bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hepatic MiR-291b-3p Mediated Glucose Metabolism by Directly Targeting p65 to Upregulate PTEN Expression
Authors: Guo Jun , Dou Lin , Meng Xiangyu , Chen Zhenzhen , Yang Weili , Fang Weiwei , Yang Chunxiao , Huang Xiuqing , Tang Weiqing , Yang Jichun , Li Jian
Published: January 2017

Several studies have suggested an important role of miR-291b-3p in the development of embryonic stem cells. In previous study, we found that the expression of miR-291b-3p was significantly upregulated in the liver of db/db mice. However, the role of miR-291b-3p in glucose metabolism and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that miR-291b-3p was abundantly expressed in the liver. Of note, hepatic miR-291b-3p expression was upregulated in HFD-fed mice and induced by fasting in C57BL/6 J normal mice. Importantly, hepatic inhibition miR-291b-3p expression ameliorated hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice, whereas hepatic overexpression of miR-291b-3p led to hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in C57BL/6 J normal mice. Further study revealed that miR-291b-3p suppressed insulin-stimulated AKT/GSK signaling and increased the expression of gluconeogenic genes in hepatocytes. Moreover, we identified that p65, a subunit of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), is a target of miR-291b-3p by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. Silencing of p65 significantly augmented the expression of PTEN and impaired AKT activation. In conclusion, we found novel evidence suggesting that hepatic miR-291b-3p mediated glycogen synthesis and gluconeogenesis through targeting p65 to regulate PTEN expression. Our findings indicate the therapeutic potential of miR-291b-3p inhibitor in hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.
Evaluation of 10-Nitro Oleic Acid Bio-Elimination in Rats and Humans
Authors: Salvatore Sonia R. , Vitturi Dario A. , Fazzari Marco , Jorkasky Diane K. , Schopfer Francisco J.
Published: January 2017

Nitrated fatty acids are endogenously present in human and animal tissues, as well as in plant-derived oils. In particular, 10-nitro oleic acid (10-NO2-OA) potently induces Nrf2-dependent antioxidant gene expression and inhibits TLR4/NF-κB signaling, thus promoting an overall cyto-protective and anti-inflammatory response. 10-NO2-OA has been extensively tested in animal models and is currently undergoing clinical evaluation in humans. Bio-elimination pathways for 10-NO2-OA were evaluated in rats (30 mg/kg·day) and in humans (0.34 mg/kg) using samples obtained from a double-blind, dose-rising clinical trial. Quantitative radiochromatographic/MS analysis indicated that the renal and fecal pathways are the main routes for 10-NO2-OA excretion in rats, and allowed the identification of 4-nitro-octanedioic acid (NO2-8:0-diCOOH) as the most abundant metabolite in rat urine. In addition, high resolution LC-MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of a novel series of urinary metabolites including ω-carboxylation and β-oxidation products, as well as N-acetylcysteine, taurine and sulfo-conjugates in both rats and humans. Overall, the findings reported herein not only provide valuable tools for the experimental evaluation of 10-NO2-OA levels in vivo, but importantly they also set the basis for monitoring its metabolism during potential clinical interventions in humans.
Asymmetric interaction of point defects and heterophase interfaces in ZrN/TaN multilayered nanofilms
Authors: Lao Yuanxia , Hu Shuanglin , Shi Yunlong , Deng Yu , Wang Fei , Du Hao , Zhang Haibing , Wang Yuan
Published: January 2017

Materials with a high density of heterophase interfaces, which are capable of absorbing and annihilating radiation-induced point defects, can exhibit a superior radiation tolerance. In this paper, we investigated the interaction behaviors of point defects and heterophase interfaces by implanting helium atoms into the ZrN/TaN multilayered nanofilms. It was found that the point defect-interface interaction on the two sides of the ZrN/TaN interface was asymmetric, likely due to the difference in the vacancy formation energies of ZrN and TaN. The helium bubbles could migrate from the ZrN layers into the TaN layers through the heterophase interfaces, resulting in a better crystallinity of the ZrN layers and a complete amorphization of the TaN layers. The findings provided some clues to the fundamental behaviors of point defects near the heterophase interfaces, which make us re-examine the design rules of advanced radiation-tolerant materials.
Large-scale synthesis of uniform hexagonal boron nitride films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition
Authors: Park Hamin , Kim Tae Keun , Cho Sung Woo , Jang Hong Seok , Lee Sang Ick , Choi Sung-Yool
Published: January 2017

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been previously manufactured using mechanical exfoliation and chemical vapor deposition methods, which make the large-scale synthesis of uniform h-BN very challenging. In this study, we produced highly uniform and scalable h-BN films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition, which were characterized by various techniques including atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The film composition studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy corresponded to a B:N stoichiometric ratio close to 1:1, and the band-gap value (5.65 eV) obtained by electron energy loss spectroscopy was consistent with the dielectric properties. The h-BN-containing capacitors were characterized by highly uniform properties, a reasonable dielectric constant (3), and low leakage current density, while graphene on h-BN substrates exhibited enhanced electrical performance such as the high carrier mobility and neutral Dirac voltage, which resulted from the low density of charged impurities on the h-BN surface.
Associations among executive function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and brain network properties in older adults
Authors: Kawagoe Toshikazu , Onoda Keiichi , Yamaguchi Shuhei
Published: January 2017

