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This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and evaluate the dosimetric effect and clinical impact of dose-painting proton radiotherapy (PRT) guided by functional MRI in non-enhancing high-grade gliomas (NE-HGGs). The 3D-ASL and T2 FLAIR MR images of ten patients with NE-HGGs before radiotherapy were studied retrospectively. The hyperintensity on T2 FLAIR was used to generate the planning target volume (PTV), and the high-perfusion volume on 3D-ASL (PTV-ASL) was used to generate the simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) volume. Each patient received pencil beam scanning PRT and photon intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). There were five plans in each modality: (1) Uniform plans (IMRT60 vs. PRT60): 60Gy in 30 fractions to the PTV. (2)–(5) SIB plans (IMRT72, 84, 96, 108 vs. PRT72, 84, 96, 108): Uniform plan plus additional dose boost to PTV-ASL in 30 fractions to 72, 84, 96, 108 Gy. The dosimetric differences between various plans were compared. The clinical effects of target volume and organs at risk (OARs) were assessed using biological models for both tumor control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Compared with the IMRT plan, the D2 and D50 of the PRT plans with the same prescription dose increased by 1.27–4.12% and 0.64–2.01%, respectively; the R30 decreased by > 32%; the dose of brainstem and chiasma decreased by > 27% and >32%; and the dose of normal brain tissue (Br-PTV), optic nerves, eyeballs, lens, cochlea, spinal cord, and hippocampus decreased by > 50% (P < 0.05). The maximum necessary dose was 96GyE to achieve >98% TCP for PRT, and it was 84Gy to achieve >91% TCP for IMRT. The average NTCP of Br-PTV was 1.30% and 1.90% for PRT and IMRT at the maximum dose escalation, respectively. The NTCP values of the remaining OARs approached zero in all PRT plans. The functional MRI-guided dose escalation using PRT is feasible while sparing the OARs constraints and demonstrates a potential clinical benefit by improving TCP with no or minimal increase in NCTP for tissues outside the PTV. This retrospective study suggested that the use of PRT-based SIB guided by functional MRI may represent a strategy to provide benefits for patients with NE-HGGs. • Distinguishing non-enhancing tumors from vasogenic edema is a challenge. • Functional MRI could guide sub-volume segmentation for non-enhancing gliomas. • Dose-painting proton radiotherapy guided by functional MRI is feasible. • The strategy improves TCP with no or minimal increase of NTCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-field magnetization switching (ZFS) driven by current-induced spin–orbit torque (SOT) holds significant importance in spintronic applications. The introduction of a lateral asymmetric structure (LAS) through oblique deposition proves to be an effective strategy for breaking inversion symmetry, thereby enabling SOT-driven ZFS. However, the coexistence of wedge thickness structure and slanted columnar microstructure in the obliquely deposited films poses challenges in distinguishing their respective effects. In this study, we conducted a comparative investigation of the perpendicular magnetic properties and current-induced switching in W/Co40Fe40B20/MgO films by oblique sputtering of the W underlayer at a fixed tilting angle and at two opposite tilting angles with its wedge thickness compensated. We have found that the perpendicular magnetic properties of the Co40Fe40B20 layer are significantly altered at large tilting angles, irrespective of whether the W wedge thickness is compensated. Notably, at a tilting angle of 50°, ZFS is realized for both the conventional oblique sample and the compensating oblique sample, with the switching polarity contingent on the final tilting direction of the W layer. We have identified a gradient in perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in these samples, attributed to the laterally varying roughness associated with the slanted columnar microstructure of the W underlayer. This study underscores the dominant role of microscopic LAS in obliquely deposited films in breaking SOT symmetry. Our research sheds light on the impact of the slanted columnar microstructure on the magnetic and magneto-transport properties of films, offering valuable insights for advancing spintronic device research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tectonic evolution of the Lishui Sag in the East China Sea Shelf Basin significantly influences its sequence stratigraphy. By integrating seismic reflections, well logs and core data, this study examines the quantitative activity of the Lingfeng fault, sequence framework and sequence architecture in the Lishui Sag. The Paleocene succession is divided into one second-order sequence (SSQ1), three third-order sequences (SQ1–SQ3) and nine system tracts, representing a complete syn-rift evolution consisting of initial syn-rift, rift climax and late syn-rift stages. The results indicate that the differential activity of the Lingfeng fault shapes the basin structure and controls the subsidence centre, leading to prominent variations in the spatial distribution and filling of the sequence stratigraphy during different tectonic stages. The initial syn-rift sequence (SQ1), characterised by a low activity of the segmented Lingfeng fault, is primarily found in isolated small sub-sags. The rift climax sequence (SQ2), with increasing displacement and longer segmented fault zones, exhibits a wedge-shaped filling pattern with substantial topographic elevation differences. The late syn-rift sequence (SQ3) shows a gradual decrease in tectonic activity and uniform filling, with all system tracts within the sequences fully developed. The sequence architecture of the hanging wall in the Lishui Sag can be classified into fault-scarp and fault-slope type, whereas the sequence architecture of the hanging wall dip-slope can be classified into sedimentary slope-break and faulted slope-break. The Lingfeng fault controlled the tectonic evolution, sedimentary subsidence centre and sequence filling and architecture in the Paleocene rifted Lishui Sag. The Paleocene succession is divided into one second-order sequence (SSQ1), three third-order sequences (SQ1–SQ3) and nine system tracts, representing a complete syn-rift evolution consisting of initial syn-rift, rift climax and late syn-rift stages. The sequence architecture of the hangingwall can be classified into fault-scarp and fault-slope type, and hanging wall dip-slope sequence architecture can be divided into sedimentary slope-break and faulted slope-break types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the basis and implementation effects of differential toll rate formulation for expressways, reduce the financial burden of expressway operators, and scientifically guide traffic flow, this study proposes an expressway differential toll rate optimization model. The model is demonstrated using two pilot sections of G25 and G1112 expressways in J province of China, where differential tolling is implemented. Based on the change characteristics of traffic flow and toll amount of the two pilot sections before and after differential tolling, we propose an optimization model of differential toll rate for expressways that maximizes the net revenue of expressway operators while minimizing individual travel impedance. The optimization model is solved