bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Trouble with the Persian Gulf
Authors: Kamrava Mehran
Published: January 2019

Studying security in the Persian Gulf requires a multi-dimensional approach and needs to go beyond state-centered and state-exclusive approaches to security issues. In addition to military, diplomatic, and balance of power considerations, elements of human security also need to be examined, particularly perceptions of otherness that lead to sectarian sensibilities. Also important are mutual threat perceptions that foster and perpetuate security dilemma.
The Intractable Security Dilemma
Authors: Kamrava Mehran
Published: January 2019

A number of developments have combined to make the Persian Gulf’s security dilemma intractable and self-sustaining. These have been both structural—a product of the larger geostrategic environment within which the region finds itself—and derived from the policy choices of state actors both within and outside of the region. To begin with, vast geographic discrepancies between much larger, poorer states, alongside small super-rich mini-states have made the Persian Gulf region an enduring conflict zone. The very nature of the phenomenon of security dilemma, namely its self-sustaining and self-perpetuating character, has also been highly consequential. Finally, the region’s security dilemma derives from a basic lack of trust among the actors involved in the region, regardless of whether of not they form alliances over specific issues.
On the Borders of Italy
Authors: Maglaque Erin
Published: January 2019

Chapter 6, we turn to examine Coppo’s Del Sito de Listria, his regional description of his adopted homeland. In this text, we can see the relationship between Coppo’s experience of family and political life in Isola, and his humanist scholarship. His geographical writing and homemade woodcut maps began to reflect his new perspective onto the empire from his study in Isola. Through classical literature, contemporary humanist writing, and most importantly, through his own witnessing of Istrian Roman material culture, Coppo wove an alternative history for Istria than that imposed by the Venetian empire.
Intraspecific divergences and phylogeography ofPanzerina lanata(Lamiaceae) in northwest China
Authors: Zhao Yanfen , Zhang Hongxiang , Pan Borong , Zhang Mingli
Published: January 2019

Climatic fluctuations during the Quaternary significantly affect many species in their intraspecific divergence and population structure across northwest China. In order to investigate the impact of climate change on herbaceous plants, we studiedPanzerina lanata(Lamiaceae), a widely distributed species. Sequences of two chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) intergenic spacers (trnH-psbAandrpoB-trnC) and a nuclear ribosomal region (nrDNA, ITS) were generated from 27 populations ofPanzerina lanataand resulted in the identification of seven chloroplast haplotypes and thirty-two nuclear haplotypes. We applied AMOVA, neutrality test and mismatch distribution analysis to estimate genetic differentiation and demographic characteristics. The divergence times of the seven cpDNA haplotypes were estimated using BEAST. Our results revealed high levels of genetic diversity (cpDNA:Hcp = 0.6691,HT= 0.673; nrDNA:Hnr = 0.5668, HT= 0.577). High level of genetic differentiation (GST= 0.950) among populations was observed in the cpDNA sequences, while the genetic differentiation values (GST= 0.348) were low in nuclear sequences. AMOVA results revealed major genetic variation among the three groups: northern, central, and eastern group. However, the genetic differentiation in ITS data was not found. The species distribution modeling and demographic analysis indicated thatP. lanatahad not experienced recent range expansion. The occurrence of divergence between seven cpDNA haplotypes, probably during Pleistocene, coincides with aridification and expansion of the desert across northwest China that resulted in species diversification and habitat fragmentation. In addition, we discovered that the deserts and the Helan Mountains acted as effective geographic barriers that promoting the intraspecific diversity ofP. lanata.
Pedagogy of Design in Reference to the Anthropocene
Authors: jagodzinski jan
Published: January 2019

This chapter has three developmental aspects: the first is to historically locate a fundamental tension between art & design in relation to the economic impact of monopoly capitalism, which has today evolved into global capitalism. The second aspect is then to develop how design pedagogy is hegemonically dominated by the “designer industries,” which abet and further what I call “designer capitalism” through the transformation of art schools and universities, as supported by the Bologna Process. The third aspect is to develop a pedagogical orientation that addresses a position that supplants the initial tension between art & design in relation to the Anthropocene, where the sixth extinction of our species is predicted as life continues to become more and more precarious as the survival of the human species is threatened. This last development rethinks art & design as a “distributed subjectivity” based on a renewed vitalist materialism, which overturns hylomorphic thought.
Japanese Arts and Crafts Pedagogy: Past and Present
Authors: Naoe Toshio
Published: January 2019

This chapter focuses on the historical and sociological aspects of Japanese arts and crafts pedagogy. Although Japanese visual culture has a long tradition, “art” was a concept imported from the West around the end of the nineteenth century. When Japan announced itself to the world as a modern nation after the samurai period ended, some of the artifacts from premodern Japan were redefined as “art” in the Western framework to construct images for the national identity. To extend the discussion beyond the East–West dichotomy in Japan and across the world, this chapter describes various trends to date and how Japan introduced Western art pedagogy to develop the country's own direction.
New Directions of Art Pedagogy in
J
apan: Present and Future
Authors: Mogi Kazuji
Published: January 2019

