bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing dye‐sensitized solar cells in harsh northern outdoor conditions
Authors: Lepikko Sakari , Miettunen Kati , Poskela Aapo , Tiihonen Armi , Lund Peter D.
Published: May 2018

Here, we report on the behavior of dye solar cells in real‐life weather conditions from a northern outdoor test covering for the first time cell performance measurements in harsh conditions with varying weather from mildly warm conditions to freezing and snowy. The effect of different weather conditions on the cell performance is quantitatively investigated by using correlations coefficients of weather parameters to cell performance. No degradation was observed during the frosty period, but instead during the warmer, rainy periods with high moisture levels. Nevertheless, after 6 weeks of outdoor testing in varying harsh conditions, the cells maintained on average 88% of their initial efficiency. Tracking the cell performance during the aging showed that the test cells generated roughly as much current at subzero temperatures as at warmer temperatures. Investigations of the degradation reactions revealed that while photoelectrode degradation was the main cause of degradation during this test, the loss of charge carriers, which had only a minor effect on performance during the test, would likely become a major degradation factor during the next 1000 h of testing. Furthermore, the test showed that the cells even doubled their efficiency in low light intensity conditions compared with the standard reporting conditions. Thus, the overall conversion efficiency during the whole experiment reached up to 50% higher values compared with the results in standard testing conditions.
Lagoa Santa's contribution to the origins and life of early Americans
Authors: Da‐Gloria Pedro , Hubbe Mark , Neves Walter A.
Published: May 2018

The region of Lagoa Santa, Central‐Eastern Brazil, provides an exceptional archeological record about Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene occupation of the Americas. Since the first interventions made by the Danish naturalist Peter Lund in the 19th century, hundreds of human skeletons have been exhumed in the region. These skeletons are complemented by a rich botanic, faunal, technological, and geomorphological archeological record. We explore here the contributions of Lagoa Santa material to the origins and lifestyle of early Americans, providing an historic background. Cranial morphology of Lagoa Santa skeletons allowed the proposition of a model of two biological components for the occupation of the Americas, in which early Americans are morphologically similar to people of African and Australo‐Melanesian origin. Furthermore, the archeological record in the region has revealed an intense use of plant resources, a restricted spatial distribution, and the symbolic elaboration of local hunter‐gatherers, unveiling a distinct lifestyle compared to early North American populations.
Waste‐derived low‐cost mycelium composite construction materials with improved fire safety
Authors: Jones Mitchell , Bhat Tanmay , Huynh Tien , Kandare Everson , Yuen Richard , Wang Chun H. , John Sabu
Published: May 2018

Mycelial growth attracts academic and commercial interest because of its ability to upcycle agricultural and industrial wastes into economical and environmentally sustainable composite materials using a natural, low‐energy manufacturing process able to sequester carbon. This study aims to characterise the effect of varying ratios of high silica agricultural and industrial wastes on the flammability of mycelium composites, relative to typical synthetic construction materials. The results reveal that mycelium composites are safer than the traditional construction materials considered, producing much lower average and peak heat release rates and longer time to flashover. They also release significantly less smoke and CO2, although CO production fluctuated. Rice hulls yielded significant char and silica ash which improved fire performance, but composites containing glass fines exhibited the best fire performance because of their significantly higher silica concentrations and low combustible material content. Higher concentrations of glass fines increased volume‐specific cost but reduced mass‐specific and density‐specific costs. The findings of this study show that mycelium composites are a very economical alternative to highly flammable petroleum‐derived and natural gas‐derived synthetic polymers and engineered woods for applications including insulation, furniture, and panelling.
Catalytic Reforming System Suitable for Transportation Applications
Authors: Majewski A. J. , Bossel U. , Steinberger‐Wilckens R.
Published: May 2018

The paper describes operation and optimization of an onboard reforming system for an auxiliary power unit solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC APU) system for trucks that use liquid natural gas as fuel. The reformer system is based on partial oxidation and produces a reformate gas flow sufficient for a 100 W fuel cell. The ALMUS AG concept and configuration of the SOFC APU unit is described. The paper presents analyses of the efficiency of the partial oxidation reformer. The selected catalyst AB10 is analyzed under various reaction temperatures and molar ratios of CH4:air. Two reforming reactor configurations are tested; both with 5 g of the catalyst. The optimal operating conditions for the reactor are proposed. The reformer is currently operated in an electric furnace that simulates the actual system and condition in a combustion chamber. The main focus is to obtain stable operation with high hydrogen yield and low coke deposition. The paper presents analyses of a 1,000 h partial oxidation stability test. The demonstration of the performance of the CPOX reformer confirms the system applicability. The observed slow catalyst deactivation is attributed to the detected coke deposition. The change to the structure of deposited coke along the reactor is explained.
E‐Government systems inSouthAfrica:Aninfocultureperspective
Authors: Singh Shawren , Travica Bob
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate challenges surrounding e‐Government systems in South Africa and their origins. Based on interviews with senior managers/senior state administrators as the key method and on qualitative data analysis, challenges were identified within the cultural environment of the senior managers, their positioning in relation to e‐Government systems, organizational processes, and in the policy domain. A specialized cultural analysis based on the informing culture framework was applied in order to deepen understanding of the challenges' origins. It revealed a hybrid of an immature bureaucracy and a mature clan informing culture as deep‐seated aspects of the socio‐organizational context surrounding South African e‐Government systems. The contributions of this research are in advancing theorizing on e‐Government and in helping the senior managers/senior state administrators to develop a better understanding of the cultural environment that they are expected to work in.
Species differences in bile acids II. Bile acid metabolism
Authors: Thakare Rhishikesh , Alamoudi Jawaher Abdullah , Gautam Nagsen , Rodrigues A. David , Alnouti Yazen
Published: May 2018

