Search

In the published publication [...]

To analyze the potential mechanisms of growth differences in spotted seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) fed a low-phosphorus diet, a total of 150 spotted seabass with an initial body weight of 4.49 ± 0.01 g were used (50 fish per tank) and fed a low-phosphorus diet for eight weeks. At the end of the experiment, five of the heaviest and five of the lightest fish were selected from each tank as fast-growing spotted seabass (FG) and slow-growing spotted seabass (SG), respectively, and their livers were analyzed by metabolomics and transcriptomics. The hepatic antioxidant capacity of the FG fed a low-phosphorus diet was significantly higher than that of the SG. A total of 431 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined in the two groups, and most of the DEGs were involved in metabolism-related pathways such as steroid biosynthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and protein digestion and absorption. Substance transport-related regulators and transporters were predominantly up-regulated. Furthermore, a large number of metabolites in the liver of FG were significantly up-regulated, especially amino acids, decanoyl-L-carnitine and dehydroepiandrosterone. The integration analysis of differential metabolites and genes further revealed that the interaction between protein digestion and absorption, as well as phenylalanine metabolism pathways were significantly increased in the liver of FG compared to those of the SG. In general, FG fed a low-phosphorus diet induced an enhancement in hepatic immune response, substance transport, and amino acid metabolism. This study provides new information on genetic mechanisms and regulatory pathways underlying differential growth rate and provides a basis for the foundation of efficient utilization of low-phosphorus diets and selective breeding programs for spotted seabass.

In this paper, A high-order response surface method is proposed for finite element model updating of continuous beam bridges. Firstly, based on visual inspection and environmental vibration testing, the peak picking (PP) method and random subspace identification (SSI) method are used to identify the dynamic characteristic parameters of the structure. Then, the finite element model of the continuous beam bridge is updated based on the third-order response surface method. It can be concluded that the results of the updated finite element model are in good agreement with the test results, and the maximum error between the calculated and measured frequency is less than 3%, with MAC values greater than 85%. Moreover, the updated finite element model can reflect the current situation of real bridges and serve as the basis for bridge health monitoring, damage detection, and safety assessment.

As an essential reference to bridge dynamic characteristics, the identification of bridge frequencies has far-reaching consequences for the health monitoring and damage evaluation of bridges. This study proposes a uniform scheme to identify bridge frequencies with two different subspace-based methodologies, i.e., an improved Short-Time Stochastic Subspace Identification (ST-SSI) method and an improved Multivariable Output Error State Space (MOESP) method, by simply adjusting the signal inputs. One of the key features of the proposed scheme is the dimensionless description of the vehicle–bridge interaction system and the employment of the dimensionless response of a two-axle vehicle as the state input, which enhances the robustness of the vehicle properties and speed. Additionally, it establishes the equation of the vehicle biaxial response difference considering the time shift between the front and the rear wheels, theoretically eliminating the road roughness information in the state equation and output signal effectively. The numerical examples discuss the effects of vehicle speeds, road roughness conditions, and ongoing traffic on the bridge identification. According to the dimensionless speed parameter Sv1 of the vehicle, the ST-SSI (Sv1 < 0.1) or MOESP (Sv1 ≥ 0.1) algorithm is applied to extract the frequencies of a simply supported bridge from the dimensionless response of a two-axle vehicle on a single passage. In addition, the proposed methodology is applied to two types of long-span complex bridges. The results show that the proposed approaches exhibit good performance in identifying multi-order frequencies of the bridges, even considering high vehicle speeds, high levels of road surface roughness, and random traffic flows.

