bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Troubled Marriage? Divided Minority Government, Cohabitation, Presidential Powers, President-Parliamentarism and Semi-Presidentialism
Authors: Kim Young Hun
Published: July 2014

Although semi-presidentialism is a popular form of governance in new democracies, we have little empirical evidence supporting its popularity. In this study, I attempt to reassess democratic performance of new semi-presidential regimes from 1974 to 2009 as a function of four broadly cited risk factors: divided minority government, cohabitation, presidential powers and president-parliamentarism. The results are more encouraging than previous research has suggested. First, divided minority government is positively associated with higher levels of democracy, even though it, along with a strong presidency and president-parliamentarism, makes executive instability more likely. Second, perils of cohabitation are not substantiated with regard to executive instability and quality of democracy. Third, none of the caveats against semi-presidential systems makes them more vulnerable to democratic breakdown. However, a failure to check presidential powers appears to be a serious risk for semi-presidentialism. As presidents enjoy more powers, the levels of democracy tend to decrease. This finding has a substantive implication for countries that already practise semi-presidential governance or contemplate a move in that direction: checking presidential powers is critical to facilitate democratic consolidation in semi-presidentialism.
Cognitive Discourse Analysis: accessing cognitive representations and processes through language data
Authors: TENBRINK THORA
Published: July 2014

abstract

This paper offers the first general introduction to CODA (Cognitive Discourse Analysis), a methodology for analyzing verbal protocols and other types of unconstrained language use, as a resource for researchers interested in mental representations and high-level cognitive processes. CODA can be used to investigate verbalizations of perceived scenes and events, spatio-temporal concepts, complex cognitive processes such as problem-solving and cognitive strategies and heuristics, and other concepts that are accessible for verbalization. CODA builds on and extends relevant established methodologies such as cognitive linguistic perspectives, verbal protocol analysis in cognitive psychology and interdisciplinary content analysis, linguistic discourse analysis, and psycholinguistic experimentation.
APPLICABLE LAWS TO ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS UNDER CURRENT ARBITRATION LAW AND PRACTICE IN MAINLAND CHINA
Authors: Yang Fan
Published: July 2014

This article examines the recent development of mainland Chinese law and judicial practice regarding the law applicable to arbitration agreements. It identifies potential changes to mainland Chinese law and practice that may help to further develop the People's Republic of China (PRC) into a truly international-arbitration-friendly jurisdiction. It argues that in the absence of explicit statutory provisions and a consistent approach in the People's Courts to the determination of the place of arbitration and the law applicable to arbitration agreements, it is important for parties negotiating arbitration clauses with a seat in China and/or for contracts involving mainland Chinese elements to explicitly designate the place of arbitration as well as the law governing their arbitration agreements.
REFLECTIONS OF CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE AUTHORITY OF CODIFICATION CONVENTIONS AND ILC DRAFT ARTICLES IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
Authors: Bordin Fernando Lusa
Published: July 2014

Codification conventions and draft articles completed by the International Law Commission are often—and increasingly—invoked by courts, tribunals, governments and international organizations as ‘reflections of customary international law’. This article discusses the factors explaining the authority that these ‘non-legislative codifications’ have come to enjoy in international legal reasoning. Moving beyond the traditional explanations of codification conventions as evidence of State practice and ILC draft articles as the teaching of publicists, it considers how, against the backdrop of the uncertainty of customary international law, institutional factors (relating to authorship, representation and procedure) and textual factors (including prescriptive form and the absence of a distinction between ‘codification’ and ‘progressive development’) converge to convey the image that the resulting texts constitute the most authoritative restatement of the existing law. It then assesses this phenomenon in light of the political ideal of the international rule of law. While non-legislative codifications contribute to enhancing the clarity, consistency and congruence of international law, the fact that they may portray novel rules as reflecting existing law inevitably raises legality concerns.
CORPORATE HUMAN RIGHTS ACCOUNTABILITY: THE OBJECTIONS OF WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO THE ALIEN TORT STATUTE
Authors: Kohl Uta
Published: July 2014

The almost two decade-long bonanza of civil litigation concerning gross human rights violations committed by corporations under the US Alien Tort Statute 1789 was scaled back by the US Supreme Court in Kiobel v Royal Dutch Petroleum in April 2013. The court restricted the territorial reach of human rights claims against transnational corporations by holding that the presumption against extra-territoriality applied to the Act. Thus Shell, the Dutch/British defendant, and the role it played in the brutal suppression by the Nigerian military of the Ogoni peoples' protest movement against the environmental devastation caused by oil exploration, lay outside the territorial scope of the Act. Legal accountability must lie in a State with a stronger connection with the dispute. While this article briefly engages with the Supreme Court decision, its main focus is on the attitude of Western governments to the corporate human rights litigation under the ATS as articulated in their amicus briefs. In these briefs they objected to the statute's excessive extraterritoriality and horizontal application of human rights to artificial non-State actors. In these two respects corporate ATS litigation created significant inroads into the conventional State-centric approach to human rights and thus provided an opportunity for more effective human rights enjoyment. This article tests the validity of the objections of Western governments to corporate human rights obligations under the ATS against the norms of public international law and against the substantive demands arising out of the shortfalls of the international human rights enforcement.
The life cycle ofProsorhynchoides carvajali(Trematoda: Bucephalidae) involving species of bivalve and fish hosts in the intertidal zone of central Chile
Authors: Muñoz G. , Valdivia I. , López Z.
Published: July 2014

