bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Binary Competitive Swarm Optimizer for Power System Unit Commitment
Authors: Wang Ying , Yang Zhile , Guo Yuanjun , Zhou Bowen , Zhu Xiaodong
Published: April 2019

The unit commitment (UC) problem is a critical task in power system operation process. The units realize reasonable start-up and shut-down scheduling and would bring considerable economic savings to the grid operators. However, unit commitment is a high-dimensional mixed-integer optimisation problem, which has long been intractable for current solvers. Competitive swarm optimizer is a recent proposed meta-heuristic algorithm specialized in solving the high-dimensional problem. In this paper, a novel binary competitive swarm optimizer (BCSO) is proposed for solving the UC problem associated with lambda iteration method. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, comprehensive numerical studies on different sizes units ranging from 10 to 100 are proposed, and the algorithm is compared with other counterparts. Results clearly show that BCSO outperforms all the other counterparts and is therefore completely capable of solving the UC problem.
Jumping with Expandable Trunk of a Metamorphic Quadruped Robot—The Origaker II
Authors: Li Tengfei , Zhang Chunsong , Wang Shengjie , Dai Jian S.
Published: April 2019

Most of the traditional quadruped robots are assembled with rigid trunks that make no active contributions to their locomotion performances. However, in the natural world, some quadrupeds expand their trunks when jumping. This paper proposes a metamorphic quadruped robot, named the Origaker II, with an expandable trunk that can implement the motion of contracting-stretching. Benefitting from the expandable trunk, this robot achieves a longer jumping distance than that of the traditional quadruped robots. The structure of the robot is introduced. Its jumping motion is designed based on the observation of a frog. The effect of the expandable trunk on this robot will be mathematically analyzed. At last, contrast simulations are conducted to verify the benefits of the expandable trunk to the robot.
SURF-BRISK–Based Image Infilling Method for Terrain Classification of a Legged Robot
Authors: Zhu Yaguang , Jia Chaoyu , Ma Chao , Liu Qiong
Published: April 2019

In this study, we propose adaptive locomotion for an autonomous multilegged walking robot, an image infilling method for terrain classification based on a combination of speeded up robust features, and binary robust invariant scalable keypoints (SURF-BRISK). The terrain classifier is based on the bag-of-words (BoW) model and SURF-BRISK, both of which are fast and accurate. The image infilling method is used for identifying terrain with obstacles and mixed terrain; their features are magnified to help with recognition of different complex terrains. Local image infilling is used to improve low accuracy caused by obstacles and super-pixel image infilling is employed for mixed terrain. A series of experiments including classification of terrain with obstacles and mixed terrain were conducted and the obtained results show that the proposed method can accurately identify all terrain types and achieve adaptive locomotion.
Research on Robust Day-Ahead Dispatch Considering Primary Frequency Response of Wind Turbine
Authors: Sun Rong , Chen Bing , Lv Zhenhua , Mei Jianchun , Zang Haixiang , Wei Zhinong , Sun Guoqiang
Published: April 2019

With the large-scale integration of renewable energy sources (e.g., wind power), the system inertial response and primary frequency regulation are affected. The virtual synchronous generator technology, which makes it possible for wind power units to adjust the frequency, provides a new way of approaching this problem. In this paper, we set up the related constraints that fit the optimal dispatch framework with a primary reserve representing the primary frequency response between the conventional synchronous generator and the wind power units, and the technical parameters of the virtual synchronous generator. Meanwhile, we use the robust day-ahead optimization dispatch model considering the wind power integrated primary frequency control in the real-time operation with the scenario of the wind power output showing the uncertainty of wind power. Based on the model, we identify the key set using an iterative method and obtain the maximum power loss. Through the proposed model, we could provide the day-ahead unit output and real-time primary reserve, thus ensuring the reliable operation of the system. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by a computational experiment.
Design 2-Speed Transmission for Compact Electric Vehicle Using Dual Brake System
Authors: Han Jae-Oh , Shin Jae-Won , Kim Jae-Chang , Oh Se-Hoon
Published: April 2019

Mega trends in the global automotive industry are environmentally friendly. As laws and regulations tighten at the government level, the automobile industry is striving to develop a drive system that can operate without using fossil fuels, instead of developing an internal combustion engine using fossil fuels. Environmentally-friendly energy is attracting attention as an alternative to solve the problems of air pollution and fossil fuel depletion. Electricity is attracting the most attention among environmentally-friendly alternative fuels. In addition, research on the development of a high-efficiency and high-reliability advanced electric automobile drive system are actively being carried out. In this study, a two-speed transmission for electric vehicles is developed using environmentally-friendly fuel. The 1st and the 2nd planetary gear modules were integrated, the ring gear and the carrier gear were shared, and the dual disc brake was used to design a mechanism for fixing each sun and shifting gear. Such a structure can improve shift energy efficiency compared to that of conventional transmissions. It was judged that the structure was suitable for an electric car using a limited power supply. Each gear was designed by calculating bending strength and surface durability.
Embedded Based Real-Time Monitoring in the High-Pressure Resin Transfer Molding Process for CFRP
Authors: Kim Roh-Won , Kim Churl-Min , Hwang Kyung-Hwan , Kim Sung-Ryul
Published: April 2019

