bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trade-off between reproduction and lifespan of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis under different food conditions
Authors: Sun Yunfei , Hou Xinying , Xue Xiaofeng , Zhang Lu , Zhu Xuexia , Huang Yuan , Chen Yafen , Yang Zhou
Published: November 2017

Phaeocystis globosa, one of the most typical red tide-forming species, is usually mixed in the food composition of rotifers. To explore how rotifers respond by adjusting life history strategy when feeding on different quality foods, we exposed the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis to cultures with 100% Chlorella, a mixture of 50% P. globosa and 50% Chlorella, or 100% P. globosa. Results showed that rotifers exposed to 100% Chlorella or to mixed diets produced more total offspring and had higher age-specific fecundity than those exposed to 100% P. globosa. Food combination significantly affected the net reproduction rates of rotifers. By contrast, rotifers that fed on 100% P. globosa or on mixed diets had a longer lifespan than those fed on 100% Chlorella. The overall performances (combining reproduction and lifespan together) of rotifers cultured in 100% Chlorella or mixed diets were significantly higher than those cultured in 100% P. globosa. In general, Chlorella favors rotifers reproduction at the cost of shorter lifespan, whereas P. globosa tends to extend the lifespan of rotifers with lower fecundity, indicating that trade-off exists between reproduction and lifespan under different food conditions. The present study also suggests that rotifers may have the potential to control harmful P. globosa.
Anchoring β-cyclodextrin modified lysine to polymer monolith with biotin: specific capture of plasminogen
Authors: Zheng Haijiao , Song Naizhong , Li Xiqian , Jia Qiong
Published: November 2017

A biotin-Lys-CD based monolithic material was employed for the specific capture of plasminogen.
Prebiotic RNA polymerisation: energetics of nucleotide adsorption and polymerisation on clay mineral surfaces
Authors: Jelavić S. , Tobler D. J. , Hassenkam T. , De Yoreo J. J. , Stipp S. L. S. , Sand K. K.
Published: November 2017

A set of experimentally measured and internally consistent Gibbs free energies of binding between different model nucleotides and mineral surfaces is reported.
Structural basis for the selective incorporation of an artificial nucleotide opposite a DNA adduct by a DNA polymerase
Authors: Betz K. , Nilforoushan A. , Wyss L. A. , Diederichs K. , Sturla S. J. , Marx A.
Published: November 2017

The structural basis for selective incorporation of BenziMP opposite O6-MeG by KlenTaq DNA polymerase is elucidated by X-ray crystallography.
Up-conversion luminescence coupled to plasmonic gold nanorods for light harvesting and hydrogen production
Authors: AlGhamdi H. , Katsiev K. , Wahab A. K. , Llorca J. , Idriss H.
Published: November 2017

The conversion of infrared light to visible-light which allows a larger fraction of sunlight to be used is needed to improve light-harvesting.
Self-assembled [2]catenane in trapezoidal metallacycles with [Cp*Ir]-corners
Authors: Liu Naifang , Huang Sheng-Li , Liu Xiaogang , Luo He-Kuan , Hor T. S. Andy
Published: November 2017

The metallacyclic assembly of [2]catenanes was investigated by optimising the cavity size of trapezoidal rings.
Half-sandwich ruthenium(ii) complexes containing N^N-chelated imino-pyridyl ligands that are selectively toxic to cancer cells
Authors: Tian Meng , Li Juanjuan , Zhang Shumiao , Guo Lihua , He Xiangdong , Kong Deliang , Zhang Hairong , Liu Zhe
Published: November 2017

Organometallic half-sandwich ruthenium imino-pyridyl complexes show good selectivity towards cancer cells over normal cells.
Molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous glycine solutions
Authors: Bushuev Yuriy G. , Davletbaeva Svetlana V. , Koifman Oscar I.
Published: November 2017

Pre-nucleation clusters of glycine are strongly hydrated dynamic solutes, which change size and shape within hundreds of picoseconds.
Shedding light on the different behavior of ionic and nonionic surfactants in emulsion polymerization: from atomistic simulations to experimental observations
Authors: Magi Meconi Giulia , Ballard Nicholas , Asua José M. , Zangi Ronen
Published: November 2017

We show that above a critical concentration at a water/hydrophobic interface, nonionic surfactants can absorb entirely into the organic phase, explaining the unusual behavior of emulsion polymerization with these surfactants.
The surface plasmon resonance, thermal, support and size effect induced photocatalytic activity enhancement of Au/reduced graphene oxide for selective oxidation of benzylic alcohols
Authors: Zhang Yanhui , Guo Hongxu , Weng Wen , Fu Ming-Lai
Published: November 2017

The SPR, thermal, support, and size effects of Au/RGO are demonstrated to play an important role in enhancing the photocatalytic activity.
Conformational analysis of spiro-epoxides by principal component analysis of molecular dynamics trajectories
Authors: Hrenar T. , Primožič I. , Fijan D. , Majerić Elenkov M.
Published: November 2017

A probability distribution calculated in a reduced internal coordinate space sampled by molecular dynamics simulations for spiro-epoxide derivatives.
B12Fn0/−(n= 1–6) series: when do boron double chain nanoribbons become global minima?
Authors: Bai Hui , Bai Bing , Zhang Lin , Huang Wei , Zhai Hua-Jin , Li Si-Dian
Published: November 2017

