bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survey of Nonprescription Medication and Antibiotic Use in Patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, and Overlap Syndrome
Authors: Sullivan Katherine , Jeffres Meghan , Dellavalle Robert , Valuck Robert , Anderson Heather
Published: February 2018

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and overlap syndrome (SJS-TEN) are rare, serious skin and mucosa break-down conditions frequently associated with antibiotic use. The role of nonprescription medications alone, or in combination with antibiotics in triggering SJS/TEN, is largely unknown. This study summarized data collected from patient surveys about nonprescription and antibiotic use prior to a SJS/TEN diagnosis. The survey was administered online to members of the U.S. SJS Foundation who had been diagnosed with SJS/TEN or were the parent of a child who had been diagnosed with SJS/TEN. Respondents were asked about nonprescription medications taken within the year before diagnosis, and the approximate point in time before diagnosis that they had taken them. They were also asked about specific prescription medications, including antibiotics, that they took before diagnosis. An estimated 4500 patients received an invitation to complete the survey. 251 patients completed it, resulting in a response rate of 5.6%. The mean age of respondents was 43 years (SD (standard deviation) = 17.3) and 70% were female. 32.3% of respondents indicated that a prescription antibiotic triggered their reaction. 14.1% indicated a nonprescription medication had triggered their SJS/TEN, and 18.1% said a nonprescription medication may have triggered their SJS/TEN. 85.5% of respondents said they took a nonprescription medication within three months of their SJS/TEN diagnosis. Of those respondents who reported that an antibiotic triggered their SJS/TEN, 35.2% reported taking a nonprescription medication within the three months prior to their diagnosis. This survey captured valuable information about nonprescription and antibiotic use in SJS/TEN patients. It is important for future studies to estimate the impact of antibiotics on SJS/TEN, and account for nonprescription medication use in that relationship.
Evaluating the Quality of Reinforced Concrete Electric Railway Poles by Thermal Nondestructive Testing
Authors: Sannikov Dmitry , Kolevatov Alexander , Vavilov Vladimir , Kuimova Marina
Published: February 2018

Thermal nondestructive testing can be used to inspect reinforced concrete supports that are widely used in various industries. Corrosion damage is a typical defect found in these supports. Corrosion usually starts as a separation between the concrete and the steel rebar. Damage is exacerbated by pressure that is caused by the formation of corrosion products. The most logical method for using IR to detect corrosion or a disbond would be to heat up the rebar by resistive or inductive heating. In both cases, monitoring the dynamic temperature distributions on the pole allows for the evaluation of reinforcement quality. The thermal properties of steel, concrete, air, and corrosion products differ greatly. The magnitude of temperature anomalies and their behavior over time depend on the presence of corrosion products, air gaps, and the quality of contact between rebar and concrete.
Theoretical Analysis of Directly Modulated Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Performance Enhancement by Microring Resonator-Based Notch Filtering
Authors: Rizou Zoe , Zoiros Kyriakos
Published: February 2018

We demonstrate the feasibility of using a single microring resonator (MRR) as optical notch filter for enabling the direct modulation of a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) at more than tripled data rate than possible with the RSOA alone. We conduct a thorough simulation analysis to investigate and assess the impact of critical operating parameters on defined performance metrics, and we specify how the former must be selected so that the latter can become acceptable. By using an MRR of appropriate radius and detuning, the RSOA modulation bandwidth, which we explicitly quantify, can be extended to overcome the RSOA pattern-dependent performance limitations. Thus, the MRR makes the RSOA-encoded signal exhibit improved characteristics that can be exploited in practical RSOA direct modulation applications.
High-Frame-Rate Doppler Ultrasound Using a Repeated Transmit Sequence
Authors: Podkowa Anthony , Oelze Michael , Ketterling Jeffrey
Published: February 2018

The maximum detectable velocity of high-frame-rate color flow Doppler ultrasound is limited by the imaging frame rate when using coherent compounding techniques. Traditionally, high quality ultrasonic images are produced at a high frame rate via coherent compounding of steered plane wave reconstructions. However, this compounding operation results in an effective downsampling of the slow-time signal, thereby artificially reducing the frame rate. To alleviate this effect, a new transmit sequence is introduced where each transmit angle is repeated in succession. This transmit sequence allows for direct comparison between low resolution, pre-compounded frames at a short time interval in ways that are resistent to sidelobe motion. Use of this transmit sequence increases the maximum detectable velocity by a scale factor of the transmit sequence length. The performance of this new transmit sequence was evaluated using a rotating cylindrical phantom and compared with traditional methods using a 15-MHz linear array transducer. Axial velocity estimates were recorded for a range of ± 300 mm/s and compared to the known ground truth. Using these new techniques, the root mean square error was reduced from over 400 mm/s to below 50 mm/s in the high-velocity regime compared to traditional techniques. The standard deviation of the velocity estimate in the same velocity range was reduced from 250 mm/s to 30 mm/s. This result demonstrates the viability of the repeated transmit sequence methods in detecting and quantifying high-velocity flow.
Comparison of Training Approaches for Photovoltaic Forecasts by Means of Machine Learning
Authors: Dolara Alberto , Grimaccia Francesco , Leva Sonia , Mussetta Marco , Ogliari Emanuele
Published: February 2018