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) is a material developed for its high strength and light weight in a broad variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, and leisure. Due to the rapid molding cycle time, high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM) processes are prone to molding defects and susceptible to various process variables such as the resin injection rate, pressure and temperature in the mold, vacuum, end-gap, pressing force, and binder. In recent years, process monitoring technology with various sensors has been applied to stabilize the HP-RTM process and control process variables. The field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based embedded monitoring system proposed in this study enabled high-speed real-time signal processing with multiple sensors, namely pressure, temperature, and linear variable differential transformer (LVDT), and proved feasibility in the field. In the HP-RTM process, the impregnation and curing of the resin were predicted from the cavity pressure and temperature variations during the injection and curing stages. In addition, the thickness of the CFRP specimen was deduced from the change in the end-gap through the detection of the LVDT signal. Therefore, the causes of molding defects were analyzed through process monitoring and the influence of molding defects on the molding quality of CFRP was investigated.
Antimicrobial Activities of Dictyostelium Differentiation-Inducing Factors and Their Derivatives
Authors: Kubohara Yuzuru , Shiratsuchi Yoshiko , Ishigaki Hirotaka , Takahashi Katsunori , Oshima Yoshiteru , Kikuchi Haruhisa
Published: April 2019

At the end of its life cycle, the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum forms a fruiting body consisting of spores and a multicellular stalk. Originally, the chlorinated alkylphenone differentiation-inducing factors (DIFs) -1 and -3 were isolated as stalk cell inducers in D. discoideum. Later, DIFs and their derivatives were shown to possess several biologic activities including antitumor and anti-Trypanosoma properties. In this study, we examined the antibacterial activities of approximately 30 DIF derivatives by using several bacterial species. Several of the DIF derivatives strongly suppressed the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the sub-micromolar to low-micromolar range. In contrast, none of the DIF derivatives evaluated had any noteworthy effect on the growth of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli (MIC, >100 µM). Most importantly, several of the DIF derivatives strongly inhibited the growth of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis and E. faecium. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that treatment with DIF derivatives led to the formation of distinct multilayered structures consisting of cell wall or plasma membrane in S. aureus. The present results suggest that DIF derivatives are good lead compounds for developing novel antimicrobials.
Encapsulation of Antihypertensive Peptides from Whey Proteins and Their Releasing in Gastrointestinal Conditions
Authors: Alvarado Yolanda , Muro Claudia , Illescas Javier , Díaz María del Carmen , Riera Francisco
Published: April 2019

Antihypertensive peptide fraction from whey protein hydrolysate <3 kDa (measured as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity %) was isolated and encapsulated into three composite materials: alginate–collagen, alginate Arabic gum, and alginate–gelatin. The release behavior of peptide fraction from capsules was analyzed according to the encapsulation material efficiency, the characteristics of the capsules, and the released antihypertensive peptides during gastrointestinal digestion. The highest encapsulation efficiency was found in capsules of alginate Arabic gum (95%). In this case, the released peptides incremented their ACE activity (85%) after the digestion process, with respect to the initial ACE activity (74%). Whey antihypertensive fraction revealed five peptide sequences; however, other amino acid sequences were released from digested capsules. Protein databases confirmed some antihypertensive sequences indicating the peptides content from β-Lg and α-La. Consequently, new peptides could be revealed from whey antihypertensive fraction.
Factors Influencing the Intention to Use the Common Ticketing System (Spider Card) in Thailand
Authors: Prayoonphan Fasang , Xu Xiaolin
Published: April 2019

The Common Ticket, locally called the “Spider Card” is a contactless smartcard ticket used for public transportation systems in Thailand. The card is used for all modes of transportation and increases the convenience of public transit passengers while increasing public transport ridership. This research aimed to identify the determinant factors that impact passengers’ intention to use the Spider Card based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model by integrating perceived convenience and perceived sacrifice as part of the perceived value. A survey of public transit users in the Bangkok metropolitan area was conducted. The Partial Least Square-Structure Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was employed to examine the data. The results showed that perceived value, performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions are all significant factors. Perceived convenience and perceived sacrifice are significant antecedents for perceived value. Surprisingly, effort expectancy and social influence did not impact passengers’ intentions to use the Spider Card. The results also offer beneficial information for public transit authorities in order to comprehend what passengers desire from using these kinds of technology service systems.
Influence of the Titanium Content in the Ti-MCM-41 Catalyst on the Course of the α-Pinene Isomerization Process
Authors: Wróblewska Agnieszka , Miądlicki Piotr , Tołpa Jadwiga , Sreńscek-Nazzal Joanna , Koren Zvi C. , Michalkiewicz Beata
Published: April 2019

