bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Precipitation on Land Interfacility Transport Times
Authors: Giang Wayne C. W. , Donmez Birsen , Ahghari Mahvareh , MacDonald Russell D.
Published: November 2014

Introduction

Timely transfer of patients among facilities within a regionalized critical-care system remains a large obstacle to effective patient care. For medical transport systems where dispatchers are responsible for planning these interfacility transfers, accurate estimates of interfacility transfer times play a large role in planning and resource-allocation decisions. However, the impact of adverse weather conditions on transfer times is not well understood.

Hypothesis/Problem

Precipitation negatively impacts driving conditions and can decrease free-flow speeds and increase travel times. The objective of this research was to quantify and model the effects of different precipitation types on land travel times for interfacility patient transfers. It was hypothesized that the effects of precipitation would accumulate as the distance of the transfer increased, and they would differ based on the type of precipitation.

Methods

Urgent and emergent interfacility transfers carried out by the medical transport system in Ontario from 2005 through 2011 were linked to Environment Canada's (Gatineau, Quebec, Canada) climate data. Two linear models were built to estimate travel times based on precipitation type and driving distance: one for transfers between cities (intercity) and another for transfers within a city (intracity).

Results

Precipitation affected both transfer types. For intercity transfers, the magnitude of the delays increased as driving distance increased. For median-distance intercity transfers (48 km), snow produced delays of approximately 9.1% (3.1 minutes), while rain produced delays of 8.4% (2.9 minutes). For intracity transfers, the magnitude of delays attributed to precipitation did not depend on distance driven. Transfers in rain were 8.6% longer (1.7 minutes) compared to no precipitation, whereas only statistically marginal effects were observed for snow.

Conclusion

Precipitation increases the duration of interfacility land ambulance travel times by eight percent to ten percent. For transfers between cities, snow is associated with the longest delays (versus rain), but for transfers within a single city, rain is associated with the longest delays.

GiangWCW, DonmezB, AhghariM, MacDonaldRD. The impact of precipitation on land interfacility transport times. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(6):1-7.
Hyperbaric oxygen for long-term complications of radiation cystitis
Authors: Ferreira Carlos , Reis Frederico , Correia Tiago , Cardoso André , Cerqueira Manuel , Almeida Martinho , Prisco Rui , Camacho Oscar
Published: November 2014

Introduction

Bladder complications may be seen in up to 12% of patients treated with pelvic irradiation. To report the long-term efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on radiation-induced cystitis.

Methods

We followed 70 patients diagnosed with radiation cystitis submitted to HBOT in our institution from 2007 to 2013. All patients answered a questionnaire documenting symptom severity pre-HBOT and at the end of the follow-up period using the Late Effects of Normal Tissues – Subjective, Objective, Management, Analytical (LENT-SOMA) scale. Our treatment protocol consisted of multiple sessions (median of 40) of 100% oxygen delivery in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber at 2·4 atm for 80 minutes.

Results

With a median follow-up of 55·5 (4–85) months, the success rate after the follow-up period in terms of haematuria resolution or improvement was 91·4%. The mean score of each subjective variable of LENT-SOMA scale (dysuria, frequency, haematuria, incontinence) were significantly lower after the follow-up period (p<0·05) with the exception of decreased stream (p=0·14). The sum of all subjective scores of LENT-SOMA scale was also significantly lower after the follow-up period (p<0·05). No serious complications were observed.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the safety and long-term benefits of HBOT on haemorrhagic radiation cystitis and other distressful bladder symptoms.
Patterns of Ministry of Clergy Married to Clergy in the Church of England
Authors: Collingridge Susie
Published: November 2014

This article argues that for good practice, well-being and fruitful ministry, decisions by and about clergy married to clergy (CMC) in the Church of England require a clear quantitative picture of their ministry, and offers such a picture in early 2013 drawn primarily from published data, compared with national Church of England statistics. Over 26 per cent more clergy dyads were found than previously thought, with many active in ministry. A wide variety of ministry patterns were identified, including a higher than normal percentage in non-parochial roles, supporting previous research noting high levels of boundary enmeshment and absorptiveness. Considerable gender inequality prevailed in shared parochial settings in spite of women having been ordained priest for nearly 20 years, with very few wives holding more senior positions than their husbands, while female CMC are more likely to be dignitaries than other ordained women.
Separating sensitivity from exposure in assessing extinction risk from climate change
Authors: Dickinson Maria G. , Orme C. David L. , Suttle K. Blake , Mace Georgina M.
Published: November 2014

Predictive frameworks of climate change extinction risk generally focus on the magnitude of climate change a species is expected to experience and the potential for that species to track suitable climate. A species' risk of extinction from climate change will depend, in part, on the magnitude of climate change the species experiences, its exposure. However, exposure is only one component of risk. A species' risk of extinction will also depend on its intrinsic ability to tolerate changing climate, its sensitivity. We examine exposure and sensitivity individually for two example taxa, terrestrial amphibians and mammals. We examine how these factors are related among species and across regions and how explicit consideration of each component of risk may affect predictions of climate change impacts. We find that species' sensitivities to climate change are not congruent with their exposures. Many highly sensitive species face low exposure to climate change and many highly exposed species are relatively insensitive. Separating sensitivity from exposure reveals patterns in the causes and drivers of species' extinction risk that may not be evident solely from predictions of climate change. Our findings emphasise the importance of explicitly including sensitivity and exposure to climate change in assessments of species' extinction risk.
ABCB4 is frequently epigenetically silenced in human cancers and inhibits tumor growth
Authors: Kiehl Steffen , Herkt Stefanie C. , Richter Antje M. , Fuhrmann Liesa , El-Nikhely Nefertiti , Seeger Werner , Savai Rajkumar , Dammann Reinhard H.
Published: November 2014

