bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of identifying the ideal locations for motor intention decoding using unimodal and multimodal classification at 7T-fMRI
Authors: Yoo Peter E. , Oxley Thomas J. , John Sam E. , Opie Nicholas L. , Ordidge Roger J. , O’Brien Terence J. , Hagan Maureen A. , Wong Yan T. , Moffat Bradford A.
Published: October 2018

Invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) require surgeries with high health-risks. The risk-to-benefit ratio of the procedure could potentially be improved by pre-surgically identifying the ideal locations for mental strategy classification. We recorded high-spatiotemporal resolution blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signals using functional MRI at 7 Tesla in eleven healthy participants during two motor imagery tasks.BCI diagnostic taskisolated the intent to imagine movements, whileBCI simulation tasksimulated the neural states that may be yielded in a real-life BCI-operation scenario. Imagination of movements were classified from the BOLD signals in sub-regions of activation within a single or multiple dorsal motor network regions. Then, the participant’s decoding performance during the BCI simulation task was predicted from the BCI diagnostic task. The results revealed that drawing information from multiple regions compared to a single region increased the classification accuracy of imagined movements. Importantly, systematic unimodal and multimodal classification revealed the ideal combination of regions that yielded the best classification accuracy at the individual-level. Lastly, a given participant’s decoding performance achieved during the BCI simulation task could be predicted from the BCI diagnostic task. These results show the feasibility of 7T-fMRI with unimodal and multimodal classification being utilized for identifying ideal sites for mental strategy classification.
Gene expression dataset for whole cochlea of Macaca fascicularis
Authors: Mutai Hideki , Miya Fuyuki , Shibata Hiroaki , Yasutomi Yasuhiro , Tsunoda Tatsuhiko , Matsunaga Tatsuo
Published: October 2018

Macaca fascicularis is a highly advantageous model in which to study human cochlea with regard to both evolutionary proximity and physiological similarity of the auditory system. To better understand the properties of primate cochlear function, we analyzed the genes predominantly expressed in M. fascicularis cochlea. We compared the cochlear transcripts obtained from an adult male M. fascicularis by macaque and human GeneChip microarrays with those in multiple macaque and human tissues or cells and identified 344 genes with expression levels more than 2-fold greater than in the other tissues. These “cochlear signature genes” included 35 genes responsible for syndromic or nonsyndromic hereditary hearing loss. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed groups of genes categorized as “ear development” and “ear morphogenesis” in the top 20 gene ontology categories in the macaque and human arrays, respectively. This dataset will facilitate both the study of genes that contribute to primate cochlear function and provide insight to discover novel genes associated with hereditary hearing loss that have yet to be established using animal models.
Melatonin suppresses TLR9-triggered proinflammatory cytokine production in macrophages by inhibiting ERK1/2 and AKT activation
Authors: Xu Xiongfei , Wang Guoquan , Ai Lingling , Shi Jianhui , Zhang Jing , Chen Yu-Xia
Published: October 2018

Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling plays major roles in innate immune response in macrophages. Melatonin regulates TLR3- and TLR4-mediated innate immune responses in macrophages. However, it remains unknown whether melatonin regulates TLR9-mediated innate immune responses in macrophages. Here we demonstrated that melatonin suppressed TLR9 ligand-induced proinflammatory cytokines mRNA and protein production in peritoneal macrophages without interrupting the viability of peritoneal macrophages. Using a melatonin membrane receptors MT1/MT2 antagonist luzindole, we found that MT1 and MT2 were dispensable for melatonin’s inhibitory effects on TLR9-mediated proinflammatory cytokines production, even though melatonin upregulated mRNA expression of MT1 and MT2 in macrophages. Furthermore, melatonin did not affect mRNA expressions of TLR9 and MyD88 but attenuated TLR9 ligand-induced ERK1/2 and AKT phosphorylation without affecting p38 and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation. Also, melatonin inhibited TLR9-mediated proinflammatory cytokines productionin vivo. Taken together, our results demonstrate that melatonin suppresses TLR9-triggered proinflammatory cytokines production in macrophages via melatonin membrane receptor-independent manners and probably through inhibiting ERK1/2 and AKT activation, which further elucidates the roles of melatonin in regulating TLR-mediated innate immune responses in macrophages.
Decreased olfactory discrimination is associated with impulsivity in healthy volunteers
Authors: Herman Aleksandra M. , Critchley Hugo , Duka Theodora
Published: October 2018

In clinical populations, olfactory abilities parallel executive function, implicating shared neuroanatomical substrates within the ventral prefrontal cortex. In healthy individuals, the relationship between olfaction and personality traits or certain cognitive and behavioural characteristics remains unexplored. We therefore tested if olfactory function is associated with trait and behavioural impulsivity in nonclinical individuals. Eighty-three healthy volunteers (50 females) underwent quantitative assessment of olfactory function (odour detection threshold, discrimination, and identification). Each participant was rated for trait impulsivity index using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and performed a battery of tasks to assess behavioural impulsivity (Stop Signal Task, SST; Information Sampling Task, IST; Delay Discounting). Lower odour discrimination predicted high ratings in non-planning impulsivity (Barratt Non-Planning impulsivity subscale); both, lower odour discrimination and detection threshold predicted low inhibitory control (SST; increased motor impulsivity). These findings extend clinical observations to support the hypothesis that deficits in olfactory ability are linked to impulsive tendencies within the healthy population. In particular, the relationship between olfactory abilities and behavioural inhibitory control (in the SST) reinforces evidence for functional overlap between neural networks involved in both processes. These findings may usefully inform the stratification of people at risk of impulse-control-related problems and support planning early clinical interventions.
29Si NMR of aqueous silicate complexes at gigapascal pressures
Authors: Pilgrim Corey D. , Colla Christopher A. , Ochoa Gerardo , Walton Jeffrey H. , Casey William H.
Published: October 2018

