bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interaction of Edge Dislocations with Graphene Nanosheets in Graphene/Fe Composites
Authors: Wang Lu , Jin Jianfeng , Cao Jingyi , Yang Peijun , Peng Qing
Published: April 2018

Graphene is an ideal reinforcement material for metal-matrix composites owing to its exceptional mechanical properties. However, as a 2D layered material, graphene shows highly anisotropic behavior, which greatly affects the mechanical properties of graphene-based composites. In this study, the interaction between an edge dislocation (b = 1/2 (111)) and a pair of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) in GNS reinforced iron matrix composite (GNS/Fe) was investigated using molecular dynamic simulations under simple shearing conditions. We studied the cases wherein the GNS pair was parallel to the (1 1 ¯ 0), (11 2 ¯ ), and (111) planes, respectively. The results showed that the GNS reinforcement can effectively hinder dislocation motion, which improves the yield strength. The interaction between the edge dislocation and the GNS pair parallel to the (11 2 ¯ ) plane showed the strongest effect of blocking dislocations among the three cases, resulting in increases in the shear modulus and yield stress of 107% and 1400%, respectively. This remarkable enhancement was attributed to the Orowan “by-passing” strengthening mechanism, whereas cross-slip of dislocation segments was observed during looping around GNSs. Our results might contribute to the development of high-strength iron matrix composites.
Fluid-Fluid Interfaces of Multi-Component Mixtures in Local Equilibrium
Authors: Bedeaux Dick , Kjelstrup Signe
Published: April 2018

We derive in a new way that the intensive properties of a fluid-fluid Gibbs interface are independent of the location of the dividing surface. When the system is out of global equilibrium, this finding is not trivial: In a one-component fluid, it can be used to obtain the interface temperature from the surface tension. In other words, the surface equation of state can serve as a thermometer for the liquid-vapor interface in a one-component fluid. In a multi-component fluid, one needs the surface tension and the relative adsorptions to obtain the interface temperature and chemical potentials. A consistent set of thermodynamic properties of multi-component surfaces are presented. They can be used to construct fluid-fluid boundary conditions during transport. These boundary conditions have a bearing on all thermodynamic modeling on transport related to phase transitions.
A Novel Fractional-Order Chaotic Phase Synchronization Model for Visual Selection and Shifting
Authors: Lin Xiaoran , Zhou Shangbo , Tang Hongbin , Qi Ying , Xie Xianzhong
Published: April 2018

Visual information processing is one of the fields of cognitive informatics. In this paper, a two-layer fractional-order chaotic network, which can simulate the mechanism of visual selection and shifting, is established. Unlike other object selection models, the proposed model introduces control units to select object. The first chaotic network layer of the model is used to implement image segmentation. A control layer is added as the second layer, consisting of a central neuron, which controls object selection and shifting. To implement visual selection and shifting, a strategy is proposed that can achieve different subnets corresponding to the objects in the first layer synchronizing with the central neuron at different time. The central unit acting as the central nervous system synchronizes with different subnets (hybrid systems), implementing the mechanism of visual selection and shifting in the human system. The proposed model corresponds better with the human visual system than the typical model of visual information encoding and transmission and provides new possibilities for further analysis of the mechanisms of the human cognitive system. The reasonability of the proposed model is verified by experiments using artificial and natural images.
New High Voltage Interconnections with Islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Malta and Sicily. Analysis of the Effects on Renewable Energy Sources Integration and Benefits for the Electricity Market
Authors: Ippolito Mariano , Favuzza Salvatore , Massaro Fabio , Mineo Liliana , Cassaro Calogero
Published: April 2018

The present paper shows the benefits coming from the operation of the recent electrical high voltage (HV) interconnections between Sicily, Malta and mainland Italy. These new interconnections allow zonal prices of electricity considerably lower than in the past, ensuring greater flexibility to the system and a better integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES). After briefly illustrating the two high-voltage electrical systems (Sicily and Malta), and having provided a description of the interconnection cable with Malta and its protection devices, the authors hypothesized two modes of operation (Sicily-Malta system islanded or interconnected to the rest of Europe). For the first case (islanded) some simulations are performed through the use of an electric network model realized in the Neplan® environment, and for the second case an analysis of one year real data was made. The results of the simulation, thanks to the use of a power flow tracing method, show that this new interconnection between the two islands (Sicily and Malta) allows an important improvement in the integration and dispatching of the power generated by RES of the Sicilian territory, better operation of traditional Sicilian generation units, lower electricity zonal prices and a significant reduction in emissions from obsolete fuel oil thermal units located in Malta.
A Biophysical Perspective of IPCC Integrated Energy Modelling
Authors: Palmer Graham
Published: April 2018

