bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concurrent changes in methyl jasmonate emission and the expression of its biosynthesis‐related genes in Cymbidium ensifolium flowers
Authors: Huang Mingkun , Ma Cuiping , Yu Rangcai , Mu Lanling , Hou Jia , Yu Yunyi , Fan Yanping
Published: September 2014

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is one of most abundant scent compounds in Cymbidium ensifolium flowers. In this study, the emission of MeJA and its regulation mechanism were investigated. Our results showed that emission of MeJA in C. ensifolium flowers was controlled developmentally and rhythmically. It occurred in a tissue‐specific manner, and high MeJA emission was found in sepals and petals. A group of vital genes involved in the MeJA biosynthesis via the octadecanoid pathway were isolated from C. ensifolium flowers, including CeLOX, CeAOS, CeAOC and CeJMT. MeJA emission was at very low levels in unopened or half‐opened C. ensifolium flowers and reached its maximal level between day 4 and 6 and declined from day 7 to 10 postanthesis. The expression of CeLOX, CeAOS, CeAOC and CeJMT increased from day 1 to day 6, and then declined from day 7 to 10 postanthesis, corresponding to the change in MeJA emission. Moreover, the expression of CeLOX, CeAOS, CeAOC and CeJMT oscillated in a rhythmic manner could reach the maximum level between 8:00 h and 16:00 h, which coincided with the MeJA emission. The high level of MeJA emission in sepals and petals coincided with the high transcript levels. The results suggest that MeJA emission in C. ensifolium flower might be directly regulated at the transcription levels. Moreover, the recombinant protein of CeJMT could specifically catalyze the jasmonic acid to form the corresponding ester MeJA.
Functional, histological and biomechanical characterization of wheat water‐mutant leaves
Authors: Rascio Agata , Rascio Nicoletta , Rinaldi Michele , Valentini Massimiliano
Published: September 2014

A wheat (Triticum turgidumsubsp.durum) mutant, generated with sodium azide from wild‐type (WT) cv. ‘Trinakria’, differs in its water affinity of dry leaves, and was designated as a water‐mutant. Compared with theWT, water‐mutant leaves have lower rates of water uptake, while stomatal and cuticular transpiration do not differ. The nuclear magnetic resonance proton signals used for image reconstruction of leaf cross sections showed differences between these genotypes for theT1proton spin–density and theT2proton spin–spin relaxation time. Structural and histochemical analyses at midrib level showed that the water‐mutant has thinner leaves, with more and smaller cells per unit area of mesophyll and sclerenchyma, and has altered staining patterns of lignin and pectin‐like substances. Stress–strain curves to examine the rheological properties of the leaves showed a biphasic trend, which reveals that the tensile strength at break load and the elastic modulus of the second phase of the water‐mutant are significantly higher than for theWT. These data support the proposal of interrelationships among local biophysical properties of the leaf, the microscopic water structure, the rheological properties and the water flux rate across the leaf. This water‐mutant can be used for analysis of the genetic basis of these differences, and for identification of gene(s) that govern these traits.
On Taxation, Political Accountability and Foreign Aid: Empirics to a Celebrated Literature
Authors: Asongu Simplice
Published: September 2014

The Eubank findings on taxation, political accountability and foreign aid have had an important influence on academic and policymaking debates. Eubank has warned that his findings should not be generalised across Africa until they are backed by robust empirical evidence. This paper puts some empirical structure to the celebrated literature. The empirical evidence which is based on data from 53 African countries for the period 1996‐2010 broadly confirms the Somaliland‐based Eubank hypothesis that in the absence of foreign aid, the dependence of government on local tax revenues provides the leverage for better political governance.
Is the competence of Swedish Registered Nurses working in municipal care of older people merely a question of age and postgraduate education?
Authors: Karlstedt Michaela , Wadensten Barbro , Fagerberg Ingegerd , Pöder Ulrika
Published: September 2014

Objectives

Previous studies suggest that not only education but also personal aspects such as experience of working as a registered nurse (RN) and age can influence competence. The objective was to explore the educational and self‐rated competence of RNs and their duties within the care of older people.

Methods

A cross‐sectional descriptive design was used. All RNs in two counties in Sweden were asked to complete a written questionnaire: a study specific questionnaire with educational and work related questions using the Nurse Competence Scale. The response rate was 61% (n 344).

Results

Higher self‐rated satisfaction with own professional competence was related to older age, more years after nursing education and possessing at least one postgraduate education in specialist nursing. Educational needs were related to younger age and fewer years since nursing graduation. Education within elder care, including education about drugs was rated the most urgently needed area of education. The most frequently reported tasks were found in the domain helping role, whereas ensuring quality was less present in their daily work.

