bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetic properties of amorphous–nanocrystalline Fe–Cr–B–Si–Ni–Nb alloys
Authors: Tavoosi Majid
Published: January 2018

Magnetic characterization of amorphous–nanocrystalline Fe–Cr–B–Si–Ni–Nb alloys was the goal of this study. In this regard, three different amorphous Fe40Cr20Si15B15M10 (Nb, Ni, Ni0.5Nb0.5) alloys were prepared using the mechanical alloying technique for up to 20 h and subsequent annealing. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and vibrating scanning magnetometry. According to the results, amorphous phase can successfully form in Fe40Cr20Si15B15M10 (Nb, Ni, Ni0.5Nb0.5) alloys. The coercivity and saturation magnetization values of the amorphous Fe40Cr20Si15B15Ni10 sample were about 100 Oe and 65.9 emu · g–1. By replacement of Ni with Nb, the coercivity and saturation magnetization values were slightly increased (to about 142 Oe) and decreased (to about 14 emu · g–1), respectively. Regardless of the annealing condition, amorphous–nanocrystalline Fe40Cr20Si15B15Ni10 alloy showed higher saturation magnetization and lower coercivity values in comparison with the samples containing Nb.
Hospital Based Gestational Age Specific Birth Charts in Urban Bangladesh
Authors: Dhar Bishnupada , Bhadra Subrata Kumar
Published: January 2018

Birth weight is not enough to evaluate growth of the newborn. Around the globe, growth charts at birth as percentiles for various gestational ages are available both in developed and developing countries. This study aimed to develop such growth chart in Bangladesh, to exactly evaluate an individual newborn’s growth pattern by comparing growth of its different parts with that of a standard one. A cross sectional observational study conducted at fifteen non-government maternity centers located in different parts of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Narsingdi. Birth weight, birth length, head and chest circumferences of five thousand one hundred and five singleton newborns’ with gestational ages ranging from 35 to 42 weeks were recorded during June 2014 to July 2015. Trained Physicians and paramedics of respective centers recorded data. Gestational age specific percentile charts were constructed for birth weight, birth length, head circumference and chest circumference. Mean birth weight, birth length, head and chest circumferences were found to be respectively 2966g, 47.1, 33.2 and 32.3 cm which were more or less comparable to some other studies in the country and also higher than some of the studies. Most strikingly, prevalence of low birth weight was found to be 11 percent which is significantly lower than any other study conducted in the country. The 10th, 50th and 90th percentile values of birth weight at 40th weeks of gestation were respectively found to be 2600g, 3000g and 3600g. The linear and circumference growth at 40th weeks of gestation match with the percentile values of birth weight. Constructed growth charts are more or less comparable to some South Asian countries but also significantly differ from some other studies. Country specific standard growth chart is required for clinical assessment and identifying high risk newborns for providing special care. The growth charts constructed in this study, will guide policy makers and programme personnel to take necessary interventions for ensuring potential growth of every future newborn. Furthermore, this study has made the opportunity to compare the charts with other South Asian countries and developed world.
Core Competency of Mid-level Public Health Managers in Bangladesh
Authors: Jahan Sharmin , Flora Meerjady Sabrina
Published: January 2018

Bangladesh has been making remarkable progress in health sector. Despite, there are some areas where further intervention is required. People-centered health systems cannot be strengthened without competent management. Core competencies are the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required for the practice of public health. This was a first kind of effort to assess the core competencies of mid-level public health managers, working at different tiers of health system in Bangladesh.  This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2012 to June 2013, to assess the core competencies of mid-level public health managers including Civil Surgeons, Programme Managers, Upazilla Health and Family Planning Officers and Upazilla Family Planning Officers.  Data were collected by pretested self administered questionnaire based on competency measuring scale consisting of four grades of scoring. The questionnaires were mailed to 678 managers of whom 26% responded. The male female ratio of the respondents was 8:1 with an average age of 51 years. The level of competency was found, on scale, between aware and knowledgeable. Only 12.4% of the managers had postgraduate education in public health and they obtained higher average scores in all domains. The overall scores of managers in analytical, policy development, communication, cultural competency, community dimension of practice, public health science, financial planning and leadership skills were 2.6, 2.5, 2.6, 2.6, 2.7, 2.3, 2.6 and 2.7 respectively. Some two-thirds (65.7%) of the respondents had short training on different public health areas, and they showed better competency. The study findings suggest that there are scopes of improvement in the competency of mid-level public health managers in Bangladesh. As postgraduation and short training in public health might improve the competency level of the mid-level managers, so education and training for them are thus recommended.
Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases Among Urban Schoolchildren from Affluent Families
Authors: Ahmed Dilruba
Published: January 2018

Smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, raised blood pressure, low dietary intake of vegetables and fruits have been identified as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The study was aimed to find out the extent of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among adolescent schoolchildren from affluent families of Dhaka city. This cross sectional study was done among 386 students of two English medium high schools during July 2006 to June 2007. Sixty one percent of the sample was boys. The children were of 10-18 years age group (mean=13.5 years). Half of the parents had postgraduate education, fathers mostly businessmen and service holders and mothers were housewives. Moderate physical inactivity at leisure was found among 51% of the study population. Association between moderate physical activity (MPA) at leisure and gender was statistically significant (p <0.001). Furthermore, 34% of the children spent 3 hours or more watching TV and /or using computer in a day. A little over 16% of the children were overweight and 8.5% obese. ‘Ever smoked’ were 16.5% males and 4.0% females. Association between ever smoked and gender was statistically significant (p <0.001). Moreover, 51% children took fruits and 69% took vegetables daily in their diet. Association between intake of fruits and vegetables and gender was not significant. Considering the high level of cardiovascular risk factors among adolescents, in terms of inactivity, overweight, obesity and smoking, population-wide life-style interventions specially focused on adolescents are thus recommended.
Helicobacter pylori cagA gene Polymorphism in Patients with Gastroduodenal Diseases
Authors: Chowdhury Mahbuba , Ahmed Sharmeen , Khan A.F.M.A.L Masum , Tarafdar Shirin , Miah Ruhul Amin
Published: January 2018

Helicobacter pylori is a genetically diverse bacterial pathogen and its CagA gene is a major virulence factor that plays an important role in gastroduodenal pathologies. The biological function of cagA depends on tyrosine phosphorylation within the EPIYA (Glutamate-Proline-Isoleucine-Tyrosine-Alanine) motifs at the C-terminal region of the protein. This region may undergo polymorphism to give different types of EPIYA motifs. EPIYA motif diversity may provide a useful tool for prediction of H. pylori pathogenic activity and accurate determination of number and type of cagA EPIYA motifs could identify the virulent H. pylori. The aim of this study was to detect H. pylori cagA gene and its polymorphism in endoscopic gastroduodenal biopsy specimen from patients with gastroduodenal diseases in Bangladesh. This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Center for Advanced Research in Sciences, University of Dhaka during the period from March 2014 to February 2015. Gastric biopsies were collected from 78 patients with gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer and gastric carcinoma. H. pylori was identified by rapid urease test and ureC gene PCR. Presence of cagA gene and number and pattern of cagA EPIYA motif were determined by PCR. DNA sequencing was carried out to confirm the PCR detection method of cagA EPIYA motif and to analyse their peptide sequence. Among 31(39.7%) H. pylori positive cases, 19 (61.3%) were cagA gene positive in 11(55%) gastritis, 4(66.7%) duodenal ulcer, 2(66.7%) gastric ulcer and 2(100%) gastric carcinoma. A significant association was found between cagA gene and duodenal ulcer (p=˂0.05). EPIYA motif of all H. pylori cagA positive cases showed Western type cagA EPIYA ABC. No East Asian EPIYA ABD motif was found. Majority of gastroduodenal cases (57.9%) had 3 copies of EPIYA (ABC type), 26.3% had 4 copies (ABCC type) while remaining 10.5% had AC and 5.2% AB type EPIYA motif. EPIYA ABC was found in 75% of duodenal ulcer followed by 54.5% of gastritis and 50% of both gastric ulcer and gastric carcinoma patients. EPIYA ABCC motif was found in 50% of gastric ulcer and gastric carcinoma patients. Most of the EPIYA motif was EPIYA ABC and some were ABCC which has the risk of developing gastric carcinoma.
Tumor-Directed Blockade of CD47 with Bispecific Antibodies Induces Adaptive Antitumor Immunity
Authors: Dheilly Elie , Majocchi Stefano , Moine Valéry , Didelot Gérard , Broyer Lucile , Calloud Sébastien , Malinge Pauline , Chatel Laurence , Ferlin Walter , Kosco-Vilbois Marie , Fischer Nicolas , Masternak Krzysztof
Published: January 2018

CD47 serves as an anti-phagocytic receptor that is upregulated by cancer to promote immune escape. As such, CD47 is the focus of intense immuno-oncology drug development efforts. However, as CD47 is expressed ubiquitously, clinical development of conventional drugs, e.g., monoclonal antibodies, is confronted with patient safety issues and poor pharmacology due to the widespread CD47 “antigen sink”. A potential solution is tumor-directed blockade of CD47, which can be achieved with bispecific antibodies (biAbs). Using mouse CD47-blocking biAbs in a syngeneic tumor model allowed us to evaluate the efficacy of tumor-directed blockade of CD47 in the presence of the CD47 antigen sink and a functional adaptive immune system. We show here that CD47-targeting biAbs inhibited tumor growth in vivo, promoting durable antitumor responses and stimulating CD8+ T cell activation in vitro. In vivo efficacy of the biAbs could be further enhanced when combined with chemotherapy or PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade. We also show that selectivity and pharmacological properties of the biAb are dependent on the affinity of the anti-CD47 arm. Taken together, our study validates the approach to use CD47-blocking biAbs either as a monotherapy or part of a multi-drug approach to enhance antitumor immunity.
Research on the Transportation of Low-Strength Composites Sheets
Authors: Ji Renhe , Chang Baohua , Wang Li , Wang Wenzhu , Du Dong
Published: January 2018

