bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pseudo-Dirac neutrinos from flavour dependent CP symmetry
Authors: Joshipura Anjan S. , Patel Ketan M.
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Discrete residual symmetries and flavour dependent CP symmetries consistent with them have been used to constrain neutrino mixing angles and CP violating phases. We discuss here role of such CP symmetries in obtaining a pseudo-Dirac neutrino which can provide a pair of neutrinos responsible for the solar splitting. It is shown that if (a) 3 × 3 Majorana neutrino matrix M

ν
is invariant under a discrete Z
2 × Z
2 symmetry generated by S
1,2, (b) CP symmetry X transform M

ν
as X

T

M

ν

X = M

ν

*
, and (c) X and S
1,2 obey consistency conditions XS
1,2
*
X
† = S
2,1, then two of the neutrino masses are degenerate independent of specific forms of X, S
1 and S
2. Explicit examples of this result are discussed in the context of Δ(6n
2) groups which can also be used to constrain neutrino mixing matrix U. Degeneracy in two of the masses does not allow complete determination of U but it can also be fixed once the perturbations are introduced. We consider explicit perturbations which break Z
2 × Z
2 symmetries but respect CP. These are shown to remove the degeneracy and provide a predictive description of neutrino spectrum. In particular, a correlation sin 2θ
23 sin δ

CP
= ±Im[p] is obtained between the atmospheric mixing angle θ
23 and the CP violating phase δ

CP
in terms of a group theoretically determined phase factor p. Experimentally interesting case

$$ {\theta}_{23}=\frac{\uppi}{4},{\delta}_{CP}=\pm \frac{\uppi}{2} $$

θ
23

=

π
4

,

δ

C
P

=
±

π
2

emerges for groups which predict purely imaginary p. We present detailed predictions of the allowed ranges of neutrino mixing angles, phases and the lightest neutrino mass for three of the lowest Δ(6n
2) groups with n = 2, 4, 6.
Geometric classification of 4d $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ SCFTs
Authors: Caorsi Matteo , Cecotti Sergio
Published: July 2018

Abstract

The classification of 4d

$$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$

N
=
2

SCFTs boils down to the classification of conical special geometries with closed Reeb orbits (CSG). Under mild assumptions, one shows that the underlying complex space of a CSG is (birational to) an affine cone over a simply-connected ℚ-factorial log-Fano variety with Hodge numbers h

p,q
= δ

p,q
. With some plausible restrictions, this means that the Coulomb branch chiral ring "Image missing" is a graded polynomial ring generated by global holomorphic functions u

i
of dimension Δ
i
. The coarse-grained classification of the CSG consists in listing the (finitely many) dimension k-tuples {Δ1
, Δ2
, ⋯ , Δ
k
} which are realized as Coulomb branch dimensions of some rank-k CSG: this is the problem we address in this paper. Our sheaf-theoretical analysis leads to an Universal Dimension Formula for the possible {Δ1
, ⋯ , Δ
k
}’s. For Lagrangian SCFTs the Universal Formula reduces to the fundamental theorem of Springer Theory.

The number
N
(k) of dimensions allowed in rank k is given by a certain sum of the Erdös-Bateman Number-Theoretic function (sequence A070243 in OEIS) so that for large k

$$ \boldsymbol{N}(k)=\frac{2\zeta (2)\zeta (3)}{\zeta (6)}{k}^2+o\left({k}^2\right). $$

N

k

=

2
ζ

2

ζ

3

ζ

6

k
2

+
o

k
2

.

In the special case k = 2 our dimension formula reproduces a recent result by Argyres et al.

Class Field Theory implies a subtlety: certain dimension k-tuples {Δ1
, ⋯ , Δ
k
} are consistent only if supplemented by additional selection rules on the electro-magnetic charges, that is, for a SCFT with these Coulomb dimensions not all charges/fluxes consistent with Dirac quantization are permitted.

Since the arguments tend to be abstract, we illustrate the various aspects with several concrete examples and perform a number of explicit checks. We include detailed tables of dimensions for the first few k’s.
Detection of Ethanol Using a Tunable Interband Cascade Laser at 3.345 μm
Authors: Gao Hui , Xie Liang , Gong Ping , Wang Hui
Published: July 2018

With the progress of the laser manufacturing technology, trace gas sensors based on tunable interband cascade lasers (ICLs) and quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have been widely used to detect organic compounds with high sensitivity. Compared with overtone and combination bands in the near infrared region, for many species, the intensities of fundamental rotational-vibrational absorption bands in the mid-infrared region are much stronger. In this paper, we demonstrate an ethanol sensor using a room-temperature continuous-wave (CW) tunable ICL laser as a light source to detect ethanol vapor concentration with high sensitivity. Combined with the first harmonic (1f) normalized second harmonic (2f) wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) technology, the characteristics of the harmonics of the system are analyzed, and the amplitude of the first harmonic decrease with an increased concentration of ethanol has been demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. As a result, a detection limitation of 28 ppb is achieved.
International note: Analysis of risk and protective factors for risky sexual behaviours among school‐aged adolescents
Authors: Kugbey Nuworza , Ayanore Martin Amogre , Amu Hubert , Oppong Asante Kwaku , Adam Awolu
Published: July 2018

