bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neighbor Affinity-Based Core-Attachment Method to Detect Protein Complexes in Dynamic PPI Networks
Authors: Lei Xiujuan , Liang Jing
Published: July 2017

Protein complexes play significant roles in cellular processes. Identifying protein complexes from protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks is an effective strategy to understand biological processes and cellular functions. A number of methods have recently been proposed to detect protein complexes. However, most of methods predict protein complexes from static PPI networks, and usually overlook the inherent dynamics and topological properties of protein complexes. In this paper, we proposed a novel method, called NABCAM (Neighbor Affinity-Based Core-Attachment Method), to identify protein complexes from dynamic PPI networks. Firstly, the centrality score of every protein is calculated. The proteins with the highest centrality scores are regarded as the seed proteins. Secondly, the seed proteins are expanded to complex cores by calculating the similarity values between the seed proteins and their neighboring proteins. Thirdly, the attachments are appended to their corresponding protein complex cores by comparing the affinity among neighbors inside the core, against that outside the core. Finally, filtering processes are carried out to obtain the final clustering result. The result in the DIP database shows that the NABCAM algorithm can predict protein complexes effectively in comparison with other state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, many protein complexes predicted by our method are biologically significant.
Magnetic Nanoemulsions: Comparison between Nanoemulsions Formed by Ultrasonication and by Spontaneous Emulsification
Authors: Rodríguez-Burneo Nathalia , Busquets Maria , Estelrich Joan
Published: July 2017

Nanoemulsions are particularly suitable as a platform in the development of delivery systems. The type of nanoemulsion with a higher stability will offer an advantage in the preparation of a delivery system for lipophilic drugs. Nanoemulsions can be fabricated by different processing methods, which are usually categorized as either high- or low-energy methods. In this study, a comparison between two methods of preparing magnetic oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions is described. The nanoemulsions were formed by sonication (the high-energy method) or by spontaneous emulsification (the low-energy method). In both cases, the oil phase was olive oil, and a phospholipid and a pegylated phospholipid were used as emulsifiers. To favor the comparison, the amounts of the components were the same in both kinds of nanoemulsions. Moreover, nanoemulsions were loaded with hydrophobic superparamagnetic nanoparticles and indomethacin. In vitro, releases studies indicated a short drug burst period followed by a prolonged phase of dissolutive drug release. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model can fit the associated kinetics. The results showed that such nanoemulsions are suitable as a platform in the development of delivering systems for lipophilic drugs. The long-term stability was also examined at different temperatures, as well as the interaction with plasma proteins. Nanoemulsion obtained by the low-energy method showed a great stability at 4 °C and at ambient temperature. Its size and polydispersity did not change over more than two months. The spontaneous emulsification method therefore has great potential for forming nanoemulsion-based delivery systems.
Development of Poly(lactic acid)/Chitosan Fibers Loaded with Essential Oil for Antimicrobial Applications
Authors: Liu Yaowen , Wang Shuyao , Zhang Rong , Lan Wenting , Qin Wen
Published: July 2017

Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) was successfully encapsulated into chitosan (CS) nanoparticles at different loading amounts (1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% v/v) using oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion and ionic-gelation methods. In order to form active packaging, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was used to fabricate PLA/CS-CEO composite fibers using a simple electrospinning method. The shape, size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficacy of the CS-CEO nanoparticles were investigated. The composition, morphology, and release behavior of the composite fibers were investigated. PLA/CS-CEO-1.5 showed good stability and favorable sustained release of CEO, resulting in improved antimicrobial activity compared to the other blends. The PLA/CS-CEO fibers showed high long-term inactivation rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the sustained release of CEO, indicating that the developed PLA/CS-CEO fibers have great potential for active food packaging applications.
Two-Photon-Induced Microstereolithography of Chitosan-g-Oligolactides as a Function of Their Stereochemical Composition
Authors: Demina Tatiana , Bardakova Kseniia , Minaev Nikita , Svidchenko Eugenia , Istomin Alexander , Goncharuk Galina , Vladimirov Leonid , Grachev Andrey , Zelenetskii Alexander , Timashev Peter , Akopova Tatiana
Published: July 2017

Chitosan-g-oligolactide copolymers with relatively long oligolactide grafted chains of various stereochemical compositions have been synthetized via a solvent-free mechanochemical technique and tailored to fabricate three-dimensional hydrogels using two-photon induced microstereolithography. An effect of the characteristics of chitosan and oligolactide used for the synthesis on the grafting yield and copolymer’s behavior were evaluated using fractional analysis, FTIR-spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and UV-spectrophotometry. The lowest copolymer yield was found for the system based on chitosan with higher molecular weight, while the samples consisting of low-molecular weight chitosan showed higher grafting degrees, which were comparable in both the cases of l,l- or l,d-oligolactide grafting. The copolymer processability in the course of two-photon stereolithography was evaluated as a function of the copolymer’s characteristics and stereolithography conditions. The structure and mechanical properties of the model film samples and fabricated 3D hydrogels were studied using optical and scanning electron microscopy, as well as by using tensile and nanoindenter devices. The application of copolymer with oligo(l,d-lactide) side chains led to higher processability during two-photon stereolithography in terms of the response to the laser beam, reproduction of the digital model, and the mechanical properties of the fabricated hydrogels.
Re-Territorializing Religiosity in Wholesome Muslim Praxis
Authors: Robinson-Bertoni Sarah
Published: July 2017

