bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multifunction interferometry using the electron mobility visibility and mean free path relationship
Authors: Pornsuwancharoen N. , Youplao P. , Amiri I. S. , Aziz M. S. , Tran Q. L. , Ali J. , Yupapin P. , Grattan K. T. V.
Published: May 2018

A conventional Michelson interferometer is modified and used to form the various types of interferometers. The basic system consists of a conventional Michelson interferometer with silicon‐graphene‐gold embedded between layers on the ports. When light from the monochromatic source is input into the system via the input port (silicon waveguide), the change in optical path difference (OPD) of light traveling in the stacked layers introduces the change in the optical phase, which affects to the electron mean free path within the gold layer, induces the change in the overall electron mobility can be seen by the interferometer output visibility. Further plasmonic waves are introduced on the graphene thin film and the electron mobility occurred within the gold layer, in which the light‐electron energy conversion in terms of the electron mobility can be observed, the gold layer length is 100 nm. The measurement resolution in terms of the OPD of
50 nm is achieved. In applications, the outputs of the drop port device of the modified Michelson interferometer can be arranged by the different detectors, where the polarized light outputs, the photon outputs, the electron spin outputs can be obtained by the interference fringe visibility, mobility visibility and the spin up‐down splitting output energies. The modified Michelson interferometer theory and the detection schemes are given in details.
Preoperative biliary drainage associated with biliary stricture after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a population‐based study
Authors: Wu Chien‐Hui , Ho Te‐Wei , Wu Jin‐Ming , Kuo Ting‐Chun , Yang Ching‐Yao , Lai Fei‐Pei , Tien Yu‐Wen
Published: May 2018

Background

The rate of preoperative biliary drainage for pancreaticoduodenectomy has been increasing despite most recent evidence that favors avoiding it. Only a few studies have focused on late surgical complications – biliary stricture after pancreaticoduodenectomy and have produced only inconclusive results. We evaluate the role of preoperative biliary drainage in the formation of biliary stricture after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Methods

The Taiwan National Health Insurance Program is a mandatory health care plan that covers nearly the entire population of 23 million in this country. A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the database compiled by the Taiwan National Health Insurance between January 2000 and December 2011. We included only patients with at least 2 years of follow‐up. A cohort of 2,087 patients with preoperative diagnosis of biliary obstruction that underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy was evaluated.

Results

A total of 212 (10.1%) of the 2,087 studied patients needed intervention for biliary stricture after pancreaticoduodenectomy. The median time to biliary stricture formation was 15.2 months (range: 1.2–89.7 months). The cumulative biliary stricture rate was 6.9% (1 year), 15.8% (5 years), and 18.5% (10 year). Multivariate analysis showed preoperative biliary drainage (hazard ratio 1.78, 95% CI 1.27–2.50, P = 0.001) associated with biliary stricture after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Conclusions

Preoperative biliary drainage increases biliary stricture rate after pancreaticoduodenectomy.
The transformation from 2°‐amine to 3°‐amine of cyclam ring alters the fragmentation patterns of 1‐tosylcytosine‐cyclam conjugates
Authors: Kobetić Renata , Ključarić Valentina , Saftić Dijana , Matić Josipa , Ban Željka , Kazazić Snježana , Žinić Biserka
Published: May 2018

The novel N‐1‐sulfonylcytosine‐cyclam conjugates 1 and 2 conjugates are ionized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) in positive and negative modes (ES+ and ES−) as singly protonated/deprotonated species or as singly or doubly charged metal complexes. Their structure and fragmentation behavior is examined by collision induced experiments. It was observed that the structure of the conjugate dictated the mode of the ionization: 1 was analyzed in ES− mode while 2 in positive mode. Complexation with metal ions did not have the influence on the ionization mode. Zn2+ and Cu2+ complexes with ligand 1 followed the similar fragmentation pattern in negative ionization mode.

The transformation from 2°‐amine in 1 to 3°‐amine of cyclam ring in 2 leads to the different fragmentation patterns due to the modification of the protonation priority which changed the fragmentation channels within the conjugate itself. Cu2+ ions formed complexes practically immediately, and the priority had the cyclam portion of the ligand 2. The structure of the formed Zn2+ complexes with ligand 2 depended on the number of 3° amines within the cyclam portion of the conjugate and the ratio of the metal:ligand used. The cleavage of the cyclam ring of metal complexes is driven by the formation of the fragment that suited the coordinating demand of the metal ions and the collision energy applied. Finally, it was shown that the structure of the cyclam conjugate dictates the fragmentation reactions and not the metal ions.
Seasonal critical concentration and relationships of leaf phosphorus and potassium status with biomass and yield traits of soybean
Authors: Singh Shardendu K. , Reddy Vangimalla R. , Sicher Richard C.
Published: May 2018