One of the mechanisms of drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) involves alterations in bile acid (BA) homeostasis and elimination, which encompass several metabolic pathways including hydroxylation, amidation, sulfation, glucuronidation and glutathione conjugation. Species differences in BA metabolism may play a major role in the failure of currently used in vitro and in vivo models to predict reliably the DILI during the early stages of drug discovery and development. We developed an in vitro cofactor‐fortified liver S9 fraction model to compare the metabolic profiles of the four major BAs (cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid) between humans and several animal species. High‐ and low‐resolution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging were used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of BAs and their metabolites. Major species differences were found in the metabolism of BAs. Sulfation into 3‐O‐sulfates was a major pathway in human and chimpanzee (4.8%–52%) and it was a minor pathway in all other species (0.02%–14%). Amidation was primarily with glycine (62%–95%) in minipig and rabbit and it was primarily with taurine (43%–81%) in human, chimpanzee, dog, hamster, rat and mice. Hydroxylation was highest (13%–80%) in rat and mice followed by hamster, while it was lowest (1.6%–22%) in human, chimpanzee and minipig. C6‐β hydroxylation was predominant (65%–95%) in rat and mice, while it was at C6‐α position in minipig (36%–97%). Glucuronidation was highest in dog (10%–56%), while it was a minor pathway in all other species (<12%). The relative contribution of the various pathways involved in BA metabolism in vitro were in agreement with the observed plasma and urinary BA profiles in vivo and were able to predict and quantify the species differences in BA metabolism. In general, overall, BA metabolism in chimpanzee is most similar to human, while BA metabolism in rats and mice is most dissimilar from human.
Information reliability and team reflection as contingencies of the relationship between information elaboration and team decision quality
Authors: Breugst Nicola , Preller Rebecca , Patzelt Holger , Shepherd Dean A.
Published: May 2018

Although previous research has found a positive relationship between information elaboration and team decision quality if team members possess diverse information, we know little about the boundary conditions of this relationship. In this study, we provide a more nuanced understanding of these boundary conditions by focusing on team‐external and team‐internal contingencies. Based on a sample of 52 student teams working on a decision‐making task, we find a complex three‐way interaction between information elaboration, information reliability, and team reflection in explaining team decision quality. The relationship between information elaboration and team decision quality was not significant when teams were confronted with unreliable information independent of their level of reflection. However, for teams confronted with reliable information, the relationship between information elaboration and team decision quality was positive for low levels of reflection but negative for high levels of reflection. Our results provide important implications for our understanding of information elaboration, team reflection, and the context of team decision making.
Liquid chromatography coupled with time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry for comprehensive phenolic characterization of pomegranate fruit and flower extracts used as ingredients in botanical dietary supplements
Authors: Liu Yongqiang , Seeram Navindra P.
Published: May 2018

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit and flower extracts, which are rich sources of bioactive phenolics, are widely utilized as ingredients in botanical dietary supplements. While the phenolic characterization of extracts of pomegranate fruit has been previously studied by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, there is lack of similar data for pomegranate flowers. Herein, liquid chromatography with time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to comprehensively characterize the phenolics present in two pomegranate extracts, previously studied for their in vitro and in vivo biological effects, namely, a patented commercial pomegranate fruit extract (Pomella®), and a pomegranate flower extract. Seventy‐one phenolics were characterized in the pomegranate fruit extract with the vast majority identified in the flower extract. However, only the pomegranate fruit extract contained tannin‐glucuronides and two punicalagin isomers (a characteristic pomegranate phenolic) were identified in this extract while four were identified in the flower extract. The previously reported compounds, pomellatannin and punicatannins A/B, were identified as unique chemical markers in the pomegranate fruit and flower extracts, respectively. This study will aid in the quality control, authentication, and standardization of these botanical ingredients to evaluate their potential health benefits in future planned pre‐clinical and clinical studies. Also, this is the first phenolic characterization of a pomegranate flower extract using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.
Experimental and numerical estimation of the damage level in multilayered composite plates
Authors: Romanowicz P.J.
Published: May 2018

