bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonism on human planning and spatial working memory
Authors: Naef M , Müller U , Linssen A , Clark L , Robbins T W , Eisenegger C
Published: April 2017

Psychopharmacological studies in humans suggest important roles for dopamine (DA) D2 receptors in human executive functions, such as cognitive planning and spatial working memory (SWM). However, studies that investigate an impairment of such functions using the selective DA D2/3 receptor antagonist sulpiride have yielded inconsistent results, perhaps because relatively low doses were used. We believe we report for the first time, the effects of a higher (800 mg p.o.) single dose of sulpiride as well as of genetic variation in the DA receptor D2 gene (DA receptor D2 Taq1A polymorphism), on planning and working memory. With 78 healthy male volunteers, we apply a between-groups, placebo-controlled design. We measure outcomes in the difficult versions of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery One-Touch Stockings of Cambridge and the self-ordered SWM task. Volunteers in the sulpiride group showed significant impairments in planning accuracy and, for the more difficult problems, in SWM. Sulpiride administration speeded response latencies in the planning task on the most difficult problems. Volunteers with at least one copy of the minor allele (A1+) of the DA receptor D2 Taq1A polymorphism showed better SWM capacity, regardless of whether they received sulpiride or placebo. There were no effects on blood pressure, heart rate or subjective sedation. In sum, a higher single dose of sulpiride impairs SWM and executive planning functions, in a manner independent of the DA receptor D2 Taq1A polymorphism.
High-voltage positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Li Wangda , Song Bohang , Manthiram Arumugam
Published: April 2017

The ever-growing demand for advanced rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in portable electronics and electric vehicles has spurred intensive research efforts on high-voltage positive electrode materials over the past decade.
Biocompatibility and therapeutic evaluation of magnetic liposomes designed for self-controlled cancer hyperthermia and chemotherapy
Authors: Gogoi Manashjit , Jaiswal Manish K. , Sarma Haladhar Dev , Bahadur Dhirendra , Banerjee Rinti
Published: April 2017

Hyperthermia with magnetic liposomes designed for self-controlled cancer hyperthermia and chemotherapy.
Insights into the catalytic reduction of organic dyes and antibacterial activity of graphene oxide supported mono and bimetallic nanocomposites
Authors: Sivaranjan K. , Vanitha P. , Sathiyaseelan A. , Kalaichelvan P. T. , Sathuvan M. , Rengasamy R. , Santhanalakshmi J.
Published: April 2017

GO-supported mono and bimetallic NCs were synthesized. The newly designed GO-supported NCs were utilized for the catalytic reduction of organic dyes and their antibacterial activity was also investigated.
Synthetic water soluble di-/tritopic molecular receptors exhibiting Ca2+/Mg2+exchange
Authors: Lavie-Cambot Aurélie , Tron Arnaud , Ducrot Aurélien , Castet Frédéric , Kauffmann Brice , Beauté Louis , Allouchi Hassan , Pozzo Jean-Luc , Bonnet Célia S. , McClenaghan Nathan D.
Published: April 2017

Structure and binding properties of two synthetic receptors, simultaneously integrating Ca2+and Mg2+binding sites, are described.
Effect of erbium concentration on the structural, optical and electrical properties of a Bi4Ti3O12 system
Authors: Bettaibi A. , Jemai R. , Wederni M. A. , M'nassri R. , Barbouche M. , Rahmouni H. , Khirouni K.
Published: April 2017

We have studied the influence of erbium doping on the optical and electrical properties of a Bi4Ti3O12 compound.
Effect of alkylthiophene spacers and fluorine on the optoelectronic properties of 5,10-bis(dialkylthien-2-yl)dithieno[2,3-d:2′,3′-d′]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-alt-benzothiadiazole derivative copolymers
Authors: Guo Pengzhi , Sun Jingbiao , Sun Shuo , Li Jianfeng , Tong Junfeng , Zhao Chuang , Zhu Liangjian , Zhang Peng , Yang Chunyan , Xia Yangjun
Published: April 2017

The effect of inclusion of alkylthiophene and fluorine on the optoelectronic properties of copolymers from dithienobenzodithiophene and benzothiadiazole derivatives is systematically investigated.
LILY-lipidome isotope labeling of yeast: in vivo synthesis of13C labeled reference lipids for quantification by mass spectrometry
Authors: Rampler Evelyn , Coman Cristina , Hermann Gerrit , Sickmann Albert , Ahrends Robert , Koellensperger Gunda
Published: April 2017

Quantification is an essential task in comprehensive lipidomics studies challenged by the high number of lipids, their chemical diversity and their dynamic range (up to 7 orders of magnitude) of the lipidome.
Label-free detection of DNA hybridization with a compact LSPR-based fiber-optic sensor
Authors: Kaye Savannah , Zeng Zheng , Sanders Mollye , Chittur Krishnan , Koelle Paula M. , Lindquist Robert , Manne Upender , Lin Yongbin , Wei Jianjun
Published: April 2017

A miniaturized, robust, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)–coupled fiber-optic (FO) nanoprobe providing an integrated and portable solution for detection of DNA hybridization and measurement of DNA concentrations has been demonstrated.
Determination of the transfer function of an atmospheric pressure drift tube ion mobility spectrometer for nanoparticle measurements
Authors: Buckley David T. , Hogan Christopher J.
Published: April 2017

A new method is introduced to determine the transfer/transmission function of a drift tube ion mobility spectrometer.
Unravelling the mysteries of sub-second biochemical processes using time-resolved mass spectrometry
Authors: Lento Cristina , Wilson Derek J.
Published: April 2017