Analysis of uppermost fully expanded leaves is useful to detect a deficiency of mineral nutrients such as phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in soybean. Although, the leaf P or K status aids in fertilizer management, information on nutrient seasonal relationships with growth and yield traits at maturity are limited. To investigate this, soybean was grown under varying P or K nutrition under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations. Results show significant relationships of the relative total biomass and yield‐related traits with the foliar P and K concentrations measured several times in the season across CO2 levels. However, the relationships established earlier in the season showed that the growth period between 25 and 37 d after planting (DAP), representing the beginning of flowering and pod, respectively, is the best for leaf sampling to determine the foliar P or K status. The leaf P and K status as well as the critical leaf P (CLPC) and K (CLKC) concentrations for traits such as seed yield peaked around 30 DAP (R2 stage) and tended to decline thereafter with the plant age. The CLPC and CLKC of seed yield indicate that the leaf P and K concentration of at least 2.74 mg g−1 and 19.06 mg g−1, respectively, in the uppermost fully expanded leaves are needed between 25 and 37 DAP for near‐optimum soybean yield. Moreover, the greatest impact of P and K deficiency occurred for the traits that contribute the most to the soybean yield (e.g., relative total biomass, seed yield, pod and seed numbers), while traits such as seed number per pod, seed size, and shelling percentages were the least affected and showed smaller leaf critical concentration. The CLPC or CLKC for biomass and seed yield was greater under elevated CO2 24–25 DAP but varied thereafter. These results are useful to researchers and farmers to understand the dynamics of the relationship of pre‐harvest leaf P and K status with soybean productivity at maturity, and in the determination of suitable growth stage to collect leaf samples.
A framework for identifying treatment‐covariate interactions in individual participant data network meta‐analysis
Authors: Freeman S. C. , Fisher D. , Tierney J. F. , Carpenter J. R.
Published: May 2018

Background: Stratified medicine seeks to identify patients most likely to respond to treatment. Individual participant data (IPD) network meta‐analysis (NMA) models have greater power than individual trials to identify treatment‐covariate interactions (TCIs). Treatment‐covariate interactions contain “within” and “across” trial interactions, where the across‐trial interaction is more susceptible to confounding and ecological bias.

Methods: We considered a network of IPD from 37 trials (5922 patients) for cervical cancer (2394 events), where previous research identified disease stage as a potential interaction covariate. We compare 2 models for NMA with TCIs: (1) 2 effects separating within‐ and across‐trial interactions and (2) a single effect combining within‐ and across‐trial interactions. We argue for a visual assessment of consistency of within‐ and across‐trial interactions and consider more detailed aspects of interaction modelling, eg, common vs trial‐specific effects of the covariate. This leads us to propose a practical framework for IPD NMA with TCIs.

Results: Following our framework, we found no evidence in the cervical cancer network for a treatment‐stage interaction on the basis of the within‐trial interaction. The NMA provided additional power for an across‐trial interaction over and above the pairwise evidence. Following our proposed framework, we found that the within‐ and across‐trial interactions should not be combined.

Conclusion: Across‐trial interactions are susceptible to confounding and ecological bias. It is important to separate the sources of evidence to check their consistency and identify which sources of evidence are driving the conclusion. Our framework provides practical guidance for researchers, reducing the risk of unduly optimistic interpretation of TCIs.
Pre‐harvest factors related to sensory profile of Passiflora setacea nectars, a wild passion fruit from Brazilian savannah
Authors: de Carvalho Mariana Veras Oliveira , de Oliveira Lívia de Lacerda , Melo Lauro , Costa Ana Maria
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Passiflora setacea DC. is a passion fruit species native from Brazilian savannah characterized by naturally sweet sensory characteristics. The sensory quality of the pulp can be affected by the growing environment. The effect of training systems (trellis or espalier), seasons (the weather conditions in periods of drought and rain) and addition of seeds to the juice (25%) were evaluated, with emphasis on the sensory quality of P. setacea nectars.

RESULTS

Training systems of P. setacea plantation did not influence flavor or aroma of nectars. Season had an effect on texture attributes. Although training system and season had impact on pH, total soluble solid (TSS) content, titratable acidity (TA), polyphenolics and condensed tannins content, these environment factors had no influence on acceptance. Seeds addition had a negative effect on overall liking. Frequency of consumption of passion fruit and functional food did not influence nectar preference whereas being neophilic or having higher level of knowledge about functional foods favored greater acceptance of P. setacea nectars.

CONCLUSION

Passiflora setacea nectar is a potential functional beverage, due its bioactive contents. Training system and season had no influence on acceptance as isolated factors. However, there was an interaction between these factors, which could be considered to market projection, as well as the addition of seeds. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Phytochemical composition of smoothies combining pomegranate juice (Punica granatum L) and Mediterranean minor crop purées (Ficus carica, Cydonia oblonga, and Ziziphus jujube)
Authors: Cano‐Lamadrid Marina , Nowicka Paulina , Hernández Francisca , Carbonell‐Barrachina Angel A , Wojdyło Aneta
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Daily intake of fruits and vegetables as suggested by the World Health Organization is lower than the recommended dietary intake (RDI). A good option to increase the intake of fruit and vegetables is the consumption of smoothies. This work evaluated the effect of adding fig, jujube or quince purée to pomegranate juice (cultivars 'Wonderful' and 'Mollar de Elche') in preparing smoothies at two ratios of purée:juice (40:60 and 60:40) on the composition of minerals, sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, antioxidant activity and polyphenols.

RESULTS

Smoothies composition was mainly affected by the addition of the fruit purée. Twenty‐eight polyphenolic compounds were found in the pomegranate smoothies (quadrupole time‐of‐flight liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry). The highest total content of polyphenolic compounds (ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and fluorescence detection) was found in smoothies with quince purée, 501 mg 100 g−1 fresh weight (FW), followed by jujube and figs, with 374 and 320 mg 100 g−1 FW, respectively. Fig smoothies were rich in anthocyanins, while the jujube ones had high content of flavonols and vitamin C; finally, the quince smoothies were rich in hydroxycinnamic acids.

