bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for detection of Getah virus
Authors: Sam Sing-Sin , Teoh Boon-Teong , Chee Cheah-Mun , Mohamed-Romai-Noor Noor-Adila , Abd-Jamil Juraina , Loong Shih-Keng , Khor Chee-Sieng , Tan Kim-Kee , AbuBakar Sazaly
Published: November 2018

Getah virus (GETV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus, is an emerging animal pathogen causing outbreaks among racehorses and pigs. Early detection of the GETV infection is essential for timely implementation of disease prevention and control interventions. Thus, a rapid and accurate nucleic acid detection method for GETV is highly needed. Here, two TaqMan minor groove binding (MGB) probe-based quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays were developed. The qRT-PCR primers and TaqMan MGB probe were designed based on the conserved region of nsP1 and nsP2 genes of 23 GETV genome sequences retrieved from GenBank. Only the qRT-PCR assay using nsP2-specific primers and probe detected all two Malaysia GETV strains (MM2021 and B254) without cross-reacting with other closely related arboviruses. The qRT-PCR assay detected as few as 10 copies of GETV RNA, but its detection limit at the 95% probability level was 63.25 GETV genome copies (probit analysis, P ≤ 0.05). Further validation of the qRT-PCR assay using 16 spiked simulated clinical specimens showed 100% for both sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, the qRT-PCR assay developed in this study is useful for rapid, sensitive and specific detection and quantification of GETV.
Quantum Annealing for Prime Factorization
Authors: Jiang Shuxian , Britt Keith A. , McCaskey Alexander J. , Humble Travis S. , Kais Sabre
Published: November 2018

We have developed a framework to convert an arbitrary integer factorization problem to an executable Ising model by first writing it as an optimization function then transforming the k-bit coupling (k ≥ 3) terms to quadratic terms using ancillary variables. Our resource-efficient method uses $${\mathscr{O}}({\mathrm{log}}^{2}(N))$$
O
(

log

2

(
N
)
)
binary variables (qubits) for finding the factors of an integer N. We present how to factorize 15, 143, 59989, and 376289 using 4, 12, 59, and 94 logical qubits, respectively. This method was tested using the D-Wave 2000Q for finding an embedding and determining the prime factors for a given composite number. The method is general and could be used to factor larger integers as the number of available qubits increases, or combined with other ad hoc methods to achieve better performances for specific numbers.
Enhancement of photoluminescence efficiency in GeSe ultrathin slab by thermal treatment and annealing: experiment and first-principles molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Mao Yuliang , Mao Xin , Zhao Hongquan , Zhang Nandi , Shi Xuan , Yuan Jianmei
Published: November 2018

The effect of thermal treatment and annealing under different temperatures from 100 °C to 250 °C on the photoluminescence spectroscopy of the GeSe ultrathin slab is reported. After the thermal treatment and annealing under 200 °C, we found that the photoluminescence intensity of A exciton and B exciton in GeSe ultrathin slab is increased to twice as much as that in untreated case, while is increased by ~84% in the photoluminescence intensity of C exciton. Combined by our experimental work and theoretical simulations, our study confirms the significant role of thermal treatments and annealing in reducing surface roughness and removing the Se vacancy to form more compact and smoother regions in GeSe ultrathin slab. Our findings imply that the improved quality of GeSe surface after thermal treatments is an important factor for the photoluminescence enhancement.
Simple multi-wavelength imaging of birefringence:case study of silk
Authors: Honda Reo , Ryu Meguya , Li Jing-Liang , Mizeikis Vygantas , Juodkazis Saulius , Morikawa Junko
Published: November 2018

Polarised light imaging microscopy, with the addition of a liquid crystal (LC) phase retarder, was used to determine the birefringence of silk fibres with high (∼1 μm) spatial resolution. The measurement was carried out with the silk fibres (the optical slow axis) and the slow axis of the LC-retarder set at parallel angles. The direct fit of the transmission data allowed for high fidelity determination of the birefringence Δn ≈ 1.63 × 10−2 (with ∼2% uncertainty) of the brown silk fibre, (Antheraea pernyi) averaged over the wavelength range λ = (425–625) nm. By measuring retardance at four separate wavelengths, it was possible to determine the true value of the birefringence of a thicker sample when an optical path may include a large number of wavelengths. The numerical procedures and required hardware are described for the do-it-yourself assembly of the imaging polariscope at a fractional budget compared to commercial units.
Cryopreservation of primary B cells minimally influences their signaling responses
Authors: Hermansen Johanne U. , Tjønnfjord Geir E. , Munthe Ludvig A. , Taskén Kjetil , Skånland Sigrid S.
Published: November 2018

Phospho flow is a powerful approach to detect cell signaling aberrations, identify biomarkers and assess pharmacodynamics, and can be performed using cryopreserved samples. The effects of cryopreservation on signaling responses and the reproducibility of phospho flow measurements are however unknown in many cell systems. Here, B lymphocytes were isolated from healthy donors and patients with the B cell malignancy chronic lymphocytic leukemia and analyzed by phospho flow using phospho-specific antibodies targeting 20 different protein epitopes. Cells were analyzed both at basal conditions and after activation of cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40) or the B cell receptor. Pharmacodynamics of the novel pathway inhibitor ibrutinib was also assessed. At all conditions, fresh cells were compared to cryopreserved cells. Minimal variation between fresh and frozen samples was detected. Reproducibility was tested by running samples from the same donors in different experiments. The results demonstrate reproducibility across different phospho flow runs and support the use of cryopreserved samples in future phospho flow studies of B lymphocytes.
Extracellular Protein Fibulin-7 and Its C-Terminal Fragment Have In Vivo Antiangiogenic Activity
Authors: Ikeuchi Tomoko , de Vega Susana , Forcinito Patricia , Doyle Andrew D. , Amaral Juan , Rodriguez Ignacio R. , Arikawa-Hirasawa Eri , Yamada Yoshihiko
Published: November 2018