The following article conducts an analysis of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), specifically in relation to Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs). We focus on the key drivers of economic growth, how these are derived and whether IAMs properly reflect the underlying biophysical systems. Since baseline IAM scenarios project a three- to eight-fold increase in gross domestic product (GDP)-per-capita by 2100, but with consumption losses of only between 3–11%, strong mitigation seems compatible with economic growth. However, since long-term productivity and economic growth are uncertain, they are included as exogenous parameters in IAM scenarios. The biophysical economics perspective is that GDP and productivity growth are in fact emergent parameters from the economic-biophysical system. If future energy systems were to possess worse biophysical performance characteristics, we would expect lower productivity and economic growth, and therefore, the price of reaching emission targets may be significantly costlier than projected. Here, we show that IAMs insufficiently describe the energy-economy nexus and propose that those key parameters are integrated as feedbacks with the use of environmentally-extended input-output analysis (EEIOA). Further work is required to build a framework that can supplement and support IAM analysis to improve biophysical rigour.
Energy Saving in an ETC Solar System to Produce High Temperature Water
Authors: Porras-Prieto Carlos J. , Lizcano Juan , García José L. , Mazarrón Fernando R.
Published: April 2018

The use of solar water heating systems (SWHS) based on evacuated tube collectors (ETC) has experienced rapid growth in the residential sector. In contrast, the implementation of these systems in the industrial sector is very limited, due in part to the demand of a higher temperature in water. Taking into account that the final energy of the industrial sector is similar to the residential sector, to increase the generation of renewable energy and energy saving in cities, efforts in this sector should be redoubled. Therefore, the present work characterises the behaviour of a SWHS-ETC with active circulation to produce hot water at 90 °C, determining its performance, energy saving and profitability in different scenarios in Europe. The annual energy savings generated by the SWHS Range between 741 and 435 kWh m−2 (reduction of emissions between 215 and 88 kg CO2 m−2). The results of the analysis of profitability, studying the variation of the conventional energy price, the cost of the investment, the useful life and the energy supplied, in thousands of scenarios, are a valuable tool for correct decision making, as they can be of great utility to increase the implementation of these systems in the industrial sector.
Multilevel Converter by Cascading Two-Level Three-Phase Voltage Source Converter
Authors: Al-Shamma’a Abdullrahman , Noman Abdullah , Addoweesh Khaled , Alabduljabbar Ayman , Alolah A.
Published: April 2018

This paper proposes a topology using isolated, cascaded multilevel voltage source converters (VSCs) and employing two-winding magnetic elements for high-power applications. The proposed topology synthesizes 6 two-level, three-phase VSCs, so the power capability of the presented converter is six times the capability of each VSC module. The characteristics of the proposed topology are demonstrated through analyzing its current relationships, voltage relationships and power capability in detail. The power rating is equally shared among the VSC modules without the need for a sharing algorithm; thus, the converter operates as a single three-phase VSC. The comparative analysis with classical neutral-point clamped, flying capacitor and cascaded H-bridge exhibits the superior features of fewer insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), capacitor requirement and fewer diodes. To validate the theoretical performance of the proposed converter, it is simulated in a MATLAB/Simulink environment and the results are experimentally demonstrated using a laboratory prototype.
Identification and Characterization of the MADS-Box Genes and Their Contribution to Flower Organ in Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.)
Authors: Zhang Xiaoni , Wang Qijian , Yang Shaozong , Lin Shengnan , Bao Manzhu , Bendahmane Mohammed , Wu Quanshu , Wang Caiyun , Fu Xiaopeng
Published: April 2018

Dianthus is a large genus containing many species with high ornamental economic value. Extensive breeding strategies permitted an exploration of an improvement in the quality of cultivated carnation, particularly in flowers. However, little is known on the molecular mechanisms of flower development in carnation. Here, we report the identification and description of MADS-box genes in carnation (DcaMADS) with a focus on those involved in flower development and organ identity determination. In this study, 39 MADS-box genes were identified from the carnation genome and transcriptome by the phylogenetic analysis. These genes were categorized into four subgroups (30 MIKCc, two MIKC*, two Mα, and five Mγ). The MADS-box domain, gene structure, and conserved motif compositions of the carnation MADS genes were analysed. Meanwhile, the expression of DcaMADS genes were significantly different in stems, leaves, and flower buds. Further studies were carried out for exploring the expression of DcaMADS genes in individual flower organs, and some crucial DcaMADS genes correlated with their putative function were validated. Finally, a new expression pattern of DcaMADS genes in flower organs of carnation was provided: sepal (three class E genes and two class A genes), petal (two class B genes, two class E genes, and one SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP)), stamen (two class B genes, two class E genes, and two class C), styles (two class E genes and two class C), and ovary (two class E genes, two class C, one AGAMOUS-LIKE 6 (AGL6), one SEEDSTICK (STK), one B sister, one SVP, and one Mα). This result proposes a model in floral organ identity of carnation and it may be helpful to further explore the molecular mechanism of flower organ identity in carnation.
Effect of Potassium Chlorate on the Treatment of Domestic Sewage by Achieving Shortcut Nitrification in a Constructed Rapid Infiltration System
Authors: Fang Qinglin , Xu Wenlai , Yan Zhijiao , Qian Lei
Published: April 2018