CONCLUSION

A positive effect of the addition of minor crops (fig, jujube and quince) was observed on the nutritional and functionality of the novel pomegranate smoothies. Moreover, the addition of jujube contributed to an enrichment of the final smoothies in vitamin C and organic acids, while an increase of pectin content was found in fig and quince pomegranate based smoothies. Therefore, the blend of minor Mediterranean crop purées with pomegranate juice to produce smoothies is a good strategy to promote the consumption of these healthy but underutilized fruits. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
TGA‐FTIR study of the pyrolysis of sodium citrate and its effect on the pyrolysis of tobacco and tobacco/SBA‐15 mixtures under N2 and air atmospheres
Authors: Marcilla Antonio , Gómez‐Siurana Amparo , Beltrán Maribel , Martínez‐Castellanos Isabel , Blasco Inmaculada , Berenguer Deseada
Published: May 2018

In this work, the effect of sodium citrate mixed with tobacco, in the presence and absence of SBA‐15 material, was studied by thermogravimetric analysis coupled to Fourier‐transform infrared spectrometry under N2 and air atmospheres. Depending on the atmosphere used, the decomposition of sodium citrate changes considerably at high temperatures, mainly due to the oxidation of the residue. The analysis of the experimental and calculated derivative thermogravimetric data of the sodium citrate/SBA‐15 mixtures allows the observation of marked widening of the peaks appearing at lower temperatures, due to the presence of SBA‐15, while the expected peak at high temperatures in air completely disappears.

The presence of sodium citrate in tobacco and tobacco/SBA‐15 mixtures produces changes, especially in air atmosphere, where the main peaks increase their intensity, whereas decreasing that of the oxidation of the residue at around 450 °C and an important peak appears at 630 °C. In N2 atmosphere, all decomposition processes of tobacco proceed at lower temperatures and with higher intensities. The peak due to the citrate at temperatures around 200 °C completely disappears in all samples. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Ionic Dependence of Gelatin Hydrogel Architecture Explored Using Small and Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering Technique
Authors: Wu Baohu , Siglreitmeier Maria , Debus Christian , Schwahn Dietmar , Cölfen Helmut , Pipich Vitaliy
Published: May 2018

The hierarchical structure of gelatin hydrogels mimics a natural extracellular matrix and provides an optimized microenvironment for the growth of 3D structured tissue analogs. In the presence of metal ions, gelatin hydrogels exhibit various mechanical properties that are correlated with the molecular interactions and the hierarchical structure. The structure and structural response of gelatin hydrogels to variation of gelatin concentration, pH, or addition of metal ions are explored by small and very small angle neutron scattering over broad length scales. The measurements of the hydrogels reveal the existence of a two‐level structure of colloid‐like large clusters and a 3D cage‐like gel network. In the presence of Fe3+ ions the hydrogels show a highly dense and stiff network, while Ca2+ ions have an opposite effect. The results provide important structural insight for improvement of the design of gelatin based hydrogels and are therefore suitable for various applications.
Highly Mechanical and Fatigue‐Resistant Double Network Hydrogels by Dual Physically Hydrophobic Association and Ionic Crosslinking
Authors: Zhang Baoyuan , Gao Zijian , Gao Guanghui , Zhao Wei , Li Jiasheng , Ren Xiuyan
Published: May 2018

Double network (DN) hydrogels with high strength and toughness are considered as promising soft materials. Herein, a dual physically cross‐linked hydrophobic association polyacrylamide (HPAAm)/alginate‐Ca2+ DN hydrogel is reported, consisting of a HPAAm network and a Ca2+ cross‐linked alginate network. The HPAAm/alginate‐Ca2+ DN hydrogel exhibits excellent mechanical properties with the fracture stress of 1.16 MPa (3.0 and 1.7 times higher than that of HPAAm hydrogel and HPAAm/alginate hydrogel, respectively), fracture strain of 2604%, elastic modulus of 71.79 kPa, and toughness of 14.20 MJ m−3. HPAAm/alginate‐Ca2+ DN hydrogels also demonstrate self‐recovery, notch‐insensitivity, and fatigue resistance properties without any external stimuli at room temperature through reversible physical bonds consisting of hydrophobic association and ionic crosslinking. As a result, the dual physical crosslinking would offer an avenue to design DN hydrogels with desirable properties for broadening current applications of soft materials.
On automorphisms of Enriques surfaces and their entropy
Authors: Matsumoto Yuya , Ohashi Hisanori , Rams Sławomir
Published: May 2018

Consider an arbitrary automorphism of an Enriques surface with its lift to the covering K3 surface. We prove a bound of the order of the lift acting on the anti‐invariant cohomology sublattice of the Enriques involution. We use it to obtain some mod 2 constraint on the original automorphism. As an application, we give a necessary condition for Salem numbers to be dynamical degrees on Enriques surfaces and obtain a new lower bound on the minimal value. In the Appendix, we give a complete list of Salem numbers that potentially could be the minimal dynamical degree on Enriques surfaces and for which the existence of geometric automorphisms is unknown.
Next generation sequencing panel based on single molecule molecular inversion probes for detecting genetic variants in children with hypopituitarism
Authors: Pérez Millán María I. , Vishnopolska Sebastian A. , Daly Alexandre Z. , Bustamante Juan P. , Seilicovich Adriana , Bergadá Ignacio , Braslavsky Débora , Keselman Ana C. , Lemons Rosemary M. , Mortensen Amanda H. , Marti Marcelo A. , Camper Sally A. , Kitzman Jacob O.
Published: May 2018

Background

Congenital Hypopituitarism is caused by genetic and environmental factors. Over 30 genes have been implicated in isolated and/or combined pituitary hormone deficiency. The etiology remains unknown for up to 80% of the patients, but most cases have been analyzed by limited candidate gene screening. Mutations in the PROP1 gene are the most common known cause, and the frequency of mutations in this gene varies greatly by ethnicity. We designed a custom array to assess the frequency of mutations in known hypopituitarism genes and new candidates, using single molecule molecular inversion probes sequencing (smMIPS).

