bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluorovinyl ether sulfonamide) for anion exchange membranes
Authors: Liu Xundao , Gao Hongrong , Chen Xiaohong , Hu Yong , Li Hong , Zhang Yongming
Published: March 2016

A soluble perfluorinated polymer poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluorovinyl ether sulfonamide) (PFSO2NH2) was successfully synthesized and used for preparation of perfluorinated anion exchange membranes with good conductivity and alkaline stability.
Electrospun nanofibers with both surface nanopores and internal interpenetrated nanochannels for oil absorption
Authors: Guan Jipeng , Li Jingye , Li Yongjin
Published: March 2016

We report novel polyoxymethylene nanofibers with both surface nanopores and internal interpenetrated channels. Their novel interesting structure makes them an ideal alternative for oil adsorption, oil/water separation or catalysis in the future.
The degradation of mechanical properties due to stress concentration caused by retained acetone in epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Atif R. , Shyha I. , Inam F.
Published: March 2016

Multi-layered graphene (MLG)–epoxy nanocomposites of three different types were produced using the solution casting technique with MLG dispersed in three different mediums; acetone (MA), an epoxy (ME), and a hardener (MH).
Preparation of glycerol monostearate from glycerol carbonate and stearic acid
Authors: Han Li , Wang Tao
Published: March 2016

A new two-step procedure prepares glycerol monostearate from glycerol carbonate and stearic acid.
Investigation of morphology, mechanical, thermal and flame retardant properties of an EVA/EPDM blend by combination of organoclay with Na+-tripolyphosphate
Authors: Moustafa H. , Youssef A. M. , Nour M. A.
Published: March 2016

Schematic representation the methodology of the EVA/EPDM/MMT nanocomposites preparation, characterization and applications.
One-pot synthesis and loading of mesoporous SiO2 nanocontainers using micellar drugs as a template
Authors: Dement'eva O. V. , Rudoy V. M.
Published: March 2016

A new approach is proposed for creating of pH-sensitive mesoporous silica nanocontainers with ultrahigh capacity for amphiphilic functional compounds.
Chlorin e6 keratin nanoparticles for photodynamic anticancer therapy
Authors: Aluigi A. , Sotgiu G. , Ferroni C. , Duchi S. , Lucarelli E. , Martini C. , Posati T. , Guerrini A. , Ballestri M. , Corticelli F. , Varchi G.
Published: March 2016

Chlorin e6-conjugated keratin nanoparticles were obtained and their effectiveness as carriers for cancer photodynamic therapy was demonstratedin vitro.
Ce(SO4)2-catalysed the highly diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines via an imino Diels Alder ABB′ type reaction and their in vivo toxicity and imaging in zebrafish embryos
Authors: Martínez Bonilla Carlos A. , Puerto Galvis Carlos E. , Vargas Méndez Leonor Y. , Kouznetsov Vladimir V.
Published: March 2016

The synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines via the Povarov reaction has been developed using Ce(SO2)4 as a catalyst. This efficient protocol allowed the toxicity and phenotypic study of these products using a zebrafish embryo model.
Synthesis of a low-density biopolymeric chitosan–agarose cryomatrix and its surface functionalization with bio-transformed melanin for the enhanced recovery of uranium(vi) from aqueous subsurfaces
Authors: Tripathi Anuj , Melo Jose Savio
Published: March 2016

This study presents the development of a melanin nanoparticles functionalized biopolymeric cryomatrix for the recovery of uranium from aqueous subsurfaces.
Enzymatic manipulation of a DNA-mediated ensemble for sensitive fluorescence detection of glucose
Authors: Jiang Yaoping , Luo Wenhao , Wang Xiaopei , Lin Youhui , Liu Xiang Yang
Published: March 2016

In this work, controllable turn off/on fluorescent sensors for label-free detection of glucose have been successfully developed by designing different DNA/ligands-based ensembles and using enzyme-catalyzed Fenton reaction.
Fluorometric detection of tyrosine and cysteine using graphene quantum dots
Authors: Li Yan , Cai Nan , Wang Mengke , Na Weidan , Shi Fanping , Su Xingguang
Published: March 2016

A facile fluorescence method has been developed for the detection of tyrosine and cysteine based on graphene quantum dots as a sensitive probe.
Carbon fiber cloth@VO2(B): excellent binder-free flexible electrodes with ultrahigh mass-loading
Authors: Li Site , Liu Gang , Liu Jun , Lu Yakun , Yang Qian , Yang Lin-Yu , Yang Hao-Ran , Liu Sailin , Lei Ming , Han Miao
Published: March 2016

Flexible electrodes of VO2nanobelt arrays grown on carbon fiber cloth were synthesized for the first time, exhibiting superior electrochemical performance.
Manipulation of electron deficiency of δ-carboline derivatives as bipolar hosts for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with high efficiency at 1000 cd m−2
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Xie Jingwei , Wang Zixing , Shen Bowen , Wang Hedan , Li Minjie , Zhang Jianhua , Cao Jin
Published: March 2016

