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This letter describes two improved 13-level inverters based on switched-capacitor. Compared with their original structure, which is published recently, one less high-voltage capacitor is required in the proposed inverters and the blocking voltage of their inverting half-bridge is reduced by half. In addition, the new inverters inherit various advantages of the original structure, such as a high boost factor of 6, self-balanced capacitor voltages, and reduced voltage ripples. Circuit description, operation principle, hybrid PWM modulation, and capacitor voltage ripples are analyzed and the feasibility of the proposed inverters is finally verified by experimental results.

Objective: To find out a better criterion to identify septic shock patients after flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FUL). Materials and Methods: In total, 2364 patients who underwent the FUL proc...

Background Thallium poisoning is rare and difficult to recognize. Early diagnosis and treatment of thallium-poisoned patients are essential to prevent morbidity and mortality. Aim To evaluate the efficacy of treatments and outcomes of five patients with early diagnosis of acute thallium poisoning. Methods Five patients who consumed a thallium-contaminated meal were hospitalized in succession, and underwent clinical examinations such as blood tests and electromyography tests. Urine and blood tests confirmed the diagnosis of thallotoxicosis, revealing the occurrence of food poisoning. All patients underwent detoxification treatment, including hemoperfusion (HP) and treatment with Prussian blue (PB). A 24-mo follow-up was performed to evaluate the long-term outcomes on the patients after discharge. Results Initially, the patients presented with symptoms of acute thallium poisoning including hyperalgesia of the limbs and abdominalgia, which may differ from common peripheral neuropathy. Accompanying symptoms such as hepatic damage and alopecia were observed in all the patients, which further confirmed the diagnosis of poisoning. Treatment with chelating agents was ineffective, while HP and treatment with PB drastically decreased the thallium concentration in the urine and blood. With early diagnosis and intervention, four patients had a good prognosis and no permanent sequelae. One patient developed blindness and disability during the 24-mo follow-up period. Conclusion Identification of incident cluster and characteristic symptoms is extremely important for early diagnosis of acute thallium poisoning. HP plus PB is essential to improve the prognosis of thallium-poisoned patients.

This article presents a new three-phase multilevel inverter with boosting capability for low-voltage applications like electric vehicles and renewable energy sources. This inverter is fed by a single dc voltage source and each phase involves two low-voltage transistors, two high-voltage transistors, two diodes, and two capacitors. Except that the two high-voltage transistors withstand twice the dc input voltage, all other components are rated to the dc input voltage. With phase-disposition pulsewidth modulation, the two types of high- and low-voltage transistors operate in low and high switching frequencies, respectively. This is very beneficial for reducing switching losses and selecting semiconductor switches. The two capacitors are connected in parallel and series alternately with the dc source resulting in high ac output voltage with multiple levels, self-balanced capacitor voltages as well as low voltage ripples. The topology, operation principle, capacitors’ voltage ripples and power loss are analyzed in detail. Both simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed inverter.

Purpose Green human resource management (HRM) has been considered to be a vitally important mechanism for companies to move towards a sustainable organization. By adopting the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity as the underpinning theory, the purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that facilitate the adoption of Green HRM in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory approach research was adopted in this study. The required data for this study were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews with human resources directors and managers from four large manufacturing companies in Malaysia. The data collected was then reorganized into four themes. Findings Based on the interview, four key factors that influence the adoption of Green HRM include stakeholder pressures, relative advantage, which means the perceived benefits from implementing Green HRM, top management commitment and green intellectual capital, which means the intellectual capital incorporating green innovation or environmental management. Surprisingly, among the three dimensions of green intellectual capital, only green human capital and green structural capital were greatly discussed by the human resources directors and managers, while the role of green relational capital on the adoption of Green HRM was hardly observed. Originality/value Research studies on Green HRM in Malaysia are scarce. The originality of this paper lies in its exploration of Green HRM in an environmental sensitive sector and the insight it provides to academics and practitioners involved in the manufacturing sector. Although research findings cannot be generalized, they can be used as insights for both academics and end-users in emerging economies.

Three-dimensional (3D) analysis on the growth process of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) is achieved by integrating in situ measurement of a 3D phase-matching profile with interaction length control. Incorporating the phase-matching profile, calculation of high-order harmonic wave generation, and propagation reproduces the measured harmonics growth curve as well as distinctive features of the far-field beam profiles. The method resolves contributions of HHG from different positions of the driving beam affected by different sources of phase mismatch, and thus provides illuminating insight into the HHG process.

