bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of poly(butylene succinate) and ultrafine wollastonite on the physical properties of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Chuayjuljit Saowaroj , Siraprapoj Chutisa , Boonmahitthisud Anyaporn
Published: July 2014

In this study, diisononyl phthalate (DINP), a conventional plasticizer of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), was partially replaced by a polymeric plasticizer, poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), in order to reduce the leaching out of low‐molecular‐weight plasticizer from the plasticized PVC. Samples were prepared by melt mixing on a two‐roll mill followed by compression molding into a 3‐mm thick sheet. The DINP/PBS‐plasticized PVC provides a dose‐dependent increase in the tensile properties (tensile strength, Young's modulus, and elongation at break), tear strength, and thermal stability, as compared with the DINP‐plasticized PVC. According to the overall properties, PVC plasticized with 10/30 phr (parts by weight per hundred parts of resin) DINP/PBS was selected for preparing composites with varied loadings of an ultrafine wollastonite (particle size of 1,200 mesh). Their tensile properties, tear strength, thermal stability, and morphology were evaluated and compared with the 40 phr of DINP‐plasticized PVC composites. The results showed an increase in the Young's modulus and thermal stability but a decrease in the tensile strength, elongation at break, and tear strength of either 40 phr of DINP‐ or 10/30 phr of DINP/PBS‐plasticized PVC composites. Therefore, the products may be useful where the dimensional and thermal stability of the plasticized PVC are needed. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL. 21:220–227, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
A finite element model for pre‐stressed or post‐tensioned concrete wind turbine towers
Authors: Kenna A. , Basu B.
Published: July 2014

Wind turbine support towers have been traditionally formed of structural steel tubular sections, being fabricated in large sections under factory conditions before being transported to site for erection. Given the trend towards developing turbines with hub heights in excess of 90 m, it is now necessary to develop towers of concrete and other materials that can provide improved dynamic properties and ease transportation difficulties over the structural steel solutions. Concrete towers of this height require pre‐stressing to overcome high vertical stresses induced in bending, which would otherwise lead to cracking in the concrete, with a resulting reduction in the tower's natural frequency. In order to properly understand the behaviour of concrete towers, it is necessary to take account of both material and geometric non‐linearity. Material non‐linearity of concrete is well understood, and geometric non‐linearity arises because of the imposition of an initial stress into the concrete by way of the application of pre‐stress. In this paper, a finite element model is proposed, which will describe the concrete as a continuum of four‐noded, two‐dimensional Reisser–Mindlin shell elements. The pre‐stressing tendons are to be represented by one‐dimensional bar elements, with an imposed pre‐stress. For the numerical examples considered in the paper, tendons are modelled to be post‐tensioned and debonded. The effect of varying the design parameter of magnitude of pre‐stress and the time dependence of pre‐stress force has been investigated using the model described. The impact that concrete compressive strength had on overall tower stiffness was also investigated. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Crystal Structures and Photoluminescence Properties of Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) Coordination Polymers with “Y”‐Shaped Ligands
Authors: Tang Long , Bai Liang , Duan Yaping , Xia Wei , Dong Wenwen , Li Dongsheng
Published: July 2014

Three ZnII and CdII complexes with Y‐shaped dicarboxylate ligands, namely [Zn(L1)(2,2′‐bpy)2(H2O)]·2H2O (1), [Zn(L1)(bpp)(H2O)] (2), and [Cd(L1)(H2O)]·H2O (3) [H2L1 = N‐phenyliminodiacetic acid, 2,2′‐bpy = 2,2′‐bipyridine, bpp = 1,3‐bis(4‐pyridyl)propane] were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses. Compound 1 shows an hydrogen‐bonded 2D network, whereas compound 2 is an infinite 1D wavy chain structure, though O–H···O hydrogen‐bonded to form a 2D network. Compound 3 displays a 2D uninodal 3‐connected Shubnikov plane net with the point symbol of (4.82). Moreover, the solid‐state such as thermal stabilities and fluorescence properties of 1–3 were also investigated.
Effects of the combination of TRC105 and bevacizumab on endothelial cell biology
Authors: Liu Yingmiao , Tian Hongyu , Blobe Gerard C. , Theuer Charles P. , Hurwitz Herbert I. , Nixon Andrew B.
Published: July 2014

Endoglin, or CD105, is a cell membrane glycoprotein that is overexpressed on proliferating endothelial cells (EC), including those found in malignancies and choroidal neovascularization. Endoglin mediates the transition from quiescent endothelium, characterized by the relatively dominant state of Smad 2/3 phosphorylation, to active angiogenesis by preferentially phosphorylating Smad 1/5/8. The monoclonal antibody TRC105 binds endoglin with high avidity and is currently being tested in phase 1b and phase 2 clinical trials. In this report, we evaluated the effects of TRC105 on primary human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) as a single agent and in combination with bevacizumab. As single agents, both TRC105 and bevacizumab efficiently blocked HUVEC tube formation, and the combination of both agents achieved even greater levels of inhibition. We further assessed the effects of each drug on various aspects of HUVEC function. While bevacizumab was observed to inhibit HUVEC viability in nutrient-limited medium, TRC105 had little effect on HUVEC viability, either alone or in combination with bevacizumab. Additionally, both drugs inhibited HUVEC migration and induced apoptosis. At the molecular level, TRC105 treatment of HUVEC lead to decreased Smad 1/5/8 phosphorylation in response to BMP-9, a primary ligand for endoglin. Together, these results indicate that TRC105 acts as an effective anti-angiogenic agent alone and in combination with bevacizumab.
Differential Response to an Algae Supplement High in DHA Mediated by Maternal Periconceptional Diet: Intergenerational Effects of n‐6 Fatty Acids
Authors: Clayton Edward H. , Lamb Tracy A. , Refshauge Gordon , Kerr Matthew J. , Bailes Kristy L. , Ponnampalam Eric N. , Friend Michael A. , Hopkins David L.
Published: July 2014