This study examined the prevalence and associated factors of risky sexual behaviours among 1648 school‐going adolescents using the 2012 Ghana Global School‐based Student Health Survey. Our findings showed 33.5% of the participants had ever had sex 32.5% had multiple sexual partners and only 26.2% reported using condom during their last sexual intercourse. Being male, older age, anxiety, loneliness, suicidal ideation, being bullied, food insecurity (hunger), current alcohol and marijuana use were significant risk factors for being sexually experienced, multiple partners, but not condom use. Parental knowledge of activity was a significant protective factor against adolescents' sexual experience. These findings underscore the need to develop school‐based interventions that would help reduce risky sexual behaviours among school‐going adolescents.
Weight/shape and muscularity concerns and emotional problems in adolescent boys and girls: A cross‐lagged panel analysis
Authors: Hoffmann Svenja , Cortés‐García Laura , Warschburger Petra
Published: July 2018

Introduction

The goal of the present study was to identify the prospective relations between weight/shape and muscularity concerns and emotional problems in adolescents.

Methods

Self‐report data of 966 German male and female adolescents were analyzed in a cross‐lagged panel design.

Results

Analyses of latent means revealed significant correlations between weight/shape concern and emotional problems as well as between muscularity concern and emotional problems in both genders. Moreover, weight/shape concern predicted emotional problems prospectively, but only in girls. Regarding muscularity concern, we could not find any prospective relation with emotional problems in boys or girls from the general population.

Conclusions

It is assumed that as appearance is highly relevant for the self‐concept in girls, concerns about the look might promote emotional problems. Thus, weight/shape concern should be addressed in the prevention of emotional problems in adolescent girls, whereas further research is necessary investigating the contribution of muscularity concern in this context.
Adverse childhood experiences leads to perceived negative attitude of others and the effect of adverse childhood experiences on depression in adulthood is mediated via negative attitude of others
Authors: Salokangas Raimo K.R. , From Tiina , Luutonen Sinikka , Hietala Jarmo
Published: July 2018

Background:

The attachment theory suggests that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have an effect on how individuals perceive other people's attitude towards them. ACEs have also been associated with adult depression. We hypothesised that ACEs associate with perceived negative attitude of others (AoO) and depressive symptoms (DEPS), and that these associations differ between the genders.

Methods:

Altogether, 692 participants drawn from the general population completed the Trauma and Distress Scale, as a measurement of ACE and its domains: emotional abuse (EmoAb), physical abuse (PhyAb), sexual abuse (SexAb), emotional neglect (EmoNeg) and physical neglect (PhyNeg); a visual analog scale with the question: “What kind of attitude do other people take towards you?”, and the self-report scale DEPS on depressive symptoms.

Results:

ACEs, AoO and DEPS correlated strongly with each other. In path analyses, ACE total and all its domains associated directly and indirectly, via DEPS, to negative AoO in the whole sample, and in females separately. ACE total, EmoAb, PhyAb, EmoNeg and PhyNeg associated directly and indirectly, via AoO, to DEPS in the whole sample and in both genders separately. EmoNeg, in all, and EmoAB, in males, had specific associations both with negative AoO and DEPS. Mediation effect via AoO was greater than via DEPS.

Conclusions:

ACEs have a direct and indirect, via depression, negative effect on how adult individuals perceive other people's attitude towards themselves. Additionally, negative AoO mediates the effects of ACEs on depression. Childhood EmoNeg associates specifically with negative AoO and DEPS in adulthood.
Generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell–based model for tauopathies combining three microtubule‐associated protein TAU mutations which displays several phenotypes linked to neurodegeneration
Authors: García‐León Juan Antonio , Cabrera‐Socorro Alfredo , Eggermont Kristel , Swijsen Ann , Terryn Joke , Fazal Raheem , Nami FatemehArefeh , Ordovás Laura , Quiles Ana , Lluis Frederic , Serneels Lutgarde , Wierda Keimpe , Sierksma Annerieke , Kreir Mohamed , Pestana Francisco , Van Damme Philip , De Strooper Bart , Thorrez Lieven , Ebneth Andreas , Verfaillie Catherine M.
Published: July 2018

Introduction

Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by TAU protein–related pathology, including frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease among others. Mutant TAU animal models are available, but none of them faithfully recapitulates human pathology and are not suitable for drug screening.

Methods

To create a new in vitro tauopathy model, we generated a footprint‐free triple MAPT‐mutant human induced pluripotent stem cell line (N279K, P301L, and E10+16 mutations) using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats‐FokI and piggyBac transposase technology.

Results

Mutant neurons expressed pathogenic 4R and phosphorylated TAU, endogenously triggered TAU aggregation, and had increased electrophysiological activity. TAU‐mutant cells presented deficiencies in neurite outgrowth, aberrant sequence of differentiation to cortical neurons, and a significant activation of stress response pathways. RNA sequencing confirmed stress activation, demonstrated a shift toward GABAergic identity, and an upregulation of neurodegenerative pathways.

