bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Issues Surrounding Clinical Exome Sequencing in the Prenatal Setting
Authors: Narayanan Swetha , Blumberg Bruce , Clayman Marla L. , Pan Vivian , Wicklund Catherine
Published: March 2018

Exome sequencing is a clinical diagnostic test offered primarily for children and adults with suspected genetic conditions. The purpose of this study was to explore issues related to exome sequencing in a reproductive clinical setting. This was a qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews. Participants were professionals drawn from four key stakeholder groups—healthcare providers, laboratory/industry, ethics, and government. Transcribed interviews were analyzed for emergent themes. Most participants saw potential clinical utility in offering prenatal exome sequencing for diagnostic purposes as opposed to screening. Participants expressed similar challenges already encountered with using exome sequencing in a pediatric setting, such as difficulty interpreting results and voiced many of the same concerns posed by prenatal testing, such as adequate pretest counseling. While previously reported issues and challenges were mentioned, participants agreed those difficulties are anticipated to be much greater with prenatal exome sequencing because of the scope of testing and the option for pregnancy decision‐making. The results of this study help gain a better understanding of the implications of using exome sequencing in a prenatal setting. Development of guidelines is also warranted to aid clinical practice and laboratory standards for reporting prenatal results.
Xylem embolism refilling and resilience against drought‐induced mortality in woody plants: processes and trade‐offs
Authors: Klein Tamir , Zeppel Melanie J. B. , Anderegg William R. L. , Bloemen Jasper , De Kauwe Martin G. , Hudson Patrick , Ruehr Nadine K. , Powell Thomas L. , von Arx Georg , Nardini Andrea
Published: March 2018

Understanding which species are able to recover from drought, under what conditions, and the mechanistic processes involved, will facilitate predictions of plant mortality in response to global change. In response to drought, some species die because of embolism‐induced hydraulic failure, whilst others are able to avoid mortality and recover, following rehydration. Several tree species have evolved strategies to avoid embolism, whereas others tolerate high embolism rates but can recover their hydraulic functioning upon drought relief. Here, we focus on structures and processes that might allow some plants to recover from drought stress via embolism reversal. We provide insights into how embolism repair may have evolved, anatomical and physiological features that facilitate this process, and describe possible trade‐offs and related costs. Recent controversies on methods used for estimating embolism formation/repair are also discussed, providing some methodological suggestions. Although controversial, embolism repair processes are apparently based on the activity of phloem and ray/axial parenchyma. The mechanism is energetically demanding, and the costs to plants include metabolism and transport of soluble sugars, water and inorganic ions. We propose that embolism repair should be considered as a possible component of a ‘hydraulic efficiency‐safety’ spectrum. We also advance a framework for vegetation models, describing how vulnerability curves may change in hydrodynamic model formulations for plants that recover from embolism.
The Science of Dates and Rates
Authors: Reiners Peter , Carlson Richard , Renne Paul , Cooper Kari , Granger Darryl , McLean Noah , Schoene Blair
Published: March 2018

Geochronology and thermochronology combine geochemistry, nuclear reactions, and technology to probe the history and dynamics of Earth and planetary processes.
Nanoscale membrane architecture of healthy and pathological red blood cells
Authors: Dumitru Andra C. , Poncin Mégane A. , Conrard Louise , Dufrêne Yves F. , Tyteca Donatienne , Alsteens David
Published: March 2018

Red blood cells present a complex cell plasma membrane architecture with submicrometric organization leading to nanomechanical heterogeneities.
The role of amine ligands in governing film morphology and electrical properties of copper films derived from copper formate-based molecular inks
Authors: Paquet Chantal , Lacelle Thomas , Liu Xiangyang , Deore Bhavana , Kell Arnold J. , Lafrenière Sylvie , Malenfant Patrick R. L.
Published: March 2018

The release profile of ligands from copper formate complexes during thermal decomposition influences the morphology and electrical properties of their films.
ZnO as an effective hole transport layer for water resistant organic solar cells
Authors: Chi Cheng-Yu , Shih Chun-Han , Sauter Eric , Das Sandeep K. , Liang Ya-Hsiang , Lien Hsiang-Ting , Chang Sun-Tang , Zharnikov Michael , Tai Yian
Published: March 2018

We report a design of ultrathin, moisture-insensitive, and p-type-like conducting ZnO film serving as a hole transport layer for water-resistant organic solar cells.
Thermally reduced graphene oxide/polymelamine formaldehyde nanocomposite as a high specific capacitance electrochemical supercapacitor electrode
Authors: Ensafi Ali A. , Alinajafi Hossein A. , Rezaei B.
Published: March 2018

Thermally rGO/polymelamine formaldehyde nanocomposite shows good behavior as supercapacitor electrode with 2271 F g−1 specific capacitance in 10 A g−1 with excellent stability.
Tailoring the oxygenated groups of graphene hydrogels for high-performance supercapacitors with large areal mass loadings
Authors: Ma Hongyun , Zhou Qinqin , Wu Mingmao , Zhang Miao , Yao Bowen , Gao Tiantian , Wang Haiyan , Li Chun , Sui Dong , Chen Yongsheng , Shi Gaoquan
Published: March 2018