Algae high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may provide a source of long‐chain omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn‐3PUFA) for inclusion in the diet of lambs to improve the LCn‐3PUFA status of meat. The effect of background LCn‐3PUFA status on the metabolism of high DHA algae is, however, unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine whether the response to a high in DHA algae supplement fed to lambs for six weeks prior to slaughter was mediated by a maternal periconceptional diet. Forty Poll Dorset × Border Leicester × Merino weaner lambs were allocated to receive either a ration based on oat grain, lupin grain, and chopped lucerne (control) or the control ration with DHA‐Gold™ algae included at 1.92 % DM (Algae) based on whether the dams of lambs had previously been fed a diet high in n‐3 or n‐6 around conception. LCn‐3PUFA concentration was determined in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) prior to and following feeding. The concentrations of EPA and DHA in the plasma and RBC of lambs receiving the control ration were significantly (p < 0.001) lower when lambs received the ration for 14 days compared with pre‐feeding concentrations. The concentrations of EPA and DHA were also significantly (p < 0.001) higher when lambs consumed the Algae ration compared with the control ration for 42 days. The increase in EPA and DHA was, however, significantly (p < 0.05) lower if lamb dams had previously been fed a diet high in n‐6 at conception. Assessing the previous nutrition and n‐3 status of lambs may allow producers to more accurately predict the likely response to supplements high in LCn‐3PUFA, particularly, DHA.
T2* MRI changes in the heart and liver of ex-thalassemic patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Hamidieh Amir Ali , Tayebi Sirous , Moeininia Fatemeh , Shamshiri Ahmad Reza , Behfar Maryam , Alimoghaddam Kamran , Ghavamzadeh Ardeshir , Hamidieh Amir Ali , Tayebi Sirous , Moeininia Fatemeh , Shamshiri Ahmad Reza , Behfar Maryam , Alimoghaddam Kamran , Ghavamzadeh Ardeshir
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND:

Non-invasive methods like MRI-based techniques have been considered recently for assessment of liver and heart status in patients with thalassemia major (TM). The purpose of this study is to examine the alterations of hepatic and myocardial T2* MRI values in TM patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) just before starting chelation therapy.

PROCEDURE:

The study included fifty-two TM patients with mean age of 7.6 years who were referred to our center for HSCT. Before HSCT, patients underwent liver biopsy to determine fibrosis stage based on the Lucarelli classification. Hepatic and myocardial T2* values before and 6 months after transplantation were measured and analyzed.

RESULTS:

There was not a statistically significant increase in myocardial T2* values after HSCT (p-value = 0.35). Hepatic T2* values significantly decreased after HSCT (p-value <0.001), showing the liver status has been worsened. In subgroup analysis, post-HSCT hepatic T2* values (adjusted for baseline values) were significantly higher in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) compared to non-GvHD patients (p-value = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS:

The issue of iron overload is still remained as the main problem in ex-thalassemic patients after HSCT. We found T2* MRI technique a quite beneficial method for following up the patients after transplantation. Obviously, planning large controlled trials associated with liver biopsy results after transplantation is required.
Hegemony, Contestation, and Empowerment: The Politics of Law and Society Studies in South Korea
Authors: LEE Chulwoo
Published: July 2014

The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.

(Karl Marx, Theses on Feuerbach, 1845)

It can never be the task of an empirical science to provide binding norms and ideals from which directives for immediate practical activity can be derived.

(Max Weber, Objectivity of Social Science and Social Policy, 1904)

Abstract

This paper traces the development of law and society studies in South Korea, elucidates the political implications of the academic practices of law and society scholars, and identifies the forms of their political engagement. It canvasses the situation of law and society studies in the pre- and post-Liberation periods and analyzes the changes that have occurred since law and society came to be studied and taught in universities. The paper shows how the early generations of scholarship were sidestepped in the 1980s by the so-called “third-generation legal scholarship” and delineates the counter-hegemonic movement launched by the new generation of scholars. It throws light on the empowerment of critical law and society scholars in the post-democratization phases of the 1990s and 2000s, when many of those scholars actively participated in policy-making and civil advocacy, and discusses the tensions in those developments.
Structural Mechanism, Law, and the Dalit Question in India
Authors: BERG Dag-Erik
Published: July 2014

