bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiological characteristics of pesticide poisoning in Jiangsu Province, China, from 2007 to 2016
Authors: Wang Ning , Jiang Qingtao , Han Lei , Zhang Hengdong , Zhu Baoli , Liu Xin
Published: June 2019

To investigate the characteristics of pesticide poisoning in Jiangsu province and provide a scientific basis for measures for the prevention of pesticide poisoning. Information from pesticide poisoning report cards from 2007 to 2016 was derived from the Occupational Disease and Occupational Health Information Monitoring System, and the characteristics of pesticide poisoning patients were assessed via descriptive analysis. A total of 30,789 pesticide poisoning cases were reported in Jiangsu Province. Of these cases, 23,557 were non-occupational poisonings, accounting for 76.5% of the reported cases. There were 1705 deaths from pesticide poisoning, and the fatality rate was 5.5%. Numerous cases occurred in northeast Jiangsu. Pesticide poisoning cases were primarily concentrated in individuals 36–60 years of age. Pesticide poisoning primarily occurred in the summer. The top types of pesticides causing poisoning were organophosphates. The fatality rate of intentional pesticide poisoning was the lowest among the age group of 0 to 14 years, while the highest was noted among people over 61 years. Therefore, pesticide poisoning is a major problem in Jiangsu Province. We need to strengthen the management of highly toxic pesticides and implement effective health education on the use of pesticides.
Two pathways for venom toxin entry consequent to injection of an Australian elapid snake venom
Authors: Helden Dirk F. van , Dosen Peter J. , O’Leary Margaret A. , Isbister Geoffrey K.
Published: June 2019

Here we test and refute the hypothesis that venom toxins from an Australian elapid, the Eastern Brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis, PTx), solely require lymphatic transport to enter the circulation. Studies were made using anaesthetised non-recovery rats in which a marker dye (India ink) or highly potent PTx venom was injected into the hind paw. The studies required a means of inhibiting lymphatic function, as achieved by cooling of the test hind limb to low temperatures (~3 °C). Maintained entry of a non-lethal dose (0.15 mg/kg) and respiratory arrest consequent to injection of a lethal dose (1 mg/kg) of PTx venom at these low temperatures indicate that venom including toxin components enter the circulation directly via the vascular system, a process facilitated by, but not dependent on, lymphatic transport. Notably, the venom had a direct effect on vascular permeability markedly increasing this to allow extravasation of plasma albumin (MWt ~60 kDa).
Assessment of Pharmacology, Safety, and Metabolic activity of Capsaicin Feeding in Mice
Authors: Baskaran Padmamalini , Markert Laurel , Bennis Jane , Zimmerman Liesl , Fox Jonathan , Thyagarajan Baskaran
Published: June 2019

Capsaicin (CAP) activates transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1) to counter high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Several studies suggest that CAP induces the browning of white adipocytes in vitro or inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) in vivo. However, there is a lack of data on the dose-response for CAP to inhibit HFD-induced obesity. Therefore, we first performed experiments to correlate the effect of various doses of CAP to prevent HFD-induced weight gain in wild-type (WT) mice. Next, we performed a subchronic safety study in WT mice fed a normal chow diet (NCD ± CAP, 0.01% in NCD) or HFD ± CAP (0.01% in HFD) for eight months. We analyzed the expression of adipogenic and thermogenic genes and proteins in the iWAT from these mice, conducted histological studies of vital organs, measured the inflammatory cytokines in plasma and iWAT, and evaluated liver and kidney functions. The dose-response study showed that CAP, at doses above 0.001% in HFD, countered HFD-induced obesity in mice. However, no difference in the anti-obesity effect of CAP was observed at doses above 0.003% in HFD. Also, CAP, above 0.001%, enhanced the expression of sirtuin-1 and thermogenic uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) in the iWAT. Safety analyses suggest that CAP did not cause inflammation. However, HFD elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase and creatinine, caused iWAT hypertrophy and hepatic steatosis, and CAP reversed these. Our data suggest that CAP antagonizes HFD-induced metabolic stress and inflammation, while it does not cause any systemic toxicities and is well tolerated by mice.
Surface Expressions of Subsurface Sediment Mobilization Rooted into a Gas Hydrate-Rich Cryosphere on Mars
Authors: De Toffoli Barbara , Pozzobon Riccardo , Massironi Matteo , Mazzarini Francesco , Conway Susan , Cremonese Gabriele
Published: June 2019

We report on evidence for fluid circulation in the upper crust of Mars, which could create environments favorable for life and its development. We investigate the nature of the thumbprint terrains covering part of Arcadia Planitia in the Martian northern hemisphere. Our analytic procedure allowed us to (i) hypothesise a potential relationship between these thumbprint terrains and an inferred underground fracture network that extends to where the clathrate-rich cryosphere contacts with the underlying hydrosphere; (ii) support the hypothesis that these thumbprint terrains are made of fine grained loosely packed materials erupted from deep beneath the subsurface mobilized by water; and (iii) date the thumbprint terrains of Arcadia Planitia to ~370 Ma. We conclude that the study area is an area worthy of astrobiological investigation, bringing water and fine grained sediment from depth to the surface for investigation.
A Scoring System with High-Resolution Computed Tomography to Predict Drug-Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Development and Internal Validation
Authors: Anan Keisuke , Ichikado Kazuya , Ishihara Takuma , Shintani Ayumi , Kawamura Kodai , Suga Moritaka , Sakagami Takuro
Published: June 2019

