bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hyperthermia: The Optimal Treatment to Overcome Radiation Resistant Hypoxia
Authors: Elming Pernille , Sørensen Brita , Oei Arlene , Franken Nicolaas , Crezee Johannes , Overgaard Jens , Horsman Michael
Published: January 2019

Regions of low oxygenation (hypoxia) are a characteristic feature of solid tumors, and cells existing in these regions are a major factor influencing radiation resistance as well as playing a significant role in malignant progression. Consequently, numerous pre-clinical and clinical attempts have been made to try and overcome this hypoxia. These approaches involve improving oxygen availability, radio-sensitizing or killing the hypoxic cells, or utilizing high LET (linear energy transfer) radiation leading to a lower OER (oxygen enhancement ratio). Interestingly, hyperthermia (heat treatments of 39–45 °C) induces many of these effects. Specifically, it increases blood flow thereby improving tissue oxygenation, radio-sensitizes via DNA repair inhibition, and can kill cells either directly or indirectly by causing vascular damage. Combining hyperthermia with low LET radiation can even result in anti-tumor effects equivalent to those seen with high LET. The various mechanisms depend on the time and sequence between radiation and hyperthermia, the heating temperature, and the time of heating. We will discuss the role these factors play in influencing the interaction between hyperthermia and radiation, and summarize the randomized clinical trials showing a benefit of such a combination as well as suggest the potential future clinical application of this combination.
Comparative Study between Pristine Ag and Ag Foam for Electrochemical Synthesis of Syngas with Carbon Dioxide and Water
Authors: Yu Yan , Zhong Na , Fang Jinhui , Tang Shasha , Ye Xincheng , He Zhiqiao , Song Shuang
Published: January 2019

The electrosynthesis of syngas (H2 + CO) from CO2 and H2O can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the energy crisis. In the present work, silver (Ag) foam was employed as a catalytic electrode for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in aqueous solution to design different syngas ratios (H2:CO). In addition to H2 and CO, a small amount of formic acid was found in the liquid phase. By contrast, the planar polycrystalline Ag yields CO, formic acid, methane and methanol as the carbon-containing products. During the potential-controlled electrolysis, the Ag foam displayed a relatively higher activity and selectivity in the electroreduction of aqueous CO2 to CO compared with its smooth surface counterpart, as evidenced by the lower onset potential, higher partial current density and Faradic efficiency at the same bias voltage. Moreover, the electrode remained stable after three successive cycles. Based on the characterization using X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, potential step determination and density functional theory calculations, superior performance was credited to the three-dimensional structure of Ag foam constructed with coral-like Ag particles, in which the numerous edge sites are beneficial for the stabilization of the surface adsorbed COOH species and the exposed {111} facets favor the desorption of adsorbed CO species.
Structure and Photocatalytic Activity of PdCrOx Cocatalyst on SrTiO3 for Overall Water Splitting
Authors: Kanazawa Tomoki , Nozawa Shunsuke , Lu Daling , Maeda Kazuhiko
Published: January 2019

The mechanism of PdCrOx multi-component cocatalyst formation on SrTiO3 was investigated using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The PdCrOx/SrTiO3 samples were synthesized by a photodeposition method under UV light irradiation (λ > 300 nm) for various time periods (0–5 h). The fine structure and valence state of the Pd species of PdCrOx nanoparticles were varied from Pd oxide to a mixture of metallic Pd and oxidized Pd species with an increase in the irradiation time. The overall water-splitting activity of PdCrOx was strongly dependent on the photoirradiation time during deposition. Although longer photoirradiation time during preparation did not influence the H2 evolution activity of PdCrOx/SrTiO3 from aqueous methanol solution, it was effective in suppressing the O2 photoreduction activity, which is one of the backward reactions during overall water splitting.
About Solid Phase vs. Liquid Phase in Suzuki-Miyaura Reaction
Authors: Bourouina Amine , Meille Valérie , de Bellefon Claude
Published: January 2019

A critical review of conclusions about the putative heterogeneous mechanism in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling by supported Pd solids is reported. In the first section, the turnover frequencies (TOF) of 20 well-established homogeneous catalysts are shown to be in the range 200 to 1,000,000,000 h − 1 . The evidences used to prove a heterogeneous mechanism are discussed and another interpretation is proposed, hypothesizing that only the leached species are responsible for the catalytic reaction, even at ppb levels. Considering more than 40 published catalytic systems for which liquid phase Pd content have been reported, activities have been computed based on leached Pd concentrations and are shown to be in the range TOF 150 to 70,000,000 h − 1 . Such values are compatible with those found for the well-established homogeneous catalysts which questions the validity of the conclusions raised by many papers about the heterogeneous (solid) nature of Suzuki-Miyaura catalysis. Last, a tentative methodology is proposed which involves the rational use of well-known tests (hot-filtration test, mercury test…) to help to discriminate between homogeneous and heterogeneous mechanisms.
Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil Using S–TiO2/SBA-15 Heterogeneous Acid Catalyst
Authors: Hossain Muhammad Nobi , Siddik Bhuyan Md Sufi Ullah , Md Ashraful Alam Abul Hasnat , Seo Yong Chan
Published: January 2019

