Bio-Inspired Optimal Dispatching of Wind Power Consumption Considering Multi-Time Scale Demand Response and High-Energy Load Participation

Bio-inspired computer modelling brings solutions fromthe living phenomena or biological systems to engineering domains.To overcome the obstruction problem of large-scale wind power consumption in Northwest China,this paper constructs a bio-inspired computer model.It is an optimal wind power consumption dispatching model of multi-time scale demand response that takes into account the involved high-energy load.First,the principle of wind power obstruction with the involvement of a high-energy load is examined in this work.In this step,highenergy load model with different regulation characteristics is established.Then,considering the multi-time scale characteristics of high-energy load and other demand-side resources response speed,a multi-time scale model of coordination optimization is built.An improved bio-inspired model incorporating particle swarm optimization is applied to minimize system operation and wind curtailment costs,as well as to find the most optimal energy configurationwithin the system.Lastly,we take an example of regional power grid in Gansu Province for simulation analysis.Results demonstrate that the suggested scheduling strategy can significantly enhance the wind power consumption level and minimize the system’s operational cost.

GLOBAL STABILITY OF EXTENDED MULTI-GROUP SIR EPIDEMIC MODELS WITH PATCHES THROUGH MIGRATION AND CROSS PATCH INFECTION

In this article, we establish the global stability of an endemic equilibrium of multi-group SIR epidemic models, which have not only an exchange of individuals between patches through migration but also cross patch infection between different groups. As a result, we partially generalize the recent result in the article [16].

Construction of Design Guidelines for Optimal Automotive Frame Shape Based on Statistical Approach and Mechanical Analysis

A body frame composed of thin sheet metal is a crucial structure that determines the safety performance of a vehicle.Designing a correct weight and high-performance automotive body is an emerging engineering problem.To improve the performance of the automotive frame,we attempt to reconstruct its design criteria based on statistical and mechanical approaches.At first,a fundamental study on the frame strength is conducted and a cross-sectional shape optimization problem is developed for designing the cross-sectional shape of an automobile frame having a very high mass efficiency for strength.Shape optimization is carried out using the nonlinear finite element method and a meta-modeling-based genetic algorithm.Data analysis of the obtained set of optimal results is performed to identify the dominant design variables by employing the smoothing spline analysis of variance,the principal component analysis,and the self-organizing map technique.The relationship between the cross-sectional shape and the objective function is also analyzed by hierarchical clustering.A design guideline is obtained from these statistical approach results.A comparison between the statistically obtained design guideline and the conventional one based on the designers’experience is performed based on mechanical interpretation of the optimal cross-sectional frame.Finally,a mechanically reasonable new general-purpose design guideline is proposed for the cross-sectional shape of the automotive frame.

Dirac reduction of binary asteroid systems with symmetry and stability of relative equilibria

In this paper, we study symmetry reduction for a binary asteroid system modeled by a rigid body and a particle. In particular, we demonstrate how translational and rotational symmetry reduction appeared in the binary asteroid system can be carried out in the context of Dirac reduction by stages and with the associated reduction of implicit Hamiltonian systems. Then we investigate Stability of relative equilibria of the asteroid pair and show stability regions by using the energy-momentum method. Lastly, we illustrate some numerical simulations for stable and unstable orbits near from relative equilibria of the Collinear and T configurations.C 2013 The Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. [doi：10.1063/2.1301311]

SKL promotes patency and endothelialization of small-caliber vascular grafts in rabbit carotid artery model

The Klotho.(KL)gene is related to aging.In this study,SKL(secreted KL)and heparin were cross:linked to the acellular small intestinal submucosa(SIS).Based on this,small-diameter tissue engineered blood vessels(TEVs)were constructed.The role of SKL on improving the patency of TEVs through promoting cell adherence was investigated.The SIS membrane was cross linked with heparin and SKL,respectively,to prepare heparin group and SKL group artificial blood vessels.The CCK8 assay showed that SKL treatment promoted endothelial cells proliferation.Western blot showed that SKL upregulated the levels of FAK and RHOA.

