bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient Protocol for the In Vitro Plantlet Production of Caper (Capparis orientalis Veill.) from the East Adriatic Coast
Authors: Kereša Snježana , Stanković Davor , Batelja Lodeta Kristina , Habuš Jerčić Ivanka , Bolarić Snježana , Barić Marijana , Bošnjak Mihovilović Anita
Published: June 2019

Caper (Capparis orientalis Veill.) is a species rich in bioactive compounds, with positive effects on human health. It has a great adaptability to harsh environments and an exceptional ability to extract water from dry soils. In Croatia, the caper grows as a wild plant, and its cultivation is insignificant, which is probably due to propagation difficulties. Micropropagation could be a solution for this. The aim of this study was to investigate the success of the micropropagation, in vitro rooting, and acclimatization of Capparis orientalis Veill. Shoot proliferation was tested in a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, with sucrose or glucose, and in 13 treatments, presenting the combined effect of different cytokinins and their concentrations. The success of rooting was examined in relation to the impact of various auxins, durations of rooting, and carry-over effects. A better proliferation was achieved when sucrose was used. The highest number (18) of shoots/explants was obtained in the medium supplemented with 0.6 mg·L−1 meta-topolin, while the rooting was equally efficient in the media supplemented with 2 mg·L−1 of indole-3-acetic acid or indole-3-butyric acid, or in hormone-free rooting medium. A prolonged time in the media increased the rooting efficiency, while the carry-over effect had no influence. The acclimatization rate reached 66%. Additional efforts should be made to find out how to speed upthe rooting and enhance the acclimatization rate of caper grown in Croatia.
Parental Environmental Effects on Seed Quality and Germination Response to Temperature of Andropogon gerardii
Authors: Singh Bhupinder , Singh Shardendu K. , Matcha Satyasai Kumar , Kakani Vijaya Gopal , Wijewardana Chathurika , Chastain Daryl , Gao Wei , Reddy Kambham Raja
Published: June 2019

Parental environments (PEs) affect seed quality and might alter the re-establishment of big bluestem grass due to impacts on seed germination. An in vitro study was conducted to quantify the temperature response of seed germination and its interaction with the PE in big bluestem. Seeds developed under eight PEs consisting of a combination of four day/night growth temperatures (GTs) (20/12, 25/17, 30/22, and 35/27 °C) and two CO2 levels (360 and 720 µL L−1) were germinated at eight temperatures (germination temperatures (GRTs)) ranging from 10 to 42.5 °C. Quadratic and modified bilinear regressions best described the cardinal temperatures for the estimated maximum seed germination (MSG) and seed germination rate (SGR), respectively. The average MSG and SGR showed differential responses to the PEs and significantly declined above a 35 °C GRT across the PEs. For the SGR, the minimum and optimum temperatures showed significant differences from other treatments but the opposite response to elevated CO2, while maximum temperatures significantly declined at high (35/27 °C) and low GTs (20/12 °C). Seed quality parameters, individual seed weight, and C and N contents showed a high correlation (R2 > 60) with the average percentage of seed germination and the SGR. Thus, high temperatures for both the PEs (>30/22 °C) and GRTs (>30 °C) could significantly reduce germination, affecting the re-establishment of big bluestem.
Effect of Senescence Phenotypes and Nitrate Availability on Wheat Leaf Metabolome during Grain Filling
Authors: Heyneke Elmien , Watanabe Mutsumi , Erban Alexander , Duan Guangyou , Buchner Peter , Walther Dirk , Kopka Joachim , Hawkesford Malcolm John , Hoefgen Rainer
Published: June 2019

The capacity for optimising grain yield depends largely on the timing of senescence and the processes underlying efficient remobilisation and cycling of nutrients from source tissues to the developing grain. This study describes how metabolism is adjusted during senescence in response to varying nitrogen application rates after anthesis. A comprehensive metabolite analysis was performed in field-grown Avalon/Cadenza using segregating doubled haploid wheat genotypes having contrasting traits relating to timing of the onset of senescence. Correlative matrices of metabolites and yield parameters determined the metabolic networks that underlie these phenotypes, and were helpful for identifying unique metabolites that are indicative of timing of senescence. They also revealed robust correlations between steady increases in hexose levels, a late senescence phenotype and high straw yield associated with low N fertiliser levels. Tryptophan, cis-aconitate, phosphate and 1-kestose demonstrated strong perturbations in response to nitrogen availability and progression towards developmental senescence. A comprehensive metabolic map of wheat leaf primary metabolites yielded a cumulative readout of processes that occur during developmental ripening and contribute to grain filling in plants with differential senescence timing.
Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Mitochondria in Aging Brain Synapses
Authors: Rybka Vladyslava , Suzuki Yuichiro J. , Gavrish Alexander S. , Dibrova Vyacheslav A. , Gychka Sergiy G. , Shults Nataliia V.
Published: June 2019

