bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe based on naphthalimide derivative-functionalized carbon dots for imaging lysosomal formaldehyde in HeLa cells
Authors: Chen Shuai , Jia Ye , Zou Guang-Yue , Yu Yong-Liang , Wang Jian-Hua
Published: March 2019

Herein, we developed a novel ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe, based on naphthalimide derivative-functionalized carbon dots, for monitoring FA in lysosomes.
Tuning the response selectivity of graphene oxide fluorescence by organometallic complexation for neurotransmitter detection
Authors: Jeon Su-Ji , Choi Chanhee , Ju Jong-Min , Lee Sin , Park Jung Hyun , Kim Jong-Ho
Published: March 2019

Graphene oxide fluorescence is modulated by organometallic complexes for the antibody-free and selective detection of dopamine.
A photo-inducible protein–inorganic nanoparticle assembly for active targeted tumour theranostics
Authors: Xie Jinbing , Mei Ling , Huang Kai , Sun Yuxiang , Iris Aarushi , Ma Baoliang , Qiu Yining , Li Junjie , Han Gang
Published: March 2019

Protein–inorganic nanoparticles were formed under photo-illumination for tumor theranostics.
Photochromic, organogelating and self-sorting behaviour of di-(dithienylethene) derivatives
Authors: Zheng Kun , Wang Huaizhen , Chow Hak-Fun
Published: March 2019

They wouldn't mix! – Narcissistic self-sorting was found to exist in a 1 : 1 mixture of the two photoisomers of a di-(dithienylethene)-containing organgelator.
An iron(iii) complex selectively mediated cancer cell death: crystal structure, DNA targeting andin vitroantitumor activities
Authors: Wu Yi-Gang , Wang Dong-Bo , Hu Juan-Juan , Song Xue-Qing , Xie Cheng-Zhi , Ma Zhong-Ying , Xu Jing-Yuan
Published: March 2019

Three new iron(iii) complexes were prepared, and complex3exhibited a 14-fold higher selectivity index for HeLavs. LO2 normal cells than cisplatin.
Photoredox/rhodium catalysis in C–H activation for the synthesis of nitrogen containing heterocycles
Authors: Kim Hyun Jin , Fabry David C. , Mader Steffen , Rueping Magnus
Published: March 2019

The cyclization of acetanilides with alkyne derivatives has been accomplished via a rhodium catalyzed direct C–H functionalization/cyclization pathway in the presence of a photoredox catalyst.
Blue-emitting acridine-tagged silver(i)-bis-N-heterocyclic carbene
Authors: Prabusankar Ganesan , Muthukumaran Nirmala , Vaddamanu Moulali , Raju Gembali , Velappan Kavitha , Sathyanarayana Arruri , Masaya Yamane , Sugiyama Shohei , Hisano Kyohei , Tsutsumi Osamu
Published: March 2019

The synthesis and photophysical properties of blue-emitting acridine-tagged silver(i)-bis-N-heterocyclic carbene are reported.
Hybrid fillers of hexagonal and cubic boron nitride in epoxy composites for thermal management applications
Authors: Zhang Yuyuan , Gao Wei , Li Yujing , Zhao Dehe , Yin Hong
Published: March 2019

The synergistic effect of h-BN/c-BN/EP on the enhancement of thermal conductivity of polymeric composites has been demonstrated.
First principles study for band engineering of KNbO3 with 3d transition metal substitution
Authors: Liang Yunting , Shao Guosheng
Published: March 2019

Band engineering of KNbO3 through 3d transition metal substitution of Nb.
Silyl diol ester as a new selectivity control agent in MgCl2-supported Ziegler–Natta systems for propylene polymerization: catalyst structure and polymer properties
Authors: Poorsank Fatemeh , Arabi Hassan , Ghasemi Hamedani Nona
Published: March 2019

In this study, bis(benzoyloxy)dimethylsilane (SDE) was developed as a non-phthalate selectivity control agent (internal donor (ID) and external donor (ED)) in MgCl2-supported Ziegler–Natta (ZN) systems for polypropylene polymerization.
Qualitative colorimetric analysis of a Ir(iii)/Eu(iii) dyad in the presence of chemical warfare agents and simulants on a paper matrix
Authors: Dennison Genevieve H. , Curty Christophe , Metherell Alexander J. , Micich Eva , Zaugg Andreas , Ward Michael D.
Published: March 2019

A dual emissive Ir(iii)/Eu(iii) dyad in a paper-based luminescence assay for liquid chemical warfare agents demonstrated clear visual responses.
Construction of a cross-layer linked G-octamer via conformational control: a stable G-quadruplex in H-bond competitive solvents
Authors: He Ying , Zhang Yanbin , Wojtas Lukasz , Akhmedov Novruz G. , Thai David , Wang Heng , Li Xiaopeng , Guo Hao , Shi Xiaodong
Published: March 2019

A discrete and well-defined G-octamer system has been established through conformational design of monomers. The crystal structures of G-octamers were obtained for the first time. The covalent linked G-quadruplex exhibited significantly improved stability in both methanol and DMSO.
Aqueous acid-based synthesis of lead-free tin halide perovskites with near-unity photoluminescence quantum efficiency
Authors: Wang Aifei , Guo Yanyan , Zhou Zhaobo , Niu Xianghong , Wang Yonggang , Muhammad Faheem , Li Hongbo , Zhang Tao , Wang Jinlan , Nie Shuming , Deng Zhengtao
Published: March 2019