Epigenetic silencing through promoter hypermethylation is an important hallmark for the inactivation of tumor-related genes in carcinogenesis. Here we identified the ATP-binding cassette sub-family B member 4 (ABCB4) as a novel epigenetically silenced target gene. We investigated the epigenetic regulation of ABCB4 in 26 human lung, breast, skin, liver, head and neck cancer cells lines and in primary cancers by methylation and expression analysis. Hypermethylation of the ABCB4 CpG island promoter occurred in 16 out of 26 (62%) human cancer cell lines. Aberrant methylation of ABCB4 was also revealed in 39% of primary lung cancer and in 20% of head and neck cancer tissues. In 37% of primary lung cancer samples, ABCB4 expression was absent. For breast cancer a significant hypermethylation occurred in tumor tissues (41%) compared to matching normal samples (0%, p = 0.002). Silencing of ABCB4 was reversed by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and zebularine treatments leading to its reexpression in cancer cells. Overexpression of ABCB4 significantly suppressed colony formation and proliferation of lung cancer cells. Hypermethylation of Abcb4 occurred also in murine cancer, but was not found in normal tissues. Our findings suggest that ABCB4 is a frequently silenced gene in different cancers and it may act tumor suppressivly in lung cancer.
Plasmonic black metals via radiation absorption by two-dimensional arrays of ultra-sharp convex grooves
Authors: Beermann Jonas , Eriksen René L. , Holmgaard Tobias , Pedersen Kjeld , Bozhevolnyi Sergey I.
Published: November 2014

Plasmonic black surfaces formed by two-dimensional arrays of ultra-sharp convex metal grooves, in which the incident radiation is converted into gap surface plasmon polaritons (GSPPs) and subsequently absorbed (via adiabatic nanofocusing), are fabricated and investigated experimentally for gold, nickel and palladium, using scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy and reflection spectroscopy for their characterization. Absolute reflectivity spectra obtained for all fabricated arrays demonstrate very efficient and broadband absorption of unpolarized light exceeding the level of 95%, averaged over the investigated wavelength range of 400–985 nm. The highest averaged absorption level (~97%) is achieved with 250-nm-period arrays in palladium that also has the highest melting temperature (~1552°C), promising thereby potential applications for broadband absorption, e.g., within thermophotovoltaics. For one-dimensional arrays, GSPPs are excited only with the electric field polarized perpendicular to the groove orientation, resulting in 94–96% absorption of the appropriately polarized light for the arrays in nickel and palladium while featuring practically flat surface reflectivity spectra for the orthogonal polarization. The largest ratio (~10.7) between averaged reflectivities for orthogonal polarizations is achieved with the groove arrays in palladium, pointing thereby towards applications as broadband and low-dispersion linear polarizers operating in reflection, e.g., within ultra-fast optics.
A netlike rolling circle nucleic acid amplification technique
Authors: Zhu Xiaoli , Feng Chang , Zhang Bin , Tong Hui , Gao Tao , Li Genxi
Published: November 2014

An isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique termed as netlike rolling circle amplification is proposed. Dense and uniform network morphology of amplified products is first observed, suggesting the ultrahigh amplification efficiency.
Detection of Fe(iii) and bio-copper in human serum based on fluorescent AuAg nanoclusters
Authors: Zhao Qian , Chen Shenna , Zhang Lingyang , Huang Haowen
Published: November 2014

Successive detection of Fe3+ and Cu2+ based on the quenching and recovery of the fluorescence of AuAg NCs by the use of chelants.
Three-dimensionalization of ultrathin nanosheets in a two-dimensional nano-reactor: macroporous CuO microstructures with enhanced cycling performance
Authors: Jin Chuan-Yin , Hu Ming , Cheng Xun-Liang , Bu Fan-Xing , Xu Li , Zhang Qing-Hong , Jiang Ji-Sen
Published: November 2014

Three-dimensional (3D) macroporous CuO structures composed of ultrathin nanosheets with enhanced long term cycling performance were successfully synthesized by employing a liquid–liquid interface as a two-dimensional (2D) nano-reactor.
Synthesis of shape-controlled La2NiO4+δ nanostructures and their anisotropic properties for oxygen diffusion
Authors: Ma X. , Wang B. , Xhafa E. , Sun K. , Nikolla E.
Published: November 2014

Control over the shape of La2NiO4+δ nanostructures using a reverse microemulsion method and the effect on their oxygen diffusion properties.
Direct asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto acids by using the highly efficient chiral spiro iridium catalysts
Authors: Yan Pu-Cha , Xie Jian-Hua , Zhang Xiang-Dong , Chen Kang , Li Yuan-Qiang , Zhou Qi-Lin , Che Da-Qing
Published: November 2014

