bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social neuroscience in psychiatry: unravelling the neural mechanisms of social dysfunction
Authors: Fett A.-K. J. , Shergill S. S. , Krabbendam L.
Published: October 2014

Social neuroscience is a flourishing, interdisciplinary field that investigates the underlying biological processes of social cognition and behaviour. The recent application of social neuroscience to psychiatric research advances our understanding of various psychiatric illnesses that are characterized by impairments in social cognition and social functioning. In addition, the upcoming line of social neuroscience research provides new techniques to design and evaluate treatment interventions that are aimed at improving patients’ social lives. This review provides a contemporary overview of social neuroscience in psychiatry. We draw together the major findings about the neural mechanisms of social cognitive processes directed at understanding others and social interactions in psychiatric illnesses and discuss their implications for future research and clinical practice.
5. On the Oxidation of Phenyl Alcohol, and a Mechanical Arrangement adapted to illustrate Structure in the Nonsaturated Hydrocarbons
Authors: Dewar J.
Published: October 2014

The syntheses and oxidation analyses of organic compounds have so confirmed each other in many cases, that chemists are enabled to judge of the structure of a compound from the oxidation products. Many chemists have used the oxidation method in special cases, the bodies operated upon belonging principally to the fatty series; but until Fittig and Beilstein published their memoirs on the aromatic compounds, it was never applied to the systematic study of a hydrocarbon and its derivatives. But although the syntheses and oxidation analyses of the derivatives of benzol confirmed each other, still the structure of the original nucleus (benzol) remained unexplained. Kekulê's original and elegant speculations on the structure of benzol and its derivatives induced me to try the effect of oxidising agents on benzol, with the view of eliciting whether the carbon atoms would separate in the way theory pointed out. The carbon atoms in benzol may be supposed to be arranged in a closed chain, where the carbon affinities are bound two and one alternately.
Shedding of norovirus in symptomatic and asymptomatic infections
Authors: TEUNIS P. F. M. , SUKHRIE F. H. A. , VENNEMA H. , BOGERMAN J. , BEERSMA M. F. C. , KOOPMANS M. P. G.
Published: October 2014

Norovirus is the most frequent cause of acute infectious gastroenteritis and it is difficult to control in crowded environments like hospitals and nursing homes. Transmission depends on oral intake of virus deposited in the environment by infectious subjects. Data from volunteer studies indicate that virus concentrations in stool are highly variable, but systematic studies of the time-course of shedding and its individual variation are lacking. This paper quantifies norovirus shedding in a large population of 102 subjects, including asymptomatic shedders, and uses a longitudinal model to generalize shedding patterns. Enhanced surveillance for studies of transmission of norovirus in hospital outbreaks has yielded a considerable number of faecal samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic shedders, both from patients and staff. Norovirus concentrations were determined by real-time PCR. A quantitative dynamic model was fitted to the shedding data, in a multilevel Bayesian framework, to study the time-course of shedding and its variation. The results indicate that shedding in asymptomatic subjects is similar to that in symptomatic infections, both showing considerable variation in peak levels (average 105−109/g faeces) as well as duration of virus shedding (average 8–60 days). Patients appear to shed higher numbers of virus than staff, for slightly longer durations, but the differences are too small to be significant. Given equal shedding, the greater contribution of symptomatic cases to transmission must be caused by their higher efficiency in spreading these viruses. The results of this study will be helpful for risk studies that need to quantify the deposition of virus in the environment.
Practitioner consensus on the determinants of capacity building practice in high-income countries
Authors: Swanepoel Elizabeth , Fox Ann , Hughes Roger
Published: October 2014

Objective

To assess and develop consensus among experienced public health nutrition practitioners from high-income countries regarding conceptualisation of capacity building in practice, and to test the content validity of a previously published conceptual framework for capacity building in public health nutrition practice.

Design

A Delphi study involving three iterations of email-delivered questionnaires testing a range of capacity determinants derived from the literature. Consensus was set at >50 % of panellists ranking items as ‘very important’ on a five-point Likert scale across three survey rounds.

Setting

Public health nutrition practice in Australia, the UK, Canada and the USA.

Subjects

Public health nutrition practitioners and academics.

Result

A total of thirty expert panellists (68 % of an initial panel of forty-four participants) completed all three rounds of Delphi questionnaires. Consensus identified determinants of capacity building in practice including partnerships, resourcing, community development, leadership, workforce development, intelligence and quality of project management.

Conclusions

The findings from the study suggest there is broad agreement among public health nutritionists from high-income countries about how they conceptualise capacity building in public health nutrition practice. This agreement suggests considerable content validity for a capacity building conceptual framework proposed by Baillieet al. (Public Health Nutr12, 1031–1038). More research is needed to apply the conceptual framework to the implementation and evaluation of strategies that enhance the practice of capacity building approaches by public health nutrition professionals.
Meanings of eating deficiencies for people admitted to palliative home care
Authors: Wallin Viktoria , Carlander Ida , Sandman P.-O. , Håkanson Cecilia
Published: October 2014

Objective:

Food and eating are embedded in people's everyday social lives: at home with family members and as part of social interactions. For people with progressive life-limiting conditions, however, eating is often obstructed. The objective of the present study was to explore the meanings of living with eating deficiencies at the end of life among people admitted to specialist palliative home care.

Method:

This qualitative inductive study employed an interpretive descriptive approach. A dozen persons, with various diagnoses and eating deficiencies, admitted to two specialist palliative home care units, participated. Data were collected through individual repeated interviews. Data collection and analysis were guided by the interpretive description method.