Geochemists have models to predict solute speciation and mineral equilibria in aqueous solutions up to 1200 °C and 6 GPa. These models are useful to uncover reaction pathways deep in the Earth, though experimental confirmation is extremely difficult. Here we show speciation changes among aqueous silicate complexes to pressures of 1.8 GPa through use of a high-pressure solution-state NMR probe. The radiofrequency circuit uses a microcoil geometry that is coupled with a piston-cylinder pressure cell to generate and maintain these high pressures. The 1.8 GPa pressure corresponds to pressures reached at the lower crust or upper mantle. Although these experiments are limited to ambient temperature, we show that the increased pressure affects complexation and oligomerization reactions by eliminating bulk waters and that the pressure effects are completely reversible.
Cross-Linguistic Data Formats, advancing data sharing and re-use in comparative linguistics
Authors: Forkel Robert , List Johann-Mattis , Greenhill Simon J. , Rzymski Christoph , Bank Sebastian , Cysouw Michael , Hammarström Harald , Haspelmath Martin , Kaiping Gereon A. , Gray Russell D.
Published: October 2018

The amount of available digital data for the languages of the world is constantly increasing. Unfortunately, most of the digital data are provided in a large variety of formats and therefore not amenable for comparison and re-use. The Cross-Linguistic Data Formats initiative proposes new standards for two basic types of data in historical and typological language comparison (word lists, structural datasets) and a framework to incorporate more data types (e.g. parallel texts, and dictionaries). The new specification for cross-linguistic data formats comes along with a software package for validation and manipulation, a basic ontology which links to more general frameworks, and usage examples of best practices.
A database of marine larval fish assemblages in Australian temperate and subtropical waters
Authors: Smith James A. , Miskiewicz Anthony G. , Beckley Lynnath E. , Everett Jason D. , Garcia Valquíria , Gray Charles A. , Holliday David , Jordan Alan R. , Keane John , Lara-Lopez Ana , Leis Jeffrey M. , Matis Paloma A. , Muhling Barbara A. , Neira Francisco J. , Richardson Anthony J. , Smith Kimberley A. , Swadling Kerrie M. , Syahailatua Augy , Taylor Matthew D. , van Ruth Paul D. , Ward Tim M. , Suthers Iain M.
Published: October 2018

Larval fishes are a useful metric of marine ecosystem state and change, as well as species-specific patterns in phenology. The high level of taxonomic expertise required to identify larval fishes to species level, and the considerable effort required to collect samples, make these data very valuable. Here we collate 3178 samples of larval fish assemblages, from 12 research projects from 1983-present, from temperate and subtropical Australian pelagic waters. This forms a benchmark for the larval fish assemblage for the region, and includes recent monitoring of larval fishes at coastal oceanographic reference stations. Comparing larval fishes among projects can be problematic due to differences in taxonomic resolution, and identifying all taxa to species is challenging, so this study reports a standard taxonomic resolution (of 218 taxa) for this region to help guide future research. This larval fish database serves as a data repository for surveys of larval fish assemblages in the region, and can contribute to analysis of climate-driven changes in the location and timing of the spawning of marine fishes.
Gridded emissions and land-use data for 2005–2100 under diverse socioeconomic and climate mitigation scenarios
Authors: Fujimori Shinichiro , Hasegawa Tomoko , Ito Akihiko , Takahashi Kiyoshi , Masui Toshihiko
Published: October 2018

Information on global future gridded emissions and land-use scenarios is critical for many climate and global environmental modelling studies. Here, we generated such data using an integrated assessment model (IAM) and have made the data publicly available. Although the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) offers similar data, our dataset has two advantages. First, the data cover a full range and combinations of socioeconomic and climate mitigation levels, which are considered as a range of plausible futures in the climate research community. Second, we provide this dataset based on a single integrated assessment modelling framework that enables a focus on purely socioeconomic factors or climate mitigation levels, which is unavailable in CMIP6 data, since it incorporates the outcomes of each IAM scenario. We compared our data with existing gridded data to identify the characteristics of the dataset and found both agreements and disagreements. This dataset can contribute to global environmental modelling efforts, in particular for researchers who want to investigate socioeconomic and climate factors independently.
Analysis of impact metrics for the Protein Data Bank
Authors: Markosian Christopher , Di Costanzo Luigi , Sekharan Monica , Shao Chenghua , Burley Stephen K. , Zardecki Christine
Published: October 2018

