bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the high-rate performance of LiFePO4batteries using carbonized-filter paper as an interlayer
Authors: Zhang Zhian , Zhang Zhiyong , Chen Wei , Wang Guanchao , Li Jie , Lai Yanqing
Published: February 2015

The rate performance of LiFePO4batteries is improved by inserting a conductive and porous interlayer between the cathode and the separator.
Template engaged synthesis of hollow ceria-based composites
Authors: Chen Guozhu , Rosei Federico , Ma Dongling
Published: February 2015

Hollow ceria-based composites, which consist of noble metal nanoparticles or metal oxides as a secondary component, are being studied extensively for potential applications in heterogeneous catalysis.
Evidence of the adsorption of hydroxide ion at hexadecane/water interface from second harmonic generation study
Authors: Fang Hui , Wu Wei , Sang Yajun , Chen Shunli , Zhu Xuefeng , Zhang Libo , Niu Yuanyuan , Gan Wei
Published: February 2015

The effect of hydroxide ion, impurities and oleic acid on molecular structure at hexadecane/water interface was studied with second harmonic generation.
Cobalt supported on metal-doped ceria catalysts (M = Zr, Sn and Ti) for NO oxidation
Authors: Yu Yang , Zhong Lei , Ding Jie , Cai Wei , Zhong Qin
Published: February 2015

The higher catalytic of Ce–Co was due to higher amount of finely dispersed cobalt species, more oxygen vacancies and excellent redox ability.
A new heterogeneous photocatalyst based on Wells–Dawson polyoxometalate and nickel coordination compounds: synthesis, structure and property
Authors: Zhang Lei , Shan Bingqian , Yang Hongxun , Wu Dongshuang , Zhu Rui , Nie Jianhang , Cao Rong
Published: February 2015

A new heterogeneous photocatalyst based on Wells–Dawson polyoxotungstates and nickel coordination compounds exhibits two broad band centered at 513 nm and 770 nm, extending induced light to visible region.
A single probe for sensing both acetate and aluminum(iii): visible region detection, red fluorescence and human breast cancer cell imaging
Authors: Ghosh Abhijit , Sengupta Archya , Chattopadhyay Ansuman , Das Debasis
Published: February 2015

A single probe (L) can recognise both AcO− and Al3+ as prepared by coupling 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde with hydrazine. The probe allows both colorimetric and fluorescence detection of both the ions.
Compact, hydrophilic, lanthanide-binding tags for paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Lee M. D. , Loh C.-T. , Shin J. , Chhabra S. , Dennis M. L. , Otting G. , Swarbrick J. D. , Graham B.
Published: February 2015

The design, synthesis and evaluation of four novel lanthanide-binding tags for paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy are reported.
Mixed-valent, heteroleptic homometallic diketonates as templates for the design of volatile heterometallic precursors
Authors: Lieberman Craig M. , Filatov Alexander S. , Wei Zheng , Rogachev Andrey Yu. , Abakumov Artem M. , Dikarev Evgeny V.
Published: February 2015

A unique series of mixed-valent transition metal complexes (MIII= Fe; MII= Fe, Mn, Ni) have been designed using a combination of diketonate ligands with electron-withdrawing (blue) and electron-donating (pink) substituents.
Post-polymerization functionalization of poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT) via thiol–ene “click” chemistry
Authors: Wei Bin , Ouyang Liangqi , Liu Jinglin , Martin David C.
Published: February 2015

Post-polymerization functionalization using thiol–ene “click” chemistry provides an effective, convenient means to modify the surface properties of conjugated polymers such as poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT).
Azide and trans-cyclooctene dUTPs: incorporation into DNA probes and fluorescent click-labelling
Authors: Ren Xiaomei , El-Sagheer Afaf H. , Brown Tom
Published: February 2015

Azidomethyl and cyclooctene dUTPs have been incorporated into DNA by various polymerase enzymes and labelled with cyclooctyne and tetrazine fluorophores.
A homochiral magnet based on D3 symmetric [(NaO3)Co3] clusters: from spontaneous resolution to absolute chiral induction
Authors: Yao Ru-Xin , Cui Xin , Wang Jun , Zhang Xian-Ming
Published: February 2015

A pair novel 3D chiral magnets have been synthesized using the achiral ligand imidazole-4-acrylate via spontaneous resolution, in which the D3 symmetric chiral [(NaO6)Co3] clusters act as nodes. By using chiral induction agent, they are driven to controllable homochiral crystals.
i-Motifs are more stable than G-quadruplexes in a hydrated ionic liquid
Authors: Tateishi-Karimata Hisae , Nakano Miki , Pramanik Smritimoy , Tanaka Shigenori , Sugimoto Naoki
Published: February 2015

i-Motifs in a hydrated ionic liquid were more stable than G-quadruplexes due to choline ion binding to loops of i-motifs.
Facet-dependent catalytic activity of MnO electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions
Authors: Kuo Chung-Hao , Mosa Islam M. , Thanneeru Srinivas , Sharma Vinit , Zhang Lichun , Biswas Sourav , Aindow Mark , Pamir Alpay S. , Rusling James F. , Suib Steven L. , He Jie
Published: February 2015