The detection of the internal and surface damage and estimation of the critical delamination size is discussed. The problem is illustrated on examples of glass/epoxy and graphite/epoxy composite plates. Experimental static and fatigue tensile tests were performed for multi‐layered plates with a circular hole and a circular delamination with the passive thermography and the digital image correlation used simultaneously for full‐field monitoring of thermal and mechanical effects. Both techniques are compared and verified in the context of detection and prediction of damage under static and fatigue loads. The technique of critical delamination size calculation is presented on the example of a plate made of a graphite/epoxy material. The computations were performed for bi‐axial compression using the finite element analysis and multiaxial fracture criteria. Different criteria are compared. It was observed that only nonlinear‐interaction criteria are suitable for the analysis of glass/epoxy and graphite/epoxy composite structures. It was also found that the mixed form of all three gap opening modes may occur in a composite plate with internal delamination. The proposed procedure for detection and analysis of damage is applicable in structural health monitoring of composite structures.
Analysis of the corrosion protective ability of atomic layer deposition silica‐based coatings deposited on 316LVM steel
Authors: Basiaga M. , Walke W. , Kajzer W. , Hyla A. , Domanowska A. , Michalewicz A. , Krawczyk C.
Published: May 2018

The use of implants made out of metallic materials can cause some negative effects that reduce the effectiveness of treatment of various diseases of the human circulatory system. These include, above all, blood clotting on the surface and insufficient hemocompatibility [1]. To reduce these negative effects, the formation of physical and chemical properties of the surface layer of the implants are indicated [2]. The paper proposes the use of the atomic layer deposition method to form a surface layer with participation of a suitable silicon morphology. One of the basic criteria of hemocompatibility of implants is their corrosion resistance. Therefore, in assessing the SiO2 layer, a detailed test for resistance to corrosion by potentiodynamic and impedance studies were conducted, including the process of steam sterilization under pressure. The chemical structure of the surface layer was also evaluated. The results clearly demonstrated that the applied layer of SiO2 has better corrosion resistance when compared to the steel substrate. This reduces excessive transfer of iron, chromium, nickel and molybdenum into the blood. On the other hand, studies of the chemical composition of the depth profile showed a diffuse SiO2 layer which results in a better adhesion to the substrate.
Investigations of surface layer temperature and morphology of hard machinable materials used in aircraft industry during abrasive electrodischarge grinding process
Authors: Gołąbczak M. , Święcik R. , Gołąbczak A. , Nouveau C. , Jacquet P. , Blanc C.
Published: May 2018

In this work the results related to the influence of selected electrical parameters of the abrasive electrodischarge grinding process on the surface layer temperature and morphology of machined samples in comparison to the conventional grinding method are presented. The basis of this work has been investigations of the deep grinding of surfaces of the samples made of titanium 5553 β, Inconel 617, Hastelloy X and magnesium AZ31 using a cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding wheel with metallic binding agent. For the comparative evaluation of the conventional grinding and abrasive electrodischarge grinding, measurements of the specific grinding energy, temperature on the surface layer (at the contact of the grinding wheel‐workpiece) and geometric structure of the surface layer have been used.
Thermographic analysis of the building height impact on the properties of tool steel in selective laser beam melting
Authors: Körperich J.P. , Merkel M.
Published: May 2018

Additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important, as evidenced by the increasing number of media reports and scientific publications. Due to the possibility of producing directly usable components with properties comparable to cast parts, the process is suitable for the production of prototypes and serial components. Quality control is an essential element in the production of serial components and will become an important factor in selective laser beam melting. The study at hand deals with the integration of a thermographic process monitoring, the temperature distribution along the height and its influence on the component properties. For this purpose, the material H13 was choosen by a preheating temperature > 550 °C. With the infrared camera, a temperature drop of approximately 170 °C along the height was observed, which mainly affected the hardness and microstructure. The achieved hardness values were between 614 HV 10 and 662 HV 10. Investigations on the microstructure have shown that a longer period of time at higher temperatures in the lower component area favours the formation of martensitic structures. An influence on the surface roughness, which was almost constant along the height, could not be determined. Roughnesses between Ra = 1.5 μm and Ra =  2.1 μm were achieved.
Sabotaging in contests with monitoring efforts
Authors: Minchuk Yizhaq , Keren Baruch , Hadad Yossi
Published: May 2018

This paper considers a 3‐stage contest with both sabotage and monitoring efforts that aim to reduce sabotage. In the first stage, the regulator sets his monitoring efforts for each contestant. In the second stage, each contestant determines his sabotaging efforts, based on the monitoring efforts that were imposed by the regulator. In the third stage, each contestant determines his productive efforts in the contest. The results supply a justification to exert monitoring efforts because these efforts may benefit both the contestants and the regulator (a win‐win situation). Furthermore, the paper defines the conditions where exerting monitoring efforts would be worthwhile.
Progress and challenges in the prevention and control of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Cai Jingjing , Zhang Xiao‐Jing , Li Hongliang
Published: May 2018

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly becoming the most common liver disease worldwide. Individuals with NAFLD have a high frequency of developing progressive liver disease and metabolism‐related comorbidities, which result from of a lack of awareness and poor surveillance of the disease and a paucity of approved and effective therapies. Managing the complications of NAFLD has already begun to place a tremendous burden on health‐care systems. Although efforts to identify effective therapies are underway, the lack of validated preclinical NAFLD models that represent the biology and outcomes of human disease remains a major barrier. This review summarizes the characteristics and prevalence of the disease and the status of our understanding of its mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
Selective targeting of antiapoptotic BCL‐2 proteins in cancer
Authors: Timucin Ahmet Can , Basaga Huveyda , Kutuk Ozgur
Published: May 2018

