bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Involvement of histone hypoacetylation in INH-induced rat liver injury
Authors: Zhu Ling-yan , Ren Qi , Li Yu-hong , Zhang Yi-yang , Li Jin-feng , Li Ying-shu , Shi Zhe , Feng Fu-min
Published: October 2017

This study explores the mechanism of histone acetylation under the effect of oxidative stress in rat liver injury induced by isoniazid (INH).
Modified turn algorithm for motion planning based on clothoid curve
Authors: Kim Y.H. , Park J.B. , Son W.S. , Yoon T.S.
Published: October 2017

Previous methods for the construction of a continuous‐curvature path have attempted to minimise the path length. A modified motion planning algorithm for a mobile robot that reduces not only the path length, but also the curvature change along the path is presented. Given two points in the plane, the proposed algorithm generates a closed‐form solution for the position of a waypoint to connect two clothoid sets. As this method alleviates sudden curvature changes and side‐slip by the robot, it improves the overall driving performance. Further, as the curvature change of the generated path becomes smaller, the centrifugal force and accumulated force on the robot also become smaller along the path. Thus, the proposed algorithm is well suited to service robots such as the intelligent wheelchairs used by elderly and disabled people. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed algorithm over the existing generic turn algorithm.
Early stopping criterion for belief propagation polar decoder based on frozen bits
Authors: Zhang Qingshuang , Liu Aijun , Tong Xinhai
Published: October 2017

In this Letter, a new criterion based on frozen BER (FBER) is proposed to early stop belief propagation (BP) decoding of polar codes. The authors first verify that the behaviour of FBER along with the iteration is almost the same as the information BER. Based on this phenomenon, the authors propose a new criterion by detecting the status of FBER to determine whether the BP decoding is successful or not. To reduce the complexity, only a part of frozen bits transmitted in most reliable frozen sub‐channels are considered. Simulation results show that the proposed criterion is more hardware friendly than the existing criteria.
Lagrangian dynamics model and practical implementation of an integrated transformer in multi‐phase LLC resonant converter
Authors: Noah Mostafa , Umetani Kazuhiro , Imaoka Jun , Yamamoto Masayoshi
Published: October 2017

In conventional arrangements of three‐phase LLC converters, there are at least three magnetic components that occupy a considerable volume and mass of the power converter. Although, the three‐phase LLC topology has many advantages over the single‐phase one, circuit designers tend to select the single‐phase topology because it has the minimal number of magnetic components. The purpose of this study is to reduce the number of the magnetic components of the three‐phase topology, by integrating the three‐discrete transformers into a single magnetic core, based on a theoretical framework. Lagrangian dynamics is applied to theoretically prove that it is possible to replace the three‐discrete transformers by a single integrated transformer. The Lagrangian dynamics theory allowed us to derive a physically motivated model for the integrated transformer, in which each component of the integrated transformer has its own Lagrangian parameter. The Lagrangian model reveals that in a symmetrical design, there is no interphase coupling, and as a result the magnetic components can be downsized owing to the ac flux cancellation. Along with the theoretical discussion, the practical merits of implementing the integrated transformer is reported. Furthermore, the experimental tests are conducted utilizing a 500 W–390 V/12 V–200 kHz prototype.
Contingency constrained phasor measurement units placement with n − k redundancy criterion: a robust optimisation approach
Authors: Nikkhah Saeid , Aghaei Jamshid , Safarinejadian Behrooz , Norouzi Mohammad‐Ali
Published: October 2017

This study presents a novel approach for the contingency constrained phasor measurement units (PMUs) placement. The proposed approach is based on n − k redundancy criterion using robust optimisation. This security criterion ensures observability of the network under any contingency state, containing the loss of up to k PMUs. In the proposed method, the effects of zero injection and power flow measurements as well as possible contingency states (such as branch outage and single or multiple PMU loss) are considered. The non‐linear modelling of observability function for measurements is reformulated by linearisation process. The resulting bi‐level programming model is solved by its evolution to an equivalent single‐level mixed‐integer programming problem. The objective function of the optimal PMU placement is aimed at minimising the number of PMUs in a way that guarantees economic goals and the observability of all network buses. The advantage of this model is to significantly reduce the computational burden compared with other methods. The proposed method is tested on modified 7‐bus test network, 118‐ and 2383‐bus IEEE test networks. The results of the case studies clearly demonstrate the simplicity and efficiency of the proposed robust optimisation method in different cases.
Effect of temperature on AC breakdown voltage of nanofilled transformer oil
Authors: Abd‐Elhady Amr M. , Ibrahim Mohamed E. , Taha T.A. , Izzularab Mohamed A.
Published: October 2017