Boron double chain B12Fn0/−species provide new examples for ribbon aromaticity and powerful support for the F/H/Au/BO analogy.
Radiation chemistry of solid acetone in the interstellar medium – a new dimension to an old problem
Authors: Hudson R. L.
Published: November 2017

A laboratory investigation of acetone, an interstellar and cometary molecule, has produced new results concerning its decomposition in a radiation environment.
Probing electrochemically induced resistive switching of TiO2using SPM techniques
Authors: Lu Wanheng , Wong Lai-Mun , Wang Shijie , Zeng Kaiyang
Published: November 2017

Characterization of the electrochemical process during resistive switching of TiO2using SPM.
Correction: Photodissociation dynamics of fulvenallene and the fulvenallenyl radical at 248 and 193 nm
Authors: Ramphal Isaac A. , Shapero Mark , Haibach-Morris Courtney , Neumark Daniel M.
Published: November 2017

Correction for ‘Photodissociation dynamics of fulvenallene and the fulvenallenyl radical at 248 and 193 nm’ by Isaac A. Ramphal et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05490d.
Recent progress in the assembly of nanodevices and van der Waals heterostructures by deterministic placement of 2D materials
Authors: Frisenda Riccardo , Navarro-Moratalla Efrén , Gant Patricia , Pérez De Lara David , Jarillo-Herrero Pablo , Gorbachev Roman V. , Castellanos-Gomez Andres
Published: November 2017

Designer heterostructures can be assembled layer-by-layer with unmatched precision thanks to the recently developed deterministic placement methods to transfer two-dimensional materials.
Magnetic functionalities in MOFs: from the framework to the pore
Authors: Mínguez Espallargas Guillermo , Coronado Eugenio
Published: November 2017

This review covers the incorporation of different magnetic phenomena into MOFs, either in the framework or through the encapsulation of functional species in the pores.
Distinct room-temperature dielectric transition in a perchlorate-based organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite
Authors: Sun Yu-Ling , Shi Chao , Zhang Wen
Published: November 2017

Distinct room-temperature dielectric transition is realized in a perchlorate-based organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite with the introduction of a polar cationic guest.
Nanolithography of cylinder forming block copolymers via DSA for semiconductor manufacturing
Authors: Granik Yuri , Torres Andres
Published: November 2017

To realize the full benefit of directed self-assembly (DSA), it is necessary to understand the interplay between the target structures and the process parameters.
Highly effective Brønsted base/lewis acid cooperative catalysis: a new Cd metal–organic framework for the synthesis of Hantzsch 1,4-DHPs at ambient temperature
Authors: Rouhani Farzaneh , Morsali Ali
Published: November 2017

A new 3D metal–organic framework {[Cd3(BDC)3(OPP)(DMF)2]·2DMA}n (TMU-33) has been synthesized. The performance of the imine functional group of the OPP ligand as a Brønsted base and open Cd site as a Lewis acid in this framework was investigated as cooperative catalyst.
Dual-responsive ALS-type organogelators based on azobenzene–cholesteryl conjugates and their self-assemblies
Authors: Kuo Sheng-Yang , Liu Chun-Yen , Balamurugan Rathinam , Zhang Yan-Song , Fitriyani Sri , Liu Jui Hsiang
Published: November 2017

Azobenzene and cholesteryl based derivatives (N2 and N4) were designed as gelators and their aggregation mechanism is proposed. These gelators are thermally reversible, however optically irreversible.
Studying the fluorescence conversion in organic charge transfer cocrystals of chalcone derivatives and TCNB
Authors: Zhao Kun , Wang Huimin , Sun Hao , Tian Wen , Yang Shanguang , Liu Jingjing , Peng Jing , Wang Mingliang
Published: November 2017

Four binary co-crystals were mainly formed by halogen bonds and charge transfer interactions, which generated remarkable optical properties.
The effect of Ni(i)–N active sites on the photocatalytic H2O2 production ability over nickel doped graphitic carbon nitride nanofibers
Authors: Wu Guang , Hu Shaozheng , Han Zheng , Liu Chuntao , Li Qiang
Published: November 2017

This work provides a strategy to improve the photocatalytic H2O2 production ability by embedding Ni(i)–N sites into the g-C3N4 lattice.
Novel polymerization of aniline and pyrrole by carbon dots
Authors: Moorthy Maruthapandi , Kumar Vijay Bhooshan , Porat Ze’ev , Gedanken Aharon
Published: November 2017

This work reports on the synthesis of polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole, and co-polymerization of polyaniline and polypyrrole) from monomers using carbon dots and UV light as initiators.
Heterogenization of amine-functionalized ionic liquids using graphene oxide as a support material: a highly efficient catalyst for the synthesis of 3-substituted indoles via Yonemitsu-type reaction
Authors: Garkoti Charu , Shabir Javaid , Gupta Padmini , Sharma Manisha , Mozumdar Subho
Published: November 2017

Heterogenization of amine functionalized ionic liquid and its application as an efficient and recyclable catalyst.
Creation and bioapplications of porous organic polymer materials
Authors: Li Zheng , Yang Ying-Wei
Published: November 2017