Conclusions

Educational level, age and years of experience had an impact on RNs’ self‐perceived competence, which is in accordance with previous descriptions of the concept competence. It seems imperative that RNs working in care of the old and with the demands placed on them are given the opportunity to take a postgraduate specialist education in order to gain a competence level in their desired area of work. It is also important that RNs working in care of the old get tailored education in line with the requirements the organisation places on them.
An integrative approach to species discrimination in the Eupelmus urozonus complex (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae), with the description of 11 new species from the Western Palaearctic
Authors: AL KHATIB FADEL , FUSU LUCIAN , CRUAUD ASTRID , GIBSON GARY , BOROWIEC NICOLAS , RASPLUS JEAN‐YVES , RIS NICOLAS , DELVARE GÉRARD
Published: September 2014

The systematics of the European species of Eupelmus (Eupelmus) Dalman (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) belonging to the ‘urozonus‐complex’ is elucidated through combined molecular and morphological characterization. One mitochondrial gene fragment (Cytochrome oxidase I) and one nuclear protein‐coding gene fragment (Wingless) were sequenced and the results compared with those of a detailed morphological study of the specimens from an extensive sampling. Knowledge of the biodiversity of Eupelmus in the Western Palearctic Region is significantly improved through the separation and description of 11 new species: E. (Eupelmus) confusus Al khatib sp.n., E. gemellus Al khatib sp.n., E. janstai Delvare & Gibson sp.n., E. longicalvus Al khatib & Fusu sp.n., E. minozonus Delvare sp.n., E. opacus Delvare sp.n., E. pistaciae Al khatib sp.n., E. priotoni Delvare sp.n., E. purpuricollis Fusu & Al khatib sp.n., E. simizonus Al khatib sp.n. and E. tremulae Delvare sp.n. Illustrated keys to females and, when known, males of these new 11 species plus the other already described species considered to belong to the ‘urozonus‐complex’ (E. acinellus Askew, E. annulatus Nees, E. azureus Ratzeburg, E. cerris Förster, E. fulvipes Förster, E. kiefferi De Stefani, E. martellii Masi, E. stenozonus Askew, E. tibicinis Bouček and E. urozonus Dalman) are provided and all the species are described based on morphology. Eupelmus kiefferi is removed from synonymy under E. urozonus and E. azureus is recognized as the valid senior synonym of Pteromalus cordairii Ratzeburg, and Eupelmus spongipartus Förster, syn.n. The discrimination of the species included in this complex is particularly relevant because some are potential biological control agents and have been confused in the past.

This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F52CD199‐C65F‐43CC‐B347‐4E724096F2D5.
Preying on those close to home: witchcraft violence in a Papua New Guinea Village
Authors: Jorgensen Dan
Published: September 2014

Recent attacks on suspected witches in Telefomin led to several deaths and the flight of families in fear of their lives. This violence has much in common with similar events elsewhere in PNG, but there are important differences as well: accusations do not have a misogynist cast (all the targets were men), and the witchcraft is attributed to non‐indigenous sources. As in many PNG instances, the police failed to prosecute homicides arising from witchcraft accusations, a fact that has led to widespread local concern. In this paper I present the Telefol cases with a focus on the relation of perpetrators to their victims and to the community at large. I argue that certain aspects of the regional economy combined with a generic witchcraft discourse and the ineffectiveness of the state have fostered a lethal crisis in the relation between villagers and male youth.
Analyzing Animal Movement Characteristics From Location Data
Authors: Sarkar Dipto , Chapman Colin A. , Griffin Larry , Sengupta Raja
Published: September 2014

When individuals of a species utilize an environment, they generate movement patterns at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Field observations coupled with location technologies (e.g.GPStags) enable the capture of detailed spatio‐temporal data regarding these movement patterns. These patterns contain information about species‐specific preferences regarding individual decision‐making, locational choices and the characteristics of the habitat in which the animal resides. Spatial Data Mining approaches can be used to extract repeated spatio‐temporal patterns and additional habitat preferences hidden within large spatially explicit movement datasets. We describe a method to determine the periodicity and directionality in movement exhibited by a migratory bird species. Results using a High Arctic‐nestingSvalbardBarnacleGoose movement data yielded undetected patterns that were secondarily corroborated with expert field knowledge. Individual revisits by the geese to specific locations in the breeding and wintering grounds ofSvalbard,Norway andSolway,Scotland, occurred with a periodicity of 334 days . Further, the orientation of this movement was detected to be mostly north‐south. During long‐range migration the geese use the north‐south orientedNorwegian islands as “stepping stones”, Short‐range movement between mudbank roosts to feeding fields inSolway also retained a north‐south orientation.
Cytonuclear discordance and the species status of Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii (Chiroptera)
Authors: Furman Andrzej , Çoraman Emrah , Çelik Yalin E. , Postawa Tomasz , Bachanek Justyna , Ruedi Manuel
Published: September 2014

We used both highly variable mitochondrial and nuclear loci to investigate the large mouse‐eared bat species complex in the Western Palaearctic to clarify their systematic position. Although mitochondrial lineages show no species segregation and some haplotypes are shared between Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii sensu lato, Bayesian clustering methods based on multilocus genotypes indicate highly concordant nuclear and morphological species assignment. These multilocus, nuclear analyses detected only a single putative F1 hybrid in the extensive areas of sympatry sampled, thus confirming the biological species status of M. myotis and M. blythii s.l. We propose that the strong cytonuclear discordance in these species complex results from a combination of prior spatial isolation of the two species in different glacial refugia, followed by a succession of mitochondrial introgression events that occurred during the eastward and westward expansions of M. myotis and of M. blythii, respectively. The nuclear markers further indicate the presence of a notable genetic discontinuity within M. myotis that broadly separates populations into an eastern and a western component with an overlap zone in the Balkans. This eastern and western discontinuity is also apparent in the mitochondrial lineages with the D haplogroup largely confined to samples found in Thrace and Asia Minor. None of these genetic discontinuities correspond to the distribution of the two commonly recognized M. myotis subspecies (myotis and macrocephalicus). We also show that distinct morphological subspecies within M. blythii (oxygnathus, omari, risorius and lesviacus) in Europe and the near‐East do not correlate with significant evolutionarily units, whether identified by mitochondrial or nuclear data and thus only represent local morphological variants with little taxonomic relevance.
Species limits, phylogeographic and hybridization patterns in Neotropical leaf frogs (Phyllomedusinae)
Authors: Brunes Tuliana O. , Alexandrino João , Baêta Délio , Zina Juliana , Haddad Célio F.B. , Sequeira Fernando
Published: September 2014

