bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
U.S. Agro-Climate in 20th Century: Growing Degree Days, First and Last Frost, Growing Season Length, and Impacts on Crop Yields
Authors: Kukal Meetpal S. , Irmak Suat
Published: April 2018

Significant air temperature changes have occurred globally during the 20th century, which are spatially variable to a considerable degree and these changes can have substantial implications in agroecosystem productivity. The agroclimate indicators that are responsible in these contexts are first fall frost (FFF), last spring frost (LSF), climatological growing season (CGS) length, and heat accumulation (growing degree days, GDD). We explore spatial and temporal trends associated with these indices across the continental U.S. (CONUS) during 1900–2014 using datasets collected at 1218 sites. On average, FFF has been occurring later (by 5.4 days century−1), and LSF has been occurring earlier (by 6.9 days century−1), resulting in the average lengthening of the CGS (by 12.7 days century−1). Annual GDD has been increasing by 50 °C century−1. We also report trends for agricultural belts and climate regions. We developed relationships between county-level crop yields vs. agroclimate changes and found that all crops (maize, soybean, sorghum, spring wheat, winter wheat, and cotton) responded positively to a lengthened CGS, while responding negatively to increase in GDD, except cotton. Overall, we find that the observed changes in agroclimate, were beneficial for crop yields in the CONUS, albeit some crop and region specific exceptions.
Sex Differences in Hippocampal Memory and Kynurenic Acid Formation Following Acute Sleep Deprivation in Rats
Authors: Baratta Annalisa M. , Buck Silas A. , Buchla Austin D. , Fabian Carly B. , Chen Shuo , Mong Jessica A. , Pocivavsek Ana
Published: April 2018

Inadequate sleep is a prevalent problem within our society that can result in cognitive dysfunction. Elevations in kynurenic acid (KYNA), a metabolite of the kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation known to impact cognition, in the brain may constitute a molecular link between sleep loss and cognitive impairment. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the impact of 6 hours of sleep deprivation on memory and KP metabolism (brain and plasma) in male and female rats. Sleep-deprived males were impaired in a contextual memory paradigm, and both sexes were impaired in a recognition memory paradigm. After sleep deprivation, hippocampal KYNA levels increased significantly only in males. The response in hippocampal KYNA levels to sleep loss was suppressed in gonadectomized males, delineating a role of circulating gonadal hormones. Circulating corticosterone, which has previously been linked to KP metabolism, correlated negatively with hippocampal KYNA in sleep-deprived females, however the relationship was not significant in male animals. Taken together, our study introduces striking sex differences in brain KYNA formation and circulating corticosterone in response to sleep deprivation. Relating these findings to sex differences in cognitive outcomes after sleep deprivation may further advance the development of novel therapeutic agents to overcome sleep loss-induced cognitive dysfunction.
Reduced Autophagy by a microRNA-mediated Signaling Cascade in Diabetes-induced Renal Glomerular Hypertrophy
Authors: Deshpande Supriya , Abdollahi Maryam , Wang Mei , Lanting Linda , Kato Mitsuo , Natarajan Rama
Published: April 2018

Autophagy plays a key role in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases, however its role in diabetic nephropathy (DN), and particularly in kidney glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) is not very clear. Transforming Growth Factor- β1 (TGF-β), a key player in the pathogenesis of DN, regulates expression of various microRNAs (miRNAs), some of which are known to regulate the expression of autophagy genes. Here we demonstrate that miR-192, induced by TGF-β signaling, plays an important role in regulating autophagy in DN. The expression of key autophagy genes was decreased in kidneys of streptozotocin-injected type-1 and type-2 (db/db) diabetic mice and this was reversed by treatment with Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) modified miR-192 inhibitors. Changes in autophagy gene expression were also attenuated in kidneys of diabetic miR-192-KO mice. In vitro studies using mouse glomerular mesangial cells (MMCs) also showed a decrease in autophagy gene expression with TGF-β treatment. miR-192 mimic oligonucleotides also decreased the expression of certain autophagy genes. These results demonstrate that TGF-β and miR-192 decrease autophagy in MMCs under diabetic conditions and this can be reversed by inhibition or deletion of miR-192, further supporting miR-192 as a useful therapeutic target for DN.
Robust Hydrophobic Surfaces from Suspension HVOF Thermal Sprayed Rare-Earth Oxide Ceramics Coatings
Authors: Bai M. , Kazi H. , Zhang X. , Liu J. , Hussain T.
Published: April 2018

This study has presented an efficient coating method, namely suspension high velocity oxy-fuel (SHVOF) thermal spraying, to produce large super-hydrophobic ceramic surfaces with a unique micro- and nano-scale hierarchical structures to mimic natural super-hydrophobic surfaces. CeO2 was selected as coatings material, one of a group of rare-earth oxide (REO) ceramics that have recently been found to exhibit intrinsic hydrophobicity, even after exposure to high temperatures and abrasive wear. Robust hydrophobic REO ceramic surfaces were obtained from the deposition of thin CeO2 coatings (3–5 μm) using an aqueous suspension with a solid concentration of 30 wt.% sub-micron CeO2 particles (50–200 nm) on a selection of metallic substrates. It was found that the coatings’ hydrophobicity, microstructure, surface morphology, and deposition efficiency were all determined by the metallic substrates underneath. More importantly, it was demonstrated that the near super-hydrophobicity of SHVOF sprayed CeO2 coatings was achieved not only by the intrinsic hydrophobicity of REO but also their unique hierarchically structure. In addition, the coatings’ surface hydrophobicity was sensitive to the O/Ce ratio, which could explain the ‘delayed’ hydrophobicity of REO coatings.
HSP90 inhibitors disrupt a transient HSP90-HSF1 interaction and identify a noncanonical model of HSP90-mediated HSF1 regulation
Authors: Kijima Toshiki , Prince Thomas L. , Tigue Megan L. , Yim Kendrick H. , Schwartz Harvey , Beebe Kristin , Lee Sunmin , Budzynski Marek A. , Williams Heinric , Trepel Jane B. , Sistonen Lea , Calderwood Stuart , Neckers Len
Published: April 2018