This paper argues that the Dalit situation of caste-based oppression in India could be characterized by the enduring co-existence of upward social mobility and atrocities. While being a common-sense understanding, the paper suggests that the relation between upward social mobility and enduring atrocity could be referred to as a “structural mechanism” in the Dalit situation. The concept is used to explain the Dalit problem. Moreover, this structural mechanism sheds more light on developments and discursive breaks in the legal context. A central lesson in the post-colonial period is that the problem of “untouchables” could not simply be conceptualized as a problem of civil law and untouchability. Rather, the problem of atrocities created demands and a need to make caste-based atrocities a concern for criminal law. Ambedkar’s significance as a symbol of Dalit assertion could be viewed in connection with the structural mechanism of Dalit achievements and caste-based exclusion.
EPIPHANIES OF SOVEREIGNTY AND THE RITE OF JADE DISC IMMERSION IN WEFT NARRATIVES
Authors: Espesset Grégoire
Published: July 2014

This article deals with facets of the political ideology of late pre-imperial and early imperial China as documented by remnants of a dozen texts belonging to an under-explored genre known in English as weft (wei緯) writings or the “Confucian Apocrypha.” Its focus is on the transcendence of hierarchy and sovereignty, the transfer of dynastic legitimacy, and the pragmatic vehicle of “tangible” revelation. After a terminological introduction, the study turns to weft concepts of society and sovereignty as being consubstantial with the intrinsic hierarchical order of the universe, then moves on to explore how these concepts are dealt with in a cluster of weft narrative materials. Focused on a rite of jade disc immersion, the final section bridges the gap between the “mythical” sphere of weft narrative and conventional history, showing how some weft ideas actually determined political action. Weft theories contributed to the formation of the early imperial ideas of sovereignty and legitimacy and remained active throughout the early medieval era, having a lasting impact on the political sphere as well as liturgical practices intended to reenact the transcendent experience of epiphany.
On linear instability mechanisms in incompressible open cavity flow
Authors: Meseguer-Garrido F. , de Vicente J. , Valero E. , Theofilis V.
Published: July 2014

A theoretical study of linear global instability of incompressible flow over a rectangular spanwise-periodic open cavity in an unconfined domain is presented. Comparisons with the limited number of results available in the literature are shown. Subsequently, the parameter space is scanned in a systematic manner, varying Reynolds number, incoming boundary-layer thickness and length-to-depth aspect ratio. This permits documenting the neutral curves and leading eigenmode characteristics of this flow. Correlations constructed using the results obtained collapse all available theoretical data on the three-dimensional instabilities.
Suspension dynamics: moving beyond steady
Authors: Butler Jason E.
Published: July 2014

The dynamics of flowing, concentrated suspensions of non-colloidal particles continues to surprise, despite decades of work and the widespread importance of suspension transport properties to industrial processes and natural phenomena. Blanc, Lemaire & Peters (J. Fluid Mech., 2014, vol. 746, R4) report a striking example. They probed the time-dependent dynamics of concentrated suspensions of rigid and neutrally buoyant spheres by simultaneously measuring the oscillatory rheology and the sedimentation rate of a falling ball. The sedimentation velocity of the ball through the suspension depends strongly on the frequency of oscillation, though the rheology was found to be independent of frequency. The results demonstrate the complexities of suspension flows and highlight opportunities for improving models by exploring suspension dynamics and rheology over a wide range of conditions, beyond steady and unidirectional ones.
Global modes, receptivity, and sensitivity analysis of diffusion flames coupled with duct acoustics
Authors: Magri Luca , Juniper Matthew P.
Published: July 2014

In this theoretical and numerical paper, we derive the adjoint equations for a thermo-acoustic system consisting of an infinite-rate chemistry diffusion flame coupled with duct acoustics. We then calculate the thermo-acoustic system’s linear global modes (i.e. the frequency/growth rate of oscillations, together with their mode shapes), and the global modes’ receptivity to species injection, sensitivity to base-state perturbations and structural sensitivity to advective-velocity perturbations. Some of these could be found by finite difference calculations but the adjoint analysis is computationally much cheaper. We then compare these with the Rayleigh index. The receptivity analysis shows the regions of the flame where open-loop injection of fuel or oxidizer will have the greatest influence on the thermo-acoustic oscillation. We find that the flame is most receptive at its tip. The base-state sensitivity analysis shows the influence of each parameter on the frequency/growth rate. We find that perturbations to the stoichiometric mixture fraction, the fuel slot width and the heat-release parameter have most influence, while perturbations to the Péclet number have the least influence for most of the operating points considered. These sensitivities oscillate, e.g. positive perturbations to the fuel slot width either stabilizes or destabilizes the system, depending on the operating point. This analysis reveals that, as expected from a simple model, the phase delay between velocity and heat-release fluctuations is the key parameter in determining the sensitivities. It also reveals that this thermo-acoustic system is exceedingly sensitive to changes in the base state. The structural-sensitivity analysis shows the influence of perturbations to the advective flame velocity. The regions of highest sensitivity are around the stoichiometric line close to the inlet, showing where velocity models need to be most accurate. This analysis can be extended to more accurate models and is a promising new tool for the analysis and control of thermo-acoustic oscillations.
Ellipsoidal drop impact on a solid surface for rebound suppression
Authors: Yun Sungchan , Lim Geunbae
Published: July 2014