Aqueous acid-based synthesis of lead-free tin halide perovskites with near-unity photoluminescence quantum efficiency and high chemical yield is described.
Study on the effect of the organic acid structure on the rheological behavior and aggregate transformation of a pH-responsive wormlike micelle system
Authors: Kang Wanli , Hou Xiaoyu , Wang Pengxiang , Zhao Yilu , Zhu Tongyu , Chen Chao , Yang Hongbin
Published: March 2019

The effect of the organic acid structure on the rheological behaviour and aggregate transformation of a pH-responsive wormlike micelle system has been researched.
Polydopamine-induced surface functionalization of carbon nanofibers for Pd deposition enabling enhanced catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions
Authors: Tamakloe Wilson , Agyeman Daniel Adjei , Park Mihui , Yang Junghoon , Kang Yong-Mook
Published: March 2019

A detailed understanding of the surface modification or coating of materials is becoming more important for the design and development of hybrid materials for their advanced applications.
Cage-structured MxPy@CNCs (M = Co and Zn) from MOF confined growth in carbon nanocages for superior lithium storage and hydrogen evolution performance
Authors: Li Wenlong , Zhao Rongfang , Zhou Kehan , Shen Chao , Zhang Xiue , Wu HuaYu , Ni Lubin , Yan Hui , Diao Guowang , Chen Ming
Published: March 2019

Metal phosphide-carbon nanocomposites with unique hollow structures are highly attractive in energy storage and conversion fields.
Solution-processed electron transport layer of n-doped fullerene for efficient and stable all carbon based perovskite solar cells
Authors: Zhou Junshuai , Hou Jie , Tao Xia , Meng Xiangyue , Yang Shihe
Published: March 2019

All carbon-based perovskite solar cells with solution-processed hexamethonium bromide-doped C60 ETL achieve a PCE of 16.03% with outstanding operational stability.
Metal–organic framework derived hierarchical copper cobalt sulfide nanosheet arrays for high-performance solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Bahaa Ahmed , Balamurugan Jayaraman , Kim Nam Hoon , Lee Joong Hee
Published: March 2019

A novel strategy is proposed to design and fabricate hierarchical CuCo2S4 nanosheet arrays from a metal–organic framework for high-performance solid-state supercapacitors.
Photo-Fenton self-cleaning membranes with robust flux recovery for an efficient oil/water emulsion separation
Authors: Xie Atian , Cui Jiuyun , Yang Jin , Chen Yangyang , Dai Jiangdong , Lang Jihui , Li Chunxiang , Yan Yongsheng
Published: March 2019

Photo-Fenton self-cleaning membranes have been developed by TA-Fe(iii) complex assembly, followed by the in situ mineralization of β-FeOOH for efficient oil/water emulsions separation.
Surface hydroxylated hematite promotes photoinduced hole transfer for water oxidation
Authors: Tang Changjin , Sun Bowen , Li Mingyang , Zhang Jing , Fan Xiaoli , Gao Fei , Tong Yexiang , Dong Lin , Li Yat
Published: March 2019

An extremely simple sonication method is reported to hydroxylate a hematite surface without affecting its bulk properties.
Tailoring three-dimensional porous cobalt phosphides templated from bimetallic metal–organic frameworks as precious metal-free catalysts towards the dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane
Authors: Hou Chun-Chao , Chen Qian-Qian , Li Kai , Wang Chuan-Jun , Peng Cheng-Yun , Shi Rui , Chen Yong
Published: March 2019

Three-dimensional porous CoP@CNF materials derived from bimetallic MOFs exhibit superior catalytic efficiency towards the ammonia-borane hydrolysis.
A super-stretchable and tough functionalized boron nitride/PEDOT:PSS/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel with self-healing, adhesion, conductive and photothermal activity
Authors: Cao Shuai , Tong Xin , Dai Kun , Xu Qun
Published: March 2019

A new multifunctional f-BNNS/PEDOT:PSS/PNIPAM hydrogel with high mechanical properties has been successfully prepared.
Improved efficiency and reduced hysteresis in ultra-stable fully printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells through incorporation of CuSCN into the perovskite layer
Authors: Zimmermann Iwan , Gratia Paul , Martineau David , Grancini Giulia , Audinot Jean-Nicolas , Wirtz Tom , Nazeeruddin Mohammad Khaja
Published: March 2019

Improved charge extraction in carbon-based fully printable hole transport layer-free mesoscopic perovskite solar cells with excellent long-term stability.
The efficient faradaic Li4Ti5O12@C electrode exceeds the membrane capacitive desalination performance
Authors: Guo Lu , Kong Dezhi , Pam Mei Er , Huang Shaozhuan , Ding Meng , Shang Yang , Gu Chengding , Huang Yinxi , Yang Hui Ying
Published: March 2019

A faradaic reaction-enhanced membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) system has used in high-salinity water.
Detection of hypochlorous acid fluctuation via a selective near-infrared fluorescent probe in living cells and in vivo under hypoxic stress
Authors: Huang Yan , He Na , Wang Yude , Zhang Liangwei , Kang Qi , Wang Yunqing , Shen Dazhong , Choo Jaebum , Chen Lingxin
Published: March 2019

The near-infrared fluorescent probe Cy-HOCl for monitoring HOCl in living cells, zebrafish and mice under hypoxic stress.
Electrochemical protein recognition based on macromolecular self-assembly of molecularly imprinted polymer: a new strategy to mimic antibody for label-free biosensing
Authors: Zhao Wei , Li Bing , Xu Sheng , Huang Xuewen , Luo Jing , Zhu Ye , Liu Xiaoya
Published: March 2019