Background: Mothers are the primary source of bacteria for newborns, but it is unclear whether mother-to-newborn transmission occurs prior to, during or after birth. Similarly, the effect of the delivery mode on neonatal microorganisms has been the focus of controversy. Methods: Healthy maternal and neonatal pairs that underwent vaginal birth and caesarean section were enrolled in this study. Meconium, placenta, membrane and amniotic fluid samples for newborns and vaginal, rectal and oral samples for mothers were collected. All samples were amplified and sequenced by a 16S rRNA gene primer set targeting bacteria and archaea. Findings: A total of 550 samples from 36 mother-neonate pairs with vaginal births and 42 mother-neonate pairs with caesarean sections were included in this study. The negative controls showed that the data analysis in this study was not affected by contamination. There was a high diversity of microbial communities in the pregnancy environment of the foetus. Meconium samples could be divided into three distinct types that were not influenced by the delivery method. Interpretation: The distribution patterns of bacterial communities in the meconium, placenta, and foetal membranes were highly similar and had nothing to do with the mode of delivery. For approximately half of the placental microorganisms, the same sequence could be found in the vaginal, rectal, and oral samples of the mother. Keywords: Meconium, Microbiota, Delivery mode, Archaea

Aim To investigate the effects of blockade of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) on the bio-function of tube formation of human choroidal endothelial cells (HCECs). Methods Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to determine the expression level of IRS-1 and phospho-IRS-1 in HCECs. Tube formation of HCECs was analyzed using three dimensional in vitro Matrigel assay with or without IRS-1 blockage via IRS-1 inhibitor (GS-101) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) inhibitor. In addition, cell counting kit (CCK)-8 and Transwell migration assay were exerted to analyze the effects of blockade of IRS-1 on the bio-function of proliferation and migration of HCECs, respectively. The apoptosis of HCECs was examined using flow cytometry (FCM). Results RT-PCR and Western blot revealed that IRS-1 phospho-IRS-1 were expressed in HCECs and the expression level was enhanced by stimulation of VEGF-A. The number of tube formation was decreased significantly in GS-101 treated groups compared to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) treated control groups. Furthermore, both cell proliferation and migration of HCECs were decreased in the presence of GS-101. FCM analysis showed that the apoptosis of HCECs was enhanced when the cells were treated with GS-101. Western blot also showed that the expression level of cleaved-caspase 3 in GS-101 treated group was higher than that in control group. Conclusion Blockade of IRS-1 can inhibit tube formation of HCECs through reducing cell proliferation and migration and promoting cell apoptosis.

Purpose Green or environmental human resource management (HRM) has in recent years attracted much attention from academia and practitioners all over the world. However, a thorough analysis of green or environmental HRM has not been made so far. To address this gap, the present study provides a systematic and comprehensive literature review. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to review Green HRM literature of various scopes, approaches and contexts; to identify different focus areas in the Green HRM literature; and to propose areas for future research. Design/methodology/approach The paper follows a systematic literature review approach. The selected journal articles are categorized on the basis of five focus areas in the Green HRM derived from the extant literature. Findings Research has grown significantly over the past 12 years that has focused on Green HRM. A total of 70 articles were reviewed and most of these articles employed quantitative method and were carried out in developing countries. Based on the five focus areas identified in this literature review, the performance outcome of Green HRM at both the organizational level and individual level received the greatest attention from the researchers. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to a review of academic articles obtainable from online databases, containing the words “Green human resource management”, “Green HRM”, “Green human resource”, “Environmental HRM”, “Green training” and “Environmental training” in the title. Additionally, only papers from high quality, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated. Other academic sources such as books and conference papers were not included in this study. Originality/value The paper presents a structural overview of 70 peer-reviewed articles published in leading academic journals from 2007 until early 2019. This review provides an increased understanding of the existing state of current research, trends and future research directions in the Green HRM discipline.

Purpose: To compare pterygium surgery with fibrin glue autografts and sutured autografts in terms of length of surgery time and postoperative patient satisfaction. Methods: All pterygium operations performed at Sibu Hospital (Sarawak, Malaysia) between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013 were included. Results: Eighty-one cases were included in the study. The fibrin glue group and suture group had 33 and 48 cases, respectively. The mean age of the patients was 50.56 (SD: 7.61). The fibrin glue group had a shorter mean duration of surgery (17.18 minutes, SD: 10.66) compared to the suture group (22.60 minutes, SD: 12.88) (P = 0.05). Patient satisfaction at first week review was 93.9% for the fibrin glue group and 75.0% for the suture group (P = 0.027, OR 5.2 [95%CI: 1.1, 24.9]). Patient satisfaction at sixth week review was 97.0% for the fibrin glue group and 77.1% for the suture group (P = 0.023, OR 9.5 [95%CI: 1.2, 77.8]). There was no serious adverse event in this study population. Conclusion: Fibrin glue has shorter mean duration of surgery and significantly higher patient satisfaction at first week and sixth week post-pterygium surgery compared to the suture technique.

