bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sandwiched Thin‐Film Anode of Chemically Bonded Black Phosphorus/Graphene Hybrid for Lithium‐Ion Battery
Authors: Liu Hanwen , Zou Yuqin , Tao Li , Ma Zhaoling , Liu Dongdong , Zhou Peng , Liu Hongbo , Wang Shuangyin
Published: June 2017

A facile vacuum filtration method is applied for the first time to construct sandwich‐structure anode. Two layers of graphene stacks sandwich a composite of black phosphorus (BP), which not only protect BP from quickly degenerating but also serve as current collector instead of copper foil. The BP composite, reduced graphene oxide coated on BP via chemical bonding, is simply synthesized by solvothermal reaction at 140 °C. The sandwiched film anode used for lithium‐ion battery exhibits reversible capacities of 1401 mAh g−1 during the 200th cycle at current density of 100 mA g−1 indicating superior cycle performance. Besides, this facile vacuum filtration method may also be available for other anode material with well dispersion in N‐methyl pyrrolidone (NMP).
Is Augmented Reality Technology an Effective Tool for E-commerce? An Interactivity and Vividness Perspective
Authors: Yim Mark Yi-Cheon , Chu Shu-Chuan , Sauer Paul L.
Published: June 2017

This study evaluates the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) as an e-commerce tool using two products — sunglasses and watches. Study 1 explores the effectiveness of AR by comparing it to a conventional website. The results show that AR provides effective communication benefits by generating greater novelty, immersion, enjoyment, and usefulness, resulting in positive attitudes toward medium and purchase intention, compared to the web-based product presentations. Study 2 compares the paths by which consumers evaluate products through AR versus web with a focus on interactivity and vividness. It is revealed that immersion mediates the relationship between interactivity/vividness and two outcome variables — usefulness and enjoyment in the AR condition compared to the web condition where no significant paths between interactivity and immersion and between previous media experience and media novelty are found. Participants’ subjective opinions about AR are examined through opinion mining to better understand consumer responses to AR.
Ecclesiology and Theosis in the Gospel of John
Authors: Byers Andrew J.
Published: June 2017

For the author of the fourth Gospel, there is neither a Christless church nor a churchless Christ. Though John's Gospel has been widely understood as ambivalent toward the idea of 'church', Andrew Byers argues that ecclesiology is as central a Johannine concern as Christology. Rather than focusing on the community behind the text, John's Gospel directs attention to the vision of community prescribed within the text, which is presented as a 'narrative ecclesiology' by which the concept of 'church' gradually unfolds throughout the Gospel's sequence. The theme of oneness functions within this script and draws on the theological language of the Shema, a centerpiece of early Jewish theology and social identity. To be 'one' with this 'one God' and his 'one Shepherd' involves the believers' corporate participation within the divine family. Such participation requires an ontological transformation that warrants an ecclesial identity expressed by the bold assertion found in Jesus' citation of Psalm 82: 'you are gods'.
Thermodynamics of the Katok map
Authors: PESIN Y. , SENTI S. , ZHANG K.
Published: June 2017

We effect the thermodynamical formalism for the non-uniformly hyperbolic $C^{\infty }$ map of the two-dimensional torus known as the Katok map [Katok. Bernoulli diffeomorphisms on surfaces. Ann. of Math. (2)110(3) 1979, 529–547]. It is a slow-down of a linear Anosov map near the origin and it is a local (but not small) perturbation. We prove the existence of equilibrium measures for any continuous potential function and obtain uniqueness of equilibrium measures associated to the geometric $t$-potential $\unicode[STIX]{x1D711}_{t}=-t\log \mid df|_{E^{u}(x)}|$ for any $t\in (t_{0},\infty )$, $t\neq 1$, where $E^{u}(x)$ denotes the unstable direction. We show that $t_{0}$ tends to $-\infty$ as the domain of the perturbation shrinks to zero. Finally, we establish exponential decay of correlations as well as the central limit theorem for the equilibrium measures associated to $\unicode[STIX]{x1D711}_{t}$ for all values of $t\in (t_{0},1)$.
Does E-cigarette Use at Baseline Influence Smoking Cessation Rates among 2-Year College Students?
Authors: Snow Erika , Johnson Tye , Ossip Deborah J. , Williams Geofrey C. , Ververs Duncan , Rahman Irfan , McIntosh Scott
Published: June 2017

Introduction: This study evaluates the association of baseline e-cigarette use with smoking cessation in a sample of 2-year college student smokers.

Methods: Participants were 1,400 students from over 60 2-year colleges across 25 states who were current smokers enrolled in a web-assisted tobacco intervention (WATI) trial. Survey data at baseline, 1-, and 6-months, were evaluated.

