bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Facile and One‐Step Synthesis of Visible‐Light‐Responsive Silver and Mesoporous Carbon Comodified Carbon–Zinc Oxide Composites
Authors: Wang Fangxiao , Liang Lin , Shi Lei , Liu Mengshuai , Sun Jianmin
Published: June 2015

Silver and mesoporous carbon (mC) comodified CZnO composites (Ag/mC/CZnO) were fabricated by a facile, one‐step process directly from C, Ag, and Zn precursors in CO2‐expanded ethanol, which provided a unique medium and did not require additional precipitant and mesoscaled organic templates. When the composite photocatalyst was applied to the degradation of rhodamine B and phenol, Ag/mC/CZnO exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in visible light. The remarkably improved catalytic activity of the composites was attributed to the following synergistic effects. The modification of mC enriched the adsorption of pollutants on the photocatalyst. Additionally, the mesopores of carbon provided a spacious path for the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. In addition to mC, carbon was also doped into ZnO, which narrowed the ZnO band gap. The modification of silver strengthened the absorbance of the visible region and improved the electron‐trapping ability.
Continuous fast focusing in a trapezoidal void channel based on bidirectional isotachophoresis in a wide pH range
Authors: Stastna Miroslava , Slais Karel
Published: June 2015

This study concentrates on development of instrumentation for focusing and separation of analytes in continuous flow. It is based on bidirectional ITP working in wide pH range with separation space of closed void channel of trapezoidal shape and continuous supply of sample. The novel instrumentation is working with electrolyte system formulated previously and on the contrary to devices currently available, it allows preparative separation and concentration of cationic, anionic, and amphoteric analytes simultaneously and in wide pH range. The formation of sharp edges at zone boundaries as well as low conductivity zones are avoided in suggested system and thus, local overheating is eliminated allowing for high current densities at initial stages of focusing. This results in high focusing speed and reduction of analysis time, which is particularly advantageous for separations performed in continuous flow systems. The closed void channel is designed to avoid basic obstacles related to liquid leakage, bubbles formation, contacts with electrodes, channel height and complicated assembling. The performance of designed instrumentation and focusing dynamics were tested by using colored low molecular mass pH indicators for local pH determination, focusing pattern, and completion. In addition, feasibility and separation efficiency were demonstrated by focusing of cytochrome C and myoglobin. The collection of fractions at instrument output allows for subsequent analysis and identification of sample components that are concentrated and conveniently in form of solution for further processing. Since the instrumentation operates with commercially available simple defined buffers and compounds without need of carrier ampholytes background, it is economically favorable.
Health Consequences of Rural‐to‐Urban Migration: Evidence from Panel Data in China
Authors: Song Yang , Sun Wenkai
Published: June 2015

This paper provides new empirical evidence on the health consequences of rural‐to‐urban migration in China. We use a panel dataset from 2003 to 2006 constructed by the Research Center on the Rural Economy at the Ministry of Agriculture in China to investigate the effects of short‐term and medium‐term migration on health status. By combining propensity‐score matching and the difference‐in‐difference model, we attempt to overcome the migration endogeneity issue and estimate the average treatment effect on the treated. We find that the effect of short‐term migration on health in China is significantly positive mostly because of the income effect. However, the effect of longer‐term continuous migration on health is insignificant and close to zero. Our results are robust to several alternative estimation techniques and a series of robustness checks. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Establishing A Web‐Centric Collaborative Engineering Framework — A Case Study
Authors: Myers Kenneth N.
Published: June 2015

Programs are increasingly requiring the involvement of knowledge workers throughout the broader enterprise. This article provides an overview of Collaborative Engineering Environment (CEE) concepts and describes some of our experience in implementing a framework to provide one.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Screening of Novel Anthranilic Diamides
Authors: Hua Xuewen , Mao Wutao , Fan Zhijin , Ji Xiaotian , Li Fengyun , Zong Guangning , Song Haibin , Tatiana Kalinina , Morzherin Yury Yu. , Belskaya Nataliya P. , Bakulev Vasiliy A.
Published: June 2015

Three series of new anthranilic diamide derivatives containing sulfide, N‐cyanomethylsulfilimine, and N‐cyanomethylsulfoximine groups were designed and synthesized by combining the active substructures of anthranilic diamides and sulfoxaflor. The structures of all newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR and 1H/13C‐NMR, and some of them were confirmed by elemental analysis or HRMS too. The synthesized compounds were screened for their insecticidal and fungicidal activities. Bioasssay results indicated that some of the synthesized compounds possessed certain degrees of insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata. However, some compounds exhibited good fungicidal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.
The Institutionalization of Genocidal Leadership: Pol Pot and a Cambodian Dystopia
Authors: Cunha Miguel Pina e , Rego Arménio , Clegg Stewart
Published: June 2015

Misleadership is defined as leadership process involving a complex interplay of leader, follower, and situational elements, inscribing a vicious circle of intensifying dysfunctional action. It is tempting to see misleadership as the result of the madness of one leader. It is also misleading. Leadership research has been insufficiently attentive to misleadership and, in particular, to the misleadership factors intervening in genocidal processes. Discussed in the current article are the antecedents and the rule of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia in the 1970s as an extreme case of misleadership. Lessons from the Polpotist dystopia are derived and reflections on possible contra‐strategies are presented. In particular, it is suggested that it is necessary to distinguish measures for social change that are admissible and positive, from negative utopian visions that are negative, inadmissible, and facilitative of evil leadership.
Processing, Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and dielectric properties of barium titanate/cellulosic polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Ali Ashraf F. , Hassan Mohammad L. , Ward Azza A. , El‐Giar Emad M.
Published: June 2015