The brain is sensitive to aging-related morphological changes, where many neurodegenerative diseases manifest accompanied by a reduction in memory. The hippocampus is especially vulnerable to damage at an early stage of aging. The present transmission electron microscopy study examined the synapses and synaptic mitochondria of the CA1 region of the hippocampal layer in young-adult and old rats by means of a computer-assisted image analysis technique. Comparing young-adult (10 months of age) and old (22 months) male Fischer (CDF) rats, the total numerical density of synapses was significantly lower in aged rats than in the young adults. This age-related synaptic loss involved degenerative changes in the synaptic architectonic organization, including damage to mitochondria in both pre- and post-synaptic compartments. The number of asymmetric synapses with concave curvature decreased with age, while the number of asymmetric synapses with flat and convex curvatures increased. Old rats had a greater number of damaged mitochondria in their synapses, and most of this was type II and type III mitochondrial structural damage. These results demonstrate age-dependent changes in the morphology of synaptic mitochondria that may underlie declines in age-related synaptic function and may couple to age-dependent loss of synapses.
A Compact Quad-Element UWB-MIMO Antenna System with Parasitic Decoupling Mechanism
Authors: Amin Fatima , Saleem Rashid , Shabbir Tayyab , Rehman Sabih ur , Bilal Muhammad , Shafique M. Farhan
Published: June 2019

This research work proposes a compact four-port multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna that operates in the whole license free ultra-wideband (UWB) spectrum of 3.1–10.6 GHz. Spatial diversity has been introduced by arranging these antennas in close proximity without developing a strong mutual coupling. Antenna elements are evolved from a conventional rectangular patch antenna whereas a customized decoupling structure is introduced on the back side of the substrate to achieve the desired isolation level. The parasitic decoupling structure consists of different features which are resonant at different frequencies offering a whole UWB coverage. In addition to the decoupling structure a dumbbell shaped stub has also been introduced to the partial ground plane to suppress the mutual coupling. The overall measured isolation among elements is more than 20 dB. Different MIMO performance parameters have also been investigated from the measured results. Whole MIMO system measures 0.41 λo × 0.44 λo at 3.1 GHz. The MIMO system is intended for high data rate and short-range communication devices used in wireless personal area networks.
Impact of Silicon Substrate with Low Resistivity on Vertical Leakage Current in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs
Authors: Song Chunyan , Yang Xuelin , Ji Panfeng , Tang Jun , Wu Shan , Xu Yue , Imran Ali , Wang Maojun , Yang Zhijian , Xu Fujun , Wang Xinqiang , Ge Weikun , Shen Bo
Published: June 2019

The role of low-resistivity substrate on vertical leakage current (VLC) of AlGaN/GaN-on-Si epitaxial layers has been investigated. AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown on both p-type and n-type Si substrates with low resistivity are applied to analyze the vertical leakage mechanisms. The activation energy (Ea) for p-type case is higher than that for n-type at 0–600 V obtained by temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements. An additional depletion region in the region of 0–400 V forms at the AlN/p-Si interface but not for AlN/n-Si. That depletion region leads to a decrease of electron injection and hence effectively reduces the VLC. While in the region of 400–600 V, the electron injection from p-Si substrate increases quickly compared to n-Si substrate, due to the occurrence of impact ionization in the p-Si substrate depletion region. The comparative results indicate that the doping type of low-resistivity substrate plays a key role for VLC.
An Adaptive Multi-Layer Botnet Detection Technique Using Machine Learning Classifiers
Authors: Khan Riaz Ullah , Zhang Xiaosong , Kumar Rajesh , Sharif Abubakar , Golilarz Noorbakhsh Amiri , Alazab Mamoun
Published: June 2019

In recent years, the botnets have been the most common threats to network security since it exploits multiple malicious codes like a worm, Trojans, Rootkit, etc. The botnets have been used to carry phishing links, to perform attacks and provide malicious services on the internet. It is challenging to identify Peer-to-peer (P2P) botnets as compared to Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and other types of botnets because P2P traffic has typical features of the centralization and distribution. To resolve the issues of P2P botnet identification, we propose an effective multi-layer traffic classification method by applying machine learning classifiers on features of network traffic. Our work presents a framework based on decision trees which effectively detects P2P botnets. A decision tree algorithm is applied for feature selection to extract the most relevant features and ignore the irrelevant features. At the first layer, we filter non-P2P packets to reduce the amount of network traffic through well-known ports, Domain Name System (DNS). query, and flow counting. The second layer further characterized the captured network traffic into non-P2P and P2P. At the third layer of our model, we reduced the features which may marginally affect the classification. At the final layer, we successfully detected P2P botnets using decision tree Classifier by extracting network communication features. Furthermore, our experimental evaluations show the significance of the proposed method in P2P botnets detection and demonstrate an average accuracy of 98.7%.
Dynamic Responses of Liquid Storage Tanks Caused by Wind and Earthquake in Special Environment
Authors: Jing Wei , Feng Huan , Cheng Xuansheng
Published: June 2019