It has been shown previously that a novel tetrapeptide, Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu (RLYE), derived from human plasminogen inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis, suppresses choroidal neovascularization in mice by an inhibition of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) specific signaling pathway. In this study, we report that a modified tetrapeptide (Ac-RLYE) showed improved anti-choroidal neovascularization (CNV) efficacy in a number of animal models of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which include rat, rabbit, and minipig. The preventive and therapeutic in vivo efficacy of Ac-RLYE via following intravitreal administration was determined to be either similar or superior to that of ranibizumab and aflibercept. Assessment of the intraocular pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic properties of Ac-RLYE in rabbits demonstrated that it rapidly reached the retina with minimal systemic exposure after a single intravitreal dose, and it did not accumulate in plasma during repetitive dosing (bi-weekly for 14 weeks). Our results suggested that Ac-RLYE has a great potential for an alternative therapeutics for neovascular (wet) AMD. Since the amino acids in human VEGFR-2 targeted by Ac-RLYE are conserved among the animals employed in this study, the therapeutic efficacies of Ac-RLYE evaluated in those animals are predicted to be observed in human patients suffering from retinal degenerative diseases.

The coexistence of algae and bacteria in nature dates back to the very early stages when life came into existence. The interaction between algae and bacteria plays an important role in the planet ecology, cycling nutrients, and feeding higher trophic levels, and have been evolving ever since. The emerging concept of algal-bacterial consortia is gaining attention, much towards environmental management and protection. Studies have shown that algal-bacterial synergy does not only promote carbon capture in wastewater bioremediation but also consequently produces biofuels from algal-bacterial biomass. This review has evaluated the optimistic prospects of algal-bacterial consortia in environmental remediation, biorefinery, carbon sequestration as well as its contribution to the production of high-value compounds. In addition, algal-bacterial consortia offer great potential in bloom control, dye removal, agricultural biofertilizers, and bioplastics production. This work also emphasizes the advancement of algal-bacterial biotechnology in environmental management through the incorporation of Industry Revolution 4.0 technologies. The challenges include its pathway to greener industry, competition with other food additive sources, societal acceptance, cost feasibility, environmental trade-off, safety and compatibility. Thus, there is a need for further in-depth research to ensure the environmental sustainability and feasibility of algal-bacterial consortia to meet numerous current and future needs of society in the long run.

An association between animals and volatile anaesthetic requirements has been shown; however, evidence related to the postoperative outcome of human patients is lacking. Our aim was to investigate whether there is a difference in the requirement for sevoflurane among people undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. We observed 390 adult patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of I or II with an expected surgery duration of > 2 hours. We used the bispectral index (BIS) to guide the regulation of end-tidal sevoflurane concentration (ETsevo). The mean ETsevo from 20 minutes after endotracheal intubation to 2 hours after the start of surgery was calculated for all patients. Differential sevoflurane requirements were identified according to ETsevo. The BIS, ETsevo, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, dose of sufentanil and cisatracurium, tracheal extubation time, incidence of intraoperative awareness, and incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting were compared between patients with a low requirement for sevoflurane (group L) and patients with a high requirement for sevoflurane (group H). The mean ETsevo of the 390 patients was 1.55% ± 0.26%. Based on our definition, patients with an ETsevo of < 1.29% were allocated to the low requirement group (group L; n = 69), while patients with an ETsevo of > 1.81% were allocated to the high requirement group (group H; n = 78). The ETsevo of group L was significantly lower than the ETsevo of group H (1.29% ± 0.014% vs 1.82% ± 0.017%, P

Background: Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the world; therefore, more attention should be paid to the clinical features of COVID-19, with the aim of improving the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Methods: By 15 February 2020, 60 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 had been admitted to Nanjing Second Hospital. We analyzed the clinical features of different age segments infected with COVID-19 prospectively, including epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics; treatment, clinical outcomes, and prognosis of this cohort of patients. Results: The cohort comprised 29 male and 31 female patients (median age = 46.18 years old (range: 18–97). Fifty-five (91.7%) patients had a clear epidemiological contact history. The average incubation period was 7.92 days. The most common clinical manifestations were fever (85%) and cough (75%). Peripheral white blood cell counts were mostly normal at admission, 7 days, and 14 days, with no differences among patients of different ages. The lymphocyte counts of all patients were in the normal range on admission, and after 7 days and 14 days of treatment; however, the lymphocyte count in > 65-year-old patients was less than that in the < 40 and 40–65-year-old groups after 7 and 14 days of treatment (P < 0.05, respectively). At admission, the CD4 T lymphocyte count was within the normal range; however, the CD4 T lymphocyte count in >65-year-old group was less than that in the < 40 and 40–65-years-old groups after 14 days of treatment. The CD4 T lymphocyte counts were 723.46 ± 243.82/ml (< 40), 640.00 ± 242.30/ml (40–65), and 399.88 ± 256.16/ml (> 65) (P =0.0075). The > 65-years-old group had higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase (269.83 ± 73.36 vs. 208.52 ± 35.67 and 243.83 ± 76.66) after 14 days (P = 0.0496). Imaging revealed more lesions in the 40–65 and > 65-year-old groups (P < 0.0001). The days after the nucleic acid detection turned negative in the three age groups were: 9.19 ± 3.93 (< 40), 10.04 ± 4.10 (40–65), and 13.57 ± 2.76 (> 65) (P = 0.0373). After antiviral treatment, together with anti-infection regimen if the patient with lung infection and continuous oxygen inhalation if the patient is hypoxic, all patients achieved total recovery and were discharged with follow-up. Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia generally had an epidemiological history. Older patients showed more extensive lesions upon admission, more severe illness, slower recovery of immune function, the longer viral nucleic acid persistence.