Results: At 6-months, baseline e-cigarette users were more likely to report cessation of traditional cigarettes compared to non-users (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.002–1.92). Cessation was also associated with higher baseline confidence in quitting and greater time to first cigarette after awakening. Baseline e-cigarette use was not associated with self-reported cessation of all nicotine/tobacco products (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.75–1.58) nor biochemically verified cessation of all nicotine/tobacco products (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.47–1.47). Higher confidence was again associated with both self-reported and biochemically verified cessation of all nicotines.
Dating the Remains of a Church in Lubin (Wolin Island, NW Poland) in Light of Archaeological and Radiocarbon Studies
Authors: Krąpiec Marek , Rębkowski Marian
Published: June 2017

Archaeological excavations carried out from 2008 to 2011 at the Lubin stronghold (NW Poland) brought about the discovery of relics in one of the oldest Christian churches in Pomerania (NW Poland). Radiocarbon (14C) analysis of 24 samples of charred wood from the deposits within the stronghold pointed to a chronology spanning from the 10th to 13th centuries, which is consistent with the archaeological evidence. However, the 14C analysis of 12 samples collected from the destruction of the church (erected in 1124 AD according to written accounts) produced a chronology notably older than expected, with a recorded difference of no less than 100 yr. The most probable explanation for this discrepancy seems to be the secondary use of older timber during the construction of the church.
Knocking Down Walls in Political Science: In Defense of an Expansionist Feminist Agenda
Authors: MacDonald Fiona
Published: June 2017

This article offers one possible answer to the question “What is the future of feminist political science?” by outlining and defending an expansionist agenda that is centred on challenging the male-female binary that has been upheld and replicated in the discipline to date. Such an approach draws heavily on the insights of intersectional analyses, transgender, queer and gender-fluid articulations of identity and requires that the field of political science investigate the varied and complex gendered experiences of “men.” Overall, this article argues that such as expansionist agenda is key to responding to the interrelated challenges presented by the perceived “crisis” of feminism and the ongoing “masculinity” of the discipline of political science.
The Personal is Indeed Political: Sex, Gender and the State
Authors: Vickers Jill
Published: June 2017

The scarcity of reviews of “gender and politics” books in disciplinary journals limits opportunities for “mainstream” political scientists to learn about the field. As chair of the jury to select the 2015 winner of APSA's Victoria Schuck prize for “the best book … on women and politics,” I realized that the field's size and diversity makes it hard to identify central themes, especially since feminist scholars are also active across the discipline's many fields and in the multidisciplinary enterprise of gender studies. In my CPSA presidential address (Vickers, 2015), I argued that although the “gender and politics” field has expanded greatly in its four-decade history, its impact on the discipline generally hasn't been transformative, since gender isn't being used as a key category of analysis in the discipline and the field's key theme that “the personal is political” isn't reflected in the discipline's main approaches, especially its dependence on a liberal conception of the private/public divide. This essay explores how the books reviewed use gender and this key theme in explaining contemporary political issues.
A scoping research literature review to assess the state of existing evidence on the “bad” death
Authors: Wilson Donna M. , Hewitt Jessica A.
Published: June 2017

Objective:

A scoping research literature review on “bad death” was undertaken to assess the overall state of the science on this topic and to determine what evidence exists on how often bad deaths occur, what contributes to or causes a bad death, and what the outcomes and consequences of bad deaths are.

Method:

A search for English-language research articles was conducted in late 2016, with 25 articles identified and all retained for examination, as is expected with scoping reviews.

Results:

Only 3 of the 25 articles provided incidence information, specifying that 7.8 to 23% of deaths were bad and that bad deaths were more likely to occur in hospitals than in community-care settings. Many different factors were associated with bad deaths, with unrelieved pain being the most commonly identified. Half of the studies provided information on the possible consequences or outcomes of bad deaths, such as palliative care not being initiated, interpersonal and team conflict, and long-lasting negative community effects.

Significance of results:

This review identified a relatively small number of research articles that focused in whole or in part on bad deaths. Although the reasons why people consider a death to be bad may be highly individualized and yet also socioculturally based, unrelieved pain is a commonly held reason for bad deaths. Although bad and good deaths may have some opposing causative factors, this literature review revealed some salient bad death attributes, ones that could be avoided to prevent bad deaths from occurring. A routine assessment to allow planning so as to avoid bad deaths and enhance the probability of good deaths is suggested.
Calculating Pragmatism:The High Politics of the Banco Ejidal in Twentieth-century Mexico
Authors: Mottier Nicole
Published: June 2017

The battles that peasants waged during the Mexican Revolution translated into a series of agrarian and agricultural institutions, and one of these was the Banco Nacional de Crédito Ejidal, created in 1926. Histories deeply engrained in both the popular imagination of Mexico and scholarly historiography have offered a generic classic narrative of ejidal credit, beginning with Lázaro Cárdenas. He and his cabinet sought to transform theejidointo the engine of agricultural growth for the nation and carried out a sweeping and (in qualified ways) successful land reform, thereby bringing the revolution to the fullest fruition many Mexicans would ever know. It is assumed that ejidal credit peaked during Cárdenas's administration in two major ways: first, it was in this period that ejidal credit societies received the most loans from the Banco Nacional del Crédito Ejidal, and second, it was during the same period that the bank clearly and unanimously embraced social reform goals over orthodox banking goals.
The German Feedback Socialization Inventory
Authors: König Nina , Puca Rosa Maria
Published: June 2017