Based on potential flow theory and arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian method, shell–liquid and shell–wind interactions are solved respectively. Considering the nonlinearity of tank material and liquid sloshing, a refined 3-D wind–shell–liquid interaction calculation model for liquid storage tanks is established. A comparative study of dynamic responses of liquid storage tanks under wind, earthquake, and wind and earthquake is carried out, and the influences of wind speed and wind interference effect on dynamic responses of liquid storage tank are discussed. The results show that when the wind is strong, the dynamic responses of the liquid storage tank under wind load alone are likely to be larger than that under earthquake, and the dynamic responses under wind–earthquake interaction are obviously larger than that under wind and earthquake alone. The maximum responses of the tank wall under wind and earthquake are located in the unfilled area at the upper part of the tank and the filled area at the lower part of the tank respectively, while the location of maximum responses of the tank wall under wind–earthquake interaction is related to the relative magnitude of the wind and earthquake. Wind speed has a great influence on the responses of liquid storage tanks, when the wind speed increases to a certain extent, the storage tank is prone to damage. Wind interference effect has a significant effect on liquid storage tanks and wind fields. For liquid storage tanks in special environments, wind and earthquake effects should be considered reasonably, and wind interference effects cannot be ignored.
A Review on the Use of Microalgae for Sustainable Aquaculture
Authors: Han Pei , Lu Qian , Fan Liangliang , Zhou Wenguang
Published: June 2019

Traditional aquaculture provides food for humans, but produces a large amount of wastewater, threatening global sustainability. The antibiotics abuse and the water replacement or treatment causes safety problems and increases the aquaculture cost. To overcome environmental and economic problems in the aquaculture industry, a lot of efforts have been devoted into the application of microalgae for wastewater remediation, biomass production, and water quality control. In this review, the systematic description of the technologies required for microalgae-assisted aquaculture and the recent progress were discussed. It deeply reviews the problems caused by the discharge of aquaculture wastewater and introduces the principles of microalgae-assisted aquaculture. Some interesting aspects, including nutrients assimilation mechanisms, algae cultivation systems (raceway pond and revolving algal biofilm), wastewater pretreatment, algal-bacterial cooperation, harvesting technologies (fungi-assisted harvesting and flotation), selection of algal species, and exploitation of value-added microalgae as aquaculture feed, were reviewed in this work. In view of the limitations of recent studies, to further reduce the negative effects of aquaculture wastewater on global sustainability, the future directions of microalgae-assisted aquaculture for industrial applications were suggested.
Special Issue on “Micro/Nano Manufacturing”
Authors: Zimmermann André , Dimov Stefan
Published: June 2019

Micro manufacturing is dealing with the fabrication of structures in the order of 0 [...]
Estimating Vocal Fold Contact Pressure from Raw Laryngeal High-Speed Videoendoscopy Using a Hertz Contact Model
Authors: Díaz-Cádiz Manuel E. , Peterson Sean D. , Galindo Gabriel E. , Espinoza Víctor M. , Motie-Shirazi Mohsen , Erath Byron D. , Zañartu Matías
Published: June 2019

The development of trauma-induced lesions of the vocal folds (VFs) has been linked to a high collision pressure on the VF surface. However, there are no direct methods for the clinical assessment of VF collision, thus limiting the objective assessment of these disorders. In this study, we develop a video processing technique to directly quantify the mechanical impact of the VFs using solely laryngeal kinematic data. The technique is based on an edge tracking framework that estimates the kinematic sequence of each VF edge with a Kalman filter approach and a Hertzian impact model to predict the contact force during the collision. The proposed formulation overcomes several limitations of prior efforts since it uses a more relevant VF contact geometry, it does not require calibrated physical dimensions, it is normalized by the tissue properties, and it applies a correction factor for using a superior view only. The proposed approach is validated against numerical models, silicone vocal fold models, and prior studies. A case study with high-speed videoendoscopy recordings provides initial insights between the sound pressure level and contact pressure. Thus, the proposed method has a high potential in clinical practice and could also be adapted to operate with laryngeal stroboscopic systems.
Conversion of Stearic Acid into Bio-Gasoline over Pd/ZSM-5 Catalysts with Enhanced Accessibility
Authors: Arroyo Marta , Briones Laura , Escola José María , Serrano David P.
Published: June 2019

Palladium supported on nanocrystalline ZSM-5 (n-ZSM-5, Si/Al = 32) and hierarchical ZSM-5 (h-ZSM-5) with different acidity (Si/Al = 33, 51, 122) were tested in the liquid-phase conversion of stearic acid under nitrogen atmosphere (6 bar). The incorporation of Pd into ZSM-5 zeolite increased significantly the share of gasoline in the reaction products due to the promotion by this metal of both decarboxylation and hydrogen transfer reactions. Likewise, the Pd nanoparticles dispersed over the zeolitic support favored the conversion of light olefins formed by end-chain cracking reactions into gasoline-range hydrocarbons according to an oligomerization/cyclization/aromatization pathway. Additionally, Pd/h-ZSM-5 gave rise to higher conversion and selectivity towards gasoline than Pd/n-ZSM-5, due mainly to the enhanced accessibility and improved Pd dispersion achieved when using the hierarchical zeolite. The decrease in the Si/Al atomic ratio in Pd/h-ZSM-5 samples resulted in a rise in the stearic acid conversion, although it was lower than expected. This finding denotes that, for supports with high acid sites concentration, the Pd availability became the limiting factor as the metal was loaded in similar amounts in all catalysts. Finally, the increase of the reaction temperature with the Pd/h-ZSM-5 (122) catalyst augmented both stearic acid conversion and gasoline selectivity, since it enhanced the conversion of the light olefins, formed as primary cracking products, into liquid hydrocarbons. Therefore, it can be concluded that Pd supported on hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite is a convenient catalyst for obtaining bio-gasoline from oleaginous feedstock.
Review on the Electrical Resistance/Conductivity of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Authors: Zhao Qian , Zhang Kai , Zhu Shuang , Xu Hanyang , Cao Dianguo , Zhao Lina , Zhang Ronghua , Yin Wuliang
Published: June 2019