We describe the life cycle of the bucephalidProsorhynchoides carvajalifrom the intertidal rocky zone of central Chile. To elucidate the life cycle of this digenean, two mytilid bivalves,Semimytilus algosusandPerumytilus purpuratus, and ten intertidal fish species belonging to the families Blenniidae, Tripterygiidae, Labrisomidae, Kyphosidae and Gobiesocidae were analysed for natural infections. In addition, experimental infections of fish were undertaken and molecular analyses were performed of several developmental stages of the digeneans in various host species. Experimental infections of fish were made from infected mytilids to determine which fish species were suitable for the metacercarial stage ofProsorhynchoides. We also determined the abundance and prevalence of metacercariae in natural infections in fish and found that they were lower than in the experimental infections. A molecular analysis showed that sporocysts fromS. algosuswere identical to metacercariae from five fish species andP. carvajaliadults. Sporocysts isolated fromP. purpuratuswere similar to metacercaria found in one fish species only (G. laevifrons) but were different fromP. carvajali, with 1.9–2.0% genetic divergence. Therefore, the complete life cycle ofP. carvajaliconsists of the mytilid speciesS. algosusas the first intermediate host, at least five intertidal fish species as second intermediate hosts (Scartichthys viridis, Auchenionchus microcirrhis, Hypsoblennius sordidus, Helcogrammoides chilensisandGobiesox marmoratus), two carnivorous fish as definitive hosts (Auchenionchus microcirrhisandA. variolosus) and one occasional definitive host (Syciases sanguineus). This is the second description of a life cycle of a marine digenean from Chile.
Audiological evaluation in patients with Behçet's disease
Authors: Sonbay N D , Saka C , Tatlican S , Vuralkan E , Aygener N , Eren C , Akin I
Published: July 2014

Objective:

This study aimed to determine the characteristics of hearing loss in patients with Behçet's disease.

Methods:

Twenty-six consecutive patients with Behçet's disease and a control group consisting of 25 age-matched healthy subjects were prospectively included in this study. Pure tone and speech audiometry, tympanometry, distortion product otoacoustic emission testing, and auditory brainstem-evoked response assessment were performed in the patients and controls.

Results:

The pure tone audiograms and the results of distortion product otoacoustic emission testing showed statistically significant hearing loss in the Behçet's disease patients (p < 0.05). Auditory brainstem-evoked response results were not significantly different between the patients and controls (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

The findings of the present study demonstrated that audiological involvement is more frequent in patients with Behçet's disease than in healthy controls. Therefore, all patients with Behçet's disease should be regularly monitored by an otolaryngologist and be given information about the possibility of inner-ear involvement.
The effect of shipwrecks on associated fish assemblages in the central Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Consoli Pierpaolo , Martino Andrea , Romeo Teresa , Sinopoli Mauro , Perzia Patrizia , Canese Simonepietro , Vivona Pietro , Andaloro Franco
Published: July 2014

Understanding the role played by sunken vessels in Mediterranean marine ecosystems is acquiring increasing importance. The aim of this research was to study the fish communities associated with four shipwrecks, by means of underwater visual censuses performed by a remotely operated vehicle, and to test the differences in composition of fish assemblages between these shipwrecks and the adjacent soft bottoms, considered as control sites. Multivariate analysis on the total fish assemblage showed significant differences between wrecks and controls. Results also showed higher levels of species richness and abundance near all wrecks than at a short distance from them on soft bottoms, thus indicating that these sunken vessels, thanks to their higher habitat complexity, act as artificial reefs, attracting aggregations of fish species and leading to a greater diversification of the local fish assemblage. Nevertheless, shipwrecks, which are an ideal target for recreational fishermen, could contribute to the over-exploitation of some high-value fish species, such asMycteroperca rubra, Dentex dentexandDiplodusspp., attracted by the artificial hard substrate of the vessel-reefs. The recent European directives suggest an urgent need for a better understanding of the crucial role played by these potential sources of pollutants on marine environments and ecosystems. An ecosystem approach to study and monitor these pollutant sources is, therefore, mandatory for appropriate remediation and/or mitigation of the potential negative effects on a productive and healthy ocean.
Worshipping Relics and Animating Statues. Transformations of Buddhist statecraft in contemporary Laos
Authors: LADWIG PATRICE
Published: July 2014

In Laos—one of the few remaining ‘officially’ socialist countries—Buddhism was abolished as a state religion after the revolution in 1975. However, since the 1990s the communist government has been increasingly using its patronage of Buddhism to gain legitimacy. With reference to the divine sources of power in Theravāda Buddhism, this article explores the extent to which modern Lao state socialism is still imbued with pre-revolutionary patterns of Buddhist kingship and statecraft. The analysis will focus especially on ritual patronage of a Buddhist relic shrine and on the recent inauguration of statues of deceased kings in the Lao capital, Vientiane. With reference to the ritual animation of ‘opening the eyes’ of the statues, and with regard to theories exploring the agency of objects, I argue that the Lao palladium has to be understood as being made up of ‘living’ entities. Finally, the article explores to what extent the control, worship, and creation of statues and relics today are still essential for the legitimacy of rule in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
The Transformation of Adultery in France at the End of the Middle Ages
Authors: McDougall Sara
Published: July 2014

