bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age‐at‐Death Estimates from a Disarticulated, Fragmented and Commingled Archaeological Battlefield Assemblage
Authors: Brickley M. , Dragomir A.‐M. , Lockau L.
Published: December 2014

Estimation of age‐at‐death is an important and challenging part of any investigation of human remains. Extensive research has been undertaken on this subject as demographic information contributes much to bioarchaeological and forensic work. Disarticulated, fragmentary and commingled human remains occur from a wide range of spatial and temporal contexts, and estimation of age‐at‐death can be particularly challenging in these collections. This study evaluated the impact of preservation on techniques that might be applied and their relative utility, using human remains from the site of the Smith's Knoll associated with the Battle of Stoney Creek, a War of 1812 collection from Ontario Canada with some supporting documentary evidence on age‐at‐death. Features assessed were the pubic symphysis, auricular surface and epiphyseal fusion in the innominate. An age‐at‐death estimate was produced for 16 out of 19 individuals considered; the highest minimum number of individuals (MNI) was 24 (right radius) from 2701 identifiable fragments. The pubic symphysis made no contribution to construction of a demographic profile, but as has been suggested previously epiphyseal fusion was useful in this respect. Results demonstrate that previous statements regarding preservation of the auricular surface and its utility in fragmented and poorly preserved collections need to be carefully evaluated. Although 129 fragments of innominate were recorded just one had an auricular surface and post auricular area that could be fully assessed. Transition Analysis was easier to apply than techniques developed previously, and findings from this study suggest that use of the forensic prior distribution could assist in assessment of battlefield assemblages. These results raise some valuable points that need to be considered in any future attempts to improve age‐at‐death estimates using the auricular surface, and important questions regarding expectations for estimation of age‐at‐death in disarticulated, fragmented and commingled collections of human bone. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fragment Velocity Distribution of Cylindrical Rings Under Eccentric Point Initiation
Authors: Huang Guangyan , Li Wei , Feng Shunshan
Published: December 2014

A design mode, in which a casing is filled with a charge initiated off‐centre (eccentric point initiation), is common in the field of explosion and structural protection. The fragment velocity distribution along the circumference of the casing is distinctly non‐uniform due to the difference in blast loading around the circumference of the casing. To quantify the fragment velocity distribution, two kinds of cylindrical rings with different structural parameters were adopted. Static explosive experiments with three eccentric coefficients (0, 0.5, 1.0) were conducted with pulsed X‐ray diagnostics. Using coefficients derived from experimental data and calculating the effects of both the eccentricity of initiation and angle around the circumference, an angle‐dependent ratio βθ of charge mass to casing mass has been derived as a mean to modify the fragment velocity formula of Gurney for this application. The derived formula was shown to correctly predict the fragment velocity distribution around the circumference of the cylindrical ring. The calculated velocity distributions show good agreement with the experimental results.
High-resolution maps of forest-urban watersheds present an opportunity for ecologists and managers
Authors: Stueve Kirk M. , Hollenhorst Tom P. , Kelly John R. , Johnson Lucinda B. , Host George E.
Published: December 2014

Context

Green infrastructure may improve water quality and mitigate flooding in forest-urban watersheds, but reliably quantifying all benefits is challenging because most land cover maps depend on moderate- to low-resolution data. Complex and spatially heterogeneous landscapes that typify forest-urban watersheds are not fully represented with these types of data. Hence important questions concerning how green infrastructure influences water quality and quantity at different spatial scales remain unanswered.

Objectives

Demonstrate the feasibility of creating novel high-resolution land cover maps across entire watersheds and highlight deficiencies of standard land cover products.

Methods

We used object-based image analysis (OBIA) to create high-resolution (0.5 m) land cover maps and detect tree canopy overlapping impervious surfaces for a representative forest-urban watershed in Duluth, MN, USA. Unbiased estimates of accuracy and area were calculated and compared with similar metrics for the 30-m National Land Cover Database (NLCD).

Results

Mapping accuracies for the high-resolution land cover and canopy overlap maps were ~90 %. Error-adjusted estimates of area indicated that impervious surfaces comprised ~21 % of the watershed, tree canopy overlapped ~10 % of impervious surfaces, and that three high-resolution land cover classes differed significantly from similar NLCD classes.

Conclusions

OBIA can efficiently generate high-resolution land cover products of entire watersheds that are appropriate for research and inclusion in the decision-making process of managers. Metrics derived from these products will likely differ from standard land cover maps and may produce new insights, especially when considering the unprecedented opportunity to evaluate fine-scale spatial heterogeneity across watersheds.
Properties of a Binary System Containing Anionic and Cationic Gemini Surfactants
Authors: Xu Hujun , Liu Benna , Kang Peng , Bao Xinyan
Published: December 2014

Surface tension, fluorescence, and dynamic light scattering were used to investigate the properties of a binary surfactant system comprising an anionic gemini surfactant (DLMC) and cationic gemini surfactant (II‐12‐EO2). Surface tension measurements afforded the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of the mixture and the values are all lower than those of pure constituent surfactants. For the mixtures of II‐12‐EO2/DLMC, the micelle aggregation number decreases with the increase of II‐12‐EO2, and the micropolarity of the micelle is lowest when the molar fraction of II‐12‐EO2 is 0.5; the hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of the mixed micelle first increases and then decreases with the addition of II‐12‐EO2, and larger micelles are obtained when the molar fraction of II‐12‐EO2 is 0.5 or 0.7.
Local controllability to trajectories for non-homogeneous incompressible Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Badra Mehdi , Ervedoza Sylvain , Guerrero Sergio
Published: December 2014