A versatile strategy, based on the use of an amphiphilic copolymer as a macromonomer, was developed for the preparation of a fully synthetic MIP sensor for protein recognition
Super tough bilayer actuators based on multi-responsive hydrogels crosslinked by functional triblock copolymer micelle macro-crosslinkers
Authors: Sun Peng , Zhang Hua , Xu Dan , Wang Zhenwu , Wang Liufang , Gao Guorong , Hossain Gaffar , Wu Jiangyu , Wang Rong , Fu Jun
Published: March 2019

Bilayer hydrogels crosslinked by vinylated Pluronic F127 micelles show independent thermo-, pH-, and salt-responsiveness, and outstanding toughness, which have great potentials for soft robotics, actuators, and artificial muscles.
Fabrication of amphiphilic quantum dots towards high-colour-quality light-emitting devices
Authors: Cheng Rui , Li Fucheng , Zhang Jiahui , She Xingjin , Zhang Yi , Shao Kejin , Lin Yuxuan , Wang Cai-Feng , Chen Su
Published: March 2019

An easy-to-perform interfacial synthesis method is demonstrated to achieve amphiphilic quantum dots with a high photoluminescence quantum yield, which are useful for high-color-quality light-emitting applications.
Near-infrared-laser-driven robust glass-ceramic-based upconverted solid-state-lighting
Authors: Chen Jiangkun , Peng Yongzhao , Li Xinyue , Chen Wu , Huang Hai , Lin Lin , Chen Daqin
Published: March 2019

Glass ceramics containing Ln3+-doped α/β-NaYF4 nanocrystals are employed to construct NIR-laser-driven upconverted solid-state-lighting for the first time.
Coordination-driven strategy towards crystalline hybrid photochromic materials via the marriage of a non-photochromic extended dipyridine unit and zincophosphate
Authors: Ge Bang-Di , Han Song-De , Wei Qi , Li Jin-Hua , Wang Guo-Ming
Published: March 2019

The coordinative linkage of supramolecular zincophosphate building units and a non-photochromic dipyridine unit generates two hybrid photochromic frames.
Modified lipoproteins in periodontitis: a link to cardiovascular disease?
Authors: Ljunggren Stefan , Bengtsson Torbjörn , Karlsson Helen , Starkhammar Johansson Carin , Palm Eleonor , Nayeri Fariba , Ghafouri Bijar , Davies Julia , Svensäter Gunnel , Lönn Johanna
Published: March 2019

There is a strong association between periodontal disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disorders. A key event in the development of atherosclerosis is accumulation of modified lipoproteins within the arterial wall. We hypothesise that patients with periodontitis have an altered lipoprotein profile towards an atherogenic form. Therefore, the present study aims at identifying modifications of plasma lipoproteins in periodontitis. Lipoproteins from ten female patients with periodontitis and gender- and age-matched healthy controls were isolated by density-gradient ultracentrifugation. Proteins were separated by 2D gel-electrophoresis and identified by map-matching or by nano-LC followed by MS. Apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I (ApoA-I) methionine oxidation, Oxyblot, total antioxidant capacity and a multiplex of 71 inflammation-related plasma proteins were assessed. Reduced levels of apoJ, phospholipid transfer protein, apoF, complement C3, paraoxonase 3 and increased levels of α-1-antichymotrypsin, apoA-II, apoC-III were found in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) from the patients. In low-density lipoprotein (LDL)/very LDL (VLDL), the levels of apoL-1 and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) as well as apo-B fragments were increased. Methionine oxidation of apoA-I was increased in HDL and showed a relationship with periodontal parameters. α-1 antitrypsin and α-2-HS glycoprotein were oxidised in LDL/VLDL and antioxidant capacity was increased in the patient group. A total of 17 inflammation-related proteins were important for group separation with the highest discriminating proteins identified as IL-21, Fractalkine, IL-17F, IL-7, IL-1RA and IL-2. Patients with periodontitis have an altered plasma lipoprotein profile, defined by altered protein levels as well as post-translational and other structural modifications towards an atherogenic form, which supports a role of modified plasma lipoproteins as central in the link between periodontal and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
A short peptide potentially promotes the healing of skin wound
Authors: Song Yongli , Wu Chunyun , Zhang Xinghe , Bian Wenxin , Liu Naixin , Yin Saige , Yang MeiFeng , Luo Mingying , Tang Jing , Yang Xinwang
Published: March 2019

Skin wound, a common form of skin damage in daily life, remains a serious challenge in clinical treatment. Bioactive peptides with high efficiency have been considered as potential therapeutic candidates for wound healing. In this report, a novel short linear peptide, with mature peptide sequence of ‘GLLSGINAEWPC’ and no obvious similarity with other known bioactive peptides, was identified by genomic method from the skin of odorous frog, Odorrana andersonii. Our results suggested that OA-GL12 (OA: abbreviation of species (O. andersonii), GL: two initial amino acids, 12: peptide length) obviously accelerated the scratch-healing of keratinocytes and human fibroblasts in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, OA-GL12 showed significant effect in promoting the wound healing on the full-thickness skin wound model. Inflammatory assay results demonstrated that OA-GL12 induced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) on murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7), which might explain the powerful accelerating capacity of wound healing. Moreover, results also indicated that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was involved in the mechanisms underlying the scratch-healing promoting activity of OA-GL12. In addition, OA-GL12 showed obvious free radical scavenging activity. Results supported that OA-GL12 did not exert risk in acute toxicity, hemolytic activity, and direct antibacterial activity. The remarkable effect of OA-GL12 on promoting wound healing verified in this research made it potential to be a novel template for the development of wound healing-promoting agents.
Down-regulation of miR-543 expression increases the sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to 5-Fluorouracil through the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Liu Gang , Zhou JianPing , Dong Ming
Published: March 2019