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) initiates a broad transcriptional response to proteotoxic stress while also mediating a cancer-specific transcriptional program. HSF1 is thought to be regulated by molecular chaperones, including Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90). HSP90 is proposed to sequester HSF1 in unstressed cells, but visualization of this interaction in vivo requires protein crosslinking. In this report, we show that HSP90 binding to HSF1 depends on HSP90 conformation and is only readily visualized for the ATP-dependent, N-domain dimerized chaperone, a conformation only rarely sampled by mammalian HSP90. We have used this mutationally fixed conformation to map HSP90 binding sites on HSF1. Further, we show that ATP-competitive, N-domain targeted HSP90 inhibitors disrupt this interaction, resulting in the increased duration of HSF1 occupancy of the hsp70 promoter and significant prolongation of both the constitutive and heat-induced HSF1 transcriptional activity. While our data do not support a role for HSP90 in sequestering HSF1 monomers to suppress HSF1 transcriptional activity, our findings do identify a noncanonical role for HSP90 in providing dynamic modulation of HSF1 activity by participating in removal of HSF1 trimers from heat shock elements in DNA, thus terminating the heat shock response.
Bicarbonate supplementation enhances growth and biochemical composition of Dunaliella salina V-101 by reducing oxidative stress induced during macronutrient deficit conditions
Authors: Srinivasan Ramachandran , Mageswari Anbazhagan , Subramanian Parthiban , Suganthi Chandrasekaran , Chaitanyakumar Amballa , Aswini Velmurugan , Gothandam Kodiveri Muthukalianan
Published: April 2018

The unicellular marine alga Dunaliella salina is a most interesting green cell factory for the production of carotenes and lipids under extreme environment conditions. However, the culture conditions and their productivity are the major challenges faced by researchers which still need to be addressed. In this study, we investigated the effect of bicarbonate amendment on biomass, photosynthetic activity, biochemical constituents, nutrient uptake and antioxidant response of D. salina during macronutrient deficit conditions (N−, P− and S−). Under nutrient deficit conditions, addition of sodium bicarbonate (100 mM) significantly increased the biomass, carotenoids including β-carotene and lutein, lipid, and fatty acid content with concurrent enhancement of the activities of nutrient assimilatory and carbonic anhydrase enzymes. Maximum accumulation of carotenoid especially β-carotene (192.8 ± 2.11 µg/100 mg) and lipids (53.9%) was observed on addition of bicarbonate during nitrate deficiency compared to phosphate and sulphate deficiency. Supplementation of bicarbonate reduced the oxidative stress caused by ROS, lowered lipid peroxidation damage and improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and APX) in D. salina cultures under nutrient stress.
Feminizing Wolbachia influence microbiota composition in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare
Authors: Dittmer Jessica , Bouchon Didier
Published: April 2018

Wolbachia are widespread heritable endosymbionts of arthropods notorious for their profound effects on host fitness as well as for providing protection against viruses and eukaryotic parasites, indicating that they can interact with other microorganisms sharing the same host environment. Using the terrestrial isopod crustacean Armadillidium vulgare, its highly diverse microbiota (>200 bacterial genera) and its three feminizing Wolbachia strains (wVulC, wVulM, wVulP) as a model system, the present study demonstrates that Wolbachia can even influence the composition of a diverse bacterial community under both laboratory and natural conditions. While host origin is the major determinant of the taxonomic composition of the microbiota in A. vulgare, Wolbachia infection affected both the presence and, more importantly, the abundance of many bacterial taxa within each host population, possibly due to competitive interactions. Moreover, different Wolbachia strains had different impacts on microbiota composition. As such, infection with wVulC affected a higher number of taxa than infection with wVulM, possibly due to intrinsic differences in virulence and titer between these two strains. In conclusion, this study shows that heritable endosymbionts such as Wolbachia can act as biotic factors shaping the microbiota of arthropods, with as yet unknown consequences on host fitness.
A megawatt-level surface wave oscillator in Y-band with large oversized structure driven by annular relativistic electron beam
Authors: Wang Jianguo , Wang Guangqiang , Wang Dongyang , Li Shuang , Zeng Peng
Published: April 2018

