bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy Savings Potential of a Novel Radiative Cooling and Solar Thermal Collection Concept in Buildings for Various World Climates
Authors: Vall Sergi , Castell Albert , Medrano Marc
Published: September 2018

A novel radiative cooling and solar collection concept is presented, and the combination of these two technologies and its energy integration in residential and commercial buildings is evaluated. This innovative concept, herein named Radiative Collector and Emitter (RCE), allows for supplying both cooling and Domestic Hot Water (DHW) demands. First, the RCE concept is introduced by presenting its background, with special attention to the overlapping and switching between radiative cooling and solar thermal collection. Then the DHW and cooling demands for four building typologies, two residential and two commercial, are compared with the energy production of the RCE. The analysis is performed for representative cities of the world climates according to Köppen‐Geiger classification. The RCE concept showed suitability in some of the studied cities (San Francisco, Cape Town, Johannesburg, London, and Ottawa) with C (temperate) and D (continental) climates in residential and tertiary buildings.
Global Perspectives on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: Younossi Zobair , Tacke Frank , Arrese Marco , Chander Sharma Barjesh , Mostafa Ibrahim , Bugianesi Elisabetta , Wai‐Sun Wong Vincent , Yilmaz Yusuf , George Jacob , Fan Jiangao , Vos Miriam B.
Published: September 2018

Over the past 2 decades, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has grown from a relatively unknown disease to the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the world. In fact, 25% of the world’s population is currently thought to have NAFLD. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the subtype of NAFLD that can progress to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and death. NAFLD and NASH are not only found in adults—there is also a high prevalence of these diseases in children and adolescents. Because of the close association of NAFLD with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and obesity, the latest models predict that the prevalence of NAFLD and NASH will increase, causing a tremendous clinical and economic burden and poor patient‐reported outcomes. Nonetheless, there is no accurate noninvasive method to detect NASH, and treatment of this disease is limited to lifestyle modifications. To examine the state of NAFLD among different regions and understand the global trajectory of this disease, an international group of experts came together during the 2017 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Global NAFLD Forum. We provide a summary of this forum and an assessment of the current state of NAFLD and NASH worldwide.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells increase neutrophils survival and promote their differentiation into CD16highCD62Ldim immunosuppressive subset
Authors: Podaza Enrique , Risnik Denise , Colado Ana , Elías Esteban , Almejún María Belén , Fernandez Grecco Horacio , Bezares Raimundo Fernando , Borge Mercedes , Gamberale Romina , Giordano Mirta
Published: September 2018

Reprogramming of neutrophils by malignant cells is well‐described for many types of solid tumors, but data remain scarce for hematological diseases. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized for a deep immune dysregulation mediated by leukemic cells that compromises patient's outcome. Murine models of CLL highlight the relevance of myeloid cells as tumor‐driven reprogramming targets. In our study, we evaluated neutrophil reprogramming by CLL cells. We first show that the proportion of the CD16highCD62Ldim neutrophil subset in peripheral blood of CLL patients is increased compared to age‐matched healthy donors (HD). In vitro, neutrophils from HD cultured in the presence of CLL cells or conditioned media (CM) from CLL cells exhibited a longer lifespan. Depletion of G‐CSF and GM‐CSF from CM partially reversed the protective effect. In addition, the proportion of viable neutrophils that displayed a CD16highCD62Ldim phenotype was increased in the presence of CM from CLL cells, being TGF‐β/IL‐10 responsible for this effect. Altogether, our results describe a novel mechanism through which CLL cells can manipulate neutrophils.
The impact of motivational interviewing on self‐perceived burden in patients receiving therapeutic plasma exchange
Authors: Dill Rebecca , Olson DaiWai M. , Session‐Augustine Nellie , Mariani Dara , Stutzman Sonja E.
Published: September 2018

Background

Autoimmune disorders and neurodegenerative disorders take a physical and emotional toll on patients that undergo therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) treatments. Previous literature has shown that these patients may feel a greater sense of self‐burden. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a technique used in various settings that has the potential to decrease feelings of self‐burden. MI for patients who receive TPE has not been tested. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of MI in patients with a neurodegenerative diagnosis (eg, transverse myelitis, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy) that are undergoing TPE treatments.

Methods

This was a prospective, non‐randomized, longitudinal study of the impact of MI with patients at high risk of sense of self‐burden who underwent apheresis treatments. Consented patients underwent three to six MI sessions with a trained clinician. Patients completed a self‐report baseline and post‐test of self‐perceived burden.

Results

Thirty participants consented to the study; 27 were included in the analysis. The Self‐Perceived Burden Scale scores were significantly higher at baseline (m = 26.2) when compared to scores post MI sessions (m = 21.48, P < .05). The number of MI sessions (3, 4, 5, 6 sessions) did not significantly impact the outcome score (r2 = 0.001; P = .901).