Non-axisymmetric drops can significantly alter impact dynamics via rebound suppression when compared to axisymmetric drops. In this study, we focus on ellipsoidal drop impact on a non-wetting surface and investigate the effects of the geometric aspect ratio ($\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}{AR}$) and the Weber number (${\mathit{We}}$) on the dynamics and outcomes of impacts, both experimentally and numerically. Non-axisymmetric spreading features are characterized by scrutinizing the maximal extensions along the $x$-axis ($D_{mx}$) and $y$-axis ($D_{my}$) with respect to ${AR}$ and ${\mathit{We}}$. The ratio of the maximal extensions depends strongly on ${AR}$, following our scaling relation $D_{mx}/D_{my} \sim {AR}^{1/2}$. Experimental and numerical studies show that increasing ${AR}$ induces a high degree of axis switching during retraction, thereby resulting in the prevention of drop rebound, where axis switching denotes alternate expansion and contraction along the principal axes. We determine the transition between rebound and deposition (rebound suppression) over the ${AR}$ and ${\mathit{We}}$ domains and discuss the transition based on a non-axial distribution of the kinetic energy. The understanding of ellipsoidal drop impacts will potentially provide applications to surface patterning, cleaning, and cooling.
Transitional shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions in hypersonic flow
Authors: Sandham N. D. , Schülein E. , Wagner A. , Willems S. , Steelant J.
Published: July 2014

Strong interactions of shock waves with boundary layers lead to flow separations and enhanced heat transfer rates. When the approaching boundary layer is hypersonic and transitional the problem is particularly challenging and more reliable data is required in order to assess changes in the flow and the surface heat transfer, and to develop simplified models. The present contribution compares results for transitional interactions on a flat plate at Mach 6 from three different experimental facilities using the same instrumented plate insert. The facilities consist of a Ludwieg tube (RWG), an open-jet wind tunnel (H2K) and a high-enthalpy free-piston-driven reflected shock tunnel (HEG). The experimental measurements include shadowgraph and infrared thermography as well as heat transfer and pressure sensors. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) are carried out to compare with selected experimental flow conditions. The combined approach allows an assessment of the effects of unit Reynolds number, disturbance amplitude, shock impingement location and wall cooling. Measures of intermittency are proposed based on wall heat flux, allowing the peak Stanton number in the reattachment regime to be mapped over a range of intermittency states of the approaching boundary layer, with higher overshoots found for transitional interactions compared with fully turbulent interactions. The transition process is found to develop from second (Mack) mode instabilities superimposed on streamwise streaks.
PSO-Lyapunov motion/force control of robot arms with model uncertainties
Authors: Mehdi Haifa , Boubaker Olfa
Published: July 2014

A method for motion/force control of robot arms with model uncertainties is presented. Tracking control of complex trajectories is guaranteed using a Lyapunov approach with high-precision performance ensured using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Tracking performance and robustness are simulated for a robotic device for limb rehabilitation that is designed to be adapted easily to different subjects by considering model parameter uncertainties. Controller parameters are optimized offline using the PSO algorithm with Lyapunov stability conditions considered as inequality constraints. Using the control scheme, the robot can guide limbs on smooth and non-smooth trajectories, under model uncertainties and measurement noise.
REFLECTIONS ON ESPIONAGE
Authors: Klehr Harvey
Published: July 2014

In 1995 the United States National Security Agency (NSA), the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) made public the story of a forty-year American intelligence
operation code-named Venona. Shortly after the Nazi-Soviet Pact in
1939, American military intelligence had ordered companies that were
sending and receiving coded cables overseas, such as Western Union, to
turn over copies to the U.S. government. Hundreds of thousands of
cables were sent or received by Soviet government bodies. Beginning in
1943, spurred by rumors and concerns that Stalin might conclude a
separate peace with Hitler, the U.S. Army's cryptographic section
began work trying to read these Russian cables. It had very limited
success until 1946, by which time the Cold War was already underway.
Some twenty-nine hundred cables dealing with Russian intelligence
activities from 1942 to 1946 eventually were decrypted successfully in
whole or in part as a result of Soviet technical errors in constructing
and using “one-time pads” that American code-breakers were
able to exploit. These cables implicated more than three hundred
Americans as having been involved with Soviet intelligence services
during World War II, a time when the United States and the USSR were
allies.
Nanopillar Fabrication with Focused Ion Beam Cutting
Authors: Kuzmin Oleksii V. , Pei Yutao T. , De Hosson Jeff T.M.
Published: July 2014

A versatile method to fabricate taper-free micro-/nanopillars of large aspect ratio was developed with focused ion beam (FIB) cutting. The key features of the fabrication are a FIB with an incident angle of 90° to the long axis of the pillar that enables milling of the pillar sideways avoiding tapering and the FIB current can be reduced step by step so as to reduce possible radiation damage of the milled surface by Ga ions. A procedure to accurately determine the cross-section of each pillar was developed.
Direct Visualization of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation in Lithium-Ion Batteries with In Situ Electrochemical Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Unocic Raymond R. , Sun Xiao-Guang , Sacci Robert L. , Adamczyk Leslie A. , Alsem Daan Hein , Dai Sheng , Dudney Nancy J. , More Karren L.
Published: July 2014

Complex, electrochemically driven transport processes form the basis of electrochemical energy storage devices. The direct imaging of electrochemical processes at high spatial resolution and within their native liquid electrolyte would significantly enhance our understanding of device functionality, but has remained elusive. In this work we use a recently developed liquid cell for in situ electrochemical transmission electron microscopy to obtain insight into the electrolyte decomposition mechanisms and kinetics in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries by characterizing the dynamics of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and evolution. Here we are able to visualize the detailed structure of the SEI that forms locally at the electrode/electrolyte interface during lithium intercalation into natural graphite from an organic Li-ion battery electrolyte. We quantify the SEI growth kinetics and observe the dynamic self-healing nature of the SEI with changes in cell potential.
Informational Requirements and Client-centred Disability Care: Issues, Problems and Prospects in Australia
Authors: McLoughlin Ian , Bayati-Bojakhi Sanaz , Purushothaman Karthyeni , Sohal Amrik
Published: July 2014