Discussion

In summary, we generated a novel in vitro human induced pluripotent stem cell TAU‐mutant model displaying neurodegenerative disease phenotypes that could be used for disease modeling and drug screening.
Double blinded randomized clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of several preparations for colonoscopy
Authors: Cortes Bruno Giusti Werneck , Cabral Raquel Martins , Carmo Guilherme Augusto Alves do , Queiroz Fábio Lopes de , Leite Sinara Mônica de Oliveira , Andrade Amanda Cristina de Souza , Ferreira Alexandre Silluzio , Alcici Marta Eugênia , Cortes Maria da Conceição Juste Werneck
Published: July 2018

Introduction Colonoscopy is the screening gold standard to investigate several conditions in the colon. The excellence of preparation is a determining factor for a quality colonoscopy.

Objective Compare the quality of colon preparations for colonoscopy with different kinds of laxative medications in a public hospital of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Method A prospective double blind randomized clinical trial was conducted from June 2016 to March 2017. A total of 117 Patients were randomised in four groups to receive a type of preparation (Sodium picosulfate, Mannitol, Lactitol, Lactulose). The patients answered a questionnaire and peripheral blood samples were collected before and after the preparation.The quality of the cleansing was accessed according to the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale.

Results 99.1% of patients have taken the recommended dose and 79.5% reported a good tolerability. Endoscopists performed complete colonoscopy in 89.7%, with an polipectomy rate of 47%. The total effectiveness rate of the solutions were 88%. There were no statistically significant differences between groups (p = 0.271). Regarding the laboratory parameters, differences were seen in the pre- and post-test values of sodium, chlorine and creatinine but without exceeding reference values.

Conclusion The four preparations were effective for colon cleansing, with good acceptance, differing only as for costs.
The evolution of policing in post-soviet Russia: Paternalism versus service in police. Officers’ understanding of their role
Authors: Semukhina Olga
Published: July 2018

This paper examines two interrelated issues: the role of police as an institution of Russian society and their role during the past 25 years. This research is based on a series of indepth interviews conducted by the author in 2014–2016 with former and current police officers in three Russian cities. The paper traces changes in the perceived institutional roles of the Russian police by comparing police officers’ views during three periods: early through mid-1990s, late-1990s through mid-2000s, and mid-2000s through 2010s. The study reports that, during the early period, Russian police were disfranchised from the state and this abandonment was a source of institutional identity crisis for law enforcement officers who remained on the job. This process was coupled with high levels of job dissatisfaction and the overall feeling of “abandonment” of police by the state.

At the same time, it was during this post-Soviet period, when ideas of policing as a service to the society were introduced and sometimes entertained among the professional circles of police officers and other government officials. Furthermore, this period was marked by continuous, though often sporadic, institutional reforms and anti-corruption measures.

In the second period, the Russian police were slowly engaging back into the state-building process, which caused increased job satisfaction and better retention rates. At the same time, the second period signified a decline of the “police as service” ideology and the comeback of paternalistic views on policing. During this time, the government’s efforts to reform police and anti-corruption measures became systemic and better organized. Also, in the second period, members of the civil society became more active in demanding public accountability and transparency from the Russian police.

Finally, the modern period of police development presents a case in which the institutional identity of the Russian police has been clearly connected to the state’s capacity. This process is coupled with increased paternalistic views among police officers and a failure of “police as a service” doctrine. In such an environment, the efforts by a maturing civil society to demand public transparency and accountability of the police are often met with hostility and anger. The paper concludes that further development of the Russian police depends on the role that they will play within the modern Russian state.
Taste acceptability of thickening agents
Authors: Yver Christina M. , Kennedy William P. , Mirza Natasha
Published: July 2018

Objective

Patients with dysphagia are often unable to manage secretions and liquids, necessitating the use of commercial thickeners to decrease the likelihood of aspiration. This study aims to evaluate the effect of commercially available thickeners on hedonic perception of various liquids.

Methods

Forty subjects without preexisting dysphagia or anosmia were recruited from a tertiary care otorhinolaryngology clinic over a five‐month period. Participants were presented with samples of three unthickened liquids (ice water, chilled ginger ale, and hot coffee) and their thickened counterparts and asked to rate the taste acceptability of the liquids on an 11‐point visual analog scale. The study was reviewed by the hospital's Institutional Review Board and determined to be IRB exempt.

Results

A statistically significant preference for unthickened liquids over their thickened counterpart was observed across flavors (P < 0.0001). Of the thickened liquid samples, study participants expressed the strongest preference for thickened ginger ale.

Conclusion

Thickened liquids are perceived as significantly less palatable than their unthickened counterparts, although ginger ale may be better tolerated when thickened than coffee or water. Providers should be aware of the impact of thickeners on taste acceptability when counseling patients with dysphagia.
Relict Topography Within the Hangay Mountains in Central Mongolia: Quantifying Long‐Term Exhumation and Relief Change in an Old Landscape
Authors: McDannell Kalin T. , Zeitler Peter K. , Idleman Bruce D.
Published: July 2018