Circumvention of apoptotic machinery is one of the distinctive properties of carcinogenesis. Extensively established key effectors of such apoptotic bypass mechanisms, the antiapoptotic BCL‐2 (apoptosis regulator BCL‐2) proteins, determine the response of cancer cells to chemotherapeutics. Within this background, research and development of antiapoptotic BCL‐2 inhibitors were considered to have a tremendous amount of potential toward the discovery of novel pharmacological modulators in cancer. In this review, milestone achievements in the development of selective antiapoptotic BCL‐2 proteins inhibitors for BCL‐2, BCL‐XL (BCL‐2‐like protein 1), and MCL‐1 (induced myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein MCL‐1) were summarized and their future implications were discussed. In the first section, the design and development of BCL‐2/BCL‐XL dual inhibitor navitoclax, as well as the recent advances and clinical experience with selective BCL‐2 inhibitor venetoclax, were synopsized. Preclinical data from selective BCL‐XL inhibitors, which are currently undergoing extensive testing as a single agent or in combination with other therapeutic agents, were further summarized. In the second section, MCL‐1 inhibitors developed as potential anticancer agents were reviewed regarding their specificity toward MCL‐1. Explicitly, studies leading to the identification of MCL‐1, nonselective and selective targeting of MCL‐1, and recently initiated clinical trials were compiled in chronological order. Based on these concepts, future directions were further discussed for increasing selectivity in the design of prosurvival BCL‐2 member inhibitors.
Measuring child and adolescent emotional lability: How do questionnaire‐based ratings relate to experienced and observed emotion in everyday life and experimental settings?
Authors: Van Liefferinge Dagmar , Sonuga‐Barke Edmund , Danckaerts Marina , Fayn Kirill , Van Broeck Nady , van der Oord Saskia
Published: May 2018

Objectives

Emotional lability (EL) is an important trans‐diagnostic concept that is associated with significant functional impairment in childhood and adolescence. EL is typically measured with questionnaires, although little is known about the ecological validity of these ratings. In this paper, we undertook 2 studies addressing this issue by examining the relationship between rating‐based measures of EL and directly measured emotional expressions and experiences. Furthermore, the associations between directly measured emotional expressions and experiences and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology were also examined, given the clear association of EL with ADHD in former research.

Methods

In Study 1, we examined the relationship between parental report of children's EL and ADHD, and children's emotional expressions in an experimental context (N = 67). In Study 2, we examined the relationship between parental ratings and real‐time measures of emotional experiences in daily life in adolescents (N = 65).

Results

EL ratings were associated with different elements of real‐time emotional experiences and expressions. Elements of emotional expressions but not emotional experiences were also associated with ADHD symptom reports.

Conclusions

These studies provide evidence for the ecological validity of EL ratings. Furthermore, they add evidence for the associations between EL and ADHD.
Precision of Calcified Structures Used for Estimating Age of Chain Pickerel
Authors: Bauerlien Cory J. , Cornett Marinda R. , Zielonka Emily A. , Crane Derek P. , Bulak James S.
Published: May 2018

With the exception of Northern Pike Esox lucius, there is a paucity of information on the precision of age estimates based on calcified structures for esocid species, especially Chain Pickerel E. niger. We estimated ages for 42 Chain Pickerel from Stevens Creek Reservoir on the Savannah River, South Carolina–Georgia. Ages were estimated using sectioned pelvic, pectoral, dorsal, and anal fin rays, scales, cleithra (sectioned and whole), and otoliths to assess precision between repeated readings (four readers). Precision was evaluated by calculating agreement among readers, CV, and mean absolute difference (MAD) in estimates between reader pairs. We tested for differences in precision of estimates among structures using linear mixed models with CV or MAD as the response. Finally, we used age bias plots to evaluate whether there were structure or reader-related systematic biases in estimates. Coefficient of variation and MAD were significantly related to structure type (CV: P = 0.006, MAD: P = 0.001) and mean estimated age (CV: P < 0.001, MAD: P = 0.025). Precision was poor for all structures and poorest for age-0 fish; however, all analyses indicated that otoliths provided the most precise estimates. We observed agreement in estimates among all readers for 40% of the otoliths examined and consensus agreement for 74% of the estimates. Coefficient of variation for otoliths declined from 67% for fish with a mean estimated age of 0 years to 5% for age-4 fish. Conversely, MAD for otoliths increased from 0.34 years for fish with a mean estimated age of 0 to 0.46 years for age-4 fish. Estimates from all structures, except pectoral rays, were negatively biased compared with estimates from otoliths. We recommend the use of otoliths for age estimation of Chain Pickerel, but managers and researchers should be cognizant of and evaluate the potential effects of variability in age estimates among readers on their analyses.
Direct error in constitutive equation formulation for inverse heat conduction problem
Authors: Babaniyi Olalekan A. , Oberai Assad A. , Barbone Paul E.
Published: May 2018