High dielectric constant BaTiO3/ethyl cellulose (BT/EC) nanocomposites having BT loadings of up to 13 vol% were fabricated through a simple casting technique. The BT filler powder, synthesized through an ultrasonic‐assisted solid‐state route, was revealed by X‐ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy to be dominantly tetragonal. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed good dispersion of the BT nanoparticles in the EC polymer matrix at lower BT concentrations. However, at higher concentrations, the BT particles form a continuous phase or a “filler network” leading to weak BT/EC interactions. This finding is well supported by the results of the tensile strength and storage modulus. The dielectric properties of the BT/EC nanocomposites were investigated over wide ranges of frequency and temperature. The addition of BT significantly increased the permittivity (ε′) and dielectric loss (ε″) and improved the ionic conductivity of the EC. The electric modulus (M″) results were analyzed in terms of the Havriliak–Negami function through three distinct relaxation mechanisms (namely α, β*, and β relaxations) in the temperature range 30–150°C. The dc conductivity (σdc) results suggest that the BT/EC nanocomposites formed at low BT loading (up to 7.0 vol%) and a temperature of ≤60°C are good candidates for antistatic applications while those formed at higher concentrations and temperatures are recommended for use in electrostatic dissipation applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:893–907, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
The Limits of Observation for Understanding Mass Violence
Authors: Price Megan , Ball Patrick
Published: June 2015

Quantitative analyses have the potential to contribute to transitional justice mechanisms, via empirical evidence supporting the memory of victims, allocating proportional responsibility among perpetrators, determining legal responsibility, and supporting historical memory and clarity. However, most data available in transitional justice settings are incomplete. Conducting quantitative analyses relying solely on what is observable and knowable leads to not only incomplete but often incorrect analytical results. This can harm rather than contribute to transitional justice mechanisms. This article outlines different types of data, the ways in which observable data, on their own, are insufficient for most quantitative analyses of interest, presents these limitations via a case study from Syria, and introduces statistical methods to overcome these limitations.
Information Manipulation and Reform in Authoritarian Regimes
Authors: Chen Jidong , Xu Yiqing
Published: June 2015

We develop a theory of how an authoritarian regime interactively uses information manipulation, such as propaganda or censorship, and policy improvement to maintain social stability. The government can depict the status quo policy more popularly supported than it actually is, while at the same time please citizens directly by enacting a costly reform. We show that the government’s ability of making policy concessions reduces its incentive to manipulate information and improves its credibility. Anticipating a higher chance of policy concessions and less information manipulation, citizens are more likely to believe the government-provided information and support the regime. Our model provides an explanation for the puzzling fact that reform coexists with selective information disclosure in authoritarian countries like China.
Necessary conditions for breathers on continuous media to approximate breathers on discrete lattices
Authors: SMITH WARREN R. , WATTIS JONATHAN A. D.
Published: June 2015

The sine-Gordon (SG) partial differential equation (PDE) with an arbitrary perturbation is initially considered. Using the method of Kuzmak–Luke, we investigate the conditions, which the perturbation must satisfy, for a breather solution to be a valid leading-order asymptotic approximation to the perturbed problem. We analyse the cases of both stationary and moving breathers. As examples, we consider perturbing terms which include typical linear damping, periodic sinusoidal driving, and dispersion. The motivation for this study is that the mathematical modelling of physical systems often leads to the discrete SG system of ordinary differential equations, which are then approximated in the long wavelength limit by the continuous SG PDE. Such limits typically produce fourth-order spatial derivatives as correction terms. The new results show that the stationary breather solution is a consistent solution of both the quasi-continuum SG equation and the forced/damped SG system. However, the moving breather is only a consistent solution of the quasi-continuum SG equation and not the damped SG system.
Amazon Rain Forest Nourished by African Dust
Authors: Cook Terri
Published: June 2015

New satellite data highlight the important role African dust plays in maintaining the rain forest's long-term health.
Maxwell’s demon in biochemical signal transduction with feedback loop
Authors: Ito Sosuke , Sagawa Takahiro
Published: June 2015

Signal transduction in living cells is vital to maintain life itself, where information transfer in noisy environment plays a significant role. In a rather different context, the recent intensive research on ‘Maxwell's demon’—a feedback controller that utilizes information of individual molecules—have led to a unified theory of information and thermodynamics. Here we combine these two streams of research, and show that the second law of thermodynamics with information reveals the fundamental limit of the robustness of signal transduction against environmental fluctuations. Especially, we find that the degree of robustness is quantitatively characterized by an informational quantity called transfer entropy. Our information-thermodynamic approach is applicable to biological communication inside cells, in which there is no explicit channel coding in contrast to artificial communication. Our result could open up a novel biophysical approach to understand information processing in living systems on the basis of the fundamental information–thermodynamics link.
Towards combinatorial mixing devices without any pumps by open-capillary channels: fundamentals and applications
Authors: Tani Marie , Kawano Ryuji , Kamiya Koki , Okumura Ko
Published: June 2015