Emerging porous organic polymers can serve as promising platforms for bio-related applications.
Insight into the interactions between pyrene and polystyrene for efficient quenching nitroaromatic explosives
Authors: Jang Hyun-Sook , Cho Hyun-Seok , Uhrig David , Nieh Mu-Ping
Published: November 2017

Polystyrene enhances the quenching efficiency of pyrene excimer fluorescence in the presence of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT)viathe photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from the electron-rich Py/PS to the electron-deficient 2,4-DNT.
Two-dimensional van der Waals heterojunctions for functional materials and devices
Authors: Hu Wei , Yang Jinlong
Published: November 2017

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterojunctions combining the electronic structures of such 2D materials have been predicted theoretically and synthesized experimentally to expect more new properties and potential applications far beyond corresponding 2D materials.
The Effect of Hand Gesture Cues Within the Treatment of /r/ for a College-Aged Adult With Persisting Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Authors: Rusiewicz Heather Leavy , Rivera Jessica Lynch
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Despite the widespread use of hand movements as visual and kinesthetic cues to facilitate accurate speech produced by individuals with speech sound disorders (SSDs), no experimental investigation of gestural cues that mimic that spatiotemporal parameters of speech sounds (e.g., holding fingers and thumb together and “popping” them to cue /p/) currently exists. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of manual mimicry cues within a multisensory intervention of persisting childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).

Method

A single-subject ABAB withdrawal design was implemented to assess the accuracy of vowel + /r/ combinations produced by a 21-year-old woman with persisting CAS. The effect of manual mimicry gestures paired with multisensory therapy consisting of verbal instructions and visual modeling was assessed via clinician and naïve listener ratings of target sound accuracy.

Results

According to the perceptual ratings of the treating clinician and 28 naïve listeners, the participant demonstrated improved speech sound accuracy as a function of the manual mimicry/multisensory therapy.

Conclusions

These data offer preliminary support for the incorporation of gestural cues in therapy for CAS and other SSDs. The need for continued research on the interaction of speech and manual movements for individuals with SSDs is discussed.
Understanding Bilingual Word Learning: The Role of Phonotactic Probability and Phonological Neighborhood Density
Authors: Nair Vishnu KK , Biedermann Britta , Nickels Lyndsey
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Previous research has shown that the language-learning mechanism is affected by bilingualism resulting in a novel word learning advantage for bilingual speakers. However, less is known about the factors that might influence this advantage. This article reports an investigation of 2 factors: phonotactic probability and phonological neighborhood density.

Method

Acquisition of 15 novel words varying in phonotactic probability and phonological neighborhood density was examined in high-proficiency, early onset, Mandarin–English bilinguals and English monolinguals.

Results

Both bilinguals and monolinguals demonstrated a significant effect of phonotactic probability and phonological neighborhood density. Novel word learning improved when the phonological neighborhood density was higher; in contrast, higher phonotactic probability resulted in worse learning. Although the bilingual speakers showed significantly better novel word learning than monolingual speakers, this did not interact with phonotactic probability and phonological neighborhood density manipulations.

Conclusion

Both bilingual and monolingual word learning abilities are constrained by the same learning mechanisms. However, bilingual advantages may be underpinned by more effective allocation of cognitive resources due to their dual language experience.
Developmental Associations Between Working Memory and Language in Children With Specific Language Impairment: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Vugs Brigitte , Hendriks Marc , Cuperus Juliane , Knoors Harry , Verhoeven Ludo
Published: November 2017

Purpose

This longitudinal study examined differences in the development of working memory (WM) between children with specific language impairment (SLI) and typically developing (TD) children. Further, it explored to what extent language at ages 7–8 years could be predicted by measures of language and/or WM at ages 4–5 years.

Method

Thirty children with SLI and 33 TD children who were previously examined on measures of WM and language at ages 4–5 years (T1) were reexamined at ages 7–8 years (T2).

Results

The developmental course of WM was mostly similar for the two groups; only the development of the verbal storage component differed. At T1, children with SLI performed significantly below their TD peers on all components of WM (verbal storage, verbal central executive [CE], visuospatial storage, and visuospatial CE), whereas at T2, the differences for the visuospatial components were no longer significant when age and intelligence were taken into account. Hierarchical regression showed language and verbal CE at T1 to be significant predictors of language at T2, with no differences in the developmental associations between language and WM for the two groups.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that particularly verbal CE is of importance for the acquisition of linguistic skills.
Age-Related Variability in Tongue Pressure Patterns for Maximum Isometric and Saliva Swallowing Tasks
Authors: Peladeau-Pigeon Melanie , Steele Catriona M.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The ability to generate tongue pressure plays a major role in bolus transport in swallowing. In studies of motor control, stability or variability of movement is a feature that changes with age, disease, task complexity, and perturbation. In this study, we explored whether age and tongue strength influence the stability of the tongue pressure generation pattern during isometric and swallowing tasks in healthy volunteers.