using MATLAB, and an optimal differential toll rate scheme by road section, time period, and vehicle type is obtained. The evaluation of the model is based on the net revenue of highway operators and individual travel impedance. The findings reveal that the proposed optimal rate scheme improves the net revenue of road operators while reducing individual travel impedance compared to the original toll rate scheme. Specifically, the differential toll pilot sections of G25 and G1112 can increase net revenue by approximately Rmb25,000,000 and Rmb16,000,000 per month, respectively, and reduce vehicle travel impedance by about Rmb37 and Rmb32 per vehicle. The proposed model balances highway operator revenue with individual travel costs, leading to more sustainable and efficient expressway use, which benefits expressway transportation sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-designed carbon nanosphere functionalized with bimetallic Fe–Co phosphides (Fe–Co–P@C) was prepared, which modifies the separator to inhibit the diffusion of polysulfide by the physical restriction and chemical absorption and reduces the shuttle effect. Meanwhile, this elaborated separator with large surface area and porosity can not only provide sufficient active sites for the conversion of polysulfide, but also enhance polarity and electron conductivity which is conducive to accelerate Li+ ion/e– diffusion. As a result, the assembled lithium sulfur battery with the Fe–Co–P@C membrane displays a remarkable discharge capacity of 1031 mAh/g at 0.2 C and an excellent cycling stability (45% retention rate after 250 cycles at 1 C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that certain extension results obtained by Maz'ya and Poborchi for domains with an outward peak can be realized via composition operators generated by reflections. We also study the case of the complementary domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the structural, elastic anisotropy, electronic properties and optical properties of CdGeP2 crystal by using first-principles method. The effect of pressure on the elastic constants of CdGeP2 was explored. The changes in the anisotropy of the CdGeP2 at different pressures were analyzed in detail by three-dimensional (3D) and 2D projections of bulk modulus and Young's modulus. The electronic properties, including the band structure, density of states, were investigated, and it turned out that CdGeP2 is a semiconductor. Furthermore, we analyze the dielectric function, refractive index, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, and electrical conductivity of CdGeP2 in detail. Finally, the influence laws of temperature and pressure on Debye temperature, heat capacity and Grüneisen parameter are obtained, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a new dual-permanent magnet spoke-type flux-reversal machine (dual-PM SFRM) for direct-drive applications is proposed. Tangentially magnetized permanent magnets (PMs) sandwiched with iron poles are set in stator slots. To increase the torque density within the geometric restrictions, PMs are introduced in the rotor as well and magnetized radially to form a consequent-pole rotor. Global optimizations are conducted and comparisons are made on torque, torque ripple, and torque/PM volume with the existing single-PM SFRM. It is found that the proposed dual-PM SFRM can produce 22.6% larger torque with an optimal PM volume and a 17.5% larger torque with the same PM volume compared with the single-PM counterpart. Moreover, major magnetic field space harmonics are derived analytically and verified by finite-element analysis (FEA) and the torque components produced by the working harmonics are calculated and compared in terms of different stator/rotor pole number combinations. Comparisons are made on back electromotive force, cogging torque, torque performance, and efficiency between dual-PM SFRM and conventional flux-reversal machine. The influence of different stator configurations, i.e., the slot opening, the iron bridge, and the unequal tooth, on torque performance in the proposed dual-PM SFRM has been studied and highlighted. A prototype has been built and tested to validate the FEA calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid analytical and lumped-parameter thermal model is proposed in this paper to estimate the transient and steady-state two- and three-dimensional (2/3-D) spatial magnet temperature distributions for an interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM). On the basis of a lumped-parameter thermal model (LPTM), the magnet analytical thermal models (ATMs) are synergized to establish the hybrid thermal model. By utilizing the transient or steady-state boundary conditions calculated by the LPTM, the ATMs are obtained by solving the heat conduction equations to estimate the spatial magnet temperature distributions in the 2-D horizontal-vertical and axial-vertical planes, which can also be extended to the 3-D temperature distribution by utilizing the multi-slice method. Meanwhile, the non-uniform magnet eddy current loss is also considered. Finally, both electromagnetic-thermal coupled finite element analysis method and experiments are used for verification based on a totally enclosed IPMSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumped-parameter thermal models (LPTMs) have been widely used to estimate critical temperatures in permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs). However, in some cases, they may be incapable of predicting the hotspots and even cause temperature misestimation. In this paper, the synergized lumped-parameter and sub-domain thermal models are proposed for surface-mounted PMSMs to track the hotspots in the most vulnerable components, i.e., active/end-windings and rotor magnet. Firstly, the “T-type” elementary network based LPTM is developed to predict the average temperatures in main components and the boundary conditions. Secondly, the boundary conditions are applied to three sub-domain thermal models for the active/end-windings and the rotor magnet to predict the respective hotspots and to further correct the misestimated average temperatures. Finally, the proposed synergized thermal model is verified by the experiments on a prototype surface-mounted PMSM under various load conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consequent-pole (CP) permanent magnet (PM) configuration suffers asymmetric electromagnetic characteristics although it saves PM usage. The CP-based stator-PM synchronous machines are investigated in this paper, with particular reference to symmetrical issues. The electromagnetic performances of the CP-based stator-PM synchronous machines are firstly evaluated. Afterwards, the rule of even order harmonics cancellation is presented for different slot/pole number combinations and winding layouts, based on which symmetrical phase flux-linkages can be obtained although the unbalanced magnetic flux naturally occurs. Moreover, based on the three-dimensional finite element analysis, the unipolar end leakage-flux caused by the asymmetric magnetic field is identified, and the risk of the shaft magnetization is revealed. Finally, a pair of prototype machines are fabricated and measured to validate the analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control performance of Hall sensor-based high-speed brushless dc (BLdc) motor drives depends heavily on the accuracy of Hall sensor signals. Due