bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon nanotubes and catalysis: the many facets of a successful marriage
Authors: Melchionna M. , Marchesan S. , Prato M. , Fornasiero P.
Published: May 2015

Carbon nanotubes have emerged as unique carbon allotropes that bear very interesting prospects in catalysis.
Aluminum complexes based on pyridine substituted alcohols: synthesis, structure, and catalytic application in ROP
Authors: Kireenko Marina M. , Kuchuk Ekaterina A. , Zaitsev Kirill V. , Tafeenko Viktor A. , Oprunenko Yuri F. , Churakov Andrei V. , Lermontova Elmira Kh. , Zaitseva Galina S. , Karlov Sergey S.
Published: May 2015

2,6-Bis(hydroxyalkyl)pyridines were used in the synthesis of Al complexes. The structure of the ligand determines the complex nature. Compounds were used as initiators of lactone ROP.
Lanthanide complexes with 2-(tosylamino)benzylidene-N-benzoylhydrazone, which exhibit high NIR emission
Authors: Utochnikova V. V. , Kovalenko A. D. , Burlov A. S. , Marciniak L. , Ananyev I. V. , Kalyakina A. S. , Kurchavov N. A. , Kuzmina N. P.
Published: May 2015

New NIR emitting materials were found among the lanthanide complexes with 2-(tosylamino)benzylidene-N-benzoylhydrazone.
Does it have to be carbon? Metal anodes in microbial fuel cells and related bioelectrochemical systems
Authors: Baudler André , Schmidt Igor , Langner Markus , Greiner Andreas , Schröder Uwe
Published: May 2015

Here we propose copper as a high performance and economically viable anode material for microbial bioelectrochemical systems.
A monolithic device for CO2 photoreduction to generate liquid organic substances in a single-compartment reactor
Authors: Arai Takeo , Sato Shunsuke , Morikawa Takeshi
Published: May 2015

A solar to chemical energy conversion efficiency of 4.6% was demonstrated in CO2 photoreduction to formate utilizing water as an electron donor under simulated solar light irradiation to a monolithic tablet-shaped device.
The effects of co-administration of butter on the absorption, metabolism and excretion of catechins in rats after oral administration of tea polyphenols
Authors: Zhang Liang , Han Yuhui , Xu Liwei , Liang Yuhong , Chen Xin , Li Junsong , Wan Xiaochun
Published: May 2015

A rapid UHPLC-MS/MS method was used to quantitatively determine the catechins in the plasma, feces and bile of rats after the oral administration of tea polyphenol or its combination with butter.
Metal-free, visible-light-mediated transformation of aryl diazonium salts and (hetero)arenes: an efficient route to aryl ketones
Authors: Gu Lijun , Jin Cheng , Liu Jiyan
Published: May 2015

A visible-light promoted transformation of aryl diazonium salts and (hetero)arenes for the synthesis of aryl ketones under base-free and metal-free conditions is described.
Flow-through microfluidic photoionization detectors for rapid and highly sensitive vapor detection
Authors: Zhu Hongbo , Nidetz Robert , Zhou Menglian , Lee Jiwon , Buggaveeti Sanketh , Kurabayashi Katsuo , Fan Xudong
Published: May 2015

Rapid and sensitive microfluidic photoionization detector fabricated on a chip.
Liquids on-chip: direct storage and release employing micro-perforated vapor barrier films
Authors: Czurratis Daniel , Beyl Yvonne , Grimm Alexander , Brettschneider Thomas , Zinober Sven , Lärmer Franz , Zengerle Roland
Published: May 2015

Liquids on-chipdescribes a reagent storage concept for pressure driven Lab-on-Chip (LoC) devices, which enables liquid storage in reservoirs without additional packaging. In addition to PC/TPU, we suggest a novel polymer composite based on COP and TPS suitable for laser welding.
Retracted Article: Identifying the inhibitory mechanism of apigenin on the insulin ligand–receptor binding
Authors: Yang Yong
Published: May 2015

Although apigenin, a plant flavone, has been shown to inhibit the activation of insulin receptor signaling, its inhibitory mechanism is largely unknown.
Hg2+-induced deprotonation of an anthracene-based chemosensor: set–reset flip-flop at the molecular level using Hg2+ and I− ions
Authors: Kaur Navneet , Dhaka Gargi , Singh Jasvinder
Published: May 2015

A simple chemosensor 1 shows a “turn-off” sensing of Hg2+ ions, whereas the in situ formed Hg2+ complex can be used for “turn-on” sensing with I− ions. These fluorescence changes have been used for the construction of a set–reset flip-flop circuit.
Influence of processing time on the phase, microstructure and electrochemical properties of hopeite coating on stainless steel by chemical conversion method
Authors: Zhang Xian , Xiao Gui-yong , Liu Bing , Jiang Cong-cong , Lu Yu-peng
Published: May 2015

Distinct nanoscale structures of hopeite coating on stainless steel are found which may have potential significance for biomedical applications.
Photostability of gold nanoparticles with different shapes: the role of Ag clusters
Authors: Attia Yasser A. , Buceta David , Requejo Félix G. , Giovanetti Lisandro J. , López-Quintela M. Arturo
Published: May 2015

