bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small Paramagnetic Co-solute Molecules
Authors: Madl Tobias , Mulder Frans A. A.
Published: August 2018

Small co-solute molecules containing unpaired electrons can impart strong perturbations on nuclear shielding and nuclear relaxation of dissolved compounds, and thereby form a potent class of non-covalent probes for molecular science. These paramagnetic co-solutes range from exquisite lanthanoid and transition metal complexes to a molecule as simple as dioxygen. In this chapter, we discuss the various effects that can be observed due to paramagnetic co-solutes, and we highlight how these effects have spurred the buildout of their application to protein science. For example, dioxygen is a very sensitive probe able to identify internal cavities in proteins, whereas neutral gadolinium chelates have become key in the structure determination of protein complexes in solution.
A peptide–WS2 nanosheet based biosensing platform for determination of β-secretase and screening of its inhibitors
Authors: Zuo Xianwei , Dai Hongxia , Zhang Huige , Liu Juanjuan , Ma Sudai , Chen Xingguo
Published: August 2018

β-Secretase (BACE1) is an important drug target in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Untargeted metabolomics for plasma biomarker discovery for early chronic kidney disease diagnosis in pediatric patients using LC-QTOF-MS
Authors: Benito S. , Sánchez-Ortega A. , Unceta N. , Andrade F. , Aldámiz-Echevarria L. , Goicolea M. A. , Barrio R. J.
Published: August 2018

Pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by renal hypofunction occurring due to gradual and irreversible kidney damage that can further progress over time.
The preparation of a flexible AuNP modified carbon cloth electrode and its application in electrochemical detection of Hg(ii) by continuous flow in environmental water
Authors: Guan Peng , Guo Peng-Ran , Liu Ning , Zhang Fang , Lei Yong-Qian
Published: August 2018

An AuNP modified carbon cloth electrode was used in the electrochemical continuous flow detection of Hg(ii) and exhibited excellent performance.
Glucose oxidase mediated targeted cancer-starving therapy by biotinylated self-assembled vesicles
Authors: Dinda Soumik , Sarkar Saheli , Das Prasanta Kumar
Published: August 2018

Glucose oxidase (GOx) mediated targeted cancer-starving therapy, by blocking the energy supply to cancer cells, has been demonstrated using GOx encapsulating monolayer vesicles of a trimesic acid based biotinylated amphiphile (TMB). GOx, loaded within theTMBvesicles, was selectively delivered inside the cancer cells, resulting in ∼6-fold higher killing of cancer cells compared to normal cells.
Effect of polymer charge on functional reconstitution of membrane proteins in polymer nanodiscs
Authors: Ravula Thirupathi , Hardin Nathaniel Z. , Bai Jia , Im Sang-Choul , Waskell Lucy , Ramamoorthy Ayyalusamy
Published: August 2018

Although there is growing interest in using polymer lipid-nanodiscs, the polymer charge poses limitations for studies on membrane proteins.
Targeting STING with cyclic di-GMP greatly augmented immune responses of glycopeptide cancer vaccines
Authors: Wu Jun-Jun , Li Wen-Hao , Chen Pu-Guang , Zhang Bo-Dou , Hu Hong-Guo , Li Qian-Qian , Zhao Lang , Chen Yong-Xiang , Zhao Yu-Fen , Li Yan-Mei
Published: August 2018

STING agonist cyclic di-GMP was applied to glycopeptide cancer vaccines through physical mixing and built-in strategies for the first time.
Lanthanide-doped core–shell nanoparticles as a multimodality platform for imaging and photodynamic therapy
Authors: Xu Feiya , Zhao Yiming , Hu Min , Zhang Pu , Kong Ning , Liu Ruiyu , Liu Chengcheng , Choi Seok Ki
Published: August 2018

We report a novel lanthanide-doped core–shell nanostructure NaYF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Nd@SiO2-RB with a unique design feature that integrates luminescence imaging in biological window II, magnetic resonance imaging, and NIR-excited photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy, in a single nanoscale entity.
Observing phase transformation in CVD-grown MoS2via atomic resolution TEM
Authors: Tai Kuo-Lun , Huang Guan-Min , Huang Chun-Wei , Tsai Tsung-Chun , Lee Shih-Kuang , Lin Ting-Yi , Lo Yu-Chieh , Wu Wen-Wei
Published: August 2018

We executed phase transformation in CVD-grown MoS2 through electron irradiation, and a new transitional route was proposed.
Concise syntheses ofeburnaneindole alkaloids
Authors: Zhou Qilong , Dai Xiang , Song Hao , He Huan , Wang Xiaobei , Liu Xiao-Yu , Qin Yong
Published: August 2018

Asymmetric syntheses of a group of structurally complexeburnanealkaloids have been achieved by employing a key photo-induced radical cascade reaction.
Exploring the syntheses, structures, topologies, luminescence sensing and magnetism of Zn(ii) and Mn(ii) coordination polymers based on a semirigid tricarboxylate ligand
Authors: Li Shaodong , Lu Liping , Zhu Miaoli , Feng Sisi , Su Feng , Zhao Xuefeng
Published: August 2018