Aging is associated with deterioration in a number of cognitive functions. Previous reports have demonstrated the beneficial effect of physical fitness on cognitive function, especially executive function (EF). The graph theoretical approach models the brain as a complex network represented graphically as nodes and edges. We analyzed several measures of EF, an index of physical fitness, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from healthy older volunteers to elucidate the associations among EF, cardiorespiratory fitness, and brain network properties. The topological neural properties were significantly related to the level of EF and/or physical fitness. Global efficiency, which represents how well the whole brain is integrated, was positively related, whereas local efficiency, which represents how well the brain is functionally segregated, was negatively related, to the level of EF and fitness. The associations among EF, physical fitness and topological resting-state functional network property appear related to compensation and dedifferentiation in older age. A mediation analysis showed that high-fit older adults gain higher global efficiency of the brain at the expense of lower local efficiency. The results suggest that physical fitness may be beneficial in maintaining EF in healthy aging by enhancing the efficiency of the global brain network.
Alerted default mode: functional connectivity changes in the aftermath of social stress
Authors: Clemens Benjamin , Wagels Lisa , Bauchmüller Magdalena , Bergs Rene , Habel Ute , Kohn Nils
Published: January 2017

Stress affects the brain at a network level: the salience network is supposedly upregulated, while at the same time the executive control network is downregulated. While theoretically described, the effects in the aftermath of stress have thus far not been tested empirically. Here, we compared for the first time resting-state functional connectivity in a large sample of healthy volunteers before and after a mild social stressor. Following the theoretical prediction, we focused on connectivity of the salience network (SN), the executive control network (ECN) and the default mode network (DMN). The DMN exhibited increased resting-state functional connectivity following the cyberball task to the key nodes of the SN, namely the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the anterior insula, as well as sensorimotor regions and higher-order visual areas. We conclude that this increased connectivity of the DMN with key nodes of the SN and regions responsible for preparatory motor activity and visual motion processing indicates a shift towards an ‘alerted default mode’ in the aftermath of stress. This brain response may be triggered or aggravated by (social) stress induced by the cyberball task, enabling individuals to better reorient attention, detect salient external stimuli, and deal with the emotional and affective consequences of stress.
Thermal separation of soil particles from thermal conductivity measurement under various air pressures
Authors: Lu Sen , Ren Tusheng , Lu Yili , Meng Ping , Zhang Jinsong
Published: January 2017

The thermal conductivity of dry soils is related closely to air pressure and the contact areas between solid particles. In this study, the thermal conductivity of two-phase soil systems was determined under reduced and increased air pressures. The thermal separation of soil particles, i.e., the characteristic dimension of the pore space (d), was then estimated based on the relationship between soil thermal conductivity and air pressure. Results showed that under both reduced and increased air pressures, d estimations were significantly larger than the geometrical mean separation of solid particles (D), which suggested that conductive heat transfer through solid particles dominated heat transfer in dry soils. The increased air pressure approach gave d values lower than that of the reduced air pressure method. With increasing air pressure, more collisions between gas molecules and solid surface occurred in micro-pores and intra-aggregate pores due to the reduction of mean free path of air molecules. Compared to the reduced air pressure approach, the increased air pressure approach expressed more micro-pore structure attributes in heat transfer. We concluded that measuring thermal conductivity under increased air pressure procedures gave better-quality d values, and improved soil micro-pore structure estimation.
Collapse of chain anadiplosis-structured DNA nanowires for highly sensitive colorimetric assay of nucleic acids
Authors: Xu Jianguo , Wu Zai-Sheng , Chen Yanru , Zheng Tingting , Le Jingqing , Jia Lee
Published: January 2017

In this work, we have proposed a chain anadiplosis-structured DNA nanowire by using two well-defined assembly strands (AS1 and AS2).
Single strip solid contact ion selective electrodes on a pencil-drawn electrode substrate
Authors: Fayose T. , Mendecki L. , Ullah S. , Radu A.
Published: January 2017

A simple and low-cost approach for the preparation of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) is proposed as a favorable alternative to traditional paper-based electrodes.
Highly sensitive detection of Cr(vi) in groundwater by bimetallic NiFe nanoparticles
Authors: Liu Jingtao , Ding Yu , Ji Lifei , Zhang Xin , Yang Fengchun , Wang Jiading , Kang Weidong
Published: January 2017

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(vi)) is one of the most toxic heavy metal pollutants in groundwater, and thus the detection of Cr(vi) with high sensitivity, accuracy, and simplicity and low cost is of great importance.
Fast and feasible sample preparation methods for extraction of trace elements from deposited particulate matter samples
Authors: Mimura A. M. S. , Ferreira C. C. M. , Silva J. C. J.
Published: January 2017

In this study, two alternative sample preparation procedures are proposed, using ultrasound and microwave, for rapid, reliable and easy extraction of trace elements from particulate matter samples.
A PTB7-based narrow band-gap conjugated polyelectrolyte as an efficient cathode interlayer in PTB7-based polymer solar cells
Authors: Zhang Wenjun , Li Yaru , Zhu Liping , Liu Xiaohui , Song Changjian , Li Xiaodong , Sun Xiaohua , Fang Junfeng
Published: January 2017

Polymer solar cells with a cationic PTB7 derivative as a cathode interlayer and neutral PTB7 derivatives as donor polymers were fabricated, and a high PCE of 9.24% was obtained.
Influence of Zn on the photoluminescence of colloidal (AgIn)xZn2(1−x)S2 nanocrystals
Authors: Sharma Dharmendar Kumar , Hirata Shuzo , Bujak Lukasz , Biju Vasudevanpillai , Kameyama Tatsuya , Kishi Marino , Torimoto Tsukasa , Vacha Martin
Published: January 2017