Angiogenesis is crucial for tissue development and homeostasis; however, excessive angiogenesis can lead to diseases, including arthritis and cancer metastasis. Some antiangiogenic drugs are available, but side effects remain problematic. Thus, alternative angiogenesis inhibition strategies are needed. Fibulin-7 (Fbln7) is a newly discovered member of the fibulin protein family, a group of cell-secreted glycoproteins, that functions as a cell adhesion molecule and interacts with other extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins as well as cell receptors. We previously showed that a recombinant C-terminal Fbln7 fragment (Fbln7-C) inhibits tube formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. In the present study, we examined the in vivo antiangiogenic activity of recombinant full-length Fbln7 (Fbln7-FL) and Fbln7-C proteins using a rat corneal angiogenesis model. We found that both Fbln7-FL and Fbln7-C inhibited neovascularization. Fbln7-C bound to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), inhibiting VEGFR2 and ERK phosphorylation and resulting in reduced HUVEC motility. HUVEC attachment to Fbln7-C occurred through an interaction with integrin α5β1 and regulated changes in cellular morphology. These results suggest that Fbln7-C action may target neovascularization by altering cell/ECM associations. Therefore, Fbln7-C could have potential as a therapeutic agent for diseases associated with angiogenesis.
Publisher Correction: Near-absolute polarization insensitivity in graphene based ultra-narrowband perfect visible light absorber
Authors: Yildirim Deniz Umut , Ghobadi Amir , Ozbay Ekmel
Published: November 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Sox2 is associated with cancer stem-like properties in colorectal cancer
Authors: Takeda Koki , Mizushima Tsunekazu , Yokoyama Yuhki , Hirose Haruka , Wu Xin , Qian Yamin , Ikehata Katsuya , Miyoshi Norikatsu , Takahashi Hidekazu , Haraguchi Naotsugu , Hata Taishi , Matsuda Chu , Doki Yuichiro , Mori Masaki , Yamamoto Hirofumi
Published: November 2018

Sox2 is known as the undifferentiated cell marker. Recent studies have shown that Sox2 may also be involved in the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in skin and bladder cancers. In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of Sox2 in colorectal CSCs. Sox2 expression was measured in colon cancer cells and colorectal clinical samples by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. To visualize the active Sox2 mRNA production, we generated a Sox2 promoter-dependent DsRed fluorescence emission system. Colon cancer cell lines and colorectal tumor tissues generally expressed the Sox2 protein. Knockdown of Sox2 by siRNA led to increased proliferative activity in Caco2 cells. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the group with high Sox2 mRNA expression had a worse prognosis for relapse-free survival (RFS) than the low expression group (P = 0.045, median follow-up 60.0 months). Time-lapse image analysis revealed that most DsRed+ cells exhibited typical asymmetric cell division and had higher CSC marker expressions. The DsRed+ cells exhibited chemoresistance and they grew slower in vitro, yet they established rather larger tumors in vivo. Our data suggest that Sox2 may be a potential biomarker for colorectal CSCs.
A neutron tomography study: probing the spontaneous crystallization of randomly packed granular assemblies
Authors: Dhiman Indu , Kimber Simon A. J. , Mehta Anita , Chatterji Tapan
Published: November 2018

We study the spontaneous crystallization of an assembly of highly monodisperse steel spheres under shaking, as it evolves from localized icosahedral ordering towards a packing reaching crystalline ordering. Towards this end, real space neutron tomography measurements on the granular assembly are carried out, as it is systematically subjected to a variation of frequency and amplitude. As expected, we see a presence of localized icosahedral ordering in the disordered initial state (packing fraction ≈ 0.62). As the frequency is increased for both the shaking amplitudes (0.2 and 0.6 mm) studied here, there is a rise in packing fraction, accompanied by an evolution to crystallinity. The extent of crystallinity is found to depend on both the amplitude and frequency of shaking. We find that the icosahedral ordering remains localized and its extent does not grow significantly, while the crystalline ordering grows rapidly as an ordering transition point is approached. In the ordered state, crystalline clusters of both face centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal close packed (HCP) types are identified, the latter of which grows from stacking faults. Our study shows that an earlier domination of FCC gives way to HCP ordering at higher shaking frequencies, suggesting that despite their coexistence, there is a subtle dynamical competition at play. This competition depends on both shaking amplitude and frequency, as our results as well as those of earlier theoretical simulations demonstrate. It is likely that this involves the very small free energy difference between the two structures.
Structural and chemical biology of deacetylases for carbohydrates, proteins, small molecules and histones
Authors: Bürger Marco , Chory Joanne
Published: November 2018