The relevance of forecasting in renewable energy sources (RES) applications is increasing, due to their intrinsic variability. In recent years, several machine learning and hybrid techniques have been employed to perform day-ahead photovoltaic (PV) output power forecasts. In this paper, the authors present a comparison of the artificial neural network’s main characteristics used in a hybrid method, focusing in particular on the training approach. In particular, the influence of different data-set composition affecting the forecast outcome have been inspected by increasing the training dataset size and by varying the training and validation shares, in order to assess the most effective training method of this machine learning approach, based on commonly used and a newly-defined performance indexes for the prediction error. The results will be validated over a one-year time range of experimentally measured data. Novel error metrics are proposed and compared with traditional ones, showing the best approach for the different cases of either a newly deployed PV plant or an already-existing PV facility.
Sources and Health Risks of Heavy Metals in PM2.5 in a Campus in a Typical Suburb Area of Taiyuan, North China
Authors: Liu Kankan , Shang Qingmin , Wan Changyuan
Published: February 2018

To evaluate air pollution and the public health burden of heavy metals in PM2.5 in a campus with a population of approximately 40,000 in a typical suburb area of Taiyuan, North China, PM2.5 measurements were conducted during the spring and winter of 2016. The average concentrations of PM2.5 in spring and winter were 97.3 ± 35.2 µg m−3 and 205.9 ± 91.3 µg m−3, respectively. The order of concentration of heavy metals in PM2.5 was as follows: Zn > Pb > Mn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Cd > As, in both spring and winter. The concentrations of Cd and Pb in winter and the concentrations of Cr in both spring and winter in this study were significantly higher than the corresponding air quality standard values. Road/soil dust, industrial emissions/coal combustion, and vehicle emissions/oil combustion and coal combustion/industrial emissions, road/soil dust, and vehicle emissions/oil combustion were identified by principal component analysis to be the major sources of heavy metals for spring and winter, respectively. The carcinogenic risks posed by Cr via the three exposure pathways (except for inhalation exposure to children) and by Pb via ingestion exposure exceeded the acceptable level for both children and adults. The non-carcinogenic risks posed by Mn via inhalation for both children and adults, and by Cr and Pb for children via ingestion exceeded the acceptable level.
Optimization of PM2.5 Estimation Using Landscape Pattern Information and Land Use Regression Model in Zhejiang, China
Authors: Yang Shan , Wu Haitian , Chen Jian , Lin Xintao , Lu Ting
Published: February 2018

The motivation of this paper is that the effect of landscape pattern information on the accuracy of particulate matter estimation is seldom reported. The landscape pattern indexes were incorporated in a land use regression (LUR) model to investigate the performance of PM2.5 simulation over Zhejiang Province. The study results show that the prediction accuracy of the model has been improved significantly after the incorporation of the landscape pattern indexes. At class-level, waters and residential areas were clearly landscape components influencing decreasing or increasing PM2.5 concentration. At landscape-level, CONTAG (contagion index) played a huge negative role in pollutant concentrations. Latitude and relative humidity are key factors affecting the PM2.5 concentration at province level. If the land use regression model incorporating landscape pattern indexes was used to simulate distribution of PM2.5, the accuracy of ordinary kriging for the LUR-based data mining was higher than the accuracy of LUR-based ordinary kriging, especially in the area of low pollution concentration.
Prolonged Corrosion Stability of a Microchip Sensor Implant during In Vivo Exposure
Authors: Glogener Paul , Krause Michael , Katzer Jens , Schubert Markus , Birkholz Mario , Bellmann Olaf , Kröger-Koch Claudia , Hammon Harald , Metges Cornelia , Welsch Christine , Ruff Roman , Hoffmann Klaus
Published: February 2018