We study the effect of Zn on the photophysical properties of a family of group I–III–VI nanocrystals (NCs), namely in solid solutions of (AgIn)xZn2(1−x)S2 (ZAIS).
Compression and deposition of microgel monolayers from fluid interfaces: particle size effects on interface microstructure and nanolithography
Authors: Scheidegger Laura , Fernández-Rodríguez Miguel Ángel , Geisel Karen , Zanini Michele , Elnathan Roey , Richtering Walter , Isa Lucio
Published: January 2017

Controlling the microstructure of monolayers of microgels confined at a water/oil interface is the key to their successful application as nanolithography masks after deposition on a solid substrate.
Is an electric field always a promoter of wetting? Electro-dewetting of metals by electrolytes probed by in situ X-ray nanotomography
Authors: Nave Maryana I. , Gu Yu , Karen Chen-Wiegart Yu-Chen , Wang Jun , Kornev Konstantin G.
Published: January 2017

We developed a special electrochemical cell enabling quantitative analysis andin situX-ray nanotomography of metal/electrolyte interfaces subject to corrosion. Using this cell and applying the nodoid model to describe menisci formed on tungsten wires during anodization, the evolution of the electrolyte surface tension, the concentration of reaction products, and the meniscus contact angle were studied. In contrast to the electrowetting effect, where the applied electric field decreases the contact angle of electrolytes, anodization of the tungsten wires increases the contact angle of the meniscus. Hence, an electric field favors dewetting rather than wetting of the newly formed surface. The discovered effect opens up new opportunities for the control of wetting phenomena and calls for the revision of existing theories of electrowetting.
An andrographolide derivative AGP-26b exhibiting anti-angiogenic activity in HUVECs and zebrafish via blocking the VEGFA/VEGFR2 signaling pathway
Authors: Huang Bin , Peng Yuran , Li Jingjing , Li Shang , Sun Yicheng , Wang Decai , Yang Binrui , Chan Judy Yuet-Wa , Yu Huidong , Leung George Pak-Heng , Hoi Maggie Pui-Man , Zhou Guo-Chun , Lee Simon Ming-Yuen
Published: January 2017

A new andrographolide derivative AGP-26b exhibits anti-angiogenic activity in HUVECs and zebrafish.
A permittivity regulating strategy to achieve high-performance electromagnetic wave absorbers with compatibility of impedance matching and energy conservation
Authors: Quan Bin , Liang Xiaohui , Xu Guoyue , Cheng Yan , Zhang Yanan , Liu Wei , Ji Guangbin , Du Youwei
Published: January 2017

With the variation of permittivity, MoS2/rGO composites with a broad frequency bandwidth and strong absorbing performance can be obtained due to their optimal compatibility of impedance matching and attenuation loss ability.
Superamphiphobic aluminum surfaces that maintain robust stability after undergoing severe chemical and physical damage
Authors: Chen Jiaqi , Long Mengying , Peng Shan , Yang Xiaojun , Deng Wenli
Published: January 2017

Robust superamphiphobic aluminum surfaces with dual structures were successfully fabricated through combining chemical etching, anodization, and pore-widening treatment.
Copper-catalyzed aromatic C–H alkoxylation with alcohols under aerobic conditions
Authors: Lu Wenkui , Xu Hui , Shen Zengming
Published: January 2017

An efficient protocol for copper-catalyzed aromatic C–H alkoxylation with alcohols has been developed under aerobic conditions.
Ordered mesoporous carbon and its applications for electrochemical energy storage and conversion
Authors: Eftekhari Ali , Fan Zhaoyang
Published: January 2017

Ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) is a versatile material providing interconnected channels for the diffusion of electroactive species in electrochemical systems.
A novel self-assembled hybrid organogel of polypeptide-based block copolymers with inclusion of polypeptide-functionalized graphene
Authors: Lei Wei-Wei , Shi Ling-Ying , Li Hang , Li Chen-Xi , Diao Yong-Fu , Zhang Yu-Lin , Ran Rong
Published: January 2017

Self-assembled hybrid organogels of polypeptide-based BCPs with incorporation of functionalized graphene were generated, and showed enhanced mechanical performance for the potential nanomaterials application.
Towards macrocyclic ionic liquids: novel ammonium salts based on tetrasubstituted p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arenes
Authors: Padnya Pavel L. , Andreyko Elena A. , Gorbatova Polina A. , Parfenov Viktor V. , Rizvanov Ildar Kh. , Stoikov Ivan I.
Published: January 2017

Water-soluble and water-insoluble ammonium ionic liquids based on p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arenes in cone and 1,3-alternate conformation were synthesized.
AgSCF3-mediated trifluoromethylthiolation of α,α-diaryl allylic alcohols via radical neophyl rearrangement
Authors: Liu Kai , Jin Qiao , Chen Shuang , Liu Pei Nian
Published: January 2017

A novel example of AgSCF3-mediated oxidative radical trifluoromethylthiolation of α,α-diaryl allylic alcohols is presented, producing various α-aryl-β-trifluoromethylthiolated carbonyl ketones via radical neophyl rearrangement under mild conditions.
Cichoric acid regulates the hepatic glucose homeostasis via AMPK pathway and activates the antioxidant response in high glucose-induced hepatocyte injury
Authors: Zhu Di , Zhang Ni , Zhou Xuelian , Zhang Mengying , Liu Zhigang , Liu Xuebo
Published: January 2017