Methods

We used this panel for the first systematic screening for causes of hypopituitarism in children. Molecular inversion probes were designed to capture 693 coding exons of 30 known genes and 37 candidate genes. We captured genomic DNA from 51 pediatric patients with CPHD (n = 43) or isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) (n = 8) and their parents and conducted next generation sequencing.

Results

We obtained deep coverage over targeted regions and demonstrated accurate variant detection by comparison to whole‐genome sequencing in a control individual. We found a dominant mutation GH1, p.R209H, in a three‐generation pedigree with IGHD.

Conclusions

smMIPS is an efficient and inexpensive method to detect mutations in patients with hypopituitarism, drastically limiting the need for screening individual genes by Sanger sequencing.
Regularization and error estimate of infinite‐time ruin probabilities for Cramer‐Lundberg model
Authors: Tran Dong Xuan , Nguyen Huy Tuan , Kirane Mokhtar
Published: May 2018

In this article, we consider the problem of finding the ultimate ruin probability in the classical risk mode. Using Laplace transform inversion and Fourier transform, we obtain ultimate ruin probability of an insurance company. First, we show that this problem is ill‐posed in the sense of Hadamard. Then, we apply the Tikhonov and truncation methods for establishing the approximate function for the ultimate ruin probability. Furthermore, convergence of the method, together with some examples, will be given. Finally, we present a numerical example to show efficiency of the method.
Pullback attractors for a nonautonomous damped wave equation with infinite delays in weighted space
Authors: Ran Yanping , Shi Qihong
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we investigate the existence of solutions for a damped wave equation with infinite delays in the weighted space
and
, respectively. In addition, we study the existence of pullback attractor for the process associated to the problem by a direct and simple compactness method.
Compact size of the Wilkinson power divider with transmission‐line using π‐model transformation method
Authors: Lee Tae‐Hyeon , Yoon Ki‐Cheol
Published: May 2018

In this article, the new compact size of the transmission line (TL) using a π‐model transformation method is suggested and applied to the design of a Wilkinson power divider (WPD). The proposed WPD is smaller than the conventional WPD, and the designed WPD is used for distributed elements. The new and conventional WPDs are 9.86 × 11.1 mm2 and 28.2 × 28.6 mm2, respectively. The advantages of the proposed WPD are its very simple structure and low cost. The proposed WPD with a compact TL using a π‐model transformation method can be applied to mobile communication systems.
An antenna group delay measurement method based on three‐antenna extrapolation and least residual error curve fitting technique
Authors: Lin Haoyu , Song Zhenfei , Wang Xuetian , Gao Hongmin
Published: May 2018

This article presents an antenna group delay (GD) measurement method based on the three‐antenna extrapolation technique and a least residual error curve fitting. The system GD is measured as a function of distances in an extrapolation range; then the antenna GD is determined together with antenna scattering characteristic (SC) defined by Kerns using GD variation curve fitting according to the measurement model and measured data. Measurement in frequency band of (1575.42 ± 16) MHz for a standard gain horn antenna is given, and the results of the antenna GD and SC at 1575.42 MHz are 2.83 ns and 0.36, respectively. The GD measurement results are with good agreement with our previously developed method, within a difference of 0.05 ns in the whole frequency band, and thus proposed method is cross‐checked. Although the proposed method is a little complicated and time consuming, its unique advantages are still prominent, as the optimization is a general solution for eliminating antenna multiple reflection; and the method can determine the two parameters of antenna GD and SC simultaneously.
Design of a graphene‐based patch antenna on glass substrate for high‐speed terahertz communications
Authors: Goyal Rahul , Vishwakarma Dinesh Kumar
Published: May 2018

For the development of terahertz (THz) wireless communication systems, the antenna needs to be in micrometer size range and give high far‐field gain. Graphene is highly conductive, thermally and electrically; this article puts forward a transparent graphene‐based patch antenna with metal lobbing, it resonates nearly at 1 THz and has gain nearly 5 dB. It investigates the effect of chemical potential of graphene on the return loss and resonant frequency of the antenna, this would represent the most effective way to tune radiation characteristics by tuning graphene surface impedance. The performance of designed graphene antenna is compared with its metallic counterpart as a reference antenna, the former outperforms the latter in terms of spectral characteristics. Besides that, metallic thin films are prone to fail because of microcracks which give a compelling reason to switch to graphene antenna for future communication in the THz domain.
Leaky wave antenna for wide range of beam scanning through broadside in dielectric image line environment
Authors: Prasad Chandra Shekhar , Biswas Animesh , Akhtar M. Jaleel
Published: May 2018