Studying the effect of adding nanosized ZrO2 to mineral transformer oil on the AC breakdown voltage is presented. The study is carried out considering different concentration levels of nanosized ZrO2. These concentrations are 0, 0.001, 0.002, 0.003 and 0.006%w. The AC breakdown voltage of both nanofilled and base oil is measured according ASTM D1816 standard at room temperature. The evaluation is carried out based on AC breakdown voltage for the nanofilled and base oil considering average and Weibull statistical techniques. Both 50 and 10% breakdown voltage probabilities are obtained and analysed for all samples. Also, the effect of temperature (to take the effect of real operating conditions) on breakdown voltage of base and nanofilled oil is experimentally evaluated. The studied temperatures are 50, 80 and 130°C. The obtained results show that the performance of nanoparticles is significantly affected by increasing the temperature of nanofilled transformer oil. Finally, a proposed mechanism for the effect of temperature on the nanofluids breakdown strength is introduced.
Baryon acoustic oscillations from the complete SDSS-III Lyα-quasar cross-correlation function at z = 2.4
Authors: du Mas des Bourboux Hélion , Le Goff Jean-Marc , Blomqvist Michael , Busca Nicolás G. , Guy Julien , Rich James , Yèche Christophe , Bautista Julian E. , Burtin Étienne , Dawson Kyle S. , Eisenstein Daniel J. , Font-Ribera Andreu , Kirkby David , Miralda-Escudé Jordi , Noterdaeme Pasquier , Palanque-Delabrouille Nathalie , Pâris Isabelle , Petitjean Patrick , Pérez-Ràfols Ignasi , Pieri Matthew M. , Ross Nicholas P. , Schlegel David J. , Schneider Donald P. , Slosar Anže , Weinberg David H. , Zarrouk Pauline
Published: October 2017

We present a measurement of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the cross-correlation of quasars with the Lyα-forest flux transmission at a mean redshift ofz= 2.40. The measurement uses the complete Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) data sample: 168 889 forests and 234 367 quasars from the SDSS data release DR12. In addition to the statistical improvement on our previous study using DR11, we have implemented numerous improvements at the analysis level enabling a more accurate measurement of this cross-correlation. We have also developed the first simulations of the cross-correlation that allow us to test different aspects of our data analysis and to search for potential systematic errors in the determination of the BAO peak position. We measure the two ratiosDH(z= 2.40) /rd= 9.01 ± 0.36 andDM(z= 2.40) /rd= 35.7 ± 1.7, where the errors include marginalization over the non-linear velocity of quasars and the cross-correlation of metals and quasars, among other effects. These results are within 1.8σof the prediction of the flat-ΛCDM model describing the observed cosmic microwave background anisotropies. We combine this study with the Lyα-forest auto-correlation function, yieldingDH(z= 2.40) /rd= 8.94 ± 0.22 andDM(z= 2.40) /rd= 36.6 ± 1.2, within 2.3σof the same flat-ΛCDM model.
Studies Towards the Synthesis of (+)- and (–)-Anisomycin and Their Analogues
Authors: Shaw Arun , Ajay Sama
Published: October 2017

Anisomycin shows potent biological activity and it has attracted much attention since its isolation in 1954, with around 13 total syntheses and 20 formal syntheses, and also two reports concerning analogues of anisomycin, reported to date. The present review highlights all of these synthetic approaches (around 35) to the total or formal synthesis of anisomycin along with its isomers and analogues.

1 Introduction

2 Isolation and Therapeutic Importance

3 Total Synthesis of (+)-, (–)-, and (±)-Anisomycins and Their Analogues

4 Formal Synthesis of (+)- and (–)-Anisomycins and Their Analogues

5 Conclusion
A Facile Access to trans-3-Styryl-4-hydrazinocyclopentenes via Palladium­-Catalyzed Ring Opening of Diazanorbornenes with (Z)-β-Bromostyrenes/2,3-Dibromohydrocinnamic Acids
Authors: Radhakrishnan K. , Saranya S. , Chand S. , Gopalan Greeshma , Jijitha V.
Published: October 2017

trans-3-Styryl-4-hydrazinocyclopentenes have been synthesized via palladium-catalyzed desymmetrization of diazanorbornenes with (Z)-β-bromostyrenes. The reaction also works well with (Z)-β-bromostyrenes generated in situ from 2,3-dibromohydrocinnamic acids. The synthesized hydrazinocyclopentenes provide an easy route towards synthetic intermediates of many scaffolds of biological potential.
Computer-Aided Insight into the Relative Stability of Enamines
Authors: Vilarrasa Jaume , Castro-Alvarez Alejandro , Carneros Héctor , Costa Anna M
Published: October 2017

Venerable aldol, Michael, and Mannich reactions have undergone a renaissance in the past fifteen years, as a consequence of the development of direct organocatalytic versions, mediated by chiral amines. Chiral enamines are key intermediates in these reactions. This review focuses on the formation of enamines from secondary amines and their relative thermodynamic stability, as well as on the reverse reactions (hydrolysis). Experimental results and predictions based on MO calculations are reviewed to show which enamine forms may predominate in the reaction medium and to compare several secondary amines as organocatalysts.

1 Introduction

2 Relative Stability of Enamines as Determined Experimentally

3 Pyrrolidine Enamines

4 Enamines of the Jørgensen–Hayashi Catalyst

5 Proline Enamines

6 Free Enthalpies and Polar Solvent Effects

7 Comparison of Organocatalysts

8 Summary and Outlook

9 Appendix
Internal Fixation of Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions in the Patellofemoral Joint
Authors: Farr Jack , Nuelle Clayton
Published: October 2017

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions of the patellofemoral joint can be difficult to identify and treat. Asymptomatic or stable lesions in skeletally immature patients may be treated nonoperatively, but symptomatic lesions often require surgical intervention. Evidence of instability should be carefully evaluated with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography arthrogram. Careful preoperative planning is necessary to ensure the appropriate surgical approach and implants are selected for surgical management. Multiple techniques have been described, but internal fixation of both “classic” and cartilage-only OCD lesions has been shown to have strong outcomes in managing these difficult cases.
Früh übt sich …
Authors: Dauer Bettina
Published: October 2017