The Hangay Mountains are a high‐elevation, low‐relief landscape within the greater Mongolian Plateau of central Asia. New bedrock apatite (U‐Th)/He single‐grain ages from the Hangay span ~70 to 200 Ma, with a mean of 122.7 ± 24.0 Ma (2σ). Detrital apatite samples from the Selenga and Orkhon Rivers, north of the mountains, yield dominant (U‐Th)/He age populations of ~115 to 130 Ma, as well as an older population not seen in the Hangay granitic bedrock data. These low‐temperature data record regional exhumation of central Mongolia in the Mesozoic followed by limited erosion of <1–2 km since the Cretaceous, ruling out rapid exhumation of this magnitude associated with any late Cenozoic uplift. Apatite (U‐Th)/He age elevation patterns suggest long‐term thermal stability of the upper crust and thermal model inversions require late Mesozoic uplift, spatially variable exhumation, and/or relief evolution to produce the observed cooling ages in the Hangay. Regionally, modeling suggests reduction of topography in the Jurassic followed by relief growth that was completed by the mid‐Cretaceous. These results support Mesozoic topographic evolution and relative stability of the landscape throughout the Cenozoic with very little subsequent exhumation. Alpine cirques and intact moraines are indicative of more recent, modest climate‐driven erosion in the higher peaks of the western Hangay. These data reinforce the notion that in the absence of strong tectonic or climate forcing, erosion is limited and remnant landscapes can persist over tens to hundreds of millions of years in a state of disequilibrium.
Measurements of Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves in Earth’s Magnetic Field
Authors: Cook Terri
Published: July 2018

Simultaneous satellite observations from different distances of Earth’s magnetic tail offer insight into how these instability waves evolve through time and space.
FIRI‐2018, an Updated Empirical Model of the Lower Ionosphere
Authors: Friedrich M. , Pock C. , Torkar K.
Published: July 2018

The lower ionosphere is difficult to access from the ground, but also, in situ measurements by sounding rockets have their limitations. The semiempirical model of the nonauroral ionosphere FIRI (Faraday‐International Reference Ionosphere) was originally published in 2001 and is based on a simple ion‐chemical model of the lower ionosphere whose output is adjusted by the limited number of reliable in situ rocket measurements, all based on wave propagation methods. Since then some of the data were found to be questionable but could be replaced by about the same number of trustworthy data. In addition, a large number of electron density profiles based on Langmuir probes became available covering the altitude range from 51 to 90 km. These data are used to extend FIRI downward, providing results in a region that would otherwise not be covered at all. Caution was taken that these data do not impair the altitudes covered by wave propagation data which are unaffected by aerodynamic and payload potential effects. The resulting semiempirical model is available as 1980 profiles of electron densities between 60 and 150 km altitude (for 11 solar zenith angles from 0 to 130°, latitudes 0°, 15°, 30°, 45° and 60°, for three solar activities and the middle of each month).
MAVEN Observations of the Response of Martian Ionosphere to the Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections of March 2015
Authors: Thampi Smitha V. , Krishnaprasad C. , Bhardwaj Anil , Lee Yuni , Choudhary R. K. , Pant T. K.
Published: July 2018

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft provides an opportunity to observe the response of the Martian upper atmosphere to the passage of interplanetary coronal mass ejections. We study the response of Martian ionosphere to two successive solar disturbances during 3 and 4 March and 8 and 9 March 2015 using the observations from Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer and Langmuir Probe and Waves aboard Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN. During these events, the ionospheric boundary was significantly lowered. During 3 March the ionopause is seen to be at a lower altitude, compared to that during 8 March. The higher ionopause seen on 8 March could be due to the sustained effect of heating and inflation by the 3 March interplanetary coronal mass ejection event or due to the heating by the enhanced particle precipitation. The comparison of the O+/O
ratio indicates that there is a preferential decrease of O
and a relative enhancement in O+, probably due to increased dissociative recombination and charge exchange as a result of the higher solar wind densities during the 3 March event.
The Added Value of Assimilating Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture for Estimating Summertime Soil Moisture‐Air Temperature Coupling Strength
Authors: Dong Jianzhi , Crow Wade T.
Published: July 2018

To date, the direct use of remote‐sensing soil moisture data sets for examining surface/atmosphere coupling strengths has been hampered by the presence of significant random errors and data gaps in these products. This study investigates the potential for obtaining an improved observation‐based lower bound of summertime soil moisture‐air temperature coupling strength via the assimilation of long‐term, remote‐sensing soil moisture data sets into a simple, prognostic model driven by observed rainfall. In particular, we utilize simultaneous scatterometer‐ and radiometer‐based soil moisture products obtained from the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative soil moisture product and a triple collocation analysis approach to estimate the variance of modeling and observation errors (required as input by a data assimilation system). Results show that assimilating remotely sensed soil moisture leads to larger coupling strength estimates as measured by the absolute anomaly correlation with independent temperature observation data than those obtained from modeled or remotely sensed soil moisture alone. According to an analyses of soil moisture error impacts on coupling strength estimates, this increase in coupling strength is likely attributable to an improvement in the precision of the soil moisture product used to estimate it. Based on this, we conclude that data assimilation provides an improved lower bound on the magnitude of true coupling strength between soil moisture and screen‐level air temperature.
Climate Elasticity of Low Flows in the Maritime Western U.S. Mountains
Authors: Cooper M. G. , Schaperow J. R. , Cooley S. W. , Alam S. , Smith L. C. , Lettenmaier D. P.
Published: July 2018