Abstract. Feedback after success and failure can refer to stable attributes like ability and personality traits (person feedback) or to variable attributes like effort and strategies (process feedback). Past experimental research has shown that person feedback leads to helpless reactions after failure, whereas process feedback fosters mastery reactions. Feedback given in experimental settings may, however, have other effects than feedback given in natural settings for a long time. In order to investigate the latter we constructed the German Feedback Socialization Inventory (FSI), which assesses parental feedback retrospectively. The FSI consists of nine subscales assessing different facets of person and process feedback after success and failure from the recipients’ point of view. Construction followed rational principles. The pilot version was examined by exploratory factor analyses and item analyses ( N = 214). Results led to a shortened version, whose factorial structure was confirmed by structural equation modeling in three independent samples ( N = 1,113). The FSI showed good psychometric properties in each sample. Furthermore, validation was successful with regard to parental rearing behavior, variables concerning school performance, parental level of education, and participants’ coping styles.
Polyaromatic molecular peanuts
Authors: Yazaki Kohei , Akita Munetaka , Prusty Soumyakanta , Chand Dillip Kumar , Kikuchi Takashi , Sato Hiroyasu , Yoshizawa Michito
Published: June 2017

Mimicking biological structures such as fruits and seeds using molecules and molecular assemblies is a great synthetic challenge. Here we report peanut-shaped nanostructures comprising two fullerene molecules fully surrounded by a dumbbell-like polyaromatic shell. The shell derives from a molecular double capsule composed of four W-shaped polyaromatic ligands and three metal ions. Mixing the double capsule with various fullerenes (that is, C60, C70 and Sc3N@C80) gives rise to the artificial peanuts with lengths of ∼3 nm in quantitative yields through the release of the single metal ion. The rational use of both metal–ligand coordination bonds and aromatic–aromatic π-stacking interactions as orthogonal chemical glue is essential for the facile preparation of the multicomponent, biomimetic nanoarchitectures.
Neurovascular EGFL7 regulates adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone and thereby affects olfactory perception
Authors: Bicker Frank , Vasic Verica , Horta Guilherme , Ortega Felipe , Nolte Hendrik , Kavyanifar Atria , Keller Stefanie , Stankovic Nevenka Dudvarski , Harter Patrick N. , Benedito Rui , Lutz Beat , Bäuerle Tobias , Hartwig Jens , Baumgart Jan , Krüger Marcus , Radyushkin Konstantin , Alberi Lavinia , Berninger Benedikt , Schmidt Mirko H. H.
Published: June 2017

Adult neural stem cells reside in a specialized niche in the subventricular zone (SVZ). Throughout life they give rise to adult-born neurons in the olfactory bulb (OB), thus contributing to neural plasticity and pattern discrimination. Here, we show that the neurovascular protein EGFL7 is secreted by endothelial cells and neural stem cells (NSCs) of the SVZ to shape the vascular stem-cell niche. Loss of EGFL7 causes an accumulation of activated NSCs, which display enhanced activity and re-entry into the cell cycle. EGFL7 pushes activated NSCs towards quiescence and neuronal progeny towards differentiation. This is achieved by promoting Dll4-induced Notch signalling at the blood vessel-stem cell interface. Fewer inhibitory neurons form in the OB of EGFL7-knockout mice, which increases the absolute signal conducted from the mitral cell layer of the OB but decreases neuronal network synchronicity. Consequently, EGFL7-knockout mice display severe physiological defects in olfactory behaviour and perception.
Regulation of snow-fed rivers affects flow regimes more than climate change
Authors: Arheimer B. , Donnelly C. , Lindström G.
Published: June 2017

River flow is mainly controlled by climate, physiography and regulations, but their relative importance over large landmasses is poorly understood. Here we show from computational modelling that hydropower regulation is a key driver of flow regime change in snow-dominated regions and is more important than future climate changes. This implies that climate adaptation needs to include regulation schemes. The natural river regime in snowy regions has low flow when snow is stored and a pronounced peak flow when snow is melting. Global warming and hydropower regulation change this temporal pattern similarly, causing less difference in river flow between seasons. We conclude that in snow-fed rivers globally, the future climate change impact on flow regime is minor compared to regulation downstream of large reservoirs, and of similar magnitude over large landmasses. Our study not only highlights the impact of hydropower production but also that river regulation could be turned into a measure for climate adaptation to maintain biodiversity on floodplains under climate change.
Panoramic-reconstruction temporal imaging for seamless measurements of slowly-evolved femtosecond pulse dynamics
Authors: Li Bowen , Huang Shu-Wei , Li Yongnan , Wong Chee Wei , Wong Kenneth K. Y.
Published: June 2017

Single-shot real-time characterization of optical waveforms with sub-picosecond resolution is essential for investigating various ultrafast optical dynamics. However, the finite temporal recording length of current techniques hinders comprehensive understanding of many intriguing ultrafast optical phenomena that evolve over a timescale much longer than their fine temporal details. Inspired by the space-time duality and by stitching of multiple microscopic images to achieve a larger field of view in the spatial domain, here a panoramic-reconstruction temporal imaging (PARTI) system is devised to scale up the temporal recording length without sacrificing the resolution. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, the PARTI system is applied to study the dynamic waveforms of slowly evolved dissipative Kerr solitons in an ultrahigh-Q microresonator. Two 1.5-ns-long comprehensive evolution portraits are reconstructed with 740 fs resolution and dissipative Kerr soliton transition dynamics, in which a multiplet soliton state evolves into a stable singlet soliton state, are depicted.
Two T7-like Bacteriophages, K5-2 and K5-4, Each Encodes Two Capsule Depolymerases: Isolation and Functional Characterization
Authors: Hsieh Pei-Fang , Lin Hsiao-Hsuan , Lin Tzu-Lung , Chen Yi-Yin , Wang Jin-Town
Published: June 2017