School art education in Japan and the West originally started as manual training. In Japan, it underwent the “arts education movement” during the Taisho period (1912–1926). After World War II, it adopted Western theories, including those of Herbert Read (1893–1968), and shifted to child‐centered and
sozo‐shugi
(creative principles) art education, which is still influential. This chapter discusses what Japanese art education should and can do in the advanced information‐ and knowledge‐based society of today.
Pedagogy in the Field of Art and Design in
R
ussia
Authors: Aristova Ulyana , Zhilina Liliya
Published: January 2019

This chapter outlines the history of Russian art and design education from the tenth century to the present. Three periods are outlined: the constitutional, institutional, and postinstitutional. The chapter also considers the concepts underpinning the teaching of visual arts in secondary and high schools that were at the forefront of their time. It puts forward six methodological approaches that have characterized Russian art and design education since 1900. In particular, we draw attention to VKhUTEMAS, which was a Moscow‐based art and technical school set up in 1920. It saw itself as a realization of the new revolutionary government's approach to visual art. The school was similar in many ways to Germany's Bauhaus; like the Bauhaus, it focused on architecture, but covered the whole range of student activities, such as industrial and technical design, textiles painting, and sculpture. Throughout, the chapter highlights key figures in the development of Russian art and design pedagogy and the roles they played. It also highlights the role played by VNIITE (the initials, in Russian, of the All‐Union Scientific Research Institute of Industrial Design), a Soviet design research institute, established in April 1962 and closed in June 2013.
The Liberation of Visual Imagination and the Museum's Promise
Authors: Stanley Nick
Published: January 2019

Museums provide valuable resources for art educators but they come with their own agendas, which may not be recognized by their users. There are three problems: first, the principle of a world cultural system that museums promote raises as many questions as answers; second, museums' advocacy of connoisseurship relies upon power relationships; and, third, the professional agenda embraced by museums hides a wide variety of practices. The chapter offers a Chinese maritime museum to create a counternarrative to that of Western expansion and domination. It also shows how the narrative of the maritime museum can be used to provide a contingent way of seeing the world, so that we become wayfarers rather than followers of a linear movement. We benefit from thinking afresh about the world in terms of process rather than destination and so enhance our appreciation of who we are and how we got to here.
Philosophies and Histories of Art and Design Education inIndia
Authors: Sinha Pallawi
Published: January 2019

The history of art and design in India can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization, but, remarkably, in India arts education is considered merely as cultural content enabling children's sensitivity to beauty, an aesthetic refinement, by the National Commission for Education (1986) or a feature of learning in the National Curriculum Framework (2005). These well‐intentioned positions are but wanting. Thus, this chapter starts by identifying the historical traditions and philosophies of arts in India. It does this by locating some prominent artworks, from the arts' nascent beginnings through to their understanding in postcolonial India. Upon such considerations, the chapter briefly reflects on India's arts curricula and current practice before offering discussions on the implications of an arts pedagogy. It concludes by illustrating the significant relevance of artsineducation, in empowering future citizenship with a plurality of understanding and experiences, ascertainingvoice, and fulfilling individual human potential.
Destination Unknown: Art and Mediterranean Pedagogies
Authors: Vella Raphael
Published: January 2019

The epistemological, anthropological, and political problems inherent in any attempt to define a Mediterranean “identity” have been debated in a variety of academic fields for decades, though less so in art education. While maintaining a skeptical outlook toward any generalized forms or attempts to homogenize the field, this chapter argues that there are lessons to be learned by art educators who confront myriad contradictions that come with the region, among which one could include the manufacturing of history lessons, the idea of exchange, the impact of cultural identities, and the (im)possibility of challenging conventional pedagogies in the arts. The educational and artistic implications of these contradictions can be appreciated not only by searching within the immediate realm of art education but also by attending to discussions about the Mediterranean emanating from other disciplinary fields. This interdisciplinary approach to the Mediterranean in art education transforms the region into a space for pedagogies that question the things we think we know about ourselves and others.
Perspectives on
G
erman Art Pedagogy
Authors: Schwarz Mandy , Müller Carolin
Published: January 2019

This chapter discusses the central questions that preoccupy contemporary art education in Germany. An account of the era before World War I highlights the influences of past practices, concepts, and considerations that have shaped (pertinent) discussion(s) in art education in Germany. By outlining the different movements and approaches of prominent scholars and practitioners, the chapter investigates how German art education in the twenty‐first century can be understood as a hybrid of visual communication, experimentation, self‐discovery, education through art, and education
toward
art. Emphasizing the trend toward the inclusion of media education as well as the methods of cultural hacking, this chapter opens outward to encompass themes and issues that address students” realities, and concludes with a discussion about educational standards, the restrictive nature of the school environment, and the question of whether art should be taught independently or together with other disciplines.
C
zech Art Education through the Lens of Empirical Research
Authors: Šobáňová Petra
Published: January 2019