Deacetylation is the removal of an acetyl group and occurs on a plethora of targets and for a wide range of biological reasons. Several pathogens deacetylate their surface carbohydrates to evade immune response or to support biofilm formation. Furthermore, dynamic acetylation/deacetylation cycles govern processes from chromatin remodeling to posttranslational modifications that compete with phosphorylation. Acetylation usually occurs on nitrogen and oxygen atoms and are referred to as N- and O-acetylation, respectively. This review discusses the structural prerequisites that enzymes must have to catalyze the deacetylation reaction, and how they adapted by formation of specific substrate and metal binding sites.
Parallel and functionally segregated processing of task phase and conscious content in the prefrontal cortex
Authors: Kapoor Vishal , Besserve Michel , Logothetis Nikos K. , Panagiotaropoulos Theofanis I.
Published: November 2018

The role of lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) in mediating conscious perception has been recently questioned due to potential confounds resulting from the parallel operation of task related processes. We have previously demonstrated encoding of contents of visual consciousness in LPFC neurons during a no-report task involving perceptual suppression. Here, we report a separate LPFC population that exhibits task-phase related activity during the same task. The activity profile of these neurons could be captured as canonical response patterns (CRPs), with their peak amplitudes sequentially distributed across different task phases. Perceptually suppressed visual input had a negligible impact on sequential firing and functional connectivity structure. Importantly, task-phase related neurons were functionally segregated from the neuronal population, which encoded conscious perception. These results suggest that neurons exhibiting task-phase related activity operate in the LPFC concurrently with, but segregated from neurons representing conscious content during a no-report task involving perceptual suppression.
Phosphor and nitrogen co-doped rutile TiO2 covered on TiN for oxygen reduction reaction in acidic media
Authors: Chisaka Mitsuharu , Morioka Hiroyuki
Published: November 2018

Phosphor and nitrogen atoms were co-doped into rutile TiO2 phase on TiN to produce new active sites for oxygen reduction reaction.
Electro-reduction of hematite using water as the redox mediator
Authors: Xie Kaiyu , Kamali Ali Reza
Published: November 2018

Molten salt electrolytic reduction of Fe2O3 in the presence of water is proposed as a sustainable and cost-effective approach for large-scale production of iron.
Copper-catalyzed three-component synthesis of pyrimidines from amidines and alcohols
Authors: Shi Tianchao , Qin Feng , Li Qian , Zhang Wu
Published: November 2018

An efficient copper catalyzed three-component reaction of amidines, primary alcohols and secondary alcohols for the synthesis of pyrimidines has been developed.
CuS–Ni3S2 grown in situ from three-dimensional porous bimetallic foam for efficient oxygen evolution
Authors: Zhang Nan , Gao Ying , Mei Yahui , Liu Jian , Song Weiyu , Yu Ying
Published: November 2018

CuS–Ni3S2/CuNi/NF with unique porous three-dimensional morphology has achieved excellent OER performance, proving the contribution of the CuS component.
The design of a novel and resistant Zn(PZDC)(ATZ) MOF catalyst for the chemical fixation of CO2 under solvent-free conditions
Authors: Li Yixing , Zhang Xiao , Xu Ping , Jiang Zimin , Sun Jianmin
Published: November 2018

Novel Zn(PZDC)(ATZ) with Lewis acid–base sites exhibited strong resistance to acids/alkalis and moisture and possessed high catalytic activity for CO2 transformation.
Preparation and mechanism analysis of high performance ceramic membrane by spray coating
Authors: Chen Likan , Guan Kang , Zhu Weiya , Peng Cheng , Wu Jianqing
Published: November 2018

We have fabricated a high performance ceramic membrane. We find and explain the effect of reducing particle penetration by spray coating.
Designed formation of Co3O4@NiCo2O4 sheets-in-cage nanostructure as high-performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Chu Xuefeng , Wang Chao , Zhou Lu , Yan Xingzhen , Chi Yaodan , Yang Xiaotian
Published: November 2018

Unique Co3O4@NiCo2O4 sheets-in-cage hybrid nanoparticles are successfully fabricated through a template-assisted method. When evaluated as an anode material, they exhibit highly enhanced electro-chemical properties for lithium storage.
Enhanced performance of chemical looping combustion of methane with Fe2O3/Al2O3/TiO2oxygen carrier
Authors: Wu Hsuan-Chih , Ku Young
Published: November 2018

The effect of Fe2O3/CH4molar ratio on fuel and oxygen carrier conversion for methane combustion in the moving bed.
Mn substituted MnxZn1−xCo2O4 oxides synthesized by co-precipitation; effect of doping on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties
Authors: Dolla Tarekegn Heliso , Billing David G. , Sheppard Charles , Prinsloo Aletta , Carleschi Emanuela , Doyle Bryan P. , Pruessner Karin , Ndungu Patrick
Published: November 2018

Mn substituted MnxZn1−xCo2O4 (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1) oxides were synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method followed by calcination at 600 °C.
A novel porous carbon material derived from the byproducts of bean curd stick manufacture for high-performance supercapacitor use
Authors: Shi Lulu , Jin Lihua , Meng Zheng , Sun Yanan , Li Cong , Shen Yehua
Published: November 2018

Preparation of heteroatom-functionalized porous carbon derived from byproducts of bean curd stick manufacture as an electrode material for high performance supercapacitors.
Ruthenium oxide modified hierarchically porous boron-doped graphene aerogels as oxygen electrodes for lithium–oxygen batteries
Authors: Zhang Xiuhui , Chen Xiang , Chen Chunguang , Liu Tie , Liu Mengmeng , Zhang Congcong , Huang Tao , Yu Aishui
Published: November 2018