Identitätsbildung Kranke Kinder sind oft nicht in der Lage, ihre
Bedürfnisse oder Befindlichkeiten mitzuteilen. Um Situationen richtig
einschätzen zu können, ist einiges an Erfahrung aufseiten der Pflegenden
vonnöten. Der Weg vom Anfänger zum Experten verläuft dabei in mehreren Stufen
und führt auch dazu, dass Pflegende ihre ganz eigene, berufsspezifische
Identität ausbilden.
Comparison of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration by capillary action, suction, and no suction methods: a randomized blinded study
Authors: Bansal Rinkesh , Choudhary Narendra , Puri Rajesh , Patle Saurabh , Bhagat Suraj , Nasa Mukesh , Bhasin Amit , Sarin Haimanti , Guleria Mridula , Sud Randhir
Published: October 2017

Background and study aim Different types of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) techniques are used in clinical practice; the best method in terms of outcome has not been determined. The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic adequacy of aspirated material, and the cytopathological and EUS morphological features between capillary action, suction, and no-suction FNA methods.

Patients and methods This was a prospective, single-blinded, randomized study conducted at a tertiary care hospital. Patients were randomized to the three groups: capillary action, suction, and no suction. A total of 300 patients were included, with 100 patients in each arm.

Results A total of 300 patients (195 males) underwent EUS-FNA of 235 lymph nodes and 65 pancreatic masses (distribution not statistically different between the groups). The mean age was 52 ± 14 years. A 22 gauge needle was used in the majority (93 %) of procedures. There was no statistical difference between the three groups regarding lymph node size at the largest axis and ratio, type of needle, echo features, echogenicity, calcification, necrosis, shape, borders (lymph nodes), number of passes, and cellularity. Diagnostic adequacy of the specimen was 91 %, 91 %, and 94 % in the capillary, suction, and no suction groups, respectively (P = 0.67). Significantly more slides and blood clots were generated by the suction method compared with the other methods.

Conclusion The capillary action, suction, and no suction methods of EUS-FNA are similar in terms of diagnostic adequacy of the specimen. The suction method has the disadvantages of causing more bleeding and generating more slides.
Theoretical investigation on the adsorption of DNA bases on B/N-doped SWCNT surface by the first principle
Authors: Li Laicai , Peng Dan , Chen Xiao , Liu Liuxie , Tian Anmin
Published: October 2017

A comparative study was conducted to investigate the adsorption properties and energy of the pure and B/N-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for surface adsorbed DNA bases adenine(A), thymine(T), cytosine(C) and guanine(G), and the electronic structure of stable adsorption model by using density functional theory calculations with LDA (PWC) method. It shows that B-doping does not cause SWCNTs’ structural distortion but can affect their electronic structures, and the interaction between carbon nanotubes and DNA bases enhanced with, turning the DNA bases adsorption on the surface of SWCNTs to chemical adsorption. N-doping has no obvious effects on the electronic structure of SWCNTs and the DNA bases, which can just be modified by physical adsorption on N-doped carbon nanotubes surface. The study predicts that the a few-electron elements such as B-doping have more advantages in DNA bases adsorption on the surface of the SWCNTs compared with the multi-electron central elements like N-doping.
Dual comb operation of λ ∼ 8.2 μm quantum cascade laser frequency comb with 1 W optical power
Authors: Jouy P. , Wolf J. M. , Bidaux Y. , Allmendinger P. , Mangold M. , Beck M. , Faist J.
Published: October 2017

In this work, we report the characterization of a quantum cascade laser frequency comb with an optical power of 1.05 W at λ∼8.2 μm. A 4.5 mm long device has a high reflectivity coating on the back facet as well as a top cladding designed to lower the group velocity dispersion and is operated at 258 K. Very strong (more than 60 dB) narrow beatnotes are shown, and frequency comb operation is obtained on a bandwidth of 85 cm−1 in a very large range of light-versus current characteristics. A bandwidth of 82 cm−1 has a power per mode of more than 1 mW and an average power per mode of 4.1 mW. Finally, a multi-heterodyne spectrum with 215 lines covering an optical bandwidth of more than 70 cm−1 measured with lasers showing similar performances is presented with very good line separation.
Hall effect spintronics for gas detection
Authors: Gerber A. , Kopnov G. , Karpovski M.
Published: October 2017

We present the concept of magnetic gas detection by the extraordinary Hall effect. The technique is compatible with the existing conductometric gas detection technologies and allows the simultaneous measurement of two independent parameters: resistivity and magnetization affected by the target gas. Feasibility of the approach is demonstrated by detecting low concentration hydrogen using thin CoPd films as the sensor material. The Hall effect sensitivity of the optimized samples exceeds 240% per 104 ppm at hydrogen concentrations below 0.5% in the hydrogen/nitrogen atmosphere, which is more than two orders of magnitude higher than the sensitivity of the conductance detection.
Non-conformal coarse-grained potentials for water
Authors: Rodríguez-López Tonalli , Khalak Yuriy , Karttunen Mikko
Published: October 2017