A microelectronic biosensor was subjected to in vivo exposure by implanting it in the vicinity of m. trapezii (Trapezius muscle) from cattle. The implant is intended for the continuous monitoring of glucose levels, and the study aimed at evaluating the biostability of exposed semiconductor surfaces. The sensor chip was a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) prepared using 0.25 µm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor CMOS/BiCMOS technology. Sensing is based on the principle of affinity viscometry with a sensoric assay, which is separated by a semipermeable membrane from the tissue. Outer dimensions of the otherwise hermetically sealed biosensor system were 39 × 49 × 16 mm. The test system was implanted into cattle in a subcutaneous position without running it. After 17 months, the device was explanted and analyzed by comparing it with unexposed chips and systems. Investigations focused on the MEMS chip using SEM, TEM, and elemental analysis by EDX mapping. The sensor chip turned out to be uncorroded and no diminishing of the topmost passivation layer could be determined, which contrasts remarkably with previous results on CMOS biosensors. The negligible corrosive attack is understood to be a side effect of the semipermeable membrane separating the assay from the tissue. It is concluded that the separation has enabled a prolonged biostability of the chip, which will be of relevance for biosensor implants in general.
Long-Term Electroclinical and Employment Follow up in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery. A Cuban Comprehensive Epilepsy Surgery Program
Authors: Morales Chacón Lilia , Garcia Maeso Ivan , Baez Martin Margarita , Bender del Busto Juan , García Navarro María , Quintanal Cordero Nelson , Estupiñan Díaz Bárbara , Lorigados Pedre Lourdes , Valdés Yerena Ricardo , Gonzalez Judith , Garbey Fernandez Randy , Sánchez Coroneux Abel
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this paper is to present a long- term electroclinical and employment follow up in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients in a comprehensive epilepsy surgery program. Forty adult patients with pharmacoresistant TLE underwent detailed presurgical evaluation. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and clinical follow up assessment for each patient were carried out. The occurrence of interictal epileptiform activity (IEA) and absolute spike frequency (ASF) were tabulated before and after 1, 6, 12, 24 and 72 months surgical treatment. Employment status pre- to post-surgery at the last evaluated period was also examined. Engel scores follow-up was described as follows: at 12 months 70% (28) class I, 10% (4) class II and 19% (8) class III-IV; at 24 months after surgery 55.2% (21) of the patients were class I, 28.9% (11) class II and 15.1% (6) class III-IV. After one- year follow up 23 (57.7%) patients were seizure and aura-free (Engel class IA). These figures changed to 47.3%, and 48.6% respectively two and five years following surgery whereas 50% maintained this condition in the last follow up period. A decline in the ASF was observed from the first year until the sixth year after surgery in relation to the preoperative EEG. The ASF one year after surgery allowed to distinguish “satisfactory” from “unsatisfactory” seizure relief outcome at the last follow up. An adequate social functioning in terms of education and employment in more than 50% of the patients was also found. Results revealed the feasibility of conducting a successful epilepsy surgery program with favorable long term electroclinical and psychosocial functioning outcomes in a developing country as well.
The Impact of Insulation and HVAC Degradation on Overall Building Energy Performance: A Case Study
Authors: Eleftheriadis Georgios , Hamdy Mohamed
Published: February 2018

Through monitoring of buildings, it can be proven that the performance of envelope elements and energy supply systems deteriorates with time. The results of this degradation are higher energy consumption and life cycle costs than projected in the building design phase. This paper considers the impacts of this deterioration on the whole building energy performance with the goal of improving the accuracy of long term performance calculations. To achieve that, simplified degradation equations found in literature are applied on selected envelope elements and heating system components of a single-family house in Germany. The energy performance of the building over 20 years is determined through simulations by EnergyPlus and MATLAB. The simulation results show that, depending on maintenance and primary heating system, the building can consume between 18.4% and 47.1% more primary energy over 20 years compared to a scenario in which no degradation were to occur. Thus, it can be concluded that considering performance drop with time is key in order to improve the decision-making process when designing future-proof buildings.
Surface Observation and Magnetism of Oil-Extracted Botryococcus braunii Residues before and after Carbonization
Authors: Wang Aohan , Demura Mikihide , Watanabe Makoto , Ohara Kotaro , Kashiwagi Takanari , Kadowaki Kazuo , Kita Eiji , Dong Jiuchao , Goto Hiromasa
Published: February 2018

Microalgae is a promising next-generational energy. In this research, we focus on oil-extracted Botryococcus braunii residues collected by adding polysilicato-iron (PSI) as a flocculant followed by carbonization under argon atmosphere. We conducted carbonization at various temperatures as a first attempt to reveal the fundamental properties of the carbonization process of the microbes. The carbons thus obtained by heat treatment at 900 °C present a unique magnetic behavior due to reduced magnetite (Fe3O4) inclusion, which is produced from polysilicato iron (Fe2O3) during the heating process. Experimental results suggest that this carbonic material can be applied as a heavy metal-capturing carbon and magnetic porous substrate catalyst. The effective use of the waste may open a new avenue for an energy-microbiology-materials system.
Ag3PO4-TiO2-Graphene Oxide Ternary Composites with Efficient Photodegradation, Hydrogen Evolution, and Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Sheu Fu-Jye , Cho Chun-Pei , Liao Yu-Ting , Yu Chang-Tze
Published: February 2018

Ag3PO4-TiO2-graphene oxide ternary composite photocatalysts were fabricated by the photocatalytic reduction and ion exchange methods. The properties and photocatalytic activity of the composites were examined, and the photodegradation mechanism was investigated. More TiO2 nanoparticles in the composites were found to improve light absorption, but caused a larger impedance and inferior charge transport. Excess TiO2 nanoparticles distributed over the surfaces of Ag3PO4 and graphene oxide decreased the specific surface area and thus lowered light absorbance. An appropriate TiO2 content enhanced photocatalytic performance. When the molar ratio of Ag3PO4 to TiO2 was 0.6, the highest efficiency in photodegradation, hydrogen production (with a quantum efficiency of 8.1% and a hydrogen evolution rate of 218.7 μmole·g−1·h−1) and bacterial inactivation was achieved. Trapping experiments demonstrated that superoxide radicals and holes are the major active species involved in the photodegradation process.
Co-Processing of Jatropha-Derived Bio-Oil with Petroleum Distillates over Mesoporous CoMo and NiMo Sulfide Catalysts
Authors: Chen Shih-Yuan , Nishi Masayasu , Mochizuki Takehisa , Takagi Hideyuki , Takatsuki Akira , Roschat Wuttichai , Toba Makoto , Yoshimura Yuji
Published: February 2018