The aim of this research was to synthesize, characterize, and apply a heterogeneous acid catalyst to optimum biodiesel production from hydrolyzed waste cooking oil via an esterification reaction, to meet society’s future demands. The solid acid catalyst S–TiO2/SBA-15 was synthesized by a direct wet impregnation method. The prepared catalyst was evaluated using analytical techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. The statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was studied to validate the experimental results. The catalytic effect on biodiesel production was examined by varying the parameters as follows: temperatures of 160 to 220 °C, 20–35 min reaction time, methanol-to-oil mole ratio between 5:1 and 20:1, and catalyst loading of 0.5%–1.25%. The maximum biodiesel yield was 94.96 ± 0.12% obtained under the optimum reaction conditions of 200 °C, 30 min, and 1:15 oil to methanol molar ratio with 1.0% catalyst loading. The catalyst was reused successfully three times with 90% efficiency without regeneration. The fuel properties of the produced biodiesel were found to be within the limits set by the specifications of the biodiesel standard. This solid acid catalytic method can replace the conventional homogeneous catalyzed transesterification of waste cooking oil for biodiesel production.
Dry Reforming of Propane over γ-Al2O3 and Nickel Foam Supported Novel SrNiO3 Perovskite Catalyst
Authors: M.S.P Sudhakaran , Hossain Md. Mokter , Gnanasekaran Gnanaselvan , Mok Young Sun
Published: January 2019

The SrNiO3 perovskite catalyst was synthesized by the citrate sol-gel method and supported on γ-Al2O3 and Nickel foam, which was used to produce syngas (CO and H2) via dry reforming of propane (DRP). Several techniques characterized the physicochemical properties of the fresh and spent perovskite catalyst. The X-ray diffractograms (XRD) characterization confirmed the formation of the perovskite compound. Before the catalytic activity test, SrNiO3 perovskite catalyst was reduced in the H2 atmosphere. Results indicated that the H2 reduction slightly increased the activity of the SrNiO3 perovskite catalyst. The catalytic activity was examined for the CO2/C3H8 ratio of 3 and reaction temperatures in the range of 550 °C–700 °C. The results from the catalytic study achieved 88% conversion of C3H8 and 66% conversion of CO2 with SrNiO3/NiF at 700 °C. Also, syngas with a maximum concentration of 21 vol.% of CO and 29 vol.% of H2 was produced from the DRP. The strong basicity of SrNiO3 perovskite enhanced the CO selectivity, resulting in minimal carbon formation. Post reaction catalyst characterization showed the presence of carbon deposition which could have originated from propane decomposition.
Selective Synthesis of Furfuryl Alcohol from Biomass-Derived Furfural Using Immobilized Yeast Cells
Authors: Zhang Xue-Ying , Xu Zhong-Hua , Zong Min-Hua , Wang Chuan-Fu , Li Ning
Published: January 2019

Furfuryl alcohol (FA) is an important building block in polymer, food, and pharmaceutical industries. In this work, we reported the biocatalytic reduction of furfural, one of the top value-added bio-based platform chemicals, to FA by immobilized Meyerozyma guilliermondii SC1103 cells. The biocatalytic process was optimized, and the tolerance of this yeast strain toward toxic furfural was evaluated. It was found that furfural of 200 mM could be reduced smoothly to the desired product FA with the conversion of 98% and the selectivity of >98%, while the FA yield was only approximately 81%. The gap between the substrate conversion and the product yield might partially be attributed to the substantial adsorption of the immobilization material (calcium alginate) toward the desired product, but microbial metabolism of furans (as carbon sources) made a negligible contribution to it. In addition, FA of approximately 156 mM was produced within 7 h in a scale-up reaction, along with the formation of trace 2-furoic acid (1 mM) as the byproduct. The FA productivity was up to 2.9 g/L/h, the highest value ever reported in the biocatalytic synthesis of FA. The crude FA was simply separated from the reaction mixture by organic solvent extraction, with the recovery of 90% and the purity of 88%. FA as high as 266 mM was produced by using a fed-batch strategy within 15.5 h.
ZnO/Ionic Liquid Catalyzed Biodiesel Production from Renewable and Waste Lipids as Feedstocks
Authors: Casiello Michele , Catucci Lucia , Fracassi Francesco , Fusco Caterina , Laurenza Amelita G. , Di Bitonto Luigi , Pastore Carlo , D’Accolti Lucia , Nacci Angelo
Published: January 2019

A new protocol for biodiesel production is proposed, based on a binary ZnO/TBAI (TBAI = tetrabutylammonium iodide) catalytic system. Zinc oxide acts as a heterogeneous, bifunctional Lewis acid/base catalyst, while TBAI plays the role of phase transfer agent. Being composed by the bulk form powders, the whole catalyst system proved to be easy to use, without requiring nano-structuration or tedious and costly preparation or pre-activation procedures. In addition, due to the amphoteric properties of ZnO, the catalyst can simultaneously promote transesterification and esterification processes, thus becoming applicable to common vegetable oils (e.g., soybean, jatropha, linseed, etc.) and animal fats (lard and fish oil), but also to waste lipids such as cooking oils (WCOs), highly acidic lipids from oil industry processing, and lipid fractions of municipal sewage sludge. Reusability of the catalyst system together with kinetic (Ea) and thermodynamic parameters of activation (ΔG‡ and ΔH‡) are also studied for transesterification reaction.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Reduction of Cr(VI) by Combined Magnetic TiO2-Based NFs and Ammonium Oxalate Hole Scavengers
Authors: Chang Yin-Hsuan , Wu Ming-Chung
Published: January 2019

