bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The sensitivity of wet and dry tropical forests to climate change in Bolivia
Authors: Seiler C. , Hutjes R. W. A. , Kruijt B. , Hickler T.
Published: January 2015

Bolivia's forests contribute to the global carbon and water cycle, as well as to global biodiversity. The survival of these forests may be at risk due to climate change. To explore the associated mechanisms and uncertainties, a regionally adapted dynamic vegetation model was implemented for the Bolivian case, and forced with two contrasting climate change projections. Changes in carbon stocks and fluxes were evaluated, factoring out the individual contributions of atmospheric carbon dioxide ([CO2]), temperature, and precipitation. Impacts ranged from a strong increase to a severe loss of vegetation carbon (cv), depending on differences in climate projections, as well as the physiological response to rising [CO2]. The loss of cv simulated for an extremely dry projection was primarily driven by a reduction in gross primary productivity, and secondarily by enhanced emissions from fires and autotrophic respiration. In the wet forest, less precipitation and higher temperatures equally reduced cv, while in the dry forest, the impact of precipitation was dominating. The temperature‐related reduction of cv was mainly due to a decrease in photosynthesis and only to lesser extent because of more autotrophic respiration and less stomatal conductance as a response to an increasing atmospheric evaporative demand. Under an extremely dry projection, tropical dry forests were simulated to virtually disappear, regardless of the potential fertilizing effect of rising [CO2]. This suggests a higher risk for forest loss along the drier southern fringe of the Amazon if annual precipitation will decrease substantially.
Cohesively Enhanced Conductivity and Adhesion of Flexible Silver Nanowire Networks by Biocompatible Polymer Sol–Gel Transition
Authors: Jin Yunxia , Li Lu , Cheng Yuanrong , Kong Lingqiang , Pei Qibing , Xiao Fei
Published: January 2015

Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks are a promising candidate to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent conductors. In this paper, a novel transparent composite conductor composed of AgNW/biocompatible alginate gel on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, with synchronously enhanced adhesion and reduced resistivity, is prepared without high‐temperature annealing. The sheet resistance of the flexible AgNW/PET film reduces from 300 to 50.3 Ohm sq−1 at transmittance of 94%. The optical and electrical performance is superior to that obtained from the flexible ITO film on PET. Meanwhile, the sheet resistance does not show great change after tape test, suggesting a good adhesion of AgNW to the polymer substrate. Moreover, the AgNW composite film shows a good stability to resist long‐term storage, solvent damage, and ultrasonication. Finally, polymer solar cells employing the composite AgNW film as the electrode are realized, displaying an efficiency of 2.44%.
Dual Support System Ensuring Porous Co–Al Hydroxide Nanosheets with Ultrahigh Rate Performance and High Energy Density for Supercapacitors
Authors: Wu Xiaoliang , Jiang Lili , Long Conglai , Wei Tong , Fan Zhuangjun
Published: January 2015

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising supercapacitor electrode materials due to their high specific capacitances. However, their electrochemical performances such as rate performance and energy density at a high current density, are rather poor. Accordingly, a facile strategy is demonstrated for the synthesis of the integrated porous Co–Al hydroxide nanosheets (named as GSP‐LDH) with dual support system using dodecyl sulfate anions and graphene sheets as structural and conductive supports, respectively. Owing to fast ion/electron transport, porous and integrated structure, the GSP‐LDH electrode exhibits remarkably improved electrochemical characteristics such as high specific capacitance (1043 F g−1 at 1 A g−1) and ultra‐high rate performance capability (912 F g−1 at 20 A g−1). Moreover, the assembled sandwiched graphene/porous carbon (SGC)//GSP‐LDH asymmetric supercapacitor delivers a high energy density up to 20.4 Wh kg−1 at a very high power density of 9.3 kW kg−1, higher than those of previously reported asymmetric supercapacitors. The strategy provides a facile and effective method to achieve high rate performance LDH based electrode materials for supercapacitors.
Ruthenium Pincer Complexes: Synthesis and Catalytic Applications
Authors: Younus Hussein A. , Su Wei , Ahmad Nazir , Chen Si , Verpoort Francis
Published: January 2015

Pincer‐based catalysts possess an exceptional balance of stability versus reactivity, aspects of fundamental interest in catalyst design. This balance has been well‐controlled by systematic ligand modifications along with the variation of the metal center. Ruthenium pincer complexes (RPCs), exhibit a versatile chemistry, serve as excellent precursors and find potential applications in many organic transformations. A large number of novel and valuable reactions has been developed using both stoichiometric and catalytic amounts of RPCs. Compared to the traditional ruthenium catalysts, pincer complexes often present high efficiency, selectivity and functional group tolerance. This review highlights different methodologies for the synthesis of RPCs and their catalytic applications for different reactions reported in the last decade. Additionally, the factors affecting the catalytic reactivity of the RPCs and the reaction mechanisms are discussed.

magnified image
A Mild and Efficient Synthesis of Substituted Quinolines via a Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling of (Bio)available Alcohols and Aminoarenes
Authors: Mura Manuel G. , Rajamäki Suvi , De Luca Lidia , Cini Elena , Porcheddu Andrea
Published: January 2015