Structure–property relationship of pyridine-modified δ-carboline derivatives as bipolar hosts for highly efficient blue OLED.
Hybrid de-noising approach for fiber optic gyroscopes combining improved empirical mode decomposition and forward linear prediction algorithms
Authors: Shen Chong , Cao Huiliang , Li Jie , Tang Jun , Zhang Xiaoming , Shi Yunbo , Yang Wei , Liu Jun
Published: March 2016

A noise reduction algorithm based on an improved empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and forward linear prediction (FLP) is proposed for the fiber optic gyroscope (FOG). Referred to as the EMD-FLP algorithm, it was developed to decompose the FOG outputs into a number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) after which mode manipulations are performed to select noise-only IMFs, mixed IMFs, and residual IMFs. The FLP algorithm is then employed to process the mixed IMFs, from which the refined IMFs components are reconstructed to produce the final de-noising results. This hybrid approach is applied to, and verified using, both simulated signals and experimental FOG outputs. The results from the applications show that the method eliminates noise more effectively than the conventional EMD or FLP methods and decreases the standard deviations of the FOG outputs after de-noising from 0.17 to 0.026 under sweep frequency vibration and from 0.22 to 0.024 under fixed frequency vibration.
Enhanced electrocaloric effect in composition gradient bilayer thick films
Authors: Hou Ying , Yang Lu , Qian Xiaoshi , Zhang Tian , Zhang Q. M.
Published: March 2016

We report the enhanced electrocaloric (EC) response over a broad temperature range in composition gradient Ba(ZrTi)O3 based bilayer thick films. A large EC temperature change of −4.9 K under an electric field of 10 MV/m around room temperature, large electrocaloric coefficient ΔT/ΔE = 0.49 × 10−6 K m V−1 were observed in the BaZr0.17Ti0.83O3/BaZr0.20Ti0.80O3 bilayer thick films, which are improved compared with BaZr0.20Ti0.80O3 and BaZr0.17Ti0.83O3 homogeneous bilayer films. The result reveals the potential of the composition gradient bilayer structure in improving the electrocaloric effect, which may provide an effective route to achieve large EC temperature change under a low electric field.
Transparent electrodes for high E-field production using a buried indium tin oxide layer
Authors: Gunton Will , Polovy Gene , Semczuk Mariusz , Madison Kirk W.
Published: March 2016

We present a design and characterization of optically transparent electrodes suitable for atomic and molecular physics experiments where high optical access is required. The electrodes can be operated in air at standard atmospheric pressure and do not suffer electrical breakdown even for electric fields far exceeding the dielectric breakdown of air. This is achieved by putting an indium tin oxide coated dielectric substrate inside a stack of dielectric substrates, which prevents ion avalanche resulting from Townsend discharge. With this design, we observe no arcing for fields of up to 120 kV/cm. Using these plates, we directly verify the production of electric fields up to 18 kV/cm inside a quartz vacuum cell by a spectroscopic measurement of the dc Stark shift of the 52S1/2 → 52P3/2 transition for a cloud of laser cooled rubidium atoms. We also report on the shielding of the electric field and on the residual electric fields that persist within the vacuum cell once the electrodes are discharged. In addition, we discuss observed atom loss that results from the motion of free charges within the vacuum. The observed asymmetry of these phenomena on the bias of the electrodes suggests that field emission of electrons within the vacuum is primarily responsible for these effects and may indicate a way of mitigating them.
Study of electromagnetic wave scattering from an inhomogeneous plasma layer using Green's function volume integral equation method
Authors: Soltanmoradi Elmira , Shokri Babak , Siahpoush Vahid
Published: March 2016

Gigahertz electromagnetic wave scattering from an inhomogeneous collisional plasma layer with bell-like and Epstein electron density distributions is studied by the Green's function volume integral equation method to find the reflectance, transmittance, and absorbance coefficients of this inhomogeneous plasma. Also, the effects of the frequency of the electromagnetic wave, plasma parameters, such as collision frequency, electron density, and plasma thickness, and the effects of the profile of the electron density on the electromagnetic wave scattering from this plasma slab are investigated. According to the results, when the electron density, collision frequency, and plasma thickness are increased, collisional absorbance is enhanced, and as a result, the absorbance bandwidth of plasma is broadened. Moreover, this broadening is more evident for plasma with bell-like electron density profile. Also, the bandwidth of the frequency and the range of pressure in which plasma behaves as a good reflector are determined in this article. According to the results, the bandwidth of the frequency is decreased for thicker plasma with bell-like profile, while it does not vary for a different plasma thickness with Epstein profile. Moreover, the range of the pressure is decreased for bell-like profile in comparison with Epstein profile. Furthermore, due to the sharp inhomogeneity of the Epstein profile, the coefficients of plasma that are uniform for plasma with bell-like profile are changed for plasma with Epstein profile, and some perturbations are seen.
Model experiment of magnetic field amplification in laser-produced plasmas via the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability
Authors: Kuramitsu Y. , Ohnishi N. , Sakawa Y. , Morita T. , Tanji H. , Ide T. , Nishio K. , Gregory C. D. , Waugh J. N. , Booth N. , Heathcote R. , Murphy C. , Gregori G. , Smallcombe J. , Barton C. , Dizière A. , Koenig M. , Woolsey N. , Matsumoto Y. , Mizuta A , Sugiyama T. , Matsukiyo S. , Moritaka T. , Sano T. , Takabe H.
Published: March 2016