Since 1971, the Protein Data Bank (PDB) archive has served as the single, global repository for open access to atomic-level data for biological macromolecules. The archive currently holds >140,000 structures (>1 billion atoms). These structures are the molecules of life found in all organisms. Knowing the 3D structure of a biological macromolecule is essential for understanding the molecule’s function, providing insights in health and disease, food and energy production, and other topics of concern to prosperity and sustainability. PDB data are freely and publicly available, without restrictions on usage. Through bibliometric and usage studies, we sought to determine the impact of the PDB across disciplines and demographics. Our analysis shows that even though research areas such as molecular biology and biochemistry account for the most usage, other fields are increasingly using PDB resources. PDB usage is seen across 150 disciplines in applied sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Data are also re-used and integrated with >400 resources. Our study identifies trends in PDB usage and documents its utility across research disciplines.
Simultaneous determination of amlodipine and losartan using an iron metal–organic framework/mesoporous carbon nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode by differential pulse voltammetry
Authors: Rajpurohit Anuja S. , Bora Dimple K. , Srivastava Ashwini K.
Published: October 2018

An FeMOF/MC composite as an excellent electrocatalyst towards the simultaneous electrochemical determination of AML and LOS.
Functionalized ionic liquid membranes for CO2 separation
Authors: Gao Hongshuai , Bai Lu , Han Jiuli , Yang Bingbing , Zhang Suojiang , Zhang Xiangping
Published: October 2018

It is imperative to develop efficient, reversible and economic technologies for separating CO2 which mainly comes from flue gas, natural gas and syngas.
Ruthenium-catalyzed C–H oxygenation of quinones by weak O-coordination for potent trypanocidal agents
Authors: Dias Gleiston G. , Rogge Torben , Kuniyil Rositha , Jacob Claus , Menna-Barreto Rubem F. S. , da Silva Júnior Eufrânio N. , Ackermann Lutz
Published: October 2018

C–H oxygenation of quinones by weak O-coordination was achieved by versatile ruthenium(ii) catalysis with ample substrate scope and trypanocidal compounds were also identified.
Single-crystal-to-single-crystal desolvation in a Ti32 nanoring cluster
Authors: Wang Xiangxiang , Gui Daxiang , Zhai Fuwan , Li Hui , Wang Xia , Wang Yanlong , Chen Lanhua , Zheng Tao , Chai Zhifang , Wang Shuao
Published: October 2018

A scarce SCSC structure transformation accompanied with the change of physical/chemical properties was found in a Ti32 nanoring cluster.
Polymorph control in batch seeded crystallizers. A case study with paracetamol
Authors: Nicoud Lucrèce , Licordari Filippo , Myerson Allan S.
Published: October 2018

We show that seeding is not always sufficient to control cystal polymorphism and illustrate how kinetic modeling can help controlling polymorphism.
Synthesis and functionalization of phase-pure NU-901 for enhanced CO2adsorption: the influence of a zirconium salt and modulator on the topology and phase purity
Authors: Garibay Sergio J. , Iordanov Ivan , Islamoglu Timur , DeCoste Jared B. , Farha Omar K.
Published: October 2018

Phase-pure NU-901 was functionalized with amines through solvent-assisted linker incorporation resulting in more than double the typical CO2adsorption capacity.
Monte Carlo simulations of the separation of a binary gas mixture (CH4 + CO2) using hydrates
Authors: Papadimitriou Nikolaos I. , Tsimpanogiannis Ioannis N. , Economou Ioannis G. , Stubos Athanassios K.
Published: October 2018

The current study employs Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations in order to calculate the process efficiency of separating CH4 + CO2 gas mixtures by utilizing structure sI clathrate hydrates.
Molecular thermodynamic modeling of a bilayer perforation in mixed catanionic surfactant systems
Authors: Emelyanova Ksenia A. , Victorov Alexey I.
Published: October 2018

An interplay between electrostatics and deformation of surfactant tails is responsible for the spontaneous formation of pores in self-assembled bilayers.
Copper-mediated reduction of azides under seemingly oxidising conditions: catalytic and computational studies
Authors: Zelenay Benjamin , Besora Maria , Monasterio Zaira , Ventura-Espinosa David , White Andrew J. P. , Maseras Feliu , Díez-González Silvia
Published: October 2018

The reduction of aryl azides in the presence of water and air and without an obvious reducing agent is reported.
The effect of potassium on Cu/Al2O3 catalysts for the hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan in a fixed-bed reactor
Authors: Hu Danxin , Hu Hualei , Zhou Hao , Li Guozheng , Chen Chunlin , Zhang Jian , Yang Yong , Hu Yaoping , Zhang Yajie , Wang Lei
Published: October 2018

The highly efficient selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) was achieved in a fixed-bed reactor by using inexpensive potassium-doped Cu/Al2O3 catalysts.
Diethylenediamine-assisted template-free synthesis of a hierarchical TiO2 sphere-in-sphere with enhanced photocatalytic performance
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Peng Hailong , Zou Zhimei , Zhang Peng , Zhai Xuefeng , Zhang Yiming , Liu Chengwei , Dan Liu , Gui Jianzhou
Published: October 2018

With the assistance of DETA, a template-free solvothermal approach is employed to synthesize a hierarchical TiO2 sphere-in-sphere with enhanced photocatalytic performance.
Calculations of theoretical efficiencies for electrochemically-mediated tandem solar water splitting as a function of bandgap energies and redox shuttle potential
Authors: Keene Sam , Bala Chandran Rohini , Ardo Shane
Published: October 2018

Tandem Z-scheme solar water splitting devices composed of two light-absorbers that are connected electrochemically by a soluble redox shuttle constitute a promising technology for cost-effective solar hydrogen production.
Emerging investigator series: effect-based characterization of mixtures of environmental pollutants in diverse sediments
Authors: Jahnke Annika , Sobek Anna , Bergmann Melanie , Bräunig Jennifer , Landmann Madlen , Schäfer Sabine , Escher Beate I.
Published: October 2018