Hydroxyl-rich graphene hydrogels, HRGHs, were prepared by tailoring the oxygenated groups and used for a high-performance supercapacitors with high gravimetric, volumetric, and areal capacitances at high areal mass loadings.
Rational design of three-dimensional graphene encapsulated core–shell FeS@carbon nanocomposite as a flexible high-performance anode for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Bu Fanxing , Xiao Peitao , Chen Jiadong , Aly Aboud Mohamed F. , Shakir Imran , Xu Yuxi
Published: March 2018

Three-dimensional graphene encapsulated core–shell FeS@carbon nanocomposite have been fabricated based on spatially confined phase separation of MOF and then employed as a flexible high-performance anode for sodium-ion batteries.
Orthogonal photo-switching of supramolecular patterned surfaces
Authors: Wang Dongsheng , Schellenberger Frank , Pham Jonathan T. , Butt Hans-Jürgen , Wu Si
Published: March 2018

Four independent states are orthogonally photo-controlled and switched by ultraviolet, blue, green and red light irradiations on micropatterned surfaces.
Development of small molecule biosensors by coupling the recognition of the bacterial allosteric transcription factor with isothermal strand displacement amplification
Authors: Yao Yongpeng , Li Shanshan , Cao Jiaqian , Liu Weiwei , Fan Keqiang , Xiang Wensheng , Yang Keqian , Kong Deming , Wang Weishan
Published: March 2018

We demonstrate a novel small molecule biosensing strategy by coupling the recognition of aTF with SDA reaction in vitro.
Eosin Y-catalyzed, visible-light-promoted carbophosphinylation of allylic alcohols via a radical neophyl rearrangement
Authors: Yin Yao , Weng Wei-Zhi , Sun Jian-Guo , Zhang Bo
Published: March 2018

An eosin Y-catalyzed, visible-light-promoted phosphinylation-induced 1,2-rearrangement reaction of allylic alcohols to prepare various β-aryl-γ-ketophosphine oxides is presented.
The photo-, electro- and photoelectro-catalytic properties and application prospects of porous coordinate polymers
Authors: Zhu Haolin , Liu Dingxin , Zou Dianting , Zhang Jianyong
Published: March 2018

Since the discovery of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent–organic frameworks (COFs) and zeolite–imidazole frameworks (ZIFs), many of their outstanding properties have been explored such as their large specific surface area, significant gas adsorption, and high catalytic activity.
Oxygen vacancy derived local build-in electric field in mesoporous hollow Co3O4microspheres promotes high-performance Li-ion batteries
Authors: Hou Chuanxin , Hou Yue , Fan Yuqi , Zhai Yanjie , Wang Yu , Sun Zhongyu , Fan Runhua , Dang Feng , Wang Jun
Published: March 2018

Urchin-like Co3O4microspheres were prepared by a hydrothermal and sintering method; oxygen vacancies induce a local built-in electric field to boost battery performance.
Using molecular simulation to explore the nanoscale dynamics of the plant kinome
Authors: Moffett Alexander S. , Shukla Diwakar
Published: March 2018

Eukaryotic protein kinases (PKs) are a large family of proteins critical for cellular response to external signals, acting as molecular switches. PKs propagate biochemical signals by catalyzing phosphorylation of other proteins, including other PKs, which can undergo conformational changes upon phosphorylation and catalyze further phosphorylations. Although PKs have been studied thoroughly across the domains of life, the structures of these proteins are sparsely understood in numerous groups of organisms, including plants. In addition to efforts towards determining crystal structures of PKs, research on human PKs has incorporated molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the conformational dynamics underlying the switching of PK function. This approach of experimental structural biology coupled with computational biophysics has led to improved understanding of how PKs become catalytically active and why mutations cause pathological PK behavior, at spatial and temporal resolutions inaccessible to current experimental methods alone. In this review, we argue for the value of applying MD simulation to plant PKs. We review the basics of MD simulation methodology, the successes achieved through MD simulation in animal PKs, and current work on plant PKs using MD simulation. We conclude with a discussion of the future of MD simulations and plant PKs, arguing for the importance of molecular simulation in the future of plant PK research.
High-density lipoprotein protects cardiomyocytes against necrosis induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation through SR-B1, PI3K, and AKT1 and 2
Authors: Durham Kristina K. , Chathely Kevin M. , Trigatti Bernardo L.
Published: March 2018

The cardioprotective lipoprotein HDL (high-density lipoprotein) prevents myocardial infarction and cardiomyocyte death due to ischemia/reperfusion injury. The scavenger receptor class B, type 1 (SR-B1) is a high-affinity HDL receptor and has been shown to mediate HDL-dependent lipid transport as well as signaling in a variety of different cell types. The contribution of SR-B1 in cardiomyocytes to the protective effects of HDL on cardiomyocyte survival following ischemia has not yet been studied. Here, we use a model of simulated ischemia (oxygen and glucose deprivation, OGD) to assess the mechanistic involvement of SR-B1, PI3K (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase), and AKT in HDL-mediated protection of cardiomyocytes from cell death. Neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes and immortalized human ventricular cardiomyocytes, subjected to OGD for 4 h, underwent substantial cell death due to necrosis but not necroptosis or apoptosis. Pretreatment of cells with HDL, but not low-density lipoprotein, protected them against OGD-induced necrosis. HDL-mediated protection was lost in cardiomyocytes from SR-B1−/− mice or when SR-B1 was knocked down in human immortalized ventricular cardiomyocytes. HDL treatment induced the phosphorylation of AKT in cardiomyocytes in an SR-B1-dependent manner. Finally, chemical inhibition of PI3K or AKT or silencing of either AKT1 or AKT2 gene expression abolished HDL-mediated protection against OGD-induced necrosis of cardiomyocytes. These results are the first to identify a role of SR-B1 in mediating the protective effects of HDL against necrosis in cardiomyocytes, and to identify AKT activation downstream of SR-B1 in cardiomyocytes.
Substrate preferences of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase contribute to enrichment of flax seed oil with α-linolenic acid
Authors: Xu Yang , Holic Roman , Li Darren , Pan Xue , Mietkiewska Elzbieta , Chen Guanqun , Ozga Jocelyn , Weselake Randall J.
Published: March 2018