Results:

The results reveal that eating deficiencies among people with progressive life-limiting conditions are existentially loaded markers of impending death. Finding ways to overcome declined food intake and hampered eating enabled our participants to feel able to influence their own well-being and remain hopeful. The results also showed that the eating deficiencies influenced participants' relationships and social interactions in ways that hampered their possibilities of sharing valuable moments together with friends and family members during the final period of life.

Significance of Results:

Efforts to minimize the distress that people experience in relation to the challenges they face with eating deficiencies are important for well-being at the end of life. Person-centered approaches to acknowledge and support individuals' own ways of experiencing and dealing with their eating deficiencies are recommended that include a multidimensional perspective on food and eating.
Schulbegleiter als Unterstützung von Inklusion im Schulwesen
Authors: Henn Katharina , Thurn Leonore , Besier Tanja , Künster Anne K. , Fegert Jörg M. , Ziegenhain Ute
Published: October 2014

Im Rahmen von inklusiver Beschulung werden in Deutschland immer mehr Schulbegleiter für Kinder mit Beeinträchtigungen eingesetzt, ohne dass jedoch allgemeine Konzeptualisierungen existieren oder Daten zur Beschreibung des Aufgabenfeldes vorliegen. Es wird eine landesweite empirische Untersuchung vorgestellt, die Informationen über den beruflichen Hintergrund, die Qualifizierung und die alltäglichen Aufgaben der Schulbegleiter in Baden-Württemberg präsentiert und versucht, die Gruppe der betreuten Kinder zu beschreiben. Es wurden Daten von knapp 50 % aller allgemein bildenden Schulen Baden-Württembergs erhoben und 526 Schulbegleiter schriftlich zu ihrer Arbeit befragt. Die von ihnen betreuten Kinder waren zwischen 6 und 19 Jahren alt (M = 10.4) und hatten in knapp drei Viertel aller Fälle eine seelische Behinderung (häufigste Angabe: Autismus 59.4 %). Das vielfältige Aufgabenspektrum umfasste neben der praktischen Unterstützung im Unterricht auch die Aktivierung des Schülers und seine Unterstützung im Umgang mit Stressoren, Emotionen und Konflikten. Schulbegleiter können einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Inklusion behinderter Kinder leisten. Dabei benötigen sie eine ausreichende Qualifizierung und Handlungskompetenzen im Umgang mit den unterschiedlichsten Herausforderungen, die sich im Zuge der Beeinträchtigung der Kinder stellt. Kinder- und Jugendpsychiater sollten neben der Hilfeplanung auch im Verlauf involviert bleiben, um die tatsächliche Umsetzung zu überprüfen und die emotionale Situation der inkludierten Kinder mit seelischer Behinderung im Blick zu behalten.
LAMTOR2 regulates dendritic cell homeostasis through FLT3-dependent mTOR signalling
Authors: Scheffler Julia M. , Sparber Florian , Tripp Christoph H. , Herrmann Caroline , Humenberger Alexandra , Blitz Johanna , Romani Nikolaus , Stoitzner Patrizia , Huber Lukas A.
Published: October 2014

The receptor tyrosine kinase Flt3 and its ligand are crucial for dendritic cell (DC) homeostasis by activating downstream effectors including mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. LAMTOR2 is a member of the Ragulator/LAMTOR complex known to regulate mTOR and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation on the late endosome as well as endosomal biogenesis. Here we show in mice that conditional ablation of LAMTOR2 in DCs results in a severe disturbance of the DC compartment caused by accumulation of Flt3 on the cell surface. This results in an increased downstream activation of the AKT/mTOR signalling pathway and subsequently to a massive expansion of conventional DCs and plasmacytoid DCs in ageing mice. Finally, we can revert the symptoms in vivo by inhibiting the activation of Flt3 and its downstream target mTOR.
Ice crystals growth driving assembly of porous nitrogen-doped graphene for catalyzing oxygen reduction probed by in situ fluorescence electrochemistry
Authors: Wang Jiong , Wang Huai-Song , Wang Kang , Wang Feng-Bin , Xia Xing-Hua
Published: October 2014

In recent years, doped carbonaceous materials as alternative catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have received considerable attention due to the low cost and high CO tolerance capability. Different theoretical studies have suggested that oxygen is reduced in a rapid sequence intermediated by diverse oxygen-containing reactive intermediates (ORI). However, due to the short lifetimes of the possible ORI, direct experimental evidence is very difficult to be obtained. Here, we report the synthesis of an ultralight and porous nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) by annealing graphite oxide (GO)-melamine scaffold shaped in ice template. The resultant NG exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward 4e-reduction of oxygen with the onset potential as low as −0.05 V vs. Ag/AgCl in alkaline media. Using this material as model study, sensitive in situ fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry is applied to demonstrate the presence the reactive ORI. The global ORR pathway is unraveled as stepwise electron transfer involving hydroxyl radical as the important intermediate via both inner- and outer-sphere process. This result would likely provide a new insight into the further understanding of ORR mechanism on those intrinsic carbonaceous materials.
The multivariate detection limit for Mycoplasma pneumoniae as determined by nanorod array-surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and comparison with limit of detection by qPCR
Authors: Henderson Kelley C. , Sheppard Edward S. , Rivera-Betancourt Omar E. , Choi Joo-Young , Dluhy Richard A. , Thurman Kathleen A. , Winchell Jonas M. , Krause Duncan C.
Published: October 2014