We present a mixed numerical formulation that handles discontinuities well for scalar hyperbolic partial differential equations. The formulation is based on a least‐square error in the constitutive equation. It is motivated by scalar inverse diffusion problems with interior data and applies to convection of a passive scalar in a discontinuous compressible flow field. We motivate the need for a mixed formulation by discretizing using an irreducible finite element method and discuss some of the limitations of that approach. We then develop and prove that the mixed formulation is well posed and verify that it works for problems with continuous and discontinuous thermal conductivity distributions.
Trends in invasive prenatal diagnostic testing at a single institution
Authors: Awomolo Adeola , Palomares Kristy , Garcia Guadalupe Herrera , Rosen Todd , Duzyj Christina , Ashkinadze Elena
Published: May 2018

Objective

As diagnostic methodologies evolve, we sought to determine whether invasive testing rates would decline, whether there would be a shift in indications for invasive testing, and whether the diagnostic yield would increase.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, observational study from 2006 through 2015. We quantified the number of invasive procedures per year and examined what percentage of these procedures yielded abnormal results. We also examined the indications for testing and determined the trend of these indications during the study period.

Results

The number of amniocenteses showed a steady decline (P < .05). The number of CVS procedures has increased and was recently equivalent to amniocentesis. The percentage of abnormal results steadily increased from 11.4% to 27.0% (P < .001). The abnormal aneuploidy screening indication remained constant over time. Advanced maternal age (AMA) as the sole indication substantially declined from 42.3% to 15.52% (P < .001). Testing for a known single gene disorder steadily increased from 3.0% to 9.20% (P = .018).

Conclusion

Our study showed a significant decline in the number of amniocenteses, a steady increase in the percentage of abnormal results from invasive testing, and a decline in AMA as the sole indication for invasive testing.
Tumor heterogeneity, aggressiveness, and immune cell composition in a novel syngeneic PSA‐targeted Pten knockout mouse prostate cancer (MuCaP) model
Authors: van Duijn Petra W. , Marques Rute B. , Ziel‐van der Made Angelique C.J. , van Zoggel Hanneke J.A.A. , Aghai Ashraf , Berrevoets Cor , Debets Reno , Jenster Guido , Trapman Jan , van Weerden Wytske M.
Published: May 2018

Background

Prostate cancer is recognized as a heterogeneous disease demanding appropriate preclinical models that reflect tumor complexity. Previously, we established the PSA‐Cre;PtenLoxP/LoxP genetic engineered mouse model (GEMM) for prostate cancer reflecting the various stages of tumor development. Prostate tumors in this Pten KO model slowly develop, requiring more than 10 months. In order to enhance its practical utility, we established a syngeneic panel of cell lines derived from PSA‐Cre targeted Pten KO tumors, designated the mouse prostate cancer (MuCap) model.

Methods

Four different MuCaP epithelial cell lines were established from three independent primary Pten KO mouse prostate tumors. Tumorigenic capacity of the MuCaP cell lines was determined by subcutaneous inoculation of these cell lines in immunocompetent mice. Response to PI3K‐targeted therapy was validated in ex vivo tissue slices of the established MuCaP tumors.

Results

The MuCaP cell lines were all tumorigenic in immunocompetent mice after subcutaneous inoculation. Interestingly, these syngrafted tumors represented different tumor growth rates and morphologies. Treatment with the specific PI3K inhibitor GDC0941 resulted in responses very similar between syngeneic MuCaP and primary Pten KO prostate tumors. Finally, immunoprofiling of the different syngeneic MuCaP tumors demonstrated differential numbers of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and distinct immune gene profiles with expression of CD8, INFy, and PD1 being inversely related to tumor aggressiveness.

Conclusions

Collectively, we present here a well‐defined MuCaP platform of in vitro and in vivo mouse prostate cancer models that may support preclinical assessment of (immune)‐therapies for prostate cancer.
Photovoltaic Action in Graphene–Ga2O3 Heterojunction with Deep‐Ultraviolet Irradiation
Authors: Kalita Golap , Mahyavanshi Rakesh D. , Desai Pradeep , Ranade Ajinkya K. , Kondo Masaharu , Dewa Takehisa , Tanemura Masaki
Published: May 2018

We demonstrate the fabrication of a monolayer graphene/β‐Ga2O3 heterostructure and its interesting prospect of producing a suitable Schottky barrier potential for deep‐ultraviolet (DUV) responsive photovoltaic device. The transient response behavior shows a faster response time for photovoltaic mode operation of the photodiode. The fast response at a zero bias is due to generation of photocurrent under an internal built‐in field in the graphene/Ga2O3 interface without any contribution from the trapped carriers. The fabricated device also shows an excellent photoresponsivity of 6.1 A W−1 with a slower response time at a low reverse bias voltage (−1.5 V). The high photoresponsivity at a bias voltage can be related to carrier multiplication due to carriers trapping/release process. Our findings show that the graphene/β‐Ga2O3 heterostructure can be significant for self‐powered/low power consuming DUV detector applications.
A semiparametric imputation approach for regression with censored covariate with application to an AMD progression study
Authors: Ding Ying , Kong Shengchun , Kang Shan , Chen Wei
Published: May 2018