The goal of this article is to show a local exact controllability to smooth (

C^{2}

) trajectories for the density dependent incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Our controllability result requires some geometric condition on the flow of the target trajectory, which is remanent from the transport equation satisfied by the density. The proof of this result uses a fixed point argument in suitable spaces adapted to a Carleman weight function that follows the flow of the target trajectory. Our result requires the proof of new Carleman estimates for heat and Stokes equations.
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans isolates from the gut of a single individual: Structural and biological lipid A characterization
Authors: Zhang-Sun Wei , Augusto Luis A. , Zhao Liping , Caroff Martine
Published: December 2014

The levels of sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB), including Desulfovibrionaceae, in the gut increase following a fat‐enriched diet. Endotoxins from gut microbiota contribute to the inflammation process, leading to metabolic diseases. Thus, we sought to characterize the lipid A structures of Desulfovibrionaceae lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that are associated with the microbiota inflammatory properties. LPS variants were obtained from two SRB isolates from the gut of a single individual. These LPS variants shared similar lipid A moieties with Enterobacterial LPS, but differed from one another with regard to fatty‐acid numbers and endotoxic activity. This first complete structural characterization of Desulfovibrio lipid A gives new insights into previously published data on Desulfovibrio lipid A biosynthesis. LPS microdiversity within SRBs illustrates how adaptation can influence pro‐inflammatory potential.
Resource partitioning in a ladybird,Menochilus sexmaculatus: function of body size and prey density
Authors: Chaudhary D.D. , Kumar B. , Mishra G. , Omkar
Published: December 2014

In the present study, resource partitioning by natural conspecific size variants (small and large) of ladybird,Menochilus sexmaculatus(Fabricius) females, in response to varying prey densities was assessed using functional and numerical responses as measures of prey density. The prey provided was small (second) and large (fourth) instars ofAphis craccivoraKoch. Results revealed that under choice condition, small and large females ofM. sexmaculatusconsumed higher number of small and large instars, respectively. Small females exhibited a modified Type II functional response on small aphid instars and a Type II functional response on fourth aphid instars. Large females exhibited a Type II functional response when provided either second or fourth aphid instars. Numerical response in terms of numbers of eggs laid by both the females increased with increase in the density of either of the aphid instars. However, in small females, oviposition had a positive correlation with the numbers of small and large aphid instars consumed; being strong for the small aphid instars. While in large females, oviposition was positively correlated with the numbers of large aphid instars consumed and not small aphid instars. It therefore seems that intraspecific resource partitioning inM. sexmaculatusoccurs prominently in large females than the small females.
David Lloyd George: the Reform of British landholding and the Budget of 1914
Authors: Gilbert Bentley B.
Published: December 2014

Between the summer of 1912 and the summer of 1914, while the British political world seethed over Marconi, the National Health Insurance doctors' revolts, Home Rule, and the cost of oil-fired battleships, the chancellor of the exchequer, David Lloyd George, himself a centre of controversy, began to put together a legislative project to reconstruct the system of British land holding. He saw land reform as the major effort of his political career. Not only would it break up the monopoly of the squire in the countryside, but it would snatch away also the untaxed profits of the city land speculator. With a new system of land valuation, uniform throughout the kingdom, local authority rating resources would be immensely broadened, making possible the imposition upon local government of wide new responsibilities in public and personal health, education and housing. Land courts would set higher wages for labourers and lower rents for farmers, all at the expense of the landowner.
Social Policy Digest Online
Authors: Croft Jacqui
Published: December 2014

The Social Policy Digest is a major online resource providing up-to-date listings of developments across the whole range of UK and pan-European social policy issues – including links to source materials and commentary. The Digest is published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Social Policy Association.
The cultural evolution of prosocial religions
Authors: Norenzayan Ara , Shariff Azim F. , Gervais Will M. , Willard Aiyana K. , McNamara Rita A. , Slingerland Edward , Henrich Joseph
Published: December 2014

We develop a cultural evolutionary theory of the origins of prosocial religions and apply it to resolve two puzzles in human psychology and cultural history: (1) the rise of large-scale cooperation among strangers and, simultaneously, (2) the spread of prosocial religions in the last 10–12 millennia. We argue that these two developments were importantly linked and mutually energizing. We explain how a package of culturally evolved religious beliefs and practices characterized by increasingly potent, moralizing, supernatural agents, credible displays of faith, and other psychologically active elements conducive to social solidarity promoted high fertility rates and large-scale cooperation with co-religionists, often contributing to success in intergroup competition and conflict. In turn, prosocial religious beliefs and practices spread and aggregated as these successful groups expanded, or were copied by less successful groups. This synthesis is grounded in the idea that although religious beliefs and practices originally arose as nonadaptive by-products of innate cognitive functions, particular cultural variants were then selected for their prosocial effects in a long-term, cultural evolutionary process. This framework (1) reconciles key aspects of the adaptationist and by-product approaches to the origins of religion, (2) explains a variety of empirical observations that have not received adequate attention, and (3) generates novel predictions. Converging lines of evidence drawn from diverse disciplines provide empirical support while at the same time encouraging new research directions and opening up new questions for exploration and debate.
Perspectives of European boys about their voice change and school choral singing: developing the possible selves of adolescent male singers
Authors: Freer Patrick K.
Published: December 2014