Our study distinguishes the total vs. the bioavailable contamination of mixtures of environmental pollutants in sediments from contaminated sites in Europe and more remote locations in Australia and the Arctic.
Emerging investigator series: interactions of engineered nanomaterials with the cell plasma membrane; what have we learned from membrane models?
Authors: Farnoud Amir M. , Nazemidashtarjandi Saeed
Published: October 2018

Various membrane models used to study nanoparticle interactions with the cell plasma membrane.
Phytoavailability of silver at predicted environmental concentrations: does the initial ionic or nanoparticulate form matter?
Authors: Layet C. , Santaella C. , Auffan M. , Chevassus-Rosset C. , Montes M. , Levard C. , Ortet P. , Barakat M. , Doelsch E.
Published: October 2018

Phytoavailability at PEC in soils with contrasting pH, TOC, CEC, texture, and CaCO3content.
Preliminary characterization and antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities in vivo of polysaccharides from Huidouba
Authors: Chen Juncheng , Li Lin , Zhou Xin , Sun Pengyao , Li Bing , Zhang Xia
Published: October 2018

Here, the antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of polysaccharides from Huidouba were preliminarily characterized.
Microfluidic diamagnetic water-in-water droplets: a biocompatible cell encapsulation and manipulation platform
Authors: Navi Maryam , Abbasi Niki , Jeyhani Morteza , Gnyawali Vaskar , Tsai Scott S. H.
Published: October 2018

We report a new technique that combines all aqueous droplet microfluidics with diamagnetic manipulation to isolate single-cell encapsulating water-in-water droplets.
A novel naphthalene-based fluorescent probe for highly selective detection of cysteine with a large Stokes shift and its application in bioimaging
Authors: Zhang Wang , Zhao Xinye , Gu Weijing , Cheng Tian , Wang Bingxiang , Jiang Yuliang , Shen Jian
Published: October 2018

An efficient naphthalene-based fluorescent probe (BTNA) for cysteine (Cys) has been rationally designed and synthesized in this work, which consists of a 6-(2-benzothiazolyl)-2-naphthalenol (BNO) fluorophore connected with an acrylate group (the fluorescence quenching and response group).
Ultrastretchable carbon nanotube composite electrodes for flexible lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Yu Yang , Luo Yufeng , Wu Hengcai , Jiang Kaili , Li Qunqing , Fan Shoushan , Li Ju , Wang Jiaping
Published: October 2018

Ultra-stretchable lithium-ion battery electrodes were fabricated by coating carbon nanotube films and electrode materials on a biaxially pre-strained polydimethylsiloxane substrate and forming wrinkled structures. The composite electrodes demonstrated ultra-stretchability, high durability, and excellent electrochemical properties.
Nano-SQUIDs with controllable weak links created via current-induced atom migration
Authors: Keijers Wout , Baumans Xavier D. A. , Panghotra Ritika , Lombardo Joseph , Zharinov Vyacheslav S. , Kramer Roman B. G. , Silhanek Alejandro V. , Van de Vondel Joris
Published: October 2018

Weak link modification through current-induced atom displacement in order to tune the SQUID's response.
Silver nano-needles: focused optical field induced solution synthesis and application in remote-excitation nanofocusing SERS
Authors: Li Pan , Pan Deng , Yang Longkun , Wei Hong , He Shuli , Xu Hongxing , Li Zhipeng
Published: October 2018

Crystalline silver nano-needles are synthesized by the photochemical method, which are promising for remote-excitation nanofocusing SERS and novel plasmonic endoscopy probes.
An efficient protocol for the preparation of aldehydes/ketones and imines by an inorganic-ligand supported iron catalyst
Authors: Zhai Yongyan , Zhang Mengqi , Fang Haibin , Ru Shi , Yu Han , Zhao Wenshu , Wei Yongge
Published: October 2018

An efficient aerobic oxidation protocol of organic halides/amines promoted by an inorganic-ligand supported iron catalyst with O2(1 atm) as the sole oxidant is reported, which can afford aldehydes/ketones and imines in high yield and good selectivity, respectively.
Palladium catalyst imbedded in polymers of intrinsic microporosity for the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction
Authors: Xu Junwen , Ou Junjie , Chen Lianfang , Zhang Haiyang , Ma Shujuan , Ye Mingliang
Published: October 2018

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are porous polymers with rigid ladder-type chain structures.
Hydroxyethyl substituted linear polyethylenimine for safe and efficient delivery of siRNA therapeutics
Authors: Patil Sushilkumar , Lalani Rohan , Bhatt Priyanka , Vhora Imran , Patel Vivek , Patel Hinal , Misra Ambikanandan
Published: October 2018

Hydroxyethyl substitution of linear polyethylenimine (LPEI) and its effects on physico-chemical and biological properties of polymer.
Enhancement of nitrogen self-doped nanocarbons electrocatalyst via tune-up solution plasma synthesis
Authors: Lee SeungHyo , Saito Nagahiro
Published: October 2018