In chemistry, biology, medical sciences and pharmaceutical industries, many reactions have to be checked by transporting and mixing expensive liquids. For such purposes, microfluidics systems consisting of closed channels with external pumps have been useful. However, the usage has been limited because of high fabrication cost and need for a fixed setup. Here, we show that open-capillary channels, which can be fabricated outside a clean room on durable substrates and are washable and reusable, are considerably promising for micro-devices that function without pumps, as a result of detailed studies on the imbibition of open micro-channels. We find that the statics and dynamics of the imbibition follow simple scaling laws in a wide and practical range; although a precursor film obeying a universal dynamics appears in the vertical imbibition, it disappears in the horizontal mode to make the design of complex micro-channel geometry feasible. We fabricate micro open-channel devices without any pumps to express the green florescent protein (GFP) by transporting highly viscous solutions and to accomplish simultaneous chemical reactions for the Bromothymol blue (BTB) solution. We envision that open-capillary devices will become a simple and low-cost option to achieve microfluidic devices that are usable in small clinics and field studies.
Universal elastic-hardening-driven mechanical instability in α-quartz and quartz homeotypes under pressure
Authors: Dong Juncai , Zhu Hailiang , Chen Dongliang
Published: June 2015

As a fundamental property of pressure-induced amorphization (PIA) in ice and ice-like materials (notably α-quartz), the occurrence of mechanical instability can be related to violation of Born criteria for elasticity. The most outstanding elastic feature of α-quartz before PIA has been experimentally reported to be the linear softening of shear modulus C44, which was proposed to trigger the transition through Born criteria B3. However, by using density-functional theory, we surprisingly found that both C44 and C66 in α-quartz exhibit strong nonlinearity under compression and the Born criteria B3 vanishes dominated by stiffening of C14, instead of by decreasing of C44. Further studies of archetypal quartz homeotypes (GeO2 and AlPO4) repeatedly reproduced the same elastic-hardening-driven mechanical instability, suggesting a universal feature of this family of crystals and challenging the long-standing idea that negative pressure derivatives of individual elastic moduli can be interpreted as the precursor effect to an intrinsic structural instability preceding PIA. The implications of this elastic anomaly in relation to the dispersive softening of the lowest acoustic branch and the possible transformation mechanism were also discussed.
Power generating reflective-type liquid crystal displays using a reflective polariser and a polymer solar cell
Authors: Ho Huh Yoon , Park Byoungchoo
Published: June 2015

We herein report the results of a study of a power generating reflective-type liquid crystal display (LCD), composed of a 90° twisted nematic (TN) LC cell attached to the top of a light-absorbing polymer solar cell (PSC), i.e., a Solar-LCD. The PSC consisted of a polymer bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic (PV) layer of poly[[9-(1-octylnonyl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl]-2,5-thiophenediyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,7-diyl-2,5-thiophenediyl] and [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PCDTBT:PCBM70) and showed a high power conversion efficiency of about 5%. In order to improve the visibility of the Solar-LCD, between the TN-LC and the PV cells we inserted a reflective polariser of a giant birefringent optical (GBO) film. The reflectivity from the Solar-LCD was observed to be considerably increased by more than 13–15% under illumination by visible light. The Solar-LCD also exhibited a significantly improved contrast ratio of more than 17–19. We believe there is a clear case for using such Solar-LCDs in new power-generating reflective-type displays; taken as a whole these results also demonstrate the possibility of their application in a number of energy-harvesting opto-electrical display devices.
Unsupervised segmentation of low-contrast multichannel images: discrimination of tissue components in microscopic images of unstained specimens
Authors: Kopriva Ivica , Popović Hadžija Marijana , Hadžija Mirko , Aralica Gorana
Published: June 2015

Low-contrast images, such as color microscopic images of unstained histological specimens, are composed of objects with highly correlated spectral profiles. Such images are very hard to segment. Here, we present a method that nonlinearly maps low-contrast color image into an image with an increased number of non-physical channels and a decreased correlation between spectral profiles. The method is a proof-of-concept validated on the unsupervised segmentation of color images of unstained specimens, in which case the tissue components appear colorless when viewed under the light microscope. Specimens of human hepatocellular carcinoma, human liver with metastasis from colon and gastric cancer and mouse fatty liver were used for validation. The average correlation between the spectral profiles of the tissue components was greater than 0.9985 and the worst case correlation was greater than 0.9997. The proposed method can potentially be applied to the segmentation of low-contrast multichannel images with high spatial resolution that arise in other imaging modalities.
Temperature-induced shifts in hibernation behavior in experimental amphibian populations
Authors: Gao Xu , Jin Changnan , Llusia Diego , Li Yiming
Published: June 2015