The novel non-combustible sandwich panel is extremely fragile in manufacturing and cannot be tensioned between rolls. Previous studies on the roll-to-roll system, which mainly focused on the high-tension situations and little described the low-strength materials, are insufficient. To explore the transportation of low-strength materials, we study the tension distribution of continuous moving flexible one-dimensional materials on a steady-state track. First, we propose a numerical method to calculate the steady-state track of low-strength sheet between rolls considering the gravity, as well as size and position of rolls. Then we obtain the optimum sag at different size and position of rolls. We find out that there is a lower limit of the sheet’s strength-density ratio (the Minimum Specific Strength) for a specific set of size and position of rolls. Finally, we establish a method to calculate the lower limit approximately for engineering use. Our method can be generalized in manufacturing other low-strength flexible thin-sheet materials as well.
Virtual Reality-Wireless Local Area Network: Wireless Connection-Oriented Virtual Reality Architecture for Next-Generation Virtual Reality Devices
Authors: Ahn Jinsoo , Kim Young , Kim Ronny
Published: January 2018

In order to enhance the user experience of virtual reality (VR) devices, multi-user VR environments and wireless connections should be considered for next-generation VR devices. Wireless local area network (WLAN)-based wireless communication devices are popular consumer devices with high throughput and low cost using unlicensed bands. However, the use of WLANs may cause delays in packet transmission, owing to their distributed nature while accessing the channel. In this paper, we carefully examine the feasibility of wireless VR over WLANs, and we propose an efficient wireless multiuser VR communication architecture, as well as a communication scheme for VR. Because the proposed architecture in this paper utilizes multiple WLAN standards, based on the characteristics of each set of VR traffic, the proposed scheme enables the efficient delivery of massive uplink data generated by multiple VR devices, and provides an adequate video frame rate and control frame rate for high-quality VR services. We perform extensive simulations to corroborate the outstanding performance of the proposed scheme.
Study on the Structure of an Efficient Receiver for Covert Underwater Communication Using Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum
Authors: Baek Chang-Uk , Jung Ji-Won , Do Dae-Won
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes an underwater communication receive model based on the spread spectrum technique in order to provide the characteristic of a low probability of interception. To do this, turbo equalization techniques employing Bahl-Cocke-Jelinek-Raviv (BCJR) decoding to improve performance through repetition are applied to offer excellent performance even at a low signal to noise ratio (SNR) of transmitted signals due to the spread spectrum technique. A turbo equalization model based on RAKE which increase signal power by summing the received signal through the multipath is proposed to compensate distorted data due to multipath channel and the performance improvements were proven by applying the threshold and weighted coefficient in the RAKE receiver model. The model was applied to covert underwater communication in a multi-sensor environment, and the efficiency of the proposed method was proven through underwater experiments.
Automatic Speech-to-Background Ratio Selection to Maintain Speech Intelligibility in Broadcasts Using an Objective Intelligibility Metric
Authors: Tang Yan , Fazenda Bruno , Cox Trevor
Published: January 2018

While mixing, sound producers and audio professionals empirically set the speech-to- background ratio (SBR) based on rules of thumb and their own perception of sounds. There is no guarantee that the speech content will be intelligible for the general population consuming content over a wide variety of devices, however. In this study, an approach to automatically determine the appropriate SBR for a scene using an objective intelligibility metric is introduced. The model-estimated SBR needed for a preset minimum intelligibility level was compared to the listener-preferred SBR for a range of background sounds. It was found that an extra gain added to the model estimation is needed even for listeners with normal hearing. This gain is needed so an audio scene can be auditioned with comfort and without compromising the sound effects contributed by the background. When the background introduces little informational masking, the extra gain holds almost constant across the various background sounds. However, a larger gain is required for a background that induces informational masking, such as competing speech. The results from a final subjective rating study show that the model-estimated SBR with the additional gain, yields the same listening experience as the SBR preferred by listeners.
Towards Li-Ion Batteries Operating at 80 °C: Ionic Liquid versus Conventional Liquid Electrolytes
Authors: Oltean Gabriel , Plylahan Nareerat , Ihrfors Charlotte , Wei Wei , Xu Chao , Edström Kristina , Nyholm Leif , Johansson Patrik , Gustafsson Torbjörn
Published: January 2018

Li-ion battery (LIB) full cells comprised of TiO2-nanotube (TiO2-nt) and LiFePO4 (LFP) electrodes and either a conventional organic solvent based liquid electrolyte or an ionic liquid based electrolyte have been cycled at 80 °C. While the cell containing the ionic liquid based electrolyte exhibited good capacity retention and rate capability during 100 cycles, rapid capacity fading was found for the corresponding cell with the organic electrolyte. Results obtained for TiO2-nt and LFP half-cells indicate an oxidative degradation of the organic electrolyte at 80 °C. In all, ionic liquid based electrolytes can be used to significantly improve the performance of LIBs operating at 80 °C.
Electronic Tongue—A Tool for All Tastes?
Authors: Podrażka Marta , Bączyńska Ewa , Kundys Magdalena , Jeleń Paulina , Witkowska Nery Emilia
Published: January 2018