Seed oil from flax (Linum usitatissimum) is enriched in α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3Δ9cis,12cis,15cis), but the biochemical processes underlying the enrichment of flax seed oil with this polyunsaturated fatty acid are not fully elucidated. Here, a potential process involving the catalytic actions of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (LACS) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) is proposed for ALA enrichment in triacylglycerol (TAG). LACS catalyzes the ATP-dependent activation of free fatty acid to form acyl-CoA, which in turn may serve as an acyl-donor in the DGAT-catalyzed reaction leading to TAG. To test this hypothesis, flax LACS and DGAT cDNAs were functionally expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains to probe their possible involvement in the enrichment of TAG with ALA. Among the identified flax LACSs, LuLACS8A exhibited significantly enhanced specificity for ALA over oleic acid (18:1Δ9cis) or linoleic acid (18:2Δ9cis,12cis). Enhanced α-linolenoyl-CoA specificity was also observed in the enzymatic assay of flax DGAT2 (LuDGAT2-3), which displayed ∼20 times increased preference toward α-linolenoyl-CoA over oleoyl-CoA. Moreover, when LuLACS8A and LuDGAT2-3 were co-expressed in yeast, both in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that the ALA-containing TAG enrichment process was operative between LuLACS8A- and LuDGAT2-3-catalyzed reactions. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that the cooperation between the reactions catalyzed by LACS8 and DGAT2 may represent a route to enrich ALA production in the flax seed oil.
Metabolic regulation of photosynthesis
Authors: Heyneke Elmien , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: March 2018

Photosynthesis is fundamental to biomass production, but is a dynamic process sensitive to environmental constraints. In recent years, approaches to increase biomass and grain yield by altering photosynthetically related processes in the plant have received considerable attention. However, improving biomass yield requires a predictive understanding of the molecular mechanisms that allow photosynthesis to be adjusted. The important roles of metabolic reactions external to those directly involved in photosynthesis are highlighted in this review; however, our major focus is on the routes taken to improve photosynthetic carbon assimilation and to increase photosynthetic efficiency and consequently biomass yield.
Glycobiology of syndecan-1 in bacterial infections
Authors: Aquino Rafael S. , Teng Yvonne Hui-Fang , Park Pyong Woo
Published: March 2018

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) is a major cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan of epithelial cells, a cell type targeted by many bacterial pathogens early in their pathogenesis. Loss of Sdc1 in mice is a gain-of-function mutation that significantly decreases the susceptibility to several bacterial infections, suggesting that subversion of Sdc1 is an important virulence strategy. HS glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains of cell surface Sdc1 promote bacterial pathogenesis by facilitating the attachment of bacteria to host cells. Engagement of cell surface Sdc1 HS chains by bacterial adhesins transmits signal through the highly conserved Sdc1 cytoplasmic domain, which can lead to uptake of intracellular bacterial pathogens. On the other hand, several bacteria that do not require Sdc1 for their attachment and invasion stimulate Sdc1 shedding and exploit the capacity of Sdc1 ectodomain HS GAGs to disarm innate defense mechanisms to evade immune clearance. Recent data suggest that select HS sulfate motifs, and not the overall charge of HS, are important in the inhibition of innate immune mechanisms. Here, we discuss several examples of Sdc1 subversion in bacterial infections.
Glycosylation pathways at the ocular surface
Authors: Rodriguez Benavente Maria C. , Argüeso Pablo
Published: March 2018

Glycosylation is a major form of enzymatic modification of organic molecules responsible for multiple biological processes in an organism. The biosynthesis of glycans is controlled by a series of glycosyltransferases, glycosidases and glycan-modifying enzymes that collectively assemble and process monosaccharide moieties into a diverse array of structures. Many studies have provided insight into various pathways of glycosylation at the ocular surface, such as those related to the biosynthesis of mucin-type O-glycans and N-glycans on proteins, but many others still remain largely unknown. This review provides an overview of the different classes of glycans described at the ocular surface focusing on their biosynthetic pathways and biological relevance. A precise understanding of these pathways under physiological and pathological conditions could help identify biomarkers and novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
Phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ (PI3Kδ) in respiratory disease
Authors: Stokes Clare A. , Condliffe Alison M.
Published: March 2018