A ruthenium‐catalysed dehydrogenative cross‐coupling of primary alcohols and imines in the presence of TFA provided a library of differently substituted quinolines. Imines can be prepared in situ from various anilines and several benzyl alcohols using a ruthenium‐catalysed hydrogen‐transfer procedure. Without changing the catalyst, quinolines can be obtained in moderate to good yields by adding various primary alcohols in the presence of TFA (30 mol%) via a “telescopic” protocol. The use of alcohols, the absence of strong oxidants and the diversity of potential starting materials make this modern version of the Skraup reaction superior to most of the conventional quinoline syntheses.

magnified image
Metal‐Free Reagent Dependent SS and CC Homocoupling of α‐Enolic Dithioesters at Room Temperature: Direct Access to Fully Substituted Symmetrical Thiophenes via Chemoselective Paal–Knorr Approach
Authors: Ramulu B. Janaki , Nagaraju Anugula , Chowdhury Sushobhan , Koley Suvajit , Singh Maya Shankar
Published: January 2015

An unprecedented metal‐free oxidative homodimerization of α‐enolic dithioesters has been achieved for the first time at room temperature within 5–10 min. Molecular iodine promotes the SS coupling leading to S,S′‐bis(dithioacetals), while N‐chlorosuccinimide facilitates CC coupling to give α,α′‐bis(β‐oxo dithioesters) in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, the newly generated α,α′‐bis(β‐oxo dithioesters) have been directly employed in the synthesis of fully substituted thiophenes with a unique symmetrical substitution pattern in a one‐pot, two‐step reaction sequence.

magnified image
Ruthenium(II)‐Catalyzed Hydrogen Transfer/Annulation Cascade Processes between Alcohols and 2‐Nitrobenzaldehydes
Authors: Li Hui‐Jing , Wang Chen‐Chao , Zhu Shuai , Dai Chun‐Yang , Wu Yan‐Chao
Published: January 2015

The synthesis of quinolines from alcohols and 2‐nitrobenzaldehydes is described. Unreactive alcohols and 2‐nitrobenzaldehydes were concurrently converted to the reactive reactants for a Friedländer annulation via a hydrogen transfer. Tris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) dichloride [Ru(PPh3)3Cl2] appeared to serve the dual role of an efficient hydrogen transfer catalyst and a suitable Friedländer annulation catalyst.

magnified image
Platinum‐Catalyzed Tandem Cyclization Reaction to Multiply Substituted Indolines under Microwave‐Assisted Conditions
Authors: Ma Can‐Liang , Yu Xiao‐Long , Zhu Xiao‐Long , Hu Yong‐Zhou , Dong Xiao‐Wu , Tan Bin , Liu Xin‐Yuan
Published: January 2015

A convenient platinum‐catalyzed tandem cyclization reaction from readily available aminoalkynes and enones has been developed to efficiently prepare multiply substituted indolines in good yields under microwave irradiation within a short reaction time. This efficient reaction is presumed to proceed via a tandem process involving intramolecular hydroamination of aminoalkynes, Michael addition of enones, aldol condensation and intermolecular transfer hydrogenation.

magnified image
Versatile Loading of Diverse Cargo into Functional Polymer Capsules
Authors: Richardson Joseph J. , Maina James W. , Ejima Hirotaka , Hu Ming , Guo Junling , Choy Mei Y. , Gunawan Sylvia T. , Lybaert Lien , Hagemeyer Christoph E. , De Geest Bruno G. , Caruso Frank
Published: January 2015

Polymer microcapsules are of particular interest for applications including self‐healing coatings, catalysis, bioreactions, sensing, and drug delivery. The primary way that polymer capsules can exhibit functionality relevant to these diverse fields is through the incorporation of functional cargo in the capsule cavity or wall. Diverse functional and therapeutic cargo can be loaded into polymer capsules with ease using polymer‐stabilized calcium carbonate (CaCO3) particles. A variety of examples are demonstrated, including 15 types of cargo, yielding a toolbox with effectively 500+ variations. This process uses no harsh reagents and can take less than 30 min to prepare, load, coat, and form the hollow capsules. For these reasons, it is expected that the technique will play a crucial role across scientific studies in numerous fields.
Is leg length a biomarker of early life conditions? Evidence from a historically short population
Authors: Sohn Kitae
Published: January 2015

Objectives

While one group (Positive Group) has argued that leg length is a more accurate biomarker of early life conditions than height, another group (Negative Group) has challenged this argument. Analyzing Indonesian data, we attempt to reconcile these contrasting arguments.

Methods

The sample consists of 4,193 men and 4,684 women, aged 40–70. We regress leg length, trunk length, and height each on education (a proxy for early life conditions), age, and ethnicity. We also adjust for hip size and shrinkage.

Results

The relationship is statistically significant for leg length, which is generally consistent with the assertion of the Positive Group. However, the relationship is smaller than that for height, which is generally consistent with that of the Negative Group. Specifically, an additional year of schooling is associated with a 0.080 cm longer leg length for men and 0.078 cm for women. The corresponding figures for height are 0.260 cm and 0.201 cm. This remains true when the magnitude of the relationship is compared with the mean length.