High power vacuum electronic devices of millimeter wave to terahertz regime are attracting extensive interests due to their potential applications in science and technologies. In this paper, the design and experimental results of a powerful compact oversized surface wave oscillator (SWO) in Y-band are presented. The cylindrical slow wave structure (SWS) with rectangular corrugations and large diameter about 6.8 times the radiation wavelength is proposed to support the surface wave interacting with annular relativistic electron beam. By choosing appropriate beam parameters, the beam-wave interaction takes place near the π-point of TM01 mode dispersion curve, giving high coupling impedance and temporal growth rate compared with higher TM0n modes. The fundamental mode operation of the device is verified by the particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation results, which also indicate its capability of tens of megawatts power output in the Y-band. Finally, a compact experimental setup is completed to validate our design. Measurement results show that a terahertz pulse with frequency in the range of 0.319–0.349 THz, duration of about 2 ns and radiation power of about 2.1 MW has been generated.
Understanding the Relationship Between the Neurologic Pupil Index and Constriction Velocity Values
Authors: Shoyombo Ifeoluwa , Aiyagari Venkatesh , Stutzman Sonja E. , Atem Folefac , Hill Michelle , Figueroa Stephen A. , Miller Chad , Howard Amber , Olson DaiWai M.
Published: April 2018

The pupillary light reflex (PLR) describes the response when light hits the retina and sends a signal (cranial nerve II) to the Edinger-Westphal Nucleus which via cranial nerve III results in pupillary constriction. The Neurological Pupil indexTM (NPi) and pupil constriction velocity (CV) are two distinct variables that can be observed and measured using a pupillometer. We examine NPi and CV in 27,462 pupil readings (1,617 subjects). NPi values <3.0 and a CV < 0.8 mm/sec were considered abnormal. Regression was used to clarify the effect of pupil size and repeated measures. An odds ratio of abnormal CV given normal NPi (and vice versa) was computed using the glimmixed (SAS) regression. Of 27,462 readings, 49.2% revealed bilaterally normal NPi wtih brisk CV, and 10.8% revealed bilaterally abnormal NPi and slow CV; 9.1% with unilaterally normal NPi and brisk CV where the opposite pupil had an abnormal NPi and slow CV. The remaining 30.9% revealed that one or both PLR had either a normal NPi with slow CV, or abnormal NPi with brisk CV. Brisk CV does not rule out an abnormal PLR; slow CV does not rule in abnormal PLR. Practitioners should consider these implications when interpreting pupillometry readings.
CPT1C promotes human mesenchymal stem cells survival under glucose deprivation through the modulation of autophagy
Authors: Roa-Mansergas Xavier , Fadó Rut , Atari Maher , Mir Joan F. , Muley Helena , Serra Dolors , Casals Núria
Published: April 2018

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are widely used in regenerative medicine. In some applications, they must survive under low nutrient conditions engendered by avascularity. Strategies to improve hMSCs survival may be of high relevance in tissue engineering. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 C (CPT1C) is a pseudoenzyme exclusively expressed in neurons and cancer cells. In the present study, we show that CPT1C is also expressed in hMSCs and protects them against glucose starvation, glycolysis inhibition, and oxygen/glucose deprivation. CPT1C overexpression in hMSCs did not increase fatty acid oxidation capacity, indicating that the role of CPT1C in these cells is different from that described in tumor cells. The increased survival of CPT1C-overexpressing hMSCs observed during glucose deficiency was found to be the result of autophagy enhancement, leading to a greater number of lipid droplets and increased intracellular ATP levels. In fact, inhibition of autophagy or lipolysis was observed to completely block the protective effects of CPT1C. Our results indicate that CPT1C-mediated autophagy enhancement in glucose deprivation conditions allows a greater availability of lipids to be used as fuel substrate for ATP generation, revealing a new role of CPT1C in stem cell adaptation to low nutrient environments.
Over 15 MA/cm2 of critical current density in 4.8 µm thick, Zr-doped (Gd,Y)Ba2Cu3Ox superconductor at 30 K, 3T
Authors: Majkic Goran , Pratap Rudra , Xu Aixia , Galstyan Eduard , Selvamanickam Venkat
Published: April 2018

An Advanced MOCVD (A-MOCVD) reactor was used to deposit 4.8 µm thick (Gd,Y)BaCuO tapes with 15 mol% Zr addition in a single pass. A record-high critical current density (J
c
) of 15.11 MA/cm2 has been measured over a bridge at 30 K, 3T, corresponding to an equivalent (I
c
) value of 8705 A/12 mm width. This corresponds to a lift factor in critical current of ~11 which is the highest ever reported to the best of author’s knowledge. The measured critical current densities at 3T (B||c) and 30, 40 and 50 K, respectively, are 15.11, 9.70 and 6.26 MA/cm2, corresponding to equivalent Ic values of 8705, 5586 and 3606 A/12 mm and engineering current densities (J
e
) of 7068, 4535 and 2928 A/mm2. The engineering current density (J
e
) at 40 K, 3T is 7 times higher than that of the commercial HTS tapes available with 7.5 mol% Zr addition. Such record-high performance in thick films (>1 µm) is a clear demonstration that growing thick REBCO films with high critical current density (J
c
) is possible, contrary to the usual findings of strong J
c
degradation with film thickness. This achievement was possible due to a combination of strong temperature control and uniform laminar flow achieved in the A-MOCVD system, coupled with optimization of BaZrO3 nanorod growth parameters.
Assessment of Microbial Community Structure and Function in Serially Passaged Wastewater Electro-Bioreactor Sludge: An Approach to Enhance Sludge Settleability
Authors: ElNaker Nancy A. , Elektorowicz Maria , Naddeo Vincenzo , Hasan Shadi W. , Yousef Ahmed F.
Published: April 2018