Involvement of semiconductor-like Ag clusters in the photodissolution of gold nanorods and nanoprisms by low-power UV irradiation.
Solvent engineering towards controlled grain growth in perovskite planar heterojunction solar cells
Authors: Rong Yaoguang , Tang Zhongjia , Zhao Yufeng , Zhong Xin , Venkatesan Swaminathan , Graham Harrison , Patton Matthew , Jing Yan , Guloy Arnold M. , Yao Yan
Published: May 2015

The formation of intermediate phase of (CH3NH3)2Pb3I8·2DSMO in the solution process benefits the growth of high-quality perovskite CH3NH3PbI3film.
Hydrogen sulfide mediated cascade reaction forming an iminocoumarin: applications in fluorescent probe development and live-cell imaging
Authors: Mishra Pratryush Kumar , Saha Tanmoy , Talukdar Pinaki
Published: May 2015

The study on a fluorescent probe that undergoes a H2S mediated cascade reaction to form an iminocoumarin fluorophore is reported.
Correction: Palladium catalyzed amide-oxazoline directed C–H acetoxylation of arenes
Authors: Liu Bin , Huang Xuhu , Wang Xin , Ge Zemei , Li Runtao
Published: May 2015

Correction for ‘Palladium catalyzed amide-oxazoline directed C–H acetoxylation of arenes’ by Bin Liu et al., Org. Chem. Front., 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c5qo00104h.
Natural and semisynthetic protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors as anti-diabetic agents
Authors: Wang Li-Jun , Jiang Bo , Wu Ning , Wang Shuai-Yu , Shi Da-Yong
Published: May 2015

Natural products offered more opportunities to develop new drugs and leading compounds as potent PTP1B inhibitors for treating T2DM.
Alloying of platinum and molybdenum for transparent counter electrodes. A strategy of enhancing power output for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Zhang Huihui , Tang Qunwei , He Benlin
Published: May 2015

Design of a cost-effective counter electrode with no sacrifice of photovoltaic performances and power output for a bifacial dye-sensitized solar cell is a persistent objective in photovoltaic power generation.
Amorphous carbon framework stabilized SnO2 porous nanowires as high performance Li-ion battery anode materials
Authors: Zhou Banghong , Yang Shuanglei , Wu Laidi , Wu Wei , Wei Weifeng , Chen Libao , Zhang Hongbo , Pan Jun , Xiong Xiang
Published: May 2015

Amorphous carbon framework stabilized SnO2 porous nanowires (SnO2@C nanocomposites) were successfully synthesized through a hydrothermal-calcining method.
Highly sensitive detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) based on lysozyme capped CdS quantum dots
Authors: Na Weidan , Liu Xiaotong , Pang Shu , Su Xingguang
Published: May 2015

This work presents a novel method for nitroaromatic compound detection using lysozyme-capped CdS quantum dots (Lys-CdS QDs).
Development of crystalline–amorphous parylene C structure in micro- and nano-range towards enhanced biocompatibility: the importance of oxygen plasma treatment time
Authors: Golda-Cepa M. , Engvall K. , Kotarba A.
Published: May 2015

The crystalline–amorphous parylene C structure was fabricated by Chemical Vapour Deposited (CVD) and functionalised in the micro- and nano-range with the oxygen plasma treatment.
Fibril aggregates of the poly(glutamic acid)–drug conjugate
Authors: Lai Jingjing , Huang Yanbin
Published: May 2015

Poly(glutamic acid)–doxorubicin conjugates form fibrillar aggregates in the aqueous solution.
Identification and characterization of the Indian Yellow dyestuff and its degradation products in historical oil paint tube by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
Authors: Otłowska Olga , Ślebioda Marek , Wachowiak Mirosław , Śliwka-Kaszyńska Magdalena
Published: May 2015

An analytical protocol for identification of dyes using reversed phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure electrospray ionization (LC-ESI/MS) is presented.
How I met your elastomers: from network topology to mechanical behaviours of conventional silicone materials
Authors: Stricher A. M. , Rinaldi R. G. , Barrès C. , Ganachaud F. , Chazeau L.
Published: May 2015

Main silicone elastomer formulations with different crosslinking chemistries are compared in terms of network structureversusmechanical properties.
The kinetics and mechanism of solvent extraction of Pr(iii) from chloride medium in the presence of two complexing agents with di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid
Authors: Yin Shao-Hua , Li Shi-Wei , Peng Jin-Hui , Zhang Li-Bo
Published: May 2015

The extraction kinetics of Pr(iii) from chloride medium containing two complexing agents lactic acid (HLac) and citric acid (H3cit) with di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA, H2A2) have been investigated by constant interfacial area cell with lamina flow.
Catalytic oxidation of 1,2-dichloroethane over Al2O3–CeO2 catalysts: combined effects of acid and redox properties
Authors: Bai Shuxing , Shi Bingbing , Deng Wei , Dai Qiguang , Wang Xingyi
Published: May 2015

The lower temperature catalytic combustion of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) over Al2O3, CeO2 and Al2O3–CeO2 catalysts were studied.
Role of substrate effects on the morphological, structural, electrical and thermoelectrical properties of V2O5thin films
Authors: Ahmad Bhat Bilal , Khan G. R. , Asokan K.
Published: May 2015