Water is a notoriously difficult substance to model both accurately and efficiently. Here, we focus on descriptions with a single coarse-grained particle per molecule using the so-called approximate non-conformal and generalized Stockmayer potentials as the starting points. They are fitted using the radial distribution function and the liquid-gas density profile of the atomistic extended simple point charge (SPC/E) model by downhill simplex optimization. We compare the results with monatomic water (mW), ELBA, and direct iterative Boltzmann inversion of SPC/E. The results show that symmetrical potentials result in non-transferable models, that is, they need to be reparametrized for new state points. This indicates that transferability may require more complex models. Furthermore, the results also show that the addition of a point dipole is not sufficient to make the potentials accurate and transferable to different temperatures (300 K-500 K) and pressures without an appropriate choice of properties as targets during model optimization.
Sasakian manifolds with purely transversal Bach tensor
Authors: Ghosh Amalendu , Sharma Ramesh
Published: October 2017

We show that a (2n + 1)-dimensional Sasakian manifold (M, g) with a purely transversal Bach tensor has constant scalar curvature ≥2n(2n+1), equality holding if and only if (M, g) is Einstein. For dimension 3, M is locally isometric to the unit sphere S3. For dimension 5, if in addition (M, g) is complete, then it has positive Ricci curvature and is compact with finite fundamental group π1(M).
Non-equilibrium reactive flux: A unified framework for slow and fast reaction kinetics
Authors: Bose Amartya , Makri Nancy
Published: October 2017

The flux formulation of reaction rate theory is recast in terms of the expectation value of the reactive flux with an initial condition that corresponds to a non-equilibrium, factorized reactant density. In the common case of slow reactive processes, the non-equilibrium expression reaches the plateau regime only slightly slower than the equilibrium flux form. When the reactants are described by a single quantum state, as in the case of electron transfer reactions, the factorized reactant density describes the true initial condition of the reactive process. In such cases, the time integral of the non-equilibrium flux expression yields the reactant population as a function of time, allowing characterization of the dynamics in cases where there is no clear separation of time scales and thus a plateau regime cannot be identified. The non-equilibrium flux offers a unified approach to the kinetics of slow and fast chemical reactions and is ideally suited to mixed quantum-classical methods.
Ultra-low voltage resistive switching of HfO2 buffered (001) epitaxial NiO films deposited on metal seed layers
Authors: Qiu X. Y. , Wang R. X. , Zhang Z. , Wei M. L. , Ji H. , Chai Y. , Zhou F. C. , Dai J. Y. , Zhang T. , Li L. T. , Meng X. S.
Published: October 2017

A set of (001) epitaxial NiO films were prepared on highly textured (001) Pt seed layers using magnetron sputtering, and their resistive switching performance was measured. Cube-to-cube epitaxial relationships of NiO(001)//Pt(001) and NiO[001]//Pt[001] were demonstrated. Current-voltage measurements revealed that the Ag/(001)NiO/(001)Pt capacitor structures exhibited stable bipolar switching behavior with an ON/OFF ratio of 20 and an endurance of over 5 × 103 cycles. Furthermore, inserting a HfO2 buffer layer between the NiO film and the Ag top electrode increased the ON/OFF ratio to more than 103 and reduced the SET/RESET voltage to below ±0.2 V. These enhancements are attributed to the differing filament growth mechanisms that occur in the NiO and HfO2 layers. The present work suggests that Ag/HfO2/(001)NiO/(001)Pt capacitor structures are a promising technology for next-generation, ultra-low voltage resistive switching memory.
Note: A modified optics based technique for suppressing spurious signals in photoreflectance spectra
Authors: Zhang Bin , Wang Xing-Jun
Published: October 2017

A modified optics based technique was developed to effectively suppress spurious background signals encountered in the photoreflectance (PR) spectra obtained from bulk semiconductors and semiconductor microstructures. Based on a traditional PR setup, the novel PR approach utilized an achromatic beam reduction system to narrow the profile of a probe beam, which was subsequently collected by a focus lens coupled with an iris. The new setup guarantees high collection efficiency for probe signals and strong suppression of background signals. Compared with existing PR methods for background minimization, the proposed PR technique is simpler to accomplish, more cost effective, and provides a higher signal-to-noise ratio for the PR spectra.
Reducing spin-up time for simulations of turbulent channel flow
Authors: Nelson K. S. , Fringer O. B.
Published: October 2017

Spin-up of turbulent channel flow forced with a constant mean pressure gradient is prolonged because the flow accelerates due to an imbalance between the driving pressure gradient and total bottom stress. To this end, a method ensuring a time invariant volume-averaged streamwise velocity during spin-up is presented and compared to simulations forced with a mean pressure gradient for both linear and logarithmic initial velocity profiles. The comparisons are made for open-channel flow with a friction Reynolds number Reτ of 500. Additional simulations with Reτ ranging from 1 to 400 are also run to confirm validity of the method for a range of Reynolds numbers. While the method eliminates spin-up time related to approaching the target volume-averaged velocity, spin-up time is still required for the flow to transition to turbulence and reach statistical equilibrium. Therefore, the time evolution of turbulence in response to different initial velocity profiles and random perturbations is investigated. Simulations initialized with linear velocity profiles trigger turbulence and reach statistical equilibrium sooner than those initialized with logarithmic profiles given the same initial perturbations, a manifestation of the increased shear created by linear profiles. The results suggest that, combined with appropriate initial conditions, ensuring a time invariant volume-averaged streamwise velocity can reduce the computational time associated with spin-up of turbulent open-channel flows by at least a factor of five.
Structural evolution and atomic diffusion behavior in the Ce70Al10Cu20 melt under compression: A theoretical study using ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Li Dongdong , Chen Heng , Sun Xiaorui , Qu Bingyan , Zhou Rulong , Zhang Bo
Published: October 2017

