical dimensions were in par with the wedged vertebra to record the normal growth rate of the particular duration of follow up and age. METHODS The study consisted of 20 patients with either scoliosis or kyphoscoliosis undergoing an index surgery or revision surgery and demonstrating a clear radiographic evidence of vertebral wedging at the apex. All patients were under 8 years of age with Risser less than or equal to 2, and the major Cobb's angle more than 40°. The surgical procedure involved was a modified version of SHILLA, either using rod to screw (SHILLA screws from Medtronic) sliding mechanism or the analogous rod to domino (4.5 mm rod in 5.5 mm domino) sliding mechanism. In this modified technique, the most wedged vertebra was selected followed by insertion of pedicle screws in the convex side of the vertebrae above and below the wedged one. No screws were put on the concave side of the apex. All surgeries were performed under intraoperative neuromonitor and C-arm. Additionally, no cast or brace were used for these patients postoperatively. The patients were followed for a period of at least 8 months. The convex and concave heights of the wedged and control vertebrae were recorded at the time of the surgery and at follow-up, both using CT. The main difference between a wedged vertebra and the control vertebra was the compression forces being applied at the convex end for the wedged vertebra, with the expectations of reducing local longitudinal growth rate. In the control group no such forces were applied. RESULTS The wedged vertebra demonstrated a 17% average increase (p=0.00014) in the proportion of concave to convex heights ratio, whereas the control vertebra didn't show any relative change in the wedged vertebra heights at the follow ups. CONCLUSIONS Active apex correction, instead of apical fusion in SHILLA remodulates the apex vertebra, which may in turn help mitigate loss of correction on long term due to crankshafting and adding-on. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS Unavailable from authors at time of publication.

In vitro Engineering of a Skin Substitute Based on Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

In the field of wound healing, stem cell-based strategies are gaining importance for their regenerative potential. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are a particular subset of mesenchymal stem cells present in the stromal-vascular fraction of the adipose tissue, today considered very attractive for their relative abundance and accessibility in the human body. However, ADSCs are still not routinely used in normal clinical practice. Several studies have also reported ADSC transplantation in association with biomaterials in an attempt to enhance the local retention and growth rate of the cells. The aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of ADSCs to build a dermal scaffold to be potentially used as a dermal substitute in the field of wound healing, with optimal biocompatibility and mechanical properties. ADSCs were defined as CD90-, CD73-, and CD105-positive cells. ADSCs turned out to be capable of secreting all the main components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) upon stimulation, thus efficiently producing a collagen and fibronectin-containing dermal matrix. We also checked whether the ADSC-produced dermal scaffold could be seeded with keratinocytes. The scaffolding material directly produced by ADSCs has several advantages when compared to the commercially available ones: it is easily obtained from the patients and it is 100% biocompatible and supports cell-ECM interaction. Moreover, it represents a possible powerful therapeutic tool for patients with chronic ulcers since it appears to be potentially grafted with keratinocytes layers, thus bypassing the classical two-step grafting procedure.

Modeling the mass transfer processes in the growth of KDP crystals from solution

Finding the conditions of high-speed single crystal growth with an appropriate quality is a priority for the industrial production of crystalline materials. Crystals of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) are important optical materials, they are grown from an aqueous solution and an increase in the rate of growth and quality of a single crystal is of great practical importance.In this paper, mathematical simulation of hydrodynamic and mass transfer processes in growing KDP crystals is performed. The flow and mass transfer are modeled within the framework of continuous medium, which is considered as an aqueous solution of a special salt — potassium dihydrogen phosphate. This salt dissolves in water to a saturation level at a high temperature. Then, such supersaturated solution is used to grow crystals at lower temperatures in non-flowing and flowing crystallizers. The mathematical model is considered in a conjugate formulation with allowance for mass transfer in the«solution—crystal» system. Local features of hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a solution near the surface of a growing crystal are determined, which can affect on the local (for a particular place and direction) crystal growth rate and the formation of defects. The requirements to the crystallizers that provide the «necessary» hydrodynamics in the solution are discussed. Its validation is shown for the flow around a long horizontal plate simulating the growing facet of the crystal. The rate of precipitation of salt was evaluated by the proposed mathematical model, which matches the calculation of solution flow according to the Navier-Stokes equations for an incompressible fluid with a thermodynamic condition for the normal growth of a face under conditions of two-dimensional nucleation. The action of the flowing crystallizers was analyzed for various solution inflows (axial and ring) and its outflow through the axial bottom hole.

Rural–Urban Gradients and Human Population Dynamics

Rural–urban gradients offer an appropriate ecological framework for understanding relevant social issues to sustainability and policy planning. We tested the hypothesis that human population growth rate at a local scale is indirectly driven by spatial and rurality gradients, which can be applied to cultural landscapes in Mediterranean Europe. The whole of local administrative/spatial units of Spain—8125 municipalities—, previously classified into five categories along a rural–urban gradient, was used as a case study. Several geospatial patterns and associations among local average per capita population growth rate, population mean age, road accessibility, and other environmental and landscape variables linked to rurality gradients were identified by means of geographic information system (GIS) and multivariate statistics. Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between population size changes through time and other demographic and territorial variables. Population growth rate was associated with road accessibility and rurality gradient, supporting the established hypothesis. Short-term population growth or decline was directly driven by population mean age. A visual hypothesized model of local population growth rate based on empirical evidence is presented. The results are useful for decision-makers, from local land management interventions to developing strategies and policies to address the demographic challenge.