to the existence of Hall signal errors, the system may operate under unbalanced conditions that will lead to asymmetric currents and high-torque ripple. For high-speed BLdc drive, using voltage source inverter (VSI) with the pulsewidth modulation (PWM) technique will also lead to PWM update delay that causes inaccurate commutation. In this article, two Hall signal errors, i.e., misaligned and uneven Hall signal errors, are investigated and a Hall signal balancing strategy is developed to detect Hall signal errors and regenerate balanced Hall signals. A novel PWM generation scheme is then proposed to eliminate the PWM update delay when using traditional VSI. Both simulation and experiment results have verified the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a simplified three-dimensional (3-D) hybrid analytical thermal model for surface-mounted permanent magnet (PM) synchronous machines is proposed and applied to investigate the influence of PM segmenting strategies on the spatial PM temperature distributions and hotspots. The developed 3-D hybrid thermal model synergies the lumped-parameter thermal model and analytical method and is able to estimate 3-D spatial temperature distributions and hotspots for both unsegmented and segmented surface-mounted PMs accounting for the uneven PM eddy current loss distributions. Meanwhile, by utilizing the proposed matrix-based post-processing methods, the developed hybrid analytical thermal model has a simple mathematical expression but persists in high estimation accuracy. Finally, the proposed hybrid analytical modelling method is validated by 3-D electromagnetic-thermal coupled FEA and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold region covers over 50% all over the world. As an indispensable part of the project, concrete is greatly affected by temperature during the curing process. In this paper, through the orthogonal experiment design, we studied the mixing temperature, steel fiber, and water reducing agent dosage on concrete mixture slump; the influence of curing temperature, steel fiber, water reducing agent, and accelerating agent content on compressive strength of concrete; and the influence of the final microstructure by scanning electron microscopy (28-day concrete, analysis of the degree of hydration reaction). The results show that the slump of concrete increases with the amount of water reducing agent. Mixing temperature and steel fiber content have little effect on the workability of the mixture. Curing temperature has a significant effect on the growth of concrete compressive strength. The higher curing temperature is within 0∼20°C, the faster the growth of concrete strength is. The longer the age of concrete, the greater the compressive strength. The content of water reducing agent and accelerating agent only has a significant effect on the early strength of concrete, while the content of steel fiber has a great effect on the late strength of concrete. Curing temperature affects the degree of hydration reaction of concrete. The higher the curing temperature, the more the cementing substances produced by hydration reaction of concrete, the higher the degree of hydration reaction, and the higher the strength of concrete. The research results are helpful to improve the mine support operation in high-cold and high-temperature difference area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric interior permanent magnet (AIPM) rotor topologies can achieve torque enhancement in IPM synchronous machines without the increase of PM usage due to utilizing magnetic-field-shifting (MFS) effect by reducing the current angle difference between maximum PM and reluctance torque components. This paper investigates the influence of armature reaction on MFS effect in AIPM machines. A general model of IPM machines considering MFS effect is analytically developed and the AIPM and IPM machines using the same stator, rotor diameter and total PM amount are comparatively studied. It shows that the armature reaction affects the MFS effect in both AIPM and IPM machines and the influence is more significant in AIPM machine. The relationships between MFS effects in PM flux-linkage and inductance characteristics and current angles for maximum PM and reluctance torque components are revealed. It confirms that the change of current angles of torque components is due to the MFS effect in PM flux-linkage and inductance characteristics in both AIPM and IPM machines. Besides, the developed machine model considering MFS effect is verified by finite element analysis. Finally, a small-scale AIPM machine prototype is fabricated and measured to validate the finite element analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a high-speed permanent magnet (HSPM) motor having 6-slot/2-pole (6s/2p) number combination and 2 coil-pitch windings are developed for domestic appliance application. Two HSPM motors with different layouts of 2 coil-pitch windings are optimized and their electromagnetic performances are evaluated. The best winding configuration is then identified for shorter motor axial length and larger torque density. Since 3-slot/2-pole (3s/2p) HSPM motors with non-overlapping windings have the same winding factor, a comparison between 3-slot and 6-slot motors is also conducted, particularly for torque density, losses, and unbalanced magnetic force (UMF). It shows that 6s/2p PM motors with 2 coil-pitch windings are suitable for high-speed application without UMF and less rotor PM loss. Finite element predicted electromagnetic performances are validated by experiments made on two prototype motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage induced in the dc winding by the armature field in wound field switched flux (WFSF) machines will induce voltage perturbation in the voltage supply and cause dc winding current ripple and field excitation fluctuation. This will challenge the dc voltage controller and deteriorate the control performance, especially when the load and/or the rotor speed are high. In this article, the dual three-phase armature winding design with a phase-shift of 30 electrical degrees is employed in the partitioned stator WFSF machines to reduce the on-load dc winding-induced voltage. Analytical deductions and finite element (FE) results demonstrate that the dominant sixth-order-induced voltage harmonic can be suppressed to zero. Hence, the peak-to-peak induced voltage in the 12/11- and 12/13-pole partitioned stator WFSF machines can be reduced by 83.35% and 82.53%, respectively. Due to the improvement of winding factors, the torque densities are 4.85% and 5.60% higher, respectively. Prototypes are built and tested to verify the analytical and FE results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consequent-pole (CP) permanent magnet (PM) machines have attracted considerable interest as a means of reducing machine cost through a marked reduction in the volume of PM required to meet a particular torque specification. However, the presence of a large torque ripple that can result from the CPPM structure can hinder their adoption in some applications, especially for the dominant third-order torque ripple. Although several design-specific modifications have been proposed to ameliorate torque ripple, the generalized principles underpinning this behavior have not been fully established. In this article, it will be illustrated that an aggregation of the fluctuations in inductance, back