We reported an abnormal pressure-induced change of structure and atomic diffusion in a Ce70Al10Cu20 melt by using ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations. Structural analysis indicates that there are two kinds of Ce atoms, i.e., larger-radius Ce and small-radius Ce in the melt. With the pressure increase, the large size Ce transforms into the small one and the small one becomes dominant at a critical pressure around 4.6 GPa. The abnormal dynamic behavior is thus interpreted based on the intrinsic effect of Ce atoms. During the compression, the five-fold symmetry of Cu is gradually strengthened, while that of Al is weakened under the critical pressure. The results could be helpful for deeply understanding the pressure effect and the interplay between the structure and dynamics in liquid alloys.
Blistering mechanisms of atomic-layer-deposited AlN and Al2O3 films
Authors: Broas Mikael , Jiang Hua , Graff Andreas , Sajavaara Timo , Vuorinen Vesa , Paulasto-Kröckel Mervi
Published: October 2017

Blistering of protective, structural, and functional coatings is a reliability risk pestering films ranging from elemental to ceramic ones. The driving force behind blistering comes from either excess hydrogen at the film-substrate interface or stress-driven buckling. Contrary to the stress-driven mechanism, the hydrogen-initiated one is poorly understood. Recently, it was shown that in the bulk Al-Al2O3 system, the blistering is preceded by the formation of nano-sized cavities on the substrate. The stress- and hydrogen-driven mechanisms in atomic-layer-deposited (ALD) films are explored here. We clarify issues in the hydrogen-related mechanism via high-resolution microscopy and show that at least two distinct mechanisms can cause blistering in ALD films.
Production of radical species by electron beam deposition in an ArF* lasing medium
Authors: Petrov G. M. , Wolford M. F. , Petrova Tz. B. , Giuliani J. L. , Obenschain S. P.
Published: October 2017

The electron-beam-pumped ArF laser is a laser technology capable of providing very high lasing energies at the shortest wavelength (λ = 193 nm) among the rare gas halide lasers and therefore has the potential to be a superior driver for inertial fusion. The electron kinetics are rigorously treated by numerically solving the steady-state, spatially averaged electron Boltzmann equation in Ar-F2 gas. The e-beam energy deposition and collisional reaction rates with electrons are calculated from the electron energy distribution function for a wide range of e-beam deposition powers (Pbeam = 10 kW/cm3–3 MW/cm3) and fluorine concentrations (xF2 = 0.01 – 10%). The rates are reduced to a set of coefficients that are fitted with analytical formulas as a function of two universal parameters: Pbeam/p and xF2, where p is the gas pressure. It is found that in the regime of high e-beam power deposition, the fluorine molecules are rapidly destroyed through dissociative attachment and neutral dissociation. The loss of F2 over the duration of the beam is proportional to the e-beam energy deposition per unit volume, εbeam, and follows ΔnF2(cm−3)≅4×1017εbeam(J/cm3), in agreement with experimental data. The fluorine molecule conversion to other fluorine species, including atomic fluorine, is shown to have a very small effect on the index of refraction even at percent level concentrations.
Surface-conduction enhanced dielectrophoretic-like particle migration in electric-field driven fluid flow through a straight rectangular microchannel
Authors: Liu Zhijian , Li Di , Song Yongxin , Pan Xinxiang , Li Dongqing , Xuan Xiangchun
Published: October 2017

An electric field has been extensively used to manipulate fluids and particles via electrokinetic flow in microchannels and nanochannels for various lab-on-a-chip applications. Recent studies have demonstrated the action of a dielectrophoretic-like lift force on near-wall particles in an electrokinetic flow due to the particles’ modifications of the field-line structure adjacent to a planar wall. This work presents a fundamental investigation of the lateral migration of dielectric particles in the electrokinetic flow of buffer solutions of varying molar concentrations through a straight rectangular microchannel. We find that the particle migration-induced electrokinetic centerline focusing is significantly enhanced with the decrease of the buffer concentration. This observed phenomenon may be attributed to the increased surface conduction effect in a lower-concentration buffer that yields a larger Dukhin number, Du. It seems qualitatively consistent with a recent theoretical study that predicts a greater wall-induced electrical lift with the increasing value of the Dukhin number for Du ≥ 1.
A fully-automated neural network analysis of AFM force-distance curves for cancer tissue diagnosis
Authors: Minelli Eleonora , Ciasca Gabriele , Sassun Tanya Enny , Antonelli Manila , Palmieri Valentina , Papi Massimiliano , Maulucci Giuseppe , Santoro Antonio , Giangaspero Felice , Delfini Roberto , Campi Gaetano , De Spirito Marco
Published: October 2017