Two Zn(ii)-CPs and two Mn(ii)-CPs were constructed from metal salts, H3cpota and N-heterocyclic group ligands. Their structures, magnetic properties and luminescence sensing properties have been studied in detail.
Anisotropic temperature–electric field phase diagrams and domain structure evolution in rhombohedral Mn-doped PIN–PMN–PT single crystals
Authors: Zhou Yaming , Li Qiang , Xu Chao , Zhuo Fangping , Liu Donglin , Yan Qingfeng , Zhang Yiling , Chu Xiangcheng
Published: August 2018

Anisotropic temperature–electric field phase diagrams are established based on microscopic domain observation and macroscopic dielectric and strain properties.
Solvent effects on the decarboxylation of trichloroacetic acid: insights from ab initio molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: da Silva Guilherme C. Q. , Cardozo Thiago M. , Amarante Giovanni W. , Abreu Charlles R. A. , Horta Bruno A. C.
Published: August 2018

The kinetics of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) decarboxylation strongly depends on the solvent in which it occurs, proceeding faster in polar aprotic solvents compared to protic solvents.
Recent advances in chemical dearomatization of nonactivated arenes
Authors: Wertjes William C. , Southgate Emma H. , Sarlah David
Published: August 2018

A comprehensive review of recent developments and applications of dearomatization of simple, nonactivated aromatic compounds.
Comparison of advanced oxidation processes in the decomposition of diuron and monuron – efficiency, intermediates, electrical energy per order and the effect of various matrices
Authors: Farkas János , Náfrádi Máté , Hlogyik Tamás , Cora Pravda Bartus , Schrantz Krisztina , Hernádi Klára , Alapi Tünde
Published: August 2018

The efficiency of UV-photolysis, ozonation, their combination and heterogeneous photocatalysis was investigated and compared in various matrices.
A facile fluorescence assay for rapid and sensitive detection of uric acid based on carbon dots and MnO2nanosheets
Authors: Yang Jie , Huang Zhongming , Hu Yalei , Ge Jia , Li Jianjun , Li Zhaohui
Published: August 2018

A sensitive turn-on fluorescence method for uric acid detection is proposed based on FRET between carbon dots and MnO2nanosheets.
Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Sn4+-doped TiO2 with anatase–rutile mixed phase via Pt loading by photoreduction method: enhanced photodegradation and hydrogen production performance
Authors: Zhou Qianlong , Li Li , Xin Yuying , Liu Dongxue , Zhang Xinyue
Published: August 2018

3DOM Pt/Sn–TiO2 with anatase–rutile mixed phase was successfully prepared by the colloidal crystal template method and the photoreduction method. A series of photocatalytic experiments showed that 3DOM Pt/Sn–TiO2 exhibited significant photocatalytic activity in photodegradation and water splitting.
A ruthenium-catalyzed alkenylation–annulation approach for the synthesis of indazole derivatives via C–H bond activation
Authors: Gholamhosseyni Maral , Kianmehr Ebrahim
Published: August 2018

A new approach to indazole derivatives through a Ru(ii)-catalyzed C–H activation–annulation reaction, which proceeds via C–C and C–N bond forming reactions, is reported.
Sol–gel asynchronous crystallization of ultra-selective metal–organic framework membranes for gas separation
Authors: Li Wanbin , Wu Wufeng , Li Zhanjun , Shi Jiali , Xia Yan
Published: August 2018

Ultra-selective MOF membranes with controllable thickness down to 130 nm were prepared on discs and fibers by sol–gel asynchronous crystallization.
Tuning molecular sieving channels of layered double hydroxides membrane with direct intercalation of amino acids
Authors: Wang Naixin , Huang Zheng , Li Xiaoting , Li Jie , Ji Shulan , An Quan-Fu
Published: August 2018

A facile and feasible approach was developed to prepare layered double hydroxide (LDH) composite membranes by using amino acids as intercalation molecules.
Understanding quantum confinement and ligand removal in solution-based ZnO thin films from highly stable nanocrystal ink
Authors: Sun Yuhang , Donaldson Preston D. , Garcia-Barriocanal Javier , Swisher Sarah L.
Published: August 2018

We report a synthesis procedure for 4 nm ZnO nanocrystals. The optical properties, chemical composition, and crystallinity of low-temperature solution processed ZnO thin films are investigated.
Effects of Submental Surface Electrical Stimulation on Swallowing Kinematics in Healthy Adults: An Error-Based Learning Paradigm
Authors: Serel Arslan Selen , Azola Alba , Sunday Kirstyn , Vose Alicia , Plowman Emily , Tabor Lauren , Singer Michele , Robison Raele , Humbert Ianessa A.
Published: August 2018

Purpose

Hyoid bone and laryngeal approximation aid airway protection (laryngeal vestibule closure) while moving toward their peak superior and anterior positions during swallowing. Submental surface electrical stimulation (SES) is a therapeutic technique that targets the muscles that move the hyoid bone during swallowing. It is unknown whether submental SES only increases peak hyoid bone swallowing positions but not peak laryngeal swallowing positions, which could require faster or greater laryngeal movement to achieve adequate laryngeal vestibule closure.

Method

We examined the effects of submental SES on hyo-laryngeal kinematics in 30 healthy adults who swallowed 50 times using an error-based learning paradigm.