This chapter is an overview of research topics that have contributed to the discourse of art education in the Czech Republic and informed the establishment of this field of study and its current form. Art education is characterized by a specific tradition of research dating back to the nineteenth century. The normative character of prevailing theoretical research (in the field of children's artistic expression and its instruction, the phenomenon of creativity, or the issue of sensory perception) is now being complemented with research of an explanatory character which is focused on analysis of the educational reality.
Art Education in Post‐political Times
Authors: Kalin Nadine M.
Published: January 2019

This chapter contemplates the police order of neoliberalism and its impact on the democratic imaginaries of art education. This post‐political critique of the tensions of a depoliticized art education is heavily influenced by Jacques Rancière, whose work is used to grasp the frictions and potentialities between neoliberal forms of schooling and emancipatory modes of art education. Here one entertains the possibility of art education being reconceived as post‐consensual practices that might incite dissensus instead of passivity and stultification. To attempt this, parallels are drawn between the aesthetic efficacy of art and education as projects with lost destinations. Ultimately it is suggested that art educators entertain a distrust of their field under neoliberal influence so that art education itself no longer makes sense. This chapter does not offer pragmatic solutions to these issues but philosophical provocations that might contribute to our risking the post‐political status quo in order to reimagine our shared future and alternative mandates.
Design Thinking in Curricula
Authors: Callahan Kristin C.
Published: January 2019

Designers have a unique way of approaching problems. Researchers have conducted studies inside and outside the design fields to improve understanding and control of the design process. Within the design fields, these researcher seek to understand the nonverbal processes of designers and how these processes are linked to design theory and practice. Outside the fields, the desire to understand the design process is driven by a need to harness its innovative power. The term “design thinking” links these two approaches to the investigation of design. The popular concept of design thinking, a human‐centered systematized approach to problem identification and problem‐solving, is driving much of the current interest in the topic. Championed by the company IDEO and the Stanford University Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, design thinking is being used in K–16+ curricula to foster the development of twenty‐first‐century skills.
Art Foundations in Higher Education
Authors: Pouls Alyson
Published: January 2019

This chapter explores college art foundations curricula for art and design majors in higher education programs in the USA and Europe. Foundations provide students with an understanding of basic art concepts through observational drawing, two‐dimensional design, three‐dimensional design, color theory, and computer skills. Three categories of content are found in foundations curricula. One component traditionally includes practice exercises focused on visual qualities and arrangements. These compositional strategies are based on the elements of design, such as color, texture, and line, and the principles of design, such as unity, balance, and rhythm. A second component includes exposure to a variety of art materials. Through various media, students are challenged to execute artwork with technical precision, visual observation, and careful craftsmanship. Lastly, contemporary foundations include a context‐based focus on thematic, narrative work, exploring social, political, and visual cultural influences. This chapter surveys the evolution of foundations from the traditional model through the contemporary curriculum.
Social and Mobile Media in Art and Design Curricula
Authors: Castro Juan Carlos
Published: January 2019

Social media is any interconnected internet application that enables users to create and share content without prior knowledge of software code. Mobile media expands the ubiquity of social media by enabling computing experiences that can happen anytime and anywhere. The uptake of social and mobile media by youth has prompted important changes in art and design education. This chapter outlines the relevant affordances and constraints of social and mobile media in art and design curricula by reviewing key concepts such as peer‐to‐peer sharing, individual and collaborative inquiry, geolocation and cartography, and ethical and legal computing practices. It provides insights into curricular applications and considerations.
Community Art Curriculum
Authors: Carpenter B. Stephen
Published: January 2019

Within North America and Europe, community art and community art curricula have been used to describe teaching and learning in relationship to public murals, public art, community art centers, museum art education, service learning, outreach, arts partnerships, community development, and community‐based art. Community art encompasses the work of individual artists in community spaces, the artworks artists produce in these spaces, and community members creating art within these spaces. Community art practice has evolved to include concepts of socially engaged art, public pedagogy, and art at the pedagogical turn. With the advent and pervasive presence of digital communication technologies, such as Web‐based communication and publication, text messaging, and social media, redefinitions of the term “community” have opened up new possibilities for what and where communities exist, how the members of those communities interact with each other, and the art, cultural productions, and curricular possibilities they facilitate.
Drawing
Authors: Duncum Paul
Published: January 2019

The chapter begins by distinguishing between directed, free, and spontaneous drawings. It describes five broad theoretical approaches on which drawing research has been conducted: drawing as a reflection of mental operations; drawing as aesthetic expression; drawing as a means of supporting mental and emotional health; drawing as a procedural activity; and drawing as social practice. Diverse perspectives on children's drawing as art are considered. The research methodologies and methods that have been employed, ranging from extensive surveys to case studies of individual children, are described. Ethical issues are raised regarding the display of children's drawings for commercial purposes and in the service of social causes. Different models of development are examined by stages, a U‐shaped curve, multiple pathways, and endpoints. Common drawing characteristics are described, including innate graphic principles, subjects, narrative, styles, themes, and graphic influences. Pedagogic theories are examined and a summary of pedagogic advice is offered in terms of strategies, including perceptual, conversational, and conventional.
Feminist Art Curriculum
Authors: Garber Elizabeth J.
Published: January 2019

