bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scalable Fabrication of High-Performance Transparent Conductors Using Graphene Oxide-Stabilized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Inks
Authors: He Linxiang , Liao Chengzhu , Tjong Sie
Published: April 2018

Recent development in liquid-phase processing of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has revealed rod-coating as a promising approach for large-scale production of SWNT-based transparent conductors. Of great importance in the ink formulation is the stabilizer having excellent dispersion stability, environmental friendly and tunable rheology in the liquid state, and also can be readily removed to enhance electrical conductivity and mechanical stability. Herein we demonstrate the promise of graphene oxide (GO) as a synergistic stabilizer for SWNTs in water. SWNTs dispersed in GO is formulated into inks with homogeneous nanotube distribution, good wetting and rheological properties, and compatible with industrial rod coating practice. Microwave treatment of rod-coated films can reduce GOs and enhance electro-optical performance. The resultant films offer a sheet resistance of ~80 Ω/sq at 86% transparency, along with good mechanical flexibility. Doping the films with nitric acid can further decrease the sheet resistance to ~25 Ω/sq. Comparing with the films fabricated from typical surfactant-based SWNT inks, our films offer superior adhesion as assessed by the Scotch tape test. This study provides new insight into the selection of suitable stabilizers for functional SWNT inks with strong potential for printed electronics.
Crosslinked Polymer Ionic Liquid/Ionic Liquid Blends Prepared by Photopolymerization as Solid-State Electrolytes in Supercapacitors
Authors: Wang Po-Hsin , Wang Tzong-Liu , Lin Wen-Churng , Lin Hung-Yin , Lee Mei-Hwa , Yang Chien-Hsin
Published: April 2018

A photopolymerization method is used to prepare a mixture of polymer ionic liquid (PIL) and ionic liquid (IL). This mixture is used as a solid-state electrolyte in carbon nanoparticle (CNP)-based symmetric supercapacitors. The solid electrolyte is a binary mixture of a PIL and its corresponding IL. The PIL matrix is a cross-linked polyelectrolyte with an imidazole salt cation coupled with two anions of Br− in PIL-M-(Br) and TFSI− in PIL-M-(TFSI), respectively. The corresponding ionic liquids have imidazolium salt cation coupled with two anions of Br− and TFSI−, respectively. This study investigates the electrochemical characteristics of PILs and their corresponding IL mixtures used as a solid electrolyte in supercapacitors. Results show that a specific capacitance, maximum power density and energy density of 87 and 58 F·g−1, 40 and 48 kW·kg−1, and 107 and 59.9 Wh·kg−1 were achieved in supercapacitors based on (PIL-M-(Br)) and (PIL-M-(TFSI)) solid electrolytes, respectively.
Tailoring of Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy in Dy13Fe87 Thin Films with Hexagonal Antidot Lattice Nanostructure
Authors: Salaheldeen Mohamed , Vega Victor , Ibabe Angel , Jaafar Miriam , Asenjo Agustina , Fernandez Agustin , Prida Victor
Published: April 2018

In this article, the magnetic properties of hexagonally ordered antidot arrays made of Dy13Fe87 alloy are studied and compared with corresponding ones of continuous thin films with the same compositions and thicknesses, varying between 20 nm and 50 nm. Both samples, the continuous thin films and antidot arrays, were prepared by high vacuum e-beam evaporation of the alloy on the top-surface of glass and hexagonally self-ordered nanoporous alumina templates, which serve as substrates, respectively. By using a highly sensitive magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements an interesting phenomenon has been observed, consisting in the easy magnetization axis transfer from a purely in-plane (INP) magnetic anisotropy to out-of-plane (OOP) magnetization. For the 30 nm film thickness we have measured the volume hysteresis loops by VSM with the easy magnetization axis lying along the OOP direction. Using magnetic force microscopy measurements (MFM), there is strong evidence to suggest that the formation of magnetic domains with OOP magnetization occurs in this sample. This phenomenon can be of high interest for the development of novel magnetic and magneto-optic perpendicular recording patterned media based on template-assisted deposition techniques.
ω-3 and ω-6 Fatty Acids Modulate Conventional and Atypical Protein Kinase C Activities in a Brain Fatty Acid Binding Protein Dependent Manner in Glioblastoma Multiforme
Authors: Elsherbiny Marwa , Chen Hua , Emara Marwan , Godbout Roseline
Published: April 2018

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly infiltrative brain cancer with a dismal prognosis. High levels of brain fatty acid binding protein (B-FABP) are associated with increased migration/infiltration in GBM cells, with a high ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) driving B-FABP-mediated migration. Since several protein kinase Cs (PKCs) are overexpressed in GBM and linked to migration, we explored a possible relationship between B-FABP and levels/activity of different PKCs, as a function of AA and DHA supplementation. We report that ectopic expression of B-FABP in U87 cells alters the levels of several PKCs, particularly PKCζ. Upon analysis of PKCζ RNA levels in a panel of GBM cell lines and patient-derived GBM neurospheres, we observed a trend towards moderate positive correlation (r = 0.624, p = 0.054) between B-FABP and PKCζ RNA levels. Analysis of PKC activity in U87 GBM cells revealed decreased typical PKC activity (23.4%) in B-FABP-expressing cells compared with nonexpressing cells, with no difference in novel and atypical PKC activities. AA and DHA modulated both conventional and atypical PKC activities in a B-FABP-dependent manner, but had no effect on novel PKC activity. These results suggest that conventional and atypical PKCs are potential downstream effectors of B-FABP/fatty acid-mediated alterations in GBM growth properties.
A Low Glycaemic Index Diet in Pregnancy Induces DNA Methylation Variation in Blood of Newborns: Results from the ROLO Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Geraghty Aisling , Sexton-Oates Alexandra , O’Brien Eileen , Alberdi Goiuri , Fransquet Peter , Saffery Richard , McAuliffe Fionnuala
Published: April 2018

