bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lignin solubility in non‐imidazolium ionic liquids
Authors: Glas Daan , Van Doorslaer Charlie , Depuydt Daphne , Liebner Falk , Rosenau Thomas , Binnemans Koen , De Vos Dirk E.
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

Until now ionic liquid research concerning lignin dissolution and processing has mainly focused on the imidazolium type ionic liquids. Other types of ionic liquids can extend the scope of such processes due to their better thermal, base and oxidation stability.

RESULTS

A series of ammonium, phosphonium and pyrrolidinium based ionic liquids was screened for lignin dissolution. Tributylmethylphosphonium methyl sulfate and N‐butyl‐N‐methylpyrrolidinium dicyanamide displayed the highest Kraft lignin dissolution at 90 °C, with 460 and 390 g kg‐1, respectively. The latter ionic liquid combines this high solubility with a rather low viscosity, resulting in a promising medium for processing lignin and for other potential applications in wood separation technology. Owing to the ionic character of lignosulfonate, its solubility was even higher. The molecular structures of both recovered lignin and ionic liquid were not changed after lignin dissolution, as proven with FT‐IR, Curie‐point pyrolysis‐GC/MS and NMR. The ionic liquid could be recycled without loss in lignin dissolving ability.

CONCLUSION

Ammonium, phosphonium, and pyrrolidinium based ionic liquids proved suitable for lignin dissolution, if combined with the right counterion. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Application of high‐temperature Fenton oxidation for the treatment of sulfonation plant wastewater
Authors: Díaz de Tuesta Jose L. , García‐Figueruelo Cristina , Quintanilla Asuncion , Casas Jose A. , Rodriguez Juan J.
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

This work explores the application of an intensified Fenton process to a sulfonation plant wastewater for its further discharge into an activated sludge plant. The application of high‐temperature Fenton to this kind of wastewater has not been reported so far. Herein, it has been demonstrated to provide a better performance than other advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).

RESULTS

The factorial experimental design methodology applied for describing the effect of the operating conditions, temperature, hydrogen peroxide dose and pH, demonstrated that quadratic models satisfactorily fitted the experimental results according to the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Response surface, contour plots and surface projections of the models were obtained describing the individual and crossed effects of the operating conditions on the selected responses: linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Working at 94 °C, 70% of the stoichiometric H2O2 dose relative to initial COD, 1 h reaction time and the pH of the wastewater as received (1.7) enabled achievement of the discharge limits into the exiting activated sludge plant of the petrochemical complex where the sulfonation plant is located. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Microwave‐assisted heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of high‐concentration Reactive yellow 3 with CuFe2O4/PAC
Authors: Xiao Jun , Fang Xue , Yang Shaogui , He Huan , Sun Cheng
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

The investigation of microwave‐assisted heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of high‐concentration dye effluent with novel catalyst (CuFe2O4/PAC) is promising in the field of industrial wastewater treatment compared with conventional advanced oxidation techniques which are very slow.

RESULT

A novel microwave catalyst, CuFe2O4 loaded on powdery activated carbon (CuFe2O4/PAC) was prepared and applied for microwave‐assisted heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of high‐concentration reactive azo dye Reactive yellow 3 (RY3). The results showed that it exhibited 74.5% degradation efficiency, 48.5% TOC removal of RY3 (200 mg L‐1) within 5 min over a broad pH range from 3 to 11 and reduced the toxicity after degradation. The influences of initial pH, catalyst dosage, H2O2 concentration and reusability of catalyst on degradation were evaluated. The toxic potential during degradation was assessed by bioluminescence test. Moreover, •OH and O2•‐ were found to be the main active species involved in the system and a possible RY3 degradation mechanism was proposed.

CONCLUSION

This study found a microwave‐assisted heterogeneous oxidation system with CuFe2O4/PAC to be highly efficient, stable, low toxicity and relevant in high‐concentration dye wastewater treatment and industrial applications. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Differences in nitrogen‐assimilating enzyme activity in halophyte species are habitat‐related
Authors: Cott Grace M. , Chapman Deborah V. , Jansen Marcel A. K.
Published: July 2014

The chemical form and content of available nitrogen (N) in salt marsh substrates varies considerably. On the western coast of Ireland, habitats designated as Ombrogenic Atlantic salt marshes were formed on ombrogenic peat substrate. The peat substrate in these systems has three times more ammonium than substrate from adjacent salt marsh habitats on sand and mud substrate. This study examined the extent to which the high concentration of ammonium in peat salt marsh substrate influences the N‐ assimilating enzyme activity of halophytes and the extent to which N metabolism differs between species. Specifically, this work investigated whether plants from peat salt marshes are more likely to assimilate ammonium than plants from non‐peat substrates. Four halophyte plant species—Armeria maritima, Aster tripolium, Plantago maritime, and Triglochin maritime—were sampled from various saltmarsh habitats including three sites on peat substrate and three on non‐peat substrate, comprising sand, mud and sand/mud. The activities of N‐metabolising enzymes—glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and nitrate reductase (NR)—were quantified in shoot and root parts. Root GS activity in Armeria maritima and shoot GS activity in Triglochin maritima were positively correlated with increasing soil ammonium levels. Root NR activity in Aster tripolium and shoot NR activity in Plantago maritima were significantly higher in plants grown on non‐peat substrates than peat substrates. The shoot : root GS activity ratio in Triglochin maritima on peat substrate was more than double the ratio on non‐peat substrates. It is concluded that all species tested displayed differences in N‐metabolising activities depending on the chemical form and/or concentration of N in the substrate, while three out of the four species were capable of taking advantage of the high levels of ammonium in peat substrates.
Phytosterols and their extraction from various plant matrices using supercritical carbon dioxide: a review
Authors: Uddin Md. Salim , Sarker Md. Zaidul Islam , Ferdosh Sahena , Akanda Md. Jahurul Haque , Easmin Mst. Sabina , Bt Shamsudin Siti Hadijah , Yunus Kamaruzzaman Bin
Published: July 2014