Many important chemical and biochemical phenomena proceed on sub-second time scales.
Determination of active ingredients in Chinese medicine Danning Tablets using dispersion solid-phase extraction by molecular imprinting nanomaterials coupled with HPLC-DAD
Authors: Luo Jieping , Chen Ning , Yang Zaiyue , Han Jiyong , Zhu Wanying , Hong Junli , Zhou Xuemin
Published: April 2017

A reliable pretreatment method of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers/dispersive solid-phase extraction was developed for selectivity and enrichment of targets.
Polymer brushes based on PLLA-b-PEO colloids for the preparation of protein resistant PLA surfaces
Authors: Mázl Chánová E. , Pop-Georgievski O. , Kumorek M. M. , Janoušková O. , Machová L. , Kubies D. , Rypáček F.
Published: April 2017

Deposition of PLLA-b-PEO colloidal nanoparticles from selective solvents onto a polylactide surface resulting in an anti-fouling and cell repulsive surface.
Synthesis of new hydrophilic rhodamine based enzymatic substrates compatible with droplet-based microfluidic assays
Authors: Fenneteau Johan , Chauvin Dany , Griffiths Andrew D. , Nizak Clément , Cossy Janine
Published: April 2017

The modification of rhodamine core with a hydrophilic tag yields new fluorogenic enzymatic substrates compatible with high-throughput screening using droplet-based enzymatic assay.
Stimulated Raman scattering of polymer nanoparticles for multiplexed live-cell imaging
Authors: Hu Fanghao , Brucks Spencer D. , Lambert Tristan H. , Campos Luis M. , Min Wei
Published: April 2017

Biocompatible polymer nanoparticles with vibrational labels incorporated were readily prepared for live-cell multiplexed stimulated Raman scattering imaging with excellent photo-stability.
Somatostatin receptor-targeted organometallic iridium(iii) complexes as novel theranostic agents
Authors: Novohradsky Vojtech , Zamora Ana , Gandioso Albert , Brabec Viktor , Ruiz José , Marchán Vicente
Published: April 2017

A novel somatostatin receptor-targeted anticancer agent based on the conjugation of a cyclometalated Ir(iii) complex to octreotide with potential for targeted theranostic applications.
A CaMn4O2 model of the biological oxygen evolving complex: synthesis via cluster expansion on a low symmetry ligand
Authors: Lee Heui Beom , Tsui Emily Y. , Agapie Theodor
Published: April 2017

A pentanuclear CaMn4O2 cluster with the same metal stoichiometry as the biological OEC was prepared from a tetranuclear Mn precursor.
The influence of substituents and the environment on the NMR shielding constants of supramolecular complexes based on A–T and A–U base pairs
Authors: Castro Abril C. , Swart Marcel , Guerra Célia Fonseca
Published: April 2017

In the present study, we have theoretically analyzed supramolecular complexes based on the Watson–Crick A–T and A–U base pairs using dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT).
Thermodynamic cycles of the alkali metal–ligand complexes central to electride formation
Authors: Dale Stephen G. , Johnson Erin R.
Published: April 2017

Alkali metal–ligand complexes are the building blocks of the exotic organic alkalide and electride materials.
Control over the magnetism and transition between high- and low-spin states of an adatom on trilayer graphene
Authors: Zheng Anmin , Gao Guoying , Huang Hai , Gao Jinhua , Yao Kailun
Published: April 2017

Using density-functional theory, we investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of an adatom (Na, Cu and Fe) on ABA- and ABC-stacked (Bernal and rhombohedral) trilayer graphenes.
Identifying electrochemical effects in a thermal–electrochemical co-driven system for CO2 capture
Authors: Liu Guang X. , Yu Yun S. , Hong Ying T. , Zhang Zao X. , Wei Jin J. , Wang Geoff G. X.
Published: April 2017

The electrochemical mechanism of a TECS combining electrochemical separation with thermodynamic processes.
Corannulene and its complex with water: a tiny cup of water
Authors: Pérez Cristóbal , Steber Amanda L. , Rijs Anouk M. , Temelso Berhane , Shields George C. , Lopez Juan Carlos , Kisiel Zbigniew , Schnell Melanie
Published: April 2017

We report the results of a broadband rotational spectroscopic study of corannulene, C20H10, all of its singly substituted 13C isotopologues, and a complex of corannulene with one molecule of water.
Unscrambling micro-solvation of –COOH and –NH groups in neat dimethyl sulfoxide: insights from 1H-NMR spectroscopy and computational studies
Authors: Takis Panteleimon G. , Papavasileiou Konstantinos D. , Peristeras Loukas D. , Boulougouris Georgios C. , Melissas Vasilios S. , Troganis Anastassios N.
Published: April 2017

This study investigates the interactions of –COOH and –NH groups in neat DMSO solutions, with special focus on their thermodynamics and kinetics.
External or internal surface of H-ZSM-5 zeolite, which is more effective for the Beckmann rearrangement reaction?
Authors: Chu Yueying , Li Guangchao , Huang Ling , Yi Xianfeng , Xia Hongqiang , Zheng Anmin , Deng Feng
Published: April 2017

The influence of Brønsted acid site location on the Beckmann rearrangement reaction over H-ZSM-5 zeolite has been explored.
Hydrogenation of phenyl-substituted CN, CN,CC, CC and CO functional groups by Cr, Mo and W PNP pincer complexes – a DFT study
Authors: Wei Zhihong , Junge Kathrin , Beller Matthias , Jiao Haijun
Published: April 2017