Resistance to chemotherapy is one of main obstacles in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanisms are still unclear, and the treatment options are still limited. miR-543 has been indicated to act as an oncogene in some cancers, but its function in regulating chemoresistance has not been considered in CRC cells. This study investigated whether the down-regulation of miR-543 expression enhanced 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced apoptosis in HCT8/FU colon cancer cells. In our study, qRT-PCR revealed that miR-543 expression was up-regulated in the HCT8/FU colon cancer cell line compared with that of HCT8 colon cancer cell line. An miR-543 inhibitor or mimic was transfected, followed by MTT assay to detect 5-FU sensitivity in HCT8 and HCT8/FU cell lines, which showed that IC50 of 5-FU was positively correlated with miR-543 expression. Further studies showed that miR-543 enhanced drug resistance by down-regulating the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), which negatively regulates protein kinase B (AKT) activation. Additionally, an elevated expression of PTEN reversed the chemoresistance of miR-543-overexpressing HCT8 cells to 5-FU. These results indicate that miR-543 might be a target to increase the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU through the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway.
Ultra‐low‐voltage CMOS ring oscillators
Authors: Ferreira J.V.T. , Galup‐Montoro C.
Published: March 2019

This communication discusses the realisation of ultra‐low‐voltage CMOS ring oscillators (ROs) that are potentially capable of starting up from a supply voltage of around 40 mV. Experimental results for ROs based on the standard inverter and on the six‐transistor Schmitt trigger integrated in a 130 nm CMOS technology demonstrate a start‐up voltage very close to 50 mV.
Eliminating starting hesitation for reliable operation of switched reluctance motor without machine parameters for light electric vehicle applications
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Usman , Kongprawechnon Waree , Chayopitak Nattapon
Published: March 2019

In this study, an initial rotor position estimation at standstill condition is presented for reliable operation of switched reluctance motor (SRM) without initialising machine parameters for light electric vehicle (LEV) applications. The prime objective of this method is to startup an SRM without using the mechanical position sensor, and eliminate the starting hesitation and starting jerk issues from standstill condition. In the proposed method, the initial rotor position at standstill is determined by injecting a single pulse dc voltage simultaneously into all stator phase windings for a very short period (microsecond). The obtained current envelope data is then used to calculate the initial rotor position with the quadratic polynomial interpolation technique without any prior knowledge of other motor parameters. The experimental results for a 3.5 kW, 6/4 SRM are provided to substantiate the overall good performance. The developed system can be considered as a strong candidate for high precision LEV applications.
Electron structure in modified BaTiO3 /poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposite with high dielectric property and energy density
Authors: Ye Huijian , Chen Hongyun , Zhang Xuanhe , Chen Yafei , Shao Wenzhu , Xu Lixin
Published: March 2019

It's significantly urgent to develop the polymer film capacitor with large energy density and high charge‐discharge efficiency for the applications of portable electronics and power hybrid system. In this study, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanocomposite film incorporated with tetradecylphosphonic acid modified BaTiO3 was prepared via solution casting to achieve high dielectric property and large energy density. The strong interactions were formed between modifier and polymer segments, which was characterised by X‐ray absorption near edge structure of synchrotron radiation. The decrease of activation energy indicates that the functionalisation of BaTiO3 weakens the heterogeneous nucleation of nanoparticle. The dielectric constant of 30 vol.% nanocomposite film achieves 50.1 with low loss of 0.02 at 100 Hz, which is attributed to the strong interaction between the phosphonic acid and fluoride atoms of PVDF segments. The energy density of 20 vol.% nanocomposite is 4.4 J/cm3 with charge‐discharge efficiency of 78% at 120 MV/m due to the large interfacial polarisation. The functionalisation strategy of high‐k nanofillers enhances the compatibility in polymer nanocomposite, which contributes to the flexible polymer capacitor with large energy density and high charge‐discharge efficiency.
State variable derivation with numerical approach and efficiency optimisation method for phase‐shift LLC converters under wide voltage‐gain range
Authors: Liu Shuo , Zhang Fanghua
Published: March 2019

The phase‐shift modulation (PSM) brings wider voltage‐gain range compared with pulse‐frequency modulation (PFM) control to the LLC resonant converter in particular occasions such as battery charging converters. Current researches have less discussion about the converter current transfer gain especially at low voltage‐gain range. The switching frequency is much increased and high circulating current occurs under low voltage range, which brings large error in the fundamental harmonic approximation analysis. This work has proposed a numerical derivation method to derive the accurate transfer gain for LLC converters with PSM + PFM control. The accurate model and equations for resonant variables are built by the static state‐plane analysis. With the help of the iteration algorithm, numerical solutions are got for the resonant variables. The output current gain and the loss estimations are acquired and discussed at each operating point. The results also indicate that there are multiple solutions for the control variables, switching frequency and phase‐shift angle, at the same output point. The loss optimisation method is proposed and the losses on the switches are optimised by using lower switching frequency and greater phase angle. The simulation approach and the experiment prototype test have both proved the theoretical calculations and the optimisation results.
Assessment of wind turbine transient overvoltages when struck by lightning: experimental and analytical study
Authors: Zalhaf Amr S. , Abdel‐Salam Mazen , Mansour Diaa‐Eldin A. , Ookawara Shinichi , Ahmed Mahmoud
Published: March 2019