In 1522, Marie Quatrelivres, accused of adultery by her husband and found guilty, was condemned to be beaten with sticks on three Fridays and afterwards enclosed in a convent. The court allotted her husband 2 years to decide if he wanted to take her back. If he did not choose to reconcile with her, she was to be enclosed for life and lose all of her property. So wrote eminent jurist Jean Papon (1505–1590) in his collection of notable cases heard before the royal courts of France. Papon described a handful of other sixteenth century adultery cases similarly decided, and then cited a contemporary and fellow eminent jurist, Nicolas Bohier, as having stated that another common punishment for adultery in France was to cut off an adulterous woman's hair, tear her clothes, and parade her in shame throughout the town or city in which she lived.
Debye temperature of wurtzite AlN determined by X-ray powder diffraction
Authors: Wang J. , Zhao M. , Jin S. F. , Li D. D. , Yang J. W. , Hu W. J. , Wang W. J.
Published: July 2014

The Debye temperature of wurtzite aluminum nitride (AlN) was determined by the Rietveld refinement method based on the room-temperature X-ray powder diffraction data. The refined lattice parameters area = 3.11139(1) Å,c = 4.978 43(3) Å; the refined positional parameter for N isz = 0.384 59(33) Å; and the refined temperature factors of Al and N were 0.442(12) Å2and 0.559(33) Å2, respectively. Using this refined temperature factor, the Debye temperature was evaluated as 971 K through the Debye approximation.
Seasonal abundance and breeding habitat occupancy of the Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata) in western Brazilian Amazonia
Authors: ENDO WHALDENER , HAUGAASEN TORBJØRN , PERES CARLOS A.
Published: July 2014

The Near-threatened Orinoco Goose Neochen jubata is a poorly known South American sheldgoose with a declining population and range distribution. In this study, we surveyed the Orinoco Goose population along the middle reaches of the Rio Juruá, western Brazilian Amazonia, and its first-order tributaries. We quantified the seasonal abundance of geese, pinpointed their approximate breeding season, and examined their habitat associations and the potential effects of human activities on their abundance. Hunting by local villagers was also monitored to assess the offtake rate of this species. Orinoco Goose occurrence in the region was highly seasonal and restricted to the dry season. We estimated a mean dry-season encounter rate of 7.18 ± 2.45 adult individuals per 4-km section along this river. Immature individuals were seen along the river margins from August to December. The species showed a strong preference for sandy beaches and was primarily restricted to the main river channel, with few individuals occurring along tributaries. The encounter rate of this species was also significantly related to fluvial distance from the municipal urban centre and to the level of protection from hunting. Hunting of Orinoco Goose was reported in 12 of the 26 villages monitored. The seasonal appearance of the Orinoco Goose in the region indicates that this is a migratory population. Our study indicates that strict protection of the river margins, and sandy beaches in particular, along the main river channel is likely to be positive for the conservation of this species along the Rio Juruá. However, further knowledge of migration routes is critical for effective protection of both breeding and non-breeding populations.
Pathologizing Suffering and the Pursuit of a Peaceful Death
Authors: RICH BEN A.
Published: July 2014

The specialty of psychiatry has a long-standing, virtually monolithic view that a desire to die, even a desire for a hastened death among the terminally ill, is a manifestation of mental illness. Recently, psychiatry has made significant inroads into hospice and palliative care, and in doing so brings with it the conviction that dying patients who seek to end their suffering by asserting control over the time and manner of their inevitable death should be provided with psychotherapeutic measures rather than having their expressed wishes respected as though their desire for an earlier death were the rational choice of someone with decisional capacity. This article reviews and critiques this approach from the perspective of recent clinical data indicating that patients who secure and utilize a lethal prescription are generally exercising an autonomous choice unencumbered by clinical depression or other forms of incapacitating mental illness.
Why Physicians Should Not Be Involved in Hostile Interrogations
Authors: DAVIS MICHAEL
Published: July 2014

CQ welcomes readers’ comments on papers published in the journal. Please send submissions to T. Kushner at kushnertk@gmail.com.
Examining Ethics
Authors: SCHONFELD TOBY , STODDARD HUGH , LABRECQUE CORY ANDREW
Published: July 2014

The aim of this section is to expand and accelerate advances in methods of teaching bioethics. Bioethics educators are invited to send submissions to T. Kushner at kushnertk@gmail.com.
Ductal closure with radiofrequency energy: the first in-human report
Authors: Dalili Mohammad
Published: July 2014

Background

Vascular obstruction is one of the complications of radiofrequency ablation. Following our previous report on the use of radiofrequency energy for vascular closure in an animal model in this journal, we herein present the first ever in-human report.

Patient and method

The patient was a 3-year-old boy, who received a permanent endocardial pacemaker for congenital complete heart block. He also had a conical patent ductus arteriosus. The ductus was occluded with radiofrequency energy on the arterial side with no complications.