Spatial Model of Sky Brightness Magnitude in Langkawi Island, Malaysia

Sky brightness is an essential topic in the field of astronomy, especially for optical astronom- ical observations that need very clear and dark sky conditions. This study presents the spatial model of sky brightness magnitude in Langkawi Island, Malaysia. Two types of Sky Quality Meter （SQM） manu- factured by Unihedron are used to measure the sky brightness on a moonless night （or when the Moon is below the horizon）, when the sky is cloudless and the locations are at least 100 m from the nearest light source. The selected locations are marked by their GPS coordinates. The sky brightness data obtained in this study were interpolated and analyzed using a Geographic Information System （GIS）, thus producing a spatial model of sky brightness that clearly shows the dark and bright sky areas in Langkawi Island. Surprisingly, our results show the existence of a few dark sites nearby areas of high human activity. The sky brightness of 21.45 mag arcsec-2 in the Johnson-Cousins V-band, as the average of sky brightness equivalent to 2.8 × 10-4cd m-2 over the entire island, is an indication that the island is, overall, still relatively dark. However, the amount of development taking place might reduce the number in the near future as the island is famous as a holiday destination.

Uniquely Decomposable Constellation Group-Based Sparse Vector Coding for Short Packet Communications

Sparse vector coding(SVC)is emerging as a potential technology for short packet communications.To further improve the block error rate(BLER)performance,a uniquely decomposable constellation group-based SVC(UDCG-SVC)is proposed in this article.Additionally,in order to achieve an optimal BLER performance of UDCG-SVC,a problem to optimize the coding gain of UDCG-based superimposed constellation is formulated.Given the energy of rotation constellations in UDCG,this problem is solved by converting it into finding the maximized minimum Euclidean distance of the superimposed constellation.Simulation results demonstrate the validness of our derivation.We also find that the proposed UDCGSVC has better BLER performance compared to other SVC schemes,especially under the high order modulation scenarios.

Top 100 cited articles in ophthalmic epidemiology between 2006 and 2016

AIM: To identify the most-cited articles in ophthalmic epidemiology over the last decade.METHODS: We performed a cited reference search on articles that were included in the ISI Web of Science database using the terms "Epidemi*" AND "ophthalm*" AND "population*" during year 2006 to 2016. TOP 100 most cited articles(T100) in ophthalmic epidemiology were short listed and analysed using bibliometrics.RESULTS: These top 100 articles in ophthalmic epidemiology were cited between 61 to 333 times. Of these T100 articles, 36% originated from United States, and 34% were published in the Ophthalmology journal. The three major topics identified were age-related macular degeneration(AMD, n=23), glaucoma(n=16) and visual impairment(n=12). The top-cited article was a study on outdoor activities and its association with the prevalence of myopia in school-aged children, published in 2008. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis provides useful insights into the current development in ophthalmicepidemiology in the past decade and can help recognizing the quality of the researches, discoveries, and trends steering ophthalmic epidemiology.

3D Reconstruction for Motion Blurred Images Using Deep Learning-Based Intelligent Systems

The 3D reconstruction using deep learning-based intelligent systems can provide great help for measuring an individual’s height and shape quickly and accurately through 2D motion-blurred images.Generally,during the acquisition of images in real-time,motion blur,caused by camera shaking or human motion,appears.Deep learning-based intelligent control applied in vision can help us solve the problem.To this end,we propose a 3D reconstruction method for motion-blurred images using deep learning.First,we develop a BF-WGAN algorithm that combines the bilateral filtering(BF)denoising theory with a Wasserstein generative adversarial network(WGAN)to remove motion blur.The bilateral filter denoising algorithm is used to remove the noise and to retain the details of the blurred image.Then,the blurred image and the corresponding sharp image are input into the WGAN.This algorithm distinguishes the motion-blurred image from the corresponding sharp image according to the WGAN loss and perceptual loss functions.Next,we use the deblurred images generated by the BFWGAN algorithm for 3D reconstruction.We propose a threshold optimization random sample consensus(TO-RANSAC)algorithm that can remove the wrong relationship between two views in the 3D reconstructed model relatively accurately.Compared with the traditional RANSAC algorithm,the TO-RANSAC algorithm can adjust the threshold adaptively,which improves the accuracy of the 3D reconstruction results.The experimental results show that our BF-WGAN algorithm has a better deblurring effect and higher efficiency than do other representative algorithms.In addition,the TO-RANSAC algorithm yields a calculation accuracy considerably higher than that of the traditional RANSAC algorithm.