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has the unique capability of probing the nanoscale mechanical properties of biological systems that affect and are affected by the occurrence of many pathologies, including cancer. This capability has triggered growing interest in the translational process of AFM from physics laboratories to clinical practice. A factor still hindering the current use of AFM in diagnostics is related to the complexity of AFM data analysis, which is time-consuming and needs highly specialized personnel with a strong physical and mathematical background. In this work, we demonstrate an operator-independent neural-network approach for the analysis of surgically removed brain cancer tissues. This approach allowed us to distinguish—in a fully automated fashion—cancer from healthy tissues with high accuracy, also highlighting the presence and the location of infiltrating tumor cells.
New functionalities of potassium tantalate niobate deflectors enabled by the coexistence of pre-injected space charge and composition gradient
Authors: Zhu Wenbin , Chao Ju-Hung , Chen Chang-Jiang , Campbell Adrian L. , Henry Michael G. , Yin Stuart (Shizhuo) , Hoffman Robert C.
Published: October 2017

In most beam steering applications such as 3D printing and in vivo imaging, one of the essential challenges has been high-resolution high-speed multi-dimensional optical beam scanning. Although the pre-injected space charge controlled potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) deflectors can achieve speeds in the nanosecond regime, they deflect in only one dimension. In order to develop a high-resolution high-speed multi-dimensional KTN deflector, we studied the deflection behavior of KTN deflectors in the case of coexisting pre-injected space charge and composition gradient. We find that such coexistence can enable new functionalities of KTN crystal based electro-optic deflectors. When the direction of the composition gradient is parallel to the direction of the external electric field, the zero-deflection position can be shifted, which can reduce the internal electric field induced beam distortion, and thus enhance the resolution. When the direction of the composition gradient is perpendicular to the direction of the external electric field, two-dimensional beam scanning can be achieved by harnessing only one single piece of KTN crystal, which can result in a compact, high-speed two-dimensional deflector. Both theoretical analyses and experiments are conducted, which are consistent with each other. These new functionalities can expedite the usage of KTN deflection in many applications such as high-speed 3D printing, high-speed, high-resolution imaging, and free space broadband optical communication.
A flow cell for the study of gas-solid reactions via in situ powder X-ray diffraction
Authors: Scarlett Nicola V. Y. , Hewish Damien , Pattel Rachel , Webster Nathan A. S.
Published: October 2017

This paper describes the development and testing of a novel capillary flow cell for use in in situ powder X-ray diffraction experiments. It is designed such that it achieves 200° of rotation of the capillary whilst still allowing the flow of gas through the sample and the monitoring of off gas via mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, or other such analytical techniques. This high degree of rotation provides more uniform heating of the sample than can be achieved in static cells or those with lower rotational ranges and consequently also improves particle statistics. The increased uniformity of heating provides more accurate temperature calibration of the experimental setup as well. The cell is designed to be held in a standard goniometer head and is therefore suitable for use in many laboratory and synchrotron instruments.
Solid-phase epitaxial film growth and optical properties of a ferroelectric oxide, Sr2Nb2O7
Authors: Nezu Yukio , Zhang Yu-Qiao , Chen Chunlin , Ikuhara Yuichi , Ohta Hiromichi
Published: October 2017

High-quality epitaxial films of a ferroelectric oxide Sr2Nb2O7 were successfully fabricated by solid phase epitaxy (SPE) on (110) LaAlO3 single crystal substrates. In the SPE method, amorphous Sr–Nb–O films are first deposited by pulsed laser deposition at room temperature and then annealed in vacuum at elevated temperatures, resulting in the crystallization of Sr2Nb2O7 with highly ordered atomic arrangement and an atomically flat surface. The refractive index of the resultant film was 2.1, indicating that the dielectric permittivity of the film was in between 20 and 80, which corresponds well with that of single crystal Sr2Nb2O7, demonstrating the effectiveness of the SPE method for the fabrication of high-quality epitaxial films of Sr2Nb2O7.
Laser-assisted selective lithography of reduced graphene oxide for fabrication of graphene-based out-of-plane tandem microsupercapacitors with large capacitance
Authors: Kwon Soongeun , Jung Daekyeong , Lim Hyungjun , Kim Geehong , Choi Kee-Bong , Lee JaeJong
Published: October 2017

We present a laser lithography technique that uses a focused laser beam to fabricate out-of-plane tandem microsupercapacitors (MSCs) from reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with large areal capacitance. By controlling the depth of focus in a laser beam focused by an objective lens during laser lithography on a graphene oxide (GO) film, a rGO/GO/rGO structure is formed in the GO film, and subsequently, two independent interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) were fabricated on the top and bottom surfaces of the GO film. The out-of-plane tandem MSC with a parallel assembly of two rGO-IDEs showed two times larger areal capacitance than an in-plane single MSC with one rGO-IDE in the same MSC device footprint. The laser-assisted selective lithography technique using a focused laser beam developed in this study can be further applied to improve the energy density of MSCs without increasing the electrode area by vertically stacking multiple out-of-plane tandem IDEs.
Entropy based fingerprint for local crystalline order
Authors: Piaggi Pablo M. , Parrinello Michele
Published: October 2017

We introduce a new fingerprint that allows distinguishing between liquid-like and solid-like atomic environments. This fingerprint is based on an approximate expression for the entropy projected on individual atoms. When combined with local enthalpy, this fingerprint acquires an even finer resolution and it is capable of discriminating between different crystal structures.
Negative drag force on finite-size charged dust grain in strongly collisional plasma
Authors: Momot A. I.
Published: October 2017