Defining features of chronic airway diseases include abnormal and persistent inflammatory processes, impaired airway epithelial integrity and function, and increased susceptibility to recurrent respiratory infections. Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) are lipid kinases, which contribute to multiple physiological and pathological processes within the airway, with abnormal PI3K signalling contributing to the pathogenesis of several respiratory diseases. Consequently, the potential benefit of targeting PI3K isoforms has received considerable attention, being viewed as a viable therapeutic option in inflammatory and infectious lung disorders. The class I PI3K isoform, PI3Kδ (Phosphoinositide 3-kinases δ) is of particular interest given its multiple roles in modulating innate and adaptive immune cell functions, airway inflammation and corticosteroid sensitivity. In this mini-review, we explore the role of PI3Kδ in airway inflammation and infection, focusing on oxidative stress, ER stress, histone deacetylase 2 and neutrophil function. We also describe the importance of PI3Kδ in adaptive immune cell function, as highlighted by the recently described Activated PI3K Delta Syndrome, and draw attention to some of the potential clinical applications and benefits of targeting this molecule.
Altered microbiome in chronic kidney disease: systemic effects of gut-derived uremic toxins
Authors: Lau Wei Ling , Savoj Javad , Nakata Michael B. , Vaziri Nosratola D.
Published: March 2018

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), influx of urea and other retained toxins exerts a change in the gut microbiome. There is decreased number of beneficial bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, an essential nutrient for the colonic epithelium, concurrent with an increase in bacteria that produce uremic toxins such as indoxyl sulphate, p-cresyl sulphate, and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). Due to intestinal wall inflammation and degradation of intercellular tight junctions, gut-derived uremic toxins translocate into the bloodstream and exert systemic effects. In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting a role for gut-derived uremic toxins in promoting multiorgan dysfunction via inflammatory, oxidative stress, and apoptosis pathways. End-organ effects include vascular calcification, kidney fibrosis, anemia, impaired immune system, adipocyte dysfunction with insulin resistance, and low turnover bone disease. Higher blood levels of gut-derived uremic toxins are associated with increased cardiovascular events and mortality in the CKD population. Clinical trials that have examined interventions to trap toxic products or reverse gut microbial dysbiosis via oral activated charcoal AST-120, prebiotics and probiotics have not shown impact on cardiovascular or survival outcomes but were limited by sample size and short trials. In summary, the gut microbiome is a major contributor to adverse cardiovascular outcomes and progression of CKD.
Interleukin-3 stimulates matrix metalloproteinase 12 production from macrophages promoting thoracic aortic aneurysm/dissection
Authors: Liu Chang , Zhang Congcong , Jia Lixin , Chen Boya , Liu Luxin , Sun Jie , Zhang Wenmei , You Bin , Li Yulin , Li Ping , Du Jie
Published: March 2018

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is due to degeneration of the aorta and causes a high mortality rate, while molecular mechanisms for the development of TAAD are still not completely understood. In the present study, 3-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) treatment was used to induce TAAD mouse model. Through transcriptome analysis, we found the expression levels of genes associated with interleukin-3 (IL-3) signaling pathway were up-regulated during TAAD development in mouse, which were validated by real-time PCR. IL-3 positive cells were increased in TAAD mouse aortas, especially for smooth muscle cells (SMCs). IL-3 deficiency reduced BAPN-induced TAAD formation. We then examined the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression during TAAD formation in both wild-type and IL-3 deficient mice, showing that MMP12 were significantly down-regulated in IL-3 deficient aortas. Mechanistically, we found recombinant IL-3 could increase MMP12 production and activity from macrophages in vitro. Silencing of IL-3 receptor β, which was mainly expressed in macrophages but not SMCs, diminished the activation of c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK)/extracellular-regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2)/AP-1 signals, and decreased MMP12 expression in IL-3 stimulated macrophages. Moreover, both circulating and aortic inflammation were decreased in IL-3 deficient aortas. Taken together, our results demonstrated that IL-3 stimulated the production of MMP12 from macrophages by a JNK- and ERK1/2-dependent AP-1 pathway, contributing to TAAD formation. Thus, the IL-3/IL-3Rβ/MMP12 signals activation may be an important pathological mechanism for progression of TAAD.
New measurement matrix for compressive sensing in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Ebian Ahmed , Abdelhamid Bassant , El‐Ramly Salwa
Published: March 2018

Cognitive radio (CR) is a promising solution for an efficient usage of both wideband and narrowband spectrum. Compressive sensing (CS) paradigm is one of the methods that can assist CR to sense the wideband sparse spectrum using a small number of measurements. The implementation of CS depends on utilising a suitable random or structured measurement matrix. To fully enhance CS performance, the measurement matrix should be a full rank and has a small mutual coherence with the basis matrix. According to these necessities, this study introduces a new measurement matrix called the modified regular parity check (RPC) matrix. RPC matrix that is first designed by Gallager technique suffers from the missing of the previous requirements. Thus, a new algorithm is proposed to convert this matrix to a semi‐orthogonal one using the gradient‐descent method with a variable step size. The modified RPC matrix has fixed values for all entries regardless of the number of active CR users relative to the maximum expected number of CR users. The results show that the proposed matrix has a low recovery error without increasing the recovery time compared with Gaussian matrix. Moreover, it achieves a higher probability of detection and smaller probability of false alarm.
Hybrid passive and active approach to tracking movement within indoor environments
Authors: Curran Kevin
Published: March 2018