In this letter, a broadband leaky wave antenna based on dielectric image line (DIL) is proposed in Ku‐band. An H‐shaped metal strip is used to mitigated the open stop band problem. A prototype is measured which exhibits an impedance bandwidth of 33.2% (11.3–15.8 GHz) and the beam scanning of 98° (−60° to 38°) through broadside. The measured peak gain in the band is 15 dBi.
The concept of a fully electronic beamforming antenna array for modern radar systems
Authors: Malafaia Daniel , Varum Tiago , Matos Diogo , Matos João N. , Vieira José
Published: May 2018

In this article the concept of a fully electronic beamforming antenna array for radar systems based on a SDR architecture is proposed and experimentally evaluated in an anechoic chamber. The system uses 2 software defined radio (SDR) transceivers with 4 independently controlled transmitters, allowing an individual digital control of both amplitude and phase of the signal fed to each element of an antenna array. It is also proposed a beamforming method that greatly reduces the sidelobes of the radiation pattern and it was compared to traditional beam steered radiation patterns. Moreover, the proposed architecture has the advantage of being modular, and therefore easily scalable, for larger and more powerful solutions based on the presented antenna array system.
Compact multiband antenna for mobile terminal applications
Authors: Deng Jing Ya , Yao Jiao , Guo Li Xin
Published: May 2018

A compact multiband antenna covering LTE700, GSM850/900, DCS1800/PCS1900, UMTS, and LTE 2300/2500 for mobile terminals is proposed. The antenna is comprised a bended feeding strip, 2 parasitic shorted strips and a matching network. The antenna design uses the coupled feed and matching circuit to achieve multiband and wideband performance. The measured impedance bandwidths (S11 < −6 dB) are 360 MHz at the lower band (0.69–1.05 GHz, 41.4% FBW) and 1.29 GHz at the higher band (1.71–3 GHz, 54.8% FBW). Within the frequency band of interest, good radiation performances are obtained. The proposed antenna is applicative for mobile terminals including mobile phones, data cards and wearable devices.
Balloon‐shaped CPW fed printed UWB antenna with dual frequency notch to eliminate WiMAX and WLAN interferences
Authors: Kundu Surajit
Published: May 2018

A co‐planar waveguide fed printed ultra‐wideband antenna with dual frequency notch band is proposed in this letter. Small antenna size of 27.5 × 16.5 × 0.8 mm3 is achieved by considering the intersection of three conventional circular disks of equal diameter. Two frequency notch bands of 2.2–3.9 and 5.1–6 GHz are achieved by introducing a curved U‐shaped slot at balloon‐shaped radiator and an inverted patch‐shaped parasitic resonator at the back side of feed respectively. These notch bands prevent the possible interference from coexisting ISM, WiMAX, WLAN, HIPERLAN/2, IEEE 802.11y, and DSRC bands. An inverted U shape slot is added on radiating patch to improve antenna impedance band, gain and efficiency profile. The proposed antenna provides wide bandwidth from 1.75 to 10.3 GHz, with a gain variation between 2 and 4.5 dBi, average radiation efficiency of >80%, linear transfer function and non‐varying group delay in the pass band of operation.
A novel dual band‐notch ultra‐wideband monopole antenna using parasitic stubs and slot
Authors: Guichi F. , Challal M. , Denidni T. A.
Published: May 2018

This paper presents a novel ultra‐wideband (UWB) monopole antenna with dual band‐notch characteristics. The proposed antenna consists of a V‐shaped patch with a stair case defect fed by a 50 Ω transmission line and a semicircular defected ground plane. It is designed for rejection of dual frequency bands, that is, WiMAX (3.17–3.85 GHz) and ITU (7.9–9.1 GHz). The 2 bands are achieved by using 2 parasitic stubs that are inserted on the patch, and an inverted U‐shaped slot that is etched on the transmission line, respectively. The antenna has a nearly omnidirectional radiation pattern with an acceptable gain across the operating frequency band. A good agreement between the simulated and measured results indicates that the proposed UWB antenna design with overall size of 23 × 32 mm2 is suitable for WiMAX/ITU dual band‐notch applications.
Comparison of two matching techniques for UHF RFID tags
Authors: Gourari F. Z. , Meriah S. M. , Protat S. , Dubouil J. , Laheurte J.‐M.
Published: May 2018

This Letter reports a comparison between shunt‐series inductance (SSI) and inductively coupled loop (ICL) matching circuits for ultra high frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tags. It is shown analytically that an optimized ICL circuit is fully equivalent to an optimized SSI circuit provided that some adjustments are made on the dipole antenna geometry. Numerical and experimental characterizations of the RFID tags built with both topologies confirm this equivalence.
Compact size of the hybrid branch‐line coupler using π‐type transmission‐line
Authors: Lee Tae‐Hyeon , Yoon Ki‐Cheol
Published: May 2018

In this article, the new of the transmission‐line (TL) using π‐type parameter is suggested and it applied to the design of a hybrid branch‐line coupler (HBC). The new HBC is small size than conventional HBC and the designed HBC is used by entire distributed elements. Then, the sizes of the new and conventional HBCs are 9.86 × 11.1 mm2 and 28.2 × 28.6 mm2, respectively. The advantage of the proposed HBC structure has very simple structure and low cost. The proposed HBC using π‐type TL can be applied to mobile communication system.
Microwave measurement system to detect salt and sugar concentration
Authors: Rahman Md. Naimur , Islam Mohammad T. , Sobuz Md. Samsuzzaman
Published: May 2018