Several studies have been carried out to understand bulking phenomena and the importance of environmental factors on sludge settling characteristics. The main objective of this study was to carry out functional characterization of microbial community structure of wastewater electro-bioreactor sludge as it undergoes serial passaging in the presence or absence of a current density over 15 days. Illumina MiSeq sequencing and QIIME were used to assess sludge microbial community shifts over time. (α) and (β) diversity analysis were conducted to assess the microbial diversity in electro-bioreactors. A phylogeny-based weighted UniFrac distance analysis was used to compare between bacterial communities while BIO-ENV trend and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis were performed to investigate how reactor operational parameters correlated with bacterial community diversity. Results showed that the removal efficiency of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) ranged from 91–97%, while phosphorous (PO43−-P) removal was approximately 99%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed stark differences in the development of sludge microbial communities in the control and treatment reactor. There was no mention of any studies aimed at characterizing functional microbial communities under electric field and the results communicated here are the first, to our knowledge, that address this gap in the literature.
Syntheses, structures and efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic properties of layered cuprous halides based on two types of building units
Authors: Sun Ai-Huan , Wei Qi , Fu Ai-Ping , Han Song-De , Li Jin-Hua , Wang Guo-Ming
Published: April 2018

The exploration of metal halides driven by in situ N-alkylation of TPT derivatives resulted in three layered cuprous halides, which show narrow band gaps and stable visible light-driven photocatalytic properties.
Engineering active sites on reduced graphene oxide by hydrogen plasma irradiation: mimicking bifunctional metal/supported catalysts in hydrogenation reactions
Authors: Primo Ana , Franconetti Antonio , Magureanu Monica , Mandache Nicolae Bogdan , Bucur Cristina , Rizescu Cristina , Cojocaru Bogdan , Parvulescu Vasile I. , Garcia Hermenegildo
Published: April 2018

H2 plasma generates carbon vacancies on reduced graphene oxide increasing its activity as a hydrogenation catalyst.
Cobalt-doped Zn(O,S)/Ga2O3 nanoheterojunction composites for enhanced hydrogen production
Authors: Abdullah Hairus , Gultom Noto Susanto , Kuo Dong-Hau , Saragih Albert Daniel
Published: April 2018

Cobalt-doped Zn(O,S)/Ga2O3 nanoheterojunction composites with different Co contents were synthesized and characterized.
Thermal stabilization and energy transfer in narrow-band red-emitting Sr[(Mg2Al2)1−y(Li2Si2)yN4]:Eu2+phosphors
Authors: Leaño Julius L. , Lesniewski Tadeusz , Lazarowska Agata , Mahlik Sebastian , Grinberg Marek , Sheu Hwo-Shuenn , Liu Ru-Shi
Published: April 2018

The Li–Si substitution in Sr[Mg2Al2N4]:Eu2+enhanced thermal stability and tuned the emission further gaining insight into the energy transfer mechanism.
Layered double hydroxide/poly-dopamine composite coating with surface heparinization on Mg alloys: improved anticorrosion, endothelialization and hemocompatibility
Authors: Li Hua , Peng Feng , Wang Donghui , Qiao Yuqin , Xu Demin , Liu Xuanyong
Published: April 2018

LDH/PDA/HEP composite coating shows ability of endothelialization and anti-platelets adhesion.
Interference of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles with β2-microglobulin oligomeric association
Authors: Cantarutti Cristina , Raj Gijo , Fogolari Federico , Giorgetti Sofia , Corazza Alessandra , Bellotti Vittorio , Naumov Panče , Esposito Gennaro
Published: April 2018

Citrate-coated gold nanoparticles interfere with the association equilibria of β2-microglobulin and thus inhibit the early events of fibrillogenesis.
Light-induced ATP driven self-assembly of actin and heavy-meromyosin in proteo-tubularsomes as a step toward artificial cells
Authors: Dhir Satarupa , Salahub Sumalee , Mathews Anu Stella , Kumaran Surjith Kumar , Montemagno Carlo D. , Abraham Sinoj
Published: April 2018

In this work we studied the light induced self-assembly of F-actin and heavy meromyosin (HMM) in tubular vesicles or “tubularsomes” during initiation by ATP.
Superconductivity in two-dimensional phosphorus carbide (β0-PC)
Authors: Wang Bao-Tian , Liu Peng-Fei , Bo Tao , Yin Wen , Eriksson Olle , Zhao Jijun , Wang Fangwei
Published: April 2018

The out-of-plane Pz vibrational modes in two-dimensional phosphorus carbide lead to intrinsic superconductivity with a Kohn anomaly.
Highly efficient upconversion emission of Er3+ in δ-Sc4Zr3O12 and broad-range temperature sensing
Authors: Liu Wen , Pan Guo-hui , Hao Zhendong , Zhang Liangliang , Zhang Xia , Luo Yongshi , Zhao Haifeng , Wu Huajun , Zhang Jiahua
Published: April 2018

Bright green upconversion luminescence from Er3+ centers in δ-Sc4Zr3O12 and its crystal structure have been examined.
Simultaneous measurement of Re–Os and S isotopic compositions of sulfur-bearing minerals using a Carius tube digestion-based N-TIMS and MC-ICP-MS approach
Authors: Sun Shengling , Li Jie , Zhang Le , Yin Lu , Zhang Jing
Published: April 2018

This study reports an improved procedure for the simultaneous determination of Re–Os and S isotopic compositions of sulfur-bearing minerals using negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry (N-TIMS) and multicollector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), respectively.
Electrochemically assisted silanization treatment of an aluminum alloy under oxygen pressure for corrosion protection
Authors: Dou Baojie , Wang Yanqiu , Zhang Tao , Meng Guozhe , Shao Yawei , Lin Xiuzhou , Wang Fuhui
Published: April 2018

