bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DDoS defence: new tactics for a rising shadow industry
Authors: Ray Terry
Published: April 2020

From huge volumetric attacks to highly sophisticated application-level threats, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are getting smarter, more persistent and more dangerous than ever. Given today's threat landscape and the availability of inexpensive, ‘do it yourself’ DDoS tools, online businesses need to take DDoS mitigation seriously. Uptime is the lifeblood of modern business, but these attacks can cripple a website or online application in minutes, resulting in lost revenues, reputational damage and reduced customer confidence.

From huge volumetric attacks to highly sophisticated application-level threats, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are getting smarter, more persistent and more dangerous.

Online businesses need to take DDoS mitigation seriously. Uptime is the lifeblood of modern business, but these attacks can cripple a website or online application in minutes, resulting in lost revenues, reputational damage and reduced customer confidence. You need a solution that employs automation technology to detect attacks automatically within seconds, says Terry Ray of Imperva.
Explaining Toad Bones in Southern Appalachian Archaeological Deposits
Authors: Whyte Thomas R. , Compton J. Matthew
Published: April 2020

Toad bones, sometimes occurring in great numbers in pit features and other contexts in Native American village and mound sites in the Appalachian Summit, have been interpreted as evidence that toads were consumed, used for their purportedly hallucinogenic toad venom, placed as ritual deposits, or naturally entrapped/intrusive. A paucity or lack of bones of the head in some contexts is suggestive of decapitation and consumption of toads. Alternatively, bones of the head may be less preservable, recoverable, or identifiable. This study examines toad remains on Appalachian Summit late precontact and contact period sites, reviews previous experimentation, and presents a new experimental study undertaken to identify agencies of accumulation. We propose that toads were regularly consumed and possibly as part of ritualized events associated with village and mound construction. The temporal and geographic restriction of this practice to the Pisgah and Qualla phases of the Appalachian Summit suggests subsistence ethnicity as alluded to in historical accounts.
Red Bird and Sequoyah: A Reply to Simek et al.
Authors: Tankersley Kenneth Barnett , Weeks William Rex
Published: April 2020

Red Bird was a Cherokee murdered at the Red Bird River Petroglyph site (15Cy51) and buried at the Red Bird River Rockshelter (15Cy52) during the late eighteenth century, where he left an important record of traditional petroglyphs. His legacy is key to understanding the origins of Sequoyah's Cherokee Syllabary and its relationship to rock art. Personal testimonies of Red Bird's descendants are supported by primary documents and archaeological evidence, including the letters of Sequoyah's maternal uncle, John Watts, and prototypes of Cherokee Syllabary characters engraved at 15Cy52 in 1808, when members of Sequoyah's matrilineal family resided nearby.
There Is No Cherokee Syllabary at Red Bird River Shelter (15CY52): Reply to Tankersley and Weeks
Authors: Simek Jan F. , Carroll Beau Duke , Reed Julie , Cressler Alan , Belt Tom , Adams Wayna , White Mary
Published: April 2020

Despite new arguments by Tankersley and Weeks that we misinterpreted petroglyph engravings and ignored site formation processes at the Red Bird River Shelter in Kentucky (15CY52), we remain convinced that there is no evidence for Cherokee Syllabary writing at the site. The petroglyphs are clearly not symbols present in any version of the Cherokee Syllabary. There is no empirical evidence for any site formation processes that have altered the shelter or its petroglyphs in the ways they suggest. There is still no evidence that Sequoyah ever spent any time in the vicinity of Red Bird River Shelter.
Isotopic Confirmation of the Timing and Intensity of Maize Consumption in Greater Cahokia
Authors: Emerson Thomas E. , Hedman Kristin M. , Simon Mary L. , Fort Mathew A. , Witt Kelsey E.
Published: April 2020

The history of maize (Zea mays L.) in the eastern Woodlands remains an important study topic. As currently understood, these histories appear to vary regionally and include scenarios positing an early introduction and an increase in use over hundreds of, if not a thousand, years. In this article, we address the history of maize in the American Bottom region of Illinois and its importance in the development of regional Mississippian societies, specifically in the Cahokian polity located in the central Mississippi River valley. We present new lines of evidence that confirm subsistence-level maize use at Cahokia was introduced rather abruptly at about AD 900 and increased rapidly over the following centuries. Directly dated archaeobotanical maize remains, human and dog skeletal carbon isotope values, and a revised interpretation of the archaeological record support this interpretation. Our results suggest that population increases and the nucleation associated with Cahokia were facilitated by the newly introduced practices of maize cultivation and consumption. Maize should be recognized as having had a key role in providing subsistence security that—combined with social, political, and religious changes—fueled the emergence of Cahokia in AD 1050.
The COVID-19 Crisis: An Opportunity to Integrate Food Democracy into Post-Pandemic Food Systems
Authors: PETETIN Ludivine
Published: April 2020

The world economy is sliding yet into another recession (having arguably barely recovered from the previous economic downturn) due to the worldwide pressures and tensions created by the COVID-19 pandemic.1 With most countries in the world under lockdown (or in similar situations), almost all food is now consumed in the household. Arguably, agricultural producers and the retail industry appear to be the best placed to weather the storm in order to respond to such a change in demand. However, this is overly simplistic. Recent news of empty shelves in supermarkets whilst dairy farmers have been forced to pour milk down the drain have gone viral.
DECLINING LEGISLATIVE DISSENT IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL PARTY CONGRESS ELECTIONS
Authors: Li Tao
Published: April 2020