Location‐aware services enable location intelligence which provides many benefits such as personalisation of communications, consumer analytics, locating a fireman in a burning building or classifying daily activities in the home among numerous other services. Active localisation technology is where a person carries a device such as a phone or beacon which communicates with a nearby wireless access point, whereas passive localisation is where a person does not carry any electronic device but their presence in a room causes a nearby monitoring device to detect them. This is the holy grail of tracking people as they do not need to carry tracking devices. A hybrid tracking approach is where both active and passive tracking techniques can be used to complement each other in tracking individuals indoors. This study provides an overview of an indoor location framework which allows the plugging in of multiple active tracking solutions such as Bluetooth beacons in addition to facilitating passive localisation techniques to provide a flexible hybrid indoor tracking solution for pinpointing individuals in locations and accordingly classify their activities. The authors demonstrate the practicalities of such a technique when used to classify everyday activities of daily life within a typical home environment.
Low‐complexity multiple‐signal joint decoding for overlapped x domain multiplexing signalling
Authors: Lin Peng , Wang Yafeng , Li Daoben
Published: March 2018

By multiplexing waveform mapped with shifting and weighted symbols, overlapped x domain multiplexing (OVXDM) encoding scheme can obtain high spectral efficiency under a low signal‐to‐noise ratio. Though the maximum likelihood sequence detection decoders can obtain the optimal decoding performance, their computational complexities which increase exponentially with spectral efficiency in OVXDM are unbearable for practical implementations. In this study, a low‐complexity multiple‐signal joint decoding (MSJD) algorithm for OVXDM signalling is proposed over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel and extended to frequency selective fading (FSF) channel. Based on a novel joint information‐based metric, the proposed algorithm utilises information of each transmitted symbol contained in multiple received signals, and selects the proper number of received signals for decoding to achieve performance maximisation. Moreover, theoretical analysis is provided for the proposed algorithm in both AWGN and FSF channels, which indicates the relationship between performance and number of received signals under different OVXDM encoding parameters including multiplexing waveform and overlapping fold. Simulation results confirm the superior performance of the MSJD algorithm in terms of decoding performance and computational complexity compared with the present approaches.
Load service restoration in active distribution network based on stochastic approach
Authors: Riahinia Shahin , Abbaspour Ali , Moeini‐Aghtaie Moein , Khalili Sajjad
Published: March 2018

A new stochastic framework is proposed for distribution system restoration (DSR) problem. In this framework, dynamic programming (DP) is used to solve DSR problem for a distribution system that accommodates various technologies of distributed generation units and storage systems. Time and sequence of distribution feeders which should be energised after a blackout are chosen as stages of DP algorithm. In addition, uncertainties associated with the power received from transmission network in the period of system restoration are modelled as some probabilistic scenarios. The complexity of attained optimisation problem is reduced using some state reduction techniques. These techniques enable DP algorithm to reach near‐optimal solution as well as computationally efficient calculation procedure. The proposed restoration framework is applied on a real‐world test system and the results prove its effectiveness and practicality.
Control and operation of a solar PV‐battery‐grid‐tied system in fixed and variable power mode
Authors: Beniwal Neha , Hussain Ikhlaq , Singh Bhim
Published: March 2018

In this work, a simple phase‐locked loop – less control is presented for a single‐stage solar photovoltaic (PV) – battery‐grid‐tied system. As compared to traditional solar PV systems, the system has reduced losses due to the absence of boost converter and a flexible power flow due to the inclusion of a storage source (battery). The synchronous reference frame theory is used to generate the pulses for switching the voltage‐source converter (VSC), while maximum power is extracted from the solar PV array by using perturb and observe‐based maximum power point tracking technique. The inherent feature of shunt active filtering by the VSC has also been incorporated in this system. Test results for the system operation under fixed power and variable power mode are studied on a prototype developed in the laboratory. During fixed power mode, a fixed amount of power is fed to the grid, whereas in variable power mode the power fed to the grid varies. Test results obtained are in accordance with the IEEE‐519 standard. This work is a basis for the upcoming power market, where solar PV consumers can manage the generated electricity and maximise their profit by selling the power to the grid judiciously.
Coordinated consensus for smart grid economic environmental power dispatch with dynamic communication network
Authors: Hamdi Mounira , Chaoui Mondher , Idoumghar Lhassane , Kachouri Abdennaceur
Published: March 2018

Combined economic environmental dispatch problem (CEEDP) is one of the greatest challenges of the future smart grids. It aims at reducing the total cost during the power production process considering the growing environmental impact due to the emission of gaseous pollutants of fossil fuels. This study develops a robust distributed algorithm based on consensus protocols in multi‐agent systems, to solve the smart grid CEEDP with a practical communication network consisting of a dynamic communication network, randomly communication failure, transmission delay and noise in communication channels. The proposed algorithm is fully distributed and cooperative in such a way that it eliminates the need for a central energy‐management unit, or a leader. The performance of the fully decentralised consensus protocol was evaluated on the IEEE 30‐bus and the IEEE 118‐bus test system. A comparison with previous consensus algorithms proves the supremacy of the proposed approach in terms of its robustness under dynamic communication network with randomly link failure.
Optimum recloser–fuse coordination for radial distribution systems in the presence of multiple distributed generations
Authors: Alam Mahamad Nabab , Das Biswarup , Pant Vinay
Published: March 2018