Phytosterols provide important health benefits: in particular, the lowering of cholesterol. From environmental and commercial points of view, the most appropriate technique has been searched for extracting phytosterols from plant matrices. As a green technology, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using carbon dioxide (CO2) is widely used to extract bioactive compounds from different plant matrices. Several studies have been performed to extract phytosterols using supercriticalCO2(SC‐CO2) and this technology has clearly offered potential advantages over conventional extraction methods. However, the efficiency ofSFEtechnology fully relies on the processing parameters, chemistry of interest compounds, nature of the plant matrices and expertise of handling. This review coversSFEtechnology with particular reference to phytosterol extraction usingSC‐CO2. Moreover, the chemistry of phytosterols, properties of supercritical fluids (SFs) and the applied experimental designs have been discussed for better understanding of phytosterol solubility inSC‐CO2. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Hg2+‐Induced In Situ Generated Radical Cation of (S)‐BINOL‐Based Polymer for Highly Enantioselective Recognition of Phenylalaninol
Authors: Jiao Jiemin , Li Fei , Zhang Shuwei , Quan Yiwu , Zheng Wenhua , Cheng Yixiang , Zhu Chengjian
Published: July 2014

Phenylalaninol enantiomers are one of the most important chiral compounds due to its presence in biologically active molecules and pharmaceutical products. In this paper, a novel chiral fluorescence polymer sensor incorporating (S)‐BINOL and oligomeric aniline via a nucleophilic addition–elimination reaction is designed and synthesized. Polymer sensor exhibits “turn‐off” fluorescence quenching response upon the addition of Hg2+, and “turn‐on” moderate fluorescence enhancement behavior towards phenylalaninol enantiomers. Meanwhile, this kind of (S)‐BINOL‐based polymer sensor can exhibit highly selective enantioselective recognition response towards (L)‐phenylalaninol upon the addition of Hg2+ and the value of ef can reach as high as 5.4, which can be attributed to the formation of in situ generated radical cation arisen from oligomeric aniline moiety by Hg2+ induction.

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Preparation of Core–Shell Nanofibers with Selectively Localized CNTs from Shish Kebab‐like Hierarchical Composite Micelles
Authors: Liu Chang‐Lei , Wang Mei‐Jia , Wu Gang , You Jiao , Chen Si‐Chong , Liu Ya , Wang Yu‐Zhong
Published: July 2014

A novel and facile bottom‐up strategy for preparing core‐shell nanofibers with selectively localized carbon nanotubes is developed using hierarchical composite micelles of crystalline‐coil copolymer and carbon nanotubes as the building blocks. An amphiphilic di‐block copolymer of poly (p‐dioxanone) (PPDO) and PEG (polyethylene glycol) functionalized with pyrene moieties at the chain ends of PPDO blocks (Py‐PPDO‐b‐PEG) is designed for constructing composite micelles with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The self‐assembly of Py‐PPDO‐b‐PEG and MWCNTs is co‐induced by the crystallization of PPDO blocks and the π–π stacking interactions between pyrene moieties and MWCNTs, resulting in composite micelles with “shish kebab”‐like nanostructure. A mixture of composite micelles and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) water solution is then used as the spinning solution for preparing electrospun nanofibers. The morphologies of the nanofibers with different composition are investigated by SEM and TEM. The results suggest that the MWCNTs selectively localized in the core of the nanofibers of MWCNTs/Py‐PPDO‐b‐PEG/PVA. The alignment and interfusion of composite micelles during the formation of nanofibers may confine the carbon nanotubes in the hydrophobic core region. In contrast, the copolymer without pyrene moieties cannot form composite micelles, thus these nanofibers show selective localization of MWCNTs in the PVA shell region.

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Orally administered δ opioid agonist peptide rubiscolin‐6 stimulates food intake in aged mice with ghrelin resistance
Authors: Miyazaki Yuri , Kaneko Kentaro , Iguchi Shin , Mizushige Takafumi , Kanamoto Ryuhei , Yoshikawa Masaaki , Shimizu Takahiko , Ohinata Kousaku
Published: July 2014

Scope

It is known that a decline in food intake occurs with aging. In this study, we investigated changes in parameters associated with food intake in response to aging, and whether orexigenic peptides stimulated food intake after peripheral administration even in aged mice.