A Carbon Monoxide Sensing Film Based on Hemoglobin Allostery

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gaseous mediator, which is generated via anenzymatic reaction of heme oxygenase, and it plays physiological roles to regulate cellular respiration and blood flow in the liver. The concentration and distribution of CO molecules in the living body is unknown owing to a lack of a suitable technique for measuring them in vivo. A needle-type CO sensor has been used for bioinstrumentation, but it is inappropriate for implantation in vivo and long-term monitoring. We developed a CO sensor sheet based on hemoglobin (Hb) allostery, as Hb undergoes a conformational change on CO binding. Hb was extracted from mice blood and mixed with agarose gel with a reducer to stabilize deoxy-Hb in the gel. CO-releasing molecules (CORM) were used to mimic CO-generating tissue, and the sensitivity of the Hb gel could be regulated by Hb concentration. We defined the CO–Hb index, an absorbance ratio at 539 and 557 nm, to estimate the accumulation of captured CO in the gel. It correlatively increased with CORM dose, indicating that gel-embedded Hb underwent a conformational change on CO binding, thereby acting as a CO sensor. We subsequently used the Hb-sensor sheet for two-dimensional imaging of CO distribution. CORM-containing gels with different sizes and doses were layered on this sheet. Size- and dose-dependent CO distribution was visualized by scanning the CO-Hb index in the sheet. Our Hb-based CO sensor sheet is composed of biocompatible materials and can be applied to detect low-level CO sources in the living body.

Deep-Learning-Empowered 3D Reconstruction for Dehazed Images in IoT-Enhanced Smart Cities

With increasingly more smart cameras deployed in infrastructure and commercial buildings,3D reconstruction can quickly obtain cities’information and improve the efficiency of government services.Images collected in outdoor hazy environments are prone to color distortion and low contrast;thus,the desired visual effect cannot be achieved and the difficulty of target detection is increased.Artificial intelligence(AI)solutions provide great help for dehazy images,which can automatically identify patterns or monitor the environment.Therefore,we propose a 3D reconstruction method of dehazed images for smart cities based on deep learning.First,we propose a fine transmission image deep convolutional regression network(FT-DCRN)dehazing algorithm that uses fine transmission image and atmospheric light value to compute dehazed image.The DCRN is used to obtain the coarse transmission image,which can not only expand the receptive field of the network but also retain the features to maintain the nonlinearity of the overall network.The fine transmission image is obtained by refining the coarse transmission image using a guided filter.The atmospheric light value is estimated according to the position and brightness of the pixels in the original hazy image.Second,we use the dehazed images generated by the FT-DCRN dehazing algorithm for 3D reconstruction.An advanced relaxed iterative fine matching based on the structure from motion(ARI-SFM)algorithm is proposed.The ARISFM algorithm,which obtains the fine matching corner pairs and reduces the number of iterations,establishes an accurate one-to-one matching corner relationship.The experimental results show that our FT-DCRN dehazing algorithm improves the accuracy compared to other representative algorithms.In addition,the ARI-SFM algorithm guarantees the precision and improves the efficiency.

<i>vicK</i>Gene as Potential Identification Marker for <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen frequently detected in hospital community and has emerged as an important health concern in human medicine. Identification of S. aureus from clinical specimens by phenotypic methods may produce variable characteristics leading to ambiguity. Hence, a rapid and reliable method for identification of S. aureus is required which could expedite appropriate antibiotic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the specificity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting a signal transduction gene, vicK, among S. aureus isolates of Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. A total of 118 bacterial isolates were screened, which consisted of one hundred S. aureus isolates, ten Staphylococcus spp. and eight non-Staphylococci. Results indicated that PCR targeting vicK was able to identify 98% of S. aureus isolates with high sensitivity and specificity, while the remaining isolates of Staphylococcus spp. and non-Staphylococci did not yield any amplification of the gene. vicK thus, is highly specific within interspecies and intraspecies, which is potential to be used as a molecular identification marker for S. aureus.