Conclusions

Small sample sizes appear to drive the Negative Group's finding that leg length is not statistically significantly related to early life conditions. However, the magnitude of the relationship confirms the Negative Group's argument that leg length is not a more accurate biomarker of early life conditions than height. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:538–545, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The MC1R melanoma risk variant p.R160W is associated with Parkinson disease
Authors: Tell‐Marti Gemma , Puig‐Butille Joan Anton , Potrony Miriam , Badenas Celia , Milà Montserrat , Malvehy Josep , Martí María José , Ezquerra Mario , Fernández‐Santiago Rubén , Puig Susana
Published: January 2015

Epidemiological studies have reported the co‐occurrence of Parkinson disease (PD) and melanoma. Common genetic variants in the MC1R (melanocortin 1 receptor) gene, which determines skin and hair color, are associated with melanoma. Here we investigated whether genetic variants in MC1R modulate the risk of PD by sequencing the entire gene in 870 PD patients and 736 controls ascertained from Spain. We found that the MC1R variant p.R160W (rs1805008) is marginally associated with PD (odds ratio = 2.10, gender‐ and age‐adjusted p = 0.009, Bonferroni‐corrected p = 0.063). Our results suggest that MC1R genetic variants modulate the risk of PD disease in the Spanish population. Ann Neurol 2015;77:889–894
Struktur und Mechanismus einer Aspartimid‐abhängigen Peptidligase in humanem Legumain
Authors: Dall Elfriede , Fegg Julia C. , Briza Peter , Brandstetter Hans
Published: January 2015

Peptidligasen erweitern das genetisch kodierte Repertoire der Proteinstrukturen und ‐funktionen. Unter Verbrauch von ATP oder NTP knüpfen diese Ligasen nicht‐kanonische Peptidbindungen. Hier beschreiben wir die Entdeckung einer konzeptuell neuen Ligaseaktivität im humanen Legumain (AEP). Legumain ist eine Cysteinprotease, die eine wichtige Rolle für die Immunabwehr und im Tumorgeschehen spielt. Diese Aufgaben wurden bis dato ihrer gut charakterisierten Proteaseaktivität zugeschrieben. Völlig unerwartet erweist sich der der Ligaseaktivität zugrunde liegende Mechanismus unabhängig vom katalytischen Cystein. Stattdessen wird bei der Ligation die Umwandlung eines energiereichen, metastabilen Aspartimids zu Aspartat als endogenes Energiereservoir genutzt. Während die Proteasefunktion bei saurem pH dominiert, zeigt die Ligase bei neutralem pH ihr Aktivitätsoptimum. Diese pH‐Abhängigkeit der beiden gegensätzlichen Aktivitäten legt nahe, dass die Lokalisierung des Enzyms über seine Funktion bestimmt. Relevant wird diese duale Wirkungsweise beispielsweise beim reversiblen Ein‐/Ausschalten von Inhibitoren der Cystatin‐Familie, bei der (In‐)Aktivierung von Enzymen, wie auch bei der Generierung von 3D‐Epitopen für die Beladung von MHCII‐Rezeptoren. Zudem stellt das hier verwendete Aspartat‐Aspartimid(Succinimid)‐Paar eine neue Möglichkeit dar, endergonische Reaktionen in ATP‐armen Umgebungen durch Kupplung zu realisieren.
Struktur und Mechanismus des Heterokomplexes der caseinolytischen Protease ClpP1/2 aus Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Dahmen Maria , Vielberg Marie‐Theres , Groll Michael , Sieber Stephan A.
Published: January 2015

Eine Infektion mit dem Human‐Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes kann zu schwerwiegenden Infektionen mit teilweise tödlichem Ausgang führen. Die Virulenz und intrazelluläre Stresstoleranz des Bakteriums wird von der caseinolytischen Protease P (ClpP), einem Enzym, das in Bakterien hoch konserviert ist, reguliert. L. monocytogenes bildet zwei ClpP‐Isoformen, die auf sequentieller Ebene nur entfernt miteinander verwandt sind und sich in Katalyse, Oligomerisierungszustand, Zusammensetzung ihrer aktiven Zentren und den am N‐Terminus lokalisierten Bindungsstellen für die interagierenden AAA+‐Chaperone unterscheiden. In dieser Arbeit haben wir die Kristallstruktur des ClpP1/2‐Heterokomplexes aus L. monocytogenes gelöst und gewähren in Verbindung mit biochemischen Studien Einblicke in dessen Wirkmechanismus. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die strukturelle Verzahnung von LmClpP1 und LmClpP2 die Bildung eines Heterotetradekamers, Ausrichtung aller 14 aktiven Zentren und eine Steigerung der proteolytischen Aktivität bewirkt. Die katalytischen Zentren wurden zudem als für die transiente Stabilität des Komplexes verantwortlich identifiziert.
Noncanonical Amino Acids to Improve the pH Response of pHLIP Insertion at Tumor Acidity
Authors: Onyango Joab O. , Chung Michael S. , Eng Chee‐Huat , Klees Lukas M. , Langenbacher Rachel , Yao Lan , An Ming
Published: January 2015