A model experiment of magnetic field amplification (MFA) via the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) in supernova remnants (SNRs) was performed using a high-power laser. In order to account for very-fast acceleration of cosmic rays observed in SNRs, it is considered that the magnetic field has to be amplified by orders of magnitude from its background level. A possible mechanism for the MFA in SNRs is stretching and mixing of the magnetic field via the RMI when shock waves pass through dense molecular clouds in interstellar media. In order to model the astrophysical phenomenon in laboratories, there are three necessary factors for the RMI to be operative: a shock wave, an external magnetic field, and density inhomogeneity. By irradiating a double-foil target with several laser beams with focal spot displacement under influence of an external magnetic field, shock waves were excited and passed through the density inhomogeneity. Radiative hydrodynamic simulations show that the RMI evolves as the density inhomogeneity is shocked, resulting in higher MFA.
Transition state region in the A-Band photodissociation of allyl iodide—A femtosecond extreme ultraviolet transient absorption study
Authors: Bhattacherjee Aditi , Attar Andrew R. , Leone Stephen R.
Published: March 2016

Femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) transient absorption spectroscopy based on a high-harmonic generation source is used to study the 266 nm induced A-band photodissociation dynamics of allyl iodide (CH2 =CHCH2I). The photolysis of the C—I bond at this wavelength produces iodine atoms both in the ground (2P3/2, I) and spin-orbit excited (2P1/2, I*) states, with the latter as the predominant channel. Using XUV absorption at the iodine N4/5 edge (45–60 eV), the experiments constitute a direct probe of not only the long-lived atomic iodine reaction products but also the fleeting transition state region of the repulsive nIσ∗C—I excited states. Specifically, three distinct features are identified in the XUV transient absorption spectrum at 45.3 eV, 47.4 eV, and 48.4 eV (denoted transients A, B, and C, respectively), which arise from the repulsive valence-excited nσ∗ states and project onto the high-lying core-excited states of the dissociating molecule via excitation of 4d(I) core electrons. Transients A and B originate from 4d(I) → n(I) core-to-valence transitions, whereas transient C is best assigned to a 4d(I) →σ∗(C—I) transition. The measured differential absorbance of these new features along with the I/I* branching ratios known from the literature is used to suggest a more definitive assignment, albeit provisional, of the transients to specific dissociative states within the A-band manifold. The transients are found to peak around 55 fs–65 fs and decay completely by 145 fs–185 fs, demonstrating the ability of XUV spectroscopy to map the evolution of reactants into products in real time. The similarity in the energies of transients A and B with analogous features observed in methyl iodide [Attar et al. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 6, 5072, (2015)] together with the new observation of transient C in the present work provides a more complete picture of the valence electronic structure in the transition state region. The results provide a benchmark for theoretical calculations on the nature of core-excited states in halogenated hydrocarbons, especially in the transition state region along the C—I reaction coordinate.
Preferential acceleration and magnetic field enhancement in plasmas with e+/e− beam injection
Authors: Huynh Cong Tuan , Ryu Chang-Mo
Published: March 2016

A theoretical model of current filaments predicting preferential acceleration/deceleration and magnetic field enhancement in a plasma with e+/e− beam injection is presented. When the e+/e− beams are injected into a plasma, current filaments are formed. The beam particles are accelerated or decelerated depending on the types of current filaments in which they are trapped. It is found that in the electron/ion ambient plasma, the e+ beam particles are preferentially accelerated, while the e− beam particles are preferentially decelerated. The preferential particle acceleration/deceleration is absent when the ambient plasma is the e+/e− plasma. We also find that the particle momentum decrease can explain the magnetic field increase during the development of Weibel/filamentation instability. Supporting simulation results of particle acceleration/deceleration and magnetic field enhancement are presented. Our findings can be applied to a wide range of astrophysical plasmas with the e+/e− beam injection.
Narrow-linewidth red-emission Eu3+-doped TiO2 spheres for light-emitting diodes
Authors: Zhu Peifen , Zhu Hongyang , Qin Weiping , Dantas Breno H. , Sun Wei , Tan Chee-Keong , Tansu Nelson
Published: March 2016

In this work, the amorphous Eu3+-doped TiO2 spheres were synthesized by low cost mixed-solvent method, while the anatase and rutile spheres can be obtained by annealing the as-synthesized amorphous TiO2 spheres at elevated temperatures. The optical properties of Eu3+-doped TiO2 spheres were also investigated, and strong red emission (centered at 610 nm) with narrow line-width of 30 nm was observed under 465 nm or 394 nm excitations for the Eu3+-doped anatase TiO2 spheres. Our findings indicate the potential of using Eu3+-doped TiO2 spheres to achieve red emission with InGaN blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). Owing to the high light extraction efficiency in the GaN-based LEDs using anatase TiO2 spheres as demonstrated in our previous works, this work shows the strong potential of Eu3+-doped TiO2 spheres as the red phosphor material for high efficiency GaN-based white light-emitting diode.
Low-resistance GaN tunnel homojunctions with 150 kA/cm2 current and repeatable negative differential resistance
Authors: Akyol Fatih , Krishnamoorthy Sriram , Zhang Yuewei , Johnson Jared , Hwang Jinwoo , Rajan Siddharth
Published: March 2016