In this paper, an optimum recloser and fuse coordination scheme is proposed in the presence of multiple distributed generators (DGs) in a radial distribution network. The proposed approach formulates the recloser and fuse coordination problem as an optimisation problem and applies interior point method (IPM) to solve this optimisation problem for obtaining the optimum recloser and fuse settings. The proposed scheme gives a single set of the recloser and fuse settings which is robust enough to be able to coordinate the operations of the recloser and fuses properly without and in the presence of single/multiple DGs in the system. The effect of fault current limiter (FCL) on recloser–fuse coordination has also been studied. The proposed approach has been tested on IEEE 33‐bus system for three different scenarios: (i) no DG in the system, (ii) a single DG in the system, and (iii) multiple DGs in the system. Further, the optimum results obtained by IPM have been validated by comparing them with those obtained by modular in‐core non‐linear optimisation system solver, sequential quadratic programming, particle swarm optimisation, harmony search, genetic algorithm, and differential evolution techniques. The test results prove the robustness and effectiveness of the presented scheme.
Developing a two‐step method to implement residential demand response programmes in multi‐carrier energy systems
Authors: Jafari Farshad , Samet Haidar , Seifi Ali Reza , Rastegar Mohammad
Published: March 2018

Expansion of cogeneration technologies, such as combined heat and power units, has boosted the growth of multi‐carrier energy systems. A two‐step method is presented to enable residential demand response (DR) programmes in the multi‐carrier energy systems. In the first step, the energy management system at each home solves an optimisation problem to achieve the desired energy cost and demand schedule for the customer according to received price signals. In the second step, the system operator revises the demand scheduling by running another optimisation problem to minimise the total electrical losses, subject to the operational characteristics of electrical and natural gas systems. In order to persuade customers to participate in the DR programmes, it is guaranteed that the resulted cost of the second step is not more than the desired cost of the customer in the first step. Results of applying the proposed method, incorporating different penetration levels of customer participation in a time‐of‐use programme is studied in a test energy system. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of proposed method in minimising the total electrical losses, improving the operational characteristics of the energy system as well as providing customers' utilities.
Control strategy of DFIG in hybrid micro‐grid using sliding mode frequency controller and observer
Authors: Fu Yang , Zhang Hengyi , Mi Yang , Huang Lingling , Li Zhenkun , Wang Jianhui
Published: March 2018

A doubly fed‐induction generator (DFIG) has a significant advantage of fast dynamic frequency regulation. However, conventional virtual inertia control (VIC) design only takes frequency into account and may face secondary frequency drop during rotor speed restoration. To solve these problems, the novel decentralised control strategy is proposed for a hybrid micro‐grid. Firstly, the load disturbance is considered to enhance control system accuracy, which is estimated by using the state observer based on the dynamic mathematical model. Then, the sliding mode VIC controller is designed by taking advantage of the observed disturbance value and frequency deviation for DFIG output dynamic adjustment according to the conventional frequency control (VIC) model. Furthermore, during DFIG rotor speed restoration, pitch angle control based on the mathematical model is applied for reserve capacity, and a new triggering condition according to the conventional condition is designed, so as to release reserve power at an appropriate time. Finally, the proposed strategy is tested in a typically isolated micro‐grid with diesel and DFIG through a simulation and experiment.
Proposed three ratios technique for the interpretation of mineral oil transformers based dissolved gas analysis
Authors: Gouda Osama E. , El‐Hoshy Salah H. , E.L.‐Tamaly Hassan H.
Published: March 2018

Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) of oil is one of the major diagnostic tools that are used to detect the incipient faults of oil‐immersed transformers through the correlation between the dissolved gases content in transformer oil and a particular malfunction. There are several techniques of DGA to interpret the incipient transformer faults such as Doernenburg ratio, Rogers's ratio, IEC ratio and Duval triangle techniques. This study presents a new proposed technique for transformer fault diagnosis using a new three gas ratios concentration of DGA to overcome the conflict that takes place in the traditional interpretation techniques. The accuracy of the proposed diagnosis technique is verified using practical DGA data obtained from 688 samples that have been collected from different transformers of different rating and different lifespan reported by Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, IEC TC10 and related databases surveyed from actual incident cases. The comparison with traditional DGA techniques showed that the proposed DGA ratio technique has good diagnosis accuracy. It is found that the suggested three ratios technique method has 99.86% accuracy as compared with 85.67% for Duval, 75.08% for Doernenburg, 47.34% for IEC and 39% for Rogers when testing 688 cases.
Investigations into improving the detectability of self‐resonant RFID tags
Authors: Al‐Azzawi Baraa F. , Rigelsford Jonathan M. , Langley Richard J.
Published: March 2018