Drugs can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, there is no established clinical prediction rule for drug-associated ARDS (DARDS). We aimed to develop and validate a scoring system for DARDS prediction. We analysed data collected from a prospective, single-centre, cohort study that included ARDS patients. The ARDS diagnosis was based on the American-European Consensus Conference or Berlin definition. Drug-associated acute lung injury (DALI) was defined as previous exposure to drugs which cause ALI and presence of traditional risk factors for ALI. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT; indicating extent of lung damage with fibroproliferation), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC; indicating multiorgan failure) scores and PaO2/FiO2 were evaluated for their ability to predict DARDS. Twenty-nine of 229 patients had DARDS. The HRCT, APACHE II, and DIC scores and PaO2/FiO2 were assessed. The model-based predicted probability of DARDS fitted well with the observed data, and discrimination ability, assessed through bootstrap with an area under the receiver-operating curve, improved from 0.816 to 0.875 by adding the HRCT score. A simple clinical scoring system consisting of the APACHE II score, PaO2/FiO2, and DIC and HRCT scores can predict DARDS. This model may facilitate more appropriate clinical decision-making.
Re-evaluating the significance of the dive response during voluntary surface apneas in the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
Authors: Fahlman A. , Miedler S. , Rocho-Levine J. , Jabois A. , Arenarez J. , Marti-Bonmati L. , García-Párraga D. , Cauture F.
Published: June 2019

The dive response is well documented for marine mammals, and includes a significant reduction in heart rate (fH) during submersion as compared while breathing at the surface. In the current study we assessed the influence of the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) while estimating the resting fH while breathing. Using transthoracic echocardiography we measured fH, and stroke volume (SV) during voluntary surface apneas at rest up to 255 s, and during recovery from apnea in 11 adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus, 9 males and 2 females, body mass range: 140–235 kg). The dolphins exhibited a significant post-respiratory tachycardia and increased SV. Therefore, only data after this RSA had stabilized were used for analysis and comparison. The average (±s.d.) fH, SV, and cardiac output (CO) after spontaneous breaths while resting at the surface were 44 ± 6 beats min−1, 179 ± 31 ml, and 7909 ± 1814 l min−1, respectively. During the apnea the fH, SV, and CO decreased proportionally with the breath-hold duration, and after 255 s they, respectively, had decreased by an average of 18%, 1–21%, and 12–37%. During recovery, the fH, SV, and CO rapidly increased by as much as 117%, 34%, and 190%, respectively. Next, fH, SV and CO rapidly decreased to resting values between 90–110 s following the surface apnea. These data highlight the necessity to define how the resting fH is estimated at the surface, and separating it from the RSA associated with each breath to evaluate the significance of cardiorespiratory matching during diving.
A rapid method for measuring serum oxidized albumin in a rat model of proteinuria and hypertension
Authors: Liu Beibei , Yasukawa Keiko , Koid Suang Suang , Yeerbolati Alimila , Reheman Latapati , Wang Conghui , Yatomi Yutaka , Shimosawa Tatsuo
Published: June 2019

Oxidative stress is a risk for and cause of various disease, however, measurements of oxidative stress are either time-consuming or non-specific. Here, we established a rapid method of using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to measure serum oxidized albumin in a rat model. We optimized HPLC conditions for rat oxidized albumin. To validate our method, three-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were uninephrectomized and treated normal diet, high salt diet or high salt diet with Tempol, a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic. After 4 weeks of treatment, we analyzed serum oxidized albumin. The main findings are listed as below. (i) Our method of oxidized albumin measurement only takes 16 minutes, with an intra-day and inter-day deviation within 1% and a detection limit concentration of 6.4 mg/ml. (ii) Oxidized albumin levels were significantly higher in the high salt diet group than in the normal salt diet group, and this effect was reversed by Tempol. (iii) Oxidized albumin levels also correlated with urinary protein and 8-isoprostane levels. In conclusion, we have established a simple method for evaluating rat serum oxidized albumin using HPLC. Our method is rapid and has an advantage over conventional methods and may be useful for animal models of oxidative stress.
Association between subfoveal choroidal thickness and leakage site on fluorescein angiography in Behçet’s uveitis
Authors: Shirahama Shintaro , Kaburaki Toshikatsu , Nakahara Hisae , Tanaka Rie , Komae Keiko , Fujino Yujiro , Kawashima Hidetoshi , Aihara Makoto
Published: June 2019