The detection limits by NA-SERS and qPCR for the bacterial pathogenMycoplasma pneumoniaewere compared.
An optimized method based on MAE-SPE-GC-MS for the analysis of thirteen PBDEs in airborne particles
Authors: Li X. , Li X. M. , Yang X. X. , Li Q. , Huang B. , Pan X. J.
Published: October 2014

An efficient and reliable analytical method has been developed for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in atmospheric particulates collected by ultra-fine glass fibre filters.
Electrically-driven modulation of surface-grafted RGD peptides for manipulation of cell adhesion
Authors: Lashkor Minhaj , Rawson Frankie J. , Stephenson-Brown Alex , Preece Jon A. , Mendes Paula M.
Published: October 2014

Reported herein is a switchable surface that relies on electrically-induced conformational changes within surface-grafted arginine–glycine–aspartate (RGD) oligopeptides as the means of modulating cell adhesion.
Rapid mechanochemical synthesis of two new Cd(ii)-based metal–organic frameworks with high removal efficiency of Congo red
Authors: Masoomi Mohammad Yaser , Morsali Ali , Junk Peter C.
Published: October 2014

Two new three-dimensional porous Cd(ii)-based metal–organic frameworks, TMU-8 and TMU-9, with high performance in adsorption of Congo red.
Imaging the stereodynamics of methyl iodide photodissociation in the second absorption band: fragment polarization and the interplay between direct and predissociation
Authors: González Marta G. , Rodríguez Javier D. , Rubio-Lago Luis , Bañares Luis
Published: October 2014

Stereodynamics imaging disentangles the interplay between direct and predissociation in the onset of the second absorption band of methyl iodide.
pH-Responsive quantum dots (RQDs) that combine a fluorescent nanoparticle with a pH-sensitive dye
Authors: Ast S. , Rutledge P. J. , Todd M. H.
Published: October 2014

A quantum dot conjugated to a dye through an experimentally simple process of self-assembly exhibits an enhanced emission when the dye is attached, and this effect is pH-sensitive.
Trade-offs of the opto-electrical properties of a-Si:H solar cells based on MOCVD BZO films
Authors: Chen Ze , Zhang Xiao-dan , Liang Jun-hui , Fang Jia , Liang Xue-jiao , Sun Jian , Zhang De-kun , Chen Xin-liang , Huang Qian , Zhao Ying
Published: October 2014

Boron-doped zinc oxide (BZO) films, deposited by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), have been widely used as front electrodes in thin-film solar cells due to their native pyramidal surface structure, which results in efficient light trapping.
Light upconverting core–shell nanostructures: nanophotonic control for emerging applications
Authors: Chen Guanying , Ågren Hans , Ohulchanskyy Tymish Y. , Prasad Paras N.
Published: October 2014

Nanophotonic control of light upconversion in the hierarchical core–shell nanostructures, their biomedical, solar energy and security encoding applications were reviewed.
Hyperbranched polymer vesicles: from self-assembly, characterization, mechanisms, and properties to applications
Authors: Jiang Wenfeng , Zhou Yongfeng , Yan Deyue
Published: October 2014

This tutorial review summarizes the first 10 years of work on hyperbranched polymer vesicles from syntheses, self-assembly, and properties to applications.
Platinum(ii) clovers targeting G-quadruplexes and their anticancer activities
Authors: Zheng Xiao-Hui , Cao Qian , Ding Yi-Liang , Zhong Yi-Fang , Mu Ge , Qin Peter Z. , Ji Liang-Nian , Mao Zong-Wan
Published: October 2014

The excellent anticancer activity of platinum(ii) clovers is the result of a dual effect, inhibition of the telomerase activity and repression of oncogene expression.
Zinc complexes as fluorescent chemosensors for nucleic acids: new perspectives for a “boring” element
Authors: Terenzi Alessio , Lauria Antonino , Almerico Anna Maria , Barone Giampaolo
Published: October 2014

Recent applications of zinc(ii) complexes as fluorescent probes for nucleic acids are described highlighting their potential as diagnostic tools.
Biological effects and bioaccumulation of pharmaceutically active compounds in crucian carp caged near the outfall of a sewage treatment plant
Authors: Liu Jianchao , Lu Guanghua , Zhang Zhenghua , Bao Yijun , Liu Fuli , Wu Donghai , Wang Yonghua
Published: October 2014

Multiple-models approaches for risk assessment were applied to estimate the ecological threat using active biomonitoring because of the existence of micropollutants in the effluents of sewage treatment plant.
An experimental study on the numbering-up of microchannels for liquid mixing
Authors: Su Yuanhai , Chen Guangwen , Kenig Eugeny Y.
Published: October 2014

Numbering-up of microchannels was experimentally investigated in a multichannel liquid–liquid micromixer using a model reaction through the blocking strategy.
Identification of cancer-related lncRNAs through integrating genome, regulome and transcriptome features
Authors: Zhao Tingting , Xu Jinyuan , Liu Ling , Bai Jing , Xu Chaohan , Xiao Yun , Li Xia , Zhang Liming
Published: October 2014