electromotive force, and cogging torque contributes to increased torque ripple. Meanwhile, an asymmetric pole shaping method is proposed to reduce the torque ripple, taking the dominant third-order torque ripple as an example. Both simulated and experimental results of the 12-slot/8-pole prototypes show that compared to the symmetrical pole shaping model and the plain pole model, the proposed asymmetric shaping method is effective in reducing torque ripple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consequent pole (CP) permanent magnet (PM) machines offer scope for reducing the quantity of PM material and hence cost compared to more conventional PM machine topologies of the same rating. In this type of machine, the rotor pole arc is usually optimized to realize the largest output torque with pole shaping methods used to reduce torque ripple. However, such approaches tend to be limited by constraints imposed on the pole shapes. It is a common practice to adopt similar PM and iron pole shapes, an approach that does not fully account for the different characteristics of PM and iron poles in CPPM machines, often leading to large even order harmonics in the airgap flux density. This article proposes a shaping method with a variable rotor profile and pole arc span being established by means of optimization by Genetic Algorithm. It is demonstrated that for a fixed quantity of PM material, different PM and iron pole shapes in combination with optimal PM and iron pole arc spans are essential for ensuring both maximum output torque and lower torque ripple when the due account is taken of flux leakage. It also demonstrates that since the flux density in the region under a PM pole is governed by the magnetic potential produced by magnets while it is governed by magnetic reluctance under iron pole, different PM pole and iron pole shapes are necessary to reduce the even-order harmonics in a CPPM machine and consequently to reduce torque ripple. The performances of optimized and more conventional CP machines are compared by finite-element method on 12-slot/8-pole prototype motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an improved sensorless control method for permanent magnet synchronous machines under phase resistance asymmetry. The proposed method acquires positive sequence current and voltage signals by applying a sequence component extractor and a double synchronous reference frame current control strategy. These signals can, then, be applied to improve the extended electromotive force based sensorless observer to eliminate the undesired second-order fluctuation in position and speed estimation due to asymmetric phase resistances. In addition, the resistance deviations, which may be due to asymmetric resistances and temperature variation, could introduce dc offset error in rotor position estimation. Therefore, a model reference adaptive system based resistance estimation is employed to compensate for inaccuracy of resistances. Moreover, from the information contained in the negative sequence voltages, the specific values of all asymmetric phase resistances can be estimated as well. Experimental and simulation results are provided to validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes and investigates two asymmetric consequent-pole hybrid excited flux reversal machine (AS-CP-HEFRM) topologies, which have same numbers of iron poles and permanent magnets (PMs) with concentrated ac and dc windings on each stator pole and a salient pole rotor. If PM number on one stator pole is larger than 1, PMs are magnetized radially in the same direction on one stator pole, while opposite on adjacent stator poles. The phenomenon of the phase shift between the flux linkages of dc and PM excitations in the AS-CP-HEFRMs is revealed for the first time, which will weaken the regulation of dc excitation field to PM produced field. The elimination condition of the phase shift is derived and verified by finite-element analysis in this article, which can be considered as design guidelines in AS-CP-HEFRMs. Airgap magnetic field space harmonics of AS-CP-HEFRM are also investigated and verified by finite-element analyses. Meanwhile, the relationship between the rotor pole number and the stator pole arc (PM ratio) is derived and verified by global optimization based on genetic algorithm for maximum average torque. The influence of stator/rotor pole number combinations is also studied and compared in terms of torque, torque ripple, and flux regulation capability. The torque components produced by airgap magnetic field space harmonics are calculated and compared. A prototype has been built and tested to validate the finite element calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an online rotor position error correction method is proposed to eliminate the impact of parameter mismatch in sensorless control for dual three-phase (DTP) permanent magnet synchronous machines drives. The rotor position error production mechanism is first derived and shows that the error changes with the trend of current variation when there is a parameter mismatch. Based on this mechanism, by injecting sinusoidal current signals with low frequency and small amplitude into both sets of three-phase windings, the presence of parameter mismatch and its level can be revealed from the corresponding sinusoidal responses of the estimated speed of sensorless observers, which do not depend on the inertia of the machine. Since the amplitudes of these responses decrease as the parameter mismatch level reduces, with the help of the least mean square algorithm, the parameters can be adaptively adjusted to the actual values, and the position error can be thus corrected. Moreover, with the extra freedom of DTP machines, the detrimental effects on torque production due to current signal injections can be eliminated through adjusting the phase between the two injected signals. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been validated through simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel asymmetric interior permanent magnet (AIPM) rotor topology that has a mixed V-shape and spoke-type PM configuration, designated as a 1.5-layer PM structure, and asymmetric arrangement of V-shape PMs and asymmetric flux barriers. The AIPM rotor topology is employed for IPM synchronous machines to utilize the magnetic-field-shifting (MFS) effect for increasing average torque by reducing the current angle difference between peak PM and reluctance torque components. Three machines, i.e., the proposed 1.5-layer AIPM, a symmetrical 1.5-layer IPM-I, and a conventional V-shape benchmark IPM-II are designed and optimized using the same stator, rotor diameter, and total PM usage by global parametric optimization considering the mechanical stress. The effect of asymmetric features of the 1.5-layer AIPM rotor design, i.e., asymmetry of V-shape cavity as well as position and dimensions of flux barrier, on maximum torque and open-circuit air-gap field are investigated. The electromagnetic performances of three machines are compared. It confirms that the proposed AIPM machine has the highest maximum torque and the smallest cogging torque simultaneously. It is also revealed that the torque enhancement is achieved by both the 1.5-layer structure and MFS effect. Finally, a prototype of an AIPM machine is manufactured and tested to validate the analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multistory industrial