The pH low insertion peptide (pHLIP) offers the potential to deliver drugs selectively to the cytoplasm of cancer cells based on tumor acidosis. The WT pHLIP inserts into membranes with a pH50 of 6.1, while most solid tumors have extracellular pH (pHe) of 6.5–7.0. To close this gap, a SAR study was carried out to search for pHLIP variants with improved pH response. Replacing Asp25 with α‐aminoadipic acid (Aad) adjusts the pH50 to 6.74, matching average tumor acidity, and replacing Asp14 with γ‐carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) increases the sharpness of pH response (transition over 0.5 instead of 1 pH unit). These effects are additive: the Asp14Gla/Asp25Aad double variant shows a pH50 of 6.79, with sharper transition than Asp25Aad. Furthermore, the advantage of the double variant over WT pHLIP in terms of cargo delivery was demonstrated in turn‐on fluorescence assays and anti‐proliferation studies (using paclitaxel as cargo) in A549 lung cancer cells at pH 6.6.
A Scalable Biomimetic Synthesis of Resveratrol Dimers and Systematic Evaluation of their Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Matsuura Bryan S. , Keylor Mitchell H. , Li Bo , Lin YuXuan , Allison Shelby , Pratt Derek A. , Stephenson Corey R. J.
Published: January 2015

An efficient synthetic route to the resveratrol oligomers quadrangularin A and pallidol is reported. It features a scalable biomimetic oxidative dimerization that proceeds in excellent yield and with complete regioselectivity. A systematic evaluation of the natural products and their synthetic precursors as radical‐trapping antioxidants has revealed that, contrary to popular belief, this mode of action is unlikely to account for their observed biological activity.
Oligomeric Hydrogels Self‐Assembled from Reduction‐Controlled Condensation
Authors: Liu Shuang , Tang Anming , Xie Maolin , Zhao Yundan , Jiang Jun , Liang Gaolin
Published: January 2015

Polymer hydrogels and small‐molecule‐based (SMB) supramolecular hydrogels have been widely explored. But oligomeric hydrogels have remained a challenge because synthetic difficulties of the oligomers and control of their amphiphilicities. Reported herein is the rational design of two precursors Cys(SEt)‐Lys‐CBT (1) and (Cys‐Lys‐CBT)2 (2) (CBT=2‐cyano‐6‐aminobenzothiazole) and the use of a biocompatible condensation to prepare oligomeric hydrogels. Glutathione reduction of 1 or 2 yields the same gelator Cys‐Lys‐CBT (3) which condenses with each other to yield amphiphilic cyclic oligomers. The oligomers instantly self‐assemble into nanofibers and form oligomeric hydrogels with similar mechanic properties. Chemical analyses indicated that the major condensation product in both two hydrogels is a cyclic dimer. Considering its biocompatibility, optimal mechanical strength, and biodegradability, we believe that our oligomeric hydrogel might be useful for long‐term drug delivery in the future.
Effect of borax on the thermal and mechanical properties of ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer rubber‐based heat insulator
Authors: Farajpour Tohid , Bayat Yadollah , Abdollahi Mahdi , Keshavarz Mohammad Hossein
Published: January 2015

The effect of Borax on the mechanical and ablation properties of three different ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer (EPDM) compounds containing 20 phr carbon fiber, 20 phr Kevlar or 10 phr/ 10 phr carbon fiber/ Kevlar was investigated. All formulations contained 30 phr fumed silica powder and 10 phr paraffinic oil. It was found that adding Borax to the composite samples containing carbon fiber or Kevlar fiber or their mixture with an equal ratio can increase the tensile strength, elastic modulus and hardness with a slightly decrease in the elongation at break of the rubber samples. The results of thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) on the various samples showed significant increase in the char yield at 670°C by adding Borax to the rubber compounds. Moreover, ablation resistance of samples was also improved by increasing Borax content. Meanwhile, density and thermal conductivity of the insulator were also reduced up to about 10% when the carbon fiber was replaced with the Borax. The results indicated that composites containing Kevlar have high storage modulus and produce compact and stable char. EPDM rubber composite containing Borax (20 phr), carbon fiber (10 phr), and Kevlar (10 phr) showed thermal and ablative properties comparable with those of the asbestos‐ filled EPDM. The thermal conductivity and ablation rate of the above‐ mentioned sample were 0.287 W/m/K and 0.13 mm/s respectively. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2015,132, 41936.
Imidazole/(HPO3)3‐doped sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) composite membrane for fuel cells
Authors: Liu Shaoying , Liu Yingying , Sang Shangbin , Zhong Wenjie , Wu Qiumei
Published: January 2015

A novel gel of imidazole/(HPO3)3 was synthesized and incorporated into sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) to fabricate composite proton exchange membranes. The composite membranes were characterized by alternating current impedance (AC), thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and mechanical property test. Based on the electrochemical performance investigation, the proton conductivity of the membrane is intimately correlated with the temperature and the mass ratio of imidazole/(HPO3)3 in the composite. The SPEEK/imidazole/(HPO3)3−4 composite membrane (with 44.4 wt % of imidazole/(HPO3)3) has the optimized performance at 135°C. Mover, the strength of the composite membranes is almost comparable to that of Nafion membrane. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41946.
Conditional Cash Transfer in the Philippines: How to Overcome Institutional Constraints for Implementing Social Protection
Authors: Kim Eunju , Yoo Jayoung
Published: January 2015

This article explores how global social policy can be implemented in the local context by examining the policy process undertaken for the conditional cash transfer program (CCT) in the Philippines. It first takes into consideration how they select CCT as flagship social protection program. It, furthermore, takes an in‐depth look at the policy implementation process to find out how the Philippines overcomes institutional constraints where clientelism is prevalent and administrative capacity is inadequate. It shows that CCT could be implemented by centralising targeting and delivery system, investing financial resources with political commitment of national government, and rearranging responsible department based upon inter‐ministerial cooperation. Even though administrative set‐up has been singled out as the principal obstacle hindering necessary policy change in developing countries, this article maintains that the administrative capability can be enhanced in the process of implementing social protection programs.
Targeted Delivery of Doxorubicin Using a Colorectal Cancer‐Specific ssDNA Aptamer
Authors: Li Wanming , Chen Hang , Yu Min , Fang Jin
Published: January 2015