This article reports analysis of interviews with 85 boys from England, Greece, Ireland and Spain about the voice change, school singing and choral music instruction. Consistent, former and self-described non-singers were included. Data suggest consistency with much of the existing narrative literature about the experience of voice change. Unique topics included a sense of identity loss during voice change. Issues related to gender and sexuality-based bullying were explored. Boys offered numerous recommendations for teachers, including that teachers focus on vocal technique specific to male changing voices. Boys’ comments suggested a pattern of identity development consistent with the Possible Selves construct. This suggests that teachers can support adolescent male singers by addressing specific issues at specific points in a boy's process of voice change and identity development.
The value of political parties to representative democracy
Authors: Kölln Ann-Kristin
Published: December 2014

Political parties play a major role in democratic processes around the world. Recent empirical research suggests that parties are increasingly less important to citizens. Simultaneously, classic and contemporary theories of representative democracy specifically still minimally incorporate accounts of party benefit. This article attempts to reconcile normative political theory on democratic representation with party politics literature. It evaluates party democracy’s value in comparison with its next best theoretical alternative – pluralist democracy with individual representatives – along two different paths. It argues that parties are not flawless, but party democracy is preferable over pluralist democracy. Parties increase predictability and the transparency of policy outcomes. This, in turn, facilitates better accountability between voters and their representatives. In addition, parties save politics from becoming a dispersed and even possibly a contradictory set of actions.
Humanitarian technology: a critical research agenda
Authors: Sandvik Kristin Bergtora , Gabrielsen Jumbert Maria , Karlsrud John , Kaufmann Mareile
Published: December 2014

New technology may offer many opportunities for humanitarian action, but it also presents a number of challenges. Currently, most of the critical analysis of these potential challenges takes place in the blogosphere, on tweets and on listservs. There is a strong need for more scholarly engagement on the subject. This article offers an agenda for critical inquiry into the emergent field of humanitarian technology as applied to a broadly defined context of crises, encompassing both natural disasters and conflict zones, by identifying what technology does to the humanitarian enterprise, and by reflecting on the key challenges that emerge.
Antenatal glucocorticoids: where are we after forty years?
Authors: McKinlay C. J. D. , Dalziel S. R. , Harding J. E.
Published: December 2014

Since their introduction more than forty years ago, antenatal glucocorticoids have become a cornerstone in the management of preterm birth and have been responsible for substantial reductions in neonatal mortality and morbidity. Clinical trials conducted over the past decade have shown that these benefits may be increased further through administration of repeat doses of antenatal glucocorticoids in women at ongoing risk of preterm and in those undergoing elective cesarean at term. At the same time, a growing body of experimental animal evidence and observational data in humans has linked fetal overexposure to maternal glucocorticoids with increased risk of cardiovascular, metabolic and other disorders in later life. Despite these concerns, and somewhat surprisingly, there has been little evidence to date from randomized trials of longer-term harm from clinical doses of synthetic glucocorticoids. However, with wider clinical application of antenatal glucocorticoid therapy there has been greater need to consider the potential for later adverse effects. This paper reviews current evidence for the short- and long-term health effects of antenatal glucocorticoids and discusses the apparent discrepancy between data from randomized clinical trials and other studies.
The Impact of Contact With Suicide-Related Behavior in Prison on Young Offenders
Authors: Hales Heidi , Edmondson Amanda , Davison Sophie , Maughan Barbara , Taylor Pamela J.
Published: December 2014

Background: Prison suicide rates are high, and suicide-related behaviors (SRBs) higher, but effects of contact with such behaviors in prison have not previously been examined. Aims: To compare the mental state of young men witnessing a peer’s suicide-related behavior in prison with that of men without such experience, and to test for factors associated with morbidity. Method: Forty-six male prisoners (age 16–21 years) reporting contact with another’s suicide-related behavior in prison were interviewed 6 months after the incident, with validated questionnaires, as were 44 without such contact at least 6 months into their imprisonment. Results: Significantly higher levels of psychiatric morbidity and own suicide-related behaviors were found in the witness group, even after controlling for their higher levels of family mental illness and pre-exposure experience of in-prison bullying. Some personal factors were associated with higher morbidity; incident and institutional factors were not. Conclusions: Findings of heightened vulnerabilities among young men exposed to suicide-related behaviors in prison suggest a need for longitudinal study to clarify temporal relationships and inform strategies to prevent or limit development of morbidity and further harm.
Cerebral Vasospasm Affects Arterial Critical Closing Pressure
Authors: Varsos Georgios V , Budohoski Karol P , Czosnyka Marek , Kolias Angelos G , Nasr Nathalie , Donnelly Joseph , Liu Xiuyun , Kim Dong-Joo , Hutchinson Peter J , Kirkpatrick Peter J , Varsos Vassilis G , Smielewski Peter
Published: December 2014