Hierarchically porous RuO2-B-HRG is a great bifunctional catalyst and effectively improve the performance of non-aqueous Li–O2 batteries.
Efficient conversion of glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using a bifunctional Fe3+ modified Amberlyst-15 catalyst
Authors: Xu Siquan , Yin Chunyu , Pan Donghui , Hu Feng , Wu Yuanfeng , Miao Yanan , Gao Lijing , Xiao Guomin
Published: November 2018

In this study, a series of Fe3+ modified Amberlyst-15 resins (Fe/AR) were prepared and used as environmentally friendly bifunctional catalysts for the conversion of glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF).
Effects of particle stiffness on the extensional rheology of model rod-like nanoparticle suspensions
Authors: Lang Christian , Hendricks Jan , Zhang Zhenkun , Reddy Naveen K. , Rothstein Jonathan P. , Lettinga M. Paul , Vermant Jan , Clasen Christian
Published: November 2018

The linear and nonlinear rheological behavior of two rod-like particle suspensions as a function of concentration is studied using small amplitude oscillatory shear, steady shear and capillary breakup extensional rheometry.
An ionic compensation strategy for high-performance mesoporous perovskite solar cells: healing defects with tri-iodide ions in a solvent vapor annealing process
Authors: Liu Tie , Su Pengyu , Liu Li , Wang Jun , Feng Shuang , Zhang Jiejing , Xu Ri , Yang Haibin , Fu Wuyou
Published: November 2018

The surface morphology and J–V curves of CH3NH3PbI3 films with and without IPA/[I3−] treatment.
High-performance ternary π-conjugated copolymers containing diarylethylene units: synthesis, properties, and study of substituent effects on molecular aggregation and charge transport characteristics
Authors: Wei Congyuan , Zhang Weifeng , Zhou Yankai , Huang Jianyao , Li Dizao , Wang Qiang , Yu Gui
Published: November 2018

High-performance ternary π-conjugated copolymers containing diarylethylene units were designed and synthesized.
Interface disorder in large single- and multi-shell upconverting nanocrystals
Authors: Hudry Damien , Popescu Radian , Busko Dmitry , Diaz-Lopez Maria , Abeykoon Milinda , Bordet Pierre , Gerthsen Dagmar , Howard Ian A. , Richards Bryce S.
Published: November 2018

Single- and multi-shell upconverting nanocrystals, with their increasing numbers of applications, are characterized by core–shell and shell–shell interfaces, which are not yet fully understood. In this contribution, the magnitude of interface disorder in large single- and multi-shell nanocrystals is investigated.
Wie fühlt sich Digitalisierung an? Erstaunlich
unspektakulär spektakulär!
Authors: Flückiger Christoph , Wiegand-Grefe Silke
Published: November 2018

Wann haben Sie zum ersten Mal von der Chaostheorie gehört? Erinnern Sie sich an die
Dramatik von damals, wie ein Schmetterlings-Flügelschlag in Europa einen Tropensturm
auslösen könne? Erinnern Sie sich auch an die farbigen Mandelbrot´schen
Apfelmännchen? Ein digitaler LSD-Trip auf dem ersten Apple Macintosh! Und heute:
Erinnern Sie die informativen, schön aufbereiteten, intuitiv verstehbaren und
präzisen Wettervorhersagen an die damalige Dramaturgie des Flügelschlags? Werden Sie
heute stets an das Apfelmännchen erinnert, wenn Sie Ihr Apple iPhone zur Hand
nehmen? Wohl kaum!
A giant trichobezoar extracted by laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS)
Authors: Kurosu Takahiro , Tanabe Satoshi , Hasegawa Rikiya , Yano Takafumi , Wada Takuya , Ishido Kenji , Azuma Mizutomo , Katada Chikatoshi , Koizumi Wasaburo , Moriya Hiromitsu , Yamashita Keishi
Published: November 2018

A gastric bezoar is a mass that forms in the stomach. A giant gastric bezoar is particularly difficult to treat medically, and surgical therapy is selected. We describe our experience with a patient who had a giant gastric trichobezoar that was extracted by laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) in accordance with the principles of LECS. The patient was a 32-year-old woman who presented at our hospital because of abdominal pain. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy confirmed the presence of a giant gastric trichobezoar extending from the gastric cardia to the gastric angle. Because endoscopic removal was considered difficult, we extracted the giant gastric trichobezoar by LECS. The concurrent use of endoscopy was considered to allow a gastric bezoar to be extracted more safely and reliably than was previously possible.
Usefulness of the “newly designed” short-type single-balloon enteroscope for ERCP in patients with Roux-en-Y gastrectomy: a pilot study
Authors: Tanisaka Yuki , Ryozawa Shomei , Mizuide Masafumi , Kobayashi Masanori , Fujita Akashi , Minami Kazuhiro , Kobatake Tsutomu , Omiya Kumiko , Iwano Hirotoshi , Araki Ryuichiro
Published: November 2018

Background and aims In recent years, the short single-balloon enteroscope (SBE) has been used during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for patients with surgically altered anatomy and has been reported to be useful. However, difficulties remain, and the procedures and devices need improvements. We assessed the usefulness and superiority of a new short SBE equipped with passive bending and high-force transmission by comparisons with outcomes using the conventional short SBE.