Conclusion

MI is a straightforward technique that is feasible and shown to be effective to be used by bedside clinicians while working with patients who receive TPE to decrease levels of self‐perceived burden.
Interaction of the EGFR signaling pathway with porcine cumulus oocyte complexes and oviduct cells in a coculture system
Authors: Lee Seok Hee , Oh Hyun Ju , Kim Min Jung , Setyawan Erif maha Nugraha , Lee Byeong Chun
Published: September 2018

It has become increasingly recognized that coculture has a beneficial effect on the in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes and embryo development in many species. However, these effects of coculture on IVM have been documented only for their positive conditioning roles without any evidence on the precise mechanisms underlying the action of coculture systems on the development of cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs). It has been suggested that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is important for development of COCs, mediated by several epidermal growth factor (EGF)‐like proteins with downstream mitogen‐activated protein kinase 1/3 signaling. Therefore, we hypothesized that canine oviduct cells (OCs) in a coculture system, which shows improvement of oocyte quality in several species, are associated with EGFR signaling by exposure to progesterone (P4; imitating its production before ovulation and its continuous increase while oocytes reside in the oviduct to complete maturation in dogs). We designed three experimental groups: control, OCs coculture exposed to P4, and OCs coculture without exposure to P4. The result showed that the OCs coculture exposed to P4 strongly expressed EGF‐like proteins and significantly improved COCs and subsequent embryo development. Furthermore, the expression of EGFR‐related genes in cumulus cells and GDF9 and BMP15 in oocytes was upregulated in the P4‐treated group. This study provides the first evidence that OCs exposed to P4 can induce strong expression of EGF‐like proteins, and OCs effectively mediate improved porcine COCs development and subsequent embryo development by altering EGFR signaling related mRNA expression.
Changes in the temperature distribution in the top 150 m of the equatorial Indian Ocean in association with El Niño and monsoon drought
Authors: Roose Shinto , Joseph Porathur V. , Mohanakumar K.
Published: September 2018

The vertical temperature profiles of the equatorial Indian Ocean between the latitudes 5°S and 5°N in years of El Niño and monsoon drought have been studied using quality controlled ocean temperature (EN4) data set of the UK Met Office Hadley Centre and Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) reanalysis data. The temperature anomalies in the equatorial Indian Ocean were studied in three composites: (a) years of El Niño with no drought monsoon (composite A), (b) years of El Niño associated with drought monsoon (composite B) and (c) years of monsoon drought without El Niño (composite C). In composite A, a prominent subsurface dipole (SSD) in temperature is seen between depths of 60 and 120 m during the months September–November. It is not present in composite B. SSD is associated with surface wind anomalies, easterly in the equatorial central Indian Ocean and southeasterly in the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean. Drought monsoons have strong westerly surface wind anomalies in the equatorial central Indian Ocean, which reduces the strength of the equatorial easterly wind anomaly in composite B. In composite C, a negative SSD developed due to the strong anomalous westerly wind over the equatorial Indian Ocean associated with monsoon drought and the absence of El Niño induced equatorial easterly winds.
A 30–35‐year cycle period in cyclonic activity and rainfall regime for southeast Europe in 1948–2013 interval modulated by Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation
Authors: Cărbunaru Daniel , Burcea Sorin , Ştefănescu Victor
Published: September 2018

The main goal of this study was to investigate the cyclonic activity and rainfall regime for the southeastern Europe in relation with large‐scale oscillations like Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Arctic Oscillation (AO), between 1948 and 2013. Using the empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) analysis, simultaneously applied to daily average geopotential field time series at four different pressure levels (200, 300, 500 and 850 hPa) during warm (April–September) seasons and over a synoptic spatial domain centred on Europe, the principal dynamic trait of the four mean geopotential fields was obtained. The analysis has shown that the first four eigenvectors describe about 81% of explained variance. The first eigenvector describes a positive relation between the upper and the lower geopotential fields in the western part of Europe and a negative relation in the southeastern part, in direct relation with the AMO. His projections evolution shows that, each year, the AMO phase modulates the changes in the geopotential fields from spring to summer and from summer to autumn. Positive AMO increases the summer period and negative AMO decreases it. NAO is being reflected in the second eigenvector, which describes a strong phase vertical oscillation of upper and lower geopotential field in northwestern Europe coupled with a smaller one in northeastern Europe in the first part of considered period and in both the second and third eigenvectors in the last part. The AO influence appears in the combination of the third and fourth eigenvectors in the middle part of the period. The combined dynamics of these four eigenvectors highlight a different dynamics of cyclonic activity and rainfall regime for Europe between 1948 and 1983, 1973 and 2006 and 1981 and 2013.
Calanus finmarchicus seasonal cycle and diapause in relation to gene expression, physiology, and endogenous clocks
Authors: Häfker N. Sören , Teschke M. , Last K. S. , Pond D. W. , Hüppe L. , Meyer B.
Published: September 2018

