bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phonon scattering by dislocations at grain boundaries in polycrystalline Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3
Authors: Kim Hyun‐Sik , Kim Sang Il , Lee Kyu Hyoung , Kim Sung Wng , Snyder G. Jeffrey
Published: November 2016

Reducing lattice thermal conductivity (κl) of a thermoelectric material is one of the most popular strategies to improve its thermoelectric performance. Particularly, many efforts have been focused on decreasing grain size to effectively scatter low‐frequency phonons by boundary scattering. In addition to the boundary scattering, we have recently demonstrated that dense arrays of dislocations formed in grain boundaries can further reduce the κl by dislocation scattering at room temperature and above. In order to closely examine the effect of the dislocation scattering, the κl of polycrystalline Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 samples with and without dislocations were measured at low temperature (T < 200 K). Because other phonon scattering mechanisms like Umklapp and point‐defect scatterings are not dominant at low temperature, we clearly show the presence of the dislocation scattering in the sample with the dislocations by successfully describing its low temperature experimental κl with a theoretical model.
Self‐propagating high‐temperature fast reduction of magnesium oxalate to novel nanocarbons
Authors: Huczko Andrzej , Kurcz Magdalena , Dąbrowska Agnieszka , Bystrzejewski Michał , Strachowski Przemysław , Dyjak Sławomir , Bhatta Rita , Pokhrel Balram , Kafle Bhim Prasad , Subedi Deepak
Published: November 2016

Combustion synthesis is known as a cost‐effective technique to produce many novel ceramic nanomaterials such as nitrides, carbides, and intermetallic compounds. Herein, we report an extremely fast chemical transformation of magnesium–magnesium oxalate (Mg/MgC2O4) mixtures into solid products containing different nanocarbons and MgO. Despite a wide range of molar ratios of reactants all combustions, carried out in Ar at 1 MPa, were successful. The solid products were chemically purified (leaching of unreacted Mg and MgO) and characterized by XRD, SEM/EDX, TEM, DSC, and Raman spectroscopy. The residue contained mostly layered (circa several nm thick) carbon petal‐like nanostructures and carbon‐coated MgO.
Spectral change of intermediate band luminescence in GaP:N due to below‐gap excitation: Discrimination from thermal activation
Authors: Kamata N. , Suetsugu M. , Haque D. , Yagi S. , Yaguchi H. , Karlsson F. , Holtz P. O.
Published: November 2016

As an intermediate band (IB) originating from discrete nitrogen (N) levels is formed in GaP:N with increasing N concentration, GaP1−xNx alloy is considered to be a promising candidate for IB‐type solar cells. We studied the IB luminescence of a GaP1−xNx with 0.56% N and detected carrier recombination (CR) levels by superposing a below‐gap excitation (BGE) light of 1.17 eV. We resolved a high‐energy component of 2.15 eV in the IB luminescence, Ihigh, from total luminescence intensity Iall. With increasing the BGE density at fixed temperature of 5 K, the amount of decrease in Ihigh was distinctly smaller than that of simple temperature rise without the BGE at the same Iall value. We conclude that the observed intensity change of the IB luminescence due to the BGE comes not from thermal activation, but from optical excitation among the IB, conduction band, and CR levels in GaP1−xNx. It is of primal importance to understand CR levels toward determining their origins and eliminating them for realization of efficient IB‐type solar cells.
A Hybrid Model Based on Singular Spectrum Analysis and Support Vector Machines Regression for Failure Time Series Prediction
Authors: Wang Xin , Wu Ji , Liu Chao , Wang Senzhang , Niu Wensheng
Published: November 2016

Effectively forecasting the failure data in the maintenance stage is essential in many reliability planning and scheduling activities. Although a number of data‐driven techniques have been applied to cope with this issue and achieved noteworthy performance, the reliability prediction problem is still not fully explored, especially for applying the hybridization methods. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid model which integrates singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and support vector machines regression (SVR) to forecast the failure time series data gathered from the maintenance stage of the Boeing 737 aircraft. Two significant components recognized as the trend and fluctuation are extracted from the original failure time series data by using the techniques of SSA and noise test, and the two components are associated with the inherent and operational reliability, respectively. Then two models named as trend‐SSA and fluctuation‐SVR are individually developed to conduct the tasks of modeling and forecasting the two components. Furthermore, the optimal parameters of the hybrid model are obtained efficiently by a stepwise grid search method. The performance of the presented model is measured against other unitary models such as Holt‐Winters, autoregressive integrated moving average, multiple linear regression, group method of data handling, SSA, and SVR, as well as their hybridizations. The comparison results indicate that the proposed model outperforms other techniques and can be utilized as a promising tool for reliability forecast applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the origin of the relative stability of ZnIINTA and ZnIINTPA metal complexes. An insight from the IQA, IQF, and π‐FARMS methods
Authors: Mangondo Paidamwoyo , Cukrowski Ignacy
Published: November 2016