This research is motivated by studying the progression of age‐related macular degeneration where both a covariate and the response variable are subject to censoring. We develop a general framework to handle regression with censored covariate where the response can be different types and the censoring can be random or subject to (constant) detection limits. Multiple imputation is a popular technique to handle missing data that requires compatibility between the imputation model and the substantive model to obtain valid estimates. With censored covariate, we propose a novel multiple imputation‐based approach, namely, the semiparametric two‐step importance sampling imputation (STISI) method, to impute the censored covariate. Specifically, STISI imputes the missing covariate from a semiparametric accelerated failure time model conditional on fully observed covariates (Step 1) with the acceptance probability derived from the substantive model (Step 2). The 2‐step procedure automatically ensures compatibility and takes full advantage of the relaxed semiparametric assumption in the imputation. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the STISI method yields valid estimates in all scenarios and outperforms some existing methods that are commonly used in practice. We apply STISI on data from the Age‐related Eye Disease Study, to investigate the association between the progression time of the less severe eye and that of the more severe eye. We also illustrate the method by analyzing the urine arsenic data for patients from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003‐2004) where the response is binary and 1 covariate is subject to detection limit.
High‐dimensional variable selection and prediction under competing risks with application to SEER‐Medicare linked data
Authors: Hou Jiayi , Paravati Anthony , Hou Jue , Xu Ronghui , Murphy James
Published: May 2018

Competing risk analysis considers event times due to multiple causes or of more than one event types. Commonly used regression models for such data include (1) cause‐specific hazards model, which focuses on modeling one type of event while acknowledging other event types simultaneously, and (2) subdistribution hazards model, which links the covariate effects directly to the cumulative incidence function. Their use in the presence of high‐dimensional predictors are largely unexplored. Motivated by an analysis using the linked SEER‐Medicare database for the purposes of predicting cancer versus noncancer mortality for patients with prostate cancer, we study the accuracy of prediction and variable selection of existing machine learning methods under both models using extensive simulation experiments, including different approaches to choosing penalty parameters in each method. We then apply the optimal approaches to the analysis of the SEER‐Medicare data.
Rapid Sonochemical Synthesis of an Intercalated Superconductor
Authors: Yang Zhanhai , He Junbao , Zang Xiaoling , Wang Xusheng , Ren Zhian , Xue Mianqi , Chen Genfu
Published: May 2018

The synthesis of new superconducting materials is a perennially topic of intense interest since the discovery of superconducting materials. To capture possible superconductors abundantly and effectively, wet‐chemical technique, as one of the most common chemical synthesis method, has been introduced to seek new superconductors and achieved great success in almost every category. However, conventional liquid‐phase method imposes requirements on the undesirable reaction time, which dramatically sacrifices the innovative efficiency of superconductors. To facilitate the synthesis process, through the application of sonochemical method, here we successfully bulid a fast‐synthesis and easy‐implementation procedure to explore intercalated superconductors.
Water‐Mediated Synthesis of Anthelmintic Piperidinols and Their Molecular Docking Studies
Authors: Jagadale Megha B. , Salunkhe Rajashri S. , Rajmane Mohan M. , Dhanavade Maruti J. , Sonawane Kailas D. , Rashinkar Gajanan S.
Published: May 2018

A simple, inexpensive and environmentally benign protocol for the synthesis of piperidinols is reported by reactions of Mannich bases with primary alkyl amines in water. The synthesized piperidinols displayed potential anthelmintic activity against Indian adult earthworm. The activity profile of piperidinols was correlated with their molecular docking results.
A De Novo Approach for the Stereoselective Synthesis of Cyclopenta[c]pyranone Scaffold Present in Iridoids: Formal Syntheses of Isoboonein, Iridomyrmecin and Isoiridomyrmecin
Authors: Kaurav Manvendra Singh , Kumar Virendra , Kumar Dileep , Khan Tabrez
Published: May 2018

A conceptually new intramolecular Pauson‐Khand reaction (IPKR) based general strategy has been demonstrated for the formal syntheses of isoboonein, iridomyrmecin and isoiridomyrmecin from very cheap, commercially available starting material.
New Chloro‐Based Azo‐Azomethine Dyes: Synthesis, Biological and Optical Spectroscopic Studies for Detection of some Transition Metal Ions
Authors: Shaghaghi Zohreh , Rezanezhad Rezvaneh
Published: May 2018