Heavy metal pollution of wastewater with coexisting organic contaminants has become a serious threat to human survival and development. In particular, hexavalent chromium, which is released into industrial wastewater, is both toxic and carcinogenic. TiO2 photocatalysts have attracted much attention due to their potential photodegradation and photoreduction abilities. Though TiO2 demonstrates high photocatalytic performance, it is a difficult material to recycle after the photocatalytic reaction. Considering the secondary pollution caused by the photocatalysts, in this study we prepared Ag/Fe3O4/TiO2 nanofibers (NFs) that could be magnetically separated using hydrothermal synthesis, which was considered a benign and effective resolution. For the photocatalytic test, the removal of Cr(VI) was carried out by Ag/Fe3O4/TiO2 nanofibers combined with ammonium oxalate (AO). AO acted as a hole scavenger to enhance the electron-hole separation ability, thereby dramatically enhancing the photoreduction efficiency of Cr(VI). The reaction rate constant for Ag/Fe3O4/TiO2 NFs in the binary system reached 0.260 min−1, 6.95 times of that of Ag/Fe3O4/TiO2 NFs in a single system (0.038 min−1). The optimized Ag/Fe3O4/TiO2 NFs exhibited high efficiency and maintained their photoreduction efficiency at 90% with a recyclability of 87% after five cycles. Hence, taking into account the high magnetic separation behavior, Ag/Fe3O4/TiO2 NFs with a high recycling capability are a potential photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.
The Role of Lipids in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Xicoy Helena , Wieringa Bé , Martens Gerard J. M.
Published: January 2019

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons from the nigrostriatal pathway, formation of Lewy bodies, and microgliosis. During the past decades multiple cellular pathways have been associated with PD pathology (i.e., oxidative stress, endosomal-lysosomal dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and immune response), yet disease-modifying treatments are not available. We have recently used genetic data from familial and sporadic cases in an unbiased approach to build a molecular landscape for PD, revealing lipids as central players in this disease. Here we extensively review the current knowledge concerning the involvement of various subclasses of fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, sterols, and lipoproteins in PD pathogenesis. Our review corroborates a central role for most lipid classes, but the available information is fragmented, not always reproducible, and sometimes differs by sex, age or PD etiology of the patients. This hinders drawing firm conclusions about causal or associative effects of dietary lipids or defects in specific steps of lipid metabolism in PD. Future technological advances in lipidomics and additional systematic studies on lipid species from PD patient material may improve this situation and lead to a better appreciation of the significance of lipids for this devastating disease.
Increasing the TRPM2 Channel Expression in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells Augments the Susceptibility to ROS-Induced Cell Death
Authors: An Xinfang , Fu Zixing , Mai Chendi , Wang Weiming , Wei Linyu , Li Dongliang , Li Chaokun , Jiang Lin-Hua
Published: January 2019

Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells are a widely-used human neuronal cell model in the study of neurodegeneration. A recent study shows that, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine ion (MPP), which selectively causes dopaminergic neuronal death leading to Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms, can reduce SH-SY5Y cell viability by inducing H2O2 generation and subsequent TRPM2 channel activation. MPP-induced cell death is enhanced by increasing the TRPM2 expression. By contrast, increasing the TRPM2 expression has also been reported to support SH-SY5Y cell survival after exposure to H2O2, leading to the suggestion of a protective role for the TRPM2 channel. To clarify the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced TRPM2 channel activation in SH-SY5Y cells, we generated a stable SH-SY5Y cell line overexpressing the human TRPM2 channel and examined cell death and cell viability after exposure to H2O2 in the wild-type and TRPM2-overexpressing SH-SY5Y cells. Exposure to H2O2 resulted in concentration-dependent cell death and reduction in cell viability in both cell types. TRPM2 overexpression remarkably augmented H2O2-induced cell death and reduction in cell viability. Furthermore, H2O2-induced cell death in both the wild-type and TRPM2-overexpressing cells was prevented by 2-APB, a TRPM2 inhibitor, and also by PJ34 and DPQ, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. Collectively, our results show that increasing the TRPM2 expression renders SH-SY5Y cells to be more susceptible to ROS-induced cell death and reinforce the notion that the TRPM2 channel plays a critical role in conferring ROS-induced cell death. It is anticipated that SH-SY5Y cells can be useful for better understanding the molecular and signaling mechanisms for ROS-induced TRPM2-mediated neurodegeneration in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases.
Bring It to an End: Does Telomeres Size Matter?
Authors: Laberthonnière Camille , Magdinier Frédérique , Robin Jérôme D.
Published: January 2019