Targeted drug delivery is particularly important in cancer treatment because many antitumor drugs are nonspecific and highly toxic to both cancerous and normal cells. The L33 aptamer is a single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) sequence that has the ability to recognize human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell line HCT116 specifically. In this study, we demonstrated that the L33 aptamer can selectively internalize into target HCT116 cells via receptor‐mediated endocytosis. Based on this finding, we developed an aptamer‐based drug delivery system using L33 as the carrier of the antitumor drug doxorubicin (Dox). The L33‐Dox complex exhibited specific and high affinity (Kd = 14.3 ± 2.2 nM) binding to HCT116 cells. The results of cytotoxicity assays revealed that the L33‐Dox complex was capable of selectively delivering the drug to the target HCT116 cells and lowered the toxicity for nontarget CL187 cells. These findings indicate that the aptamer‐based targeted drug delivery system has the potential to be used in clinical settings and may overcome drug resistance to a certain extent because high drug dosages can be directed toward target cells. Anat Rec, 297:2280–2288, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Charge Transfer Induces Formation of Stimuli‐Responsive, Chiral, Cohesive Vesicles‐on‐a‐String that Eventually Turn into a Hydrogel
Authors: Bhattacharjee Subham , Bhattacharya Santanu
Published: January 2015

A charge transfer (CT) mediated two‐component, multistimuli responsive supergelation involving a L‐histidine‐appended pyrenyl derivative (PyHisOMe) as a donor and an asymmetric bolaamphiphilic naphthalene‐diimide (Asym‐NDI) derivative as an acceptor in a 2:1 mixture of H2O/MeOH was investigated. Asym‐NDI alone self‐assembled into pH‐responsive vesicular nanostructures in water. Excellent selectivity in CT gel formation was achieved in terms of choosing amino acid appended pyrenyl donor scaffolds. Circular dichroism and morphological studies suggested formation of chiral, interconnected vesicular assemblies resembling “pearls‐on‐a‐string” from these CT mixed stacks. XRD studies revealed the formation of monolayer lipid membranes from these CT mixed stacks that eventually led to the formation of individual vesicles. Strong cohesive forces among the interconnected vesicles originate from the protrusion of the oxyethylene chains from the surfaces of the chiral vesicles.
Guaranteed‐Cost Consensus Control For High‐Order Linear Swarm Systems
Authors: Yang Xiaogang , Xi Jianxiang , Wu Jinying , Yao Zhicheng
Published: January 2015

Guaranteed‐cost consensus analysis and design problems for high‐order linear time‐invariant swarm systems are dealt with in this paper. First, a guaranteed‐cost consensus control problem is introduced to obtain a trade‐off design object between consensus regulation performances and control energy consumptions. Then, sufficient conditions for guaranteed‐cost consensus and consensualization are presented respectively, an upper bound of the cost function is determined, and explicit expressions of consensus functions are given, which are independent of interaction topologies of swarm systems. Finally, a numerical example is shown to demonstrate theoretical results.
TP Model Transformation as a Manipulation Tool for QLPV Analysis and Design
Authors: Baranyi Péter
Published: January 2015

The main motivation of the TP model transformation is that modern identification and control analysis, along with design methodologies, are based on various kinds of different representations that have different benefits and drawbacks in terms of identification and modeling effort and structure, however, the link between these representations is in many cases difficult to establish, especially if the model components are not given by closed formulae but rather by various soft‐computing‐based or black box models. This paper shows that the TP model transformation can serve as a gateway between different representations by bridging to a widely adopted polytopic representation. Further, it is capable of readily manipulating the resulting polytopic representation for further design requirements, which in many cases has a strong effect on the resulting control performance and the conservativeness of the solution. The paper discusses how the TP model transformation can be used as a final step of modeling and, at the same time, as a preprocessing step in polytopic model based design approaches. The paper introduces the generalized TP model transformation, which is a tractable, non‐heuristic numerical tool that can be executed on sets of functions. Different manipulation techniques are investigated to show the benefits of the generalized TP model transformation. Finally, a stability verification technique is proposed for cases where system components are available in different representations.
Exciting physical problems for the near future
Authors: Greiner W.
Published: January 2015

A review of the pseudo‐complex theory of General Relativity will be given. The theory implies the existence of a minimal length. Modifying the variational principle did lead to a contribution of a dark energy‐momentum tensor on the right hand side of the Einstein equations. A physical principle emerges from it: Mass not only curves the space but also modifies the vacuum properties around that mass. The dark energy contributions react back on the curvature of space, halting the collapse of any size of mass, and finally the event horizon disappears. For the dark energy contribution a model had to be used, due to the lack of a quantized quantum theory. We resumed some experimental predictions, neglecting the effects of the minimal length. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Strongly interacting matter under extreme conditions: The effect of intense magnetic fields
Authors: Allen P. G. , Scoccola N. N.
Published: January 2015

