bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Churchyard Memorials, ‘Dispensing with God Gradually’: Rustication, Decline of the Gothic and the Emergence of Art Deco in the British Isles
Authors: SNELL K. D. M. , JONES RACHAEL
Published: March 2018

This article considers rusticated memorials in many churchyards and cemeteries in England and Wales, between c. 1850 and the present day, analysing their forms, chronology, and their wider social and artistic significances. These memorials have hitherto been a neglected form among British memorial styles. The discussion here focuses on the English Midlands, Kensal Green Cemetery (London), and Montgomeryshire in Wales. It appraises how such memorial rustication may relate to changing attitudes to rurality, ‘natural’ landscapes, and secularisation over time. As an analysis of shifting memorial tastes, the article assesses the chronology of rustication against the periodisation of two more dominant memorial types: namely Gothic memorials, which prevailed in the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Art Deco memorials, which gained popularity from the 1920s. It appraises regional differences in memorial style change, showing little English and Welsh variation in this after the mid-nineteenth century. There is attention to the hitherto little studied decline of the Gothic, and to the wider significance of the more secularised memorial forms that followed it. The role of these Gothic, rusticated, and Art Deco memorials for an understanding of social, attitudinal, religious and secularising change is emphasised.
The Forest Charter and the Scribe: Remembering a History of Disafforestation and of How Magna Carta Got its Name
Authors: Million Alison
Published: March 2018

In medieval England ‘forest’ did not have the same meaning as it does today but defined large areas of land governed by severe forest laws which Magna Carta had failed to temper. Instead, these were addressed two years later in the Charter of the Forest 1217 which, although a companion charter to the 1217 Magna Carta reissue, remains relatively unknown. This article by Alison Million explores the Charter of the Forest; its history, impact and legacy and considers why and to what extent its memory has been lost in time. It explains how the Charter of the Forest, and the pen of an unwitting scribe, contributed towards the nameMagna Carta; a name which has just seen its octocentenial anniversary.
WHERE'S WALDO?
Authors: VON FRANK ALBERT J.
Published: March 2018

As a young man, Thoreau found the pencil of American manufacture a gross and greasy tool unfit for finer uses. In a breakthrough, then, for the family business, he discovered that by grinding the graphite to a near impalpable powder, then mixing it with clay just so, a pencil could be made that would write and sketch with such elegance and precision as to out-perform the standard Old World imports. It is hard to say whether Thoreau's technological fix was an application of the New England Transcendentalist imagination or, more prosaically, a shrewd colluding with the Industrial Revolution and the global market economy. But increasingly, and especially as we observe the bicentennial of Thoreau's birth, here is where we find him most: at the pivot point between this world and a world made better by intelligence, between raw nature and its sublimated refinement into meanings. We tend rightly to suppose that we can't have too many watchers posted at that gate.
Illuminating the Formation of Lumens
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W
Published: March 2018

How do lumens form? Two mechanisms that come readily to mind are a wrapping model, similar to the wrapping of the myelin sheath around a neuronal process, and a solid core of cells followed by apoptosis of the central cells. Another obvious mechanism that was suggested over 100 years ago is the fusion of intracellular vacuoles. Whereas several recent studies have supported this latter mechanism, it has not yet been proven. Now, the appropriate animal model (zebrafish), the modern techniques (transgenic chimeras), dyes (green fluorescent protein and monomeric red fluorescent protein) that can be linked to proteins to label vacuoles, and two-photon imaging in real time finally have provided the strongest support yet. In an article by Makoto Kamei, Brian Saunders, Kayla Bayless, Louis Dye, George Davis, and Brant Weinstein the assembly of endothelial tubes from intracellular vacuoles was observed in vitro and in vivo.
An SEM Analysis Of Amphipleura pellucida with New Findings
Authors: Gaugler Gary
Published: March 2018

For many years, as long ago as 1872, the Amphipleura pellucida (Ap) diatom striae and punctae have been an intense object for measuring the quality of resolution of the light microscope (LM). More recent publications have also referenced Ap and the difficulty of resolving its punctae. Thus, from 1872 to 1947,much attention was directed towards Ap but without paying much attention to its detailed valve structure. This was probably due to lack of resolution of LM to reveal the details for the Ap punctae (pores). Work by Stoermer and Pankratz did TEM analysis of Ap in 1964. While their results and mine do not agree, this could be attributed to specimen preparation and the source of the diatoms. However, there is an heretofore unresolved issue about the physical differences of Ap from different geographic locations. My current work should resolve this issue. This started as a challenge about whether Ap could be selectively oriented inside up or inside down.
The Proposed Doppler Electron Velocimeter and the Need for Nanoscale Dynamics
Authors: Reu Phillip L
Published: March 2018

As engineering challenges grow in the ever-shrinking world of nano-design, methods of making dynamic measurements of nano-materials and systems become more important. The Doppler electron velocimeter (DEV) is a new measurement concept motivated by the increasing importance of nano-dynamics. Nano-dynamics is defined in this context as any phenomenon that causes a dynamically changing phase in an electron beam, and includes traditional mechanical motion, as well as additional phenomena including changing magnetic and electric fields. The DEV is only a theoretical device at this point. This article highlights the importance of pursuing nano-dynamics and presents a case that the electron microscope and its associated optics are a viable test bed to develop this new measurement tool.
Use of Astronomy Filters in Light Microscopy and Photomicrography
Authors: Piper Jörg
Published: March 2018