The taxonomy of many species is still based solely on phenotypic traits, which is often a pitfall for the understanding of evolutionary processes and historical biogeographic patterns, especially between closely related species due to either phenotypic conservatism or plasticity. Two widely distributed Neotropical leaf frogs from the Phyllomedusa burmeisteri species group (P. burmeisteri and Phyllomedusa bahiana) constitute a paramount example of closely related species with relatively unstable taxonomic history due to a large phenotypic variation. Herein, we analysed ~260 individuals from 57 localities distributed across the range of the two species to contrast individual phenotypic with an integrative phylogenetic and phylogeographic multilocus approach. We aim to clarify species limits, investigate potential undocumented diversity and examine to what extent taxonomic uncertainties could lead to misleading hypotheses on phylogeographic and interspecific hybridization patterns. Our molecular analysis supports the recognition of the two currently defined species, providing evidences for one novel and highly divergent evolutionary unit within the range of P. burmeisteri, which encompasses its type locality (Rio de Janeiro city). Spatial patterns of genetic and the colour of the hidden areas of the thigh was not congruent, varying considerably both within and between populations of both species. Genetic data showed signs of admixture between both species but do not corroborate the previously inferred wide area of introgression based on the distribution of the intermediate phenotype. Our results suggest that phenotypic variation can result from local adaptations, geographic isolation and/or evolutionary processes and, thus, cannot be used to reliably diagnose P. burmeisteri and P. bahiana. Globally, this study underscores the need of a geographical broad sampling of widespread species and the combination of molecular and phenotypic data to delineate species limits and phylogeographic patterns in species with complex taxonomy.
Borel stability for congruence subgroups
Authors: Cohen David Bruce
Published: September 2014

We prove a homological stability theorem for congruence subgroups of symplectic groups. From this theorem, we deduce a generalization of a theorem of Borel showing that certain homology groups of a congruence subgroup do not depend on the level of the congruence subgroup.
Convexity of parabolic subgroups in Artin groups
Authors: Charney Ruth , Paris Luis
Published: September 2014

We prove that any standard parabolic subgroup of any Artin group is convex with respect to the standard generating set.
Representation by ternary quadratic forms
Authors: Lemke Oliver Robert J.
Published: September 2014

The problem of determining when an integral quadratic form represents every positive integer has received much attention in recent years, culminating in the 15 and 290 Theorems of Bhargava–Conway–Schneeberger and Bhargava–Hanke. For ternary quadratic forms, there are always local obstructions, but one may ask whether there are ternary quadratic forms which represent every locally represented integer. Indeed, such forms exist and are called regular, and Jagy, Kaplansky, and Schiemann proved that there are at most 913; however, only 899 of these are actually known to be regular. We consider the remaining 14 forms, and establish the regularity of each under the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis, following the method pioneered by Ono and Soundararajan. Moreover, we consider the exceptional arithmetic consequences if a large, locally represented integer is not globally represented by a ternary quadratic form, proving that some Dirichlet ‐function would necessarily have a Siegel zero or that some quadratic twist of an elliptic curve would have an unusually large Tate–Shafarevich group.
Two-Phase Flow Modeling and Measurements in Low-Pressure Turbines—Part II: Turbine Wetness Measurement and Comparison to Computational Fluid Dynamics-Predictions
Authors: Schatz M. , Eberle T. , Grübel M. , Starzmann J. , Vogt D. M. , Suerken N.
Published: September 2014

The correct computation of steam subcooling, subsequent formation of nuclei and finally droplet growth is the basic prerequisite for a quantitative assessment of the wetness losses incurred in steam turbines due to thermal and inertial relaxation. The same basically applies for the prediction of droplet deposition and the resulting threat of erosion. Despite the fact that there are many computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-packages that can deal with real-gas effects in steam flows, the accurate and reliable prediction of subcooling, condensation, and wet steam flow in steam turbines using CFD is still a demanding task. One reason for this is the lack of validation data for turbines that can be used to assess the physical models applied. Experimental data from nozzle and cascade tests can be found in the open literature; however, these measurement results are only partly useful for validation purposes for a number of reasons. With regard to steam turbine test data, there are some publications, yet always without any information about the turbine stage geometries. This publication is part of a two-part paper; whereas Part I focuses on the numerical validation of wet steam models by means of condensing nozzle and cascade flows, the focus in this part lies on the comparison of CFD results of the turbine flow to experimental data at various load conditions. In order to assess the validity and reliability of the experimental data, the method of measurement is presented in detail and discussed. The comparison of experimental and numerical results is used for a discussion about the challenges in both modeling and measuring steam turbine flows, presenting the current experience and knowledge at Institute of Thermal Turbomachinery and Machinery Laboratory (ITSM).
Investigation of Thermo-Elastic Behavior of Multidisk Clutches
Authors: Abdullah Oday I. , Akhtar Mumtaz Jamil , Schlattmann Josef
Published: September 2014