Using a novel statistical method, we estimate the vote counts of the secret elections held by the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party from 1945 to 2017. We also construct a metric for voter preference diversity based on a standard index of legislative party fractionalization. We find that both the number of dissenting votes and the voter preference diversity index plummeted to the bottom in 2017, which is an unprecedented phenomenon in the party's history. Applying the same method to provincial party congress elections from 2006–2017, we find that provincial dissenting votes also declined around the same time, though the magnitude is relatively smaller and there is a wide range of provincial variations. We suggest that President Xi's suppression of formal party institutions is complete at the national level but not yet at the provincial level.
Race, technological modernity, and the Italo-Australian condition: Francesco De Pinedo's 1925 flight from Europe to Australia
Authors: Lee Christopher , Kennedy Claire
Published: April 2020

Writing about fascism and aviation has stressed the role technology played in Mussolini's ambitions to cultivate fascist ideals in Italy and amongst the Italian diaspora. In this article we examine Francesco De Pinedo's account of the Australian section of his record-breaking 1925 flight from Rome to Tokyo. Our analysis of De Pinedo's reception as a modern Italian in a British Australia, and his response to that reception, suggests that this Italian aviator was relatively unconcerned with promoting Fascist greatness in Australia. De Pinedo was interested in Australian claims to the forms of modernity he had witnessed in the United States and which the Fascists were attempting to incorporate into a new vision of Italian destiny. Flight provided him with a geographical imagination which understood modernity as an international exchange of progressive peoples. His Australian reception revealed a nation anxious about preserving its British identity in a globalising world conducive to a more cosmopolitan model of modernity.
Chlorpyrifos degradation under the influence of climate factors and fertilizer regimes in a tropical vertisol
Authors: Kollah Bharati , Ahirwar Usha , Singh Neera , Dubey Garima , Patra Ashok , Mohanty Santosh Ranjan
Published: April 2020

Biodegradation of chlorpyrifos under the influence of fertilizer application and climate factors such as elevated CO2, temperature and moisture was studied. Soybean was grown in control, inorganic, organic and integrated (both inorganic and organic) fertilized fields. Rhizospheric soils collected during the vegetative growth phase were amended with chlorpyrifos (10 μg/g soil) and incubated under different climate factors. The climate factors were CO2concentration (400, 800 ppm), temperature (25, 45°C) and moisture-holding capacity (60, 100%). Chlorpyrifos degradation rate varied from 0.28 to 0.65 μg/g soil/d. The abundance of 16S rRNA gene copies of eubacteria varied from 13 × 106to 7 × 105/g soil. Actinomycetes-specific 16S rRNA gene copies were in the range of 62.5 × 105to 18.5 × 103/g soil. Microbial abundance was high in organic amended soil and low in control soil irrespective of climate factors. Elevated CO2and high temperature inhibited (P< 0.05) chlorpyrifos degradation rate and the abundance of 16S rRNA genes of eubacteria and actinomycetes. Chlorpyrifos degradation followed as: organic > integrated > inorganic > control. The degradation rate was positively correlated (P< 0.01) with the soil organic C, available N, water-stable aggregates and mean weight diameter of the soil aggregates of soil. Principal component analysis denoted temperature and fertilizer as the major components of variation. The study highlights that elevated CO2and temperature affect chlorpyrifos biodegradation; however, the effect can be alleviated by the amendment of organic fertilizer.
Factors included in adult fall risk assessment tools (FRATs): a systematic review
Authors: de Clercq Hendrika , Naudé Alida , Bornman Juan
Published: April 2020

Falls often have severe financial and environmental consequences, not only for those who fall, but also for their families and society at large. Identifying fall risk in older adults can be of great use in preventing or reducing falls and fall risk, and preventative measures that are then introduced can help reduce the incidence and severity of falls in older adults. The overall aim of our systematic review was to provide an analysis of existing mechanisms and measures for evaluating fall risk in older adults. The 43 included FRATs produced a total of 493 FRAT items which, when linked to the ICF, resulted in a total of 952 ICF codes. The ICF domain with the most used codes was body function, with 381 of the 952 codes used (40%), followed by activities and participation with 273 codes (28%), body structure with 238 codes (25%) and, lastly, environmental and personal factors with only 60 codes (7%). This review highlights the fact that current FRATs focus on the body, neglecting environmental and personal factors and, to a lesser extent, activities and participation. This over-reliance on the body as the point of failure in fall risk assessment clearly highlights the need for gathering qualitative data, such as from focus group discussions with older adults, to capture the perspectives and views of the older adults themselves about the factors that increase their risk of falling and comparing these perspectives to the data gathered from published FRATs as described in this review.
Visibility and Invisibility of the Translator in H.A. Giles’s A History of Chinese Literature
Authors: Zhuang Peina , Cao Yina
Published: April 2020

The writing of literary history, generally speaking, is a matter of selecting and organizing literary works according to aesthetic judgement and historical values. If one writes the literary history of a foreign culture, however, at least if one wants to include samples of literary works, one must contend with the issue of translation, not only in the sense of having to choose which source texts to translate but also in that of choosing among existing translations or of translating oneself. The dual role of a historian and a translator is a challenging and complicated balancing act, as proven in the case of H.A. Giles (1845–1935), whose 1901A History of Chinese Literature is the first Chinese literary history ever written in English. As one of the then leading sinologists in Europe, Giles had contributed tremendously to the dissemination of Chinese literature by way of smooth translations that appealed to his English readers, but which also formed an obstacle for the reader’s proper understanding of the history of Chinese literature. The evidence for this comes from his misguided take on the dual aspects of visibility and invisibility of the translator’s identity in writing about a foreign literature.
Impact of adverse childhood experiences and fruit and vegetable intake in adulthood
Authors: Horino Masako , Yang Wei
Published: April 2020

Objective:

To assess the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and behaviours of fruit and vegetable consumption among adults.