Titanium-containing mesoporous silica catalysts with different Ti contents were prepared by the sol–gel method, whereby the molar ratios of silicon to titanium in the crystallization gel amounted to, respectively, 40:1, 30:1, 20:1 and 10:1. The produced Ti-MCM-41 materials were characterized by the following instrumental methods: XRD, UV-Vis, FT-IR, SEM, and XRF. Textural parameters were also determined for these materials by means of the N2 adsorption/desorption method. The activities of these catalysts were investigated in the α-pinene isomerization process. The most active catalyst was found to be the material with the molar ratio of Si:Ti equal to 10:1, which contained 12.09 wt% Ti. This catalyst was used in the extended studies on the α-pinene isomerization process, and the most favorable conditions for this reaction were found to be temperature of 160 °C, reaction time of 7 h, with the catalyst composition of 7.5 wt% relative to α-pinene. These studies showed that the most active catalyst, at the best reaction conditions, allowed for the attainment of 100% conversion of α-pinene over a period of 7 h. After this time the selectivities (in mol%) of the main products were as follows: camphene (35.45) and limonene (21.32). Moreover, other products with lower selectivities were formed: γ-terpinene (4.38), α-terpinene (8.12), terpinolene (11.16), p-cymene (6.61), and α-phellandrene (1.58).
Erratum: Obalová, L.; Klegova, A.; Matějová, L.; Pacultová, K.; Fridrichová, D. Must the Best Laboratory Prepared Catalyst Also Be the Best in an Operational Application? Catalysts 2019, 9, 160
Authors: Obalová Lucie , Klegova Anna , Matějová Lenka , Pacultová Kateřina , Fridrichová Dagmar
Published: April 2019

The authors wish to make the following erratum to this paper [...]
Heterogeneous Gold Catalysis: From Discovery to Applications
Authors: Alshammari Ahmad S.
Published: April 2019

In the present review, the important and current developments of gold catalysts for a wide range of applications are comprehensively summarized. This review also provides a detailed study of the literature data concerning the preparation, characterization, and catalytic applications of gold catalysts. Additionally, the main aspects of using supported gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as catalysts for oxidation reactions are considered. In particular, the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and the production of adipic acid from cyclohexane are discussed in detail. Lastly, the key properties of gold catalysts are described, and an outlook on the application of gold catalysts is presented.
An Epistatic Interaction between Pnpla2 and Lipe Reveals New Pathways of Adipose Tissue Lipolysis
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Zhang Cong Cong , Yang Hao , Soni Krishnakant G. , Wang Shu Pei , Mitchell Grant A. , Wu Jiang Wei
Published: April 2019

White adipose tissue (WAT) lipolysis contributes to energy balance during fasting. Lipolysis can proceed by the sequential hydrolysis of triglycerides (TGs) by adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), then of diacylglycerols (DGs) by hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). We showed that the combined genetic deficiency of ATGL and HSL in mouse adipose tissue produces a striking different phenotype from that of isolated ATGL deficiency, inconsistent with the linear model of lipolysis. We hypothesized that the mechanism might be functional redundancy between ATGL and HSL. To test this, the TG hydrolase activity of HSL was measured in WAT. HSL showed TG hydrolase activity. Then, to test ATGL for activity towards DGs, radiolabeled DGs were incubated with HSL-deficient lipid droplet fractions. The content of TG increased, suggesting DG-to-TG synthesis rather than DG hydrolysis. TG synthesis was abolished by a specific ATGL inhibitor, suggesting that ATGL functions as a transacylase when HSL is deficient, transferring an acyl group from one DG to another, forming a TG plus a monoglyceride (MG) that could be hydrolyzed by monoglyceride lipase. These results reveal a previously unknown physiological redundancy between ATGL and HSL, a mechanism for the epistatic interaction between Pnpla2 and Lipe. It provides an alternative lipolytic pathway, potentially important in patients with deficient lipolysis.
Investigation of Heat Transfer Properties of Plasma-Treated and Silicone-Elastomer Coated Basalt Fabric
Authors: Zhang Meiling , Denning Ron , Zhong Zhili , Wang Xungai , Shen Yiwen , Naebe Maryam
Published: April 2019

In this study, the effect of pre-plasma treatment on the adsorption of silicone to enhance the heat transfer resistance of basalt fabric for protective clothing was investigated. Fabrics were treated with plasma prior to surface coating. Changes to the un-sized basalt fibre surface were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning probe microscopy (SPM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurement. Furthermore, heat transfer and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of basalt fabric coated with silicone were assessed. The results show that the different percentage add-ons of silicone had a significant effect on the heat transfer rate of the un-sized basalt fabric. Plasma treatment changed the fibres physically and enhanced the uniformity of the silicone coating. A combination of the plasma treatment and silicone coating revealed a significant difference in the heat transfer rate compared to the silicone-only coated basalt fabric. This finding can potentially be used to both engineer and tune the performance of protective clothing.
A Comparison of Compression Codecs for Maritime and Sonar Images in Bandwidth Constrained Applications
Authors: Kwan Chiman , Larkin Jude , Budavari Bence , Chou Bryan , Shang Eric , Tran Trac D.
Published: April 2019