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plays an important role in many fields, especially in aviation and civil industries. The electrical conductivity of CFRP is critical for its electrical behavior, such as its lightning strike vulnerability, electromagnetic shielding ability, and potential uses for self-sensing. In addition, the electrical conductivity is related to the mechanical integrity. Therefore, electrical properties can be measured as an indication when detecting delamination and other defects in CFRP. This review provides a comprehensive basis for readers to grasp recent research progresses on electrical behaviors of CFRP.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning System Optimization Control Strategy Involving Fan Coil Unit Temperature Control
Authors: Lin Chang-Ming , Liu Hsin-Yu , Tseng Ko-Ying , Lin Sheng-Fuu
Published: June 2019

The objective of this study was to develop a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system optimization control strategy involving fan coil unit (FCU) temperature control for energy conservation in chilled water systems to enhance the operating efficiency of HVAC systems. The proposed control strategy involves three techniques, which are described as follows. The first technique is an algorithm for dynamic FCU temperature setting, which enables the FCU temperature to be set in accordance with changes in the outdoor temperature to satisfy the indoor thermal comfort for occupants. The second technique is an approach for determining the indoor cold air demand, which collects the set FCU temperature and converts it to the refrigeration ton required for the chilled water system; this serves as the control target for ensuring optimal HVAC operation. The third technique is a genetic algorithm for calculating the minimum energy consumption for an HVAC system. The genetic algorithm determines the pump operating frequency associated with minimum energy consumption per refrigeration ton to control energy conservation. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed HVAC system optimization control strategy combining FCU temperature control, this study conducted a field experiment. The results revealed that the proposed strategy enabled an HVAC system to achieve 39.71% energy conservation compared with an HVAC system operating at full load.
Water Resilience by Centipedegrass Green Roof: A Case Study
Authors: Hu Shuai , Liu Lijiao , Cao Junjun , Chen Nan , Wang Zhaolong
Published: June 2019

Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is a low-maintenance turfgrass. The first extensive green roof of centipedegrass was established in TongZhou Civil Squares in 2014. However, storm-water-runoff reduction, water-retention capacity, and plant-water requirements by a centipedegrass green roof has not yet been defined. The soil moisture dynamics, rainwater-retention capacity, runoff reduction, and plant evapotranspiration were investigated by simulated centipedegrass green roof plots, which were constructed in the same manner as the green roofs in TongZhou Civil Squares in 2018. The results showed that the centipedegrass green roof retained 705.54 mm of rainwater, which consisted 47.4% of runoff reduction. The saturated soil moisture was 33.4 ± 0.6%; the excess rainfall over the saturated soil moisture resulted in runoff. The capacity of rainwater retention was negatively related to the soil moisture before rain events and was driven by plant evapotranspiration. Drought symptoms only occurred three times over the course of a year when the soil moisture dropped down to 10.97%. Our results indicate that the rainwater retained in the soil almost met the needs of plant consumption; a further increase of rainwater retention capacity might achieve an irrigation-free design in a centipedegrass green roof.
Perforin and Granzyme B Expressed by Murine Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells: A Study on Their Role in Outgrowth of Cancer Cells
Authors: Dufait Inès , Pardo Julian , Escors David , De Vlaeminck Yannick , Jiang Heng , Keyaerts Marleen , De Ridder Mark , Breckpot Karine
Published: June 2019

A wide-range of myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC)-mediated immune suppressive functions has previously been described. Nevertheless, potential novel mechanisms by which MDSCs aid tumor progression are, in all likelihood, still unrecognized. Next to its well-known expression in natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), granzyme B (GzmB) expression has been found in different cell types. In an MDSC culture model, we demonstrated perforin and GzmB expression. Furthermore, similar observations were made in MDSCs isolated from tumor-bearing mice. Even in MDSCs from humans, GzmB expression was demonstrated. Of note, B16F10 melanoma cells co-cultured with perforin/GzmB knock out mice (KO) MDSCs displayed a remarkable decrease in invasive potential. B16F10 melanoma cells co-injected with KO MDSCs, displayed a significant slower growth curve compared to tumor cells co-injected with wild type (WT) MDSCs. In vivo absence of perforin/GzmB in MDSCs resulted in a higher number of CD8+ T-cells. Despite this change in favor of CD8+ T-cell infiltration, we observed low interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, suggesting that other immunosuppressive mechanisms render these CD8+ T-cells dysfunctional. Taken together, our results suggest that GzmB expression in MDSCs is another means to promote tumor growth and warrants further investigation to unravel the exact underlying mechanism.
Condensation By-Products in Wet Peroxide Oxidation: Fouling or Catalytic Promotion? Part I. Evidences of an Autocatalytic Process
Authors: Quintanilla Asunción , Diaz de Tuesta Jose L. , Figueruelo Cristina , Munoz Macarena , Casas Jose A.
Published: June 2019