Design:

Cross-sectional analysis. Weighted χ2 and weighted multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between ACE and low fruit and vegetable consumption.

Setting:

The 2017 Nevada Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Participants:

The sample consisted of 2939 adults.

Results:

After controlling for potential confounders, exposure to three or more ACE (adjusted OR (AOR) 1·42, 95 % CI 1·02, 2·00) and experiencing parental divorce/separation (AOR 1·50, 95 % CI 1·13, 1·98) were significantly associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption. The study did not find a dose–response relationship between the number of ACE and fruit and vegetable consumption.

Conclusions:

The study suggests that participants who experienced three or more ACE or parental divorce/separation were at increased risk for low fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings highlight the continuing need for public health interventions and policies that decrease exposure to ACE and increase fruit and vegetable intake among the populations with ACE.
Indigenous rights in the context of oil and gas pipelines in Canada: exposing naturalised power structures through a lens of intersectionality
Authors: Hurlbert Margot , Fletcher Amber J.
Published: April 2020

Situated within the larger context of Canadian pipeline decisions, it is argued that pipeline proposals in a geography without pre-existing pipelines are unsuccessful in contrast to proposals repurposing and expanding existing pipelines. The Chippewas of the Thames (the ‘Chippewas’) unsuccessfully opposed Enbridge's expansion, reversal and repurposing to crude oil of the Line 9 pipeline in Ontario, Canada. Analysing the Chippewas’ case within the context of recent oil- and gas-pipeline developments, using a lens of intersectionality focused on identity markers of indigeneity, socio-economic status and geographical location, exposes the naturalised power structures of Canadian law. These structures include the legal institutions of real-property law, Crown ownership of wildlife and fish, implicit ‘standing’ of the economy and assimilation of indigenous rights. Exposing this dichotomy of indigenous rights on paper vs. in practice deepens the consideration of indigenous rights, potentially allowing intersecting oppressions to be addressed.
Examining the trimester-specific effects of low gestational weight gain on birthweight: the BOSHI study
Authors: Oba Mari S. , Murakami Yoshitaka , Satoh Michihiro , Murakami Takahisa , Ishikuro Mami , Obara Taku , Hoshi Kazuhiko , Imai Yutaka , Ohkubo Takayoshi , Metoki Hiroto
Published: April 2020

Low gestational weight gain (GWG) is a known risk factor of low birthweight. Although studies have previously examined the associations between GWG and birthweight, the period-specific effects of low GWG in each trimester remain unclear. This study aimed to quantify the trimester-specific direct effects of low GWG in Japanese women on birthweight. Using perinatal data from a cohort study, we analyzed pregnant women delivered at an obstetrics/gynecology hospital between October 2006 and May 2010. We focused on women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) below 25 kg/m2. The exposure was low GWG. The gestation period was subdivided into trimesters, and the direct effects of low trimester-specific GWG on birthweight were estimated using marginal structural models. These models were guided by a direct acyclic graph that incorporated potential confounders, including pre-pregnancy BMI, age, smoking during pregnancy, height, and parity. We analyzed 563 women and their families. The mean cumulative GWG by the end of the first, second, and third trimesters was 0.9, 6.2, and 10.7 kg, respectively. Approximately 14.0% of the women gained total weight below the range recommended by Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The direct effects of low GWG on birthweight were 65.9 g (95% confidence interval: 11.4, 120.5), −195.4 g (−263.4, −127.4), and −188.8 g (−292.0, −85.5) for the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Insufficient weight gain in the second and third trimesters had a negative impact on birthweight after adjusting for pre-pregnancy BMI and other covariates.
CME: Volkskrankheit obstruktive Schlafapnoe
Authors: Gaisl Thomas , Thiel Sira , Kohler Malcolm
Published: April 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die obstruktive Schlafapnoe ist eine häufige schlafbezogene Atemregulationsstörung, wobei es durch einen Kollaps der oberen Atemwege zu repetitiven Sauerstoffdesaturationen und «micro arousals» kommt. Ist die physiologische Schlafarchitektur beeinträchtigt, sind vermehrte Tagesmüdigkeit und ein erhöhter Blutdruck die Folge. Zentrale Risikofaktoren sind Stammfettsucht, fortgeschrittenes Alter, männliches Geschlecht (und Schnarchen). Mittels Gewichtsabnahme, Alkoholabstinenz, und nächtlicher kontinuierlicher Überdruckbeatmung (CPAP) lässt sich das Schlafapnoesyndrom sehr gut behandeln, wobei eine Unterkieferprotusionsschiene die Therapie der zweiten Wahl darstellt.
Robust Multiyear Climate Impacts of Volcanic Eruptions in Decadal Prediction Systems
Authors: Hermanson Leon , Bilbao Roberto , Dunstone Nick , Ménégoz Martin , Ortega Pablo , Pohlmann Holger , Robson Jon I. , Smith Doug M. , Strand Gary , Timmreck Claudia , Yeager Steve , Danabasoglu Gokhan
Published: April 2020