The hydrogenation of phenyl-substituted CN, CN, CC, CC and CO functional groups catalyzed by PNP pincer amido M(NO)(CO)(PNP) and amino HM(NO)(CO)(PNHP) complexes [M = Cr, Mo and W; PNP = N(CH2CH2P(isopropyl)2)2] has been computed.
Study of the enhanced visible-light-sensitive photocatalytic activity of Cr2O3-loaded titanate nanosheets for Cr(vi) degradation and H2 generation
Authors: Ding Junqian , Ming Julan , Lu Dingze , Wu Wenhui , Liu Min , Zhao Xiaona , Li Chunhe , Yang Minchen , Fang Pengfei
Published: April 2017

Cr2O3-loaded titanate nanosheets with large surface area show excellent visible-light catalytic activity for Cr(vi) degradation and H2 generation.
Revisiting the behaviour of BiVO4as a carbon dioxide reduction photo-catalyst
Authors: Sommers Jacob M. , Alderman Nicholas P. , Viasus Camilo J. , Gambarotta Sandro
Published: April 2017

Bismuth vanadate is a widely known photocatalyst for the hydro-reduction of CO2.
Opposite pressure effects in the orbitally-induced Peierls phase transition systems CuIr2S4 and MgTi2O4
Authors: Ma Long , Han Hui , Liu Wei , Yang Kaishuai , Zhu Yuanyuan , Zhang Changjin , Pi Li , Liu Dayong , Zhang Lei , Zhang Yuheng
Published: April 2017

The applied pressure has opposite pressure effects on the phase transitions in CuIr2S4 and MgTi2O4, which exhibit phase transitions of a similar nature. The results suggest that the opposite pressure effects originate from the different orbital ordering configurations.
Novel properties of 0D metal–organic polyhedra bonded to the surfaces of 2D graphene and 1D single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Kumar Ram , Rao C. N. R.
Published: April 2017

Stabilization of individual 0D metal–organic polyhedra (MOP) on 2D graphene and 1D single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) surfaces results in a significant improvement of porosity, surface area and catalytic activity of the composites.
Effect of ageing on the properties and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon composition of biochar
Authors: Sigmund Gabriel , Bucheli Thomas D. , Hilber Isabel , Micić Vesna , Kah Melanie , Hofmann Thilo
Published: April 2017

Biochar field ageing changed PAH composition, generally decreased PAH leaching, and could not be simulated by lab ageing.
Evolution inspired engineering of antibiotic biosynthesis enzymes
Authors: Metsä-Ketelä M.
Published: April 2017

Chimeragenesis is an effective tool to probe the structure/function relationships of proteins without high-throughput screening systems. Here the proof-of-principle is presented with three pairs of proteins.
Fluorescence enhancement and pKa shift of a rho kinase inhibitor by a synthetic receptor
Authors: Yin Hang , Chen Linmin , Yang Binrui , Bardelang David , Wang Chunming , Lee Simon M. Y. , Wang Ruibing
Published: April 2017

The significant fluorescence enhancement and pKa shift of fasudil upon encapsulation by cucurbit[7]uril may provide a traceable enteric formulation.
Facile one-pot access to π-conjugated polymers via sequential bromination/direct arylation polycondensation
Authors: Saito Hitoshi , Chen Jieran , Kuwabara Junpei , Yasuda Takeshi , Kanbara Takaki
Published: April 2017

The synthesis of π-conjugated polymers starting from unfunctionalized aromatic monomers via sequential bromination/direct arylation polycondensation was investigated.
Synthesis of nanocrystallized zirconium carbide based on an aqueous solution-derived precursor
Authors: Wang Jing-Xiao , Ni De-Wei , Dong Shao-Ming , Yang Guang , Gao Yan-Feng , Kan Yan-Mei , Chen Xiao-Wu , Cao Yan-Peng , Zhang Xiang-Yu
Published: April 2017

Nanocrystallized zirconium carbide (ZrC) powder was synthesized by an aqueous solution-based process using zirconium acetate and sucrose as starting reagents.
Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation–Sonogashira coupling one-pot enantioselective tandem reaction catalysed by Pd(0)–Ru(iii)/diamine-bifunctionalized periodic mesoporous organosilica
Authors: Zhao Yuxi , Jin Ronghua , Chou Yajie , Li Yilong , Lin Jingrong , Liu Guohua
Published: April 2017

Pd(0)–Ru(iii)/diamine-functionalized periodic mesoporous organosilica for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation–Sonogashira coupling of iodoacetophenone and arynes is investigated.
Tin doped PrBaFe2O5+δ anode material for solid oxide fuel cells
Authors: Dong Guohui , Yang Chunyang , He Fei , Jiang Yanmei , Ren Chunlei , Gan Yun , Lee Myongjin , Xue Xingjian
Published: April 2017

PrBaFe1.9Sn0.1O5+δ shows excellent redox stability, high electrical conductivity, and ASR of a symmetrical cell as low as of 0.095–0.285 Ω cm2 from 850–750 °C in wet hydrogen, better than or comparable to the best of ceramic anodes in the open literature.
Remarkably improved electromechanical actuation of polyurethane enabled by blending with silicone rubber
Authors: Renard Christophe , Wang Dongrui , Han Peng , Xiong Silai , Wen Yongqiang , Dang Zhi-Min
Published: April 2017