Poly(Acrylamide-Co-Acrylic Acid)-Zinc Acetate Polymer Electrolytes: Studies Based on Structural and Morphology and Electrical Spectroscopy

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) of polyacrylamide-co-acrylic acid (PAA) as the polymer host and zinc acetate (ZnA) as an ionic dopant were prepared using a single solvent by the solution casting technique. The amorphous and crystalline structures of film were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface morphology of samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composition and complex formation of films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The conductivity of the PAA-ZnA films was determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. According to the XRD and FTIR analyses, all electrolyte films were in amorphous state and the existence of interaction between Zn2+ cations and the PAA structure confirms that the film was successfully prepared. The SEM observations reveal that the electrolyte films appeared to be rough and flat with irregularly shaped surfaces. The highest ionic conductivity (σ) of 1.82 × 10-5 Scm-1 was achieved at room temperature (303 K) for the sample containing 10 wt % ZnA.

Unsteady Behavior of Leading-edge Vortex and Diffuser Stall in a Centrifugal Compressor with Vaned Diffuser

The characteristics of a rotating stall of an impeller and diffuser and the evolution of a vortex generated at the diffuser leading-edge(i.e., the leading-edge vortex(LEV)) in a centrifugal compressor were investigated by experiments and numerical analysis. The results of the experiments revealed that both the impeller and diffuser rotating stalls occurred at 55 and 25 Hz during off-design flow operation. For both, stall cells existed only on the shroud side of the flow passages, which is very close to the source location of the LEV. According to the CFD results, the LEV is made up of multiple vortices. The LEV is a combination of a separated vortex near the leading-edge and a longitudinal vortex generated by the extended tip-leakage flow from the impeller. Therefore, the LEV is generated by the accumulation of vorticity caused by the velocity gradient of the impeller discharge flow. In partial-flow operation, the spanwise extent and the position of the LEV origin are temporarily transmuted. The LEV develops with a drop in the velocity in the diffuser passage and forms a significant blockage within the diffuser passage. Therefore, the LEV may be regarded as being one of the causes of a diffuser stall in a centrifugal compressor.

Unsteady Behavior and Control of Vortices in Centrifugal Compressor

Two examples of the use of vortex control to reduce noise and enhance the stable operating range of a centrifugal compressor are presented in this paper.In the case of high-flow operation of a centrifugal compressor with a vaned diffuser,a discrete frequency noise induced by interaction between the impeller-discharge flow and the diffuser vane,which appears most notably in the power spectra of the radiated noise,can be reduced using a tapered diffuser vane(TDV) without affecting the performance of the compressor.Twin longitudinal vortices produced by leakage flow passing through the tapered portion of the diffuser vane induce secondary flow in the direction of the blade surface and prevent flow separation from the leading edge of the diffuser.The use of a TDV can effectively reduce both the discrete frequency noise generated by the interaction between the impeller-discharge flow and the diffuser surface and the broadband turbulent noise component.In the case of low-flow operation,a leading-edge vortex(LEV) that forms on the shroud side of the suction surface near the leading edge of the diffuser increases significantly in size and blocks flow in the diffuser passage.The formation of an LEV may adversely affect the performance of the compressor and may cause the diffuser to stall.Using a one-side tapered diffuser vane to suppress the evolution of an LEV,the stable operating range of the compressor can be increased by more than 12 percent,and the pressure-rise characteristics of the compressor can be improved.The results of a supplementary examination of the structure and unsteady behavior of LEVs,conducted by means of detailed numerical simulations,are also presented.

Relationship between atmospheric pollutants and risk of death caused by cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and malignant tumors in Shenyang, China, from 2013 to 2016: an ecological research