A constructed rapid infiltration (CRI) system is a new type of sewage biofilm treatment technology, but due to its anaerobic zone it lacks the carbon sources and the conditions for nitrate retention, and its nitrogen removal performance is very poor. However, a shortcut nitrification–denitrification process presents distinctive advantages, as it saves oxygen, requires less organic matter, and requires less time for denitrification compared to conventional nitrogen removal methods. Thus, if the shortcut nitrification–denitrification process could be applied to the CRI system properly, a simpler, more economic, and efficient nitrogen removal method will be obtained. However, as its reaction process shows that the first and the most important step of achieving shortcut nitrification–denitrification is to achieve shortcut nitrification, in this study we explored the feasibility to achieve shortcut nitrification, which produces nitrite as the dominant nitrogen species in effluent, by the addition of potassium chlorate (KClO3) to the influent. In an experimental CRI test system, the effects on nitrogen removal, nitrate inhibition, and nitrite accumulation were studied, and the advantages of achieving a shortcut nitrification–denitrification process were also analysed. The results showed that shortcut nitrification was successfully achieved and maintained in a CRI system by adding 5 mM KClO3 to the influent at a constant pH of 8.4. Under these conditions, the nitrite accumulation percentage was increased, while a lower concentration of 3 mM KClO3 had no obvious effect. The addition of 5mM KClO3 in influent presumably inhibited the activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), but inhibition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) was so strong that it resulted in a maximum nitrite accumulation percentage of up to over 80%. As a result, nitrite became the dominant nitrogen product in the effluent. Moreover, if the shortcut denitrification process will be achieved in the subsequent research, it could save 60.27 mg CH3OH per litre of sewage in the CRI system compared with the full denitrification process.
The Relationship of Health Beliefs with Information Sources and HPV Vaccine Acceptance among Young Adults in Korea
Authors: Kim Jarim
Published: April 2018

Despite the HPV vaccine’s efficacy in preventing cervical cancer, its coverage rates among Asians are very low. To increase immunization coverage among these populations, understanding the psychological factors that affect HPV acceptability is critical. To this end, this study examined the relationships between multidimensional health beliefs and HPV vaccine acceptance, and what information sources effectively foster HPV vaccination-related health beliefs. Data were collected using a survey of 323 undergraduate students in Korea. Results showed that perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived vaccine safety concerns predicted vaccine acceptance. Multiple dimensions of perceived barriers showed differing impacts on vaccine acceptance. In addition, interpersonal information sources were effective in boosting various health beliefs for HPV vaccination. The Internet also was effective in reducing social barriers, but the effects were opposite to those of social media. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Decision-Making and Environmental Implications under Cap-and-Trade and Take-Back Regulations
Authors: Chen Yuyu , Li Bangyi , Bai Qingguo , Liu Zhi
Published: April 2018

To reduce carbon emissions during production and realize the recycling of resources, the government has promulgated carbon cap-and-trade regulation and take-back regulation separately. This paper firstly analyses the manufacturing, remanufacturing and collection decisions of a monopoly manufacturer under cap-and-trade regulation and take-back regulation conditions, and then explores the environmental impact (i.e., carbon emissions) of both carbon regulation and more stringent take-back regulation. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the theoretical results. The results indicate that it will do good for the environment once the cap-and-trade regulation is carried out. We also conclude that government’s supervision of carbon trading price plays an important role in reducing the environmental impact. Furthermore, unexpectedly, we prove that if emissions intensity of a remanufactured (vis-á-vis new) product is sufficiently high, the improvement of collection and remanufacturing targets might lead to the deterioration of environment.
The Coaching on Lifestyle (CooL) Intervention for Overweight and Obesity: A Longitudinal Study into Participants’ Lifestyle Changes
Authors: Van Rinsum Celeste , Gerards Sanne , Rutten Geert , Philippens Nicole , Janssen Ester , Winkens Bjorn , Van de Goor Ien , Kremers Stef
Published: April 2018

Combined lifestyle interventions (CLIs) can be effective in reducing weight and improving lifestyle-related behaviours but it is unclear how CLIs can best be implemented in practice in order to achieve sustained lifestyle changes. The Coaching on Lifestyle programme (CooL) is a CLI in the Netherlands, in which professional lifestyle coaches counsel adults and children (and/or their parents) who are obese or at high risk of obesity to achieve a sustained healthier lifestyle. The CooL intervention consists of group and individual sessions addressing the topics of physical activity, dietary behaviours, sleep and stress. Our longitudinal one-group pre-post study aimed to identify lifestyle changes among participants (adults, children and their parents) at 8 and 18 months after initiation. We assessed constructs ranging from motivation and behaviour-specific cognitions to behaviours and health outcomes. Positive and sustained changes among adults were found regarding perceived autonomy, motivation, perceived barriers, lifestyle behaviours, quality of life and weight. Among children and their parents, few improvements were found regarding behaviours and quality of life. CooL has been successful in coaching adult participants towards sustained behavioural change during the intervention period. Mixed results and smaller effect sizes were found for children and their parents.
Lectin-Binding Specificity of the Fertilization-Relevant Protein PDC-109 by Means of Surface Plasmon Resonance and Carbohydrate REcognition Domain EXcision-Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Defaus Sira , Avilés Manuel , Andreu David , Gutiérrez-Gallego Ricardo
Published: April 2018