The copepod Calanus finmarchicus plays a crucial role in the north Atlantic food web. Its seasonal life cycle involves reproduction and development in surface waters before overwintering in diapause at depth. Although diapause has been studied for more than a century, the factors responsible for the initiation and termination of it are still unclear. Endogenous clocks have been identified as potent tools for photoperiod measurement and seasonal rhythmicity in many terrestrial species, but knowledge of these remains scarce in the marine realm. Focusing on the dominant CV copepodid stage, we sampled a population of C. finmarchicus from a Scottish sea loch to characterize population dynamics, several physiological parameters, and diel and seasonal expression rhythms of 35 genes representing different metabolic pathways, including the circadian clock machinery. This generated a detailed overview of the seasonal cycle of C. finmarchicus including the most extensive field dataset on circadian clock gene expression in a marine species to date. Gene expression patterns revealed distinct gene clusters upregulated at different phases of the copepod's seasonal cycle. While diel clock cycling was restricted to the active spring/summer phase, many clock genes exhibited the highest expression during diapause. Our results provide new insights into diapause on physiological and genetic levels. We suggest that photoperiod, in interaction with internal and external factors (lipid content, temperature, food availability) and the endogenous clock mechanism, plays an important role in the timing of diapause in C. finmarchicus.
Multienergy element‐resolved cone beam CT (MEER‐CBCT) realized on a conventional CBCT platform
Authors: Shen Chenyang , Li Bin , Lou Yifei , Yang Ming , Zhou Linghong , Jia Xun
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Cone beam CT (CBCT) has been widely used in radiation therapy. However, its main application is still to acquire anatomical information for patient positioning. This study proposes a multienergy element‐resolved (MEER) CBCT framework that employs energy‐resolved data acquisition on a conventional CBCT platform and then simultaneously reconstructs images of x‐ray attenuation coefficients, electron density relative to water (rED), and elemental composition (EC) to support advanced applications.

Methods

The MEER‐CBCT framework is realized on a Varian TrueBeam CBCT platform using a kVp‐switching scanning scheme. A simultaneous image reconstruction and elemental decomposition model is formulated as an optimization problem. The objective function uses a least square term to enforce fidelity between x‐ray attenuation coefficients and projection measurements. Spatial regularization is introduced via sparsity under a tight wavelet‐frame transform. Consistency is imposed among rED, EC, and attenuation coefficients and inherently serves as a regularization term along the energy direction. The EC is further constrained by a sparse combination of ECs in a dictionary containing tissues commonly existing in humans. The optimization problem is solved by a novel alternating‐direction minimization scheme. The MEER‐CBCT framework was tested in a simulation study using an NCAT phantom and an experimental study using a Gammex phantom.

Results

MEER‐CBCT framework was successfully realized on a clinical Varian TrueBeam onboard CBCT platform with three energy channels of 80, 100, and 120 kVp. In the simulation study, the attenuation coefficient image achieved a structural similarity index of 0.98, compared to 0.61 for the image reconstructed by the conventional conjugate gradient least square (CGLS) algorithm, primarily because of reduction in artifacts. In the experimental study, the attenuation image obtained a contrast‐to‐noise ratio ≥60, much higher than that of CGLS results (~16) because of noise reduction. The median errors in rED and EC were 0.5% and 1.4% in the simulation study and 1.4% and 2.3% in the experimental study.

Conclusion

We proposed a novel MEER‐CBCT framework realized on a clinical CBCT platform. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrated its capability to simultaneously reconstruct x‐ray attenuation coefficient, rED, and EC images accurately.
I‐Tiao‐Gung extract through its active component daidzin improves cyclophosphamide‐induced bladder dysfunction in rat model
Authors: Wu Kung‐Chieh , Chiang Bing‐Juin , Tsai Wen‐Hsin , Chung Shiu‐Dong , Chien Chiang‐Ting
Published: September 2018

Aims

We explored the therapeutic potential of intragastric administration traditional Chinese medicine Glycine tomentella Hayata (I‐Tiao‐Gung, ITG) extract and its active component Daidzin on cyclophosphamide (CYP)‐induced cystitis and bladder hyperactivity in rats.

Methods

Female Wistar rats were divided into control, CYP (200 mg/kg), CYP + ITG (1.17 g/kg/day), CYP + Daidzin (12.5 mg/kg/day), and 1 week of ITG preconditioning with CYP (ITG + CYP) groups. We determined the trans cystometrogram associated with external urethral sphincter electromyogram, and the expression of M2 and M3 muscarinic and P2 × 2 and P2 × 3 purinergic receptors by Western blot in these animals.

Results

ITG extract contains 1.07% of Daidzin and 0.77% of Daidzein by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Daidzin was more efficient than Daidzein in scavenging H2O2 activity by a chemiluminescence analyzer. CYP induced higher frequency, shorter intercontraction interval, lower maximal voiding pressure, lower threshold pressure, and Phase‐2 emptying contraction with a depressed external urethral sphincter electromyogram activity, and hemorrhagic cystitis in the bladders. The altered parameters by CYP were significantly improved in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. The P2 × 2 and P2 × 3 expressions were significantly upregulated in CYP group, but were depressed in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups. The M2 expression was not significantly different among these five groups. The M3 expression was significantly upregulated in CYP group, but was significantly depressed in CYP + ITG, CYP + Daidzin, and ITG + CYP groups.