Two Klebsiella bacteriophages K5-2 and K5-4, which are able to infect and grow on either capsular types K30/K69 and K5 or K8 and K5 of Klebsiella strains, were isolated and characterized. Each phage contained two open reading frames (ORFs), which encoded two putative capsule depolymerases, respectively. The first ORF encoded tail fiber proteins, which have K30/K69 depolymerase and K8 depolymerase activities. The second ORF encoded hypothetical proteins, which are almost identical in amino acid sequences, and have K5 depolymerase activity. Alcian blue staining of enzyme-treated capsular polysaccharides (CPS) showed that purified depolymerases can cleave purified Klebsiella CPS in vitro and liberate monosaccharaides. Capsule K5 deletion mutants were not lysed by either phage, suggesting that the capsule was essential for phage infection. Bacterial killing was observed when incubated Klebsiella strains with phages but not with purified depolymerases. Treatment with the K5-4 phage significantly increased the survival of mice infected with a K. pneumoniae K5 strain. In conclusion, two dual host-specific Klebsiella phages and their tailspikes exhibit capsule depolymerase activity were characterized. Each phage and phage-encoded depolymerase has specificity for capsular type K30/K69, K8 or K5, and could be used for the typing and treatment of K. pneumoniae infection.
Age-related diagnostic value of D-dimer testing and the role of inflammation in patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis
Authors: Prochaska Jürgen H. , Frank Bernd , Nagler Markus , Lamparter Heidrun , Weißer Gerhard , Schulz Andreas , Eggebrecht Lisa , Göbel Sebastian , Arnold Natalie , Panova-Noeva Marina , Hermanns Iris , Pinto Antonio , Konstantinides Stavros , ten Cate Hugo , Lackner Karl J , Münzel Thomas , Espinola-Klein Christine , Wild Philipp S.
Published: June 2017

Previous reports have investigated the impact of age on D-Dimer testing in elderly individuals with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT), but data on the age-related diagnostic value of D-dimer in a sample covering a broad age range are limited. The present study determined age-specifically the diagnostic accuracy of D-dimer and compared it to C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in 500 patients with suspected DVT from the VTEval project (NCT02156401). Sensitivity of D-dimer was lower in patients < 60 years in comparison to patients ≥ 60 years (∆−16.8%), whereas specificity was 27.9% higher. Lowest levels of sensitivity were detected for female sex, unprovoked DVT, low thrombotic burden, and distal DVT. A fixed D-dimer threshold of 0.25 mg/L FEU resulted in elevated sensitivity for patients < 60 with a reduction of false negatives by 40.0% for proximal DVT and by 50.0% for distal DVT. In patients < 60 years, D-dimer and CRP demonstrated comparable diagnostic performance for both proximal and distal DVT (p > 0.05). In conclusion, these data outline a clinically-relevant limitation of D-dimer testing among younger patients with suspected DVT indicating a necessity for age-adapted cut-off values. Further research is required to decrypt the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology and diagnosis of venous thrombosis.
Fecal excretion of Maillard reaction products and the gut microbiota composition of rats fed with bread crust or bread crumb
Authors: Helou C. , Anton P. M. , Niquet-Léridon C. , Spatz M. , Tessier F. J. , Gadonna-Widehem P.
Published: June 2017

A comparison between the impacts of advanced (Nε-carboxymethyllysine – CML) and terminal (melanoidins) Maillard reaction products from bread on gut microbiota was carried out in this study.
Antioxidant, ACE-inhibitory and antimicrobial activity of fermented goat milk: activity and physicochemical property relationship of the peptide components
Authors: Moreno-Montoro Miriam , Olalla-Herrera Manuel , Rufián-Henares José Ángel , Martínez Rafael Giménez , Miralles Beatriz , Bergillos Triana , Navarro-Alarcón Miguel , Jauregi Paula
Published: June 2017

Increasing evidence on goat milk and the health benefits of its derived products beyond its nutritional value show its potential as a functional food.
Iron homeostasis in plants – a brief overview
Authors: Connorton James M. , Balk Janneke , Rodríguez-Celma Jorge
Published: June 2017

Iron plays a crucial role in biochemistry and is an essential micronutrient for plants and humans alike. Recent progress in the field has led to a better understanding of iron homeostasis in plants, and aided the production of high iron crops for improved human nutrition.
Gold glyconanoparticles coupled to listeriolysin O 91–99 peptide serve as adjuvant therapy against melanoma
Authors: Calderon-Gonzalez R. , Terán-Navarro H. , García I. , Marradi M. , Salcines-Cuevas D. , Yañez-Diaz S. , Solis-Angulo A. , Frande-Cabanes E. , Fariñas M. C. , Garcia-Castaño A. , Gomez-Roman J. , Penades S. , Rivera F. , Freire J. , Álvarez-Domínguez C.
Published: June 2017

Dendritic cell-based (DC-based) vaccines are promising immunotherapies for cancer.
Brownmillerite thin films as fast ion conductors for ultimate-performance resistance switching memory
Authors: Acharya Susant Kumar , Jo Janghyun , Raveendra Nallagatlla Venkata , Dash Umasankar , Kim Miyoung , Baik Hionsuck , Lee Sangik , Park Bae Ho , Lee Jae Sung , Chae Seung Chul , Hwang Cheol Seong , Jung Chang Uk
Published: June 2017