Two new chromogenic receptors 1,2‐[1‐(3‐imino‐4‐hydroxophenylazobenzene)]‐4‐chlorobenzene (1 a) and 1,2‐[1‐(3‐imino‐4‐hydroxophenylazo‐4‐nitrobenzene)]‐4‐chlorobenzene (1 b) have been designed and chearcterized for detection of some transition metal ions in DMSO solution by UV/Vis spectroscopy. Upon addition of Cd2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions to 1 a in DMSO, the peak at 460 nm increases in intensity, while the band at 352 nm decreases in intensity and approximately disappears. n→π* transition of azo groups of 1 a decreases in intensity after adding Hg2+ ions and does not change after adding Ni2+ ions. This indicates high tendency of 1 a towards Cd2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ against Ni2+ and Hg2+ions. Compound 1 b shows some color changes after addition of metal ions. Upon addition of all metal ions to 1 b in DMSO, the band at 560 nm increases in intensity with the hypsochromic shift for Cu2+, Zn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+. But the largest blue shift (‐67 nm) is seen after adding Cu2+ ion with remarkable color change from violet‐green to orange. Benesi‐ Hildebrand plot and Job′s method are used for determination of binding constant (Ka) and stoichiometry of formed complexes with 1 b. Then, complex Cu(II) with 1 b is synthezied for recognition of binding sites of ligand. The results indicate that 1 b behaves as one tetradentate ligand with N and O donor atoms when bound to Cu(II). Moreover, the study of antioxidant properties of 1 a and 1 b with DPPH method reveals good and significant activity.
An Approach for Synthesis of Dithioacetals by CuI‐Catalyzed C‐S Coupling Reaction of N‐Tosylhydrazone with Disulfides
Authors: Zhang Zhang , Kong Peng , Wang Xi–Cun
Published: May 2018

A copper (I) catalyzed C−S bond formation by reaction of N‐tosylhydrazones and disulfides is developed. A variety of N‐tosylhydrazones underwent coupling reaction with various disulfides successfully to afford the corresponding dithioacetals in moderate to good yields.
Direct C‐H Bond Arylation of C2‐Blocked Pyrrole with Aryl Halides Using Palladium(II)‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts
Authors: Kaloğlu Murat , Kaloğlu Nazan , Özdemir İsmail
Published: May 2018

Herein we report synthesis of seven new palladium(II)‐NHC complexes with the general formula [PdX2(NHC)2], (NHC=1,3‐dialkylbenzimidazol‐2‐ylidene, X=Cl or Br). The structures of all the new compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT‐IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis techniques. The catalytic activities of palladium(II)‐NHC complexes were tested in the direct C−H bond arylation of C2‐blocked pyrrole with various aryl halides in presence of 1 mol% catalyst loading at 120 °C for 1–16 h. Under the given conditions, palladium(II)‐NHC complexes showed the good catalytic performance for the direct C−H bond arylation of C2‐blocked pyrrole with aryl bromides, and with readily available and inexpensive aryl chlorides. In all cases, the C−H bond arylation regioselectively produced C5‐arylated products in moderate to high yields.
A Straightforward Synthesis of α‐Amino Diaryl Ketones from (Hetero)Arylacetonitriles Promoted by N‐Bromosuccinimide
Authors: Kumar Yogesh , Jaiswal Yogesh , Thakur Rima , Kumar Amit
Published: May 2018

A facile and straightforward approach has been developed for the synthesis of α‐amino diaryl ketones. This strategy utilizes simple, cheap, stable, non‐toxic arylacetonitriles as a key starting material and is effectively promoted by N‐Bromosuccinimide. This reaction proceeds via the involvement of three consecutive steps in a one‐pot manner without isolating any intermediates and displays remarkable functional group tolerance. Gram‐scale syntheses of α‐amino ketone demonstrate the practicality of the protocol.
Rational Design of Hierarchically Core–Shell Structured Ni3S2@NiMoO4 Nanowires for Electrochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Chen Fangshuai , Ji Shan , Liu Quanbing , Wang Hui , Liu Hao , Brett Dan J. L. , Wang Guoxiu , Wang Rongfang
Published: May 2018

Rational design and controllable synthesis of nanostructured materials with unique microstructure and excellent electrochemical performance for energy storage are crucially desired. In this paper, a facile method is reported for general synthesis of hierarchically core–shell structured Ni3S2@NiMoO4 nanowires (NWs) as a binder‐free electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors. Due to the intimate contact between Ni3S2 and NiMoO4, the hierarchical structured electrodes provide a promising unique structure for asymmetric supercapacitors. The as‐prepared binder‐free Ni3S2@NiMoO4 electrode can significantly improve the electrical conductivity between Ni3S2 and NiMoO4, and effectively avoid the aggregation of NiMoO4 nanosheets, which provide more active space for storing charge. The Ni3S2@NiMoO4 electrode presents a high areal capacity of 1327.3 µAh cm−2 and 67.8% retention of its initial capacity when current density increases from 2 to 40 mA cm−2. In a two‐electrode Ni3S2@NiMoO4//active carbon cell, the active materials deliver a high energy density of 121.5 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 2.285 kW kg−1 with excellent cycling stability.
Excellent Fog‐Droplets Collector via Integrative Janus Membrane and Conical Spine with Micro/Nanostructures
Authors: Zhou Hu , Zhang Miaoxin , Li Chang , Gao Chunlei , Zheng Yongmei
Published: May 2018