Seminal plasma proteins are relevant for sperm functionality and some appear responsible for establishing sperm interactions with the various environments along the female genital tract towards the oocyte. In recent years, research has focused on characterizing the role of these proteins in the context of reproductive biology, fertility diagnostics and treatment of related problems. Herein, we focus on the main protein of bovine seminal plasma, PDC-109 (BSP-A1/-A2), which by virtue of its lectin properties is involved in fertilization. By means of surface plasmon resonance, the interaction of PDC-109 with a panel of the most relevant glycosidic epitopes of mammals has been qualitatively and quantitatively characterized, and a higher affinity for carbohydrates containing fucose has been observed, in line with previous studies. Additionally, using the orthogonal technique of Carbohydrate REcognition Domain EXcision-Mass Spectrometry (CREDEX-MS), the recognition domain of the interaction complexes between PDC-109 and all fucosylated disaccharides [(Fuc-α1,(3,4,6)-GlcNAc)] has been defined, revealing the specific glycotope and the peptide domain likely to act as the PDC-109 carbohydrate binding site.
On the Lateral Compressive Behavior of Empty and Ex-Situ Aluminum Foam-Filled Tubes at High Temperature
Authors: Linul Emanoil , Movahedi Nima , Marsavina Liviu
Published: April 2018

In this research work, the effect of lateral loading (LL) on the crushing performance of empty tubes (ETs) and ex situ aluminum foam-filled tubes (FFTs) was investigated at 300 °C. The cylindrical thin-walled steel tube was filled with the closed-cell aluminum alloy foam that compressed under quasi-static loading conditions. During the compression test, the main mechanical properties of the ETs improved due to the interaction effect between the cellular structure of the foam and the inner wall of the empty tube. In addition, the initial propagated cracks on the steel tubes reduced considerably as a result of such interaction. Furthermore, the obtained results of the LL loading were compared with the axial loading (AL) results for both ETs and FFTs at the same temperature. The findings indicated that the application of loading on the lateral surface of the composite causes the lower mechanical properties of both ETs and FFTs in comparison with the axial loading conditions.
Specific Chemical and Genetic Markers Revealed a Thousands-Year Presence of Toxic Nodularia spumigena in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Cegłowska Marta , Toruńska-Sitarz Anna , Kowalewska Grażyna , Mazur-Marzec Hanna
Published: April 2018

In the Baltic Sea, diazotrophic cyanobacteria have been present for thousands of years, over the whole brackish water phase of the ecosystem. However, our knowledge about the species composition of the cyanobacterial community is limited to the last several decades. In the current study, the presence of species-specific chemical and genetic markers in deep sediments were analyzed to increase the existing knowledge on the history of toxic Nodularia spumigena blooms in the Baltic Sea. As chemical markers, three cyclic nonribosomal peptides were applied: the hepatotoxic nodularin, which in the sea was detected solely in N. spumigena, and two anabaenopeptins (AP827 and AP883a) characteristic of two different chemotypes of this species. From the same sediment samples, DNA was isolated and the gene involved in biosynthesis of nodularin, as well as the phycocyanin intergenic spacer region (PC-IGS), were amplified. The results of chemical and genetic analyses proved for the first time the thousands-year presence of toxic N. spumigena in the Baltic Sea. They also indicated that through all this time, the same two sub-populations of the species co-existed.
Waist Circumference Is an Anthropometric Parameter That Identifies Women with Metabolically Unhealthy Phenotypes
Authors: Torres-Castillo Nathaly , Campos-Perez Wendy , Gonzalez-Becerra Karina , Hernandez-Cañaveral Iván , Vizmanos Barbara , Muñoz-Valle José , Martinez-Lopez Erika
Published: April 2018

Metabolically healthy (MH) and metabolically unhealthy (MUH) phenotypes can be present in any subject independently of their body mass index (BMI). However, factors related to the presence of these phenotypes are poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study is to describe the prevalence and characteristics associated with the MH and MUH phenotypes in Mexican subjects with different BMI categories. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated after 12 h of fasting. HMW (High Molecular Weight) adiponectin and insulin levels were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). A total of 345 subjects were included, of which, 73.9% were women. The prevalence of the MH phenotype was 69.9%, 46.7%, and 19% in normal weight, overweight, and obesity, respectively. ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis showed that the waist circumference demonstrated a statistical significance (p < 0.01) in detecting the MUH phenotype in each BMI group only in women. Furthermore, subjects with lower HMW adiponectin levels showed a 2.1 increased risk of presenting the MUH phenotype. In conclusion, in this Mexican population, waist circumference was an anthropometric parameter that identified women with the MUH phenotype in all BMI categories and hypoadiponectinemia was a risk factor for the presence of this phenotype.
Isocyanate-Free Polyurethane Coatings and Adhesives from Mono- and Di-Saccharides
Authors: Xi Xuedong , Pizzi Antonio , Delmotte Luc
Published: April 2018