CA regulates hepatic glucose homeostasisviathe AMPK pathway and improves hepatocyte injuryviaantioxidant responsein vitroandin vivo.
Catalytic activity of transition metal doped Cu(111) surfaces for ethanol synthesis from acetic acid hydrogenation: a DFT study
Authors: Zhang Minhua , Yao Rui , Jiang Haoxi , Li Guiming , Chen Yifei
Published: January 2017

The effects of transition metal dopants on Cu(111) surfaces for ethanol synthesis from acetic acid hydrogenation are investigated.
A novel H2O2responsive supramolecular hydrogel for controllable drug release
Authors: Ren Chunhua , Chu Liping , Huang Fan , Yang Lijun , Fan Huirong , Liu Jianfeng , Yang Cuihong
Published: January 2017

We reported a peptide-based supramolecular hydrogel possessing a gel–sol phase transition triggered by H2O2.
MOF-derived Ni-based nanocomposites as robust catalysts for chemoselective hydrogenation of functionalized nitro compounds
Authors: Tang Bo , Song Wei-Chao , Yang En-Cui , Zhao Xiao-Jun
Published: January 2017

Highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles within graphitic carbon layers were prepared by facile thermolysis of a Ni-MOF, which exhibited outstanding catalytic performance in the chemoselective hydrogenation of diverse functionalized nitro compounds.
Beyond pristine MOFs: carbon dioxide capture by metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived porous carbon materials
Authors: Kim Hye Ryeon , Yoon Tae-Ung , Kim Seung-Ik , An Jihyun , Bae Youn-Sang , Lee Chang Yeon
Published: January 2017

Porous carbon materials were synthesized by pyrolysis of zinc-based MOFs. These materials exhibited superior CO2 capacities and better CO2 separation ability under humid conditions compared to those of the pristine MOFs.
Achieving electroreduction of CO2to CH3OH with high selectivity using a pyrite–nickel sulfide nanocomposite
Authors: Zhao Siqi , Guo Sijie , Zhu Cheng , Gao Jin , Li Hao , Huang Hui , Liu Yang , Kang Zhenhui
Published: January 2017

An FeS2/NiS electrocatalyst could selectively reduce CO2to CH3OH with an unprecedented overpotential of 280 mV and high faradaic efficiency.
A nitrogen-doped three-dimensional carbon framework for high performance sodium ion batteries
Authors: Wang Ying , Wang Caiyun , Guo Huinan , Wang Yijing , Huang Zhenguo
Published: January 2017

A nitrogen-doped three-dimensional carbon framework is synthesized, and shows good Na+ storage performance with excellent rate capability.
Hybrid extracellular matrix microspheres for development of complex multicellular architectures
Authors: Affolter-Zbaraszczuk Christine , Ozcelik Hayriye , Meyer Florent , Gallet Olivier , Lavalle Philippe , Ball Vincent , Ghimbeu Camélia Matei , Schaaf Pierre , Knopf-Marques Helena
Published: January 2017

Development of a hybrid CaCO3 microparticular system doped with ECM components (gelatin, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin) for creating a building block strategy.
Temperature-/CO2-dual-responsiveness of a zwitterionic “schizophrenic” copolymer
Authors: Tang Xinde , Zhang Qun , Pei Meishan
Published: January 2017

A zwitterionic “schizophrenic” copolymer with dual-responsiveness to temperature and carbon dioxide self-assembles to undergo a reversible phase transition in a weakly alkaline borate buffer solution.
The tetrahedral structure and luminescence properties of Bi-metallic Pt1Ag28(SR)18(PPh3)4 nanocluster
Authors: Kang Xi , Zhou Meng , Wang Shuxin , Jin Shan , Sun Guodong , Zhu Manzhou , Jin Rongchao
Published: January 2017

Tailoring the nanocluster at an atomic level leads to a tetrahedron-shaped FCC Pt1Ag28(S-Adm)18(PPh3)4 nanocluster and a large enhancement in photoluminescence.
Molecular engineering of D–A–π–A sensitizers for highly efficient solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Li Xing , Xu Bo , Liu Peng , Hu Yue , Kloo Lars , Hua Jianli , Sun Licheng , Tian He
Published: January 2017

Two new quinoxaline-based D–A–π–A organic sensitizers AQ309 and AQ310 have been designed and synthesized employing 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) as π-linker units, respectively.
p-Doping of polystyrene polymers with attached functional side-groups from solution
Authors: Schneider Tanja , Limberg Felix , Yao Kelvin , Armin Ardalan , Jürgensen Nils , Czolk Jens , Ebenhoch Bernd , Friederich Pascal , Wenzel Wolfgang , Behrends Jan , Krüger Hartmut , Colsmann Alexander
Published: January 2017

Study on the electrical properties of side-group polymers, p-doped with strong acceptors and deposited from solution.
Preparation of large scale and highly ordered vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanowire arrays towards high performance photodetectors
Authors: Fu Wen Biao , Shang Guo Liang , Gong Xin Xin , De Zhang Li , Fei Guang Tao
Published: January 2017

Schematic diagram of a highly ordered V2O5 nanowire array based optoelectronic device and its experimental photodetection performances.
Superbenzene-bridged bis(permethyl-β-cyclodextrin) as a convenient and effective probe for trinitrophenol exploder
Authors: Yu Jie , Chen Yong , Li Jing-Jing , Liu Yu
Published: January 2017