The present work focuses on the influence of different substrates on the morphological, compositional, phase purity, structural and transport properties of vanadium pentaoxide (V2O5) thin films.
Bis(phosphine oxide)/triphenylamine based material for solution-processed blue electrofluorescent and green electrophosphorescent devices
Authors: Jiang Wei , Cui Peng , Ban Xinxin , Sun Yueming
Published: May 2015

A novel multifunctional material TPA-BPhPO has been designed and synthesized to explore its use as the blue emitter and the host material for solution-processed blue electrofluorescent and green electrophosphorescent devices.
Hydrothermal synthesis of delafossite CuFeO2 crystals at 100 °C
Authors: Xiong Dehua , Qi Yongkang , Li Xiawen , Liu Xingxing , Tao Haizheng , Chen Wei , Zhao Xiujian
Published: May 2015

We report the CuFeO2 crystals with submicron-sized could be prepared through hydrothermal reaction at 100 °C for the first time.
Interaction between CO2 and ionic liquids confined in the nanopores of SAPO-11
Authors: Yang Benqun , Zhou Feng , Liu Shimin , Wang Peixue , Alshammari Ahmad S. , Deng Youquan
Published: May 2015

TPD-CO2 profiles of P4,4,4,6Triz confined in the nanopores of SAPO-11 (30 wt%).
A water soluble copper(ii) complex as a HSO4− ion selective turn-on fluorescent sensor applicable in living cell imaging
Authors: Sen Buddhadeb , Mukherjee Manjira , Pal Siddhartha , Sen Supriti , Chattopadhyay Pabitra
Published: May 2015

A water soluble non-fluorescent biofriendly cell permeable structurally characterised copper(ii) complex (1) selectively senses HSO4− ions as low as 3.18 × 10−7 M in water : DMSO (9 : 1, v/v) HEPES buffer at biological pH.
A novel18F-labelled high affinity agent for PET imaging of the translocator protein
Authors: Blair Adele , Zmuda Filip , Malviya Gaurav , Tavares Adriana A. S. , Tamagnan Gilles D. , Chalmers Anthony J. , Dewar Deborah , Pimlott Sally L. , Sutherland Andrew
Published: May 2015

A novel18F-labelled quinoline-2-carboxamide has been characterised as a novel PET imaging agent for the translocator protein.
Tin microparticles for a lithium ion battery anode with enhanced cycling stability and efficiency derived from Se-doping
Authors: Dang Hoang X. , Klavetter Kyle C. , Meyerson Melissa L. , Heller Adam , Mullins C. Buddie
Published: May 2015

Lithium battery anodes formed of manufacturable micron-sized particles of selenium-doped tin vastly outperform anodes made of un-doped tin.
Energy cooperation in multi‐user wireless‐powered relay networks
Authors: Yang Dingcheng , Zhou Xiaoxiao , Xiao Lin , Wu Fahui
Published: May 2015

In this study, energy cooperation schemes are considered in wireless cooperative networks; in these networks multiple pairs of users communicate with each other, assisted by an energy harvesting relay that gathers energy from the received signal by applying a power splitting scheme and forwards the received signal by using the harvested energy. This study is focused on the energy cooperation strategies for the relay to distribute the harvested energy between the multiple user pairs in amplify‐and‐forward and in decode‐and‐forward modes. Specifically, optimal solutions without energy cooperation at the relay node are first proposed and then the authors formulate the energy cooperation optimisation problem. This optimisation problem is non‐convex. They propose an iterative energy cooperation solution to maximise the system throughput by assigning the proper harvested energy to each user pair for both types of forwarding models. They show that with the proposed method, the update in each iteration consists of a group of convex problems with a continuous parameter. Moreover, they derive the optimal solution to these convex problems in closed‐form and it is shown that the solution can converge to a local optimum. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the traditional non‐cooperation method.
Secrecy performance analysis with relay selection methods under impact of co‐channel interference
Authors: Duy Tran Trung , Duong Trung Q. , Thanh Tu Lam , Bao Vo Nguyen Quoc
Published: May 2015

In this study, the authors evaluate secrecy performance of cooperative protocols with relay selection methods under impact of co‐channel interference. In particular, the authors propose an optimal selection scheme to maximise the secrecy capacity obtained at the cooperative phase. In addition, the authors also consider suboptimal and random selection schemes which reduce the complexity of implementation, when compared with the optimal one. For performance evaluation, the authors derive exact and asymptotic closed‐form expressions of secrecy outage probability and probability of non‐zero secrecy capacity for the considered schemes over Rayleigh fading channels. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to validate the derivations.
Performance of mobile orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems over time‐varying non‐linearities with memory
Authors: Beremiz Hilario Tacuri Alexander , Fortes José Mauro Pedro
Published: May 2015

The performance of modern communications transmitters utilising multi‐carrier modulation techniques is highly sensitive to non‐linear distortions arising mainly from the high‐power amplifier. The increase in symbol duration makes the system more sensitive to time‐varying channels. In addition, the wideband characteristics of multi‐carrier signals result in frequency‐dependent distortions, typically known as memory effects. This study presents analytical expressions that can be used to evaluate the impact of the distortions induced by time‐varying non‐linearities with memory on the bit error rate performance of a multi‐carrier signal such as the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. The time‐varying non‐linearity with memory is modelled by a time‐varying Volterra series. The resulting mathematical expressions are applied to specific situations, allowing for a quantitative evaluation of the system performance degradation.
Local selected features of dual‐tree complex wavelet transform for single sample face recognition
Authors: Hamidi Hamidreza , Chehel Amirani Mehdi , Rahimzadeh Arashloo Shervin
Published: May 2015