In addition to other determining factors, the optical quality of images is strongly dependent on the quality of the lenses and the spectral characteristics of the incident light in light microscopy as well as in astronomy. Chromatic aberration is one of the most important reasons for limitations of the hotgraphic quality. Ideal lenses that are completely free from such aberrations do not exist. A little chromatic aberration remains in “high-end” apochromatic lenses. Moreover, several lenses for special applications, e.g. microscopic objectives for long focal distances and thick glass plates or objectives with an integrated iris diaphragm for observations in dark field, are mostly not apochromatically corrected because of their optical compromises.
Analyzing the Growth of Magmatic Crystals — An Electron Microprobe Analysis Study
Authors: Sturm Robert
Published: March 2018

Since the pioneering mineralogical and crystallographic studies of the 1960s and 1970s it has been regarded as a fundamental tenant of earth sciences that the growth of minerals, and especially of magmatic mineral phases, depends upon the physico-chemical state of the growth environment. Meanwhile, based on extensive empirical and experimental approaches, some factors controlling crystal growth and, as a consequence of that, crystal shape or morphology can be detected and documented. Therefore, the chemistry and temperature of the growth environment, as well as its content of volatile phases, have been found to be key to understanding the crystallization processes.
The Magnification Myth
Authors: Stoks Sander , Groen Bas
Published: March 2018

Recently, a question popped up on the Microscopy mailing list (http://www.microscopy.com) regarding the use of CCD cameras in a TEM that can be summarized as “why use a 4 megapixel camera instead of simply magnifying twice as much and use a 1 megapixel camera?” One of the assumptions was that the computer screen used to display the image only has so many pixels anyway (usually in the order of one megapixel), that even printers could not print out the image in sufficient resolution, and that stretching the image to render all available pixels would “change the magnification”.

It is our experience that these things can be confusing to beginning microscopists and casual users of an instrument, and this was confirmed by several people on the mailing list. So, how best to explain the concepts “magnification” and “resolution”, which beginners often consider interchangable?
Microbeam Analyses of the Most Challenging Extraterrestrial Samples Ever Returned
Authors: Rietmeijer Frans JM
Published: March 2018

This mission flew by Comet 81P/Wild 2 where it collected more than 10,000 particles, ranging from tens of nanometers to hundreds of microns, and carried them to Earth for a safe landing in the Utah desert on January 15, 2006. So what? The answer depends on one's interest. Technically, it was a perfect DISCOVERY-class mission from launch to soft-landing (Figure 1). Scientifically, it delivered some of the 4.6 Gyrsold particles that went into making the planets of our solar system and for the first time ever we have samples from a known comet.

Many challenges lie ahead. First, the grains must be extracted from the capture cells, and prepared for mineralogical and chemical analyses, including stable isotopes and organic phases. Second, the NASA/JSC Stardust Curatorial Facility has to prepare and keep track of each sample allocation. Third, data collected in many laboratories around the globe will need to be synchronized for publication.
Fibrous Sepiolite Use As An Asbestos Substitute: Analytical Basics
Authors: Solebello Louis
Published: March 2018

Open trade policies have influenced trends in global economic growth. Though difficult to account for all of the effects of this trend, a higher standard of living for previously distressed workers is measurable. This is in part due to acess to previously unavailable technologies. The effects of global economic growth extend further. In many countries, consumers enjoy unparalleled selection of high quality, low cost goods. The environmental impact of global growth is being studied in many ways. One area of study involves analysis and monitoring of product raw materials that many times are not in compliance with environmental regulations of the end user country. Raw material procurement and formulation by manufacturers presents a challenge to the environmental microscopist on several levels. The industrial use of sepiolite and some light microscopy basics of sepiolite is discussed here. Subsequent papers will explore this issue in greater detail as it relates to fibrous mineral analytical choices and techniques available to the environmental microscopist.
Temporal Evolution of Incipient Damage on Metallic Surfaces Analyzed by Unidirectional Laser Oblique Illumination (ULOI)
Authors: Favret Eduardo A , Fuentes Néstor O , Ferrero Lisandro
Published: March 2018

To one degree or another, most materials experience some type of interaction with a large number of diverse environments. Often, such interactions impair a material's usefulness as a result of the deterioration of its mechanical properties (e.g., ductility and strength), other physical properties, or appearance. Deteriorative mechanisms are different for metals, ceramic materials, and polymers. In metals, there is actual material loss either by dissolution (corrosion) or by the formation of non-metallic scale or film (oxidation).

Everyday objects and structures are made of well known metals like aluminium, brass, bronzes, copper, titanium, zinc.
Developing a Financial Plan for the Long-term “Care and Feeding” of Major Equipment
Authors: Rodriguez Alberto , Sullivan Charlene
Published: March 2018

Effective life cycle cost (LCC) management for electron microscope (EM) facilities at Purdue University and in other academic institutions is a complex process. Ideally, it should aim at controlling the cost of ownership of EMs while maximizing the output of the technology and utilization of resources. It could be argued that the current focus of the majority of EM facilities has been one that seeks to obtain the latest technology. However the growing sophistication of the equipment causes more indirect costs including labor, maintenance, and ancillary equipment needed to optimize the output of the base equipment. These costs can easily exceed the purchase price of the equipment over the life of the equipment.
SEM Stub Holders for Sputter Coating at 90° Tilt
Authors: Best Amanda
Published: March 2018

It can be difficult to get an even layer of metal coating when sputter coating a sample with steep sides, a rounded lower surface, or one that doesn't make complete contact with the surface of the specimen stub. It can be particularly difficult to get sputtered metal in under the sample, and so an insulating sample (like most polymers and biological specimens) may have little or no electrical path to ground. This results in charging, and increased chances of specimen heating and beam damage in the SEM.