The Ir/SpiroPAP catalyzed direct asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto acids under mild reaction conditions has been developed.
Single-molecule analysis of the self-assembly process facilitated by host–guest interactions
Authors: Meng Fu-Na , Yao Xuyang , Ying Yi-Lun , Zhang Junji , Tian He , Long Yi-Tao
Published: November 2014

The self-assembly process operated by para-sulfonatocalix[6]arenes and methyl viologen was analyzed at the single-molecule level through an α-hemolysin nanopore.
Modified secondary lithium metal batteries with the polyaniline–carbon nanotube composite buffer layer
Authors: Zhang Ding , Yin Yanli , Liu Changhong , Fan Shoushan
Published: November 2014

A PANI–CNT-film modified Li metal battery results in a new secondary battery with notably improved electrochemical performances and safe reliability.
Structural diversity and magnetic properties of three metal–organic frameworks assembled from a T-shaped linker
Authors: Wang Jing , Jing Xuemin , Cao Yu , Li Guanghua , Huo Qisheng , Liu Yunling
Published: November 2014

Three helical metal–organic frameworks were solvothermally synthesized by reacting a T-shaped linker, 2,2′-bipyridyl-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid ligand with transition metals, and the magnetic properties of the compounds were studied.
Yttrium hydroxide fluoride based monodisperse mesocrystals: additive-free synthesis, enhanced fluorescence properties, and potential applications in temperature sensing
Authors: He Xianghong , Yan Bing
Published: November 2014

Fluorine-containing monodisperse mesocrystals constructed by nanorods were synthesized via an additive-free hydrothermal route and Eu3+was successfully incorporated into the yttrium hydroxide fluoride host lattice.
New evidence of a thermodynamically stable nanophase: CdS in 4 M KOH–tert-butanol solution
Authors: Zheng Jinsheng , Xue Xiaogang , Li Dongsong , Zhao Yibing
Published: November 2014

Thermodynamically stable nanophases have been confirmed as an important technical means of nano-synthesis.
Will it crystallise? Predicting crystallinity of molecular materials
Authors: Wicker Jerome G. P. , Cooper Richard I.
Published: November 2014

Machine learning algorithms can be used to create models which separate molecular materials which will form good-quality crystals from those that will not, and predict how synthetic modifications will change the crystallinity.
Depth-selective microscopic observation of a photomobile liquid crystal polymer under UV illumination
Authors: Katayama Kenji , Choi Youngwoon , Kang Jeon Woong , Yaqoob Zahid , So Peter T. C. , Fujii Tomomi , Kuwahara Shota , Takado Kiyohide , Ikeda Tomiki
Published: November 2014

Molecular ordering inside a photomobile liquid crystal film was anisotropically induced by UV illumination, revealed by a brand-new microscopic technique.
Structures and optical properties of two phases of SrMgF4
Authors: Yelisseyev Alexander P. , Jiang Xingxing , Isaenko Ludmila I. , Kang Lei , Bai Lei , Lin Zheshuai , Goloshumova Alina A. , Lobanov Sergei I. , Naumov Dmitry Y.
Published: November 2014

The structures and optical properties of SrMgF4are investigated by spectroscopic experiments and first-principles calculations.
Modulating the phase transition between metallic and semiconducting single-layer MoS2 and WS2 through size effects
Authors: Hu Ziyu , Zhang Shengli , Zhang Yan-Ning , Wang Da , Zeng Haibo , Liu Li-Min
Published: November 2014

The first-principles calculations are performed to investigate the electronic properties and atomic mechanism of the single layer MoS2 or WS2 homo-junction structure.
Partial hydrogenation of acetylene over a NiTi-layered double hydroxide supported PdAg catalyst
Authors: Liu Y. N. , Feng J. T. , He Y. F. , Sun J. H. , Li D. Q.
Published: November 2014

Supported PdAg/NiTi-LDH with rich defective sites was synthesized and exhibited high activity and selectivity in the partial hydrogenation of acetylene.
Plasmon-enhanced reverse water gas shift reaction over oxide supported Au catalysts
Authors: Upadhye Aniruddha A. , Ro Insoo , Zeng Xu , Kim Hyung Ju , Tejedor Isabel , Anderson Marc A. , Dumesic James A. , Huber George W.
Published: November 2014

Visible light driven plasmon-enhanced reverse water gas shift reaction over Au/TiO2catalysts for CO2conversion.
Self-assembled synthesis of hierarchical Zn2GeO4 core–shell microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity
Authors: Zhao Weiwei , Zhang Chao , Shi Yanmei , Wu Rui , Zhang Bin
Published: November 2014

Hierarchical Zn2GeO4 core–shell microspheres exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability towards photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants.
Tetraphenylborate versus tetraimidazolylborate as counterions for cationic iridium(iii) complexes: enhanced electrochemical stabilities and electroluminescence
Authors: Ma Dongxin , Duan Lian , Qiu Yong
Published: November 2014

Tetraimidazolylborate is first used as the counterion of cationic iridium complexes to improve both electrochemical stabilities and device performance.
Radiometals: towards a new success story in nuclear imaging?
Authors: Brasse David , Nonat Aline
Published: November 2014

The use of radiometal isotopes in positron emission tomography: a new success story in nuclear imaging?
Reactivity of ytterbium(ii) silylamide supported by a pyrrolyl–cyclopentadienyl ligand
Authors: Li Jianfeng , Hao Jingjun , Cui Chunming
Published: November 2014