We report GaN n++/p++ interband tunnel junctions with repeatable negative differential resistance and low resistance. Reverse and forward tunneling current densities were observed to increase as Si and Mg doping concentrations were increased. Hysteresis-free, bidirectional negative differential resistance was observed at room temperature from these junctions at a forward voltage ∼1.6 V. Thermionic PN junctions with GaN homojunction tunnel contact to the p-layer exhibited forward current density of 150 kA/cm2 at 7.6 V, with a low series device resistance of 1 × 10−5 Ω cm2.
Large As sublattice distortion in sphalerite ZnSnAs2 thin films revealed by x-ray fluorescence holography
Authors: Hayashi Kouichi , Uchitomi Naotaka , Yamagami Keitaro , Suzuki Akiko , Yoshizawa Hayato , Asubar Joel T. , Happo Naohisa , Hosokawa Shinya
Published: March 2016

The structure of a ZnSnAs2 thin film epitaxially grown on an InP substrate was evaluated using x-ray fluorescence holography. The reconstructed three-dimensional atomic images clearly show that the crystal structure of the ZnSnAs2 thin film is mainly of the sphalerite type, in contrast to the bulk form. A large disordering of the As layers is observed, whereas the positions of the Zn/Sn atoms are relatively stable. The analysis of the data indicates that the As layers serve as a buffer and relax the strain caused by the random occupation of Zn and Sn atoms. These results provide further understanding and a means of controlling the growth of Mn-doped ZnSnAs2, a high-Tc diluted magnetic semiconductor.
Note: Flow mediated skin fluorescence—A novel technique for evaluation of cutaneous microcirculation
Authors: Piotrowski L. , Urbaniak M. , Jedrzejczak B. , Marcinek A. , Gebicki J.
Published: March 2016

This note describes a newly developed technique for evaluation of cutaneous microcirculation. The technique called Flow Mediated Skin Fluorescence (FMSF) is based on monitoring of NADH fluorescence intensity emitted from the skin tissue cells of a forearm. The changes in fluorescence intensity as a function of time in response to blocking and releasing of blood flow in a forearm are used as a measure of oxygen transport with blood to the tissue, which directly correlates with the skin microcirculation status. Preliminary results collected for healthy volunteers and patients experiencing serious cardiovascular problems indicated a usefulness of FMSF technique for evaluation of health related perturbations in cutaneous microcirculation.
[Co/Ni]-CoFeB hybrid free layer stack materials for high density magnetic random access memory applications
Authors: Liu E. , Swerts J. , Couet S. , Mertens S. , Tomczak Y. , Lin T. , Spampinato V. , Franquet A. , Van Elshocht S. , Kar G. , Furnemont A. , De Boeck J.
Published: March 2016

Alternative free layer materials with high perpendicular anisotropy are researched to provide spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory stacks' sufficient thermal stability at critical dimensions of 20 nm and below. We demonstrate a high tunnel magetoresistance (TMR) MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction stack with a hybrid free layer design made of a [Co/Ni] multilayer and CoFeB. The seed material on which the [Co/Ni] multilayer is deposited determines its switching characteristics. When deposited on a Pt seed layer, soft magnetic switching behavior with high squareness is obtained. When deposited on a NiCr seed, the perpendicular anisotropy remains high, but the squareness is low and coercivity exceeds 1000 Oe. Interdiffusion of the seed material with the [Co/Ni] multilayers is found to be responsible for the different switching characteristics. In optimized stacks, a TMR of 165% and low resistance-area (RA) product of 7.0 Ω μm2 are attained for free layers with an effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy of 1.25 erg/cm2, which suggests that the hybrid free layer materials may be a viable candidate for high density magnetic random access memory applications.
Structured back gates for high-mobility two-dimensional electron systems using oxygen ion implantation
Authors: Berl M. , Tiemann L. , Dietsche W. , Karl H. , Wegscheider W.
Published: March 2016

We present a reliable method to obtain patterned back gates compatible with high mobility molecular beam epitaxy via local oxygen ion implantation that suppresses the conductivity of an 80 nm thick silicon doped GaAs epilayer. Our technique was optimized to circumvent several constraints of other gating and implantation methods. The ion-implanted surface remains atomically flat which allows unperturbed epitaxial overgrowth. We demonstrate the practical application of this gating technique by using magneto-transport spectroscopy on a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) with a mobility exceeding 20 × 106 cm2/V s. The back gate was spatially separated from the Ohmic contacts of the 2DES, thus minimizing the probability for electrical shorts or leakage and permitting simple contacting schemes.
Coherent acoustic phonons in YBa2Cu3O7/La1/3Ca2/3MnO3 superlattices
Authors: Li Wei , He Bin , Zhang Chunfeng , Liu Shenghua , Liu Xiaoran , Middey S. , Chakhalian J. , Wang Xiaoyong , Xiao Min
Published: March 2016