Client and patient-centred care have become watchwords in policies to transform social and health care systems in both Australia and the UK. In this article we argue that much of the success of moves towards client-centred social care will rest on the creation of appropriate informational environments to support new conversations between clients and those who commission and provide care services. We draw upon original research within an existing state-level insurance-based scheme covering citizens who acquire a disability in transport accidents to illustrate the problems faced by the absence of such a framework. We highlight some of the insights emerging from our work concerning the challenge of developing appropriate informational environments to support client-centred care and indicate the potential of co-design when focused on new conversations of care.
The endocranial anatomy ofGogonasus andrewsaeLong, 1985 revealed through micro CT-scanning
Authors: Holland Timothy
Published: July 2014

Micro computed tomography has revealed as yet undescribed internal braincase anatomy of the tetrapodomorph fishGogonasus andrewsaefrom the Frasnian Gogo Formation, Paddy's Valley, Kimberley Region, Western Australia. The complete material, including the cranial cavities and channels for blood vessels and nerves, reveals several notable features inside the endocranium. The ethmosphenoid unit includes a median capsule, which lies underneath the median postrostral and rostral series. Based on innervation and association with cutaneous vessels, potential electroreceptive function is inferred for this capsule. Several regions of poor ossification, including foramina for the glossopharyngeal and abducens nerves, as well as the apparent suture separating the ethmoid from the sphenoid portions of the braincase, are possibly indicative of early ontogenetic features. Former interpretations of the course for the superficial ophthalmic nerve inside the nasal capsule ofOsteolepisandGyroptychiusmay be incorrect, with new research supporting a path through the nasal septum, as inGogonasus.
Laser Actuation of Cantilevers for Picometre Amplitude Dynamic Force Microscopy
Authors: Evans Drew R. , Tayati Ponlawat , An Hongjie , Lam Ping Koy , Craig Vincent S. J. , Senden Tim J.
Published: July 2014

As nanoscale and molecular devices become reality, the ability to probe materials on these scales is increasing in importance. To address this, we have developed a dynamic force microscopy technique where the flexure of the microcantilever is excited using an intensity modulated laser beam to achieve modulation on the picoscale. The flexure arises from thermally induced bending through differential expansion and the conservation of momentum when the photons are reflected and absorbed by the cantilever. In this study, we investigated the photothermal and photon pressure responses of monolithic and layered cantilevers using a modulated laser in air and immersed in water. The developed photon actuation technique is applied to the stretching of single polymer chains.
Simultaneous voltammetric determination of ascorbic acid and uric acid using a seven-hole carbon nanotube paste multielectrode array
Authors: Peng Yage , Zhang Dongdong , Zhang Chengxiao
Published: July 2014

Simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and uric acid using a multielectrode array system, including six small carbon nanotube paste working electrodes, a large carbon nanotube paste counter electrode, an Ag/AgCl micro-reference electrode and a novel ‘micro-drop’ cell.
Presentation modality of glycoconjugates modulates dendritic cell phenotype
Authors: Hotaling N. A. , Ratner D. M. , Cummings R. D. , Babensee J. E.
Published: July 2014

The comparative dendritic cell response to glycoconjugates presented in soluble, phagocytosable, or non-phagocytosable display modalities was quantitatively compared in this study.
On-demand generation of singlet oxygen from a smart graphene complex for the photodynamic treatment of cancer cells
Authors: Yan Liang , Chang Ya-Nan , Yin Wenyan , Tian Gan , Zhou Liangjun , Liu Xiaodong , Xing Gengmei , Zhao Lina , Gu Zhanjun , Zhao Yuliang
Published: July 2014

We engineered a novel nanocomplex of a photosensitizer, an aptamer and graphene oxide, which could function as a “cage” for controlling singlet oxygen generation, and efficiently deliver the photosensitizers to cancer cells.
Synthesis of nitrogen-containing ordered mesoporous carbon as a metal-free catalyst for selective oxidation of ethylbenzene
Authors: Wang Jia , Liu Hongyang , Gu Xianmo , Wang Haihua , Su Dang Sheng
Published: July 2014

Nitrogen-containing ordered mesoporous carbon (NOMC) was synthesized by using m-aminophenol as a carbon and nitrogen co-precursor via a co-assembly process with F127 in aqueous phase and exhibited a good catalytic performance for selective oxidation of ethylbenzene.
Diastereoselective synthesis of novel aza-diketopiperazines via a domino cyclohydrocarbonylation/addition process
Authors: Regenass Pierre , Margathe Jean-François , Mann André , Suffert Jean , Hibert Marcel , Girard Nicolas , Bonnet Dominique
Published: July 2014