Electromechanical actuation strain of polyurethane is enlarged ten times by constructing a bicontinuous structure with silicone rubber.
Achieving ultralong life sodium storage in amorphous cobalt–tin binary sulfide nanoboxes sheathed in N-doped carbon
Authors: Liu Xu , Wang Yuwei , Wang Zhiyu , Zhou Tao , Yu Mengzhou , Xiu Luyang , Qiu Jieshan
Published: April 2017

Amorphous CoSnSx nanoboxes sheathed in N-doped carbon (CoSnSx@NC) are fabricated as ultra-long life anode materials in Na-ion batteries.
Surface chemistry and restructuring in thin-film Lan+1NinO3n+1 (n = 1, 2 and 3) Ruddlesden–Popper oxides
Authors: Wu K.-T. , Téllez H. , Druce J. , Burriel M. , Yang F. , McComb D. W. , Ishihara T. , Kilner J. A. , Skinner S. J.
Published: April 2017

Understanding the surface chemistry and oxygen surface exchange activity in mixed conducting perovskite and related perovskite oxides is of great relevance in developing electrochemical devices.
Recent progress on submicron gas-selective polymeric membranes
Authors: Wang Minghui , Zhao Junjie , Wang Xiaoxue , Liu Andong , Gleason Karen K.
Published: April 2017

This review focuses on polymers that can be processed into submicron membranes, their gas separation performances and applications beyond separation.
Detection of glutaraldehyde in aqueous environments based on fluorescence quenching of a conjugated polymer with pendant protonated primary amino groups
Authors: Miao Kesong , Zhang Heng , Sun Lijuan , Zhu Zhengtao , Fan Li-Juan
Published: April 2017

A new conjugated polyelectrolyte was synthesized and demonstrated to be very effective in selective detection of glutaraldehyde in aqueous environments.
Orientation transitions during the growth of imine covalent organic framework thin films
Authors: Wang H. , He B. , Liu F. , Stevens C. , Brady M. A. , Cai S. , Wang C. , Russell T. P. , Tan T.-W. , Liu Y.
Published: April 2017

The first experimental observation of a rare re-entrant transition during COF thin film growth reveals independent nucleation and growth kinetic processes.
In situ patterning of microgrooves via inkjet etching for a solution-processed OLED display
Authors: Wang Juanhong , Song Chen , Zhong Zhiming , Hu Zhanhao , Han Shaohu , Xu Wei , Peng Junbiao , Ying Lei , Wang Jian , Cao Yong
Published: April 2017

Inkjet-printing a solvent onto an insulating polymer layer is employed toin situbuild microgrooves as bank structures in the application of solution-processed OLED display.
Link failure detection in software defined networks: an active feedback mechanism
Authors: Xu Han , Yan Lianshan , Xing Huanlai , Cui Yunhe , Li Saifei
Published: April 2017

As an essential function in software defined networks (SDN), the link failure detection typically runs at all SDN controllers on a periodical basis. To reduce the number of messages processed by the SDN controller, an efficient and lightweight link failure detection mechanism is proposed, where switches actively inform SDN controller about the faulty link. Hence, SDN controllers do not need to process feedback from switches in each detection round. The experimental results show that compared with the most commonly‐used failure detection mechanism, the proposed one can significantly reduce the overhead of the SDN controller.
Impact of integer carrier frequency offset on the performance of frequency‐domain contention
Authors: Zhang Huan , Zhao Qinglin , Xu Fangxin
Published: April 2017

Frequency‐domain contention (FDC) is a high‐efficient distributed wireless access mechanism for wireless local area networks. However, it is very hard to achieve frequency synchronisation among multiple senders and multiple receivers, and further eliminate carrier frequency offset (CFO). As a result, when multiple users perform FDC simultaneously, CFO will cause serious miss detection and false alarm in identifying subcarriers, frequently leading to contention collisions and failures. Focusing on the integer carrier frequency offset, first theoretically analyse the impact of these contention collisions and failures on the throughput of FDC. Extensive simulations verify that the theoretical model is very accurate.
Low‐cost two‐layer terahertz transmit array
Authors: Yi Huan , Qu Shi‐Wei , Chan Chi Hou
Published: April 2017

In this Letter, a flat terahertz (THz) transmit array with a two‐layer element is investigated. The proposed element can provide 360° phase coverage with a transmission coefficient better than −3.52 dB at 250 GHz. Then a transmit array based on the element is designed with a low focal‐to‐diameter ratio of 0.3. Simulation results reveal that the transmit array has large backward radiation. A WR‐03 open‐ended waveguide with a thick wall is used to feed the transmit array, thus the backward radiation is further reflected to the forward direction and the gain is increased by 1.7 dB at 250 GHz. Then the transmit array is fabricated using standard, low‐cost PCB technology, and the measured results show that a peak gain of 28.8 dBi with an aperture efficiency of 32% is achieved. In general, the proposed transmit array has simple structures and can be fabricated by standard PCB technologies which are suitable for applications in low‐cost THz systems.
Switching‐signal‐triggered pinning control for output tracking of switched Boolean networks
Authors: Zhong Jie , Ho Daniel W.C. , Lu Jianquan , Xu Wenying
Published: April 2017

In this research the output tracking problems with respect to a constant and a periodic output signal for switched Boolean networks (BNs) are studied. Based on the semi‐tensor product of matrices, an algebraic expression of switched BNs is obtained. Then, some conditions are presented to ensure output tracking issues with respect to a constant and a periodic output signal, respectively. Further, a new design of switching‐signal‐triggered pinning controllers is proposed to achieve output tracking. Finally, the discussion of an apoptosis network shows that the theoretic results are effective in designing the switching‐signal‐triggered pinning controllers to achieve output tracking.
Comparative study on the dynamic migration of cellulose particles and its effect on the conductivity in natural ester and mineral oil under DC electrical field
Authors: Hao Jian , Liao Ruijin , Dan Min , Li Yanqing , Li Jian , Liao Qiang
Published: April 2017