Major tropical volcanic eruptions have a large impact on climate, but there have only been three major eruptions during the recent relatively well‐observed period. Models are therefore an important tool to understand and predict the impacts of an eruption. This study uses five state‐of‐the‐art decadal prediction systems that have been initialized with the observed state before volcanic aerosols are introduced. The impact of the volcanic aerosols is found by subtracting the results of a reference experiment where the volcanic aerosols are omitted. We look for the robust impact across models and volcanoes by combining all the experiments, which helps reveal a signal even if it is weak in the models. The models used in this study simulate realistic levels of warming in the stratosphere, but zonal winds are weaker than the observations. As a consequence, models can produce a pattern similar to the North Atlantic Oscillation in the first winter following the eruption, but the response and impact on surface temperatures are weaker than in observations. Reproducing the pattern, but not the amplitude, may be related to a known model error. There are also impacts in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This work contributes toward improving the interpretation of decadal predictions in the case of a future large tropical volcanic eruption.
Impacts of Using State‐of‐the‐Art Multivariate Bias Correction Methods on Hydrological Modeling Over North America
Authors: Guo Qiang , Chen Jie , Zhang Xunchang John , Xu Chong‐Yu , Chen Hua
Published: April 2020

Bias correction techniques are widely used to bridge the gap between climate model outputs and input requirements of hydrological models to assess the climate change impacts on hydrology. In addition to univariate bias correction methods, several multivariate bias correction methods were proposed recently, which can not only correct the biases in marginal distributions of individual climate variables but also properly adjust the biased intervariable correlations simulated by climate models. Due to the diversities of climate regime and climate model bias, hydrological simulation for watersheds under different climate conditions may show various sensitivities to the correction of intervariable correlations. Therefore, it is of great importance to investigate (1) whether the correction of intervariable correlations has impacts on the hydrological modeling and (2) how these impacts vary with watersheds under different climate conditions. To achieve these goals, this study evaluates behaviors and their spatial variability of multiple state‐of‐the‐art multivariate bias correction methods in hydrological modeling over 2,840 watersheds distributed in different climate regimes in North America. The results show that, compared to using a quantile mapping univariate bias correction method, applying multivariate methods can improve the simulation of snow proportion, snowmelt, evaporation, and several streamflow variables. In addition, this improvement is more clear for watersheds with arid and warm temperate climates in southern regions, while it is limited for northern snow‐characterized watersheds. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of using multivariate bias correction methods instead of univariate methods in hydrological climate change impact studies, especially for watersheds with arid and warm temperate climates.
Two Moons and a Magnetosphere
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: April 2020

Decades of research have illuminated how Io and Europa shape—and are shaped by—Jupiter’s giant magnetosphere.
The platelet receptor CLEC-2 blocks neutrophil mediated hepatic recovery in acetaminophen induced acute liver failure
Authors: Chauhan Abhishek , Sheriff Lozan , Hussain Mohammed T. , Webb Gwilym J. , Patten Daniel A. , Shepherd Emma L. , Shaw Robert , Weston Christopher J. , Haldar Debashis , Bourke Samuel , Bhandari Rajan , Watson Stephanie , Adams David H. , Watson Steve P. , Lalor Patricia F.
Published: April 2020

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the main cause of acute liver failure in the West. Specific efficacious therapies for acute liver failure (ALF) are limited and time-dependent. The mechanisms that drive irreversible acute liver failure remain poorly characterized. Here we report that the recently discovered platelet receptor CLEC-2 (C-type lectin-like receptor) perpetuates and worsens liver damage after toxic liver injury. Our data demonstrate that blocking platelet CLEC-2 signalling enhances liver recovery from acute toxic liver injuries (APAP and carbon tetrachloride) by increasing tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production which then enhances reparative hepatic neutrophil recruitment. We provide data from humans and mice demonstrating that platelet CLEC-2 influences the hepatic sterile inflammatory response and that this can be manipulated for therapeutic benefit in acute liver injury. Since CLEC-2 mediated platelet activation is independent of major haemostatic pathways, blocking this pathway represents a coagulopathy-sparing, specific and novel therapy in acute liver failure.
Context information supports serial dependence of multiple visual objects across memory episodes
Authors: Fischer Cora , Czoschke Stefan , Peters Benjamin , Rahm Benjamin , Kaiser Jochen , Bledowski Christoph
Published: April 2020

Serial dependence is thought to promote perceptual stability by compensating for small changes of an object’s appearance across memory episodes. So far, it has been studied in situations that comprised only a single object. The question of how we selectively create temporal stability of several objects remains unsolved. In a memory task, objects can be differentiated by their to-be-memorized feature (content) as well as accompanying discriminative features (context). We test whether congruent context features, in addition to content similarity, support serial dependence. In four experiments, we observe a stronger serial dependence between objects that share the same context features across trials. Apparently, the binding of content and context features is not erased but rather carried over to the subsequent memory episode. As this reflects temporal dependencies in natural settings, our findings reveal a mechanism that integrates corresponding content and context features to support stable representations of individualized objects over time.
Sex differences in leukocyte profile in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients
Authors: van Blokland Irene V. , Groot Hilde E. , Hendriks Tom , Assa Solmaz , van der Harst Pim
Published: April 2020