This study describes an experimental investigation into improving the detectability of self‐resonant structures. Passive self‐resonant structures have been used as an alternative to active devices in many applications including radio‐frequency identification (RFID) due to their long lifetime and low manufacturing cost. They can be used to store information in terms of the presence or the absence of resonance peaks at a given frequency window. This work investigates practical validation of gain enhancement techniques, aiming to improve the resonance characteristics of passive RFID tags to increase their read range and allow them to operate in highly lossy mediums. Two passive resonator designs are studied: a uniform cross‐shaped resonator and a folded (gammadion) cross having a physical aperture 45% less than that of the uniform cross. Arrays of elements have been used to improve the detectability of the structure. Measurement settings have also been investigated in order to achieve higher levels of detectability.
Performance analysis of junctionless DG‐MOSFET‐based 6T‐SRAM with gate‐stack configuration
Authors: Tayal Shubham , Nandi Ashutosh
Published: March 2018

In this work, the investigation of high‐K gate‐stack‐based junctionless (JL) double‐gate (DG) metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) is carried out to study the high‐K gate dielectric effect on six‐transistor (6T)‐static random‐access memory (SRAM) built with JLDG‐MOSFET. It is observed that the utilisation of the high‐K gate dielectric in JLDG‐MOSFETs improves the static noise margin (SNM) that is the stability of the cell as well as access time (AT) which reflects the delay performance of the SRAM cell. Furthermore, scaling down of Lg degrades the stability. Moreover, it is also described that the enhancement in hold SNM (ΔHSNM = HSNM(K =40) −HSNM(K =3.9)), read SNM (ΔRSNM = RSNM(K =40) −RSNM(K =3.9)), and write SNM (ΔWSNM = WSNM(K =40) −WSNM(K =3.9)) is restricted at lower Lg without much enhancement in the improvement of read AT and write AT. Therefore, it is appropriate to consider higher channel length (∼30 nm) while designing high‐K gate‐stacked‐based JLDG‐MOSFETs for the 6T‐SRAM cell.
Statistics of the polarized submillimetre emission maps from thermal dust in the turbulent, magnetized, diffuse ISM
Authors: Levrier F. , Neveu J. , Falgarone E. , Boulanger F. , Bracco A. , Ghosh T. , Vansyngel F.
Published: March 2018

Context. The interstellar medium (ISM) is now widely acknowledged to display features ascribable to magnetized turbulence. With the public release of Planck data and the current balloon-borne and ground-based experiments, the growing amount of data tracing the polarized thermal emission from Galactic dust in the submillimetre provides choice diagnostics to constrain the properties of this magnetized turbulence. Aims. We aim to constrain these properties in a statistical way, focussing in particular on the power spectral index βB of the turbulent component of the interstellar magnetic field in a diffuse molecular cloud, the Polaris Flare.

Methods. We present an analysis framework based on simulating polarized thermal dust emission maps using model dust density (proportional to gas density nH) and magnetic field cubes, integrated along the line of sight (LOS), and comparing these statistically to actual data. The model fields are derived from fractional Brownian motion (fBm) processes, which allows a precise control of their one- and two-point statistics. The parameters controlling the model are (1)–(2) the spectral indices of the density and magnetic field cubes, (3)–(4) the RMS-to-mean ratios for both fields, (5) the mean gas density, (6) the orientation of the mean magnetic field in the plane of the sky (POS), (7) the dust temperature, (8) the dust polarization fraction, and (9) the depth of the simulated cubes. We explore the nine-dimensional parameter space through a Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis, which yields best-fitting parameters and associated uncertainties.

Results. We find that the power spectrum of the turbulent component of the magnetic field in the Polaris Flare molecular cloud scales with wavenumber as k−βB with a spectral index βB = 2.8 ± 0.2. It complements a uniform field whose norm in the POS is approximately twice the norm of the fluctuations of the turbulent component, and whose position angle with respect to the north-south direction is χ0 ≈−69°. The density field nH is well represented by a log-normally distributed field with a mean gas density 〈nH〉≈40 cm−3, a fluctuation ratio σnH/〈nH〉≈1.6, and a power spectrum with an index
βn=1.7−0.3+0.4. We also constrain the depth of the cloud to be d ≈ 13 pc, and the polarization fraction p0 ≈ 0.12. The agreement between the Planck data and the simulated maps for these best-fitting parameters is quantified by a χ2 value that is only slightly larger than unity.

Conclusions. We conclude that our fBm-based model is a reasonable description of the diffuse, turbulent, magnetized ISM in the Polaris Flare molecular cloud, and that our analysis framework is able to yield quantitative estimates of the statistical properties of the dust density and magnetic field in this cloud.
Dynamic models of Wasserstein-1-type unbalanced transport
Authors: Schmitzer Bernhard , Wirth Benedikt
Published: March 2018

We consider a class of convex optimization problems modelling temporal mass transport and mass change between two given mass distributions (the so-called dynamic formulation of unbalanced transport), where we focus on those models for which transport costs are proportional to transport distance. For those models we derive an equivalent, computationally more efficient static formulation, we perform a detailed analysis of the model optimizers and the associated optimal mass change and transport, and we examine which static models are generated by a corresponding equivalent dynamic one. Alongside we discuss thoroughly how the employed model formulations relate to other formulations found in the literature.
Asymptotics in small time for the density of a stochastic differential equation driven by a stable Lévy process
Authors: Clément Emmanuelle , Gloter Arnaud , Nguyen Huong
Published: March 2018