Conclusions

These data suggest that ITG extract through its active component Daidzin effectively improved CYP‐induced cystitis by the action of restoring Phase 2 activity and inhibiting the expressions of P2 × 2, P2 × 3, and M3 receptors.
Cardiac electrophysiology catheters for electrophysiological assessments of the lower urinary tract—A proof of concept ex vivo study in viable ureters
Authors: Haeberlin Andreas , Schürch Klaus , Niederhauser Thomas , Sweda Romy , Schneider Marc P. , Obrist Dominik , Burkhard Fiona , Clavica Francesco
Published: September 2018

Aims

To explore the feasibility of minimally invasive catheter‐based electrophysiology studies in the urinary tract. This is a well‐known method used in cardiology to investigate and treat arrhythmias.

Methods

We developed an experimental platform which allows electrophysiological recordings with cardiac catheters and conventional needle electrodes in ex vivo pig ureters. The action potential was triggered by a stimulating electrode. We considered 13 porcine ureters (freshly collected and harvested in organ bath), 7 of which were used to optimize the setup and define the stimulation parameters; we performed the recordings in the remaining six ureters. The electrical propagation of the generated action potential was tracked with multiple sensing electrodes, from which propagation directions, velocities, refractory periods, and pacing thresholds were extracted.

Results

We recorded propagating electrical activity in four ureters using needle electrodes and in two ureters using cardiac catheters. Propagation velocities for forward direction (from kidney to bladder) derived by the two methods were similar (15.1 ± 2.6 mm/s for cardiac catheters, 15.6 ± 2.3 mm/s for needle recordings). Pacing thresholds, activation patters, and refractory times were provided for the ureteric smooth muscle. Retrograde propagations and corresponding velocities were also observed and measured.

Conclusions

This study is a proof‐of‐concept showing that electrical activity can be measured “from the inside” of urinary cavities using catheters and that obtained results are comparable with the more invasive needle recordings. Catheter‐based electrophysiology may allow, in the clinical setting, for: i) a more differentiated understanding of urological disorders such as overactive bladder and ii) new therapeutic approaches (e.g., targeted tissue ablation).
Modified mixed least‐squares finite element formulations for small and finite strain plasticity
Authors: Igelbüscher Maximilian , Schwarz Alexander , Steeger Karl , Schröder Jörg
Published: September 2018

In this contribution, we propose mixed least‐squares finite element formulations for elastoplastic material behavior. The resulting two‐field formulations depending on displacements and stresses are given through the
‐norm minimization of the residuals of the first‐order system of differential equations. The residuals are the balance of momentum and the constitutive equation. The advantage of using mixed methods for an elastoplastic material description lies in the direct approximation of the stresses as an unknown variable. In addition to the standard least‐squares formulation, an extension of the least‐squares functional as well as a modified formulation is done. The modification by means of a varied first variation of the functional is necessary to guarantee a continuous weak form, which is not automatically given within the elastoplastic least‐squares approach. For the stress approximation, vector‐valued Raviart‐Thomas functions are chosen. On the other hand, standard Lagrange polynomials are taken into account for the approximation of the displacements. We consider classical J2 plasticity for a small and a large deformation model for the proposed formulations. For the description of the elastic material response, we choose for the small strain model Hooke's law and for finite deformations a hyperelastic model of Neo‐Hookean type. The underlying plastic material response is defined by an isotropic von Mises yield criterion with linear hardening.
Structures and Properties of LaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ and BaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ as Cobalt‐Free Perovskite‐Type Cathode Materials for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Idrees Asim , Jiang Xuening , Liu Gang , Luo Hao , Jia Guoqiang , Zhang Qingyu , Jiang Lei , Li Xiangnan , Xu Baomin
Published: September 2018

Perovskite oxides with mixed electronic–ionic conduction are important catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Here, two cobalt‐free perovskite oxides, LaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ (LFCuO) and BaFe0.8Cu0.2O3−δ (BFCuO), were synthesized and comparatively studied with respect to their phase structures, oxygen contents, chemical defects, thermal expansion coefficient (TEC), as well as electrical and electrochemical properties. Different structures and properties have been found for each oxide, which have been interpreted based on their tolerance factors and chemical defects. LFCuO showed much better overall performance than BFCuO, and it proved to be a promising cobalt‐free cathode material of intermediate‐temperature SOFCs with a low TEC (12.0×10−6 °C−1) that matches well with TECs of the electrolytes, high catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction characterized by low area specific resistances (0.090 Ω cm2 at 800 °C and 0.20 Ω cm2 at 750 °C), and high‐temperature chemical stability with electrolytes.
Influence of structural parameters on thermal performance of polypropylene nonwovens
Authors: Kucukali Ozturk Merve , Venkataraman Mohanapriya , Mishra Rajesh
Published: September 2018