Phenological shifts are primary responses of species to recent climate change. Such changes might lead to temporal mismatches in food webs and exacerbate species vulnerability. Yet insights into this phenomenon through experimental approaches are still scarce, especially in amphibians, which are particularly sensitive to changing thermal environments. Here, under controlled warming conditions, we report a critical, but poorly studied, life-cycle stage (i.e., hibernation) in frogs inhabiting subtropical latitudes. Using outdoor mesocosm experiments, we examined the effects of temperature (ambient vs. + ~2.2/2.4 °C of pre-/post-hibernation warming) and food availability (normal vs. 1/3 food) on the date of entrance into/emergence from hibernation in Pelophylax nigromaculatus. We found temperature was the major factor determining the hibernation period, which showed a significant shortening under experimental warming (6–8 days), with delays in autumn and advances in spring. Moreover, the timing of hibernation was not affected by food availability, whereas sex and, particularly, age were key factors in the species’ phenological responses. Specifically, male individuals emerged from hibernation earlier, while older individuals also entered and emerged from hibernation earlier. We believe that this study provides some of the first experimental evidence for the effect of climate warming on the timing of amphibian hibernation.
Forensic electrochemistry: indirect electrochemical sensing of the components of the new psychoactive substance “Synthacaine”
Authors: Cumba Loanda R. , Kolliopoulos Athanasios V. , Smith Jamie P. , Thompson Paul D. , Evans Peter R. , Sutcliffe Oliver B. , do Carmo Devaney R. , Banks Craig E.
Published: June 2015

For the first time a novel indirect, independently validated, electrochemical protocol for the sensing of MPA and 2-AI (“Synthacaine”) is reported.
Controlled release from protein particles encapsulated by molecular layer deposition
Authors: Vasudevan Siddarth A. , Xu Yaolin , Karwal Saurabh , van Ostaay Helena G. M. E. , Meesters Gabriel M. H. , Talebi Mojgan , Sudhölter Ernst J. R. , Ruud van Ommen J.
Published: June 2015

Molecular layer deposition was applied for coating micron-sized protein particles to control their dissolution behaviour.
Two-step energy transfer enables use of phenylalanine in action-EET for distance constraint determination in gaseous biomolecules
Authors: Hendricks Nathan G. , Julian Ryan R.
Published: June 2015

Two-step energy transfer is observed between phenylalanine, tyrosine, and modified cysteine. This gas-phase system enables use of phenylalanine in energy transfer experiments, provides specific distance information for structure determination, and is easily examined with mass spectrometry.
The N,N′-dioxide/Ni(ii)-catalyzed asymmetric inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels–Alder reaction of methyleneindolinones with hetero-substituted alkenes
Authors: Zhou Yuhang , Lin Lili , Yin Chengkai , Wang Zhengmeng , Liu Xiaohua , Feng Xiaoming
Published: June 2015

The asymmetric inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels–Alder reaction of methyleneindolinones with hetero-substituted alkenes catalyzed by chiral N,N′-dioxide/Ni(ii) complexes has been accomplished, affording dihydropyran-fused indoles in up to 99% yield, >95 : 5 dr and 99% ee.
Hindered rotational physisorption states of H2 on Ag(111) surfaces
Authors: Kunisada Y. , Kasai H.
Published: June 2015

We clarified the non-negligible potential anisotropy in H2/Ag(111) systems.
New insights into the thermal behaviour of organic ionic plastic crystals: magnetic resonance imaging of polycrystalline morphology alterations induced by solid–solid phase transitions
Authors: Romanenko Konstantin , Pringle Jennifer M. , O'Dell Luke A. , Forsyth Maria
Published: June 2015

Morphology alterations induced by solid–solid phase transitions in Organic Ionic Plastic Crystals (OIPC) elucidate molecular dynamics, micro-structural behaviour and conductive properties of OIPCs.
Comparison of self-assembled and micelle encapsulated QD chemosensor constructs for biological sensing
Authors: Lemon Christopher M. , Nocera Daniel G.
Published: June 2015

Whereas a variety of covalent conjugation strategies have been utilized to prepare quantum dot (QD)-based nanosensors, supramolecular approaches of self-assembly have been underexplored. A major advantage of self-assembly is the ability to circumvent laborious synthetic efforts attendant to covalent conjugation of a chemosensor to functionalized QDs. Here, we combine a CdSe/ZnS core–shell QD with gold(iii) corroles using both self-assembly and micelle encapsulation to form QD nanosensors. Appreciable spectral overlap between QD emission and corrole absorption results in efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), which may be initiated by one- or two-photon excitation. The triplet state of the gold(iii) corroles is quenched by molecular oxygen, enabling these constructs to function as optical O2 sensors, which is useful for the metabolic profiling of tumours. The photophysical properties, including QD and corrole lifetimes, FRET efficiency, and O2 sensitivity, have been determined for each construct. The relative merits of each conjugation strategy are assessed with regard to their implementation as sensors.
Application of quaternary Cu2ZnSnS4 quantum dot-sensitized solar cells based on the hydrolysis approach
Authors: Bai Bing , Kou Dongxing , Zhou Wenhui , Zhou Zhengji , Wu Sixin
Published: June 2015

A novel synthesis and functionalization strategy for presynthesized Cu2ZnSnS4 QDs is developed by utilizing mercapto-acetic acid octyl ester as capping ligand. Unlike the common ligand exchange approach, the long alkyl chains are removed via hydrolysis procedure.
Long-chain alkylamide-derived oil gels: mixing induced onset of thixotropy and application in sustained drug release
Authors: Ohsedo Yutaka , Taniguchi Makiko , Oono Masashi , Saruhashi Kowichiro , Watanabe Hisayuki
Published: June 2015