Method

Tongue pressure data, collected using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument, were analyzed from 84 participants in sex-balanced and decade age-group strata. Tasks included maximum anterior and posterior isometric pressures and regular-effort saliva swallows. The cyclic spatiotemporal index (cSTI) was used to capture stability (vs. variability) in patterns of pressure generation. Mixed-model repeated measures analyses of covariance were performed separately for each task (anterior and posterior isometric pressures, saliva swallows) with between-participant factors of age group and sex, a within-participant factor of task repetition, and a continuous covariate of tongue strength.

Results

Neither age group nor sex effects were found. There was no significant relationship between tongue strength and the cSTI on the anterior isometric tongue pressure task (r= −.11). For the posterior isometric tongue pressure task, a significant negative correlation (r= −.395) was found between tongue strength and the cSTI. The opposite pattern of a significant positive correlation (r= .29) between tongue strength and the cSTI was seen for the saliva swallow task.

Conclusions

Tongue pressure generation patterns appear highly stable across repeated maximum isometric and saliva swallow tasks, despite advancing age. Greater pattern variability is seen with weaker posterior isometric pressures. Overall, saliva swallows had the lowest pressure amplitudes and highest pressure pattern variability as measured by the cSTI.
Reconfigurable highly efficient CMOS‐based dual input variable output switched capacitor converter for low power applications
Authors: Abraham C. , Subburaj V. , Jena D. , Perumal P. , Jose B. R. , Mathew J.
Published: November 2017

A reconfigurable switched capacitor converter (SCC) topology with nine/ten CMOS switches and two flying capacitors is presented. It is capable of accepting two input sources simultaneously with an input voltage in the range of 1–2.5 V and delivers the output for 15 conversion ratios. The proposed SCC can drive a load current ranging from 10 μA to 10 mA at an open loop efficiency of >90%. One of the important applications of the proposed converter is the utilisation of photovoltaic (PV) or the combination of PV and other direct current sources. The regulation of the output voltage can be achieved either by changing the voltage conversion ratios or using variable switching frequency.
Deep binary constraint hashing for fast image retrieval
Authors: Li Yang , Miao Zhuang , Wang Jiabao , Zhang Yafei
Published: November 2017

With the development of deep hashing learning, several end‐to‐end deep architectures have been proposed for fast image retrieval. However, learning to hash is essentially a mixed integer nonlinear optimisation problem with the non‐deterministic polynomial‐time (NP)‐hard nature, which makes the standard back‐propagation algorithm infeasible. A novel pairwise loss function with additional binary constraint via siamese network is proposed to improve the representation ability of hash codes. Compared to previous works, we force the output of each hidden node close to −1 or +1, which can produce more compact and discriminative hash codes. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the method can generate more favourable results than existing state‐of‐the‐art hash function learning methods with large margins.
Detailed analytical method for predicting the steady‐state time variations and entire harmonic contents of principal performance characteristics in a non‐slotted axial flux permanent magnet motor, considering a precise iron loss model
Authors: Baghayipour Mohammadreza , Darabi Ahmad , Dastfan Ali
Published: November 2017

The harmonic contents of principal performance characteristics in an electrical machine are important due to several reasons, especially because they influence the machine acoustic noise generation capability. Therefore, they should be accurately calculated considering the various electromagnetic effects involved in the machine operation. Accordingly, this study proposes a detailed analytical model for predicting the time waveforms and harmonic contents of the principal performance characteristics of a double‐sided TORUS‐type non‐slotted axial flux permanent magnet motor with surface‐mounted magnets at steady state under any given loading conditions. The armature‐reaction magnetic field and inductances are exactly calculated considering both the effects of coil sides and end windings as well as that of the winding distribution. Most notably, the aggregate iron loss of machine and its influence on armature currents is precisely modelled based on the magnetic field distribution in iron parts. By establishing and solving the differential equation system of motor in the two cases with or without the neutral wire, the armature currents, speed and torque ripples, input/output powers, and copper and iron losses are all achieved with the entire harmonic content and highest accuracy. The comparison of results with those of finite element analysis and real test then validates the model.
Sequential analysis of optimal transmission switching with contingency assessment
Authors: Tarafdar Hagh Mehrdad , Zamani Gargari Milad , Vahid Pakdel Mir Jalal
Published: November 2017

Optimal transmission switching (OTS) has been introduced as a persuasive approach for cost minimisation and the improvement of power system flexibility by utilising the lines’ existing conditions. Ordinary OTS based on optimal power flow (OPF) equations used in the previous studies may expose system security in some cases. This study proposes a novel sequential method to investigate the security of the system in post‐OTS circumstances by considering N  − 1 contingency criteria. The proposed method ranks the candidate lines as an operational strategy to reach the maximum reduction of the total operational cost by considering the security roles of transmission lines. The formulation of OTS and security assessment programs is based on alternating current OPF. The proposed approach provides more accurate solutions to a mixed integer non‐linear programming model of the OTS program with N  − 1 security criteria within a reasonable computation time. The obtained simulation results of the proposed method have been presented on IEEE 57‐bus and IEEE 118‐bus standard test systems. It is shown that the results of the ordinary OTS for lines’ outage ranking change because of system security consideration.
Vulnerable transmission line identification considering depth of K‐shell decomposition in complex grids
Authors: Fan Wen‐Li , Zhang Xue‐Min , Mei Sheng‐Wei , Huang Shao‐Wei
Published: November 2017