The present work is aimed at the understanding of the condensation by-products role in wet peroxide oxidation processes. This study has been carried out in absence of catalyst to isolate the (positive or negative) effect of the condensation by-products on the kinetics of the process, and in presence of oxygen, to enhance the oxidation performance. This process was denoted as oxygen-assisted wet peroxide oxidation (WPO-O2) and was applied to the treatment of phenol. First, the influence of the reaction operating conditions (i.e., temperature, pH0, initial phenol concentration, H2O2 dose and O2 pressure) was evaluated. The initial phenol concentration and, overall, the H2O2 dose, were identified as the most critical variables for the formation of condensation by-products and thus, for the oxidation performance. Afterwards, a flow reactor packed with inert quartz beads was used to facilitate the deposition of such species and thus, to evaluate their impact on the kinetics of the process. It was found that as the quartz beads were covered by condensation by-products along reaction, the disappearance rates of phenol, total organic carbon (TOC) and H2O2 were increased. Consequently, an autocatalytic kinetic model, accounting for the catalytic role of the condensation by products, provides a well description of wet peroxide oxidation performance.
Revealing the Active Site of Gold Nanoparticles for the Peroxidase-Like Activity: The Determination of Surface Accessibility
Authors: Liu Ching-Ping , Chen Kuan-Chung , Su Ching-Feng , Yu Po-Yen , Lee Po-Wei
Published: June 2019

Despite the fact that the enzyme-like activities of nanozymes (i.e., nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes) are highly associated with their surface properties, little is known about the catalytic active sites. Here, we used the sulfide ion (S2−)-induced inhibition of peroxidase-like activity to explore active sites of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The inhibition mechanism was based on the interaction with Au(I) to form Au2S, implying that the Au(I) might be the active site of AuNPs for the peroxidase-like activity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that the content of Au(I) on the surface of AuNPs significantly decreased after the addition of S2−, which might be contributed to the more covalent Au–S bond in the formation of Au2S. Importantly, the variations of Au(I) with and without the addition of S2− for different surface-capped AuNPs were in good accordance with their corresponding peroxidase-like activities. These results confirmed that the accessible Au(I) on the surface was the main requisite for the peroxidase-like activity of AuNPs for the first time. In addition, the use of S2− could assist to determine available active sites for different surface modified AuNPs. This work not only provides a new method to evaluate the surface accessibility of colloidal AuNPs but also gains insight on the design of efficient AuNP-based peroxidase mimics.
Condensation By-Products in Wet Peroxide Oxidation: Fouling or Catalytic Promotion? Part II: Activity, Nature and Stability
Authors: Quintanilla Asunción , Diaz de Tuesta Jose L. , Figueruelo Cristina , Munoz Macarena , Casas Jose A.
Published: June 2019

The deposition of condensation by-products onto the catalyst surface upon wet peroxide and wet air oxidation processes has usually been associated with catalyst deactivation. However, in Part I of this paper, it was demonstrated that these carbonaceous deposits actually act as catalytic promoters in the oxygen-assisted wet peroxide oxidation (WPO-O2) of phenol. Herein, the intrinsic activity, nature and stability of these species have been investigated. To achieve this goal, an up-flow fixed bed reactor packed with porous Al2O3 spheres was used to facilitate the deposition of the condensation by-products formed in the liquid phase. It was demonstrated that the condensation by-products catalyzed the decomposition of H2O2 and a higher amount of these species leads to a higher degree of oxidation degree The reaction rates, conversion values and intermediates’ distribution were analyzed. The characterization of the carbonaceous deposits on the Al2O3 spheres showed a significant amount of condensation by-products (~6 wt.%) after 650 h of time on stream. They are of aromatic nature and present oxygen functional groups consisting of quinones, phenols, aldehydes, carboxylics and ketones. The initial phenol concentration and H2O2 dose were found to be crucial variables for the generation and consumption of such species, respectively.
Platonic Relationships in Metal Phosphonate Chemistry: Ionic Metal Phosphonates
Authors: Xanthopoulos Konstantinos , Anagnostou Zafeiria , Chalkiadakis Sophocles , Choquesillo-Lazarte Duane , Mezei Gellert , Zaręba Jan K. , Zoń Jerzy , Demadis Konstantinos D.
Published: June 2019