This paper deals with the microwave measurement system to measure salt and sugar concentration in water using microstrip technology based on dielectric properties of the solution. The measurement system includes a microstrip patch antenna which is made of a S‐shaped resonator‐based ring patch. The antenna is printed on Rogers RT/duroid 5880 substrate with a thickness of 1.57 mm. The substrate has a relative permittivity of 2.2 and a dielectric constant of 0.0009. The antenna has a compact physical size of 24 × 18 mm. Being used as a sensor the microstrip antenna measure the salt and sugar concentration in terms of the reflection coefficient based on the dielectric properties of the solution. The percentage of salt and sugar in water changes the dielectric constant which also change the reflection coefficients. In the practical experiments, the reflection coefficient decreases with the increment of the percentage of salt and sugar in water.
A compact tri‐band bandpass filter utilizing double mode resonator with 6 transmission zeros
Authors: Rahman Muhib Ur , Ko Dong‐Sik , Park Jung‐Dong
Published: May 2018

A new compact tri‐band bandpass filter (BPF) is presented by utilizing 2 double mode resonators incorporating 6 transmission zeros. The proposed BPF is designed to support GSM‐900 (0.83–0.99 GHz), GPS (1.575 GHz), and GSM‐1800 (1.88 GHz) bands. The proposed BPF has been configured to operate in corresponding even and odd modes. The generated odd mode frequency band is fixed while the even‐mode frequency can be set to the desired value by tuning the stub length which makes it easy to design the multiple BPF. Two transmission zeros are introduced on each side of the passband, and overall 6 transmission zeros have been constructed which make the passband highly selective. The designed BPF has been implemented on Rogers‐R03006 and verified with measurement.
66 GHz bias‐dependent equivalent circuit model for CMOS transistor based on 90 nanometers CMOS technology
Authors: Wu Yunqiu , Cong Shili , Zhao Chenxi , Liu Huihua , Kang Kai
Published: May 2018

A 66 GHz bias‐dependent transistor model is established in this paper. A small signal equivalent circuit model, which contains transistor intrinsic effects, parasitic effects, and substrate coupling, is presented. Based on this, the nonlinear drain‐source current model and gate capacitance equations are established to represent their bias‐dependent characteristics. To validate the model, a transistor with gate width of 650 × 8 nm and gate length of 0.1 μm is fabricated in 90‐nm CMOS technology. Then, both the DC and small signal performances of the proposed model are investigated under different bias conditions. Good agreements between calculation and measurement results are achieved, which indicates that this model is accurate and reliable for millimeter wave application.
Microstrip triplexer using a common triple‐mode resonator
Authors: El‐Tokhy Amira , Wu Ruiheng , Wang Yi
Published: May 2018

An all‐resonator based triplexer is presented using a double‐stub‐loaded resonator (DSLR) that acts as a common resonator at the junction of the three channels. The open stub DSLR has been analyzed using even and odd‐mode method to reveal the relationship between the three resonant modes. The design offers flexibility of frequency selection. The DSLR resonator is coupled with three sets of hairpin resonators to form the triplexer at 1.8, 2.1, and 2.6 GHz for mobile communication applications. The measurement results are in very good agreement with the simulations.
A novel 2–18 GHz double‐ridged horn antenna with simple structure
Authors: Yue Zhenzhen , Liu Ying , Gong Shuxi
Published: May 2018

A 2–18 GHz double‐ridged horn antenna (DRHA) with simple structure is proposed in this paper. Previous studies have found that the radiation patterns of traditional DRHA cannot keep good characteristics in the whole frequency band. The main lobes would split and the gain would seriously decline when frequency is above 12 GHz. And the gaps between the internal structure, especially those in the feeding section formed in design and machining process, could cause serious effect on the performance of antenna. To overcome these problems, the Bézier curve instead of the exponential type curve and simplified feeding section that eliminates the wedges are utilized to design the DRHA. The problem that caused by the gaps in the feeding section is solved by extending the end of ridge into the short circuit board and eliminating the wages. The proposed antenna can achieve good radiation characteristics over the whole frequency band from 2 to 18 GHz. The VSWR is less than 2 and the gain is stable in the high frequency band. The proposed antenna is suitable for electromagnetic compatibility testing and the feed for reflector antennas.
Prediction of noise in multiconductor transmission lines excited by multiple radiation sources
Authors: Kim Eunha , Lee Jae‐Hyun
Published: May 2018

This study derives an analytic expression for voltages and currents in multiconductor transmission lines (MTL) excited by multiple radiation sources (MRS) at arbitrary locations. Modified telegrapher's equations are used to solve for the line voltage and line current in MTL with distributed voltage and current sources caused by the electric and magnetic coupling of external fields. The fields from MRS are considered as the incident fields on MTL. To verify our approach, we computed the terminal currents for both two transmission lines and four transmission lines excited by an electric dipole and compared the results with those of a commercial electromagnetic solver.
A hypoplastic macroelement formulation for single batter piles in sand
Authors: Li Zheng , Kotronis Panagiotis , Escoffier Sandra , Tamagnini Claudio
Published: May 2018