The synthesized nitrogen self-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets material using the tune-up SP system is a promising catalyst for the ORR, as an alternative to Pt catalyst for energy conversion device application.
A cheap metal for a challenging task: nickel-catalyzed highly diastereo- and enantioselective hydrogenation of tetrasubstituted fluorinated enamides
Authors: Guan Yu-Qing , Han Zhengyu , Li Xiuxiu , You Cai , Tan Xuefeng , Lv Hui , Zhang Xumu
Published: October 2018

Nickel-catalyzed stereospecific syn-selective asymmetric hydrogenation of challenging tetrasubstituted fluorinated enamides has been achieved. This protocol provides an efficient access to chiral α-fluoro-β-amino esters.
Ethanolic gasoline, a lignocellulosic advanced biofuel
Authors: Howard Mícheál Séamus , Issayev Gani , Naser Nimal , Sarathy S. Mani , Farooq Aamir , Dooley Stephen
Published: October 2018

Autoignition propensities of ternary mixtures of bio-derived ethyl levulinate/diethyl ether/ethanol are characterised to identify diesel and gasoline suitable mixtures.
Formation of cluster crystals in an ultra-soft potential model on a spherical surface
Authors: Franzini Stefano , Reatto Luciano , Pini Davide
Published: October 2018

DFT and simulations show clustering of soft particles on spherical surfaces, where geometry leads to many different crystals with ineliminable point defects.
An analytic model of two-level compressive buckling with applications in the assembly of free-standing 3D mesostructures
Authors: Shi Yan , Pei Pengyu , Cheng Xu , Yan Zheng , Han Mengdi , Li Zhi , Gao Cunfa , Rogers John A. , Huang Yonggang , Zhang Yihui
Published: October 2018

An analytic model of two-level compressive buckling is developed to predict the morphology change of a double-ribbon structure, with demonstrated applications in hierarchical 3D assembly.
Graphene materials as a superior platform for advanced sensing strategies against gaseous ammonia
Authors: Vikrant Kumar , Kumar Vanish , Kim Ki-Hyun
Published: October 2018

Ammonia (NH3) is an uncolored, toxic, corrosive, and reactive gas with a characteristic pungent stench.
Micelles prepared from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-tetraphenylethene acrylate)-b-poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate] double hydrophilic block copolymer as hydrophilic drug carrier
Authors: Xu YangYang , Li Gaocan , Zhuang Weihua , Yu HongChi , Hu Yanfei , Wang Yunbing
Published: October 2018

Thermal-induced micelles prepared with P(NIPAAm-co-TPE)-b-POEGMA double hydrophilic block copolymers for hydrophilic drug release. Hydrogen bonds are formed between PNIPAAm and thymopentin.
Ullazine-based materials: towards novel opportunities in organic electronics
Authors: Cebrián Cristina
Published: October 2018

Newly emerging ullazine derivatives constitute a versatile and promising choice for high performing materials in organic electronics.
The N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF959) in collagen XVIII is intrinsically disordered and highly O-glycosylated
Authors: Kaur Inderjeet , Ruskamo Salla , Koivunen Jarkko , Heljasvaara Ritva , Lackman Jarkko J. , Izzi Valerio , Petäjä-Repo Ulla E. , Kursula Petri , Pihlajaniemi Taina
Published: October 2018

Collagen XVIII (ColXVIII) is a non-fibrillar collagen and proteoglycan that exists in three isoforms: short, medium and long. The medium and long isoforms contain a unique N-terminal domain of unknown function, DUF959, and our sequence-based secondary structure predictions indicated that DUF959 could be an intrinsically disordered domain. Recombinant DUF959 produced in mammalian cells consisted of ∼50% glycans and had a molecular mass of 63 kDa. Circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed the disordered character of DUF959, and static light scattering indicated a monomeric state for glycosylated DUF959 in solution. Small-angle X-ray scattering showed DUF959 to be a highly extended, flexible molecule with a maximum dimension of ∼23 nm. Glycosidase treatment demonstrated considerable amounts of O-glycosylation, and expression of DUF959 in HEK293 SimpleCells capable of synthesizing only truncated O-glycans confirmed the presence of N-acetylgalactosamine-type O-glycans. The DUF959 sequence is characterized by numerous Ser and Thr residues, and this accounts for the finding that half of the recombinant protein consists of glycans. Thus, the medium and long ColXVIII isoforms contain at their extreme N-terminus a disordered, elongated and highly O-glycosylated mucin-like domain that is not found in other collagens, and we suggest naming it the Mucin-like domain in ColXVIII (MUCL-C18). As intrinsically disordered regions and their post-translational modifications are often involved in protein interactions, our findings may point towards a role of the flexible mucin-like domain of ColXVIII as an interaction hub affecting cell signaling. Moreover, the MUCL-C18 may also serve as a lubricant at cell–extracellular matrix interfaces.
Compressive detection of direct sequence spread spectrum signals
Authors: Liu Feng , Marcellin Michael W. , Goodman Nathan A. , Bilgin Ali
Published: October 2018

In spread spectrum (SS) communications, the input signal is spread over a wider bandwidth to avoid interference or interception. One of the most common SS techniques is direct sequence SS (DSSS). In this Letter, the authors propose non‐cooperative compressive detection techniques for DSSS signals. The proposed compressive detection framework allows the use of random as well as designed measurement kernels. A technique for designing compressive measurement kernels which exploit DSSS signal structure and non‐uniform usage of spreading codes is proposed. Theoretical and simulation results are provided to compare the performance of the proposed methods with their conventional counterparts.
Learning‐based predictive dynamic spectrum access framework: a practical perspective for enhanced QoE of secondary users
Authors: Agarwal Anirudh , Gangopadhyay Ranjan , Dubey Shivangi , Debnath Soumitra , Asif Khan Mohd
Published: October 2018

