bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homo- and Hetero-Structure Formation in Semiconductors by Laser Radiation: First Stage of Quantum Cones Formation
Authors: Medvids Artur , Onufrijevs Pavels , Dauksta Edvins , Sobolev Nikolai A.
Published: October 2013

A possibility of formingquantum cones (QC) by Nd:YAG laser radiation on the surface of semiconductorssuch as Si and Ge crystals, and SiGe and CdZnTe solid solutions has been shown.A two-stage mechanism of quantum cone formation has been proposed. The first stage is generation and redistribution of point defects (impurity atoms and intrinsic point defects – vacancies and self-interstitials) in a temperature gradient field, the so-called thermogradient effect. As a result a new phase is formed on the irradiated surface, for example a Ge phase forms on the surface of a SiGe solid solution. The second stage is characterized by mechanical plastic deformation of the strained top layer leading to the formation of quantum cones, due to selective laser radiation absorption of the top layer. The first stage is more difficult for understanding of the physical processes which takeplace during of growth of QC, especially in pure intrinsic elementary semiconductors (Ge, Si) and compounds (CdTe, GaAs). Therefore, this research is focused on the investigation of the first stage of QC formation by laser irradiation. As a result of the investigation, a new mechanism for p-n junction formation in the elementary semiconductors and heterojunction in solid solutions by laser radiation as a first stage of QC formation is proposed.
Defects Related to Sb-Mediated Ge Quantum Dots
Authors: Tonkikh Alexander A. , Rangel-Kuoppa Victor Tapio , Zakharov Nikolay D. , Jantsch Wolfgang , Werner Peter
Published: October 2013

We report on a specific defect, which may form during the growth of Stranski-Krastanov surfactant-mediated Ge/Si (100) islands. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that these loop-like defects are local and could be represented by a missing plane of Ge atoms inside some of Ge islands. This specific defect may generate an electrically active trap within the Si band gap at about 0.3 eV above the Si valence band edge. Deep level transient spectroscopy reveals that at least 1 % of Ge islands may include such defects.
10 cm Diameter Mono Cast Si Growth and its Characterization
Authors: Miyamura Yoshiji , Harada Hirofumi , Jiptner Karolin , Chen Jun , Prakash Ronit R. , Li Jian Yong , Sekiguchi Takashi , Kojima Takuto , Ohshita Yoshio , Ogura Atsushi , Fukuzawa Masayuki , Nakano Satoshi , Gao Bing , Kakimoto Koichi
Published: October 2013

To get the optimized condition and ideal furnace structure, we have performed seed cast growth of mono-crystalline Si by using unidirectional solidification furnace. More than 20 ingots of 10 cm diameter and 10 cm height were grown under different growth conditions. The quality of ingots was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), infrared microscopy, scanning infrared polariscope (SIRP), X-ray topography, etc. We have realized reduction of carbon, residual strain and extended defects, which may contribute the increase of solar cell efficiency.
Building Capacity for Quality: A Pilot Co-Learning Curriculum in Quality Improvement for Faculty and Resident Learners
Authors: Wong Brian M. , Goguen Jeannette , Shojania Kaveh G.
Published: October 2013

Background

Despite a mandate to teach quality improvement (QI) to residents, many training programs lack faculty capacity to deliver a QI curriculum.

Objective

We piloted a co-learning curriculum in QI to train residents while simultaneously developing QI teachers. We evaluated the curriculum's acceptability and feasibility and its effect on faculty engagement in doing and teaching QI.

Methods

The curriculum involved 2 half-day, interactive sessions, a team-based QI project, and end-of-year project presentations. Key curriculum design principles included (1) residents and faculty co-attend all interactive sessions, (2) residents and faculty work together on team-based QI projects, and (3) QI projects align with divisional QI priorities. Using the Kirkpatrick framework for learner outcomes, we focused our program evaluation on Level 1 (satisfaction) and Level 2 (knowledge and skills acquisition) outcomes using year-end curriculum evaluations.

Results

Our study included 14 residents (70%) and 6 faculty members (30%). With respect to satisfaction (Kirkpatrick Level 1 outcome), 93% (13 of 14) of residents and 100% (6 of 6) of faculty participants rated the overall curriculum as “above average” or “outstanding.” Regarding faculty knowledge and skills acquisition (Kirkpatrick Level 2 outcomes), faculty self-rated their QI knowledge and interest in QI higher than their intent to incorporate QI into future practice and their comfort in teaching or supervising QI projects. All 5 faculty respondents (100%) rated the co-learning model for faculty development in QI as “above average” or “outstanding.”