Background Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), a cornerstone for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), remains a complex and time-consuming procedure. Present study introduces a novel, circular-irrigated, deca-channel mapping and ablation catheter (CIDMA), describes the in vitro test results on feasibility, safety, and acute efficacy of the CIDMA catheter. Methods An assembled CIDMA catheter was subjected to a number of in vitro tests. With this catheter, ablation procedures were first performed in a pig’s myocardial strips in vitro to determine the effects in unipolar or bipolar configuration. Results Three catheters were assembled. The adjustable circular diameter was changed from initial state of 32.41 ± 0.61 mm into controlled state of 28.61 ± 0.47 mm (P = 0.013). In the plastic model, the push-ability, torque-ability, and kink resistance of CIDMA catheter were shown to be satisfactory. In vitro, our findings showed that ablation could produce obvious ablation lesions, and unipolar ablation (at length, width and depth of 5.0 ± 1.3, 4.6 ± 0.7, and 4.2 ± 0.6 mm, respectively) was more effective than bipolar (at length, width and depth of 2.8 ± 0.2, 4.2 ± 0.5, and 2.3 ± 0.4 mm, respectively) (P

Purpose Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disorder of the tears and ocular surface accompanied by ocular discomfort, visual disturbance, tear film instability, and ocular surface inflammation. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate for the treatment of DED. Methods Experimental models of DED were generated in Sprague Dawley rats using a combination of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) with atropine sulfate and in New Zealand White rabbits using BAC. The animals were treated twice daily with eye drops of vehicle, imatinib (0.01%-0.3%), or a positive control (Restasis). The improvement in DED due to imatinib was assessed by staining with fluorescein, lissamine green, impression cytology, and histological analysis. In addition, immunofluorescence staining was performed at the end of the study to evaluate the inflammatory response in the ocular surface. Results Topical application of imatinib significantly reduced ocular surface damage compared with vehicle-treated animals. Imatinib restored the morphology and structure of the conjunctival epithelium and reduced the recruitment of immune cells in the corneal epithelium. Furthermore, imatinib significantly reduced the impression cytology score, thus demonstrating that imatinib prevents the loss of goblet cells in DED animal models. The therapeutic efficacy of imatinib was similar to or better than that of cyclosporine treatment. Conclusions In this study, we provide an animal in vivo proof of concept of the therapeutic potential of imatinib for the treatment of DED. Translational relevance With this study we show the possibility of developing imatinib as a new ophthalmic drop to treat DED.

Clutch engagement control is critical during launching process in a vehicle equipped with an automated manual transmission (AMT), which is a problem including muti-objective optimization and nonlinear control. In this paper, a optimal launching-intention-aware control strategy is proposed for clutch engagement. Firstly, a launching-intention-aware machine (LIAM) based on artificial neural network (ANN) is designed to identify the driver’s launching intentions. Then the optimal laws of clutch engagement for different launching conditions are obtained based on the dynamic programming (DP), which regard friction loss, vehicle shock, angular acceleration of engine and engine torque as the optimizing indexes. Next, a slidingmode controller (SMC) is designed for the clutch engagement. Finally, the performances of the optimal laws and the SMC are validated by the joint simulation of Simulink-AMESim, and the results show that the requirements of vehicle launching are met. The proposed clutch engagement control strategy would provide a better theoretical support for the practical-extended application of AMT.