Despite distorting narratives about extremism, specific individuals and communities of Muslims in America ground themselves in wholesome relationships among people and in the places where they find home. Between 2001 and 2009, Taqwa Eco-food Cooperative designed eco-halal food education and distribution for Chicago Muslims, promoting ethical praxis with local animals, lands, waters, farmers, farm workers, and fellow consumers. Founded and funded by an interfaith non-profit organization, Taqwa generated pluralistic community with an internally diverse Muslim community, local farmers, and interfaith partners. Amidst popular contempt for terrorism, Taqwa leaders reasserted wholesome Muslim identity by re-territorializing religiosity, enhancing care-based relations in local foodscapes. Concurring with religious studies scholarship on ecology, lived religion, and pluralism, Taqwa grounded religious meaning in materially significant, personal relationships in their local community of life. Responding to lived religious meaning nested in an ecologically holistic sense of place, Taqwa leaders crafted a purity-oriented project, inscribing identity through its beneficial relations with land and home, despite instances of migratory displacement, diasporic considerations, and externally produced problematic distortions of what it means to be Muslim in America.
Landsat 15-m Panchromatic-Assisted Downscaling (LPAD) of the 30-m Reflective Wavelength Bands to Sentinel-2 20-m Resolution
Authors: Li Zhongbin , Zhang Hankui , Roy David , Yan Lin , Huang Haiyan , Li Jian
Published: July 2017

The Landsat 15-m Panchromatic-Assisted Downscaling (LPAD) method to downscale Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) 30-m data to Sentinel-2 multi-spectral instrument (MSI) 20-m resolution is presented. The method first downscales the Landsat-8 30-m OLI bands to 15-m using the spatial detail provided by the Landsat-8 15-m panchromatic band and then reprojects and resamples the downscaled 15-m data into registration with Sentinel-2A 20-m data. The LPAD method is demonstrated using pairs of contemporaneous Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2A MSI images sensed less than 19 min apart over diverse geographic environments. The LPAD method is shown to introduce less spectral and spatial distortion and to provide visually more coherent data than conventional bilinear and cubic convolution resampled 20-m Landsat OLI data. In addition, results for a pair of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A images sensed one day apart suggest that image fusion should be undertaken with caution when the images are acquired under different atmospheric conditions. The LPAD source code is available at GitHub for public use.
Two-Step Downscaling of Trmm 3b43 V7 Precipitation in Contrasting Climatic Regions With Sparse Monitoring: The Case of Ecuador in Tropical South America
Authors: Ulloa Jacinto , Ballari Daniela , Campozano Lenin , Samaniego Esteban
Published: July 2017

Spatial prediction of precipitation with high resolution is a challenging task in regions with strong climate variability and scarce monitoring. For this purpose, the quasi-continuous supply of information from satellite imagery is commonly used to complement in situ data. However, satellite images of precipitation are available at coarse resolutions, and require adequate methods for spatial downscaling and calibration. The objective of this paper is to introduce and evaluate a 2-step spatial downscaling approach for monthly precipitation applied to TRMM 3B43 (from 0 . 25 ∘ ≈ 27 km to 5 km resolution), resulting in 5 downscaled products for the period 01-2001/12-2011. The methodology was evaluated in 3 contrasting climatic regions of Ecuador. In step 1, bilinear resampling was applied over TRMM, and used as a reference product. The second step introduces further variability, and consists of four alternative gauge-satellite merging methods: (1) regression with in situ stations, (2) regression kriging with in situ stations, (3) regression with in situ stations and auxiliary variables, and (4) regression kriging with in situ stations and auxiliary variables. The first 2 methods only use the resampled TRMM data set as an independent variable. The last 2 methods enrich these models with auxiliary environmental factors, incorporating atmospheric and land variables. The results showed that no product outperforms the others in every region. In general, the methods with residual kriging correction outperformed the regression models. Regression kriging with situ data provided the best representation in the Coast, while regression kriging with in situ and auxiliary data generated the best results in the Andes. In the Amazon, no product outperformed the resampled TRMM images, probably due to the low density of in situ stations. These results are relevant to enhance satellite precipitation, depending on the availability of in situ data, auxiliary satellite variables and the particularities of the climatic regions.
Saturation Correction for Nighttime Lights Data Based on the Relative NDVI
Authors: Wang Zheng , Yao Fei , Li Weifeng , Wu and Jiansheng
Published: July 2017