The drag force on finite-size charged conductive spherical dust grain stationary moving in strongly collisional weakly ionized plasmas is studied numerically within the drift-diffusion approximation. It is assumed that the grain surface collects all encountered electrons and ions, i.e., the grain is at a floating potential. The velocity dependencies of the drag, stationary charging current and grain charge are obtained for various grain sizes for both isothermal and nonisothermal plasmas. The plasma density profiles were calculated and compared with those obtained earlier in a kinetic approach. The numerical results of the drag force are compared with known analytical expressions. A more simple expression is proposed, and its applicability is examined. Natural drag described by the Stokes' force is taken into consideration.
Communication: Broad manifold of excitonic states in light-harvesting complex 1 promotes efficient unidirectional energy transfer in vivo
Authors: Sohail Sara H. , Dahlberg Peter D. , Allodi Marco A. , Massey Sara C. , Ting Po-Chieh , Martin Elizabeth C. , Hunter C. Neil , Engel Gregory S.
Published: October 2017

In photosynthetic organisms, the pigment-protein complexes that comprise the light-harvesting antenna exhibit complex electronic structures and ultrafast dynamics due to the coupling among the chromophores. Here, we present absorptive two-dimensional (2D) electronic spectra from living cultures of the purple bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, acquired using gradient assisted photon echo spectroscopy. Diagonal slices through the 2D lineshape of the LH1 stimulated emission/ground state bleach feature reveal a resolvable higher energy population within the B875 manifold. The waiting time evolution of diagonal, horizontal, and vertical slices through the 2D lineshape shows a sub-100 fs intra-complex relaxation as this higher energy population red shifts. The absorption (855 nm) of this higher lying sub-population of B875 before it has red shifted optimizes spectral overlap between the LH1 B875 band and the B850 band of LH2. Access to an energetically broad distribution of excitonic states within B875 offers a mechanism for efficient energy transfer from LH2 to LH1 during photosynthesis while limiting back transfer. Two-dimensional lineshapes reveal a rapid decay in the ground-state bleach/stimulated emission of B875. This signal, identified as a decrease in the dipole strength of a strong transition in LH1 on the red side of the B875 band, is assigned to the rapid localization of an initially delocalized exciton state, a dephasing process that frustrates back transfer from LH1 to LH2.
Optical sensing with Anderson-localised light
Authors: Trojak Oliver Joe , Crane Tom , Sapienza Luca
Published: October 2017

We show that fabrication imperfections in silicon nitride photonic crystal waveguides can be used as a resource to efficiently confine light in the Anderson-localised regime and add functionalities to photonic devices. Our results prove that disorder-induced localisation of light can be utilised to realise an alternative class of high-quality optical sensors operating at room temperature. We measure wavelength shifts of optical resonances as large as 15.2 nm, more than 100 times the spectral linewidth of 0.15 nm, for a refractive index change of about 0.38. By studying the temperature dependence of the optical properties of the system, we report wavelength shifts of up to about 2 nm and increases of more than a factor 2 in the quality factor of the cavity resonances, when going from room to cryogenic temperatures. Such a device can allow simultaneous sensing of both local contaminants and temperature variations, monitored by tens of optical resonances spontaneously appearing along a single photonic crystal waveguide. Our findings demonstrate the potential of Anderson-localised light in photonic crystals for scalable and efficient optical sensors operating in the visible and near-infrared range of wavelengths.
Enhanced diffraction efficiency of mixed volume gratings with nanorod dopants in polymeric nanocomposite
Authors: Cao Liangcai , Wu Shenghan , Hao Jinping , Zhu Chen , He Zehao , Zhang Zheyuan , Zong Song , Zhang Fushi , Jin Guofan
Published: October 2017

We propose a method to improve the holographic performance of a volume holographic material by the particle-shape dependence of doped nanoparticles. Previously reported methods are based on changing the doping concentration of dopants and the diameter of nanoparticles or modifying the surface of nanoparticles. When transverse surface plasmon resonance of optimized gold nanorods shifts near the recording wavelength, experiments confirmed that enhancement of diffraction efficiency by efficient dopants of gold nanorods is better than that of gold nanospheres. The enhancement effects under optimal mixing conditions occur with a crucial factor of maximum absorption intensity at the recording wavelength using the particle-shape dependence of doping nanorods. The gold nanorods with an average diameter of 10 ± 2.1 nm and an average length of 34 ± 5 nm are doped in Phenanthrenequinone-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) photopolymers. The diffraction efficiency of volume holographic grating in the photopolymer doped with nanorods is 18.5% higher than that in the photopolymer doped with nanospheres and 29.6% higher than that in the pure photopolymer.
Interfacial energy barrier height of Al2O3/H-terminated (111) diamond heterointerface investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Maréchal A. , Kato Y. , Liao M. , Koizumi S.
Published: October 2017