Mostly biosourced non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPU) were prepared from mono- and disaccharides, namely glucose and sucrose, reacted with dimethyl carbonate and hexamethylene diamine. The main aim of this research was to show that NIPU can be prepared from mono- and disaccharides, this just being an initial exploratory work and its sole main aim. The oligomers obtained were detected by MALDI-ToF, CP-MAS 13C NMR, and FTIR spectrometries. The glucose-derived NIPU were shown to harden at a markedly lower temperature than the sucrose-derived ones and to be easier to handle and spread. The NIPU obtained were applied as wood and steel surface coatings and tested by the sessile drop test (on wood) and cross-cut test (on steel) with encouraging results. The glucose NIPU gave good surface coating results already at 103 °C, while the sucrose NIPU yielded good results only at a markedly higher temperature of hardening. The NIPU saccharide resins were also tested as thermosetting wood joint adhesives with the glucose NIPU yielding very encouraging results.
Low-Cost Advanced Hydrogels of Calcium Alginate/Carbon Nanofibers with Enhanced Water Diffusion and Compression Properties
Authors: Llorens-Gámez Mar , Serrano-Aroca Ángel
Published: April 2018

A series of alginate films was synthesised with several calcium chloride cross-linker contents (from 3 to 18% w/w) with and without a very low amount (0.1% w/w) of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in order to reduce the production costs as much as possible. The results of this study showed a very significant enhancement of liquid water diffusion and mechanical compressive modulus for high calcium chloride contents when this minuscule amount of CNFs is incorporated into calcium alginate hydrogels. These excellent results are attributed to a double cross-linking process, in which calcium cations are capable of cross-linking both alginate chains and CNFs creating a reinforced structure exhibiting ultrafast water diffusion through carbon nanochannels. Thus, these excellent results render these new alginate composites very promising for many bioengineering fields in need of low-cost advanced hydrogels with superior water diffusion and compression properties.
Spatiotemporal Evolution of Land Subsidence in the Beijing Plain 2003–2015 Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) with Multi-Source SAR Data
Authors: Zhou Chaodong , Gong Huili , Zhang Youquan , Warner Timothy , Wang Cong
Published: April 2018

Land subsidence is one of the most important geological hazards in Beijing, China, and its scope and magnitude have been growing rapidly over the past few decades, mainly due to long-term groundwater withdrawal. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) has been used to monitor the deformation in Beijing, but there is a lack of analysis of the long-term spatiotemporal evolution of land subsidence. This study focused on detecting and characterizing spatiotemporal changes in subsidence in the Beijing Plain by using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) and geographic spatial analysis. Land subsidence during 2003–2015 was monitored by using ENVISAT ASAR (2003–2010), RADARSAT-2 (2011–2015) and TerraSAR-X (2010–2015) images, with results that are consistent with independent leveling measurements. The radar-based deformation velocity ranged from −136.9 to +15.2 mm/year during 2003–2010, and −149.4 to +8.9 mm/year during 2011–2015 relative to the reference point. The main subsidence areas include Chaoyang, Tongzhou, Shunyi and Changping districts, where seven subsidence bowls were observed between 2003 and 2015. Equal Fan Analysis Method (EFAM) shows that the maximum extensive direction was eastward, with a growing speed of 11.30 km2/year. Areas of differential subsidence were mostly located at the boundaries of the seven subsidence bowls, as indicated by the subsidence rate slope. Notably, the area of greatest subsidence was generally consistent with the patterns of groundwater decline in the Beijing Plain.
Regional Daily ET Estimates Based on the Gap-Filling Method of Surface Conductance
Authors: Xu Jiaming , Wu Bingfang , Yan Nana , Tan Shen
Published: April 2018