Conclusions

Teaching QI to residents and faculty as co-learners is feasible and acceptable and offers a promising model for programs to teach QI to residents while concurrently building faculty capacity.
Evidence for perchlorates and the origin of chlorinated hydrocarbons detected by SAM at the Rocknest aeolian deposit in Gale Crater
Authors: Glavin Daniel P. , Freissinet Caroline , Miller Kristen E. , Eigenbrode Jennifer L. , Brunner Anna E. , Buch Arnaud , Sutter Brad , Archer P. Douglas , Atreya Sushil K. , Brinckerhoff William B. , Cabane Michel , Coll Patrice , Conrad Pamela G. , Coscia David , Dworkin Jason P. , Franz Heather B. , Grotzinger John P. , Leshin Laurie A. , Martin Mildred G. , McKay Christopher , Ming Douglas W. , Navarro‐González Rafael , Pavlov Alexander , Steele Andrew , Summons Roger E. , Szopa Cyril , Teinturier Samuel , Mahaffy Paul R.
Published: October 2013

A single scoop of the Rocknest aeolian deposit was sieved (< 150 µm), and four separate sample portions, each with a mass of ~50 mg, were delivered to individual cups inside the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument by the Mars Science Laboratory rover's sample acquisition system. The samples were analyzed separately by the SAM pyrolysis evolved gas and gas chromatograph mass spectrometer analysis modes. Several chlorinated hydrocarbons including chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane, a chloromethylpropene, and chlorobenzene were identified by SAM above background levels with abundances of ~0.01 to 2.3 nmol. The evolution of the chloromethanes observed during pyrolysis is coincident with the increase in O2 released from the Rocknest sample and the decomposition of a product of N‐methyl‐N‐(tert‐butyldimethylsilyl)‐trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA), a chemical whose vapors were released from a derivatization cup inside SAM. The best candidate for the oxychlorine compounds in Rocknest is a hydrated calcium perchlorate (Ca(ClO4)2·nH2O), based on the temperature release of O2 that correlates with the release of the chlorinated hydrocarbons measured by SAM, although other chlorine‐bearing phases are being considered. Laboratory analog experiments suggest that the reaction of Martian chlorine from perchlorate decomposition with terrestrial organic carbon from MTBSTFA during pyrolysis can explain the presence of three chloromethanes and a chloromethylpropene detected by SAM. Chlorobenzene may be attributed to reactions of Martian chlorine released during pyrolysis with terrestrial benzene or toluene derived from 2,6‐diphenylphenylene oxide (Tenax) on the SAM hydrocarbon trap. At this time we do not have definitive evidence to support a nonterrestrial carbon source for these chlorinated hydrocarbons, nor do we exclude the possibility that future SAM analyses will reveal the presence of organic compounds native to the Martian regolith.
Safety and acceptability of tubal ligation procedures performed by trained clinical officers in rural Uganda
Authors: Gordon‐Maclean Cristin , Nantayi Lois K. , Quinn Heidi , Ngo Thoai D.
Published: October 2013

Objective

To assess safety associated with tubal ligation performed by trained clinical officers (COs) in rural Uganda.

Methods

Between March and June 2012, 518 women in 4 regions of Uganda were recruited into a prospective cohort study and followed at days 3, 7, and 45 after undergoing tubal ligation performed by a trained CO. Intraoperative and postoperative adverse events (minor, moderate, or major), and acceptability were assessed.

Results

Mean age was 36 years (range, 20–49 years) and mean number of living children was 6.7 (range, 0–15). The overall rate of major adverse events was 1.5%: 0.4% intraoperatively; 1.9% at day 3; and 0.2% at day 7. The majority of women who underwent tubal ligation reported a good/very good experience at the facility (range, 94%–99%) and would recommend the health services to a friend (range, 93%–98%).

Conclusion

In the present study, task sharing of tubal ligation to trained COs in private facilities was safe. Women reported high levels of satisfaction with the procedure. Training COs could be an effective strategy for expanding family‐planning services to rural Uganda.
NOETHERIAN HOPF ALGEBRAS
Authors: GOODEARL K. R.
Published: October 2013

A brief survey of some aspects of noetherian Hopf algebras is given, concentrating on structure, homology, and classification, and accompanied by a panoply of open problems.
COASSOCIATIVE LIE ALGEBRAS
Authors: WANG D.-G. , ZHANG J. J. , ZHUANG G.
Published: October 2013

A coassociative Lie algebra is a Lie algebra equipped with a coassociative coalgebra structure satisfying a compatibility condition. The enveloping algebra of a coassociative Lie algebra can be viewed as a coalgebraic deformation of the usual universal enveloping algebra of a Lie algebra. This new enveloping algebra provides interesting examples of non-commutative and non-cocommutative Hopf algebras and leads to the classification of connected Hopf algebras of Gelfand–Kirillov dimension four in Wang et al. (Trans. Amer. Math. Soc., to appear).
Childhood stressors in the development of fatigue syndromes: a review of the past 20 years of research
Authors: Borsini A. , Hepgul N. , Mondelli V. , Chalder T. , Pariante C. M.
Published: October 2013

Background

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are both highly prevalent conditions associated with extreme disability and with the development of co-morbid psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Childhood stressors have been shown to induce persistent changes in the function of biological systems potentially relevant to the pathogenesis of both CFS and FM, such as the inflammatory system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. In this review, we examined whether multiple forms of childhood stressors are contributing factors to the development of these disorders, and of the associated psychiatric symptoms.

Method

Using PubMed, we identified 31 papers relevant to this narrative review. We included cohort studies and case-control studies, without any exclusion in terms of age and gender. No study characteristics or publication date restrictions were imposed.