The epigenetic profile of the developing fetus is sensitive to environmental influence. Maternal diet has been shown to influence DNA methylation patterns in offspring, but research in humans is limited. We investigated the impact of a low glycaemic index dietary intervention during pregnancy on offspring DNA methylation patterns using a genome-wide methylation approach. Sixty neonates were selected from the ROLO (Randomised cOntrol trial of LOw glycaemic index diet to prevent macrosomia) study: 30 neonates from the low glycaemic index intervention arm and 30 from the control, whose mothers received no specific dietary advice. DNA methylation was investigated in 771,484 CpG sites in free DNA from cord blood serum. Principal component analysis and linear regression were carried out comparing the intervention and control groups. Gene clustering and pathway analysis were also explored. Widespread variation was identified in the newborns exposed to the dietary intervention, accounting for 11% of the total level of DNA methylation variation within the dataset. No association was found with maternal early-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), infant sex, or birthweight. Pathway analysis identified common influences of the intervention on gene clusters plausibly linked to pathways targeted by the intervention, including cardiac and immune functioning. Analysis in 60 additional samples from the ROLO study failed to replicate the original findings. Using a modest-sized discovery sample, we identified preliminary evidence of differential methylation in progeny of mothers exposed to a dietary intervention during pregnancy.
Fabrication and In Vitro Characterization of Electrochemically Compacted Collagen/Sulfated Xylorhamnoglycuronan Matrix for Wound Healing Applications
Authors: Kang Lingzhi , Liu Xiao , Yue Zhilian , Chen Zhi , Baker Chris , Winberg Pia , Wallace Gordon
Published: April 2018

Skin autografts are in great demand due to injuries and disease, but there are challenges using live tissue sources, and synthetic tissue is still in its infancy. In this study, an electrocompaction method was applied to fabricate the densely packed and highly ordered collagen/sulfated xylorhamnoglycuronan (SXRGlu) scaffold which closely mimicked the major structure and components in natural skin tissue. The fabricated electrocompacted collagen/SXRGlu matrices (ECLCU) were characterized in terms of micromorphology, mechanical property, water uptake ability and degradability. The viability, proliferation and morphology of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) cells on the fabricated matrices were also evaluated. The results indicated that the electrocompaction process could promote HDFs proliferation and SXRGlu could improve the water uptake ability and matrices’ stability against collagenase degradation, and support fibroblast spreading on the ECLCU matrices. Therefore, all these results suggest that the electrocompacted collagen/SXRGlu scaffold is a potential candidate as a dermal substitute with enhanced biostability and biocompatibility.
Preliminary Structural Characteristics of Polysaccharides from Pomelo Peels and Their Antitumor Mechanism on S180 Tumor-Bearing Mice
Authors: Yu Juan , Ji Haiyu , Liu Anjun
Published: April 2018

In this study, the polysaccharides (PPs) from pomelo peels were investigated for their structural characteristics and antitumor mechanism on sarcoma S180-bearing mice. Components, FT-IR, and GC analysis showed that PPs, mainly composed of glucose, were typical acid polysaccharides with α-d-pyranoid glucose containing 74.52% carbohydrate and 16.33% uronic acid. The in vivo antitumor tests revealed that PPs could effectively suppress the transplanted S180 tumors growth, as well as protect the immune organs, improve proliferation ability of splenic lymphocytes and killing activity of NK cells in tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, the levels of serum cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α) and the proportion of CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood of mice bearing S180 tumors were also significantly increased after treatment with PPs. Meanwhile, the transplanted S180 tumor cells exhibited obvious apoptotic phenotype after PPs treatment by arresting the cell cycle in S phase, down-regulating the Bcl-2 expressions and up-regulating the Bax levels. These data showed that PPs were mainly composed of glucose with α-d-pyranoid ring and could induce apoptosis of solid tumor cells by enhancing the antitumor immunity of tumor-bearing mice, which would provide a theoretical basis for the practical application in food and medical industries.
The Influence of Accelerated UV-A and Q-SUN Irradiation on the Antibacterial Properties of Hydrophobic Coatings Containing Eucomis comosa Extract
Authors: Mizielińska Małgorzata , Kowalska Urszula , Salachna Piotr , Łopusiewicz Łukasz , Jarosz Michał
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this research was to examine the antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive bacteria, as well as the water vapour characteristic of polylactic acid (PLA) films covered with a methyl–hydroxypropyl–cellulose (MHPC)/cocoa butter carrier containing Eucomis comosa extract as an active substance. The second purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of accelerated UV-A and Q-SUN irradiation (UV-aging) on the antimicrobial properties and the barrier characteristic of the coatings. The results of the study revealed that MHPC/cocoa butter coatings had no influence on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus atrophaeus. MHPC/cocoa butter coatings containing E. comosa extract reduced the number of bacterial strains. MHPC/cocoa butter coatings also decreased the water vapour permeability of PLA. It was shown that accelerated UV-A and Q-SUN irradiations altered the chemical composition of the coatings containing cocoa butter. Despite the alteration of the chemical composition of the layers, the accelerated Q-SUN and UV-A irradiation had no influence on the antimicrobial properties of E. comosa extract coatings against S. aureus and B. cereus. It was found that only Q-SUN irradiation decreased the coating activity with an extract against B. atrophaeus, though this was to a small degree.
KnowVolution of the Polymer-Binding Peptide LCI for Improved Polypropylene Binding
Authors: Rübsam Kristin , Davari Mehdi , Jakob Felix , Schwaneberg Ulrich
Published: April 2018