The co-processing of an unconventional type of Jatropha bio-oil with petroleum distillates over mesoporous alumina-supported CoMo and NiMo sulfide catalysts (denoted CoMo/γ-Al2O3 and NiMo/γ-Al2O3) was studied. Either a stainless-steel high-pressure batch-type reactor or an up-flow fixed-bed reaction system was used under severe reaction conditions (330–350 °C and 5–7 MPa), similar to the conditions of the conventional diesel hydrodesulfurization (HDS) process. To understand the catalytic performance of the mesoporous sulfide catalysts for co-processing, we prepared two series of oil feedstocks. First, model diesel oils, consisting of hydrocarbons and model molecules with various heteroatoms (sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen) were used for the study of the reaction mechanisms. Secondly, low-grade oil feedstocks, which were prepared by dissolving of an unconventional type of Jatropha bio-oil (ca. 10 wt %) in the petroleum distillates, were used to study the practical application of the catalysts. Surface characterization by gas sorption, spectroscopy, and electron microscopy indicated that the CoMo/γ-Al2O3 sulfide catalyst, which has a larger number of acidic sites and coordinatively unsaturated sites (CUS) on the mesoporous alumina framework, was associated with small Co-incorporated MoS2-like slabs with high stacking numbers and many active sites at the edges and corners. In contrast, the NiMo/γ-Al2O3 sulfide catalyst, which had a lower number of acidic sites and CUS on mesoporous alumina framework, was associated with large Ni-incorporated MoS2-like slabs with smaller stacking numbers, yielding more active sites at the brims and corresponding to high hydrogenation (HYD) activity. Concerning the catalytic performance, the mesoporous CoMo/γ-Al2O3 sulfide catalyst with large CUS number was highly active for the conventional diesel HDS process; unfortunately, it was deactivated when oxygen- and nitrogen-containing model molecules or Jatropha bio-oil were present in the oil feedstock. In contrast, the mesoporous NiMo/γ-Al2O3 sulfide catalyst, which had a high HYD activity and low affinity for heteroatoms, was efficient in the simultaneous removal of those heteroatoms from model diesel oils, and, in particular, Jatropha bio-oil co-fed with petroleum distillates. This could allow the production of a drop-in diesel-like fuel, which would be a greener fuel and reduce the CO2 emissions and hazardous exhaust gases produced by the transport sector, reducing the burden on the environment.
A Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment (SNAKE)—Concordance with a Global Rating of Sleep Quality
Authors: Dreier Larissa , Zernikow Boris , Blankenburg Markus , Wager Julia
Published: February 2018

Sleep problems are a common and serious issue in children with life-limiting conditions (LLCs) and severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI). The “Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment” (Schlaffragebogen für Kinder mit Neurologischen und Anderen Komplexen Erkrankungen, SNAKE) was developed for this unique patient group. In a proxy rating, the SNAKE assesses five different dimensions of sleep(-associated) problems (disturbances going to sleep, disturbances remaining asleep, arousal and breathing disorders, daytime sleepiness, and daytime behavior disorders). It has been tested with respect to construct validity and some aspects of criterion validity. The present study examined whether the five SNAKE scales are consistent with parents’ or other caregivers’ global ratings of a child’s sleep quality. Data from a comprehensive dataset of children and adolescents with LLCs and SPMI were analyzed through correlation coefficients and Mann–Whitney U testing. The results confirmed the consistency of both sources of information. The highest levels of agreements with the global rating were achieved for disturbances in terms of going to sleep and disturbances with respect to remaining asleep. The results demonstrate that the scales and therefore the SNAKE itself is well-suited for gathering information on different sleep(-associated) problems in this vulnerable population.
On the Modelling of Algal Biofouling Growth on Nano-TiO2 Coated and Uncoated Limestones and Sandstones
Authors: Graziani Lorenzo , Quagliarini Enrico
Published: February 2018

Algal biofouling on archaeological and historic materials, as well as in modern building façade, is a common phenomenon that occurs when microorganisms of various nature adhere to the material, forming biological stains and patinas. It can significantly deteriorate the aesthetic and even mechanical quality of historic and archaeological artifacts. Thus, predicting the colonization progress of algae on treated and untreated materials can be helpful to establish appropriate schedules and methods of maintenance. In this way, the aim of this research was to modelize the algal colonization on nano-TiO2 coated and uncoated stone surfaces, usually found in historic and archaeological artifacts, by following Avrami’s theory. Particular attention was paid on correlating the model with some properties of the substrate, like roughness and porosity. Biofouling was tested on two sandstones and three limestone with different intrinsic characteristics (porosity, roughness) by means of an accelerated lab-scale test. A suspension of green alga Chlorella mirabilis and cyanobacteria Chroococcidiopsis fissurarum was used as biofouling. Digital image analysis was carried out in order to find the attachment rate and the growth of algal spots. Results show that the attachment specific rate increased linearly with time, and the assumption of a constant growth rate was acceptable. A good agreement between the simulation and the experimental results was obtained with a maximum error of 0.59%.
Investigation of Electrochemically Deposited and Chemically Reduced Platinum Nanostructured Thin Films as Counter Electrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Tsai Chih-Hung , Hsiao Yu-Chen , Chuang Ping-Yuan
Published: February 2018