Results

Most studies across the literature consistently show that there is a strong association between experiences of childhood stressors and the presence of CFS and FM, with rates of CFS/FM being two- to three-fold higher in exposed than in unexposed subjects. We also found evidence for an increased risk for the development of additional symptoms, such as depression, anxiety and pain, in individuals with CFS and FM with a previous history of childhood stressors, compared with individuals with CFS/FM and no such history.

Conclusions

Our review confirms that exposure to childhood stressors is associated with the subsequent development of fatigue syndromes such as CFS and FM, and related symptoms. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms underlying these associations.
Democratic Careening
Authors: Slater Dan
Published: October 2013

Democracy in the developing world is generally outliving expectations, but not outperforming them. Democratic collapse has happily been a far rarer event thus far in the twenty-first century than it was in the twentieth. Yet it does not exactly ring true to say that most developing country democracies are consolidating. This review essay ventures the claim that political scientists need to transcend their rightful concerns with how and why young democracies collapse or consolidate, and devote more attention to theorizing how and why they careen. It defines democratic careening as political instability sparked by intense conflict between partisan actors deploying competing visions of democratic accountability. Careening occurs when actors who argue that democracy requires substantial inclusivity of the entire populace (vertical accountability) clash with rivals who defend democracy for its constraints against excessive concentrations of unaccountable power, particularly in the political executive (horizontal accountability). These arguments are elaborated through reviews of leading theoretical works on democratic break-down as well as detailed case studies of Thailand and taiwan.
Prioritizing highway defragmentation locations for restoring landscape connectivity
Authors: GURRUTXAGA MIKEL , SAURA SANTIAGO
Published: October 2013

Transport infrastructures are a major driver of global landscape change. In many areas, highways were built before environmental impact assessments required the implementation of wildlife crossing structures. A fundamental task in the development of ecological networks is identifying areas where dispersal pathways of vulnerable populations may be blocked or affected by high volume roads. Financial considerations may limit investment, thus it is vital to establish the relative contribution of each road defragmentation location to upholding habitat connectivity and availability. In this paper, recent methodological developments in habitat network analysis, derived from the probability of connectivity index, were refined and used to evaluate the role of each highway defragmentation location in restoring landscape connectivity. The forest protected area network in the Basque country (northern Spain) was selected as an illustrative case study. The proposed approach was able to quantify and effectively account for a combination of factors determining the contribution of each highway defragmentation location to upholding connectivity, which are rarely jointly considered in analyses oriented to support restoration decisions in landscapes affected by the barrier effect of transport infrastructures. The contribution to connectivity of each defragmentation location depended on its topological position in the landscape, on the relative decrease in the effective distance among habitat areas that results from the permeability restoration at that location, on the distance from the defragmentation location to other alternative wildlife crossing structures already existing in the landscape, on the amount of habitat in the areas connected by the linkages that run through the defragmentation location and on the dispersal abilities of the focal species.
Solvothermal synthesis of nano-sized skutterudite Co1−xNixSb3 powders
Authors: Li J.Q. , Zhang Z.P. , Luo R.M. , Ao W.Q. , Liu F.S.
Published: October 2013

Nanostructuring is one of the effective approaches to lower the thermal conductivity of thermoelectric materials for improving its figure of merit. The nano-sized uniform skutterudite Co1−xNixSb3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.075, 0.125, 0.15, and 0.25) thermoelectric powders were synthesized in triethylene glycol solution by using CoCl2, NiCl2, and SbCl3 as precursors and NaBH4 as the reductant. Different synthesis conditions were studied to pursue pure and uniform skutterudite CoSb3 powders. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Experimental results show that a Ni-doped skutterudite Co1−xNixSb3 single phase was obtained at 290 °C for 12 h. The powders are spherical, small, and uniform. As x increases from 0 to 0.25, the unit-cell parameter a increases from 0.9044 to 0.9065 nm and the particle size increases from 10 to 30 nm.
Should “I” Be Avoided or Embraced? Exploring Divergence between Political Scientist and Student Writing Norms
Authors: Lascher Edward L. , Melzer Daniel
Published: October 2013

Political science instructors commonly emphasize the importance of effective writing. However, it is unclear that students either understand or share the norms about what this entails. A notable example is the appropriate use of voice. Prior literature has shown that academic writers often believe it is appropriate to use the pronoun “I” for a variety of rhetorical purposes but suggests that students may be unaware of this reasoning. We examine this topic by determining more precisely how commonly “I” is used in a major political science journal, conducting a survey of political science undergraduate students at a large comprehensive university, and interviewing political science faculty at the same university. Although each group's attitudes are complex, we find evidence that students' views commonly conflict with disciplinary norms. We close by considering the implications for teaching about writing in political science.
New Blood: Policy-Making in a Freshman Congressional Office
Authors: Fairdosi Amir
Published: October 2013