Vulnerable transmission lines are weaknesses in the power system security, which are easy to induce cascading failures and blackouts. To identify the vulnerable transmission lines with the increasing complexity of the interconnected power grid, the authors propose a vulnerable transmission line identification method using the depth of the K ‐shell (Ks) decomposition under power transfer (named the DKsPS method), which fully considers the dynamic characteristics of the power transfer and transmission capability after the power grid fault. This method establishes a correlation network based on the correlation matrix of transmission lines under the N  − 1 check and then identifies the vulnerable transmission lines by using the modified Ks decomposition. Numerical simulations on both the IEEE‐39 bus system and the Northeast China power grid verify the validity and accuracy of the DKsPS method.
Novel high‐frequency‐based diagnostic approach for main contact assessment of high‐voltage circuit breakers
Authors: Razi‐Kazemi Ali A. , Abdollah Mohammad
Published: November 2017

Maintenance and repair of circuit breakers (CBs) due to their protective role in the power systems is the centre of attention and assessing their condition is tremendously important. The interruption chamber of the CBs including main contacts is highly subjected to erosion over time due to friction, and excessive heat produced by an arc during the interruption of the currents. This study presents a new high‐frequency (HF) non‐intrusive diagnostic technique for the deterioration of contacts used in high‐voltage CBs. The most striking result to emerge from the investigations is that the resonance frequency highly relies on the condition of contacts. The proposed approach is implemented in Computer Simulation Technology Studio Suite software and compared with the measured data obtained through the static resistance measurement. In addition, a HF model based on the transmission line theory has been developed for the interruption chamber of CBs. The comparison of the obtained results via a novel HF‐based approach with the experimental data validates the feasibility and accuracy of this approach in analysing the ablation of contacts used in the interruption chamber of CBs.
Text line segmentation using a fully convolutional network in handwritten document images
Authors: Vo Quang Nhat , Kim Soo Hyung , Yang Hyung Jeong , Lee Guee Sang
Published: November 2017

Line detection in handwritten documents is an important problem for processing of scanned documents. While existing approaches mainly use hand‐designed features or heuristic rules to estimate the location of text lines, the authors present a novel approach that trains a fully convolutional network (FCN) to predict text line structure in document images. A rough estimation of text line, or a line map, is obtained by using FCN, from which text strings that pass through characters in each text line are constructed. Finally, the touching characters should be separated and assigned to different text lines to complete the segmentation, for which line adjacency graph is used. Experimental results on ICDAR2013 Handwritten Segmentation Contest data set show high performance together with the robustness of the system with different types of languages and multi‐skewed text lines.
Colour balancing using sclera colour
Authors: Males Matija , Hedi Adam , Grgic Mislav
Published: November 2017

Colour balancing is an image processing step employed in image signal processing pipeline to adjust colouration of images captured under different illuminations. Most of the existing colour balancing methods that make use of human faces and facial features use skin colour to estimate the chromaticity of the illuminant. This study examines how colour balancing can be performed exploiting the sclera colour extracted from the face automatically detected in the image. Sclera colour can provide enough and correct information to estimate the scene illuminant and reliably perform automatic colour balancing for face images. Experimental results suggest that, in terms of accuracy, the proposed method outperforms most other colour constancy methods on the experimental dataset collected as part of this research, which is a significant result.
Anomaly classification in digital mammography based on multiple‐instance learning
Authors: Elmoufidi Abdelali , El Fahssi Khalid , Jai‐andaloussi Said , Sekkaki Abderrahim , Gwenole Quellec , Lamard Mathieu
Published: November 2017

Cancer tissues in mammography images exhibit abnormal regions; it is of great clinical importance to label a mammography image as having cancerous regions or not, perform the corresponding image segmentation. However, the detailed annotation of the cancer region is often an ambiguous and challenging task. The authors describe a fully automatic computer‐aided detection and diagnosis (CAD) system to detect and classify breast cancer as malignant or benign, by using mammography and building on the multiple‐instance learning (MIL) algorithms, which has been confirmed beneficial for radiologist decision sustenance. Traditional learning methods require great effort to annotate the training data by costly manual labelling and specialised computational models to detect these annotations during the test. The proposed CAD system simultaneously performs pixel‐level segmentation (suspicious versus normal tissue) and image‐level classification (benign versus malignant image). The set‐up of the proposed system is in order: automatically segmented regions of interest (ROIs). Then, features derived from ROIs detected such as textural features and shape features are selected and extracted from each region and combined them to classify ROIs as ‘benign’ or ‘malignant’, by implementing MIL algorithms. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed CAD system compared with previous work in the literature.
Multi‐band and wide‐band electromagnetically induced transparency in graphene metasurface of composite structure
Authors: Ning Renxia , Jiao Zheng , Bao Jie
Published: November 2017