This study aimed to clarify the association between the retinal leakage site on fluorescein angiography (FA) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Twenty-two patients with Behçet’s uveitis were retrospectively selected in this study. They underwent EDI-OCT and FA in both the active and convalescent phases. The associations of the changes between the active and convalescent phases in SCT and in FA leakage in various retinal areas (total retina, peripheral retina, macula, and optic disc) were examined. The changing rates of SCT between the two investigated phases were significantly associated with the changes in total FA leakage scores (y = 1.79X+ 11.7, r2 = 0.210, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the changes in FA leakage scores in the macula were correlated with the changing rates in SCT (y = 3.72X+ 13.9, r2 = 0.219, p < 0.05). By contrast, there were no significant associations between the changes in SCT and those in leakage from the peripheral retina or the optic disc on FA. These findings demonstrate that SCT may reflect macular vasculitis as determined using FA, and SCT measurement could be a non-invasive method to investigate inflammation near the macula in Behçet’s uveitis.
One-stage Surgical Treatment of Simultaneous Osteotomy and Asymmetric Lengthening on Short Femur with Severe Deformity of Genu Valgus
Authors: Xu Hui-Fa , Xu Chao , Sha Jia , Yan Ya-Bo , Li Chao , Liu Zhi-Chen , Huang Lu-Yu , Lei Wei
Published: June 2019

This study aimed to discuss the effects of one stage surgical treatment by simultaneous osteotomy and asymmetric lengthening by Ilizarov external fixator on short femur with severe deformity of genu valgus. A total of 12 cases with unilateral deformities treated by simultaneous osteotomy and Ilizarov asymmetric lengthening on short femur with severe deformity of genu valgus were retrospectively analyzed from January 2006 to April 2015. The affected limbs were 2.5–11 cm (5.2 cm on average) short, the femorotibial angle was 135°–158° (146.3° on average), and the ankle interval was 15–43 cm (24.7 cm on average). The Paley method was used to determine the osteotomy plane (distal femur) of genu valgus. According to this standard, the bone union results were as follows: 11 had excellent and 1 had good, where 7 patients had excellent and 5 had good functional outcomes. One stage surgical treatment by simultaneous osteotomy and asymmetric lengthening on short femur with severe deformity of genu valgus was considered to be an effective and reliable method with better osteotomy union, less trauma and fewer complications.
2D materials as semiconducting gate for field-effect transistors with inherent over-voltage protection and boosted ON-current
Authors: Qian Qingkai , Lei Jiacheng , Wei Jin , Zhang Zhaofu , Tang Gaofei , Zhong Kailun , Zheng Zheyang , Chen Kevin J.
Published: June 2019

Various 2D/3D heterostructures can be created by harnessing the advantages of both the layered two-dimensional semiconductors and bulk materials. A semiconducting gate field-effect transistor (SG-FET) structure based on 2D/3D heterostructures is proposed here. The SG-FET is demonstrated on an AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) by adopting single-layer MoS2 as the gate electrode. The MoS2 semiconducting gate can effectively turn on and turn off the HEMT without sacrificing the subthreshold swing and breakdown voltage. Most importantly, the proposed semiconducting gate can deliver inherent over-voltage protection for field-effect transistors (FETs). Furthermore, the self-adjustable semiconducting gate potential with drain bias can even boost the ON-current while guaranteeing the safe operation of FET. In implementing the semiconducting gate, the layered two-dimensional materials such as the adopted MoS2 have several important benefits such as the feasibility of high-quality crystals on different gate dielectrics and the good controllability of semiconducting gate depletion threshold voltage by the layer thickness. The demonstrated semiconducting gate as over-voltage protection for HEMT can be extended to other FETs, which can become another advantageous arena for the possible applications of the layered two-dimensional materials.
Stoichiometry-controlled secondary structure transition of amyloid-derived supramolecular dipeptide co-assemblies
Authors: Ji Wei , Yuan Chengqian , Chakraborty Priyadarshi , Gilead Sharon , Yan Xuehai , Gazit Ehud
Published: June 2019

Conformational transitions of secondary structures are a crucial factor in many protein misfolding diseases. However, the actual transition of folded proteins into β-sheet-rich structures is not fully understood. Inhibition of aggregate formation, mediated by the β-sheet conformation, and control of the secondary structural transition of proteins and peptides could potentially attenuate the development of amyloid-associated diseases. Here we describe a stoichiometry-controlled secondary structure transition of amyloid-derived dipeptide assemblies from a β-sheet to supramolecular helix conformation through co-assembly with a bipyridine derivative. The transition is mainly mediated by the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions between the two components, which induce the altered stacking and conformation of the co-assemblies, as confirmed by experimental results and computational simulations. This work not only exemplifies a feasible strategy to disrupt the β-sheet conformation, underlying amyloid-like fibril formation, but also provides a conceptual basis for the future utilization of the helical nanostructures in various biological applications.
Affinity of fentanyl and its derivatives for the σ1-receptor
Authors: Lipiński Piotr F. J. , Szűcs Edina , Jarończyk Małgorzata , Kosson Piotr , Benyhe Sándor , Misicka Aleksandra , Dobrowolski Ján Cz. , Sadlej Joanna
Published: June 2019