DMSP/OLS images are widely used as data sources in various domains of study. However, these images have some deficiencies, one of which is digital number (DN) saturation in urban areas, which leads to significant underestimation of light intensity. We propose a new method to correct the saturation. With China as the study area, the threshold value of the saturation DN is screened out first. A series of regression analyses are then carried out for the 2006 radiance calibrated nighttime lights (RCNL) image and relative NDVI (RNDVI) to determine a formula for saturation correction. The 2006 stable nighttime lights (SNL) image (F162006) is finally corrected and evaluated. It is concluded that pixels are saturated when the DN is larger than 50, and that the saturation is more serious when the DN is larger. RNDVI, which was derived by subtracting the interpolated NDVI from the real NDVI, is significantly better than the real NDVI for reflecting the degree of human activity. Quadratic functions describe the relationship between DN and RNDVI well. The 2006 SNL image presented more variation within urban cores and stronger correlations with the 2006 RCNL image and Gross Domestic Product after correction. However, RNDVI may also suffer “saturation” when it is lower than −0.4, at which point it is no longer effective at correcting DN saturation. In general, RNDVI is effective, although far from perfect, for saturation correction of the 2006 SNL image, and could be applied to the SNL images for other years.
Double-Layer Compressive Sensing Based Efficient DOA Estimation in WSAN with Block Data Loss
Authors: Sun Peng , Wu Liantao , Yu Kai , Shao Huajie , Wang Zhi
Published: July 2017

Accurate information acquisition is of vital importance for wireless sensor array network (WSAN) direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. However, due to the lossy nature of low-power wireless links, data loss, especially block data loss induced by adopting a large packet size, has a catastrophic effect on DOA estimation performance in WSAN. In this paper, we propose a double-layer compressive sensing (CS) framework to eliminate the hazards of block data loss, to achieve high accuracy and efficient DOA estimation. In addition to modeling the random packet loss during transmission as a passive CS process, an active CS procedure is introduced at each array sensor to further enhance the robustness of transmission. Furthermore, to avoid the error propagation from signal recovery to DOA estimation in conventional methods, we propose a direct DOA estimation technique under the double-layer CS framework. Leveraging a joint frequency and spatial domain sparse representation of the sensor array data, the fusion center (FC) can directly obtain the DOA estimation results according to the received data packets, skipping the phase of signal recovery. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the double-layer CS framework can eliminate the adverse effects induced by block data loss and yield a superior DOA estimation performance in WSAN.
3D Reconstruction of Space Objects from Multi-Views by a Visible Sensor
Authors: Zhang Haopeng , Wei Quanmao , Jiang Zhiguo
Published: July 2017

In this paper, a novel 3D reconstruction framework is proposed to recover the 3D structural model of a space object from its multi-view images captured by a visible sensor. Given an image sequence, this framework first estimates the relative camera poses and recovers the depths of the surface points by the structure from motion (SFM) method, then the patch-based multi-view stereo (PMVS) algorithm is utilized to generate a dense 3D point cloud. To resolve the wrong matches arising from the symmetric structure and repeated textures of space objects, a new strategy is introduced, in which images are added to SFM in imaging order. Meanwhile, a refining process exploiting the structural prior knowledge that most sub-components of artificial space objects are composed of basic geometric shapes is proposed and applied to the recovered point cloud. The proposed reconstruction framework is tested on both simulated image datasets and real image datasets. Experimental results illustrate that the recovered point cloud models of space objects are accurate and have a complete coverage of the surface. Moreover, outliers and points with severe noise are effectively filtered out by the refinement, resulting in an distinct improvement of the structure and visualization of the recovered points.
Pinhole Zone Plate Lens for Ultrasound Focusing
Authors: Rubio Constanza , Fuster José , Castiñeira-Ibáñez Sergio , Uris Antonio , Belmar Francisco , Candelas Pilar
Published: July 2017

The focusing capabilities of a pinhole zone plate lens are presented and compared with those of a conventional Fresnel zone plate lens. The focusing properties are examined both experimentally and numerically. The results confirm that a pinhole zone plate lens can be an alternative to a Fresnel lens. A smooth filtering effect is created in pinhole zone plate lenses, giving rise to a reduction of the side lobes around the principal focus associated with the conventional Fresnel zone plate lens. The manufacturing technique of the pinhole zone plate lens allows the designing and constructing of lenses for different focal lengths quickly and economically and without the need to drill new plates.
Efficient Retrieval of Massive Ocean Remote Sensing Images via a Cloud-Based Mean-Shift Algorithm
Authors: Yang Mengzhao , Song Wei , Mei Haibin
Published: July 2017

The rapid development of remote sensing (RS) technology has resulted in the proliferation of high-resolution images. There are challenges involved in not only storing large volumes of RS images but also in rapidly retrieving the images for ocean disaster analysis such as for storm surges and typhoon warnings. In this paper, we present an efficient retrieval of massive ocean RS images via a Cloud-based mean-shift algorithm. Distributed construction method via the pyramid model is proposed based on the maximum hierarchical layer algorithm and used to realize efficient storage structure of RS images on the Cloud platform. We achieve high-performance processing of massive RS images in the Hadoop system. Based on the pyramid Hadoop distributed file system (HDFS) storage method, an improved mean-shift algorithm for RS image retrieval is presented by fusion with the canopy algorithm via Hadoop MapReduce programming. The results show that the new method can achieve better performance for data storage than HDFS alone and WebGIS-based HDFS. Speedup and scaleup are very close to linear changes with an increase of RS images, which proves that image retrieval using our method is efficient.
Emotion Recognition from Chinese Speech for Smart Affective Services Using a Combination of SVM and DBN
Authors: Zhu Lianzhang , Chen Leiming , Zhao Dehai , Zhou Jiehan , Zhang Weishan
Published: July 2017