This study validated the effectiveness and safety of the treatment for residual stones using flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) and holmium laser (0.6–1.2 J, 20–30 Hz) lithotripsy via a fiber with a 200-μm core diameter and 0.22 numerical aperture (NA) after the management of complex calculi with single-tract percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Between January 2014 and June 2016, 27 consecutive patients with complex calculi underwent fURS and holmium laser lithotripsy after a planned single-tract PCNL. Among the 27 patients with complex calculi, 9 had full staghorn calculi, 7 had partial staghorn calculi, and 11 had multiple calculi. After the first single-tract PCNL session, the mean stone size and mean stone surface area were 18.0 ± 10.7 mm and 181.9 ± 172.2 mm2, respectively. Treatment for residual stones with fURS and holmium laser lithotripsy was successfully completed and was performed without intraoperative complications. The mean operative time of the fURS procedure was 69.1 ± 23.6 min, and the mean hospital stay was 5.3 ± 2.4 days. The mean decrease in the hemoglobin level was 7.3 ± 6.5 g/l. After the fURS procedure, the overall stone-free rate was 88.9%. The overall postoperative complication rate was 14.8% (Clavien grade I 11.1%; Clavien grade II 3.7%). The current approach tested here combines the advantages of both PCNL and fURS and effectively manages complex calculi with a high stone-free rate (SFR) (88.9%). This approach also reduced the number of treatment sessions, the number of percutaneous access tracts, and the blood loss and potential morbidity associated with multiple tracts.

With the development of the Internet of Things (IOT), its application in the field of health care has become more and more widely. Based on the introduction of the IOT system architecture, key technology and existing problems and the three layer general framework, combined with the actual characteristics of the hospital, an IOT-based medical equipment management system architecture, and application of Internet technology, sensing technology, communication technology and software information technology, analyzes the related key technologies of building in, including intelligent gateway, middleware, information management platform etc. in order to achieve intensive, digital and informatized medical equipment management mode.

We present a case of a 77-year-old woman who sustained blunt ocular trauma leading to a scleral rupture, superonasal subconjunctival crystalline lens dislocation, iris loss, and hyphema. Computed tomography aided in the diagnosis of traumatic phacocele. Surgical exploration revealed an 11.0 mm anterior scleral rupture that was then repaired. Secondary implantation of the uniquely designed tripodal anterior chamber intraocular lens (AC IOL) was the choice because of the presence of extensive iris loss, scleral rupture, cornea edema, and hyphema at the primary setting. This case demonstrates successful restoration of globe integrity and a good visual outcome from an appropriate AC IOL selection and timing of IOL implantation.

Nonreciprocal devices are indispensable for providing highly desirable functionalities for optical circuitry. Here, we propose to take advantage of the interference between optomechanical interaction and mechanical driving to create optical nonreciprocal transmission in a double-cavity optomechanical system. We derived essential conditions for ideal optomechanically induced optical nonreciprocity and analysed properties of optical nonreciprocal transmission, especially in blue-detuned regime. These results can be used to control optical transmission in quantum information processing.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of strategic human resource (HR) competencies of HR professionals on the adoption of green human resource management (HRM) practices. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach using survey was employed to get insights from 87 HR professionals from Malaysian manufacturing and service companies. Findings The findings revealed that only strategic positioner and change champion are significantly related to green HRM practices. Specifically, strategic positioner associates positively with all green HRM practices including green analysis and description of job position, green recruitment, green selection, green training, green performance assessment, and green rewards. Additionally, change champion is positively related to green analysis and description of job position, and green rewards. Originality/value The extant literature suggests HR professionals’ competencies can play a key role in adopting green HRM. However, examining the relationship between strategic HR competencies and each of the green HRM practices has been limited. As such, this study is timely to address the existing gap in the literature and provide fresh insights and implications in this regard.

Techniques for controlling rural non-point source pollution (RNSP) represent cleaner production techniques that can provide an effective guarantee for regional sustainable development. The majority of studies on RNSP control technologies are mainly aimed at handling only a single pollution source. However, such studies are difficult to perform in rural areas, which have dense populations, complex terrains and extreme climates, such as the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), China. Therefore, this paper focuses on the application of the RNSP control technologies based on the following four aspects: crop planting, livestock production, domestic inputs and water-level-fluctuating (WLF) zone. Based on the unique topography, land features and planting patterns of the TGRA, a three-dimensional (3D) and multi-source integrated technology system for controlling RNSP was established according to the principle of source reduction, runoff regulation, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loss control. From the results of the long-term observations, the risk of RNSP has been significantly reduced in the study area. The nutrient capacity of the soil increased by 9–15%, while the chemical fertilizer application reduced by 30–50%. The loss of sediment, N and P were reduced by 60–80%, 30–70% and 50–90% in the sloping land at the backslope, respectively, by 30–60%, 70–90%, and 70–90% in the paddy field at the footslope, respectively, and by 75–90%, 30–50%, 65–95% in the WLF zone, respectively. The average removal rates of COD, NH3-N and TN in sewage in the residential area were higher than 82%, 87% and 63.3%, respectively. Overall, more than 90% of RNSP was reduced by using this 3D and multi-source technology system, and it can be widely promoted for controlling RNSP in similar ecological areas with support from local governments by implementing effective measures, such as strengthening environmental protection education and government subsidies.