Remote sensing allows regional evapotranspiration (ET) values to be obtained. Surface conductance is a key variable in estimating ET and controls surface flux interactions between the underlying surface and atmosphere. Limited by the influence of clouds, ET can only be estimated on cloud-free days. In this study, a gap-filling method is proposed to acquire daily surface conductance, which was coupled into a Penman-Monteith (P-M) equation, to estimate the regional daily ET over the Hai River Basin. The gap-filling method is coupled with the canopy conductance, surface conductance and a simple time extension method, which provides more mechanisms and is more comprehensive. Field observations, including eddy covariance (EC) fluxes and meteorological elements from automatic weather station (AWS), were collected from two sites for calibration and validation. One site is located in Guantao County, which is cropped in a circular pattern with winter wheat and summer maize. The other site is located in Miyun County, which has orchard and summer maize crops. The P-M equation was inverted to the computed surface conductance at the field scale, and latent heat fluxes from EC were processed and converted to daily ET. The results show that the surface conductance model used in the gap-filling method performs well compared with the inverted surface conductance, which suggests that the model used here is reasonable. In addition, the relationship between the results estimated from the gap-filling method and EC measurements is more pronounced than that between the other method and the EC measurements. The R 2 values improve from 0.68 to 0.75 at the Guantao site and from 0.79 to 0.88 at the Miyun site. The improvement mainly occurs during the growing crop season, according to the temporal variations in the results.
Estimating Vegetation Water Content and Soil Surface Roughness Using Physical Models of L-Band Radar Scattering for Soil Moisture Retrieval
Authors: Kim Seung-Bum , Huang Huanting , Liao Tien-Hao , Colliander Andreas
Published: April 2018

Soil surface roughness and above-ground vegetation water content (VWC) are estimated by inverting physical models for L-band scattering and absorption at 40° incidence angle using ground, airborne and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) radar data. The spatial resolution varies from field scale (airborne and ground) to 3 km (SMAP). The temporal resolution is defined by the length and interval of observation time windows (weeks to three months for surface roughness, and three to seven days for VWC). The validation of the roughness estimates shows an accuracy of 25% (bare surface) and 29 to 46% (croplands and pasture). The correlation degrades as vegetation becomes thicker, indicating the stronger scattering and absorption by thicker vegetation. The roughness retrievals with the SMAP data are within the physical range of 0.5 cm to 4 cm. They show larger values in croplands than in natural terrain. The VWC estimate modifies a ‘first guess’ (in situ values for the airborne experiment; and 16-daily climatology for SMAP). The VWC retrievals correctly follow the full growth of crops and the RMSE is smaller than 20% in the airborne retrievals: the correlation ranges from 0.57 to 0.91. These results demonstrate that the forward model inversion has a potential to retrieve VWC for the four major crops over the entire phase of the crop growth. The VWC retrievals from the SMAP data revised the climatology first guess more in the croplands, where the climatology is more likely to depart from the contemporaneous condition than in natural landcover. The value of this work lies in the fact that the surface roughness at the footprint scale is difficult to characterize and a global VWC product at SMAP’s spatial scale from microwave observations is rare, and that this paper presents a plausible pathway towards such products. The estimates at these temporal and spatial scales derived from microwave observations will be useful for studies of climate, agriculture, and soil moisture.
Micro-Doppler Effect Removal in ISAR Imaging by Promoting Joint Sparsity in Time-Frequency Domain
Authors: Sun Lin , Chen Weidong
Published: April 2018

For micromotion scatterers with small rotating radii, the micro-Doppler (m-D) effect interferes with cross-range compression in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging and leads to a blurred main body image. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to remove the m-D effect by promoting the joint sparsity in the time-frequency domain. Firstly, to obtain the time-frequency representations of the limited measurements, the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) was modelled by an underdetermined equation. Then, a new objective function was used to measure the joint sparsity of the STFT entries so that the joint sparse recovery problem could be formulated as a constrained minimization problem. Similar to the smoothed l 0 (SL0) algorithm, a steepest descend approach was used to minimize the new objective function, where the projection step was tailored to make it suitable for m-D effect removal. Finally, we utilized the recovered STFT entries to obtain the main body echoes, based on which cross-range compression could be realized without m-D interference. After all contaminated range cells were processed by the proposed method, a clear main body image could be achieved. Experiments using both the point-scattering model and electromagnetic (EM) computation validated the performance of the proposed method.
Competitive Deep-Belief Networks for Underwater Acoustic Target Recognition
Authors: Yang Honghui , Shen Sheng , Yao Xiaohui , Sheng Meiping , Wang Chen
Published: April 2018

Underwater acoustic target recognition based on ship-radiated noise belongs to the small-sample-size recognition problems. A competitive deep-belief network is proposed to learn features with more discriminative information from labeled and unlabeled samples. The proposed model consists of four stages: (1) A standard restricted Boltzmann machine is pretrained using a large number of unlabeled data to initialize its parameters; (2) the hidden units are grouped according to categories, which provides an initial clustering model for competitive learning; (3) competitive training and back-propagation algorithms are used to update the parameters to accomplish the task of clustering; (4) by applying layer-wise training and supervised fine-tuning, a deep neural network is built to obtain features. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve classification accuracy of 90.89%, which is 8.95% higher than the accuracy obtained by the compared methods. In addition, the highest accuracy of our method is obtained with fewer features than other methods.
Supporting Beacon and Event-Driven Messages in Vehicular Platoons through Token-Based Strategies
Authors: Balador Ali , Uhlemann Elisabeth , Calafate Carlos , Cano Juan-Carlos
Published: April 2018