Relative stability of ZnIIcomplexes with nitrilotriacetic acid (ZnNTA) and nitrilotri‐3‐propionic acid (ZnNTPA) was investigated. Classical analysis of individual interactions using local indices failed to explain the preferential formation of ZnNTA. This work shows that the preferential formation of ZnNTA is not due to the size of coordination five‐membered rings or the absence of the steric CH‐‐HC contacts, as commonly considered. By combining interacting quantum atoms/fragments, IQA/IQF‐defined properties implemented in the π‐FARMS (preorganized‐interacting fragment attributed relative molecular stability) method, (i) several measures of ZnII“affinity” to NTPA were shown to be consistently greater than to NTA and (ii) larger stability of ZnNTA was attributed to coordinated water molecules. Being smaller, NTA occupies less space around the metal center. This results in less destabilised ZnOH2coordination bonds and preorganization energy of H2O fragments being smaller in ZnNTA. Only by summing preorganization energies (of ligand and water fragments) and binding energy between fragments (using π‐FARMS method) we recovered the experimental trend. Importantly, the fundamental origin of all major energy components controlling relative stability of metal complexes was pin‐pointed using the π‐FARMS method.
Theoretical study on the reaction mechanisms and stereoselectivities of DABCO‐catalyzed Rauhut–Currier/cyclization reaction of methyl acrylate with 2‐benzoyl‐3‐phenyl‐acrylonitrile
Authors: Li Yan , Du Shiwen
Published: November 2016

With the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have investigated the mechanisms and stereoselectivities of the tandem cross Rauhut–Currier/cyclization reaction of methyl acrylate R1 with (E)‐2‐benzoyl‐3‐phenyl‐acrylonitrile R2 catalyzed by a tertiary amine DABCO. The results of the DFT calculations indicate that the favorable mechanism (mechanism A) includes three steps: the first step is the nucleophilic attack of DABCO on R1 to form intermediates Int1 and Int1‐1, the second step is the reaction of Int1 and Int1‐1 with R2 to generate intermediate Int2(SS,RR,SR&RS), and the last step is an intramolecular SN2 process to give the final product P(SS,RR,SR&RS) and release catalyst DABCO. The SN2 substitution is computed to be the rate‐determining step, whereas the second step is the stereoselectivity‐determining step. The present study may be helpful for understanding the reaction mechanism of similar tandem reactions.
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a case report and world literature review
Authors: Huaringa Armando J. , Francis Wassem H.
Published: November 2016

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a lung disorder which was first described in 1958 by Rosen et al. and is indeed rare disease with a prevalence of 0.1 per 100,000 individuals. PAP is characterized by abnormal accumulation of pulmonary surfactant in the alveolar space, which impairs gas exchange leading to a severe hypoxemia. Pulmonary surfactant is an insoluble proteinaceous material that is rich in lipids and stains positive with periodic acid–Schiff (PAS). The most common type of PAP is the so‐called autoimmune or idiopathic type. It has been hypothesized that deficiency in granulocyte macrophage–colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), as a result of the anti‐GM‐CSF antibody production, is strongly related to impaired surfactant recycling that leads to the accumulation of surfactant in the alveolar space. Its clinical course is variable from spontaneous remission in the best case scenario, going through the entire spectrum of disease severity, towards fatal respiratory failure. Whole lung lavage has been the gold standard therapy in PAP until the advent of GM‐CSF. Although the first case was reported to be idiopathic, subsequent analysis revealed that Pneumocystis jirovecii, silica, and other inhalational toxins were able to trigger this reaction. In this study, we report the case of a 52‐year‐old man who developed PAP syndrome after a 2‐year exposure to silica dust. Our review of the world literature that includes 363 cases reported until now, reflects the evolution of science and technology in determining different aetiologies and diagnostic tests that lead to an improved perspective in the life of these patients.
Estimating the parameters of system dynamics models using indirect inference
Authors: Hosseinichimeh Niyousha , Rahmandad Hazhir , Jalali Mohammad S. , Wittenborn Andrea K.
Published: November 2016

There is limited methodological guidance for estimating system dynamics (SD) models using datasets common to social sciences that include few data points over time for many units under analysis. Here, we introduce indirect inference, a simulation‐based estimation method that can be applied to common datasets and is applicable to SD models that often include intractable likelihood functions. In this method, the model parameters are found by ensuring that simulated data from the model and available empirical data produce similar auxiliary statistics. The method requires few assumptions about the structure of the model and error‐generating processes and thus can be used in a variety of applications. We demonstrate the method in estimating an SD model of depression and rumination using a panel dataset. The overall results suggest that indirect inference can extend the application of SD models to new topics and leverage common panel datasets to provide unique insights. Copyright © 2016 System Dynamics Society
Synthesis, Structure‐Activity Relationship and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Methyl‐Substituted Tetrazoloquinoline‐Based Pyrazolinethioamides
Authors: Tazeem  , Bhat Abdul Roouf , Han Xin , Athar Fareeda
Published: November 2016