Methods This study evaluated short SBE-assisted ERCP-related procedures for Roux-en-Y gastrectomy between September 2011 and October 2017. Outcomes including the procedural success rate, which was the primary outcome, were assessed to compare the conventional short SBE (SIF-Y0004 [prototype]) and the new short SBE (SIF-H290S).

Results Of 74 procedures performed in 61 patients, 51 procedures in 39 patients involved the SIF-Y0004, and 23 procedures in 22 patients involved the SIF-H290S. The procedural success rates were 70.6 % for SIF-Y0004, and 95.7 % for SIF-H290S, representing better results for the new short SBE (P = 0.02). The new short SBE also had a superior diagnostic success rate (P = 0.047) and median time to reach the blind end (P < 0.001).

Conclusions Roux-en-Y gastrectomy patients treated with the new short SBE had better outcomes than those treated with conventional short SBE. More cases need to be studied; however, the new short SBE has the potential to improve ERCP outcomes in patients with surgically altered anatomy.
Metabolic Syndrome is a Risk Factor for Post-Operative Adhesions: Need for Novel Treatment Strategies
Authors: Pilpel Yair , Pines Guy , Birkenfeld Andreas , Bornstein Stefan , Miller Rafael
Published: November 2018

Metabolic syndrome is a group of disorders which include obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemias, and hypertension. This condition is rapidly increasing in an aging population. The rates of surgery in older patients is also growing and a wide range of operations including minimally invasive procedures is now available for this segment of the population. The number of patients suffering from postoperative adhesions is therefore correspondingly increasing. In addition to preventing and treating the metabolic disease itself, improved therapeutic strategies for the prevention of surgical adhesions have to be developed. Here we review the existing and novel treatment options.
Carina Bifurcation Angle and Side Branch Occlusion in Coronary Bifurcation Lesions Intervention: Angiographic Lesions Characteristic Role in Determining Its Relation
Authors: Palinggi Bogie Putra , Firman Doni
Published: November 2018

Side branch occlusion has been implicated as a complication after percutaneous coronary intervention in coronary bifurcation lesions. The role of carina bifurcation angle as one of the characteristics of the coronary bifurcation lesions in causing side branch occlusion after percutaneous coronary intervention is still debated. This study aims to assess the correlation between carina bifurcation angles as one of the characteristics of the coronary bifurcation lesions and side branch occlusion in elective percutaneous coronary intervention. This is a cross-sectional study which utilizes CAAS 5.1 software to measure carina bifurcation angle. We collected 113 lesions in 108 patients that met the inclusion criteria from January 2016 to October 2016. Side branch occlusion occurred in 15 lesions (13.3%), with median carina bifurcation angle 19.17 degrees (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed there is a correlation between carina bifurcation angle with side branch occlusion, OR (odds ratio) 0.86 (95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.80–0.92) with ≤ 33.71 degrees cut off value. Increased risk of side branch occlusion was found in small carina bifurcation angle.
Highlighting the possibility of parallel mechanism in planar ternary photovoltaic cells
Authors: Cattin L. , El Jouad Z. , Siad M. B. , Mohammed Krarroubi A. , Neculqueo G. , Arzel L. , Stephant N. , Mastropasqua Talamo M. , Martinez F. , Addou M. , Khelil A. , Morsli M. , Blanchard P. , Bernède J. C.
Published: November 2018

Ternary and binary planar heterojunctions (PHJs) have been realized and characterized. The outer layers of the active organic layers are pentathiophene (5T) and fullerene (C60), while the intercalated layer is AlPcCl. The binary, 5T/C60, 5T/AlPcCl and ternary 5T/AlPcCl/C60 PHJs were characterized by J-V and EQE measurements. The morphology of the organic layers was studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, while the band structure of 5T was estimated by cyclic voltammetry. The study shows that it is possible to overcome the difficulties linked to the need for the good band matching of the three successive organic layers by using as a first electron donor layer, a layer whose morphology allows the ternary structure to behave as it was two diodes in parallel. Actually, due to this specific morphology the intercalated layer is discontinuous, which allows achieving parallel mechanism in planar ternary photovoltaic cells. This parallel mechanism in the 5T/AlPcCl/C60 organic photovoltaic cells (OPVCs) allows achieving efficiency of 1.25%, which represents a 65 % increase by comparison with the best binary 5T/C60 OPVC. It means that the morphology of the 5T layer, with its many protrusions and holes, allows ternary OPVCs to behave like parallel-linkage diodes. This behaviour allows the ternary OPVCs to achieve efficiencies higher than those obtained with the binary 5T/C60 OPVCs.
Magnetic and electrical properties of R5Ir3 (R = Tb, Er)
Authors: Ueda Koyo , Tsutaoka Takanori
Published: November 2018

Magnetic and electrical properties of R5Ir3 (R = Tb, Er) polycrystals with hexagonal structure have been studied by measuring magnetization, dc magnetic susceptibility, and electrical resistivity. Tb5Ir3 shows reentrant magnetism; it possesses ferromagnetic state below TC = 49 K and antiferromagnetic state takes place at Tt = 6.5 K. In the antiferromagnetic state, irreversible magnetic field-induced antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transition was observed. Meanwhile, Er5Ir3 shows ferromagnetic property below TC = 10 K; antiferromagnetic state exists below Tt = 2.1 K. In the low temperature antiferromagnetic state, the irreversible antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transition was also observed. Paramagnetic susceptibility shows Curie-Weiss behavior in both compounds; the effective magnetic moment is in good agreement with the theoretical values of Tb3+ and Er3+ ions. Electrical resistivity indicated the metallic property; distinct anomalies were observed at the transition temperatures for both compounds.
An improved molecular partitioning scheme for numerical quadratures in density functional theory
Authors: Laqua Henryk , Kussmann Jörg , Ochsenfeld Christian
Published: November 2018