Background: Whether sex differences exist in the inflammatory response after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains to be elucidated. We studied leukocyte profiles and their prognostic value in men and women presenting with STEMI. Methods: From a total of 552 consecutive STEMI patients, blood samples were collected at hospital admission. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between leukocyte profiles and enzymatic infarct size. Cox regression was used to assess the association between leukocyte profiles and one-year mortality. Results: Women presented with higher lymphocyte counts (2.3·109 cells/L (IQR 1.6–3.1) vs. 1.8·109 cells/L (IQR 1.4–2.5), p = 3.00 ∙ 10−4) and percentages (21.1% (IQR 14.4–28.1) vs. 17.1% (IQR 12.3–24.3), p = 0.004). Lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) was also higher in women (3.25 (IQR 2.56–4.5) vs. 2.68 (IQR 2.08–3.59), p = 7.28 ∙ 10−7). Higher LMR was associated with lower peak CK-MB (β = −0.27 (95% CI: −0.50, −0.03), p = 0.026), lower peak troponin T (β = −0.45 (95% CI: −0.77, −0.13), p = 0.006) and lower one-year mortality risk (HR 0.35 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.96), p = 0.042). Conclusion: At admission for STEMI, women present with higher lymphocyte count and LMR. Higher LMR is associated with smaller infarct size and decreased one-year mortality risk and could be used as a biomarker to predict outcome.
OutPredict: multiple datasets can improve prediction of expression and inference of causality
Authors: Cirrone Jacopo , Brooks Matthew D. , Bonneau Richard , Coruzzi Gloria M. , Shasha Dennis E.
Published: April 2020

The ability to accurately predict the causal relationships from transcription factors to genes would greatly enhance our understanding of transcriptional dynamics. This could lead to applications in which one or more transcription factors could be manipulated to effect a change in genes leading to the enhancement of some desired trait. Here we present a method called OutPredict that constructs a model for each gene based on time series (and other) data and that predicts gene's expression in a previously unseen subsequent time point. The model also infers causal relationships based on the most important transcription factors for each gene model, some of which have been validated from previous physical experiments. The method benefits from known network edges and steady-state data to enhance predictive accuracy. Our results across B. subtilis, Arabidopsis, E.coli, Drosophila and the DREAM4 simulated in silico dataset show improved predictive accuracy ranging from 40% to 60% over other state-of-the-art methods. We find that gene expression models can benefit from the addition of steady-state data to predict expression values of time series. Finally, we validate, based on limited available data, that the influential edges we infer correspond to known relationships significantly more than expected by chance or by state-of-the-art methods.
Optical properties of a hexagonal C/BN framework with sp2 and sp3 hybridized bonds
Authors: Bu Hongxia , Zheng Haibin , Zhang Hongyu , Yuan Huimin , Zhao Jingfen
Published: April 2020

We investigated the optical properties and roles of sp2- and sp3-hybridized bonds of a hexagonal C/BN family using first-principles calculations. The calculated phonon dispersions confirm the dynamic stability of Hex-(BN)6C12 and Hex-C12(BN)6. The complex dielectric function evolves from the infrared to the ultraviolet region and has a significant anisotropy for different polarizations. The reflectivity and refractive index spectra show that the sp2-hybridized C atoms are more sensitive to the light from infrared to visible region than B-N pairs while the C atoms and B-N pairs have a similar sensitivity to high frequencies. The sharp peaks of the energy-loss spectrum are all concentrated in the 23–30 eV energy region, which can be used to identify these hexagonal structures. The calculated band structures show Hex-C24 and Hex-(BN)6C12 are metals, but Hex-C12(BN)6 and Hex-(BN)12 are semiconductors with indirect band gaps of 3.47 and 3.25 eV, respectively. The electronic states near the Fermi level primarily originate from sp2-hybridized atoms. In addition, sp2-hybridized bonds are the main elements affecting the optical and electronic structure of C/BN materials with sp2- and sp3-hybridizations. We expect that the results presented will help understand the optical properties of C/BN materials containing sp2- and sp3-hybridized C atoms and B-N pairs.
Sliding twin-domains in self-heated needle-like VO2 single crystals
Authors: Fisher Bertina , Patlagan Larisa , Reisner George M.
Published: April 2020

The prototypical metal-insulator transition in VO2 at 340 K is from a high-temperature rutile phase to a low-temperature monoclinic phase. The lower symmetry of the monoclinic structure removes the degeneracy of the two equivalent directions of the tetragonal structure, giving rise to twin domains. Since formation of domain walls require energy most needle-like monoclinic single crystal are single-domain. The mixed metal-insulator state in self-heated needle-like single crystals exhibits various domain patterns, the most remarkable being static insulating triangular domains embedded in the metal and narrow insulating domains sliding along the metallic background in the direction of the electric current. Reported here are results obtained for some rare needle-like twinned VO2 single crystals. Such sample revealed a unique feature: joint static triangular twins emit sliding twin domains, first overlapping and later disjoining. Dark and bright twins and dim metallic background were seen for optimal orientation under a microscope, due to polarization by reflection.
High mobility approaching the intrinsic limit in Ta-doped SnO2 films epitaxially grown on TiO2 (001) substrates
Authors: Fukumoto Michitaka , Nakao Shoichiro , Shigematsu Kei , Ogawa Daisuke , Morikawa Kazuo , Hirose Yasushi , Hasegawa Tetsuya
Published: April 2020