These stub holders were made to fix that problem. A couple of metal shelf brackets, which slide into pegs and support the shelf, were modified. The brackets are small 90° angles with a hole in one face and a peg on the other face. To modify them, first the 90° angle of the bracket is bent slightly past 90°.
Microscopy and Microanalysis of Nano-Scale Materials
Authors: Michael J R , Brewer L N , Miller D C , Zavadil K R , Prasad S V , Kotula P G
Published: March 2018

Material scientists and engineers continue to developmaterials and structures that are ever smaller. Some of this engineering is to simply domore with less while the science of nanomaterials allows new materials to be produced with a novel range of physical and chemical properties due to the small length scales of the microstructural features of thematerials. Currently, nanoscalematerials have been produced with a diverse set of useful properties and can be found in common substances like sunscreen or technologically advanced microelectronic devices. A complete understanding of materials is based on knowledge of the processing used to produce an interesting material coupled with a full characterization of the structure that results. It is this structure/property relationship that is the basis of understanding any newmaterial developed at all length scales.
Imaging Gas-Solid Interactions in an Atomic Resolution Environmental TEM
Authors: Zhang Xiao Feng , Kamino Takeo
Published: March 2018

It is well known that analysis using transmission electron microscopes (TEM) yields very high resolution images of thin specimens. However, the applicability of TEM analysis is not universal due to the requirement that a high internal vacuum is required. This high vacuum precludes the TEM study of living specimens or specimens in a gas or liquid environment. In order to tackle this problem, L. Marton of Universite Libre in Brussels, Belgium was the first to design an environmental cell (E-cell) in 1935 that was sealed in the tip of a TEMsample holder [1]. Marton's design included two 0.5 μm aluminum foils as upper and lower windows sandwiching a biological sample to sustain a living environment. The electron transparent windows permitted the confined biological objects to be imaged in TEMmode. Since then, environmental TEM (E-TEM) has received increasing attention from biological scientists and eventually from materials scientists as well.
Electromagnetic Simulation Optimizes Design of a Sub-20 nm Resolution Optical Microscope
Authors: Sanchez Erik J
Published: March 2018

Recent advances in nanotechnology and nanoscience are highly dependent on our newly acquired ability to measure and manipulate individual structures on the nanoscale. A drawback of light microscopy is the fundamental limit of the attainable spatial resolution dictated by the laws of diffraction at about 250 nanometers. This diffraction limit arises from the fact that it is impossible to focus light to a spot smaller than half its wavelength. The challenge of breaking this limit has led to the development of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM).
JECP—a Java Electron Crystallography Project
Authors: Li XZ
Published: March 2018

JECP stands for a java electron crystallography project that includes a series of practical java stand-alone programs for electron diffraction/microscopy and crystallography applications. The aim of the JECP project is twofold, i) as teaching tools to show students the principles of electron diffraction/microscopy and crystallography, ii) as research tools to analyze experimental results. Although there are commercial and public domain computer programs available that allow a user to simulate electron diffraction patterns or processingHREMimages, there are always situations when we need to perform operations that are not a feature of any of the existing programs. The programs in the JECP can bemodified and extended tomeet the need in experiments.
Quantification of Virus Suspensions by Direct Particle Counting
Authors: Hazelton Paul R
Published: March 2018

In science, there are occasions when it is of value to know the number and distribution of different types of particles present in a solution. Calculation of these values is simplified if you can uniformly distribute the number of particles in a known volume over an established surface area. A number of procedures have been proposed. The best which we have used is direct centrifugation of particles to formvar/carbon-formvar coated electron microscope grids in an EM-90 rotor for the Beckman Airfuge®. This instrument makes use of the ability to pellet all material in a suspension using established centrifugation theory.
Looking at the Functional State of Proteins Inside Cells
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W
Published: March 2018

Many intracellular proteins are catalysts that regulate cellular functions. These catalysts can be assayed to determine their functional state, but untii now it was not possible to simultaneously obtain a functional analysis and spatial data. Tony Ng, Anthony Squire, and others, working in the laboratories of Phillippe Bastiaens and Peter Parker, have combined Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) with Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) to spatially resolve the activation of a protein catalyst within living cells. Their technique was also applied to fixed cells.
A Quick Note on Preparing Bacteria for SEM
Authors: Oshel Philip
Published: March 2018

Questions have appeared on the microscopy listserver about how to prepare bacteria for SEM. This is an easy problem to solve, the greatest difficulty being preserving flagellae or pili. There are several references in basic EM texts, but briefly the bacteria can be treated as if they are small tissue samples, or negative staining samples for TEM. Details like of time in solutions, transition series, etc. will depend on the particular bacteria under study, and some trial and error will likely be needed. The procedures given here should give a reasonable starting point.
The Case For film
Authors: McAuliffe Geoff
Published: March 2018

Recording images from the TEM with photographic film has a number of advantages over digital imaging. The first advantage is cost. Most institutions, whether academic or industrial, already have a darkroom so there is little or no start up cost. Even if a new darkroom must be equipped, a professional quality enlarger, lens, timer, paper cutter, paper safe, easel and safelight are easily under $2500 total. Trays and chemicals are inexpensive while an automatic print processor, which speeds up work significantly, while reducing exposure to chemicals, is about $2500. Additional lenses, so the same enlarger can be used for other film formats (35 mm), are about $200 each.
The Case For Digital Imaging
Authors: Bode Michael
Published: March 2018

Geoff eloquently makes a case for film as opposed to digital image acquisition and processing. And while I agree with many of his points, I also have a slightly different point of view on several aspects.