Methods and results

Food intake and body weight of 27‐month‐old male C57BL/6N mice were lower than those of 15‐month‐old mice. Epididymal and mesenteric fat mass, blood glucose, triglyceride, and leptin levels were also decreased. Meanwhile, the hypothalamic mRNA expression of endogenous orexigenic peptides such as neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti‐related protein, also called agouti‐related peptide, was increased. Next, we tested responsiveness to exogenously administered orexigenic peptides coupled to NPY in aged as well as young mice. Orally administered rubiscolin‐6, a δ opioid agonist hexapeptide derived from a major green leaf protein Rubisco, stimulated food intake in 27‐month‐old mice. In contrast, ghrelin was ineffective after intraperitoneal administration to aged mice, suggesting that the NPY system downstream of ghrelin but not δ opioid receptors might be impaired in aged mice.

Conclusion

Orally administered rubiscolin‐6 stimulates food intake in aged mice with ghrelin resistance.
Miniaturized notch‐band UWB bandpass filters using interdigital‐coupled feed‐line structure
Authors: Xu Kaida , Zhang Yonghong , Lewei Joshua , Joines William T. , Huo Qing
Published: July 2014

Two ultrawideband (UWB) bandpass filters (BPFs) using interdigital‐coupled feed‐line structures with different notched frequency bands are presented. The proposed interdigital lines are used, not only to realize strong coupling as feed lines, but also be able to create an adjustable rejection band in the UWB passband without adding any other circuits, which make the overall size of the filter super miniaturized. Two prototypes of the proposed notch‐band UWB BPFs have been fabricated and tested, whose measured results are both in good agreement with the full‐wave simulations. The notched frequency bands of these two UWB BPFs are centered at 5.8 and 8.0 GHz, with attenuation of around 12 and 14 dB, respectively. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2215–2217, 2014
A new elliptic function band‐pass filter with adjustable size usingμ‐near zero metamaterial resonators
Authors: Park Joung‐Geun , Yoon Ki‐Cheol , Lee Jong‐Chul
Published: July 2014

In this article, a new compact narrow bandwidth elliptic function band‐pass filter (BPF) using combination of stepped impedance resonator shaped hair‐pin, interdigital capacitor, and meander‐line resonator with μ‐near zero (MNZ) metamaterial is studied. The MNZ metamaterial resonator has band‐stop resonance and positive phase response (+90°) due to its zero‐value permeability. The experimental result of the resonator shows the loaded quality factor (QL) of 244 at the resonant frequency of 9.95 GHz. Also, the insertion and return losses of the proposed BPF are 1.55 and 15.4 dB with bandwidth of 2.5% and center frequency of 9.95 GHz, respectively. The size of the proposed BPF is 3.56 × 4.47 mm2. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2245–2248, 2014
Metamaterial based dual‐band bandpass filter design for WLAN/WiMAX applications
Authors: Gorur Ali Kursad , Karpuz Ceyhun , Ozek Ahmet , Emur Murat
Published: July 2014

This article proposes a dual‐band bandpass filter exhibiting negative effective magnetic permeability as well as effective negative electric permittivity. The proposed filter is constructed by loaded open‐loop resonators (OLR). Input and output ports are connected to each other with a grounded feedline having two via holes located at the tapping point alignments of loading elements. Dual‐mode properties of OLRs are used to obtain the dual‐band response. Hence, each passband can be controlled individually by means of the gap between the folded parts of the OLR and the dimensions of loading elements. Four loaded OLRs are placed at the upper and lower sides of the main feedline to obtain two poles in each passband. Center frequencies of the designed filter are adjusted to 2.45 GHz (WLAN) and 3.5 GHz (WiMAX). It has an electrical length of 0.414 λg × 0.32 λg, where λg is the guided wavelength at the lowest center frequency, 2.45 GHz. Proposed filter has also been fabricated for the experimental verification of the design methodology. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2211–2214, 2014
Ultrawideband compact U‐shaped antenna with inserted narrow strip and inverted T‐shaped slot
Authors: Choe Hyeonhyeong , Lim Sungjoon
Published: July 2014

A simple and compact U‐shaped antenna with an ultrawideband characteristic is presented. The proposed antenna consists of a modified radiation patch fed by a microstrip line and a slot on the ground plane. In order to improve impedance matching at a lower band, the narrow strip is inserted at the center of the patch, and the ground plane is optimized with the inverted T‐shaped slot. Its performance is demonstrated from S‐parameters and radiation patterns. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2265–2269, 2014
A wide stopband microstrip bandpass filter with stepped coupled lines
Authors: Tang Ching‐Wen , Teng Chi‐Huan
Published: July 2014

This study develops a microstrip bandpass filter with a broader stopband. The proposed bandpass filter is constructed by cascading three stepped coupled lines and two short‐circuited stubs. Moreover, quarter‐wavelength electrical lengths and weak strong‐weak couplings are adopted for the stepped coupled line. In this way, a compact circuit size and a wide stopband can be achieved readily. In addition, the short‐circuited stubs connected to the input/output port can result in a steeper passband skirt and a broader passband. Finally, a design example is provided to show the availability of the proposed structure. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2283–2286, 2014
A minimized broadband ferrite antenna for mobile handset applications
Authors: Kim Woo‐Su , Choi Sunho , Jeong Gye‐Taek
Published: July 2014