In this paper, we demonstrated that platinum (Pt) counter electrodes (CEs) fabricated using electrochemical deposition and chemical reduction can replace conventional high-temperature thermally decomposed Pt electrodes. In this study, Pt electrodes were fabricated using thermal decomposition, electrochemical deposition, and chemical reduction, and the influence of the different Pt counter electrodes on the efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was analyzed. The properties of the various Pt CEs were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). DSSCs with various Pt CEs were characterized using current density-voltage (J-V), incident photo-current conversion efficiency (IPCE), and EIS measurements. The results show that the power conversion efficiencies of these three types of DSSC devices were between 7.43% and 7.72%. The DSSCs based on the Pt electrode fabricated through electrochemical deposition exhibited the optimal power conversion efficiency. Because the processes of electrochemical deposition and chemical reduction do not require high-temperature sintering, these two methods are suitable for the fabrication of Pt on flexible plastic substrates.
Seismic Response of Adjacent Unequal Buildings Subjected to Double Pounding Considering Soil-Structure Interaction
Authors: Kontoni Denise-Penelope , Farghaly Ahmed
Published: February 2018

Various cases of two adjacent multi-story buildings with different numbers of floors and equal or unequal foundation levels under earthquake loading and considering soil-structure interaction (SSI) are investigated. A two-dimensional model for each case of the two adjacent unequal buildings without separation distance is used and a special arrangement of contact elements in the contact zone is employed to fulfil all possible deformation contact modes which take place under seismic loading. The soil is modelled by two-dimensional 4-node elements which are in contact with the foundations of the two adjacent buildings. This paper studies the earthquake-induced double pounding that takes place between the two adjacent unequal height buildings in some upper points at superstructure in the contact zone and also at foundation level, considering soil-structure interaction (SSI). The double pounding and the soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects should be taken into consideration in the seismic analysis of adjacent buildings especially those with different heights and different foundation levels.
A Microwave Reflectometry Technique for Profiling the Dielectric-Conductivity Properties of the Hagia Sophia Globe
Authors: Vazouras Christos , Kasapoglu George , Karagianni Evangelia , Uzunoglu Nikolaos
Published: February 2018

A microwave free space reflectometry technique with swept frequency measurements for the profiling of wall structures and the detection of hidden (covered) layers has been applied to the Hagia Sophia byzantine monument. Experimental measurement results are presented and compared with three-dimensional (3D) simulated results, exhibiting fair agreement in some (though not all) aspects. Based on the experimental results, the possibility of clear discrimination between regions with and without covered mosaic layers, and hence the detection of such layers, is demonstrated.
CPS-Based Smart Warehouse for Industry 4.0: A Survey of the Underlying Technologies
Authors: Liu Xiulong , Cao Jiannong , Yang Yanni , Jiang Shan
Published: February 2018

This paper discusses how the state-of-the-art techniques in cyber-physical systems facilitate building smart warehouses to achieve the promising vision of industry 4.0. We focus on four significant issues when applying CPS techniques in smart warehouses. First, efficient CPS data collection: when limited communication bandwidth meets numerous CPS devices, we need to make more effort to study efficient wireless communication scheduling strategies. Second, accurate and robust localization: localization is the basis for many fundamental operations in smart warehouses, but still needs to be improved from various aspects like accuracy and robustness. Third, human activity recognition: human activity recognition can be applied in human–computer interaction for remote machine operations. Fourth, multi-robot collaboration: smart robots will take the place of humans to accomplish most tasks particularly in a harsh environment, and smart and fully-distributed robot collaborating algorithms should be investigated. Finally, we point out some challenging issues in the future CPS-based smart warehouse, which could open some new research directions.
Editorial of the Special Issue on Quantified Self and Personal Informatics
Authors: Rapp Amon , Cena Federica , Marcengo Alessandro
Published: February 2018

In recent years, we witnessed the spreading of a plethora of wearable and mobile technologies allowing for a continuous and “transparent” gathering of personal data [...]
Pollution Damage and Protection of Asian Hair
Authors: Qu Xin , Niu Lijuan , Kroon Bert , Foltis Linda
Published: February 2018