A new series of pyrazolinethioamide and intermediate chalcone were synthesized from the tetrazoloqunoline molecule and the effect of these compounds on in‐vitro growth of microorganisms is studied. In‐vitro anti‐microbial activity was performed against S.aureus, S.epidermidis, P.mirabilis and E.coli. A number of analogues exhibited potent activity against all the bacterial strains. The SAR results indicate that the thioamide, methoxy group at C‐4 of phenyl ring and tetrazole unit play key roles for their bacterial inhibitory effect. This is further supported by the molecular modeling study of the crystal structure of PDB: 4Z7 M with compounds 5 b and 5 g. Compound 5 b showed potent antibacterial activity against S.aureus, S.epidermidis and moderate activity against E.coli with MIC values 6.25, 3.125, and 6.25 μg/mL, respectively. Compound 5 g showed potent antibacterial activity against S.epidermidis with MIC value 3.125 μg/mL but moderate activity against P.mirabilis and E. coli. Most promising compounds were tested for cytotoxic study by MTT assay on HepG2 cell line and the results showed that all the compounds offered remarkable >70 % viability up to the concentration of 100 μg/mL.
The Highly Regioselective Halogenation of N‐(8‐quinolinyl)amides on the C‐5 Position with Cuprous Halides Under Mild Conditions
Authors: Ding Junshuai , Li Wanru , Ye Kaiqi , Li Jizhen
Published: November 2016

Regioselective halogenation of heteroaromatics via C−H activation is a challenge in organic synthesis. In this paper, we described a simple, mild and highly selective protocol for halogenating C‐5 of N‐(8‐quinolinyl) amides with cuprous halides in the presence of NFSI (N‐Fluorobenzenesulfonimide) at room temperature. The different chloro‐, bromo‐ and iodo‐ substituted N‐(8‐quinolinyl) amides on C‐5 position were obtained respectively in good yields with excellent substrates tolerance.
Temperature Perturbation on Hydrogen Bonding in Aqueous Solutions at Different Amide Concentrations
Authors: Nusrat Mafy Noushaba , Muhibur Rahman M. , Mollah M. Yousuf A. , Susan Md. Abu Bin Hasan
Published: November 2016

A series of amides with variation in the number of methyl and amine groups were used as additives of water. Perturbations of water structure by variation of temperature and concentration of urea, formamide, N‐methylformamide, and N,N‐dimethylformamide was systematically analyzed by vibrational spectroscopy. The water absorption band was critically analyzed by 2D‐correlation spectroscopy, its deconvolution and derivative spectra. Degree of perturbation of the water structure was evaluated to provide strong evidence on molecular level interactions, self‐aggregation, and modification of the network of water structure. Clusters of water‐amides were energetically optimized and consequent theoretical vibrational frequencies of C−N and C=O groups of amide were found to be consistent with experimental frequencies. The water structure underwent disruption through formation of hydrogen bond with amide; while self‐aggregated amide and hydrophobic alkyl group assisted formation of ice‐like network around them.
Excellent Electromagnetic Interference Shielding by Graphene‐ MnFe2O4‐Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Hybrids at Very Low Weight Percentage in Polymer Matrix
Authors: Srivastava Rajesh Kumar , Xavier Priti , Gupta Satyendra Nath , Kar Goutam Prasanna , Bose Suryasarathi , Sood A. K.
Published: November 2016

We report electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of reduced graphene oxide‐manganese ferrite (RGO‐MnFe2O4) hybrids in presence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as conductive filler in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix. MnFe2O4 nanoparticles and RGO‐MnFe2O4 hybrids were synthesized by a facile one‐step hydrothermal method and different PVDF/RGO‐MnFe2O4 composite films containing fixed amount of MWCNTs (3 wt%) were fabricated by solution blending. The samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron and atomic force microscopies and by thermal gravimetric analysis. Excellent absorption and a total EMI shielding (SET) of ca. −38dB at 18 GHz were noted for 5wt% RGO‐MnFe2O4. Interestingly, the storage modulus of this particular composite film showed 3 folds higher modulus as compared to control PVDF film. Our study establishes that simple and economical fabrication method of PVDF/RGO‐MnFe2O4/MWCNTs composite film at very low filler content has a great potential as microwave absorbing material.
One–pot Three–component Reaction of Barbituric acids, Aldehydes and 4‐Hydroxycoumarins: Synthesis of Some Novel Functionalized Furo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines
Authors: Dutta Leema , Bhuyan Pulak J.
Published: November 2016

Some novel functionalized furo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines were synthesized via one‐pot three‐component reaction of barbituric acids, aldehydes and 4‐hydroxycoumarins in the presence of iodine as catalyst in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The reaction involved in a condensation and Michael addition followed by lactone ring opening and intramolecular cyclization process to afford the product in high yield in easy work‐up procedure.
Ultra‐Sonication of ZIF‐67 Crystals Results in ZIF‐67 Nano‐Flakes
Authors: Beyer Sebastian , Prinz Carsten , Schürmann Robin , Feldmann Ines , Zimathies Annett , Blocki Anna M. , Bald Ilko , Schneider Rudolf J. , Emmerling Franziska
Published: November 2016

Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs) are crystalline materials that comprise of metal nodes and Imidazole derivatives as linkers. ZIF‐67 is often used in polymer composite materials e. g. for gas separation membranes. Post‐synthesis treatment of ZIF‐67 crystals with ultrasound leads to unforeseen plasticity that resulted in sintered ZIF‐67 and ZIF‐67 nano‐flakes. Consequently, ultrasound increases the external surface area of ZIF‐67 which might improve e. g. blending with polymers in composite materials. These new morphologies of ZIF‐67 were characterized by transmission electron, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopy. The ultrasound treatment of ZIF‐67 did not result in the formation of an amorphous framework or a meta‐stable crystal structure as indicated by powder x‐ray diffraction. In addition, ultra‐sonicated ZIF‐67 retained the high gas adsorption capacity and pore size compared to synthesized ZIF‐67. The morphological changes are hard to detect with standard analytical methods that are usually utilized for MOF characterization. These findings also suggest that sonochemical treatment of ZIFs leads to structural effects beyond increasing the amount of nucleation clusters during sono‐chemical synthesis, which is currently not addressed in the field.
Ga Modified Zeolite Based Solid Acid Catalyst for Levulinic Acid Production
Authors: Kumar Vijay Bhooshan , Pulidindi Indra Neel , Mishra Rahul Kumar , Gedanken Aharon
Published: November 2016