Fentanyl has been found to only weakly bind the σ1-receptor, and its close derivatives have submicromolar affinities.
Oligomeric odd–even effect in liquid crystals
Authors: Saha Rony , Babakhanova Greta , Parsouzi Zeinab , Rajabi Mojtaba , Gyawali Prabesh , Welch Chris , Mehl Georg H. , Gleeson James , Lavrentovich Oleg D. , Sprunt Samuel , Jákli Antal
Published: June 2019

We demonstrate a novel oligomeric odd–even effect of mesogenic segments connected by flexible chains with an odd number of methylene groups.
Regioselective 1,2-hydroboration of N-heteroarenes using a potassium-based catalyst
Authors: Liu Tianwei , He Jianghua , Zhang Yuetao
Published: June 2019

1,2-Regioselective hydroboration of quinolines achieved using a potassium-based catalyst.
Dynamic self-assembly of ions with variable size and charge in solution
Authors: Eisermann Jana , Kerth Andreas , Hinderberger Dariush
Published: June 2019

Recently it was found that at ambient temperatures and in specific ternary solvents a cationic macrocyclic tetraimidazolium molecular box and small dianionic salts can self-assemble into highly defined, colloid-like ionic clusters, called ionoids.
NewLeishmania donovaninucleoside hydrolase inhibitors from Brazilian flora
Authors: Nirma Charlotte , Rangel Gregorio Torres , Alves Marina Amaral , Casanova Livia Marques , Moreira Mayara Monteiro , Rodrigues Luanna Monteiro , Hamerski Lidilhone , Tinoco Luzineide Wanderley
Published: June 2019

This study presents flavonoids as new inhibitors of the nucleoside hydrolase fromLeishmania donovani(LdNH) and the first uncompetitive inhibitor described forLdNH.
Novel dermacozine-1-carboxamides as promising anticancer agents with tubulin polymerization inhibitory activity
Authors: Ghanta Venkata Rao , Madala Nagaraju , Pasula Aparna , Pindiprolu Sai Kiran S. S. , Battula Kumara Swamy , Krishnamurthy Praveen T. , Raman Balamurali
Published: June 2019

In the present study, novel dermacozine-1-carboxamides (8a–8n) were synthesized and screened for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against three different cancer cell lines: MCF-7 (breast cancer), A-549 (lung cancer) and DU145 (prostate cancer).
Thermal- and salt-activated shape memory hydrogels based on a gelatin/polyacrylamide double network
Authors: Chen Fang , Yang Kaixiang , Zhao Dinglei , Yang Haiyang
Published: June 2019

We present a gelatin/polyacrylamide double network hydrogel with thermal-activated behavior due to the reversible triple helices transformation of gelatin, and salt-activated performance due to the formation of hydrophobic interaction domains under Hofmeister effect.
The effect of nanoencapsulation of ICG on two-photon bioimaging
Authors: Kumari Anshu , Kumari Kalpana , Gupta Sharad
Published: June 2019

ICG-PLA NPs were synthesized for multiphoton bioimaging. The ICG-PLA NPs were more efficiently taken up by the cells and improved the photostability of the ICG. The ICG-PLA NPs incubated cells display superior contrast in multiphoton imaging.
Improvement of self-cleaning waterborne polyurethane-acrylate with cationic TiO2/reduced graphene oxide
Authors: Chen Gang , Ouyang Si , Deng Yiqing , Chen Mengxiao , Zhao Yanqing , Zou Wangcai , Zhao Qiang
Published: June 2019

Eco-friendly waterborne polyurethane-acrylate with high-performance via incorporation of cationic TiO2/reduced graphene oxide.
Phosphorus corrole complexes: from property tuning to applications in photocatalysis and triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion
Authors: Mahammed Atif , Chen Kepeng , Vestfrid Jenya , Zhao Jianzhang , Gross Zeev
Published: June 2019

Hypothesis driven design leads to metal-free corroles that display excellent performance for photo-induced reduction, oxidation and energy transfer, and also serve as superb catalysts for photoredox organic reactions and triplet–triplet annihilation upconversions.
Hydroalkynylative cyclization of 1,6-enynes with terminal alkynes
Authors: Teng Qi , Thirupathi Nuligonda , Tung Chen-Ho , Xu Zhenghu
Published: June 2019

A rhodium-catalyzed highly regio- and enantioselective hydroalkynylation generating cis-hydrobenzofuranone-tethered enynes has been developed. The reaction proceeds with a dynamic kinetic head-to-head insertion and symmetry breaking Michael addition cascade.
Stable PbS quantum dot ink for efficient solar cells by solution-phase ligand engineering
Authors: Gu Mengfan , Wang Yongjie , Yang Fan , Lu Kunyuan , Xue Ye , Wu Tian , Fang Honghua , Zhou Sijie , Zhang Yannan , Ling Xufeng , Xu Yalong , Li Fangchao , Yuan Jianyu , Loi Maria Antonietta , Liu Zeke , Ma Wanli
Published: June 2019

A multiple-passivation strategy by solution-phase ligand engineering in lead halide exchanged QDs ink is presented, which result in remarkably improved colloidal stability of QDs ink and enhanced device performance.
Bi3+ doped 2D Ruddlesden–Popper organic lead halide perovskites
Authors: Lyu Feiyi , Zheng Xiaoqi , Wang Yingqiao , Shi Ruowen , Yang Jianli , Li Ziyue , Yu Jiase , Lin Bo-Lin
Published: June 2019