The functionalization of polymer surfaces by polymer-binding peptides offers tremendous opportunities for directed immobilization of enzymes, bioactive peptides, and antigens. The application of polymer-binding peptides as adhesion promoters requires reliable and stable binding under process conditions. Molecular modes of interactions between material surfaces, peptides, and solvent are often not understood to an extent that enables (semi-) rational design of polymer-binding peptides, hindering the full exploitation of their potential. Knowledge-gaining directed evolution (KnowVolution) is an efficient protein engineering strategy that facilitates tailoring protein properties to application demands through a combination of directed evolution and computational guided protein design. A single round of KnowVolution was performed to gain molecular insights into liquid chromatography peak I peptide, 47 aa (LCI)-binding to polypropylene (PP) in the presence of the competing surfactant Triton X-100. KnowVolution yielded a total of 8 key positions (D19, S27, Y29, D31, G35, I40, E42, and D45), which govern PP-binding in the presence of Triton X-100. The recombination of two of the identified amino acid substitutions (Y29R and G35R; variant KR-2) yielded a 5.4 ± 0.5-fold stronger PP-binding peptide compared to LCI WT in the presence of Triton X-100 (1 mM). The LCI variant KR-2 shows a maximum binding capacity of 8.8 ± 0.1 pmol/cm2 on PP in the presence of Triton X-100 (up to 1 mM). The KnowVolution approach enables the development of polymer-binding peptides, which efficiently coat and functionalize PP surfaces and withstand surfactant concentrations that are commonly used, such as in household detergents.
The Value of Money: Funding Sources and Philanthropic Priorities in Twentieth-Century American Mission
Authors: Scott David
Published: April 2018

At the turn of the twentieth century, Western missionaries and mission organizations sought to develop financial strategies that would facilitate the further expansion of the Western mission enterprise. Three such strategies emerged: an increasingly sophisticated, corporatized approach to fundraising by mission boards; faith missions that shifted the economic risks associated with fundraising from mission agencies to missionaries; and self-supporting missions that cultivated economic funding available in the mission field. Each of these strategies had different implications for power configurations in the mission enterprise and allowed the values and views of different groups to prevail. The board approach empowered mission executives and large donors. The faith mission approach empowered missionaries and supporters with a conservative theology. The self-supporting mission approach made missionaries arbiters among a variety of competing interests. This economic approach to the study of mission provides new insights into the complex and contested power arrangements involved in Western foreign mission that extend beyond those gained from traditional political and cultural analyses.
Bacillus cereus Induced Necrotizing Fasciitis Mimicking Gastroenteritis: A Case Report
Authors: Lee Ling-Chi , Chen Yu-Long , Yiang Giou-Teng , Chen Tsu-Yi , Wu Meng-Yu , Ni Bo-Yang , Lin Ching-Hsiang
Published: April 2018

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly spreading inflammation of the soft tissue involving the fascia and the subcutaneous tissue. Early and aggressive surgical intervention accompanied with appropriate antibiotics are the key to improve clinical outcome in patients with necrotizing fasciitis. Here, we present the case of a 46-year-old male who presented with acute onset progressive watery diarrhea and fever for one day. The abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography revealed diffuse gallbladder wall thickening with double layer sign, air density at right hepatic lobe and a small bowel edema. An intra-abdominal infection was initially suspected. However, a progressive erythematous change and bullae was found on the left thigh and lower abdomen. Progressed necrotizing fasciitis was suspected. After administration of broad antibiotics and emergency surgical intervention, the septic shock was reversed. Finally, the blood and wound culture reports revealed Bacillus cereus growth. This paper describes the clinical features of necrotizing fasciitis and highlights the Bacillus cereus-induced necrotizing fasciitis for physicians in order to promote timely intervention for septic shock.
A Deep-Local-Global Feature Fusion Framework for High Spatial Resolution Imagery Scene Classification
Authors: Zhu Qiqi , Zhong Yanfei , Liu Yanfei , Zhang Liangpei , Li Deren
Published: April 2018