A short and diastereoselective synthesis of newly reported aza-diketopiperazine (aza-DKP) scaffolds starting from amino-acids was achieved using domino Rh(i)-catalyzed cyclohydrocarbonylation/addition.
Ultrasensitive aptamer-based SERS detection of PSAs by heterogeneous satellite nanoassemblies
Authors: Ma Wei , Yin Honghong , Xu Liguang , Wu Xiaoling , Kuang Hua , Wang Libing , Xu Chuanlai
Published: July 2014

Plasmonic heterogeneous core–satellite assemblies possess a strong SERS effect and are built for PSA detection with a LOD of 4.8 aM.
A bioorthogonal 68Ga-labelling strategy for rapid in vivo imaging
Authors: Evans Helen L. , Nguyen Quang-Dé , Carroll Laurence S. , Kaliszczak Maciej , Twyman Frazer J. , Spivey Alan C. , Aboagye Eric O.
Published: July 2014

The in vivo imaging of EGFR is achieved using a 68Ga-labelled tetrazine via a fast and bioorthogonal IeDDA reaction.
Palladium/sulfoxide–phosphine-catalyzed highly enantioselective allylic etherification and amination
Authors: Feng Bin , Cheng Hong-Gang , Chen Jia-Rong , Deng Qiao-Hui , Lu Liang-Qiu , Xiao Wen-Jing
Published: July 2014

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic etherification and amination with a wide range of O- and N-nucleophiles using a chiral sulfoxide–phosphine ligand have been developed (up to 97% yield, 98.5% ee).
Phase transfer and dispersion of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets using cluster suprasurfactants
Authors: Wang Shan , Li Haolong , Zhang Liying , Li Bao , Cao Xiao , Zhang Guohua , Zhang Shilin , Wu Lixin
Published: July 2014

Surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalates (SEP) can act as cluster suprasurfactants to transfer reduced graphene oxide (RGO) from water to low polar organic solvents with single-layer RGO dispersion.
Sterics level the rates of proton transfer to [Ni(XPh){PhP(CH2CH2PPh2)2}]+ (X = O, S or Se)
Authors: Alwaaly Ahmed , Henderson Richard A.
Published: July 2014

Rates of proton transfers between lutidinium and [Ni(XPh)(PhP{CH2CH2PPh2}2)]+ (X = O, S or Se) show little variation because of sterics.
Plasmonic properties of triangle-shaped silver trimers selectively fabricated by near-field photo-reduction using an apertured cantilever for an atomic force microscope
Authors: Kitahama Yasutaka , Ikemachi Takuya , Suzuki Toshiaki , Miura Takeshi , Ozaki Yukihiro
Published: July 2014

An L- or a V-shaped Ag trimer was selectively fabricated through near-field photo-reduction and observedin situusing an apertured cantilever for AFM.
On the origin of ionicity in ionic liquids. Ion pairing versus charge transfer
Authors: Hollóczki Oldamur , Malberg Friedrich , Welton Tom , Kirchner Barbara
Published: July 2014

Charge transfer and ion pairing together are necessary to consider for explaining the ionicity and the structure of ionic liquids.
Charge generation in polymer–fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cells
Authors: Gao Feng , Inganäs Olle
Published: July 2014

We give a broad overview of different mechanisms proposed to explain efficient charge carrier generation in polymer–fullerene solar cells.
“Click” reactions: a versatile toolbox for the synthesis of peptide-conjugates
Authors: Tang Wen , Becker Matthew L.
Published: July 2014

Peptides that comprise the functional subunits of proteins have been conjugated to versatile materials (biomolecules, polymers, surfaces and nanoparticles) in an effort to modulate cell responses, specific binding affinity and/or self-assembly behavior.
Alkaline earth metal-based metal–organic framework: hydrothermal synthesis, X-ray structure and heterogeneously catalyzed Claisen–Schmidt reaction
Authors: Saha Debraj , Maity Tanmoy , Koner Subratanath
Published: July 2014

Two alkaline earth metal based carboxylate framework systems, [Mg(HL)(H2O)2]n(1) and [Ca(H2L)2]n(2) (H3L = chelidamic acid) have been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized. Both compound1and its dehydrated species heterogeneously catalyze Claisen–Schmidt reaction.
Functionalised gold and titania nanoparticles and surfaces for use as antimicrobial coatings
Authors: Noimark Sacha , Page Kristopher , Bear Joseph C. , Sotelo-Vazquez Carlos , Quesada-Cabrera Raul , Lu Yao , Allan Elaine , Darr Jawwad A. , Parkin Ivan P.
Published: July 2014

We report the preparation, characterisation and antimicrobial functional testing of various titanium dioxide and gold modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles embedded into a polysiloxane polymer by a swell dip-coating procedure. We show that the surfaces are effective in killing both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria under different lighting conditions. The presence of the nanoparticles was of critical importance in improving the functional properties of the surface. These materials have the potential to reduce hospital-acquired infection, by killing bacteria on the polymer surface.
An experimental and computational study to understand the lithium storage mechanism in molybdenum disulfide
Authors: Sen Uttam Kumar , Johari Priya , Basu Sohini , Nayak Chandrani , Mitra Sagar
Published: July 2014

Experimental evidence and theoretical correlation of the formation of elemental sulphur during the discharge process of MoS2, a high rate lithium ion battery anode.
A green photometric method for determination of mercuric ions in saline samples by a single-drop microextraction technique
Authors: Pelit Levent , Bağatır İlknur , Pelit Füsun Okçu , Ertaş F. Nil
Published: July 2014