Diverse and high reactivity of a divalent ytterbium amide with the labile pyrrolyl π arm has been demonstrated.
Synthesis, structure and reactivity study of magnesium amidinato complexes derived from carbodiimides and N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1,4-diaza-butadiene ligands
Authors: Anga Srinivas , Bhattacharjee Jayeeta , Harinath Adimulam , Panda Tarun K.
Published: November 2014

A series of amidinato ligand supported magnesium complexes derived from the insertion of Mg–C bond into the carbon–nitrogen double bond of different carbodiimides (RNCNR) (R = Cy,iPr,tBu) and Dipp2DAD ligand.
Probing electronic and vibrational dynamics in molecules by time-resolved photoelectron, Auger-electron, and X-ray photon scattering spectroscopy
Authors: Bennett Kochise , Kowalewski Markus , Mukamel Shaul
Published: November 2014

We present a unified description for time-resolved electron and photon scattering spectroscopies from molecules prepared in nonstationary states. Signals are expressed in terms of superoperator Green's functions and a systematic procedure for treating various degrees of freedom consistently at different levels of theory is developed. The standard Fermi Golden Rule expressions for photoelectron spectra, which are limited to broad, slowly-varying signals, are obtained as a limiting case of our more general theory that applies to broader parameter regimes.
Odd–even effect in a thiazole based organogelator: understanding the interplay of non-covalent interactions on property and applications
Authors: Yadav Priyanka , Ballabh Amar
Published: November 2014

The effects of systematic change in the alkyl chain appended to the thiazole moiety on supramolecular gelation and nanoparticle synthesis were investigated.
Electrostatic complementarity in pseudoreceptor modeling based on drug molecule crystal structures: the case of loxistatin acid (E64c)
Authors: Shi Ming W. , Sobolev Alexandre N. , Schirmeister Tanja , Engels Bernd , Schmidt Thomas C. , Luger Peter , Mebs Stefan , Dittrich Birger , Chen Yu-Sheng , Bąk Joanna M. , Jayatilaka Dylan , Bond Charles S. , Turner Michael J. , Stewart Scott G. , Spackman Mark A. , Grabowsky Simon
Published: November 2014

A combination of pseudoreceptor modeling and electrostatic complementarity maps properties of a native pocket for an enzyme ligand.
Efficient synthesis of diverse well-defined functional polypropylenes with high molecular weights and high functional group contents via thiol–halogen click chemistry
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yan , Li Yan-Guo , Mu Hong-Liang , Pan Li , Li Yue-Sheng
Published: November 2014

Originating from the reactive halogenated iPPs, diverse side-group and graft functionalized polypropylenes were synthesized via thiol–halogen nucleophilic substitution click chemistry.
Dandelion-like cobalt hydroxide nanostructures: morphological evolution, soft template effect and supercapacitive application
Authors: Li Chen , Zhang Xiong , Wang Kai , Zhang Haitao , Sun Xianzhong , Ma Yanwei
Published: November 2014

A facile one-pot water bath method has been proposed to synthesize cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)2) nanodandelions with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as soft template.
Ultrafast exciton quenching by energy and electron transfer in colloidal CdSe nanosheet–Pt heterostructures
Authors: Wu Kaifeng , Li Qiuyang , Du Yongling , Chen Zheyuan , Lian Tianquan
Published: November 2014

Large in-plane exciton mobility in CdSe nanosheets leads to ultrafast exciton quenching by energy transfer to Pt.
Electrocatalytically active cobalt-based metal–organic framework with incorporated macroporous carbon composite for electrochemical applications
Authors: Zhang Yufan , Bo Xiangjie , Nsabimana Anaclet , Han Ce , Li Mian , Guo Liping
Published: November 2014

Preparation of novel cobalt-based MOFs with incorporated macroporous carbon composite for enhanced electrocatalytic ability for hydrazine and nitrobenzene.
A rational construction of microporous imide-bridged covalent–organic polytriazines for high-enthalpy small gas absorption
Authors: Wu Shaofei , Gu Shuai , Zhang Aiqing , Yu Guipeng , Wang Zhonggang , Jian Jigao , Pan Chunyue
Published: November 2014

This paper presents a facile and efficient method for the construction of microporous imide functionalized 1,3,5-triazine frameworks (TPIs@IC), which exhibit high sorption capacities of CO2, CH4and H2, showing potential for small gas separation and recovery.
Highly sensitive and selective detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol using covalent-organic polymer luminescent probes
Authors: Sang Nannan , Zhan Chuanxing , Cao Dapeng
Published: November 2014

We have synthesized two luminescent covalent-organic polymers (COPs), which could be considered as promising luminescent probes for highly sensitive and selective detection of nitroaromatic explosives, especially for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol.
Synthesis of MoS2/SrTiO3 composite materials for enhanced photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation
Authors: Liu Jiahui , Zhang Li , Li Naixu , Tian Qingwen , Zhou Jiancheng , Sun Yueming
Published: November 2014

A novel composite material MoS2/SrTiO3 can show the excellent photocatalytic activity with the degradation rate as high as 99.81%.
Strategic bargaining in wireless networks: basics, opportunities and challenges
Authors: Yang Chungang , Li Jiandong , Anpalagan Alagan
Published: November 2014