The high thermal stresses generated in the contacting surfaces of a multidisk clutch system (pressure plate, clutch disks, plate separators and piston), due to the frictional heating generation during the slipping, is considered to be one of the main reasons lead to premature failure in the contacting surfaces of clutches. A finite element technique has been used to study the transient thermo-elastic phenomena of multidisk dry clutch. The effect of the sliding speed on the contact pressure distribution, the temperature field and the frictional heat generated along the frictional surfaces are investigated. Analysis has been completed using axisymmetric model to simulate the multidisk clutch system. Ansys software has been used to perform the numerical calculation in this paper.
Rotating Stall Observations in a High Speed Compressor—Part I: Experimental Study
Authors: Dodds J. , Vahdati M.
Published: September 2014

In this two-part paper, the phenomenon of part span rotating stall is studied. The objective is to improve understanding of the physics by which stable and persistent rotating stall occurs within high speed axial flow compressors. This phenomenon is studied both experimentally (Part I) and through the use of unsteady RANS simulations (Part II). In this paper, the behavior of an eight stage high speed compressor is studied during slow acceleration maneuvres along a fixed working line. Casing mounted pressure transducers and rotor mounted strain gages are used to examine the spectral content of any unsteadiness in the flow and its behavior across the operating range. By deliberate aerodynamic mismatching of the front stages through adjustment of three rows of variable stator vanes (VSVs), stable rotating stall is initiated. The observed behavior falls into two “families” of high and low frequency when tracked on the instrumentation. Further analysis based on the Doppler shift between the static and rotating measurements confirms that these respective phenomena are due to rotating stall of high and low cell count. Acoustic modes resulting from stall/rotor interaction are also identified. Strong correlation of the stall intensity with simple 1D meanline predicted loading parameters suggests that these families of behavior are independently linked to the stalling of different regions within the compressor.
Semiaquatic adaptations in a giant predatory dinosaur
Authors: Ibrahim Nizar , Sereno Paul C. , Dal Sasso Cristiano , Maganuco Simone , Fabbri Matteo , Martill David M. , Zouhri Samir , Myhrvold Nathan , Iurino Dawid A.
Published: September 2014

Mysterious dinosaur a swimmer?

Dinosaurs are often appreciated for their size and oddity. In this regard, the North African carnivorous theropod
Spinosaurus
, with its huge dorsal sail and a body larger than
Tyrannosaurus rex
, has long stood out. This species also stands out because of its history. The unfortunate loss of the type specimen during World War II left much of what we know about
Spinosaurus
to be divined through speculation and reconstruction. Ibrahim
et al.
now describe new fossils of this unusual species. They conclude it was, at least partly, aquatic, a first for dinosaurs.

Science
, this issue p.
1613
Genome Sequence of a
Salmonella
Phage Used To Control
Salmonella
Transmission in Swine
Authors: Zhang Jiayi , Hong Yingying , Harman Nicholas J. , Das Archana , Ebner Paul D.
Published: September 2014

Salmonella
shedding in swine often increases in response to transportation and lairage. We previously demonstrated that such increases can be limited by directly feeding microencapsulated
Salmonella
bacteriophages. Here we present the genome sequence of vB_SalM_SJ_3, a broader spectrum Viuna-like
Salmonella
phage used in those studies.
Whole-Genome Sequence of a Reassortant H5N6 Avian Influenza Virus Isolated from a Live Poultry Market in China, 2013
Authors: Qi Xian , Cui Lunbiao , Yu Huiyan , Ge Yiyue , Tang Fengyang
Published: September 2014

An avian influenza virus, A/environment/Zhenjiang/C13/2013(H5N6), was isolated from a live poultry market in eastern China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolate was a novel reassortant virus with a neuraminidase (NA) gene from H6N6 viruses and the other seven genes from H5N1 viruses, which may pose a potential threat to human and animal health.
Draft Genome Sequence of Uncultivated
Firmicutes
(
Peptococcaceae
SCADC) Single Cells Sorted from Methanogenic Alkane-Degrading Cultures
Authors: Tan BoonFei , Charchuk Rhianna , Li Carmen , Nesbø Camilla , Abu Laban Nidal , Foght Julia
Published: September 2014

The draft genome of an uncultivated bacterium affiliated with the
Peptococcaceae
was reconstructed by co-assembling Illumina MiSeq sequences from three single cells sorted by microfluidics from two methanogenic alkane-degrading cultures.
Peptococcaceae
SCADC (short-chain alkane-degrading culture) may be genetically capable of anaerobic alkane activation by fumarate addition in the absence of sulfate.
Giant axonal neuropathy: a rare inherited neuropathy with simple clinical clues
Authors: Kamate Mahesh , Ramakrishna Shashikala , Kambali Shweta , Mahadevan Anita
Published: September 2014

Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterised by accumulation of excess neurofilaments in the axons of peripheral and central nervous systems, which hampers signal transmission. It usually manifests in infancy and early childhood and is slowly progressive. Those affected with GAN have characteristic curly kinky hair, everted feet and a crouched gait, which suggest the diagnosis in most cases. We describe twin children who presented with difficulty in walking and an abnormal gait since they began walking; clinical clues such as hair changes led us to the final diagnosis.
Extragastric Dieulafoy's lesion
Authors: Gauci James , Galea Samuel , Galea Joseph , Schembri Mark
Published: September 2014