This paper is aimed at presenting a numerical method for calculating the transient overvoltage across a wind turbine (WT) struck by lightning. The resulting overvoltage is determined at different points along the WT body using the proposed numerical method. The lightning strike has been simulated by injecting a current impulse to the tested WT. The equivalent circuits of WT components and the mathematical formulas to evaluate the circuit's parameters are presented. This makes it possible to develop π‐equivalent RLC networks representing the WT components to write the nodal equations at each discrete time instant. MATLAB software package is used to solve the nodal equations and determine the transient behaviour of the WT. In the laboratory, a high impulse voltage is applied on a small‐scale WT to corroborate the proposed method. The calculated overvoltage temporal variations are in good agreement with those measured at different positions along the WT for various grounding resistance values, demonstrating the validity of the proposed method. Further validation is also made by comparing the present simulation with that using PSCAD/EMTDC software package. The overvoltage values increase with the rise of the grounding resistance value. The obtained results are useful for designing WT lightning protection systems.
Wide‐area damping controllers of wind and solar power using probabilistic signal selection
Authors: Ngamroo Issarachai
Published: March 2019

Recently, renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar photovoltaics have been increasingly applied in power systems to support inflated load demands. These renewable sources may be placed at locations that provide higher controllability of inter‐area oscillations than those of conventional synchronous generators. Thus, an improved damping effect from such renewables can be expected. On the other hand, the signal selection of the wide‐area damping controller (WADC) is normally conducted at an operating point. The strength of the input–output pairs of the WADC will consequently change according to the system operations. This study presents a WADC of wind and solar power sources using probabilistic signal selection. After selecting the most suitable input–output pairs, the control parameters of WADC are optimised using a robust control strategy and multiple‐pole placement at several operating points. The designed WADC is evaluated by small‐signal and transient stability studies in the IEEE 50‐machine 145‐bus system to guarantee the stabilising effect of the proposed WADC of wind and solar compared to that of the conventional WADC of synchronous generators.
Non‐singular terminal sliding mode adaptive control of permanent magnet synchronous motor based on a disturbance observer
Authors: Cao Songyin , Liu Jun , Yi Yang
Published: March 2019

This study proposes a non‐singular terminal sliding mode adaptive control strategy based on a disturbance observer for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with multiple disturbances. Firstly, the multiple disturbances of the PMSM can be divided into two types including a load disturbance formulated by an exo‐system, modelling error and circuit noise represented by a norm‐bounded equivalent disturbance. Secondly, a disturbance observer is applied to estimate the load disturbance and its derivative. A non‐singular terminal sliding mode controller based on the disturbance observer and an adaptive controller is designed to reject the modelled disturbance and compensate the norm‐bounded disturbance. Then, the stability of the controlled system is proved by the Lyapunov method. Finally, simulation results of a PMSM control system are provided to verify the effectiveness.
T‐S modelling‐based anti‐disturbance finite‐time control with input saturation
Authors: Shao Li Ren , Yi Yang , Niu Cheng Bo , Liu Bei
Published: March 2019

Here, the problem of finite‐time disturbance rejection is investigated for a class of MIMO non‐linear systems with both unknown external disturbances and actuator saturation in the disturbance‐observer‐based control (DOBC) framework. In order to expand the application range of external disturbances, Takagi‐Sugeno (T‐S) fuzzy model is used to describe the complex non‐linear disturbance. By constructing an appropriate Lyapunov function, an observer‐based controller is designed to guarantee that the closed‐loop system is finite‐time stable. Finally, a simulation example for A4D flight control systems with non‐linear disturbances is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Enhancement of microcantilever beams fabrication and determination of their mechanical properties using nanoindentation
Authors: Chung Yung‐Chiang , Lin Cheng‐Feng
Published: March 2019

Microcantilever beams were fabricated through a microelectromechanical system fabrication process; this process was improved by using etched slots. The actual mechanical properties of the cantilever beams can be estimated using a nanoindenter. Various cantilever beam widths and length‐to‐width ratios were used for evaluation. Five structures of cantilever beams were fabricated and compared. ANSYS software was used to simulate cantilever beam deflections. The etched slots increased the cantilever beam deflections, and the increase in deflection was apparent when the etched slot was located near the base of the beams. Type 4 was a cantilever beam with an etched slot of length L /2 near the base of the beam. The area of the etched slots of type 4 was larger, and the etched slot of type 4 was near the base of the cantilever beam. Type 4 had the shortest etching time, highest fabrication success rate, and greatest deflection. The difference between the measured and simulated (without parameter modification) deflections could exceed 10%. Modifying the force acting point and Young's modulus in the simulations reduced the difference between the measured and simulated deflections to 0.5%. This demonstrates that actual experimental conditions considerably influence simulation results, and this can be beneficial to subsequent studies.
Applications of micro–nano bubble technology in environmental pollution control
Authors: Xiao Zhengguo , Aftab Tallal Bin , Li Dengxin
Published: March 2019