Achieving high mobility in SnO2, which is a typical wide gap oxide semiconductor, has been pursued extensively for device applications such as field effect transistors, gas sensors, and transparent electrodes. In this study, we investigated the transport properties of lightly Ta-doped SnO2(Sn1−xTaxO2, TTO) thin films epitaxially grown on TiO2(001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The carrier density (ne) of the TTO films was systematically controlled byx. Optimized TTO (x = 3 × 10−3) films withne~ 1 × 1020 cm−3exhibited a very high Hall mobility (μH) of 130 cm2V−1s−1at room temperature, which is the highest among SnO2films thus far reported. TheμHvalue coincided well with the intrinsic limit ofμHcalculated on the assumption that only phonon and ionized impurities contribute to the carrier scattering. The suppressed grain-boundary scattering might be explained by the reduced density of the {101} crystallographic shear planes.
Comparative Analysis on Dielectric Gold and Aluminium Triangular Junctions: Impact of Ionic Strength and Background Electrolyte by pH Variations
Authors: Letchumanan Iswary , Md Arshad M. K. , Gopinath Subash C. B. , Rajapaksha R. D. A. A. , Balakrishnan S. R.
Published: April 2020

Field of generating a surface thin film is emerging broadly in sensing applications to obtain the quick and fast results by forming the high-performance sensors. Incorporation of thin film technologies in sensor development for the better sensing could be a promising way to attain the current requirements. This work predominantly delineates the fabrication of the dielectric sensor using two different sensing materials (Gold and Aluminium). Conventional photolithography was carried out using silicon as a base material and the photo mask of the dielectric sensor was designed by AutoCAD software. The physical characterization of the fabricated sensor was done by Scanning Electron Microscope, Atomic Force Microscope, High Power Microscope and 3D-nano profiler. The electrical characterization was performed using Keithley 6487 picoammeter with a linear sweep voltage of 0 to 2 V at 0.01 V step voltage. By pH scouting, I-V measurements on the bare sensor were carried out, whereby the gold electrodes conducts a least current than aluminium dielectrodes. Comparative analysis with pH scouting reveals that gold electrode is suitable under varied ionic strengths and background electrolytes, whereas aluminium electrodes were affected by the extreme acid (pH 1) and alkali (pH 12) solutions.
Nano-TiO2 reinforced CoCr matrix wear resistant composites and high-temperature tribological behaviors under unlubricated condition
Authors: Cui Gongjun , Liu Yanping , Li Sai , Liu Huiqiang , Gao Guijun , Kou Ziming
Published: April 2020

The CoCrMo matrix composites with nano-TiO2 particle (2 wt.%, 4 wt.% and 6 wt.%) were fabricated by using a powder metallurgy technique (P/M), and the nano-TiO2 content was optimized in matrix. The microstructures, mechanical and high-temperature tribological properties of the synthesized composites were systematically studied. Friction and wear behaviors were studied by using a disk-on-ball tribo-tester sliding against Si3N4 ceramic ball from room temperature (23 oC) to 1000 oC in air. TiO2 obviously strengthened the hardness and high-temperature wear resistance of composites. It was attributed to the high load-carrying capacity of matrix, in-situ formed high-temperature solid lubricants and stable oxides film on the wear tracks. 4 wt.% TiO2 was the critical threshold at which there was a transition of tribological properties over a broad temperature range. The composite containing 4 wt.% nano-TiO2 exhibited the most reasonable high-temperature friction coefficient and wear rate at all testing temperatures. At different testing temperatures, the composites showed different wear mechanisms.
VISUAL-CC system uncovers the role of GSK3 as an orchestrator of vascular cell type ratio in plants
Authors: Tamaki Takayuki , Oya Satoyo , Naito Makiko , Ozawa Yasuko , Furuya Tomoyuki , Saito Masato , Sato Mayuko , Wakazaki Mayumi , Toyooka Kiminori , Fukuda Hiroo , Helariutta Ykä , Kondo Yuki
Published: April 2020

The phloem transports photosynthetic assimilates and signalling molecules. It mainly consists of sieve elements (SEs), which act as “highways” for transport, and companion cells (CCs), which serve as “gates” to load/unload cargos. Though SEs and CCs function together, it remains unknown what determines the ratio of SE/CC in the phloem. Here we develop a new culture system for CC differentiation in Arabidopsis named VISUAL-CC, which almost mimics the process of the SE–CC complex formation. Comparative expression analysis in VISUAL-CC reveals that SE and CC differentiation tends to show negative correlation, while total phloem differentiation is unchanged. This varying SE/CC ratio is largely dependent on GSK3 kinase activity. Indeed, gsk3 hextuple mutants possess many more SEs and fewer CCs, whereas gsk3 gain-of-function mutants partially increase the CC number. Taken together, GSK3 activity appears to function as a cell-fate switch in the phloem, thereby balancing the SE/CC ratio.
Myc plays an important role in Drosophila P-M hybrid dysgenesis to eliminate germline cells with genetic damage
Authors: Ota Ryoma , Kobayashi Satoru
Published: April 2020