Superbenzene-bridged bis(permethyl-β-cyclodextrin) as a convenient and effective probe for trinitrophenol exploder.
All-in-one thermometer-heater up-converting platform YF3:Yb3+,Tm3+ operating in the first biological window
Authors: Suo Hao , Hu Fangfang , Zhao Xiaoqi , Zhang Zhiyu , Li Ting , Duan Changkui , Yin Min , Guo Chongfeng
Published: January 2017

The combination of real-time diagnosis and therapy in an YF3:Tm3+/Yb3 up-converting platform with improved thermometry and photo-thermal ability is achieved through optimizing doping dosages.
Endosulfan induces apoptosis by activating the negative regulation pathway of cell cycle and death receptor pathway in spermatogenic cells
Authors: Guo Fang-Zi , Xu Ying , Ren Li-Hua , Zhang Jin , Zhang Feng , Duan Junchao , Zhou Xian-Qing , Sun Zhi-Wei
Published: January 2017

The male reproductive toxicity of endosulfan has been proved.
Economic Impact of Hearing Loss and Reduction of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in the United States
Authors: Neitzel Richard L. , Swinburn Tracy K. , Hammer Monica S. , Eisenberg Daniel
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Hearing loss (HL) is pervasive and debilitating, and noise-induced HL is preventable by reducing environmental noise. Lack of economic analyses of HL impacts means that prevention and treatment remain a low priority for public health and environmental investment.

Method

This article estimates the costs of HL on productivity by building on established estimates for HL prevalence and wage and employment differentials between those with and without HL.

Results

We estimate that HL affects more than 13% of the working population. Not all HL can be prevented or treated, but if the 20% of HL resulting from excessive noise exposure were prevented, the economic benefit would be substantial—we estimate a range of $58 billion to $152 billion annually, with a core estimate of $123 billion. We believe this is a conservative estimate, because consideration of additional costs of HL, including health care and special education, would likely further increase the benefits associated with HL prevention.

Conclusion

HL is costly and warrants additional emphasis in public and environmental health programs. This study represents an important first step in valuing HL prevention—in particular, prevention of noise-induced HL—where new policies and technologies appear promising.
Energy constrained collection of multiple robots in 3D space
Authors: Lee H.S. , Lee B.H.
Published: January 2017

This reported work addresses a collaborative approach to path planning in continuous space for the energy constrained robot collection problem. The objective is to minimise the overall duration the mobile robots return from where the given tasks are completed. For time‐ and energy‐efficient collection, the authors use a large‐scale ground vehicle that can load and transport relatively small mobile robots. However, determining time‐optimal collection locations requires too much computation in this problem setting. Therefore, a heuristic algorithm for a set of mobile robots is proposed and verified through simulations.
Chip implementation of a new hyperchaotic oscillator
Authors: Wu Y.‐L. , Yang C.‐H. , Wu C.‐H.
Published: January 2017

A new four‐dimensional hyperchaotic oscillator is proposed. Non‐linear dynamic analysis of the hyperchaotic oscillator is presented. Furthermore, an analogue circuit of the hyperchaotic oscillator is implemented on a chip for some relevant engineering applications such as information encryption. The entire chip area occupies 0.69 × 0.84 mm in 0.35 μm CMOS process with power dissipation of 475 mW from a 3.3 V supply voltage.
Bionic RSTN invariant feature extraction method for image recognition and its application
Authors: Yu Lingli , Zhou Kaijun , Yang Yongliang , Chen Haichu
Published: January 2017

It is significant to extract rotation, scaling, translation, and noise (RSTN) invariant features inspired by biological vision for image recognition. A bionic RSTN‐invariant feature extraction are proposed. This extraction process comprises two stages. In the first stage, a novel orientation edge detection is designed based on a filter‐to‐filter scheme. Gabor filters, a bottom filter, smoothen an image by simulating biological vision. Bipolar filters, a top filter, detect the horizontal and vertical direction orientation edge by simulating vision cortex response. After obtaining the orientation edge of the image, an interval detector is executed by a spatial frequency of different direction and distance. Then, the interval detection results are transformed into pixels of the orientation‐interval feature map. RSTN invariant features are generated through the repetition of orientation edge detection and interval detection. Several experimental results demonstrate that RSTN‐invariant features have striking robustness, and capable to classify RSTN images. Finally, bionic invariant features are practiced in traffic sign recognition.
Directed drift and fluid pumping of nanoswimmers by periodic rectification-diffusion
Authors: Chen Yen-Fu , Chen Hsuan-Yi , Sheng Yu-Jane , Tsao Heng-Kwong
Published: January 2017

The steady ratchet transport of run-and-tumble nanoswimmers in a 3D microfluidic channel constructed by periodic chambers separated by half-cylinder funnels is explored by dissipative particle dynamics. Two regions in a chamber are identified: rectification and active diffusion. While the concentration gradient is driven by the concentration jump in the rectification region, the ratchet current is dominated by the diffusion rate in the active diffusion region, which is classified into normal and Knudsen types. The former obeys Fick’s law and is proportional to va2τ, where va is the self-propulsion velocity and τ the run time. In addition, autonomous pumping of fluids is induced by aligned force dipoles associated with nanoswimmers accumulated near funnels, similar to the mechanism of bacteria carpet. The direction of fluid flow is the same as that of the ratchet current but the former is one order of magnitude smaller than the latter. Thus, the fluid velocity depends on the characteristics of nanoswimmers.
Operating mechanisms of highly-reproducible write-once-read-many-times memory devices based on graphene quantum dot:poly(methyl silsesquioxane) nanocomposites
Authors: Bok Chang Han , Wu Chaoxing , Kim Tae Whan
Published: January 2017