buildings have become prevalent in sectors such as electronics, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and textiles due to limited space in urban environment. There is usually a strict requirement of machine operation on the building vibration, so that it becomes relevant to quantify the structural dynamical characteristics, e.g., natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes. This paper presents a multisetup ambient vibration test and retest conducted in a multistory industrial building located in Haining, China, using eight triaxial accelerometers to cover 36 measurement locations in six setups during normal operations and shutdown condition. These tests followed a nearly identical test configuration with minor local discrepancies. To obtain the primary modal parameters of the structure, a Bayesian multisetup modal identification algorithm is adopted, followed with a detailed analysis of the results. Furthermore, the floor serviceability is investigated, primarily focusing on worker comfort. The study reveals several interesting phenomena, such as the impact of structural expansion joints and sensor synchronization on the identification results. This study serves as a demonstrative effort in examining the dynamic characteristics of multistory industrial buildings. It provides insight into evaluating the dynamic characteristics with limited sensors and abnormal identification results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigate a semi‐flooded cooling technology for modular permanent magnet machines using flux gaps (FGs) in alternate stator teeth for extra cooling channels. The investigated machine is separated into stationary and rotational components by a polyether ether ketone sleeve. Liquid is directed into the stationary component to achieve a significant temperature reduction, at the same time, avoiding the liquid leakage into the rotating component that will cause an increase in friction losses. The FGs in the modular machine increase the contact area between coolant and machine components, resulting in better cooling efficiency. Furthermore, the FGs contribute to reduced pressure loss by minimising system flow resistance. The influence of the FG width on improving machine cooling efficiency, lowering machine temperature, and reducing pressure losses is delved. Additionally, the investigation considers the impact of inlet and outlet areas to reveal the influences stemming from fluid expansions and contractions in these regions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling is employed to simulate the cooling performances of the investigated machines. In addition, the flow network analysis has also been employed to help understand the fluid behaviour within machines. A series of tests have been carried out to validate the CFD modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The 10-item Montgomery–Åsberg Depression  Rating  Scale (MADRS) measures different dimensions of depression symptomatology. Digital traits may generate deeper understanding of the MADRS subscales and provide insights about depression symptomatology. Objectives: To identify digital traits that predict specific MADRS subscales and ascertain which digital traits are important for which MADRS subscales. Methods: During a Phase II decentralised clinical trial in major depressive disorder (MDD), patients completed the MADRS and used AiCure (LLC, New York, NY, USA), a smartphone application, to complete image description tasks at baseline. Digital measurements identified from the literature as relevant to MDD symptomatology were conducted using audio and video data derived from the image description tasks. Digital measurements included speech (rate, sentiment and first-person singular pronouns), vocal acoustics (intensity, pause fraction and fundamental frequency), facial expressivity (regional facial movement) and head pose (Euclidean and angular head movement). Digital traits analysis involved data pre-processing followed by machine learning (ML) using Elastic Net, Decision Tree, and Random Forest models; model performance was evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation and mean absolute error (MAE). Important digital traits were calculated by percentage change in MAE after permuting a specific variable. Important digital traits for the MADRS Apparent Sadness subscale score were mapped to defined, interpretable domains. Results: The ML model predictions varied for different MADRS subscales (Table). Overall, Elastic Net and Random Forest models outperformed Decision Tree across all subscales scores other than suicidal thoughts. Half of the literature-based digital traits contributed to the prediction of ≥1 MADRS sadness sub-scale score. The important digital traits for the Apparent Sadness subscale score could be mapped to 4 domains (Figure); this aligned with findings from the literature. Image: Image 2: Conclusions: Digital traits collected from patients with MDD were able to predict certain MADRS subscales better than others. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim. Disclosure of Interest: Z. Zhu Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Y. Wu Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., J. Seidel Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, D. Roy Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., E. Salzmann Employee of: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, two novel sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation (SPWM) strategies with simple implementation are proposed for an open-winding machine fed by isolated dc-bus dual two-level three-phase inverters to reduce switching frequency and current harmonics. The proposed strategies utilize zero sequence voltage injection and unbalanced reference voltage distribution to generate discontinuous PWM with low current harmonics and less switching action. Two different zero sequence voltages are introduced in this article corresponding to two proposed PWM strategies with different switching actions in a PWM cycle. The novelty of this article is low current harmonics and less switching actions in a PWM cycle compared with the conventional SPWM strategy. Moreover, compared with the subhexagonal center PWM strategy, the proposed SPWM strategies have advantages of easy implementation and half switching commutations with the same current harmonic characteristics. The superiority of the proposed SPWM strategies is validated by simulation and experiment results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological superconductivity is an exotic phenomenon due to the symmetry-protected topological surface state, in which a quantum system has an energy gap in the bulk but supports gapless excitations confined to its boundary. Symmetries including central and time-reversal symmetry (TRS), along with their relations with topology, are crucial for topological superconductivity. We report muon spin relaxation/rotation (ÎĽ SR) experiments on a topological noncentrosymmetric superconductor PbTaSe2 to study its TRS and gap symmetry. Zero-field ÎĽ SR experiments indicate the absence of internal magnetic field in the superconducting state, consistent with previous ÎĽ SR results. Furthermore, transverse-field ÎĽ SR measurements reveals that the superconducting gap of PbTaSe2 is an isotropic three-dimensional fully-gapped single-band. The fully-gapped results can help understand the pairing mechanism