A silane film was prepared on an aluminum alloy through electrochemically assisted deposition under different oxygen pressure levels.
A novel chemosensor based on rhodamine and azobenzene moieties for selective detection of Al3+ ions
Authors: Mabhai Subhabrata , Dolai Malay , Dey Satyajit , Dhara Anamika , Das Bhriguram , Jana Atanu
Published: April 2018

Both rhodamine and azobenzene moieties have been conjugated to prepare a novel chemosensor for the detection of Al3+ through CHEF-PET and the spirolactam ring opening mechanism.
Complex salts of Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) with Co(ii) and Ni(ii) aqua-cations as single-source precursors for bimetallic nanoalloys and mixed oxides
Authors: Zadesenets Andrey V. , Filatov Evgeniy Yu. , Plyusnin Pavel E. , Asanova Tatyana I. , Korolkov Ilya V. , Baidina Iraida A. , Shlyakhova Elena V. , Asanov Igor P. , Korenev Sergey V.
Published: April 2018

New inorganic compounds [M′(H2O)6][M′′(NO2)4]·2H2O (M′ = Ni, Co; M′′ = Pd, Pt) have been synthesized and used as single-source precursors for bimetallic nanoalloys.
Dicarboxylato platinum(ii) complexes containing dimethyl sulfoxide and triazolopyrimidine as potential anticancer agents: synthesis, structural and biological studies in solution
Authors: Jakubowski Mateusz , Łakomska Iwona , Sitkowski Jerzy , Wiśniewska Joanna
Published: April 2018

N,O,S-donors platinum(ii) complexes were synthesized and well characterized. We demonstrate that modification of coordination sphere by insertion of dmso molecule and bulky triazolopyrimidine ligand is good direction for the design effective less toxic platinum(ii) complexes.
A sensitive calorimetric technique to study energy (heat) exchange at the nano-scale
Authors: Basta Luca , Veronesi Stefano , Murata Yuya , Dubois Zoé , Mishra Neeraj , Fabbri Filippo , Coletti Camilla , Heun Stefan
Published: April 2018

A gold-film thermometer is used to detect the enthalpy release during adsorption of sub-nanogram amounts of hydrogen on Ti-functionalized graphene.
Targeted polypyrrole nanoparticles for the identification and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Jin Yushen , Yang Xin , Tian Jie
Published: April 2018

Early identification and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is very important for improving the prognosis and survival rate of the patient.
Controlled synthesis of ortho, para-alternating linked polyarenes via catalyst-transfer Suzuki coupling polymerization
Authors: Zhang Hong-Hai , Zhu Yu-Xing , Wang Weiyu , Zhu Jiahua , Bonnesen Peter V. , Hong Kunlun
Published: April 2018

A novel class of ortho, para-alternating linked polyarenes is synthesized via catalyst-transfer Suzuki coupling polymerization with Pd2(dba)3/t-Bu3P/p-BrC6H4COPh as initiator.
GIS-based evaluation of groundwater geochemistry and statistical determination of the fate of contaminants in shallow aquifers from different functional areas of Agra city, India: levels and spatial distributions
Authors: Yadav Krishna Kumar , Gupta Neha , Kumar Vinit , Choudhary Priya , Khan Shakeel Ahmad
Published: April 2018

A groundwater geochemistry study was conducted in Agra where 28 samples were collected from shallow aquifers in May 2016 from different sites. The aim of this research was to assess the quality of groundwater for drinking purposes in the study area.
Organic dye-catalyzed radical ring expansion reaction
Authors: Deguchi Masato , Fujiya Akitoshi , Yamaguchi Eiji , Tada Norihiro , Uno Bunji , Itoh Akichika
Published: April 2018

Herein, we reported an attractive method for synthesizing medium-sized rings that are catalyzed by erythrosine B under fluorescent light irradiation.
Metal replacement in perovskite solar cell materials: chemical bonding effects and optoelectronic properties
Authors: Pazoki M. , Edvinsson T.
Published: April 2018

Lead replacements with mono-, di-, and trivalent metals are reviewed and discussed with respect to their resulting optoelectronic properties.
Hierarchically organized honeycomb films through block copolymer directed self-assembly in “breath figure” templating and soft microwave-triggered annealing
Authors: Benoot Nicolas , Marcasuzaa Pierre , Pessoni Laurence , Chasvised Sirikorn , Reynaud Stéphanie , Bousquet Antoine , Billon Laurent
Published: April 2018

Hierarchical polymer films are elaborated from the combination of block copolymer nanophase segregation in “breath figure” templating and microwave-triggered annealing.
Freeze-extrusion for controllable assembly of 3-dimensional ultra-fine and amorphous fibrous matrices: potential applications in sorption
Authors: Mu Bingnan , Li Wei , Xu Helan , Xu Lan , Yang Yiqi
Published: April 2018

High amorphousness, large porosity and good mechanical properties endow fibrous matrices with high sorption ability and reusability.
A stretchable and super-robust graphene superhydrophobic composite for electromechanical sensor application
Authors: Wang Peng , Sun Bo , Liang Ying , Han Huilong , Fan Xiaoliang , Wang Wenliang , Yang Zhan
Published: April 2018