Telomeres are unique nucleoprotein structures. Found at the edge of each chromosome, their main purpose is to mask DNA ends from the DNA-repair machinery by formation of protective loops. Through life and cell divisions, telomeres shorten and bring cells closer to either cell proliferation crisis or senescence. Beyond this mitotic clock role attributed to the need for telomere to be maintained over a critical length, the very tip of our DNA has been shown to impact transcription by position effect. TPE and a long-reach counterpart, TPE-OLD, are mechanisms recently described in human biology. Still in infancy, the mechanism of action of these processes and their respective genome wide impact remain to be resolved. In this review, we will discuss recent findings on telomere dynamics, TPE, TPE-OLD, and lessons learnt from model organisms.
Preventive Effect of Spontaneous Physical Activity on the Gut-Adipose Tissue in a Mouse Model That Mimics Crohn’s Disease Susceptibility
Authors: Maillard Florie , Vazeille Emilie , Sauvanet Pierre , Sirvent Pascal , Bonnet Richard , Combaret Lydie , Chausse Pierre , Chevarin Caroline , Otero Yolanda Fernandez , Delcros Geoffrey , Chavanelle Vivien , Boisseau Nathalie , Barnich Nicolas
Published: January 2019

Crohn’s disease is characterized by abnormal ileal colonization by adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) and expansion of mesenteric adipose tissue. This study assessed the preventive effect of spontaneous physical activity (PA) on the gut-adipose tissue in a mouse model that mimics Crohn’s disease susceptibility. Thirty-five CEABAC10 male mice performed spontaneous PA (wheel group; n = 24) or not (controls; n = 11) for 12 weeks. At week 12, mice were orally challenged with the AIEC LF82 strain for 6 days. Body composition, glycaemic control, intestinal permeability, gut microbiota composition, and fecal short-chain fatty acids were assessed in both groups. Animals were fed a high fat/high sugar diet throughout the study. After exposure to AIEC, mesenteric adipose tissue weight was lower in the wheel group. Tight junction proteins expression increased with spontaneous PA, whereas systemic lipopolysaccharides were negatively correlated with the covered distance. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus decreased in controls, whereas Oscillospira and Ruminococcus increased in the wheel group. Fecal propionate and butyrate were also higher in the wheel group. In conclusion, spontaneous physical activity promotes healthy gut microbiota composition changes and increases short-chain fatty acids in CEABAC10 mice fed a Western diet and exposed to AIEC to mimic Crohn’s disease.
Factors Affecting Vitamin D Status in Infants
Authors: Fink Charles , Peters Rachel , Koplin Jennifer , Brown Justin , Allen Katrina
Published: January 2019

Vitamin D is critical to children’s skeletal development and health. Despite this, the factors which determine vitamin D concentrations during infancy remain incompletely understood. This article reviews the literature assessing the factors which can affect vitamin D status in infancy, including antenatal and postnatal vitamin D supplementation. Observational data supports that dietary intake of vitamin D, UV exposure, and geographic factors contribute significantly to infants’ vitamin D status, but the relationship is unclear regarding genetic variation, ethnicity, and maternal vitamin D status. Randomised controlled trials have compared higher versus lower doses of infant vitamin D supplementation, but no studies have compared infant vitamin D supplementation to placebo and eliminated external sources of vitamin D to fully quantify its effect on vitamin D status. Knowledge gaps remain regarding the factors associated with optimal vitamin D concentrations in infants—including key factors such as ethnicity and genetic variation—and further studies are needed.
Statistical Analysis of Recent and Future Rainfall and Temperature Variability in the Mono River Watershed (Benin, Togo)
Authors: Emmanuel Lawin , Hounguè Nina , Biaou Chabi , Badou Djigbo
Published: January 2019

This paper assessed the current and mid-century trends in rainfall and temperature over the Mono River watershed. It considered observation data for the period 1981–2010 and projection data from the regional climate model (RCM), REMO, for the period 2018–2050 under emission scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Rainfall data were interpolated using ordinary kriging. Mann-Kendall, Pettitt and Standardized Normal Homogeneity (SNH) tests were used for trends and break-points detection. Rainfall interannual variability analysis was based on standardized precipitation index (SPI), whereas anomalies indices were considered for temperature. Results revealed that on an annual scale and all over the watershed, temperature and rainfall showed an increasing trend during the observation period. By 2050, both scenarios projected an increase in temperature compared to the baseline period 1981–2010, whereas annual rainfall will be characterized by high variabilities. Rainfall seasonal cycle is expected to change in the watershed: In the south, the second rainfall peak, which usually occurs in September, will be extended to October with a higher value. In the central and northern parts, rainfall regime is projected to be characterized by late onsets, a peak in September and lower precipitation until June and higher thereafter. The highest increase and decrease in monthly precipitation are expected in the northern part of the watershed. Therefore, identifying relevant adaptation strategies is recommended.
Analysis of Climate Change in the Caucasus Region: End of the 20th–Beginning of the 21st Century
Authors: Tashilova Alla A. , Ashabokov Boris A. , Kesheva Lara A. , Teunova Nataliya V.
Published: January 2019