Conclusion

Closure of patent ductus arteriosus and probably other problematic small vessels could be achieved with radiofrequency energy. Further experience will elucidate the future scope of this novel technique.
1966 AND ALL THAT: CODIFICATION, CONSOLIDATION, CREEP, AND CONTROVERSY IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE COASE THEOREM
Authors: Medema Steven G.
Published: July 2014

The year 1966 was central to the history of the Coase theorem debates, featuring the entry of the idea of a ‘Coase theorem’ into economic discourse and the eruption of the controversy over the the correctness of Coase’s negotiation result. This paper examines economists’ treatments of Coase’s result in 1966 and through the remainder of the decade, a period during which its place in the professional discourse began to solidify and three ‘camps’ began to develop around it: those who believed Coase’s result correct but of limited real-world applicability, those who found it relevant for explaining and devising policy with regard to a wide swath of externality-related phenomena, and those who argued and purported to demonstrate that this result was simply incorrect or wrong-headed on one or another grounds.
RONALD COASE’S “NATURE OF THE FIRM” AND THE ARGUMENT FOR ECONOMIC PLANNING
Authors: BYLUND PER L.
Published: July 2014

Ronald Coase was in his early twenties when he developed his groundbreaking theory of the firm. This theory represented a new approach with no obvious precursors, but from where did it arise? This article traces the origins of Coase’s theory of the firm and provides a context for its formation. I argue that Coase’s arguments were rooted in the exchange of ideas in the Socialist Calculation Debate, and that, in this context, one could read his theory of the firm as an argument in defense of economic planning.
FREE RIDING
Authors: FONTAINE PHILIPPE
Published: July 2014

Following the publication ofThe Logic of Collective Actionby Mancur Olson in 1965, the notion of free riding gained wide currency in economics. The idea of enjoying the benefits of collective action without incurring the corresponding costs seemed to shed light on a number of major issues in American society at a time when social ills of various kinds prompted policy makers to reconsider the conditions of social cohesion. Gradually, free riding became to be regarded as the standard behavior of people placed in certain circumstances rather than the exception confirming the rule that people pay for what they get.

In this article, after reviewing the various meanings associated with the termfree riding(andfree rider), I follow the notion from the late 1930s to the early 1970s. I show that though it was used to tackle problems in fields as diverse as finance and labor—the study of which betrays the usual tensions between the free market and government intervention—from the mid-1960s, the notion increasingly conveyed a message about society as a whole. That an economic notion could serve such a purpose is another indication of the permeation of society by economic reasoning.
The Clinical Utility and Specificity of Parent Report of Executive Function among Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Nguyen Tanya T. , Glass Leila , Coles Claire D. , Kable Julie A. , May Philip A. , Kalberg Wendy O. , Sowell Elizabeth R. , Jones Kenneth L. , Riley Edward P. , Mattson Sarah N. ,   the CIFASD
Published: July 2014

Prenatal alcohol exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) result in behavioral issues related to poor executive function (EF). This overlap may hinder clinical identification of alcohol-exposed children. This study examined the relation between parent and neuropsychological measures of EF and whether parent ratings aid in differential diagnosis. Neuropsychological measures of EF, including the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), were administered to four groups of children (8–16 years): alcohol-exposed with ADHD (AE+, n=80), alcohol-exposed without ADHD (AE−, n=36), non-exposed with ADHD (ADHD, n=93), and controls (CON, n=167). Primary caregivers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). For parent ratings, multivariate analyses of variance revealed main effects of Exposure and ADHD and an interaction between these factors, with significant differences between all groups on nearly all BRIEF scales. For neuropsychological measures, results indicated main effects of Exposure and ADHD, but no interaction. Discriminant function analysis indicated the BRIEF accurately classifies groups. These findings confirm compounded behavioral, but not neuropsychological, effects in the AE+ group over the other clinical groups. Parent-report was not correlated with neuropsychological performance in the clinical groups and may provide unique information about neurobehavior. Parent-report measures are clinically useful in predicting alcohol exposure regardless of ADHD. Results contribute to a neurobehavioral profile of prenatal alcohol exposure. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–13)
TOPOLOGICAL FULL GROUPS OF -ALGEBRAS ARISING FROM -EXPANSIONS
Authors: MATSUMOTO KENGO , MATUI HIROKI
Published: July 2014

We introduce a family of infinite nonamenable discrete groups as an interpolation of the Higman–Thompson groups by using the topological full groups of the groupoids defined by$\beta $-expansions of real numbers. They are regarded as full groups of certain interpolated Cuntz algebras, and realized as groups of piecewise-linear functions on the unit interval in the real line if the$\beta $-expansion of$1$is finite or ultimately periodic. We also classify them by a number-theoretical property of$\beta $.
On fuzzy frontiers and fragmented foundations: some reflections on the original and new institutional economics
Authors: HODGSON GEOFFREY M.
Published: July 2014

These reflections are prompted by the papers by Ménard (2014) and Ménard and Shirley (2014). Their essays centre on the path-breaking contributions to the ‘new institutional economics’ (NIE) by Ronald Coase, Douglass North and Oliver Williamson. In response, while recognising their substantial achievements, it is pointed out that these three thinkers had contrasting views on key points. Furthermore, Ménard's and Shirley's three ‘golden triangle’ NIE concepts – transaction costs, property rights and contracts – are themselves disputed. Once all this is acknowledged, differences of view appear within the NIE, raising interesting questions concerning its identity and boundaries, including its differences with the original institutionalism. There are sizeable overlaps between the two traditions. It is argued here that the NIE can learn from the original institutionalism, particularly when elaborating more dynamic analyses, and developing more nuanced, psychologically-grounded and empirically viable theories of human motivation.
Reconfigurable dual-mode band-pass filter with switchable bandwidth using PIN diodes
Authors: Vryonides Photos , Nikolaou Symeon , Kim Sangkil , Tentzeris Manos M.
Published: July 2014