Microneedles (MNs) have recently garnered extensive interest concerning direct interstitial fluid (ISF) extraction or their integration into medical devices for continuous biomarker monitoring, owing to their advantages of painlessness, minimal invasiveness, and ease of use. However, micropores created by MN insertion may provide pathways for bacterial infiltration into the skin, causing local or systemic infection, especially with long-term in situ monitoring. To address this, we developed a novel antibacterial sponge MNs (SMNs@PDA-AgNPs) by depositing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on polydopamine (PDA)-coated SMNs. The physicochemical properties of SMNs@PDA-AgNPs were characterized regarding morphology, composition, mechanical strength, and liquid absorption capacity. The antibacterial effects were evaluated and optimized through agar diffusion assays in vitro. Wound healing and bacterial inhibition were further examined in vivo during MN application. Finally, the ISF sampling ability and biosafety of SMNs@PDA-AgNPs were assessed in vivo. The results demonstrate that antibacterial SMNs enable direct ISF extraction while preventing infection risks. SMNs@PDA-AgNPs could potentially be used for direct sampling or combined with medical devices for real-time diagnosis and management of chronic diseases.

Engineering applications have shown that variable-section supports of steel crane girders are prone to fatigue fracture, and traditional fatigue prediction experience is not applicable to these types of supports due to the complex internal stresses caused by their unique geometries. In this paper, a new fatigue prediction approach was proposed for variable-section supports of steel crane girders based on the peak stress method; this approach can locate the fatigue initiation sites and predict the fatigue lives of variable-section supports under axial and bending loading. Then, some constant-amplitude fatigue test results were presented for typical variable-section supports of steel crane girders. A comparison was made between the experimental results and theoretical estimations using the peak stress method. The results indicated that the peak stress method is appropriate to estimate fatigue life up to crack initiation in variable-section supports of steel crane girders subjected to axial and bending loads.

Communication between the primary and secondary sides is pivotal to the wireless power transfer (WPT) system. The system control commands and feedback information need simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT). In this paper, a FSK-based SWIPT system with full-duplex communication via a shared channel is provided. Considering the complexity of the coupling relationship in this kind of full-duplex SWIPT system, this paper proposes an analysis method based on the transmission channel, studies the crosstalk between the power channel and the information channel, and between the forward and reverse transfer of information. A design method of full-duplex communication SWIPT system based on shared coupling channels is provided. A 60 W SWIPT prototype with a full-duplex communication rate of 20 kbps is built to verify the proposed method.

Due to the large-scale renewable energy connected to the power grid by power electronic converters, the inertia and stability of the power grid is declining. In order to improve the inertia and support the grid recovery, the three-phase converter works as a virtual synchronous generator (VSG) to respond to the frequency and voltage changes of the power grid. This paper proposes a model predictive control for the virtual synchronous generator (MPC-VSG) strategy, which can automatically control the converter output power with the grid frequency and voltage changes. Further consideration of fault-tolerant ability and reliability, the method based on improved voltage vector selection, and reconstructed current is used for MPC-VSG to ensure continuous operation for three-phase converters that have current-sensor faults, and improve the reconstruction precision. The proposed method can respond to the frequency and voltage changes of the power grid and has fault-tolerant ability, which is easy to realize without pulse width modulation (PWM) and a proportional-integral (PI) controller. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is verified by experiment.

The detection of eye torsion is an important element for diagnosis of balance disorders, although it is rarely available in existing eye tracking systems. A novel method is proposed in this paper to provide robust measurement of torsional eye movements. A numerical approach is presented to estimate the iris boundary only according to the gaze direction, so the segmentation of the iris is more robust against occlusions and ambiguities. The perspective distortion of the iris pattern at eccentric eye positions is also corrected, benefiting from the transformation relation that is established for the iris estimation. The angle of the eye torsion is next measured on the unrolled iris patterns via a TM (Template Matching) technique. The principle of the proposed method is validated and its robustness in practice is assessed. A very low mean FPR (False Positive Rate) is reported (i.e., 3.3%) in a gaze test when testing on five participants with very different eye morphologies. The present method always gave correct measurement on the iris patterns with simulated eye torsions and rarely provided mistaken detections in the absence of eye torsion in practical conditions. Therefore, it shows a good potential to be further applied in medical applications.