Cigarette smoke was used to simulate a polluted environment and an experiment was performed to reveal how virgin and bleached hair are damaged by a polluted environment. The dry/wet combability, surface contact angle, tryptophan content, and cuticle morphology of the smoke exposed hair were evaluated, and compared to unexposed virgin hair. The results showed that pollution exposure can cause significant chemical damage to hair. In particular, virgin hair exposure to pollution can cause damage to the hair cuticles (higher wet/dry combing), protein degradation, and a more hydrophilic hair surface. The experiment also demonstrated that the styling polymer, polyimide-1 (isobutylene/dimethyl amino propyl maleimide/ethoxylated maleimide/maleic acid copolymer), can provide effective protection against such hair damage.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Herbicide Safening, and Antifungal Activity of N-(4,6-Dichloropyrimidine-2-Yl)Benzamide
Authors: Zheng Wen-Na , Zhu Zhe-Yuan , Deng Ya-Nan , Wu Zhong-Chi , Zhou Yong , Zhou Xiao-Mao , Bai Lian-Yang , Deng Xi-Le
Published: February 2018

The compound N-(4,6-dichloropyrimidine-2-yl)benzamide (C11H7Cl2N3O) was synthesized and the corresponding structure was confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HRMS, IR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallized in a monoclinic system with space group P 21/c, where a = 14.9156(6), b = 16.6291(8), c = 14.4740(6) Å, β = 95.160(2)°, V = 3575.5(3) Å3, Z = 12, Dc = 1.494 g∙cm−3, F(000) = 1632, μ(MoKa) = 3.182 mm−1, final R = 0.0870, and wR = 0.2331 with I > 2σ(I). The crystal structure was found to be stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions N–H···O and C–H···Cl. Furthermore, the results from biological assays indicated that the compound showed a similar protective effect on metolachlor injury in rice seedlings compared to fenclorim at a concentration of 4.0 mg∙L−1. Moreover, the compound exhibited an improved antifungal activity compared to pyrimethanil against S. sclerotiorum and F. oxysporum. Potentially, these results lay the foundation for the development of novel herbicide safeners and fungicides.
Revealing Tendencies in the Electronic Structures of Polar Intermetallic Compounds
Authors: Gladisch Fabian , Steinberg Simon
Published: February 2018

The quest for solid-state materials with tailored chemical and physical features stimulates the search for general prescriptions to recognize and forecast their electronic structures providing valuable information about the experimentally determined bulk properties at the atomic scale. Although the concepts first introduced by Zintl and Hume–Rothery help to understand and forecast the bonding motifs in several intermetallic compounds, there is an emerging group of compounds dubbed as polar intermetallic phases whose electronic structures cannot be categorized by the aforementioned conceptions. These polar intermetallic compounds can be divided into two categories based on the building units in their crystal structures and the expected charge distributions between their components. On the one hand, there are polar intermetallic compounds composed of polycationic clusters surrounded by anionic ligands, while, on the other hand, the crystal structures of other polar intermetallic compounds comprise polyanionic units combined with monoatomic cations. In this review, we present the quantum chemical techniques to gain access to the electronic structures of polar intermetallic compounds, evaluate certain trends from a survey of the electronic structures of diverse polar intermetallic compounds, and show options based on quantum chemical approaches to predict the properties of such materials.
Comparison of a New Multiplex Immunoassay for Measurement of Ferritin, Soluble Transferrin Receptor, Retinol-Binding Protein, C-Reactive Protein and α1-Acid-glycoprotein Concentrations against a Widely-Used s-ELISA Method
Authors: Karakochuk Crystal , Henderson Amanda , Samson Kaitlyn , Aljaadi Abeer , Devlin Angela , Becquey Elodie , Wirth James , Rohner Fabian
Published: February 2018

Recently, a multiplex ELISA (Quansys Biosciences) was developed that measures ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), retinol-binding protein (RBP), C-reactive protein (CRP), α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), thyroglobulin, and histidine-rich protein 2. Our primary aim was to conduct a method-comparison study to compare five biomarkers (ferritin, sTfR, RBP, CRP, and AGP) measured with the Quansys assay and a widely-used s-ELISA (VitMin Lab, Willstaett, Germany) with use of serum samples from 180 women and children from Burkina Faso, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Bias and concordance were used to describe the agreement in values measured by the two methods. We observed poor overall agreement between the methods, both with regard to biomarker concentrations and deficiency prevalence estimates. Several measurements were outside of the limit of detection with use of the Quansys ELISA (total n = 42 for ferritin, n = 2 for sTfR, n = 0 for AGP, n = 5 for CRP, n = 22 for RBP), limiting our ability to interpret assay findings. Although the Quansys ELISA has great potential to simplify laboratory analysis of key nutritional and inflammation biomarkers, there are some weaknesses in the procedures. Overall, we found poor comparability of results between methods. Besides addressing procedural issues, additional validation of the Quansys against a gold standard method is warranted for future research.
The Impact of Fiscal Decentralization on Accountability, Economic Freedom, and Political and Civil Liberties in the Americas
Authors: Bojanic Antonio
Published: February 2018

This paper analyzes the impact of fiscal decentralization on accountability, economic freedom, and political and civil liberties in the Americas. The findings indicate that decentralization initially hampers but eventually enhances accountability and political and civil liberties, in line with the hypothesized positive correlation between greater fiscal autonomy and a more inclusive, participatory government. The impact of fiscal decentralization on economic freedom, however, runs counter to expectations. Decentralization seems to initially bolster freedom, but it eventually constrains it, proving that greater accountability and political and civil liberties do not necessarily lead to greater economic freedom. When Canada and the US are excluded and the analysis is done with developing American nations only, the behavioral pattern regarding how fiscal decentralization affects the principal variables intensifies, noting that in developing countries the impact of fiscal decentralization is likely to be more consequential.
Thermodynamic Performance Assessment of a Novel Micro-CCHP System Based on a Low Temperature PEMFC Power Unit and a Half-Effect Li/Br Absorption Chiller
Authors: Cozzolino Raffaello
Published: February 2018