A reconfigurable band-pass filter with switchable bandwidth, for wireless applications is demonstrated using a dual-mode microstrip square-loop resonator. The proposed filter has been designed on Rogers RO4003C and achieves switchable bandwidth by changing the length of two tuning stubs with the implementation of two strategically placed p-i-n diodes as switching elements. The filter was designed with a center frequency of 2.4 GHz and the two distinct operation states have bandwidths, 113 MHz (4.8%) with an insertion loss of 1.2 dB and 35 MHz (1.5%) with an insertion loss of 1.5 dB. The physical size of the fabricated reconfigurable filter including the implementation of the DC bias lines is comparable to the size of a conventional filter.
A CPW-fed reconfigurable patch antenna with circular polarization diversity
Authors: Sulakshana Ch. , Anjaneyulu L.
Published: July 2014

This paper presents a simple and compact coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed circular-shaped reconfigurable patch antenna with a switchable circular polarization (CP) sense. The circular patch is cut at the ends vertically and switches are introduced to connect the patch ends. By controlling the ON/OFF status of the two switches, the polarization of the antenna can be switched between two states: left-hand circular polarization and right-hand circular polarization. The patch is designed on a very thin RT Duroid substrate of dielectric constant (εr) of 2.2 and thickness of 0.254 mm. The overall antenna dimensions are 35 × 30 mm. The antenna is designed and simulated using finite-element method -based EM simulator, HFSS. For each switching condition the return loss curve, radiation pattern are obtained. Axial ratio curves for polarization diversity cases are also plotted. Parametric studies have been made in order to get optimized values for certain antenna dimensions such as thickness, CPW ground to feed gap, etc.
Brimonidine prevents neurodegeneration in a mouse model of normal tension glaucoma
Authors: Semba K , Namekata K , Kimura A , Harada C , Mitamura Y , Harada T
Published: July 2014

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness that is characterized by progressive degeneration of optic nerves and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In the mammalian retina, excitatory amino-acid carrier 1 (EAAC1) is expressed in neural cells, including RGCs, and the loss of EAAC1 leads to RGC degeneration without elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Brimonidine (BMD) is an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist and it is commonly used in a form of eye drops to lower IOP in glaucoma patients. Recent studies have suggested that BMD has direct protective effects on RGCs involving IOP-independent mechanisms, but it is still controversial. In the present study, we examined the effects of BMD in EAAC1-deficient (KO) mice, an animal model of normal tension glaucoma. BMD caused a small decrease in IOP, but sequential in vivo retinal imaging and electrophysiological analysis revealed that treatment with BMD was highly effective for RGC protection in EAAC1 KO mice. BMD suppressed the phosphorylation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B (NR2B) subunit in RGCs in EAAC1 KO mice. Furthermore, in cultured Müller glia, BMD stimulated the production of several neurotrophic factors that enhance RGC survival. These results suggest that, in addition to lowering IOP, BMD prevents glaucomatous retinal degeneration by stimulating multiple pathways including glia–neuron interactions.
CdS sensitized 3D hierarchical TiO2/ZnO heterostructure for efficient solar energy conversion
Authors: Zheng Zhaoke , Xie Wen , Lim Zhi Shiuh , You Lu , Wang Junling
Published: July 2014

For conventional dye or quantum dot sensitized solar cells, which are fabricated using mesoporous films, the inefficient electron transport due to defects such as grain boundaries and surface traps is a major drawback. To simultaneously increase the carrier transport efficiency as well as the surface area, optimal-assembling of hierarchical nanostructures is an attractive approach. Here, a three dimensional (3D) hierarchical heterostructure, consisting of CdS sensitized one dimensional (1D) ZnO nanorods deposited on two dimensional (2D) TiO2 (001) nanosheet, is prepared via a solution-process method. Such heterstructure exhibits significantly enhanced photoelectric and photocatalytic H2 evolution performance compared with CdS sensitized 1D ZnO nanorods/1D TiO2 nanorods photoanode, as a result of the more efficient light harvesting over the entire visible light spectrum and the effective electron transport through a highly connected 3D network.
Electrolytic valving isolation of cell co-culture microenvironment with controlled cell pairing ratios
Authors: Chen Yu-Chih , Ingram Patrick , Yoon Euisik
Published: July 2014

Cancer–stromal interaction is a critical process in tumorigenesis.
Stepwise modulation of the electron-donating strength of ancillary ligands: understanding the AIE mechanism of cationic iridium(iii) complexes
Authors: Wu Yong , Sun Hai-Zhu , Cao Hong-Tao , Li Hai-Bin , Shan Guo-Gang , Duan Yu-Ai , Geng Yun , Su Zhong-Min , Liao Yi
Published: July 2014