Let's start with the darkroom. While Geoff is correct in saying that many institutions already have a darkroom or have access to one at no cost, this only tends to hide the cost. Somebody has to build the darkroom and somebody has to pay for building maintainingand equipping the darkroom. If this is paid out of some overhead and not paid for directly, then the cost is hidden in that overhead, which would be less without the darkroom.
Reputations count: why benchmarking performance is improving health care across the world
Authors: Bevan Gwyn , Evans Alice , Nuti Sabina
Published: March 2018

This paper explores what motivates improved health care performance. Previously, many have thought that performance would either improve via choice and competition or by relying on trust and altruism. But neither assumption is supported by available evidence. So instead we explore a third approach of reciprocal altruism with sanctions for unacceptably poor performance and rewards for high performance. These rewards and sanctions, however, are not monetary, but in the form of reputational effects through public reporting of benchmarking of performance. Drawing on natural experiments in Italy and the United Kingdom, we illustrate how public benchmarking can improve poor performance at the national level through ‘naming and shaming’ and enhance good performance at the sub-national level through ‘competitive benchmarking’ and peer learning. Ethnographic research in Zambia also showed how reputations count. Policy-makers could use these effects in different ways to improve public services.
The National Health Service (NHS) at 70: some comparative reflections
Authors: Tuohy Carolyn H.
Published: March 2018

As the National Health Service (NHS) turns 70, it bears comparison with another universal system celebrating an anniversary this year: Canada’s 50-year-old medicare model. Each system is iconically popular, and each revolves around a profession-state accommodation. Both the popularity and the central axis of each system have been tested by external shocks in the form of periodic fiscal cycles of investment and austerity, and internal stresses generating organizational cycles of centralization and decentralization. In addition, the English NHS has undergone periodic bursts of major policy change, which have arguably moved the system closer to the Canadian single-payer model.
A genomics approach reveals insights into the importance of gene losses for mammalian adaptations
Authors: Sharma Virag , Hecker Nikolai , Roscito Juliana G. , Foerster Leo , Langer Bjoern E. , Hiller Michael
Published: March 2018

Identifying the genomic changes that underlie phenotypic adaptations is a key challenge in evolutionary biology and genomics. Loss of protein-coding genes is one type of genomic change with the potential to affect phenotypic evolution. Here, we develop a genomics approach to accurately detect gene losses and investigate their importance for adaptive evolution in mammals. We discover a number of gene losses that likely contributed to morphological, physiological, and metabolic adaptations in aquatic and flying mammals. These gene losses shed light on possible molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie these adaptive phenotypes. In addition, we show that gene loss events that occur as a consequence of relaxed selection following adaptation provide novel insights into species’ biology. Our results suggest that gene loss is an evolutionary mechanism for adaptation that may be more widespread than previously anticipated. Hence, investigating gene losses has great potential to reveal the genomic basis underlying macroevolutionary changes.
DNA methylation mediates neural processing after odor learning in the honeybee
Authors: Biergans Stephanie D. , Claudianos Charles , Reinhard Judith , Galizia C. Giovanni
Published: March 2018

DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts) - epigenetic writers catalyzing the transfer of methyl-groups to cytosine (DNA methylation) – regulate different aspects of memory formation in many animal species. In honeybees, Dnmt activity is required to adjust the specificity of olfactory reward memories and bees’ relearning capability. The physiological relevance of Dnmt-mediated DNA methylation in neural networks, however, remains unknown. Here, we investigated how Dnmt activity impacts neuroplasticity in the bees’ primary olfactory center, the antennal lobe (AL) an equivalent of the vertebrate olfactory bulb. The AL is crucial for odor discrimination, an indispensable process in forming specific odor memories. Using pharmacological inhibition, we demonstrate that Dnmt activity influences neural network properties during memory formation in vivo. We show that Dnmt activity promotes fast odor pattern separation in trained bees. Furthermore, Dnmt activity during memory formation increases both the number of responding glomeruli and the response magnitude to a novel odor. These data suggest that Dnmt activity is necessary for a form of homoeostatic network control which might involve inhibitory interneurons in the AL network.
Biotinylated single-chain variable fragment-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for glycocholic acid
Authors: Cui Xiping , Vasylieva Natalia , Shen Ding , Barnych Bogdan , Yang Jun , He Qiyi , Jiang Zhengyun , Zhao Suqing , Hammock Bruce D.
Published: March 2018

An indirect competitive ELISA was developed for GCA detection based on biotinylated scFv antibody.
Electrochemical signal-amplified detection of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in DNA using glucose modification coupled with restriction endonucleases
Authors: Yang Yin , Yang Guoqing , Chen Hongfei , Zhang Hui , Feng Jiu-Ju , Cai Chenxin
Published: March 2018