Strategic bargaining cooperative games have found extensive applications to resource management in wireless networks. In this survey, basics of a strategic bargaining game and solution concepts are firstly presented. Geometrical interpretations are introduced to better understand real meanings of them. Then, the authors survey the applications of various strategic bargaining games for the emerging wireless networks, where the authors concentrate on several interesting problems based on their previous systematic studies: (i) distributed resource management design for cognitive radio networks based on geometrical interpretation of the cooperative solution; (ii) asymmetric bargaining modelling for green communications; (iii) a unified utility tradeoff design between spectral and energy efficiency in heterogeneous cellular networks; (iv) the cooperative rate splitting game for Long Term Evolution‐coordinated multi‐point system; and (v) a general bargaining formulation with different tradeoffs between efficiency and fairness. In addition, the authors survey the applications of strategic bargaining games to cooperation incentive mechanism, bargaining game on capacity region of interference channel and multiuser and multimedia applications. Finally, challenges and potential research direction are summarised in this work.
Convex optimisation‐based joint channel and power allocation scheme for orthogonal frequency division multiple access networks
Authors: Liu Peng , Li Jiandong , Li Hongyan , Meng Yun
Published: November 2014

This study concerns joint channel and power allocation scheme for multi‐user orthogonal frequency division multiple access system. The author's highlight is margin adaptive (MA) resource allocation problem namely minimising the total transmit power of users with rate requirement constraints. MA is generally provable NP‐hard; the typical methods are either to relax and round, or to fix the transmission mode of users (e.g. modulation and coding). Differently, they reorganise MA problem with only power variables left and design a novel relaxation scheme to enable the convexity. The polynomial‐time algorithm‐interior‐point method‐is employed to solve the relaxation problem and the theoretical complexity is further presented. Simulation results demonstrate that the author's scheme can provide high energy efficiency compared with the existing methods, 100% relative error bounds with respect to the optimum in most cases, and low computational complexity.
Diversity‐multiplexing trade‐off of linear dispersion coded multi‐input–multi‐output systems
Authors: Kuhestani Ali , Mohammadi Abbas
Published: November 2014

In this study, the authors study the diversity‐multiplexing trade‐off (DMT) of multi‐input–multi‐output (MIMO) systems in which linear dispersion (LD) codes are used. They first focus on an LD‐coded 2 × 2 MIMO systems at the high signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) regime. By using the joint eigenvalue density, the outage probability is presented in a very compact expression, which establishes the DMT framework at this regime. Simulation results show that the derived expression for the outage probability is sufficiently accurate at high SNR regimes but less accurate in the transition region. Finally, for the special case of multi‐input–single‐output, they derive both the outage probability and the DMT framework inexact and closed form formulas at all SNRs, including finite SNRs.
Fault diagnosis and fault tolerant control scheme for a class of non‐linear singular systems
Authors: Yao Lina , Cocquempot Vincent , Wang Hong
Published: November 2014

A new fault detection and diagnosis method is developed in this study for a class of singular non‐linear systems via the use of observers with adaptive updating rules. The Lyapunov stability theory is applied to obtain a stable observation error system and to obtain the required adaptive tuning rules for the estimation of the process faults. Based on the fault estimation information, the controller is reconfigured to keep the post‐fault system stable, leading to the active fault tolerant control of the non‐linear singular system. A simulated numerical example is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Time‐scale separation redesign for stabilisation and performance recovery of sampled‐data non‐linear systems
Authors: Noroozi Navid , Khayatian Alireza
Published: November 2014

This study addresses semi‐global practical asymptotic stabilisation and performance recovery of a class of sampled‐data non‐linear systems using a time‐scale separation redesign. In particular, a high‐gain filter is designed to estimate uncertainties in continuous‐time and a fast variable coming from the filter is used to cancel the effect of the uncertainty, then the controller including the filter is descritised in Euler method. The authors provide conditions relating the sampling time and the filter gain, with which the results for the sampled‐data system are the same as those that have been developed for the continuous‐time system. As a verification of results, numerical simulations are given.
Face recognition under varying illumination based on adaptive homomorphic eight local directional patterns
Authors: Faraji Mohammad Reza , Qi Xiaojun
Published: November 2014

This study proposes an illumination‐invariant face‐recognition method called adaptive homomorphic eight local directional pattern (AH‐ELDP). AH‐ELDP first uses adaptive homomorphic filtering to reduce the influence of illumination from an input face image. It then applies an interpolative enhancement function to stretch the filtered image. Finally, it produces eight directional edge images using Kirsch compass masks and uses all the directional information to create an illumination‐insensitive representation. The author's extensive experiments show that the AH‐ELDP technique achieves the best face recognition accuracy of 99.45% for CMU‐PIE face images, 96.67% for Yale B face images and 84.42% for Extended Yale B face images using one image per subject for training when compared to seven representative state‐of‐the‐art techniques.
Computationally efficient finite‐element‐based methods for the calculation of symmetrical steady‐state load conditions for synchronous generators
Authors: Hanic Zlatko , Stipetic Stjepan , Vrazic Mario
Published: November 2014