The effect of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) on critical closing pressure (CrCP) has not been fully delineated. Using cerebral impedance methodology, we sought to assess the behavior of CrCP during CVS. As CrCP expresses the sum of intracranial pressure (ICP) and vascular wall tension, we also explored its role in reflecting changes in vascular tone occurring in small vessels distal to spasm. This retrospective analysis was performed using recordings from 52 patients, diagnosed with CVS through transcranial Doppler measurements. Critical closing pressure was calculated noninvasively using arterial blood pressure and blood flow velocity. Outcome was assessed at both discharge and 3 months after ictus with the Glasgow Outcome Scale. The onset of CVS caused significant decreases in CrCP ( P=0.025), without any observed significant changes in ICP ( P=0.134). Vasospasm induced asymmetry, with CrCP ipsilateral to CVS becoming significantly lower than contralateral ( P=0.025). Unfavorable outcomes were associated with a significantly lower CrCP after the onset of CVS (discharge: P=0.014; 3 months after SAH: P=0.020). Critical closing pressure is reduced in the presence of CVS in both temporal and spatial assessments. As ICP remained unchanged during CVS, reduced CrCP most probably reflects a lower wall tension in dilated small vessels distal to spasm.
Three-dimensional periodic supramolecular organic framework ion sponge in water and microcrystals
Authors: Tian Jia , Zhou Tian-You , Zhang Shao-Chen , Aloni Shaul , Altoe Maria Virginia , Xie Song-Hai , Wang Hui , Zhang Dan-Wei , Zhao Xin , Liu Yi , Li Zhan-Ting
Published: December 2014

Self-assembly has emerged as a powerful approach to generating complex supramolecular architectures. Despite there being many crystalline frameworks reported in the solid state, the construction of highly soluble periodic supramolecular networks in a three-dimensional space is still a challenge. Here we demonstrate that the encapsulation motif, which involves the dimerization of two aromatic units within cucurbit[8]uril, can be used to direct the co-assembly of a tetratopic molecular block and cucurbit[8]uril into a periodic three-dimensional supramolecular organic framework in water. The periodicity of the supramolecular organic framework is supported by solution-phase small-angle X-ray-scattering and diffraction experiments. Upon evaporating the solvent, the periodicity of the framework is maintained in porous microcrystals. As a supramolecular ‘ion sponge’, the framework can absorb different kinds of anionic guests, including drugs, in both water and microcrystals, and drugs absorbed in microcrystals can be released to water with selectivity.
HER2 confers drug resistance of human breast cancer cells through activation of NRF2 by direct interaction
Authors: Kang Hyo Jin , Yi Yong Weon , Hong Young Bin , Kim Hee Jeong , Jang Young-Joo , Seong Yeon-Sun , Bae Insoo
Published: December 2014

Overexpression and/or activation of HER2 confers resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. NRF2 also gives drug resistance of cancer cells through induction of detoxification and/or drug efflux proteins. Although several upstream effectors of NRF2 overlapped with the downstream molecules of HER2 pathway, no direct link between HER2 and NRF2 has ever been established. Here, we identified that co-expression of a constitutively active HER2 (HER2CA) and NRF2 increased the levels of NRF2 target proteins, HO-1 and MRP5. We also identified HER2CA activated the DNA-binding of NRF2 and the antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated transcription in an NRF2-dependent manner. In addition, NRF2 and HER2CA cooperatively up-regulated the mRNA expression of various drug-resistant and detoxifying enzymes including GSTA2, GSTP1, CYP3A4, HO-1, MRP1 and MRP5. We also demonstrated that NRF2 binds to HER2 not only in transiently transfected HEK293T cells but also in HER2-amplified breast cancer cells. Functionally, overexpression of HER2CA gave resistance of MCF7 breast cancer cells to either paraquat or doxorubicin. Overexpression of dominant negative NRF2 (DN-NRF2) reduced the HER2CA-induced resistance of MCF7 cells to these agents. Taken together, these results suggest that active HER2 binds and regulates the NRF2-dependent transcriptional activation and induces drug resistance of cancer cells.
Wave instabilities in the presence of non vanishing background in nonlinear Schrödinger systems
Authors: Trillo S. , Gongora J. S. Totero , Fratalocchi A.
Published: December 2014

We investigate wave collapse ruled by the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation in 1+1 dimensions, for localized excitations with non-zero background, establishing through virial identities a new criterion for blow-up. When collapse is arrested, a semiclassical approach allows us to show that the system can favor the formation of dispersive shock waves. The general findings are illustrated with a model of interest to both classical and quantum physics (cubic-quintic NLS equation), demonstrating a radically novel scenario of instability, where solitons identify a marginal condition between blow-up and occurrence of shock waves, triggered by arbitrarily small mass perturbations of different sign.
Overexpression of Toll-like receptor 8 correlates with the progression of podocyte injury in murine autoimmune glomerulonephritis
Authors: Kimura Junpei , Ichii Osamu , Miyazono Kosuke , Nakamura Teppei , Horino Taro , Otsuka-Kanazawa Saori , Kon Yasuhiro
Published: December 2014