A microextraction method based on the use of undecanol was applied for the determination of mercury. The absorbance of a Hg-dithizone complex was measured at 490 nm in a microvolume cuvette.
VanadiumV(salen) catalysed synthesis of oxazolidinones from epoxides and isocyanates
Authors: Beattie Christopher , North Michael
Published: July 2014

The combination of a vanadiumV(salen) complex V+O(salen) EtOSO3−and tetrabutylammonium bromide forms a highly active catalyst system for the reaction between epoxides and isocyanates leading to oxazolidinones.
Top-down strategies for the structural elucidation of intact gram-negative bacterial endotoxins
Authors: O'Brien John P. , Needham Brittany D. , Brown Dusty B. , Trent M. Stephen , Brodbelt Jennifer S.
Published: July 2014

Ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry provides an unprecedented level of structural information about intact lipooligosaccharides.
Rational design of a turn-on fluorescent sensor for α-ketoglutaric acid in a microfluidic chip
Authors: Jin Pengwei , Jiao Changhong , Guo Zhiqian , He Ye , Zhu Shiqin , Tian He , Zhu Weihong
Published: July 2014

A rational design of turn-on fluorescent chemosensors for monitoring α-ketoglutaric acid has been developed with a microfluidic chip, indicative of a potential platform for high-throughput screening and monitoring of kinetics, especially in biological fields.
Arylsulfanyl radical lifetime in nanostructured silica: dramatic effect of the organic monolayer structure
Authors: Vibert François , Marque Sylvain R. A. , Bloch Emily , Queyroy Séverine , Bertrand Michèle P. , Gastaldi Stéphane , Besson Eric
Published: July 2014

Half-lives of up to 80 h at 293 K are recorded for arylsulfanyl radicals in nanostructured silicas due to the structure of the organic monolayer.
Dynamic density functional theory of protein adsorption on polymer-coated nanoparticles
Authors: Angioletti-Uberti Stefano , Ballauff Matthias , Dzubiella Joachim
Published: July 2014

Realistic modelling of physical forces using dynamic DFT to describe protein diffusion onto nanogels generate quantitatively correct, time-dependent density profiles.
Collapsing and reswelling kinetics of thermoresponsive polymers on surfaces: a matter of confinement and constraints
Authors: Willet Nicolas , Gabriel Sabine , Jérôme Christine , Du Prez Filip E. , Duwez Anne-Sophie
Published: July 2014

We report on the reversibility of the thermoresponsive conformational transition of surface-grafted poly(methyl vinyl ether) chains of different molecular architectures.
Noncovalent fabrication and tunable fusion of block copolymer–giant polyoxometalate hybrid micelles
Authors: Zhang Liying , Li Haolong , Wu Lixin
Published: July 2014

The electrostatically premodified polyoxometalate clusters are assembled with block copolymers through hydrogen bonding, which forms hybrid micelles with tunable core fusion.
Electro-mechanical actuator with muscle memory
Authors: Khaldi Alexandre , Elliott James A. , Smoukov Stoyan K.
Published: July 2014

The electro-mechanical memory (EMM) actuator material has multiple programmed states; its amplitude can be tuned or switched off, and upon sensing pre-determined temperatures its function and amplitude can be restored.
Anomalous drain‐induced barrier lowering effect of thin‐film transistors due to capacitive coupling voltage of light‐shield metal
Authors: Kim Miryeon , Shin Hyungsoon
Published: July 2014

The anomalous drain‐induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effect of long‐channel thin‐film transistors (TFTs) with a light shield (LS) is investigated by two‐dimensional (2D) device simulation. In long‐channel TFTs with a LS, which is long enough to neglect the DIBL effect and the floating body effect, a decrease of threshold voltage (Vth) was observed at high drain voltages. The Vth lowering is due to the large potential of the LS induced by the high drain voltage, which lowers the height of the source potential barrier. It is found that the LS‐induced DIBL effect can be larger as the length of the LS increases or the thickness of the buried oxide decreases.
Profiling of HEVC encoder
Authors: Saab F. , Elhajj I.H. , Kayssi A. , Chehab A.
Published: July 2014

One of the serious challenges facing smartphones and other portable devices nowadays is battery life. A typical smartphone user will be running several applications on the device at any given time, and most of these applications consume plenty of energy. In fact, some of the most energy‐consuming applications are those related to video conferencing and streaming. There is a lot of work to improve the energy efficiency of such applications by improving the energy efficiency of the underlying encoders. However, to accomplish that, full profiling of the encoder must be performed first. The results of profiling the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) are presented. Results are presented in terms of types of assembly level instructions in every function of the encoder. Thus, depending on the environment on which the encoder is running, the energy consumed for any type of instruction can be obtained. The results show that, in an HEVC encoding process, about 48% of the instructions are memory related and about 18–20% are arithmetic operations. This result is very important for any work in energy analysis and optimisation of the HEVC encoder.
Assessment of the exposure of children to electromagnetic fields from wireless communication devices in home environments
Authors: Ibrani Mimoza , Ahma Luan , Hamiti Enver
Published: July 2014