Phosphonate ligands demonstrate strong affinity for metal ions. However, there are several cases where the phosphonate is found non-coordinated to the metal ion. Such compounds could be characterized as salts, since the interactions involved are ionic and hydrogen bonding. In this paper we explore a number of such examples, using divalent metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ni2+) and the phosphonic acids: p-aminobenzylphosphonic acid (H2PABPA), tetramethylenediamine-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid) (H8TDTMP), and 1,2-ethylenediphosphonic acid (H4EDPA). The compounds isolated and structurally characterized are [Mg(H2O)6]·[HPABPA]2·6H2O, [Ca(H2O)8]·[HPABPA]2, [Sr(H2O)8]·[HPABPA]2, [Mg(H2O)6]·[H6TDTMP], and [Ni(H2O)6]·[H2EDPA]·H2O. Also, the coordination polymer {[Ni(4,4’-bpy)(H2O)4]·[H2EDPA]·H2O}n was synthesized and characterized, which contains a bridging 4,4’-bipyridine (4,4’-bpy) ligand forming an infinite chain with the Ni2+ cations. All these compounds contain the phosphonate anion as the counterion to charge balance the cationic charge originating from the metal cation.
Dual-Hop Cooperative Relaying with Beamforming Under Adaptive Transmission in κ–μ Shadowed Fading Environments
Authors: Bhutto Zuhaibuddin , Yoon Wonyong
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we analyze the performance of a dual-hop cooperative decode-and-forward (DF) relaying system with beamforming under different adaptive transmission techniques over κ − μ shadowed fading channels. We consider multiple antennas at the source and destination, and communication takes place via a single antenna relay. The published work in the literature emphasized the performance analysis of dual-hop DF relaying systems, in conjunction with different adaptive transmission techniques for classical fading channels. However, in a real scenario, shadowing of the line-of-sight (LoS) signal is caused by complete or partially blockage of the LoS by environmental factors such as trees, buildings, mountains, etc., therefore, transmission links may suffer from fading as well as shadowing, either concurrently or separately. Hence, the κ − μ shadowed fading model was introduced to emulate such general channel conditions. The κ − μ shadowed fading model is a general fading model that can perfectly model the fading and shadowing effects of the wireless channel in a LoS propagation environment, and it includes some classical fading models as special cases, such as κ − μ , Rician, Rician-shadowed, Nakagami- m ^ , One-sided Gaussian, and Rayleigh fading. In this work, we derive the outage probability and average capacity expressions in an analytical form for different adaptive transmission techniques: (1) optimal power and rate adaptation (OPRA); (2) optimal rate adaptation and constant transmit power (ORA); (3) channel inversion with a fixed rate (CIFR); and (4) truncated channel inversion with a fixed rate (TIFR). We evaluate the system performance for different arrangements of antennas and for different fading and shadowing parameters. The obtained analytical expressions are verified through extensive Monte Carlo simulations.
Robust Localization for Robot and IoT Using RSSI
Authors: Bae Youngchul
Published: June 2019

Node-localization technology has been supported in the wireless sensor network (WSN) environment. Node localization is based on a few access-point (AP) nodes that comprises positioning information because they are fixed, and a beacon node that comprises unknown positioning information because it is moving. To determine the position of the unknown node, it must use two or three APs that comprise certain positioning information. There are a number of representative range-based methods, including time of arrival (TOA), weighted centroid locating algorithm, received signal strength intensity (RSSI), and time difference of arrival (TDOA) signal, that are received by the receiver. The RSSI method has its advantages. A simple device structure means that the RSSI method is easy to use. Because the structures of previous wireless local area network (LAN) technologies make them compatible with RSSI information, the RSSI method is widely used in the related area of position tracking. In addition, this algorithm has a hardware system that cannot be increased, has the advantage of the miniaturization of the node, and can wear through obstacles. This paper proposes the application of a robust ranging method that can be applied in robots and Internet of Things (IoT) using RSSI, especially in the tracing location of each nursing home patient, where the RSSI method with trilateral technique is used. This paper shows the results of the measured point from the application of the trilateral technique, and it also represents the results of the error distance between the ideal point and the measured point using computer simulation. Finally, this paper presents an estimation of localization using a real experimental device with a BLE (Bluetooth low-energy) transmitter and receiver, and beacon gateway, by applying an RSSI algorithm with the trilateral technique.
Optimal Power Flow of Integrated Renewable Energy System using a Thyristor Controlled SeriesCompensator and a Grey-Wolf Algorithm
Authors: Rambabu M. , Nagesh Kumar G. V. , Sivanagaraju S.
Published: June 2019