Gallium modified zeolite (mordenite), a solid acid catalyst, was prepared using the sonochemical method. The catalyst (Ga@mordenite) was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, FT‐IR, DSC TGA, TPD and XPS analysis. Uniform distribution of Ga on the zeolite surface was confirmed from the SEM‐EDS analysis. The catalyst was further used for the production of levulinic acid (LA) from carbohydrates (glucose, starch, and cellulose) in a hydrothermal process. Reaction conditions (time, 6 h; temperature, 175 °C) for the optimum yield of LA (59.9 wt. %) were deduced. The reaction products were analyzed qualitatively using 13C NMR and quantified using HPLC analysis. Synergistic effect of the Lewis acid sites of Ga3+ generated in situ and the Bronsted acid sites of mordenite were found to be crucial for the activity of Ga@mordenite for the conversion of glucose to levulinic acid.
Cyclo(RGD)‐Decorated Reduction‐Responsive Nanogels Mediate Targeted Chemotherapy of Integrin Overexpressing Human Glioblastoma In Vivo
Authors: Chen Wei , Zou Yan , Zhong Zhiyuan , Haag Rainer
Published: November 2016

Cyclo(Arg‐Gly‐Asp) peptide (cRGD) decorated disulfide (SS) containing poly(vinyl alcohol) nanogels (cRGD‐SS‐NGs) with an average diameter of 142 nm prepared by inverse nanoprecipitation, “click” reaction, and cRGD conjugation are developed for targeted treatment of integrin overexpressing human glioblastoma in vivo. Doxorubicin (DOX) release from cRGD‐SS‐NGs is highly inhibited under physiological conditions, while accelerated at endosomal pH and in response to cytoplasmic concentration of glutathione. Confocal microscopy shows that cRGD‐SS‐NGs facilitate the cellular uptake and intracellular DOX release in αvβ3 integrin overexpressing human glioblastoma U87‐MG cells. DOX‐loaded cRGD‐SS‐NGs present much better killing activity toward U87‐MG cells than that for nontargeted nanogels determined by MTT assay. The in vivo imaging and biodistribution studies reveal that DOX‐loaded cRGD‐SS‐NGs have a much better tumor targetability toward human U87‐MG glioblastoma xenograft in nude mice. Also the tumor growth is effectively inhibited by treatment with DOX‐loaded cRGD‐SS‐NGs, while continuous tumor growth is observed for mice treated with nondecorated nanogels as well as free DOX. Furthermore, the treatment with DOX‐loaded cRGD‐SS‐NGs has much fewer side effects, rendering these nanogels as a new platform for cancer chemotherapy in vivo.
Light Illumination Induced Photoluminescence Enhancement and Quenching in Lead Halide Perovskite
Authors: Chen Sheng , Wen Xiaoming , Huang Shujuan , Huang Fuzhi , Cheng Yi‐Bing , Green Martin , Ho‐Baillie Anita
Published: November 2016

It has been found that light illumination (soaking) can significantly change the optical and electronic properties of perovskites and the performance of perovskite solar cells. Here using steady state and time‐resolved photoluminescence (PL) techniques, we investigate systematically the effect of light illumination on a well encapsulated CH3NH3PbI3 perovskites. Under a continuous constant illumination at low intensity, the PL exhibits either enhancement or constant; dependent on the detrapping rate and density of the defect states in the perovskite which in turn is determined by fabrication methods. Defect curing is attributed to the origin of the PL enhancement. Under a continuous higher intensity illumination, PL quenching is observed with different thresholds relevant to the sample fabrication. This is ascribed to mobile ion accumulation resulting in increased electron/ hole non‐radiative recombination. We confirmed the PL enhancement and quenching under continuous illumination (light soaking) partly originate from the intrinsic contribution of the perovskite, closely correlated to the defect density therefore the fabrication. These findings provide novel insight into the carrier dynamics correlated to the defect trapping and mobile ions which helps to understand the instability of perovskite solar cells.
Use of long bolts for beam‐to‐concrete‐filled rectangular hollow section column joints in seismic‐resistant frames
Authors: Van Long Hoang , Jaspart Jean‐Pierre , Demonceau Jean‐François
Published: November 2016

The research into a specific type of unstiffened extended end‐plate joint used to connect I‐shaped beams to concrete‐filled rectangular hollow section columns is presented in this paper. The main idea is to use long bolts passing through the column to connect the beam end‐plates in order to…

avoid intermediate connecting elements (e.g. a reversed channel) or special bolts (e.g. blind bolts), which are sometimes used in practice, and

improve the resistance and stiffness of the joint when used in seismic‐resistant frames.