Resistive switching memory devices were fabricated utilizing graphene quantum dot (GQD):poly(methyl silsesquioxane) (PMSSQ) hybrid nanocomposites. Current-voltage curves for the Al/GQD:PMSSQ/indium-tin-oxide devices at room temperature showed write-once-read-many-times memory (WORM) characteristics with an ON/OFF ratio of as large as 106 due to the homogeneous dispersion of the GQDs in the PMSSQ matrix. The WORM devices maintained retention times larger than 2 × 104 s under ambient conditions. The devices showed high device-to-device reproducibility with threshold-voltage distributions between 3 and 5 V. The ON state currents remained between 10−6 and 10−3 A, and the OFF state currents maintained between 10−12 and 10−9 A. The operating mechanisms concerning the interaction between the GQDs and the PMSSQ matrix for the resistive-switch phenomenon were analyzed on the basis of the I–V results and with the aid of the energy band diagram.
Strain-induced friction anisotropy between graphene and molecular liquids
Authors: Liao Meng , To Quy-Dong , Léonard Céline , Monchiet Vincent , Vo Van-Hoang
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we study the friction behavior of molecular liquids with anisotropically strained graphene. Due to the changes of lattice and the potential energy surface, the friction is orientation dependent and can be computed by tensorial Green-Kubo formula. Simple quantitative estimations are also proposed for the zero-time response and agree reasonably well with the molecular dynamics results. From simulations, we can obtain the information of structures, dynamics of the system, and study the influence of strain and molecular shapes on the anisotropy degree. It is found that unilateral strain can increase friction in all directions but the strain direction is privileged. Numerical evidences also show that nonspherical molecules are more sensitive to strain and give rise to more pronounced anisotropy effects.
Hydrogen bond breaking dynamics in the water pentamer: Terahertz VRT spectroscopy of a 20 μm libration
Authors: Cole William T. S. , Fellers Raymond S. , Viant Mark R. , Saykally Richard J.
Published: January 2017

Hydrogen bonds in solid and liquid water are formed and broken via librational vibrations, hence characterizing the details of these motions is vital to understanding these important dynamics. Here we report the measurement and assignment of 875 transitions comprising 6 subbands originating from out-of-plane librational transitions of the water pentamer-d10 near 512 cm−1. The precisely measured (ca. 1 ppm) transitions reveal bifurcation splittings of ∼1884 MHz, a ∼4000× enhancement over ground state splittings and 100× greater than predicted by theory. The pentamer is thus the third water cluster to display greatly enhanced bifurcation tunneling upon single quantum excitation of librational vibrations. From the intensity pattern of the observed transitions, the mechanism of bifurcation is established by comparison with theoretical predictions.
MPPT control of wind turbines by direct adaptive fuzzy-PI controller and using ANN-PSO wind speed estimator
Authors: Sabzevari Sanaz , Karimpour Ali , Monfared Mohammad , Naghibi Sistani Mohammad Bagher
Published: January 2017

This paper proposes a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique based on the tip speed ratio control for small scale wind turbines (WTs). In this paper, artificial neural network based particle swarm optimization has been trained offline to learn the characteristic of the turbine power as a function of wind and machine speeds. Afterwards, it has been realized online to estimate the varying wind speed. It is essential to design a controller that can track the maximum peak of energy regardless of wind speed changes. Therefore, this work provides a novel robust direct adaptive fuzzy–Proportional-Integral (PI) controller during the MPPT process through tuning duty cycle of the boost converter for permanent magnet synchronous generator driven by a WT. The proposed method has successfully decreased the ripples of coefficient of power (Cp) which is the index of MPPT mode, under variations of the wind speed in comparison with conventional controller. Finally, a systematic analysis is presented which is in good agreement with simulation results, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Strain induced giant magnetoelectric coupling in KNN/Metglas/KNN sandwich multilayers
Authors: Chitra Lekha C. S. , Kumar Ajith S. , Vivek S. , Anantharaman M. R. , Venkata Saravanan K. , Nair Swapna S.
Published: January 2017

A lead-free magnetoelectric composite with sandwich layers of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN)/Co76Fe14Ni4Si5B (Metglas)/KNN is fabricated as a cantilever and it is characterized for its magnetic, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric properties. Giant magnetoelectric (ME) coupling is recorded under both resonant and sub resonant conditions and the data are presented here. The observed magnetoelectric coupling coefficient reaches a maximum of 1321 V/cm Oe at resonance (750 Hz) and 9.5 V/cm Oe at a sub-resonant frequency of 50 Hz. The corresponding theoretical calculations are provided for comparison. High magnetostriction as well as initial permeability, fairly good piezoelectric properties, and low dielectric constant cumulatively contribute to the giant magnetoelectric properties in the present system. The high resonance and sub resonance ME coupling voltages make the system ideal for transducers and energy harvesting device applications.
Magneto-ionic effect in CoFeB thin films with in-plane and perpendicular-to-plane magnetic anisotropy
Authors: Baldrati L. , Tan A. J. , Mann M. , Bertacco R. , Beach G. S. D.
Published: January 2017