We study the effects of magnetic fields on the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter using the Nambu‐Jona‐Lasinio model and its finite temperature extension which includes a coupling to the Polyakov loop. Emphasis is laid on the phase structure and its dependence on the parameters defining the model. We consider two parameter sets showing that they lead to rather different results, especially at low temperatures. The phenomena of magnetic catalysis and its counterpart, magnetic anti‐catalysis, are also discussed. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Parton‐hadron dynamics in heavy‐ion collisions
Authors: Bratkovskaya E. L. , Ozvenchuk V. , Cassing W. , Konchakovski V. P. , Linnyk O. , Marty R. , Berrehrah H.
Published: January 2015

The dynamics of partons and hadrons in relativistic nucleus‐nucleus collisions is analyzed within the novel Parton‐HadronString Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for the partonic phase (DQPM) including a dynamical hadronization scheme. The PHSD approach is applied to nucleus‐nucleus collisions from low SPS to LHC energies. The traces of partonic interactions are found in particular in the elliptic flow of hadrons and in their transverse mass spectra. We investigate also the equilibrium properties of strongly‐interacting infinite parton‐hadron matter characterized by transport coefficients such as shear and bulk viscosities and the electric conductivity in comparison to lattice QCD results. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
f‐ and r‐modes of slowly rotating stars: New results in the linear treatment
Authors: Chirenti C. , Skákala J. , Yoshida S.
Published: January 2015

Newly born neutron stars can present differential rotation, even if later it should be suppressed by viscosity or a sufficiently strong magnetic field. In this early stage of its life, a neutron star is expected to have a strong emission of gravitational waves, which could be influenced by the differential rotation. We present here a new formalism for modelling differentially rotating neutron stars, working on the slow rotation approximation and assuming a small degree of differential rotation. After we establish our equilibrium model, we explore the influence of the differential rotation on the f and r‐modes of oscillation of the neutron star in the Cowling approximation, and we also analyze an effect of the differential rotation on the emission of gravitational radiation from the f‐modes. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Modelling the magnetic field configuration of neutron stars
Authors: Ciolfi R.
Published: January 2015

The properties of the extremely strong magnetic fields of neutron stars affect in a unique way their evolution and the associated phenomenology. Due to the lack of constraints from direct observations, our understanding of the magnetic field configuration in neutron star interiors depends on the progress in theoretical modelling. Here we discuss the effort in building models of magnetized neutron stars focussing on some of the recent results. In particular, we comment on the instability of purely poloidal and purely toroidal magnetic field configurations and on the evidence in favour of the so‐called twisted‐torus solutions. We conclude with an outlook on the present status of the field and future directions. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Astrophysical implications on the quantized Faraday effect
Authors: Cruz Rodríguez L. , Pérez Martínez A. , Pérez Rojas H. , Rodríguez Querts E.
Published: January 2015

The aim of this work is to study Faraday rotation in the quantum relativistic limit. Starting from the photon self‐energy in the presence of a constant magnetic field the rotation of the polarization vector of a plane electromagnetic wave which travels along the fermion‐antifermion gas is studied. The connection between Faraday Effect and Quantum Hall Effect (QHE) is discussed. The Faraday angle shows a resonant behavior which is related with the branching points of the Hall conductivity. Possible applications to magnetospheres of compact objects are discussed. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Gravity induced evolution of a magnetized fermion gas with finite temperature
Authors: Delgado Gaspar I. , Pérez Martínez A. , Sussman R. A. , Ulacia Rey A.
Published: January 2015

We examine the dynamics near the collapse of a self‐gravitating magnetized fermion gas at finite temperature, taken as the source of a Bianchi‐I spacetime described by the Kasner metric. The set of Einstein‐Maxwell field equations reduces to a complete and self‐consistent system of non‐linear autonomous ordinary differential equations. By considering a representative set of initial conditions, the numerical solutions of this system show the gas collapsing into both, isotropic (“point‐like”) and anisotropic (“cigar‐like”) singularities. We also examined the behavior during the collapse stage of all relevant state and kinematic variables: the temperature, the expansion scalar, the magnetic field, the magnetization and energy density. We notice a significant qualitative difference in the behavior of the gas for a range of temperatures: T/m ∼ 10–6–10–3. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Core‐corona model analysis of the low energy beam scan at RHIC
Authors: Gemard M. , Aichelin J.
Published: January 2015

The centrality dependence of spectra of identified particles in collisions between ultrarelativistic heavy ions with a center of mass energy (√s) of 39 and 11.5 AGeV is analyzed in the core‐corona model. We show that at these energies the spectra can be well understood assuming that they are composed of two components whose relative fraction depends on the centrality of the interaction: The core component which describes an equilibrated quark gluon plasma and the corona component which is caused by nucleons close to the surface of the interaction zone which scatter only once and which is identical to that observed in proton‐proton collisions. The success of this approach at 39 and 11.5 AGeV shows that the physics does not change between this energy and √s = 200 AGeV for which this model has been developed (Aichelin 2008). This presents circumstantial evidence that a quark gluon plasma is also created at center of mass energies as low as 11.5 AGeV. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effects of strong magnetic fields on the population of hyperon stars
Authors: Gomes R. O. , Dexheimer V. , Vasconcellos C. A. Z.
Published: January 2015