Members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family serve as pathogen sensors and participate in local autoimmune responses. This study found a correlation between glomerular injury and TLR expression by analysing BXSB/MpJ-Yaa (BXSB-Yaa) lupus model mice. In isolated glomeruli, the mRNA expression of several TLRs was higher in BXSB-Yaa mice than in healthy control BXSB mice. In particular, the expression of Tlr8 and its downstream cytokines was markedly increased. In mouse kidneys, TLR8 protein and mRNA localized to podocytes and TLR8 protein expression in the glomerulus was higher in BXSB-Yaa mice than in BXSB mice. In BXSB-Yaa mice, the glomerular levels of Tlr8 mRNA negatively correlated with the glomerular levels of podocyte functional markers (Nphs1, Nphs2, and Synpo) and positively correlated with urinary albumin levels. Furthermore, the glomerular and serum levels of miR-21, a putative microRNA ligand of TLR8, were higher in BXSB-Yaa mice than in BXSB mice. The urinary levels of Tlr8 mRNA were also higher in BXSB-Yaa mice than in BXSB mice. In conclusion, the overexpression of TLR8 correlates with the progression of podocyte injury in glomerulonephritis. Thus, altered levels of urinary Tlr8 mRNA might reflect podocyte injury.
Cross-Linking Amine-Rich Compounds into High Performing Selective CO2 Absorbents
Authors: Andreoli Enrico , Dillon Eoghan P. , Cullum Laurie , Alemany Lawrence B. , Barron Andrew R.
Published: December 2014

Amine-based absorbents play a central role in CO2 sequestration and utilization. Amines react selectively with CO2, but a drawback is the unproductive weight of solvent or support in the absorbent. Efforts have focused on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) reaching extremely high CO2 capacity, but limited selectivity to N2 and CH4 and decreased uptake at higher temperatures. A desirable system would have selectivity (cf. amine) and high capacity (cf. MOF), but also increased adsorption at higher temperatures. Here, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept where polyethyleneimine (PEI) is converted to a high capacity and highly selective CO2 absorbent using buckminsterfullerene (C60) as a cross-linker. PEI-C60 (CO2 absorption of 0.14 g/g at 0.1 bar/90°C) is compared to one of the best MOFs, Mg-MOF-74 (0.06 g/g at 0.1 bar/90°C) and does not absorb any measurable amount of CH4 at 50 bar. Thus, PEI-C60 can perform better than MOFs in the sweetening of natural gas.
Review on Ion Mobility Spectrometry. Part 1: current instrumentation
Authors: Cumeras R. , Figueras E. , Davis C. E. , Baumbach J. I. , Gràcia I.
Published: December 2014

Current existing variants of ion mobility spectrometry.
Dynamic assembly of DNA and polylysine mediated by electric energy
Authors: Niu Lin , Yang Xuyan , Zhu Xiaocui , Yin Yudan , Qu Wei , Zhou Jihan , Zhao Meiping , Liang Dehai
Published: December 2014

Under an electric field, the complex of DNA and PLL ejects daughter vehicles with mobility three times faster than free DNA.
Monofunctional polymer nanoparticles prepared through intramolecularly cross-linking the polymer chains sparsely grafted on the surface of sacrificial silica spheres
Authors: Xie M. X. , Jiang L. , Xu Z. P. , Chen D. Y.
Published: December 2014

Polymeric monofunctional nanoparticles with exactly one functional group on the surface of each nanoparticle are prepared.
The significant impact of polydopamine on the catalytic performance of the carried Au nanoparticles
Authors: Ma Aijing , Xie Yijun , Xu Jie , Zeng Hongbo , Xu Haolan
Published: December 2014

The polydopamine carrier causes the enrichment of methylene blue toward its surface, leading to the improved catalytic performance of the carried Au nanoparticles.
Peptide-catalyzed, bioinspired silicification for single-cell encapsulation in the imidazole-buffered system
Authors: Park Ji Hun , Choi Insung S. , Yang Sung Ho
Published: December 2014

Cytoprotective silica encapsulation of individual yeast cells is achieved by a peptide-catalyzed silicification under mild conditions, inspired by glass sponges.
Nuclease-containing media for resettable operation of DNA logic gates
Authors: O'Steen Martin R. , Cornett Evan M. , Kolpashchikov Dmitry M.
Published: December 2014

A system which enables DNA logic gates to respond multiple times to the addition of oligonucleotide inputs was developed. This system does not require any operator action to achieve reset.
Compressibility, thermal expansion coefficient and heat capacity of CH4 and CO2 hydrate mixtures using molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Ning F. L. , Glavatskiy K. , Ji Z. , Kjelstrup S. , H. Vlugt T. J.
Published: December 2014

Understanding the thermal and mechanical properties of CH4 and CO2 hydrates is essential for the replacement of CH4 with CO2 in natural hydrate deposits as well as for CO2 sequestration and storage.
[Mn2Ga4Sn4S20]8− T3 supertetrahedral nanocluster directed by a series of transition metal complexes
Authors: Yue Cheng-Yang , Lei Xiao-Wu , Feng Li-Juan , Wang Chen , Gong Ya-Ping , Liu Xin-Ying
Published: December 2014

Three new manganese gallium tin sulfides based on T3 supertetrahedral nanocluster of [Mn2Ga4Sn4S20]8− have been solvothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. The photocatalytic, second-order nonlinear optical and luminescence properties, as well as thermal stabilities of the title compounds were also studied.
Blue phosphorescent N-heterocyclic carbene chelated Pt(ii) complexes with an α-duryl-β-diketonato ancillary ligand
Authors: Ko Soo-Byung , Park Hee-Jun , Gong Shaolong , Wang Xiang , Lu Zheng-Hong , Wang Suning
Published: December 2014