Results

Submental SES did not alter any hyo-laryngeal swallowing kinematic. However, submental SES significantly changed the starting position of the hyoid bone just prior to the swallow onset (more anterior;
p
= .003). On average, submental SES immediately prior to swallow onset can position the hyoid approximately 20% closer to its peak swallowing point.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that electrical stimulation of the agonists for hyoid movement might not alter swallowing outcomes tested in this study. However, submental SES could have clinical utility by minimizing swallowing impairments related to reduced hyoid swallowing range of motion in individuals with dysphagia.
Using the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) System to Investigate Cultural Differences in Conversational Turn Count
Authors: Ganek Hillary , Smyth Ron , Nixon Stephanie , Eriks-Brophy Alice
Published: August 2018

Purpose

This study investigates how the variables of culture and hearing status might influence the amount of parent–child talk families engage in throughout an average day.

Method

Seventeen Vietnamese and 8 Canadian families of children with hearing loss and 17 Vietnamese and 13 Canadian families with typically hearing children between the ages of 18 and 48 months old participated in this cross-comparison design study. Each child wore a Language ENvironment Analysis system digital language processor for 3 days. An automated vocal analysis then calculated an average conversational turn count (CTC) for each participant as the variable of investigation. The CTCs for the 4 groups were compared using a Kruskal–Wallis test and a set of planned pairwise comparisons.

Results

The Canadian families participated in significantly more conversational turns than the Vietnamese families. No significant difference was found between the Vietnamese or the Canadian cohorts as a function of hearing status.

Conclusions

Culture, but not hearing status, influences CTCs as derived by the Language ENvironment Analysis system. Clinicians should consider how cultural communication practices might influence their suggestions for language stimulation.
Search for K+ → π+νν̅ at NA62
Authors: Aliberti Riccardo
Published: August 2018

Flavour physics is one of the most powerful fields for the search of new physics beyond the Standard Model. The kaon sector with the rare decay K+ → π+νν̅ provides one of the cleanest and most promising channels. NA62, a fixed target experiment at the CERN SPS, aims to measure BR (K+ → π+νν̅) with 10% precision to test the Standard Model validity up to an energy scale of hundreds of TeV. NA62 had dedicated data taking for the K+ → π+νν̅ measurement in 2016 and 2017 and will continue in 2018. Here preliminary results on a fraction of 2016 dataset are presented. The analysis of the complete 2016 data sample is expected to achieve the SM sensitivity.
Probing QCD with Photons and Jets at the ATLAS detector
Authors: Callea Giuseppe
Published: August 2018

This contribution gives an overview of the recent measurements of the differential cross sections for final states involving photons and/or jets at the centre-of-mass energies of 8 and 13 TeV, published by the ATLAS Collaboration. The results are compared with several next-to-leading order calculations and with the latest predictions of various Monte Carlo generators. New measurements of transverse energy-energy correlations and their associated asymmetries in multi-jet events at 8 TeV are also presented. Both measurements are used to extract the strong coupling constant and test the renormalization group equation.
Search for rare processes with DAMA experimental set-ups
Authors: Barabash A.S. , Belli P. , Bernabei R. , Boiko R.S. , Brudanin V.B. , Cappella F. , Caracciolo V. , Cerulli R. , Chernyak D.M. , Dai C.J. , Danevich F.A. , d'Angelo A. , Di Marco A. , He H.L. , Incicchitti A. , Kasperovych D.V. , Kobychev V.V. , Konovalov S.I. , Kuang H.H. , Ma X.H. , Merlo V. , Montecchia F. , Poda D.V. , Polischuk O.G. , Sheng X.D. , Shlegel V.N. , Tretyak V.I. , Umatov V.I. , Wang R.G. , Ye Z.P. , Zarytskyy M.M.
Published: August 2018

Profiting of the favourable conditions offered by the Gran Sasso underground laboratory and of the several low-background DAMA set-ups, many and competitive results have been obtained for rare processes. Here the main results will be briefly resumed and some more details about the latest activities will be given. In particular, the searches on ββdecays of 106Cd and 116Cd and the perspectives of a complementary investigation on those Dark Matter (DM) candidates inducing just nuclear recoils, by exploiting the directionality approach with the anisotropic ZnWO4 scintillators, will be underlined.
Three-fluid Hydrodynamics-based Event Simulator Extended by UrQMD final State interactions (THESEUS) for FAIR-NICA-SPSBES/RHIC energies
Authors: Batyuk P. , Blaschke D. , Bleicher M. , Ivanov Yu.B. , Karpenko Iu. , Malinina L. , Merts S. , Nahrgang M. , Petersen H. , Rogachevsky O.
Published: August 2018

We present a new event generator based on the three-fluid hydrodynamics (3FH) approach, followed by a particlization at the hydrodynamic decoupling surface and a subsequent UrQMD afterburner stage based on the microscopic UrQMD transport model that accounts for hadronic final state interactions. First results for Au+Au collisions are presented. The following topics are addressed: the directed flow, transversemass spectra, as well as rapidity distributions of protons, pions and kaons for two model equations of state, one with a first-order phase transition, the other with a crossover transition. Preliminary results on the femtoscopy are also discussed.We analyze the accuracy of reproduction of the 3FH results by the new event generator and the effect of the subsequent UrQMD afterburner stage.
Status of NICA
Authors: Kekelidze Vladimir , Kovalenko Alexander , Lednicky Richard , Matveev Victor , Meshkov Igor , Sorin Alexander , Trubnikov Grigori
Published: August 2018

The NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility) is the new international research facility under construction at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. The main targets of the facility are the following: 1) study of hot and dense baryonic matter at the energy range of the maximum baryonic density; 2) investigation of nucleon spin structure and polarization phenomena; 3) development of JINR accelerator facility for high energy physics research based on the new collider of relativistic ions from protons to gold and polarized protons and deuterons as well with the maximum collision energy of sqrt(sNN) ~11GeV (Au79+ +Au79+) and ~ 27 GeV (p+p). Two collider detector setups MPD and SPD are foreseen. The setup BM@N (Baryonic Matter at Nuclotron) is commissioned for data taken at the existing Nuclotron beam fixed target area. The MPD construction is in progress whereas the SPD is still at the beginning design stage. An average luminosity of the collider is expected at the level of 1027 cm-2 s-1 for Au (79+) and 1032 cm-2 s-1 for polarized protons at 27 GeV. The status of NICA design and construction work is briefly described below.
Isospin dynamics in nuclear structure
Authors: Litvinova Elena , Robin Caroline , Schuck Peter
Published: August 2018

We discuss some special aspects of the nuclear many-body problem related to isospin transfer. The major quantity of interest is the in-medium propagator of a particlehole configuration of the proton-neutron character, which determines the nuclear response to isospin transferring external fields. One of the most studied excitation modes is the Gamow-Teller resonance (GTR), which can, therefore, be used as a sensitive test for the theoretical approaches. Its low-energy part, which is responsible for the beta decay halflives, is especially convenient for this. Models benchmarked against the GTR can be used to predict other, more exotic, excitations studied at nuclear rare isotope beam facilities and in astrophysics. As far as the precision is concerned, the major problem in such an analysis is to disentangle the effects related to the underlying interaction and those caused by the many-body correlations. Therefore, approaches (i) based on fundamental concepts for the nucleon-nucleon interaction which (ii) include complex many-body dynamics are the preferred ones. We discuss progress and obstacles on the way to such approaches.
Search for Charged Lepton Flavour Violation at CMS
Authors: Mukherjee Swagata
Published: August 2018

Lepton flavour is a conserved quantity in the standard model of particle physics, but it does not follow from an underlying gauge symmetry. After the discovery of neutrino oscillation, it has been established that lepton flavour is not conserved in the neutral sector. Thus the lepton sector is an excellent place to look for New Physics, and in this perspective the Charged Lepton Flavour Violation is interesting. Various extensions of the standard model predict lepton flavour violating decays that can be observed at LHC. This report summarises several searches for lepton flavour violation with data collected by the CMS detector.
Magnetic Global Monopoles from Torsion
Authors: Sarkar Sarben
Published: August 2018

In the search of avatars of new physics, we present a new classical solution for electromagnetic monopoles induced by global gravitational monopoles in the presence of a four-dimensional Kalb-Ramond axion field. The torsion induces the magnetic charge of the monopole.
Forward Physics at CMS
Authors: Sen Sercan
Published: August 2018

Recent forward physics measurements performed with the CMS detector at the LHC are reviewed. The measurements of the pseudorapidity dependence of the energy and transverse energy density, inclusive energy spectrum in the very forward direction, and the very forward inclusive jet cross sections are presented. The results are also compared to the predictions of various models used to describe high energy hadronic interactions.
Accelerators in the 21st Century
Authors: Zimmermann Frank
Published: August 2018

More than 30,000 accelerators are in operation worldwide. Of these less than 1% are devoted to basic research. Prominent among the latter are high-energy particle colliders - powerful engines of discovery and precision measurement, which have played an essential role in establishing the standard model of particle physics. Technological innovation has allowed building colliders for ever higher energy and better performance, at decreasing specific cost. New concepts will allow reaching even higher luminosities and energies throughout the coming century. One cost-effective strategy for future collider implementation is staging. For example, a future circular collider could first provide electron-positron collisions, then hadron collisions (proton-proton and heavy-ion), and, finally, the collision of muons. Indeed, cooling-free muon colliders, realizable in a number of ways, promise an attractive and energy-efficient path towards lepton collisions at tens of TeV. While plasma accelerators and dielectric accelerators offer unprecedented gradients, the construction of a high-energy collider based on these advanced technologies still faces a number of challenges. Pushing the accelerating gradients or bending fields ever further, the breakdown of the QED vacuum may, or may not, set an ultimate limit to electromagnetic acceleration.
On bimodal size distribution of spin clusters in the onedimensional Ising model
Authors: Ivanytskyi A. , Chelnokov V.
Published: August 2018

The size distribution of geometrical spin clusters is exactly found for the onedimensional Ising model of finite extent. For the values of lattice constant β above some “critical value” βc the found size distribution demonstrates the non-monotonic behaviour with the peak corresponding to the size of the largest available cluster. In other words, for high values of the lattice constant there are two ways to fill the lattice: either to form a single largest cluster or to create many clusters of small sizes. This feature closely resembles the well-know bimodal size distribution of clusters which is usually interpreted as a robust signal of the first order liquid-gas phase transition in finite systems. It is remarkable that the bimodal size distribution of spin clusters appears in the one-dimensional Ising model of finite size, i.e. in the model which in thermodynamic limit has no phase transition at all.
Experimental technique for antiproton-nucleus annihilation cross section measurements at low energy
Authors: Aghai-Khozani H. , Corradini M. , Hayano R. , Hori M. , Leali M. , Lodi-Rizzini E. , Mascagna V. , Murakami Y. , Prest M. , Solazzi L. , Vallazza E. , Venturelli L. , Yamada H.
Published: August 2018