Timely and reliable inter-vehicle communications is a critical requirement to support traffic safety applications, such as vehicle platooning. Furthermore, low-delay communications allow the platoon to react quickly to unexpected events. In this scope, having a predictable and highly effective medium access control (MAC) method is of utmost importance. However, the currently available IEEE 802.11p technology is unable to adequately address these challenges. In this paper, we propose a MAC method especially adapted to platoons, able to transmit beacons within the required time constraints, but with a higher reliability level than IEEE 802.11p, while concurrently enabling efficient dissemination of event-driven messages. The protocol circulates the token within the platoon not in a round-robin fashion, but based on beacon data age, i.e., the time that has passed since the previous collection of status information, thereby automatically offering repeated beacon transmission opportunities for increased reliability. In addition, we propose three different methods for supporting event-driven messages co-existing with beacons. Analysis and simulation results in single and multi-hop scenarios showed that, by providing non-competitive channel access and frequent retransmission opportunities, our protocol can offer beacon delivery within one beacon generation interval while fulfilling the requirements on low-delay dissemination of event-driven messages for traffic safety applications.
Gas Sensing Properties of p-Co3O4/n-TiO2 Nanotube Heterostructures
Authors: Alev Onur , Kılıç Alp , Çakırlar Çiğdem , Büyükköse Serkan , Öztürk Zafer
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we fabricated p-Co3O4/n-TiO2 heterostructures and investigated their gas sensing properties. The structural and morphological characterization were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis (XPS). The electrical properties of the heterostructure were studied within the temperature range from 293 K to 423 K. Changes in electrical properties and sensing behavior against reducing and oxidizing gases were attributed to the formation of p–n heterojunctions at the Co3O4 and TiO2 interface. In comparison with sensing performed with pristine TiO2 nanotubes (NTs), a significant improvement in H2 sensing at 200 °C was observed, while the sensing response against NO2 decreased for the heterostructures. Additionally, a response against toluene gas, in contrast to pristine TiO2 NTs, appeared in the Co3O4/TiO2 heterostructure samples.
Sensor-Based Optimization Model for Air Quality Improvement in Home IoT
Authors: Kim Jonghyuk , Hwangbo Hyunwoo
Published: April 2018

We introduce current home Internet of Things (IoT) technology and present research on its various forms and applications in real life. In addition, we describe IoT marketing strategies as well as specific modeling techniques for improving air quality, a key home IoT service. To this end, we summarize the latest research on sensor-based home IoT, studies on indoor air quality, and technical studies on random data generation. In addition, we develop an air quality improvement model that can be readily applied to the market by acquiring initial analytical data and building infrastructures using spectrum/density analysis and the natural cubic spline method. Accordingly, we generate related data based on user behavioral values. We integrate the logic into the existing home IoT system to enable users to easily access the system through the Web or mobile applications. We expect that the present introduction of a practical marketing application method will contribute to enhancing the expansion of the home IoT market.
Sensor Fusion to Estimate the Depth and Width of the Weld Bead in Real Time in GMAW Processes
Authors: Bestard Guillermo , Sampaio Renato , Vargas José , Alfaro Sadek
Published: April 2018

The arc welding process is widely used in industry but its automatic control is limited by the difficulty in measuring the weld bead geometry and closing the control loop on the arc, which has adverse environmental conditions. To address this problem, this work proposes a system to capture the welding variables and send stimuli to the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) conventional process with a constant voltage power source, which allows weld bead geometry estimation with an open-loop control. Dynamic models of depth and width estimators of the weld bead are implemented based on the fusion of thermographic data, welding current and welding voltage in a multilayer perceptron neural network. The estimators were trained and validated off-line with data from a novel algorithm developed to extract the features of the infrared image, a laser profilometer was implemented to measure the bead dimensions and an image processing algorithm that measures depth by making a longitudinal cut in the weld bead. These estimators are optimized for embedded devices and real-time processing and were implemented on a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device. Experiments to collect data, train and validate the estimators are presented and discussed. The results show that the proposed method is useful in industrial and research environments.
Micro-Capillary Coatings Based on Spiropyran Polymeric Brushes for Metal Ion Binding, Detection, and Release in Continuous Flow
Authors: Dunne Aishling , Delaney Colm , McKeon Aoife , Nesterenko Pavel , Paull Brett , Benito-Lopez Fernando , Diamond Dermot , Florea Larisa
Published: April 2018

Micro-capillaries, capable of light-regulated binding and qualitative detection of divalent metal ions in continuous flow, have been realised through functionalisation with spiropyran photochromic brush-type coatings. Upon irradiation with UV light, the coating switches from the passive non-binding spiropyran form to the active merocyanine form, which binds different divalent metal ions (Zn2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Cd2+), as they pass through the micro-capillary. Furthermore, the merocyanine visible absorbance spectrum changes upon metal ion binding, enabling the ion uptake to be detected optically. Irradiation with white light causes reversion of the merocyanine to the passive spiropyran form, with simultaneous release of the bound metal ion from the micro-capillary coating.
A Student’s t Mixture Probability Hypothesis Density Filter for Multi-Target Tracking with Outliers
Authors: Liu Zhuowei , Chen Shuxin , Wu Hao , He Renke , Hao Lin
Published: April 2018