The interfacial band configuration of the high-κ dielectric Al2O3 deposited at 120 ∘C by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on boron- and phosphorus-doped hydrogen-terminated (111) diamond was investigated. Performing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of core level binding energies and valence band maxima values, the valence band offsets of both heterojunctions are found to be ΔEV = 1.8 eV and ΔEV = 2.7 eV for Al2O3/H(111)p and Al2O3/H(111)n, respectively. The ALD Al2O3 bandgap energy was measured from the O 1s photoelectron energy loss spectra to be EGAl2O3=7.1 eV. The interfacial band diagram configuration is found to be of type II for both Al2O3/H(111)p and Al2O3/H(111)n heterostructures having conduction band offsets of ΔEC = 0.2 eV and ΔEC = 1.1 eV, respectively. The use of doped (111) hydrogen-terminated diamond for developing future diamond metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors is discussed.
Computational and experimental characterization of a pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquid for electrolyte applications
Authors: Torabifard Hedieh , Reed Luke , Berry Matthew T. , Hein Jason E. , Menke Erik , Cisneros G. Andrés
Published: October 2017

The development of Li-ion batteries for energy storage has received significant attention. The synthesis and characterization of electrolytes in these batteries are an important component of this development. Ionic liquids (ILs) have been proposed as possible electrolytes in these devices. Thus, the accurate determination of thermophysical properties for these solvents becomes important for determining their applicability as electrolytes. In this contribution, we present the synthesis and experimental/computational characterization of thermodynamic and transport properties of a pyrrolidinium based ionic liquid as a first step to investigate the possible applicability of this class of ILs for Li-ion batteries. A quantum mechanical-based force field with many-body polarizable interactions has been developed for the simulation of spirocyclic pyrrolidinium, [sPyr+], with BF4− and Li+. Molecular dynamics calculations employing intra-molecular polarization predicted larger heat of vaporization and self-diffusion coefficients and smaller densities in comparison with the model without intra-molecular polarization, indicating that the inclusion of this term can significantly effect the inter-ionic interactions. The calculated properties are in good agreement with available experimental data for similar IL pairs and isothermal titration calorimetry data for [sPyr+][BF4−].
Vanishing viscosity limit for incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with Navier boundary conditions for small slip length
Authors: Wang Ya-Guang , Yin Jierong , Zhu Shiyong
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we will analyze the vanishing viscosity limit of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with the Navier slip boundary conditions in a bounded domain of R2. When the slip length is smaller than or equal to the order of viscosity, by using an energy method and developing Kato’s approach given in the work of Kato [Math. Sci. Res. Inst. Publ. 2, 85–98 (1984)], we obtain several conditions to guarantee that the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations with the Navier slip boundary conditions goes to the solution of the associated problem of the Euler equations in the energy space L2 uniformly in time, as the viscosity goes to zero.
Core tungsten radiation diagnostic calibration by small shell pellet injection in the DIII-D tokamak
Authors: Hollmann E. M. , Commaux N. , Shiraki D. , Alexander N. , Bykov I. , Moser A. L. , Thomas D. , Victor B. S.
Published: October 2017

Injection of small (outer diameter = 0.8 mm) plastic pellets carrying embedded smaller (10 μg) tungsten grains is used to check calibrations of core tungsten line radiation diagnostics in support of the 2016 tungsten ring campaign in the DIII-D tokamak. Observed total brightness (1 eV–10 keV) and soft x-ray (1 keV–10 keV) brightness are found to be reasonably well (<factor 2) predicted using existing calibration factors and rate calculations. Individual core (extreme ultra-violet/soft x-ray) tungsten line brightness appears to be somewhat less reliable (factor 2-4) for the prediction of core tungsten concentration.
Interferometric method for quantitatively testing the RadOptic effect in bulk semiconductors
Authors: Peng Bo-dong , Song Yan , Hei Dong-wei , Zhao Jun
Published: October 2017

For the quantitative investigation of MeV-photon-induced changes in the refractive indices of bulk semiconductors, a model was established to describe the evolution of the excess carrier density, including the generation and recombination processes. The two key parameters of the evolution model, namely, the summed injection intensity and the gamma intensity curve, were obtained via dose measurements and gamma pulse monitoring, respectively. An interferometric method of measuring instantaneous changes in the refractive index and obtaining real-time measurements of the excess carrier density in bulk materials was successfully implemented. The probe beam was transmitted through a single-mode fiber to form double-beam interference in a slab geometry. Two bulk samples, one consisting of intrinsic GaAs and one of intrinsic ZnO, were tested. The recombination time constant of the intrinsic GaAs sample was found to be approximately 0.6 ns and did not vary distinctly with the photon energy, whereas the ZnO sample’s recombination behavior consisted of two components. The short component was evident when short and intense pulses were incident, whereas the long component dominated under long and relatively weak pulses. The method reported in this work can be used to study the excess carrier dynamics induced by pulsed gamma radiation and to investigate the mechanisms of refractive index modulation under pulsed gamma conditions; thus, it is expected to be beneficial for guiding the development of RadOptic systems based on bulk materials.
Soliton solution and gauge equivalence for an integrable nonlocal complex modified Korteweg-de Vries equation
Authors: Ma Li-Yuan , Shen Shou-Feng , Zhu Zuo-Nong
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we prove that an integrable nonlocal complex modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equation introduced by Ablowitz and Musslimani [Nonlinearity 29, 915–946 (2016)] is gauge equivalent to a spin-like model. From the gauge equivalence, one can see that there exists significant difference between the nonlocal complex mKdV equation and the classical complex mKdV equation. Through constructing the Darboux transformation for nonlocal complex mKdV equation, a variety of exact solutions including dark soliton, W-type soliton, M-type soliton, and periodic solutions are derived.