The interaction of very low energy antiprotons (ps) and antineutrons (ns) with nuclei is interesting for its influence on both fundamental cosmology and nuclear physics. Measuring the annihilation cross section of antimatter on matter can help in solving the universe matter-antimatter puzzle and could give relevant hints in the definition of strong interaction model parameters as well. The ASACUSA collaboration recently measured the antiproton-carbon annihilation cross section at 5.3 MeV of kinetic energy of the incoming antiproton. The experimental apparatus consisted in a vacuum chamber containing thin foils (~0.7-1 μm) of carbon crossed by a bunched beam of antiprotons from the CERN Antiproton Decelerator (AD). The fraction of antiprotons annihilating on the target nucleons gives origin to charged pions which can be detected and counted by segmented scintillators placed outside the chamber. This work describes the experimental details of the apparatus and the technique to perform the cross section measurements.
Endoscopic closure of an anastomo-cutaneous fistula: Filling and shielding using polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue with easily deliverable technique
Authors: Kawabata Hideaki , Okazaki Yuji , Inoue Naonori , Kawakatsu Yukino , Hitomi Misuzu , Miyata Masatoshi , Motoi Shigehiro
Published: August 2018

Background and study aims Recently, endoscopic closure of gastrointestinal fistulas using polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheets with fibrin glue (FG) has been attempted. A 70-year-old woman who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer suffered from a refractory anastomo-cutaneous fistula at the site of gastro-jejunostomy. We attempted endoscopic closure with filling and shielding using PGA sheets and FG. After introducing a guidewire into the fistula, a small piece of PGA sheet was skewered onto the guidewire and then pushed using a tapered catheter over the guidewire and delivered into the fistula. A total of 10 sheets were delivered via the same procedure. Next, the mucosa around the fistula was ablated, and the orifice of the fistula along with the surrounding mucosa was shielded with a piece of PGA sheet fixed with hemoclips and FG. After this procedure, the leakage disappeared and the fistula was undetectable on contrast radiograms. Endoscopic closure of anastomo-cutaneous fistula with filling and shielding using PGA sheets and FG is an effective, safe, low-invasive treatment, and the filling technique using a guidewire ensures a safe, smooth procedure.
Leitlinienorientierte Diagnostik autonomer Störungen – vom Symptom zur Therapie
Authors: Lührs Anke , Haensch Carl-Albrecht
Published: August 2018

Autonome Störungen sind insbesondere bei neurologischen, internistischen, urologischen und pädiatrischen Patienten häufig. Erkrankungen des autonomen Nervensystems können im peripheren oder zentralen Nervensystem primär (z. B. Primär autonomes Versagen) oder sekundär im Rahmen einer systemischen Erkrankung (z. B. Diabetes mellitus, Morbus Parkinson) entstehen. Die häufigsten autonomen Störungen sind Kreislaufregulationsstörungen und stehen oft im Mittelpunkt der Diagnostik. Diese betreffen primär oder in ihren Auswirkungen fast alle medizinischen Disziplinen. Im neurologischen Krankheitsspektrum stehen insbesondere die Parkinsonsyndrome, die Multisystematrophie und die Small fibre Neuropathien im Focus der Aufmerksamkeit hinsichtlich der Veränderungen der Kreislaufregulation mit orthostatischer Hypotonie oder dem zusätzlichen Vorkommen einer Liegendhypertonie. Sorgfältige Anamnese und apparative Diagnostik sind neben der klinischen Untersuchung unabdingbar. Die weiterführende Diagnostik umfasst neben bedside tests wie den Schellong-Test verschiedene standardisierte Untersuchungsmethoden im autonomen Funktionslabor wie die Kipptischuntersuchung oder die Analyse der Herzfrequenzvariabilität. Die hohe Variabilität des autonomen Nervensystems aber auch der angewandten diagnostischen Methoden und Messplätze macht eine Standardisierung dieser Techniken notwendig. Hierfür stellen Leitlinien, Konsensusempfehlungen, SOPs usw. eine besondere Hilfe dar. In der Therapie werden bei hypotonen Kreislaufregulationsstörungen neben physikalischen Maßnahmen verschiedene Pharmaka erfolgreich eingesetzt, die jedoch nur unzureichend erstattungsfähig sind.
Serum Myostatin is Upregulated in Obesity and Correlates with Insulin Resistance in Humans
Authors: Amor Melina , Itariu Bianca K. , Moreno-Viedma Veronica , Keindl Magdalena , Jürets Alexander , Prager Gerhard , Langer Felix , Grablowitz Viktor , Zeyda Maximilian , Stulnig Thomas M.
Published: August 2018