We investigate photo-induced coherent acoustic phonons in complex oxide superlattices consisting of high-Tc superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−x and ferromagnetic manganite La1/3Ca2/3MnO3 epitaxial layers with broadband pump-probe spectroscopy. Two oscillatory components have been observed in time-resolved differential reflectivity spectra. Based on the analysis, the slow oscillation mode with a frequency sensitive to the probe wavelength is ascribed to the stimulated Brillouin scattering due to the photon reflection by propagating train of coherent phonons. The fast oscillation mode with a probe-wavelength-insensitive frequency is attributed to the Bragg oscillations caused by specular phonon reflections at oxide interfaces or the electron-coupling induced modulation due to free carrier absorption in the metallic superlattices. Our findings suggest that oxide superlattice is an ideal system to tailor the coherent behaviors of acoustic phonons and to manipulate the thermal and acoustic properties.
Active control of flow boiling oscillation amplitude and frequency using a transverse jet in crossflow
Authors: Vutha Ashwin Kumar , Rao Sameer Raghavendra , Houshmand Farzad , Peles Yoav
Published: March 2016

We demonstrate a technique to mitigate thermal oscillations in microchannel flow boiling and suppress the characteristic frequency associated with these oscillations. The method employs a transverse jet in crossflow that is fabricated along with the primary microchannel in a double-sided vinyl tape, using laser machining. Liquid at ambient temperature is injected into a flow boiling region at different momentum flux ratios to control the local temperature. A maximum reduction of 82% in temperature fluctuations was demonstrated and the dominant frequency of oscillations was completely suppressed within a particular range of momentum flux ratios. The observed phenomena are attributed to the replenishment of liquid into dryout regions, thereby preventing the large temperature rise and subsequent drop caused by dryout and rewetting, respectively.
Communication: Infrared spectroscopy of salt-water complexes
Authors: Tandy Jon , Feng Cheng , Boatwright Adrian , Sarma Gautam , Sadoon Ahmed M. , Shirley Andrew , Das Neves Rodrigues Natercia , Cunningham Ethan M. , Yang Shengfu , Ellis Andrew M.
Published: March 2016

To explore how the ion-pair in a single salt molecule evolves with the addition of water, infrared (IR) spectra of complexes composed of NaCl and multiple water molecules have been recorded for the first time. The NaCl(H2O)n complexes were formed and probed in liquid helium nanodroplets, and IR spectra were recorded for n = 1 → 4. The spectra for n = 1, 2, and 3 are consistent with formation of the lowest energy contact-ion pair structures in which each water molecule forms a single ionic hydrogen bond to an intact Na+Cl− ion-pair. Alternative structures with hydrogen bonding between water molecules become energetically competitive for n = 4, and the IR spectrum indicates likely the coexistence of at least two isomers.
A physics-based model of threshold voltage for amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors
Authors: Chen Chi-Le , Chen Wei-Feng , Zhou Lei , Wu Wei-Jing , Xu Miao , Wang Lei , Peng Jun-Biao
Published: March 2016

In the application of the Lambert W function, the surface potential for amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (AOS TFTs) under the subthreshold region is approximated by an asymptotic equation only considering the tail states. While the surface potential under the above-threshold region is approximated by another asymptotic equation only considering the free carriers. The intersection point between these two asymptotic equations represents the transition from the weak accumulation to the strong accumulation. Therefore, the gate voltage corresponding to the intersection point is defined as threshold voltage of AOS TFTs. As a result, an analytical expression for the threshold voltage is derived from this novel definition. It is shown that the threshold voltage achieved by the proposed physics-based model is agreeable with that extracted by the conventional linear extrapolation method. Furthermore, we find that the free charge per unit area in the channel starts increasing sharply from the threshold voltage point, where the concentration of the free carriers is a little larger than that of the localized carriers. The proposed model for the threshold voltage of AOS TFTs is not only physically meaningful but also mathematically convenient, so it is expected to be useful for characterizing and modeling AOS TFTs.
Outcomes of fire research: is science used?
Authors: Hunter Molly E.
Published: March 2016

An assessment of outcomes from research projects funded by the Joint Fire Science Program was conducted to determine whether or not science has been used to inform management and policy decisions and to explore factors that facilitate use of fire science. In a web survey and follow-up phone interviews, I asked boundary spanners and scientists about how findings from a random sample of 48 projects had been applied and factors that acted as barriers or facilitators to science application. In addition, I conducted an investigation of recent planning documents to determine whether products from the sampled projects were cited. All lines of evidence suggest that information from most (44 of 48) of these projects have been used by fire and fuels managers in some capacity. Science has mostly been used during planning efforts, to develop treatment prescriptions, and to evaluate current practices. Lack of manager awareness was commonly identified as a barrier to application of science. Conversely, activities and organisations that foster interaction between scientists and managers were identified as facilitating the application of science. The efforts of the Joint Fire Science Program to communicate science findings and engage managers has likely contributed to the application of fire science.
Potential impacts of poison baiting for introduced house mice on native animals on islands in Jurien Bay, Western Australia
Authors: Bennison Clifford , Friend J. Anthony , Button Timothy , Mills Harriet , Lambert Cathy , Bencini Roberta
Published: March 2016

Context
House mice (Mus domesticus) are present on Boullanger and Whitlock islands, Western Australia, and could potentially threaten populations of the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) and grey-bellied dunnart (Sminthopsis griseoventer) through competition for resources. A workshop in 2007 recommended a study to assess the feasibility of eradicating house mice from the islands by using poison baits and of the risk posed to non-target native species.