This article presents a compact broadband antenna made of Co2Y hexagonal ferrite (Ba2Co0.5Zn1.5Fe12O22) for GSM/DCS/PCS/UMTS. The proposed antenna has a minimized volume of 25 × 10 × 2 mm3 using a ferrite substrate with
 = 12.5 (tan
 = 0.005) and
 = 4 (tan
 = 0.15) at 850 MHz. Additionally, a T‐monopole and capacitively coupled strip are used for bandwidth enhancement. The antenna performance is characterized in terms of the reflection coefficient, gain, and radiation pattern. The measured fractional bandwidth at a voltage standing wave ratio ≤3 is 95.7% (823–2178 MHz), and the measured peak gain at the operating frequency bands is −6.67–4.25 dBi. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2279–2282, 2014
Design of dual‐band MIMO monopole antenna with high isolation using slotted CSRR for WLAN
Authors: Yang Dae‐Geun , Kim Dang Oh , Kim Che‐Young
Published: July 2014

In this article, we proposed a dual‐band multi‐input multi‐output (MIMO) antenna using slotted complementary split ring resonator (CSRR). The designed MIMO antenna for WLAN at 2.45 and 5 GHz provides high isolation with the slotted CSRR inserted on the ground plane. The measured gain and efficiency of the designed MIMO antenna was 4.025 dBi and 86.64%, respectively. The calculated envelope correlation coefficient of the proposed antenna was 0.016, which is suitable for a MIMO system. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2252–2257, 2014
Compact ultrawideband bandpass filter with triple notched‐bands and sharp transmission zeros based on CSRR, DGS, AND FMRR configurations
Authors: Chiang Ching‐Tsan , Xu Jing‐Chung , Liu Ji‐Chyun
Published: July 2014

The folded multiple‐mode resonators (FMMR) with complementary split ring resonator (CSRR), and defected ground structures (DGS) are introduced for notched‐band ultrawideband (UWB) bandpass filter design in this article. Using the CSRR, FMRR, notched wide‐band responses can exist in the UWB passband for blocking the interference. Adjusting the size factor of CSRR, the wide tuning ranges of notch frequencies included the desired frequencies of 5.2/5.8 GHz are achieved. The lower insertion loss (0.31 dB), higher rejection level (−50 dB), wider bandwidth (FBW 75%), and wider stopband (extended to 2.01 f0 below −20 dB rejection level) of UWB band at the central frequency f0 = 4.58 GHz are obtained. Second, design a CSRR, DGS, FMRR, triple notched‐band UWB filter with the wider bandwidth (2.51 to 8.03 GHz, FBW = 124%), lower insertion loss (0.36 dB), and sharp transmission zeros (−49.77/−48.40 dB) of UWB band at central frequency f0 = 4.43 GHz are presented. Using the CSRR and interdigital couple, three notch responses can exist in the UWB passband for blocking the interference signals. Adjusting the size factor of CSRR and interdigital couple, the wide tuning ranges of notched‐band included the desired frequencies of 4.80/5.20/6.38 GHz are achieved. The wide tuning ranges of three notched‐band cover from 4.2 to 6.6 GHz. The design procedure related to the geometry is proposed. It is a simple way to control the notch responses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2324–2330, 2014
A compact dual‐band bandstop filter using a circular, folded, symmetric, meandered‐line, stepped‐impedance resonator
Authors: Dhakal Rajendra , Kim Nam‐Young
Published: July 2014

This letter describes the implementation of a dual‐band bandstop filter based on a circular, folded, symmetric‐type, two‐section, meandered‐line, stepped‐impedance resonator (SIR), resonating at f1 = 3.17 GHz and f2 = 8.50 GHz. The length of each section of meandered‐line is equal to 0.30 and is 0.60 times the guided wavelength (λg), which can be properly tuned to control the first and second resonant frequencies. The attenuation level of the signal at 5.83 GHz can be increased by the proper placement of transmission zero, which ultimately helps to generate a controllable ultrawide stop band bandwidth. This filter reached an attenuation level of 32.75 and 26.21 dB with insertion losses of 0.43 and 0.39 dB at the respective stop bands. The size of the filter was drastically reduced using a simplified architecture as a circular, folded, meandered‐line, SIR. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2298–2301, 2014
Circular polarization‐agile microstrip antenna for wireless access in vehicular environments
Authors: Lee D.‐H. , Chung D.‐W. , Kim E.‐G. , Pyo S.
Published: July 2014

In this article, a new reconfigurable microstrip antenna with circular polarization‐agile capability is presented for wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE). The proposed antenna consists of a circular microstrip radiator on a back‐sided circular slot with an adding tab and a trimmed slot with two PIN diodes. The circular slot in the ground acts as a perturbing element to generate both left‐ and right‐handed circular polarization without shifting the resonant frequency. Both of circular polarization senses can be successfully alternated by controlling the states of diodes. The implemented antenna shows a good agreement with the simulation results and excellent controllability with symmetrical radiation at the identical resonant frequency. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2310–2313, 2014
Dual‐band balun bandpass filter using coupled lines with shunt open‐ended stubs
Authors: He Yuxing , Sun Liguo
Published: July 2014