Blue phosphorescent Pt(ii) complexes that display bright blue emission in the solid state have been obtained employing NHC-based C∧C*-chelate ligands and an α-duryl-β-diketonato ancillary ligand that provides steric blocking to minimize intermolecular interactions.
Magnetic and structural properties of dinuclear singly bridged-phenoxido metal(ii) complexes
Authors: Massoud Salah S. , Spell Mark , Ledet Catherine C. , Junk Thomas , Herchel Radovan , Fischer Roland C. , Trávníček Zdeněk , Mautner Franz A.
Published: December 2014

Five new dinuclear bridged-phenoxido dichlorido-metal(ii) complexes [M2(μ-LClO)(X)2Cl2]PF6/ClO4 complexes, where M(ii) = Co, Ni, Cu (1–4) and Zn (5); X = CH3OH, H2O or 0 were synthesized and structurally characterized. Complexes 1–4 revealed weak to moderate antiferromagnetic coupling.
New insights into the origin of the visible light photocatalytic activity of Fe(iii) porphyrin surface anchored TiO2
Authors: ArunaKumari M. L. , Gomathi Devi L.
Published: December 2014

The chemisorbed Hemin molecule acts as a sensitizer under visible light and transfers photogenerated electrons to the TiO2 conduction band through OC–O–Ti bonds which can act as electron transfer channels. The oxidized Hemin molecule is regenerated by triethanolamine a sacrificial electron donor.
Depolymerization of cellulose to glucose by oxidation–hydrolysis
Authors: Zhou Lipeng , Yang Xiaomei , Xu Jiaolong , Shi Meiting , Wang Feng , Chen Chen , Xu Jie
Published: December 2014

An oxidation–hydrolysis strategy was developed for depolymerization of cellulose. The method needs no additional catalyst. Part of the hydroxymethyl groups on glucose units were oxidized to carboxyl groups during the preoxidation treatment, and the generated acid sites act as the catalytic active centers for the following depolymerization of cellulose.
Acoustofluidic control of bubble size in microfluidic flow-focusing configuration
Authors: Chong Zhuang Zhi , Tor Shu Beng , Loh Ngiap Hiang , Wong Teck Neng , Gañán-Calvo Alfonso M. , Tan Say Hwa , Nguyen Nam-Trung
Published: December 2014

We report a new technology using acoustofluidic to achieve controllable manipulation of the size of the bubbles formed.
A lung-on-a-chip array with an integrated bio-inspired respiration mechanism
Authors: Stucki Andreas O. , Stucki Janick D. , Hall Sean R. R. , Felder Marcel , Mermoud Yves , Schmid Ralph A. , Geiser Thomas , Guenat Olivier T.
Published: December 2014

The effects of respiration movements on primary lung cells from patients are investigated on an easy to handle lung-on-a-chip.
Rapid and continuous magnetic separation in droplet microfluidic devices
Authors: Brouzes Eric , Kruse Travis , Kimmerling Robert , Strey Helmut H.
Published: December 2014

We manipulate the splitting profile due to asymmetric forks to improve the enrichment of magnetic beads extracted from flowing droplets.
Silver nanowires as receiving-radiating nanoantennas in plasmon-enhanced up-conversion processes
Authors: Piatkowski D. , Hartmann N. , Macabelli T. , Nyk M. , Mackowski S. , Hartschuh A.
Published: December 2014

Silver nanowires coupled with upconverting nanocrystals enhance absorption/emission rates, introduce polarization sensitivity and guide fluorescence energy in plasmonic system.
On the mechanical and electronic properties of thiolated gold nanocrystals
Authors: Smaali K. , Desbief S. , Foti G. , Frederiksen T. , Sanchez-Portal D. , Arnau A. , Nys J. P. , Leclère P. , Vuillaume D. , Clément N.
Published: December 2014

Quantitative exploration, combining experiment and simulation, of the mechanical and electronic properties, as well as the modifications induced by an alkylthiolated coating, at the single NP level.
High performance multi-core iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia: microwave synthesis, and the role of core-to-core interactions
Authors: Blanco-Andujar C. , Ortega D. , Southern P. , Pankhurst Q. A. , Thanh N. T. K.
Published: December 2014

Controlled synthesis of multicore magnetic nanoparticles reveals that optimum heating is obtained when the cores are comparatively large and few, minimising the core–core interactions that inhibit hyperthermia.
Novel functionalization of porous polypropylene microfiltration membranes: via grafted poly(aminoethyl methacrylate) anchored Schiff bases toward membrane adsorbers for metal ions
Authors: Farjadian Fatemeh , Schwark Sebastian , Ulbricht Mathias
Published: December 2014

A comb-like grafted functional polymer layer with Schiff base side groups provides an efficient porous membrane adsorber for copper ions.
Nickel hydroxide–nickel nanohybrids indirectly from coordination microfibers for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes
Authors: Zhao Junhong , He Junzhi , Sun Mengjun , Qu Meijiao , Pang Huan
Published: December 2014

Mesoporous nickel hydroxide–nickel nanohybrids are successfully obtainedviaoxidation of Ni nanowire foams indirectly from coordination microfibers, and are successfully applied as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes.
Reversible colour changes of binary films composed of azobenzene-based amorphous molecular materials and p-toluene sulfonic acid in response to exhaled breath
Authors: Ichikawa Ryoji , Nagata Eisuke , Nakano Hideyuki
Published: December 2014