and further classify the topological superconductivity in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comminution is widely used in the deep processing of coal resources. Different chemical structures in coals can influence follow-up procedures significantly. A planetary ball mill was used as a comminution device, and its effects on the grain size and chemical structure of anthracite from Ningxia, China were studied. Comminution kinetics were studied and qualitative and quantitative analyses of functional groups were done by IR spectrometry. The results demonstrate that product size distribution of anthracite from Ningxia conformed to the n-order kinetic model and the grain size reached −42 nm after 24 h. The peak intensity of the IR spectra increased markedly, and the surface activity of anthracite powder was enhanced after ultrafine comminution. Penta-substituted benzene rings of aromatic hydrogen were the dominant group in raw anthracite, while tris-substituted benzene rings of aromatic hydrogen became the dominant form after 24 h of ultrafine comminution. During ultrafine comminution, cyclization of aliphatic chains, dehydroaromatization of cycloparaffin, substitution reactions of orienting groups on aromatic rings, and decarboxylic reactions of benzene rings might occur. Although raw anthracite shows a relatively high degree of metamorphism, its particles show stronger activity and can absorb more oxygen after ultrafine comminution, thus increasing oxygen enrichment. The CH in the aliphatic hydrocarbons of ultrafine anthracite basically disappeared, and CH2 was more easily lost than CH3 during ultrafine comminution. Oxygencontaining functional groups in anthracite were altered or some of their elements reacted with oxygen, which decreased the amount of free OH groups on anthracite particle surfaces. During ultrafine comminution, the stability of hydrogen bonds was ranked OH...π > OH...OH > free OH groups > OH...ether > OH...N > cyclic OH tetramers. These changes indicate that the ultrafine anthracite comminution process is also accompanied with chemical reactions. The results provide a reference and guidance for exploring changes in the molecular structures of ultrafine anthracite and follow-up deep processing. In particular, the occurrence of mercaptan -SH and FeS2 implies that sulfur exists in anthracite in both organic and inorganic forms. The absorption peak of ultrafine pulverized kaolinite was intensified, indicating that minerals were dissociated and more impurities were exposed after comminution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare-earth iron garnet films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) are important to develop magnon-based spintronic devices. In this study, high quality epitaxial Ho3Fe5O12 (HoIG) films with PMA are fabricated on (111) Y3(Sc2Ga3)O12 substrates by sputtering. The magnetization compensation temperature of HoIG films is determined to be 130 K, highly consistent with its bulk value. The magnetic dead layer at the interface is quantified as thin as about 0.6 nm through polarized neutron reflectivity. Furthermore, spin–orbit torque switching in HoIG/Pt films is realized with the threshold current density of 1.4 × 1011 A/m2 and assisting field as small as 10 Oe. These results provide one more alternative for spintronic materials using compensated ferrimagnetic insulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel asymmetric interior permanent magnet (AIPM) rotor topology for torque enhancement and torque ripple reduction in IPM synchronous machines. The AIPM rotor structure is featured by a hybrid-layer permanent magnet configuration, i.e., for each pole, a part of PM configuration has one-layer while the other part has two layers. It allows the magnetic-field-shifting (MFS) effect to be utilized by reducing the current angle difference between maximum PM and reluctance torque components, thereby effectively increasing the maximum resultant torque. The proposed AIPM machine and a conventional V-shape IPM machine are designed and globally parametric optimized with the same 24-slot/4-pole stator, rotor diameter, and PM usage. The influence of key rotor geometric parameters of the AIPM machine on torque and open-circuit air-gap magnetic field characteristics are investigated. The comparison of electromagnetic performance confirms that significant torque enhancement and torque ripple reduction in the AIPM machine compared with the conventional V-shape IPM machine and reveals the MFS effect is essential for torque increase. Finally, an AIPM machine is manufactured and tested for validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, three 6-slot/2-pole high-speed permanent magnet motors with 1, 2, and 3 coil-pitch windings are optimized by the finite element method taking into account stator copper loss and iron loss. Their electromagnetic performances are analyzed and compared, including air-gap flux density, back electromagnetic force, electromagnetic torque, winding inductances, and various loss components. For high-speed application, compared with 1 and 3 coil-pitch windings, the proposed 2 coil-pitch windings have a good tradeoff between winding factor and end-winding axial length which are attractive for improved torque density. Finally, the experimental results are given to validate some of the finite element predicted results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated how developmental stage affects seed traits, including the relative level of desiccation tolerance of Quercus serrata. We tested the hypothesis that the relative level of desiccation tolerance is a quantitative trait associated with seed development and that a maximum relative level of desiccation tolerance is reached during development.Seed growth and physiological traits of Q. serrata from a subtropical forest were examined in detail during the developmental process.During seed development, the relative level of desiccation tolerance and other seed traits of Q. serrata varied. Dry matter accumulation in seed components increased rapidly beginning in mid‐August, and moisture content declined. At the peak period of seed dispersal in late September, seeds were fully mature, with 100% germination. Relative level of desiccation tolerance increased up to the point of peak dispersal; however, at this time seeds were still recalcitrant. Post‐mature development was accompanied by further increases in seed dry matter and decreases in moisture content, which led to a decrease in seed germination and relative level of desiccation tolerance.Our results suggest that in species with recalcitrant seeds, the relative level of desiccation tolerance and other seed traits are quantitative at the intraspecific level. The relative level of desiccation tolerance for recalcitrant seeds does not increase infinitely during phase II of development. There is a maximum relative level of desiccation tolerance in recalcitrant seeds within a species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solvothermal reaction of 4,4′-bipyridine (Bipy) and mercury nitrate in a mixed acetonitrile/water solution leads to a novel mercury coordination compound with the in situ formation of cyanide ions Hg(Bipy)(CN)2 (1). Its structure is determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), and further characterized by powder XRD, elemental analysis, and IR spectroscopy. Compound 1 exhibits a 1D zigzag [Hg(Bipy)(CN)2]n