2D Ruddlesden–Popper perovskites exhibit flexible light-emitting modulations and surprising stability improvements upon heterovalent Bi3+ doping.
Formation of highly uniform thinly-wrapped CsPbX3@silicone nanocrystals via self-hydrolysis: suppressed anion exchange and superior stability in polar solvents
Authors: Zhao Haifeng , Wei Linfeng , Zeng Peng , Liu Mingzhen
Published: June 2019

Cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals show promising potential in optical and photonic applications, whereas it is challenging to improve the stability of nanocrystals due to their highly ionic nature and inconsistency in the crystal lattice.
Inhibition of GLS suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in prostate cancer
Authors: Zhang Junfeng , Mao Shiyu , Guo Yadong , Wu Yuan , Yao Xudong , Huang Yong
Published: June 2019

Altered glutamine metabolism is a hallmark of cancer growth, forming the theoretical basis for development of metabolic therapies as cancer treatments. Glutaminase (GLS), a crucial enzyme involved in the regulation of glutamine metabolism, has been reported to play crucial roles in cancer development. However, the precise function of GLS in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to assess the GLS expression and its clinical significance in PCa. We found that GLS was significantly up-regulated in PCa tissues and cell lines. High expression of GLS was significantly associated with Gleason score (P=0.001) and Tumor stage (P=0.015). Functionally, we silenced GLS in PCa cell lines and revealed that GLS knockdown largely blunted the proliferation of DU145 and PC-3 cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that knockdown of GLS induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, we observed that the expressions of Bax were increased while the levels of cyclinD1 and Bcl-2 were decreased after knockdown of GLS in PCa cells. Importantly, through Western blot analysis, we identified that GLS knockdown dramatically suppressed Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Taken together, GLS is a novel oncogene in PCa and may be a potential treatment target for PCa patients.
Alexia and Agraphia Intervention Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Single Case Study
Authors: Hux Karen , Mahrt Tana
Published: June 2019

Purpose

This case study documents the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention for an adolescent with acquired alexia and agraphia following severe traumatic brain injury.

Method

Initial testing revealed severe central alexia and surface agraphia with concomitant anomic aphasia. Intervention components included sight word drills, modified Multiple Oral Reading (MOR) procedures, functional reading tasks, and modified Copy and Recall Treatment. Intervention spanned 2 months with sessions 5 days per week. Data collection and analysis involved monitoring sight word decoding, reading speed and decoding errors during MOR, and spelling accuracy of Copy and Recall Treatment words. Follow-up testing occurred at intervention conclusion.

Results

Sight word mastery for 315 words progressed from 66.35% to 100% over 5 weeks and was maintained thereafter. MOR materials progressed from Grade 1 to Grade 5. Initial reading speed was 31 words per minute with errors on 15% of words. At program completion, reading speed was 47 words per minute with 7% decoding errors despite increased difficulty of reading material. The participant demonstrated initial mastery of 15 spelling lists containing 15 words each and sustained mastery (2 additional consecutive weeks of 100% accuracy) of 8 lists. Follow-up assessment revealed improvements consistent with 3–4 grade levels but persistent impairment relative to premorbid functioning.

Conclusion

The multicomponent program was effective in promoting substantial improvement, although surface alexia and agraphia persisted after 2 months of treatment. The case provides an example of the type and extent of progress possible given minimal initial recovery but systematic intervention within the context of intensive postacute rehabilitation.
RAPIDO: a rejuvenating adaptive PID‐type optimiser for deep neural networks
Authors: Kim S. , Park D.J. , Chang D.E.
Published: June 2019

The authors present a novel gradient descent algorithm called RAPIDO for deep learning. It adapts over time and performs optimisation using current, past and future information similar to the PID controller. The proposed method is suited for optimising deep neural networks that consist of activation functions such as sigmoid, hyperbolic tangent and ReLU functions because it can adapt appropriately to sudden changes in gradients. They experimentally study the authors' method and show the performance results by comparing with other methods on the quadratic objective function and the MNIST classification task. The proposed method shows better performance than the other methods.
Convolutional neural network and multi‐feature fusion for automatic modulation classification
Authors: Wu Hao , Li Yaxing , Zhou Liang , Meng Jin
Published: June 2019

Automatic modulation classification (AMC) lies at the core of cognitive radio and spectrum sensing. In this Letter, the authors propose a novel convolutional neural network (CNN)‐based AMC method with multi‐feature fusion. First, the modulation signals are transformed into two image representations of cyclic spectra (CS) and constellation diagram (CD), respectively. Then, a two‐branch CNN model is developed, a gradient decent strategy is adopted and a multi‐feature fusion technique is exploited to integrate the features learned from CS and CD. The proposed method is computationally efficient, benefited from its simple neural network. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve identical or better results with much reduced learned parameters and training time, compared with the state‐of‐the‐art deep learning‐based methods.
Decentralised resource allocation of position‐based and full‐duplex‐based all‐to‐all broadcasting
Authors: Wang Fangfei , Liu Jie , Zhao Long , Zheng Kan
Published: June 2019