The feminist ideas that guide curriculum theory have changed over time. Where once these were derived from ideas about how values and practices traditionally associated with women might add to knowledge content and learning, contemporary approaches emphasize that feminist curriculum is not a set of values or approaches, or a particular theoretical orientation. Rather, a feminist curriculum develops around flexible approaches to learning that value a range of knowledges (including emotional, intuitive, sensory, and of self), a range of voices and diverse ways of knowing and producing knowledge, nonhierarchical structures in teaching and learning, and the development of learning within group and collaborative environments. Underlying these approaches is a consistent recognition of the play of gender in learning, whether gender is foregrounded or recedes in the particulars of the situation. This chapter covers some of the concerns of feminists involved in art and design curricula in the 1970s and 1980s, contemporary ideas, and persistent issues.
Art Education in Central andEasternEurope
Authors: Kárpáti Andrea
Published: January 2019

The chapter begins with a brief overview of artistic and educational trends in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that led to the formation of the Austro‐Hungarian monarchy, the Eastern Bloc, the European Union, and the post‐Soviet Russian Federation. It then discusses the organization of curricula according to the Prussian, Soviet, and contemporary anglophone models, and the common objective of art education curricula to preserve cultural heritage and support national identity. The regional curricular characteristics discussed are the integration of art, design, and visual communication into curriculum content; national, regional, and international forms and functions of assessment; and the focal points of art education research and development. The main contributions of the region to the theory and practice of curriculum design are the development of a synergy between national and international visual culture, and of competence‐based curriculum models, and the introduction of innovative and authentic assessment methods in art education.
Kauhale o Limaloa
: Art Education in the Pacific from a
K
anaka
M
aoli / Indigenous
H
awaiian Perspective
Authors: Clark Herman Pi'ikea
Published: January 2019

Kauhale o Limaloa
is a methodology for teaching creative process and visual image‐ or object‐making that is grounded in Kanaka Maoli, or indigenous Hawaiian, knowledge and values. Developed in 2005 as a counter to the government curriculum for art education in Hawai‘i and the Pacific,
Kauhale o Limaloa
is a culturally grounded initiative that emphasizes indigenous and heritage knowledge as a primary medium of inquiry, creativity, and innovation development.
African Art and Design Curriculum
Authors: Mamvuto Attwell , Mannathoko Magdeline C.
Published: January 2019

Visual art has been an integral part of cultural practice since time immemorial. As an embodiment of the norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs of a people, it is increasingly becoming a universal language. The globalization and interculturalization of the visual arts through appropriation and the matrix of nomadism have brought nations closer together than ever before. In sub‐Saharan Africa, we have witnessed this phenomenon since as early as the late nineteenth century. Authors have proposed several reasons to justify the inclusion of visual arts education in school curricula and the universalization of the subject. For example, some authors have proposed the therapeutic function of art and the innate creative impulse, while others stress the role of visual arts as a source of knowledge. In this chapter, we explore the evolution of art education under such philosophical and sociological bases in selected countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. The analysis exemplifies the development of art education in countries that were colonized and went through similar developments. The chapter commences with an analysis of the ideological and philosophical bases of the colonial curricula's initiatives and developments. Examples of art programs are cited from both formal and informal institutions. Highlights from several countries are proffered to show the subtle differences between their art programs. The chapter further presents an expanded and comparative analysis of postcolonial developments in Ghana, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe in order to illustrate from case studies the conditions in countries that underwent similar trends.
Art Education in
B
razil
Authors: Barbosa Ana Mae
Published: January 2019

This chapter discusses the teaching of art in Brazil during the period of colonization, demonstrating the changes that led toward positivism, liberalism, and nationalism after the declaration of the First Brazilian Republic. Particular stress is given to the modernization of art education as well as to a description of the problems created by two periods of dictatorships. The chapter also highlights the importance and influence of John Dewey. Certain current approaches are also focused upon, such as visual culture, the triangular approach, interculturalism, and ecology.
Chemical Engineering Science and Green Chemistry – The Challenge of Sustainability
Authors: Lapkin Alexei A.
Published: January 2019

The discipline of chemical engineering is rapidly changing in response to new global challenges, such as access to clean energy and clean water, and more generally as a result of recent developments in computing, physical and biological sciences, manufacturing, and other engineering fields. There is an evident merger of chemical engineering with discovery sciences, which brings numerical approaches to (bio‐)chemical synthesis and medicine, and multiscale modeling challenges to (bio)chemical process design. As a result, the field of chemical engineering is rapidly expanding. In this chapter we argue that chemical engineering, as an inherently systems‐based approach, is essential for developing truly sustainable technical solutions. The expansion of the chemical engineering toolbox with such tools asin situspectroscopy and imaging, additive manufacturing, chemical biology, and artificial intelligence and robotics, reinvigorates the field, making it even more exciting for the students of the discipline and highly relevant to modern industry.
Hierarchically StructuredPtand Non‐Pt‐Based Electrocatalysts forPEMFuel Cells
Authors: Trogadas Panagiotis , Coppens Marc‐Olivier
Published: January 2019