We present a modification to Becke’s molecular partitioning scheme [A. D. Becke, J. Chem. Phys. 88, 2547 (1988)] that provides substantially better accuracy for weakly bound complexes and allows for a faster and linear scaling grid generation without introducing a cutoff error. We present the accuracy of our new partitioning scheme for atomization energies of small molecules and for interaction energies of van der Waals complexes. Furthermore, the efficiency and scaling behavior of the grid generation are demonstrated for large molecular systems with up to 1707 atoms.
K-domain transform based three-dimensional microscopy
Authors: Zhang Xuedan , Liu Cheng , Zhu Jianqiang
Published: November 2018

A K-domain transform based three-dimensional microscopy technique is proposed. By illuminating an object with a light sheet along the optical axis and recording the complex amplitude, including the modulus and the phase (or wave-front) of the reflected light in the epi-direction, the structure of the illuminated slice of the specimen can be clearly reconstructed by transforming the reflected light from the vertical plane to the axial plane. While the principle of this proposed technique is theoretically illustrated, its feasibility is verified both numerically and experimentally. Because the illuminating and collecting optics comprise a coaxial imaging system, the proposed technique can achieve high-speed and high-resolution three-dimensional imaging with a simple optical setup, which can be realized using a common commercial microscope with only slight modification.
Elastic and elastic-plastic analysis of multilayer thin films filled with heterogeneous materials
Authors: Luo Jiangbo , Sun Yunna , Wang Bo , Jin Zhiyu , Yang Shenyong , Wang Yan , Ding Guifu
Published: November 2018

Due to the mismatch between the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of two adjacent films, the residual stress was growing up during thermal cycling. The aim of this work is to extend the Stoney equation for the multilayer thin films with heterostructure (voids filled with gas or other solids) or unsmooth interface. The general theoretical models were built for elastic and elastic-plastic deformation in the multilayer films with void region filled with other solid or gas. The proposed closed solution (CS) was simplified for analyzing the micro/nano devices with the micromachined multilayered multilayer films structure that thin films locate on a much thicker substrate. One model of through silicon via (TSV) has been built and analyzed. Based on the finite element method (FEM) and the initial CS, a modified CS is built up. The influence of the location and thickness of void, CTE and Young’s modulus (YM) on the normal stress of the thin films was analyzed by the simplified CS and FEM. Based on the FEM and CS the linear and coupled relationship has been set up. With the FEM analysis, the equivalent CTE and YM influenced by the void can be described by equation. The difference of critical temperature for the film from elastic deformation to plastic deformation was studied.
Experimental investigation on the optical emission spectroscopy of dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators at different atmospheric pressures
Authors: Xu S. Y. , Kang L. , Cai J. S. , Tang S. J.
Published: November 2018

The experiment of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator using an asymmetrical electrodes configuration is conducted to investigate optical emission spectroscopy of the plasma discharge at pressures from 0.02 to 0.1 Mpa in air mixed with various concentrations of Ar (0%, 20%, 50%, and 80%). The measurements were performed with a sinusoidal driven DBD having an amplitude of 12 kV and a frequency of 1 kHz. The diffuse DBD discharge images and the optical emission spectra are recorded successfully, and the effects of pressure and concentration of Ar are investigated, respectively. It is found that the emission intensities of air discharge increase with decreasing the pressure but increasing the concentration of Ar to some extent. Especially, when the pressure is lower than 0.04 Mpa or the concentration of Ar is over 50%, the emission intensities increase obviously rapidly. The experimental results indicate that the low pressure environment and the high concentration of Ar are beneficial to improve the performance of the DBD plasma discharge actuators.
The stability of Cu clusters and their adsorption for CH4 and CH3 by first principle calculations
Authors: He X. W. , Li H. , Du H. N. , Wang J. , Zhang H. X. , Xu C. X.
Published: November 2018

Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) Cun clusters (n indicates the atom number) and their adsorption behaviors for both methane (CH4) and methyl (CH3) are studied in this work using the density functional theory method, where n ranges from 6 to 20. In these small clusters, it is found that the CH4 molecule is always adsorbed on the top site with the adsorption energy between −0.05 eV and −0.21 eV. Considering methane dehydrogenation, stronger adsorption for CH4 is required, so 2D clusters with n = 7, 14, 15, and 16 and 3D clusters with n = 6, 10, 12, and 17 are found to have relatively stronger adsorption. However, for the adsorption of CH3, there is an obvious even-odd oscillation change in the size of 3D clusters, while it is not clear in 2D clusters since one cannot find an even-odd change as n > 14. The weaker adsorption for CH3 occurs on 3D clusters when n is even except 6 and also on 2D clusters when n = 6, 7, 10, and 12 with higher carbon poisoning resistance. Based on these calculated results, some Cu clusters which show good potential ability for methane dehydrogenation are provided, especially when n = 10 and 12 for 3D structures, and n = 7 for the 2D ones.
The effect of nonadiabaticity on the C+ + HF reaction
Authors: Dagdigian Paul J. , Kłos Jacek
Published: November 2018