A new type of dual‐band balun bandpass filter (balun BPF) based on length reduced coupled lines and shunt open‐ended stubs is proposed in this letter to realize integration of balun and bandpass filter with dual‐band property for miniaturization and multifunction of modern RF front‐ends. Besides design details presented, a balun BPF centered at 2.45 and 5.25 GHz with a 130 MHz bandwidth of each passband is implemented by the proposed method. Desired balun‐type and filter‐type functionalities are observed at both passbands with great out‐of‐band rejection between them. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2358–2360, 2014
Design of a folded UWB MIMO antenna for an on‐body application
Authors: Joo Eunman , Kwon Kyeol , Choi Jaehoon
Published: July 2014

In this paper, an ultra‐wideband (UWB) multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) antenna for on‐body application is proposed. The proposed MIMO antenna is composed of a UWB antenna above the ground plane and an additional meander line isolator located between the two antennas to improve the isolation characteristic. Simulation and measurement were performed to analyze the effect of the human body on the antenna performance when a body is located in the near field of the antenna. The proposed folded UWB MIMO antenna has dimensions of 40 × 32 × 0.8 mm3. The fabricated antenna has a 10‐dB return loss bandwidth over the UWB lower band from 3.1 to 4.8 GHz and an isolation characteristic higher than 20 dB over the required band. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2351–2357, 2014
Split driver stages for a switching mode power amplifier with multipairs of power stages
Authors: Seo Donghwan , Park Changkun
Published: July 2014

In this study, we analyze the effects of a power splitter on the output power and the power consumption of a CMOS power amplifier using a distributed active transformer as an output balun. On the basis of the analyzed results, we propose a split driver stage structure to mitigate the undesired effects of the conventional power splitter. In the proposed structure, the power splitter is located between the first and second driver stages to isolate the input node of the power stage from the parasitic components of the power splitter. To verify the feasibility of the proposed structure, we designed conventional and proposed 1.9‐GHz CMOS power amplifiers using 0.11‐µm RF CMOS technology. The measured efficiency and output power of the proposed amplifier are improved compared to those of the conventional amplifier. From the measured results, we successfully verify the feasibility of the proposed split driver stage structure. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2341–2345, 2014
A time‐domain equivalence principle and its marching‐on‐in‐degree solution
Authors: Shi Yan , Wang Jin , Liang Chang‐Hong
Published: July 2014

A time‐domain equivalence principle algorithm (EPA) and its marching‐on‐in‐degree‐based scheme are presented for analyzing transient electromagnetic scattering from three‐dimensional multiple metallic objects of arbitrary shapes. The equivalence principle allows the replacement of the unknown currents assigned to the original scatterer by new unknowns on the equivalence surface that encloses the scatterer. In this manner, the use of EPA reduces the number of unknowns and improves the conditioning of corresponding matrix system. With the use of weighted Laguerre polynomials as entire‐domain temporal basis functions and Galerkin temporal testing procedure, the time variable is eliminated so that the resultant matrix equations are recursively solved in term of the orders of temporal testing functions. Numerical results show good performance of proposed algorithm. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2415–2422, 2014
A wideband circularly polarized metallic cavity antenna fed with an L‐shaped probe
Authors: Liu Longsheng , Zhao Yang , Li Yue , Zhang Zhijun , Feng Zhenghe
Published: July 2014

In this letter, a wideband circularly polarized metallic cavity antenna is designed and fabricated. To enhance both the impedance and axial‐ratio bandwidths (ARBWs), an L‐shaped probe is used to produce two orthogonal TE111 modes for left‐hand circular polarization. The measured impedance bandwidth for S11 ≤ −10 dB and 3‐dB ARBW were 1.72 GHz (20.6%, 7.48–9.2 GHz), and 1.5 GHz (17.3%, 7.9–9.4 GHz), respectively. The measured realized gain at broadside was 6.6–9.3 dBic over the overlapped impedance and AR bandwidth 1.38 GHz (16.1%, 7.9–9.28 GHz). The experimental results reveal that the proposed antenna is attractive for satellite communication applications due to its simple metallic structure, good performance, and strong power‐handling capability. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2398–2403, 2014
Experimental verification 3D subwavelength resolution beyond the diffraction limit with zone plate in millimeter wave
Authors: Minin I. V. , Minin O. V.
Published: July 2014

The results of experimental investigations of resolution power of millimeter‐wave phase reversal binary Fresnel zone plate with short focal distance
are described. It has been experimentally shown that in the near‐field of single diffractive lens with subwavelength focal distance
without the immersion medium a resolution of 0.3–0.4
were obtained. The “Abbe barrier” can be completely broken by such diffractive lenses with unique three‐dimensional super resolution. Also it was experimentally shown the focal spot in the high numerical aperture diffractive lenses is no longer an Airy pattern and focal intensity distribution is not circularly symmetric. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2436–2439, 2014
Efficient full‐wave analysis of inverted circular microstrip antenna
Authors: Bedra Sami , Bedra Randa , Benkouda Siham , Fortaki Tarek
Published: July 2014