Summer streamflow is an important water resource during the dry summers in the western United States, but the sensitivity of summer minimum streamflow (low flow) to antecedent winter precipitation as compared with summer evaporative demand has not been quantified for the region. We estimate climatic elasticity of low flow (percent change in low flow divided by percent change in climatic forcing variable) with respect to annual maximum snow water equivalent (ESWE), winter precipitation (EPPT), and summer potential evapotranspiration (EPET) for 110 unmanaged headwater catchments in the maritime western U.S. mountains. We find that |EPET| is larger than |EPPT| and |ESWE| in every catchment studied and is 4–5 times larger than both, on average. Spatial variations in E are dominated by three patterns. First, |EPPT|, |ESWE|, and |EPET| are largest and most variable among semiarid catchments and decrease nonlinearly with increasing values of the humidity index (the ratio of annual precipitation to annual evaporative demand). Second, |EPPT| and |EPET| are lower in snow‐dominated catchments than in rain‐dominated catchments, suggesting that snow cover reduces the proportional response of low flows to climatic variability. Third, |EPPT|, |ESWE|, and |EPET| are lower in slow‐draining catchments than in fast‐draining catchments, for which baseflow recession storage coefficients are used to represent the rate at which catchment water storage is translated into streamflow. Our results provide the first comparison of summer low‐flow elasticity to PPT versus PET and its spatial variation in the maritime western U.S. mountains.
Multicriteria Optimization Model to Generate on‐DEM Optimal Channel Networks
Authors: Bizzi Simone , Cominola Andrea , Mason Emanuele , Castelletti Andrea , Paik Kyungrock
Published: July 2018

The theory of optimal channel networks (OCNs) explains the existence of self‐similarities in river networks by multiple optimality principles, namely, (i) the minimum energy expenditure in any link, (ii) the equal energy expenditure per unit area of channel anywhere, and (iii) the minimum total energy expenditure (TEE). These principles have been used to generate OCNs from 2‐D networks. The existing notion of OCN considers the concavity of river longitudinal profiles as a priori condition. Attempts to generate OCNs starting from a random 3‐D digital elevation model (DEM) and minimizing solely TEE have failed to reproduce concave profiles. Yet alternative approaches can be devised from the three optimality principles, for instance, focusing on the local energy expenditure (LEE). In this paper, we propose a Multiobjective modeling framework for Riverscape Exploration (MoRE) via simultaneous optimization of multiple OCN criteria. MoRE adopts a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm and radial basis functions to efficiently guide DEM elevation variations required to shape 3‐D OCNs. By minimizing both TEE and the variance in LEE, MoRE successfully reproduces realistic on‐DEM, OCN‐based riverscapes, for the first time. Simulated networks possess scaling laws of upstream area and length and river longitudinal profile resembling those of real river networks. The profile concavity of generated on‐DEM OCNs emerges as a consequence of the minimization of TEE constrained to the equalization of LEE. Minimizing TEE under this condition generates networks that possess specific patterns of LEE, where the scaling of slope with basin area resembles the patterns observed in real river networks.
Dramatic photoluminescence quenching in carbon dots induced by cyclic voltammetry
Authors: Tian Y. , Li L. , Guo X. , Wójtowicz A. , Estevez L. , Krysmann M. J. , Kelarakis A.
Published: July 2018

We disclose an electrochemically activated quenching mechanism that is dominant in certain types of C-dots.
A core–shell nanoparticle–peptide@metal–organic framework as pH and enzyme dual-recognition switch for stepwise-responsive imaging in living cells
Authors: Shen Hong , Liu Jintong , Lei Jianping , Ju Huangxian
Published: July 2018

A stepwise-responsive strategy was achieved based on a core–shell nanoparticle–peptide@metal–organic framework for imaging lysosomal cathepsin B.
Multiscale partial charge estimation on graphene for neutral, doped and charged flakes
Authors: Maslechko Anastasiia , Verstraelen Toon , van Erp Titus S. , Riccardi Enrico
Published: July 2018

Prompt prediction of the charge distribution in graphene flakes opens the way for computer assisted design of novel organic catalysts.
A fluorescein-centered polymer as a phosphor for fabricating pure white light-emitting diodes
Authors: Liu Bin , Duan Han-Yi , Wang Ya-Ling , Du Bin-Yang , Yang Qing , Xu Jun-Ting , Yang Yong-Zhen , Greiner Andreas , Zhang Xing-Hong
Published: July 2018

Pure white LEDs are fabricated by combining a blue chip with a fluorescein-centered polymer as a single yellow phosphor.
Nitrogen-doped carbon dot mediated fluorescence on–off assay for highly sensitive detection of I− and Br− ions
Authors: Zhou Nan , Zhang Xingwei , Shi Yanping , Li Zeliang , Feng Zhibiao
Published: July 2018

Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (CDs) were synthesized in ethanol media by using citric acid (CA) as the carbon source and ethanediamine (EDA) as the nitrogen source.
A small-molecule with a large two-photon absorption cross-section serves as a membrane-permeable ribonucleic acid (RNA) probe for live cell imaging
Authors: Feng Ruiqing , Li Longlong , Li Bing , Li Jinhui , Peng Dan , Yu Yitao , Mu Qiuhong , Zhao Ning , Yu Xiaoqiang , Wang Zhenhua
Published: July 2018