In a cognitive radio environment, the optimality in channel selection by a secondary user (SU) is directly dependent on its spectrum‐sensing efficiency, and quality of experience (QoE) in terms of the channel‐switching frequency (CSF) and the interference caused to the primary users (PUs). Modelling the spectrum through statistical methods becomes, sometimes, difficult due to the lack of a‐priori information of the PU activity. This work proposes a framework for learning‐based prediction of the future idle times of the PUs thereby opportunistically allocating the channel with enhanced QoE of SUs. The idea is to minimise the spectrum‐sensing energy requirement by sensing only if the channel is predicted to be idle, thereby reducing the CSF and mitigating the SU–PU interference. Initially, the authors have tested the accuracy of the prediction approach in various traffic scenarios for a single PU channel case. Later, it is extended to the multiple channel case for a particular data traffic. Furthermore, a practical scenario has been considered where the efficacy of the proposed framework is validated for PU data traffic in GSM and ISM bands. The results highlight the practicability of prediction‐based opportunistic dynamic spectrum access with improvement in the SU QoE over random channel selection.
Leaderless output consensus of multi‐agent systems with distinct relative degrees under switching directed topologies
Authors: Ding Chao , Dong Xinmin , Shi Chao , Chen Yong , Liu Zongcheng
Published: October 2018

In the existing literatures, almost all the consensus protocols are designed for multi‐agent systems with identical orders. In practice, the multi‐agent systems are likely to be composed of agents with distinct orders. This study investigates the leaderless output consensus problem for heterogeneous non‐linear multi‐agent systems with distinct relative degrees under switching directed topologies for the first time. To solve this problem, the considered systems are transformed into the high‐order integral multi‐agent systems with different orders by feedback linearisation. Under uniformly jointly quasi‐strongly connected topologies, two novel protocols are first proposed to solve the consensus and sinusoidal synchronisation problems, respectively, including the static feedback protocol and the dynamic feedback protocol based on dual system of each agent. Then, the relationship between high‐order integral systems with different orders and the corresponding first‐order integral systems is revealed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed protocols is illustrated by two simulation examples.
Event‐triggered neural control for non‐strict‐feedback systems with actuator failures
Authors: Xu Yuanyuan , Zhou Qi , Li Tieshan , Liang Hongjing
Published: October 2018

This study is concerned with an adaptive event‐triggered control problem for non‐linear non‐strict‐feedback systems subject to actuator failures. For actuator failures, both total loss of effectiveness (TLOE) and partial loss of effectiveness (PLOE) are considered. The event‐triggered mechanism is proposed in this study, which may influence measurement errors. Neural networks (NNs) are used to approximate unknown non‐linear functions, and a neural observer is designed to estimate unknown state variables. Then a neural tracking controller is constructed to reduce the communication burden via backstepping technique. The new controller ensures that the output of the system reaches to the same trajectory with the reference signal, and it also guarantees the boundedness of all the closed‐loop signals. Finally, a simulation example is used to testify the results.
VSP‐based emission factor calibration and signal timing optimisation for arterial streets
Authors: Yao Ronghan , Sun Li , Long Meng
Published: October 2018

Vehicle delay and traffic emissions have serious influences on traffic flow operations on an arterial street. The emission factors during green and red are calibrated based on vehicle‐specific power (VSP), then three optimisation models are formulated by minimising vehicle delay or traffic emissions and by considering left‐turn bays and coordinated signals. The field data from Dalian city of China are used to validate these models. Vehicle compositions include car, medium‐size vehicle (MSV) and bus. Carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions are estimated. Three coordinated signal control scenarios are proposed and four simulation experiments are carried out. The results indicate that the emission factor during green is greater than that during red for CO, HC or NOx produced by car, MSV or bus in each lane group on an arterial street; the emissions estimated by the motor vehicle emission simulator model are greater than those calculated by the VSP‐based model; and the signal control scenario obtained by minimising total emissions performs better than that obtained by minimising total delay or both of them.
Cooperative chassis control system of electric vehicles for agility and stability improvements
Authors: Zhang Lin , Ding Haitao , Guo Konghui , Zhang Jianwei , Pan Wei , Jiang Zhitong
Published: October 2018

This study describes a cooperative chassis control system that controls longitudinal motion in accordance with the yaw movement for electric vehicles. This system can be used to improve vehicle agility and stability using the integration of torque distribution unit and electronic stability control (ESC). Moreover, this system can assist drivers smoothly navigate through a curve before ESC intervention. The structure of the proposed control system is fundamentally a model following controller, thereby making the vehicle follow the desired instantaneous handling characteristics by regulating the feedforward of the cornering stiffness, state feedback of longitudinal acceleration, and front and rear drive ratios. Experiments are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control system. The maximum steering angle during cornering is confirmed to be significantly reduced with proper deceleration/acceleration control and adjustment of the drive torques of the front and rear axles. Moreover, trajectory tracking can be significantly improved. The proposed control strategy can be used to assist intelligent vehicles to plan a reasonable trajectory, thereby enabling these vehicles to safely and rapidly pass corners or avoid obstacles while ensuring safety.
Survey on cooperatively V2X downloading for intelligent transport systems
Authors: Wang Tong , Wang Xiaodan , Cui Ziping , Cao Yue , Suthaputchakun Chakkaphong
Published: October 2018