Binary films composed of azobenzene-based amorphous molecular materials and p-toluene sulfonic acid were found to exhibit drastic and reversible colour change when we breathed onto their films.
The stability, electronic structure, elastic and metallic properties of manganese nitrides
Authors: Yu Ran , Chong Xiaoyu , Jiang Yehua , Zhou Rong , Yuan Wen , Feng Jing
Published: December 2014

The phase stability, electronic structure, and elastic and metallic properties of manganese nitrides (Mn4N, Mn2N0.86, Mn3N2, and MnN) were extensively studied by first principles calculations.
Recent advances in the electrolytes for interfacial stability of high-voltage cathodes in lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Choi Nam-Soon , Han Jung-Gu , Ha Se-Young , Park Inbok , Back Chang-Keun
Published: December 2014

We present the useful processes in the research of functional electrolytes for interfacial stability of high-voltage cathodes in Li-ion batteries.
Using the Ozawa method to study the thermally initiated curing kinetics of vinyl ester resin
Authors: Cui Hui-Wang , Suganuma Katsuaki , Uchida Hiroshi
Published: December 2014

1,1-Bis(t-hexylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane was introduced to thermally initiate the curing of vinyl ester resin, and a dynamic differential scanning calorimetry method was applied to investigate the thermally initiated curing procedures.
One-pot synthesis of biofunctional and near-infrared fluorescent gold nanodots and their application in Pb2+ sensing and tumor cell imaging
Authors: Xu Shenghao , Liu Pingping , Song Quanwei , Wang Le , Luo Xiliang
Published: December 2014

Monodisperse and water-soluble Cys-Au dots with near-infrared emission successfully prepared by a one-pot synthesis approach, and the as-prepared Au dots could be used for long-term tumor cell imaging and highly selective detecting Pb2+.
Improved carrier mobility and bandgap tuning of zinc doped bismuth oxide
Authors: M. J Jabeen Fatima , A Navaneeth , S Sindhu
Published: December 2014

Zinc doped bismuth oxides shows tuned bandgap and electronic properties with an improved charge carrier mobility and conductivity.
Facile synthesis of Ag2O/N-doped helical carbon nanotubes with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity
Authors: Xue Jinjuan , Ma Shuaishuai , Zhou Yuming , Zhang Zewu , Wu Xin , She Chenguang
Published: December 2014

Novel Ag2O/N-doped helical carbon nanotubes (Ag2O/N–HCNTs) were successfully synthesized via a simple coprecipitation method and were well characterized by XRD, EDS, FESEM and TEM.
Structural modification by adding Li cations into Mg/Cs-TFSA molten salt facilitating Mg electrodeposition
Authors: Ohara Koji , Umebayashi Yasuhiro , Ichitsubo Tetsu , Matsumoto Kazuhiko , Hagiwara Rika , Arai Hajime , Mori Masahiro , Orikasa Yuki , Okamoto Shinya , Oishi Masatsugu , Aiso Yuka , Nohira Toshiyuki , Uchimoto Yoshiharu , Ogumi Zempachi , Matsubara Eiichiro
Published: December 2014

Free volume around Mg ions in Li/Mg/Cs-TFSA by adding Li cations would facilitate the Mg electrodeposition, which has been studied by Raman spectroscopy, high-energy X-ray diffraction, and reverse Monte Carlo structural refinement using molecular mechanics.
A heating-up method for the synthesis of pure phase kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4nanocrystals using a simple coordinating sulphur precursor
Authors: An Ping , Liang Zhurong , Xu Xueqing , Wang Xin , Jin Hu , Wang Nan , Wang Junxia , Zhu Furong
Published: December 2014

Pure phase kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS) nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via a heating-up method utilizing thioacetamide as coordinating sulphur precursor. The formation mechanism of the CZTS NCs has been clarified.
Synthesis of shape-controllable cobalt nanoparticles and their shape-dependent performance in glycerol hydrogenolysis
Authors: Liu Qiying , Cao Xiaofeng , Wang Tiejun , Wang Chenguang , Zhang Qi , Ma Longlong
Published: December 2014

Metallic Co nanorods were fabricated using Ir as a heterogeneous agent. The nanorods with mainly exposed {10−10} facets showed much higher activity and 1,3-propanediol selectivity in glycerol hydrogenolysis.
Kinetic study of a swelling-induced network of folds in a cross-linked PS-PDMS film
Authors: Xu Xin , Yao Xuelin , Chen Feng , Fu Qiang
Published: December 2014

Constructing a network of folds in a cross-linked PS-PDMS film through combining mesostructural organization of PS-PDMS and solvent-induced mechanical instability.
Metal-free DBU promoted regioselective synthesis of isoxazoles and isoxazolines
Authors: Mohammed Shabber , Vishwakarma Ram A. , Bharate Sandip B.
Published: December 2014

A new simple and efficient metal-free 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) promoted regioselective synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted isoxazoles and isoxazolines from aldoximes has been described.
Orthoester exchange: a tripodal tool for dynamic covalent and systems chemistry
Authors: Brachvogel René-Chris , von Delius Max
Published: December 2014