The aim of this work has been to evaluate the energetic feasibility and the performances of a novel residential micro-Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) system, based on low temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) power unit and half effect lithium bromide absorption chiller. This integrated system has been designed to produce both electric, thermal and cooling power by recovering heat from the fuel cell power unit cooling system. The analysis has been conducted by using numerical simulations: the PEMFC power unit and the absorption chiller have been modeled by means of one-dimensional and thermochemical models, respectively, and by means of available experimental and literature reference data, has been performed the validation. The performance parameters such as: the energy utilization factor (EUF), the exergy utilization factor (ExUF) and the trigeneration primary energy saving (TPES), have been used to analyzed the performances of the system. The numerical results showed a good performance in terms of energy and ExUF, in the whole operating field of the trigeneration system. Furthermore, the highest ExUF values are obtained for the minimum evaporator temperature (4 °C) and minimum condenser temperature (27 °C) of the absorption chiller. The calculated values of TPES for the CCHP mode, ranges from −0.07 to 0.19, thus, the system has good performance in a wide operating range, but the better performance can be achieved at lower loads.
A Novel Hybrid Strategy Using Three-Phase Feature Extraction and a Weighted Regularized Extreme Learning Machine for Multi-Step Ahead Wind Speed Prediction
Authors: Wang Jujie , Wang Yanfeng , Li Yaning
Published: February 2018

With the growing penetration of wind power into electric grids, improving wind speed prediction accuracy has become particularly valuable for the exploitation of wind power. In this paper, a novel hybrid strategy based on a three-phase signal decomposition (TPSD) technique, feature extraction (FE) and weighted regularized extreme learning machine (WRELM) is developed for multi-step ahead wind speed prediction. The TPSD including seasonal separation algorithm (SSA), fast ensemble empirical mode decomposition (FEEMD) and variational mode decomposition (VMD) is proposed for the first time to handle the complex and irregular natures of wind speed comprehensively. The FE process is used to capture the useful features of wind speed fluctuations and determine the optimal inputs for a prediction model. The WRELM is employed as a basic predictor for building the prediction model by these selected features. Four real wind speed prediction cases are utilized to evaluate the proposed model, and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed model compared with the benchmark models.
Design, Evaluation and Implementation of an Islanding Detection Method for a Micro-grid
Authors: Zheng Taiying , Yang Huan , Zhao Rongxiang , Kang Yong , Terzija Vladimir
Published: February 2018

Correct and fast detection of a micro-grid (MG) islanding is essential to the MG since operation, control, and protection of the MG depend on its operating mode i.e., an interconnected mode or islanding mode. This study describes the design, evaluation and implementation of an islanding detection method for an MG, which includes a natural gas-fired generator, a doubly fed induction generator type wind generator, a photovoltaic generator, and some associated local loads. The proposed method is based on the instantaneous active and reactive powers at the point of common coupling (PCC) of the MG. During the islanding mode, the instantaneous active and reactive powers at the PCC are constants, which depend on the voltage of the PCC and the impedance of the dedicated line. The performance of the proposed method is verified under various scenarios including islanding conditions for the different outputs of the MG, and fault conditions by varying the position, type, inception angle and resistance of the fault, using the PSCAD/EMTDC simulator. This paper also concludes by implementing proposed method into a TMS320C6701 digital signal processor. The results indicate that the proposed method successfully detects islanding for the MG in islanding conditions, and remains stable in fault conditions.
Analysis of the Scavenging Process of a Two-Stroke Free-Piston Engine Based on the Selection of Scavenging Ports or Valves
Authors: Jia Boru , Wang Yaodong , Smallbone Andrew , Roskilly Anthony
Published: February 2018

The free-piston engine generator (FPEG) is a linear energy conversion device with the objective of utilisation within a hybrid-electric automotive vehicle power system. In this research, the piston dynamic characteristics of an FPEG is compared with that of a conventional engine (CE) of the same size, and the difference in the valve timing is compared for both port scavenging type and valve scavenging type, with the exhaust valve closing timing is selected as the parameter. A zero-dimensional simulation model is developed in Ricardo WAVE software (2016.1), with the piston dynamics obtained from the simulation model in Matlab/SIMULINK (R2017a). For the CE and FEPG using scavenging ports, in order to improve its power output to the same level as that of a CE, the inlet gas pressure is suggested to be improved to above 1.2 bar, approximately 0.2 bar higher than that used for a CE. If a CE cylinder with exhaust valves is adopted or referred to during the development of an FPEG prototype, the exhaust valve is suggested to be closed earlier to improve its power output, and a higher intake pressure is also suggested if its output power is expected to be the same or higher than that of a CE.
Application-Oriented Optimal Shift Schedule Extraction for a Dual-Motor Electric Bus with Automated Manual Transmission
Authors: Zhao Mingjie , Shi Junhui , Lin Cheng , Zhang Junzhi
Published: February 2018