The magneto-ionic effect is a promising method to control the magnetic properties electrically. Charged mobile oxygen ions can easily be driven by an electric field to modify the magnetic anisotropy of a ferromagnetic layer in contact with an ionic conductor in a solid-state device. In this paper, we report on the room temperature magneto-ionic modulation of the magnetic anisotropy of ultrathin CoFeB films in contact with a GdOx layer, as probed by polar micro-Magneto Optical Kerr Effect during the application of a voltage across patterned capacitors. Both Pt/CoFeB/GdOx films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and Ta/CoFeB/GdOx films with uniaxial in-plane magnetic anisotropy in the as-grown state exhibit a sizable dependence of the magnetic anisotropy on the voltage (amplitude, polarity, and time) applied across the oxide. In Pt/CoFeB/GdOx multilayers, it is possible to reorient the magnetic anisotropy from perpendicular-to-plane to in-plane, with a variation of the magnetic anisotropy energy greater than 0.2 mJ m−2. As for Ta/CoFeB/GdOx multilayers, magneto-ionic effects still lead to a sizable variation of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy, but the anisotropy axis remains in-plane.
Influence of heavy metal materials on magnetic properties of Pt/Co/heavy metal tri-layered structures
Authors: Zhang Boyu , Cao Anni , Qiao Junfeng , Tang Minghong , Cao Kaihua , Zhao Xiaoxuan , Eimer Sylvain , Si Zhizhong , Lei Na , Wang Zhaohao , Lin Xiaoyang , Zhang Zongzhi , Wu Mingzhong , Zhao Weisheng
Published: January 2017

Pt/Co/heavy metal (HM) tri-layered structures with interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) are currently under intensive research for several emerging spintronic effects, such as spin-orbit torque, domain wall motion, and room temperature skyrmions. HM materials are used as capping layers to generate the structural asymmetry and enhance the interfacial effects. For instance, the Pt/Co/Ta structure attracts a lot of attention as it may exhibit large Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. However, the dependence of magnetic properties on different capping materials has not been systematically investigated. In this paper, we experimentally show the interfacial PMA and damping constant for Pt/Co/HM tri-layered structures through time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements as well as magnetometry measurements, where the capping HM materials are W, Ta, and Pd. We found that the Co/HM interface play an important role on the magnetic properties. In particular, the magnetic multilayers with a W capping layer features the lowest effective damping value, which may be attributed to the different spin-orbit coupling and interfacial hybridization between Co and HM materials. Our findings allow a deep understanding of the Pt/Co/HM tri-layered structures. Such structures could lead to a better era of data storage and processing devices.
Electronic structure of buried LaNiO3 layers in (111)-oriented LaNiO3/LaMnO3 superlattices probed by soft x-ray ARPES
Authors: Bruno F. Y. , Gibert M. , McKeown Walker S. , Peil O. E. , de la Torre A. , Riccò S. , Wang Z. , Catalano S. , Tamai A. , Bisti F. , Strocov V. N. , Triscone J.-M. , Baumberger F.
Published: January 2017

Taking advantage of the large electron escape depth of soft x-ray angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we report electronic structure measurements of (111)-oriented [LaNiO3/LaMnO3] superlattices and LaNiO3 epitaxial films. For thin films, we observe a 3D Fermi surface with an electron pocket at the Brillouin zone center and hole pockets at the zone vertices. Superlattices with thick nickelate layers present a similar electronic structure. However, as the thickness of the LaNiO3 is reduced, the superlattices become insulating. These heterostructures do not show a marked redistribution of spectral weight in momentum space but exhibit a pseudogap of ≈50 meV.
Quantum sensing using coherent control of near-field polarization of quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle molecules
Authors: Sadeghi Seyed M. , Mao Chuanbin
Published: January 2017

We theoretically study the impact of quantum coherence on the states of polarization of the plasmonic fields of a quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle system. Via tracing Stokes parameters we predict that, depending on the refractive index of the environment, such a system can pass through different states of polarization with certain ellipticity and handedness. We demonstrate that this allows the nanoparticle system to act as a quantum sensor, wherein ultrasmall changes in the refractive index can lead to distinct changes in the time-dependent evolution of states of polarization (Stokes vector) of the plasmonic fields. Our numerical analysis also shows how these states can become strongly dependent on the intensity and frequency of the laser field responsible for the generation of quantum coherence. Possible applications for high resolution investigation of conformational dynamics and structures of biological molecules are discussed.
Geometric distortion and spin-dependent electronic structure of C6H6-adsorbed Fe3O4(001): A first-principles study
Authors: Sun Meifang , Wang Xiaocha , Chen Guifeng , Mi Wenbo
Published: January 2017

The electronic structure of C6H6/Fe3O4(001) interfaces has been investigated by the density functional theory. It is found that a weaker interaction exists between C6H6 and Fe3O4(001) in the adsorption models by comparing with the previous studies. The electronic states of C6H6 show a slight spin-splitting, which has the potential applications as a molecular spin filter. Meanwhile, a valence transition from Fe3+ to Fe2+ occurs in one model, which reduces the magnetic moment. The transition can be ascribed to the geometric distortion induced by C6H6 adsorption, which depicts the re-interaction process among Fe3O4(001) atoms. Furthermore, the high spatial spin polarization of C6H6/Fe3O4(001) appears with the increased density of states at EF. The calculated results offer a new mechanism to manipulate the interfacial electronic structure through C6H6 adsorption, which has the potential applications in organic spintronic devices.
Parametric analysis and optimized torque characteristics of a coaxial magnetic gear based on the subdomain analytical model
Authors: Shin Kyung-Hun , Park Hyung-Il , Cho Han-Wook , Choi Jang-Young
Published: January 2017