Energy conservation has always been crucial issues faced by the development of academia and the automotive industry. Traditional cellular networks cannot meet people's needs for video, large files and entertainment. To tackle these problems, cooperatively vehicles‐to‐everything (V2X) downloading is a typical solution of driving experience, which is in line with the trend of automobile development. Cooperative downloading can better achieve energy efficiency, low‐emission and resource sharing. Using cooperative vehicles to download files for intelligent transport systems (ITS) is attracting increasing attention. The future commercial potential is unlimited and a win‐win situation is achieved. One of the key challenges in building cooperative downloading today is the provisioning of multimedia services requiring actuator algorithm, intermittent connectivity and real‐time computation. This survey summarises recent efforts of the key technologies, routing protocols and incentives mechanism in cooperative downloading.
Dual‐polarised and ultra‐thin broadband AAMCs for both P and L bands applications
Authors: Li Tong , Yang Huanhuan , Li Qi , Zhu Xuewen , Cao Xiangyu , Gao Jun , Wu Zhenbo
Published: October 2018

Conventional artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) suffers from the thick profile and narrow bandwidth in the low‐frequency band. Incorporating varactors into a passive AMC can adjust the working frequency dynamically and broaden the operating band range. This study investigates the different incorporation methods of varactors into AMC using the equivalent circuit analysis method. By establishing the equivalent circuit of the whole configuration, the frequency‐domain working characteristics of passive AMC and active AMC (AAMC) are theoretically analysed. It reveals that a parallel incorporation of varactors allows lowering the frequency and increase the working bandwidth more efficiently when compared with a series integration. Following this principle, two dual‐polarised AAMCs are proposed. Simulations and measurements indicate that both AAMCs elements have an ultra‐low profile (0.0035λ) and compact size (0.04λ). Moreover, the in‐phase‐reflection frequency bands of both AAMCs cover P and L bands, proving the effectiveness of the proposed design method.
Fault diagnosis method for wind turbine rolling bearings based on Hankel tensor decomposition
Authors: Zhao Hongshan , Zhang Wei , Wang Guilan
Published: October 2018

In order to diagnose the wind turbine rolling bearing faults with vibration signals effectively, a fault diagnosis method based on Hankel tensor decomposition is proposed. Firstly, IMF‐SVD (intrinsic mode function, IMF; singular value decomposition, SVD) is used to estimate the number of sources in sensor observation signals. Secondary, a third‐order Hankel tensor is formed by the observation matrix, and a set of low‐rank tensor subterms are obtained by tensor rank‐ decomposition. The fault features of each source are contained in the first and second modes of the corresponding subterm. Then, the source signals are reconstructed by the subterms. Finally, the envelope spectra of the reconstructed source signals are analysed, and the fault characteristic frequencies are extracted. The results of simulation and practical case analysis show that this method can realise the fault diagnosis of wind turbine rolling bearings correctly and effectively.
Potential impacts of emission control policy on the vehicle to grid environment: a novel approach
Authors: Ahmad Md Samar , Sivasubramani Shanmugavelu
Published: October 2018

Environmental conditions strained the existing transportation network to replace its conventional gasoline‐based engines by electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce its share in pollution. EVs promise a potential solution, but they fail to motivate end users because of their inherent drawbacks. Utilisation of EVs in vehicle‐to‐grid (V2G) environment is expected to boost EVs penetration but will burden the conventional power generations for their energy demand. For improvement of the environmental conditions, it is likely that the authorities will come up with a strict emission control policy. This study demonstrates the effects of emission policy on the V2G environment. The proposed problem is modelled as a multi‐objective optimisation problem. Non‐dominated‐sorting‐based genetic algorithm (NSGA‐II) is used to solve this problem. This study also demonstrates a long‐term impact analysis of a system consisting of a V2G market, end users and EVs by considering time variance in EVs penetration and vehicles' performance degradation. This analysis can help in planning and formulating the future V2G market.
Fundamental physics and the absence of sub-millisecond pulsars
Authors: Haskell B. , Zdunik J. L. , Fortin M. , Bejger M. , Wijnands R. , Patruno A.
Published: October 2018

Context. Rapidly rotating neutron stars are an ideal laboratory to test models of matter at high densities. In particular, the maximum rotation frequency of a neutron star depends on the equation of state and can be used to test models of the interior. However, observations of the spin distribution of rapidly rotating neutron stars show evidence for a lack of stars spinning at frequencies higher than f ≈ 700 Hz, well below the predictions of theoretical equations of state. This has generally been taken as evidence of an additional spin-down torque operating in these systems, and it has been suggested that gravitational wave torques may be operating and be linked to a potentially observable signal. Aims. We aim to determine whether additional spin-down torques (possibly due to gravitational wave emission) are necessary, or if the observed limit of f ≈ 700 Hz could correspond to the Keplerian (mass-shedding) break-up frequency for the observed systems, and is simply a consequence of the currently unknown state of matter at high densities.