This study presents an accurate and computationally efficient finite‐element (FE) calculation and modelling methods for the simulation of symmetrical steady‐state load conditions for synchronous generators. For that purpose, two iterative methods are presented, implemented and compared. Those are Newton’s iterative method and the relaxation parameter iterative method, which were both applied to magneto‐static and transient FEs simulations. Various methods for obtaining armature voltage and power angle are proposed and analysed from the computational efficiency and the accuracy point of view. All methods showed good convergence results for solving this particular problem. Calculation results were compared with measurements on two synchronous generators installed in power plants.
Spelled sign word recognition using key frame
Authors: Rokade Rajeshree S. , Doye Dharmpal D.
Published: November 2014

In this study, the authors present a new system for sign language hand gesture recognition. Using video input, the system can recognise any spelled word or alphabetic sequence signed in American Sign Language. The three main steps in the recognition process include detection of the region of interest (the hands), detection of key frames and recognition of gestures from these key frames. The proposed segmentation algorithm distinguishes regions of interest from both uniform and non‐uniform backgrounds with an efficiency of 95%. The proposed key frame detection algorithm achieves an efficiency of 96.50%. A rotation‐invariant algorithm for feature extraction is additionally proposed, which provides an overall gesture recognition efficiency of 84.2%.
Efficient iris localisation using a guided filter
Authors: Han Ying Li , Min Tae Hong , Park Rae‐Hong
Published: November 2014

Biometric information is widely used in user identification systems. Iris is one of the most reliable and accurate biometric information. In an iris recognition system, the iris localisation is one the most important parts because the performance of an iris recognition system is highly dependent on the accuracy of iris localisation. If unreliable iris regions are used in the iris recognition system, the recognition rate may be degraded. Therefore many researchers have studied the iris localisation methods. Especially, localising an iris region from noisy images is one of the hot topics in the iris recognition researches. In this study, the authors are concentrating on the iris localisation, where an efficient iris localisation method for noisy iris images is proposed. The proposed iris localisation method consists of two steps: pupil boundary localisation and iris boundary localisation. To localise a pupil region, an efficient block‐based minimum energy detection method is used, in which specular reflection removal is performed as a preprocessing. Iris boundary is localised using a guided filter, the circular Hough transform and an ellipse fitting method. Experimental results with various test image sets show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Comprehensive dynamic analysis of photovoltaic generator interfacing DC–DC boost power stage
Authors: Viinamäki J. , Jokipii J. , Messo T. , Suntio T. , Sitbon M. , Kuperman A.
Published: November 2014

In transformer‐less grid‐connected renewable energy systems, interfacing of photovoltaic (PV) generators is typically implemented by means of DC–DC boost‐power‐stage converter, mainly because of its voltage‐boosting capability. In order to track the maximum power point of a PV generator, input voltage of the converter is usually feedback controlled, forcing the converter to operate as a current‐sourced rather than voltage‐sourced converter. Nevertheless, PV generator interfacing power stage is commonly assumed to possess the same dynamic properties as corresponding voltage‐sourced power stage. Investigations presented in this study reveal explicitly that the dynamics of PV generator interfacing DC–DC boost power stage resembles conventional buck power stage behaviour with duty‐cycle independent resonance and additional right‐half‐plane zeros. In addition, the duty cycle has to be decreased for increasing the corresponding output variables (i.e. input voltage and output current). Extended experimental results are given to support the theoretical findings.
Synthesis and formation mechanism of Zn2SiO4 nanorods
Authors: Zhang Shaoyan , Kang Haiyan , Gao Yanlei
Published: November 2014

Zinc silicate (Zn2SiO4) nanorods with diameters of 90–100 nm and lengths of up to 600–700 nm have been successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal route without the assistance of any templates or surfactants. The characterisations of the products were carried out by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy technology. On the basis of XRD and scanning electron microscopy analyses of the products at different reaction time periods, an Ostwald ripening mechanism is proposed to elucidate the formation mechanism of the nanorod structure. The electrochemical performance of the as‐prepared Zn2SiO4 nanorods was investigated by a galvanostatic charge–discharge method. The results have shown that the Zn2SiO4 nanorods exhibited a higher discharge capacity and better cyclability than the Zn2SiO4 bulk materials.
Molecular Profiling of Liver Tumors: Classification and Clinical Translation for Decision Making
Authors: Pinyol Roser , Nault Jean Charles , Quetglas Iris M. , Zucman-Rossi Jessica , Llovet Josep M.
Published: November 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex disease with a dismal prognosis. Consequently, a translational approach is required to personalized clinical decision making to improve survival of HCC patients. Molecular signatures from cirrhotic livers and single nucleotide polymorphism have been linked with HCC occurrence. Identification of high-risk populations will be useful to design chemopreventive trials. In addition, molecular signatures derived from tumor and nontumor samples are associated with early tumor recurrence due to metastasis and late tumor recurrence due to de novo carcinogenesis after curative treatment, respectively. Identification of patients with a high risk of relapse will guide adjuvant randomized trials. The genetic landscape drawn by next-generation sequencing has highlighted the genomic diversity of HCC. Genetic drivers recurrently mutated belong to different signaling pathways including telomere maintenance, cell-cycle regulators, chromatin remodeling, Wnt/b-catenin, RAS/RAF/MAPK kinase, and AKT/mTOR pathway. These cancer genes will be ideally targeted by biotherapies as a paradigm of stratified medicine adapted to tumor biology.
Recent Advances in the Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence
Authors: Lu Li-Chun , Poon Ronnie T. P. , Cheng Ann-Lii
Published: November 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. Early-stage HCC can be curatively treated, but the recurrence rate remains high. To date, adjuvant treatments have not proven effective in preventing HCC recurrence after curative treatment. Although early studies explored the potential of vitamin K2, retinoid, chemotherapy, and recently, sorafenib, none of the studies reported successful outcomes. Several new lines of evidence have emerged to support the use of novel antiviral agents for preventing the recurrence of virus-related HCC after curative treatment. In this review, the authors provide a thorough overview of the various adjuvant treatments that have been attempted or are being considered for trial.
Transarterial Chemoembolization and Radioembolization
Authors: Salem Riad , Sangro Bruno
Published: November 2014