Electronic tongue systems are traditionally used to analyse: food products, water samples and taste masking technologies for pharmaceuticals. In principle, their applications are almost limitless, as they are able to almost completely reduce the impact of interferents and can be applied to distinguish samples of extreme complexity as for example broths from different stages of fermentation. Nevertheless, their applications outside the three principal sample types are, in comparison, rather scarce. In this review, we would like to take a closer look on what are real capabilities of electronic tongue systems, what can be achieved using mixed sensor arrays and by introduction of biosensors or molecularly imprinted polymers in the matrix. We will discuss future directions both in the sense of applications as well as system development in the ever-growing trend of low cost analysis.
Local Choices: Rationality and the Contextuality of Decision-Making
Authors: Vlaev Ivo
Published: January 2018

Rational explanation is ubiquitous in psychology and social sciences, ranging from rational analysis, expectancy-value theories, ideal observer models, mental logic to probabilistic frameworks, rational choice theory, and informal “folk psychological” explanation. However, rational explanation appears to be challenged by apparently systematic irrationality observed in psychological experiments, especially in the field of judgement and decision-making (JDM). Here, it is proposed that the experimental results require not that rational explanation should be rejected, but that rational explanation is local, i.e., within a context. Thus, rational models need to be supplemented with a theory of contextual shifts. We review evidence in JDM that patterns of choices are often consistent within contexts, but unstable between contexts. We also demonstrate that for a limited, though reasonably broad, class of decision-making domains, recent theoretical models can be viewed as providing theories of contextual shifts. It is argued that one particular significant source of global inconsistency arises from a cognitive inability to represent absolute magnitudes, whether for perceptual variables, utilities, payoffs, or probabilities. This overall argument provides a fresh perspective on the scope and limits of human rationality.
Critical Delaying Factors: Public Sector Building Projects in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Shahid , Zhu Fangwei , Ali Zaigham , Aslam Hassan , Hussain Abasal
Published: January 2018

Project delays are a large and prevalent problem in the Gilgit-Baltistan construction industry, and delays can distinctly affect project duration, budget, and also community needs. The purpose of this study is to highlight and rank delaying factors in the Annual Development Programme public sector building infrastructure projects and examine them through a relative importance index. A total of 52 delaying factors were identified through a detailed literature review and categorized into eight major groups, and a pilot study with 16 experienced construction experts was conducted. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the importance of each factor from public construction experts. In total, 102 respondents participated in the survey. The study determined that difficulties in financing projects by contractors, delays in progress payments, dispute on land usage, improper project feasibility studies, award project to the lowest bid price, extreme weather conditions, inadequate contractor experience, and insufficient data collection and survey before design were among the top eight critical delaying factors. In addition, Spearman’s rank correlation tests revealed that there was no difference in perception between owners and contractors. A comparison of the top five delay factors was done with eight preferred construction industries in Asia to validate the results of this study. The findings are likely to be a solid contribution to the Gilgit-Baltistan construction industry in mitigating future construction delays.
Oncogenic Signalling through Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR): A Driver of Metabolic Transformation and Cancer Progression
Authors: Rad Ellie , Murray James , Tee Andrew
Published: January 2018

Throughout the years, research into signalling pathways involved in cancer progression has led to many discoveries of which mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key player. mTOR is a master regulator of cell growth control. mTOR is historically known to promote cell growth by enhancing the efficiency of protein translation. Research in the last decade has revealed that mTOR’s role in promoting cell growth is much more multifaceted. While mTOR is necessary for normal human physiology, cancer cells take advantage of mTOR signalling to drive their neoplastic growth and progression. Oncogenic signal transduction through mTOR is a common occurrence in cancer, leading to metabolic transformation, enhanced proliferative drive and increased metastatic potential through neovascularisation. This review focuses on the downstream mTOR-regulated processes that are implicated in the “hallmarks” of cancer with focus on mTOR’s involvement in proliferative signalling, metabolic reprogramming, angiogenesis and metastasis.
New Insights on the Oxidation of Unsaturated Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Catalyzed by Niobium(V) Oxide. A Study of the Catalyst Surface Reactivity
Authors: Paraguassú Cecchi Christian , Cesarín-Sobrinho Darí , Buarque Ferreira Aurélio , Netto-Ferreira José
Published: January 2018

The catalytic properties of niobium(V) oxide (Nb2O5-CBMN) of different grades: amorphous, optical and ultra-pure, untreated or heat-treated at 400, 500, 700 and 900 °C were studied, before and after interaction with H2O2, by in situ Raman, FTIR-ATR and diffuse reflectance UV-Visible spectroscopy. The presence of different reaction sites for NbO7 and NbO8 type systems, which are directly related to surface defects present in different states of crystallization, were fully characterized. The reactivity of different catalysts obtained from niobium(V) oxide was investigated, using the oxidation of methyl linoleate in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as probe reaction. The reaction was followed by GC-MS, as well as by 1H and 13C NMR spectrometry and the dominant product was 9-oxo-nonanoic acid methyl ester. A reaction mechanism related to an auto-oxidation process must be occurring, leading initially to the formation of hydroperoxides, which decompose rapidly via Hock-type rearrangement, leading to the formation of aldehydes.
One-Pot Multi-Enzymatic Production of Purine Derivatives with Application in Pharmaceutical and Food Industry
Authors: Acosta Javier , Del Arco Jon , Martinez-Pascual Sara , Clemente-Suárez Vicente Javier , Fernández-Lucas Jesús
Published: January 2018