As the United States Congress began its 113th session, 72 freshman members arrived on Capitol Hill to represent their congressional districts for the first time. It would be universally heralded as the most diverse freshman class in history, containing four new African Americans, 10 new Latinos, five new Asian Americans, 24 new women, the first two Hindus, the first Buddhist, the first non-theist to openly acknowledge her belief prior to getting elected, and four new LGBT members, including the first openly bisexual congresswomen and the first openly gay congressman of color. But for all their diversity, each of them had at least one thing in common: none of them had ever been a member of Congress before. How do freshman policy-makers legislate? What unique challenges do they face? What accounts for variations in their legislative activity?
Animal models of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders
Authors: Camilla d'Angelo Laure-Sophie , Eagle Dawn M. , Grant Jon E. , Fineberg Naomi A. , Robbins Trevor W. , Chamberlain Samuel R.
Published: October 2013

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions (trichotillomania, pathological skin-picking, pathological nail-biting) are common and disabling. Current treatment approaches fail to help a significant proportion of patients. Multiple tiers of evidence link these conditions with underlying dysregulation of particular cortico-subcortical circuitry and monoamine systems, which represent targets for treatment. Animal models designed to capture aspects of these conditions are critical for several reasons. First, they help in furthering our understanding of neuroanatomical and neurochemical underpinnings of the obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum. Second, they help to account for the brain mechanisms by which existing treatments (pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, deep brain stimulation) exert their beneficial effects on patients. Third, they inform the search for novel treatments. This article provides a critique of key animal models for selected OC spectrum disorders, beginning with initial work relating to anxiety, but moving on to recent developments in domains of genetic, pharmacological, cognitive, and ethological models. We find that there is a burgeoning literature in these areas with important ramifications, which are considered, along with salient future lines of research.
Highly nonlinear defect-induced carrier recombination rates in semiconductors
Authors: Modine N. A. , Armstrong A. M. , Crawford M. H. , Chow W. W.
Published: October 2013

Defects in semiconductors can induce recombination of carriers and thus can strongly influence the efficiency and performance of solid-state devices. In the analysis of device performance, defect-induced recombination is often assumed to depend linearly on the carrier concentration or to be given by a sum of Shockley-Read-Hall expressions taken independently for each known defect level. Under these assumptions, defect-induced recombination increases with carrier concentration more slowly than both band-to-band radiative recombination and Auger recombination and becomes relatively less important at higher carrier concentrations. However, we show that defects with multiple defect levels can induce recombination with a highly nonlinear dependence on carrier concentration. For such defects, the usual assumptions about the relative importance of different recombination mechanisms at different carrier concentrations may fail. In order to demonstrate the potential impact of this phenomenon on realistic devices, we incorporate the defect-induced recombination rates obtained from our analysis into a microscopic InGaN/GaN light-emitting diode (LED) model. Our results indicate that a particular class of defects with plausible properties can induce a loss of optical efficiency at carrier concentrations relevant for high-power LED operation.
Resistive switching artificially induced in a dielectric/ferroelectric composite diode
Authors: Tsurumaki-Fukuchi Atsushi , Yamada Hiroyuki , Sawa Akihito
Published: October 2013

Ferroelectric resistive switching was artificially induced in a conductive ferroelectric capacitor by inserting a thin dielectric layer at an electrode/ferroelectric interface. Ferroelectric capacitors consisting of semiconducting Bi-deficient Bi1−δFeO3 layers with SrRuO3 electrodes showed no resistive switching, but resistive switching emerged in these ferroelectric capacitors when a thin LaFeO3 dielectric layer was inserted at one of the SrRuO3/Bi1−δFeO3 interfaces. In addition to resistive switching, SrRuO3/LaFeO3/Bi1−δFeO3/SrRuO3 devices showed rectifying current–voltage characteristics, suggesting an asymmetric potential distribution along the stacking direction in the device. The results shed light upon the mechanism of resistive switching in ferroelectric diodes and demonstrate that interface engineering provides a simple but effective approach toward controlling the ferroelectric resistive switching characteristics.
Structural dependence of nonlinear magnetoelectric effect for magnetic field detection by frequency modulation
Authors: Li Menghui , Wang Yaojin , Shen Ying , Gao Junqi , Li Jiefang , Viehland D.
Published: October 2013

The structure differences of magnetoelectric (ME) laminates for passive and active mode sensors are discussed. The Fourier coefficient A1 calculated from the data of αME-Hdc indicates that N = 1 (where N is the number of Metglas layers) should be the optimum structure for the active mode. Experimental investigations of the magnetic field sensitivity agree well with this conjecture. For N = 1, the magnetic field sensitivity was 0.66 nT/Hz0.5, which was 3.1 times larger than for N = 5.
Tuning the metamagnetic transition in the (Co, Fe)MnP system for magnetocaloric purposes
Authors: Guillou F. , Brück E.
Published: October 2013

The inverse magnetocaloric effect taking place at the antiferro-to-ferromagnetic transition of (Co,Fe)MnP phosphides has been characterised by magnetic and direct ΔTad measurements. In Co0.53Fe0.47MnP, entropy change of 1.5 Jkg−1 K−1 and adiabatic temperature change of 0.6 K are found at room temperature for an intermediate field change (ΔB = 1 T). Several methods were used to control the metamagnetic transition properties, in each case, a peculiar splitting of the antiferro-to-ferromagnetic transition is observed.
Tailoring the structure and piezoelectric properties of BiFeO3-(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3–PbTiO3 ceramics for high temperature applications
Authors: Bennett J. , Bell A. J. , Stevenson T. J. , Comyn T. P.
Published: October 2013