In this contribution we study the effects of strong magnetic fields on the particle population of neutron stars with hyperon degrees of freedom in their composition. The star matter is described by a multi‐component model with parameterized baryon‐meson interaction couplings. We study the magnetic effects on the equation of state (EoS) due to the Landau quantization, assuming a density dependent static magnetic field that reaches about 1019 G in the center of the star. The Tolman‐Oppenheimer‐Volkoff equations are solved in order to understand the dependence of the mass‐radius relation and hyperon population on the magnetic field intensity assuming different interaction coupling schemes. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Rotation and cooling of neutron stars
Authors: Negreiros R. , Schramm S. , Weber F.
Published: January 2015

Driven by the loss of energy, isolated rotating neutron stars (pulsars) are gradually slowing down to lower frequencies, which increases the tremendous compression of the matter inside of them. This increase in compression changes both the global properties of rotating neutron stars as well as their hadronic core compositions. Both effects may register themselves observationally in the thermal evolution of such stars, as demonstrated in this work. The rotation‐driven particle process which we consider here is the direct Urca (DU) process, which is known to become operative in neutron stars if the number of protons in the stellar core exceeds a critical limit of around 11 % to 15 %. We find that neutron stars spinning down from moderately high rotation rates of a few hundred Hertz may be creating just the right conditions where the DU process becomes operative, leading to an observable effect (enhanced cooling) in the temperature evolution of such neutron stars. We will also study the thermal evolution of neutron stars whose spherical symmetry has been broken due to non‐zero rotation. For this we will derive the energy balance and transport equations, taking into account the metric of a rotating fluid distribution and solve these equations numerically. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The many lives of magnetized neutron stars
Authors: Perna R. , Pons J. A. , Viganò D. , Rea N.
Published: January 2015

The magnetic field strength at birth is arguably one of the most important properties to determine the evolutionary path of a neutron star. Objects with very high fields, collectively known as magnetars, are characterized by high X‐ray quiescent luminosities, occurrence of outbursts, and, for some of them, sporadic giant flares. While the magnetic field strength is believed to drive their collective behaviour, however, the diversity of their properties, and, especially, the observation of magnetar‐like bursts from “low‐field” pulsars, has been a theoretical puzzle. In this review, we discuss results of long‐term simulations following the coupled evolution of the X‐ray luminosity and the timing properties for a large, homogeneous sample of X‐ray emitting isolated neutron stars, accounting for a range of initial magnetic field strengths, envelope compositions, and neutron star masses. In addition, by following the evolution of magnetic stresses within the neutron star crust, we can also relate the observed magnetar phenomenology to the physical properties of neutron stars, and in particular to their age and magnetic field strength and topology. The dichotomy of “high‐B” field pulsars versus magnetars is naturally explained, and occasional outbursts from old, low B‐field neutron stars are predicted. We conclude by speculating on the fate of old magnetars, and by presenting observational diagnostics of the neutron star crustal field topology. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Loop Quantum Gravity
Authors: Piguet O.
Published: January 2015

In this talk, I give a short general introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG), beginning with some motivations for quantizing General Relativity, listing various attempts and then focusing on the case of LQG. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effective field theory for neutron stars with strong Σ–‐hyperon repulsion
Authors: Razeira M. , Mesquita A. , Vasconcellos C.A.Z. , Ruffini R. , Rueda J.A. , Gomes R.O.
Published: January 2015

We investigate the role of many‐body correlations in the maximum mass of neutron stars using the effective relativistic QHD‐model with parameterized couplings which represents an extended compilation of other effective models found in the literature. Our model exhausts the whole fundamental baryon octet (n, p, Σ–, Σ0, Σ+, Λ, Ξ–, Ξ0) and simulates corrections to the minimal Yukawa couplings by considering many‐body nonlinear self‐couplings and meson‐meson interaction terms involving scalar‐isoscalar (σ, σ*), vector‐isoscalar (ω, ϕ), vector‐isovector (ρ) and scalar‐isovector (δ). Following recent experimental results, we consider in our calculations the extreme case where the Σ– experiences such a strong repulsion that it does not appear at all in nuclear matter. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Wind braking of magnetars: To understand magnetars' multiwave radiation properties
Authors: Tong H. , Xu R. X.
Published: January 2015

Magnetars are proposed to be peculiar neutron stars powered by their super‐strong magnetic field. Observationally, anomalous X‐ray pulsars and soft gamma‐ray repeaters are believed to be magnetar candidates. While more and more multiwave observations of magnetars are available, we see unfortunately an accumulation of failed predictions of the traditional magnetar model. These challenges urge a reconsidering of the magnetar phenomenon. Wind braking of magnetars is one of the alternative modelings. The release of magnetic energy may generate a particle outflow (i.e., particle wind) which results in both an anomalous X‐ray luminosity (LX) and a significantly high spindown rate (Ṗ). In this wind braking scenario, only a strong multipole field is necessary for a magnetar (a strong dipole field is no longer needed). Wind braking of magnetars may help us to understand their multiwave radiation properties, including (1) non‐detection of magnetars in the Fermi ‐LAT observations, (2) timing behaviors of low magnetic field magnetars, (3) nature of anti‐glitches, (4) criterion for magnetar radio emission, etc. In the wind braking model of magnetars, timing events of magnetars should always be accompanied by radiative events. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Rotational behaviors and magnetic field evolution of radio pulsars
Authors: Xie Y. , Zhang S.‐N.
Published: January 2015