Biocatalysis reproduce nature’s synthetic strategies in order to synthesize different organic compounds. Natural metabolic pathways usually involve complex networks to support cellular growth and survival. In this regard, multi-enzymatic systems are valuable tools for the production of a wide variety of organic compounds. Methods: The production of different purine nucleosides and nucleoside-5′-monophosphates has been performed for first time, catalyzed by the sequential action of 2′-deoxyribosyltransferase from Lactobacillus delbrueckii (LdNDT) and hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase from Thermus themophilus HB8 (TtHGXPRT). Results: The biochemical characterization of LdNDT reveals that the enzyme is active and stable in a broad range of pH, temperature, and ionic strength. Substrate specificity studies showed a high promiscuity in the recognition of purine analogues. Finally, the enzymatic production of different purine derivatives was performed to evaluate the efficiency of multi-enzymatic system LdNDT/TtHGXPRT. Conclusions: The production of different therapeutic purine nucleosides was efficiently catalyzed by LdNDT/TtHGXPRT. In addition, the resulting by-products were converted to IMP and GMP. Taking all of these features, this bioprocess entails an efficient, sustainable, and economical alternative to chemical synthetic methods.
Influence of Oxygen Contents on the Microstructure, High Temperature Oxidation and Corrosion Resistance Properties of Cr–Si–O–N Coatings
Authors: Liang Jinjue , Chen Shimin , Zou Changwei , Tian Canxin , Wang Zesong , Liao Shijun
Published: January 2018

Cr–Si–O–N coatings with different oxygen contents were deposited by multi-arc ion plating, where various O2/(N2 + O2) reactive gas rates were adopted. The XRD and XPS results showed that the CrN crystals disappeared with the increasing of the oxygen flux ratio to 10 at.%. The microhardness of all the Cr–Si–O–N coatings was approximately 2000 Hv0.05, which were dramatically plummeted compared to that of the Cr–Si–N coatings (≈3300 Hv0.05). The Cr–Si–O–N coatings were annealed under 800 °C and 1200 °C in the air atmosphere for 2 h to study the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the coatings. Meanwhile, Cr–Si–O–N coatings with different O2/(N2 + O2) rates were also used to carry out the corrosion resistance testing using the electrochemical working station in 3.5% NaCl solution under free air condition at room temperature. The results indicated that the coatings containing oxygen were more vulnerable to the high-temperature destruction and more easily corroded in the NaCl electrolyte.
Combination of Electrodeposition and Transfer Processes for Flexible Thin-Film Thermoelectric Generators
Authors: Yamamuro Hiroki , Hatsuta Naoki , Wachi Makoto , Takei Yoshihiro , Takashiri Masayuki
Published: January 2018

To reduce consumption for ambient assisted living (AAL) applications, we propose the design and fabrication of flexible thin-film thermoelectric generators at a low manufacturing cost. The generators were fabricated using a combination of electrodeposition and transfer processes. N-type Bi2Te3 films and p-type Sb2Te3 films were formed on a stainless-steel substrate employing potentiostatic electrodeposition using a nitric acid-based bath, followed by a transfer process. Three types of flexible thin-film thermoelectric generators were fabricated. The open circuit voltage (Voc) and maximum output power (Pmax) were measured by applying a temperature difference between the ends of the generator. The thin-film generators obtained using thermoplastic sheets with epoxy resin exhibited a Voc that was tens of millivolts. In particular, the contact resistance of the thin-film generator decreased when silver paste was inserted at the junctions between the n- and p-type films. The most flexible thin-film generator fabricated in this study exhibited a Pmax of 10.4 nW at a temperature difference of 60 K. The current performance of the generators was too low, but we innovated a combination process to prepare them. It is expected to increase the performance by further decreasing the micro-cracks and contact resistance in the generators.
6DoF Object Tracking based on 3D Scans for Augmented Reality Remote Live Support
Authors: Rambach Jason , Pagani Alain , Schneider Michael , Artemenko Oleksandr , Stricker Didier
Published: January 2018

Tracking the 6DoF pose of arbitrary 3D objects is a fundamental topic in Augmented Reality (AR) research, having received a large amount of interest in the last decades. The necessity of accurate and computationally efficient object tracking is evident for a broad base of today’s AR applications. In this work we present a fully comprehensive pipeline for 6DoF Object Tracking based on 3D scans of objects, covering object registration, initialization and frame to frame tracking, implemented to optimize the user experience and to perform well in all typical challenging conditions such as fast motion, occlusions and illumination changes. Furthermore, we present the deployment of our tracking system in a Remote Live Support AR application with 3D object-aware registration of annotations and remote execution for delay and performance optimization. Experimental results demonstrate the tracking quality, real-time capability and the advantages of remote execution for computationally less powerful mobile devices.
In Situ Random Microseeding and Streak Seeding Used for Growth of Crystals of Cold-Adapted β-d-Galactosidases: Crystal Structure of βDG from Arthrobacter sp. 32cB
Authors: Rutkiewicz-Krotewicz Maria , Pietrzyk-Brzezinska Agnieszka , Wanarska Marta , Cieslinski Hubert , Bujacz Anna
Published: January 2018