A computational method for identifying cancer-related lncRNAs by integrating data from the genome, regulome and transcriptome.
Probing cytochrome P450-mediated activation with a truncated azinomycin analogue
Authors: Vinader Victoria , Sadiq Maria , Sutherland Mark , Huang Mengying , Loadman Paul M. , Elsalem Lina , Shnyder Steven D. , Cui Hongjuan , Afarinkia Kamyar , Searcey Mark , Patterson Laurence H. , Pors Klaus
Published: October 2014

Selective cytochrome P450 bioactivation of truncated azinomycin.
Solvothermal synthesis of MnFe2O4colloidal nanocrystal assemblies and their magnetic and electrocatalytic properties
Authors: Li Zhen , Gao Kai , Han Guangting , Wang Rongyue , Li Hongliang , Zhao X. S. , Guo Peizhi
Published: October 2014

Submicrometer MnFe2O4colloidal nanocrystal assemblies (CNAs) have been synthesized controllably by using a solvothermal method through simply adjusting synthetic reagents.
Trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy-group-directed regioselective (3 + 2) cycloadditions of benzynes for the synthesis of functionalized benzo-fused heterocycles
Authors: Ikawa Takashi , Kaneko Hideki , Masuda Shigeaki , Ishitsubo Erika , Tokiwa Hiroaki , Akai Shuji
Published: October 2014

Highly regioselective (3 + 2) cycloadditions of 3- and 4-TfO-benzynes with 1,3-dipoles followed by cross-coupling reactions provided multisubstituted benzo-fused heterocycles.
Amino acid-linked porphyrin-nitroimidazole antibiotics targeting Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Dingsdag Simon A. , Yap Benjamin C-M. , Hunter Neil , Crossley Maxwell J.
Published: October 2014

Amino acid-linked porphyrin-nitroimidazole adducts, as potent as metronidazole, are highly selective forPorphyromonas gingivalis.
Solution processible hyperbranched inverse-vulcanized polymers as new cathode materials in Li–S batteries
Authors: Wei Yangyang , Li Xiang , Xu Zhen , Sun Haiyan , Zheng Yaochen , Peng Li , Liu Zheng , Gao Chao , Gao Mingxia
Published: October 2014

Highly soluble inverse-vulcanized hyperbranched polymers were synthesized as cathode-active materials in Li–S batteries.
Self-assembly of mucoadhesive nanofibers
Authors: Suvannasara P. , Praphairaksit N. , Muangsin N.
Published: October 2014

Here, we present an easy and stable one-step procedure to fabricate self-assembled nanofibers from modified chitosan.
Metabolomic identification of novel biomarkers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Yi Lunzhao , Dong Naiping , Shi Shuting , Deng Baichuan , Yun Yonghuan , Yi Zhibiao , Zhang Yi
Published: October 2014

This paper introduces a new identification strategy of novel metabolic biomarkers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
Morphologic control of Sb-rich Sb2Se3 to adjust its catalytic hydrogenation properties for p-nitrophenol
Authors: Tang A. D. , Long M. , Liu P. , Tan L. , He Z.
Published: October 2014

Sb-rich Sb2Se3 with hollow sphere morphology is an efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol.
SERS-active Ag@Au core–shell NP assemblies for DNA detection
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Liu Liqiang , Kuang Hua , Wang Libing , Xu Chuanlai
Published: October 2014

SERS-active silver@gold (Ag@Au) core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) assemblies were fabricated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the sensitive DNA detection.
Dehydrogenation of formic acid by Ir–bisMETAMORPhos complexes: experimental and computational insight into the role of a cooperative ligand
Authors: Oldenhof Sander , Lutz Martin , de Bruin Bas , Ivar van der Vlugt Jarl , Reek Joost N. H.
Published: October 2014

The synthesis of Ir-complexes with three bisMETAMORPhos ligands is reported. The activity of these systems towards HCOOH dehydrogenation and the dual role of the ligand during catalysis is discussed, using spectroscopic and computational methods.
Polycyclic aromatic azomethine ylides: a unique entry to extended polycyclic heteroaromatics
Authors: Berger Reinhard , Wagner Manfred , Feng Xinliang , Müllen Klaus
Published: October 2014

Based on polycyclic aromatic azomethine ylides, a metal-free “cycloaddition-planarization-sequence” is proposed, providing a unique entry to nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Cholesterol solubility limit in lipid membranes probed by small angle neutron scattering and MD simulations
Authors: Garg Sumit , Castro-Roman Francisco , Porcar Lionel , Butler Paul , Bautista Pedro Jesus , Krzyzanowski Natalie , Perez-Salas Ursula
Published: October 2014

The solubility limits of cholesterol in small unilamellar vesicles made of POPS and POPC were probed using Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) and coarse grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
A Flexible micro-supercapacitor based on a pen ink-carbon fiber thread
Authors: Dai Shuge , Guo Hengyu , Wang Mingjun , Liu Jianlin , Wang Guo , Hu Chenguo , Xi Yi
Published: October 2014

A highly flexible micro-supercapacitor based on a pen ink-carbon-fiber thread structure is fabricated with excellent characteristics of lightweight, small volume, flexibility and portability. By integrating with a triboelectric nanogenarator, the micro-supercapacitors are charged and used to power LEDs, demonstrating its feasibility as an efficient storage component for self-powered micro/nanosystems.
A one-step, cost-effective green method to in situ fabricate Ni(OH)2 hexagonal platelets on Ni foam as binder-free supercapacitor electrode materials
Authors: Li Lingjie , Xu Jing , Lei Jinglei , Zhang Jie , McLarnon Frank , Wei Zidong , Li Nianbing , Pan Fusheng
Published: October 2014