Owing to some advantages of high oxidation capacity, high mass‐transfer efficiency, high utilisation rate of reagents, simple system for treating pollutants, micro–nanobubble technology (MNBT) has gradually attracted attention and has been successfully applied in environmental pollution control. Currently, its applications in this field are mainly in the aspects of surface water purification, sewage (waste) water treatment, soil and groundwater remediation and sludge treatment which are reviewed. These studies primarily focus on the MNB generation (MNBG) methods, the parameters of pollution treatment and its effect improvement, the coupling techniques of this technology and other advanced oxidation technologies. However, in order to successfully promote its applications to the actual environmental pollution control process, especially the industrial scale, the following efforts are required: covariant response mechanism of water quality – micro–nano aeration parameters – bubble characteristics, further optimisation of synergistic process with other advanced oxidation methods, development of lower energy consumption and more efficient MNBG devices. After discussion and analysis, this work further points out that the purification of exhaust gas such as volatile organic compounds (VOC) and flue gas is one of the research directions worth exploring in the future application of the MNBT.
The two tails of PSR J2055+2539 as seen by Chandra: Analysis of the nebular morphology and pulsar proper motion
Authors: Marelli M. , Tiengo A. , De Luca A. , Mignani R. P. , Salvetti D. , Saz Parkinson P. M. , Lisini G.
Published: March 2019

We analyzed two Chandra observations of PSR J2055+2539 for a total integration time of ∼130 ks to measure the proper motion and study the two elongated nebular features of this source. We did not detect the proper motion, setting an upper limit of 240 mas yr−1 (3σ level), which translates into an upper limit on the transverse velocity of ∼700 km s−1, for an assumed distance of 600 pc. A deep Hα observation did not reveal the bow shock associated with a classical pulsar wind nebula, thus precluding an indirect measurement of the proper motion direction. We determined the main axes of the two nebulae, which are separated by an angle of 160.°8 ± 0.°7, using a new approach based on the rolling Hough transformation (RHT). We analyzed the shape of the first 8′ (out of the 12′ seen by XMM-Newton) of the brighter, extremely collimated nebula. Based on a combination of our results from a standard analysis and a nebular modeling obtained from the RHT, we find that the brightest nebula is curved on an arcmin scale and has a thickness ranging from ∼9″ to ∼31″ and a possible (single or multiple) helicoidal pattern. We could not constrain the shape of the fainter nebula. We discuss our results in the context of other known similar features and place particular emphasis on the Lighthouse nebula associated with PSR J1101−6101. We speculate that a peculiar geometry of the powering pulsar may play an important role in the formation of such features.
Environmental Parasitology: intestinal helminth parasites of the siganid fishSiganus rivulatusas bioindicators for trace metal pollution in the Red Sea
Authors: Al-Hasawi Zaki M.
Published: March 2019

Studies on host-parasite systems as bioindicators for monitoring trace metal pollution in marine environments are still scarce. Here, 11, 14 and 17 infrapopulations ofGyliauchen volubilis(Trematoda: Digenea),Procamallanus elatensis(Nematoda) andSclerocollum rubrimaris(Acanthocephala), respectively, were collected from the fishSiganus rivulatus(Siganidae) in the Red Sea, from a chronically polluted small bay at Sharm El-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt. Water and sediment samples from the bay, tissue samples (intestines, liver, and muscle) from each fish, and samples from each parasite were taken for heavy metal analyses of cadmium and lead. Cadmium concentrations in intestines, liver and muscle of non-infected and infected fishes were much lower than those of lead, and both metal concentrations decreased in the order: liver > intestines > muscle. Cadmium and lead concentrations in the tissues of fishes infected withG. volubilisorP. elatensiswere slightly lower than those in non-infected ones, while in the tissues of fishes infected withSc. rubrimaris, they were much lower. Low concentrations of cadmium and lead inG. volubilisandP. elatensisare associated with their limited ability or capacity to accumulate trace metals. Therefore, bioconcentration factors corresponding to these species were relatively low, and both are herein considered as weak bioindicators. By contrast, high concentrations of cadmium and lead inS. rubrimarisare associated with its high ability to accumulate trace metals. Of the present three host–parasite systems, only theSiganus rivulatus–Sclerocollum rubrimarissystem seems to be promising for biomonitoring of metal pollution in the Red Sea.
Interkulturelle Adaptation des Lymph-ICF-Fragebogens für Patienten mit Lymphödemen der unteren Gliedmaßen in Deutschland
Authors: Allofs Jana , Johnsen Lutz , Devoogdt Nele , Stutterheim Eric , Hoppstädter Wiebke , Grüneberg Christian
Published: March 2019

Hintergrund Patienten mit Lymphödemen der unteren Gliedmaßen leiden unter körperlichen und psychosozialen Beeinträchtigungen. Das Erfassen von Einschränkungen bei Aktivitäten, Partizipation und Lebensqualität erfordert krankheitsspezifische und ICF-basierte Messinstrumente. In deutscher Sprache liegt ein solches Messinstrument bislang nicht vor.

Ziel Das Ziel der Studie war es, eine interkulturelle Adaptation und psychometrische Prüfung des Lymph-ICF-Fragebogens für Patienten mit Lymphödemen der unteren Gliedmaßen durchzuführen.

Methode In Phase 1 der Studie (n = 24) wurde der Fragebogen übersetzt und anschließend an Patienten mit Lymphödemen der unteren Gliedmaßen evaluiert. Dabei wurden die Augenschein- und Inhaltsvalidität sowie Praktikabilität untersucht. In Phase 2 (n = 11) wurden die Test-Retest-Reliabilität (ICC) und interne Konsistenz (Cronbach Alpha) getestet. Zur Überprüfung der Konstruktvalidität wurden Hypothesen über erwartete hohe Korrelationen zwischen Domänen des Lymph-ICF-UG (Störung, Einschränkung und Teilhabeproblem Fragebogen für Lymphödeme der unteren Gliedmaßen) und des SF-36 überprüft.