In this article, a rigorous full‐wave analysis for determining the resonant frequency and half‐power bandwidth of inverted circular microstrip patch antenna is presented. Green's functions of the structure are determined in Hankel transform domain. Galerkin's is used in the resolution of the electric field integral equation. The TM set modes issued from the cavity model theory are used to expand to unknown current on the patch. The validity of the results is tested by comparing results with the experimental data. Also, numerical results for the variation of the resonant characteristics of the structure for high‐order mode, and for several values of substrates thickness are presented. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2422–2425, 2014
How living or traveling to foreign locations influences adults’ worldviews and impacts personal identity
Authors: Yelich Biniecki Susan M. , Conceição Simone C. O.
Published: July 2014

People are living and traveling to places all over the world. An exploration of how this movement influences learners’ worldviews has implications for adult development, identity, and learning. The purpose of this paper is to present a phenomenological study conducted in the U.S. that examined how individuals’ living or traveling experiences in different countries influenced their worldviews and impacted their personal identity. Study findings indicate that these experiences influenced their worldviews by changing, confirming, or broadening their personal beliefs, often simultaneously, about their own and other cultures and impacted their identity development. By living or traveling to foreign locations participants increased their awareness of multiple worldviews through trigger events and numerous experiences, or building blocks, throughout their lives. These experiences influenced their perceptions of international issues and fostered a transnational identity. Our findings expand on the adult education literature related to adult development, learning, and transnational identity by suggesting that building blocks of experiences can be perceived and processed by each individual in unique ways.
Thank you for your service: Military initiatives on college campuses
Authors: Wilson Kristin Bailey
Published: July 2014

Military students and their dependents arrive on college campuses with a diverse array of academic goals and support needs. A military friendly college understands that military students are transitioning from the professional military environment to the workforce, and academic work is part of that transition. A military friendly college is not one with a single office of military student services where all military students are referred, but is a culture of support that builds on the skills veterans bring to the academic setting, and supports the veterans’ transition into the workforce. This article will profile military students and a sampling of military students services at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Preparation and properties of wood plastic composites based on tea residue
Authors: He Shuai , Zhou Ling , He Hui
Published: July 2014

In this research a type of wood plastic composites (TR‐WPCs) is prepared by blending tea residue (TR) with high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). The chemical composition of TR was analyzed quantitatively. The effects of TR content, compatibilizers, and nanofillers on the structure, morphology, and mechanical properties were studied. The results showed that the stiffness of TR‐WPCs was significantly improved with the increase in TR, while the strength and toughness decreased. Scanning electron microscope indicated that the maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene as compatibilizer enhanced interface adhesion of the composites; Thermo‐gravimetric analysis and Vicat test showed that the composite made with the nanofiller could improve the heat stability and heat resistance. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the addition of inorganic fillers slightly influenced the crystallization behavior of the HDPE matrix. The TR with boiling water treatment could significantly improve the mechanical properties of the composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2265–2274, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Mechanical and crystallographic properties of injection‐molded polyamide 66/sepiolite nanocomposites with different clay loading
Authors: Fernandez‐Barranco Cristina , Yebra‐Rodriguez Africa , La Rubia‐Garcia M. Dolores , Navas‐Martos Francisco J. , Alvarez‐Lloret Pedro
Published: July 2014

Polyamide66 (PA66) and polyamide66/sepiolite (PA66/sepiolite) nanocomposites at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 wt% clay loading were prepared and injected to simulate industrial processing. Tensile tests were performed in the samples, and scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the fracture surface. The samples were also examined by X‐ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and vibrational spectroscopy analysis (FT‐IR and FT‐Raman). Higher tensile strength and stiffness and reduction of the strain to failure are observed in the nanocomposites with higher sepiolite content. Two‐dimensional XRD analyses show that the sepiolite also enhances the orientation of PA66 crystals. XRD and spectroscopic analyses corroborate that the nanoclay fibers are placed between the lamellar superstructure of the PA66 without affecting the polymer chains. DSC confirms that the presence of sepiolite does not influence the crystallinity nor the nucleation of PA66 as the arrangement of the fibers between the PA66 lamellae hinders the nucleation of new crystals. We propose a model for the crystallographic organization of the organic and inorganic phases in the PA66/sepiolite nanocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2326–2333, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Describing the sorption characteristics of a ternary system of benzene (1) and alcohol (2) in a nonporous polymer membrane (3) by theFlory–Huggins model
Authors: Hovorka Štěpán , Randová Alena , Sysel Petr , Brožová Libuše , Žitka Jan , Drašar Pavel , Bartovská Lidmila , Storch Jan , Červenková‐Šťastná Lucie , Izák Pavel
Published: July 2014