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus have reached an epidemic level, thus novel treatment concepts need to be identified. Myostatin, a myokine known for restraining skeletal muscle growth, has been associated with the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Yet, little is known about the regulation of myostatin in human obesity and insulin resistance. We aimed to investigate the regulation of myostatin in obesity and uncover potential associations between myostatin, metabolic markers and insulin resistance/sensitivity indices. Circulating active myostatin concentration was measured in the serum of twenty-eight severely obese non-diabetic patients compared to a sex and age matched lean and overweight control group (n=22). Insulin resistance/sensitivity was assessed in the obese group. Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue specimens from the obese group were collected during elective bariatric surgery. Adipose tissue samples from lean and overweight subjects were collected during elective abdominal surgery. Myostatin concentration was increased in obese compared to lean individuals, while myostatin adipose tissue expression did not differ. Muscle myostatin gene expression strongly correlated with expression of metabolic genes such as IRS1, PGC1α, SREBF1. Circulating myostatin concentration correlated positively with insulin resistance indices and negatively with insulin sensitivity indices. The best correlation was obtained for the oral glucose insulin sensitivity index. Our results point to an interesting correlation between myostatin and insulin resistance/sensitivity in humans, and emphasize its need for further evaluation as a pharmacological target in the prevention and treatment of obesity-associated metabolic complications.
Configurationally Stable Atropisomeric Acridinium Fluorophores
Authors: Sparr Christof , Fischer Christian
Published: August 2018

Arylated heterocyclic fluorophores are particularly useful scaffolds for numerous applications, such as bioimaging or synthetic photochemistry. While variation of the substitution pattern at the heterocycle and aryl groups allows dye modulation, the bond rotational barriers are also strongly affected. Unsymmetrically substituted ring systems of rotationally restricted arylated heterocycles therefore lead to configurationally stable atropisomeric fluorophores. Herein, we describe these characteristics by determining the properties and configurational stability of atropisomeric, tri-ortho-substituted naphthyl-acridinium fluorophores. A significant barrier to rotation of >120 kJ mol–1 was measured, which renders these dyes and related compounds distinct ­atropisomers with stereoisomer-specific properties over a broad temperature range.
Room temperature biaxial magnetic anisotropy in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin films on SrTiO3 buffered MgO (001) substrates for spintronic applications
Authors: Chaluvadi Sandeep Kumar , Ajejas Fernando , Orgiani Pasquale , Rousseau Olivier , Vinai Giovanni , Petrov Aleksandr Yu , Torelli Piero , Pautrat Alain , Camarero Julio , Perna Paolo , Mechin Laurence
Published: August 2018

Spintronics exploits the magnetoresistance effects to store or sense the magnetic information. Since the magnetoresistance strictly depends on the magnetic anisotropy of a system, it is fundamental to set a defined anisotropy to the system. Here, we investigate half-metallic La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin films by means of vectorial Magneto-Optical Kerr Magnetometry and found that they exhibit pure biaxial magnetic anisotropy at room temperature if grown onto a MgO (001) substrate with a thin SrTiO3 buffer. In this way, we can avoid unwanted uniaxial magnetic anisotropy contributions that may be detrimental for specific applications. The detailed study of the angular evolution of the magnetization reversal pathways and critical fields (coercivity and switching) discloses the origin of the magnetic anisotropy, which is magnetocrystalline in nature and shows fourfold symmetry at any temperature.
Epidemic spreading on metapopulation networks including migration and demographics
Authors: Gong Yongwang , Small Michael
Published: August 2018

Epidemic dynamics in a structured population has been widely investigated in recent years by utilizing the metapopulation framework with a reaction-diffusion approach. In this paper, we study epidemic spreading on metapopulation networks, including migration and demographics, wherein population dynamics in each node (a patch) follows the logistic model with a heterogeneous carrying capacity. The epidemic threshold is theoretically calculated at a mean-field level and is then evaluated by Monte Carlo simulations. It is shown that heterogeneity of carrying capacity drastically decreases the threshold, and conversely increasing the migration rate slightly increases the threshold. Interestingly, we observe Monte Carlo simulations showing the effect of heterogeneity of carrying capacity and migration on the epidemic prevalence above the epidemic threshold. Heterogeneity of carrying capacity enhances epidemic spreading in the initial stage, but has no impact on the final infection density. The migration rate has a pronounced impact on both temporal spreading behaviour and endemic state.
Vertical leakage mechanism in GaN on Si high electron mobility transistor buffer layers
Authors: Choi F. S. , Griffiths J. T. , Ren Chris , Lee K. B. , Zaidi Z. H. , Houston P. A. , Guiney I. , Humphreys C. J. , Oliver R. A. , Wallis D. J.
Published: August 2018

Control of leakage currents in the buffer layers of GaN based transistors on Si substrates is vital for the demonstration of high performance devices. Here, we show that the growth conditions during the metal organic chemical vapour deposition growth of the graded AlGaN strain relief layers (SRLs) can significantly influence the vertical leakage. Using scanning capacitance microscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy, we investigate the origins of leakage paths and show that they result from the preferential incorporation of oxygen impurities on the side wall facets of the inverted hexagonal pyramidal pits which can occur during the growth of the graded AlGaN SRL. We also show that when 2D growth of the AlGaN SRL is maintained a significant increase in the breakdown voltage can be achieved even in much thinner buffer layer structures. These results demonstrate the importance of controlling the morphology of the high electron mobility transistor buffer layer as even at a very low density the leakage paths identified would provide leakage paths in large area devices.
Ion-acoustic Gardner solitons in multi-ion degenerate plasma with the effect of polarization and trapping in the presence of a quantizing magnetic field
Authors: El-Taibany W. F. , Atteya A. , EL-Labany S. K.
Published: August 2018