We demonstrate that acid-catalyzed orthoester exchange is a promising tool for applications in dynamic covalent and systems chemistry.
Phase behavior of electrostatically complexed polyelectrolyte gels using an embedded fluctuation model
Authors: Audus Debra J. , Gopez Jeffrey D. , Krogstad Daniel V. , Lynd Nathaniel A. , Kramer Edward J. , Hawker Craig J. , Fredrickson Glenn H.
Published: December 2014

We explore the phase behavior of responsive hydrogels made of oppositely charged triblock polymers in aqueous solution using both a new embedded fluctuation model coupled with self-consistent field theory simulations and experiments.
A homogeneous intergrown material of LiMn2O4and LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Wang Jing , Yu Yang-yang , Wu Bi-he , Lin Wei-qing , Li Ji-yang , Zhao Jin-bao
Published: December 2014

Micro-/nano-structured spherical intergrown LiMn2O4–LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4(LMO–LNMO I, LiNi0.25Mn1.75O4) particles as a cathode material were synthesized by an impregnation method. The structural stability and electrical properties are superior to LMO, LNMO, and a mechanical mixture of them.
Polypropylene elastomer composite for the all-vanadium redox flow battery: current collector materials
Authors: Zhang Jihai , Zhou Tao , Xia Liping , Yuan Canyao , Zhang Weidong , Zhang Aiming
Published: December 2014

A PP-elastomer composite for a VRB current collector was prepared, and has low volume resistivity, good mechanical properties, and good corrosion resistance.
Preparation and performance of a novel graphene oxide sheets modified rare-earth luminescence material
Authors: Zhang Wenjun , Zou Xuefeng , Zhao Jinfeng
Published: December 2014

A novel luminescence material with long decay lifetime (1.82 ms), strong luminescence intensity, and good thermal and photo stability was synthesized.
Effect of chain architecture on the size, shape, and intrinsic viscosity of chains in polymer solutions: A molecular simulation study
Authors: Khabaz Fardin , Khare Rajesh
Published: December 2014

Effect of chain architecture on the chain size, shape, and intrinsic viscosity was investigated by performing molecular dynamics simulations of polymer solutions in a good solvent. Four types of chains – linear, comb shaped, H-shaped, and star – were studied for this purpose using a model in which the solvent particles were considered explicitly. Results indicated that the chain length (N) dependence of the mean squared radius of gyration of the chains followed a power-law behavior $\langle {R_{\rm g}^2 } \rangle ^{1/2} \sim N^\upsilon $⟨Rg2⟩1/2∼Nυ with scaling exponents of υ = 0.605, 0.642, 0.602, and 0.608, for the linear, comb shaped, H-shaped, and star shaped chains, respectively. The simulation results for the geometrical shrinking factor were higher than the prior theoretical predictions for comb shaped chains. Analysis of chain shape demonstrated that the star chains were significantly smaller and more spherical than the others, while the comb and H-shaped polymer chains showed a more cylindrical shape. It is shown that the intrinsic viscosity of the chains can be calculated by plotting the specific viscosity determined from simulations against the solution concentration. The intrinsic viscosity exhibited linear behavior with the reciprocal of the overlap concentration for all chain architectures studied. The molecular weight dependence of the intrinsic viscosity followed the Mark-Houwink relation, [η] = KMa, for all chain architectures. When comparing the calculated values of exponent a with the literature experimental values, agreement was found only for the H and star chains, and a disagreement for the linear and comb chains. The viscosity shrinking factor of the branched chains was compared with the available experimental data and the theoretical predictions and a general agreement was found.
CCSD(T) calculations of confined systems: In-crystal polarizabilities of F−, Cl−, O2 −, and S2 −
Authors: Holka F. , Urban M. , Neogrády P. , Paldus J.
Published: December 2014

We explore dipole polarizabilities of the singly and doubly charged anions F−, Cl−, O2 −, and S2 − in an external, harmonic oscillator (HO) confining potential \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\sum _i \frac{1}{2} \omega ^{2}r_{i}^{2}$\end{document}∑i12ω2ri2. We find that in contrast to F− and Cl− those for O2 − and S2 − are unrealistically high due to the instability of the corresponding restricted Hartree-Fock (RHF) solutions. Yet, already a relatively weak HO confining potential stabilizes their RHF solutions and eliminates any possible broken-symmetry solutions. The coupled-cluster theory with single, double and noniterative triple excitations (CCSD(T)) then yields considerably reduced polarizabilities for O2 − and S2 − relative to their unconfined values. We showed that polarizabilities of O2 − and S2 − are more sensitive to the strength of a confinement potential than are those for F− and Cl−. This enables us to relate the confining parameter ω with the known experimental polarizabilities for selected crystals (our “training set”) and to find a specific confining parameter ω for which the CCSD(T) polarizability equals the experimental in-crystal polarizability of an anion in the training set. The latter may then be used as an alternative approach for determining the in-crystal polarizabilities of anions by exploiting the fact that the characteristic ω values depend linearly on the ionic radius of a cation participating in specific crystals containing these anions. Using this method we then calculate the isotropic dipole polarizabilities for F−, Cl−, O2 −, and S2 − embedded in the LiF, LiCl, NaF, NaCl, KF, KCl, ZnO, ZnS, MgO, MgS, CaO, CaS, SrO, SrS, BaO, BaS, and other crystals containing halogen, oxygen, or sulphur anions. We compare our results with those obtained via alternative models of the in-crystal anionic polarizabilities.