Wireless technologies have transformed human lifestyles giving rise to research on electromagnetic (EM) field exposure assessment by prioritising what are considered as potentially the more vulnerable groups, such as children. The method presented in this study for assessing the exposure of children to EM fields from wireless communication devices consists of a statistical survey of families describing typical daily exposure to wireless devices followed by the estimation of the highest whole‐body averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) between the vertical and horizontal polarisations (SARWBmax) for different devices according to the distance to the user using measured electric field data. Survey outputs, including daily exposure in hours and reported exposure distances, were used to identify spots for in situ experimental evaluation accomplished with a series of measurements of electric field strength of various wireless devices. Complementary to the results of the incident electric field strength, the SARWBmax values for 1–10 years old children during real‐life exposure conditions to a few wireless communication devices are presented. The obtained results may contribute to derive recommendations on children exposure limits to specific wireless communication devices for far‐field exposure scenarios.
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing peak‐to‐average power ratio reduction by best tree selection using coded discrete cosine harmonic wavelet packet transform
Authors: Suma Manuvinakurike Narasimhasastry , Narasimhan Somenahalli Venkatarangachar , Kanmani Buddhi
Published: July 2014

A new orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with reduced peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) based on coded discrete cosine harmonic wavelet packet transform (DCHWPT), is proposed. In this method, tree pruning is done for the selection of a tree structure with minimum PAPR. To identify different tree structures, Gray code is used which is communicated as side information to the receiver. Also to improve bit error rate (BER) performance and reduce PAPR, Hadamard codes are employed. The proposed method based on DCHWPT exploits the desirable discrete cosine transform (DCT) properties like energy compaction/low leakage, better frequency resolution and its real nature, compared with those of discrete Fourier transform. Further, the harmonic wavelet employed has built in decimation without any associated antialiasing filters and easy reconstruction by concatenation of different scales in frequency (DCT) domain with no image rejection filters and complicated delay compensation makes the proposed wavelet packet simple in implementation. The proposed OFDM discrete cosine harmonic wavelet packet (DCHWP‐OFDM) which leverages the advantages of DCHWPT has been used for BPSK modulated signals. The DCHWP‐OFDM provides an improvement of PAPR reduction of 2.4 and 3.4 dB as compared with those of Haar and Daubechies‐4 wavelet packet OFDM, respectively. This reduction in PAPR is with a BER performance in the range of 0.001–0.0001 at an signal‐to‐noise ratio of 10 dB.
Robust H∞ control of single input‐delay systems based on sequential sub‐predictors
Authors: Najafi Majdeddin , Sheikholeslam Farid , Wang Qing‐Guo , Hosseinnia Saeed
Published: July 2014

This study presents an approach to the H∞ control of linear input‐delay systems. First, an H∞ state predictor is introduced for dead‐time systems with disturbance input and measurable outputs. The author's proposed method focuses on optimisation of the disturbance propagation in sequential sub‐predictors (SSP). Each of the predictors is employed to forecast the state for one portion of the delay. The H∞ performance of the prediction error can be improved by increasing the number of predictors. Consequently, an H∞ controller is designed for the standard H∞ problem of dead‐time systems using SSP. More importantly, the SSP method is extended to the robust H∞ control in presence of uncertainties. Some examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of proposed method.
Sliding mode observer for a class of globally Lipschitz non‐linear systems with time‐varying delay and noise in its output
Authors: He Qing , Liu Jinkun
Published: July 2014

In this study, the state estimation problem for a class of globally Lipschitz non‐linear systems with time‐varying delayed output is addressed based on sliding mode observer. One of the contributions is the stability properties of the proposed observer are studied in the presence of state perturbation and measurement noise. By using the Lyapunov–Razumikhin approach, the asymptotic convergence properties for the estimation error is ensured. The assumption on the state perturbation and measurement noise is that they need to be bounded. Moreover, the proposed observer is applied into the model of aircraft longitudinal motion and simulation results illustrate the performance of the proposed observer.
Finite horizon H2 /H∞ control of time‐varying stochastic systems with Markov jumps and (x, u, v)‐dependent noise
Authors: Gao Ming , Sheng Li , Zhang Weihai
Published: July 2014

This study investigates the finite horizon H2 /H∞ control of time‐varying stochastic Markov jump systems (SMJSs) with state, control and disturbance‐dependent noise. Firstly, the stochastic bounded real lemma of SMJSs is established, which by itself has theoretical importance. Secondly, several necessary and sufficient conditions for H2 /H∞ control of SMJSs are proposed by means of coupled generalised differential Riccati equations. Finally, two numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the obtained results.
Signal difference‐based deadband control for networked control systems with variable sampling intervals
Authors: Liu Ying‐Ying , Che Wei‐Wei , Chu Yun‐Kai
Published: July 2014

This study investigates a signal difference‐based deadband control approach as a solution to reduce data transmission in networked control systems (NCSs). A new modelling method for the NCSs with time‐varying delays, time‐varying sampling intervals and signal transmission deadbands is presented. The Lyapunov functional with discontinuity is exploited, which takes full advantages of the NCSs’ characteristic information including the bounds of network delay (BND), the bounds of sampling interval (BSI) and the bounds of transmission deadband (BTD). In addition, it has been shown that Lyapunov functional decreases at the jump instants. Furthermore, the new stability analysis and stabilisation conditions for the NCSs are proposed, which describes the relationship of BND, BSI, BTD and the system stability. Three examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. The simulation results have shown that the proposed approach could guarantee the system asymptotically stable and effectively reduce the data transmission in network channel.