This paper reports a kind of graphene superhydrophobic composite which shows robust resistance to extensive and cyclic stretching, oil contamination, knife-scratch, hand-rub, sandpaper abrasion, heat treatment and corrosive liquid attack. Moreover, this superhydrophobic composite is also a sensitive electromechanical sensor.
FeOx/FeP hybrid nanorods neutral hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis: insight into interface
Authors: Huang Jianwen , Su Ying , Zhang Yadong , Wu Wenqi , Wu Chunyang , Sun Yinghui , Lu Ruifeng , Zou Guifu , Li Yanrong , Xiong Jie
Published: April 2018

The introduction of the FeOx/FeP interface effect not only facilitates the water adsorption and dissociation in neutral HER, but also modifies the ΔG(H*) of FeP, exhibiting remarkable catalytic activity with a Tafel slope as low as 47 mV dec−1.
Dimensional construction and morphological tuning of heterogeneous MoS2/NiS electrocatalysts for efficient overall water splitting
Authors: Zhai ZhangJie , Li Chao , Zhang Lei , Wu Han-Chun , Zhang Lei , Tang Ning , Wang Wei , Gong Jinlong
Published: April 2018

Heterogeneous MoS2/NiS is dimensionally constructed and selectively fine tuned to achieve different morphologies with multi-level interfaces.
The R10Pd21 compounds (R = Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd–Lu). Crystal structure and magnetism of the ‘RPd2’ phases
Authors: Manfrinetti Pietro , Provino Alessia , Sangeetha Nediadath S. , Dhar Sudesh K.
Published: April 2018

The unknown RPd2, for many years expected to be a simple Laves phase, is actually a much more complex compound with stoichiometry R10Pd21.
Absolute up-conversion quantum efficiency reaching 4% in β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ micro-cylinders achieved by Li+/Na+ ion-exchange
Authors: Fan Shaohua , Gao Guojun , Sun Shiyu , Fan Sijun , Sun Hongtao , Hu Lili
Published: April 2018

Absolute up-conversion quantum efficiency (UCQE) up to 4% is achieved in Li+-doped β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ micro-cylinders developed via Li+/Na+ ion-exchange.
Population Health in Pediatric Speech and Language Disorders: Available Data Sources and a Research Agenda for the Field
Authors: Raghavan Ramesh , Camarata Stephen , White Karl , Barbaresi William , Parish Susan , Krahn Gloria
Published: April 2018

Purpose

The aim of the study was to provide an overview of population science as applied to speech and language disorders, illustrate data sources, and advance a research agenda on the epidemiology of these conditions.

Method

Computer-aided database searches were performed to identify key national surveys and other sources of data necessary to establish the incidence, prevalence, and course and outcome of speech and language disorders. This article also summarizes a research agenda that could enhance our understanding of the epidemiology of these disorders.

Results

Although the data yielded estimates of prevalence and incidence for speech and language disorders, existing sources of data are inadequate to establish reliable rates of incidence, prevalence, and outcomes for speech and language disorders at the population level.

Conclusions

Greater support for inclusion of speech and language disorder–relevant questions is necessary in national health surveys to build the population science in the field.
“I Think He Wants You to Play the Guitar:” Use of Behavioral Interpretation as a Strategy for Facilitating Peer Interaction Across Autistic and Nonautistic Peers
Authors: Vidal Verónica , Ernat Carissa , DeThorne Laura
Published: April 2018

Purpose

The study examined the nature and potential impact of a relatively novel clinician strategy, behavioral interpretation, on peer interactions involving an autistic child.

Method

This extended qualitative analysis reviewed 49 instances of a clinician using behavioral interpretation as part of a music education program. The program was designed to facilitate peer interaction across a 7-year-old autistic child. Aaron, and 4 of his nonautistic peers from the same classroom. After reviewing the 21 video-recorded sessions, the research team selected the most salient examples of behavioral interpretation for microanalyses.

Findings

By focusing on a detailed review of the 6 most clear, concise, and compelling examples, we found that behavioral interpretation took 2 forms aimed at helping explain an unclear behavior: narrating (e.g., “I see you looking at strings”) and offering possible meanings (e.g., “I think he wants you to play guitar”). After limited exposure to behavioral interpretation, peers began displaying similar patterns of interaction that drew attention and speculation regarding Aaron's nonverbal forms of communication.

Conclusions

Behavioral interpretation, a relatively undocumented strategy in the autism literature, appeared as a feasible and promising strategy for shaping egalitarian peer interaction. Important nuances regarding the implementation and limitations of this strategy are also discussed.
Systematic Luby transform codes with modified grey‐mapped QAM constellation
Authors: Xu Shengkai , Xu Dazhuan
Published: April 2018

Systematic Luby transform (LT) codes with grey‐mapped QAM constellations over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels are investigated. For high‐order modulations, it can be learnt that the traditional Gaussian approximation method developed for binary PSK (BPSK) is not accurate any more. To improve BER performance of systematic LT codes with grey‐mapped QAM, therefore, presents a novel coded modulation scheme, which only extracts Gaussian alike log‐likelihood ratios for decoding, based on the modified QAM constellation. More importantly, the proposed scheme allows to optimise degree distributions for QAM‐modulated systematic LT codes as easily as for BPSK. Simulation results show that the degree distribution related to the proposed coded modulation scheme can provide outstanding BER performance for systematic LT codes over the AWGN channel.
Lead‐acid storage battery recovery system using on–off constant current charge and short–large discharge pulses
Authors: Mizumoto I. , Yoshii Y. , Yamamoto K. , Oguma H.
Published: April 2018