Hierarchical Pt/non‐Pt alloy electrocatalysts demonstrate high activity, surface area, and stability, transforming them into attractive candidates for electrocatalysis in fuel cells. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity, as well as other electrochemical properties of these hierarchical electrocatalysts supported on metal oxides or carbonaceous materials are presented, along with a short review of their synthesis methods.
Conceptual Process Design and Process Optimization
Authors: Mitsos Alexander , Lee Ung , Recker Sebastian , Skiborowski Mirko
Published: January 2019

The sections in this article are
Process Intensification through Continuous Manufacturing: Implications for Unit Operation and Process Design
Authors: Falß Sebastian , Kloye Nicolai , Holtkamp Manuel , Prokofyeva Angelina , Bieringer Thomas , Kockmann Norbert
Published: January 2019

The sections in this article are
Plasmonic Heterostructure TiO2‐MCs/WO3−x‐NWs with Continuous Photoelectron Injection Boosting Hot Electron for Methane Generation
Authors: Lou Zaizhu , Zhang Peng , Li Juan , Yang Xianguang , Huang Baibiao , Li Baojun
Published: January 2019

Nonmetallic plasmonic heterostructure TiO2‐mesocrystals/WO3−x‐nanowires (TiO2‐MCs/WO3−x‐NWs) are constructed by coupling mesoporous crystal TiO2 and plasmonic WO3−x through a solvothermal procedure. The continuous photoelectron injection from TiO2 stabilizes the free carrier density and leads to strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of WO3−x, resulting in strong light absorption in the visible and near‐infrared region. Photocatalytic hydrogen generation of TiO2‐MCs/WO3−x‐NWs is attributed to plasmonic hot electrons excited on WO3−x‐NWs under visible light irradiation. However, utilization of injected photoelectrons on WO3−x‐NWs has low efficiency for hydrogen generation and a co‐catalyst (Pt) is necessary. TiO2‐MCs/WO3−x‐NWs are used as co‐catalyst free plasmonic photocatalysts for CO2 reduction, which exhibit much higher activity (16.3 µmol g−1 h−1) and selectivity (83%) than TiO2‐MCs (3.5 µmol g−1 h−1, 42%) and WO3−x‐NWs (8.0 µmol g−1 h−1, 64%) for methane generation under UV–vis light irradiation. A photoluminescence study demonstrates the photoelectron injection from TiO2 to WO3−x, and the nonmetallic SPR of WO3−x plays a great role in the highly selective methane generation during CO2 photoreduction.
Safe Nanocomposite‐Mediated Efficient Delivery of MicroRNA Plasmids for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) Therapy
Authors: Tsai Yen‐Chang , Teng I‐Ling , Jiang Si‐Tse , Lee Yi‐Che , Chiou Yuan‐Yow , Cheng Fong‐Yu
Published: January 2019

There is currently no cure for gene mutation‐caused autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Over half of patients with ADPKD eventually develop kidney failure, requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation. Current treatment modalities for ADPKD focus on reducing morbidity and mortality from renal and extrarenal complications of the disease. MicroRNA has been shown to be useful in treating ADPKD. This study combines anti‐miRNA plasmids and iron oxide/alginate nanoparticles for conjugation with antikidney antibodies. These nanocomposites can specifically target renal tubular cells, providing a potential treatment for ADPKD. Magnetic resonance imaging and in vivo imaging system results show effective targeting of renal cells. Anti‐miRNA plasmids released from the nanocomposites inhibit cell proliferation and cyst formation in the PKD cellular and animal models. The results suggest the novel combination of the anti‐miRNA plasmids and nanomaterials provides potential clinical implications for ADPKD treatment.
Stretchable Organometal‐Halide‐Perovskite Quantum‐Dot Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Li Yun‐Fei , Chou Shu‐Yu , Huang Peng , Xiao Changtao , Liu Xiaofeng , Xie Yu , Zhao Fangchao , Huang Yilong , Feng Jing , Zhong Haizheng , Sun Hong‐Bo , Pei Qibing
Published: January 2019

Stretchable light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) and electroluminescent capacitors have been reported to potentially bring new opportunities to wearable electronics; however, these devices lack in efficiency and/or stretchability. Here, a stretchable organometal‐halide‐perovskite quantum‐dot LED with both high efficiency and mechanical compliancy is demonstrated. The hybrid device employs an ultrathin (<3 µm) LED structure conformed on a surface‐wrinkled elastomer substrate. Its luminescent efficiency is up to 9.2 cd A−1, which is 70% higher than a control diode fabricated on the rigid indium tin oxide/glass substrate. Mechanical deformations up to 50% tensile strain do not induce significant loss of the electroluminescent property. The device can survive 1000 stretch–release cycles of 20% tensile strain with small fluctuations in electroluminescent performance.
Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotube Confined Co–Nx Sites for Selective Hydrogenation of Biomass‐Derived Compounds
Authors: Gong Wanbing , Lin Yue , Chen Chun , Al‐Mamun Mohammad , Lu Hai‐Sheng , Wang Guozhong , Zhang Haimin , Zhao Huijun
Published: January 2019