A 74-year-old man on warfarin for aortic valve replacement presented with recurrent episodes of melaena. An initial oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) was normal, as were red cell scanning and colonoscopy. It was a third OGD that revealed the cause of the melaena—a vascular lesion in the duodenum, at the junction between D1 and D2. An extragastric Dieulafoy's lesion was diagnosed, and the lesion was injected with epinephrine and tattooed. Over the following months, episodes of bleeding recurred despite further attempts at injection. Percutaneous radiologically assisted embolisation of the gastroduodenal artery, and eventually duodenotomy and oversuturing of the lesion were performed to no avail. The patient has undergone over 10 endoscopies, and has received over 70 units of packed red cells to date, since his initial presentation 6 years ago. Attempts to stop the bleeding permanently have been difficult, highlighting the complexity of managing such a lesion.
Critical airway involvement in relapsing polychondritis
Authors: Gorard Camilla , Kadri Saleheen
Published: September 2014

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystem disease characterised by progressive inflammation and destruction of cartilaginous structures. Airway involvement in RP occurs in approximately 50% of cases. We present a 70-year-old woman with a diagnosis of early adult onset asthma. She required multiple hospital admissions for recurrent episodes of acute severe dyspnoea for 1 year. These were treated as asthma. Months later she developed saddle nose deformity and hoarseness of voice. CT revealed tracheal/bronchial wall thickening and luminal narrowing. Based on these findings, RP was diagnosed. Insertion of a tracheobronchial stent was necessary due to severe tracheobronchomalacia. This intervention improved the patient's dyspnoea immediately. This case is reported to raise awareness of airway involvement in RP and discuss its current management. Early diagnosis of RP is essential to allow prompt treatment and to decrease the risk of life-threatening airway collapse.
Practices to optimise gastrointestinal nematode control on sheep, goat and cattle farms in Europe using targeted (selective) treatments
Authors: Charlier J. , Morgan E. R. , Rinaldi L. , van Dijk J. , Demeler J. , Höglund J. , Hertzberg H. , Ranst B. Van , Hendrickx G. , Vercruysse J. , Kenyon F.
Published: September 2014

Due to the development of anthelmintic resistance, there have been calls for more sustainable nematode control practices. Two important concepts were introduced to study and promote the sustainable use of anthelmintics: targeted treatments (TT), where the whole flock/herd is treated based on knowledge of the risk, or parameters that quantify the severity of infection; and targeted selective treatments (TST), where only individual animals within the grazing group are treated. The aim of the TT and TST approaches is to effectively control nematode‐induced production impacts while preserving anthelmintic efficacy by maintaining a pool of untreated parasites in refugia. Here, we provide an overview of recent studies that assess the use of TT/TST against gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants and investigate the economic consequences, feasibility and knowledge gaps associated with TST. We conclude that TT/TST approaches are ready to be used and provide practical benefits today. However, a major shift in mentality will be required to make these approaches common practice in parasite control.
Study of MWCNTs/PEDOT-PSS Composite and MWCNTs/PTFE Composite as Electrodes for Supercapacitors in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Yang Qin , Pang Siu-Kwong , Yung Kam-Chuen
Published: September 2014

In this paper, the electrochemical performance of the MWCNTs/PEDOT-PSS composite is investigated and compared with the MWCNTs/PTFE composite. The results show that the specific capacitance of the MWCNTs/PEDOT-PSS composite is 1.5 times higher than pure PEDOT-PSS after 100 CV cycles, and the MWCNTs/PEDOT-PSS composite exhibits a knee frequency of 15.9 Hz, which is 3 times larger than the MWCNTs/PTFE composite. The results of scan rate-dependent cyclic voltammetry reveal that the CV curves of the MWCNTs/PEDOT-PSS composite exhibit excellent rectangular shape at a scan rate of 800 mV s-1, while the MWCNTs/PTFE does not have a rectangular shape when the scan rate rises to 400 mV s-1. It is found that PEDOT-PSS can still facilitate the specific capacitance of MWCNTs, although it loses the electroacitve species during the charging and discharging cycling, when compared with PTFE. The MWCNTs/PTFE composite gains distinct chemical stability over the charging and discharging cycling.
Galvanostatical Performance of Rice Derived Carbon Coated Silica as Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Lin Mingtong , Yang Won-Geun , Hong Jung-Eui , Oh Rye-Gyeong , Ryu Kwang-Sun
Published: September 2014

Rice derived carbon coated silica powder with various silica/rice weight ratios was prepared by drying and then pyrolysing the co-milled slurry mixture thereof and incorporated into the anode as active material for lithium ion batteries. The crystallinity of the composites was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. Coin type cells (2032) were manufactured and galvanostatically tested, including charge-discharge characteristics, cyclic voltammograms and electrochemical impedance spectra. The composite anode with rice/silica ratio of 1:1 delivers a better initial discharge capacity, Coulombic efficiency and 10th-cycle capacity retention of 454.2 mAhg-1, 48.5% and 35.1%, respectively, at the potential window of 0.02-2.5 V and constant current density of 50 mAg-1. Good reversible capacity as high as 207.9 mAhg-1 and cyclic stability were achieved for the rice-carbon anode with rice precursor annealed at 700 oC/3 h, followed by 900 oC/1.5 h in argon atmosphere as active material.
Al2O3 Coated Li4Ti5O12 Electrode with Enhanced Cycle Performance for Lithium Ion Battery
Authors: Wang Ying , Zou Wei , Huang Zongling , Li Jingze
Published: September 2014