The proposed graphene metasurface of composite structures of multi‐band and wide‐band transparency windows was investigated by the finite‐difference time‐domain method. The authors discussed a structure which consisted of graphene ribbons and TiO2–SiO2 layer which was sandwiched in between two lithium fluoride dielectric slabs. An electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) window could be found and tuned gently by the width of lithium fluoride dielectric slabs. Furthermore, an improved structure of air groove in the graphene ribbon was designed. The result showed that a wide‐band EIT window was obtained and tuned by the width and thickness of air groove. The existing research shows that the graphene ribbon is bright mode and LiF slabs are dark mode. These results can find potential applications for many areas such as multi‐band wavelength slow‐light devices, active plasmon switching, infrared invisibility and optical sensing.
Design of Variable Weight code for multimedia service in SAC–OCDMA systems
Authors: Kumawat Soma , Ravi Kumar Maddila
Published: November 2017

Variable weight (VW) codes for spectral amplitude coding–optical code division multiple access system are useful in multimedia applications. VW code algorithm is proposed which is based on enhanced and modified double weight codes. The proposed algorithm can be used for any combination of weights >2. The cross‐correlation among all users is at most 1. This code construction algorithm ensures higher power at receiver for higher‐weight users. Lower‐weight users receive less power compared with higher‐weight users. The difference in received power translates as varying performance, and are useful for multimedia applications. The performance of VW code is analysed using balanced detection (BD) exclusive‐OR operation and direct detection with exclusive‐OR operation. VW code gives comparable or better performance than previously reported code. It is observed that supportable number of users for higher weight, at bit error rate (BER) of 10−9 (data) are 28, 33 and 35 for random diagonal (RD) code, Khazani‐Syed (KS) code and VW code, respectively, using BD. Supportable number of users for lower weight, at BER of 10−4 (voice) are 23, 31 and 37 for RD code, KS code and VW code, respectively, using BD.
FEM simulations for the wireless optical indoor communication channel
Authors: Schulze Henrik
Published: November 2017

The finite‐element method (FEM) has been successfully applied for finding approximate solutions to the radiosity equation which plays an important role in the field of computer graphics. The author shows how these methods can quite similarly be utilised for the calculation of the transfer function of the optical wireless communication channel. The analysis is performed in the frequency domain and is not restricted to a finite order of light reflections as is the case for the time‐domain approaches known from the literature. The numerical results show that the Galerkin FEM approach increases the accuracy obtained for the received optical power and for the channel transfer function in the frequency region that is relevant to data transmission or, vice versa, it reduces the computational complexity for a given required accuracy.
Improved control strategy for power quality enhancement in standalone systems based on four‐leg voltage source inverters
Authors: Houari Azeddine , Djerioui Ali , Saim Abdelhakim , Ait‐Ahmed Mourad , Machmoum Mohamed
Published: November 2017

Standalone power supplies using renewable energy resources become a key solution to address both energy consumption and environmental restrictions in remote locations. These standalone systems are weak low‐voltage networks, wherein the presence of heavy non‐linear and/or unbalanced loads may adversely affect the output voltage quality. Accordingly, four‐leg voltage‐source inverters play an important role by providing both balanced and unbalanced loads with clean power and balanced output voltage. The reported work proposes a sliding mode control (SMC) along with an iterative learning control (ILC) for harmonic compensation in the presence of critical load conditions such as unbalanced non‐linear loads. Indeed, under substantial disturbances, the ILC harmonic compensator smoothly adjusts the input control signal of the SM controller in such a manner to properly reject the disturbing harmonics. The design methodology of the proposed SMC–ILC control scheme is detailed and its effectiveness is validated through simulation and experimental results.
Analysis of SiC MOSFET dI/dt and its temperature dependence
Authors: Li Hui , Liao Xinglin , Hu Yaogang , Zeng Zheng , Song Erbing , Xiao Hongwei
Published: November 2017

A change regulation of variation in drain current (dID/dt) of silicon carbide (SiC) metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistors (MOSFETs) and their temperature dependencies are examined. Experimental results show that the magnitude of turn‐off dID/dt decreases with temperature and turn‐on dID/dt increases with increasing temperature. Further analysis shows that turn‐on dID/dt is better than turn‐off dID/dt in terms of temperature dependency and exhibits good linearity. This behaviour results from the positive temperature coefficient of the intrinsic carrier concentration and the negative temperature coefficient of the effective mobility of the electrons in the SiC MOSFET. Other factors that affect the temperature dependency of dID/dt, such as supply voltage, load current, and gate resistance, are also discussed. A temperature‐based analytical model of dID/dt for the SiC MOSFET is derived using fundamental device physics equations. The calculations generally fit the measurements well. These results are beneficial since they provide a potential approach for junction temperature estimation in the SiC MOSFET. In SiC MOSFET‐based practical applications, if turn‐on dID/dt is sensed, then the junction temperature can be derived from the relationship curve of turn‐on dID/dt versus temperature drawn experimentally in advance.
Adaptive dynamic voltage transitioning in switch mode DC–DC power converters
Authors: Babazadeh Amir , Tschirhart Darryl J.
Published: November 2017