Firstly, a test programme was performed within an RFCS European project entitled HSS‐SERF ”High‐Strength Steel in Seismic‐resistant Building Frames“, 2009–2013. The test programme included defining specimens subjected to significant bending moments (and shear) or shear only. Analytical models based on the component approach and aimed at predicting the joint response were then proposed; their validity is demonstrated through comparisons with the test results. Finally, the requirements of EN 1998‐1‐1 related to full‐strength resistance for the proposed joint configuration are discussed, accounting for the actual positions of plastic hinges and the possible individual over‐strength factors for each component.
Reply: Adenosine Producing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Authors: Kerkelä Erja
Published: November 2016

Adenosine signaling has been described as one of the many immunosuppressive mechanisms of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Central players in adenosine signaling are the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73, which convert ADP/ATP to AMP and AMP to adenosine, respectively. CD73 is one of the three phenotypic markers of MSCs and thus, highly expressed on MSCs. Instead, there has been conflicting results whether MSCs intrinsically express CD39 or not.
Secure data processing with massive‐parallel SIMD matrix for embedded SoC in digital‐convergence mobile devices
Authors: Kumaki Takeshi , Koide Tetsushi , Fujino Takeshi
Published: November 2016

This paper presents secure data processing with a massive‐parallel single‐instruction multiple‐data (SIMD) matrix for embedded system‐on‐chip (SoC) in digital‐convergence mobile devices. Recent mobile devices are required to use private‐information‐secure technology, such as cipher processing, to prevent the leakage of personal information. However, this adds to the device's required specifications, especially cipher implementation for fast processing, power consumption, low hardware cost, adaptability, and end‐user's operation for maintaining the safety condition. To satisfy these security‐related requirements, we propose the interleaved‐bitslice processing method, which combines two processing concepts (bitslice processing and interleaved processing), for novel parallel block cipher processing with five confidentiality modes on mobile processors. Furthermore, we adopt a massive‐parallel SIMD matrix processor (MX‐1) for interleaved‐bitslice processing to verify the effectiveness of parallel block cipher implementation. As the implementation target from the Federal Information Processing Standardization‐approved block ciphers, a data encryption standard (DES), triple‐DES, and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithms are selected. For the AES algorithm, which is mainly studied in this paper, the MX‐1 implementation has up to 93% fewer clock cycles per byte than other conventional mobile processors. Additionally, the MX‐1 results are almost constant for all confidentiality modes. The practical‐use energy efficiency of parallel block cipher processing with the evaluation board for MX‐1 was found to be about 4.8 times higher than that of a BeagleBoard‐xM, which is a single‐board computer and uses the ARM Cortex‐A8 mobile processor. Furthermore, to improve the operation of a single‐bit logical function, we propose the development of a multi‐bit logical library for interleaved‐bitslice cipher processing with MX‐1. Thus, the number of clock cycles is the smallest among those reported in other related‐studies. Consequently, interleaved‐bitslice block cipher processing with five confidentiality modes on MX‐1 is effective for the implementation of parallel block cipher processing for several digital‐convergence mobile devices. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cell cycle arrest and gene expression profiling of testis in mice exposed to fluoride
Authors: Su Kai , Sun Zilong , Niu Ruiyan , Lei Ying , Cheng Jing , Wang Jundong
Published: November 2016

Exposure to fluoride results in low reproductive capacity; however, the mechanism underlying the impact of fluoride on male productive system still remains obscure. To assess the potential toxicity in testis of mice administrated with fluoride, global genome microarray and real‐time PCR were performed to detect and identify the altered transcriptions. The results revealed that 763 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 330 up‐regulated and 433 down‐regulated genes, which were involved in spermatogenesis, apoptosis, DNA damage, DNA replication, and cell differentiation. Twelve differential expressed genes were selected to confirm the microarray results using real‐time PCR, and the result kept the same tendency with that of microarray. Furthermore, compared with the control group, more apoptotic spermatogenic cells were observed in the fluoride group, and the spermatogonium were markedly increased in S phase and decreased in G2/M phase by fluoride. Our findings suggested global genome microarray provides an insight into the reproductive toxicity induced by fluoride, and several important biological clues for further investigations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1558–1565, 2017.
Factors affecting survival of adult female white‐tailed deer after coyote establishment in south Carolina
Authors: Kilgo John C. , Vukovich Mark , Conroy Michael J. , Ray H. Scott , Ruth Charles
Published: November 2016

Recent evidence from the southeastern United States of high predation rates by coyotes (Canis latrans) on white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns combined with reports of predation on adult female deer have prompted concern among wildlife managers and hunters regarding the effects on deer populations. We examined survival rates and causes of mortality among 138 radiocollared adult female deer over 7 years at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina, USA, 2006–2013. Our model‐averaged prediction of annual survival was 0.871 (95% CI = 0.839–0.902) and did not vary among years. The best model describing survival patterns included only month, with survival being lowest during November–December, which coincided with hunting season. Models assessing the effects of harvest and distance from a primary road also received support (ΔAICc < 2.0), but effects of these variables were weak. Although harvest rates were low, harvest was the most frequent cause of mortality (13 of 30; 43%), followed by deer–vehicle collision (8 of 30; 27%). We did not detect predation as a cause of death among our sample; although cause of death for 7 (23%) mortalities was unknown. Even if all unknown mortalities were caused by predation, the overall effect of these mortalities on annual survival was low. Therefore, we conclude that predation by coyotes on adult females was not important in the SRS deer population demography. Managers of southern deer populations wishing to increase population growth by limiting antlerless harvest should be aware that adult female survival may already be high, so limited increases in survival may be expected, particularly if antlerless harvest already is limited. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Efficacy and precision of fecal genotyping to estimate coyote abundance
Authors: Gulsby William D. , Killmaster Charlie H. , Bowers John W. , Laufenberg Jared S. , Sacks Benjamin N. , Statham Mark J. , Miller Karl V.
Published: November 2016