chain structure. The solid-state photoluminescent properties of 1 are also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose a novel switching-table-based direct torque control (ST-DTC) method to eliminate the current harmonics in dual-three-phase permanent-magnet synchronous machines due to the back electromotive force (back EMF) harmonics and voltage vector selection. By employing a novel space voltage vector selection strategy and the optimal action time for different groups of vectors, a novel ST-DTC method is developed. Furthermore, in order to implement standard pulsewidth modulation (PWM) switching sequence, a centralization PWM method for 36 voltage vectors is introduced. The proposed method can effectively reduce the phase current harmonics caused by both back EMF distortion and voltage vector selection, and still reserve the advantages of the conventional ST-DTC, such as fast torque response and simple structure. Its effectiveness is verified by simulations and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the formation of a series of rare earth element (RE)-Ni/Co binary metallic glasses (MGs) with unusual distinct β-relaxation peak compared with that of most of the reported MGs which usually exhibit as an excess wing or a shoulder. The β-relaxation behavior of RE-Ni/Co MGs is sensitive to the composition and the atomic radii of the RE and can be tuned through changing the fraction of RE-Ni (or Co) atomic pairs. The novel RE-Ni/Co MGs with distinct β-relaxation can serve as model system to investigate the nature of the β-relaxation as well as its relations with other physical and mechanical properties of MGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case report of Dowling-Degos disease caused by POFUT1 exon deletion with possible coexistent CARD14 mutation-related psoriasis Heterozygous exons 3 and 4 deletion of the I POFUT1 i gene was detected in both the proband and his uncle, and verified by quantitative real-time PCR (Fig. A previous study reported a similar p.D973E mutation of I CARD14 i in psoriatic patients.5 In conclusion, we report the first case of DDD caused by an exon deletion of the I POFUT1 i gene, with a possible I CARD14 i -related psoriasis. [Extracted from the article]

A novel asymmetric interior permanent magnet (AIPM) machine is proposed in this paper for electric vehicle application. It has a skewed V-shape permanent magnet (PM) cavity, two PMs with different dimensions and an additional flux barrier outside the V-shape cavity in each pole. This asymmetric rotor topology can inherently utilize the magnetic-field-shifting (MFS) effect to reduce the current angle difference between the maximum PM and reluctance torque components, thereby enhancing the maximum synthetic torque with the same PM usage. The influences of cavity positions in the proposed AIPM and an existing AIPM with extra flux barrier inside the V-shape cavity are investigated and compared using finite element analysis. It is found that the proposed structure with outside flux barrier has higher average torque than the one with inside flux barrier. Both AIPM topologies are designed with the same stator, rotor diameter, and PM usage as the conventional V-shape IPM benchmark for Prius 2010. Electromagnetic, mechanical and steady-state thermal performance of three machines are compared. The results confirm that the proposed AIPM machine can achieve significant torque enhancement due to utilizing MFS effect, compared with the existing AIPM and the IPM benchmark. Finally, a small prototype of the proposed AIPM machine is designed, manufactured and tested to validate the FE analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid excited machines, with synergies of permanent magnet (PM) and wound field (WF) excitations, exhibit high torque density as well as controllable flux and are perceived as promising candidate for variable speed application. A novel doubly salient hybrid excited (DSHE) machine with non-overlapped field winding is presented in this paper. It inherits simple structure of conventional doubly salient PM (DSPM) machine and facilitates the regulation of magnetic field by field winding. The electromagnetic performances of the proposed machine with different stator and rotor pole number combinations are investigated by finite element method (FEM), confirming these advantages. Furthermore, the effect of iron bridge on the hybridization between PM and WF excitations is analyzed to obtain a trade-off between high torque density and wide flux regulation range with the frozen permeability method (FPM). It is revealed that the proposed DSHE machine possesses higher power and fault tolerance at flux weakening region compared with the DSPM machine, albeit with sacrificed torque density and efficiency with introduction of field winding. Finally, a prototype is fabricated and tested to validate the theoretical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed brushless dc (BLDC) drives usually operate with low carrier–fundamental frequency ratio, which causes abundant sideband harmonic current components. Some sideband harmonics will be induced in low-frequency range, leading to low-frequency current oscillations and low-frequency torque ripples. To minimize these undesired sideband harmonics, a novel pulsewidth modulation commutation pattern, i.e., carrier-synchronized commutation (CSC), is proposed in this article. For comparison, two conventional commutation patterns, including regular-sampled commutation (RSC), and natural-sampled commutation (NSC), are analyzed. To reveal the characteristics of sideband harmonics caused by RSC and NSC patterns, an extended geometric wall model is introduced, which can be used for the Fourier decomposition of complex vectors. Theoretical, simulation, and experimental results demonstrate the conventional RSC and NSC patterns will produce additional sideband harmonic currents and torque ripples, while the proposed CSC pattern can considerably suppress these adverse influences and meanwhile presents high performance and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a generic mathematical modelling and decoupling fault‐tolerant vector control for dual three‐phase permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) with one phase open based on the conventional dual three‐phase voltage source inverters, accounting for the mutual coupling between two sets of three‐phase windings and the second harmonic inductance. When the dual three‐phase PMSM has one phase open, the permanent flux‐linkages are asymmetric and there are second harmonic components in the conventional synchronous reference frame (dq‐frame). Based on the proposed mathematical modelling, both permanent magnet flux‐linkages and currents become DC values in the dq‐frame, and therefore, the conventional proportional integral (PI) controller can be used to regulate the dq‐axis currents. Then, a decoupling fault‐tolerant vector control with/without a dedicated feed‐forward compensation is proposed to validate the correctness of the proposed mathematical modelling. Experimental results on a prototype dual three‐phase PMSM with one phase open show that the second harmonic dq‐axis currents can be well suppressed simply by the conventional PI controller and dedicated feed‐forward compensation. It also shows that the decoupling fault‐tolerant control based on the proposed modelling and control method has excellent dynamic performance, which