An epitaxial brownmillerite thin-film platform with tuned oxygen vacancy channels is used to realize high ReRAM performance.
Asymmetric synthesis of new γ-butenolides via organocatalyzed epoxidation of chalcones
Authors: Vieira Lucas C. C. , Matsuo Bianca T. , Martelli Lorena S. R. , Gall Mayara , Paixão Marcio W. , Corrêa Arlene G.
Published: June 2017

A greener three-step sequence, with only one single chromatographic purification, afforded γ-butenolides in moderate overall yield and high enantiomeric excess.
Fabrication of graphene–biomacromolecule hybrid materials for tissue engineering application
Authors: Li Dapeng , Liu Tianjiao , Yu Xiaoqing , Wu Di , Su Zhiqiang
Published: June 2017

In this review, we demonstrated the recent advances in the fabrication strategies of graphene–biomacromolecule hybrid materials and their applications in the field of tissue engineering, such as implant materials, cell culture scaffolds, and regenerative medicine.
Every photon counts: understanding and optimizing photon paths in luminescent solar concentrator-based photomicroreactors (LSC-PMs)
Authors: Cambié Dario , Zhao Fang , Hessel Volker , Debije Michael G. , Noël Timothy
Published: June 2017

Monte Carlo simulation of Luminescent Solar Concentrator-based Photomicroreactors (LSC-PM) shows how embedding an absorber (i.e. the reaction channels) within the lightguide can significantly improve the energy efficiency of traditional LSCs on large scale applications.
An investigation of Cu–Re–ZnO catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol under continuous flow conditions
Authors: Shozi Mzamo L. , Dasireddy Venkata D. B. C. , Singh Sooboo , Mohlala Pheladi , Morgan David J. , Iqbal Sarwat , Friedrich Holger B.
Published: June 2017

Rhenium is an effective promoter for ZnO catalysts in glycerol hydrogenolysis by enhancing catalytic activity and producing lower alcohols in good yields.
Engineering a monomeric variant of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) that antagonizes the c-FMS receptor
Authors: Zur Yuval , Rosenfeld Lior , Bakhman Anna , Ilic Stefan , Hayun Hezi , Shahar Anat , Akabayov Barak , Kosloff Mickey , Levaot Noam , Papo Niv
Published: June 2017

Enhanced activation of the signaling pathways that mediate the differentiation of mononuclear monocytes into osteoclasts is an underlying cause of several bone diseases and bone metastasis. In particular, dysregulation and overexpression of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and its c-FMS tyrosine kinase receptor, proteins that are essential for osteoclast differentiation, are known to promote bone metastasis and osteoporosis, making both the ligand and its receptor attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. With this aim in mind, our starting point was the previously held concept that the potential of the M-CSFC31S mutant as a therapeutic is derived from its inability to dimerize and hence to act as an agonist. The current study showed, however, that dimerization is not abolished in M-CSFC31S and that the protein retains agonistic activity toward osteoclasts. To design an M-CSF mutant with diminished dimerization capabilities, we solved the crystal structure of the M-CSFC31S dimer complex and used structure-based energy calculations to identify the residues responsible for its dimeric form. We then used that analysis to develop M-CSFC31S,M27R, a ligand-based, high-affinity antagonist for c-FMS that retained its binding ability but prevented the ligand dimerization that leads to receptor dimerization and activation. The monomeric properties of M-CSFC31S,M27R were validated using dynamic light scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses. It was shown that this mutant is a functional inhibitor of M-CSF-dependent c-FMS activation and osteoclast differentiation in vitro. Our study, therefore, provided insights into the sequence–structure–function relationships of the M-CSF/c-FMS interaction and of ligand/receptor tyrosine kinase interactions in general.
Demosaicing scheme based on augmented inter‐channel correlation considering colour saturation
Authors: Kim J. , Park S.W. , Kang M.G.
Published: June 2017

Augmented colour difference gradients in the extended support region contribute to the reduction of high‐frequency loss in image reconstruction via a demosaicing process. However, distant gradients must only be used for highly inter‐channel correlated regions. Otherwise, the pattern grid remains, even after demosaicing. Herein, a demosaicing scheme is proposed, in which the geometric distances as well as the edge directions (as in a bilateral filter) are incorporated in order to calculate colour difference gradients weights. The inter‐channel correlation is closely related to the colour saturation. Thus, the weights are adaptively adjusted according to the inter‐channel correlation considering colour saturation. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme improves the results of a state‐of‐the‐art demosaicing process.
20.8–51 GHz highly balanced CMOS balun
Authors: Yang Geliang , Wang Keping , Wang Zhigong
Published: June 2017

An ultra‐wideband asymmetric spiral‐stacked Marchand balun fabricated in the standard 0.18 μm CMOS process is demonstrated. An innovative technique named in‐phase current return path is incorporated into the design to enhance the balun's balance metrics. The proposed balun has a measured insertion loss <5 dB (3 dB for an ideal balun) and a return loss better than 10 dB from 20.8 to 60 GHz. Significantly, it provides a measured amplitude imbalance <0.3 dB and a phase imbalance <2° within 10–51 GHz range. The balun occupies an area of only 0.043 mm2 without pads. The resultant highly balanced CMOS balun is shown as a high‐performing millimetre‐wave component suitable for the full Ka and/or Q band applications.
Parsimonious adaptive rejection sampling
Authors: Martino L.
Published: June 2017