Questions concerning the effects on other wildlife species by coyotes (Canis latrans) in recently colonized areas, including the southeastern United States, continue to receive attention in the literature. Coyote abundance estimates, achieved via genetic sampling of feces, can be useful in answering such questions. However, rapid degradation of fecal DNA in humid subtropical climates, like that of the southeastern United States, may limit the efficacy of the technique. To evaluate this hypothesis, we collected and analyzed 434 suspected coyote scats from February 2010 to April 2012 on 2 sites in central Georgia, USA. We quantified seasonal and comprehensive genotyping success, and the effect of sampling effort on precision of closed population abundance estimates. We successfully species‐typed 316 (73%) scats, 219 (69%) of which belonged to coyotes. Of those, 136 (62%) yielded multilocus genotypes. The seasonal probability of genotyping a scat ranged from 0.53 to 0.71. Scats collected during spring were more likely to yield consensus genotypes, but the overall effect of season on genotyping success was minimal. The median CV for model‐averaged (i.e., coyote abundance) using the complete data set was relatively precise (<15%). Precision of abundance estimates decreased with decreasing sampling effort, but CV values remained <20% with up to a 25% reduction in effort. Our findings related to genotyping success demonstrate noninvasive genetic sampling of feces is a promising technique for estimating coyote abundance in humid subtropical climates. Combined with our results regarding sampling effort, these findings can aid in designing surveys capable of achieving desired objectives in similar environments. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.
Modeling, signaling and cytoskeleton dynamics: integrated modeling‐experimental frameworks in cell migration
Authors: Sun Meng , Zaman Muhammad H.
Published: November 2016

Cell migration is a complex and multistep process involved in homeostasis maintenance, morphogenesis, and disease development, such as cancer metastasis. Modeling cell migration and the relevant cytoskeleton dynamics have profound implications for studying fundamental development and disease diagnosis. This review focuses on some recent models of both cell migration and migration‐related cytoskeleton dynamics, addressing issues such as the difference between amoeboid and mesenchymal migration modes, and between single‐cell migration and collective cell migration. The review also highlights the computational integration among variable external cues, especially the biochemical and mechanical signaling that affects cell migration. Finally, we aim to identify the gaps in our current knowledge and potential strategies to develop integrated modeling–experimental frameworks for multiscale behavior integrating gene expression, cell signaling, mechanics, and multicellular dynamics. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2017, 9:e1365. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1365

This article is categorized under:

Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Cellular Models

Biological Mechanisms > Cell Signaling

Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods
Torsion analysis of finite solid circular cylinders with multiple concentric planar cracks
Authors: Hassani A. R. , Faal R. T. , Noda N.‐A.
Published: November 2016

First, using the separation of variables technique a series solution for torsion of an intact finite cylinder under self‐equilibrating lateral shear tractions is given. Next, an integral form solution for torsion of an intact infinite cylinder under the aforementioned lateral loading is obtained. After that the solution of an axisymmetric rotational Somigliana ring dislocation in the infinite circular cylinder is obtained. The distributed dislocation technique is used to construct integral equations for stress analysis of the infinite cylinder with a set of coaxial axisymmetric cracks. These defects are penny‐shaped, annular and circumferential edge cracks. The infinite cylinder is under the action of the loading similar to the intact cylinder. The integral equations are solved numerically to obtain the dislocation density on the surfaces of the cracks. The stress intensity factors for the cracks are determined by employing the dislocation densities. The problem of a cracked finite cylinder is treated by cutting method. That is, a similar cracked infinite cylinder is sliced by extending two additional annular axisymmetric cracks. To validate the cutting method, the solution of the sliced intact infinite cylinder is compared to that of an intact finite cylinder which both of them are under the same self‐equilibrating lateral shear tractions. The solution is applied to several examples to study the effect of crack type/location on the resulting stress intensity factors at tips of the cracks.
Construction Robots
Authors: Bock Thomas , Linner Thomas
Published: November 2016

Learn how Single-Task Construction Robots (STCRs) can improve productivity in the construction industry with this cross-disciplinary text. This third volume in the Cambridge Handbooks in Construction Robotics series discusses the STCRs employed on construction sites since the development of the approach in the 1980s, presents current applications, and highlights upcoming trends in the construction automation and robotics field. Two hundred different types of STCR are presented, from the simplest models comprising simple manipulators and mobile platforms, to those utilizing more sophisticated technologies such as aerial robotics, swarm robotics, exoskeletons, additive manufacturing technologies, self-assembling building structures, and humanoid robotics. Real-world case studies demonstrate the different application scenarios for each approach, and highlight the key implementation and management issues. With an easy-to-follow structure, and including hundreds of color illustrations, it provides an excellent toolkit for professional engineers, researchers, and students.
Neurology Health Advocacy Curriculum: Needs Assessment, Curricular Content and Underlying Components
Authors: Abuzinadah Ahmad Rida , Cooke Lara
Published: November 2016