For a HVDC transformer, the cellulose particles bridging phenomenon under the DC electric field needed to be analyzed. This is useful for further understanding the insulation failure and partly guiding the transformer structure design. The images of cellulose particles accumulation and the conduction current for contaminated mineral oil and natural ester were compared under different DC electrical field strength and different electrode distance using plate–plate electrode system. The cellulose particles bridging model under the DC electrical stress was constructed. The bridging process of cellulose particles in mineral oil is much easier compared with that in natural ester, and the bridges in mineral oil were also thicker than that in natural ester. The contaminated mineral oil has much higher conduction current than the contaminated natural ester at the same electrical stress. The saturate conduction current of contaminated mineral oil decreases in a non‐linear way with the electrode distance increasing, while the saturate conduction current for contaminated natural ester increases in a linear way. The completed bridges contribute a lot to the conduction current. The effect of cellulose particles on the conduction property of natural ester is weaker than that of mineral oil..
Wordbook‐based light‐duty time series learning machine for short‐term voltage stability assessment
Authors: Zhu Lipeng , Lu Chao , Liu Yongjun , Wu Wei , Hong Chao
Published: April 2017

Focusing on high‐efficiency sequential feature learning for short‐term voltage stability (SVS) assessment, this study develops a light‐duty time series (TS) learning machine based on symbolic TS datasets, namely wordbooks. Numerous cumbersome TS acquired from post‐contingency synchrophasor measurements are first tactfully transformed into short symbolic words, constituting a compact and light wordbook. By centralising the intra‐class words in the wordbook, a series of keywords are quickly extracted without iteration to perform wordbook learning. Owing to the portability of the wordbook, online SVS assessment models can be derived extremely fast from it. With such merits, wordbook learning is designed to be periodically conducted by studying new cases from up‐to‐minute measurements, resulting in enhanced adaptability to inconstant unknown situations. Fractional affixes that frequently occur in the wordbook are further extracted for pattern discovery of voltage instability. Test results on the realistic Hong Kong power grid illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed learning machine.
Design, realisation and evaluation of a liquid hollow torso phantom appropriate for wearable antenna assessment
Authors: Tsolis Aris , Paraskevopoulos Anastasios , Alexandridis Antonis A. , Whittow William G. , Chauraya Alford , Vardaxoglou John (Yiannis) C.
Published: April 2017

This study examines the design, realisation and evaluation of a lightweight and low cost hollow oval cross‐section torso phantom appropriate for wearable antenna performance assessment. The phantom consists of an empty inner space (hollow) surrounded by a shell with double plastic walls between which there is a tissue simulating liquid. The phantom's plastic shell is made of a low loss cast acrylic and the liquid is a commercially available one with properties calibrated for the frequency range of 2–6 GHz. The proposed phantom is compared, through simulations, with a full liquid torso phantom and a heterogeneous anthropomorphic voxel phantom. In addition, the fabricated phantom is compared with human bodies and a homogeneous anthropomorphic solid phantom, through measurements. The phantom performance is tested in terms of electric field distribution of a wearable antenna on its surface and the path loss between two wearable antennas, on either side of the phantom. It is proved that the hollow phantom performance approximates the full liquid phantom when an RF absorbing material is placed in the central hollow region. The phantom performance in terms of S11 wearable antenna measurements is evaluated and found in good agreement with real human bodies in the examined frequency range (2–6 GHz). The far‐field wearable antenna performance of the proposed phantom shows deviation in gain <1.5 dB, compared with anthropomorphic phantom.
Analysis of power pattern in CLAS with the material thickness and properties error through interval arithmetic
Authors: Li Peng , Pedrycz Witold , Xu Wanye , Song Li‐Wei
Published: April 2017

A novel analytical approach based on interval arithmetic is proposed to investigate the effect of material thickness and properties errors on the average power pattern in the conformal load‐bearing antenna structures (CLAS) for both local and global errors conditions. The uncertainties of the thickness or properties error of CLAS composite material are modelled as interval‐valued parameters. The dominant expressions between the thickness or properties error interval and the power pattern interval are derived by interval arithmetic along with some main electromagnetic characteristics (side‐lobe level, peak power, and half‐power beamwidth) expressed as intervals can be produced through interval analysis (IA). Some numerical examples are reported to validate the proposed approach and to show its reliability and efficiency when considering different thickness and property errors. The obtained results show that the proposed IA‐based approach offers tangible advantages and effectiveness against some traditional statistical techniques (such as the Monte Carlo method).
Low‐profile ultra‐wideband polarisation diversity antenna with high isolation
Authors: Dastranj Aliakbar
Published: April 2017