High spatial resolution (HSR) imagery scene classification has recently attracted increased attention. The bag-of-visual-words (BoVW) model is an effective method for scene classification. However, it can only extract handcrafted features, and it disregards the spatial layout information, whereas deep learning can automatically mine the intrinsic features as well as preserve the spatial location, but it may lose the characteristic information of the HSR images. Although previous methods based on the combination of BoVW and deep learning have achieved comparatively high classification accuracies, they have not explored the combination of handcrafted and deep features, and they just used the BoVW model as a feature coding method to encode the deep features. This means that the intrinsic characteristics of these models were not combined in the previous works. In this paper, to discover more discriminative semantics for HSR imagery, the deep-local-global feature fusion (DLGFF) framework is proposed for HSR imagery scene classification. Differing from the conventional scene classification methods, which utilize only handcrafted features or deep features, DLGFF establishes a framework integrating multi-level semantics from the global texture feature–based method, the BoVW model, and a pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN). In DLGFF, two different approaches are proposed, i.e., the local and global features fused with the pooling-stretched convolutional features (LGCF) and the local and global features fused with the fully connected features (LGFF), to exploit the multi-level semantics for complex scenes. The experimental results obtained with three HSR image classification datasets confirm the effectiveness of the proposed DLGFF framework. Compared with the published results of the previous scene classification methods, the classification accuracies of the DLGFF framework on the 21-class UC Merced dataset and 12-class Google dataset of SIRI-WHU can reach 99.76%, which is superior to the current state-of-the-art methods. The classification accuracy of the DLGFF framework on the 45-class NWPU-RESISC45 dataset, 96.37 ± 0.05%, is an increase of about 6% when compared with the current state-of-the-art methods. This indicates that the fusion of the global low-level feature, the local mid-level feature, and the deep high-level feature can provide a representative description for HSR imagery.
Evaluation of SMOS, SMAP, ASCAT and Sentinel-1 Soil Moisture Products at Sites in Southwestern France
Authors: El Hajj Mohammad , Baghdadi Nicolas , Zribi Mehrez , Rodríguez-Fernández Nemesio , Wigneron Jean , Al-Yaari Amen , Al Bitar Ahmad , Albergel Clément , Calvet Jean-Christophe
Published: April 2018

This study evaluates the accuracy of several recent remote sensing Surface Soil Moisture (SSM) products at sites in southwestern France. The products used are Soil Moisture Active Passive “SMAP” (level 3: 36 km × 36 km, level 3 enhanced: 9 km × 9 km, and Level 2 SMAP/Sentinel-1: 1 km × 1km), Advanced Scatterometer “ASCAT” (level 2 with three spatial resolution 25 km × 25 km, 12.5 km × 12.5 km, and 1 km × 1 km), Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity “SMOS” (SMOS INRA-CESBIO “SMOS-IC”, SMOS Near-Real-Time “SMOS-NRT”, SMOS Centre Aval de Traitement des Données SMOS level 3 “SMOS-CATDS”, 25 km × 25 km) and Sentinel-1(S1) (25 km × 25 km, 9 km × 9 km, and 1 km × 1 km). The accuracy of SSM products was computed using in situ measurements of SSM observed at a depth of 5 cm. In situ measurements were obtained from the SMOSMANIA ThetaProbe (Time Domaine reflectometry) network (7 stations between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2017) and additional field campaigns (near Montpellier city in France, between 1 January 2017 and 31 May 2017) in southwestern France. For our study sites, results showed that (i) the accuracy of the Level 2 SMAP/Sentinel-1 was lower than that of SMAP-36 km and SMAP-9 km; (ii) the SMAP-36 km and SMAP-9 km products provide more precise SSM estimates than SMOS products (SMOS-IC, SMOS-NRT, and SMOS-CATDS), mainly due to higher sensitivity of SMOS to RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) noise; and (iii) the accuracy of SMAP-36 km and SMAP-9 km products was similar to that of ASCAT (ASCAT-25 km, ASCAT-12.5 km and ASCAT-1 km) and S1 (S1-25 km, S1-9 km, and S1-1 km) products. The accuracy of SMAP, Sentinel-1 and ASCAT SSM products calculated using the average of statistics obtained on each site is defined by a bias of about −3.2 vol. %, RMSD (Root Mean Square Difference) about 7.6 vol. %, ubRMSD (unbiased Root Mean Square Difference)about 5.6 vol. %, and R coefficient about 0.57. For SMOS products, the station average bias, RMSD, ubRMSD, and R coefficient were about −10.6 vol. %, 12.7 vol. %, 5.9 vol. %, and 0.49, respectively.
Impact of Surface Soil Moisture Variations on Radar Altimetry Echoes at Ku and Ka Bands in Semi-Arid Areas
Authors: Fatras Christophe , Borderies Pierre , Frappart Frédéric , Mougin Eric , Blumstein Denis , Niño Fernando
Published: April 2018

Radar altimetry provides information on the topography of the Earth surface. It is commonly used for the monitoring not only sea surface height but also ice sheets topography and inland water levels. The radar altimetry backscattering coefficient, which depends on surface roughness and water content, can be related to surface properties such as surface soil moisture content. In this study, the influence of surface soil moisture on the radar altimetry echo and backscattering coefficient is analyzed over semi-arid areas. A semi-empirical model of the soil’s complex dielectric permittivity that takes into account that small-scale roughness and large-scale topography was developed to simulate the radar echoes. It was validated using waveforms acquired at Ku and Ka-bands by ENVISAT RA-2 and SARAL AltiKa respectively over several sites in Mali. Correlation coefficients ranging from 0.66 to 0.94 at Ku-band and from 0.27 to 0.96 at Ka-band were found. The increase in surface soil moisture from 0.02 to 0.4 (i.e., the typical range of variations in semi-arid areas) increase the backscattering from 10 to 15 dB between the core of the dry and the maximum of the rainy seasons.
The Use of Sentinel-1 Time-Series Data to Improve Flood Monitoring in Arid Areas
Authors: Martinis Sandro , Plank Simon , Ćwik Kamila
Published: April 2018