Monte Carlo (MC) methods have become very popular in signal processing during the past decades. The adaptive rejection sampling (ARS) algorithms are well‐known MC techniques which draw efficiently independent samples from univariate target densities. The ARS schemes yield a sequence of proposal functions that converge towards the target, so that the probability of accepting a sample approaches one. However, sampling from the proposal pdf becomes more computationally demanding each time it is updated. The parsimonious ARS method, where an efficient trade‐off between acceptance rate and proposal complexity is obtained, is proposed. Thus, the resulting algorithm is faster than the standard ARS approach.
Performance of selective cooperation for underlay cognitive radio with multiple primary transmitters and receivers
Authors: Huang Yangchao , Li Zan , Zhu Rui , Wang Yun , Chen Xihao
Published: June 2017

The performance of an underlay cognitive radio network equipped with multiple decode‐and‐forward relays is investigated in the presence of multiple primary transmitters and multiple primary receivers. The allowed maximum transmission powers for the secondary nodes are obtained according to the outage constraint of multiple primary users (PUs). The authors study selective cooperation scheme for the scenarios of non‐direct relay transmission, direct and relay transmission with selection combining, direct and relay transmission with maximum ratio combining, and incremental relay transmission. Considering the dependence among the received signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratios caused by multiple PUs, exact and asymptotical expressions for the outage probability of the proposed selective cooperation schemes are derived over Rayleigh fading channels under underlay spectrum sharing constraints. It is shown that the diversity order for the underlay cognitive relay network with multiple primary transmitters and multiple primary receivers is zero. Finally, simulation results are presented to verify the correctness of the authors’ theoretical derivations.
Fuzzy logic approach to modelling trust in cloud computing
Authors: Sule Mary‐Jane , Li Maozhen , Taylor Gareth , Onime Clement
Published: June 2017

Despite the growing deployment of mission critical applications on computing systems, trust and security continues to hinder its full adoption and deployment on cloud computing platforms. In addition to accountability and non‐repudiation on the cloud deployment, end‐users want to be confident of availability and reliability of services. For any cloud platform to be secure and trusted, the individual layers of the platform must be secure as there is no ‘one fits all solution’ for securing all the layers. This work presents a multi‐layer trust security model (MLTSM) based on unified cloud platform trust that employs a fuzzy logic combination of on‐demand states of several different security mechanisms, such as identification, direct and in‐direct trust, across all cloud layers. In addition, results from a MATLAB‐based simulation of the model are also presented. A MLTSM can improve the secure deployment of cloud infrastructure in mission critical sectors such as electrical power system operation, as it provides empirical evidence that allows direct (on‐demand) determination and verification of the trust state of any given cloud computing platform or service. Such a modelling approach is useful for comparison, classification and improving end‐user confidence in selecting or consuming cloud computing resources.
Open‐source framework for power system transmission and distribution dynamics co‐simulation
Authors: Huang Renke , Fan Rui , Daily Jeff , Fisher Andrew , Fuller Jason
Published: June 2017

The promise of the smart grid entails more interactions between the transmission and distribution networks, and there is an immediate need for tools to provide the comprehensive modelling and simulation required to integrate operations at both transmission and distribution levels. Existing electromagnetic transient simulators can perform simulations with integration of transmission and distribution systems, but the computational burden is high for large‐scale system analysis. For transient stability analysis, currently there are only separate tools for simulating transient dynamics of the transmission and distribution systems. In this study, the authors introduce an open‐source co‐simulation framework ‘framework for network co‐simulation’ (FNCS), together with the decoupled simulation approach that links existing transmission and distribution dynamic simulators through FNCS. FNCS is a middleware interface and framework that manages the interaction and synchronisation of the transmission and distribution simulators. Preliminary testing results show the validity and capability of the proposed open‐source co‐simulation framework and the decoupled co‐simulation methodology.
Time domain harmonic state estimation in unbalanced power networks based on optimal number of meters and the principle of half‐wave symmetry
Authors: Molina‐Moreno Ismael , Medina Aurelio , Cisneros‐Magaña Rafael , Anaya‐Lara Olimpo
Published: June 2017

This study proposes a time domain methodology for harmonic state estimation (HSE) in power systems. The proposed methodology is formulated to analyse the unbalanced operation of three‐phase power systems including non‐linear loads. It takes into account the optimal number of measuring devices and exploits the property of half‐wave symmetry in voltage and current waveforms to significantly reduce the computational effort of the solution process. The results obtained are in close agreement with the actual response obtained from the time domain power system simulation performed with the SimPowerSystems toolbox of Simulink®. Hence, the proposed methodology can adequately assess the harmonic state in unbalanced power systems. The results show a considerable reduction in the instrumentation resources and time processing needed for HSE in non‐linear power networks.
Two‐stage heuristic methodology for optimal reconfiguration and Volt/VAr control in the operation of electrical distribution systems
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Alcaraz Guillermo , Tovar‐Hernández José H.
Published: June 2017