The aggregation-induced emission (AIE) mechanism for cationic Ir(iii) complexes with triazole–pyridine ligands was determined by an experimental and computational study.
Zero-field slow magnetic relaxation in a uranium(iii) complex with a radical ligand
Authors: Coutinho Joana T. , Antunes Maria A. , Pereira Laura C. J. , Marçalo Joaquim , Almeida Manuel
Published: July 2014

Single-molecule-magnet behaviour in [U(TpMe2)2(bipy˙)], a U(iii) complex with a radical bipyridine ligand, having magnetic contributions from both the metal and the ligand.
Oxidative skeletal rearrangement of 1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diamines (BINAMs) via C–C bond cleavage and nitrogen migration: a versatile synthesis of U-shaped azaacenes
Authors: Takeda Youhei , Okazaki Masato , Minakata Satoshi
Published: July 2014

An oxidative skeletal rearrangement of 1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diamines (BINAMs) that involves the cleavage of a strong C–C single bond of the binaphthalene unit and the nitrogen migration has been discovered.
Controlled (110) and (101) crystallographic plane growth of single crystalline rutile TiO2 nanorods by facile low cost chemical methods
Authors: Soundarrajan P. , Sankarasubramanian K. , Sethuraman K. , Ramamurthi K.
Published: July 2014

A new approach has been employed to grow large rutile TiO2 nanorods (NRs) with a high number density by low cost chemical methods.
Electrochemical flow-based solution–solid growth of the Cu2O nanorod array: potential application to lithium ion batteries
Authors: Shin Jeong Ho , Park Sun Hwa , Hyun Seung Min , Kim Jeong Won , Park Hyun Min , Song Jae Yong
Published: July 2014

Facile and template-free synthesis of the Cu2O nanorod array is realized by an electrochemical flow-based solution–solid method based on electrical field-driven filamentary anisotropy.
Exploring the phase space of time of flight mass selected PtxY nanoparticles
Authors: Masini Federico , Hernández-Fernández Patricia , Deiana Davide , Strebel Christian Ejersbo , McCarthy David Norman , Bodin Anders , Malacrida Paolo , Stephens Ifan , Chorkendorff Ib
Published: July 2014

Mass distribution, morphology and chemical composition critically affect the catalytic properties of PtxY nanoparticles.
Light-induced spin-state switching in the mixed crystal series of the 2D coordination network {[Zn1−xFex(bbtr)3](BF4)2}∞: optical spectroscopy and cooperative effects
Authors: Chakraborty Pradip , Enachescu Cristian , Humair Arnaud , Egger Leo , Delgado Teresa , Tissot Antoine , Guénée Laure , Besnard Céline , Bronisz Robert , Hauser Andreas
Published: July 2014

Strong cooperative interactions result in light-induced bistability between the high-spin and the low-spin state.
The pleiotropic flavonoid quercetin: from its metabolism to the inhibition of protein kinases in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Russo Gian Luigi , Russo Maria , Spagnuolo Carmela
Published: July 2014

Quercetin inhibits the key protein kinases active in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, ameliorating anticancer therapy.
Cartilage polysaccharide induces apoptosis in K562 cells through a reactive oxygen species-mediated caspase pathway
Authors: Song Wei , Hu Panpan , Shan Yujuan , Du Ming , Liu Anjun , Ye Ran
Published: July 2014

Polysaccharide-induced K562 apoptosis was achieved by the activation of the ROS-mediated caspase mitochondrial pathway.
Design modification of a solution-cathode glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometer for the determination of trace metals in titanium dioxide
Authors: Wang Zheng , Gai Rongyin , Zhou Lei , Zhang Zhen
Published: July 2014

The quantitative measurement of trace elements in TiO2powders using a modified solution-cathode glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometry system has been developed.
Cross polarization compatible dialysis chip
Authors: Kornreich Micha , Heymann Michael , Fraden Seth , Beck Roy
Published: July 2014

We present a microfluidic dialysis chip compatible with cross polarization microscopy and optimized for the study of time-resolved processes.
The intrinsic view of ionization equilibria of polyprotic molecules
Authors: Borkovec Michal , Koper Ger J. M. , Spiess Bernard
Published: July 2014

The described intrinsic approach massively reduces the parameter number to describe microequilibria. The resulting intrinsic parameters yield insight into the protonation of polyprotic molecules.
Ratiometric fluorescence chemosensor based on tyrosine derivatives for monitoring mercury ions in aqueous solutions
Authors: Thirupathi Ponnaboina , Saritha (née Gudelli) Ponnaboina , Lee Keun-Hyeung
Published: July 2014

Ratiometric fluorescent chemosensors1and2were synthesized based on tyrosine amino acid derivatives with a pyrene fluorophore.
Total synthesis of putative montamine and a proposed structural reassignment
Authors: Blair Lachlan M. , Colby Davie Elizabeth A. , Sperry Jonathan
Published: July 2014

The spectroscopic data for synthetic montamine does not match the proposed N,N′-linked structure and closely resembles a known 4,4′-bismoschamine natural product.
Tuning the critical gelation temperature of thermo-responsive diblock copolymer worm gels
Authors: Cunningham V. J. , Ratcliffe L. P. D. , Blanazs A. , Warren N. J. , Smith A. J. , Mykhaylyk O. O. , Armes S. P.
Published: July 2014