Higher transistor density in modern processors leads to an increase in computing power, which results in higher power consumption. To combat this, system‐level power saving features like dynamic voltage transitions (DVTs) are introduced where the voltage required by the processor is varied according to computational load. In commercially available systems, the slew rate of the voltage transition is limited, which has the negative effect of increasing computational latency to ensure safe operation of the switch mode power converter. This study addresses the limitations of the existing techniques by introducing an adaptive DVT, which enables finer granularity of the operating voltage levels and promotes greater power savings. The switching surface‐based analysis is performed to derive the conditions for (near) optimal voltage transitions constrained by inductor saturation limits. The results of an experimental prototype achieving the fastest safe transition response are shown to correlate well with the analysis across a wide range of DVT conditions.
Analysis of the fault current limiting requirement and design of the bridge‐type FCL in the multi‐terminal DC grid
Authors: He Jiawei , Li Bin , Li Ye
Published: November 2017

In the multi‐terminal flexible dc grid, it is important for the healthy network to ride through the dc fault. The converters should operate continuously after dc faults, staying unblocked. But the existing selective protection and isolation method may fail to react swiftly enough, because the propagation speed of the dc fault current is extremely fast. This paper discussed the fault current limiting requirements and proposed a calculation method to determine the required dc reactor value, for the purpose of the converter continuous operation during dc faults. On this basis, the bridge‐type fault current limiter (FCL) was proposed for using in the dc grid, due to merits including minor negative influence on dc grid normal operation, fast response to dc faults and efficient coordination with the dc circuit breaker (DCCB). The parameter design principle of the bridge‐type FCL for dc grid was also discussed. Then the scaled‐down dc experiment test circuit was built to verify the working principle and performance of the bridge‐type FCL. Finally, the simulation cases based on the PSCAD/EMTDC were carried out to verify the feasibility of the theoretical calculation method and the superiority of the proposed bridge‐type FCL for using in the dc grid.
Method for designing a high capacity factor wide area virtual wind farm
Authors: Trenkel‐Lopez Miguel , Matthews Peter
Published: November 2017

Moving towards a future power system dominated by renewable energy, it is vital that the siting of spatial‐dependent technologies such as wind maximises the power generation while minimising the variability associated with wind power. This study develops a novel methodology for wind farm diversification by identifying pairs and triplets of locations across Western Europe which together form ‘virtual’ wind farms with a better guarantee of a minimum power generation level, providing capacity planners with tools to design a network of connected wind farms working together on a continental scale. These locations were found using hourly wind speed data spanning 10 years by examining time periods of local low wind availability at each grid point and identifying the best complementary wind resource locations. The best links are identified and presented. From an idealised capacity factor (CF) of 0.70 for a single site, the method found the potential for virtual CFs of 0.64 for grid point pairs and 0.68 for grid point triplets. This suggests that this approach can model virtual wind farms with virtual CFs comparable to conventional generation technologies and drastically reduce the amount of time during which farms are producing no power.
Method for estimation of location of the asymmetrical phase‐to‐ground faults existing during an overhead line energisation
Authors: Mujović Saša , Vujošević Snežana
Published: November 2017

Fast and precise location of faults in power transmission lines is essentially important for fast line restoration. Widely used fault location methods based on impedance measurement and travelling wave analysis have some drawbacks leaving a lot of room for further research. This study proposes a novel method for estimation of the location of the asymmetrical phase‐to‐ground faults that exist during line energisation. The method is based on the empirical mode decomposition and its application relies on knowing the fundamental system parameters and frequency estimation of the analysed signal. It is simple to use while providing highly accurate results for overhead lines up to 80 km length.
Accelerating frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy measurements on insulation of transformers through system identification
Authors: Yang Lijun , Chen Junru , Gao Jun , Zheng Hanbo , Li Yuguan
Published: November 2017

Frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) is a non‐destructive method widely used to evaluate the state of dielectric materials. Traditional FDS measurement is conducted in frequency sweep mode between 1 kHz and 1 mHz. However, this method requires long measurement time when sweeping in low frequencies (1 mHz–1 Hz), thereby limiting its field applications. Hammerstein model is selected as the mathematical model for insulation systems according to known property of dielectric and established based on system identification theory. An equivalent mathematical model fitting >97% with the insulation system is obtained. The equivalent model can be used to calculate dielectric response parameters and construct an FDS. The proposed method requires 10 min to obtain dielectric response parameters under any frequency excitation in the low‐frequency section. The measurement time decreases by up to 90% compared with that of traditional FDS. Comparison experiments are conducted between system identification method and traditional FDS measurement applied to different insulation systems, such as insulation pressboards, testing transformers, and field power transformers. Results show that frequency responses are consistent between the equivalent model and insulation system, ensuring the accuracy of FDS curve obtained by the proposed method.
Design and analysis of a broadband 4‐way high power combiner in the VHF/UHF band
Authors: Naeimi Tohid , Ahmadi Arash
Published: November 2017

In this study, a four‐way power combiner using four equally designed 2‐way power combiners is introduced. The physical structure of the combiner is such that the components and connections are symmetrically arranged. In the final section of the power combiner, two 2‐way combiners are connected in parallel, which helps for easier circuit alignment and better electrical properties. The 2‐way power combiner is the building block of the 4‐way power combiner. The 2‐way power combiner is analysed by even and odd method and its performance is verified by measurements. The analysis method can be extended to 4‐way or N‐way power combiners. The proposed 4‐way power combiner is fabricated and its performance is measured. The amplitude imbalance of the 4‐way power combiner is <0.2 dB in the path between the input ports and the summing port. The attenuation above the theoretical 6 dB insertion loss is 0.5 dB from 30 to 500 MHz. The 4‐way power combiner has the same performance as the 2‐way power combiner, regarding the added insertion loss above the theoretical ideal value. Ease of fabrication, simple circuit connections and use of equally constructed 2‐way power combiners result in repeatability and reduce electrical mismatch.
Robust Kalman filter‐based decentralised target search and prediction with topology maps
Authors: Guanathillake Ashanie , Savkin Andrey V. , Jayasumana Anura P.
Published: November 2017