Oil gels composed of long-chain alkylamides exhibited thixotropic properties, although the same property was absent in each alkylamide.
New insight into photo-induced electron transfer with a simple ubiquinone-based triphenylamine model
Authors: Liu Xiao-Yuan , Long Yi-Tao , Tian He
Published: June 2015

A ubiquinone-based triphenylamine system was designed as a simple model to study the photo-induced electron transfer (PET).
Facet selectivity in gold binding peptides: exploiting interfacial water structure
Authors: Wright Louise B. , Palafox-Hernandez J. Pablo , Rodger P. Mark , Corni Stefano , Walsh Tiffany R.
Published: June 2015

We demonstrate that surface hydration is a key factor in dictating the free energy of non-covalent peptide-materials recognition.
Experimental demonstration of pH-dependent electrostatic catalysis of radical reactions
Authors: Klinska Marta , Smith Leesa M. , Gryn'ova Ganna , Banwell Martin G. , Coote Michelle L.
Published: June 2015

Fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated pH-dependent electrostatic effects on the kinetics and thermodynamics of hydrogen atom transfer between 1-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinecarboxylic acid and {2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-[(7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl)amino]-1-piperidinyl}oxidanyl radical in dichloromethane.
Stick–slip water penetration into capillaries coated with swelling hydrogel
Authors: Silva J. E. , Geryak R. , Loney D. A. , Kottke P. A. , Naik R. R. , Tsukruk V. V. , Fedorov A. G.
Published: June 2015

Capillaries coated with hydrogel on their inner wall fill via a stick–slip dominated process, with elastocapillary pining halting water meniscus motion, and polymer softening and increasing surface wettability initiating slip events.
Structure investigation of nanohybrid PDMA/silica hydrogels at rest and under uniaxial deformation
Authors: Rose Séverine , Marcellan Alba , Narita Tetsuharu , Boué François , Cousin Fabrice , Hourdet Dominique
Published: June 2015

Nano-hybrid hydrogels were prepared by cross-linking polymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) within a dispersion of silica nano-particles.
Plasmon enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of ternary Ag2Mo2O7@AgBr–Ag rod-like heterostructures
Authors: Shen Cong-Cong , Zhu Qing , Zhao Zhi-Wei , Wen Tao , Wang Xiangke , Xu An-Wu
Published: June 2015

Ternary Ag2Mo2O7@AgBr–Ag rod-like heterostructures have been fabricated with an enhanced performance for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB).
Hierarchical porous CNTs@NCS@MnO2composites: rational design and high asymmetric supercapacitor performance
Authors: Li Lei , Li Rumin , Gai Shili , Gao Peng , He Fei , Zhang Milin , Chen Yujin , Yang Piaoping
Published: June 2015

A hierarchical porous CNTs@NCS@MnO2composite was synthesized by a facilein situchemical polymerization coating method, followed by a hydrothermal process, which exhibits high asymmetric performance.
Frequency-regulated pulsed electrodeposition of CuInS2 on ZnO nanorod arrays as visible light photoanodes
Authors: Tang Yiming , Wang Peng , Yun Jung-Ho , Amal Rose , Ng Yun Hau
Published: June 2015

High quality coating of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods with CuInS2 nanoparticles is achieved by a pulse-regulated electrodeposition method.
Preparation and antitumor effect evaluation of composite microparticles co-loaded with siRNA and paclitaxel by a supercritical process
Authors: Chen Ai-Zheng , Kang Yong-Qiang , Wang Shi-Bin , Tang Na , Su Xiao-Qian
Published: June 2015

Nanoparticle-embedded composite microparticles co-loaded with siRNA and paclitaxel achieve a significantly better synergistic effect than single dosage.
Modelling radio refractive index in the atmospheric surface layer
Authors: Salamon S.J. , Hansen H.J. , Abbott D.
Published: June 2015

Knowledge of the refractive index profile at radio frequencies in the surface layer of the atmosphere is required to predict the performance of terrestrial radio systems, and although a constant gradient of refractivity with height is often assumed, both measurements and theory suggest that gradients in the lowest 20 m of the atmosphere may often be greater than those above this level. For the special case of evaporation ducts over water in a neutral atmosphere, a logarithmic refractivity profile is normally assumed, but a general model that includes both this case and the linear profile as special cases is proposed, which may also be used to approximately model stable and unstable surface atmospheres. This new model may be particularly suited to predicting sub‐refractive fading.
14‐bit 20 μW column‐level two‐step ADC for 640 × 512 IRFPA
Authors: Wang Guannan , Lu Wengao , Zhang Luya , Zhang Yacong , Chen Zhongjian
Published: June 2015

A column‐level two‐step analogue‐to‐digital converter (ADC) structure for infrared focal‐plane array (IRFPA) is proposed. The first step adopts a 16‐column‐shared 6‐bit flash ADC to accomplish the coarse conversion of 16 columns one by one. Owing to the staggered code and correction, a dynamic comparator is adopted in the flash ADC and the power dissipation of a flash ADC averaged to one column in period is only 0.386 μW. The second step is SAR conversion of which the cycle time is prolonged. The input voltage variation of the comparator in the charge redistribution structure is decreased to tens of millivolts; so a 1.8 V power supply is adequate in spite of 5 V VFS. The power dissipation of this comparator is reduced to 5.966 μW. Also, the lower clock frequency of the SAR logic reduces the dynamic power. A 14‐bit two‐step ADC is designed in 0.18 μm process and the equivalent power dissipation of the proposed ADC structure for one column is <20 μW.
Numerical study on horizontal convection of a rarefied gas over a non-isothermal plane wall
Authors: Tsuji Tetsuro , Katto Yudai , Kawano Satoyuki
Published: June 2015