The Flory–Huggins equation was used to describe results of total and preferential sorption measurements for the binary liquid mixture of benzene (1) and alcohol (2) in one of two nonporous polymer membranes (3), low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) and Nafion membrane. The concentration dependence of binary and ternary interaction parameters was determined. The interaction parameters for the benzene – methanol binary mixture were obtained from binary vapor‐liquid equilibrium data in the literature to decrease the number of adjusted parameters. The results show that use of a ternary interaction parameter is necessary. Data treatment was performed assuming either no crystallinity or an average crystallinity typical for the studied membranes. Subsequently, the limiting activity coefficients of solutes in LDPE were calculated from the values of the interaction parameters and their values compared to values of the limiting activity coefficients of benzene and methanol in hypothetical liquid alkane with the same density as LDPE obtained by the UNIFAC method. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1187–1195, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthetic control over the dynamics of mesoscaled cargo release from colloidal polymer vectors inside live cells
Authors: Chahal Harvind S. , Chahal Dev S. , McBride Patrick M. , Helms Brett A.
Published: July 2014

Directed delivery of mesoscaled cargo—for example, nanocrystals, proteins, or nucleic acids—to cells using polymer vectors impacts numerous biomedical fields. We introduce here the concept of dynamic complementarity as a simple, yet powerful approach to control the rate of mesoscaled cargo dissociation from colloidal polymer vectors once inside the cytosol. By tuning the degree of electrostatic reciprocity between the polymer vector and its cargo, it is possible to both deliver and release large cargo in live cells in a controllable manner over both long and short periods, pointing to a highly modular materials platform with molecularly tailored properties suited to task. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 256–264
Redirection of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes via a novel antibody‐based modular targeting system triggers efficient killing of PSCA+ prostate tumor cells
Authors: Arndt Claudia , Feldmann Anja , Töpfer Katrin , Koristka Stefanie , Cartellieri Marc , Temme Achim , Ehninger Armin , Ehninger Gerhard , Bachmann Michael
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

There is still a need for new therapeutic options against prostate cancer. Conventional single‐chain bispecific antibodies (bsAbs), that directly cross‐link T cells and tumor cells, hold great potential for efficient tumor treatment. However, rapid development of novel bsAbs is hampered by laborious optimization to improve their efficacy and reduce potential side effects. To accelerate the development of a novel antibody tool for the redirection of T cells to different tumor‐associated antigens, we recently introduced a modular targeting system.

METHODS

We here describe a novel modular system for treatment of prostate cancer by retargeting of T cells to the prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA). Functionality of the novel PSCA‐specific modular system was investigated in vitro by T cell activation and chromium release assays as well as in immunodeficient mice.

RESULTS

Similar to a conventional bsAb CD3‐PSCA, the novel PSCA‐specific modular system induces activation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells leading to secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and highly efficient target‐specific tumor cell lysis. The novel TM was ready‐to‐use from the time point of construction and functional at low E:T ratios and picomolar concentrations without further optimization. In addition, the PSCA‐specific modular system delays outgrowth of s.c. tumors in mice comparable to bsAb CD3‐PSCA.

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed a novel PSCA‐specific modular system which triggers an efficient T cell‐mediated killing of PSCA+ tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. The new Ab‐based targeting strategy can functionally replace conventional bsAbs and allows a flexible redirection of T cells to different tumor‐associated antigens. Prostate 74: 1347–1358, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Avanafil (Spedra): increasing the choice of PDE‐5 inhibitors
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: July 2014

Avanafil is a new PDE‐5 inhibitor for treating erectile dysfunction. In our New products review, Steve Chaplin presents the data relating to its efficacy and adverse effects.
Warfarin Patient Safety: free analysis tool for GP practices
Authors: Robinson John , Oliver Kerry
Published: July 2014

The authors describe how the freely available Warfarin Patient Safety audit tool can help GP practices manage their warfarin patients more safely and effectively.
A provably secure identity‐based proxy ring signature based on RSA
Authors: Asaar Maryam Rajabzadeh , Salmasizadeh Mahmoud , Susilo Willy
Published: July 2014

Proxy ring (anonymous proxy) signatures allow an entity to delegate its signing capability to a group of entities (proxy group) such that only one of the members in the proxy group can generate a proxy signature on behalf of the delegator, while privacy of the proxy signer is protected. Identity‐based versions of proxy ring signatures employ identity strings in place of randomly generated public keys. Our contribution is twofold. First, we formalize a security model for identity‐based proxy ring signatures. We note that there exists no formal security model for identity‐based proxy ring signatures prior to our work. Second, we present the first provably secure identity‐based proxy ring signature scheme using a new paradigm called sequential aggregation. The construction is proved secure, under the one‐wayness assumption of RSA, in the random oracle model by presenting a new forking lemma. We should highlight that the proxy key exposure attack cannot be applied to our scheme. Further, in contrast to the existing schemes that are based on pairings, our scheme is based on RSA; therefore, it outperforms the existing schemes in terms of efficiency and practicality. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Precision Synthesis: Designing Hot Spots over Hot Spots via Selective Gold Deposition on Silver Octahedra Edges
Authors: Liu Yejing , Pedireddy Srikanth , Lee Yih Hong , Hegde Ravi S. , Tjiu Weng Weei , Cui Yan , Ling Xing Yi
Published: July 2014