A low‐profile single‐layer printed dual‐port antenna with high isolation is presented for broadband polarisation diversity applications. The proposed antenna comprises a pair of the same monopoles that are orthogonally fed by two coplanar waveguide lines. Each monopole consists of a hexagonal radiator and a staircase‐like ground plane. To accomplish a wideband polarisation diversity performance with a compact size, the geometrical parameters of the radiator and ground plane were optimised by using Ansoft HFSS. The designed antenna with the total area of 25 × 50 mm2 was fabricated and tested. Measured results show that the antenna covers the frequency ranges of 2.4–17.1 and 2.6–16.8 GHz (|S11| and |S22| < −10 dB), for ports 1 and 2, respectively. Also, the isolation between the two ports is better than 25 dB over the entire working band. The proposed antenna features not only nearly omnidirectional radiation patterns, but also reasonable gain and radiation efficiency. Besides, the envelope correlation coefficient reveals a good diversity performance across the whole bandwidth. Finally, the distortionless time‐domain performance of the antenna is verified by measurement of the group delay. The experimental results in both frequency and time domain show the suitability of the antenna for broadband dual‐polarised applications.
Split quadrilateral miniaturised multiband microstrip patch antenna design for modern communication system
Authors: Alam Md. Jubaer , Faruque Mohammad Rashed Iqbal , Hasan Md. Mehedi , Islam Mohammad Tariqul
Published: April 2017

In this study, a mixed split quadrilateral multiband microstrip antenna is designed and its measurement results in terms of different parameters are given. The proposed antenna is fed by a 50 Ω microstrip line. FR‐4 (Lossy) is used as a substrate to design the recommended antenna which has a condensed structure of 0.23λ × 0.31λ. This antenna operates at C‐, X‐, Ku‐, and K‐band with moderate bandwidth because of its design and feedline. This patch antenna is designed to support models with resonances at 6.30, 7.10, 7.50, 8.70, 12.80, 17.0, and 21.30 GHz, respectively. Regarding the proposed split multiband quadrilateral antenna, results are obtained in terms of reflection coefficient, gain and radiation pattern which have admissible values of reflection coefficient of <−10 dB at each resonant frequency and gain >3.0 dB. It has a reflection coefficient is −20.15 dBi and an efficiency of 86%. The prospective antenna has a compact size, good radiation characteristics and good time domain behaviour to mollify the obligation of the modern communication system.
Simulation and measurement of electromagnetic wave propagation on dynamic human bodies
Authors: Lee George , Garner Brian , Li Yang
Published: April 2017

The study of electromagnetic wave propagation on human bodies in dynamic motion can yield valuable information toward the advancement of wireless body area network technology. A human body model and simulation methodology is presented that simulates loss between on‐body transmitting and receiving antennas during human motion activities. Experiments of human volunteers performing the motion activities complement the simulation approach. Motion capture data prescribes the model body position over simulated frames of the activity. Measured transmission data is used for comparison and validation of the simulations.
Probe‐compensated fast hybrid antenna testing
Authors: Giordanengo Giorgio , Righero Marco , Leonardo Araque Quijano Javier , Vipiana Francesca , Vecchi Giuseppe
Published: April 2017

Near‐field (NF) measurements with NF‐to‐far‐field (FF) transformation are a powerful and standard approach to modern antenna measurements. This approach implies a relatively close distance between device under test (DUT) and probe and, since the latter is rarely an ideal probe, it will introduce effects that have to be removed to obtain a FF which is only expression of the DUT. In this study, the authors introduce a probe compensation technique applicable to a generic scan surface with non‐uniform, possibly incomplete sampling. The procedure is based on a hybridisation between simulations and measurements of the DUT, originally devised to achieve a radical undersampling of the NF with respect to the Nyquist criteria, in order to perform fast and accurate measurements. They present results that prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Family of two‐port switching networks with ripple power decoupling and output voltage step‐up functions
Authors: Liu Yonglu , Sun Yao , Su Mei
Published: April 2017

Active decoupling methods are developed for tackling the inherent second‐order ripple power. However, in all the active decoupling methods developed for single‐phase current source rectifier (SCSR), the dc output voltage is limited to half the peak amplitude of the ac source voltage. That limits SCSR's wide applications. Addressing that issue this study proposes a family of two‐port switching networks (TSNs) to achieve ripple power decoupling and output voltage step‐up at the same time. The main circuit is formed by inserting the TSN into the dc link of a conventional SCSR. Compared with the most existing SCSRs with decoupling capability, no extra semiconductor devices are added. Related operating principle and modulation scheme are described first. Then the selection of the decoupling capacitance is discussed. A closed‐loop control strategy is also introduced to achieve good compensation performance. Finally, simulations and experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness.
Robust full‐wave Maxwell solver in time‐domain using magnetic vector potential with edge elements
Authors: Zhao Yanpu
Published: April 2017

Magnetic vector potential (MVP) formulations are widely used in low‐frequency eddy‐current computation. For full‐wave Maxwell problems with coupled resistive, inductive and capacitive effects, existing MVP formulations are either ungauged or with too complicated stabilisation procedure or with non‐symmetric system matrix. Since sophisticated preconditioners are necessary to ensure good convergence rates of iterative solvers when used to solve the resultant linear system, it is also important to investigate symmetric gauged formulations which can be solved by more robust state‐of‐the‐art sparse direct solvers. Traditional Coulomb gauged formulation using penalty technique is not feasible for edge elements since the divergence of the edge element basis function is zero within each element. In this study, a novel MVP formulation with Coulomb Gauge for full‐wave Maxwell problems using edge elements is proposed. The proposed formulation is symmetric and stable for all frequencies, easy to implement and uniquely solvable. Numerical results obtained using the proposed MVP formulation are demonstrated to showcase its stability and accuracy. The method is very promising in further engineering applications.
Denoising of UHF PD signals based on optimised VMD and wavelet transform
Authors: Long Jiachuan , Wang Xianpei , Dai Dangdang , Tian Meng , Zhu Guowei , Zhang Jun
Published: April 2017