Accurate emotion recognition from speech is important for applications like smart health care, smart entertainment, and other smart services. High accuracy emotion recognition from Chinese speech is challenging due to the complexities of the Chinese language. In this paper, we explore how to improve the accuracy of speech emotion recognition, including speech signal feature extraction and emotion classification methods. Five types of features are extracted from a speech sample: mel frequency cepstrum coefficient (MFCC), pitch, formant, short-term zero-crossing rate and short-term energy. By comparing statistical features with deep features extracted by a Deep Belief Network (DBN), we attempt to find the best features to identify the emotion status for speech. We propose a novel classification method that combines DBN and SVM (support vector machine) instead of using only one of them. In addition, a conjugate gradient method is applied to train DBN in order to speed up the training process. Gender-dependent experiments are conducted using an emotional speech database created by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The results show that DBN features can reflect emotion status better than artificial features, and our new classification approach achieves an accuracy of 95.8%, which is higher than using either DBN or SVM separately. Results also show that DBN can work very well for small training databases if it is properly designed.
A Secure and Verifiable Outsourced Access Control Scheme in Fog-Cloud Computing
Authors: Fan Kai , Wang Junxiong , Wang Xin , Li Hui , Yang Yintang
Published: July 2017

With the rapid development of big data and Internet of things (IOT), the number of networking devices and data volume are increasing dramatically. Fog computing, which extends cloud computing to the edge of the network can effectively solve the bottleneck problems of data transmission and data storage. However, security and privacy challenges are also arising in the fog-cloud computing environment. Ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) can be adopted to realize data access control in fog-cloud computing systems. In this paper, we propose a verifiable outsourced multi-authority access control scheme, named VO-MAACS. In our construction, most encryption and decryption computations are outsourced to fog devices and the computation results can be verified by using our verification method. Meanwhile, to address the revocation issue, we design an efficient user and attribute revocation method for it. Finally, analysis and simulation results show that our scheme is both secure and highly efficient.
Exploring the Utilisation of Stand up Paddle Boarding in Australia
Authors: Schram Ben , Furness James
Published: July 2017

Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) has grown exponentially in the last few years with unprecedented participation rates globally. Despite some scientific research on physiological and performance variables, minimal information exists regarding participation and utilisation. The purpose of this study was to discover more about how and where people participate in the relatively new sport of SUP. An open-source online survey application was administered internationally to active SUP participants to capture information relevant to both demographics and participation. Of a total of 240 responses, 154 (64.2%) were Australian. The average SUP rider was 42.9 ± 11.7 years, mass 80.4 ± 18.7 kg, 1.75 ± 0.10 m tall with a BMI of 26.1 ± 4.9. More males (69.5%) participate in SUP than females with the majority of participants from the eastern seaboard of Australia. Participants most commonly used SUP for fun and fitness, for around 3 h per week, predominantly at the beach with friends, with around half of the respondents reporting a competitive involvement. This is the first study to date to quantify participation of SUP within Australia. Results revealed SUP is a global activity with a high representation within Australia. Key findings from this study reveal the geographical and demographic distribution of SUP use. Consequently, these findings may inform the industry about its target audience. Additionally, information regarding the ‘typical’ SUP rider may serve to further promote and grow the sport.
An Analysis of the Global Applicability of Ostrom’s Design Principles to Diagnose the Functionality of Common-Pool Resource Institutions
Authors: Gari Sirak , Newton Alice , Icely John , Delgado-Serrano Maria Mar
Published: July 2017

There are a number of gaps in reviews relating Ostrom’s design principles (DPs) to common-pool resource (CPR) institutions. These include the geographical distribution of CPRs, the performance of young CPRs relative to the DPs, and the relationship between robustness and success in adherence to the DPs. to This research aims to: (i) explicitly analyze the geographical distribution of the case studies that have used the DPs, (ii) explore the relationship between the DPs and young CPR institutions, (iii) examine the relationship between robustness and success of CPR institutions based on the DPs, and (iv) identify additional factors contributing to the performance of CPR institutions. In relation to Ostrom’s DPs, the CPRs under review involve management only by the community, co-management between the community and the state, and co-management between the community and non-governmental organizations. The results show that: DPs have been applied in all the inhabited continents; the expression of the DPs is affected by the geographical settings; the DPs do not conclusively diagnose the functionality of young and viable CPR institutions, whereas they may do so for either the short-lived (failed) or the long-lasting institutions; the relationship between robustness and success appears weak; and there are additional factors that contribute to the outcomes of CPR management.
Land Development Suitability Evaluation of Pingtan Island Based on Scenario Analysis and Landscape Ecological Quality Evaluation
Authors: Li Qingsheng , Huang Jinliang , Wang Cui , Lin Heshan , Zhang Jiwei , Jiang Jinlong , Wang Bingkun
Published: July 2017