Due to the similarity of the radar backscatter over open water and over sand surfaces a reliable near real-time flood mapping based on satellite radar sensors is usually not possible in arid areas. Within this study, an approach is presented to enhance the results of an automatic Sentinel-1 flood processing chain by removing overestimations of the water extent related to low-backscattering sand surfaces using a Sand Exclusion Layer (SEL) derived from time-series statistics of Sentinel-1 data sets. The methodology was tested and validated on a flood event in May 2016 at Webi Shabelle River, Somalia and Ethiopia, which has been covered by a time-series of 202 Sentinel-1 scenes within the period June 2014 to May 2017. The approach proved capable of significantly improving the classification accuracy of the Sentinel-1 flood service within this study site. The Overall Accuracy increased by ~5% to a value of 98.5% and the User’s Accuracy increased by 25.2% to a value of 96.0%. Experimental results have shown that the classification accuracy is influenced by several parameters such as the lengths of the time-series used for generating the SEL.
A Comparison between Standard and Functional Clustering Methodologies: Application to Agricultural Fields for Yield Pattern Assessment
Authors: Pascucci Simone , Carfora Maria , Palombo Angelo , Pignatti Stefano , Casa Raffaele , Pepe Monica , Castaldi Fabio
Published: April 2018

The recognition of spatial patterns within agricultural fields, presenting similar yield potential areas, stable through time, is very important for optimizing agricultural practices. This study proposes the evaluation of different clustering methodologies applied to multispectral satellite time series for retrieving temporally stable (constant) patterns in agricultural fields, related to within-field yield spatial distribution. The ability of different clustering procedures for the recognition and mapping of constant patterns in fields of cereal crops was assessed. Crop vigor patterns, considered to be related to soils characteristics, and possibly indicative of yield potential, were derived by applying the different clustering algorithms to time series of Landsat images acquired on 94 agricultural fields near Rome (Italy). Two different approaches were applied and validated using Landsat 7 and 8 archived imagery. The first approach automatically extracts and calculates for each field of interest (FOI) the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), then exploits the standard K-means clustering algorithm to derive constant patterns at the field level. The second approach applies novel clustering procedures directly to spectral reflectance time series, in particular: (1) standard K-means; (2) functional K-means; (3) multivariate functional principal components clustering analysis; (4) hierarchical clustering. The different approaches were validated through cluster accuracy estimates on a reference set of FOIs for which yield maps were available for some years. Results show that multivariate functional principal components clustering, with an a priori determination of the optimal number of classes for each FOI, provides a better accuracy than those of standard clustering algorithms. The proposed novel functional clustering methodologies are effective and efficient for constant pattern retrieval and can be used for a sustainable management of agricultural fields, depending on farming systems and environmental conditions in different regions.
Efficient Visible Light Communication Transmitters Based on Switching-Mode dc-dc Converters
Authors: Rodríguez Juan , Lamar Diego , Aller Daniel , Miaja Pablo , Sebastián Javier
Published: April 2018

Visible light communication (VLC) based on solid-state lighting (SSL) is a promising option either to supplement or to substitute existing radio frequency (RF) wireless communication in indoor environments. VLC systems take advantage of the fast modulation of the visible light that light emitting diodes (LEDs) enable. The switching-mode dc-to-dc converter (SMCdc-dc) must be the cornerstone of the LED driver of VLC transmitters in order to incorporate the communication functionality into LED lighting, keeping high power efficiency. However, the new requirements related to the communication, especially the high bandwidth that the LED driver must achieve, converts the design of the SMCdc-dc into a very challenging task. In this work, three different methods for achieving such a high bandwidth with an SMCdc-dc are presented: increasing the order of the SMCdc-dc output filter, increasing the number of voltage inputs, and increasing the number of phases. These three strategies are combinable and the optimum design depends on the particular VLC application, which determines the requirements of the VLC transmitter. As an example, an experimental VLC transmitter based on a two-phase buck converter with a fourth-order output filter will demonstrate that a bandwidth of several hundred kilohertz (kHz) can be achieved with output power levels close to 10 W and power efficiencies between 85% and 90%. In conclusion, the design strategy presented allows us to incorporate VLC into SSL, achieving high bit rates without damaging the power efficiency of LED lighting.
Click Access to a Cyclodextrin-Based Spatially Confined AIE Material for Hydrogenase Recognition
Authors: Zhao Rui , Li Bin , Wang Yong , Hu Wenping
Published: April 2018