Batter piles are widely used in geotechnical engineering when substantial lateral resistance is needed or to avoid the interference with existing underground constructions. Nevertheless, there is a lack of fast numerical tools for nonlinear soil‐structure interactions problems for this type of foundation. A novel hypoplastic macroelement is proposed, able to reproduce the nonlinear response of a single batter pile in sand under monotonic and cyclic static loadings. The behavior of batter piles (15°, 30°, and 45°) is first numerically investigated using 3D finite element modeling and compared with the behavior of vertical piles. It is shown that their response mainly depends on the pile inclination and the loading direction. Then, starting from the macroelement for single vertical piles in sand by Li et al (Acta Geotechnica, 11(2):373‐390, 2016), an extension is proposed to take into account the pile inclination introducing simple analytical equations in the expression describing the failure surface. 3D finite element numerical models are adopted to validate the macroelement that is proven able to reproduce the nonlinear behavior in terms of global quantities (forces‐displacements) and to significantly reduce the necessary computational time.
A parallel noninvasive multiscale strategy for a mixed domain decomposition method with frictional contact
Authors: Oumaziz Paul , Gosselet Pierre , Boucard Pierre‐Alain , Abbas Mickaël
Published: May 2018

A multiscale extension for a parallel noninvasive mixed domain decomposition method is presented. After briefly exposing our noninvasive implementation of the Latin method, we present how the scalability of the algorithm is obtained by the partial verification of the constitutive law of the interfaces. We propose a new interpretation of the classical macrostrategy that imposes the overall balance of interface's forces. We also propose a new study of the macrostrategy that consists in enforcing the coarse continuity of the interfaces' displacement.
A time integration algorithm for a 3D constitutive model for SMAs including permanent inelasticity and degradation effects
Authors: Peigney M. , Scalet G. , Auricchio F.
Published: May 2018

Components based on shape‐memory alloys are often subjected to several loading cycles that result in substantial alteration of material behavior. In such a framework, accurate models, as well as robust and efficient numerical approaches, become essential to allow for the simulation of complex devices. The present paper focuses on the numerical simulation of quasi‐static problems involving shape‐memory alloy structures or components subjected to multiple loading‐unloading cycles. A novel state‐update procedure for a three‐dimensional phenomenological model able to describe the saturation of permanent inelasticity, including degradation effects, is proposed here. The algorithm, being of the predictor‐corrector type and relying on an incremental energy minimization approach, is based on elastic checks, closed‐form solutions of polynomial equations, and nonlinear scalar equations solved through a combination of Newton‐Raphson and bisection methods. This allows for an easy implementation of model equations and to avoid the use of regularization parameters for the treatment of nonsmooth functions. Numerical results assess the good performances of the proposed approach in predicting both pseudoelastic and shape‐memory material behavior under cyclic loading as well as algorithm robustness.
On continuous, discontinuous, mixed, and primal hybrid finite element methods for second‐order elliptic problems
Authors: Devloo P. R. B. , Faria C. O. , Farias A. M. , Gomes S. M. , Loula A. F. D. , Malta S. M. C.
Published: May 2018

Finite element formulations for second‐order elliptic problems, including the classic H1‐conforming Galerkin method, dual mixed methods, a discontinuous Galerkin method, and two primal hybrid methods, are implemented and numerically compared on accuracy and computational performance. Excepting the discontinuous Galerkin formulation, all the other formulations allow static condensation at the element level, aiming at reducing the size of the global system of equations. For a three‐dimensional test problem with smooth solution, the simulations are performed with h‐refinement, for hexahedral and tetrahedral meshes, and uniform polynomial degree distribution up to four. For a singular two‐dimensional problem, the results are for approximation spaces based on given sets of hp‐refined quadrilateral and triangular meshes adapted to an internal layer. The different formulations are compared in terms of L2‐convergence rates of the approximation errors for the solution and its gradient, number of degrees of freedom, both with and without static condensation. Some insights into the required computational effort for each simulation are also given.
Management and outcome of neonates with a prenatal diagnosis of esophageal atresia type A: A population‐based study
Authors: Garabedian C. , Bonnard A. , Rousseau V. , Sfeir R. ,   CRACMO, Drumez E. , Michaud L. , Gottrand F. , Houfflin‐Debarge V.
Published: May 2018

Objective

Evaluate the neonatal management and outcomes of neonates with prenatal diagnosis of esophageal atresia (EA) type A.

Methods

This population‐based study was conducted using data from the French National Register for infants with EA born from 2008 to 2014, including all cases of EA type A. We compared prenatal and neonatal characteristics and outcomes in children with prenatal diagnosis of EA type A with those with a postnatal diagnosis until the age of 1.

Results

A total of 1118 live births with EA were recorded among which 88 (7.9%) were EA type A. Prenatal diagnoses were performed in 75 cases (85.2%), and counselling with a prenatal specialist was conducted in 84.8% of the prenatal group. Still within that group, the gestational age at delivery was significantly higher than in the postnatal group (36 [35‐38] versus 34 [32‐36] weeks; P = .048). Inborn births were more frequent in the prenatal group (86.1% vs 7.7%, P < .0001), and mortality and outcome were similar in both groups.

Conclusion

Prenatal diagnosis is high in EA type A, which enables to offer an antenatal parental counseling and which avoids postnatal transfers. Prognosis of EA types A does not appear to be influenced by the prenatal diagnosis.
Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in pediatric asthma
Authors: Kirkby Stephen , Rossetti Allison , Hayes Don , Allen Elizabeth , Sheikh Shahid , Kopp Benjamin , Patel Alpa
Published: May 2018

Introduction

There are limited studies evaluating the role of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in pediatric asthma.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed of all pediatric patients with a diagnosis of asthma enrolled in PR. Demographics, medications, and clinical records were reviewed. In addition, PFTs, 6‐min walk test (6MWT), and patient/parent symptom and quality of life surveys before and after PR were evaluated.