In this study, a new method for single sample face recognition problem based on local dual‐tree complex wavelet transform (DT‐CWT) representation is proposed. The proposed system provides a number of countermeasures to neutralise the unwanted imaging conditions in face classification. First of all, two novel pre‐processing steps, geometric and photometric normalisation are used to normalise the facial images. The employed geometric normalisation method is more consistent with the geometry and the shape of the face image, removing redundant information from classification. This step is followed by a new illumination normalisation approach in which useful information for the extraction of DT‐CWT features is kept almost unaltered. Taking a local feature‐based approach, DT‐CWT features are then extracted regionally. By virtue of the effective normalisation stages and the employed multi‐scale and multi‐orientation DT‐CWT features, the proposed locally selected DT‐CWT method offers invariance to moderate real world image variations, such as illumination, expression, head pose, shift and in‐plane rotation. The experimental evaluation of the method is performed on the widely used FERET and YALE databases, in an identification scenario, achieving promising performance.
Low‐cost and high‐speed hardware implementation of contrast‐preserving image dynamic range compression for full‐HD video enhancement
Authors: Li Shih‐An , Tsai Chi‐Yi
Published: May 2015

This study presents a cost‐efficient and high‐performance field programmable gate array (FPGA)‐based hardware implementation of a contrast‐preserving image dynamic range compression algorithm, which is an important function used in modern digital video cameras and displays to improve visual quality of standard dynamic range colour images (8 bits/channel). To achieve this purpose, a hardware‐friendly approximation to an existing fast dynamic range compression with local contrast preservation (FDRCLCP) algorithm is proposed. The computation of the proposed approximated FDRCLCP algorithm requires only fixed‐point unsigned binary addition, multiplication, and bit‐shifting. Moreover, the proposed hardware implementation uses a line buffer instead of a frame buffer to process whole image data. These advantages significantly improve throughput performance and reduce memory requirement of the system. The FPGA implementation of the proposed algorithm requires only about 98 K bits on‐chip memory and achieves about 170.24 MHz operating frequency by using an Altera Cyclone II device. This is a large improvement compared with the existing results as it is quick enough to process full high‐definition videos (1920 × 1080 pixels) at least 80 frames per second using a low‐cost FPGA device.
Supervised locally linear embedding algorithm based on orthogonal matching pursuit
Authors: Zhang Li , Leng Yiqin , Yang Jiwen , Li Fanzhang
Published: May 2015

Supervised locally linear embedding (SLLE) has been proposed for classification tasks. SLLE can take full use of the label information and select neighbours only in the same class. However, SLLE uses the least squares (LSs) method for solving a set of linear equations to obtain linear representation coefficients, which relates to the inverse of a matrix. If the matrix is singular, the solution to the set of linear equations does not exist. Additionally, if the size of neighbourhood is not appropriate, some further neighbours along the manifold would be selected. To remedy those, this study deals with SLLE based on orthogonal matching pursuit (SLLE‐OMP) by introducing OMP into SLLE. In SLLE‐OMP, LS is replaced by OMP and OMP can reselect new neighbours from old ones. Experimental results on some real‐world datasets show that SLLE‐OMP can achieve better classification performance compared with SLLE.
Perspective: Oxide molecular-beam epitaxy rocks!
Authors: Schlom Darrell G.
Published: May 2015

Molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) is the “gold standard” synthesis technique for preparing semiconductor heterostructures with high purity, high mobility, and exquisite control of layer thickness at the atomic-layer level. Its use for the growth of multicomponent oxides got off to a rocky start 30 yr ago, but in the ensuing decades, it has become the definitive method for the preparation of oxide heterostructures too, particularly when it is desired to explore their intrinsic properties. Examples illustrating the unparalleled achievements of oxide MBE are given; these motivate its expanding use for exploring the potentially revolutionary states of matter possessed by oxide systems.
The scaling of electron and positron generation in intense laser-solid interactions
Authors: Chen Hui , Link A. , Sentoku Y. , Audebert P. , Fiuza F. , Hazi A. , Heeter R. F. , Hill M. , Hobbs L. , Kemp A. J. , Kemp G. E. , Kerr S. , Meyerhofer D. D. , Myatt J. , Nagel S. R. , Park J. , Tommasini R. , Williams G. J.
Published: May 2015

This paper presents experimental scalings of the electrons and positrons produced by intense laser-target interactions at relativistic laser intensities (1018–1020 W cm−2). The data were acquired from three short-pulse laser facilities with laser energies ranging from 80 to 1500 J. We found a non-linear (≈EL2) scaling of positron yield [Chen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 215001 (2015)] and a linear scaling of electron yield with the laser energy. These scalings are explained by theoretical and numerical analyses. Positron acceleration by the target sheath field is confirmed by the positron energy spectrum, which has a pronounced peak at energies near the sheath potential, as determined by the observed maximum energies of accelerated protons. The parameters of laser-produced electron-positron jets are summarized together with the theoretical energy scaling. The measured energy-squared scaling of relativistic electron-positron jets indicates the possibility to create an astrophysically relevant experimental platform with such jets using multi-kilojoule high intensity lasers currently under construction.
Linear-scaling implementation of the direct random-phase approximation
Authors: Kállay Mihály
Published: May 2015