DMI could light up the RNA of the nucleus and the cytoplasm in living systems, which not only exhibits larger two-photon absorption cross-sections (981 GM), but also displays high-permeability to plasma membranes of vigorous cells.
Interplay between phase separation and dewetting in PS/PVME thin films: effect of temperature
Authors: Khalesi Moghaddam Razie , Goharpey Fatemeh , Khademzadeh Yeganeh Jafar
Published: July 2018

We studied the effects of temperature on the interplay between dewetting and phase separation at shallow and deep depths at two-phase temperatures in PS/PVME polymer blend thin films.
Partially amorphous nickel–iron layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays for robust bifunctional electrocatalysis
Authors: Xie Junfeng , Qu Haichao , Lei Fengcai , Peng Xu , Liu Weiwei , Gao Li , Hao Pin , Cui Guanwei , Tang Bo
Published: July 2018

Bifunctional electrocatalysts that can boost energy-related reactions are urgently in demand for pursual of dual and even multiple targets towards practical applications such as energy conversion, clean fuel production and pollution treatment.
Fully‐VCO‐based 0‐2 MASH CT ΔΣ ADC
Authors: Xing Xinpeng , Zhu Peng , Liu Hui , Gielen Georges
Published: July 2018

A fully‐voltage‐controlled oscillator (VCO)‐based continuous‐time (CT) Delta‐Sigma (ΔΣ) analogue‐to‐digital converter (ADC) is reported, implementing second‐order noise shaping without any analogue integrators. Traditional power‐hungry front‐end analogue integrator is replaced by a highly‐digital power‐efficient VCO‐based integrator, which is constructed by a VCO, a phase detector and a charge pump. The quantisation is executed by a VCO‐based quantiser with intrinsic noise shaping. Taking advantage of the mostly‐digital and high‐order structure, a spurious‐free dynamic range of 74 dB and a figure‐of‐merit of 52 fJ/step over a 40 MHz bandwidth are achieved by a 0‐2 multi‐stage shaping (MASH) demonstration in 40 nm CMOS.
Performance of NOMA‐based coordinated direct and relay transmission using dynamic scheme
Authors: Xu Yao , Wang Gang , Zheng Liming , Jia Shaobo
Published: July 2018

In this study, non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)‐based coordinated direct and relay transmission (CDRT) is considered, where a base station (BS) directly communicates with two cell‐centre users (CCUs) while communicating with a cell‐edge user (CEU) via a relay. A novel dynamic scheme is proposed, in which the CCU close to the BS will act as a relay to assist the CEU in the second phase if it can obtain the prior information of the CEU in advance, otherwise it will switch to the receiving mode. To evaluate the system performance of the proposed scheme, the closed‐form expressions of the outage probability, diversity order and ergodic sum rate (SR) are, respectively, derived. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme attains greater diversity order for the CEU as well as superior outage performance without performance loss of the ergodic SR, compared with conventional one in NOMA‐based CDRT. In addition, a suboptimal power allocation (SPA) for this dynamic scheme is put forward, for which the closed‐form expression is also obtained. It is also indicated that the presented SPA for dynamic scheme achieves near‐optimal ergodic SR performance at high SNR region.
Cyber–physical perspective on smart grid design and operation
Authors: Chen Bo , Wang Jianhui , Shahidehpour Mohammad
Published: July 2018

Emerging computation and communication technologies ubiquitously deployed in smart grids introduce unprecedented opportunities by enabling vigorous development of innovative business models and applications that aim for improving system efficiency, reliability, resiliency, and interoperability. Smart grids are typical cyber–physical systems (CPSs). The heterogeneous and complex nature of smart grids presents significant challenges introduced by the tight coupling of computation, communication, and physical systems. Here, the authors first provide an overview of smart grids from a CPS perspective. Then, the authors discuss the opportunities and challenges in smart grid design and operation. Next, a co‐design framework is introduced and used for designing wide‐area damping controller as one of many CPS applications that can be abstracted from various power system layers. The authors conclude that developing a theoretical modelling framework is critical for understanding and managing the complexity and interoperability of smart grids.
Combining the use of CNN classification and strength‐driven compression for the robust identification of bacterial species on hyperspectral culture plate images
Authors: Signoroni Alberto , Savardi Mattia , Pezzoni Mario , Guerrini Fabrizio , Arrigoni Simone , Turra Giovanni
Published: July 2018

Huge streams of diagnostic images are expected to be produced daily in the emerging field of digital microbiology imaging because of the ongoing worldwide spread of Full Laboratory Automation systems. This is redefining the way microbiologists execute diagnostic tasks. In this context, the authors want to assess the suitability and effectiveness of a deep learning approach to solve the diagnostically relevant but visually challenging task of directly identifying pathogens on bacterial growing plates. In particular, starting from hyperspectral acquisitions in the VNIR range and spatial‐spectral processing of cultured plates, they approach the identification problem as the classification of computed spectral signatures of the bacterial colonies. In a highly relevant clinical context (urinary tract infections) and on a database of acquired hyperspectral images, they designed and trained a convolutional neural network for pathogen identification, assessing its performance and comparing it against conventional classification solutions. At the same time, given the expected data flow and possible conservation and transmission needs, they are interested in evaluating the combined use of classification and lossy data compression. To this end, after selecting a suitable wavelet‐based compression technology, they test coding strength‐driven operating points looking for configurations able to provably prevent any classification performance degradation.
Mammographic mass classification using filter response patches
Authors: Suhail Zobia , Hamidinekoo Azam , Zwiggelaar Reyer
Published: July 2018