Since lossless compression can only achieve two to four times data compression, it may not be efficient to deploy lossless compression in bandwidth constrained applications. Instead, it would be more economical to adopt perceptually lossless compression, which can attain ten times or more compression without loss of important information. Consequently, one can transmit more images over bandwidth limited channels. In this research, we first aimed to compare and select the best compression algorithm in the literature to achieve a compression ratio of 0.1 and 40 dBs or more in terms of a performance metric known as human visual system model (HVSm) for maritime and sonar images. Our second objective was to demonstrate error concealment algorithms that can handle corrupted pixels due to transmission errors in interference-prone communication channels. Using four state-of-the-art codecs, we demonstrated that perceptually lossless compression can be achieved for realistic maritime and sonar images. At the same time, we also selected the best codec for this purpose using four performance metrics. Finally, error concealment was demonstrated to be useful in recovering lost pixels due to transmission errors.
Gaze Information Channel in Cognitive Comprehension of Poster Reading
Authors: Hao Qiaohong , Sbert Mateu , Ma Lijing
Published: April 2019

Today, eye trackers are extensively used in studying human cognition. However, it is hard to analyze and interpret eye movement data from the cognitive comprehension perspective of poster reading. To find quantitative links between eye movements and cognitive comprehension, we tracked observers’ eye movement for reading scientific poster publications. We model in this paper eye tracking fixation sequences between content-dependent Areas of Interests (AOIs) as a Markov chain. Furthermore, we use the fact that a Markov chain is a special case of information or communication channel. Then, the gaze transition can be modeled as a discrete information channel, the gaze information channel. Next, some traditional eye tracking metrics, together with the gaze entropy and mutual information of the gaze information channel are calculated to quantify cognitive comprehension for every participant. The analysis of the results demonstrate that the gaze entropy and mutual information from individual gaze information channel are related to participants’ individual differences. This is the first study that eye tracking technology has been used to assess the cognitive comprehension of poster reading. The present work provides insights into human cognitive comprehension by using the novel gaze information channel methodology.
Quantum Nonlocality
Authors: Vaidman Lev
Published: April 2019

The role of physics is to explain observed phenomena [...]
ARCS and RGT Integrated High-Efficiency E-Books
Authors: Chang Yi-Hsing , Chao Pin-Chun , Fang Rong-Jyue
Published: April 2019

This study used the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) method and Kelly’s repertory grid technique (RGT) to develop a high-efficiency e-book. Its main design concepts were to use the ARCS model to create a highly interactive human–machine interface and multimedia learning content that would enhance the learning motivation of users, and to use RGT and a knowledge map to supplement the learning strategy and help users effectively build personalized knowledge. This study adopted Taiwanese cherry blossoms as the learning objectives and recruited 70 freshmen from a university in Tainan as research participants. During the experiment, the students were divided into a control group, which used websites on cherry blossoms, and an experimental group, which used the system developed for this study. Learning outcome assessments and questionnaires were conducted on the pre- and post- learning test data of both groups. The learning outcomes were analyzed using a t-test. In the questionnaire, the assessments and discussions were focused on the four constructs of ARCS. The results show that the improvement of learning outcomes was more significant in the experimental group than in the control group. All dimensions of the questionnaire achieved significant results. Therefore, the learners provided positive reviews of the proposed high-efficiency e-book.
Power Control Technique Using Error Distribution Analysis for Ultrasound Imaging Displays
Authors: Cho Sung In , Kang Suk-Ju
Published: April 2019

In this paper, a new power control technique based on clipped error distribution is proposed for portable ultrasound imaging displays. To reduce the display power consumption, the backlight dimming is used to select the optimal point between the power reduction of a backlight and the high image quality. In this case, the clipped error, i.e., the saturation error for pixels exceeding the maximum expressible gray level, should be considered. Conventional algorithms do not consider the clipped error distribution, which is the spatial distribution of pixels with the clipped error in a frame image when the power consumption is reduced. Therefore, it degrades the image quality in the medical display. On the other hand, the proposed algorithm calculates statistical values for clipped error distribution by analyzing the image characteristics. Hence, it can avoid degradation of the image quality by concentrating the pixels with clipped errors in a small region. In addition, the proposed algorithm uses a sampling technique, which only uses selected pixels based on the pre-defined sampling pattern, to reduce the computation time. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can improve the image quality in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio by up to 7.063 dB (23.49%) while reducing the computation time by up to 0.451 μs (17.18%) using a sampling technique.
Design and Investigation of the Junction-Less TFET with Ge/Si0.3Ge0.7/Si Heterojunction and Heterogeneous Gate Dielectric
Authors: Han Tao , Liu Hongxia , Wang Shulong , Chen Shupeng , Li Wei , Yang Xiaoli , Cai Ming , Yang Kun
Published: April 2019