Spinel Li4Ti5O12 anode was prepared by traditional doctor blade method. The as-prepared electrode was coated with a thin Al2O3 layer by a facile radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering afterwards. The structure and morphology were characterized by XRD and SEM. The electrochemical performance was collected by galvanostatic discharge-charge tests. The measuring potential range was between 0.01 V and 3.0 V. The reversible capacity was as high as 194 mAh/g when discharge/charged at a current density of 35 mA/g. The coating layer did not hinder the performance under high current density, showing the discharge capacity of 134 mAh/g at 175 mA/g. The capacity retention after 100 cycles at 88 mA/g is 91%, much higher than that of the pristine Li4Ti5O12 electrode. The greatly improved cycle stability was attributed to the reduced polarization and the enhanced integrity of the electrode structure.
Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of LiMnBO3
Authors: Tang An , He Dong , Shen Jie , Xiu Guorong , Peng Ronghua
Published: September 2014

Hexagonal LiMnBO3 was synthesized via polymeric precursor method. The LiMnBO3 sample delivered an initial discharge capacity of 112 mAh/g. After 20 cycles, a discharge capacitiy of 30 mAh/g was maintained for LiMnBO3.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nickel Disulfide and Its Application in Thermal Battery
Authors: Yang Zhaotang , Liu Xiaojiang
Published: September 2014

Cubic phase nickel disulfide (NiS2) materials have been synthesized via hydrothermal method with the reactants of NiSO4, S and FeSO4. The size of the synthetic NiS2 particles is about 2.8 μm in average according to the laser particle size analysis. The discharging experiments reveal that the NiS2 has smaller polarization than that of the natural FeS2 due to its small electrical resistivity and large surface area contacting with electrolytes. When discharging at the condition of large current density or pulse current density, the NiS2 thermal battery shows better electrochemical performance than that of the FeS2 thermal battery.
Structure Stability of LiFeSO4F Cathode Material as Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Yi Ting-Feng , Fang Zi-Kui , Yang Shuangyuan , Zhu Yanrong , Xie Ying
Published: September 2014

The theoretical calculation predicts a voltage of about 3.5 V for Li/LiFeS4F half cell, which is well consistent with experiments. The oxygen and fluorine with negative charge is anion, while sulfur and iron with positive charge are cations. The electron density difference around sulfur ions showed typical sp3characteristics, while those around O and Fe ions displayed explicit p and d orbital characteristics. The results confirmed that O2p states can effectively overlap with the orbitals of S and Fe ions and then form covalent bonds. Moreover, as the electron (charge) redistribution around O and S spheres is more obvious than that around O and Fe ones, S-O bonds are thus much stronger than that of Fe-O ones. Therefore, the excellent structural stability of LiFeSO4F can be attributed to the strong S-O and Fe-O covalent bonds.
Laser Modification and Characterization of LiMn2O4 Cathodes for Thin Film Lithium　Ion Battery
Authors: Ye Rongbin , Yamani Yuji , Ohta Koji , Baba Mamoru
Published: September 2014

In this paper, we report on laser modification and characterization of LiMn2O4 cathodes for thin film lithium ion battery. The as-deposited film was in amorphous state. When the laser power is over 60W, a peak at 2θ = 18.48° with d111 = 4.795 Å was observed, which suggests that the LiMn2O4 films were restructured and crystalline spinel films were formed. Increasing the laser power the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the (111) peak was decreased and the intensity was increased, which implies that the laser power significantly improves the crystal quality of the films, and the smallest FWHM was gained at the laser power of between 80 W and 100 W. In electrochemical analysis of the cathode laser annealed at 80 W, the maximum discharge capacity is 25.3 μAh/cm2, which is twice larger than that of the battery with amorphous cathode films. Due to higher internal resistance, which originates from the difficult absorption reaction of the electrolyte and the cathode film melted or hardened in the laser annealing process, the coulombic efficiency was only 23.6% at the 1st cycle. Thus it is necessary to further improve the laser annealing process for fabrication of thin film battery.
Study on the Electrochemical Properties of Different Negative Electrode Materials for Li-Ion Capacitor
Authors: Luo Xu Fang , Wang Chen , Yang Hong ping , Jiang Dongdong , Yuan Meirong , Xu Yong jin
Published: September 2014

Lithium ion capacitors (LICs) were assembled using pre-lithiated carbon anode and activated carbon (AC) cathode. The electrochemical properties of various carbon materials such as artificial graphite, soft carbon and hard carbon have been investigated for use as a negative electrode for LICs. The rate capabilities and cycle durabilities were tested up to 200C and 5000 cycles using full cell configurations within cut-off voltage range between 2 and 4V. The soft carbon and hard carbon show good rate capability of about 53-54% retention (200C/10C in full cells with activated carbon cathode) and cycle life performance of more than 88% retention after 5000 cycles at the charge/discharge rate of 10C. Soft carbon and hard carbon display excellent performance at high current densities so that it can be considered as promising material for high performance LICs.
Oxygen Electrocatalysis on the Pt-Modified Carbon: Influence of KOH Concentration
Authors: Härk Eneli , Jäger Rutha , Lust Enn
Published: September 2014

Oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solutions at various carbons (C(Mo2C), Vulcan), and carbon supports, activated with 20wt% Pt-nanoparticles has been studied in 0.1 M and 1.0 M KOH aqueous solutions. Experimental data show important contribution from the C(Mo2C) carbon support to the reduction kinetics of oxygen. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electrochemical cyclic voltammetry and rotating disc electrode experiments have been carried out to characterize the structure and electrochemical behavior of materials prepared.
Electron Lifetime in Titania Nanowires: Effect of Annealing
Authors: Jaramillo-Quintero Oscar A. , Calva-Yañez Julio C. , Solís de la Fuente Mauricio , Rincón Marina E.
Published: September 2014

TiO2 nanowire arrays (TNA) play an important role on the development of photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and sensors systems. The morphology and superficial area of TNA can be modified by thermal processing inducing changes in the recombination dynamics inside the 1D matrix, and at the TiO2/electrolyte interface. Our data indicates that for recombination paths involving reactions with the redox pair, the electron lifetime is in the order of milliseconds, whereas electron-hole recombination gives electron lifetimes in the order of microseconds, and that both increase with annealing temperature.
Electrocatalytic Performances of Ru-Cr-Mo-Se Clusters for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Zhao Dong jiang , Ma Song yan
Published: September 2014

The Ru-Cr-Mo-Se electrocatalyst was synthesized by reacting of the corresponding transition metal carbonyl compounds in 1,6-hexanediol solvent containing dissolved selenium under refluxing conditions. The structure, morphology and electrochemical performances of the product were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray powder diffractometer and rotating disk electrode technique. The catalyst maintained the hexagonal structure of Rux cluster as the main phase, formed an amorphous phase and presented a high uniformity of agglomerated nanocrystalline particles. The Ru-Cr-Mo-Se catalyst showed higher electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 solution than that obtained with Ru-Se.
Annealing Property of SPES-SPPSU Blend Membrane for PEMFCs
Authors: Kim Je-Deok , Ghil Lee-Jin , Jun Mun-Suk , Kim Sang-Woo , Rhee Hee-Woo , Di Vona Maria Luisa
Published: September 2014

Annealing property of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) – sulfonated polyphenylsulfone (SPPSU) blend membrane was investigated. High thermal stability could be due to the crosslinking formation among SPES and/or SPPSU. SPES-SPPSU blend membrane showed the elastic modulus of 2 GPa and glass transition of 224 oC. The maximum conductivity of 0.13 S/cm was obtained at the temperature of 100 oC and RH 100 %.
Investigation of Graphene Supported Platinum-Cobalt Nanocomposites as Electrocatalysts for Ethanol Oxidation
Authors: Kepeniene Virginija , Jablonskiene Jolita , Vaiciuniene Jurate , Kondrotas Rokas , Juskenas Remigijus , Tamasauskaite-Tamasiunaite Loreta
Published: September 2014

In this work graphene supported PtCo catalysts with the Pt:Co molar ratios 1:7 and 1:44 were fabricated by means of the rapid microwave heating method. The surface morphology, structure and composition of the synthesized catalysts were examined by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled optical emission spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of the synthesized catalysts towards the oxidation of ethanol in an alkaline medium was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and chrono-techniques. It has been determined that the graphene supported PtCo catalyst with a lower Pt:Co molar ratio 1:7 exhibits a higher electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation reaction of ethanol as compared with those at the graphene supported bare Pt, Co and PtCo catalysts with a higher Pt:Co molar ratio 1:44.
The Effect of Residual Solvent on the Morphology and Properties of Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network Membranes Based on Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) and Crosslinked Poly(2-Acrylamido-2-Methyl-1-Propanesulphonic Acid)
Authors: Liu Xin , Zhang Yingtuan , Zhang Liqun , Lin Jun
Published: September 2014

To further improve proton conductivity of semi-interpenetrating polymer network membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and crosslinked poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulphonic acid) (CrPAMPS), the attempt was made to photo-initiate the polymerization and crosslinking of AMPS in a swollen state of SPEEK membranes, where the residual solvent (RS) content was carefully controlled during the synthesis. The effect of RS on membrane structure and properties were investigated. The proton conductivity of the membrane with 33 wt% RS was found to increase more than 60% than that of the “dry” membrane which actually contained 13 wt% RS. It was suggested the existence of RS content might help the formation of large and well-connected hydrophilic domains that facilitate proton transport.
The Electrochemical Properties of Yttria-Stabled Zirconia Electrolyte Films by Slurry Dip-Coating Method
Authors: Wang Zhenhua , Qiao Jinshuo , Sun Wang , Sun Kening
Published: September 2014