With the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, regional development is becoming increasingly disordered. Thus, how to balance economic development and ecological protection is a key question. To comprehensively evaluate land development suitability, an evaluation index system for construction land and farmland suitability was established in this study based on natural and social-economic information. After selecting an island in China as the main case study in this work, the reference method was applied in grading and value assigning for all indices. In addition, the analytic hierarchy process and expert evaluation method were used to determine the index weighting. After scenario analysis was adopted in the study to analyze the impact of the policy orientation on the suitability evaluation, we finally evaluated the landscape ecological quality of different scenarios. Results showed the landscape ecological quality of a coordinated development scenario was the highest. The results indicated that coordinated development which takes the ecological protection and urban development into account may be a better choice for land planning.
The Putative Histone Methyltransferase DOT1 Regulates Aflatoxin and Pathogenicity Attributes in Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Liang Linlin , Liu Yinghang , Yang Kunlong , Lin Guinan , Xu Zhangling , Lan Huahui , Wang Xiuna , Wang Shihua
Published: July 2017

Lysine methyltransferases transfer methyl groups in specific lysine sites, which regulates a variety of important biological processes in eukaryotes. In this study, we characterized a novel homolog of the yeast methyltransferase DOT1 in A. flavus, and observed the roles of dot1 in A. flavus. Deletion of dot1 showed a significant decrease in conidiation, but an increase in sclerotia formation. A change in viability to multiple stresses was also found in the Δdot1 mutant. Additionally, aflatoxin (AF) production was found severely impaired in the Δdot1 mutant. Further analysis by qRT-PCR revealed that the transcription of AF structural genes and their regulator gene aflS were prominently suppressed in the Δdot1 mutant. Furthermore, our data revealed that Dot1 is important for colonizing maize seeds in A. flavus. Our research indicates that Dot1 is involved in fungal development, aflatoxin biosynthesis and fungal virulence in A. flavus, which might provide a potential target for controlling A. flavus with new strategies.
Evaluating the Effects of Low Impact Development Practices on Urban Flooding under Different Rainfall Intensities
Authors: Zhu Zhihua , Chen Xiaohong
Published: July 2017

Low impact development (LID) is an important control measure against extreme rainfall events and is widely applied to relieve urban flood disasters. To investigate the effects of LID practices on flooding control under different rainfall scenarios, this paper constructs a rainfall–runoff model based on the storm water management model (SWMM) for a typical residential area in Guangzhou, China. The model is calibrated by using observed rainfall and runoff data. A total of 27 rainfall scenarios are constructed to simulate the change characteristics before and after the LID practices. Also, the projection pursuit method based on a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to assess the flooding characteristics. The results show that the constructed rainfall–runoff model can closely reflect the relationship between rainfall and runoff, with all Nash–Sutcliffe coefficients of efficiency (NSE) exceeding 0.7. It was found from the simulation and assessment of the constructed rainfall scenarios that the changes in rainfall characteristics have a considerable impact on the constructed drainage system and that LID practices can properly control the floods. However, with an increase in rainfall peak coefficient, intensity or duration, the control effects of LID tend to reduce. Particularly in the scenario of relatively high rainfall intensity, the impact of rainfall duration and the rainfall peak coefficient on the LID practices is minor.
Investigation of Pockels Cells Crystal Contrast Ratio Distribution
Authors: Sinkevičius Giedrius , Baškys Algirdas
Published: July 2017

The BBO Pockel’s cell has been investigated. The investigation results of optimal operating area on the surface of the crystal dependent of intrinsic contrast ratio (ICR) and voltage contrast ratio (VCR) for Pockel’s cell are presented. The block diagram of Pockel’s cells contrast measurement stand and measurement methodology are introduced and discussed. The graphs of intrinsic contrast ratio distribution on crystal surface, contrast ratio with voltage dependency and voltage contrast ratio distribution on crystal surface with half-wave voltage are presented.
Time-base Noise Reduction Method of Sampling Osciloscope
Authors: Tankeliun Tomaš , Zaytsev Oleg , Urbanavičius Vytautas
Published: July 2017

This paper proposes a method to increase precision of sampling oscilloscopes time-base then using a new hybrid time-base architecture. The traditional time-base of sampling oscilloscope has three kinds of time base error including time base drift, time base jitter and time base distortion. New hybrid time-base architecture allows to minimize this kind of errors.
Mathematical Model and Regulation of the Two Interconnected Vessels
Authors: Geraščenko Sergej
Published: July 2017

Belarusian State Technological University
Investigation of Flyback Transformer Flux Leakage Reduction Ways
Authors: Bielskis Edvardas , Šapurov Martynas , Platakis Andrius
Published: July 2017

Results of experimental investigation and design optimization of flyback transformer are presented. Aim of the work is to investigate experimentally the impact of the flyback transformer design on the flux leakage and maximal output power. It is difficult to evaluate the effect of the leakage flux mathematically because it depends on various factors: the position of the windings relative to each other; the position of the windings in the transformer; the distance between the winding. A multi-winding flyback transformer was used for experiments. Using the results of the experiments optimal design of the investigated flyback transformer was defined.
The Study of Road Conditions that Affect Tilt-based Text Input for Mobile Devices
Authors: Miniotas Darius , Katkevičius Andrius , Plonis Darius
Published: July 2017