Background: Lack of a health advocacy curriculum and clarity are obstacles for effectively teaching neurology health advocacy (NHA) to neurology residents. Our purpose is to assess the need and develop content for a NHA curriculum and to describe its underlying components. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with two steps. In step one, neurologists and neurology residents at University of Calgary were surveyed about their perception of teaching NHA and asked to rank 56 neurological diseases on a Likert scale based on how well they lend themselves to teaching health advocacy. In step two, curricular items were developed for the top five neurological diseases, using a modified Delphi procedure. The reliability of the survey instrument was determined by Cronbach’s alpha. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the underlying components of NHA. Results: Forty-six neurologists and 14 neurology residents were surveyed, with a response rate of 88.33%. Fifty-six percent of neurologists and 85% of residents believe that NHA curriculum is needed. The top five neurological presentations, that lend themselves easily to teaching NHA were: stroke/transient ischemic attacks, alcoholism, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. The survey instrument reliability was 0.97. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors that can explain the variability in the survey instrument: multidisciplinary approach to neurological disorders, prevention of recurrence of neurological disease, collaboration with other medical subspecialties, and communication with professions outside the medical field. Conclusion: Neurologists’ and residents’ responses support that NHA curriculum is needed. Four components of NHA were identified that can be used for teaching NHA as well as health advocacy in general practice.
Equity as a Basis for Inclusive Educational Systems Change
Authors: Sailor Wayne
Published: November 2016

Inclusion of students with ‘disabilities’ in public systems of general education has been a global initiative since the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action by the Ministry of Education and Science, Madrid (Spain), and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France), in 1994. Despite global and national policy efforts the practice has been sporadic and elusive. Framing education as categorical, specialised service delivery to discrete populations makes inclusion an unsolvable problem. The advent of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) coupled with universal design for learning (UDL) practices delivered in whole-school rather than classroom-based formats poses a pathway out of the conundrum by framing public education as a system of equitable distribution of resources, such as services and supports, based on measured and monitored need on the part of all students. Potentially supportive research literature is reviewed.
Stability of ion acoustic nonlinear waves and solitons in magnetized plasmas
Authors: Goldstein Piotr , Infeld Eryk
Published: November 2016

Early results concerning the shape and stability of ion acoustic waves are generalized to propagation at an angle to the magnetic field lines. Each wave has a critical angle for stability. Known soliton results are recovered as special cases. A historical overview of the problem concludes the paper.
Socio-economic disparities in the diet of French children and adolescents: a multidimensional issue
Authors: Drouillet-Pinard Peggy , Dubuisson Carine , Bordes Isabelle , Margaritis Irène , Lioret Sandrine , Volatier Jean-Luc
Published: November 2016

Objective

The present research aimed to study the multidimensionality of the link between dietary intake and socio-economic position (SEP) in a representative sample of French children and adolescents, using a variety of SEP indicators.

Design

Data from the second French national food consumption survey (INCA2) were used. Information on food consumption was collected using a 7d food record and SEP data (occupation, education, income, household wealth indices) using questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed separately in children and adolescents to assess the relationships between dietary components (food groups and macronutrients) and each dimension of SEP.

Setting

The INCA2 survey, France.

Subjects

A representative sample of French children (3–10 years of age; n 574) and adolescents (11–17 years of age; n 881).

Results

Compared with children from a higher SEP, those from a lower SEP had lower intakes of fruit and vegetables, yoghurts and confectionery and higher intakes of starchy foods, meat, milk, sugar-sweetened beverages and pizzas/sandwiches. Similar results were observed in adolescents for fruit and vegetables, yoghurts and sugar-sweetened beverages. Adolescents also had lower intakes of cakes/pastries and higher intakes of processed meat and dairy desserts. Neither energy nor protein intake was associated with SEP. Adolescents from a lower SEP had higher carbohydrate and lower lipid intakes. Overall, these findings were consistent across the various dimensions of SEP, but the gradient was steeper depending on the caregiver’s educational level.

Conclusions

This research highlights the need for specific messages to help poorly educated families adopt good eating habits.
17q21 asthma-risk variants switch CTCF binding and regulate IL-2 production by T cells
Authors: Schmiedel Benjamin Joachim , Seumois Grégory , Samaniego-Castruita Daniela , Cayford Justin , Schulten Veronique , Chavez Lukas , Ay Ferhat , Sette Alessandro , Peters Bjoern , Vijayanand Pandurangan
Published: November 2016