The broadcasting services of vehicles in both vehicular networks and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks can be seen as the typical applications of all‐to‐all (A2A) scenario. In order to achieve efficient information broadcasting in A2A scenarios, this study proposes a two‐stage resource allocation scheme. In the first stage, to improve the frequency spectrum reusability, the communication area is divided into as many non‐overlapping square regions as possible based on the reliability requirements and power constraints of the vehicles, where the nonadjacent square regions share the same frequency spectrum. In the second stage, the vehicles belonging to the same region broadcast information with distributed time division multiplexing, and an improved coded slotted ALOHA scheme is proposed based on full‐duplex, where each vehicle can detect whether its broadcasted information is successful. Thus, the number of retransmissions and collision probability can be reduced and therefore the system energy can be saved. Results indicate that the two‐stage resource allocation scheme significantly improves the resource reusability while guaranteeing the communication reliability.
Improving control effort in output feedback sliding mode control of sampled‐data systems
Authors: Nguyen Thang , Edwards Christopher , Azimi Vahid , Su Wu‐Chung
Published: June 2019

In this study, the problem of output feedback sliding mode control of linear sampled‐data multi‐input–multi‐output systems is considered. Existing sliding mode control schemes can attenuate the influence of an external disturbance by driving system states onto a sliding surface. However, they can exhibit high gains during transients, which can be where T is the sampling time period. To address this problem, a new strategy, which employs disturbance approximation, is proposed so that the control effort will be . The new method avoids deadbeat phenomena and hence, it will be less sensitive to noise. Theoretical analysis is provided to show the convergence and robustness of the proposed method. Simulations were conducted to show the efficiency of the proposed approach.
Improved event‐triggered adaptive control of non‐linear uncertain networked systems
Authors: Issa Sami Al , Chakravarty Arghya , Kar Indrani
Published: June 2019

Over the past few years, networked control systems (NCSs) have shown rapid progress and have indeed been very popular in terms of research as well as industrial applications. The issue of limited resources has been a fundamental problem in the translation of modern control techniques to NCS design. In order to address the aforesaid design challenge, an improved event‐triggered adaptive backstepping control scheme is presented in this study for a class of uncertain NCSs with non‐Lipschitz non‐linearities under limited resources. Rather than a preselected constant threshold assumption, a well‐designed and systematic triggering rule is derived based on the Lyapunov approach in order to satisfy bandwidth limitation and ensure system stability with acceptable transient performance. Relative to existing strategies in the literature, the proposed method leads to a substantially reduced number of transmissions with longer inter‐event time. Thereby, the proposed algorithm exhibits more efficiency in resource utilisation. Simulation results on a networked control based robotic manipulator system illustrate the efficacy of the proposed adaptive scheme compared to benchmark control algorithms intended for a similar application.
Generalised dissipative asynchronous output feedback control for Markov jump repeated scalar non‐linear systems with time‐varying delay
Authors: Wang Jing , Huo Shicheng , Xia Jianwei , Park Ju H. , Huang Xia , Shen Hao
Published: June 2019

This work strives for the issue of generalised dissipative asynchronous output feedback control for Markov jump repeated scalar non‐linear systems with time‐varying delay. The objective is to design an asynchronous output feedback controller, which ensures that the closed‐loop system is generalised stochastically dissipative. Meanwhile, such an asynchronous controller covers not only the asynchronous controller but also the mode‐independent one. By means of a stochastic analysis technique and a modified matrix decoupling method, sufficient conditions are given for deriving the desired controller. At length, an illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the availability of the presented approach.
Guidelines for required grid‐supportive functions in grid‐tied inverters with distributed energy resources
Authors: Hirase Yuko
Published: June 2019

Grid‐tied inverters have become required to equip the function that supports electrical grids stable. So‐called ‘smart inverters’ have also been shown to provide load distribution under steady state. Similarly, other types of advanced inverters that contribute to transient grid stability have recently attracted attention. Combining a battery with an inverter not only enables the use of renewable energy (RE) regardless of time or season but also increases the system inertial and synchronising forces due to its high responsiveness. However, the use of these grid‐supportive features in inverters is commonly not disclosed by manufacturers; thus, a system administrator must uniformly regulate and verify the effects. Although the requirements for smart inverters' are being established, those for advanced inverters with transient contributions have not yet been formulated. Furthermore, these requirements must confirm the transient‐supportive functions regardless of the inverter control method. Therefore, this work proposes a set of guidelines for establishing these requirements based on stabilisation/disturbance theory. Furthermore, it was confirmed by simulation that inverter control satisfying these requirements can be realised, for example, by a control method that simulates a virtual inertial force.
Dual‐band band‐stop microstrip filter with controllable bands based on unequal split ring resonators
Authors: Castillo‐Araníbar Patricia , Garca‐Lampérez Alejandro , Llorente‐Romano Sergio , Segovia‐Vargas Daniel
Published: June 2019