A rarefied gas over an infinite plane wall with non-uniform periodic temperature distribution is considered under the effect of gravity. The Knudsen number and the Froude number are defined as the mean free path of gas molecules and the scale height at a reference state divided by the length of the period, respectively. Based on the kinetic theory of gases, the steady two-dimensional gas flow is investigated numerically for a wide range of parameters. The cases of a free molecular gas are analyzed by a deterministically accurate method, which enables the computation for large Froude numbers, i.e., vanishingly small gravity. The flow pattern is shown to be slightly effected by the Froude number when the Froude number is large, whereas the flow magnitude is proportional to the inverse of the Froude number. As a result, the flow vanishes in the limit of zero gravity. This is not a trivial consequence because the case of an infinite Froude number is different from the same setting without gravity. The cases of finite Knudsen numbers are investigated by the direct simulation Monte Carlo method for a hard sphere gas, and the flow characteristics are shown to be dominated by the presence of gravity for cases in which the Knudsen number is larger than the Froude number.
Development and application of an apparatus for high-temperature measurement of magnetic susceptibility
Authors: Ren Weili , Liu Bin , Liu Hongyu , Zhong Yunbo , Yu Jianbo , Ren Zhongming , Yongchun Liang , Zhong Wanli , Liaw Peter K.
Published: June 2015

An apparatus for high-temperature measurement of magnetic susceptibility using the modified Gouy method was developed. It can be used at temperatures of up to 1200 °C. The apparatus consists of the heating system, weighing system, and temperature-programming controller. The sample should be placed at a position of relatively constant BdBdz in a gradient magnetic field. Each crucible is used only once for a single measurement to reduce the error. The reliable accuracy and good repeatability of the apparatus are demonstrated by measuring the magnetic susceptibilities of a DD483 superalloy, Ni-based solid solution alloy, and Ni3Al-based solid solution alloy at various temperatures. The results also successfully explain the change in the γ′ precipitation in DD483 superalloys. Therefore, the apparatus provides a convenient and powerful tool for investigating high-temperature phase transitions in the presence of a magnetic field.
Plasmon-induced charge separation at two-dimensional gold semishell arrays on SiO2@TiO2 colloidal crystals
Authors: Wu Ling , Nishi Hiroyasu , Tatsuma Tetsu
Published: June 2015

Photoelectrodes based on plasmonic Au semishell (or halfshell) arrays are developed. A colloidal crystal consisting of SiO2@TiO2 core-shell particles is prepared on a TiO2-coated transparent electrode. A Au semishell (or halfshell) array is deposited by sputtering or evaporation on the colloidal crystal. An electrode with the semishell (or halfshell) array exhibits negative photopotential shifts and anodic photocurrents under visible light at 500-800 nm wavelengths in an aqueous electrolyte containing an electron donor. In particular, hydroquinone and ethanol are good electron donors. The photocurrents can be explained in terms of plasmon-induced charge separation at the Au-TiO2 interface.
Epitaxial wurtzite-MgZnO barrier based magnetic tunnel junctions deposited on a metallic ferromagnetic electrode
Authors: Belmoubarik M. , Al-Mahdawi M. , Sato H. , Nozaki T. , Sahashi M.
Published: June 2015

An epitaxial wurtzite (WZ) Mg0.23Zn0.77O barrier based magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), with electrode-barrier structure of Co0.30Pt0.70 (111)/Mg0.23Zn0.77O (0001)/Co (0001), was fabricated. The good crystallinity and tunneling properties were experimentally confirmed. Electrical and magnetic investigations demonstrated its high resistance-area product of 1.05 MΩ μm2, a maximum tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) of 35.5%, and the existence of localized states within the tunneling barrier producing TMR rapid decrease and oscillation when increasing the applied bias voltage. The TMR value almost vanished at 200 K, which was attributed to the induced moment and strong spin-orbit coupling in Pt atoms at the Co0.30Pt0.70/Mg0.23Zn0.77O interface. Owing to the ferroelectric behavior in WZ-MgZnO materials, the fabrication of WZ-MgZnO barrier based MTJs deposited on a metallic ferromagnetic electrode will open routes for electrically controllable non-volatile devices that are compatible with CMOS technology.
Interactive effects of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed extract supplementation and dietary metabolisable energy levels on the growth performance, total tract digestibility, blood profiles, and excreta gas emission in broiler chickens
Authors: Park J. H. , Kim I. H.
Published: June 2015