The conventional battery electric buses (BEBs) have limited potential to optimize the energy consumption and reach a better dynamic performance. A practical dual-motor equipped with 4-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) propulsion system is proposed, which can eliminate the traction interruption in conventional AMT. A discrete model of the dual-motor-AMT electric bus (DMAEB) is built and used to optimize the gear shift schedule. Dynamic programming (DP) algorithm is applied to find the optimal results where the efficiency and shift time of each gear are considered to handle the application problem of global optimization. A rational penalty factor and a proper shift time delay based on bench test results are set to reduce the shift frequency by 82.5% in Chinese-World Transient Vehicle Cycle (C-WTVC). Two perspectives of applicable shift rule extraction methods, i.e., the classification method based on optimal operating points and clustering method based on optimal shifting points, are explored and compared. Eventually, the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation results demonstrate that the proposed structure and extracted shift schedule can realize a significant improvement in reducing energy loss by 20.13% compared to traditional empirical strategies.
A Seasonal Model Using Optimized Multi-Layer Neural Networks to Forecast Power Output of PV Plants
Authors: Hu Yang , Lian Weiwei , Han Yutong , Dai Songyuan , Zhu Honglu
Published: February 2018

With the continuous increase of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) installed capacity and the urgent demand of synergetic utilization with the other power generation forms, the high-precision prediction of PV power generation is increasingly important for the optimal scheduling and safe operation of the grid. In order to improve the power prediction accuracy, using the response characteristics of PV array under different environmental conditions, a data driven multi-model power prediction method for PV power generation is proposed, based on the seasonal meteorological features. Firstly, through the analysis of PV power characteristics in typical seasons and seasonal distribution of the weather factors, such as solar irradiance and ambient temperature, the influences of different weather factors on PV power prediction are studied. Then, according to the meteorology characteristics of Beijing, different seasons can be divided. The historical data corresponding to different seasons are acquired and then the seasonal PV power forecasting models are established based on optimized multi-layer back propagation neural network (BPNN), realizing the multi-model prediction of PV power. Finally, effectiveness of the seasonal PV power forecasting method is compared and validated. The performance analysis of the neural network forecasting model under typical seasonal conditions shows that the multi-model forecasting method based on seasonal characteristics of PV power generation is better than that of single power forecasting model for the whole year. The results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the power forecasting accuracy of PV power.
Electrical Trees and Their Growth in Silicone Rubber at Various Voltage Frequencies
Authors: Zhang Yunxiao , Zhou Yuanxiang , Zhang Ling , Zhou Zhongliu , Nie Qiong
Published: February 2018

The insulation property at high voltage frequencies has become a tough challenge with the rapid development of high-voltage and high-frequency power electronics. In this paper, the electrical treeing behavior of silicone rubber (SIR) is examined and determined at various voltage frequencies, ranging from 50 Hz to 130 kHz. The results show that the initiation voltage of electrical trees decreased by 27.9% monotonically, and they became denser when the voltage frequency increased. A bubble-shaped deterioration phenomenon was observed when the voltage frequency exceeded 100 kHz. We analyze the typical treeing growth pattern at 50 Hz (including pine-like treeing growth and bush-like treeing growth) and the bubble-growing pattern at 130 kHz. Bubbles grew exponentially within several seconds. Moreover, bubble cavities were detected in electrical tree channels at 50 Hz. Combined with the bubble-growing characteristics at 130 kHz, a potential growing model for electrical trees and bubbles in SIR is proposed to explain the growing patterns at various voltage frequencies.
Design and CFD Simulations of a Vortex-Induced Piezoelectric Energy Converter (VIPEC) for Underwater Environment
Authors: An Xinyu , Song Baowei , Tian Wenlong , Ma Congcong
Published: February 2018

A novel vortex-induced piezoelectric energy converter (VIPEC) is presented in this paper to harvest ocean kinetic energy in the underwater environment. The converter consists of a circular cylinder, a pivoted plate attached to the tail of the cylinder, several piezoelectric patches and a storage circuit. Vortex-induced pressure difference acts on the plate and drives the plate to squeeze piezo patches to convert fluid dynamic energy into electric energy. The output voltage is derived from the piezoelectric constitutive equation with fluid forces. In order to evaluate the performance of the VIPEC, two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations based on the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equation and the shear stress transport (SST) k- ω turbulence model are conducted. The CFD method is firstly verified for different grid resolutions and time steps, and then validated using simulation and experimental data. The influences of the plate length and flow velocity on the wake structure, the driving force and the performance of the VIPEC are investigated. The results reveal that different parameters reach their peaks at different plate lengths, and the converter has a maximal output voltage of 2.3 mV in a specified condition and the maximal power density reaches 0.035 μ W/m 3 with a resistance load of 10 M Ω . The influence of the simulated subcritical Reynolds number on the driving force is not noticeable. The simulation results also demonstrate the feasibility of this device.