There is a growing requirement for piezoelectric materials and systems which can operate in extreme environments, for example, oil & gas, and aerospace. Here, we present the high temperature BiFeO3-K0.5Bi0.5TiO3-PbTiO3 (BF-KBT-PT) polycrystalline perovskite system. X-ray diffraction, impedance analysis, and Berlincourt measurements reveal a large region of phase coexistence, which can be tailored to optimise performance; Tc and the tetragonal spontaneous strain correlate strongly with the PbTiO3 concentration. The highest temperature composition has a d33 of 140 pmV−1 with a Tc = 542 °C, occupying previously unchartered territory on the classical d33–TC plot.
Ultrafast carrier dynamics in thin-films of the topological insulator Bi2Se3
Authors: Glinka Yuri D. , Babakiray Sercan , Johnson Trent A. , Bristow Alan D. , Holcomb Mikel B. , Lederman David
Published: October 2013

Transient reflectivity measurements of thin films, ranging from 6 to 40 nm in thickness, of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 reveal a strong dependence of the carrier relaxation time on the film thickness. For thicker films, the relaxation dynamics are similar to those of bulk Bi2Se3, where the contribution of the bulk insulating phase dominates over that of the surface metallic phase. The carrier relaxation time shortens with decreasing film thickness, reaching values comparable to those of noble metals. This effect may result from the hybridization of Dirac cone states at the opposite surfaces for the thinnest films.
The extended religious phenotype and the adaptive coupling of ritual and belief
Authors: Purzycki Benjamin G. , Sosis Richard
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we consider the idea that religion is a transsomatic adaptation. At the genic level, the religious system constitutes an extended phenotype that has been fashioned by natural selection to overcome socioecological challenges inherent in human sociality, primarily problems of cooperation and coordination. At the collective level, the religious system constitutes a cognitive niche. We begin our discussion focusing on the former and concentrate our attention on the “sacred coupling” of supernatural agency and ritual behavior. We detail the complex connections between genes, cognitive faculties, and their expression in religious contexts, followed by a discussion of how religious ritual functions to maintain relative social order. We conclude with a discussion about the relevance of niche construction theory for understanding the adaptive nature of religious systems.
Conflict and Commensuration: Contested Market Making inIndia's Private Real Estate Development Sector
Authors: Searle Llerena Guiu
Published: October 2013

Newly constructed high‐rise housing and malls, soaring land prices and violent confrontations over land testify to the massive urban transformations underway inIndia today. Having secured an expanded role in urban development from the state, the private sector helps to shape urban restructuring; however, few scholars have studied private real estate development inIndia or revealed the factions that underlie an analytically unitary ‘private sector’. This article sheds light on private sector real estate industry members' efforts to develop an internationally familiar real estate market inIndia. Foreign investors and consultants have been collaborating withIndian real estate developers, who are now active intermediaries in the flow of capital intoIndia. Drawing on participant observation and data from interviews, this article finds, however, that foreign financiers andIndian developers struggle to form partnerships on account of differences on issues like land valuation. The outcome of such conflicts will define the contours ofIndian real estate development and its integration with international markets in the future.
Potential use of chitosan nanoparticles for oral delivery of DNA vaccine in black seabream Acanthopagrus schlegelii Bleeker to protect from Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Authors: Li L , Lin S‐L , Deng L , Liu Z‐G
Published: October 2013

To develop an effective and easy‐to‐administer vaccine against vibriosis of fish, the chitosan nanoparticles‐loaded DNA vaccine against Vibrio parahaemolyticus was studied. A DNA vaccine was constructed using the outer membrane protein K (ompK) gene of V. parahaemolyticus strain (OS4) and pEGFP‐N2, a eukaryotic expression vector, and the construct was named pEGFP‐N2‐OMPK (pDNA). The pDNA was encapsulated in chitosan particles (chitosan/pDNA). The effective diameter, mean diameter and polydispersity of the particles were 284.4 nm, 218.9 nm and 0.160, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the particles are dispersed as individual nanoparticles with spherical shape of around 200 nm and are homogeneously distributed. Encapsulation efficiency and loading percentage of nanoparticles were 91.5% and 2.08%, respectively. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) showed that RNA‐containing information of the ompK gene existed in mid‐intestine, liver, kidney and muscle 3 weeks after oral administration in black seabream Acanthopagrus schlegelii Bleeker. Expression of the reporter gene, green fluorescent protein (GFP), was observed in the above‐mentioned tissues by fluorescence microscopy. Expression of the ompK gene within 3 weeks evoked an immune response. Black seabream was protected from V. parahaemolyticus (OS4), with 72.3% relative percentage survival (RPS) 3 weeks post‐vaccination with chitosan/pDNA. The direct agglutination test indicated that oral administration with chitosan/pDNA induced an antibody immune response in fish against V. parahaemolyticus (OS4). Data obtained, here and in other related studies, suggest that chitosan nanoparticles are promising carriers for an oral pDNA vaccine.
Hopfological algebra
Authors: Qi You
Published: October 2013