The Ni(OH)2 hexagonal platelets were in situ fabricated on Ni foam as a binder-free supercapacitor electrode material with high performance and excellent cycling stability by a one-step, cost-effective, green hydrothermal treatment of three-dimensional (3D) Ni foam in a 15 wt% H2O2 aqueous solution.
Synthesis of titanium cross-linked chitosan composite for efficient adsorption and detoxification of hexavalent chromium from water
Authors: Zhang Lingfan , Xia Wei , Liu Xin , Zhang Wenqing
Published: October 2014

For the simultaneous adsorption and detoxification of hexavalent chromium from water, a new titanium–chitosan (Ti–CTS) composite was synthesized through a metal-binding reaction between titanium ions and the chitosan biopolymer followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde.
Asymmetric gold nanodimer arrays: electrostatic self-assembly and SERS activity
Authors: Zheng Yuanhui , Rosa Lorenzo , Thai Thibaut , Ng Soon Hock , Gómez Daniel E. , Ohshima Hiroyuki , Bach Udo
Published: October 2014

A simple, versatile, high-throughput nanofabrication method based on electrostatic self-assembly is developed for the large-scale generation of well-defined asymmetric plasmonic dimers, enabling the study of interparticle plasmon coupling and the "hot-spot" phenomenon in SERS.
A redox-responsive drug delivery system based on RGD containing peptide-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles
Authors: Li Ze-Yong , Hu Jing-Jing , Xu Qi , Chen Si , Jia Hui-Zhen , Sun Yun-Xia , Zhuo Ren-Xi , Zhang Xian-Zheng
Published: October 2014

A smart drug delivery system, DOX@MSN-S-S-RGD, was constructed by anchoring the RGD containing peptides onto the surface of MSNs using disulfide bonds for enhanced tumor cellular uptake and subsequent efficient cell killing.
Biocompatible and biodegradable fluorescent microfibers physiologically secreted by live cells upon spontaneous uptake of thiophene fluorophore
Authors: Palamà Ilaria E. , Di Maria Francesca , D'Amone Stefania , Barbarella Giovanna , Gigli Giuseppe
Published: October 2014

Physiological secretion of fluorescent nanostructured microfibers upon spontaneous uptake of the appropriate organic fluorophore by live cells and the effects of cell seeding on the isolated microfibers.
Aqueous electrolyte-gated ZnO transistors for environmental and biological sensing
Authors: Bandiello E. , Sessolo M. , Bolink H. J.
Published: October 2014

An aqueous electrolyte-gated transistor based on a nanostructured ZnO channel is a simple, versatile and low-cost biosensor.
Error probability performance analysis for multicarrier direct sequence code division multiple access multiple‐input–multiple‐output systems over correlated η–µ fading channels
Authors: Amok James Osuru Mark , Saad Naufal Mohamed
Published: October 2014

The authors investigate the performance of multiple‐input–multiple‐output multicarrier direct sequence code division multiple access system operating over arbitrarily and equally correlated η–µ fading channels in terms of average bit error probability and average symbol error probability. Closed form expressions for average error probability using moment generating function‐based approach are derived and expressed in terms of Lauricella's multivariate hypergeometric functions. Furthermore, based on numerical results, they observe that the performance of the system improves when the number of multipath clusters increases as well as the number of subcarriers (frequency diversity). Similarly, substantial enhancement in system performance is observed due to the effect of spatial diversity. Finally, they verify the results via Monte Carlo simulation‐based method to support the accuracy of the analytical approach and also compare with already published ones.
Resource allocation for multiple input multiple output‐orthogonal frequency division multiplexing ‐based space division multiple access systems
Authors: Pao Wei‐Chen , Lou Wen‐Ting , Chen Yung‐Fang , Chang Dah‐Chung
Published: October 2014

The problem of the system throughput maximisation and the fairness issue among users is considered for the downlink multiuser multiple input multiple output‐orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system with MMSE precoding. Since finding the optimal solution by using the exhaustive search has very high computational burden, the authors propose a low‐complexity user selection strategy plus the optimal power allocation in this study. With resorting to the mathematical simplification process, the proposed user selection scheme is designed to compare the related value of SINR. The power allocation is performed after the user selection. However, the power allocation is not in interference‐free environment but in the presence of crosstalk, which is a nonlinear non‐convex optimisation problem. In this study, the authors use an optimisation technique to obtain the optimal solution of the constrained non‐convex nonlinear problem by replacing the objective function with a difference of two convex functions. A bisection‐based strategy to solve this problem with interference‐awareness to find local optimal solutions is presented in this study. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed algorithm is close to that of the optimal solution. The trade‐off between the system throughput and the fairness among users is also considered.
Blind wideband spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks based on direction of arrival estimation model and generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity noise modelling
Authors: Mahram Amir , Shayesteh Mahrokh G.
Published: October 2014

A new method for wideband spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks is proposed. Since the problem of estimating the number of occupied channels can be considered as the problem of estimating the number of signal sources in array signal processing, so the model used for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation is utilised here for spectrum‐sensing modelling. In the proposed algorithm, wideband spectrum is divided into subchannels, where each subchannel resembles a sensor in array processing for DOA estimation. Furthermore, the detection problem in practical situations is complicated because noise is most likely non‐Gaussian and non‐stationary unlike the assumption of previously presented algorithms. Therefore, in the proposed algorithm, a generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model is used to model the additive noise. The number and locations of the occupied subchannels will be jointly estimated using the maximum likelihood approach. The introduced method is blind as there is no need for initial information about the primary users’ signals and noise variance. The results indicate the efficiency of the proposed method.
Efficient architecture for algebraic soft‐decision decoding of Reed–Solomon codes
Authors: Li Xuemei , Zhang Wei , Liu Yanyan
Published: October 2014