A sensitive electrochemical assay based on glucose modification coupled with restriction endonucleases was fabricated for the detection of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in DNA.
Sensitive recognition of ethion in food samples using turn-on fluorescence N and S co-doped graphene quantum dots
Authors: Nemati Fatemeh , Hosseini Morteza , Zare-Dorabei Rouholah , Ganjali Mohammad Reza
Published: March 2018

To achieve a fast, sensitive and inexpensive method for the detection of ethion in the presence of Hg2+ ions, a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene quantum dot (N,S/GQD)-based fluorescence sensing system was developed.
Growth and dissolution of NaO2 in an ether-based electrolyte as the discharge product in the Na–O2 cell
Authors: Aldous Iain M. , Hardwick Laurence J.
Published: March 2018

The deposition and dissolution of sodium superoxide (NaO2) was investigated by atomic force microscopy.
The theory of thermally activated delayed fluorescence for organic light emitting diodes
Authors: Penfold T. J. , Dias F. B. , Monkman A. P.
Published: March 2018

The recent progress in the theory of organic molecules exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) is discussed with a particular focus upon their application in highly efficient purely organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).
Bromine adatom promoted C–H bond activation in terminal alkynes at room temperature on Ag(111)
Authors: Liu Jing , Chen Qiwei , He Qilin , Zhang Yajie , Fu Xiangyu , Wang Yongfeng , Zhao Dahui , Chen Wei , Xu Guo Qin , Wu Kai
Published: March 2018

Room temperature C–H bond activation promoted by Br adatoms is achieved in the probe reaction of 2,5-diethynyl-1,4-bis(4-bromophenylethynyl)benzene on Ag(111).
Photochemistry and photophysics of MOFs: steps towards MOF-based sensing enhancements
Authors: Dolgopolova Ekaterina A. , Rice Allison M. , Martin Corey R. , Shustova Natalia B.
Published: March 2018

In combination with porosity and tunability, light harvesting, energy transfer, and photocatalysis, are facets crucial for engineering of MOF-based sensors.
Unsymmetrical indazolyl-pyridinyl-triazole ligand-promoted highly active iridium complexes supported on hydrotalcite and its catalytic application in water
Authors: Ge Chenyang , Sang Xinxin , Yao Wei , Zhang Liang , Wang Dawei
Published: March 2018

Herein, an indazolyl-pyridinyl-triazole ligand was synthesized and its iridium complex supported on hydrotalcite was developed.
Impact of hydration and temperature history on the structure and dynamics of lignin
Authors: Vural Derya , Gainaru Catalin , O'Neill Hugh , Pu Yunquiao , Smith Micholas Dean , Parks Jerry M. , Pingali Sai Venkatesh , Mamontov Eugene , Davison Brian H. , Sokolov Alexei P. , Ragauskas Arthur J. , Smith Jeremy C. , Petridis Loukas
Published: March 2018

At a given temperature during a heating/cooling cycle, lignin is more dynamic upon cooling, which may guide efficient biomass processing.
CF-LIBS analysis of frozen aqueous solution samples by using a standard internal reference and correcting the self-absorption effect
Authors: de Oliveira Borges Fábio , Ospina Johnatann Uzuriaga , de Holanda Cavalcanti Gildo , Farias Eliel Eleuterio , Rocha Anderson Araujo , Ferreira Paula I. L. B. , Gomes Gabriela Cerqueira , Mello Alexandre
Published: March 2018

An innovative CF-LIBS procedure based on self-absorption corrections applied to a quantitative analysis of a doped frozen aqueous sample.
Design and synthesis of imidazoles linearly connected to carbocyclic and heterocyclic ringsviaa 1,2,3-triazole linker. Reactivity of β-azolyl enamines towards heteroaromatic azides
Authors: Beliaev Nikolai A. , Shafikov Marsel Z. , Efimov Ilya V. , Beryozkina Tetyana V. , Lubec Gert , Dehaen Wim , Bakulev Vasiliy A.
Published: March 2018

The data of combined experimental and theoretical studies of the reactivity of azolylenamines towards azides are presented.
The effect of NaOH and NaClO/NaBr modification on the structural and physicochemical properties of dextran
Authors: Chen Shuang , Wu Hao , Hua Jing-han , Yang Jing-wen , Zhang Hong-bin , Hu Xue-qin
Published: March 2018

Dextran was modified at different pH levels by using NaClO/NaBr and also this method was compared with just using NaOH. Then the properties of the products were investigated.
A new family of sesterterpenoids isolated around the Pacific Rim
Authors: Shirley Harry J. , Jamieson Megan L. , Brimble Margaret A. , Bray Christopher D.
Published: March 2018

This review compiles details of the isolation, proposed biogenesis and biological testing of a new family of marine sesterterpenoids isolated around the Pacific Rim between 2009–2017.
Three-dimensional direct visualization of silica dispersion in polymer-based composites
Authors: Feng Zemin , Zhong Jinpan , Guan Weijiang , Tian Rui , Lu Chao , Ding Caifeng
Published: March 2018

We present a novel strategy for realizing the three-dimensional direct visualization of silica dispersion by the fluorescence modification of a silica filler.
Noncompetitive homogeneous immunodetection of small molecules based on beta-glucuronidase complementation
Authors: Su Jiulong , Dong Jinhua , Kitaguchi Tetsuya , Ohmuro-Matsuyama Yuki , Ueda Hiroshi
Published: March 2018