The chemistry of fluorine in the interstellar medium is particularly simple, with only a few key species and important reactions. Of the latter, the rate of the reaction of C+ ions with HF is not well established but is one of the key reactions that sets the relative abundance of HF and the CF+ ion, the two fluorine-bearing species that have been observed in interstellar clouds. The C+ + HF → CF+ + H reaction proceeds through a deeply bound HCF+ well. In this work, statistical methods, namely, the statistical adiabatic channel method originally developed by Quack and Troe and the quantum statistical method of Manolopoulos and co-workers, are applied to compute the total cross section as a function of energy for this reaction. This reaction proceeds on the ground 12A′ potential energy surface (PES), and there are also two non-reactive PES’s, 12A″ and 22A′, correlating with the C+(2P1/2,3/2) + HF reactants. Two sets of scattering calculations were carried out, namely, a single-surface calculation on the 12A′ PES and the one in which all three PES’s and the spin-orbit splitting of C+ are included in the description of the entrance channel. In the latter, reactivity of the spin-orbit excited 2P3/2 level can be computed, and not just assumed to be zero, as in the single-state adiabatic approximation.
Phylogeographic analyses of Acacia karina (Fabaceae) support long term persistence of populations both on and off banded iron formations
Authors: Funnekotter Anna V. , Millar Melissa , Krauss Siegfried L. , Nevill Paul G.
Published: November 2018

Understanding the response of species to past climatic changes and whether particular areas acted as refugia is critical both to our understanding of the distribution of genetic variation, and for the conservation and/or restoration of species. We used phylogeographical analyses of Acacia karina, a Banded Iron Formation (BIF) associated species, to better understand historical processes in the semiarid midwest region of Western Australia. We specifically examined whether BIF acted as refugia for the species during the colder, dryer periods of the Quaternary. The genetic structure over the entire range of A. karina was assessed using seven nuclear microsatellites (19 populations; n=371) and 3196bp of chloroplast sequence (19 populations; n=190). We found high levels of nuclear and chloroplast genetic diversity and high levels of chloroplast haplotype differentiation. Genetic diversity was higher than expected for such a geographically restricted species, and similarly high levels of nuclear and chloroplast diversity were observed in BIF and non-BIF populations. The chloroplast and nuclear data suggest that BIFs have not acted as climate refugia for A. karina. Instead, long-term persistence of both BIF and non-BIF populations is supported.
Using laboratory incubations to predict the fate of pharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems
Authors: Fahlman Johan , Fick Jerker , Karlsson Jan , Jonsson Micael , Brodin Tomas , Klaminder Jonatan
Published: November 2018

Environmental contextEnvironmental persistence of excreted pharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems is usually predicted using small-scale laboratory experiments assumed to simulate natural conditions. We studied five pharmaceuticals comparing their removal rates from water under laboratory conditions and under natural environmental conditions existing in a large pond. We found that the laboratory conditions did not fully capture the complexity within the pond, which led to different removal rates in the two systems.
AbstractEnvironmental persistence is a key property when evaluating risks with excreted pharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems. Such persistence is typically predicted using small-scale laboratory incubations, but the variation in aquatic environments and scarcity of field studies to verify laboratory-based persistence estimates create uncertainties around the predictive power of these incubations. In this study we: (1) assess the persistence of five pharmaceuticals (diclofenac, diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine, trimethoprim and oxazepam) in laboratory experiments under different environmental conditions; and (2) use a three-month-long field study in an aquatic ecosystem to verify the laboratory-based persistence estimates. In our laboratory assays, we found that water temperature (TEMP), concentrations of organic solutes (TOC), presence of sediment (SED), and solar radiation (SOL) individually affected dissipation rates. Moreover, we identified rarely studied interaction effects between the treatments (i.e. SOL×SED and TEMP×SOL), which affected the persistence of the studied drugs. Half-lives obtained from the laboratory assays largely explained the dissipation rates during the first week of the field study. However, none of the applied models could accurately predict the long-term dissipation rates (month time-scale) from the water column. For example, the studied antibioticum (trimethoprim) and the anti-anxiety drug (oxazepam) remained at detectable levels in the aquatic environment long after (~150 days) our laboratory based models predicted complete dissipation. We conclude that small-scale laboratory incubations seem sufficient to approximate the short-term (i.e. within a week) dissipation rate of drugs in aquatic ecosystems. However, this simplistic approach does not capture interacting environmental processes that preserve a fraction of the dissolved pharmaceuticals for months in natural water bodies.
Single-atomic cobalt sites embedded in hierarchically ordered porous nitrogen-doped carbon as a superior bifunctional electrocatalyst
Authors: Sun Tingting , Zhao Shu , Chen Wenxing , Zhai Dong , Dong Juncai , Wang Yu , Zhang Shaolong , Han Aijuan , Gu Lin , Yu Rong , Wen Xiaodong , Ren Hanlin , Xu Lianbin , Chen Chen , Peng Qing , Wang Dingsheng , Li Yadong
Published: November 2018