Results

A total of 38 patients were enrolled in PR; 18 (47%) female and 20 (53%) male. Mean participant age was 11.33 ± 3.37 (range 4‐19) years. Twenty‐two (58%) were Caucasian and nine (24%) African American. Chart review was limited by incomplete data sets for many participants. Following PR, significant improvement was noted in mean 6MWT distance (1541 vs 1616 feet, P = 0.05) and FEV1 (89.9% of predicted versus 96.4%, P = 0.04). Survey instruments demonstrated improvement in several clinical factors, however, there was no significant change in weight following PR despite scheduled cardiovascular exercise and dietary counseling.

Conclusions

Structured PR for pediatric patients with asthma can improve 6MWT distance and FEV1 as well as subjective measures of SOB and QOL, suggesting a role for PR in the chronic management of pediatric asthma. Further prospective investigation is needed to determine if PR has positive effects on other clinical parameters of asthma control and its overall impact on childhood obesity.
Plant‐mediated RNAi of grain aphid CHS1 gene confers common wheat resistance against aphids
Authors: Zhao Yanjie , Sui Xiaoyan , Xu Lanjie , Liu Guoyu , Lu Lihua , You Mingshan , Xie Chaojie , Li Baoyun , Ni Zhongfu , Liang Rongqi
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Chitin is an important component of the insect exoskeleton and peritrophic membrane. Chitin synthase 1 (CHS1) is a key enzyme in the chitin synthesis pathway, and has a role in insect molting and growth. Plant‐mediated RNA interference (RNAi) has been used as a more target‐specific and environmentally safe approach to prevent and control agricultural insects. The aims of this study were to use grain aphid (Sitobion avanae) CHS1 as the target gene and to produce transgenic wheat lines for aphid control via plant‐mediated RNAi.

RESULTS

Expression levels of CHS1 changed at different developmental stages. After feeding on the representative T3 transgenic lines Tb5‐2 and Tb10‐3, CHS1 expression levels in grain aphid decreased by 50.29% and 45.32%, respectively; and total and molting aphid numbers reduced significantly, compared with controls. Consistent with this, aphid numbers in mixed natural populations reduced significantly in the respective T4 and T5 transgenic lines under field conditions, and T5 transgenic lines had higher grain weight compared with the unsprayed insecticide wild‐type and insecticide‐sprayed wild‐type.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that plant‐mediated RNAi of the grain aphid CHS1 gene confers common wheat resistance against aphids. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
LL‐37 fragments have antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms and wound healing potential in HaCaT cell line
Authors: Saporito Paola , Vang Mouritzen Michelle , Løbner‐Olesen Anders , Jenssen Håvard
Published: May 2018

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common nosocomial pathogen able to form biofilms in indwelling devices, resulting in chronic infections, which are refractory to antibiotics treatment. Staphylococcal biofilms are also associated with the delayed reepithelization and healing of chronic wounds. The human cathelicidin peptide LL‐37 has been proven active against S. epidermidis biofilms in vitro and to promote wound healing. As previous studies have demonstrated that fragments of LL‐37 could possess an equal antibacterial activity as the parent peptide, we tested whether shorter (12‐mer) synthetic fragments of LL‐37 maintained the antibiofilm and/or immune modulating activity, aiming at the identification of essential regions within the LL‐37 parent sequence. Three fragments of LL‐37 displayed improved activity against S. epidermidis in terms of biofilm inhibition and eradication, a reduced cytotoxicity to human keratinocytes and erythrocytes. In addition, KR‐12 and VQ‐12V26 enhanced wound healing potential, relative to LL37. FK‐12 and KR‐12 are truncated version of the cathelicidin, previously reported as valid antimicrobials, whereas VQ‐12V26 is a single substituted LL‐37 fragment. Remarkably, the single substitution aspartic acid to valine in position 26 caused gain of antimicrobial function in the inactive VQ‐12 fragment. The combination of antibiofilm, wound healing potential, and low cytotoxicity makes KR‐12 and VQ‐12V26 promising therapeutic agents and lead compounds for further improvement and understanding of antibiofilm and wound healing properties.
Methimazole‐induced ANCA‐associated vasculitis with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage
Authors: Arai Naoki , Nemoto Kenji , Oh‐ishi Shuji , Nonaka Mizu , Hayashihara Kenji , Saito Takefumi
Published: May 2018

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)‐associated vasculitis (AAV) caused by methimazole (MMI) is known to be relatively rare; therefore, the optimal therapeutic approach for these cases remains to be established. A 59‐year‐old man who was treated with MMI for a diagnosis of Graves’ disease was referred to our hospital because of progressive haemoptysis. The patient was diagnosed with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) secondary to AAV based on increased inflammatory reactions with positive myeloperoxidase‐ANCA in the serum and the results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. MMI was suspected as the cause of the AAV; therefore, the administration of MMI was discontinued. Thereafter, the patient’s symptoms as well as chest radiographic abnormalities completely resolved, in conjunction with normalization of the serum ANCA level. Our experience with this case suggests that DAH secondary to AAV caused by MMI may improve with discontinuation of the offending drug alone, with no other treatment.