Reed–Solomon (RS) codes possess excellent error correction capability. Algebraic soft‐decision decoding (ASD) of RS codes can provide better correction performance than the hard‐decision decoding (HDD). The low‐complexity Chase (LCC) decoding has the lowest complexity cost and similar or even higher coding gain among all of the available ASD algorithms. Instead of employing complicated interpolation technique, the LCC decoding can be implemented based on the HDD. This study proposes a modified serial LCC decoder, which employs a novel syndrome calculation, polynomial selection, Chien search and Forney algorithm block. In addition, an improved two‐dimensional optimisation is provided to reduce the hardware complexity of the proposed decoder. Compared with the previous design, the proposed decoder can improve about 1.27 times speed and obtain 1.29 times higher efficiency in terms of throughput‐over‐slice ratio.
Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of monodisperse α‐Fe2O3 nanocubes
Authors: Liu Jing , Wang Jie , Sun Jincheng , Li Yaru , Lu Feng
Published: October 2014

Monodisperse α‐Fe2O3 nanocubes with a mean size of 85 nm have been prepared by heating an aqueous solution of iron (III) nitrate in the presence of a certain amount of alkali without any additional organic reagents or templates in a hydrothermal route. The structure and morphology of the products were characterised by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and ﬁeld‐emission scanning electron microscopy. The results have shown that the crystal morphology continually changes at higher temperatures and α‐FeOOH was generated as the intermediate during the hydrothermal dehydration reaction. In addition, the optimum temperature and reaction time of the hydrothermal synthesis of these α‐Fe2O3 nanocubes were 200°C and 5 h, respectively.
Fluid mechanical responses to nutrient depletion in fungi and biofilms
Authors: Brenner Michael P.
Published: October 2014

In both fungi and bacterial biofilms, when nutrients are depleted, the organisms cannot physically migrate to find a new source, but instead must develop adaptations that allow them to survive. This paper reviews our work attempting to discover design principles for these adaptations. We develop fluid mechanical models, and aim to understand whether these suggest organizing principles for the observed morphological diversity. Determining whether a proposed organizing principle explains extant biological designs is fraught with difficulty: simply because a design principle predicts characteristics similar to an organism's morphology could just as well be accidental as revealing. In each of the two sets of examples, we adopt different strategies to develop understanding in spite of this difficulty. Within the fungal phylum Ascomycota, we use the large observed diversity of different morphological solutions to the fundamental fluid mechanical problem to measure how far each solution is from a design optimum, thereby measuring how far the extant designs deviate from the hypothesized optimum. This allows comparing different design principles to each other. For biofilms, we use engineering principles to make qualitative predictions of what types of adaptations might exist given the physicochemical properties of the repertoire of proteins that bacteria can create, and then find evidence for these adaptations in experiments. While on the surface this paper addresses the particular adaptations used by the fungal phylum Ascomycota and bacterial biofilms, we also aim to motivate discussion of different approaches to using design principles, fluid mechanical or otherwise, to rationalize observed engineering solutions in biology.
Electrochemical fabrication and optical properties of porous tin oxide films with structural colors
Authors: Cheng Hua , Shu Shiwei , Lu Zhouguang , Lee Chris , Zeng Shanshan , Lu Jian , Li Yang Yang
Published: October 2014

Photonic crystals with porous features not only provide the capability to control light but also enable structural colors that are environmentally sensitive. Here, we report a novel kind of tin oxide-based photonic crystal featuring periodically arranged air pores fabricated by the periodic anodization of tin foil. The existence of a photonic band gap in the fabricated structure is verified by its vivid color, and its reflective spectra which are responsive to environmental stimuli. Furthermore, the sample colors (i.e., the photonic band gap positions) can be easily adjusted by manipulating the anodization parameters. The theoretical modeling results of these tin oxide photonic crystals agree well with the reported experimental ones.
Reaction dynamics of O(1D) + HCOOD/DCOOH investigated with time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared emission spectroscopy
Authors: Huang Shang-Chen , Nghia N. T. , Putikam Raghunath , Nguyen Hue M. T. , Lin M. C. , Tsuchiya Soji , Lee Yuan-Pern
Published: October 2014