To improve the on-state current and reduce the miller capacitance of the conventional junction-less tunneling field effect transistor (JLTFET), the junction-less TFET with Ge/Si0.3Ge0.7/Si heterojunction and heterogeneous gate dielectric (H-JLTFET) is investigated by the Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) simulation in this paper. The source region uses the narrow bandgap semiconductor material germanium to obtain the higher on-state current; the gate dielectric adjacent to the drain region adopts the low-k dielectric material SiO2, which is considered to reduce the gate-to-drain capacitance effectively. Moreover, the gap region uses the Si0.3Ge0.7 material to decrease the tunneling distance. In addition, the effects of the device sizes, doping concentration and work function on the performance of the H-JLTFET are analyzed systematically. The optimal on-state current and switching ratio of the H-JLTFET can reach 6 µA/µm and 2.6 × 1012, which are one order of magnitude and four orders of magnitude larger than the conventional JLTFET, respectively. Meanwhile, the gate-to-drain capacitance, off-state current and power consumption of the H-JLTFET can be effectively suppressed, so it will have a great potential in future ultra-low power integrated circuit applications.
Design Architectures of the CMOS Power Amplifier for 2.4 GHz ISM Band Applications: An Overview
Authors: Bhuiyan Mohammad Arif Sobhan , Badal Md Torikul Islam , Reaz Mamun Bin Ibne , Crespo Maria Liz , Cicuttin Andres
Published: April 2019

Power amplifiers (PAs) are among the most crucial functional blocks in the radio frequency (RF) frontend for reliable wireless communication. PAs amplify and boost the input signal to the required output power. The signal is amplified to make it sufficiently high for the transmitter to propagate the required distance to the receiver. Attempted advancements of PA have focused on attaining high-performance RF signals for transmitters. Such PAs are expected to require low power consumption while producing a relatively high output power with a high efficiency. However, current PA designs in nanometer and micrometer complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology present inevitable drawbacks, such as oxide breakdown and hot electron effect. A well-defined architecture, including a linear and simple functional block synthesis, is critical in designing CMOS PA for various applications. This article describes the different state-of-the art design architectures of CMOS PA, including their circuit operations, and analyzes the performance of PAs for 2.4 GHz ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical) band applications.
MCC-CKF: A Distance Constrained Kalman Filter Method for Indoor TOA Localization Applications
Authors: Xu Cheng , Ji Mengmeng , Qi Yue , Zhou Xinghang
Published: April 2019

Non-Gaussian noise may have a negative impact on the performance of the Kalman filter (KF), due to its adoption of only second-order statistical information. Thus, KF is not first priority in applications with non-Gaussian noises. The indoor positioning based on arrival of time (TOA) has large errors caused by multipath and non-line of sight (NLOS). This paper introduces the inequality state constraint to enhance the ranging performance. Based on these considerations, we propose a constrained Kalman filter based on the maximum correntropy criterion (MCC-CKF) to enhance the TOA performance in the extreme environment of multipath and non-line of sight. Pratical experimental results indicate that MCC-CKF outperforms other estimators, such as Kalman filter and Kalman filter based on maximum entropy.
Wearable and Flexible Textile Electrodes for Biopotential Signal Monitoring: A review
Authors: Acar Gizem , Ozturk Ozberk , Golparvar Ata Jedari , Elboshra Tamador Alkhidir , Böhringer Karl , Yapici Murat Kaya
Published: April 2019

Wearable electronics is a rapidly growing field that recently started to introduce successful commercial products into the consumer electronics market. Employment of biopotential signals in wearable systems as either biofeedbacks or control commands are expected to revolutionize many technologies including point of care health monitoring systems, rehabilitation devices, human–computer/machine interfaces (HCI/HMIs), and brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). Since electrodes are regarded as a decisive part of such products, they have been studied for almost a decade now, resulting in the emergence of textile electrodes. This study presents a systematic review of wearable textile electrodes in physiological signal monitoring, with discussions on the manufacturing of conductive textiles, metrics to assess their performance as electrodes, and an investigation of their application in the acquisition of critical biopotential signals for routine monitoring, assessment, and exploitation of cardiac (electrocardiography, ECG), neural (electroencephalography, EEG), muscular (electromyography, EMG), and ocular (electrooculography, EOG) functions.
A Review of Charge Pump Topologies for the Power Management of IoT Nodes
Authors: Ballo Andrea , Grasso Alfio Dario , Palumbo Gaetano
Published: April 2019

With the aim of providing designer guidelines for choosing the most suitable solution, according to the given design specifications, in this paper a review of charge pump (CP) topologies for the power management of Internet of Things (IoT) nodes is presented. Power management of IoT nodes represents a challenging task, especially when the output of the energy harvester is in the order of few hundreds of millivolts. In these applications, the power management section can be profitably implemented, exploiting CPs. Indeed, presently, many different CP topologies have been presented in literature. Finally, a data-driven comparison is also provided, allowing for quantitative insight into the state-of-the-art of integrated CPs.
Surface Defects Recognition of Wheel Hub Based on Improved Faster R-CNN
Authors: Sun Xiaohong , Gu Jinan , Huang Rui , Zou Rong , Giron Palomares Benjamin
Published: April 2019