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radioembolization (RE) are frequently used to treat patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who cannot receive curative therapies. Transarterial chemoembolization is a heterogeneous group of procedures; based on two positive clinical trials and three meta-analyses, conventional TACE is the standard of care for patients in the intermediate stage. Transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads has been recently introduced as a more standardized way of performing TACE with similar outcomes and less systemic effects. Radioembolization is a form of brachytherapy in which microspheres are used as a source of internal radiation. Evidence supporting the use of RE derives from consistent, large-cohort series involving patients with more advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, not suitable for TACE or for those who have failed TACE. Transarterial chemoembolization and RE should not be considered competing therapies, but rather complementary tools. The clinical indications for TACE and RE will be further refined as results of ongoing large-scale studies become available.
Structure and dynamics of water in nanoscopic spheres and tubes
Authors: van der Loop Tibert H. , Ottosson Niklas , Lotze Stephan , Kentzinger Emmanuel , Vad Thomas , Sager Wiebke F. C. , Bakker Huib J. , Woutersen Sander
Published: November 2014

We study the reorientation dynamics of liquid water confined in nanometer-sized reverse micelles of spherical and cylindrical shape. The size and shape of the micelles are characterized in detail using small-angle x-ray scattering, and the reorientation dynamics of the water within the micelles is investigated using GHz dielectric relaxation spectroscopy and polarization-resolved infrared pump-probe spectroscopy on the OD-stretch mode of dilute HDO:H2O mixtures. We find that the GHz dielectric response of both the spherical and cylindrical reverse micelles can be well described as a sum of contributions from the surfactant, the water at the inner surface of the reversed micelles, and the water in the core of the micelles. The Debye relaxation time of the core water increases from the bulk value \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\tau _{\rm H_2O}$\end{document}τH2O of 8.2 ± 0.1 ps for the largest reverse micelles with a radius of 3.2 nm to 16.0 ± 0.4 ps for the smallest micelles with a radius of 0.7 nm. For the nano-spheres the dielectric response of the water is approximately ∼6 times smaller than expected from the water volume fraction and the bulk dielectric relaxation of water. We find that the dielectric response of nano-spheres is more attenuated than that of nano-tubes of identical composition (water-surfactant ratio), whereas the reorientation dynamics of the water hydroxyl groups is identical for the two geometries. We attribute the attenuation of the dielectric response compared to bulk water to a local anti-parallel ordering of the molecular dipole moments. The difference in attenuation between nano-spheres and nano-cylinders indicates that the anti-parallel ordering of the water dipoles is more pronounced upon spherical than upon cylindrical nanoconfinement.
Finite difference method for analyzing band structure in semiconductor heterostructures without spurious solutions
Authors: Jiang Yu , Ma Xunpeng , Xu Yun , Song Guofeng
Published: November 2014

To stably employ multiband k·p model for analyzing the band structure in semiconductor heterostructures without spurious solutions (SSs), the Hermitian forward and backward difference (HFBD) scheme for finite difference method (FDM) is presented. The HFBD is the discretization scheme that eliminates the difference instability and employs the Burt-Foreman Hermitian operator ordering without geometric asymmetry. The difference instability arises from employing Foreman's strategy (FS). FS removes SSs caused by unphysical bowing in bulk dispersion curve meanwhile the HFBD is the only difference scheme that can accurately adapt for it. In comparison with other recent strategies, the proposed method in this paper is as accurate and reliable as FS, along with preserving the rapidness and simplicity of FDM. This difference scheme shows stable convergence without any SSs under variable grid size. Therefore, a wide range of experiment-determined band parameters can be applied to large-scale stable simulation with this method regardless of the SSs they originally generate.
Dissociative adsorption of CH3X (X = Br and Cl) on a silicon(100) surface revisited by density functional theory
Authors: Wang Chen-Guang , Huang Kai , Ji Wei
Published: November 2014