The observed long‐term spin‐down evolution of isolated radio pulsars cannot be explained by the standard magnetic dipole radiation with a constant braking torque. However, how and why the torque varies remains still controversial, an outstanding problem in our understanding of neutron stars. We have constructed a phenomenological model of the evolution of surface magnetic fields of pulsars which contains a long‐term decay modulated by short‐term oscillations; a pulsar's spin is thus modified by its magnetic field evolution. The predictions of this model agree with the precisely measured spin evolution of several individual pulsars. The derived parameters suggest that the Hall drift and Hall waves in neutron star crusts are probably responsible for the long‐term change and short‐term quasi‐periodical oscillations, respectively. Many statistical properties of the timing noise of pulsars can well be reproduced with this model, including correlations and the distributions of the observed braking indices of the pulsars which span over a range of more than 100 millions. We have also presented a phenomenological model for the recovery processes of classical and slow glitches which can successfully model the observed slow and classical glitch events without biases. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Action Observation System when Observing Hand Actions in Autism and Typical Development
Authors: Pokorny Jennifer J. , Hatt Naomi V. , Colombi Costanza , Vivanti Giacomo , Rogers Sally J. , Rivera Susan M.
Published: January 2015

Social impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be in part due to difficulty perceiving and recognizing the actions of others. Evidence from imitation studies, which involves both observation and execution of an action, suggests differences, in individuals with ASD, between the ability to imitate goal‐directed actions involving objects (transitive actions) and the ability to imitate actions that do not involve objects (intransitive actions). In the present study, we examined whether there were differences in how ASD adolescents encoded transitive and intransitive actions compared to typically developing (TD) adolescents, by having participants view videos of a hand reaching across a screen toward an object or to where an object would be while functional magnetic resonance images were collected. Analyses focused on areas within the action observation network (AON), which is activated during the observation of actions performed by others. We hypothesized that the AON would differentiate transitive from intransitive actions only in the ASD group. However, results revealed that object presence modulated activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus of the TD group, a differentiation that was not seen in the ASD group. Furthermore, there were no significant group differences between the TD and ASD groups in any of the conditions. This suggests that there is not a global deficit of the AON in individuals with ASD while observing transitive and intransitive actions. Autism Res 2015, 8: 284–296. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cortical Changes Across the Autism Lifespan
Authors: Osipowicz Karol , Bosenbark Danielle D. , Patrick Kristina E.
Published: January 2015

Although it is widely accepted that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves neuroanatomical abnormalities and atypical neurodevelopmental patterns, there is little consensus regarding the precise pattern of neuroanatomical differences or how these differences relate to autism symptomology. Furthermore, there is limited research related to neuroanatomical correlates of autism symptomology in individuals with ASD and the studies that do exist primarily include small samples. This study was the first to investigate gray matter (GM) changes throughout the ASD lifespan, using voxel‐based morphometry to determine whether significant differences exist in the GM volumes of a large sample of individuals with ASD compared to age‐ and IQ‐matched typical controls. We examined GM volume across the lifespan in 531 individuals diagnosed with ASD and 571 neurotypical controls, aged 7–64. We compared groups and correlated GM with age and autism severity in the ASD group. Findings suggest bilateral decreased GM volume for individuals with ASD in regions extending from the thalamus to the cerebellum, anterior medial temporal lobes, and orbitofrontal regions. Higher autism severity was associated with decreased GM volumes in prefrontal cortex, inferior parietal and temporal regions, and temporal poles. Similar relationships were found between GM volume and age. ASD diagnosis and severity were not associated with increased GM volumes in any region. Autism Res 2015, 8: 379–385. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hyperconnectivity of the Right Posterior Temporo‐parietal Junction Predicts Social Difficulties in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Chien Hsiang‐Yun , Lin Hsiang‐Yuan , Lai Meng‐Chuan , Gau Susan Shur‐Fen , Tseng Wen‐Yih Isaac
Published: January 2015

The posterior right temporo‐parietal junction (pRTPJ) is a key brain region representing other's mental status. Despite reports of atypical activation at pRTPJ during mentalizing in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) of the pRTPJ remains under‐investigated. We examined whether boys with ASD show altered resting‐state iFC of the pRTPJ, and whether atypical iFC of the pRTPJ is associated with social deficits in ASD in a sample of 40 boys with high‐functioning ASD (aged 9–17 years, mean age, 12.38 ± 2.17; mean IQ, 105.60 ± 16.06) and 42 typically developing (TD) boys (aged 9–17 years, mean age, 11.64 ± 2.71; mean IQ, 111.29 ± 13.45). Both groups received resting‐state fMRI assessment after imaging data quality control for in‐scanner head motion and spatial coverage. Seed‐based approach was used to investigate iFC of the pRTPJ. TD and ASD boys demonstrated a resting‐state pRTPJ iFC pattern comparable to the known spatial involvement of the default‐mode network. Boys with ASD showed pRTPJ hyperconnectivity relative to TD boys in the right ventral occipito‐temporal cortex. This atypically increased iFC in the ASD group was positively correlated with social deficits assessed by the Chinese version of the Autism Diagnostic Interview‐Revised and the Social Responsive Scale. Our findings provide empirical support for functional “dysconnectivity,” that is, atypical functional integration among brain regions, as an integral component of the atypical neurobiology of ASD. Autism Res 2015, 8: 427–441. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.