We report the linear-scaling implementation of the direct random-phase approximation (dRPA) for closed-shell molecular systems. As a bonus, linear-scaling algorithms are also presented for the second-order screened exchange extension of dRPA as well as for the second-order Møller–Plesset (MP2) method and its spin-scaled variants. Our approach is based on an incremental scheme which is an extension of our previous local correlation method [Rolik et al., J. Chem. Phys. 139, 094105 (2013)]. The approach extensively uses local natural orbitals to reduce the size of the molecular orbital basis of local correlation domains. In addition, we also demonstrate that using natural auxiliary functions [M. Kállay, J. Chem. Phys. 141, 244113 (2014)], the size of the auxiliary basis of the domains and thus that of the three-center Coulomb integral lists can be reduced by an order of magnitude, which results in significant savings in computation time. The new approach is validated by extensive test calculations for energies and energy differences. Our benchmark calculations also demonstrate that the new method enables dRPA calculations for molecules with more than 1000 atoms and 10 000 basis functions on a single processor.
The study of basis sets for the calculation of the structure and dynamics of the benzene-Kr complex
Authors: Shirkov Leonid , Makarewicz Jan
Published: May 2015

An ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) has been constructed for the benzene-krypton (BKr) van der Waals (vdW) complex. The interaction energy has been calculated at the coupled cluster level of theory with single, double, and perturbatively included triple excitations using different basis sets. As a result, a few analytical PESs of the complex have been determined. They allowed a prediction of the complex structure and its vibrational vdW states. The vibrational energy level pattern exhibits a distinct polyad structure. Comparison of the equilibrium structure, the dipole moment, and vibrational levels of BKr with their experimental counterparts has allowed us to design an optimal basis set composed of a small Dunning’s basis set for the benzene monomer, a larger effective core potential adapted basis set for Kr and additional midbond functions. Such a basis set yields vibrational energy levels that agree very well with the experimental ones as well as with those calculated from the available empirical PES derived from the microwave spectra of the BKr complex. The basis proposed can be applied to larger complexes including Kr because of a reasonable computational cost and accurate results.
Lattice Boltzmann simulation of immiscible fluid displacement in porous media: Homogeneous versus heterogeneous pore network
Authors: Liu Haihu , Zhang Yonghao , Valocchi Albert J.
Published: May 2015

Injection of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) into geological formations is a promising approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Predicting the amount of CO2 that can be captured and its long-term storage stability in subsurface requires a fundamental understanding of multiphase displacement phenomena at the pore scale. In this paper, the lattice Boltzmann method is employed to simulate the immiscible displacement of a wetting fluid by a non-wetting one in two microfluidic flow cells, one with a homogeneous pore network and the other with a randomly heterogeneous pore network. We have identified three different displacement patterns, namely, stable displacement, capillary fingering, and viscous fingering, all of which are strongly dependent upon the capillary number (Ca), viscosity ratio (M), and the media heterogeneity. The non-wetting fluid saturation (Snw) is found to increase nearly linearly with logCa for each constant M. Increasing M (viscosity ratio of non-wetting fluid to wetting fluid) or decreasing the media heterogeneity can enhance the stability of the displacement process, resulting in an increase in Snw. In either pore networks, the specific interfacial length is linearly proportional to Snw during drainage with equal proportionality constant for all cases excluding those revealing considerable viscous fingering. Our numerical results confirm the previous experimental finding that the steady state specific interfacial length exhibits a linear dependence on Snw for either favorable (M ≥ 1) or unfavorable (M < 1) displacement, and the slope is slightly higher for the unfavorable displacement.
The impact of off-site land use energy intensity on the overall life cycle land use energy intensity for utility-scale solar electricity generation technologies
Authors: Murphy David J. , Horner Robert M. , Clark Corrie E.
Published: May 2015

Estimates of the amount of land used for a defined amount of utility-scale electricity generation in the solar power industry, referred to as solar land use energy intensity (LUEI), are important to decision makers for evaluating the environmental impact of energy technology choices. In general, solar energy tends to have a larger on-site LUEI than that of fossil fuels because the energy generated per square meter of power plant area is much lower. Unfortunately, there are few studies that quantify the off-site LUEI for utility-scale solar energy, and of those that do, they share common methodologies and data sets. In this study, we develop a new method for calculating the off-site LUEI for utility-scale solar energy for three different technologies: silicon photovoltaic (Si-PV), cadmium-telluride (CdTe) PV, and parabolic trough concentrated solar thermal. Our results indicate that the off-site LUEI is most likely 1% or less of the on-site LUEI for each technology. Although our results have some inherent uncertainties, they fall within an order of magnitude of other estimates in the literature.
Heterogeneity in (2-butoxyethanol + water) mixtures: Hydrophobicity-induced aggregation or criticality-driven concentration fluctuations?
Authors: Indra Sandipa , Biswas Ranjit
Published: May 2015