We develop some basic homological theory of hopfological algebra as defined by Khovanov [Hopfological algebra and categorification at a root of unity: the first steps, Preprint (2006), arXiv:math/0509083v2]. Several properties in hopfological algebra analogous to those of usual homological theory of DG algebras are obtained.
Systematic Evaluation of Creep-Fatigue Life Prediction Methods for Various Alloys
Authors: Takahashi Yukio , Dogan Bilal , Gandy David
Published: October 2013

Failure under creep-fatigue interaction is receiving an increasing interest due to an increased number of start-up and shut-downs in fossil power generation plants as well as development of newer nuclear power plants employing low-pressure coolant. Such situations have prompted the studies on creep-fatigue interaction and the developments of various approaches for evaluating its significance in design as well as remaining life evaluation, but most of them are fragmental and rather limited in terms of materials and test conditions covered. Therefore, applicability of the proposed approaches to different materials or even different temperatures is uncertain in many cases. The present work was conducted in order to comparably evaluate the representative approaches used in the prediction of failure life under creep-fatigue conditions as well as their modifications, by systematically applying them to available test data on a wide range of materials which have been used or are planned to be used in various types of power generation plants. The following observations have been made from this exercise: (i) The time fraction model has a tendency to be nonconservative in general, especially at low temperature and small strain ranges. Because of the large scatter of the total damage, this shortcoming would be difficult to cover by the consideration of creep-fatigue interaction in a simple manner. (ii) The classical ductility exhaustion model showed a general tendency to be overly conservative in many situations, especially at small strain ranges. (iii) The modified ductility exhaustion model based on the redefinition of creep damage showed improved predictability with a slightly nonconservative tendency. (iv) Energy-based ductility exhaustion model developed in this study seems to show the best predictability among the four procedures in an overall sense although some dependency on strain range and materials was observed.
Plastic Load of Precracked Polyethylene Miter Pipe Bends Subjected to In-Plane Bending Moment1
Authors: EL-Bagory Tarek M. A. A. , Younan Maher Y. A. , Sallam Hossam E. M. , Abdel-Latif Lotfi A.
Published: October 2013

The main purpose of the present paper is to investigate the effect of crack depth on the plastic load (collapse load) of miter pipe bends (MPB) under in-plane bending moment. The experimental work is conducted to investigate multimiter pipe bends, with a bend angle 90 deg, pipe bend factor h = 0.844, standard dimension ratio (SDR) = 11, and number of welding junctions m = 3 under a crosshead speed 500 mm/min. The material of the investigated pipe is a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is used in natural gas (NG) piping systems. The welds in the miter pipe bends are produced by butt-fusion method. The crack depth varies from intrados to extrados location according to the in-plane opening/closing bending moment, respectively. For each in-plane bending moment, the plastic load is obtained by the tangent intersection (TI) method from the load–deflection curves produced by the testing machine specially designed and constructed in the laboratory.5 The study reveals that increasing the crack depth leads to a decrease in the stiffness and plastic load of MPB for both in-plane closing and opening bending moment. Higher values of the plastic load are reached in case of opening bending moment. This behavior is true for all investigated crack depths. A circumferential external crack has an obvious effect on the behavior of load–deflection curve. The linear elastic region in both mode of loading decreases with increasing crack depth.
Nonlinear Wear Response of WC-Ni Cemented Carbides Irradiated by High-Intensity Pulsed Ion Beam
Authors: Zhu X. P. , Zhang F. G. , Song T. K. , Lei M. K.
Published: October 2013

Surface hardening on WC-Ni cemented carbides was achieved by high-intensity pulsed ion beam (HIPIB) irradiation, with formation of a binderless, densified, and “hilly” remelted top layer of a few μm in depth and a shock strengthened underlayer down to a hundred μm. The tribological behavior of the samples was studied under dry sliding against GCr15 bearing steel on a block-on-ring tribometer with 98 N and 0.47 m/s. The specific wear rate/wear resistance presented an exponential dependence on the surface hardness, in contrast to the commonly reported linear dependence of the specific wear rate or wear resistance on the hardness of WC based cemented carbides among both WC-Ni and WC-Co systems. The original samples underwent a severe abrasive wear due to the Ni binder micro-abrasion and WC grain fragmentation/pullout, whereas the irradiated samples began with a gradual abrasion of the binderless hard tops, followed by a mild abrasive wear accompanied by local adhesive wear. The wear resistance has been also compared with the reported data concerning the relative hardness of friction pairs in a value range of 2–7 on block-on-ring tribometer tests with the friction pairs of WC cemented carbides and steels in unlubricated condition. The nonlinear wear response is explained by the wear mechanism transition otherwise unobtainable in the case of the reported hardening by either lowering the binder content or refining the WC grains. It is revealed that the interfacial bonding enhancement of the WC/binder and the binder strengthening are pronounced for improving the wear resistance of the cemented carbides, by the effective suppressing of the WC grain fragmentation/pullout and binder micro-abrasion, even though they have limited contribution to the hardness enhancement.
Advances in Developing Electromechanically Coupled Computational Methods for Piezoelectrics/Ferroelectrics at Multiscale
Authors: Fang Daining , Li Faxin , Liu Bin , Zhang Yihui , Hong Jiawang , Guo Xianghua
Published: October 2013

Piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics have been widely used in modern industries because of their peculiar electromechanical coupling properties, quick response, and compact size. In this work, we give a comprehensive review of our works and others' works in the past decade on the multiscale computational mechanics methods for electromechanical coupling behavior of piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics. The methods are classified into three types based on their applicable scale (i.e., macroscopic methods, mesoscopic methods, and atomic-level methods). In macroscopic methods, we first introduce the basic linear finite element method and employ it to analyze the crack problems in piezoelectrics. Then, the nonlinear finite element methods are presented for electromechanically coupled deformation and the domain switching processes were simulated. Based on our developed nonlinear electromechanically coupled finite element method, the domain switching instability problem was specially discussed and a constrained domain-switching model was proposed to overcome it. To specially address the crack problem in piezoelectrics, we further proposed a meshless electromechanical coupling method for piezoelectrics. In mesoscopic methods, the phase field methods (PFM) were firstly presented and the simulation results on the defects effect and size effect of deformation in ferroelectrics were given. Then, to solve the computational complexity problem of PFM in polycrystals, we proposed an optimization-based computational method taking the interactions between grains in an Eshelby inclusion manner. The domain texture evolution process can be calculated, and the Taylor's rule of plasticity has been reproduced well by this optimization-based model. Alternatively, the domain switching in polycrystalline ferroelectrics can be simulated by a proposed Monte Carlo method, which treated domain switching as a stochastic process. In atomic-level methods, we firstly introduce the first-principles method to calculate polarization and studied the topological polarization and strain gradient effect in ferroelectrics. Then, we present a modified electromechanically coupled molecular dynamic (MD) method for ferroelectrics based on the shell model and investigated the size effect of electromechanical deformation in ferroelectric thin films and nanowires. Finally, we introduced our recently proposed novel atomic finite element method (AFEM), which has higher computational efficiency than the MD. The deformation as well as domain evolution processes in ferroelectrics calculated by AFEM were also presented. The development of electromechanically coupled computational mechanics methods at multiscale is greatly beneficial, not only to the deformation and fracture of piezoelectrics/ferroelectrics, but also to structural design and reliability analysis of smart devices in engineering.
Joel’s/Elijah’s Army or the Joshua Generation: The Military Rhetoric of Third Wave Neo-Pentecostalism
Authors: Pietersen Lloyd K.
Published: October 2013

The reception of biblical texts of violence such as the Joshua narratives within neo-Pentecostal circles has been largely ignored. This paper suggests that the prevailing historic premillennialism within such circles results in a form of “this-is-that” hermeneutics in which biblical prophecy is seen as being fulfilled in the present. The violent language contained in biblical texts is reinterpreted as spiritual warfare against demonic forces. However, the way in which such demonic forces are perceived as affecting society renders this interpretation as a narrative politics which calls for political action and informs the worldview of the Religious Right.
Assumptio Mosis and the Eschatology of Despair
Authors: Farber Zev
Published: October 2013

Assumptio Mosis is an early first-millennium Jewish work framed as a farewell discourse from Moses to Joshua. The work rewrites the ending section of Deuteronomy, and includes within it a prophecy describing events in the distant future, alternative or supplementary to the predictions offered in Deuteronomy proper. This new twist on Moses’s prophetic vision may derive from a certain despair faced by the community of which this author was a part, perhaps, as the article suggests, the Hadrianic persecution. According to this visionary re-interpretation of Deuteronomy, there is nothing for the Jews to do but suffer and wait for redemption until the world is undone and they leave it for a better place; an eschatology of defeat and despair, at least in this world.
In Search of John’s Island: Patmos in Botticelli and Burgkmair
Authors: Boxall Ian
Published: October 2013

During the Renaissance, there existed in Western Europe a widespread tension between hope and doubt with regard to the viability of human society that manifested itself in an increasing interest in the book of Revelation and its visual interpretation. This article explores two portrayals of the scene of John at Patmos, one reflecting a closed, even forbidding perspective, the other offering a decidedly more optimistic view. These different styles reflect the political and religious context in which the artists were working and show a clear contrast between fears of a cosmic collapse and the hope generated by an Eden-like territory portrayed in images related to the discoveries in the New World.
Synthesis of the most anti-aromatic 16π porphyrin: an octaethylporphyrin zinc(II) complex with no meso-substituents
Authors: Hiramatsu Shogo , Sugawara Shun , Kojima Satoshi , Yamamoto Yohsuke
Published: October 2013

The most anti-aromatic 16π porphyrin, an octaethylporphyrin (OEP) zinc(II) complex with no substituents at the meso-positions was generated as a highly unstable species from the reaction of the corresponding 18π porphyrin using strong oxidants such as AgSbF 6/ I 2 or SbF 5. The porphyrin showed a significant blue-shift unique to 16π porphyrins in its UV-vis spectrum. 1 H NMR measurements revealed an evident high-field shift of the meso-protons of the porphyrin ring, thereby establishing that the novel 16π porphyrin has the strongest anti-aromaticity reported so far.
Overview on the Jülich SOFC Development Status
Authors: Blum Ludger , Batfalsky Peter , de Haart L.G.J. , Malzbender Jürgen , Menzler Norbert H. , Peters Roland , Quadakkers Willem J. , Remmel Josef , Tietz Frank , Stolten Detlef
Published: October 2013