The spatial confinement of conjugated phenyl rotators is a compulsory requirement for the fluorescence enhancement of aggregation induced emission (AIE) molecules. This work reports a novel spatially confined AIE material by restricting several tetraphenylethylene (TPE) molecules around the primary face of β-cyclodextrin (CD) via a Cu(I) catalytic 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction (click chemistry). The spatial confinement effect was found to significantly enhance the fluorescence emission when compared with a single TPE modified CD. In addition, the emission maxima took place with the dimethyl sulfoxide volume ratio of 30% in a water mixture, which is remarkably different from traditional AIE molecules. Benefiting from the CD’s complexation effect, this material exhibits a selective fluorescence quenching property in certain hydrogenases and can be used as a fluorescence probe for hydrogenase sensing. This demonstrates the potential of the spatially confined AIECD for practical applications.
Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber-Based Quartz Crystal Microbalance for Sensitive Detection of Safrole
Authors: Rianjanu Aditya , Roto Roto , Julian Trisna , Hidayat Shidiq , Kusumaatmaja Ahmad , Suyono Eko , Triyana Kuwat
Published: April 2018

Safrole is the main precursor for producing the amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) drug, N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ecstasy. We devise a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for detecting safrole. The PAN nanofibers were fabricated by direct electrospinning to modify the QCM chips. The PAN nanofiber on the QCM chips has a diameter of 240 ± 10 nm. The sensing of safrole by QCM modified with PAN nanofiber shows good reversibility and an apparent sensitivity of 4.6 Hz·L/mg. The proposed method is simple, inexpensive, and convenient for detecting safrole, and can be an alternative to conventional instrumental analytical methods for general volatile compounds.
Coherent and Noncoherent Joint Processing of Sonar for Detection of Small Targets in Shallow Water
Authors: Pan Xiang , Jiang Jingning , Li Si , Ding Zhenping , Pan Chen , Gong Xianyi
Published: April 2018

A coherent-noncoherent joint processing framework is proposed for active sonar to combine diversity gain and beamforming gain for detection of a small target in shallow water environments. Sonar utilizes widely-spaced arrays to sense environments and illuminate a target of interest from multiple angles. Meanwhile, it exploits spatial diversity for time-reversal focusing to suppress reverberation, mainly strong bottom reverberation. For enhancement of robustness of time-reversal focusing, an adaptive iterative strategy is utilized in the processing framework. A probing signal is firstly transmitted and echoes of a likely target are utilized as steering vectors for the second transmission. With spatial diversity, target bearing and range are estimated using a broadband signal model. Numerical simulations show that the novel sonar outperforms the traditional phased-array sonar due to benefits of spatial diversity. The effectiveness of the proposed framework has been validated by localization of a small target in at-lake experiments.
A Study of the Large Deformation Mechanism and Control Techniques for Deep Soft Rock Roadways
Authors: Yang Xiaojie , Wang Eryu , Wang Yajun , Gao Yubing , Wang Pu
Published: April 2018

Large deformation control of deep soft rock roadways has been a major problem in mining activities worldwide. This paper considers the supporting problem related to large deformation of a deep soft rock roadway in Chao’hua coal mine. The discrete element simulation method (UDEC software) is adopted to simulate a tailgate of panel 31041 in Chao’hua coal mine. The failure patterns of unsupported and primary supported roadway are simulated, and these reveal the characteristics of deformation, stress and crack propagation. The excavation of roadway leads to high deviator stress, which exceeds the peak strength of shallow surrounding rock and causes it to enter the post-failure stage. Tensile failures then initiate and develop around the roadway, which causes the fragmentation, dilation and separation of shallow surrounding rock. The compressive capacity of the primary support system is low, which results in serious contraction in the full section of the roadway. An improved control scheme is put forward for the support of a tailgate. The underground test results confirm that the improved support system effectively controlled large deformation of the surrounding rocks, which can provide references for support in the design of roadways excavated in deep soft stratum.
Blockchain Enhanced Emission Trading Framework in Fashion Apparel Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Fu Bailu , Shu Zhan , Liu Xiaogang
Published: April 2018

Motivated by the recent blockchain technology originally built for bitcoin transactions, various industries are exploring the opportunities to redefine their existing operational systems. In this study, an innovative environmentally sustainable solution is proposed for the fashion apparel manufacturing industry (FAMI), which is energized by blockchain. Incorporating the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), and a novel “emission link” system, the proposed framework exposes carbon emission to the public and establishes a feature to reduce the emissions for all key steps of clothing making. Fully compatible with Industry 4.0, blockchain provides decentralization, transparency, automation, and immutability characteristics to the proposed framework. Specifically, the blockchain supported ETS framework, the carbon emissions of clothing manufacturing life cycle, and the emission link powered procedures are introduced in detail. A case study is provided to demonstrate the carbon emission evaluation procedure. Finally, a multi-criteria evaluation is performed to demonstrate the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed system.
Contrary to Common Observations in the West, Urban Park Access Is Only Weakly Related to Neighborhood Socioeconomic Conditions in Beijing, China
Authors: Tu Xingyue , Huang Ganlin , Wu Jianguo
Published: April 2018