is equivalent to the vector space decomposition control for the healthy machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) agglomeration on the electrical conductivity of CNT-polymer composites by experimental characterization and theoretical modeling. The present experimental results show that the acid treatment of CNTs has significantly alleviated the CNT agglomeration in CNT-polymer composites and improved the electrical conductivity of the composites compared with CNT-polymer composites made from the same pristine CNTs. The improvement by the acid treatment is further studied by a multiscale CNT percolation network model that considers the CNT agglomeration based on experimental observation. Numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The smaller the size of CNT agglomerates is in the experiments, the closer the measured electrical conductivity of CNT-polymer composites is to its theoretical limit. The current study verifies that (i) the CNT agglomeration is the main cause that leads to a lower electrical conductivity of CNT-polymer composites than their theoretical limit, and (ii) the current multiscale percolation network model can quantitatively predict the electrical conductivity of CNT-polymer composites with CNT agglomeration. The comprehensiveness of the developed modeling approach enables an evaluation of results in conjunction with experimental data in future works. VC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The induced voltage ripple in DC field windings can cause many problems in hybrid excitation machines (HEMs). It can generate ripple current in field winding, thus causing unsteady magnetic field excitation and hence additional torque ripple and losses. Besides, the torque and power density of hybrid excitation machines may be deteriorated as a result of the influence of the induced voltage ripple on field winding's excitation circuit, particularly under high-speed conditions. Based on a hybrid excitation switched flux machine (HESFM), the influence of stator slot and rotor pole number combination on no-load and on-load field winding induced voltage ripples are studied and compared by the finite element method (FEM). It reveals that the harmonic content and thus the peak-to-peak value of the field winding induced voltage ripple are closely related to the stator slot and rotor pole number combination at both no-load and on-load operating conditions. The FEM calculations are verified by experiments on a prototype HESFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spoke array permanent magnet (PM) flux reversal machines (SAFRPMMs), which are suitable for low speed and high torque applications, are able to enhance torque density due to the flux focusing effect. In this paper, what influence both the number of PM per slot and the PM shape have on their electromagnetic performance are investigated. The results show that both the PM number and the PM shape have significant effects on the performance of SAFRPMMs, and proper selections are critical in designing high performance machines. When the PM number per slot is 2, the SAFRPMM exhibits the best electromagnetic performances, i.e., the highest torque, power, efficiency, and power factor. Meanwhile, by properly designing the PM shape, the torque can be further improved by around 11%. A prototype is made and tested to validate the analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a simple position error correction method is proposed to minimize the influence of parameter deviation on the model-based rotor position estimation, with the help of two sets of windings in a dual 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM). In the proposed method, when each set of 3-phase windings is individually used for sensorless rotor position estimation, the nominal parameters that are set in each observer are identical but inaccurate, which leads to errors in the estimated rotor position from both observers. Since the error is varied according to the current level, small current pulses are injected respectively into d- or q-axis of one set (or both set) of 3-phase windings, which causes the difference between the rotor position estimation errors from two sets of 3-phase windings. This difference is subsequently used as the input of an updated controller to minimize the parameter deviation and the corresponding rotor position error. The proposed method is experimentally validated on a dual 3-phase PMSM system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite structures made of 2 mm-thick titanium and 10 mm-thick carbon steel are widely used in infrastructures such as long-distance gas transportation. However, cracking, which is caused by intermetallic compounds (ICs), is a dominate failure mode in welds of this structure. Thus, a common way to improve the in-service life of is reduce the number of ICs. In this paper, we employ a novel hybrid welding method to fabricate composite structures of TA2 titanium and Q235 carbon steel. Specifically, Ti and carbon steel is welded by laser and double Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) welding, respectively. The microstructure near the interface of Ti and steel is then examined using SEM, EBSD, EDS, with emphasis on the ICs in terms of chemical elements and morphologies. Results show that FeTi and Fe2Ti are the main ICs near the interface, and responsible for the failure of the welds. The effect of welding heat input on the formation of ICs is investigated as well. Results show that ICs are smaller when the heat input is low. Under low heat input circumstance, the tensile strength of the weld can reach up to 420 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current harmonics are ubiquitous in dual three phase (DTP) permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) drives. Due to back electromotive force (EMF) distortion, significant current harmonics are generated in the DTP-PMSM system. The influence of back EMF harmonics is investigated in this paper and a novel switching-table-based direct torque control method to compensate the selected current harmonics caused by the back EMF harmonics is proposed. It shows that by employing different optimal action time durations for voltage vectors in the z1z2 subspace and setting the synthetic voltage vectors to non-zero, the stator flux harmonics caused by the back EMF harmonics can be selectively compensated, as verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commutation errors undermine the control performance of a brushless direct current (BLdc) drive especially at high-speed operation. In this article, a novel commutation error compensation strategy for BLdc drive that eliminates the phase deviation between the current and the back electromotive force is proposed. The d-axis current is introduced and used as the criterion to determine the commutation errors. Since the phase currents of BLdc drive contain large amounts of harmonics, which makes the d-axis current hard to detect, a least-mean-square-algorithm-based adaptive linear neuron filter is proposed. The optimal phase advance angle is adaptively generated by reducing the filtered d-axis current to zero. The proposed method does not need the motor parameter information or additional hardware, and can be implemented in general inverter controllers. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified by both simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]