Multilayered polypropylene nonwoven fabrics were developed, and different properties of the nonwoven fabric samples were studied and compared for their suitability as thermal insulating material. The main aim of this study is to investigate the influence of structural parameters such as weight, thickness, density, porosity, fiber morphology, and fiber diameter on the thermal performance of multilayered nonwoven structures which was focused on the influence of weight, thickness, density, porosity, fiber morphology, and fiber diameter. The results of the study demonstrated that the thermal properties of the nonwoven materials vary significantly, depending on the structural parameters of the fabric.
Influence of microbiota in the susceptibility of parasitic wasps to abamectin insecticide: deep sequencing, esterase and toxicity tests
Authors: Fernández María del Mar , Meeus Ivan , Billiet Annelies , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Deforce Dieter , Vandamme Peter , Viñuela Elisa , Smagghe Guy
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

The parasitic wasps Eretmocerus mundus, Eretmocerus eremicus and Encarsia formosa are important natural enemies of whiteflies. A broad understanding of their biology, ecology and behavior has been achieved, but the composition and role of their microbiota is not fully determined. The knowledge of the bacteria present in insects might be useful to manage species of human concern such as natural enemies or pests. Here, we performed a residual contact test to study a possible change in the susceptibility of E. mundus adults to abamectin insecticide after antibiotic treatment. Moreover, we assessed the microbiota present in adults of E. eremicus, E. formosa and two strains of E. mundus by MiSeq 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Finally, enzymatic tests were done to determine the influence of Arthrobacter species in the susceptibility of E. mundus to pesticides.

RESULTS

The assays showed that when E. mundus adults were pretreated with antibiotic, the toxicity of abamectin was significantly higher. Among the different bacteria associated with parasitic wasps, Arthrobacter has been shown to be involved in the degradation of several kinds of pesticides. Four Arthrobacter species were detected in all the studied insects and the presence of esterases in this bacterial species was confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that the microbiota can modify the susceptibility of E. mundus to pesticides, which in turn supports the importance of the microbial community in natural enemies that it should be considered as a factor in risk assessment tests of pesticides. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Photoluminescence and Electron Spin Resonance of Silicon Dioxide Crystal with Rutile Structure (Stishovite)
Authors: Trukhin Anatoly , Antuzevics Andris
Published: September 2018

An electron spin resonance (ESR) and photoluminescence signal is observed in the as grown single crystal of stishovite indicating the presence of defects in the non‐irradiated sample. The photoluminescence of the as received stishovite single crystals exhibits two main bands – a blue at 3 eV and an UV at 4.75 eV. Luminescence is excited in the range of optical transparency of stishovite (below 8.75 eV) and, therefore, is ascribed to defects. A wide range of decay kinetics under a pulsed excitation is observed. For the blue band besides the exponential decay with a time constant of about 18 μs an additional ms component is revealed. For the UV band besides the fast component with a time constant of 1–3 ns a component with a decay in tens μs is obtained. The main components (18 μs and 1–3 ns) possess a typical intra‐center transition intensity thermal quenching. The effect of the additional slow component is related to the presence of OH groups and/or carbon molecular defects modifying the luminescence center. The additional slow components exhibit wave‐like thermal dependences. Photo‐thermally stimulated creation–destruction of the complex comprising host defect and interstitial modifiers explains the slow luminescence wave‐like thermal dependences.
Quantum mechanical studies of full‐shell noble metal nanoclusters in water
Authors: Xia Xiuli , Shao Yuanzhi
Published: September 2018

Water–metal interfaces are ubiquitous, but their underlying physicochemical principles remain elusive. In this work, we performed scalar‐relativistic and dispersion‐corrected first‐principle calculations for full‐shell noble metal nanoclusters in water for characterizing their electronic interactions. With increasing nanocluster (NC) size, the average bond lengths of Ag and Au NCs decrease due to their strong relative effects, while those of Pd and Pt NCs increase normally. The calculated Löwdin net atomic charges show that naked full‐shell M
x (M is denoting Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt with x = 13, 55, 147, respectively) nanoclusters have core‐shell charge separations with positively charged core and negatively charged surface. Ag and Au NCs have higher charge separations with their well delocalized s‐electrons as compared with Pd and Pt NCs. The charged surface noble metal atoms of nanoclusters gain a small amount of electrons from neighbor oxygen atoms of water. The electronic structure analysis manifests a mixing state of hybrid s‐p‐d orbitals of noble metal nanoclusters with O_p states of water, which gives rise to the electronic interactions of dative‐bond character between noble metal nanoclusters and water. Such a kind of electronic interaction leads to charge transfer from neighbor oxygen atoms of water to surface noble metal atoms. These findings have an implication for those researches and applications in association with noble metal nanoclusters in liquid environments.
Resilient RMPC for polytopic uncertain systems under TOD protocol: A switched system approach
Authors: Zhu Kaiqun , Song Yan , Ding Derui
Published: September 2018