A major challenge in plasmonic hot spot fabrication is to efficiently increase the hot spot volumes on single metal nanoparticles to generate stronger signals in plasmon‐enhanced applications. Here, the synthesis of designer nanoparticles, where plasmonic‐active Au nanodots are selectively deposited onto the edge/tip hot spot regions of Ag nanoparticles, is demonstrated using a two‐step seed‐mediated precision synthesis approach. Such a “hot spots over hot spots” strategy leads to an efficient enhancement of the plasmonic hot spot volumes on single Ag nanoparticles. Through cathodoluminescence hyperspectral imaging of these selective edge gold‐deposited Ag octahedron (SEGSO), the increase in the areas and emission intensities of hot spots on Ag octahedra are directly visualized after Au deposition. Single‐particle surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements demonstrate 10‐fold and 3‐fold larger SERS enhancement factors of the SEGSO as compared to pure Ag octahedra and non‐selective gold‐deposited Ag octahedra (NSEGSO), respectively. The experimental results corroborate well with theoretical simulations, where the local electromagnetic field enhancement of our SEGSO particles is 15‐fold and 1.3‐fold stronger than pure Ag octahedra and facet‐deposited particles, respectively. The growth mechanisms of such designer nanoparticles are also discussed together with a demonstration of the versatility of this synthetic protocol.
Chemically Tailoring Coal to Fluorescent Carbon Dots with Tuned Size and Their Capacity for Cu(II) Detection
Authors: Hu Chao , Yu Chang , Li Mingyu , Wang Xiuna , Yang Junyu , Zhao Zongbin , Eychmüller Alexander , Sun Y.‐P. , Qiu Jieshan
Published: July 2014

The desired control of size, structure, and optical properties of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) is critical for understanding the fluorescence mechanism and exploring their potential application. Herein, a top‐down strategy to chemically tailor the inexpensive coal to fluorescent CDs by a combined method of carbonization and acidic oxidation etching is reported. The size and optical properties of the as‐made CDs are tuned by controlling the structures of graphitic crystallites in the starting precursor. The coal‐derived CDs exhibit two different distinctive emission modes, where the intensity of the short‐wavelength emission is significantly enhanced by partial reduction treatment. The evolution of the electronic structure and the surface states analysis show that two different types of fluorescence centers, nano‐sized sp2 carbon domains and surface defects, are responsible for the observed emission characteristics. The reduced CDs are demonstrated as an effective fluorescent sensing material for label‐free and selective detection of Cu(II) ions with a detection limit as low as 2.0 nm, showing a great promise for real‐world sensor applications.
Thermal Response of Transparent Silver Nanowire/PEDOT:PSS Film Heaters
Authors: Ji Shulin , He Weiwei , Wang Ke , Ran Yunxia , Ye Changhui
Published: July 2014

Thermal response behavior of transparent silver nanowire/PEDOT:PSS film heaters are intensively studied for manipulating heating temperature, response time, and power consumption. Influences of substrate heat capacity, heat transfer coefficient between air and heater, sheet resistance and dimension of Ag nanowire film, on the thermal response are investigated from thermodynamic analysis. Suggestion is given for practical applications that if other parameters are fixed, Ag nanowire coverage can be utilized as an effective parameter to adjust the thermal response. The heat transfer coefficient plays opposite roles on thermal response speed and achievable steady temperature. A value of ≈32 W m−2 K−1 is obtained from transient process analysis after correcting it by considering heater resistance variation during heating tests. Guidance of designing heaters with a given response time is provided by forming Ag nanowire film with a suitable sheet resistance on substrate of appropriate material and a certain thickness. Thermal response tests of designed Ag heaters are performed to show higher heating temperature, shorter response time, and lower power consumption (179 °C cm2 W−1) than ITO/FTO heaters, as well as homogeneous temperature distribution and stability for repeated use. Potential applications of the Ag heaters in window defogging, sensing and thermochromism are manifested.
Complete closure of artificial gastric ulcer after endoscopic submucosal dissection by combined use of a single over-the-scope clip and through-the-scope clips (with videos)
Authors: Maekawa Satoshi , Nomura Ryosuke , Murase Takayuki , Ann Yasuyoshi , Harada Masaru
Published: July 2014

Background

A 5–7 day hospital stay is usually needed after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of gastric tumor because of the possibility of delayed perforation or bleeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combined use of a single over-the-scope clip (OTSC) and through-the-scope clips (TTSCs) to achieve complete closure of artificial gastric ulcer after ESD.

Methods

We prospectively studied 12 patients with early gastric cancer or gastric adenoma. We performed complete closure of post-ESD artificial gastric ulcer using a combination of a single OTSC and TTSCs.

Results

Mean size of post-ESD artificial ulcer was 54.6 mm. The mean operating time for the closure procedure was 15.2 min., and the success rate was 91.7 % (11/12). Patients who underwent complete closure of post-ESD artificial gastric ulcer could be discharged the day after ESD and the closing procedure.

Conclusions

Complete closure of post-ESD artificial gastric ulcer using a combination of a single OTSC and TTSCs is useful for shortening the period of hospitalization and reducing treatment cost.