Inrecent electrical power networks a number of failures due to overloading of the transmission lines, stability problems, mismatch in supply and demand, narrow scope for expanding the transmission network and other issues like global warming, environmental conditions, etc. have been noticed. In this paper, a thyristor-controlled series compensator (TCSC) is placed at the optimum position by using two indices for enhancing the power flows as well as the voltage security and power quality of the integrated system. A fusedseverity index is proposed for the optimal positionalong with a grey wolf algorithm-based optimal tuning of the TCSC for reduction of real power losses, fuel cost with valve-point effect, carbon emissions, and voltage deviation in a modern electrical network. The voltage stability index to evaluate the power flow of the line and a novel line stability indexto assessthe line capacityare used. The TCSC is placed at the highest value of the fusedseverity index. In addition, an intermittent severity index (IMSI) is used to find the most severely affected line and is used for relocating the TCSC to a better location under different contingencies.Lognormal and Weibull probability density functions (PDFs)are utilized forassessing the output ofphotovoltaic (PV) and wind power. The proposed methodhas been implemented on the IEEE 57 bus system to validate the methodology, and the results of the integrated system with and without TCSC are comparedunder normal and contingency conditions.
Energy Saving Operation of Manufacturing System Based on Dynamic Adaptive Fuzzy Reasoning Petri Net
Authors: Wang Junfeng , Fei Zicheng , Chang Qing , Li Shiqi
Published: June 2019

The energy efficient operation of a manufacturing system is important for sustainable development of industry. Apart from the device and process level, energy saving methods at the system level has attracted increasing attention with the rapid growth of the industrial Internet of things technology, which makes it possible to sense and collect real-time data from the production line and provide more opportunities for online control for energy saving purposes. In this paper, a dynamic adaptive fuzzy reasoning Petri net is proposed to decide the machine energy saving state considering the production information of a discrete stochastic manufacturing system. Fuzzy knowledge for energy saving operations of a machine is represented in weighted fuzzy production rules with certain values. The rules describe uncertain, imprecise, and ambiguous knowledge of machine state decisions. This makes an energy saving sleep decision in advance when a machine has the inclination of starvation or blockage, which is based on the real-time production rates and level of connected buffers. A dynamic adaptive fuzzy reasoning Petri net is formally defined to implement the reasoning process of the machine state decision. A manufacturing system case is used to demonstrate the application of our method and the results indicate its effectiveness for energy saving operation purposes.
Stable Fault Tolerant Controller Design for Takagi–Sugeno Fuzzy Model-Based Control Systems via Linear Matrix Inequalities: Three Conical Tank Case Study
Authors: Patel Himanshukumar R. , Shah Vipul A.
Published: June 2019

This paper deals with a methodical design approach of fault-tolerant controller that gives assurance for the the stabilization and acceptable control performance of the nonlinear systems which can be described by Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy models. Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model gives a unique edge that allows us to apply the traditional linear system theory for the investigation and blend of nonlinear systems by linear models in a different state space region. The overall fuzzy model of the nonlinear system is obtained by fuzzy combination of the all linear models. After that, based on this linear model, we employ parallel distributed compensation for designing linear controllers for each linear model. Also this paper reports of the T–S fuzzy system with less conservative stabilization condition which gives decent performance. However, the controller synthesis for nonlinear systems described by the T–S fuzzy model is a complicated task, which can be reduced to convex problems linking with linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Further sufficient conservative stabilization conditions are represented by a set of LMIs for the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy control systems, which can be solved by using MATLAB software. Two-rule T–S fuzzy model is used to describe the nonlinear system and this system demonstrated with proposed fault-tolerant control scheme. The proposed fault-tolerant controller implemented and validated on three interconnected conical tank system with two constraints in terms of faults, one issed to build the actuator and sond is system component (leak) respectively. The MATLAB Simulink platform with linear fuzzy models and an LMI Toolbox was used to solve the LMIs and determine the controller gains subject to the proposed design approach.
Cogging Torque Reduction in Brushless Motors by a Nonlinear Control Technique
Authors: Dini Pierpaolo , Saponara Sergio
Published: June 2019

This work addresses the problem of mitigating the effects of the cogging torque in permanent magnet synchronous motors, particularly brushless motors, which is a main issue in precision electric drive applications. In this work, a method for mitigating the effects of the cogging torque is proposed, based on the use of a nonlinear automatic control technique known as feedback linearization that is ideal for underactuated dynamic systems. The aim of this work is to present an alternative to classic solutions based on the physical modification of the electrical machine to try to suppress the natural interaction between the permanent magnets and the teeth of the stator slots. Such modifications of electric machines are often expensive because they require customized procedures, while the proposed method does not require any modification of the electric drive. With respect to other algorithmic-based solutions for cogging torque reduction, the proposed control technique is scalable to different motor parameters, deterministic, and robust, and hence easy to use and verify for safety-critical applications. As an application case example, the work reports the reduction of the oscillations for the angular position control of a permanent magnet synchronous motor vs. classic PI (proportional-integrative) cascaded control. Moreover, the proposed algorithm is suitable to be implemented in low-cost embedded control units.
Metal Distribution and Short-Time Variability in Recent Sediments from the Ganges River towards the Bay of Bengal (India)
Authors: Bonnail Estefanía , Antón-Martín Rocío , Riba Inmaculada , DelValls T. Ángel
Published: June 2019