A novel distributed approach for searching and tracking of targets is presented for sensor network environments in which physical distance measurement using techniques such as signal strength is not feasible. The solution consists of a robust Kalman filter combined with a non‐linear least‐square method, and maximum likelihood topology maps. The primary input for estimating target location and direction of motion is provided by time stamps recorded by the sensor nodes when the target is detected within their sensing range. An autonomous robot following the target collects this information from sensors in its neighbourhood to determine its own path in search of the target. While the maximum likelihood topology coordinate space is a robust alternative to physical coordinates, it contains significant non‐linear distortions when compared with physical distances between nodes. The authors overcome this using time stamps corresponding to target detection by nodes instead of relying on distances. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with recently proposed pseudo gradient algorithm based on hop count and received signal strength. Even though the proposed algorithm does not depend on distance measurements, the results show that it is able to track the target effectively even when the target changes its moving pattern frequently.
Application of finite elements heterogeneous multi-scale method to eddy currents non destructive testing of carbon composites material
Authors: Khebbab Mohamed , Feliachi Mouloud , El Hadi Latreche Mohamed
Published: November 2017

In this present paper, a simulation of eddy current non-destructive testing (EC NDT) on unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer is performed; for this magneto-dynamic formulation in term of magnetic vector potential is solved using finite element heterogeneous multi-scale method (FE HMM). FE HMM has as goal to compute the homogenized solution without calculating the homogenized tensor explicitly, the solution is based only on the physical characteristic known in micro domain. This feature is well adapted to EC NDT to evaluate defect in carbon composite material in microscopic scale, where the defect detection is performed by coil impedance measurement; the measurement value is intimately linked to material characteristic in microscopic level. Based on this, our model can handle different defects such as: cracks, inclusion, internal electrical conductivity changes, heterogeneities, etc. The simulation results were compared with the solution obtained with homogenized material using mixture law, a good agreement was found.
Mindestpersonalstandards: Pflegekräfte fordern Sanktionsmöglichkeiten
Authors: Kucera Martin
Published: November 2017

Obwohl der Streik der Pflegekräfte an der Berliner Charité vorerst beendet ist, gehen die Tarifverhandlungen hinter verschlossenen Türen weiter. Dabei geht es vor allem um rechtssicher einklagbare Pflegepersonaluntergrenzen.
Mindestbesetzung in der Pflege: Jetzt sind die Spitzenverbände am Zug
Authors: Kucera Martin
Published: November 2017

Nachdem im Sommer der Bundestag verbindliche Personaluntergrenzen in der Pflege ab dem Jahr 2019 beschlossen hat, tickt für die Spitzenverbände die Uhr.
Gesundheitspolitik nach der Bundestagswahl: Erst mal weiter so
Authors: Paquet Robert
Published: November 2017

Derzeit muss man davon ausgehen, dass der Wind weiter nach Jamaika weht. Dabei hat Gesundheitspolitik schon im Wahlkampf keine herausragende Rolle gespielt. Auch für die Regierungsbildung wird sie nicht entscheidend sein. Überraschungen beim Ressortzuschnitt und Personal sind auf den letzten Metern allerdings nicht ausgeschlossen.
Willkommen im Roboterzeitalter!
Authors: Mau Jens
Published: November 2017

Die Gesundheitswirtschaft, das zeigt die Medica, pulsiert. Die Messe mit ihren über 5 000 Ausstellern und rund 130 000 Besuchern ist weltweit der größte Umschlagplatz für Medizintechnik. Hier trifft Ingenieurskunst auf medizinisches Fachwissen – mit gewaltigem kreativen Output. Mittlerweile prägen zunehmend Schlagworte wie „Künstliche Intelligenz“, „Big Data“ oder „Radionomics“ die fachliche Diskussion – ebenso wie die Produktentwicklung. Ein Roboter, der automatisiert Nadeln für Infusionen oder Biopsien platzieren kann, war bereits 2016 ein Medica-Highlight. Der wachsende Einfluss der Maschine ist auf der Düsseldorfer Messe zunehmend sichtbar. Doch nicht nur die Maschine steht im Mittelpunkt: Erstmals wird die Messe auch zur Fortbildungsstätte. In der Medica Academy bekommen Ärzte die Gelegenheit, CME-zertifizierte Weiterbildungen zu besuchen. Ein großer Trend auf der Medica bleibt außerdem die Digitalisierung – sie hat mittlerweile alle Bereiche des Gesundheitswesens erfasst. Das zeigen die zahlreichen Anwendungen für Smartphones, Tablet-PC oder Wearables, die auf der diesjährigen Medica vorgestellt werden.