This study examined the relationship between green intellectual capital and sustainable performance. While many studies have focused on sustainability, this study is one of the first that focuses exclusively on green intellectual capital. This research used survey data from 112 manufacturing firms in Malaysia. As anticipated, the results found that green intellectual capital positively influenced economic, environmental, and social performance. The findings of this study have various implications for green companies and organizations in general and green manufacturing firms in particular. The novelty of this study is unfolding the contribution of green intellectual capital as an intangible resource for organizations in achieving sustainable performance and a competitive advantage for future researchers. Manufacturing industries of developing or developed countries can enhance their cleaner production capabilities by incorporating this model as a strategy.

The continuous miniaturization and integration of pixelated devices have become a main trend in the field of display. Micro light-emitting diode (micro-LED) display is composed of an array of LEDs that are sub-50-micrometers in length. It has huge advantages in brightness, resolution, contrast, power consumption, lifetime, response speed and reliability compared with liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic LED (OLED) display. Consequently, micro-LED display is regarded as the next-generation display technology with high potential applications, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mobile phones, tablet computers, high-definition TVs and wearable devices. Currently, the combination of commercial 5G communication technology with VR/AR display, ultra high definition video technologies will further prompt the development of micro-LED display industry. However, some basic scientific and technological problems in micro-LED display remain to be resolved. As the chip size shrinks to below 50 μm, some problems that are not serious for large-sized LEDs appear for micro-LEDs. These problems include crystalline defects, wavelength uniformity, full-color emmision, massively tranferring and testing, etc. In the past two decades, various solutions to those problems have been proposed, which have greatly promoted the progress of micro-LED display. In this paper, an overview of micro-LED display since 2000 is given firstly, which includes the main research results and application achievements. Secondly the issues involved in the wafer epitaxy and chip process of micro-LEDs and possible solutions are discussed based on the display application in detail. The surface state induced by the dangling bonds and dry etching damages are concerned for the nonradiative recombination at a low injection level. The remedies are provided for those surface states, such as atomic-layer deposition and neutral beam etching. Some methods to reduce the threading dislocation and suppress the polarization field are summarized for micro-LED epitaxial growth. Moreover, the GaN-based LEDs on Si (100) substrate are also introduced for the future integration of micro-LEDs into the Si-based integrated circuits. As to the wavelength uniformity, the MOCVD equipment and growth technology including the laser treatment are discussed. In the chip processing part, the full-color display, mass transfer and effective inspection technology are discussed. Assembling RGB individual LEDs, quantum dot phosphor material and nanocoloumn LEDs are different routes for full-color display. Their trends in the future are provided. The pick and place, laser lift-off technologies, are strengthened in the massively transferring for micro-LEDs. In the massively and rapidly inspection technologies, the photoluminscence combined with Raman scattering, the electroluminescence combined with digital camera are discussed. Finally, the summary and outlook in these issues are also provided.

A network performance evaluation algorithm is presented based on deep learning framework RNN on this paper. The algorithm collects 8 index parameters in the private LAN and realizes the automatic evaluation of the three levels of the private LAN: excellent, good, and unqualified. The results of the example verification and analysis show that the algorithm proposed in this paper evaluates the performance of the private area network using K-fold cross-validation. The correctness of the algorithm is over 90%. The robustness and high efficiency of the algorithm, the computing time of milliseconds, can be effectively applied to the real-time performance evaluation of the local area network.

Danjiangkou reservoir water source area is the source of the water source area of south-to-north water diversion. In order to confirm the specific conditions of the local geological environment, geological environment surveys occupy a very important position. During the survey, a large amount of geological environment data was generated. These data are extremely scattered and cannot be used in a comprehensive manner. For more efficiently using the geological environment survey data and realizing the function of polyphyletic, heterogeneous data management and real-time dynamic update, the paper explained how to use the SQL Server database, rely on the MapGIS geographic information system platform, and carry out secondary development based on the double services of the MapGIS IGServer, and establish a Geological Environment Survey Big Data Integration System based on WebGIS. The polyphyletic, heterogeneous spatial data and attribute data are uniformly processed, stored, searched, managed and analyzed. Data support will be provided for in-depth geological research, analysis and land planning for the Danjiangkou Reservoir water source area on this system platform.

This study was intended to investigate improving methods of the residential environment of public rental housing by focusing on the social mix as a planning method of the public rental housing in response for diversified lifestyle of residents due to low birthrate and aging phenomenon. This study selected public rental housing, Hirara Complex, in Okinawa that applied architectural planning of physical mixture of various scale unit housings to induce social mix in coexistence of various age and coexistence of various family type aspects. First, as a result of classifying and analyzing the architectural planning method into housing, block, and complex level, it was identified that diversity and proper community formation of early tenants are acquiring great importance. Also, it was verified that residents are being well-balanced in the early part of moving in according to the original plan through analysis on the time-based residential condition. On the other hand, in 2013 after 11 years since the reconstruction, unbalanced situation of the balance of residents becoming standardized without durability occurred that the durability of social mix cannot be secured only through architectural planning methods of physical mixture of various housing scales. Therefore, this study suggested provision methods as recognizing diversity of residence selection of residents, planning methods based on the response to area with flexibility, and supporting circulation between residents.