Parks provide critical ecosystem services to urban residents. Park access critically determines how parks are used by residents. Many existing studies, which mostly have been conducted in developed countries, reported that park access disproportionately benefits the socioeconomically advantaged groups. To test if this observation also holds true in developing countries, we examined the park access and its relationship with socioeconomic conditions in Beijing, China. We used a buffering method and a road network-based analysis to calculate the park access of 130 neighborhoods, and applied the Pearson correlation to examine how neighborhood park access is related to socioeconomic conditions. Our results showed that (1) the park access decreased from 76% in the downtown areas to 24% in the suburbs; (2) the correlation coefficients (r) between socioeconomic conditions and park access were all smaller than 0.3 (p < 0.05)—that is, explaining less than 8% of the variability. Our study indicated that neighborhood socioeconomic conditions were only weakly associated with park access in Beijing and did not support the common phenomenon in western countries. Such a contradiction might be explained by the fact that park planning in Beijing is funded and administered by the city government and influenced by the central government’s policy, whereas in most developed countries market sectors play a critical role in park planning. Our research suggested that urban planning funded by governments, when aimed at improving the wellbeing of all urban residents, may effectively reduce potential environmental inequalities.
De l'ancienneté de Hariharālaya. Une inscription préangkorienne opportune à Bakong
Authors: Pottier Christophe , Soutif Dominique
Published: April 2018

Cet article présente deux fragments provenant probablement d'une même inscription préangkorienne, récemment découverts à Bakong, temple central de l'ancienne capitale de Hariharālaya au sud-est d'Angkor. Plusieurs vestiges rattachés à la période préangkorienne avaient déjà été signalés et étudiés dans cette région mais ces deux blocs inscrits revêtent une importance toute particulière puisque des critères paléographiques suggèrent qu'il s'agit d'une, sinon de la plus ancienne inscription de la région d'Angkor. Au-delà de la valeur lexicale de son texte, l'inscription présente l'intérêt majeur de confirmer opportunément que la région était occupée à haute époque – ce que les recherches archéologiques menées depuis les dix dernières années à Roluos ont récemment souligné, tout en renouvelant la complexité chronologique et spatiale de nombreuses installations. Elle illustre aussi la difficulté de retrouver trace des premières installations brahmaniques dans la région angkorienne, celles-ci ayant été largement détruites lors des importants aménagements ultérieurs.
Sources historiques et produits locaux : fiscalité, techniques et production du papier dans le sud de l'Anhui
Authors: Bussotti Michela
Published: April 2018

Cet article retrace la production du papier dans l'Anhui du Sud, sur la base des informations essentiellement tirées des monographies de l'administration, complétées par d'autres sources locales. La matière est organisée chronologiquement, en trois sections, correspondant à la dynastie des Song (960-1279), à la période Yuan-Ming (XIIIe-XVIIe s.), ainsi qu'à la dernière dynastie et à la période républicaine (du milieu du XVIIe s. au milieu du XXe s.). On peut y voir comment la géographie de sa production se modifie au cours du temps, et en quoi le papier reste un produit économique important. Ce constat est valide, même si l'angle de notre regard change, en raison des transformations qui sont intervenues dans sa production et dans son utilisation, mais aussi sur la base de la nature des données à notre disposition, qui varient au cours des siècles. Quelques techniques de production sont également traitées dans les textes, ce qui est remarquable compte tenu de la relative rareté de ce type d'information.
The Fragrance of the Buddha, the Scent of Monuments, and the Odor of Images in Early India
Authors: Schopen Gregory
Published: April 2018

Cet article propose une première évaluation d’un sujet fort négligé des études bouddhiques, l’odeur et le parfum. Dans plusieurs textes (Lalitavistara ; le corpus des vinaya des Mūlasarvāstivādin ; Kathāvatthu par exemple) il apparaît que les odeurs émanant du Buddha sont fondamentalement différentes de celle d’un humain – y compris celles de ses excréments ou celle qu’exhalent ses restes après la crémation. Les données archéologiques confirment l’importance du champ olfactif pour les bouddhistes : le gandhakuṭi, la « chambre des parfums », constitue une part essentielle des complexes architecturaux monastiques des Mūlasarvāstivādin, au centre desquelles elle se trouve placée et c’est là un constituant du monastère qui apparaît dans de nombreuses inscriptions. Dans le vinaya des Mūlasarvāstivādin on observe que tout comme le stūpa cette pièce bien particulière est la propriété du Buddha lui-même et son importance pour les bouddhistes se marque entre autres par les parfums qui s’y attachent. Il s’agit là sans doute de marques de culte, mais certaines données textuelles autorisent également à considérer ces fragrances comme signalant une présence qui doit par ailleurs demeurer invisible. Les textes nous apprennent aussi que les figures elles-mêmes du Buddha peuvent être imprégnées de parfums. Cet ensemble de données, tant textuelles qu’archéologique fait conclure à l’importance de l’odeur dans le champ bouddhique – une odeur divine qui marque la présence du Buddha là où elle s’exhale.
Southeast Asian Images of Hell: Transmission and Adaptation
Authors: Yian Geok Goh
Published: April 2018

On pourrait croire que les historiens de l’art travaillant sur les fresques murales de Bagan ont épuisé toutes les voies de réflexion sur leur contenus narratifs, leur organisation, et la répartition des panneaux dans les temples. Cet article propose néanmoins une nouvelle voie de réflexion. Nous commencerons par rechercher les influences qui auraient pu contribuer à l’introduction dans un petit temple de Bagan d’images de l’enfer au sein d’une cosmologie des Trois Mondes, pour tenter ensuite de replacer ces images dans un contexte d’interactions transrégionales. Ce travail indique que les représentations de l’enfer (nga yei/ naraka/ niraya)

résultent soit d’une conception indépendante, soit comme formant partie d’une cosmologie des Trois Mondes qui se serait construite au cours d’un processus complexe qui reflète les interconnections multiples entre développements locaux indépendants et influences externes, venues de régions plus lointaines que le Myanmar ou la Thaïlande.
Étude du corpus des inscriptions du Campā VII. L’inscription de Jaya Parameśvaravarman à Tháp Đôi (C. 213) avec en annexe deux nouvelles inscriptions du même souverain (C. 218.2 et C. 219)
Authors: Lepoutre Amandine
Published: April 2018