In this study, a dual band band‐stop filter based on split ring resonators (SRR) over a ground plane with unequal rings is proposed and characterised. The proposed SRR design method, which is demonstrated here, ensures the control of the resonance frequencies and their respective bandwidths. The lengths and coupling regions of each ring are arbitrary, making possible the control of, not only the separation between the two generated resonances, but also the bandwidth ratio between the pass‐bands, or quality factors. The full characterisation of the resonators involves the computation of the resonant frequencies and the current distributions at the resonances. These current distributions are used to obtain the electromagnetic energy stored in the resonator that, in turn, is required to estimate the quality factor of each resonance. The dual band band‐stop filter is composed by four proposed SRRs coupled to a transmission line showing that, indeed, both the centre frequencies and its bandwidth ratio can be controlled. The presented results confirm the reliability of the proposed method in the design of passive devices.
Bandwidth enhanced coplanar waveguide‐fed composite right/left handed antenna loaded with resonating rings
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Kumari Runa
Published: June 2019

A coplanar waveguide fed metamaterial antenna based on two‐unit cell composite right/left handed transmission line (CRLH‐TL) loaded with resonating rings is presented. The bandwidth is enhanced by merging the zeroth‐order resonance and first positive‐order resonance of CRLH‐TL with two additional resonances due to resonating rings. The measured results show a – 10 dB fractional bandwidth of 71.11% (2.9–6.1 GHz) with realised gains of 2.35, 3.2, 3.75 and 3.6 dBi at the resonant frequencies 3.4, 4.3, 5.3 and 5.7 GHz, respectively. The peak realised gain is found to be 4.5 dBi at 4.9 GHz. The simulated radiation efficiency is >61% for the entire band of operation with a peak value of 88.75%. A good agreement is found between measured and simulated results. The proposed antenna is suitable for WiMAX (3.3–3.8 GHz) and WLAN (5.15–5.85 GHz) applications.
Review of mismatch mitigation techniques for PV modules
Authors: Niazi Kamran Ali Khan , Yang Yongheng , Sera Dezso
Published: June 2019

The installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems is continuously increasing in both standalone and grid‐connected applications. The energy conversion from solar PV modules is not very efficient, but it is clean and green, which makes it valuable. The energy output from the PV modules is highly affected by the operating conditions. Varying operating conditions may lead to faults in PV modules, e.g. the mismatch faults, which may occur due to shadows over the modules. Consequently, the entire PV system performance in terms of energy production and lifetime is degraded. To address this issue, mismatch mitigation techniques have been developed in the literature. In this context, this study provides a review of the state‐of‐the‐art mismatch mitigation techniques, and operational principles of both passive and active techniques are briefed for better understanding. A comparison is presented among all the techniques in terms of component count, complexity, efficiency, cost, control, functional reliability, and appearance of local maximums. Selected techniques are also benchmarked through simulations. This review serves as a guide to select suitable techniques according to the corresponding requirements and applications. More importantly, it is expected to spark new ideas to develop advanced mismatch mitigation techniques.
A bi-objective model for robust local container drayage problem
Authors: You Jintao , Zhang Canrong , Xue Zhaojie , Miao Lixin , Ye Bin
Published: June 2019

Local Container Drayage Problem (LCDP) refers to the optimization of the process of planning and scheduling container trucks between a terminal and customers to offer door-to-door service to customers in a local area. The time required for (un)packing containers at customers’ sites are often relatively long and uncertain due to the current (un)packing work level and unexpected deviations in operational situations, which has a significant influence on the planning and scheduling of the container transportation process. This paper examines the LCDP with Separable tractors and trailers, and additionally with consideration of (un)packing time Uncertainties (LCDPSU). A proactive strategy is employed to tackle the uncertainty by proposing a “model robust” bi-objective optimization model to balance the tradeoff between operational cost, which includes traveling cost and tractor deployment setup cost, and robustness, which is represented as an exponential expression of the time buffer between two stages of each individual task. The deterministic version of our problem is proved to be NP hard, and an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) scheme is therefore proposed to search for feasible solutions in which the Zoutendijk feasible direction algorithm is embedded in order to tackle the nonlinearity brought in by the robustness of the model. Numerical experiments are conducted to validate the efficiencies and effectivenesses of the proposed models and methods, and managerial implications are drawn from the numerical results.
Two-dimensional infrared and terahertz detectors: Outlook and status
Authors: Rogalski A. , Kopytko M. , Martyniuk P.
Published: June 2019

Since the discovery of graphene, its applications to electronic and optoelectronic devices have been intensively and thoroughly researched. Extraordinary and unusual electronic and optical properties make graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials promising candidates for infrared and terahertz (THz) photodetectors. Until now, however, 2D material-based performance is lower in comparison with those of infrared and terahertz detectors existing in the global market. This paper gives an overview of emerging 2D material detectors' performance and comparison with the traditionally and commercially available ones in different applications in high operating temperature conditions. The most effective single graphene detectors are THz detectors utilizing the plasma rectification effect in the field-effect transistors. Most of the 2D layered semiconducting material photodetectors operate in the visible and near-infrared regions, and generally, their high sensitivity does not coincide with the fast response time, which limits real detector functions.
Light emission from treated surfaces of poly (ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Nakamura Hidehito , Kamata Takashi , Sato Nobuhiro , Mori Kazuhiro
Published: June 2019