There is an increasing demand for cold-adapted enzymes in a wide range of industrial branches. Nevertheless, structural information about them is still scarce. The knowledge of crystal structures is important to understand their mode of action and to design genetically engineered enzymes with enhanced activity. The most difficult task and the limiting step in structural studies of cold-adapted enzymes is their crystallization, which should provide well-diffracting monocrystals. Herein, we present a combination of well-established crystallization methods with new protocols based on crystal seeding that allowed us to obtain well-diffracting crystals of two cold-adapted β-d-galactosidases (βDGs) from Paracoccus sp. 32d (ParβDG) and from Arthrobacter sp. 32cB (ArthβDG). Structural studies of both βDGs are important for designing efficient and inexpensive enzymatic tools for lactose removal and synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and hetero-oligosaccharides (HOS), food additives proved to have a beneficial effect on the human immune system and intestinal flora. We also present the first crystal structure of ArthβDG (PDB ID: 6ETZ) determined at 1.9 Å resolution, and compare it to the ParβDG structure (PDB ID: 5EUV). In contrast to tetrameric lacZ βDG and hexameric βDG from Arthrobacter C2-2, both of these βDGs are dimers, unusual for the GH2 family. Additionally, we discuss the various crystallization seeding protocols, which allowed us to obtain ParβDG and ArthβDG monocrystals suitable for diffraction experiments.
In2O3-Based Thermoelectric Materials: The State of the Art and the Role of Surface State in the Improvement of the Efficiency of Thermoelectric Conversion
Authors: Korotcenkov Ghenadii , Brinzari Vladimir , Ham Moon-Ho
Published: January 2018

In this paper, the thermoelectric properties of In2O3-based materials in comparison with other thermoelectric materials are considered. It is shown that nanostructured In2O3 Sn-based oxides are promising for thermoelectric applications at moderate temperatures. Due to the nanostructure, specific surface properties of In2O3 and filtering effects, it is possible to significantly reduce the thermal conductivity and achieve an efficiency of thermoelectric conversion inaccessible to bulk materials. It is also shown that a specific surface state at the intergrain boundary, optimal for maximizing the filtering effect, can be achieved through (1) the engineering of grain boundary parameters, (2) controlling the composition of the surrounding atmosphere, and (3) selecting the appropriate operating temperature.
General Design Procedure for Free and Open-Source Hardware for Scientific Equipment
Authors: Oberloier Shane , Pearce Joshua
Published: January 2018

Distributed digital manufacturing of free and open-source scientific hardware (FOSH) used for scientific experiments has been shown to in general reduce the costs of scientific hardware by 90–99%. In part due to these cost savings, the manufacturing of scientific equipment is beginning to move away from a central paradigm of purchasing proprietary equipment to one in which scientists themselves download open-source designs, fabricate components with digital manufacturing technology, and then assemble the equipment themselves. This trend introduces a need for new formal design procedures that designers can follow when targeting this scientific audience. This study provides five steps in the procedure, encompassing six design principles for the development of free and open-source hardware for scientific applications. A case study is provided for an open-source slide dryer that can be easily fabricated for under $20, which is more than 300 times less than some commercial alternatives. The bespoke design is parametric and easily adjusted for many applications. By designing using open-source principles and the proposed procedures, the outcome will be customizable, under control of the researcher, less expensive than commercial options, more maintainable, and will have many applications that benefit the user since the design documentation is open and freely accessible.
Information Theoretic Approaches for Motor-Imagery BCI Systems: Review and Experimental Comparison
Authors: Martín-Clemente Rubén , Olias Javier , Thiyam Deepa , Cichocki Andrzej , Cruces Sergio
Published: January 2018

Brain computer interfaces (BCIs) have been attracting a great interest in recent years. The common spatial patterns (CSP) technique is a well-established approach to the spatial filtering of the electroencephalogram (EEG) data in BCI applications. Even though CSP was originally proposed from a heuristic viewpoint, it can be also built on very strong foundations using information theory. This paper reviews the relationship between CSP and several information-theoretic approaches, including the Kullback–Leibler divergence, the Beta divergence and the Alpha-Beta log-det (AB-LD)divergence. We also revise other approaches based on the idea of selecting those features that are maximally informative about the class labels. The performance of all the methods will be also compared via experiments.
The Poincaré Half-Plane for Informationally-Complete POVMs
Authors: Planat Michel
Published: January 2018