Tuning the thermo-responsive behavior of statistical diblock copolymer worms.
Effects of sample pretreatments on EPR spectral characteristics of irradiated sea algae – an advanced approach to identify irradiation status
Authors: Ahn Jae-Jun , Sanyal Bhaskar , Park Eun-Joo , Lim Ha-Kyeong , Kwon Joong-Ho
Published: July 2014

Different sea algae, such as sea tangle, seaweed, and sea mustard were gamma-irradiated at 1, 5, and 10 kGy.
Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of novel spiropyrrolidines through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine ylides and 2-styrylquinazolin-4(3H)-ones
Authors: Maurya Ram Awatar , Nayak Ranjita , Reddy Chada Narsimha , Kapure Jeevak Sopanrao , Nanubolu Jagadeesh Babu , Singarapu Kiran Kumar , Ajitha M. , kamal Ahmed
Published: July 2014

Efficient regio- and stereoselective synthesis of novel spiropyrrolidines.
Synthesis of amorphous porous zirconium phosphonate materials: tuneable from micropore to mesopore sizes
Authors: Lin Xiu-Zhen , Yuan Zhong-Yong
Published: July 2014

Amorphous super-microporous zirconium phosphonates with tunable pore size distributions were hydrothermally synthesized in a CTAB–H2O–ethanol system by controlling the aging time.
Electrosprayed poly(vinylidene fluoride) microparticles for tissue engineering applications
Authors: Correia D. M. , Gonçalves R. , Ribeiro C. , Sencadas V. , Botelho G. , Ribelles J. L. Gomez , Lanceros-Méndez S.
Published: July 2014

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) microparticles with diameters between 0.80 and 5.50 μm were produced. Cell viability shows their suitability for tissue engineering.
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of Rapamycin-eluting nanofibers coated on cardia stents
Authors: Zhu Yueqi , Edmonds Laura , Zhao Xin , Chen Xinliang , Hu Changmin , Cheng Yingsheng , Cui Wenguo
Published: July 2014

Diagram of the process used to fabricate non-biodegradable metal stents with an outer layer of Rapa-loaded fibrous membrane using the electrospinning process. With the release of Rapa, the stents are expected to inhibit fibroblast proliferation and tissue hyperplasia, therefore treating a benign cardia stricture.
Facile preparation of novel Au–polydopamine nanoparticles modified by 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid for use in a glucose sensor
Authors: Jiang Guohua , Jiang Tengteng , Wang Yuan , Du Xiangxiang , Wei Zhen , Zhou Huijie
Published: July 2014

MPBA–Au–PDA composite particles were prepared for the ultrasensitive non-enzymatic electrochemical immunoassay for glucose.
Systematic study of TCTA-based star-shaped host materials by optimizing ratio of carbazole/ diphenylphosphine oxide: achieving both low efficiency roll-off and turn-on voltage for blue PHOLEDs
Authors: Pan Biao , Huang Hong , Yang Xiao , Jin Jiangjiang , Zhuang Shaoqing , Mu Guangyuan , Wang Lei
Published: July 2014

New starburst host materials for an efficient blue electrophosphorescent device were designed and synthesized by gradually tuning the D/A ratio of the peripheral groups.
High-speed adaptive contact-mode atomic force microscopy imaging with near-minimum-force
Authors: Ren Juan , Zou Qingze
Published: July 2014

In this paper, an adaptive contact-mode imaging approach is proposed to replace the traditional contact-mode imaging by addressing the major concerns in both the speed and the force exerted to the sample. The speed of the traditional contact-mode imaging is largely limited by the need to maintain precision tracking of the sample topography over the entire imaged sample surface, while large image distortion and excessive probe-sample interaction force occur during high-speed imaging. In this work, first, the image distortion caused by the topography tracking error is accounted for in the topography quantification. Second, the quantified sample topography is utilized in a gradient-based optimization method to adjust the cantilever deflection set-point for each scanline closely around the minimal level needed for maintaining stable probe-sample contact, and a data-driven iterative feedforward control that utilizes a prediction of the next-line topography is integrated to the topography feeedback loop to enhance the sample topography tracking. The proposed approach is demonstrated and evaluated through imaging a calibration sample of square pitches at both high speeds (e.g., scan rate of 75 Hz and 130 Hz) and large sizes (e.g., scan size of 30 μm and 80 μm). The experimental results show that compared to the traditional constant-force contact-mode imaging, the imaging speed can be increased by over 30 folds (with the scanning speed at 13 mm/s), and the probe-sample interaction force can be reduced by more than 15% while maintaining the same image quality.
Calibration and equivalency analysis of image plate scanners
Authors: Williams G. Jackson , Maddox Brian R. , Chen Hui , Kojima Sadaoki , Millecchia Matthew
Published: July 2014

A universal procedure was developed to calibrate image plate scanners using radioisotope sources. Techniques to calibrate scanners and sources, as well as cross-calibrate scanner models, are described to convert image plate dosage into physical units. This allows for the direct comparison of quantitative data between any facility and scanner. An empirical relation was also derived to establish sensitivity response settings for arbitrary gain settings. In practice, these methods may be extended to any image plate scanning system.
Practical auxiliary basis implementation of Rung 3.5 functionals
Authors: Janesko Benjamin G. , Scalmani Giovanni , Frisch Michael J.
Published: July 2014