The ultra‐high frequency (UHF) partial discharge (PD) monitoring is one of the most effective ways to detect the insulation failure in electrical equipment. Although the UHF method avoids the intensive low‐frequency noise, various electromagnetic interferences in substation can still influence its effectiveness and reliability. Most existing denoising algorithms, however, are unable to suppress different kinds of noise simultaneously. Meanwhile, the main focus of these algorithms is on the degree of noise reduction, while pay little attention to feature preservation. Therefore, a novel denoising method namely optimised variation mode decomposition and wavelet (OVMDW) is developed in this paper. In OVMDW, an optimised variational mode decomposition (VMD) algorithm is presented firstly to decompose the original signal into several band‐limited modes. Then, a determination rule is designed to identify the effective components from these modes. Finally, the wavelet‐based denoising method is employed to remove the residual white noise. Denoising results for simulative and experimental data show that the proposed method can remove various interferences from UHF PD signals. Additionally, new indexes are introduced to evaluate the performance of denoising algorithms in practical situations. Comparison results based on these indexes reveal that the proposed method using the VMD approach can preserve quite well the features of original signals.
Zigzag configurations of hafnium carbide nanowires synthesised by chemical vapour deposition below the eutectic temperature
Authors: Tian Song , Liang Zhongtian , Cai Zitian , Zhang Yulei , Qiang Xinfa , Zhang Shouyang , Li Hejun
Published: April 2017

Hafnium carbide nanowires were synthesised by a Ni‐catalysed vacuum chemical vapour deposition method below the eutectic temperature of the Ni–C–Hf alloy. The zigzag growth behaviour of the hafnium carbide nanowires resulting from metastable growth was investigated by transmission electron microscopy in order to understand the sub‐eutectic growth. Three typical zigzag configurations at joint angles of ∼125°, 45°, and 90° can be observed from the synthesised nanowires, where the structure with an angle of ∼125° is the most common, formed via a change in the growth direction from to , or vice versa. The 45° zigzag structure is the second most common and is formed by alternating the axial direction three times between 〈011〉 and 〈001〉. The number of the zigzag structures with a 90° angle is the most rare among the three types and is formed by the change in growth direction between two energy‐equal directions, from to . Although alternating the growth direction brings about the zigzag geometry, the zigzag structured hafnium carbide nanowires have a single‐crystal structure. In addition, the surface energies of the crystal planes play an important role in the growth of the hafnium carbide zigzag nanowires.
Continuous flow synthesis of monodisperse gold nanoparticles by liquid‐phase reduction method on glass microfluidic device
Authors: Yagyu Hiromasa , Tanabe Yu , Takano Satoru , Hamamoto Mao
Published: April 2017

Monodisperse gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in aqueous dispersion were synthesised using a low‐cost glass microfluidic device with a Y‐shaped microchannel. The effects of channel width and flow rate on the size distribution of the synthesised GNPs were investigated. An aqueous solution of tetrachloroauric (III) acid (source of Au ions), and a mixture of an aqueous solution of sodium citrate acid (reducing agent) and tannic acid (protective agent), were injected into a microchannel in the microfluidic device by using a syringe pump. The absorption spectra at low flow rates showed sharper peaks in comparison with those at high flow rates. At the channel width of 260 μm, the full width at half maximum of the absorption peak was 79.2 nm for 0.05 ml/min and 92.9 nm for 0.06 ml/min. From transmission electron microscopy images, the GNPs synthesised using a channel width of 260 μm and flow rate of 0.05 ml/min were found to have a mean diameter of 11.5 nm and coefficient of variation of 0.09. These results confirmed that the combination of a low‐flow rate and a small channel width is essential to obtain monodisperse GNPs.
Understanding the environment around the intermediate mass black hole candidate ESO 243-49 HLX-1
Authors: Webb N. A. , Guérou A. , Ciambur B. , Detoeuf A. , Coriat M. , Godet O. , Barret D. , Combes F. , Contini T. , Graham Alister W. , Maccarone T. J. , Mrkalj M. , Servillat M. , Schroetter I. , Wiersema K.
Published: April 2017

Aims. ESO 243-49 HLX-1, otherwise known as HLX-1, is an intermediate mass black hole (IMBH) candidate located 8′′ (3.7 Kpc) from the centre of the edge-on S0 galaxy ESO 243-49. How the black hole came to be associated with this galaxy, and the nature of the environment in which it resides, remain unclear. Using multi-wavelength observations we aim to investigate the nature of the medium surrounding HLX-1, search for evidence of past mergers with ESO 243-49 and constrain parameters of the galaxy, including the mass of the expected central supermassive black hole, essential for future modelling of the interaction of the IMBH and ESO 243-49.

Methods. We have reduced and analysed integral field unit observations of ESO 243-49 that were taken with the MUSE instrument on the VLT. Using complementary multi-wavelength data, including X-shooter, HST, Swift, Chandra and ATCA data, we have further examined the vicinity of HLX-1. We additionally examined the nature of the host galaxy and estimate the mass of the central supermassive black hole in ESO 243-49 using (black hole mass)–(host spheroid) scaling relations and the fundamental plane of black hole activity.