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of fenugreek seed extract (FSE) supplementation of broiler diets containing two levels of metabolisable energy (ME) on the growth performance, nutrient retention, blood profile, and excreta gas emission. A total of 816, day-old broilers (Ross 308) were allotted to four treatments, with 12 replications and 17 broilers per replication for 28 days. Experimental treatments consisted of a 2 × 2 factorial design with two dietary energy levels [high ME or low ME (high ME – 100 kcal less], and two levels of supplemental FSE (0% or 0.1%). The results showed that broilers fed with high ME or 0.1% FSE diet during 1–14 days showed improvement in bodyweight gain, compared with low ME or no FSE treatment, respectively (P < 0.05). Total tract digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen of broilers fed with 0.1% FSE were observed to be higher than that with no FSE treatments (P < 0.05). The interaction between ME level and FSE supplementation for total- and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was indicated by a significant decrease in total- and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol when FSE was added in a higher ME diet (P ≤ 0.05). Excreta ammonia gas emission in low ME or 0.1% FSE treatment was found to be lower than in high ME or no FSE treatments, respectively (P < 0.05). These results show that adding FSE at a level of 0.1% in diet can improve the early weight gain, total tract digestibility, and decrease excreta ammonia gas emission of broilers. In addition, reduction in total- and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was observed to be more effective by the supplementation of 0.1% FSE in high ME groups.
Rising temperature may negate the stimulatory effect of rising CO2 on growth and physiology of Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis)
Authors: Lewis James D. , Phillips Nathan G. , Logan Barry A. , Smith Renee A. , Aranjuelo Iker , Clarke Steve , Offord Catherine A. , Frith Allison , Barbour Margaret , Huxman Travis , Tissue David T.
Published: June 2015

Rising atmospheric [CO2] is associated with increased air temperature, and this warming may drive many rare plant species to extinction. However, to date, studies on the interactive effects of rising [CO2] and warming have focussed on just a few widely distributed plant species. Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis W.G.Jones, K.D.Hill, & J.M.Allen), formerly widespread in Australia, was reduced to a remnant population of fewer than 100 genetically indistinguishable individuals. Here, we examined the interactive effects of three [CO2] (290, 400 and 650 ppm) and two temperature (ambient, ambient + 4°C) treatments on clonally-propagated Wollemi pine grown for 17 months in glasshouses under well-watered and fertilised conditions. In general, the effects of rising [CO2] and temperature on growth and physiology were not interactive. Rising [CO2] increased shoot growth, light-saturated net photosynthetic rates (Asat) and net carbon gain. Higher net carbon gain was due to increased maximum apparent quantum yield and reduced non-photorespiratory respiration in the light, which also reduced the light compensation point. In contrast, increasing temperature reduced stem growth and Asat. Compensatory changes in mesophyll conductance and stomatal regulation suggest a narrow functional range of optimal water and CO2 flux co-regulation. These results suggest Asat and growth of the surviving genotype of Wollemi pine may continue to increase with rising [CO2], but increasing temperatures may offset these effects, and challenges to physiological and morphological controls over water and carbon trade-offs may push the remnant wild population of Wollemi pine towards extinction.
The hypoxia that developed in a microtidal estuary following an extreme storm produced dramatic changes in the benthos
Authors: Tweedley James R. , Hallett Chris S. , Warwick Richard M. , Clarke K. Robert , Potter Ian C.
Published: June 2015

Runoff from an extreme storm on 22 March 2010 led, during the next 3 months, to the formation of a pronounced halocline and underlying hypoxia in the upper reaches of the microtidal Swan–Canning Estuary. Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled between January 2010 and October 2011 at five sites along 10km of this region. By mid-April, the number of species, total density, Simpson’s evenness index and taxonomic distinctness had declined markedly, crustaceans had disappeared and the densities of annelids and molluscs had declined slightly. These faunal attributes (except Simpson’s index) and species composition did not recover until after the end of the hypoxia. The survival of annelids and loss of crustaceans in this period reflects different sensitivities of these taxa to severe environmental stress. The results emphasise that microtidal estuaries with long residence times are highly vulnerable to the effects of environmental perturbations, particularly during warmer periods of the year.
Solid−liquid critical behavior of water in nanopores
Authors: Mochizuki Kenji , Koga Kenichiro
Published: June 2015

Significance

It is commonly believed that the solid−liquid critical point does not exist, because of the famous symmetry argument and the lack of experimental observation so far. However, recently, the intriguing possibility of the critical point has been suggested for strongly confined substances. Here we perform molecular dynamics simulations of water confined in carbon nanotubes and provide unambiguous evidence of the solid−liquid critical point for water in the hydrophobic nanopore: macroscopic solid–liquid phase separation below a critical temperature
T

c

, diverging heat capacity and isothermal compressibility at around
T

c

, and the loci of response function maxima above
T

c

. We also give a molecular level explanation for how liquid water continuously freezes to ice along a thermodynamic path avoiding the first-order phase boundary.
RNA ligation in neurons by RtcB inhibits axon regeneration
Authors: Kosmaczewski Sara Guckian , Han Sung Min , Han Bingjie , Irving Meyer Benjamin , Baig Huma S. , Athar Wardah , Lin-Moore Alexander T. , Koelle Michael R. , Hammarlund Marc
Published: June 2015