Micro-heterogeneity in aqueous solutions of 2-butoxyethanol (BE), a system with closed loop miscibility gap, has been explored via absorption and time-resolved fluorescence measurements of a dissolved dipolar solute, coumarin 153 (C153), in the water-rich region at various BE mole fractions (0 ≤ XBE ≤ 0.25) in the temperature range, 278 ≤ T/K ≤ 320. Evidences for both alcohol-induced H-bond strengthening and subsequent structural transition of H-bond network have been observed. Analyses of steady state and time-resolved spectroscopic data for these aqueous mixtures and comparisons with the results for aqueous solutions of ethanol and tertiary butanol indicate that alcohol aggregation in BE/water mixtures is driven by hydrophobic interaction with no or insignificant role for criticality-driven concentration fluctuations preceding phase separation. Excitation energy dependence of fluorescence emission of C153 confirms formation of aggregated structures at very low BE mole fractions. No asymptotic critical power law dependence for relaxation rates of the type, k ∝ (|T − Tc|/Tc)γ, with γ denoting universal critical constant, has been observed for both solute’s rotational relaxation and population relaxation rates in these mixtures upon either approaching to critical concentration or critical temperature. Estimated activation energies for rotational relaxation rate of C153 and solution viscosity have been found to follow each other with no abrupt changes in either of them at any mixture composition. In addition, measured C153 rotation times at various compositions and temperatures reflect near-hydrodynamic viscosity coupling through the dependence, 〈τr〉 ∝ (η/T)p, with p = 0.8-1.0, suggesting solute’s orientational relaxation dynamics being, on an average, temporally homogeneous.
Enhancement of molecular sensitivity in positron emission tomography with quantum correlation of γ-ray photons
Authors: Sato K. , Kobayashi Y.
Published: May 2015

Enhancement of molecular sensitivity in positron emission tomography (PET) has long been discussed with respect to imaging instrumentation and algorithms for data treatment. Here, the molecular sensitivity in PET is discussed on the basis of 2-dimensional coincident measurements of 511 keV γ ray photons resultant from two-photon annihilation. Introduction of an additional selection window based on the energy sum and difference of the coincidently measured γ ray photons, without any significant instrumental and algorithmic changes, showed an improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by an order of magnitude. Improvement of performance characteristics in the PET imaging system was demonstrated by an increase in the noise equivalent count rate (NECR) which takes both the SNR and the detection efficiency into consideration. A further improvement of both the SNR and the NECR is expected for the present system in real clinical and in-vivo environments, where much stronger positron sources are employed.
Excess heat supply collaborations within the district heating sector: Drivers and barriers
Authors: Päivärinne Sofia , Hjelm Olof , Gustafsson Sara
Published: May 2015

This article combines the theoretical field of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) with a business model perspective to increase the knowledge about drivers and barriers behind the emergence of excess heat supply collaborations between district heating companies and industrial firms. The increased knowledge is gained by identifying and examining drivers and barriers associated with collaborative efforts to funnel excess heat produced by industrial firms into district heating grids in Sweden. An increased recovery of excess heat has the potential to reduce the primary energy demands of district heating systems. This study examines both existing and potential developments of industrial collaborations of excess heat-based district heating systems. The focus of the study consists of two Swedish cases of existing collaboration between district heating companies and pulp and paper industries as well as 16 industrial firms that all produce unused excess heat as a by-product. Confirming earlier research results, this study shows that financial issues are both the main drivers and the main barriers behind the emergence and development of inter-organisational collaborations. In addition, this study confirms earlier research that found the trust, joint problem solving, and fine-grained information transfer are important elements of successful collaboration. This study complements and clarifies these three features by including honesty and shared visions on common goals as important qualities needed for well-functioning collaborations. Combining the IS and the business model perspective has made it possible to examine more factors related to collaboration. The business model perspective has contributed with knowledge about central components of the business agreement between the collaborating parties, and the IS-perspective has contributed knowledge of the important organisational factors behind the emergence and development of long-term sustainable business agreements between firms.
Strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in triangular wave-like ferromagnetic NiFe thin films
Authors: Ki Sanghoon , Dho Joonghoe
Published: May 2015

Triangular wave-like NiFe films were synthesized on m-plane Al2O3 with a triangularly rippled surface and their uniaxial magnetic anisotropies were investigated as a function of the average wavelength (λ). The ratio of the oscillation height to λ was approximately maintained at ∼0.133. A large magnetic anisotropy energy of 80–150 kJ/m3, which is up to ten times larger than the reported values, was observed with the variation of λ. The increasing tendency of the anisotropy energy with decreasing λ is likely due to a change in the shape anisotropy, while the anisotropy energy generated by surface magnetic charges slightly increased with increasing λ.
Photoluminescence and compositional-structural properties of ion-beam sputter deposited Er-doped TiO2−xNx films: Their potential as a temperature sensor
Authors: Scoca D. , Morales M. , Merlo R. , Alvarez F. , Zanatta A. R.
Published: May 2015