Biomass is the most abundant renewable resource on earth and developing high‐performance nonprecious selective hydrogenation (SH) catalysts will enable the use of biomass to replace rapidly diminishing fossil resources. This work utilizes ZIF‐67‐derived nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes to confine Co nanoparticles (NPs) with Co–Nx active sites as a high‐performance SH catalyst. The confined Co NPs with Co–Nx exhibit excellent catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability toward a wide range of biomass‐derived compounds. Such active sites can selectively hydrogenate aldehyde, ketone, carboxyl, and nitro groups of biomass‐derived compounds into value‐added fine chemicals with 100% selectivity. The reported approach could be adopted to create other forms of catalytically active sites from other nonprecious metals.
Brightly Luminescent Core/Shell Nanoplatelets with Continuously Tunable Optical Properties
Authors: Meerbach Christian , Tietze Remo , Voigt Sascha , Sayevich Vladimir , Dzhagan Volodymyr M. , Erwin Steven C. , Dang Zhiya , Selyshchev Oleksandr , Schneider Kristian , Zahn Dietrich R. T. , Lesnyak Vladimir , Eychmüller Alexander
Published: January 2019

A straightforward, rapid method to create colloidally stable and brightly luminescent core/shell CdSe‐based nanoplatelets (NPLs) with fluorescence quantum yields (QYs) up to 50% is demonstrated. A layer‐by‐layer deposition technique is used which is based on a two‐phase mixture—consisting of a nonpolar phase, which includes the NPLs, and a saturated ionic polar phase—to separate the reagents and hinder the nucleation of the shell material. The deposition of the first sulfur layer leads to a significant redshift (by more than 100 nm) of the optical absorption and emission of the NPLs. Hence, by varying either the sulfur precursor content or the reaction time, one can precisely and continuously tune the absorption and emission maxima from 520 to 630 nm. This evolution of the absorption onset during the shell growth is explained quantitatively using density‐functional theory and atomistic statistical simulations. The emission can be further enhanced by exposure of the NPL solution to ambient sunlight. Finally, it is demonstrated that the core/shell NPLs can be transferred from the organic solution to aqueous media with no reduction of their QY, which opens the door to a broad range of practical applications.
Achieving Dual‐Emissive and Time‐Dependent Evolutive Organic Afterglow by Bridging Molecules with Weak Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding
Authors: Chen Junru , Yu Tao , Ubba Eethamukkala , Xie Zongliang , Yang Zhiyong , Zhang Yi , Liu Siwei , Xu Jiarui , Aldred Matthew P. , Chi Zhenguo
Published: January 2019

It is discovered that “bridging” traditional persistent room‐temperature phosphorescence (pRTP) dibenzofuran moieties by intermolecular hydrogen bonding can induce interesting photophysical properties. The light‐emitting material 4‐(4‐((4‐methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl)phenyl)dibenzo[b,d]furan (SOBF‐OMe) is synthesized and excitingly shows novel dual‐emissive afterglow material properties in which orange pRTP (at ≈580 nm, 627 ms) from the dibenzofuran moiety and another blue ultralong intermolecular charge transfer emission (≈476 nm, 204 ms, with TADF characteristics) can be detected. Due to the different decay lifetimes, the ratio of the two afterglow emission bands continuously changes. Accordingly, the emission colors are unusually tuned gradually from cold‐white to orange during the afterglow decay process. The blue afterglow emission, which relates to intermolecular interactions, is sensitive to mechanical stimuli and the afterglow emission properties of SOBF‐OMe (single‐emissive or dual‐emissive) can easily be manipulated by grinding/fuming. This single‐component material is a rare example of a light‐emitting compound showing dual‐emissive and real‐time changing afterglow properties in which a rational bridging strategy via weak intermolecular hydrogen bonding is utilized.
Large Magnetoresistance and 15 Boolean Logic Functions Based on a ZnCoO Film and Diode Combined Device
Authors: Zhang Kun , Zhang Yue , Zhang Zhizhong , Zheng Zhenyi , Wang Guanda , Zhang Youguang , Liu Qiwei , Yan Shishen , Zhao Weisheng
Published: January 2019