During the dissociative adsorption on a solid surface, the substrate usually participates in a passive manner to accommodate fragments produced upon the cleavage of the internal bond(s) of a (transient) molecular adsorbate. This simple picture, however, neglects the flexibility of surface atoms. Here, we report a Density Functional Theory study to revisit our early studies of the dissociative adsorption of CH3X (X = Br and Cl) on Si(100). We have identified a new reaction pathway, which involves a flip of a silicon dimer; this new pathway agrees better with experiments. For our main exemplar of CH3Br, insights have been gained using a simple model that involves a three-atom reactive center, Br-C-Si. When the silicon dimer flips, the interaction between C and Si in the Br-C-Si center is enhanced, evident in the increased energy-split of the frontier orbitals. We also examine how the dissociation dynamics of CH3Br is altered on a heterodimer (Si-Al, Si-P, and Si-Ge) in a Si(100) surface. In each case, we conclude, on the basis of computed reaction pathways, that no heterodimer flipping is involved before the system transverses the transition state to dissociative adsorption.
Mechanical approach to the neutrons spectra collimation and detection
Authors: Sadeghi H. , Roshan M. V.
Published: November 2014

Neutrons spectra from most of known sources require being collimated for numerous applications; among them one is the Neutron Activation Analysis. High energy neutrons are collimated through a mechanical procedure as one of the most promising methods. The output energy of the neutron beam depends on the velocity of the rotating Polyethylene disks. The collimated neutrons are then measured by an innovative detection technique with high accuracy.
Lithium-decorated oxidized graphyne for hydrogen storage by first principles study
Authors: Yan Zeyu , Wang Lang , Cheng Julong , Huang Libei , Zhu Chao , Chen Chi , Miao Ling , Jiang Jianjun
Published: November 2014

The geometric stability and hydrogen storage capacity of Li decorated oxidized γ-graphyne are studied based on the first-principles calculations. It is found that oxygen atoms trend to bond with acetylenic carbons and form C=O double bonds on both sides of graphyne. The binding energy of single Li atom on oxidized graphyne is 3.29 eV, owning to the strong interaction between Li atom and O atom. Meanwhile, the dispersion of Li is stable even under a relatively high density. One attached Li atom can at least adsorb six hydrogen molecules around. Benefitting from the porous structure of graphyne and the high attached Li density, a maximum hydrogen storage density 12.03 wt. % is achieved with four Li atoms in graphyne cell. The corresponding average binding energy is 0.24 eV/H2, which is suitable for reversible storage. These results indicate that Li decorated graphyne can serve as a promising hydrogen storage material.
High resolution spectral analysis of oxygen. IV. Energy levels, partition sums, band constants, RKR potentials, Franck-Condon factors involving the $X^{3}\Sigma ^{-}_{g}$X3Σg−, a1Δg and $b^{1}\Sigma ^{+}_{g}$b1Σg+ states
Authors: Yu Shanshan , Drouin Brian J. , Miller Charles E.
Published: November 2014

We have updated the isotopically invariant Dunham fit of O2 with newly reported literature transitions to derive (1) the energy levels, partition sums, band-by-band molecular constants, and RKR potentials for the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$X^{3}\Sigma ^{-}_{g}$\end{document}X3Σg−, a1Δg, and \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$b^{1}\Sigma ^{+}_{g}$\end{document}b1Σg+ states of the six O2 isotopologues: 16O16O, 16O17O, 16O18O, 17O17O, 17O18O, and 18O18O; (2) Franck-Condon factors for their \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$a^{1}\Delta _{g}-X^{3}\Sigma ^{-}_{g}$\end{document}a1Δg−X3Σg−, \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$b^{1}\Sigma ^{+}_{g}-X^{3}\Sigma ^{-}_{g}$\end{document}b1Σg+−X3Σg−, and \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$a^{1}\Delta _{g}-b^{1}\Sigma ^{+}_{g}$\end{document}a1Δg−b1Σg+ band systems. This new spectroscopic parameterization characterizes all known transitions within and between the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$X^{3}\Sigma ^{-}_{g}$\end{document}X3Σg−, a1Δg, and \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$b^{1}\Sigma ^{+}_{g}$\end{document}b1Σg+ states within experimental uncertainty and can be used for accurate predictions of as yet unmeasured transitions. All of these results are necessary to provide a consistent linelist of all transitions which will be reported in a followup paper.
Microscopic mechanism of electron transfer through the hydrogen bonds between carboxylated alkanethiol molecules connected to gold electrodes
Authors: Li Yang , Tu Xingchen , Wang Minglang , Wang Hao , Sanvito Stefano , Hou Shimin
Published: November 2014

The atomic structure and the electron transfer properties of hydrogen bonds formed between two carboxylated alkanethiol molecules connected to gold electrodes are investigated by employing the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism combined with density functional theory. Three types of molecular junctions are constructed, in which one carboxyl alkanethiol molecule contains two methylene, –CH2, groups and the other one is composed of one, two, or three –CH2 groups. Our calculations show that, similarly to the cases of isolated carboxylic acid dimers, in these molecular junctions the two carboxyl, –COOH, groups form two H-bonds resulting in a cyclic structure. When self-interaction corrections are explicitly considered, the calculated transmission coefficients of these three H-bonded molecular junctions at the Fermi level are in good agreement with the experimental values. The analysis of the projected density of states confirms that the covalent Au–S bonds localized at the molecule-electrode interfaces and the electronic coupling between –COOH and S dominate the low-bias junction conductance. Following the increase of the number of the –CH2 groups, the coupling between –COOH and S decreases deeply. As a result, the junction conductance decays rapidly as the length of the H-bonded molecules increases. These findings not only provide an explanation to the observed distance dependence of the electron transfer properties of H-bonds, but also help the design of molecular devices constructed through H-bonds.