We report a method of recovering degraded lead‐acid batteries using an on–off constant current charge and short–large discharge pulse method. When the increases in inner impedance are within ∼20% of the initial impedance value, their system will permit discharge times to recover to a level approximately matching their initial time values. In one experiment, when the discharge time of a <5‐year‐old lead‐acid battery used for engine starting had degraded to about 50% of its initial discharge capacity, the authors found that 80% of the initial state discharge time could be recovered and maintained via their method. In a separate experiment, a deep‐cycle battery was forcibly degraded by 12 h of depletion at a constant current of 10 A discharged at a terminal voltage of 10.2 V. The results of that experiment show that use of their on–off constant current charge method for the deep‐cycle battery (recovered at 80% initial discharge time) quadrupled the post‐recovery discharge time in comparison with a battery recovered via constant voltage charge. Taken together, these results indicate that use of their proposed on–off constant current charge system can successfully recover both degraded engine start and deep‐cycle lead‐acid batteries.
Efficient segmentation method using quantised and non‐linear CeNN for breast tumour classification
Authors: Liu Zhongyang , Zhuo Cheng , Xu Xiaowei
Published: April 2018

A new segmentation method for mammography imaging system is proposed. Segmentation of masses is always a difficult problem in radiological image interpretation. Conventional methods such as region growing suffer from their computational complexity and hence can hardly be used for segmentation of high‐resolution images. In order to achieve efficiency in both computational complexity and accuracy, a novel digital cellular neural network (CeNN) based approach is presented for segmentation. The approach is featured with quantisation to significantly reduce the computational complexity and non‐linear template for robustness. After segmentation, a multilayer perceptron classifier is used for feature extraction and classification. Compared with other prior works, the proposed work is able to reduce resource overhead up to 63% and energy consumption up to 41% on FPGA while maintaining only up to 1.5 and 0.6% accuracy deviations for mediolateral‐oblique and cranial‐caudal views, respectively.
Multi‐objective self‐synchronised virtual synchronous generator in unbalanced power grid
Authors: Wang Xiaohe , Sun Dan
Published: April 2018

This Letter proposes a multi‐objective self‐synchronised virtual synchronous generator (VSG) strategy in unbalanced power grid. A second‐order generalised integrator is applied to the traditional VSG strategy to deal with the double‐frequency ripple components. Therefore, the precision of the self‐synchronisation process can be confirmed, and the VSG can follow the power references of both DC and double‐frequency ripple components. On this basis, the power compensation strategy is combined with the VSG strategy to achieve different control objectives. Comparative experimental studies of the traditional VSG and proposed VSG with different targets are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Multi‐segments Naïve Bayes classifier in likelihood space
Authors: Zhao Zhenchong , Wang Xiaodan
Published: April 2018

Naïve Bayes (NB) classifier has shown amazing performance in many real applications. However, the true probability distributions are usually unknown and tend to be quite complicated with high feature dimensions. Incorrect estimation models will decrease classification performance. In this study, a new method named multi‐segment NB classifier is proposed to reduce errors caused by improper estimation models by implementing the classification directly in the likelihood space rather than through calculating posterior probability. The estimation of the conditional probability distribution is treated as a non‐linear projection method which maps the original features into the likelihood space. Then, the mapped data is divided into some successive sub‐segments and the classifier in each segment is trained by the corresponding sub‐dataset, respectively. The discriminant functions are learned through a distance‐measure method instead of a probability‐based way and the parameters of the former classifier are used in the next training process in order to decrease the searching space. Experimental results on benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
MSCS: MeshStereo with Cross‐Scale Cost Filtering for fast stereo matching
Authors: Yao Peng , Zhang Hua , Xue Yanbing , Chen Shengyong
Published: April 2018

MeshStereo (MS) and cross‐scale cost filtering (CSCF) are two most recently celebrated models for stereo matching. On one hand, MS model enlightens for fast solving the dense stereo correspondence problem according to a region‐based opinion. On the other hand, CSCF model could generate more robust matching cost volumes than single scale. In this study, the authors weave these two models together for attaining greater and faster disparity estimation. With CSCF, more powerful initial volumes of matching cost are computed and they are conducted as the data term of MS energy function model. More importantly, the novel‐fused stereo model also draws a closer connection between multi‐scale aggregated and global algorithms. Integrating the advantages of both stereo models, they name the presented one as MS with cross‐scale (MSCS). Performance evaluations on Middlebury v.2 and v.3 stereo data sets demonstrate that the proposed MSCS outperforms other four most challenging stereo matching algorithms; and also performs better on Microsoft i2i stereo videos. In addition, thanks to this novel‐fused model, MSCS requires fewer iteration times for optimising and makes it surprisingly possesses a much faster execution time.
Design and performance analysis of magnetic slot wedge application in double‐fed asynchronous motor‐generator by finite‐element method
Authors: Xiao Yang , Zhou Libing , Wang Jin , Liu Jianjun
Published: April 2018