With the rapid advances in technology of mobile devices, their application areas expand continuously as well. Given the growth of the market share for mobile devices, one of the main issues that arise is the need for new and convenient techniques for data input and output suitable for various settings. Tilt-based text input is one of the alternatives that attract attention of current researchers. This study investigates the potential of using tilt-based interaction to enter text while sitting as a passenger in a moving vehicle. In addition, the investigation focused on the characteristics of the road as well as driving conditions that affect tilt-based text input. The study manipulated the following factors: keyboard size 10×4 and road unevenness (small, moderate, and large). 14 participants, aged 25 to 50, took part in the user study. The best performance and the shortest task completion time equal to 24.5 seconds was observed when the vehicle was moving at a constant speed on a straight road with small unevenness. The task completion time increased by 15% in moderate unevenness road and by almost 20 % in large unevenness road. Error rate and movement efficiency were investigated additionally in order to find out the cause of such times.
Analysis of Main LC-VCO Parameters for Multistandard Tranceivers
Authors: Mačaitis Vytautas , Navickas Romualdas
Published: July 2017

This paper reviews CMOS LC Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCO) for wireless multi-standard transceivers and wireless communications. The main parameters, such as IC technology, phase noise, carrier frequency, supply voltage, tuning range, power dissipation, figure of merit (FOMT and FOMTT) were reviewed in this paper. These parameters were taken of 20 articles published in 2012–2016 years. Of the reviewed articles it can be said that most VCOs was designed in 180 nm (55%) and 65 nm (25%) CMOS IC technology. FOMTT quality function has been proposed for extended VCO quality assessment. FOMTT quality function additionally evaluates VCO IC technology, and the power supply.
Assuring Quality of Service by Using Openflow Protocol
Authors: Duoba Liudas
Published: July 2017

OpenFlow currently is the only one protocol that can implement ideas of the Software Defined Networking pioneers. The Protocol is unique because of ability to separate any network device control and data planes. All network intelligence is (logically) centralized in dedicated controllers. Objective of this article to propose a new method that enhances QoS in data networks by using OpenFlow protocol.
Experimental Study of the Variation Dynamic’s for Air Heat Exchanger
Authors: Marozava Maryia , Hryniuk Dzmitry
Published: July 2017

The development of management systems is assigned one of the leading roles. When solving the problems of regulating the technological parameters, various problems arise. One of such problems is the adjustment of control loops. For some control objects, one-time adjustment of the controller parameters can be made, and then it is periodically refined as necessary. In other objects, the changes occur very quickly, but in a certain range. In the latter case, you should first estimate the range of changes. Then find universal robust settings that will ensure the stability and quality of the stabilization system. Some of such objects are air heat exchangers. The article presents the results of the determination of the heat exchanger dynamics. The limits of the variation of the parameters of the dynamic models are determined. There is a significant nonlinearity in the transfer function of the control channel.
All-sky Co-moving Recovery Of Nearby Young Members (ACRONYM). II. The β Pictoris Moving Group∗
Authors: Shkolnik Evgenya L. , Allers Katelyn N. , Kraus Adam L. , Liu Michael C. , Flagg Laura
Published: July 2017

We confirm 66 low-mass stellar and brown dwarf systems (K7–M9) plus 19 visual or spectroscopic companions of the β Pictoris moving group (BPMG). Of these, 41 are new discoveries, increasing the known low-mass members by 45%. We also add four objects to the 14 known with masses predicted to be less than

. Our efficient photometric + kinematic selection process identified 104 low-mass candidates, which we observed with ground-based spectroscopy. We collected infrared observations of the latest spectral types (>M5) to search for low-gravity objects. These and all <M5 candidates were observed with high-resolution optical spectrographs to measure the radial velocities and youth indicators, such as lithium absorption and Hα emission, needed to confirm BPMG membership, achieving a 63% confirmation rate. We also compiled the most complete census of BPMG membership, with which we tested the efficiency and false-membership assignments using our selection and confirmation criteria. Using the new census, we assess a group age of 22 ± 6 Myr, consistent with past estimates. With the now–densely sampled lithium depletion boundary, we resolve the broadening of the boundary by either an age spread or astrophysical influences on lithium-burning rates. We find that 69% of the now-known members with AFGKM primaries are M stars, nearing the expected value of 75%. However, the new initial mass function for the BPMG shows a deficit of 0.2–0.3

stars by a factor of ∼2. We expect that the AFGK census of the BPMG is also incomplete, probably due to biases of searches toward the nearest stars.
Deadly Dark Matter Cusps versus Faint and Extended Star Clusters: Eridanus II and Andromeda XXV
Authors: Amorisco Nicola C.
Published: July 2017

The recent detection of two faint and extended star clusters in the central regions of two Local Group dwarf galaxies, Eridanus II and Andromeda XXV, raises the question of whether clusters with such low densities can survive the tidal field of cold dark matter halos with central density cusps. Using both analytic arguments and a suite of collisionless N-body simulations, I show that these clusters are extremely fragile and quickly disrupted in the presence of central cusps

with

. Furthermore, the scenario in which the clusters were originally more massive and sank to the center of the halo requires extreme fine tuning and does not naturally reproduce the observed systems. In turn, these clusters are long lived in cored halos, whose central regions are safe shelters for