The study of climate, in such a diverse climatic region as the Caucasus, is necessary in order to evaluate the influence of local factors on the formation of temperature and precipitation regimes in its various climatic zones. This study is based on the instrumental data (temperatures and precipitation) from 20 weather stations, located on the territory of the Caucasian region during 1961–2011. Mathematical statistics, trend analysis, and rescaled range Methods were used. It was found that the warming trend prevailed in all climatic zones, it intensified since the beginning of global warming (since 1976), while the changes in precipitation were not so unidirectional. The maximum warming was observed in the summer (on average by 0.3 °C/10 years) in all climatic zones. Persistence trends were investigated using the Hurst exponent H (range of variation 0–1), which showed a higher trend persistence of annual mean temperature changes (H = 0.8) compared to annual sum precipitations (H = 0.64). Spatial-correlation analysis performed for precipitations and temperatures showed a rapid decrease in the correlation between precipitations at various weather stations from R = 1 to R = 0.5, on a distance scale from 0 to 200 km. In contrast to precipitation, a high correlation (R = 1.0–0.7) was observed between regional weather stations temperatures at a distance scale from 0 to 1000 km, which indicates synchronous temperature changes in all climatic zones (unlike precipitation).
Feature Extraction in Motor Activity Signal: Towards a Depression Episodes Detection in Unipolar and Bipolar Patients
Authors: Zanella-Calzada Laura A. , Galván-Tejada Carlos E. , Chávez-Lamas Nubia M. , Gracia-Cortés M. del Carmen , Magallanes-Quintanar Rafael , Celaya-Padilla José M. , Galván-Tejada Jorge I. , Gamboa-Rosales Hamurabi
Published: January 2019

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by recurrent sadness and loss of interest in the enjoyment of the positive aspects of life, in addition to fatigue, causing inability to perform daily activities, which leads to a loss of quality of life. To monitor depression (unipolar and bipolar patients), traditional methods rely on reports from patients; nevertheless, bias is commonly present in them. To overcome this problem, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) reports have been widely used, which include data of the behavior, feelings and other types of activities recorded almost in real time through the use of portable devices and smartphones containing motion sensors. In this work a methodology was proposed to detect depressive subjects from control subjects based in the data of their motor activity, recorded by a wearable device, obtained from the “Depresjon” database. From the motor activity signals, the extraction of statistical features was carried out to subsequently feed a random forest classifier. Results show a sensitivity value of 0.867, referring that those subjects with presence of depression have a degree of 86.7% of being correctly classified, while the specificity shows a value of 0.919, referring that those subjects with absence of depression have a degree of 91.9% of being classified with a correct response, using the motor activity signal provided from the wearable device. Based on these results, it is concluded that the motor activity allows distinguishing between the two classes, providing a preliminary and automated tool to specialists for the diagnosis of depression.
Dentinal Hypersensitivity Treatment Using Diode Laser 980 nm: In Vivo Study
Authors: El Mobadder Marwan , Namour Amaury , Namour Mélanie , Dib Walid , El Mobadder Wassim , Maalouf Elie , Geerts Sabine , Zeinoun Toni , Nammour Samir
Published: January 2019

The discomfort of patients due to dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) is one of the main challenges that dentists face in daily practice. Difficulties in DH treatment gave rise to many protocols which are currently used. The aim of this clinical study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new protocol on the reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity with diode laser 980 nm and the application of a graphite paste. 184 patients enrolled in the study, the degree of pain was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), graphite paste was applied on the exposed dentine before irradiation, the application of diode laser 980 nm with continuous mode, backward motion, tangential incidence of the beam in non-contact mode and a delivery output of 1 W. Fiber’s diameter was 320 μm and total exposure time depended on the time necessary to remove the graphite paste from the teeth. Statistical analyses were performed with Prism 5® software. Pain in post-operative significantly decreased immediately after the treatment. Mean values stayed stable until a 6-month follow-up. The application is considered to be safe with long-term effectiveness.
Quantum Probability and Randomness
Authors: Khrennikov Andrei , Svozil Karl
Published: January 2019

The recent quantum information revolution has stimulated interest in the quantum foundations by perceiving and re-evaluating the theory from a novel information-theoretical viewpoint [...]
An Algorithm of Image Encryption Using Logistic and Two-Dimensional Chaotic Economic Maps
Authors: Askar Sameh S. , Karawia Abdel A. , Al-Khedhairi Abdulrahman , Al-Ammar Fatemah S.
Published: January 2019

In the literature, there are many image encryption algorithms that have been constructed based on different chaotic maps. However, those algorithms do well in the cryptographic process, but still, some developments need to be made in order to enhance the security level supported by them. This paper introduces a new cryptographic algorithm that depends on a logistic and two-dimensional chaotic economic map. The robustness of the introduced algorithm is shown by implementing it on several types of images. The implementation of the algorithm and its security are partially analyzed using some statistical analyses such as sensitivity to the key space, pixels correlation, the entropy process, and contrast analysis. The results given in this paper and the comparisons performed have led us to decide that the introduced algorithm is characterized by a large space of key security, sensitivity to the secret key, few coefficients of correlation, a high contrast, and accepted information of entropy. In addition, the results obtained in experiments show that our proposed algorithm resists statistical, differential, brute-force, and noise attacks.
The Case for Shifting the Rényi Entropy
Authors: Valverde-Albacete Francisco J. , Peláez-Moreno Carmen
Published: January 2019