In this study, an improvement method for double‐fed asynchronous motor‐generators (DFAMG) design with open slots is proposed to reduce the capacity demand of rotor converter for the first time. The proposed method is achieved by decreasing the air‐gap length (AGL) and applying conductive and magnetic rotor slot wedges. The design method of magnetic slot wedges and AGL in large DFAMG is presented. The mechanical analysis of a large DFAMG prototype reveals the necessity of using metal rotor wedges. To precisely investigate the influence of magnetic wedges in DFAMG, a two‐dimensional field‐circuit coupled model is proposed to consider the effects of rotor converter. Several wedge configurations of commercially available products are designed and analysed. The relationships between the electromagnetic properties of rotor wedges and prototype performance are investigated. The feasibility and advantage of the proposed method in DFAMG design are verified. A guidance for applying the proposed method in design improvement of large DFAMG is developed.
Thermal analysis and experimental verification of a staggered‐teeth transverse‐flux permanent‐magnet linear machine
Authors: Zhang Shukuan , Zheng Ping , Yu Bin , Cheng Luming , Wang Mingqiao
Published: April 2018

To overcome the inherent demerit of low power factor existing in transverse‐flux permanent‐magnet (TFPM) machines, a tubular staggered‐teeth TFPM linear machine is presented here. Linear alternator integrated with free‐piston Stirling engines could offer a great potential in a wide variety of applications ranging from solar energy generation to space power supply. The thermal behaviour of the machine is studied using a three‐terminal lumped‐parameter thermal network (LPTN) to solve the problem of temperature overestimation of the traditional LPTN. The determination of thermal resistances and thermal parameters are introduced in detail. The temperatures of various components of the machine under different load conditions are calculated by both the three‐terminal LPTN model and the numerical thermal model. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to study the influence of critical thermal parameters on the temperature rise of the machine. On this basis, the effectiveness of the forced air cooling is investigated. A prototype is fabricated and temperature experiment indicates that there is a good agreement between measurement and calculation.
Diagnosis of air‐gap eccentricity and partial demagnetisation of an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor based on inverse transient complex inductance vector theory
Authors: Liu Zijian , Huang Jin , He Shan
Published: April 2018

On the basis of predecessors, a theory named inverse transient complex inductance vector is proposed for air‐gap eccentricity fault diagnosis of interior permanent magnet synchronous motors, and a specific voltage sequence injection method with simple implementation is proposed here. It is a real‐time visualised diagnostic approach. A unique fault index is proposed to diagnose eccentricities. The absolute value of the fault index is positively correlated with the total eccentricity degree. Three types of artificial eccentricities and one type of artificial partial demagnetisation are tested. Both simulations and experiments match the proposed theory and diagnostic approach. The approach gives a clear distinction in detecting air‐gap eccentricity and partial magnet demagnetisation. It performs best in the low‐speed operating condition.
Adaptive directional overcurrent relaying scheme for meshed distribution networks
Authors: Sampath Kumar Dhivya , Srinivasan Dipti , Sharma Anurag , Reindl Thomas
Published: April 2018

Distribution networks are evolving into active meshed networks with bidirectional power flow as the penetration of distributed generation (DG) sources is increasing. This necessitates the use of directional relaying schemes in these emerging active distribution networks. However, conventional directional overcurrent (OC) protection will not be adequate to protect these networks against the stochastic nature of renewable DGs and the changing network architectures. Hence, this study proposes an adaptive directional OC relay algorithm that determines optimal protection settings according to varying fault currents and paths induced by the DGs in active meshed distribution networks. The proposed algorithm consists of a two‐phase approach that deduces: (i) optimal floating current settings through a fuzzy decision‐making module, and (ii) optimal floating time settings through an optimisation algorithm. Extensive case studies are implemented on the modified power distribution networks of IEEE 14‐bus and IEEE 30‐bus by varying the type, location, and size of DGs. The results validate the ability of the proposed protection scheme to capture the uncertainties of the DGs and determine optimal protection settings, while ensuring minimal operating time.
Risk‐based coalition of cooperative microgrids in electricity market environment
Authors: Lahon Rinalini , Gupta Chandra Prakash
Published: April 2018

This study proposes an energy management framework for cooperative operation of multiple coupled microgrids, in electricity market environment. The framework focuses on a scalable profit maximisation approach across the entire smart grid for coordinated control and management of the coalition forming microgrids and the utility. The optimal control problem only uses the power exchange schedules as control signals between microgrids. Uncertainties pertaining to renewable power generation and load demand are described via scenarios. In this stochastic framework, conditional value‐at‐risk is considered as a risk measure to lessen the danger to which the aggregator is exposed to because of fluctuating power transactions induced by such uncertainties. The framework is further extended to evaluate the impact of cooperative operation on the portfolio returns of participating microgrids over the project lifetime. Several case studies are simulated in‐order to validate the proposed risk‐constrained framework. The results obtained clearly show that the proposed framework is effective in limiting the risk of the profit variability of the microgrids, at the cost of a small reduction in their expected profit.
Multi‐nodal short‐term energy forecasting using smart meter data
Authors: Hayes Barry P. , Gruber Jorn K. , Prodanovic Milan
Published: April 2018

This paper deals with the short‐term forecasting of electrical energy demands at the local level, incorporating advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), or ‘smart meter’ data. It provides a study of the effects of aggregation on electrical energy demand modelling and multi‐nodal demand forecasting. This paper then presents a detailed assessment of the variables which affect electrical energy demand, and how these effects vary at different levels of demand aggregation. Finally, this study outlines an approach for incorporating AMI data in short‐term forecasting at the local level, in order to improve forecasting accuracy for applications in distributed energy systems, microgrids and transactive energy. The analysis presented in this study is carried out using large AMI data sets comprised of recorded demand and local weather data from test sites in two European countries.