Magnetoresistance (MR) effects not only have great applications in magnetic sensors, hard disk drive (HDD) read heads, and magnetic random access memory (MRAM), but also are expected to develop next‐generation computing systems. Recently, the MR ratio is found to be significantly increased in diode‐enhanced MR (DEMR) devices by coupling the Hall effect or anomalous Hall effect of magnetic materials and the nonlinear transport property of diodes. However, these devices cannot satisfy the requirement of high sensitivity at low magnetic field and small working current simultaneously. Here, large MR ratio (−6850% at 6 T) and high magnetic‐field sensitivity (−875% at 0.04 T) with small working current (<0.5 mA) are achieved at room temperature by combining ZnCoO film and diode. A theoretical model is established quantitatively, which can well explain the experimental observations and be used for evaluating the device performance. Based on this combined device, a logic unit with magnetoelectric symmetry is constructed by introducing a magnet as control bit. Through manipulating the control bit and tuning the working current, 15 Boolean logic functions can be carried out. This work will be beneficial for extending the functionality of spintronic logic‐in‐memory devices and provide a promising solution for realizing emerging computing systems.
Is a strong dollar bad for US agriculture?
Authors: French Jordan
Published: January 2019

Using a panel of financial statements from 42,557 US farms over an 8‐year period for a total of 256,648 annual financial statements, this study examined the relationship between the US dollar and farm financial performance. Additionally, commodity prices, imports, exports, production inputs, and macroeconomic variables were also examined in relation to the financial performance of the agricultural community. Linear, logistic, and panel regressions, as well as Granger causality tests and impulse response simulations were all used to increase the robustness of the findings. It was found that farm financials were more likely to improve with an improving economy, strengthening dollar, and/or rising commodity prices. Also, as production increased, farm financials would be more likely to have weaker financial ratios. It was found that the US and world economies impacted the dollar, the dollar impacted prices, and prices impacted both production and exports. The findings are pertinent to not just farmers, forecasters, and commodity traders, but also financial institutions (i.e., Farm Credit Service Organizations) that now must build their own forecasting models under the new Financial Accounting Standards Board's current expected credit loss requirements. [EconLit citations: D01, G28, Q11]
para‐TsOH‐Promoted Cascade Reaction of ortho‐Propynol Phenyl Azides for the Synthesis of 4‐Methoxy Quinolines and Propargyl Methyl Ethers: Insight on Mechanism of Propargylic Alcohols
Authors: Yang Tao , Ding Haixin , Li Ren , Jin Fengyan , Song Xian‐Rong , Chen Xi , Bai Jiang , Xiao Qiang , Liang Yong‐Min
Published: January 2019

para‐TsOH‐promoted cascade reaction of easily prepared ortho‐propynol phenyl azides for the synthesis of 4‐methoxy quinolines has been developed. This reaction proceeded in a new way to generate 4‐methoxy quinolines through a concerted nucleophilic mechanism of propargyl methyl ether. It is worth noting that propargyl methyl ether can be successfully transformed into 4‐methoxy quinolines only when substrates contain a strong electron‐donating group (OR).
The value of surveying the kidneys during pelvic ultrasound examinations
Authors: Brennan Orlaith , Oh Sheila , Necas Martin
Published: January 2019

Introduction

Pelvic ultrasounds are commonly performed for various clinical indications in female patients presenting to the hospital. A survey of the kidneys is routinely included as part of the examination, but there is limited justification for their inclusion in the assessment of every female presenting for a pelvic ultrasound.

Method

We examined the utility of surveying the kidney ultrasound during pelvic ultrasonography by reviewing the records of 1009 pelvic ultrasound examinations in 1000 women.

Results

In total, 46 incidental findings were identified, but 91% of these were clinically inconsequential. Only four patients had incidental findings of high clinical priority requiring specialist treatment. Of these, two patients were symptomatic and had urinary tract obstruction due to stones. The other two patients harboured asymptomatic renal cell carcinomas. The overall incidence of renal incidental findings of high clinical priority in asymptomatic patients was two in 1009 examinations (1999 kidneys).

Conclusion

Indiscriminate uncritical screening of the kidneys in women presenting for pelvic ultrasound is not evidence‐based and represents a low‐yield examination with extremely low rate of incidental findings of clinical significance.
Fabrication and cell morphology of a microcellular poly(ether imide)–carbon nanotube composite foam with a three‐dimensional shape
Authors: Feng Dong , Liu Pengju , Li Li
Published: January 2019

The preparation of microcellular poly(ether imide) (PEI) based foams with three‐dimensional geometry remains a great challenge worldwide. In this study, we fabricated microcellular PEI–carbon nanotube (CNT) bead foams with a batch rapid depressurization method in a self‐designed mold with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a blowing agent. The effects of the saturation time, foaming temperature, foaming pressure, and depressurization rate on the microcellular structures of the PEI foam were analyzed by the Taguchi approach to determine the optimum foaming conditions, and the influence of the CNT content on the cell structure was analyzed. The results show that the depressurization rate and foaming temperature were the key factors influencing the cell size and cell density (Nf); that is, the high depressurization rate and low foaming temperature favored a small cell size and highNf. The foaming temperature also influenced the foaming ratio (ϕ), and a high ϕ was obtained at a high foaming temperature. Under optimal foaming conditions, PEI with 2.0 wt % CNTs presented the best cell structure;Nf,cell size, and ϕ were 6.14 × 1010cell/cm3, 2.43 μm, and 2.08, respectively. The mechanical properties of the final parts were related more to the foaming time and CNT concentration, and the maximum tensile and compression strength were reached at 3 h foaming time and 2.0 wt % CNT, that is, at 2.75 and 15.1 MPa (10% strain), respectively. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2019,136, 47501.
Synthesis and controlled release of curcumin‐β‐cyclodextrin inclusion complex from nanocomposite poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide/sodium alginate) hydrogels
Authors: Kasapoglu‐Calik Meltem , Ozdemir Murat
Published: January 2019