In multi-target tracking, the outliers-corrupted process and measurement noises can reduce the performance of the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter severely. To solve the problem, this paper proposed a novel PHD filter, called Student’s t mixture PHD (STM-PHD) filter. The proposed filter models the heavy-tailed process noise and measurement noise as a Student’s t distribution as well as approximates the multi-target intensity as a mixture of Student’s t components to be propagated in time. Then, a closed PHD recursion is obtained based on Student’s t approximation. Our approach can make full use of the heavy-tailed characteristic of a Student’s t distribution to handle the situations with heavy-tailed process and the measurement noises. The simulation results verify that the proposed filter can overcome the negative effect generated by outliers and maintain a good tracking accuracy in the simultaneous presence of process and measurement outliers.
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition and Antioxidant Activity of N-trans-Caffeoyldopamine and N-trans-Feruloyldopamine
Authors: Dizdar Muamer , Vidic Danijela , Požgan Franc , Štefane Bogdan , Maksimović Milka
Published: April 2018

Phenolic acids and their derivatives found in nature are well-known for their potential biological activity. In this study, two amides derived from trans-caffeic/ferulic acid and dopamine were synthesized and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mass spectrometry, proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The compounds were tested for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from Electrophorus electricus and for antioxidant activity by scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH•) and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation (ABTS•+), reducing ferric ions, and ferrous ions chelation. N-trans-Feruloyldopamine displayed the highest inhibitory effect on AChE with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 8.52 μM. In addition, an in silico study was done to determine the most favorable AChE cluster with the synthesized compounds. Further, these clusters were investigated for binding positions at the lowest free binding energy. Both synthesized hydroxycinnamates were found to be better antioxidants than the parent acids in in vitro tests applied. N-trans-Caffeoyldopamine showed the best antioxidant activity in the three tested methods—against non-biological stable free radicals IC50 5.95 μM for DPPH•, 0.24 μM for the ABTS•+ method, and for reducing power (ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE) 822.45 μmol/mmol)—while for chelation activity against Fe2+ ions N-trans-feruloyldopamine had slightly better antioxidant activity (IC50 3.17 mM).
Supplier Risk Assessment Based on Best-Worst Method and K-Means Clustering: A Case Study
Authors: Er Kara Merve , Oktay Fırat Seniye
Published: April 2018

Supplier evaluation and selection is one of the most critical strategic decisions for developing a competitive and sustainable organization. Companies have to consider supplier related risks and threats in their purchasing decisions. In today’s competitive and risky business environment, it is very important to work with reliable suppliers. This study proposes a clustering based approach to group suppliers based on their risk profile. Suppliers of a company in the heavy-machinery sector are assessed based on 17 qualitative and quantitative risk types. The weights of the criteria are determined by using the Best-Worst method. Four factors are extracted by applying Factor Analysis to the supplier risk data. Then k-means clustering algorithm is applied to group core suppliers of the company based on the four risk factors. Three clusters are created with different risk exposure levels. The interpretation of the results provides insights for risk management actions and supplier development programs to mitigate supplier risk.
Understanding Shanghai Residents’ Perception of Leisure Impact and Experience Satisfaction of Urban Community Parks: An Integrated and IPA Method
Authors: Yu Bingqin , Che Shengquan , Xie Changkun , Tian Shu
Published: April 2018

This exploratory study employed an integrated methodological approach to examine the relationship among several factors for residents in Shanghai when it came to the use of urban park spaces. The study was conducted using two sample groups of 1200 residents each, and around three community parks that contained a variety of recreation-related impacts. Open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires and correspondence analysis were used to reflect residents’ basic attitudes, recreational perception, and satisfaction evaluation by Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) method, and mirrored preferences for future development of community parks. The results suggest that for residents, high levels of satisfaction with landscape and environment were advantages, but recreation space and facility were critical for the perception of the community parks. In comparison, management was found to be an opportunity factor to improve leisure satisfaction. The findings emphasized landscape, environment, space, facility, and management as elements that enhance recreational perception and avoid passive interference.
Optimal Locating of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations by Application of Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Akbari Milad , Brenna Morris , Longo Michela
Published: April 2018

The advent of alternative vehicle technologies such as Electrical Vehicles (EVs) is an efficient effort to reduce the emission of carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides. Ironically, EVs poses concerns related to vehicle recharging and management. Due to the significance of charging station infrastructure, electric vehicles’ charging stations deployment is investigated in this work. Its aim is to consider several limitations such as the power of charging station, the average time needed for each recharge, and traveling distance per day. Initially, a mathematical formulation of the problem is framed. Then, this problem is optimized by application of Genetic Algorithm (GA), with the objective to calculate the necessary number of charging stations then finding the best positions to locate them to satisfy the clients demand.