Machine vision is one of the key technologies used to perform intelligent manufacturing. In order to improve the recognition rate of multi-class defects in wheel hubs, an improved Faster R-CNN method was proposed. A data set for wheel hub defects was built. This data set consisted of four types of defects in 2,412 1080 × 1440 pixels images. Faster R-CNN was modified, trained, verified and tested based on this database. The recognition rate for this proposed method was excellent. The proposed method was compared with the popular R-CNN and YOLOv3 methods showing simpler, faster, and more accurate defect detection, which demonstrates the superiority of the improved Faster R-CNN for wheel hub defects.
Efficient Implementation of Multichannel FM and T-DMB Repeater in FPGA with Automatic Gain Controller
Authors: Han Mangi , Kim Youngmin
Published: April 2019

In this study, we implemented a high-performance multichannel repeater, both for FM and T-Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) signals using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). In a system for providing services using wireless communication, a radio-shaded area is inevitably generated due to various obstacles. Thus, an electronic device that receives weak or low-level signals and retransmits them at a higher level is crucial. In addition, parallel implementation of digital filters and gain controllers is necessary for a multichannel repeater. When power level is too low or too high, the repeater is required to compensate the power level and ensure a stable signal. However, analog- and software-based repeaters are expensive and they are difficult to install. They also cannot effectively process multichannel in parallel. The proposed system exploits various digital signal-processing algorithms, which include modulation, demodulation, Cascaded Integrator Comb (CIC) filters, Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters, Interpolated Second Ordered Polynomials (ISOP) filters, and Automatic Gain Controllers (AGCs). The newly proposed AGC is more efficient than others in terms of computation amount and throughput. The designed digital circuit was implemented by using Verilog HDL, and tested using a Xilinx Kintex 7 device. As a result, the proposed repeater can simultaneously handle 40 FM channels and 6 DMB channels in parallel. Output power level is also always maintained by the AGC.
Investigation and Evaluation of Winter Indoor Air Quality of Primary Schools in Severe Cold Weather Areas of China
Authors: Ma Fusheng , Zhan Changhong , Xu Xiaoyang
Published: April 2019

The indoor air quality (IAQ) in classrooms has attracted more and more attention. Unfortunately, there is limited information relating to IAQ in the primary schools in severe cold weather areas of China. In this study, a field investigation on the IAQ of a primary school of Shenyang in northeast China was carried out by physical measurements and questionnaire surveys. The carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in selected classrooms was continuously measured for a week, and the corresponding ventilation rate was calculated. Meanwhile, the perceptions of the IAQ, the purpose and the comfort degree of window opening have also been recorded from 106 pupils, aged 9–12. The results indicate the ventilation rate is considerably inadequate in about 99% of the class time due to the low frequency of window opening. The average daily CO2 concentration in these classrooms is 1510–3863 ppm, which is far higher than the recommended value of 1000 ppm. Most pupils understand that the purpose of opening windows in winter is to improve air quality. However, there are big differences between the measurement results and subjective judgments of indoor air quality. Contrary to the high measured CO2 concentration, around 70% pupils consider the air fresh, and only 3.7% pupils are dissatisfied and even very dissatisfied with IAQ in their classroom. It is necessary to change the existing manual window opening mode, because the pupils’ subjective judgment affects the window opening behavior.
Optimization of the Energy Consumption of a Carbon Capture and Sequestration Related Carbon Dioxide Compression Processes
Authors: Jackson Steven , Brodal Eivind
Published: April 2019

It is likely that the future availability of energy from fossil fuels, such as natural gas, will be influenced by how efficiently the associated CO2 emissions can be mitigated using carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). In turn, understanding how CCS affects the efficient recovery of energy from fossil fuel reserves in different parts of the world requires data on how the performance of each part of a particular CCS scheme is affected by both technology specific parameters and location specific parameters, such as ambient temperature. This paper presents a study into how the energy consumption of an important element of all CCS schemes, the CO2 compression process, varies with compressor design, CO2 pipeline pressure, and cooling temperature. Post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel capture scenarios are each considered. A range of optimization algorithms are used to ensure a consistent approach to optimization. The results show that energy consumption is minimized by compressor designs with multiple impellers per stage and carefully optimized stage pressure ratios. The results also form a performance map illustrating the energy consumption for CO2 compression processes that can be used in further study work and, in particular, CCS system models developed to study performance variation with ambient temperature.
History Matching and Forecast of Shale Gas Production Considering Hydraulic Fracture Closure
Authors: Kim Juhyun , Seo Youngjin , Wang Jihoon , Lee Youngsoo
Published: April 2019