The SOFC group at JÜLICH works on the development of materials, cell and stack since the early 90s, strongly supported by post-operational analysis. Important achievements are e.g. the development of ferritic chromium steels which are now commercially available and anode substrate cells with power densities exceeding 2 W/cm² at 0.7 V and 700 °C. Special highlights are long term tests with short stacks of which one has reached 50,000 h of continuous operation. In the year 2000 also systems and system components development has been started. In 2012 a 20 kW system, based on four 5 kW stacks, was successfully set into operation. The envisaged 20 kW were achieved and the system has been operated for about 4,000 h up to now.
Status of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Development at Topsoe Fuel Cell A/S and DTU Energy Conversion
Authors: Christiansen Niels , Primdahl Søren , Wandel Marie , Ramousse Severine , Hagen Anke
Published: October 2013

Many years of close collaboration between Topsoe Fuel Cell A/S (TOFC) and Risø (to day DTU Energy Conversion) on SOFC development have ensured an efficient transfer of SOFC basic know how to industrial technology. The SOFC development in the consortium includes material development and manufacturing of materials, cells and stacks based on state of the art as well as innovative strategies. Today TOFC provides the SOFC technology platform: Cells, stacks, integrated multi stack module and PowerCore units that integrate stack modules with hot fuel processing units for high electrical efficiency. TOFC collaborates with integrator partners to develop, test and demonstrate possibilities and challenges in case of CHP, distributed generation, transportation application and electrolysis. Aiming at improved reliability, robustness and low material cost, TOFC has in the collaboration with DTU increased the efforts on development of next generation cells with metallic support including novel infiltrated nano-structured electrodes for operation in the temperature range 600-700 oC. Recently, record-breaking results have been obtained on cell level as well as on stack level.
Saint-Gobain's All Ceramic SOFC Stack: Architecture and Performance
Authors: Giles Sean , Lin Guangyong , Mohanram Aravind , Narendar Y. , Pietras John , Qi Frank Chunming , Robbins Wesley R. , Sliwoski Robert J.
Published: October 2013

Saint-Gobain has developed a unique all ceramic SOFC stack with performance characteristics that make it an attractive solution to the cost and durability challenges of commercializing conventional SOFCs. Saint-Gobain’s all ceramic stacks achieve power density higher than 200 mW/cm2 when operating at 825 °C and 0.75 V/cell. Power degradation is low at 0.2% per kilohour over more than 7,000 hours of testing. Ceramic interconnect stability is verified for >10,000 h using accelerated testing. Good performance under thermal cycling, power cycling and unplanned transients such as fuel or air loss has also been confirmed. With reliable R&D scale manufacturing and targeted testing platforms, Saint-Gobain has increased cell power density by 50% and decreased interconnect resistance by 40% between 2010 and 2012 with further improvements in development.
AVL SOFC Systems on the Way of Industrialization
Authors: Rechberger Juergen , Reissig Michael , Hauth Martin
Published: October 2013

The AVL SOFC Auxiliary Power Unit development program has reached significant milestones within the last year. The performance of the system has been significantly increased to 30% electrical efficiency and up to 4kW net electrical power. The first successful vehicle demonstration has been performed. Operation on sulfur containing fuels is possible. A commercial product launch is planned for 2016. In parallel also the AVL SOFC CHP system showed significant progress. The system is designed for 5-10kW electrical power based on electrolyte supported stacks from Plansee/IKTS and a hot gas anode recirculation process. The system is since early 2013 continuously in operation and shows very promising results like an electrical efficiency around 50%.
SOFCOM Project: Proof-of-Concept of WWTU Plant Feeding a SOFC CHP System Integrated with CO2 Removal
Authors: Santarelli Massimo , Kiviaho Jari , Meucci Lorenza , Vega Lourdes , Chiodo Vitaliano , Jevulski Janusz , Spliethoff Hartmut
Published: October 2013

SOFCOM is an applied research project (FCH JU Grant Agreement 278798) devoted to demonstrate the technical feasibility, the efficiency and environmental advantages of CHP plants based on SOFC fed by different typologies of biogenous primary fuels (locally produced), integrated by a process for the CO2 separation from the anode exhaust gases. The research activity is devoted to the scientific, technical and economic management of the proof-of-concept of a complete energy systems based on SOFCs, integrated in a waste water treatment plant (WWTU), with CO2 management. Several issues are addressed, like high efficiency integration designs, impact of the fuel pollutants on the SOFC and fuel processing units operation, gas cleaning, carbon sequestration module, operation in CHP configuration, maintenance and repair strategies, lessons learned for pre-normative issues and scale-up analysis. The paper develops general presentation of the SOFCOM project, and outlines the WWTU–SOFC–CO2 management demonstration plant.