It has been shown in previous papers that classes of (minimal asymmetric) informationally-complete positive operator valued measures (IC-POVMs) in dimension d can be built using the multiparticle Pauli group acting on appropriate fiducial states. The latter states may also be derived starting from the Poincaré upper half-plane model H . To do this, one translates the congruence (or non-congruence) subgroups of index d of the modular group into groups of permutation gates, some of the eigenstates of which are the sought fiducials. The structure of some IC-POVMs is found to be intimately related to the Kochen–Specker theorem.
Nonlinear Multiscale Entropy and Recurrence Quantification Analysis of Foreign Exchange Markets Efficiency
Authors: Niu Hongli , Zhang Lin
Published: January 2018

The regularity of price fluctuations in exchange rates plays a crucial role in foreign exchange (FX) market dynamics. In this paper, we quantify the multiply irregular fluctuation behaviors of exchange rates in the last 10 years (November 2006–November 2016) of eight world economies with two nonlinear approaches. One is a recently proposed multiscale weighted permutation entropy (MWPE) and another is the typical quantification recurrence analysis (RQA) technique. Furthermore, we utilize the RQA technique to study the different intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) that represents different frequencies and scales of the raw time series via the empirical mode decomposition algorithm. Complexity characteristics of abundance and distinction are obtained in the foreign exchange markets. The empirical results show that JPY/USD (followed by EUR/USD) implies a a higher complexity and indicates relatively higher efficiency of the Japanese FX market, while some economies like South Korea, Hong Kong and China show lower and weaker efficiency of their FX markets. Meanwhile, it is suggested that the financial crisis enhances the market efficiency in the FX markets.
Fuzzy Entropy Analysis of the Electroencephalogram in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease: Is the Method Superior to Sample Entropy?
Authors: Simons Samantha , Espino Pedro , Abásolo Daniel
Published: January 2018

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia in the world, which is characterised by the loss of neurones and the build-up of plaques in the brain, causing progressive symptoms of memory loss and confusion. Although definite diagnosis is only possible by necropsy, differential diagnosis with other types of dementia is still needed. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a cheap, portable, non-invasive method to record brain signals. Previous studies with non-linear signal processing methods have shown changes in the EEG due to AD, which is characterised reduced complexity and increased regularity. EEGs from 11 AD patients and 11 age-matched control subjects were analysed with Fuzzy Entropy (FuzzyEn), a non-linear method that was introduced as an improvement over the frequently used Approximate Entropy (ApEn) and Sample Entropy (SampEn) algorithms. AD patients had significantly lower FuzzyEn values than control subjects (p < 0.01) at electrodes T6, P3, P4, O1, and O2. Furthermore, when diagnostic accuracy was calculated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, FuzzyEn outperformed both ApEn and SampEn, reaching a maximum accuracy of 86.36%. These results suggest that FuzzyEn could increase the insight into brain dysfunction in AD, providing potentially useful diagnostic information. However, results depend heavily on the input parameters that are used to compute FuzzyEn.
An Online State of Charge Estimation Algorithm for Lithium-Ion Batteries Using an Improved Adaptive Cubature Kalman Filter
Authors: Zeng Zhibing , Tian Jindong , Li Dong , Tian Yong
Published: January 2018

An accurate state of charge (SOC) estimation of the on-board lithium-ion battery is of paramount importance for the efficient and reliable operation of electric vehicles (EVs). Aiming to improve the accuracy and reliability of battery SOC estimation, an improved adaptive Cubature Kalman filter (ACKF) is proposed in this paper. The battery model parameters are online identified with the forgetting factor recursive least squares (FRLS) algorithm so that the accuracy of SOC estimation can be further improved. The proposed method is evaluated by two driving cycles, i.e., the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and the Federal Urban Driving Schedule (FUDS), and compared with the existing unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and standard CKF algorithms to verify its superiority. The experimental results reveal that comparing with the UKF and standard CKF, the improved ACKF algorithm has a faster convergence rate to different initial SOC errors with higher estimation accuracy. The root mean square error of SOC estimation without initial SOC error is less than 0.5% under both the NEDC and FUDS cycles.
Hourly Solar Radiation Forecasting Using a Volterra-Least Squares Support Vector Machine Model Combined with Signal Decomposition
Authors: Wang Zhenyu , Tian Cuixia , Zhu Qibing , Huang Min
Published: January 2018

Accurate solar forecasting facilitates the integration of solar generation into the grid by reducing the integration and operational costs associated with solar intermittencies. A novel solar radiation forecasting method was proposed in this paper, which uses two kinds of adaptive single decomposition algorithm, namely, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and local mean decomposition (LMD), to decompose the strong non-stationary solar radiation sequence into a set of simpler components. The least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) and the Volterra model were employed to build forecasting sub-models for high-frequency components and low-frequency components, respectively, and the sub-forecasting results of each component were superimposed to obtain the final forecast results. The historical solar radiation data collected on Golden (CO, USA), in 2014 were used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed model and its comparison with that of the ARIMA, the persistent model. The comparison demonstrated that the superior performance of the proposed hybrid method.
Investigation of Sectional-Stage Loading Strategies on a Two-Stage Turbocharged Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine under Transient Operation with EGR
Authors: Liu Zhongchang , Yuan Xing , Tian Jing , Han Yongqiang , Li Runzhao , Gao Guanlong
Published: January 2018