This paper addresses the resilient robust model predictive control (RMPC) problem for a class of polytopic uncertain systems under the try‐once‐discard (TOD) protocol. At each transmission instant, only one sensor node obtains the privilege to access the shared communication network in order to prevent the data from collision. The measurements transmission order of the sensor nodes is orchestrated, and a switched system is constructed according to the underlying TOD protocol. The aim of this paper is to design a set of desired resilient dynamic output feedback controllers in the framework RMPC such that the switched system with the underlying TOD protocol is exponentially stable. By taking the influence of the TOD protocol into account, sufficient conditions are provided to guarantee the recursive feasibility of the RMPC strategy and the stability of the established closed‐loop system in terms of the average dwell time method. Moreover, the effective resilient controllers in RMPC framework are derived by solving an online constrained optimization problem. Finally, a network‐based direct current motor example is utilized to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model predictive control strategy.
An exact LMI condition for the strong delay‐independent stability analysis of neutral delay systems
Authors: Souza Fernando O.
Published: September 2018

This paper concentrates on strong delay‐independent stability of neutral linear time‐invariant delay systems with multiple commensurate time delays. The stability analysis of linear neutral systems is complicated by the need to locate the roots of a transcendental characteristic equation and to take into account the global hyperbolicity of an associated difference system. In this paper, we propose a convex necessary and sufficient condition for testing strong delay‐independent stability. This result mainly follows from Kronecker sum properties and the Kalman‐Yakubovich‐Popov lemma, which allows us to present the main result in terms of a single linear matrix inequality feasibility test. The paper is closed by showing numerical examples that illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Easy functionalization process applied to develop super‐hydrophobic and oleophobic properties on ASTM 1200 aluminum surface
Authors: Rocha Canella Carneiro Andreia , de Souza Ferreira Fábio Augusto , Houmard Manuel
Published: September 2018

Super‐hydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces on ASTM 1200 H14 aluminum alloy substrates were achieved by chemical etching followed by deposition of organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) coatings synthesized through sol‐gel method. The chemical etching using FHH solutions (FeCl3 + HCl + H2O2) was adapted for the studied aluminum alloy by varying the concentration of iron (III) chloride and the etching time in order to increase the surface roughness of the material. This chemical etching produces rough surfaces exhibiting superficial square pores with edges about 1 to 2 μm. The chemical modifications with ORMOSIL solutions based on 1H,1H,2H,2H‐perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTES) and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane sol‐gel precursors induced water contact angles about 154° and 150°, respectively, and sliding angles smaller than 5°, on the previously optimized etched surface. Moreover, the surface modification with ORMOSIL based on PFOTES reached also an oleophobic character with an oil contact angle about 136° due to air entrapment in the surface roughness at the oil‐aluminum interface. Finally, ORMOSIL coatings produced with varied concentrations of PFOTES and tetraethoxyorthosilane precursors proved that the super‐hydrophobic and oleophobic properties can be maintained with an important decrease of the PFOTES precursor, which should significantly decrease the cost production of such functional surfaces and could favour its mechanical durability.
Application of atom probe tomography to fundamental issues of steel materials
Authors: Takahashi Jun , Kawakami Kazuto , Kobayashi Yukiko
Published: September 2018

Although steel research has a very long history, there are still various questions and uncertainties on the fundamental issues of steel materials. Our aim is to clarify the issues by atomic‐scale characterization using atom probe tomography (APT). This paper introduced our developed techniques in application of APT into steel materials. The first one is the specimen tip preparation technique from the site‐specific regions of interest in steel, which significantly expanded the application field of steel analysis. The second one is the observation technique of trapped hydrogen in steel using our developed “deuterium charge cell,” which accomplished direct observation of the hydrogen trapping site in alloy carbide precipitation strengthened steels. Such atomic‐scale analyses bring many new findings in steel materials science.
Atomistic Insight Into Donor/Acceptor Interfaces in High‐Efficiency Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Han Guangchao , Guo Yuan , Ma Xiaoyi , Yi Yuanping
Published: September 2018

Donor/acceptor (D/A) interfaces play a crucial role in photoelectric conversion for organic solar cells. However, it is impossible to experimentally probe D/A interfaces at the atomistic level to date, in particular for organic solar cells based on nonfullerene acceptors due to their anisotropic structures. In this work, we have investigated the interfacial structures of a representative D‐A copolymer donor PBDB‐T with a well‐known A‐D‐A structured nonfullerene acceptor ITIC, in comparison with a fullerene acceptor PC71BM, by means of atomistic simulations. It is found that owing to different side‐chain steric hindrance between the polymer A and D units, both acceptors are more likely to approach the polymer A units, and more apparently for ITIC in consideration of the size and shape matching between the acceptors and the polymer A and D units. Importantly, docking of ITIC with polymer occurs mainly through local π–π interaction between the terminal moieties of ITIC and the A units of the polymer, and such interfacial structures are favorable for efficient exciton dissociation. Our work sheds light on the impact of side‐chain nature and location as well as acceptor structures on D/A interfaces and charge‐transfer dynamics, which will be very helpful for further improving the performance of organic photovoltaics.
Neutral Genetic and Phenotypic Variation within and among Isolated Headwater Populations of Brook Trout
Authors: Weathers T. Casey , Kazyak David C. , Stauffer Jay R. , Kulp Matt A. , Moore Stephen E. , King Tim L. , Carlson John E.
Published: September 2018