Genetic damage in the germline induced byP-element mobilization causes a syndrome known as P-M hybrid dysgenesis (HD), which manifests as elevated mutation frequency and loss of germline cells. In this study, we found that Myc plays an important role in eliminating germline cells in the context of HD.P-element mobilization resulted in downregulation of Myc expression in the germline.Mycknockdown caused germline elimination; conversely,Mycoverexpression rescued the germline loss caused byP-element mobilization. Moreover, restoration of fertility byMycresulted in the production of gametes with elevated mutation frequency and reduced ability to undergo development. Our results demonstrate thatMycdownregulation mediates elimination of germline cells with accumulated genetic damage, and that failure to remove these cells results in increased production of aberrant gametes. Therefore, we propose that elimination of germline cells mediated byMycdownregulation is a quality control mechanism that maintains the genomic integrity of the germline.
Detection of nutritional and toxic elements in Pakistani pepper powders using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Rehan I. , Rehan K. , Khan M. Z. , Sultana S. , Muhammad R. , Khan H. U.
Published: April 2020

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to determine the elemental distribution of nutritional and trace heavy metals in pepper powders available in Pakistan using the standard calibration curve (CC)-LIBS technique.
19F magnetic resonance imaging enabled real-time, non-invasive and precise localization and quantification of the degradation rate of hydrogel scaffolds in vivo
Authors: Li Qinghua , Feng Zujian , Song Huijuan , Zhang Jianhua , Dong Anjie , Kong Deling , Wang Weiwei , Huang Pingsheng
Published: April 2020

19F MRI is able to precisely monitor the localization and quantify the degradation rate of implantable/injectable hydrogels in real-time and noninvasive manner, with no interference of endogenous background signals and limitation of penetration depth.
Retraction: Dynamic Adsorption Self-assembly of Au nanocube (NC) for opposite charge Au nanoparticles (NPs) in real time
Authors: Li Chang , Zhang Ke , Hu Jin-Song
Published: April 2020

Retraction of ‘Dynamic Adsorption Self-assembly of Au nanocube (NC) for opposite charge Au nanoparticles (NPs) in real time’ by Chang Li et al., Chem. Commun., 2020, DOI: 10.1039/c9cc08080e.
Organocatalytic vs. Ru-based electrochemical hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in competition with the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Moya Alicia , Creus Jordi , Romero Nuria , Alemán José , Solans-Monfort Xavier , Philippot Karine , García-Antón Jordi , Sala Xavier , Mas-Ballesté Rubén
Published: April 2020

Electrocatalytic Nitrobenzene Hydrogenation and competitive Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) have been studied, using two catalytic systems: oxidized carbon fibers (organic) and Ruthenium nanoparticles supported on unaltered carbon fibers (inorganic).
Structures and paramagnetism of five heterometallic pentanuclear metal strings containing as many as four different metals: NiPtCo2Pd(tpda)4Cl2
Authors: Cheng Ming-Chuan , Huang Rui-Xiang , Liu Yu-Chiao , Chiang Ming-Hsi , Lee Gene-Hsiang , Song You , Lin Tien-Sung , Peng Shie-Ming
Published: April 2020

A novel pentanuclear HMSC containing Ni, Pt, Co and Pd in one chain is stepwise synthesized by thoughtful design and it has an ultra-short Co–Co bond.
Sn4+ complexation with sulfonated-carbon dots in pursuit of enhanced fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yield
Authors: Luo Qinghua , Ding Haizhen , Hu Xiaolong , Xu Jiahui , Sadat Anwar , Xu Mingsheng , Primo Fernando Lucas , Tedesco Antonio Claudio , Zhang Haiyuan , Bi Hong
Published: April 2020

Cross-linking sulfonated carbon dots with Sn4+ can greatly enhance the fluorescence and lead to a higher singlet oxygen quantum yield.
Direct conjugation with a zero length linker of fullerene C70 to ZnO quantum dots for multicolor light-emitting diodes
Authors: Park Young Jae , Shim Jaeho , Lee Kyu Seung , Lee Won Ki , Hwang Jun Yeon , Lee Hyunbok , Yi Yeonjin , Angadi Basavaraj , Choi Won Kook , Son Dong Ick
Published: April 2020

Our work demonstrates whitish light-emitting diodes by fullerene induced multicolor emission from environmentally friendly ZnO-fullerene C70 quantum dots that is synthesized by simple and facile chemical reaction with zero length linker.
Robustness in glycosylation systems: effect of modified monosaccharides, acceptor decoys and azido sugars on cellular nucleotide-sugar levels and pattern of N-linked glycosylation
Authors: del Solar Virginia , Gupta Rohitesh , Zhou Yusen , Pawlowski Gabrielle , Matta Khushi L. , Neelamegham Sriram
Published: April 2020

Chemical perturbation studies reveal robustness in glycosylation systems, based on comparison of LC-MS/MS quantification of cellular nucleotide-sugar levels with the observed N-linked glycan patterns.
Heat-driven acoustic phonons in lamellar nanoplatelet assemblies
Authors: Diroll Benjamin T. , Kamysbayev Vladislav , Coropceanu Igor , Talapin Dmitri V. , Schaller Richard D.
Published: April 2020

Colloidal CdSe nanoplatelets self-assemble into lamellar stacks which display low frequency acoustic vibrations under infrared illumination.
Actuated plasmonic nanohole arrays for sensing and optical spectroscopy applications
Authors: Kotlarek Daria , Fossati Stefan , Venugopalan Priyamvada , Gisbert Quilis Nestor , Slabý Jiří , Homola Jiří , Lequeux Médéric , Amiard Frédéric , Lamy de la Chapelle Marc , Jonas Ulrich , Dostálek Jakub
Published: April 2020