We investigated the reaction dynamics of O(1D) towards hydrogen atoms of two types in HCOOH. The reaction was initiated on irradiation of a flowing mixture of O3 and HCOOD or DCOOH at 248 nm. The relative vibration-rotational populations of OH and OD (1 ≦ v ≦ 4, J ≤ 15) states were determined from time-resolved IR emission recorded with a step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer. In the reaction of O(1D) + HCOOD, the rotational distribution of product OH is nearly Boltzmann, whereas that of OD is bimodal. The product ratio [OH]/[OD] is 0.16 ± 0.05. In the reaction of O(1D) + DCOOH, the rotational distribution of product OH is bimodal, but the observed OD lines are too weak to provide reliable intensities. The three observed OH/OD channels agree with three major channels of production predicted with quantum-chemical calculations. In the case of O(1D) + HCOOD, two intermediates HOC(O)OD and HC(O)OOD are produced in the initial C−H and O−D insertion, respectively. The former undergoes further decomposition of the newly formed OH or the original OD, whereas the latter produces OD via direct decomposition. Decomposition of HOC(O)OD produced OH and OD with similar vibrational excitation, indicating efficient intramolecular vibrational relaxation, IVR. Decomposition of HC(O)OOD produced OD with greater rotational excitation. The predicted [OH]/[OD] ratio is 0.20 for O(1D) + HCOOD and 4.08 for O(1D) + DCOOH; the former agrees satisfactorily with experiments. We also observed the v3 emission from the product CO2. This emission band is deconvoluted into two components corresponding to internal energies E = 317 and 96 kJ mol−1 of CO2, predicted to be produced via direct dehydration of HOC(O)OH and secondary decomposition of HC(O)O that was produced via decomposition of HC(O)OOH, respectively.
Oxidation of palladium on Au(111) and ZnO(0001) supports
Authors: Lallo J. , Tenney S. A. , Kramer A. , Sutter P. , Batzill M.
Published: October 2014

The oxidation behavior of supported Pd-deposits on Au(111) and ZnO(0001) single crystals has been studied by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). Oxidation has been carried out ex situ in a high-pressure cell and subsequent vacuum-transfer and characterization by ultra-high vacuum XPS, as well as in situ characterization by synchrotron based near ambient pressure XPS. On Au(111) alloying of Pd with the substrate competes with oxidation and only for sufficiently thick Pd films oxidation is obtained. For Pd deposits on ZnO the oxidation condition depends on the amount of deposited Pd. Thicker Pd-deposits behave similar to bulk Pd-samples, while for thinner films the oxidation temperatures may be lowered. Interestingly, for very small amounts of Pd, in situ XPS shows full oxidation at room temperature and at less than 0.6 mbar O2 pressure. This indicates lowering of the kinetic barriers for oxidation of very small supported Pd-clusters. The formed oxide is, however, not stable in ultra high vacuum and a slow reduction is observed. The instability of this oxide in UHV indicates that the formed Pd-oxide at the interface to ZnO may have different chemical properties compared to bulk PdO or surface oxides on Pd.
Determinants of energy-saving behavioral intention among residents in Beijing: Extending the theory of planned behavior
Authors: Wang Zhaohua , Zhang Bin , Li Guo
Published: October 2014

Given the rapid increase of residential energy consumption in Beijing, the question of how to promote residential energy-saving behavior is an emerging topic that is increasingly engaging the attention of scholars. To address this issue, this paper provides an empirical analysis that identifies and explores the determinants of an energy-saving behavioral intention among residents from the perspective of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). A theoretical model was constructed by refining and extending the classic TPB model according to the scope and requirements of this study and the existing situation in China. Survey data collected from 276 residents in Beijing were analyzed, and hypothesized relationships in the model were then verified using a structural equation model. The results show that subjective norms, environmental attitudes, information publicity, lifestyles, and perceived behavioral control significantly influence residents' energy-saving behavior, while demographic factors, such as educational background, household income, and age, had no obvious effects on behavioral intentions. Although knowledge regarding energy did not exert a direct influence on residents' energy-saving behavioral intentions, it did exert an indirect influence via environmental attitudes. Our results indicate that the role of households in saving energy expenditure should be emphasized, and financial incentives could be adopted to help promote environmental awareness among Beijing's residents. In addition, environment-friendly and energy-saving habits should also be inculcated.
Zero-Prandtl-number convection with slow rotation
Authors: Maity Priyanka , Kumar Krishna
Published: October 2014

We present the results of our investigations of the primary instability and the flow patterns near onset in zero-Prandtl-number Rayleigh-Bénard convection with uniform rotation about a vertical axis. The investigations are carried out using direct numerical simulations of the hydrodynamic equations with stress-free horizontal boundaries in rectangular boxes of size (2π/kx) × (2π/ky) × 1 for different values of the ratio η = kx/ky. The primary instability is found to depend on η and Ta. Wavy rolls are observed at the primary instability for smaller values of η (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$1/\sqrt{3} \le \eta \le 2$\end{document}1/3≤η≤2 except at η = 1) and for smaller values of Ta. We observed Küppers-Lortz (KL) type patterns at the primary instability for \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\eta = 1/\sqrt{3}$\end{document}η=1/3 and Ta ≥ 40. The fluid patterns are found to exhibit the phenomenon of bursting, as observed in experiments [K. M. S. Bajaj, G. Ahlers, and W. Pesch, “Rayleigh-Bénard convection with rotation at small Prandtl numbers,” Phys. Rev. E 65, 056309 (2002)]. Periodic wavy rolls are observed at onset for smaller values of Ta, while KL-type patterns are observed for Ta ≥ 100 for \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\eta =\sqrt{3}$\end{document}η=3. In case of η = 2, wavy rolls are observed for smaller values of Ta and KL-type patterns are observed for 25 ≤ Ta ≤ 575. Quasi-periodically varying patterns are observed in the oscillatory regime (Ta > 575). The behavior is quite different at η = 1. A time dependent competition between two sets of mutually perpendicular rolls is observed at onset for all values of Ta in this case. Fluid patterns are found to burst periodically as well as chaotically in time. It involved a homoclinic bifurcation. We have also made a couple of low-dimensional models to investigate bifurcations for η = 1, which is used to investigate the sequence of bifurcations.
Contactless measurement of alternating current conductance in quantum Hall structures
Authors: Drichko I. L. , Diakonov A. M. , Malysh V. A. , Smirnov I. Yu. , Galperin Y. M. , Ilyinskaya N. D. , Usikova A. A. , Kummer M. , von Känel H.
Published: October 2014