A theoretical investigation is presented for ion-acoustic Gardner solitons (GSs) and double layers (DLs) in a multi-ion plasma system. The plasma consists of inertial positively and negatively charged ions and negatively charged immobile heavy ions and electrons which are in trapping distribution, all existing in a quantizing magnetic field. The reductive perturbation method is used to derive Korteweg-de Vries (KdV), modified KdV (mKdV), and Gardner equations. It is found that the KdV solitons and Gardner solitons (GSs) are either compressive or rarefactive depending on the plasma parameters, whereas only compressive solitons are obtained in the mKdV case, wherever Gardner positive DLs exist. These solitons are significantly modified due to the introduction of the trapping parameter and polarization coefficient. The presented results are considered to be beneficial in understanding the solitary structures in dense quantum plasmas such as those existing in white dwarfs.
Role of Stone-Wales defects on the interfacial interactions among graphene, carbon nanotubes, and Nylon 6: A first-principles study
Authors: Jha Sanjiv K. , Roth Michael , Todde Guido , Buchanan J. Paige , Moser Robert D. , Shukla Manoj K. , Subramanian Gopinath
Published: August 2018

We investigate computationally the role of Stone-Wales (SW) defects on the interfacial interactions among graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and Nylon 6 using density functional theory (DFT) and the empirical force-field. Our first-principles DFT calculations were performed using the Quantum ESPRESSO electronic structure code with the highly accurate van der Waals functional (vdW-DF2). Both pristine and SW-defected carbon nanomaterials were investigated. The computed results show that the presence of SW defects on CNTs weakens the CNT-graphene interactions. Our result that CNT-graphene interaction is much stronger than CNT-CNT interaction indicates that graphene would be able to promote the dispersion of CNTs in the polymer matrix. Our results demonstrate that carbon nanomaterials form stable complexes with Nylon 6 and that the van der Waals interactions, as revealed by the electronic charge density difference maps, play a key stabilizing role on the interfacial interactions among graphene, CNTs, and Nylon 6. Using the density of states calculations, we observed that the bandgaps of graphene and CNTs were not significantly modified due to their interactions with Nylon 6. The Young’s moduli of complexes were found to be the averages of the moduli of their individual constituents.
Collective “overacceleration” of electrons in a pinched picosecond electron beam
Authors: Baryshnikov V. I. , Paperny V. L.
Published: August 2018

The extreme operating mode of a high-voltage (U = 280 keV) high-current (I = 5 kA) electron accelerator with a beam duration of 200 ps is investigated. The luminescent method shows that the beam diameter in the uniform pinching mode is about a micrometer, and the beam contains electrons with an energy exceeding 400 keV. The analysis of the bremsstrahlung X-ray spectrum of the beam electrons shows that in this mode, a significant part of the spectrum lies in the energy range >300 keV, with the energy of quanta in the “tail” of the spectrum exceeding 500 keV.
Simulation studies on temperature profile stiffness in ITG turbulent transport of helical plasmas for flux-matching technique
Authors: Nunami Masanori , Nakata Motoki , Toda Shinichiro , Ishizawa Akihiro , Kanno Ryutaro , Sugama Hideo
Published: August 2018

In the framework of the flux-matching method, which is a useful way for the validation of the gyrokinetic turbulence simulations, it is strongly demanded to evaluate the plasma profile sensitivity of the transport coefficients obtained in the employed simulation model within the profile gradient ranges estimated from the experimental observations. The sensitivity causes the plasma profile stiffness for wide ranges of the transport fluxes. In the nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations for the ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence in the Large Helical Device (LHD) [Takeiri et al., Nucl. Fusion 57, 102023 (2017)], it is found that the temperature gradients around the experimental nominal observations are slightly larger than the threshold of the instability, and the ion heat diffusivities are quite sensitive to the temperature gradient. The growth rates of the instability, the generations of the zonal flows, and the sensitivities of the transport coefficients to the temperature profiles depend on the radial locations, the employed simulation models, and the field configurations. Specifically, in the optimized LHD field configuration, the sensitivities are relaxed in the outer radial region due to the enhancement of the zonal flows and the reduction of the ITG instability. In order to estimate the range of the temperature gradients possible given the experimentally obtained data of the temperature with errorbars, the statistical technique, Akaike's Information Criterion [H. Akaike, in Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Information Theory, edited by B. N. Petrov and F. Caski (Akadimiai Kiado, Budapest, 1973), pp. 267–281] is applied. Against the range of the temperature gradients, the flux-matching method to predict the temperature gradient in helical plasmas is demonstrated.
Design and laboratory testing of a MEMS accelerometer array for subsidence monitoring
Authors: Xu Chunying , Chen Jiawang , Zhu Huangchao , Zhang Peihao , Ren Ziqiang , Zhu Hai , Lin Yuan
Published: August 2018

The in situ monitoring of displacement variation is important for studying the seabed subsidence mechanism. To meet the multi-point measurement requirements for vertical displacement in subsidence monitoring of the seabed surface, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems accelerometer array was designed. By sensing the tilt angles, displacements on the array can be calculated. The subsidence is calculated as the difference in the displacements from the initial values. To improve the accuracy of the displacement calculation, a calibration model of the tilt angle was presented. The model parameters are computed through a least squares estimation method, which is solved by the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. Experimental results show that the calibration model performs excellently with the maximum error of tilt angle being less than 1° in the measurement range (−90°, 90°). The displacement measurement accuracy of the array (2.1 m long) is almost less than 1 cm. Thus, the results show a strong agreement between the detected data and actual deformation in the test.
A new setup for the quantitative analysis of drying by the use of gas-phase FTIR-spectroscopy
Authors: Scheepers F. , Staehler A. , Staehler M. , Carmo M. , Lehnert W. , Stolten D.
Published: August 2018