Recently, model predictive control (MPC) methods have been widely used to achieve the control of two-level voltage source inverters due to their superiorities. However, only one of the eight basic voltage vectors is applied in every control cycle in the conventional MPC system, resulting in large current ripples and distortions. To address this issue, a dual-vector modulated MPC method is presented, where two voltage vectors are selected and utilized to control the voltage source inverter in every control cycle. The duty cycle of each voltage vector is figured out according to the hypothesis that it is inversely proportional to the square root of its corresponding cost function value, which is the first contribution of this paper. The effectiveness of this assumption is verified for the first time by a detailed theoretical analysis shown in this paper based on the geometrical relationship of the voltage vectors, which is another contribution of this paper. Moreover, further theoretical analysis shows that the proposed dual-vector modulated MPC method can also be extended to control other types of inverters, such as three-phase four-switch inverters. Detailed experimental results validate the effectiveness of the presented strategy.

In wireless charging devices, a transmitter that applies a single inverter to output dual-frequency can effectively solve the charging incompatibility problem caused by different wireless charging standards and reduce the equipment volume. However, it is very difficult to solve the switching angle of the modulated dual-frequency waveform, which involves non-linear high-dimensional multi-objective optimization with multiple constraints. In this paper, an improved differential evolution (DE) algorithm is proposed to solve the transcendental equations of switching angle trains of dual-frequency programmed harmonic modulation (PHM) waveform. The proposed algorithm maintains diversity while preserving the elites and improves the convergence speed of the solution. The advantage of the proposed algorithm was verified by comparing with non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA II) and multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO). The simulation and experimental results validate that the proposed method can output dual-frequency with a single inverter for wireless power transfer (WPT).

This paper proposes an alterable structure power router (PR) topology which shares the ability of general Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) port. This alterable structure PR aims to better implement the interconnections among micro-grids, renewable energy, and traditional grids. The PR’s converter structure is alterable according to the system power. Based on the operation analysis of the PR, the mathematic model of the power router is established and the relationship between switch states and port voltage is analyzed. According to the PR mathematical model, the control method is designed to realize current control in both AC and DC mode. With the proposed power router topology, the PR’s port can be used in both AC and DC situations, which saves the cost of traditional PRs and increases economic efficiency. The simulation and experimental results prove the good steady-state and dynamic performance of the proposed power router topology.

Probabilistic time geography uses a fixed distance threshold for the definition of the encounter events of moving objects. However, because of the distance-decay effect, different distances within the fixed threshold ensure that the encounter events do not always have the same possibility, and, therefore, the quantitative probabilistic time geography analysis needs to consider the actual distance-decay coefficient (DDC). Thus, this paper introduces the DDC and proposes a new encounter probability measure model that takes into account the distance-decay effect. Given two positions of a pair of moving objects, the traditional encounter probability model is that if the distance between the two positions does not exceed a given threshold, the encounter event may occur, and its probability is equal to the product of the probabilities of the two moving objects in their respective positions. Furthermore, the probability of the encounter at two given positions is multiplied by the DDC in the proposed model, in order to express the influence of the distance-decay effect on the encounter probability. Finally, the validity of the proposed model is verified by an experiment, which uses the tracking data of wild zebras to calculate the encounter probability, and compares it with the former method.

Based on probabilistic time-geography, the encounter between two moving objects is random. The quantitative analysis of the probability of encounter needs to consider the actual geographical environment. The existing encounter probability algorithm is based on homogeneous space, ignoring the wide range of obstacles and their impact on encounter events. Based on this, this paper introduces obstacle factors, proposes encounter events that are constrained by obstacles, and constructs a model of the probability of encounters of moving objects based on the influence of obstacles on visual perception with the line-of-sight view analysis principle. In realistic obstacle space, this method provides a quantitative basis for predicting the encountering possibility of two mobile objects and the largest possible encounter location. Finally, the validity of the model is verified by experimental results. The model uses part of the Wuhan digital elevation model (DEM) data to calculate the encounter probability of two moving objects on it, and analyzes the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of these probabilities.