The availability of smart grid technology makes it more feasible to use optimal reconfiguration and Volt/VAr control strategies for minimising electricity losses in distribution systems. This study presents a two‐stage heuristic method to calculate the optimal impact of network reconfiguration and switching of already‐installed capacitors over electrical distribution losses. The two‐stage method searches first for a set of reduced feasible reconfigurations with less losses via a binary particle swarm optimisation and an optimal power flow algorithm, and then performs a Volt/VAr control for each feasible reconfiguration by switching capacitors, until reaching negligible changes in losses. Numerical examples and a test case considering a practical distribution network of the Taiwan Power Company demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Multi‐criteria decision‐making methods for grading high‐performance transformer oil with antioxidants under accelerated ageing conditions
Authors: Rengaraj Madavan , Balaraman Sujatha , Subbaraj Saroja
Published: June 2017

In this study, different types of antioxidants (AO) such as natural and synthetic AOs are mixed with mineral oil (MO) at various individual and grouping concentrations to enhance the life of transformers. Water content in oil, water content in paper, breakdown voltage, acidity, 2‐furaldehyde concentration, degree of polymerisation and tensile strength are the laboratory‐based ageing‐related performance characteristics considered in the proposed work to evaluate the degradation rate of MO samples. Multi‐criteria decision‐making methods such as analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) are used to identify the sample concentration which gives maximum performance while considering all the characteristic performance of the MO samples precisely. Two different methods are employed to assess the performance characteristics of the MO samples. In first method, AHP is employed for both priority weight calculation and ranking of MO samples. In second method, AHP is used for weight calculation and TOPSIS is used for ranking. From the experimental results, it is found that, the MO sample S5 yields better performance when compared with other samples. Hence, it is suggested that MO sample S5 can be the best alternative for transformer oil.
Inter‐harmonics monitoring method based on PMUs
Authors: Liu Hao , Bi Tianshu , Li Jue , Xu Sudi , Yang Qixun
Published: June 2017

More and more inter‐harmonics are brought to the power grid due to the integration of renewables and the wide‐area deployments of the electronic devices. This may lead to the exacerbation power system stability problems such as the subsynchronous oscillation in western China. The synchronisation and high‐reporting rates of phasor measurement units (PMUs) make them an effective tool to monitor the appearance, propagation and distribution of inter‐harmonics for protection and control strategies. In this study, the instantaneous powers of the single phase and the three phase that contain inter‐harmonics are analysed. The phasor value of the signal containing the inter‐harmonics is computed. It is found that the analysis based on the instantaneous power, phasor magnitude or phasor angle cannot distinguish whether the harmonic is subsynchronous or supersynchronous. Then, an inter‐harmonics monitoring method that is based on complex numbers of phasor measured by PMUs is proposed in this study. This proposed method has been implemented in the main station of the wide‐area measurement system in western China. A number of field data events are used to verify the correctness of the theoretical derivations.
The Comparison of the Protective Effects of α- and β-Antithrombin against Vascular Endothelial Cell Damage Induced by Histone in Vitro
Authors: Iba Toshiaki , Sasaki Tetsuya , Ohshima Kazutoshi , Sato Koichi , Nagaoka Isao , Thachil Jecko
Published: June 2017

Antithrombin is a promising option for the treatment of sepsis, and vascular endothelium is an important target for this fatal condition. Here, we aimed to evaluate the protective effects of different glycoforms of antithrombin on histone-induced endothelial cell damage and explore the responsible mechanisms in an experimental model in vitro. Endothelial cells were treated in vitro using histone H4 to induce cellular damage. Various doses of either α- or β-antithrombin were used as treatment interventions, and both cell viability and the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the medium were assessed. Endothelial cell damage was also assessed using microscopic examination and immunofluorescent staining with anti-syndecan-4 and anti-antithrombin antibodies. As a result, both glycoforms of antithrombin significantly improved cell viability when administered at a physiological dose (150 μg/mL). Cellular injury as evaluated using the LDH level was significantly suppressed by β-antithrombin at a supranormal dose (600 μg/mL). Microscopic observation suggested that β-antithrombin suppressed the endothelial cell damage more efficiently than α-antithrombin. β-Antithrombin suppressed the intensity of syndecan-4 staining which became evident after treatment with histone H4, more prominently than α-antithrombin. The distribution of antithrombin was identical to that of syndecan-4. In conclusion, both α- and β-antithrombin can protect vascular endothelial cells from histone H4-induced damage, although the effect was stronger for β-antithrombin. The responsible mechanisms might involve the binding of antithrombin to the glycocalyx on the endothelial surface. These results provide a theoretical basis for the application of antithrombin to the prevention and treatment of sepsis-related endothelial damage.
Perioperatives Wärmemanagement
Authors: Weidauer Jenny , Alef Michaele
Published: June 2017

Hypothermie stellt in der Veterinärmedizin ein relevantes perioperatives Problem dar. Dies
kann mit gravierenden Komplikationen für den Patienten einhergehen, so hat eine
Hypothermie negative Auswirkungen auf den Metabolismus sowie das kardiovaskuläre und
respiratorische System. Zusätzlich wird die Hämostase beeinträchtigt und die Gefahr für
Wundinfektionen und Wundheilungsstörungen steigt. Hypotherme Tiere zeigen zudem eine
verzögerte Aufwachphase. Ziel sollte es deswegen sein, Wärmeverluste zu vermeiden und eine
bestehende Hypothermie suffizient zu behandeln.
Magenschutztherapie bei Hund und Katze – Was gibt es zu beachten?
Authors: Heilmann Romy
Published: June 2017