There has been considerable interest in poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as an undoped scintillation material for charged particle detections. However, light emission from exposed surfaces is limited by the high refractive index. Here, we show the potential applications of surface-treated PET for radioactive contamination inspections. The two large-area surfaces of three 140-mm × 72-mm × 1-mm plates cut from injection-molded PET were treated in three ways: both polished surfaces, one polished and the other roughened (thus, two different entrance faces), and both roughened surfaces. Transmission spectra were acquired to characterize the responses at the PET surfaces by external light. Transmittances were decreased by roughened surfaces; the effect was dominant for short wavelengths, and the transmittance at the emission maximum was less than 1% when both surfaces were roughened. A portable model system, where smeared filter papers or smeared cotton buds were inspected for charged particle detection, was fabricated to characterize the responses at the PET surfaces by internal light. Count rates for a 241Am radioactive source and a 90Sr radioactive source were increased by the roughened surfaces; count rates when both surfaces were roughened were, respectively, 3.7 and 2.1 times those when both surfaces were polished. Thus, the model system responded well to alpha and beta particles via the PET surface treatments. We revealed that the roughened surfaces diffused light emissions by refraction and bent incident angle at the next boundary surface by reflection. In addition, a strong correlation between increased count rates and decreased transmittances was found via the surface treatments. This knowledge will guide the use of PET in future radiation management.
Optical vortex fiber laser based on modulation of transverse modes in two mode fiber
Authors: Mao Dong , Li Mingkun , He Zhiwen , Cui Xiaoqi , Lu Hua , Zhang Wending , Zhang Han , Zhao Jianlin
Published: June 2019

Optical vortices, characterized by helical phase fronts, are usually generated outside the laser cavity using passive modulation methods. Here, we demonstrate an all-fiber laser to directly deliver mode-locked and continuous-wave vortex beams based on modulation of transverse modes in the two mode fiber. The mode couplers and reflectors for three schemes are long period fiber grating (LPFG) and fiber mirror, fiber taper and fiber Bragg grating, and LPFG and fiber Bragg grating, respectively. The laser is switchable between ±1 order vortex operations by tuning the intracavity polarization controller, and the optical vortex can directly work as an optical tweezer to manipulate rhenium diselenide nanosheets. The pulse duration at the mode-locked state is tunable from subpicoseconds to several picoseconds by spectral filters, and the maximum output power at the continuous-wave state exceeds 35 mW. The cost-effective all-fiber vortex laser is quite attractive for research of micromanipulation, spatiotemporal soliton, and optical communication.
Toward large-scale fault-tolerant universal photonic quantum computing
Authors: Takeda S. , Furusawa A.
Published: June 2019

Photonic quantum computing is one of the leading approaches to universal quantum computation. However, large-scale implementation of photonic quantum computing has been hindered by its intrinsic difficulties, such as probabilistic entangling gates for photonic qubits and lack of scalable ways to build photonic circuits. Here, we discuss how to overcome these limitations by taking advantage of two key ideas which have recently emerged. One is a hybrid qubit-continuous variable approach for realizing a deterministic universal gate set for photonic qubits. The other is the time-domain multiplexing technique to perform arbitrarily large-scale quantum computing without changing the configuration of photonic circuits. These ideas together will enable scalable implementation of universal photonic quantum computers in which hardware-efficient error correcting codes can be incorporated. Furthermore, all-optical implementation of such systems can increase the operational bandwidth beyond terahertz in principle, ultimately enabling large-scale fault-tolerant universal quantum computers with ultrahigh operation frequency.
A rapid and green method for the removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solution using sulfobetaine-modified magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Qiao Jie , Gao Shan , Yao Jiao , Zhang Liting , Li Ningbo
Published: June 2019

A novel and green adsorbent based on sulfobetaine-modified magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (SBMNPs) was successfully synthesized via a convenient one-step chemical coprecipitation method and applied to the removal of the anionic dyes methyl blue (MB) and amaranth (AM) from aqueous solution. The morphology and properties of the SBMNPs were characterized using various methods, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating-sample magnetometry. The obtained SBMNPs were easily dispersible in water and exhibited excellent superparamagnetic behavior. For the adsorption process, four experimental parameters, namely, the solution pH, initial dye concentration, reaction time, and adsorbent dosage, were optimized. The adsorption process was remarkably fast and reached equilibrium within 15 min. The isotherm data were consistent with the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacities of the SBMNPs were 127.06 mg·g−1 and 57.01 mg·g−1 for MB and AM, respectively, which exceed those reported for other adsorbents. The adsorption kinetics were well fitted by a pseudo-second-order model, which indicated chemical adsorption. Furthermore, the SBMNPs displayed good recyclability, removing 80.92% of MB and 77.49% of AM in the fifth cycle. Owing to their rapid adsorption properties and facile synthesis from green and inexpensive starting materials, the SBMNPs may represent a promising new adsorbent for the removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solution.