Most shale gas reservoirs have extremely low permeability. Predicting their fluid transport characteristics is extremely difficult due to complex flow mechanisms between hydraulic fractures and the adjacent rock matrix. Recently, studies adopting the dynamic modeling approach have been proposed to investigate the shape of the flow regime between induced and natural fractures. In this study, a production history matching was performed on a shale gas reservoir in Canada’s Horn River basin. Hypocenters and densities of the microseismic signals were used to identify the hydraulic fracture distributions and the stimulated reservoir volume. In addition, the fracture width decreased because of fluid pressure reduction during production, which was integrated with the dynamic permeability change of the hydraulic fractures. We also incorporated the geometric change of hydraulic fractures to the 3D reservoir simulation model and established a new shale gas modeling procedure. Results demonstrate that the accuracy of the predictions for shale gas flow improved. We believe that this technique will enrich the community’s understanding of fluid flows in shale gas reservoirs.
A Survey of the Knowledge of Truffles among Polish Foresters and Implications for Environmental Education
Authors: Hilszczańska Dorota , Rosa-Gruszecka Aleksandra , Kosel Bogusław , Horak Jakub , Siebyła Marta
Published: April 2019

While the use of truffles in Poland has a long tradition, for historical reasons this knowledge was almost lost. Currently, truffles and truffle orchards are again receiving public attention. For example, the Polish State Forests supported the establishment of truffle orchards by the Forestry Research Institute. In recent years, knowledge concerning these unique hypogeous fungi has been disseminated systematically through scientific and popular publications, films, and electronic media. This study investigates the awareness of economically and culinary valued truffle fungi (Tuber spp.) among more than 1400 Polish foresters. The results show that 70% of interviewees were familiar with historical and contemporary information about growing and using truffles in Poland. Based on respondents’ age, education, type of work, and gender we attempted to identify whether these elements were associated with the state of knowledge about truffles. The results indicated that younger foresters were better informed about the presence of truffles in Poland and also about their use in the past in Polish cuisine. Environmental education was an important source of knowledge about truffle harvesting and the soils that are conducive to truffle development. Foresters who have provided forest ecology education and who are 36–65 years of age generally possessed better knowledge about truffles than other age cohorts. More than 30% of respondents expressed interest in educational courses to improve their knowledge of truffles. The results point to the need for forestry education concerning truffles and indicate the need for fostering sustainable agroforestry-centered initiatives disseminating this knowledge to the public.
Choosing from an Optimal Number of Options Makes Curry and Tea More Palatable
Authors: Onuma Takuya , Sakai Nobuyuki
Published: April 2019

Previous studies have shown that affording people choice increases their satisfaction with subsequent experiences: the choice effect. However, it remains unclear whether the choice effect occurs in the hedonic response to foods and beverages. Thus, the present study aimed to demonstrate the choice effect on the palatability perception. Ready-to-serve curries and tea were presented as options in Experiment 1 and Experiment 2, respectively. Experiment 1 failed to demonstrate significant differences among palatability ratings for a curry chosen by participants and for a curry chosen by the experimenter. However, Experiment 2 demonstrated that participants perceived a tea chosen by themselves as more palatable than another tea chosen by the experimenter, regardless of the fact that the two cups of tea were identical. Intriguingly, the effect was obtained only when the number of options was neither too small nor too big. These results indicate that the exercise of choice from an optimal number of options, even when the choice is ostensible and illusory, makes people perceive their chosen foods and beverages as being more palatable. Some implications for the domain of food business are also discussed.
Identification of Alteration Minerals from Unstable Reflectance Spectra Using a Deep Learning Method
Authors: Tanaka Soichiro , Tsuru Hideo , Someno Kazuaki , Yamaguchi Yasushi
Published: April 2019

Hydrothermal alteration minerals, which are important as indicators in the exploration of ore deposits, exhibit diagnostic absorption peaks in the short-wavelength infrared region. We propose an approach for the identification of alteration minerals that uses a deep learning method and compare it with conventional identification methods which use numerical calculation. Inexpensive spectrometers often tend to show errors in the wavelength direction, even after wavelength calibration, which causes erroneous mineral identification. In this study, deep learning is applied to extract features from reflectance spectra to remove such errors. Two typical deep learning methods—a convolutional neural network and a multi-layer perceptron—were applied to spectral reflectance data, with and without hull quotient processing, and their accuracy rates and f-values were evaluated. There was an improvement in mineral identification accuracy when hull quotient processing was applied to the learning data.
Sarcopenia Is Associated with Cognitive Impairment Mainly Due to Slow Gait Speed: Results from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS)
Authors: Kim Miji , Won Chang Won
Published: April 2019

Sarcopenia and cognitive impairment may share common risk factors and pathophysiological pathways. We examined the association between impairments in specific cognitive domains and sarcopenia (and its defining components) in community-dwelling older adults. We analyzed 1887 patients who underwent cognitive function tests and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry from the baseline data of adults aged 70–84 years obtained from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Those with disability in activities of daily living, dementia, severe cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, musculoskeletal complaints, neurological disorders, or who were illiterate were excluded. Cognitive function was assessed using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Packet, the Frontal Assessment Battery. For sarcopenia, we used the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 9.6% for men and 7.6% for women. Sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR] 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–2.99) and slow gait speed (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.34–4.99) were associated with cognitive impairment in men. Only slow gait speed (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.05–3.36) was associated with cognitive impairment in women. Sarcopenia is associated with cognitive impairment mainly due to slow gait speed. Our results suggested that cognitive impairment domains, such as processing speed and executive function, are associated with sarcopenia-related slow gait speed.
Asymmetric Soil Warming under Global Climate Change
Authors: Zhang Hui , Liu Binhui , Zhou Daowei , Wu Zhengfang , Wang Ting
Published: April 2019