Indikationen für eine Magenschutztherapie sind vielfältig. Es stehen Antisekretorika
(Histamin-H2-Rezeptor-Antagonisten, Protonenpumpenhemmer, Prostaglandin-E2-Analoga)
und Zytoprotektiva (Sucralfat, Aluminium- bzw. Magnesiumhydroxid) zur Verfügung, die auch in Kombination
verwendet werden können.
Social-Media für die Tierarztpraxis – Teil 3: Rechtliche Grenzen und Mittel gegen
schlechte Bewertungen und Cybermobbing
Authors: Biermann-Wehmeyer Nicole
Published: June 2017

In den ersten Teilen der Artikelserie wurde festgestellt, dass die Social-Media-Portale
durchaus eine Bereicherung für die Marketingstrategie einer Tierarztpraxis sein können.
Was passiert, wenn negative Dinge in den Fokus rücken? In diesem Zusammenhang taucht
häufig der Begriff Cybermobbing auf. Worum handelt es sich dabei genau und welche Mittel
kann man dagegen anwenden?
Homöopathie in der Augenheilkunde – Nutzen und Grenzen
Authors: Sathye Sandeep
Published: June 2017

Jede Wissenschaft hat ihr bestimmtes Anwendungsgebiet und demzufolge auch Grenzen. Gleiches gilt für die Homöopathie, in der Behandlung von Allgemeinerkrankungen wie von Erkrankungen der Sinnesorgane. Das Auge steht unter den letzteren wohl an vorderster Stelle. Meine klinische Erfahrung in der Augenheilkunde hat gezeigt, dass homöopathische Arzneien bei vielen akuten und chronischen Erkrankungen wirksam sind.

Die hier angeführten Fälle geben einen Überblick über den Nutzen augenheilkundlicher Anwendung von Homöopathie. Der Erfolg der Behandlung wird abhängen vom Wissen des Behandlers um ophthalmologische Erkrankungen sowie von seinem diagnostischen Können. Ein Verständnis vom möglichen Nutzen der Homöopathie in der Augenheilkunde – und ihrer Grenzen – hilft dem Arzt, dem Patienten die Aussichten homöopathischer Behandlungen bestimmter Augenkrankheiten abwägend vorzustellen.
Extra Pulmonary Toxicity Assessment of Gold and Silver Nanorods Following Intra Tracheal Instillation in Rats
Authors: Lingabathula Harikiran , Yellu Narsimhareddy
Published: June 2017

The gold nanorods (GNRs) and silver nanorods (SNRs) are utilized in various types of industrial and commercial applications. But, there is limited availability of extra pulmonary toxicity data regarding these nanorods. The present investigation evaluated the extra pulmonary toxicity induced by 10 and 25 nm GNRs and SNRs in rats following intra tracheal instillation. The serum biochemical analysis results have shown elevated levels of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and serum creatinine following 1 day and 1 week post instillation. GNRs have shown greatly increased serum ALT levels at 1 day, 1 week and 1 month post exposure periods compared to SNRs and quartz (QTZ) treated rats. In case of serum creatinine levels, both GNRs and SNRs have shown similar elevated levels. Histopathology studies of rat liver tissues following exposure of GNRs and SNRs displayed that congestion of central vein, shrinkage and ballooning of hepatocytes and lymphocytic infiltration leading to degeneration after 1 week and 1 month post instillation periods. The histopathology of rat kidney tissue was showed tubular dilation, degeneration and necrosis with 10 nm SNRs and 10 nm GNRs after 1 month post instillation period. The 10 nm GNRs and SNRs have shown great changes in serum biochemical analysis and histopathological studies compared to 25 nm test nanorods. These observations suggest the size and dose dependent translocation and extra pulmonary toxicity of both GNRs and SNRs.
Gap orientation tuning in split ring resonator array for increased energy absorption
Authors: Ji Liming , Varadan Vasundara V.
Published: June 2017

Metamaterials have been proposed for absorber application. The research on absorber design has been highly focused on the design of each unit that is periodically laid out in an array. In this study, we present the layout of a unit structure as a new tuning factor for absorber performance based on the analysis of split ring resonator (SRR) resonances. Gap orientation of each SRR is the only variable in this approach. Simulation results show that random gap orientation layout exhibits much higher energy absorption compared to the other designs with periodic gap orientations. This significant absorption enhancement is neither due to a particular gap orientation nor due to the dimension of each SRR. Instead, it is due to the combination of the different gap orientations, which generates a particular layout for high energy absorption. The major part of absorbed energy goes to dielectric loss in substrate. The layout with high energy absorption creates higher localized electric field intensity that permeates into the substrate. We also present a new design that is periodically laid out but have four specially oriented SRRs in each unit “super cell”. The periodicity of this super cell is easier to design since it is much more economical to simulate than randomly oriented SRRs. The maximum absorption of the super cell design is 80%, which is much higher than the other designs with the single SRR orientation. The high energy absorption of the super cell design proves that orientation of SRRs within a unit cell, a “supercell” can be a very useful tuning factor.