Results. No evidence for a recent minor-merger that could result in the presence of the IMBH is discerned, but the data are compatible with a scenario in which minor mergers may have occurred in the history of ESO 243-49. The MUSE data reveal a rapidly rotating disc in the centre of the galaxy, around the supermassive black hole. The mass of the supermassive black hole at the centre of ESO 243-49 is estimated to be 0.5−23 × 107M⊙. Studying the spectra of HLX-1, that were taken in the low and hard state, we determine Hα flux variability to be at least a factor 6, compared to observations taken during the high and soft state. This Hα flux variability over one year indicates that the line originates close to the intermediate mass black hole, excluding the possibility that the line emanates from a surrounding nebula or a star cluster. The large variability associated with the X-ray states of HLX-1 confirms that the Hα line is associated with the object and therefore validates the distance to HLX-1.
Recent Advances in Piperazine Synthesis
Authors: Gettys Kristen , Ye Zhishi , Dai Mingji
Published: April 2017

Piperazine ranks as the third most common N-heterocycle appearing in small-molecule pharmaceuticals. This review highlights recent advances in methods development for the construction of the piperazine­ ring system with particular emphasis on preparing carbon-substituted piperazines.

1 Introduction

2 Reduction of (Di)ketopiperazine

3 N-Alkylation

4 Transition-Metal-Catalyzed/Mediated Piperazine Synthesis

4.1 The SnAP and SLAP Methods

4.2 Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization

4.3 Gold-Catalyzed Cyclization

4.4 Other Metal-Catalyzed/Mediated Cyclization

4.5 Borrowing Hydrogen Strategy

4.6 Imine Reductive Cyclization

5 Reduction of Pyrazines

6 Miscellaneous

7 Conclusion
New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) – a Challenge for the Addiction Treatment Services
Authors: Scherbaum Norbert , Schifano F. , Bonnet Udo
Published: April 2017

Over the last few years, hundreds of new psychoactive substances (NPS) have been identified in Europe. Apart from some herbal compounds, NPS mainly include synthetic cannabinoids and a range of new synthetic stimulants (e. g., cathinones). Synthetic NPS are often developed whilst modifying the basic chemical (e. g., phenethylamine or tryptamine) structure. Although the pharmacology and toxicology of most NPS are hardly known, they are being offered, especially online, as “bath salts,” as “incense mixtures,” or under other misleading labels. In addition, NPS are advertised as “legal highs,” suggesting that, in contrast to substances regulated by the national laws, trading with NPS is legal. Although only little is known about the prevalence of NPS use, some of these molecules may be associated with a range of severe adverse reactions. Indeed, different from cannabis, synthetic cannabinoid users may present with epileptic seizures, loss of consciousness, and a range of persisting psychopathological disorders. Future studies should inform better-tailored management strategies.
Transcriptional Coactivator p300 and Silent Information Regulator 1 (SIRT1) Gene Polymorphism Associated with Diabetic Kidney Disease in a Chinese Cohort
Authors: Tang Kang , Sun Mingfang , Shen Jing , Zhou Bo
Published: April 2017

One of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus, which could lead to end-stage renal disease across all demographics, is ‘diabetic kidney disease’. However, how diabetic kidney disease develops remains unclear. Studies conducted thus far suggest that a major factor in the origination and development of the disease occurs through histone acetylation modifications. This study aims to examine the probable relationship in Chinese patients suffering from type 2 diabetes.

A case–control study was conducted in the Chongqing region of China on the Chinese Han population. Patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected between March 2014 and Dec 2014 from the Department of Endocrinology, which is the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. TaqMan probes were employed to perform an allelic discrimination assay for genotyping p300 and the SIRT1 (Silent Information Regulator 1) polymorphism. The risk factors diabetic kidney disease were determined by statistical analysis.

The dispersion of the p300 genotype frequencies and SIRT1 gene polymorphism adheres to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The DKD group had a greater allele G frequency distribution, and allele G patients have a higher probability of diabetic kidney disease. Female patients, patients younger than 65 years of age, and those with the AG or GG genotype are more likely to develop diabetic kidney disease than patients with the AA phenotype. Patients with the AG or GG genotype are more likely to suffer from a severe diabetic kidney disease than patients with the AA genotype, particularly if the patients are older than 65 years of age. The SIRT1 rs4746720 allele C is a risk factor for urinary Alb/Cr. Allele G and the TC genotype patients are more likely to develop diabetic kidney disease, while allele G and TT genotype patients are more likely develop a severe diabetic kidney disease.

Transcriptional coactivator p300 gene polymorphism correlates with the development and advancement of diabetic kidney disease. Additionally, the SIRT1 gene collaborates with the p300 gene and participates in promoting albuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.
Comparing the Immune-Genomic Effects of Vilazodone and Paroxetine in Late-Life Depression: A Pilot Study
Authors: Eyre Harris , Siddarth Prabha , Cyr Natalie , Yang Hongyu , Cole Steve , Forbes Malcolm , Lavretsky Helen
Published: April 2017

Vilazodone is a novel antidepressant agent that combines selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) activity and 5-HT(1A) receptor partial agonist activity.

A pilot study was conducted to compare vilazodone (novel compound) and paroxetine (gold standard) on antidepressant effects, tolerability, and inflammation and immune modulation.

A 12-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted with 56 nondemented older adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Between-group differences in mood, tolerability, and safety, as well as genomic markers of inflammation and immune modulation, were examined.

Both treatment groups demonstrated similar improvement in depressed mood. Leukocyte gene expression profiles demonstrated reduction of specific proinflammatory gene transcripts and bioinformatic indications of reduced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), activator protein (AP)-1, and cAMP response element binding (CREB) activity in the vilazodone group compared to the paroxetine group. Transcript origin analyses implicated monocytes and dendritic cells as the primary cellular origins of transcript reductions in the vilazodone-treated group.

Vilazodone’s antidepressant effects may be associated with reduction of proinflammatory gene expression and immune modulation. Further research is required.