Inspired by a cactus spine and trichomes integrated fog collection system, a strategy is presented to design a micro/nanostructured conical spine and Janus membrane integrative system (MNCS+JM). In this strategy, the surface of conical spine can be covered with rough micro and nanostructure (MNCS), so that the tiny fog‐droplets can be captured, coalesced, and transported. Janus membrane (JM) with inside hydrophobic surface and outside hydrophilic surface is further used to control the water collection in process of droplet transport when the Janus membrane is vertically placed with different positions on the MNCS, thus MNCS+JM propel the droplet continuously for transport–coalescence–transport in a circle of droplet transport and collection. It is demonstrated that a higher fog collection rate can be achieved effectively, which is attributed to a cooperation effect between the Laplace pressure in difference and the released surface energy in droplet coalescence, in addition to wettability force of superhydrophobic–hydrophilic difference in the Janus membrane. This strategy of MNCS+JM offers an insight into the surface of materials to control the droplet transport for water collection in efficiency, which is significant to be extended into the realms of applications such as high‐efficiency water collection systems, microfluidics devices, and others.
A graph grammar‐based approach for graph layout
Authors: Liu Yufeng , Zeng Xiaoqin , Zou Yang , Zhang Kang
Published: May 2018

As a two‐dimensional formal tool, graph grammars are capable of handling the layout problems of visual programming languages. Based on an edge‐based graph grammar (EGG), this paper proposes a novel layout approach that uses the unique features of EGG and overcomes the weakness of existing layout approaches. In order to make the approach rigorous yet concise, the graph grammar mechanisms with layout constraints and quantitative analysis techniques are combined together as an integrity. First, the basic notions of EGG are briefly introduced; second, the layout approach is presented that consists of two phases, ie, bottom‐up parsing and top‐down derivation. Finally, a case study is given by taking the standard flowchart as an example to demonstrate the working process of the proposed approach.
Formally modeling and analyzing cost‐aware job scheduling for cloud data center
Authors: Fan Guisheng , Chen Liqiong , Yu Huiqun , Liu Dongmei
Published: May 2018

With the rapid development of cloud computing, many distributed data centers have been deployed. This means larger energy consumption requirements from the data center. How to reduce the cost of data center has received significant attention recently. Although there are several efforts in studying energy consumption of the data center, very few have considered modeling and analyzing cost‐aware job scheduling for the cloud data center. To address this emerging problem, we propose a systematic approach that considers both basic elements and their relationships in cloud data center. First, we present a formal language to describe the cloud data center, and a job scheduling net is proposed to formally model the basic elements such as user request, Web portal, data center, and server. Second, we minimize the total cost of the cloud data center by considering the multidimensional resource and local electricity price on the basis of the state space of constructed model. The dynamic job scheduling algorithm and its specific execution steps are proposed based on the alternating direction method of multipliers algorithm. Third, the operational semantics and related theories of Petri nets for establishing the correctness of our proposed method are presented. Finally, a series of simulations are performed to illustrate that the proposed method can guarantee the correct behavior of job scheduling in the cloud data center while meeting the required cost.
An energy‐aware resource provisioning scheme for real‐time applications in a cloud data center
Authors: Faragardi Hamid Reza , Dehnavi Saeid , Nolte Thomas , Kargahi Mehdi , Fahringer Thomas
Published: May 2018

Based on a pay‐as‐you‐go model, cloud computing provides the possibility of hosting pervasive applications from both academic and business domains. However, data centers hosting cloud applications consume huge amounts of electrical energy, contributing to high operational costs and large carbon footprints to the environment. Energy‐aware resource provisioning is an effective solution to diminish the energy consumption of cloud data centers. Recently, a growing trend has emerged, where cloud technology is used to run periodic real‐time applications such as multimedia, telecommunication, video gaming, and industrial applications. In order for a real‐time application to be able to use cloud services, cloud providers have to be able to provide timing guarantees. In this paper, we introduce an energy‐aware resource provisioning mechanism for cloud data centers, which are capable of serving real‐time periodic tasks following the Software as a Service model. The proposed method is compared against an energy‐aware version of the RT‐OpenStack. RT‐OpenStack is a recently proposed approach to provide a time‐predictable version of OpenStack. The experimental results manifest that our proposed resource provisioning method outperforms energy‐aware version of the RT‐OpenStack by 16.01%, 25.45%, and 25.45% in terms of energy consumption, number of used servers, and average utilization of used servers, respectively. Moreover, from the scalability perspective, the preference of the proposed method for large‐scale data centers is more considerable.
Intercritical Annealing Response of Medium Manganese Steels Having Different Carbon Concentrations
Authors: Kang Singon , Hofer Robert W. , Speer John G. , Krizan Daniel , Matlock David K. , De Moor Emmanuel
Published: May 2018

Tensile properties of intercritically annealed medium Mn steels containing 4.5 wt% manganese and two different carbon levels of 0.1 and 0.2 wt% are predicted using a composite iso‐strain model. In the predictions, the evolutions of phase fraction and retained austenite stability with annealing temperature are considered assuming ortho‐equilibrium phase fractions and full alloy partitioning during intercritical annealing. Predicted evolutions of ultimate tensile strength and uniform elongation values with variation in intercritical annealing temperature are compared to experimental results obtained following annealing for 1 h. The experimental results confirm the predicted dependence of the tensile properties on annealing temperature. While the product of ultimate tensile strength and uniform elongation has a linear relationship with the retained austenite fraction, experimental values exhibit a greater dependence on the retained austenite fraction than the predicted values.