We introduce a variant of the Rényi entropy definition that aligns it with the well-known Hölder mean: in the new formulation, the r-th order Rényi Entropy is the logarithm of the inverse of the r-th order Hölder mean. This brings about new insights into the relationship of the Rényi entropy to quantities close to it, like the information potential and the partition function of statistical mechanics. We also provide expressions that allow us to calculate the Rényi entropies from the Shannon cross-entropy and the escort probabilities. Finally, we discuss why shifting the Rényi entropy is fruitful in some applications.
The von Neumann Entropy for Mixed States
Authors: Anaya-Contreras Jorge A. , Moya-Cessa Héctor M. , Zúñiga-Segundo Arturo
Published: January 2019

The Araki–Lieb inequality is commonly used to calculate the entropy of subsystems when they are initially in pure states, as this forces the entropy of the two subsystems to be equal after the complete system evolves. Then, it is easy to calculate the entropy of a large subsystem by finding the entropy of the small one. To the best of our knowledge, there does not exist a way of calculating the entropy when one of the subsystems is initially in a mixed state. For the case of a two-level atom interacting with a quantized field, we show that it is possible to use the Araki–Lieb inequality and find the von Neumann entropy for the large (infinite) system. We show this in the two-level atom-field interaction.
Scaling Effects of Elevation Data on Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution Simulations
Authors: Dai Ying , Chen Lei , Zhang Pu , Xiao Yuechen , Shen Zhenyao
Published: January 2019

The scale effects of digital elevation models (DEM) on hydrology and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution simulations have been widely reported for natural watersheds but seldom studied for urban catchments. In this study, the scale effect of DEM data on the rainfall-runoff and NPS pollution was studied in a typical urban catchment in China. Models were constructed based on the DEM data of nine different resolutions. The conventional model performance indicators and the information entropy method were applied together to evaluate the scale effects. Based on the results, scaling effects and a resolution threshold of DEM data exist for urban NPS pollution simulations. Compared with natural watersheds, the urban NPS pollution simulations were primarily affected by the local terrain due to the overall flat terrain and dense sewer inlet distribution. The overland process simulation responded more sensitively than the catchment outlet, showing prolonged times of concentration for impervious areas with decreasing DEM resolution. The diverse spatial distributions and accumulation magnitudes of pollutants could lead to different simulation responses to scaling effects. This paper provides information about the specific characteristics of the scale effects of DEM data in a typical urban catchment, and these results can be extrapolated to other similar catchments as a reference for data collection.
A Fusion Frequency Feature Extraction Method for Underwater Acoustic Signal Based on Variational Mode Decomposition, Duffing Chaotic Oscillator and a Kind of Permutation Entropy
Authors: Li Yuxing , Chen Xiao , Yu Jing , Yang Xiaohui
Published: January 2019

In order to effectively extract the frequency characteristics of an underwater acoustic signal under sensor measurement, a fusion frequency feature extraction method for an underwater acoustic signal is presented based on variational mode decomposition (VMD), duffing chaotic oscillator (DCO) and a kind of permutation entropy (PE). Firstly, VMD decomposes the complex multi-component underwater acoustic signal into a set of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), so as to extract the estimated center frequency of each IMF. Secondly, the frequency of the line spectrum can be obtained by using DCO and a kind of PE (KPE). DCO is used to detect the actual frequency of the line spectrum for each IMF and KPE can determine the accurate frequency when the phase space track is in the great periodic state. Finally, the frequency characteristic parameters acted as the input of the support vector machine (SVM) to distinguish different types of underwater acoustic signals. By comparing with the other three traditional methods for simulation signal and different kinds of underwater acoustic signals, the results show that the proposed method can accurately extract the frequency characteristics and effectively realize the classification and recognition for the underwater acoustic signal.
Maximal Q Factor for an On-Chip, Fuse-Based Trimmable Capacitor
Authors: Nilsson Joakim , Borg Johan , Johansson Jonny
Published: January 2019

This paper presents a circuit for realising a fuse-programmable capacitor on-chip. The trimming mechanism is implemented using integrated circuit fuses which can be blown in order to lower the resulting equivalent capacitance. However, for integrated circuits, the non-zero fuse resistance for active fuses and finite fuse resistance for blown fuses limit the Q factor of the resulting capacitor. In this work, we present a method on how to arrange the fuses in order to achieve maximal worst-case Q factor for the given circuit topology given the process parameters and requirements on capacitance. We also analyse and discuss the accuracy and limitations of the topology with regard to fuse resistance and parasitic elements such as bond pads.
Fingerprint-Based Indoor Positioning System Using Visible Light Communication—A Novel Method for Multipath Reflections
Authors: Tran Huy Q. , Ha Cheolkeun
Published: January 2019

A highly accurate indoor positioning under the effect of multipath reflections has been a prominent challenge for recent research. This paper proposes a novel indoor visible light communication (VLC) positioning model by connecting k-nearest neighbors (kNN) and random forest (RF) algorithms for reflective environments, namely, kNN-RF. In this fingerprint-based model, we first adopt kNN as a powerful solution to expand the number of input features for RF. Next, the importance rate of these features is ranked and the least effective one(s) may be removed to reduce the computation effort. Next, the training process using the RF algorithm is conducted. Finally, the estimation process is utilized to discover the final estimated position. Our simulation results show that this new approach improved the positioning accuracy, making it nearly five times better than other popular kNN algorithms.
A 2.5-GHz 1-V High Efficiency CMOS Power Amplifier IC with a Dual-Switching Transistor and Third Harmonic Tuning Technique
Authors: Kurniawan Taufiq Alif , Yoshimasu Toshihiko
Published: January 2019