Approximate exchange-correlation functionals for Kohn-Sham density functional theory often benefit from incorporating exact exchange. Exact exchange is constructed from the noninteracting reference system's nonlocal one-particle density matrix \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\gamma ({\vec{r}},{\vec{r}{\ ^{\prime }}})$\end{document}γ(r⃗,r⃗′). Rung 3.5 functionals attempt to balance the strengths and limitations of exact exchange using a new ingredient, a projection of \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\gamma ({\vec{r}},{\vec{r}{\ ^{\prime }}})$\end{document}γ(r⃗,r⃗′) onto a semilocal model density matrix \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\gamma _{SL}(\rho ({\vec{r}}),\nabla \rho ({\vec{r}}),{\vec{r}}-{\vec{r}{\ ^{\prime }}})$\end{document}γSL(ρ(r⃗),∇ρ(r⃗),r⃗−r⃗′). γSL depends on the electron density \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\rho ({\vec{r}})$\end{document}ρ(r⃗) at reference point \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}${\vec{r}}$\end{document}r⃗, and is closely related to semilocal model exchange holes. We present a practical implementation of Rung 3.5 functionals, expanding the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}${\vec{r}}-{\vec{r}{\ ^{\prime }}}$\end{document}r⃗−r⃗′ dependence of γSL in an auxiliary basis set. Energies and energy derivatives are obtained from 3D numerical integration as in standard semilocal functionals. We also present numerical tests of a range of properties, including molecular thermochemistry and kinetics, geometries and vibrational frequencies, and bandgaps and excitation energies. Rung 3.5 functionals typically provide accuracy intermediate between semilocal and hybrid approximations. Nonlocal potential contributions from γSL yield interesting successes and failures for band structures and excitation energies. The results enable and motivate continued exploration of Rung 3.5 functional forms.
A perturbative formalism for electronic transitions through conical intersections in a fully quadratic vibronic model
Authors: Endicott Julia S. , Joubert-Doriol Loïc , Izmaylov Artur F.
Published: July 2014

We consider a fully quadratic vibronic model Hamiltonian for studying photoinduced electronic transitions through conical intersections. Using a second order perturbative approximation for diabatic couplings, we derive an analytical expression for the time evolution of electronic populations at a given temperature. This formalism extends upon a previously developed perturbative technique for a linear vibronic coupling Hamiltonian. The advantage of the quadratic model Hamiltonian is that it allows one to use separate quadratic representations for potential energy surfaces of different electronic states and a more flexible representation of interstate couplings. We explore features introduced by the quadratic Hamiltonian in a series of 2D models, and then apply our formalism to the 2,6-bis(methylene) adamantyl cation and its dimethyl derivative. The Hamiltonian parameters for the molecular systems have been obtained from electronic structure calculations followed by a diabatization procedure. The evolution of electronic populations in the molecular systems using the perturbative formalism shows a good agreement with that from variational quantum dynamics.
A simple molecular mechanics integrator in mixed rigid body and dihedral angle space
Authors: Vitalis Andreas , Pappu Rohit V.
Published: July 2014

We propose a numerical scheme to integrate equations of motion in a mixed space of rigid-body and dihedral angle coordinates. The focus of the presentation is biomolecular systems and the framework is applicable to polymers with tree-like topology. By approximating the effective mass matrix as diagonal and lumping all bias torques into the time dependencies of the diagonal elements, we take advantage of the formal decoupling of individual equations of motion. We impose energy conservation independently for every degree of freedom and this is used to derive a numerical integration scheme. The cost of all auxiliary operations is linear in the number of atoms. By coupling the scheme to one of two popular thermostats, we extend the method to sample constant temperature ensembles. We demonstrate that the integrator of choice yields satisfactory stability and is free of mass-metric tensor artifacts, which is expected by construction of the algorithm. Two fundamentally different systems, viz., liquid water and an α-helical peptide in a continuum solvent are used to establish the applicability of our method to a wide range of problems. The resultant constant temperature ensembles are shown to be thermodynamically accurate. The latter relies on detailed, quantitative comparisons to data from reference sampling schemes operating on exactly the same sets of degrees of freedom.
Note: Dynamic strain field mapping with synchrotron X-ray digital image correlation
Authors: Lu L. , Fan D. , Bie B. X. , Ran X. X. , Qi M. L. , Parab N. , Sun J. Z. , Liao H. J. , Hudspeth M. C. , Claus B. , Fezzaa K. , Sun T. , Chen W. , Gong X. L. , Luo S. N.
Published: July 2014

We present a dynamic strain field mapping method based on synchrotron X-ray digital image correlation (XDIC). Synchrotron X-ray sources are advantageous for imaging with exceptional spatial and temporal resolutions, and X-ray speckles can be produced either from surface roughness or internal inhomogeneities. Combining speckled X-ray imaging with DIC allows one to map strain fields with high resolutions. Based on experiments on void growth in Al and deformation of a granular material during Kolsky bar/gas gun loading at the Advanced Photon Source beamline 32ID, we demonstrate the feasibility of dynamic XDIC. XDIC is particularly useful for dynamic, in-volume, measurements on opaque materials under high strain-rate, large, deformation.