Isolated populations are challenging to manage and conserve, as they are particularly vulnerable to genetic drift, allelic fixation, and inbreeding and may express markedly reduced phenotypic variability. We sought to improve our understanding of how spatial isolation, occupancy range, and restricted gene flow influence contemporary phenotypic variation within and among native populations of Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis by examining the neutral genetic and phenotypic characteristics of 35 isolated headwater populations from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Across a suite of 13 neutral microsatellite loci, we observed high levels of allelic fixation and considerable genetic differentiation among populations, subwatersheds, and watersheds that were consistent with patterns of isolation. We found significant positive correlations between allelic diversity and estimates of effective population size. In contrast, we observed considerably less phenotypic structure among streams, subwatersheds, and watersheds. Much of the observed phenotypic variation occurred among individuals within populations. Pairwise Mann–Whitney tests revealed no significant phenotypic differences among the populations of Brook Trout we examined. Similarly, there was no significant relationship between the amount of phenotypic variation within populations and any of the examined measures of genetic diversity or the amount of occupied habitat sampled, which suggests that unmeasured variables may be influencing morphometric and meristic variation within isolated populations. The observed patterns of isolation, genetic drift, and allelic fixation highlight the importance of enhancing population connectivity but also suggest that considerable phenotypic variability may persist within small, fragmented populations. Our results elucidate some challenges associated with managing and conserving isolated populations of Brook Trout and reinforce the importance of conducting genetic studies on fragmented populations to inform management decisions.
Fecundity and Embryonic Development of Spiny Dogfish in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Dutton Jessica , Gioia Kaitlyn A.
Published: September 2018

We investigated the fecundity and embryonic development of Spiny Dogfish Squalus acanthias (68.8–88.4 cm TL; n = 49) caught in the northwest Atlantic Ocean off Long Island, New York, between October 2014 and January 2015. Ovarian fecundity ranged from 0 to 6 eggs, whereas uterine fecundity ranged from 0 to 7 embryos. The average ovarian fecundity and uterine fecundity were equal at 4.1, and fecundity increased with maternal body length. All ovarian eggs and embryos in an individual female were at the same stage of development. Ovarian eggs (n = 200) ranged from 1.4 to 4.9 cm in diameter and weighed between 1.3 and 39 g. Embryos (n = 200) ranged from 8.6 to 27.5 cm TL and weighed between 2 and 74 g. The sex ratio of the embryos (female : male) was 1.17:1.00; however, within individual females, one sex dominated over the other. The development of ovarian eggs was concurrent with embryo development. The data collected in this study can be used in future stock assessments for the northwest Atlantic Spiny Dogfish population.
Categories in conflict: Combating the application of an intuitive conception of inheritance with category construction
Authors: Premo Joshua , Cavagnetto Andy , Honke Garrett , Kurtz Kenneth J.
Published: September 2018

The idea that characteristics acquired by an organism during its lifetime can be inherited by offspring and result in evolution is a substantial impediment to student understanding of evolution. In the current study, we performed a preliminary examination of how acquiring physical changes in a question prompt may differentially cue intuitive and scientific justifications of inheritance and evolution and how this varies based on how student learned the concept. Middle school students in a suburban northeastern district (N = 314) either learned about evolutionary change with a category construction task (with different levels of feedback support) or completed a worksheet. Three days later students responded to two free response scenarios (one where a physical change is acquired). Responses were coded based on student justifications for either science accuracy or intuitive nature. Specific reasons were coded by justification type with high inter‐rater agreement (k > 0.93). Results showed that students were more likely to apply intuitive reasoning when a physical change was acquired (50%) than if the change was behavioral in nature (16%). Additionally, students who completed the category construction task provided significantly more scientifically accurate justifications about inheritance (M = 1.12) than control students (M = 0.47), and significantly less intuitive justifications (M = 0.67) than control (M = 1.13). Finally, category construction produced the most scientific reasoning when feedback was provided. Taken together, these results suggest that intuitive reasoning is differentially applied based on physical organismal changes, intuitive reasoning is less frequent when learning via category construction, and the category construction task is more effective for this population with the inclusion of feedback.
It’s all right(-handed neutrinos): a new W ′ model for the $$ {R}_{D^{{}_{\left(\ast \right)}}} $$ anomaly
Authors: Asadi Pouya , Buckley Matthew R. , Shih David
Published: September 2018

Abstract

The measuredB-meson semi-leptonic branching ratiosRDand$$ {R}_{D^{*}} $$RD*have long-standing deviations between theory and experiment. We introduce a model which explains both anomalies through a single interaction by introducing a right-handed neutrino as the missing energy particle. This interaction is mediated by a heavy charged vector boson (W′) which couples only to right-handed quarks and leptons of the Standard Model through the mixing of these particles with new vector-like fermions. PreviousW′models for the$$ {R}_{D^{\left(*\right)}} $$RD*anomaly were strongly constrained from flavor changing neutral currents and direct collider searches forZ′→τ τresonances. We show that relying on right-handed fermion mixing enables us to avoid these constraints, as well as other severe bounds from electroweak precision tests and neutrino mixing.
Fast iterative algorithms for birefringent filter design
Authors: Boukharouba Abdelhak
Published: September 2018