Methods. Given our ignorance with regard to the true equation of state of matter above nuclear saturation densities, we make a minimal physical assumption and only demand causality, that is, that the speed of sound in the interior of the neutron star should be lower than or equal to the speed of light c. We then connected our causally limited equation of state to a realistic microphysical crustal equation of state for densities below nuclear saturation density. This produced a limiting model that gave the lowest possible maximum frequency, which we compared to observational constraints on neutron star masses and frequencies. We also compared our findings with the constraints on the tidal deformability obtained in the observations of the GW170817 event.

Results. We rule out centrifugal breakup as the mechanism preventing pulsars from spinning faster than f ≈ 700 Hz, as the lowest breakup frequency allowed by our causal equation of state is f ≈ 1200 Hz. A low-frequency cutoff, around f ≈ 800 Hz could only be possible when we assume that these systems do not contain neutron stars with masses above M ≈ 2 M⊙. This would have to be due either to selection effects, or possibly to a phase transition in the interior of the neutron star that leads to softening at high densities and a collapse to either a black hole or a hybrid star above M ≈ 2 M⊙. Such a scenario would, however, require a somewhat unrealistically stiff equation of state for hadronic matter, in tension with recent constraints obtained from gravitational wave observations of a neutron star merger.
Generalised model-independent characterisation of strong gravitational lenses
Authors: Wagner Jenny
Published: October 2018

Based on the standard gravitational lensing formalism with its effective, projected lensing potential in a given background cosmology, we investigated under which transformations of the source position and of the deflection angle the observable properties of the multiple images remain invariant. These observable properties are time delay differences, the relative image positions, relative shapes, and magnification ratios. As they only constrain local lens properties, we derive general, local invariance transformations in the areas covered by the multiple images. We show that the known global invariance transformations, for example, the mass-sheet transformation or the source position transformation, are contained in our invariance transformations, when they are restricted to the areas covered by the multiple images and when lens-model-based degeneracies are ignored, like the freedom to add or subtract masses in unconstrained regions without multiple images. Hence, we have identified the general class of invariance transformations that can occur, in particular in our model-independent local characterisation of strong gravitational lenses.
Detection of orbital motions near the last stable circular orbit of the massive black hole SgrA*
Authors:   GRAVITY Collaboration, Abuter R. , Amorim A. , Bauböck M. , Berger J. P. , Bonnet H. , Brandner W. , Clénet Y. , Coudé du Foresto V. , de Zeeuw P. T. , Deen C. , Dexter J. , Duvert G. , Eckart A. , Eisenhauer F. , Förster Schreiber N. M. , Garcia P. , Gao F. , Gendron E. , Genzel R. , Gillessen S. , Guajardo P. , Habibi M. , Haubois X. , Henning Th. , Hippler S. , Horrobin M. , Huber A. , Jiménez-Rosales A. , Jocou L. , Kervella P. , Lacour S. , Lapeyrère V. , Lazareff B. , Le Bouquin J.-B. , Léna P. , Lippa M. , Ott T. , Panduro J. , Paumard T. , Perraut K. , Perrin G. , Pfuhl O. , Plewa P. M. , Rabien S. , Rodríguez-Coira G. , Rousset G. , Sternberg A. , Straub O. , Straubmeier C. , Sturm E. , Tacconi L. J. , Vincent F. , von Fellenberg S. , Waisberg I. , Widmann F. , Wieprecht E. , Wiezorrek E. , Woillez J. , Yazici S.
Published: October 2018

We report the detection of continuous positional and polarization changes of the compact source SgrA* in high states (“flares”) of its variable near-infrared emission with the near-infrared GRAVITY-Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) beam-combining instrument. In three prominent bright flares, the position centroids exhibit clockwise looped motion on the sky, on scales of typically 150 μas over a few tens of minutes, corresponding to about 30% the speed of light. At the same time, the flares exhibit continuous rotation of the polarization angle, with about the same 45(±15) min period as that of the centroid motions. Modelling with relativistic ray tracing shows that these findings are all consistent with a near face-on, circular orbit of a compact polarized “hot spot” of infrared synchrotron emission at approximately six to ten times the gravitational radius of a black hole of 4 million solar masses. This corresponds to the region just outside the innermost, stable, prograde circular orbit (ISCO) of a Schwarzschild–Kerr black hole, or near the retrograde ISCO of a highly spun-up Kerr hole. The polarization signature is consistent with orbital motion in a strong poloidal magnetic field.
Membrane surface morphology and fouling in filtration of high DOC water
Authors: Gorczyca Beata
Published: October 2018

In Canada many potable water sources contain very high concentrations of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), accompanied by a wide range of hardness. DOC reacts with chlorine used in water disinfection to form potentially carcinogenic chlorine disinfection by-products – Trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). Dual membrane plants that combine microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF)or nanofiltration (NF) can remove DOC and reduce THMs concentration, but these plants are prone to serious fouling of their UF or NF membranes. The objectives of our research are to study the mechanisms of UF/NF membrane fouling. We have determined various resistances of DOW Filmtech NF90 (flat sheet coupon), based on the resistance in series model. The experiments were conducted on a bench scale cross-flow membrane filtration unit (Sterlitech), using synthetic water with DOC of 11 mg/L and calcium hardness of 350 mg/L that represents typical surface waters in Manitoba (Canada). The results suggest that gel layer on the surface of the membrane has a significant contribution to the flux decline. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) allowed for relatively inexpensive, non-destructive analysis of the surface area of the gel layer deposited on the membrane filter. The morphology of the gel layer was related to the gel layer resistance.