Significance

Neurons use RNA modification to control specific functions by generating increased complexity and dynamism relative to the static genome. Known mechanisms of neuronal RNA modification include neuron-specific regulation of alternative splicing and mRNA editing by adenosine deaminases. Here, we identify a previously unidentified mechanism for RNA modification in neurons that is mediated by the RNA ligase RtcB. RtcB activity acts in neurons to regulate axon regeneration, and this neuronal function is independent of RtcB’s previously identified roles in tRNA and XBP1 mRNA ligation. RtcB’s function in axon regeneration is also independent of its cofactor archease, and RtcB translocates from the cell body of neurons to the stumps of injured axons. Taken together, these data establish a new function and mechanism for RtcB in inhibiting axon regeneration.
Allosteric interactions between agonists and antagonists within the adenosine A
2A
receptor-dopamine D
2
receptor heterotetramer
Authors: Bonaventura Jordi , Navarro Gemma , Casadó-Anguera Verònica , Azdad Karima , Rea William , Moreno Estefanía , Brugarolas Marc , Mallol Josefa , Canela Enric I. , Lluís Carme , Cortés Antoni , Volkow Nora D. , Schiffmann Serge N. , Ferré Sergi , Casadó Vicent
Published: June 2015

Significance

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest plasma membrane protein family involved in cell signaling. GPCR homodimers are predominant species, and GPCR heteromers likely are constituted by heteromers of homodimers. The adenosine A
2A
receptor (A
2A
R)-dopamine D
2
receptor (D
2
R) heteromer is a target for the nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist caffeine. This study uncovers allosteric modulations of A
2A
R antagonists that mimic those of A
2A
R agonists, challenging the traditional view of antagonists as inactive ligands. These allosteric modulations disappear when agonist and antagonist are coadministered, however. A model is proposed that considers A
2A
R-D
2
R heteromers as heterotetramers, constituted by A
2A
R and D
2
R homodimers. The model predicted that high concentrations of A
2A
R antagonists would behave as A
2A
R agonists and decrease D
2
R function in the brain.
Construction of identity and the rhetoric of lying in Romanian political discourse
Authors: Hoinărescu Liliana
Published: June 2015

Starting from the pragmatic descriptions of lying and the most influential theories concerning social identity, this paper explores, on the basis of authentic examples, the relationship between identity construction and the rhetoric of lying in Romanian political discourse. We are interested in presenting, on the one hand, the strategies used to denounce a political leader as a liar and to fix this negative image in the collective imagination and, on the other hand, the strategy used by the politician to refute these accusations and rebuild his credibility ethos. Through this analysis, the paper also addresses the questions of the social and moral implications of lying in Romanian public space.
Knowing, Unknowing, Believing stances and characters’ dialogic identities in theHarry Potterbooks
Authors: Dorigato Laura , Philip Gill , Bongelli Ramona , Zuczkowski Andrzej
Published: June 2015

In a previous paper (Philip et al. 2013) we presented the analysis of the main characters’ identities, as they emerge from the dialogues in Chapter 10 of the seventh book of the Harry Potter series, in relation to their Knowing, Unknowing, and Believing epistemic stances. The aim of the present study is to expand this analysis to all seven books of the same saga, in particular focusing on how Harry and Lord Voldemort negotiate, construct, and develop their identities and how they evolve in what they know, believe, and do not know through the dialogues in the seven books. This study also aims to compare this linguistic analysis to a literary one. The results show that the epistemic roles in the dialogues support the characters’ identities in the narrative.
Ways of encoding attention to the interlocutor in contemporary spoken Spanish
Authors: Cornillie Bert , De Cock Barbara
Published: June 2015

The papers in this volume examine how Spanish speakers express attention to their interlocutors (or co-participants) verbally. It is now generally accepted that subjective expressions have interactional functions, encouraging the flow of discussion and creating cohesive discourse and that there are several ways of dealing with the intersubjective or dialogic nature of language: (i) studying heteroglossia or dialoguing voices in monologic texts, (ii) focusing on how in talk-in-interaction speakers refer to information held by the co-participant, (iii) examining intersubjective markers that encode the speaker’s assumptions about the co-participant. Concepts such as politeness, argumentation structure, attenuation and hedging are being used to account for the interactional dynamics examined. Moreover, several papers analyze the difference between spoken and written registers and some offer new evidence for functional paths of linguistic change. In doing so, they enrich previous accounts of modality, discourse markers, person referencing, spatial deixis and connectives in Spanish and beyond.
Subjectivity, intersubjectivity and non-subjectivity across spoken language genres
Authors: De Cock Barbara
Published: June 2015

Various authors have pointed out a relationship between (inter)subjectivity and spoken language. This article looks into the relationship between subjectivity, intersubjectivity, non-subjectivity and spoken discourse genres in a more detailed way. On the basis of a quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis of informal conversation, TV-debates and parliamentary debates, this article offers a detailed operationalization of the concepts of subjectivity, intersubjectivity and non-subjectivity, and shows that they may be expressed not only in person deixis (which is typically associated with these phenomena) but also in impersonal strategies. On the other hand, the analysis of three spoken discourse genres shows that these concepts contribute to establishing a more detailed genre typology. Moreover, they allow for describing more accurately the usage pattern of specific deictic and impersonal strategies.
Operadores de comentario y argumentación
Authors: Fuentes-Rodríguez Catalina
Published: June 2015

Los operadores argumentativos de comentario son unidades que introducen una evaluación del hablante sobre lo dicho. Se diferencian de otros operadores argumentativos en que presentan unafterthoughto información añadida que apunta a la fuerza argumentativa de lo asertado. Estas expresiones actúan como sobrerrealizantes o realizantes y aún no han culminado su proceso de lexicalización y gramaticalización.