Aim
We aimed to assess the risk to non-target native species if poison baiting was used to eradicate house mice on Boullanger and Whitlock islands.

Methods
Non-toxic baits containing the bait marker rhodamine B were distributed on Boullanger Island and on the mouse free Escape Island to determine the potential for primary poisoning. Acceptance of baits by mammals was measured through sampling and analysis of whiskers, and by reptiles through observations of dye in faeces. To determine the potential for secondary exposure to poison, the response of dibblers to mouse carcasses was observed using motion-activated cameras. Bait acceptance was compared using two methods of delivery, namely, scattering in the open and delivery in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes. A cafeteria experiment of bait consumption by dibblers was also undertaken using captive animals held at the Perth Zoo. Ten dibblers were offered non-toxic baits containing rhodamine B in addition to their normal meals; consumption of bait and the presence of dye in whiskers were measured.

Key results
Bait acceptance on the islands was high for house mice (92% of individuals) and dibblers (48%) and it was independent of bait-delivery technique. There was no evidence of bait acceptance by grey-bellied dunnarts. Dibblers may consume mice carcasses if available; however, no direct consumption of mice carcasses was observed with movement sensor cameras but one dibbler was observed removing a mouse carcass and taking it away. During the cafeteria experiment, 9 of 10 captive dibblers consumed baits.

Conclusions
This investigation demonstrated that dibblers consume baits readily and island populations would experience high mortality if exposed to poison baits. Poison baiting could effectively eradicate mice from Boullanger and Whitlock islands but not without mortality for dibblers.

Implications
Toxic baits could be used to eradicate mice from Boullanger and Whitlock islands, provided that non-target species such as dibblers were temporarily removed from the islands before the application of baits.
The topological complexity and the homotopy cofiber of the diagonal map for non-orientable surfaces
Authors: Dranishnikov Alexander
Published: March 2016

We show that the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of the homotopy cofiber of the diagonal map of non-orientable surfaces equals three.

Also, we prove that the topological complexity of non-orientable surfaces of genus

>
4

> 4

is four.
Rational quintics in the real plane
Authors: Itenberg Ilia , Mikhalkin Grigory , Rau Johannes
Published: March 2016

From a topological viewpoint, a rational curve in the real projective plane is generically a smoothly immersed circle and a finite collection of isolated points. We give an isotopy classification of generic rational quintics in

R
P

2

\mathbb {RP}^2

in the spirit of Hilbert’s 16th problem.
On embedding certain partial orders into the P-points under Rudin-Keisler and Tukey reducibility
Authors: Raghavan Dilip , Shelah Saharon
Published: March 2016

The study of the global structure of ultrafilters on the natural numbers with respect to the quasi-orders of Rudin-Keisler and Rudin-Blass reducibility was initiated in the 1970s by Blass, Keisler, Kunen, and Rudin. In a 1973 paper Blass studied the special class of P-points under the quasi-ordering of Rudin-Keisler reducibility. He asked what partially ordered sets can be embedded into the P-points when the P-points are equipped with this ordering. This question is of most interest under some hypothesis that guarantees the existence of many P-points, such as Martin’s axiom for

σ
\sigma

-centered posets. In his 1973 paper he showed under this assumption that both

ω

1

{\omega }_{1}

and the reals can be embedded. Analogous results were obtained later for the coarser notion of Tukey reducibility. We prove in this paper that Martin’s axiom for

σ
\sigma

-centered posets implies that the Boolean algebra

P

(
ω
)

/

FIN

\mathcal {P}(\omega ) / \operatorname {FIN}

equipped with its natural partial order can be embedded into the P-points both under Rudin-Keisler and Tukey reducibility. Consequently, the continuum hypothesis implies that every partial order of size at most continuum embeds into the P-points under both notions of reducibility.
Conformal dimension and boundaries of planar domains
Authors: Kinneberg Kyle
Published: March 2016

Building off of techniques that were recently developed by M. Carrasco, S. Keith, and B. Kleiner to study the conformal dimension of boundaries of hyperbolic groups, we prove that uniformly perfect boundaries of John domains in

C

^

\hat {\mathbb {C}}

have conformal dimension equal to 0 or 1. Our proof uses a discretized version of Carrasco’s “uniformly well-spread cut point” condition, which we call the discrete UWS property, that is well-suited to deal with metric spaces that are not linearly connected. More specifically, we prove that boundaries of John domains have the discrete UWS property and that any compact, doubling, uniformly perfect metric space with the discrete UWS property has conformal dimension equal to 0 or 1. In addition, we establish other geometric properties of metric spaces with the discrete UWS property, including connectivity properties of their weak tangents.
Pragmatic precision oncology: the secondary uses of clinical tumor molecular profiling
Authors: Rioth Matthew J , Thota Ramya , Staggs David B , Johnson Douglas B , Warner Jeremy L
Published: March 2016

Background Precision oncology increasingly utilizes molecular profiling of tumors to determine treatment decisions with targeted therapeutics. The molecular profiling data is valuable in the treatment of individual patients as well as for multiple secondary uses.