Er-doped TiO2−xNx films were grown by Ar+ ion-beam sputtering a Ti + Er target under different N2 + O2 high-purity atmospheres. The compositional-structural properties of the samples were investigated after thermal annealing the films up to 1000 °C under a flow of oxygen. Sample characterization included x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence experiments. According to the experimental data, both composition and atomic structure of the samples were very sensitive to the growth conditions and annealing temperature. In the as-deposited form, the N-rich TiO2−xNx films presented TiN crystallites and no photoluminescence. As the thermal treatments proceed, the films were transformed into TiO2 and Er3+-related light emission were observed in the visible and near-infrared ranges at room-temperature. Whereas the development of TiO2 occurred due to the insertion-diffusion of oxygen in the films, light emission originated because of optical bandgap widening and/or structural-chemical variations in the vicinity of the Er3+ ions. Finally, the photoluminescence results in the visible range suggested the potential of the present samples in producing an optically based temperature sensor in the ∼150–500 K range.
Sensitivity improvement of Cerenkov luminescence endoscope with terbium doped Gd2O2S nanoparticles
Authors: Cao Xin , Chen Xueli , Kang Fei , Cao Xu , Zhan Yonghua , Wang Jing , Wu Kaichun , Liang Jimin
Published: May 2015

Our previous study showed a great attenuation for the Cerenkov luminescence endoscope (CLE), resulting in relatively low detection sensitivity of radiotracers. Here, a kind of radioluminescence nanoparticles (RLNPs), terbium doped Gd2O2S was mixed with the radionuclide 68Ga to enhance the intensity of emitted luminescence, which finally improved the detection sensitivity of the CLE by using the radioluminescence imaging technique. With the in vitro and in vivo pseudotumor experiments, we showed that the use of RLNPs mixed with the radionuclide 68Ga enabled superior sensitivity compared with the radionuclide 68Ga only, with 50-fold improvement on detection sensitivity, which guaranteed meeting the demands of the clinical diagnosis of gastrointestinal tract tumors.
Smart photovoltaics based on dye-sensitized solar cells using photochromic spiropyran derivatives as photosensitizers
Authors: Ma Shengbo , Ting Hungkit , Ma Yingzhuang , Zheng Lingling , Zhang Miwei , Xiao Lixin , Chen Zhijian
Published: May 2015

In this paper, smart photovoltaic (SPV) devices, integrating both functions of solar cells and smart windows, was fabricated based on dye-sensitized solar cells using photochromic spiropyran derivatives SIBT as photosensitizers. SPV devices have self-regulated power conversion efficiency (PCE) and light transmission responding to the incident spectra due to the photoisomerization of SIBT. SIBT isomerize from closed-ring form to open-ring form under UV illumination, accompanied with enhanced visible light absorption and electron delocalization. Therefore, increased PCE and absorption in SPV devices were observed under UV treatment and the devices can be restored gradually to the initial status when kept in dark. The SPV devices have self-regulation of PCE and sunlight transmission responding to the changing sun spectra in different times of a day, providing a proper energy usage and a better sun-shading.
Radial stability and configuration transition of carbon nanotubes regulated by enclosed cores
Authors: Zheng Yonggang , He Haitang , Ye Hongfei
Published: May 2015

The radial stability and configuration transition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with enclosed cores have been studied in this paper by using atomistic simulations. We found that an abnormal transition of CNTs from open to collapse can be regulated by enclosing deformable and rigid cores. The energy barrier for the configuration transition can be reduced by nearly one order of magnitude due to the presence of these cores, i.e., from ∼0.3 eV/Å to ∼0.03 eV/Å. These findings may provide guidance for the design of controllable CNT-based carrier systems for the delivery of drug, gene and fluid.
Nanoindentation response of laser shock peened Ti-based bulk metallic glass
Authors: Wang Liang , Wang Lu , Xue Yunfei , Zhang Haifeng , Fu Huameng
Published: May 2015

The effect of laser shock peening (LSP) on mechanical properties of Ti-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) was investigated under nanoindentation. Two regions were generated within the specimen after the LSP: (I) the extremely thick softened region (∼300 µm) in which amounts of shear bands and excess free volume were generated; (II) the middle region where the free volume increased but nearly no shear bands were induced. The hardness decreased with the increase of the indenter depth (h), exhibiting indentation size effect (ISE). The ISE increased with the increase of the measured distance away from the laser shocked tip, indicating that the ISE was inhibited by the shear bands and excess free volume was generated by the LSP.
Heat transport by phonons and the generation of heat by fast phonon processes in ferroelastic materials
Authors: Ding X. , Salje E. K. H.
Published: May 2015

Thermal conductivity of ferroelastic device materials can be reversibly controlled by strain. The nucleation and growth of twin boundaries reduces thermal conductivity if the heat flow is perpendicular to the twin wall. The twin walls act as phonon barriers whereby the thermal conductivity decreases linearly with the number of such phonon barriers. Ferroelastic materials also show elasto-caloric properties with a high frequency dynamics. The upper frequency limit is determined by heat generation on a time scale, which is some 5 orders of magnitude below the typical bulk phonon times. Some of these nano-structural processes are irreversible under stress release (but remain reversible under temperature cycling), in particular the annihilation of needle domains that are a key indicator for ferroelastic behaviour in multiferroic materials.
Spatial heterogeneity in stomatal features during leaf elongation: an analysis using Rosa hybrida
Authors: Fanourakis Dimitrios , Heuvelink Ep , Carvalho Susana M. P.
Published: May 2015