Daily surface soil temperature data from 360 weather stations in China during 1962–2011 were retrieved and analyzed. The data revealed two aspects of asymmetric soil warming. Firstly, there was asymmetry between day and night in terms of increases in soil temperature. The daily maximum surface soil temperature ( S T max ) and daily minimum surface soil temperature ( S T min ) increased at rates of 0.031 and 0.055 °C/year over the 50-year interval, respectively. As a consequence of the more rapid increases in S T min , the soil diurnal temperature range (SDTR) decreased at most stations (average rate of –0.025 °C/year), with the most profound decrease in winter (–0.08 °C/year). The solar duration (SD) was positively related to SDTR and is regarded as the key underlying cause of the decreasing SDTR. Secondly, there was asymmetry between the soil and air in the temperature increase. The differences between soil and air temperature ( T D ) were highest in summer (2.76 °C) and smallest in winter (1.55 °C), which decreased by 0.3 °C over the study interval, this meant agricultural practice plans based on air temperature alone may be severely limited. The difference between soil temperature and air temperature reduces at night. This would facilitate the wintering of perennials in areas near the zero-contour line.
Influence of Urban Green Space and Facility Accessibility on Exercise and Healthy Diet in Hong Kong
Authors: Yuen John W. M. , Chang Katherine K. P. , Wong Frances K. Y. , Wong Fiona Y. , Siu Judy Y. M. , Ho H. C. , Wong M. S. , Ho Janice Y. S. , Chan K. L. , Yang Lin
Published: April 2019

Background A cross-sectional study using a convenience sampling method was conducted to understand how green space and accessibility of common public open spaces in compact urban areas affect physical activity and healthy diets of residents. Methods A total of 554 residents completed a structured questionnaire on quality of life, physical activity level and healthy eating practice. Particularly, categories of physical activity and durations were obtained by using the short form Chinese International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-C), then the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)-minutes/week was calculated using the formulae (walking minutes × walking days × 3.3) + (moderate-intensity activity minutes × moderate days × 4.0) + (vigorous-intensity activity minutes × vigorous-intensity days × 8.0). The percentage of green space was calculated based on a spatial buffer with a 500 m radius from participants’ geocoded addresses using a SPOT (‘Satellite Pour l’Observation de la Terre’ in French) satellite image-derived vegetation dataset. Parks, promenade and sports facilities were examples of open spaces. Results The sampled population who lived with green space averaged 10.11% ± 7.95% (ranged 1.56–32.90%), with the majority (90%) performing physical activities at medium and high levels. MET-minutes/week was significantly associated (Pearson r = 0.092; p < 0.05) with the green space percentage. Relatively active residents commonly used open spaces within the district for performing exercise, in particular, parks and promenades were mostly used by older residents, while sports facilities by the younger groups at age 25–44 and <25 years. Conclusions Current findings suggested promotion of exercise could be achieved by the design or redesign of built environment to include more parks accessible to the residents with the increase of vegetation.
Deep Learning/Artificial Intelligence and Blood-Based DNA Epigenomic Prediction of Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Bahado-Singh Ray O. , Vishweswaraiah Sangeetha , Aydas Buket , Mishra Nitish Kumar , Guda Chittibabu , Radhakrishna Uppala
Published: April 2019

The etiology of cerebral palsy (CP) is complex and remains inadequately understood. Early detection of CP is an important clinical objective as this improves long term outcomes. We performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis to identify epigenomic predictors of CP in newborns and to investigate disease pathogenesis. Methylation analysis of newborn blood DNA using an Illumina HumanMethylation450K array was performed in 23 CP cases and 21 unaffected controls. There were 230 significantly differentially-methylated CpG loci in 258 genes. Each locus had at least 2.0-fold change in methylation in CP versus controls with a FDR p-value ≤ 0.05. Methylation level for each CpG locus had an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) ≥ 0.75 for CP detection. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms/Machine Learning (ML) analysis, CpG methylation levels in a combination of 230 significantly differentially-methylated CpG loci in 258 genes had a 95% sensitivity and 94.4% specificity for newborn prediction of CP. Using pathway analysis, multiple canonical pathways plausibly linked to neuronal function were over-represented. Altered biological processes and functions included: neuromotor damage, malformation of major brain structures, brain growth, neuroprotection, neuronal development and de-differentiation, and cranial sensory neuron development. In conclusion, blood leucocyte epigenetic changes analyzed using AI/ML techniques appeared to accurately predict CP and provided plausible mechanistic information on CP pathogenesis.