The Ganges River receives inputs from highly populated cities of India (New Delhi, Calcutta, among others) and a strong influence of anthropogenic activities until reaching the Bay of Bengal. It is a seasonal river with 80% of discharges occurring between July and October during monsoon. The land-based activities next to the shore lead to discharges of untreated domestic and industrial effluents, inputs of agricultural chemicals, discharges of organic matter (cremations), and discharges of chemicals from aquaculture farms. In spite of the UNESCO declaring Human Patrimony the National Park Sundarbans, located in the delta, contamination has increased over time and it dramatically intensifies during the monsoon period due to the flooding of the drainage basin. Vertical element distribution (Cd, Co, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was studied in sediments collected in different stations towards the Hügli Estuary. Results determined no vertical gradient associated with the analyzed sediment samples, which informs about severe sediment dynamic in the area that probably relates to tidal hydrodynamics and seasonal variation floods. The multivariate analysis results showed different associations among metals and in some cases between some of them (Co, Zn, Pb, and Cu) and the organic carbon. These allow the identification of different geochemical processes in the area and their relationship with the sources of contamination such as discharge of domestic and industrial effluents and diffuse sources enhanced by the monsoons. Also, an environmental risk value was given to the studied area by comparing the analyzed concentrations to quality guidelines adopted in other countries. It showed an estimated risk associated with the concentration of the metal Cu measured in the area of Kadwip.
Who, Where, Why and When? Using Smart Card and Social Media Data to Understand Urban Mobility
Authors: Yang Yuanxuan , Heppenstall Alison , Turner Andy , Comber Alexis
Published: June 2019

This study describes the integration and analysis of travel smart card data (SCD) with points of interest (POIs) from social media for a case study in Shenzhen, China. SCD ticket price with tap-in and tap-out times was used to identify different groups of travellers. The study examines the temporal variations in mobility, identifies different groups of users and characterises their trip purpose and identifies sub-groups of users with different travel patterns. Different groups were identified based on their travel times and trip costs. The trip purpose associated with different groups was evaluated by constructing zones around metro station locations and identifying the POIs in each zone. Each POI was allocated to one of six land use types, and each zone was allocated a set of land use weights based on the number of POI check-ins for the POIs in that zone. Trip purpose was then inferred from trip time linked to the land use at the origin and destination zones using a novel “land use change rate” measure. A cluster analysis was used to identify sub-groups of users based on individual temporal travel patterns, which were used to generate a novel “boarding time profile”. The results show how different groups of users can be identified and the differences in trip times and trip purpose quantified between and within groups. Limitations of the study are discussed and a number of areas for further work identified, including linking to socioeconomic data and a deeper consideration of the timestamps of POI check-ins to support the inference of dynamic and multiple land uses at one location. The methods and metrics developed by this research use social media POI data to semantically contextualise information derived from the SCD and to overcome the drawbacks and limitations of traditional travel survey data. They are novel and generalizable to other studies. They quantify spatiotemporal mobility patterns for different groups of travellers and infer how their purposes of their journeys change through the day. In so doing, they support a more nuanced and detailed view of who, where, when and why people use city spaces.
NAFLD in Some Common Endocrine Diseases: Prevalence, Pathophysiology, and Principles of Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Lonardo Amedeo , Mantovani Alessandro , Lugari Simonetta , Targher Giovanni
Published: June 2019

Secondary nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) defines those complex pathophysiological and clinical consequences that ensue when the liver becomes an ectopic site of lipid storage owing to reasons other than its mutual association with the metabolic syndrome. Disorders affecting gonadal hormones, thyroid hormones, or growth hormones (GH) may cause secondary forms of NAFLD, which exhibit specific pathophysiologic features and, in theory, the possibility to receive an effective treatment. Here, we critically discuss epidemiological and pathophysiological features, as well as principles of diagnosis and management of some common endocrine diseases, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, and GH deficiency. Collectively, these forms of NAFLD secondary to specific endocrine derangements may be envisaged as a naturally occurring disease model of NAFLD in humans. Improved understanding of such endocrine secondary forms of NAFLD promises to disclose novel clinical associations and innovative therapeutic approaches, which may potentially be applied also to selected cases of primary NAFLD.
Inhibition of Karyopherin-α2 Augments Radiation-Induced Cell Death by Perturbing BRCA1-Mediated DNA Repair
Authors: Song Kyung-Hee , Jung Seung-Youn , Park Jeong-In , Ahn Jiyeon , Park Jong Kuk , Um Hong-Duck , Park In-Chul , Hwang Sang-Gu , Ha Hunjoo , Song Jie-Young
Published: June 2019

Ionizing radiation (IR) has been widely used in the treatment of cancer. Radiation-induced DNA damage triggers the DNA damage response (DDR), which can confer radioresistance and early local recurrence by activating DNA repair pathways. Since karyopherin-α2 (KPNA2), playing an important role in nucleocytoplasmic transport, was significantly increased by IR in our previous study, we aimed to determine the function of KPNA2 with regard to DDR. Exposure to radiation upregulated KPNA2 expression in human colorectal cancer HT29 and HCT116 cells and breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells together with the increased expression of DNA repair protein BRCA1. The knockdown of KPNA2 effectively increased apoptotic cell death via inhibition of BRCA1 nuclear import following IR. Therefore, we propose that KPNA2 is a potential target for overcoming radioresistance via interruption to DDR.