Small molecules can be sensitively detected with a positive signal by just mixing and measuring the β-glucuronidase activity within 20 min.
First characterization of a biphasic, switch-like DNA amplification
Authors: Özay Burcu , Robertus Cara M. , Negri Jackson L. , McCalla Stephanie E.
Published: March 2018

An isothermal, high-gain DNA amplification chemistry with biphasic and switch-like properties.
Carbon nanotube–copper ferrite-catalyzed aqueous 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition ofin situ-generated organic azides with alkynes
Authors: Prakash Praveen , Kumar Ramar Arun , Miserque Frédéric , Geertsen Valérie , Gravel Edmond , Doris Eric
Published: March 2018

A novel nanohybrid catalyst was developed by assembling copper ferrite nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes.
Variations and applications of the oxygen reduction reaction in ionic liquids
Authors: Zhang Y. , Pozo-Gonzalo C.
Published: March 2018

Increasing energy demands call for new energy storage technologies with high energy density to meet current and future needs.
Brønsted acid-catalyzed formal [5+2+1] cycloaddition of ynamides and isoxazoles with water: access to oxygen-bridged tetrahydro-1,4-oxazepines
Authors: Zhao Yingying , Wang Chunxiang , Hu Yancheng , Wan Boshun
Published: March 2018

The unique property of the Brønsted acid, as well as introducing a small amount of water, shows distinct chemoselectivity from the corresponding gold-catalyzed cycloadditions.
The active role of Ca2+ ions in Aβ-mediated membrane damage
Authors: Sciacca Michele F. M. , Monaco Irene , La Rosa Carmelo , Milardi Danilo
Published: March 2018

Calcium ions inhibits Aβ induced membrane poration by small-sized oligomers but significantly foster fiber-dependent membrane disruption.
Fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode imaging of tumor-related mRNA with a covalent linkage-based DNA nanoprobe
Authors: Yang Limin , Li Jia , Pan Wei , Wang Hongyu , Li Na , Tang Bo
Published: March 2018

A fluorescence and photoacoustic dual-mode DNA nanoprobe based on covalent linkage was developed for detecting tumor-associated mRNA.
Catalyst-controlled diastereoselectivity reversal in the formation of dihydropyrans
Authors: Kano Taichi , Maruyama Hiroki , Homma Chihiro , Maruoka Keiji
Published: March 2018

In dihydropyran synthesis, use of (S)-3b is crucial for overcoming the inherent trans-selectivity and obtaining unusual cis-adducts with high enantioselectivity.
Understanding and modulating the high-energy properties of noble-gas hydrides from their long-bonding: an NBO/NRT investigation on HNgCO+/CS+/OSi+ and HNgCN/NC (Ng = He, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn) molecules
Authors: Zhang Guiqiu , Song Junjie , Fu Lei , Tang Kongshuang , Su Yue , Chen Dezhan
Published: March 2018

The long-bonding model affords a very easy way to rationalize and modulate the unusual energy properties of noble-gas hydrides.
Prediction of optimal structural water concentration for maximized performance in tunnel manganese oxide electrodes
Authors: Frey Nathan C. , Byles Bryan W. , Kumar Hemant , Er Dequan , Pomerantseva Ekaterina , Shenoy Vivek B.
Published: March 2018

General framework for tuning crystal water concentration in tunnel manganese oxide electrodes to optimize open circuit voltage, stability, and capacity.
Theoretical study on the origin of activity for the oxygen reduction reaction of metal-doped two-dimensional boron nitride materials
Authors: Deng Chaofang , He Rongxing , Wen Dimao , Shen Wei , Li Ming
Published: March 2018

Two-dimensional boron nitride (2D-BN) materials doped with metallic atoms are suitable candidates for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to replace Pt-based catalysts.
Silver(i) complexes of bis- and tris-(pyrazolyl)azine derivatives – dimers, coordination polymers and a pentametallic assembly
Authors: Capel Berdiell Izar , Warriner Stuart L. , Halcrow Malcolm A.
Published: March 2018

Two solvatomorphs of [Ag(tpt)]BF4·nMeNO2(tpt = 2,4,6-tri{pyrazol-1-yl}pyridine) form face-to-face dimers linked by bridging pyrazolyl donors (left), or an unsupported chain-of-helicate dimers (right). Other assemblies supported by related heterocyclic ligands are also described.
Cooperativity in spin crossover materials as ligand's responsibility – investigations of the Fe(ii) – 1,3-bis((1H-tetrazol-1-yl)methyl)bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane system
Authors: Knoll Christian , Müller Danny , Seifried Marco , Giester Gerald , Welch Jan M. , Artner Werner , Hradil Klaudia , Reissner Michael , Weinberger Peter
Published: March 2018

In [Fe(ppditz)3]X2, X = BF4−, ClO4−, PF6− spin crossover complexes the observed cooperativity originates only from the rigidity and internal strain of the ligand.
Multivariate computational analysis of biosensor's data for improved CD64 quantification for sepsis diagnosis
Authors: Hassan U. , Zhu R. , Bashir R.
Published: March 2018

Multivariate artificial neural network model have shown improved accuracy in determining CD64 expression levels from the biosensor's data for sepsis diagnosis.
Boron–boron, carbon–carbon and nitrogen–nitrogen bonding in N-heterocyclic carbenes and their diazaboryl and triazole analogues: Wanzlick equilibrium revisited
Authors: Młodzikowska K. , Rajkiewicz A. A. , Grela K. , Trzaskowski B.
Published: March 2018