Objective To automatically parse, categorize, and aggregate clinical molecular profile data generated during cancer care as well as use this data to address multiple secondary use cases.

Methods A system to parse, categorize and aggregate molecular profile data was created. A naÿve Bayesian classifier categorized results according to clinical groups. The accuracy of these systems were validated against a published expertly-curated subset of molecular profiling data.

Results Following one year of operation, 819 samples have been accurately parsed and categorized to generate a data repository of 10,620 genetic variants. The database has been used for operational, clinical trial, and discovery science research.

Conclusions A real-time database of molecular profiling data is a pragmatic solution to several knowledge management problems in the practice and science of precision oncology.
Discharge recommendation based on a novel technique of homeostatic analysis
Authors: Calvert Jacob S , Price Daniel A , Barton Christopher W , Chettipally, Uli K , Das Ritankar
Published: March 2016

Objective: We propose a computational framework for integrating diverse patient measurements into an aggregate health score and applying it to patient stability prediction.

Materials and Methods: We mapped retrospective patient data from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care (MIMIC) II clinical database into a discrete multidimensional space, which was searched for measurement combinations and trends relevant to patient outcomes of interest. Patient trajectories through this space were then used to make outcome predictions. As a case study, we built AutoTriage, a patient stability prediction tool to be used for discharge recommendation.

Results: AutoTriage correctly identified 3 times as many stabilizing patients as existing tools and achieved an accuracy of 92.9% (95% CI: 91.6–93.9%), while maintaining 94.5% specificity. Analysis of AutoTriage parameters revealed that interdependencies between risk factors comprised the majority of each patient stability score.

Discussion: AutoTriage demonstrated an improvement in the sensitivity of existing stability prediction tools, while considering patient safety upon discharge. The relative contributions of risk factors indicated that time-series trends and measurement interdependencies are most important to stability prediction.

Conclusion: Our results motivate the application of multidimensional analysis to other clinical problems and highlight the importance of risk factor trends and interdependencies in outcome prediction.
Population imaging at subcellular resolution supports specific and local inhibition by granule cells in the olfactory bulb
Authors: Wienisch Martin , Murthy Venkatesh N.
Published: March 2016

Information processing in early sensory regions is modulated by a diverse range of inhibitory interneurons. We sought to elucidate the role of olfactory bulb interneurons called granule cells (GCs) in odor processing by imaging the activity of hundreds of these cells simultaneously in mice. Odor responses in GCs were temporally diverse and spatially disperse, with some degree of non-random, modular organization. The overall sparseness of activation of GCs was highly correlated with the extent of glomerular activation by odor stimuli. Increasing concentrations of single odorants led to proportionately larger population activity, but some individual GCs had non-monotonic relation to concentration due to local inhibitory interactions. Individual dendritic segments could sometimes respond independently to odors, revealing their capacity for compartmentalized signalingin vivo. Collectively, the response properties of GCs point to their role in specific and local processing, rather than global operations such as response normalization proposed for other interneurons.
Small talk’s big role
Authors: Cole Graham
Published: March 2016

Findings

Intense competition and change are two defining characteristics of today’s business world. It is therefore critical that organizations have the requisite skills and knowledge needed to achieve performance and growth objectives. Learning is clearly vital in this respect. Companies must remain alert to the range of opportunities for key personnel to broaden their horizons and enhance their awareness and understanding of current and future issues. Recognition of this has led to growing acknowledgement of the important contribution of informal types of learning. Indications are that informal conversations with workplace colleagues are especially powerful in this respect.
Factors affecting the intensity of nonfarm participation among ethnic minorities in Northwest Mountains, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Tuyen Quang , Vu Huong Van , Doan Tinh Thanh
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Little econometric evidence exists on the determinants of nonfarm participation among ethnic minorities in Vietnam. The purpose of this paper is to examine the intensity of nonfarm participation and its correlates among ethnic minority households in Northwest Mountains – the poorest region of Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

– Factors affecting the level of nonfarm participation were examined by using a fractional logit model. In addition, regression analysis using analysis of variance models were used to compare the mean of household characteristics and assets between households with and without nonfarm employment.

Findings

– The study found that households depended heavily on agriculture for subsistence and their access to nonfarm employment is very limited. Households with nonfarm employment had much higher levels of education, income, assets and a much lower level of poverty than those without nonfarm participation. The intensity of nonfarm participation is positively associated with education levels, proportion of male working members and fixed assets but negatively correlated with the size of annual crop land and water surface for aquaculture. Also, the presence of nonfarm opportunities and paved roads in a commune increases the intensity of nonfarm participation for households living in that commune.