Drying rates are important for the manufacture of thin films and in specific for the production of electrodes used in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and electrolyzers. The known procedures to investigate time-dependent sample compositions and selective evaporation rates are insufficient to obtain mean information about the full area instead of a single point analysis. Therefore, a new setup is presented using gas-phase Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. This method analyzes the gas-phase composition to recalculate the layer composition in electrode fabrication at any time during drying. According to the golden rule of measurement technology, manufacturer specifications are often overestimated. Therefore, our alternative procedures were used to evaluate the precision of devices used. The calculated measurement precision is confirmed by validation. The expected deviation is quantified to be less than 2% for the common application. Further on, the relative test-retest standard deviation is determined to be 0.3%–0.4%. As a result of the error propagation, the measurement precision is limited by the background gas flow rate precision for common application. At low volume fractions, the influence of the substance flow rate deviations becomes significant. However, further studies will focus on increasing the gas flow rate precision.
Plasma-enhanced reactive linear sputtering source for formation of silicon-based thin films
Authors: Takenaka Kosuke , Setsuhara Yuichi , Han Jeon Geon , Uchida Giichiro , Ebe Akinori
Published: August 2018

In this study, an inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-enhanced reactive sputter deposition system with a rectangular target was developed as a linear plasma source for roll-to-roll deposition processes. The longitudinal distribution of the film thickness indicated the feasibility of uniformity control via the control of the power deposition profile of the assisted ICPs. The characteristics of Si films were investigated in terms of the film thickness uniformity and film crystallinity. The results of Raman and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated the crystallization of the Si film with a crystallinity as high as 73%–78% in all the samples of the longitudinal position.
A supersonic target jet mill based on the entrainment of annular supersonic flow
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Lin Jun , Tao Yang , Guo Qiuting , Zuo Jin , Lu Bo , Liu Guanghua , Li Jiangtao
Published: August 2018

Jet mill is an apparatus that produces superfine powder and is widely used in various industries. In this work, a new supersonic target jet mill based on aerodynamic theory is presented according to the flow field of a traditional jet mill. An annular supersonic flow produced by an annular converging–diverging nozzle is used to entrain the central particle flow by the shear mechanism in this new supersonic target jet mill. Then, the particle beam concentrating in the flow center impacts the target with high kinetic energy after the entrainment of the supersonic flow. An apparatus of the annular supersonic target jet mill was created to validate the theoretical design. Two types of experiments were implemented to estimate its performance. The validation experiments confirmed that the gas speed in the collision chamber was approximately 600 m/s and the supersonic flow could deliver a kinetic energy of approximately 180 J/s to the particles. The particle size reduction of boroncarbide (B4C) and silica (Si) in the collision tests showed that the accelerated particles concentrated in the supersonic flow center collided on the targets precisely with high collision energy.
Piezoelectrically tunable resonance properties of boron nitride nanotube based resonators
Authors: Zhang Jin
Published: August 2018

Resonance properties such as the resonance frequency, the sensitivity, and the intrinsic dissipation of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) based resonators are investigated in this work based on molecular dynamics simulations together with density functional theory calculations. A remarkable resonance property comparable to their carbon nanotube (CNT) counterparts is found in the present BNNT based resonators. Moreover, due to the unique piezoelectric characteristic of BNNTs, the resonance properties of BNNT based resonators can be efficiently tailored by external electric fields. It is found that when a negative electric field is applied, the resonance frequency and the sensitivity of BNNT based resonators can be significantly enhanced. This effect is attributed to the fact that due to the inverse piezoelectric response the applied negative electric field will induce a residual tensile stress in BNNTs and thus enhance their equivalent stiffness. Meanwhile, it is also found that the intrinsic dissipation of BNNT based resonators can be mitigated by a positive external electric field, since under this condition the thermoelastic dissipation and the phonon-phonon scattering of BNNTs are both reduced by the piezoelectric effect. Such unique piezoelectrically tunable resonance properties in BNNT based resonators render them have a broader spectrum of applications than their conventional CNT counterparts.
Dielectric constant of ionic solutions: Combined effects of correlations and excluded volume
Authors: Adar Ram M. , Markovich Tomer , Levy Amir , Orland Henri , Andelman David
Published: August 2018

The dielectric constant of ionic solutions is known to reduce with increasing ionic concentrations. However, the origin of this effect has not been thoroughly explored. In this paper, we study two such possible sources: long-range Coulombic correlations and solvent excluded-volume. Correlations originate from fluctuations of the electrostatic potential beyond the mean-field Poisson-Boltzmann theory, evaluated by employing a field-theoretical loop expansion of the free energy. The solvent excluded-volume, on the other hand, stems from the finite ion size, accounted for via a lattice-gas model. We show that both correlations and excluded volume are required in order to capture the important features of the dielectric behavior. For highly polar solvents, such as water, the dielectric constant is given by the product of the solvent volume fraction and a concentration-dependent susceptibility per volume fraction. The available solvent volume decreases as a function of ionic strength due the increasing volume fraction of ions. A similar decrease occurs for the susceptibility due to the correlations between the ions and solvent, reducing the dielectric response even further. Our predictions for the dielectric constant fit well with experiments for a wide range of concentrations for different salts in different temperatures, using a single fit parameter related to the ion size.