This paper presents a 2.5-GHz low-voltage, high-efficiency CMOS power amplifier (PA) IC in 0.18-µm CMOS technology. The combination of a dual-switching transistor (DST) and a third harmonic tuning technique is proposed. The DST effectively improves the gain at the saturation power region when the additional gain extension of the secondary switching transistor compensates for the gain compression of the primary one. To achieve high-efficiency performance, the third harmonic tuning circuit is connected in parallel to the output load. Therefore, the flattened drain current and voltage waveforms are generated, which in turn reduce the overlapping and the dc power consumption significantly. In addition, a 0.5-V back-gate voltage is applied to the primary switching transistor to realize the low-voltage operation. At 1 V of supply voltage, the proposed PA has achieved a power added efficiency (PAE) of 34.5% and a saturated output power of 10.1 dBm.
Intelligent Airflow Controls for a Stalling-Free Operation of an Oscillating Water Column-Based Wave Power Generation Plant
Authors: M’zoughi Fares , Garrido Izaskun , Bouallègue Soufiene , Ayadi Mounir , Garrido Aitor J.
Published: January 2019

Control engineering in renewable energy systems is a delicate and tedious task, especially due to the unpredictable nature of the renewable resources, which requires precision and robustness. These requirements can be ensured using intelligent control, which provides better performance than many conventional techniques and methods. This paper focuses on the modeling and the intelligent control of the NEREIDA wave power plant of Mutriku in Spain. In this context, the design of two novel intelligent airflow controls for a stalling-free operation of the Wells turbine-based power take-off system is presented and compared. The airflow control will ensure the avoidance of the stalling behavior using an intelligent PID controller. The first control design methodology is based on the metaheuristic algorithms to ensure the optimization of the controller gains. The second methodology is based on the fuzzy gain scheduling of the gains. Two study cases were performed to compare the optimized-PID and FGS-PID to a conventional PID in two wave conditions. The results show the superior performance of both proposed controls over the conventional PID, providing power generation improvement in regular and irregular waves.
A Multi-Mode Sensor Management Approach in the Missions of Target Detecting and Tracking
Authors: Pang Ce , Shan Ganlin , Duan Xiusheng , Xu Gongguo
Published: January 2019

In this paper, sensor management is divided into two processes: sensor deployment and sensor scheduling, after which a multi-mode sensor management approach based on risk theory is proposed. Firstly, the definition of risk is provided, on the basis of which the target detecting risk and the target tracking risk are separately presented, along with their computing methods. Secondly, when deploying sensors, the objective is to obtain the minimum target detecting risk. Similarly, when scheduling sensors, the objective is to obtain the minimal sum of target detecting risk and target tracking risk. Furthermore, to obtain sensor management schemes according to the objective functions, the improved bee colony algorithm based on double-probability and in combination with the particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed. Finally, simulations are conducted, which indicate that the models and the algorithm in the paper possess some advantages over existing ones.
Optimized Combination of Spray Painting Trajectory on 3D Entities
Authors: Chen Wei , Wang Xinxin , Liu Hao , Tang Yang , Liu Junjie
Published: January 2019

In this research, a novel method of space spraying trajectory optimization is proposed for 3D entity spraying. According to the particularity of the three-dimensional entity, the finite range model is set up, and the 3D entity is patched by the surface modeling method based on FPAG (flat patch adjacency graph). After planning the spray path on each patch, the variance of the paint thickness of the discrete point and the ideal paint thickness is taken as the objective function and the trajectory on each patch is optimized. The improved GA (genetic algorithm), ACO (ant colony optimization), and PSO (particle swarm optimization) are used to solve the TTOI (tool trajectory optimal integration) problem. The practicability of the three algorithms is verified by simulation experiments. Finally, the trajectory optimization algorithm of the 3D entity spraying robot can improve the spraying efficiency.
Hybrid PWM Strategy for Power Efficiency Improvement of 5-Level TNPC Inverter and Current Distortion Compensation Method
Authors: Lee Taeyeong , Bu Hanyoung , Cho Younghoon
Published: January 2019

This paper proposes a pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy for improving the efficiency of a 5-level H-bridge T-type neutral point clamped (TNPC) inverter. In the case of the proposed PWM strategy, unlike the conventional PWM strategy in which both of the switching legs of the H-bridge inverter operate at a high frequency, one switching leg of the inverter operates at a low frequency. As the switching frequency is lowered, the switching loss is reduced, this improving the efficiency of the system. The duty references for the switching legs and the operating principle of the inverter are described in detail. The proposed PWM strategy, however, causes distortion of the output filter inductor current. The cause of the distortion has been analyzed and a compensation method is proposed to mitigate the distortion of the current. The effect of the proposed PWM strategy can be predicted through the loss calculation of the inverter for each modulation strategy. Furthermore, current distortion mitigation obtained by compensation method is confirmed through the simulation. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy, a 2 kW H-bridge TNPC inverter prototype is implemented and tested. The simulation and experimental results show that the efficiency of the inverter is improved when the proposed PWM strategy is applied.
Predicting the Frequency Characteristics of Hybrid Meander Systems Using a Feed-Forward Backpropagation Network
Authors: Plonis Darius , Katkevičius Andrius , Krukonis Audrius , Šlegerytė Vaiva , Maskeliūnas Rytis , Damaševičius Robertas
Published: January 2019