Fast iterative algorithms for designing birefringent filters with any specified spectral response are proposed. From the Jones formalism, we derive two polynomials representing the transmitted and rejected response of the filter, respectively. Once the coefficients of the filters are obtained, the orientation angle of each birefringent section and the phase shift introduced by each compensator can be determined by an iterative algorithm that gives an efficient solution to the birefringent filter design problem. Afterward, some design examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. In comparison with results reported in the literature, this approach provides the best performance in terms of accuracy and time complexity.
Laboratory study of astrophysical collisionless shock at SG-II laser facility
Authors: Yuan Dawei , Wei Huigang , Liang Guiyun , Wang Feilu , Li Yutong , Zhang Zhe , Zhu Baojun , Zhao Jiarui , Jiang Weiman , Han Bo , Yuan Xiaoxia , Zhong Jiayong , Yuan Xiaohui , Fu Changbo , Zhang Xiaopeng , Wang Chen , Jia Guo , Xiong Jun , Fang Zhiheng , Jiang Shaoen , Du Kai , Ding Yongkun , Hua Neng , Qiao Zhanfeng , Zhou Shenlei , Zhu Baoqiang , Zhu Jianqiang , Zhao Gang , Zhang Jie
Published: September 2018

Astrophysical collisionless shocks are amazing phenomena in space and astrophysical plasmas, where supersonic flows generate electromagnetic fields through instabilities and particles can be accelerated to high energy cosmic rays. Until now, understanding these micro-processes is still a challenge despite rich astrophysical observation data have been obtained. Laboratory astrophysics, a new route to study the astrophysics, allows us to investigate them at similar extreme physical conditions in laboratory. Here we will review the recent progress of the collisionless shock experiments performed at SG-II laser facility in China. The evolution of the electrostatic shocks and Weibel-type/filamentation instabilities are observed. Inspired by the configurations of the counter-streaming plasma flows, we also carry out a novel plasma collider to generate energetic neutrons relevant to the astrophysical nuclear reactions.
Alcohol Consumption in the United States: Past, Present, and Future Trends
Authors: Fogarty James , Voon Derby
Published: September 2018

This research examines long-run changes in alcohol consumption patterns for the United States, at the state level, and presents forecasts for per capita consumption of beer, wine, and spirits developed using the ARIMA methodology. The evidence is then presented on the extent of convergence in consumption through time. This evidence shows that from the 1970s through the early 2000s, a pattern of convergence in both the level of consumption and the consumption mix was evident, but since the early 2000s, and unlike the pattern observed globally, there has been a reversal of this trend. The changes in consumption through time are illustrated via ternary plots. Bayesian estimation methods are used to formally describe changes in historical consumption patterns and to investigate the impact of policy settings on consumption forecasts. There were no systematic correlations found between alcohol policy settings and forecast future consumption changes, or tax rate levels and forecast consumption changes. (JEL Classifications: D12, I18, L66)
Hoppiness Is Happiness? Under-fertilized Hop Treatments and Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Beer
Authors: Gabrielyan Gnel , Marsh Thomas L. , McCluskey Jill J. , Ross Carolyn F.
Published: September 2018

The market structure and recipes for beer has been rapidly changing with craft beers attracting more consumers. Perceived hops quality (hoppiness) is one of the main attributes that microbrewers alter to differentiate their products to satisfy consumers’ changing tastes and preferences. We hypothesize that, in addition to manipulating beer-processing conditions, the conditions under which the hops are grown may also influence the final sensory properties of the beer. Using hops from a field experiment coupled with sensory attributes and sociodemographic characteristics from a contingent valuation survey, we analyzed the impact of under-fertilized hop treatments during the growing season on consumers’ willingness to pay for beer. The results indicate that uninformed consumers in a blind tasting could identify the differences in beer made from hops across the fertilization treatments and, thus, implying that all else equal sufficient fertilizer is required to achieve satisfactory hoppiness for which consumers are willing to pay. (JEL Classifications: C91, D12, L66, Q11)
Wine Cycles in South Africa
Authors: Vink Nick , Boshoff Willem H. , Fourie Johan , van Jaarsveld Rossouw
Published: September 2018

In this article, medium-run cycles in wine production in South Africa are extracted and related to similar cycles in real GDP per capita during the same period. In addition to removing noise in the historical data, smoothing out short-run fluctuations also eliminates the short-run impact on agricultural production due to idiosyncratic shocks such as weather events, wars, and vine diseases. By isolating the medium-run cycles, it is possible to verify the timing and duration of each cycle, matching it with the historical narrative. In this regard, a 300-year annual data series of South African wine production explains the evolution not only of one of the largest agricultural sectors, but of the South African economy in general. (JEL Classifications: C10, N57, Q10).