. The only viable scenario for hosts that have preserved their primordial cusp to the present time is that the clusters formed at rest at the bottom of the potential, which is easily tested by measurement of the clusters proper velocity within the host. This offers means to readily probe the central density profile of two dwarf galaxies as faint as

and

, in which stellar feedback is unlikely to be effective.
Giant Primeval Magnetic Dipoles
Authors: Thompson Christopher
Published: July 2017

Macroscopic magnetic dipoles are considered cosmic dark matter. Permanent magnetism in relativistic field structures can involve some form of superconductivity, one example being current-carrying string loops (“springs”) with vanishing net tension. We derive the cross-section for free classical dipoles to collide, finding it depends weakly on orientation when mutual precession is rapid. The collision rate of “spring” loops with tension

in galactic halos approaches the measured rate of fast radio bursts (FRBs) if the loops compose most of the dark matter. A large superconducting dipole (LSD) with mass ∼1020 g and size ∼1 mm will form a ∼100 km magnetosphere moving through interstellar plasma. Although hydromagnetic drag is generally weak, it is strong enough to capture some LSDs into long-lived rings orbiting supermassive black holes (SMBHs) that form by the direct collapse of massive gas clouds. Repeated collisions near young SMBHs could dominate the global collision rate, thereby broadening the dipole mass spectrum. Colliding LSDs produce tiny, hot electromagnetic explosions. The accompanying paper shows that these explosions couple effectively to propagating low-frequency electromagnetic modes, with output peaking at 0.01–1 THz. We describe several constraints on, and predictions of, LSDs as cosmic dark matter. The shock formed by an infalling LSD triggers self-sustained thermonuclear burning in a C/O (ONeMg) white dwarf (WD) of mass ≳1 M
⊙ (1.3 M
⊙). The spark is generally located off the center of the WD. The rate of LSD-induced explosions matches the observed rate of Type Ia supernovae.
Observations of Cyanopolyynes toward Four High-mass Star-forming Regions Containing Hot Cores
Authors: Taniguchi Kotomi , Saito Masao , Hirota Tomoya , Ozeki Hiroyuki , Miyamoto Yusuke , Kaneko Hiroyuki , Minamidani Tetsuhiro , Shimoikura Tomomi , Nakamura Fumitaka , Dobashi Kazuhito
Published: July 2017

We carried out line survey observations at the 26–30 GHz band toward the four high-mass star-forming regions containing hot cores, G10.30–0.15, G12.89+0.49, G16.86–2.16, and G28.28–0.36, with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. We have detected HC5N from all of the sources, and HC7N from the three sources, except for G10.30–0.15. We further conducted observations of HC5N at the 42–46 GHz and 82–103 GHz bands toward the three sources, G12.89+0.49, G16.86–2.16, and G28.28–0.36, with the Nobeyama 45 m radio telescope. The rotational lines of HC5N with the high-excitation energies (

K), which are hardly excited in the cold dark clouds, have been detected from the three sources. The rotational temperatures of HC5N are found to be ∼13–20 K in the three sources. The detection of the lines with the high-excitation energies and the derived rotational temperatures indicate that HC5N exists in the warm gas within 0.07–0.1 pc radii around massive young stellar objects. The column densities of HC5N in the three sources are derived to be (∼2.0–2.8)

cm−2. We compare the ratios between N(HC5N) the column density of HC5N and W(CH3OH) the integrated intensity of the thermal CH3OH emission line among the three high-mass star-forming regions. We found a possibility of the chemical differentiation in the three high-mass star-forming regions; G28.28–0.36 shows the largest N(HC5N)/W(CH3OH) ratio of

in units of (K km s−1)−1 cm−2, while G12.89+0.49 and G16.86–2.16 show the smaller values (

).
High-resolution Observations of Sympathetic Filament Eruptions by NVST
Authors: Li Shangwei , Su Yingna , Zhou Tuanhui , van Ballegooijen Adriaan , Sun Xudong , Ji Haisheng
Published: July 2017

We investigate two sympathetic filament eruptions observed by the New Vacuum Solar Telescope on 2015 October 15. The full picture of the eruptions is obtained from the corresponding Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) observations. The two filaments start from active region NOAA 12434 in the north and end in one large quiescent filament channel in the south. The left filament erupts first, followed by the right filament eruption about 10 minutes later. Clear twist structure and rotating motion are observed in both filaments during the eruption. Both eruptions failed, since the filaments first rise up, then flow toward the south and merge into the southern large quiescent filament. We also observe repeated activations of mini filaments below the right filament after its eruption. Using magnetic field models constructed based on SDO/HMI magnetograms via the flux rope insertion method, we find that the left filament eruption is likely to be triggered by kink instability, while the weakening of overlying magnetic fields due to magnetic reconnection at an X-point between the two filament systems might play an important role in the onset of the right filament eruption.
Prospective Out-of-ecliptic White-light Imaging of Interplanetary Corotating Interaction Regions at Solar Maximum
Authors: Xiong Ming , Davies Jackie A. , Li Bo , Yang Liping , Liu Ying D. , Xia Lidong , Harrison Richard A. , Keiji Hayashi , Li Huichao
Published: July 2017