Diazaboroles and triazoles are predicted to be unstable as dimers, in contrast to carbenes with small alkyl substituents or flexible side-groups.
N-Doped hierarchically porous carbon derived from heterogeneous core–shell ZIF-L(Zn)@ZIF-67 for supercapacitor application
Authors: Zhang Jingcheng , Wang Yang , Xiao Kesong , Cheng Sheng , Zhang Tianci , Qian Gang , Zhang Qiang , Feng Yi
Published: March 2018

Hierarchically porous N-C@GC/CNTs directly carbonized from heterogeneous core–shell ZIF-L(Zn)@ZIF-67 exhibit superior electrochemical performance.
Microwave assisted in situ decoration of a g-C3N4 surface with CdCO3 nanoparticles for visible light driven photocatalysis
Authors: Vidyasagar Devthade , Ghugal Sachin G. , Kulkarni Aditi , Shende Ashok G. , Umare Suresh S. , Sasikala Rajamma
Published: March 2018

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) supported cadmium carbonate (CdCO3) as an organic–inorganic hybrid nanophotocatalyst was realised by an in situ microwave heating method.
Non-symmetrical bis(aminoalkyl)phosphinates: new ligands with enhanced binding of Cu(ii) ions
Authors: Piasta Karolina , Dziełak Anna , Mucha Artur , Gumienna-Kontecka Elżbieta
Published: March 2018

Novel, non-symmetrical bis(aminoalkyl)phosphinic acids exhibit enhanced efficiency in Cu(ii) ion binding.
Porous-carbon-based Mo2C nanocomposites as excellent microwave absorber: a new exploration
Authors: Dai Sisi , Cheng Yan , Quan Bin , Liang Xiaohui , Liu Wei , Yang Zhihong , Ji Guangbin , Du Youwei
Published: March 2018

The as-obtained porous-carbon-based Mo2C nanocomposites via typical carbothermal reduction exhibit outstanding dielectric loss and microwave absorbing performance by resorting to the suitable mechanisms.
Potassium fluoride activation for the nucleophilic fluorination reaction using 18-crown-6, [2.2.2]-cryptand, pentaethylene glycol and comparison with the new hydro-crown scaffold: a theoretical analysis
Authors: Pliego Josefredo R.
Published: March 2018

Ion-pair binding in the hydro-crown ether leads to more effective catalytic cycle for nucleophilic fluorination.
Core-crosslinked diblock terpolymer micelles – taking a closer look on crosslinking efficiency
Authors: Elter Johanna K. , Sentis Gabriele , Bellstedt Peter , Biehl Philip , Gottschaldt Michael , Schacher Felix H.
Published: March 2018

We present an in-depth study on the crosslinking of diblock terpolymer micellar cores.
Highly luminescent, biocompatible ytterbium(iii) complexes as near-infrared fluorophores for living cell imaging
Authors: Ning Yingying , Tang Juan , Liu Yi-Wei , Jing Jing , Sun Yuansheng , Zhang Jun-Long
Published: March 2018

We report three synthetic methods to prepare biocompatible Yb3+complexes, which displayed high NIR luminescence with quantum yields up to 13% in aqueous media. This renders β-fluorinated Yb3+porphyrinoids a new class of NIR probes for living cell imaging including time-resolved fluorescence lifetime imaging.
Precharge free dynamic content addressable memory
Authors: Mahendra T.V. , Hussain S.W. , Mishra S. , Dandapat A.
Published: March 2018

A precharge free dynamic content addressable memory (DCAM) is introduced for low‐power and high‐speed search applications. Elimination of precharge prior to search allows hardware engine to perform more number of searches within the stipulated time. The proposed DCAM cell not only removes precharge of matchline (ML) but also utilises decoupling of bitline and searchline so that unwanted capacitive couplings are minimised at charge storage nodes. A 512 bit of the proposed scheme is implemented using 45 nm CMOS technology and its efficacy is verified and proved through rigorous variations with 1000‐point Monte‐Carlo sampling of ML voltage as well as multi‐search dissipation analysis.
Lithium abundance patterns of late-F stars: an in-depth analysis of the lithium desert
Authors: Aguilera-Gómez Claudia , Ramírez Iván , Chanamé Julio
Published: March 2018

Aims. We address the existence and origin of the lithium (Li) desert, a region in the Li–Teff plane sparsely populated by stars. Here we analyze some of the explanations that have been suggested for this region, including mixing in the late main sequence, a Li dip origin for stars with low Li abundances in the region, and a possible relation with the presence of planets.

Methods. To study the Li desert, we measured the atmospheric parameters and Li abundance of 227 late-F dwarfs and subgiants, chosen to be in the Teff range of the desert and without previous Li abundance measurements. Subsequently, we complemented those with literature data to obtain a homogeneous catalog of 2318 stars, for which we compute masses and ages. We characterize stars surrounding the region of the Li desert.

Results. We conclude that stars with low Li abundances below the desert are more massive and more evolved than stars above the desert. Given the unexpected presence of low Li abundance stars in this effective temperature range, we concentrate on finding their origin. We conclude that these stars with low Li abundance do not evolve from stars above the desert: at a given mass, stars with low Li (i.e., below the desert) are more metal-poor.