Ergebnisse Augenschein- und Inhaltsvalidität sowie Praktikabilität erzielten gute Ergebnisse. Die interne Konsistenz war moderat bis stark (Cronbach Alpha: 0,69 – 0,88), die Test-Retest-Reliabilität moderat bis sehr stark (ICC: 0,36 – 0,95). Mit 5 % angenommener Hypothesen war die Konstruktvalidität schwach.

Schlussfolgerung Der Lymph-ICF-UG ist der erste reliable und valide ICF-basierte Fragebogen für Patienten mit Lymphödemen der unteren Gliedmaßen in Deutschland.
An In-Vitro Assay Estimating Changes in Melanin Content of Melanoma Cells due to Ultra-Dilute, Potentized Preparations
Authors: Munshi Renuka , Joshi Samidha , Talele Gitanjali , Shah Rajesh
Published: March 2019

Introduction The authors had previously conducted an in-vitro study to observe the effect of homeopathic medicines on melanogenesis, demonstrating anti-vitiligo potential by increasing the melanin content in murine B16F10 melanoma cells. A similar experiment was performed using further homeopathic preparations sourced from kojic acid (KA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2; HP), 6-biopterin (BP), and [Nle4, D-Phe7]-α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (NLE), some of which are known to induce vitiligo or melano-destruction at physiological dose.

Materials and Methods The homeopathic preparations of BP, KA, NLE, and HP were used in 30c potency. Alcohol and potentized alcohol were used as vehicle controls. Prior to starting the main experiment, the viability of B16F10 melanoma cells after treatment with study preparations was assayed. Melanin content (at 48 h and 96 h) and tyrosinase activity in melanocytes were determined.

Results At the end of 48 hours, NLE and HP in 30c potency had a significantly greater melanin content (p = 0.015 and p = 0.039, respectively) compared with controls; BP and KA in 30c potency had no significant effects. No significant changes were seen at the end of 96 hours. KA, NLE, HP, and vehicle controls showed an inhibition of tyrosinase activity.

Conclusion The study demonstrated melanogenic effects of two homeopathic preparations. Further research to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of these medicines is warranted.
Classification of the orthogonal separable webs for the Hamilton-Jacobi and Laplace-Beltrami equations on 3-dimensional hyperbolic and de Sitter spaces
Authors: Valero Carlos , McLenaghan Raymond G.
Published: March 2019

We review the theory of orthogonal separation of variables on pseudo-Riemannian manifolds of constant non-zero curvature via concircular tensors and warped products. We then apply this theory simultaneously to both the three-dimensional hyperbolic and de Sitter spaces, obtaining an invariant classification of the thirty-four orthogonal separable webs on each space, modulo action of the respective isometry groups. The inequivalent coordinate charts adapted to each web are also determined and listed. The results obtained for hyperbolic 3-space agree with those in the literature, while the results for de Sitter 3-space appear to be new.
Dynamical response of a quantum R–L circuit in the presence of resonant tunneling
Authors: Yin Jianzhuang , Song Li , Chen Shuwei , Gao Jie
Published: March 2019

The admittance of a quantum point contact (QPC) is investigated in the ac regime. Resonance-like peaks superimposed on the commonly occurring admittance plateaus are observed. To explore the origin of these peaks, we perform measurements on the sample in perpendicular magnetic fields of different strengths. We find that as the magnetic field increases, the resonance-like peak located at the first admittance plateau disappears, while that at the third plateau becomes more pronounced. Under certain conditions, these peaks can evolve into 0.7 anomalous plateaus. We believe that these resonance-like peaks are caused by the presence of impurities in the QPC. To confirm this, a bias voltage is added to the common gate voltage to generate an asymmetric QPC confinement potential. We then observe an asymmetric evolution of the peaks for both positive and negative bias voltages. The effects of the magnetic field and the bias voltage can be described well by the results of numerical calculation using the finite difference method and taking into account the influence of the impurity. The results of this work should help provide better understanding of charge dynamic transfer and may also be useful for the study of QPC-based devices such as qubits and quantum dots.
Prediction of robust chaos in micro and nanoresonators under two-frequency excitation
Authors: Gusso André , Dantas W. G. , Ujevic Sebastian
Published: March 2019

Robust chaos in a dynamical system is characterized by the persistence of the chaotic attractor with changes in the system parameters and is generally required in practical applications based upon physical sources of chaos. However, for applications that rely upon continuous time chaotic signals, there are now very few alternatives of dynamical systems with robust chaos that could be used. In this context, it is important to find a new dynamical system and, particularly, new physical systems that present robust chaos. In this work, we show through simulations that a relevant physical system, suspended beam micro and nanoelectromechanical resonators, can present robust chaos when excited by two distinct frequencies. To demonstrate the existence of robust chaos in the system, we perform an extensive numerical analysis, showing that the attractor is unique and changes smoothly in a large region of the relevant physical parameter space. We find that the robustness of the chaotic dynamics depends crucially on the dissipation, which must be sufficiently small. When the dissipation is small, we find a large range of frequencies, frequency ratios, and applied voltages where robust chaos is observed. These findings turn these systems into viable and strong candidates for practical applications since the chaotic dynamics becomes quite insensitive to fabrication tolerances, changes in the physical parameters induced by the environment, and aging.
Nonlinear-response properties in a simplified time-dependent density functional theory (sTD-DFT) framework: Evaluation of excited-state absorption spectra
Authors: de Wergifosse Marc , Grimme Stefan
Published: March 2019