Interplanetary corotating interaction regions (CIRs) can be remotely imaged in white light (WL), as demonstrated by the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) on board the Coriolis spacecraft and Heliospheric Imagers (HIs) on board the twin Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft. The interplanetary WL intensity, due to Thomson scattering of incident sunlight by free electrons, is jointly determined by the 3D distribution of electron number density and line-of-sight (LOS) weighting factors of the Thomson-scattering geometry. The 2D radiance patterns of CIRs in WL sky maps look very different from different 3D viewpoints. Because of the in-ecliptic locations of both the STEREO and Coriolis spacecraft, the longitudinal dimension of interplanetary CIRs has, up to now, always been integrated in WL imagery. To synthesize the WL radiance patterns of CIRs from an out-of-ecliptic (OOE) vantage point, we perform forward magnetohydrodynamic modeling of the 3D inner heliosphere during Carrington Rotation CR1967 at solar maximum. The mixing effects associated with viewing 3D CIRs are significantly minimized from an OOE viewpoint. Our forward modeling results demonstrate that OOE WL imaging from a latitude greater than 60° can (1) enable the garden-hose spiral morphology of CIRs to be readily resolved, (2) enable multiple coexisting CIRs to be differentiated, and (3) enable the continuous tracing of any interplanetary CIR back toward its coronal source. In particular, an OOE view in WL can reveal where nascent CIRs are formed in the extended corona and how these CIRs develop in interplanetary space. Therefore, a panoramic view from a suite of wide-field WL imagers in a solar polar orbit would be invaluable in unambiguously resolving the large-scale longitudinal structure of CIRs in the 3D inner heliosphere.
First report of the leaf-mining genus Antispila Hübner, [1825] from mainland China, with the description of a new species feeding on Cornus (Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae)
Authors: Liu Tengteng , Wang Shuxia
Published: July 2017

The genusAntispilaHübner, [1825] is newly recorded from mainland China.Antispila sinensissp. n., the first formally named Heliozelidae species in mainland China, is described. The host plant of the new species,Cornus walteriWangerin (Cornaceae), is widespread through east Asia and is used as a shade tree in city parks in Jinan City, where the moth causes damage to foliage. Morphological and molecular analyses distinguishA. sinensissp. n.from its close relatives. The adult, pupa, larva, host plant, leaf-mines, and the shield of the new species are illustrated, as are male and female genitalia, venation, and larval chaetotaxy. DNA barcodes of the new species are also provided.
OmniColor – A Smart Glasses App to Support Colorblind People
Authors: Lausegger Georg , Spitzer Michael , Ebner Martin
Published: July 2017

Colorblind people or people with a color vision deficiency have to face many challenges in their daily activities. Their disadvantage to perceive colors incorrectly leads to frustration when determining the freshness of fruits and the rawness of meat as well as the problem to distinguish clothes with confusing colors. With the rise of the smartphone, numerous mobile applications are developed to overcome those problems, improving the quality of live. However, smartphones also have some limitations in certain use cases. Especially activities where both hands are needed do not suit well for smartphone applications. Furthermore, there exist tasks in which a continuous use of a smartphone is not possible or even not legally allowed such as driving a car. In recent years, fairly new devices called smart glasses become increasingly popular, which offer great potential for several use cases. One of the most famous representatives of smart glasses is Google Glass, a head-mounted display that is worn like normal eyeglasses produced by Google. This paper introduces an experimental prototype of a Google Glass application for colorblind people or people with a color vision deficiency, called OmniColor and meets the challenge if Google Glass is able to improve the color perception of those people. To show the benefits of OmniColor, an Ishihara color plate test is performed by a group of 14 participants either with, or without the use of OmniColor.
A Virtual PLC Environment for Assisting Automation Teaching and Learning
Authors: Palma Luis Brito , Brito V. , Rosas João , Gil Paulo
Published: July 2017

In this paper, a virtual PLC environment aiming at assisting automation teaching, learning and e-learning is proposed and discussed. The main contributions are a virtual PLC environment propped on a local and remote applications, along with the comparison of two teaching and learning methodologies, one local, while the other offers a remote interaction with the system. The proposed framework fits in the emerging technologies on the Internet of Everything, having the potential of promoting the integration and communication of virtual and real systems.
NSensor – Wireless Sensor Network for Environmental Monitoring
Authors: Sousa P. J. , Tavares R. , Abreu P. , Restivo M. Teresa
Published: July 2017

This paper reports the development and integration of a wireless sensor network for environmental monitoring. The main goals of this system include modularity, low power consumption and ease of expansion. The system includes three main elements: sensor nodes, gateways and a server. Each sensor node can only connect to a gateway, resulting in a star network layout.  Data collected from the different sensor nodes is stored in a database within the server. A web-based user interface for this system was developed and made available online.