Background:Air pollutants and their pathogenic effects differ among regions and seasons.We aimed to explore the relationship between fine particulate matter(PM2.5),sulfur dioxide(SO2),and ozone-8 hours(O3-8h)concentrations in heating and non-heating seasons and the associated death risk due to cardiovascular diseases(CDs),respiratory diseases(RDs),and malignant tumors.Methods:Data were collected in Shenyang,China,from April 2013 to March 2016.We analyzed the correlation or lagged effect of atmospheric pollutant concentration,meteorological conditions,and death risk due to disorders of the circulatory system,respiratory system,and malignant tumor in heating and non-heating seasons.We also used multivariate models to analyze the association of air pollutants during holidays with the death risk due to the evaluated diseases while considering the presence or absence of meteorological factors.Results:An increase in the daily average SO2 concentration by 10μg/m^3 increased the death risk by CDs,which reached a maximum of 2.0%(95%confidence interval[CI]:1.3%–2.7%)on lagging day 4 during the non-heating season and 0.2%(95%CI:0.1%-0.4%)on lagging day 3 during the heating season.The risk of death caused by RDs peaked on lagging day 1 by 0.8%(95%CI:0.4%–1.2%)during the heating season.An increase in O3-8h concentration by 10μg/m^3 increased the risk of RD-related death on lagging day 2 by 1.0%(95%CI:0.4%–1.7%)during the non-heating season,which was significantly higher than the 0.1%(95%CI:0–0.9%)increase during the heating season.Further,an increase in the daily average PM2.5 concentration by 10μg/m^3 increased the risk of death caused by RDs by 0.3%and 0.8%during heating and non-heating seasons,respectively,which peaked on lagging day 0.However,air pollution was not significantly associated with the risk of death caused by malignant tumors.Conclusion:Short-term exposure to PM2.5,SO2,and O3 during the non-heating season resulted in higher risks of CD-related death,followed by RD-related death.

Coexisting State of Surge and Rotating Stall in a Two-Stage Axial Flow Com-pressor using a Double-Phase-Locked Averaging Technique

The interaction between surge and rotating stall in an axial flow compressor was investigated from the viewpoint of an unsteady inner flow structure. The aim of this study was to identify the key factor that determines the switching phenomenon of a surge cycle. The main feature of the tested compressor is a shock tube connected in series to the compressor outlet through a diaphragm, slits, and a concentric duplex pipe: this system allows surge and rotating stall to be generated by connecting the shock tube with the compressor, or enables the compression plane wave injection. The unsteady characteristics and the internal flow velocity fluctuations were measured in detail, and the stall cell structure was averaged and visualized along the movement of the operation point under a coexisting state of surge. A coefficient of the cell scale fluctuation was calculated using the result of the averaging, and it confirmed that the processes of inner flow structure change differed from each other according to the next cycle of the surge. The result suggests that the key factor that determines the next cycle is the transformation of the internal flow structure, particularly between the stall cell and the entire circumferential stall, in both the recovering and stalling processes.

Low-temperature Degradation of Zirconia-based All-ceramic Crowns Materials: A Mini Review and Outlook

Zirconia-based bioceramics have been widely applied in the field of prosthodontics owing to its desir- able mechanical performance, biocompatibility and aesthetics. However, the low-temperature degradation （LTD） of tetragonal zirconia （ZrOJ under intraoral condition can lead to the deterioration of mechanical properties of ZrO2 dental crowns, which contribute to many clinical failures in long-term observations. The long-term tetragonal phase stability and mechanical properties of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zir- conia polycrystal （Y-TZP） are influenced by grain size of ZrO2 crystals, distribution and properties of stabilizers, the humid environment, etc. However, it is still difficult to control the abovementioned factors at the same time. This review summarizes the major advances in researches dealing with LTD and clari- fies the obstacles to stabilization of the tetragonal ZrO2. Furthermore, the suggestions on improving the LTD resistance of tetragonal ZrO2 are proposed, which is the catalyst to promote the long-term stability of ZrO2-based all-ceramic crowns.

Surface modification of small intestine submucosa in tissue engineering

With the development of tissue engineering,the required biomaterials need to have the ability to promote cell adhesion and proliferation in vitro and in vivo.Especially,surface modification of the scaffold material has a great influence on biocompatibility and functionality of materials.The small intestine submucosa(SIS)is an extracellular matrix isolated from the submucosal layer of porcine jejunum,which has good tissue mechanical properties and regenerative activity,and is suitable for cell adhesion,proliferation and differentiation.In recent years,SIS is widely used in different areas of tissue reconstruction,such as blood vessels,bone,cartilage,bladder and ureter,etc.This paper discusses the main methods for surface modification of SIS to improve and optimize the performance of SIS bioscaffolds,including functional group bonding,protein adsorption,mineral coating,topography and formatting modification and drug combination.In addition,the reasonable combination of these methods also offers great improvement on SIS surface modification.This article makes a shallow review of the surface modification of SIS and its application in tissue engineering.