Considering the importance of early diagnosis of breast cancer, a supervised patch‐wise texton‐based approach has been developed for the classification of mass abnormalities in mammograms. The proposed method is based on texture‐based classification of masses in mammograms and does not require segmentation of the mass region. In this approach, patches from filter bank responses are utilised for generating the texton dictionary. The methodology is evaluated on the publicly available Digital Database for Screening Mammography database. Using a naive Bayes classifier, a classification accuracy of 83% with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.89 was obtained. Experimental results demonstrated that the patch‐wise texton‐based approach in conjunction with the naive Bayes classifier constructs an efficient and alternative approach for automatic mammographic mass classification.
Magnetising fixture design for optimal magnetisation orientation of ring‐type magnet in surface‐mounted permanent magnet motor
Authors: Lim Sunghoon , Izui Kazuhiro , Nishiwaki Shinji , Hong Jung‐Pyo , Min Seungjae
Published: July 2018

This study presents a design method to obtain an innovative structural design of a magnetising fixture that can achieve a target magnetisation orientation for a ring‐type magnet of a surface‐mounted permanent magnet (SPM) motor. The optimisation problem is formulated to minimise the integrated value of the difference between the magnetic flux distribution, produced by the input current of the magnetising fixture, and the target orientation that improves the torque performance of SPM motor. Two level set functions are employed to express both the structural boundaries and the material properties of the ferromagnetic material and coil comprising the magnetising fixture. The optimal shape of the fixture is obtained by using an adjoint design sensitivity and a time evolution equation for each level set function. To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method, it is applied to a magnetisation problem for an 8‐pole 12‐slot SPM motor designed for a battery cooling system in a hybrid electric vehicle.
Blind image quality assessment based on Benford's law
Authors: Al‐Bandawi Hussein , Deng Guang
Published: July 2018

The goal of blind image quality assessment (IQA) is to predict the quality of an image as perceived by human observers without using a reference image. The authors explore a new approach which predicts the image quality based on the conformity of the first digit distribution (FDD) of natural images in the transform domain with Benford's law (BL). The conformity is measured by the symmetric Kullback–Leibler divergence. They first show that while in the transform domain the FDD of a natural image conforms with BL well, the FDD of a distorted natural image violates this conformity. They then train a non‐linear regression model which maps features derived from the FDD to the subjective evaluation score of an image. The non‐linear mapping is trained using Gaussian process regression with a rational quadratic kernel. The selection of this particular non‐linear regression tool is based on extensive experiments and evaluations of many regression tools. They conduct experiments to test the proposed technique using five databases. Results demonstrated that its performance is competitive with those state‐of‐the‐art blind IQA algorithms. In particular, the overall performance of the proposed technique is among the best in all algorithms tested.
Watermarking image encryption using deterministic phase mask and singular value decomposition in fractional Mellin transform domain
Authors: Singh Hukum
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study is watermarking image encryption based on the fractional Mellin transform (FrMT) and singular value decomposition (SVD) using deterministic phase masks (DPMs). DPMs are used in the input as well as in the frequency planes of double random phase encoding. The use of DPM structured phase mask provides an advantage of extra encryption parameters, besides overcoming the problem of axis alignment associated with an optical setup. The encrypted image resulting from the application of FrMT is attenuated by a factor and then combined with a host image to provide a watermarked image. Afterwards, SVD is performed to get three decomposed matrices, i.e. one diagonal matrix and two unitary matrices. The decryption process is the reverse of encryption. Digital implementation of the proposed scheme has been performed using MATLAB R2014a (8.3.0.532). The watermark image is retrieved by using the corresponding FrMT orders and conjugate of DPMs. Use of the FrMT provides enhanced security due to the non‐linear nature of the transform. The effect of noise on the watermarked image has also been investigated. Mean square error between the output and input watermarks shows the accuracy of the proposed scheme.
Two improved extension of local binary pattern descriptors using wavelet transform for texture classification
Authors: Ramakrishnan Srinivasan , Nithya Sivasamy
Published: July 2018

Texture image analysis plays a pivotal role in pattern recognition and image retrieval. In this study, two improved local binary pattern descriptors are proposed using wavelet transform for texture analysis. The two proposed methods, namely wavelet domain local statistical binary pattern (WLSBP) and directional WLSBP (dWLSBPα) both consist of three stages. In the first stage, discrete wavelet decomposition is applied to decompose the image. In the second stage, the proposed statistical parameters are computed from the decomposed image, which results in binary value 0 or 1. Then, the binary values are transformed into WLSBP/dWLSBPα label. In the third stage, the histogram is built using the WLSBP/dWLSBPα labels. The proposed WLSBP and dWLSBPα differ in terms of considering the neighbours. The proposed WLSBP considers the neighbours circularly, whereas dWLSBPα considers the neighbours in the same orientation through the central wavelet coefficient. The proposed approaches have been applied for copy–move forgery detection. Experiments show that the performance of the proposed methods has improved retrieval rate compared with existing methods on both Brodatz and Outex databases.
Using a generalised method of moment approach and 2D‐generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity modelling for denoising ultrasound images
Authors: Raslain Safia , Hachouf Fella , Kharfouchi Soumia
Published: July 2018