This paper proposes a constant-frequency model predictive direct power control (CF-MPDPC) method for a fault-tolerant bidirectional voltage-source converter (BVSC). The method can enhance the reliability and fault-tolerant operation capability of BVSCs in the condition of bridge-arm fault. Through the analysis of a fault-tolerant three-phase four-switch (TPFS) structure and the voltage vectors in the αβ stationary frame, the predictive power model and DC-link midpoint voltage offset suppression are established. According to model-predictive theory, fault-tolerant TPFS, and multivector control, the CF-MPDPC method for fault-tolerant BVSC is presented. The method realizes direct power control based on three output vectors with constant frequency, which can track the optimal vector more accurately and reduce current harmonics. Furthermore, the balanced control of DC-link capacitor voltages is also achieved by adding the term of DC-link midpoint voltage offset into the cost function. The balanced capacitor voltages protect the converter against the second faults caused by over-voltage operation of electrolytic capacitor. The simulation and experimental results prove that the fault-tolerant BVSC controlled by proposed method can maintain the continuous operation when the switching devices have fault. Low current harmonic content and stable output power exhibit good reliability and dynamic performance of the proposed CF-MPDPC for a fault-tolerant BVSC with a phase fault.

Dead time between the complementary driving signals is needed to avoid short circuit in voltage source inverters (VSIs), however, this raises issues such as voltage distortion and harmonic generation. In wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, the ratio of dead time versus operating period becomes more problematic due to the high frequency, where the dead time can cause serious concerns regarding the phase errors and control performance deterioration. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the dead-time effect for WPT systems based on a series–series (SS) topology. Firstly, it is found that voltage distortion appears in two regions in comparison with the three in one active bridge WPT system, and seven regions, as compared to the eight in dual active bridge (DAB) WPT system. Afterwards, a novel pulse width modulation (PWM) method is proposed, where the driving signals of the same phase leg are no longer complementary to each other. By employing the proposed method, the dead-time effect can be addressed up to a certain extent, and the desired voltage can be obtained in all the regions. In addition, the proposed method is not influenced by the system parameters, and can be easily applied to other high-frequency resonant converters. Simulated and experimental results are added to verify the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed control scheme.

Nowadays, work on Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) systems with dual active bridges is attracting great attention due to their low conduction losses, power regulation, load transformation and reactance compensation. However, in these studies limitations such as overall analysis, design and realization techniques of the system were not considered properly. To address the aforementioned issues, this paper presents a detailed analysis, design and realization of a Series-Series (SS) WPT system with dual active bridges, which will improve the overall performance. Three independent Phase Angles (PAs) have been analyzed and designed in this study, one PA on the primary side and the other two PAs on the secondary side. This Multiple Degrees of Phase Control (MDPC) method can achieve additional reactance compensation, load transformation and output regulation simultaneously. To realize the proposed method in practice, key implementation techniques have been investigated in detail, including additional reactance estimation, mutual inductance estimation, phase detection and synchronization. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system is verified through simulation and experimental results.

This paper proposes a model predictive direct power control scheme for nonredundant fault tolerant grid-connected bidirectional voltage source converter (BVSC) with balanced dc-link split capacitor voltage and high reliability. Based on the operation analysis of fault-tolerant BVSC with phase leg faults, a power predictive model of three-phase four-switch fault-tolerant topology in αβ coordinates is established, and the space voltage vectors with unbalanced dc-link split capacitor voltage are analyzed. According to the power predictive model and cost function, the optimal space voltage vector is selected to achieve a flexible, smooth transition between inverter and rectifier mode with direct power control. Pulse width modulation and phase locked loop are not required in the proposed method. The constraint of dc-link voltage constraint is designed for the cost function to achieve a central point of dc-link voltage offset suppression, which can reduce the risk of electrolytic capacitor failure for over-voltage operation. With the proposed control method, the converter can work continuously in both inverter mode and rectifier mode, even if phase leg faults occur. The simulation and experimental results show good steady-state and dynamic performance of the proposed control scheme to enhance the reliability of bidirectional power conversion.