Yttria-stabled zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte film was prepared on NiO/YSZ anode substrate by a slurry dip-coating technique for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The pre-sintering temperature of the anode substrate is crucial to the densification of the electrolyte films, and an optimal temperature of 1000 oC was determined. SEM tests indicated that homogeneous and dense electrolyte film with a thickness of 24 μm could be obtained by twice dip-coating, with good adhesion to the anode substrate. A cell assembled with the prepared YSZ electrolyte films presents an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.14 V and a power density of 0.50 W·cm-2 operated at 800 oC. Electrochemical impedance spectra analysis shows that it is the polarization resistance of the electrode, rather than Ohmic resistance of the electrolyte film, that dominates the cell performances. The prepared electrolyte film has an electric conductivity of 0.0098 S ·cm-1 at 800 oC. The slurry dip-coating technique was also applied to fabricate YSZ films for large size (55 mm × 55 mm) IT-SOFCs, and the maximum power density is 146 mW·cm-2. This result indicates that the slurry dip-coating technique for preparation of YSZ electrolyte films has potential application in fabricating SOFC stacks.
The Preparation of Pervoskite Oxide Powders Adopted in ITSOFC via Inductively Coupled Plasma Technique
Authors: Chang Chun Liang , Hwang Chang Sing , Tsai Chun Huang , Chuang Shie Zong Yang , Chuang Chih Ming , Yang Sheng Fu
Published: September 2014

The Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ (SSC), La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3-δ (LSCM) and La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (LSGM) perovskite oxide powders commonly used as electrode and/or electrolyte materials of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (ITSOFCs) are successfully synthesized by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) synthesis technique in this study. These powders synthesized from the well chelating precursor solutions at the torch powers from 16.2 to 22.2 kW and calcined at the temperatures from 900 to 1400℃ are in a highly pure phase. The XRD results of these calcined powders indicate the S/P ratios (the ratio of the mostly intense diffraction intensity of secondary phase to that of primary phase) are all less than 3%. The morphology and particle sizes of synthesized oxide powders were observed by electron microscopy. The results show that the primary particle sizes of as-synthesied powders are all about 5-50 nm.
Application of Ternary Carbonate in Hybrid Direct Coal Fuel Cells
Authors: Jiang Cairong , Ma Jianjun , Arenillas Ana , Irvine John T. S.
Published: September 2014

This work presents an application of ternary carbonate to hybrid direct carbon fuel cells, which was composed of a planar 8 mol% Y2O3-ZrO2 (YSZ) electrolyte with a NiO-YSZ anode and a LSM-YSZ cathode. A variety of carbonate content (10 wt%, 25 wt%, and 40 wt%) was evaluated in HDCFCs in terms of cell resistance, cell initial performance and durability. The best performance was 50.02 mW cm-2 when the HDCFC was operating at 700 °C in the presence of a 40 wt% ternary carbonate.
The Activity Influence of Isopropyl Alcohol for Flat Plant Pt and Pt/C Electrode
Authors: Sun Shuang , Pan Mu
Published: September 2014

Pt , as a precious metal, is an important component of fuel cell catalyst, however the impurities in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) has a great influence on the electrochemical activity. This paper studies the electrochemical activity influence of isopropyl alcohol(IPA) on a flat plate Pt and Pt/C electrodes by means of cyclic voltammograms and oxygen reduction test methods, the influence of the research results show that the addition of isopropyl alcohol will not change the stripping potentials of hydrogen, but it will obviously block the absorption of proton at the Hads potentials,and the biggest oxidation current on the Pt/C electrode was larger than that on the flat plate Pt electrode;we also find that the present of IPA reduces the limit current density of the plate Pt electrode,thus further influence on the performance of the catalyst in PEMFC.
Simulated Biogas for Nickel-Based Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Ma Jianjun , Jiang Cairong , Cassidy Mark , Irvine John T. S.
Published: September 2014

Biogas is composed of variable gases including hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur, with methane and carbon dioxide as the main components. The common ratio of methane to carbon dioxide is 60/40 in volume and this high amount of methane causes carbon deposition when biogas is used in solid oxide fuel cells. To prevent carbon deposition, dry reforming, steam reforming or partial oxidation is the common method. In this paper, a nickel cermet solid oxide fuel cell was investigated with a simulated biogas based on 63% CH4 and 37% CO2, which was obtained by presuming 80% fuel utilisation and 25% recirculation of anode gas. Supplied with a 30 ml/min of simulated biogas, the cell generated a maximum power density of 856 mW cm-2 at 850 °C. The cell ran stably at loads of 100 mA cm-2, 300 mA cm-2and 500 mA cm-2 over a period of 16 hours at each level.
Conductivity of SrCrO4 and Its Influence on Deterioration of Electrochemical Performance of Cathodes in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Liu Wei , Konysheva Elena Yu.
Published: September 2014

SrCrO4 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/n and under static air exhibits a low total conductivity (1.8 x 10-4 Ohm-1 x cm-1 at 800 oC). Composites fabricated from La0.58Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 perovskite and SrCrO4 remain two phases after heating at 900 oC for a short period of time. Model experiments were carried out to identify an influence of current load on the stability of SrCrO4 surface layer and redistribution of chromium between the surface and volume of cathode, thereby giving insight in to the mechanism of Cr-poisoning of Co-containing perovskite cathodes.
Fabrication and Morphology Characterization of Self-Ordering Anodic Aluminum Oxide Films Using Multi-Step Anodizing
Authors: Ma Di , Li Shu-bai , Dong Xin-yan , Hu Xiu-ying , Wang Bin , Chen Xiang-yan
Published: September 2014

Anodization of aluminum in a mixture solution of 1,3-propanediol solutions and 0.4 mol l−1 H3PO4 at low temperature has been studied for the first time. The morphology and composite of AAO template were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) in combination with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). It was found that the difference in pore density and pore diameter characteristics is found to depend on the anodizing temperature. The resulting anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) templates have uniform and regular pores whose diameters are significantly smaller than those found in AAO templates anodized at room temperature.