Yond bap is a traditional fermented milk product from the Yunnan province in China. Yond baps are mostly produced with goat’s milk and occasionally with cow’s milk. As a traditional dairy product produced by fermentation, yond bap contains an abundant microflora. The microbes that play a role in the fermentation of goat milk form a specific community structure. In this work, 11 types of yond bap were characterized from four different regions in the Yunnan province. We employed bar-coded pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA to analyze the bacterial community structure in the yond baps. The results indicated that the bacterial community structures of the 11 yond baps were different. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were detected in all the samples. Pseudomonas, a proteobacterium, was the predominant bacterial genus. Pseudomonas sequences were detected often and in most of the samples. Next, Streptococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Lactococcus belonging to Streptococcaceae family played important roles in the fermentation of yond baps as the numbers of sequences belonging to these species were higher. The results demonstrate the presence of different bacterial community structures of yond baps from different regions in the Yunnan Province of China. This study provides information about the diversity of the microbial community of fermented food and a reliable theoretical foundation for improving the quality and flavor of yond baps.

Based on the principle of the attenuation of an acoustic wave propagating in a gas-liquid two-phase flow, an experiment has been designed to measure the void fraction. The experiment system is consisted of three segments which arepressure stabilizing control system, ultrasonic measurement system and bubble injection system. The measurement process is three steps. First, a reference experiment is performed to acquire the received signal amplitude in pure liquid. Then, measurement of the received signal amplitude in different void fraction is accomplished. Last, the relationship between void fraction and signal amplitude attenuation is given on which the void fraction of two-phase flow can be detected. It is confirmed that void fraction detection using the present method achieves successfully.

Crystallizer steel belt feeding technology make use of melt’s fusion decalescence, controlling the distribution of melt temperature field, restrain the columnar crystal’s growing to eliminate the composition segregation and internal loose of continuous casting. And it will improve the continuous casting’s quality. By discussing the effect of casting speed, the size of steel, casting section and other factors on the steel belt feeding speed, making comparison of different casting section get strip suitable feeding speed and range of strip size, combining with a steel for steel strip feeding test mold, its theoretical and practical production results the basic agreement

Aimed at resources shortage and extensive management of transmission line operation and maintenance, this paper proposes a differentiated operation and maintenance (DOM) method. This approach divides DOM strategy into basis strategy and criteria problem based strategy. An multi-objective DOM scheduling optimized model is presented, which contains three objective function including economy, safety and reliability. Based on the current electric power enterprise management requirements, personal safety factor is incorporated into safety objective function. Multi-objective Artificial Physics Optimization algorithm (MOAPO) based on feasible rules of law is used to solve the problem with an excellent diversity and high efficiency. The model is used to optimize yearly differentiated operation and maintenance scheduling in a certain area’s transmission system, the result verifies the feasibility of the model and method.

Electroacupuncture at the head acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Shuigou (GV26) improves recovery of neurological function following ischemic cerebrovascular events, but its mechanism remains incompletely understood. We hypothesized that the action of electroacupuncture at these acupoints is associated with elevated serum levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1). To test this, we established a rat model of cerebral ischemia by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Electroacupuncture was performed at Baihui and Shuigou with a "disperse-dense" wave at an alternating frequency of 2 and 150 Hz, and at a constant intensity of 3 mA. Each electroacupuncture session lasted 30 minutes and was performed every 12 hours for 3 days. Neurological severity scores were lower in injured rats after acupuncture than in those not subjected to treatment. Furthermore, serum level of TGF-β1 was greater after electroacupuncture than after no treatment. Our results indicate that electroacupuncture at Baihui and Shuigou increases the serum level of TGF-β1 in rats with acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, and exerts neuroprotective effects.

The requirement of real-time processing indeed poses challenges on implementing spectrum sensing algorithms, especially for time-varying spectrum environments. The time-varying feature of the spectrum for wireless communication countermeasure system is analyzed. And the mathematical model of the time-varying spectrum is proposed. With the help of adaptive filtering theory, the performance criteria of optimal spectrum sensing algorithm is proposed, in which the total error was composed by sensing error and lag error. The objective of the real-time spectrum sensing algorithm is to minimize the summation of sensing error and lag error. Finally, the proposed performance criterion was used to guide the channel estimation of intelligent frequency hopping communication system.