The process of designing microwave devices is difficult and time-consuming because the analytical and numerical methods used in the design process are complex. Therefore, it is necessary to search for new methods that will allow for an acceleration of synthesis and analytic procedures. This is especially important in cases where the procedures of synthesis and analysis have to be repeated many times, until the correct device configuration is found. Artificial neural networks are one of the possible alternatives for the acceleration of the design process. In this paper we present a procedure for analyzing a hybrid meander system (HMS) using the feed-forward backpropagation network (FFBN). We compared the prediction results of the transmission factor S 21 ( f ) and the reflection factor S 11 ( f ) , obtained using the FFBN, with results obtained using traditional analytical and numerical methods, as well as with experimental results. The comparisons show that prediction results significantly depend on the FFBN structure. In terms of the lowest difference between the characteristics calculated using the method of moments (MoM) and characteristics predicted using the FFBN, the best prediction was achieved using the FFBN with three hidden layers, which included 18 neurons in the first hidden layer, 14 neurons in the second hidden layer, and 2 neurons in the third hidden layer. Differences between the predicted and calculated results did not exceed 7% for the S 11 ( f ) parameter and 5% for the S 21 ( f ) parameter. The prediction of parameters using the FFBN allowed the analysis procedure to be sped up from hours to minutes. The experimental results correlated with the predicted characteristics.
An LCC-P Compensated Wireless Power Transfer System with a Constant Current Output and Reduced Receiver Size
Authors: Yan Zhengchao , Zhang Yiming , Song Baowei , Zhang Kehan , Kan Tianze , Mi Chris
Published: January 2019

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) has been a research focus in recent years. This paper studies the inductor-capacitor-capacitor and parallel (LCC-P) compensation topology to achieve a compact receiver for AUVs. Unlike the series-series (SS) compensation topology, the LCC-P topology retains the advantages of the double-sided LCC topology and has a more compact receiver than the double-sided LCC topology with fewer elements used on the receiver side. The analytical model of such a WPT system is established to analyze the output power and transfer efficiency. The LCC-P topology has a higher efficiency compared to the SS topology due to the smaller conduction loss of the inverter. Moreover, a method of eliminating the DC filter inductor L0 is proposed to further decrease the size and weight of the receiver. The amplitude of the withstanding voltage on the receiver compensation capacitor without L0 is approximately decreased by 40% compared to that with L0. Both cases of with and without L0 have a constant current output and the peak efficiency without L0 is about 94%, which is 1% lower than that with L0. A prototype was built and the experimental results verified the theoretical analysis.
Determination of Optimal Location and Sizing of Solar Photovoltaic Distribution Generation Units in Radial Distribution Systems
Authors: Duong Minh , Pham Thai , Nguyen Thang , Doan Anh , Tran Hai
Published: January 2019

This paper presents an effective biogeography-based optimization (BBO) for optimal location and sizing of solar photovoltaic distributed generation (PVDG) units to reduce power losses while maintaining voltage profile and voltage harmonic distortion at the limits. This applied algorithm was motivated by biogeography, that the study of the distribution of biological species through time and space. This technique is able to expand the searching space and retain good solution group at each generation. Therefore, the applied method can significantly improve performance. The effectiveness of the applied algorithm is validated by testing it on IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 69-bus radial distribution systems. The obtained results are compared with the genetic algorithm (GA), the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) and the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC). As a result, the applied algorithm offers better solution quality and accuracy with faster convergence.
State of Charge Estimation for Lithium-Bismuth Liquid Metal Batteries
Authors: Wang Xian , Song Zhengxiang , Yang Kun , Yin Xuyang , Geng Yingsan , Wang Jianhua
Published: January 2019

Lithium-bismuth liquid metal batteries have much potential for stationary energy storage applications, with characteristics such as a large capacity, high energy density, low cost, long life-span and an ability for high current charge and discharge. However, there are no publications on battery management systems or state-of-charge (SoC) estimation methods, designed specifically for these devices. In this paper, we introduce the properties of lithium-bismuth liquid metal batteries. In analyzing the difficulties of traditional SoC estimation techniques for these devices, we establish an equivalent circuit network model of a battery and evaluate three SoC estimation algorithms (the extended Kalman filter, the unscented Kalman filter and the particle filter), using constant current discharge, pulse discharge and hybrid pulse (containing charging and discharging processes) profiles. The results of experiments performed using the equivalent circuit battery model show that the unscented Kalman filter gives the most robust and accurate performance, with the least convergence time and an acceptable computation time, especially in hybrid pulse current tests. The time spent on one estimation with the three algorithms are 0.26 ms, 0.5 ms and 1.5 ms.