The influence of loading strategies on combustion and emissions parameters is experimentally and numerically studied under typical 5 s transient conditions of constant speed and increasing torque. The experiment is conducted on a two-stage turbocharged heavy-duty diesel engine with a constant opening valve high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The test results show that: compared with the full-stage loading (FSL) strategy (constant loading rate during the entire transient process), the sectional-stage loading (SSL) strategies (holding a certain time at 50% load) can significantly reduce soot emissions (by 41.3%); the greater the first-stage loading rate, the better the torque response performance, which maximally increases by 56.7%. Besides, longer loading holding time can effectively restrain the overshoot of EGR rate and advance the combustion phase (CA10, CA50) at medium and large loads. However, the larger second-stage loading rate slightly deteriorates the combustion and emission performance. This deterioration situation can be markedly suppressed by adopting a suitable loading hold time.
ACT-R Cognitive Model Based Trajectory Planning Method Study for Electric Vehicle’s Active Obstacle Avoidance System
Authors: Li Aijuan , Zhao Wanzhong , Wang Xibo , Qiu Xuyun
Published: January 2018

The active obstacle avoidance system is one of the important components of the electric vehicle active safety system. In order to realize the active obstacle avoidance system driving the vehicle smoothly and without collision in complex road situation, a new dynamical trajectory planning method based on ACT-R (Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational) cognitive model is introduced. Firstly, the ACT-R cognitive architecture is introduced and the trajectory planning method’s framework structure based on ACT-R cognitive model is built. Secondly, the modeling method of ACT-R cognitive model is introduced, the main module of ACT-R cognitive model includes the initialized behavior module, trajectory planning module, estimated behavioral module, and weight adjustment behavior module. Finally, the verification of the trajectory planning method is conducted by the simulation and experiment results. The simulation and experiment results showed that the method of AR (ACT-R) is effective and feasible. The AR method is better than the methods that are based on the OC (Optimal Control) and FN (fuzzy neural network fusion); this paper’s method has more human behavior characteristics and can meet the demand of different constraints.
Well Test Analysis for Fractured and Vuggy Carbonate Reservoirs of Well Drilling in Large Scale Cave
Authors: Xing Cuiqiao , Yin Hongjun , Liu Kexin , Li Xingke , Fu Jing
Published: January 2018

A well test analysis model for fractured and vuggy carbonate reservoir of wells drilling in large scale cave considering wellbore storage and skin factor is established in this paper. The Laplace transformation and Stehfest numerical inversion are applied to obtain the results of wellbore pressure. Through the sensitivity analysis of different parameters for the well test typical curves, it is found that the change of the well test curves is in accordance with the theoretical analysis. With the increase of skin factor, the hump of well test typical curves is steeper. The storage ratio influences the depth and width of the concave in the pressure derivative curves. The cross flow coefficient mainly affects the position of the concave occurrence in the pressure derivative curves. The dimensionless reservoir radius mainly affects the middle and late stages of the log-log pressure type curves, and the later well test curves will be upturned for sealed boundary. The duration of the early stage of the log-log curves will become longer when drilling in large scale cave. The effective well radius is increased to a certain extent, which is in full agreement with the conclusions in this paper. The size of the caves has the same effect on the well test typical curves as wellbore storage coefficient. Due to acidification, fracturing, and other reasons, the boundary of the cave will collapse. Therefore, considering the wellbore storage coefficient and skin effect is very important during well testing. However, the existing models for well testing of fractured and vuggy carbonate reservoir often ignore the wellbore storage coefficient and skin effect. For fractured and vuggy carbonate reservoirs of well drilling in large scale cave, the existing models are not applicable. Since the previous models are mostly based on the triple-porosity medium and the equivalent continuum. The well test model for well drilling in large scale cave of fracture-cavity carbonate reservoirs with wellbore storage coefficient and skin factor in this work has significant application value for oil field.
Simultaneous Production of Transformer Insulating Oil and Value-Added Glycerol Carbonates from Soybean Oil by Lipase-Catalyzed Transesterification in Dimethyl Carbonate
Authors: Kim Keon , Lee Eun
Published: January 2018

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), as a transformer insulating oil, and value-added glycerol derivatives were simultaneously synthesized from soybean oil by transesterification using Lipozyme 435 in dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The conversion of transformer insulating oil and glycerol derivatives reached 92% and 72%, respectively, under optimum conditions (DMC-to-oil molar ratio of 4.5:1 with 0.5 v/v % water and 15 wt. % Lipozyme 435 at 70 °C) in one-pot batch reactions. The purified transformer insulating oil possessed a dielectric breakdown voltage of 82.0 kV, which is sufficiently high for transformer insulation oil applications. Other properties such as density, dielectric breakdown voltage, and viscosity were comparable or superior to those of mineral oil, confirming that achieved material could be used as an alternative transformer insulating oil. Additionally, the glycerol was simultaneously converted into glycerol derivatives, which can be utilized as ingredients for cosmetics or monomers for bio-based plastics. This study clearly demonstrates that transformer insulating oil and value-added glycerol derivatives were simultaneously produced based on the zero-waste utilization of soybean oil.