Within-leaf heterogeneity in stomatal traits poses a key uncertainty in determining a representative value for the whole leaf. Accounting for this heterogeneity, we studied stomatal initiation on expanding leaves and estimated stomatal conductance (gs) of mature leaves. The entire lamina was evaluated at four percentages of full leaflet elongation (FLE; leaflet length relative to its final length) in Rosa hybrida L. plants grown at 60% relative air humidity (RH), and at 100% FLE following cultivation at elevated (95%) RH. Over 80% of the stomata were initiated between 33 and 67% FLE, whereas stomatal growth mostly occurred afterwards. At 100% FLE, the heterogeneity in stomatal density was the result of uneven stomatal differentiation, while an uneven differentiation of epidermal cells contributed to this variation only at elevated RH. Noticeable within-leaf differences (up to 40%) in gs were calculated at 100% FLE. Avoiding leaflet periphery decreased this heterogeneity. Despite the large promotive effect of elevated RH on stomatal and pore dimensions, the within-leaf variation remained unaffected in all characters, besides pore aperture (and, thus, gs). The noted level of within-leaf variation in stomatal features demands a sampling scheme tailored to the leaf developmental stage, the feature per se and the evaporative demand during growth.
BCL-2 family member BOK promotes apoptosis in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Carpio Marcos A. , Michaud Michael , Zhou Wenping , Fisher Jill K. , Walensky Loren D. , Katz Samuel G.
Published: May 2015

Significance

The role of B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) ovarian killer (BOK) in apoptosis regulation has been a long-standing enigma. Despite the homology to BAX and BAK, BOK has yet to be linked to a definitive physiologic function in the classical apoptotic pathway. Here, we report a selective role for BOK in promoting mitochondrial apoptosis in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Rethinking evolutionary individuality
Authors: Ereshefsky Marc , Pedroso Makmiller
Published: May 2015

This paper considers whether multispecies biofilms are evolutionary individuals. Numerous multispecies biofilms have characteristics associated with individuality, such as internal integrity, division of labor, coordination among parts, and heritable adaptive traits. However, such multispecies biofilms often fail standard reproductive criteria for individuality: they lack reproductive bottlenecks, are comprised of multiple species, do not form unified reproductive lineages, and fail to have a significant division of reproductive labor among their parts. If such biofilms are good candidates for evolutionary individuals, then evolutionary individuality is achieved through other means than frequently cited reproductive processes. The case of multispecies biofilms suggests that standard reproductive requirements placed on individuality should be reconsidered. More generally, the case of multispecies biofilms indicates that accounts of individuality that focus on single-species eukaryotes are too restrictive and that a pluralistic and open-ended account of evolutionary individuality is needed.
Classification images reveal decision variables and strategies in forced choice tasks
Authors: Pritchett Lisa M. , Murray Richard F.
Published: May 2015

Significance

Signal detection theory is a classic theory of perceptual decision making. This theory states that when people make a decision based on visual or auditory information, they calculate a “decision variable” that encodes their estimate of the probability of each possible response being correct. Until now, there has been no way to measure decision variables behaviorally. We describe a method of estimating decision variables, and we show that it is a highly effective way of revealing peoples’ decision strategies. This creates a new approach to answering long-standing questions about perception and decision making.
Dissecting enzyme function with microfluidic-based deep mutational scanning
Authors: Romero Philip A. , Tran Tuan M. , Abate Adam R.
Published: May 2015

Significance

As powerful biological catalysts, enzymes can solve challenging problems that range from the industrial production of chemicals to the treatment of human disease. The ability to design new enzymes with tailor-made chemical functions would have a far-reaching impact. However, this important capability has been limited by our cursory understanding of enzyme catalysis. Here, we report a method that uses unbiased empirical analysis to dissect the molecular basis of enzyme function. By comprehensively mapping how changes in an enzyme’s amino acid sequence affect its activity, we obtain a detailed view of the interactions that shape the enzyme function landscape. Large, unbiased analyses of enzyme function allow the discovery of new biochemical mechanisms that will improve our ability to engineer custom biocatalysts.
Defining and identifying Sleeping Beauties in science
Authors: Ke Qing , Ferrara Emilio , Radicchi Filippo , Flammini Alessandro
Published: May 2015

Significance

Scientific papers typically have a finite lifetime: their rate to attract citations achieves its maximum a few years after publication, and then steadily declines. Previous studies pointed out the existence of a few blatant exceptions: papers whose relevance has not been recognized for decades, but then suddenly become highly influential and cited. The Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen “paradox” paper is an exemplar Sleeping Beauty. We study how common Sleeping Beauties are in science. We introduce a quantity that captures both the recognition intensity and the duration of the “sleeping” period, and show that Sleeping Beauties are far from exceptional. The distribution of such quantity is continuous and has power-law behavior, suggesting a common mechanism behind delayed but intense recognition at all scales.
In vitro model for lytic replication, latency, and transformation of an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus
Authors: Schermuly Julia , Greco Annachiara , Härtle Sonja , Osterrieder Nikolaus , Kaufer Benedikt B. , Kaspers Bernd
Published: May 2015

Significance

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) serves as a versatile small-animal model for herpesvirus-induced oncogenesis. Infection of target cells in vitro was impossible due to the short-lived nature of B and T cells, and analysis of infected cells ex vivo was hampered by their low frequencies. To overcome these limitations, we established an in vitro system that allows infection of target cells with MDV using stimuli that prolong the survival of B and T cells. Our system recapitulates the situation in vivo, including transformation of T cells in vitro. In the future, our system will facilitate the analysis of viral and cellular factors that promote lytic replication, establishment of latency and transformation, processes ultimately resulting in deadly lymphomas in the natural host.