This article aims to present and analyse three Cam inscriptions dating from the reign of the king Jaya Parameśvaravarman (notably C. 213, the best preserved among them) that have been recently discovered. First we will focus on the object bearing C. 213, second we will edit and translate the two texts of this inscription — a list of servants and a narrative. The causes and the terms of bondage of these servants who came from Pāṇḍuraṅga, Haraṁ and perhaps Vijaya, are presented in turn to define what the statuses of these servants were. Like C. 219, the narrative specifies the ancestry of the king. The set of foundations listed in the narrative shows that Jaya Parameśvaravarman venerated some of the divinities that had been worshipped before him by Jaya Indravarman of Grāmapura Vijaya. It confirms that this king did not support Śaivism only but also the Buddhism persuasion that was evoked in another inscription, partly deciphered and now lost, of Jaya Parameśvaravarman.
Yang Liangyao’s Mission of 785 to the Caliph of Baghdād: Evidence of an Early Sino-Arabic Power Alliance?
Authors: Schottenhammer Angela
Published: April 2018

The primary focus of this article is the information provided in a tomb stele (shendao zhi bei) of a Chinese eunuch, a certain Yang Liangyao (736–806), that will be comparatively analysed against the background of the political landscape under the Chinese Emperor Dezong (Li Gua; 742–805; r. 780– 805), and more specifically against the backdrop of the court’s politics in the face of Tibetan aggression. The stele inscription records the biography of Yang and claims that he was sent as an envoy to the Abbasids (Heiyi dashi; lit. “ Black-dressed Tajik”, i. e. the Arabs) by Emperor Dezong in 785. It seems that the mission was intended to ask the Arabs for military support against the Tibetans. The article intends to complement the preliminary work done on Yang’s mission by framing it within a broader context and by analysing the factors that may have prompted this trip. In particular, we want to address the question of why such an important diplomatic mission is neither mentioned in any other sources, and the question of why it has never been brought up in academic discourse. Although a clear indication that this trip even took place at all is absent in both Chinese and Middle Eastern historiography, there is no plausible reason to automatically rule out the possibility that the mission was carried out, or to assume that somebody might have faked such a story on an epigraphic document like this tomb stele. Historical circumstances and a comparison with information provided in other sources rather suggest that the mission was sent, perhaps even successfully, and there are also quite a few political reasons as to why the mission and information pertaining to Yang Liangyao himself were not included in the official accounts. The article will argue that particular historical circumstances suggest that his mission was very plausible; and that the decision to send him to the Abbasid caliphate to ask the Arabs for assistance in pushing back the Tibetans was at least in line with Emperor Dezong’s foreign policy strategy. We will also discuss questions connected with the possible identity of Yang Liangyao, something so far neglected in research.
La construction du Manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse de J. Potocki et sa portée
Authors: Taillade Nicole
Published: April 2018

Pour l'ensemble des 66 journées du Manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse (si le texte de l'édition polonaise est bien l'œuvre de Potocki) aucun des modèles suivis par le romancier ne confère au récit de forme durable. Le Manuscrit, qui semble d'abord être un roman du voyage, présente en fait un « itinéraire labyrinthique ». Les Histoires de ce nouveau Décaméron sont ironiques et subordonnées au récit d'encadrement. Celui-ci, qui fait du Manuscrit un roman d'éducation, trouve sa limite dans les contrepoints ironiques et dans la conception statique de l'oeuvre. Ainsi s'exprime le scepticisme de Potocki, et peut-être une réflexion sur la littérature.
The Blackfish Effect: Corporate and Policy Change in the Face of Shifting Public Opinion on Captive Cetaceans
Authors: Parsons E. C. M. , Rose Naomi A.
Published: April 2018

In February 2010, a captive killer whale (Orcinus orca), or orca, killed his trainer at SeaWorld Florida. A cascade of events followed, including successful federal enforcement action against SeaWorld for employee safety violations. In 2012 and 2015, nonfiction books about SeaWorld's
history with orcas were published; however, the 2013 documentary Blackfish has done the most to raise public awareness of captive orca welfare and trainer safety. It spawned a massive social media response, leading to the so-called "Blackfish Effect." SeaWorld's visitor numbers
declined, business partners ended their relationships, and stock price plummeted. In 2012, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta applied for a permit to import 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia; the permit was denied in 2013, the first time a public display permit had ever been denied in the
history of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. In 2014 and 2016, the California legislature considered bills phasing out captive orca exhibits in the state; the 2016 bill passed and became law in January 2017. In November 2015, a similar bill was introduced (and reintroduced in March 2017)
in the US House of Representatives. In March 2016 SeaWorld announced it would end its orca breeding program company-wide and in January 2018 the Vancouver Aquarium announced it would no longer display cetaceans. Shifts in public perception of captive cetacean display strongly suggest policy
makers should reconsider the legislative and regulatory status quo.