This study presents a novel approach for ultrasound (US) images denoising. It concerns a class of generalised method of moments estimators with interesting asymptotic properties for wavelet coefficients 2D generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity modelling. Afterwards, these estimators can be used for removing noise from US images. Indeed, a minimum mean ‐square error method is applied for estimating the clean wavelet image coefficients. To judge the quality of the denoising procedure, a link between the denoising efficiency procedure and a proposed asymmetry measure is established. Several tests have been carried out to prove the performance of the proposed approach. The obtained results are compared with those of contemporary image denoising methods using usual image quality assessment metrics and two proposed no‐reference quality metrics.
Optimal location and sizing of fast charging stations for electric vehicles by incorporating traffic and power networks
Authors: Islam Md. Mainul , Shareef Hussain , Mohamed Azah
Published: July 2018

Widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) relies on a dependable public charging station (CS) network. CS locations should assure that vehicle users can reach the CS within the EV driving area. This study introduces a technique for optimal location and sizing of fast CSs (FCSs) that considers transportation loss, grid power loss and build‐up costs. Google Maps API, battery state of charge, road traffic density and grid power losses are considered in the suggested method. A recently introduced binary lightning search algorithm is also implemented as an optimisation technique for FCS planning. The capability of the suggested method was tested in an urban area. Results reveal that the suggested technique can obtain the optimal location and sizing of FCS that can aid EV drivers, FCS builders and the utility grid. Furthermore, the suggested method obtained more realistic results compared with the traditional methods.
Terahertz rectangular corrugated transmission line with Gaussian mode filtering for DNP‐NMR
Authors: Pu Hong , Du Chao‐Hai , Huang Tie‐Jun , Pan Shi , Liu Pu‐Kun
Published: July 2018

Gyrotrons have been developed as terahertz wave sources in dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) system to increase the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the high‐magnetic field regime. However, the transmission of the Gaussian beam from the gyrotron output window to the NMR system proves to be a critical challenge. In this study, a terahertz transmission system, composed of a rectangular corrugated waveguide and a back‐to‐back rectangular corrugated horn for Gaussian mode filtering, is proposed. The attenuation in the optimised 0.33 THz corrugated waveguide remains lower than 0.01 dB/m in a broad frequency range from 280 GHz to 450 GHz. Besides, the coupling coefficient from the electric field in the 0.33 THz mode‐filtering horn to the fundamental HE11 mode in the rectangular corrugated waveguide is obtained nearly 99.5%. This terahertz transmission system is potential to be applied in DNP‐NMR spectrometer based on continuous wave gyrotrons.
Enhanced dual‐band circularly polarised broadband antenna by using the parasitic patch
Authors: Xiong Xuan , Li Xueyi , Zhang Wenhui , Zhang Haiyan
Published: July 2018

For reference antenna without parasitic patch, it covers the impedance operations from 1.72 to 4.73 GHz and 5.38 to 6.62 GHz with |S11|≤–10 dB, and has dual sense circular polarisation (CP) between 3.4 and 3.8 GHz (11.1%), between5.5 and 5.63 GHz (2.3%), respectively. In this study, to further improve the performance, an enhanced coplanar waveguide fed dual CP broad bandwidth antenna is proposed by using the C‐shaped parasitic patch. It covers the impedance operations from 1.72 to 6.6 GHz with |S11|≤–10 dB, the 3‐dB axial ratio between 2.92 and 4.04 GHz (32.2%) for left‐hand CP as well as that between 5.42 and 5.63 GHz (3.8%) for right‐hand CP are achieved. Compared with reference antenna, it is obviously that the proposed antenna achieves a remarkably enhanced dual CP with wider resonant bandwidth. Furthermore, the measured results and simulated results are agreement well with each other.
Experimental evaluation of 30 MHz band implant communication using automatic equalisation technique
Authors: Nomura Kohei , Anzai Daisuke , Wang Jianqing
Published: July 2018

Wireless body area communication technology is attracting much attention in healthcare and medical applications. For reliable and high‐speed implant transmission, the authors previously developed an in‐body transceiver at around 30 MHz. However, as the distance between the transmit antenna and the receive antenna gets longer, its bit error rate (BER) performance gets deteriorated. This is because that an implanted channel can cause severe waveform distortion and consequent inter‐symbol interference (ISI). Meanwhile, the equalising technique provides a powerful means to counteract ISI. In this study, they developed an automatic equaliser for the 30 MHz band implant communication. Moreover, they implemented the equaliser on a field programmable gate array board and evaluated the BER performance with a biological equivalent liquid phantom. The measurement result shows that their developed equaliser can significantly improve the communication performance in the implant channel.