Significance

A crucial component in the design of the single-atomic-site (SAS) catalysts for electrochemical applications is the specific surface area and porous structure. Here, we synthesize a type of Co catalyst with single-atomic Co sites embedded in hierarchically ordered porous
N
-doped carbon showing superior bifunctional activity for oxygen reduction reaction and hydrogen evolution reactions. Combined control experiments, density functional theory calculations, and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements uncover that the atomically isolated Co-N
4
coordination and the unique 3D porous open architecture synergistically contribute to the excellent catalytic performance. The dual-template-assisted strategy sheds insight on the construction of structurally controllable SAS catalysts for various applications, and the investigation of enhancement mechanism provides great help to boost the efficiency of future cost-effective electrocatalysts.
Transcriptional landscape of B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia based on an international study of 1,223 cases
Authors: Li Jian-Feng , Dai Yu-Ting , Lilljebjörn Henrik , Shen Shu-Hong , Cui Bo-Wen , Bai Ling , Liu Yuan-Fang , Qian Mao-Xiang , Kubota Yasuo , Kiyoi Hitoshi , Matsumura Itaru , Miyazaki Yasushi , Olsson Linda , Tan Ah Moy , Ariffin Hany , Chen Jing , Takita Junko , Yasuda Takahiko , Mano Hiroyuki , Johansson Bertil , Yang Jun J. , Yeoh Allen Eng-Juh , Hayakawa Fumihiko , Chen Zhu , Pui Ching-Hon , Fioretos Thoas , Chen Sai-Juan , Huang Jin-Yan
Published: November 2018

Significance

In BCP ALL, molecular classification is used for risk stratification and influences treatment strategies. We reanalyzed the transcriptomic landscape of 1,223 BCP ALLs and identified 14 subgroups based on their transcriptional profiles. Eight of these (G1 to G8) are previously well-known subgroups, harboring specific genetic abnormalities. The sample size allowed the identification of six previously undescribed subgroups, consisting of cases harboring
PAX5
or
CRLF2
fusions (G9),
PAX5
(p.P80R) mutations (G10),
IKZF1
(p.N159Y) mutations (G11), either
ZEB2
(p.H1038R) mutations or
IGH–CEBPE
fusions (G12),
HLF
rearrangements (G13), or
NUTM
rearrangements (G14). In addition, this study allowed us to determine the prognostic impact of several recently defined subgroups. This study suggests that RNA sequencing should be a valuable tool in the routine diagnostic workup for ALL.
Frames change in language contact environments
Authors: Hünlich David
Published: November 2018

Based on the empirical data of 97 fourth-graders from three districts of Braunschweig in Germany, this paper investigates the possibility of changing semantic frames in multilingual communities. The focus of study is the verb field of self-motion. In a free-sorting task involving 52 verbs, Turkish-speaking students, in particular, placed the verbs schleichen (‘to sneak’) and kommen (‘to come’) in the same group. When explaining the perceived similarity they also used the word schleichen (‘to sneak’), in a specific grammatical construction that is not found in Standard German. This paper suggests that semantic frames may change along with grammatical constructions when typologically distinct languages come into close contact.
The Relationship between Farm Size and Productivity in Agriculture: Evidence from Maize Production in Northern China
Authors: Sheng Yu , Ding Jiping , Huang Jikun
Published: November 2018

The relationship between farm size and productivity has long been a topic of debate in development economics. Using farm‐level panel data from 2003 to 2013, we investigate the relationship between maize yield and farm size in Northern China. After controlling for farm‐specific characteristics, we restore a mild U‐shaped relationship between maize yield and cropping area from the apparent inverse U‐shaped curve. This suggests that an inverse farm size–productivity relationship persists for most small‐sized farms. Further analyses demonstrate that farmer input choice between labor and capital is likely to smooth the non‐linear farm size–productivity relationship, with capital use being more likely to affect the farm size–productivity relationship at a larger scale. The findings imply that subsidizing farmers to rent land without helping them become better‐equipped could result in resource misallocation towards larger farms using less‐efficient labor‐intensive technologies.
Arterial Stiffness and Blood Pressure in a Multicultural Child Sample (Angola, Brazil, and Spain)
Authors: Montero López M Pilar , Mora-Urda Ana Isabel , Mill José Geraldo , Silva Amílcar B T , Santos Batista Milena , B Molina Maria del Carmen
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND

To analyze the relationship between early-life indicators, blood pressure (BP), and arterial stiffness in childhood, in three samples with different bio-cultural characteristics.

METHODS

The total sample included 520 schoolchildren 9–10 years of age from Madrid (Spain), Vitória (Brazil), and Luanda (Angola). Height and weight, BP, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) were measured, all by one observer in each site, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Birth weight, gestational age, type of feeding, and age at weaning were extracted from official health cards. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression models.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among the samples (P = 0.107 and P = 0.808). Luanda showed the higher cf-PWV (5.7 m/s), followed by Vitória (5.3 m/s) and Madrid (4.9 m/s; P < 0.001). Explanatory factors for the observed variability in SBP, DBP, and cf-PWV, obtained by means of multiple linear regression models, were different in three samples. BMI showed a positive and significant association with SBP, DBP, and cf-PWV in three samples. In the Angolan sample, in addition to BMI, birth weight was maintained in the explanatory models of SBP and cf-PWV adjusted for BP, with a negative and significant coefficient (−0.019 and −0.019)

CONCLUSIONS

Higher values of BMI in childhood are related with higher values of cf-PWV, SBP, and DBP in the three samples. Children from Angola showed the highest mean value of cf-PWV, especially those who had lower birth weight, suggesting that worse conditions in fetal life may contribute to increased aortic stiffness in childhood.