This paper mainly aims at the aerial image obtained by UAV, and proposes a new solar panel recognition method based on machine vision. In this paper, OpenCV and VS2013 are used to build the experimental platform. Firstly, the image is preprocessed, then the image is segmented in HSV color space, and then the morphological operation is carried out. Finally, according to the prior knowledge, the system can display the number of solar panels and the coordinates of each solar panel in the image in real time. It has a higher efficiency and success rate. The experimental results show that the algorithm is effective, and the model based on the algorithm design can realize real time and accuracy.

Based on the survey data of Jiangmen marine economy, this paper analyzes the current development of marine transportation industry in Jiangmen city, and summarizes the operation characteristics of the marine transportation industry, then points out the problems existing in the development, finally puts forward some suggestions on the development of marine transportation industry in Jiangmen.

A non-magnetic MEG compatible device has been developed that provides continuous force and velocity information. Combined with MEG, this device may find utility in characterizing brain regions associated with force and velocity relative to individual digits or movement pattern. 15 healthy right-handed participants were given visual cues to perform random finger movements on the prototype finger sensor for 21 s and then rest for 21 s (7 times). Respective finger flexion data were obtained, during 151-channel MEG brain scanning, by feeding the signal from finger sensor into four input Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) channels in the MEG hardware. The source activity was reconstructed in beta band using a Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance (LCMV) beamformer in the beta band. The ADC channels were used as regressors for a continuous time General Linear Model (GLM) and a Region of Interest (ROI) was identified to examine activity. MEG analysis showed bilateral activation in the primary motor cortex region. Because individual digits could be isolated in the ADC data, somatotopy of the fingers were observed consistent with the homunculus except pinky finger. The total span was calculated to be 5.5662 mm. The study confirms that the finger sensor is magnetically compatible with MEG measurements and may potentially provide a means to study complex sensorimotor functions. Improved isolation of individual digit information along with the use of machine learning algorithms can help retrieve more accurate results.

The nonlinear backstepping adaptive controller is designed for the large angle fast attitude maneuver of spacecraft with uncertainties in the moment of inertia. Deviation between the actual position and command position is depicted by error quaternion. The nonlinear backstepping tracking function is employed to design the adaptive controller both of command torque and estimation of unknown moment inertia. And the stability is analyzed based on Lyapunovo function. By Matlab/Simulink programming, the simulation of spacecraft attitude manoeuver control is discussed, and its results demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed controller.

Aiming to the layout structure design and performance prediction for globoidal cam machine, a dynamic performance prediction method for machine layout structure is proposed in this paper. With the method, the motion transmission and layout structure are determined based on the mapping rules between function and structure. The prediction model for dynamic performance is established based on BP neural network, which is used to optimize the dynamic performance of layout structure for globoibal cam machine.

Deformation error caused by cutting heart and external force is one of the key factors influencing machining precision in machining process. Aiming to identify the machine deformation which has the most important influence on machining precision, an identification method for sensitive error and deformation based on multi-body system theory has been proposed, which lay the basis of stiffness distribution of a machine tool and structure optimization of parts. At the end of this paper, the effective of this method is verified by using the machine tool for globoidal cam.

An improved ANN controller is presented inspired from hormone modulation function. This ANN controller consists of the main ANN controller and the conventional controller. To increase the learning efficiency, the slop of the excitation function is changed by the correcting parameters according to the hormone modulation law. To improve the control accuracy, we chose the accumulation of control error during the regulating process. And to avoid the integrated saturation, we judge the input of BP based on the absolute value of error. The main ANN controller adjusts the control input of the secondary conventional controller. To testify the effectiveness of the improved ANN controller, we apply it on the experiment device of offshore oil platform. The results show that the improved ANN controller has better control performance than the conventional controller and the normal ANN controller.

Labyrinth seals are widely used in rotating fluid machinery, due to its simplicity, low-cost and reliability. In this paper, the effect of cavities on leakage loss in straight-through labyrinth seals are studied by changing gas condensability. The fluid flow characteristics through straight-through labyrinth seals are obtained by using viscous flow analysis along with a RNG k-ε turbulence model. The numerical calculation and various gas pressure is that leakage of compressible gas is greater than that of incompressible gas. The result is investigated by the heating effect of labyrinth seal and density characteristics of compressible gas.

A kind of umbrella gasless laparoscopic device with variable cross-section spokes is designed for the common problems of gasless laparoscopic devices. Under working conditions, the device can better simulate the abdominal shape of gas laparoscopic surgery, provide good surgical views, improve the stress conditions of the spokes and the abdominal wall and avoid the secondary injure to patients.The spoke, the key part of the device, is simulated by applying the analysis software ANSYS to obtain the ideal design size of its variable cross-section. Furthermore, physical prototype tests are done on the device, whose results show that the device can be opened as spherical and meet the design requirements.