Practical implications

– The findings suggest that any poverty alleviation policies should aim at improving the access of ethnic minorities to education and nonfarm job opportunities.

Originality/value

– The study offers the first evidence of factors affecting the intensity of nonfarm participation among ethnic minorities in the study area.
Adult protection in Scotland in 1857 and in 2015: what have we learned?
Authors: Campbell Martin
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare recent developments in adult protection legislation, policy and practice in Scotland in 2015 with the first attempts at protection of adults at risk of harm, in 1857-1862, with a particular focus on people with learning disabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper uses comparative historical research, drawing on primary archive material from 1857 to 1862 in the form of Annual Reports of the General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy for Scotland and associated papers.

Findings

– Growing public awareness of the extent of neglect and abuse, and the need for overarching legislation were common factors in the development of both the “The Lunacy Act” of 1857 and the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act of 2007. Both pieces of legislation also had the common aim of “asylum”, and shared some other objectives.

Practical implications

– Total prevention of abuse of vulnerable adults is an aspiration in law and in policy. There is an evidence base of effectiveness, however, in protecting adults at risk of harm from abuse. Some ecological factors recur as challenges to effective safeguarding activity. These include problems of definition, uncovering abuse, enforcing legislation, evaluating impact and protection of people who are not a risk of harm to others.

Originality/value

– This paper compares common themes and common challenges in two separate time periods to investigate what can be learned about the development of legislation and practice in adult protection.
A research portfolio approach to evaluating finance journal quality
Authors: Danielson Morris G. , Heck Jean L.
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to update and extend Danielson and Heck (2014) to provide additional evidence about the relative quality of a set of 23 high-impact finance journals. In particular, the paper summarizes the research records of all scholars contributing articles to each of the 23 journals from 1970 to 2014, and uses this information to identify journals that publish articles by similar sets of authors, and rank the 23 journals based upon publication activity from 2010 to 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

– The names of all authors appearing in each of the 23 journals during the 1970 to 2014 period – and the number of appearances by each author – were summarized directly from the journals’ table of contents. From this data, the lifetime (1970-2014) research portfolio of each journal’s average author was quantified for two sub-periods: 1970-2009 and 2010-2014. Using the assumption that a journal’s quality is positively related to its ability to attract submissions from accomplished researchers, this data provides information about the authors’ subjective ranking of finance journals and about how these rankings have changed during the past five years.

Findings

– The finance literature experienced rapid growth during 2010-2014, with almost 25 percent of all appearances from 1970 to 2014 occurring in the last five years of the period. Based upon publication activity during 2010-2014, the Journal of Finance, the Review of Financial Studies, the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis remain the most prestigious finance outlets, followed by the Financial Analysts Journal, the Journal of Financial Markets, Review of Finance, the Journal of Financial Intermediation, Financial Management, and the Journal of Applied Corporate Finance.

Research limitations/implications

– The identification of a unique set of the 23 “best” journals in any academic field is an inherently subjective task. Adding journals to (or removing journals from) this population could cause the ranking of some individual journals to shift.

Originality/value

– Evidence about the average quality of articles appearing in the leading finance journals is useful when evaluating faculty research records for purposes of tenure, promotion, and merit awards.
Journal influence in corporate research
Authors: Borokhovich Kenneth , Lee Allissa , Simkins Betty
Published: March 2016

Purpose

– Studies of research influence commonly look at the overall field of finance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the sub-field of corporate finance at four different points in time to determine its evolution and range of influence, specifically focussing on the relative influence of seven leading journals.

Design/methodology/approach

– Not all articles appearing in the set of journals are in corporate finance. The authors examine each article published in the journals for four key periods and identify those that are corporate. The impact factors (IFs) published in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) are for all articles appearing in a journal. The authors are interested only in the corporate articles, so the authors calculate separate corporate IFs based on the citations to the corporate articles using the JCR technique.

Findings

– The authors find a broad corporate research environment with influence that extends well beyond finance. The authors also find differences in the relative influence of the journals not only in their total influence, but in where the influence occurs outside finance and other business journals and even more broadly in the social sciences.

Research limitations/implications

– The exclusion of journals outside the seven selected may not uncover other areas where corporate finance articles impact research more broadly. Also, classification of articles is inherently subjective.

Practical implications

– The authors draw comparisons between journals and corporate finance topic areas; indicating the breadth and depth research in these areas attain. These results should prove beneficial to researchers in determining areas of influence for their work, consequently providing opportunities for additional exchanges of ideas resulting in better and more informed research in the overall social sciences. Further, our approach to analyzing journal influence could prove fruitful for additional research.

Originality/value

– The findings allow for a greater understanding of the influence of individual journals and their subsequent rankings by a number of different means. The authors propose that the means and measures employed here can lead to a greater understanding of how influential a journal really is. Further, the authors contend that the study provides comparisons of the scope and depth of influence for each journal in a way that could lead to new avenues of research.