We report a new approach to rapidly actuate the plasmonic characteristics of thin gold films perforated with nanohole arrays by thermo-responsive hydrogel and demonstrate its utilization to sensing with flow-through format and SPR/SERS readout.
Gold nanoparticles standing on PEG/PAMAM/thiol-functionalized nanographene oxide as aqueous catalysts
Authors: Hao Bingjie , Lu Guolin , Zhang Sen , Li Yongjun , Ding Aishun , Huang Xiaoyu
Published: April 2020

Gold nanoparticles were aptly in situ grown on PEG/PAMAM/thiol-functionalized nanographene oxide platforms for aqueous catalysis.
Electrochemical studies of a high voltage Na4Co3(PO4)2P2O7–MWCNT composite through a selected stable electrolyte
Authors: Kumar P. Ramesh , Essehli R. , Yahia H. B. , Amin R. , Belharouak I.
Published: April 2020

Na4Co3(PO4)2P2O7–MWCNT composites in 1 M NaPF6in EC:DMC electrolytes deliver stable discharge capacities of 80 mA h g−1and 78 mA h g−1at normal and elevated temperatures, respectively. In a full cell configurationvs.NaTi2(PO4)3–MWCNT, they deliver an initial discharge capacity of 78 mA h g−1at 0.2C rate.
An efficient and robust exfoliated bentonite/Ag3PO4/AgBr plasmonic photocatalyst for degradation of parabens
Authors: Ma Jianchao , Yang Shurong , Shi Huixian , Pang Jin , Zhang Xiaopeng , Wang Yuxing , Sun Hongqi
Published: April 2020

A mesoporous exfoliated bentonite (EB)/Ag3PO4/AgBr (30%) photocatalyst was designed to combine various functions to achieve efficient photodegradation of parabens.
Rendering hydrophobic nanoclusters water-soluble and biocompatible
Authors: Kang Xi , Wei Xiao , Xiang Pan , Tian Xiaohe , Zuo Zewen , Song Fengqi , Wang Shuxin , Zhu Manzhou
Published: April 2020

The presence of solvent-conjoined cations, [Na1(NMP)5]+ or [Na3(DMF)12]3+, induces the micellization of hydrophobic nanoclusters, rendering these nanoclusters water-soluble and biocompatible.
Facile fabrication of graphitization-enhanced wrinkled paper-like N-doped porous carbon via a ZnCl2-modified NaCl-template method for use as an anode in lithium ion batteries
Authors: Ru Shuai , Wang Xia , Ma Guoqing , Tan Junyu , Xiao Haihong , Ai Zhaoquan
Published: April 2020

Wrinkled paper-like carbon was constructed by employing a ZnCl2-modified NaCl template method, which exhibits a superior lithium storage performance.
A disorder-free conformation boosts phonon and charge transfer in an electron-deficient-core-based non-fullerene acceptor
Authors: Zhang Chujun , Yuan Jun , Chiu Ka Lok , Yin Hang , Liu Weifang , Zheng Guanhaojie , Ho Johnny Ka Wai , Huang Suzhen , Yu Gaoxing , Gao Feng , Zou Yingping , So Shu Kong
Published: April 2020

A disorder-free molecular conformation caused by alkyl side chains facilitates electron transport, heat transfer and reduces electronic disorder.
Mechanisms of carbon dioxide reduction on strontium titanate perovskites
Authors: Terranova Umberto , Viñes Francesc , de Leeuw Nora H. , Illas Francesc
Published: April 2020

A detailed atomistic knowledge of the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO on SrTiO3 perovskites has allowed to suggest a doping approach which increases the efficiency of CO2 conversion.
Atomic Ir-doped NiCo layered double hydroxide as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for highly efficient and durable water splitting
Authors: Fan Ronglei , Mu Qiaoqiao , Wei Zhihe , Peng Yang , Shen Mingrong
Published: April 2020

Atomic Ir-doped NiCo layered double hydroxide as a robust bifunctional catalyst for highly efficient and durable overall water splitting.
Printable germanium inks for flexible optoelectronics
Authors: McLeod Meghan , Tabor Christopher
Published: April 2020

We present a method to print and process germanium films that are photoresponsive onto polymer substrates for flexible optoelectronic properties.
A hybridized local and charge transfer excited state for solution-processed non-doped green electroluminescence based on oligo(p-phenyleneethynylene)
Authors: Usta Hakan , Alimli Dilek , Ozdemir Resul , Tekin Emine , Alkan Fahri , Kacar Rifat , Altas Ahu Galen , Dabak Salih , Gürek Ayşe Gül , Mutlugun Evren , Yazici Ahmet Faruk , Can Ayse
Published: April 2020

A novel oligo(p-phenyleneethynylene)-based hot-exciton molecule with hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) excited states was developed to yield high radiative exciton yields in OLEDs.
Four-membered red iridium(iii) complexes with Ir–S–C–S structures for efficient organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Su Ning , Li Fang-Ling , Zheng You-Xuan
Published: April 2020

Three sulfur atom containing red Ir(iii) complexes were synthesized rapidly at room temperature in 5 min with high yields and their OLEDs show an EQEmax of up to 26.10%.