This work focuses on the asymptotic behavior of the density in small time of a stochastic differential equation driven by a truncatedα-stable process with indexα∈ (0, 2). We assume that the process depends on a parameterβ= (θ,σ)Tand we study the sensitivity of the density with respect to this parameter. This extends the results of [E. Clément and A. Gloter, Local asymptotic mixed normality property for discretely observed stochastic dierential equations driven by stable Lévy processes.Stochastic Process. Appl.125 (2015) 2316–2352.] which was restricted to the indexα∈ (1, 2) and considered only the sensitivity with respect to the drift coefficient. By using Malliavin calculus, we obtain the representation of the density and its derivative as an expectation and a conditional expectation. This permits to analyze the asymptotic behavior in small time of the density, using the time rescaling property of the stable process.
Epidemiology, Microbiological Diagnosis, and Clinical Outcomes in Pyogenic Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A 10-year Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Chong Brian S W , Brereton Christopher J , Gordon Alexander , Davis Joshua S
Published: March 2018

Background

Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) is rising in incidence, but optimal methods of investigation and duration of antibiotic therapy remain controversial.

Methods

We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of PVO at an Australian teaching hospital. We included all adults with a first episode of PVO between 2006 and 2015. PVO was defined based on the presence of prespecified clinical and radiological criteria. The main exposures of interest were investigation strategy and antibiotic treatment. The main outcome measures were duration of hospital admission, mortality during index admission, symptom resolution during index admission, and attributable readmission within 2 years.

Results

Of 129 included patients, 101 (78%) had a causative organism identified. Patients with an identified pathogen were more likely to be febrile (75% compared with 29%, P < .001) and had a higher mean admission C-reactive protein (207 vs 54, P < .001) compared with patients without an identified pathogen. However, they were less likely to experience an adverse outcome (death or attributable readmission within 2 years; adjusted odds ratio, 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.13–0.99; P = .04). Open biopsy of vertebral tissue had a higher diagnostic yield (70%) than fine needle aspirate (41%) or core biopsy (30%). Despite receiving a median of 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics, only 15% of patients had a full recovery on discharge from index admission.

Conclusions

Clinical outcomes for patients with PVO were poor. Obtaining a microbiological diagnosis is associated with a better outcome. However, prospective and randomized studies are essential to establishing optimal investigation and treatment pathways.
Spinal Cord Infarction in the Region of the Posterior Spinal Artery After Embolization for Vertebral Artery Dissection
Authors: Tsuruta Wataro , Yamamoto Tetsuya , Ikeda Go , Sato Masayuki , Ito Yoshiro , Takigawa Tomoji , Marushima Aiki , Nakai Yasunobu , Matsumaru Yuji , Matsumura Akira
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

Endovascular surgery for vertebral artery dissections (VADs) carries the risk of spinal cord infarction (SCI). Although SCI in the region of the anterior spinal artery (ASA) has been reported, SCI in the region of the posterior spinal artery (PSA) is rare.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate PSA infarction after endovascular surgery for VAD.

METHODS

Infarction in the region of the PSA after endovascular surgery for VADs carried out in consecutive 21 cases was investigated. The variables of aneurysmal location, status, intra-aneurysmal thrombosis, antithrombotic therapy, and endovascular procedure were investigated in relation to the occurrence of spinal cord or brain stem infarction.

RESULTS

Thirteen cases were unruptured aneurysms, and 8, ruptured aneurysms. The endovascular surgical method was internal trapping in 10 cases, stent-assisted coil embolization in 8 cases, and proximal occlusion (PO) in 3 cases. Periprocedural symptomatic infarction was detected in 4 of the 21 cases (19%): 3 SCIs and 1 lower medulla infarction, after 1 stent-assisted coil embolization and 3 PO. All 3 symptomatic SCIs were PSA infarction. On univariate analysis, the variables of posterior inferior cerebellar artery-involved-type, PO, and intraprocedural proximal flow arrest were significantly correlated with occurrence of PSA infarction.

CONCLUSION

PSA infarction after endovascular surgery for VAD seems not to be a rare potential complication. Insufficiency of collateral blood flow and artery-to-artery embolism due to intraprocedural flow stagnation of the VA seem to be the possible mechanisms of PSA infarction in addition to previously reported mechanisms such as direct obliteration by the embolic materials and extended thrombosis of the VA stump.
GetOrganelle: a fast and versatile toolkit for accurate de novo assembly of organelle genomes
Authors: Jin Jian-Jun , Yu Wen-Bin , Yang Jun-Bo , Song Yu , dePamphilis Claude W. , Yi Ting-Shuang , Li De-Zhu
Published: March 2018

GetOrganelle is a state-of-the-art toolkit to assemble accurate organelle genomes from NGS data. This toolkit recruit organelle-associated reads using a modified “baiting and iterative mapping” approach, conducts de novo assembly, filters and disentangles assembly graph, and produces all possible configurations of circular organelle genomes. For 50 published samples, we reassembled the circular plastome in 47 samples using GetOrganelle, but only in 12 samples using NOVOPlasty. In comparison with published/NOVOPlasty plastomes, we demonstrated that GetOrganelle assemblies are more accurate. Moreover, we assembled complete mitogenomes of fungi and animals using GetOrganelle. GetOrganelle is freely released under a GPL-3 license (https://github.com/Kinggerm/GetOrganelle).