This paper presents the torque calculation and parametric analysis of a coaxial magnetic gear (CMG). We obtained analytical magnetic field solutions produced by permanent magnets based on a magnetic vector potential. Then, the analytical solutions for magnetic torque were obtained. All analytical results were extensively validated with nonlinear two-dimensional finite element analysis. Finally, using the derived analytical magnetic torque solutions, we carried out parametric analysis to determine the influence of the design parameters on the CMG’s behavior.
Design and experimental verification of a water-like pentamode material
Authors: Zhao Aiguo , Zhao Zhigao , Zhang Xiangdong , Cai Xuan , Wang Lei , Wu Tao , Chen Hong
Published: January 2017

Pentamode materials approximate tailorable artificial liquids. Recently, microscopic versions of these intricate structures have been fabricated, and the static mechanical experiments reveal that the ratio of bulk modulus to shear modulus as large as 1000 can be obtained. However, no direct acoustic experimental characterizations have been reported yet. In this paper, a water-like two-dimensional pentamode material sample is designed and fabricated with a single metallic material, which is a hollow metallic foam-like structure at centimeter scale. Acoustic simulation and experimental testing results indicate that the designed pentamode material mimics water in acoustic properties over a wide frequency range, i.e., it exhibits transparency when surrounded by water. This work contributes to the development of microstructural design of materials with specific modulus and density distribution, thus paving the way for the physical realization of special acoustic devices such as metamaterial lenses and vibration isolation.
Higher rates of sex evolve during adaptation to more complex environments
Authors: Luijckx Pepijn , Ho Eddie Ka Ho , Gasim Majid , Chen Suyang , Stanic Andrijana , Yanchus Connor , Kim Yun Seong , Agrawal Aneil F.
Published: January 2017

Significance

The existence of sexual reproduction despite its well-known costs is a decades-old puzzle. Although recent studies show that sex can be advantageous because it may facilitate adaptation, it remains unclear whether all types of adaptation result in the same sexual response. Using experimental evolution we show that adaptation to different environments results in varying amounts of sex and, more importantly, that higher levels of sex evolve when adapting to more complex environments. As environments in nature are inherently complex, our findings help explain why so many natural populations maintain such high levels of sex.
A hypothalamic circuit that controls body temperature
Authors: Zhao Zheng-Dong , Yang Wen Z. , Gao Cuicui , Fu Xin , Zhang Wen , Zhou Qian , Chen Wanpeng , Ni Xinyan , Lin Jun-Kai , Yang Juan , Xu Xiao-Hong , Shen Wei L.
Published: January 2017

Significance

Thermal homeostasis is essential for survival in mammals. Although it is known that temperature-sensitive neurons in the hypothalamus can control body temperature, the precise neural types and dynamics of neurons responding to changes in environmental temperature are not well defined. In this study, we identified subsets of temperature-activated neurons in two hypothalamic nuclei, the preoptic area (POA) and the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), and showed that modulating their activity can lead to alterations in core temperature. The data further suggest that heat-activated GABAergic neurons in the POA reduce the activity of cold-activated neurons in the DMH, which function to increase thermogenesis and physical activity. These data identify a neural circuit that controls core temperature and thermogenesis.
ATG9 regulates autophagosome progression from the endoplasmic reticulum in
Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhuang Xiaohong , Chung Kin Pan , Cui Yong , Lin Weili , Gao Caiji , Kang Byung-Ho , Jiang Liwen
Published: January 2017

Significance

One fundamental question in the autophagy field is the membrane origin of the autophagosome. As the sole transmembrane autophagy-related (ATG) protein, ATG9 is conserved among eukaryotes and known to be important for autophagy, but its precise molecular function is still unknown. Through a combination of in vivo real-time imaging, 3D tomographic reconstruction, and genetic approaches, this study demonstrates that, in contrast to the
atg9
mutants characterized in yeast and animal, loss of ATG9 in
Arabidopsis
led to expanding autophagosome-related tubules connected to the endoplasmic reticulum during autophagy. This work thus provides functional evidence for a unique role of ATG9 in autophagosome progression from the endoplasmic reticulum in plant cells, shedding new light on the membrane origins of autophagosome in plants.
Directional emission from dye-functionalized plasmonic DNA superlattice microcavities
Authors: Park Daniel J. , Ku Jessie C. , Sun Lin , Lethiec Clotilde M. , Stern Nathaniel P. , Schatz George C. , Mirkin Chad A.
Published: January 2017

Significance

In this article, we use microscopic rhombic dodecahedra made from DNA-programmable assembly of programmable atom equivalents (i.e., DNA-functionalized nanoparticles), to study the importance of nano- and microscopic architecture on directional light emission. The DNA sequence design provides subnanometer control over the interactions between light-emitting molecules and metal nanoparticles, resulting in micrometer-scale light–matter interactions which induce unique spatial and spectral emission profiles. Electrodynamics calculations combining the two scales successfully model the observed behaviors. This initial study provides a compelling demonstration of the utility of DNA-programmable assembly for making 3D photonic devices that uniquely allow one to engage in structure–function relationship studies, important in fields spanning quantum electrodynamics and plasmonics.