The energy conversion efficiency of organic solar cells seems crucial for a clean future. The design of new light-harvesting devices needs an in-depth understanding of their optical properties, including the excited-state absorption (ESA). In biology, the optical characterization of photochemical/physical processes happening in photosynthetic pigments and proteins can be difficult to interpret due to their structural complexities. Experimentally, an ultrafast transient absorption experiment can probe the excited state interaction with light. Quantum chemistry could play an important role to model the transient absorption spectrum of excited states. However, systems that need to be investigated can be way too large for existent software implementations. In this contribution, we present the first sTDA/sTD-DFT (simplified time-dependent density functional theory with and without Tamm Dancoff approximation) implementation to evaluate the ESA of molecules. The ultrafast ESA evaluation presents a negligible extra cost with respect to sTDA/sTD-DFT original schemes for standard ground state absorption. The sTD-DFT method shows ability to assign ESA spectra to the correct excited state. We showed that in the literature, wrong assignments were proposed as for the L34/L44 mixture and N-methylfulleropyrrolidine. In addition, sTDA/sTD-DFT-xTB tight-binding variants are also available, allowing the evaluation of ESA for systems of a few thousands of atoms, e.g., the spectrum of the photoactive yellow protein composed of 1931 atoms.
Interfacial dynamics of immiscible binary fluids through ordered porous media: The interplay of thermal and electric fields
Authors: Kunti Golak , Bhattacharya Anandaroop , Chakraborty Suman
Published: March 2019

We report the interplay of electrical and thermal fields on the interfacial dynamics of two immiscible fluids inside a periodic porous domain. The alternating current electrothermal mechanism is employed to generate the two phase flow. The surfaces of the porous blocks are wetted with wettability conditions which are manifested by a predefined static contact angle. Depending on the surface affinity and the electrical parameters, two distinctive spatio-temporal regimes can be identified, namely, trapping of the displaced fluid between the two consecutive porous blocks (formation of liquid bridge) and merging of contact lines after traveling the obstacle (complete interface recovery). Results show that liquid bridge formation and complete interface recovery are strongly influenced by the viscosity and thermal conductivity contrasts, in addition to the relevant electro-thermal parameters.
A computational design framework for two-layered elastic stamps in nanoimprint lithography and microcontact printing
Authors: Taylor Hayden , O’Rorke Richard
Published: March 2019

Mechanical micro- and nano-patterning processes rely on engineering the interactions between a stamp and a substrate to accommodate surface roughness and particle defects while retaining the geometric integrity of printed features. We introduce a set of algorithms for rapidly simulating the stamp–substrate contact, and we use them to show that advantageous behavior can occur when the stamp consists of a finite-thickness layer bonded to a layer with different elastic properties. The simulations use two-dimensional load-response functions describing in discrete space the response of a stamp surface's shape to a localized unit load. These load-response functions incorporate the contributions both of local, indentation-like displacements and of plate-like bending of finite-thickness stamp layers. The algorithms solve iteratively for contact pressure distributions that, when spatially convolved with the load response, yield deformations consistent with the properties of the stamp and the substrate. We investigate three determinants of stamp performance: conformation to sinusoidal substrate topographies, distortion of material around stamp protrusions, and conformation to isolated spherical dust particles trapped between the stamp and the substrate. All simulation results are encapsulated in dimensionless models that can be applied to the efficient selection of stamp geometries, materials, and loading conditions. A particularly striking finding is that a stamp with a finite-thickness compliant coating bonded to a more rigid support can conform more closely to a trapped particle under a given load than a homogeneous stamp with the properties of the coating. This finding could be used to minimize the impact of particle defects on patterning processes.
Dynamic mode tracking and control with a relaxation method
Authors: Queguineur Matthieu , Gicquel L. Y. M. , Dupuy F. , Misdariis A. , Staffelbach G.
Published: March 2019

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) usually requires advanced and accurate diagnostics to help improve our understanding especially in the context of fully unsteady 3D simulations. To do so, two kinds of tools exist today: operator-based and data-based analyses. The most well known data-based analysis used in fluid mechanics is probably the dynamic mode decomposition. This method has indeed shown to be powerful to study CFD results without assumption. It is, however, memory consuming and very sensitive to noise while being used a posteriori. The objective of the following contribution is to relax such issues thanks to an operator-based analysis called Dynamic Mode Tracking (DMT). Based on the well-known selective frequency damping method, DMT relies on a specific implementation allowing the identification of flow activity of specific interest as the data are generated. The method shows to be well adapted for flows exhibiting a clear limit cycle with multiple specific frequencies. Focusing on one of these frequencies, DMT parameters can be adapted to study its temporal evolution giving insight into the mode spatial and temporal features. Thanks to DMT, a variant called Dynamic Mode Tracking and Control (DMTC) allows then to control the identified feature in the CFD simulation. To do so, DMT is coupled with the flow equations thanks to a feedback relaxation method resulting in an artificial control of the flow physics for a specific feature. The development and application of DMT as well as DMTC are illustrated on three problems. First, a simple flow problem based on the propagation of three acoustics waves to evidence the tracking capability of DMT is presented. The second example deals with the vortex shedding of a cylinder wake. For these two cases, DMTC is then applied to demonstrate the capacity of the approach. Finally, the method is applied to a complex configuration: a 3D swirled burner exhibiting a thermo-acoustic instability.