Conclusions. Instead, we suggest that stars below the Li desert are consistent with having evolved from the Li dip, discarding the need to invoke additional mixing to explain this feature. Thus, stars below the Li desert are not peculiar and are only distinguished from other subgiants evolved from the Li dip in that their combination of atmospheric parameters locates them in a range of effective temperatures where otherwise only high Li abundance stars would be found (i.e., stars above the desert).
Conservation Agriculture to buffer and alleviate the impact of climatic variations in Madagascar: farmers’ perception
Authors: Penot Eric , Fevre Valentin , Flodrops Patricia , Razafimahatratra Hanitriniaina Mamy
Published: March 2018

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been promoted during the last 15 years in Madagascar to develop a sustainable rainfed agriculture in order to cope with low fertility upland soils, soil erosion, low productivity and erratic rainfall. If CA does provide a better sustainability with adapted cropping patterns when adopted, a question is, whether CA is able to alleviate the impact of climatic variations thanks to the mulching effect and to which extent. We took the example of medium altitude zones in the Lake Alaotra area to illustrate farmers’ perceptions. If climate change is not proven in these areas, climatic variations are very high and erratic rainfall patterns at the beginning of the rainy season induce serious risks of crop failure. Two surveys were implemented in 2013: (i) on CA changing practices of 92 farmers (during the 10 years project duration) and (ii) on the evolution of behavior among 28 farmers who have recently adopted CA (less than 5 years). In CA systems, the mulch contributes to better cropping systems resilience and helps alleviating the effect of climatic variations. If a limited number of farmers have effectively adopted CA practices, in the long run, most farmers have developed innovative cropping systems between conventional agriculture and CA, to address their own constraints, leading to a widespread range of agro-ecological practices. A typology of behavior is presented to identify farmers’ strategies regarding risks in a context characterized by multiple uncertainties.
Lateral Displacement and Shear Lag Effect of Combination of Diagrid-Frame
Authors: Abd. Samat Roslida , Chua Fong Teng , Mohd Mustakim Nur Akmal Hayati , Saad Sariffuddin , Abu Bakar Suhaimi
Published: March 2018

Diagrid system, which is the portmanteau of diagonal grid member, is an exterior lateral load resisting system for tall building that has gained a wide acceptance in the design of tall buildings. There is abundance of researches that studied the efficiency of diagrid systems, which are constructed from the ground level to the top of the buildings in resisting the lateral load. Nevertheless, no study had been performed on the effectiveness of the diagrid that is constructed above other tall building systems despite the existence of a few buildings in the world that employ such system. The objective of this research is to understand the behavior of the lateral displacement and shear lag effect due to wind load when the diagrid structure is constructed above a frame. Models of 60-story buildings with a footprint of 36m x 36m were analyzed by using Staad.Pro software. The level where the diagrid members started was altered. The lateral displacement was reduced to 60.6 percent and 41 percent of the lateral displacement of a building with full frame system when the combination of frame-diagrid that had the diagrid started at Level 1 and Level 45, respectively were employed. Furthermore, the shear lag ratio was reduced from 1.7 to 1.3 when the level where the diagrid started was increased from Level 1 to Level 45.
Strength Performance of Blended Ash Based Geopolymer Mortar
Authors: Zahib Zaidahtulakmal M. , Kamaruddin Kartini , M. Saman Hamidah
Published: March 2018

Geopolymer is a based on inorganic alumino-silicate binder system. Geopolymeric materials are formed using materials that containing silica and aluminium such as fly ash and rice husk ash, which activated by alkaline solution. This paper presents the study on the effect of replacement of SSA in RHA based geopolymer, types of curing and different molarity of NaOH used on the strength of Sewage Sludge Ash (SSA) and Rice Husk Ash (RHA) based geopolymer mortar incorporating with three (3) different mix proportions. Based geopolymer mortar was synthesized from treated sewage sludge and rice husk undergoing incineration process in producing ashes, activated with sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution by ratio of 2.5:1 and solution to ash ratio of 1:1. Molarity of 8M and 10M NaOH were used. The percentages of SSA replacement were 0%, 10% and 20% by weight. Compressive strength was conducted at age 7, 14 and 28 days to see the development of strength with two curing regimes, which are air curing and oven curing (60°C for 24 hours). From the research conducted, the ultimate compressive strength (6.28MPa) was obtained at zero replacement of SSA taken at 28 days of oven curing with 10M of NaOH. This shows that RHA, which is rich in silica content is enough to enhance the strength of geopolymer mortar especially with high molarity of NaOH.
Application of GNSS Methods for Monitoring Offshore Platform Deformation
Authors: Myint Khin Cho , Matori Abd Nasir , Gohari Adel
Published: March 2018

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has become a powerful tool for high-precision deformation monitoring application. Monitoring of deformation and subsidence of offshore platform due to factors such as shallow gas phenomena. GNSS is the technical interoperability and compatibility between various satellite navigation systems such as modernized GPS, Galileo, reconstructed GLONASS to be used by civilian users. It has been known that excessive deformation affects platform structurally, causing loss of production and affects the efficiency of the machinery on board the platform. GNSS have been proven to be one of the most precise positioning methods where by users can get accuracy to the nearest centimeter of a given position from carrier phase measurement processing of GPS signals. This research is aimed at using GNSS technique, which is one of the most standard methods to monitor the deformation of offshore platforms. Therefore, station modeling, which accounts for the spatial correlated errors, and hence speeds up the ambiguity resolution process is employed. It was found that GNSS combines the high accuracy of the results monitoring the offshore platforms deformation with the possibility of survey.