Asthma and autoimmune disease susceptibility has been strongly linked to genetic variants in the 17q21 haploblock that alter the expression of ORMDL3; however, the molecular mechanisms by which these variants perturb gene expression and the cell types in which this effect is most prominent are unclear. We found several 17q21 variants overlapped enhancers present mainly in primary immune cell types. CD4+ T cells showed the greatest increase (threefold) in ORMDL3 expression in individuals carrying the asthma-risk alleles, where ORMDL3 negatively regulated interleukin-2 production. The asthma-risk variants rs4065275 and rs12936231 switched CTCF-binding sites in the 17q21 locus, and 4C-Seq assays showed that several distal cis-regulatory elements upstream of the disrupted ZPBP2 CTCF-binding site interacted with the ORMDL3 promoter region in CD4+ T cells exclusively from subjects carrying asthma-risk alleles. Overall, our results suggested that T cells are one of the most prominent cell types affected by 17q21 variants.
Direct observation of ultrafast many-body electron dynamics in an ultracold Rydberg gas
Authors: Takei Nobuyuki , Sommer Christian , Genes Claudiu , Pupillo Guido , Goto Haruka , Koyasu Kuniaki , Chiba Hisashi , Weidemüller Matthias , Ohmori Kenji
Published: November 2016

Many-body correlations govern a variety of important quantum phenomena such as the emergence of superconductivity and magnetism. Understanding quantum many-body systems is thus one of the central goals of modern sciences. Here we demonstrate an experimental approach towards this goal by utilizing an ultracold Rydberg gas generated with a broadband picosecond laser pulse. We follow the ultrafast evolution of its electronic coherence by time-domain Ramsey interferometry with attosecond precision. The observed electronic coherence shows an ultrafast oscillation with a period of 1 femtosecond, whose phase shift on the attosecond timescale is consistent with many-body correlations among Rydberg atoms beyond mean-field approximations. This coherent and ultrafast many-body dynamics is actively controlled by tuning the orbital size and population of the Rydberg state, as well as the mean atomic distance. Our approach will offer a versatile platform to observe and manipulate non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems on the ultrafast timescale.
Carbon nanotube dry adhesives with temperature-enhanced adhesion over a large temperature range
Authors: Xu Ming , Du Feng , Ganguli Sabyasachi , Roy Ajit , Dai Liming
Published: November 2016

Conventional adhesives show a decrease in the adhesion force with increasing temperature due to thermally induced viscoelastic thinning and/or structural decomposition. Here, we report the counter-intuitive behaviour of carbon nanotube (CNT) dry adhesives that show a temperature-enhanced adhesion strength by over six-fold up to 143 N cm−2(4 mm × 4 mm), among the strongest pure CNT dry adhesives, over a temperature range from −196 to 1,000 °C. This unusual adhesion behaviour leads to temperature-enhanced electrical and thermal transports, enabling the CNT dry adhesive for efficient electrical and thermal management when being used as a conductive double-sided sticky tape. With its intrinsic thermal stability, our CNT adhesive sustains many temperature transition cycles over a wide operation temperature range. We discover that a ‘nano-interlock’ adhesion mechanism is responsible for the adhesion behaviour, which could be applied to the development of various dry CNT adhesives with novel features.
Wafer-sized multifunctional polyimine-based two-dimensional conjugated polymers with high mechanical stiffness
Authors: Sahabudeen Hafeesudeen , Qi Haoyuan , Glatz Bernhard Alexander , Tranca Diana , Dong Renhao , Hou Yang , Zhang Tao , Kuttner Christian , Lehnert Tibor , Seifert Gotthard , Kaiser Ute , Fery Andreas , Zheng Zhikun , Feng Xinliang
Published: November 2016

One of the key challenges in two-dimensional (2D) materials is to go beyond graphene, a prototype 2D polymer (2DP), and to synthesize its organic analogues with structural control at the atomic- or molecular-level. Here we show the successful preparation of porphyrin-containing monolayer and multilayer 2DPs through Schiff-base polycondensation reaction at an air–water and liquid–liquid interface, respectively. Both the monolayer and multilayer 2DPs have crystalline structures as indicated by selected area electron diffraction. The monolayer 2DP has a thickness of∼0.7 nm with a lateral size of 4-inch wafer, and it has a Young’s modulus of 267±30 GPa. Notably, the monolayer 2DP functions as an active semiconducting layer in a thin film transistor, while the multilayer 2DP from cobalt-porphyrin monomer efficiently catalyses hydrogen generation from water. This work presents an advance in the synthesis of novel 2D materials for electronics and energy-related applications.
Jahn-Teller-induced femtosecond electronic depolarization dynamics of the nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond
Authors: Ulbricht Ronald , Dong Shuo , Chang I-Ya , Mariserla Bala Murali Krishna , Dani Keshav M. , Hyeon-Deuk Kim , Loh Zhi-Heng
Published: November 2016

Single-photon emission from the nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond constitutes one of its many proposed applications. Owing to its doubly degenerate 3E electronic excited state, photons from this defect can be emitted by two optical transitions with perpendicular polarization. Previous measurements have indicated that orbital-selective photoexcitation does not, however, yield photoluminescence with well-defined polarizations, thus hinting at orbital-averaging dynamics even at cryogenic temperatures. Here we employ femtosecond polarization anisotropy spectroscopy to investigate the ultrafast electronic dynamics of the 3E state. We observe subpicosecond electronic dephasing dynamics even at cryogenic temperatures, up to five orders of magnitude faster than dephasing rates suggested by previous frequency- and time-domain measurements. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations assign the ultrafast depolarization dynamics to nonadiabatic transitions and phonon-induced electronic dephasing between the two components of the 3E state. Our results provide an explanation for the ultrafast orbital averaging that exists even at cryogenic temperatures.