Inclusion complex of curcumin with β‐cyclodextrin (Cur‐β‐CD) was prepared using coprecipitation method. Stoichiometric ratio between curcumin and β‐cyclodextrin was found to be 1:2 with an association constant of3.80 × 108M−2using Benesi–Hildebrand method. Inclusion complex formation was confirmed by FTIR and DSC analyses. Water solubility of curcumin increased from 0.00122 to 0.721 mg mL−1with the inclusion complex formation. Release of the inclusion complex from the nanocomposite and conventional poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide/sodium alginate hydrogels crosslinked by nanoclay andN,N′‐methylenebis(acrylamide) (BIS), respectively, were investigated in simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Swelling ratio and cumulative release were dependent on the hydrogel composition and pH. At pH = 1.2, hydrogels showed the lowest release ratio, but at pH = 6.8 highest swelling ratios were attained. The swelling ratio and cumulative release decreased with increasing the nanoclay content in nanocomposite hydrogels. On the contrary, as the ratio of BIS in the conventional hydrogels increased, the swelling ratio and cumulative release increased. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2019,136, 47554.
Combining eight research areas to foster the uptake of ecosystem‐based management in fresh waters
Authors: Langhans Simone D. , Domisch Sami , Balbi Stefano , Delacámara Gonzalo , Hermoso Virgilio , Kuemmerlen Mathias , Martin Romina , Martínez‐López Javier , Vermeiren Peter , Villa Ferdinando , Jähnig Sonja C.
Published: January 2019

Freshwater ecosystems are under a constant risk of being irreversibly damaged by human pressures that threaten their biodiversity, the sustainability of ecosystem services (ESs), and human well‐being. Despite the implementation of various environmental regulations, the challenges of safeguarding freshwater assets have so far not been tackled successfully.

A promising way forward to stop the loss of freshwater biodiversity and to sustain freshwater‐based ESs is by implementing ecosystem‐based management (EBM), an environmental planning and adaptive management approach that jointly considers social and ecological needs. Responsible for considerable recent success in sustainably managing and conserving marine ecosystems, EBM has not yet been championed for fresh waters.

A major reason for the delayed uptake of EBM in fresh waters is likely to be its complexity, requiring planners to be familiar with the latest developments in a range of different research areas. EBM would therefore benefit from becoming more tangible to receive attention on the ground.

To facilitate uptake, eight core research areas for EBM and their innovations are introduced, and the way in which they feed into the workflow that guides the EBM planning stage is explained.

The workflow links biodiversity distributions with ES supply‐and‐demand modelling and SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely) target planning, including scenario‐ and cross‐realm perspectives, the prioritization of management alternatives, spatial prioritization of biodiversity conservation and ES areas, and the quantification of uncertainties. Given the extensive resources, time, and technical capacity required to implement the full workflow, a light and an ultralight version of the workflow are also provided.

Applied in concert, the eight well‐known research areas allow for better planning and operationalizing, and eventually for implementing EBM in freshwater ecosystems. EBM has great potential to increase public acceptance by introducing the consideration of human needs and aspirations into typically biodiversity‐driven conservation and management approaches. This will ultimately improve the integrity of freshwater ecosystems.
Decomposition processes in coastal lagoons and their implications for the assessment of ecological health
Authors: Menéndez Margarita , Abril Meritxell , Colls Miriam , Quintana Xavier D.
Published: January 2019

Aside from structural indicators, functional indicators have been suggested as a tool for assessing the health of transitional water ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the potential for the use of plant litter decomposition as a functional indicator of ecosystem health in coastal lagoons.

A field experiment was conducted to assess the decomposition rate ofRuppia maritimaenclosed in coarse and fine mesh litterbags and incubated in 10 Mediterranean coastal lagoons that conform to a gradient of ecological status produced by anthropogenic impacts as determined by a structural quality index.

The microbial decomposition rate in fine mesh litterbags increased linearly along the ecological gradient. However, this relationship was not observed for the overall decomposition rate in coarse mesh bags.

Decomposition rates in coarse mesh bags were negatively related to macroinvertebrate diversity, indicating that, in transitional habitats, such as coastal lagoons, high biodiversity is not a prerequisite for successful ecosystem functioning.

The results suggest that functional indicators, such as the microbial litter decomposition process, should be used in addition to structural ones to detect anthropogenic‐derived environmental perturbations in coastal lagoons.