We report a procedure to determine the frequency-dependent conductance of quantum Hall structures in a broad frequency domain. The procedure is based on the combination of two known probeless methods—acoustic spectroscopy and microwave spectroscopy. By using the acoustic spectroscopy, we study the low-frequency attenuation and phase shift of a surface acoustic wave in a piezoelectric crystal in the vicinity of the electron (hole) layer. The electronic contribution is resolved using its dependence on a transverse magnetic field. At high frequencies, we study the attenuation of an electromagnetic wave in a coplanar waveguide. To quantitatively calibrate these data, we use the fact that in the quantum-Hall-effect regime the conductance at the maxima of its magnetic field dependence is determined by extended states. Therefore, it should be frequency independent in a broad frequency domain. The procedure is verified by studies of a well-characterized p-SiGe/Ge/SiGe heterostructure.
Optically induced spin wave dynamics in [Co/Pd]8 antidot lattices with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
Authors: Pal S. , Klos J. W. , Das K. , Hellwig O. , Gruszecki P. , Krawczyk M. , Barman A.
Published: October 2014

We present an all-optical time-resolved measurement of spin wave (SW) dynamics in a series of antidot lattices based on [Co(0.75 nm)/Pd(0.9 nm)]8 multilayer (ML) systems with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The spectra depend significantly on the areal density of the antidots. The observed SW modes are qualitatively reproduced by the plane wave method. The interesting results found in our measurements and calculations at small lattice constants can be attributed to the increase of areal density of the shells with modified magnetic properties probably due to distortion of the regular ML structure by the Ga ion bombardment and to increased coupling between localized modes. We propose and discuss the possible mechanisms for this coupling including exchange interaction, tunnelling, and dipolar interactions.
Nonlinear terahertz superconducting plasmonics
Authors: Wu Jingbo , Zhang Caihong , Liang Lanju , Jin Biaobing , Kawayama Iwao , Murakami Hironaru , Kang Lin , Xu Weiwei , Wang Huabing , Chen Jian , Tonouchi Masayoshi , Wu Peiheng
Published: October 2014

Nonlinear terahertz (THz) transmission through subwavelength hole array in superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) film is experimentally investigated using intense THz pulses. The good agreement between the measurement and numerical simulations indicates that the field strength dependent transmission mainly arises from the nonlinear properties of the superconducting film. Under weak THz pulses, the transmission peak can be tuned over a frequency range of 145 GHz which is attributed to the high kinetic inductance of 50 nm-thick NbN film. Utilizing the THz pump-THz probe spectroscopy, we study the dynamic process of transmission spectra and demonstrate that the transition time of such superconducting plasmonic device is within 5 ps.
Fast, high-fidelity, all-optical and dynamically-controlled polarization gate using room-temperature atomic vapor
Authors: Li Runbing , Zhu Chengjie , Deng L. , Hagley E. W.
Published: October 2014

We demonstrate a fast, all-optical polarization gate in a room-temperature atomic medium. Using a Polarization-Selective-Kerr-Phase-Shift (PSKPS) technique, we selectively write a π phase shift to one circularly-polarized component of a linearly-polarized input signal field. The output signal field maintains its original strength but acquires a 90° linear polarization rotation, demonstrating fast, high-fidelity, dynamically-controlled polarization gate operation. The intensity of the polarization-switching field used in this PKSPK-based polarization gate operation is only 2 mW/cm2, which would be equivalent to 0.5 nW of light power (λ = 800 nm) confined in a typical commercial photonic hollow-core fiber. This development opens a realm of possibilities for potential future extremely low light level telecommunication and information processing systems.
Rapid microfluidic solid-phase extraction system for hyper-methylated DNA enrichment and epigenetic analysis
Authors: De Arpita , Sparreboom Wouter , van den Berg Albert , Carlen Edwin T.
Published: October 2014

Genetic sequence and hyper-methylation profile information from the promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes are important for cancer disease investigation. Since hyper-methylated DNA (hm-DNA) is typically present in ultra-low concentrations in biological samples, such as stool, urine, and saliva, sample enrichment and amplification is typically required before detection. We present a rapid microfluidic solid phase extraction (μSPE) system for the capture and elution of low concentrations of hm-DNA (≤1 ng ml−1), based on a protein-DNA capture surface, into small volumes using a passive microfluidic lab-on-a-chip platform. All assay steps have been qualitatively characterized using a real-time surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor, and quantitatively characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy. The hm-DNA capture/elution process requires less than 5 min with an efficiency of 71% using a 25 μl elution volume and 92% efficiency using a 100 μl elution volume.
Metamaterials-based Salisbury screens with reduced angular sensitivity
Authors: Wells Brian M. , Roberts Christopher M. , Podolskiy Viktor A.
Published: October 2014

We demonstrate that the incorporation of nonlocal nanowire metamaterials into Salisbury screens allows for a substantial reduction of the dependence of incident angle on the absorption maximum. Realizations of angle-independent Salisbury screens for the near-IR, mid-IR, and GHz frequencies are proposed and their performances are analyzed analytically and numerically. It is shown that nonlocal effective medium theory adequately describes the angular dependence of nanowire-based Salisbury screens.