The MnO(100) facets with higher adsorption energy of O species can largely promote the electrocatalytic activity.
The impact of steam on the electronic structure of the selective propane oxidation catalyst MoVTeNb oxide (orthorhombic M1 phase)
Authors: Heine Christian , Hävecker Michael , Trunschke Annette , Schlögl Robert , Eichelbaum Maik
Published: February 2015

Steam modifies the surface structure of the propane oxidation catalyst MoVTeNbOx and increases the selectivity to the product acrylic acid.
An electrochemical aptasensor based on a TiO2/three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide/PPy nanocomposite for the sensitive detection of lysozyme
Authors: Wang Minghua , Zhai Shuyong , Ye Zihan , He Linghao , Peng Donglai , Feng Xiaozhong , Yang Yanqin , Fang Shaoming , Zhang Hongzhong , Zhang Zhihong
Published: February 2015

A sensitive aptasensor based on a nanocomposite of TiO2/3D-rGO/PPy was developed for lysozyme detection.
(3 + 1)-Dimensional commensurately modulated structure and photoluminescence properties of diborate KSbOB2O5
Authors: Zhao Dan , Zhang Rong-Hua , Li Fei-Fei , Yang Juan , Liu Bing-Guo , Fan Yun-Chang
Published: February 2015

This work reports the commensurately modulated structure of KSbOB2O5using superspace formalism for aperiodic structures considering a modulation vectorq= 5/12b*.
Correction: Silver nanoparticles: green synthesis, self-assembled nanostructures and their application as SERS substrates
Authors: Santos Elias de Barros , Madalossi Natiara Vaughn , Sigoli Fernando Aparecido , Mazali Italo Odone
Published: February 2015

Correction for ‘Silver nanoparticles: green synthesis, self-assembled nanostructures and their application as SERS substrates’ by Elias de Barros Santos et al., New J. Chem., 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c4nj02239d.
One-pot total synthesis of streptindole, arsindoline B and their congeners through tandem decarboxylative deaminative dual-coupling reaction of amino acids with indoles
Authors: Xiang Jiachen , Wang Jungang , Wang Miao , Meng Xianggao , Wu Anxin
Published: February 2015

This paper described a decarboxylative deaminative dual-coupling reaction of amino acids with indoles to afford BIM scaffolds and its further application to the one-pot total synthesis of natural products.
Helical folding of an arylamide polymer in water and organic solvents of varying polarity
Authors: Zhang Peng , Zhang Liang , Wang Hui , Zhang Dan-Wei , Li Zhan-Ting
Published: February 2015

An arylamide polymer is driven by the solvophobicity and hydrogen bonding to form helical conformation in solvents of different polarity.
Cascade imination, Buchwald–Hartwig cross coupling and cycloaddition reaction: synthesis of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines
Authors: Saikia Pallabi , Sharma Gitarthi , Gogoi Sanjib , Boruah Romesh C.
Published: February 2015

A new approach for the synthesis of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines via cascade imination/Buchwald–Hartwig cross coupling/cycloaddition reactions is described.
Radical macro spatial separation: a novel way to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency
Authors: Yan Fengpo , Zheng Jinsheng , Xue Xiaogang , Zhang Jiye , Huang Feng , Qiu Yu
Published: February 2015

Radical macro spatial separation can be achieved via a new photocatalytic system and significantly improved the photocatalytic efficiency.
Folate decorated delivery of self assembled betulinic acid nano fibers: a biocompatible anti-leukemic therapy
Authors: Dash Sandeep Kumar , Dash Shib Shankar , Chattopadhyay Sourav , Ghosh Totan , Tripathy Satyajit , Mahapatra Santanu Kar , Bag Braja Gopal , Das Debasis , Roy Somenath
Published: February 2015

The study was aimed to develop folate receptor mediated delivery of self assembled betulinic acid nano fibers to leukemic cells and to investigate their mode of action.
Solvothermal synthesis of β-tricalcium phosphate porous nanospheres by using organic phosphorus source and their biomedical potentials
Authors: Zhu Genxing , Hu Yadong , Yang Yuling , Zhao Ruibo , Tang Ruikang
Published: February 2015

Uniform β-tricalcium phosphate porous nanospheres with substructures are prepared by a solvothermal method using (CH3O)3PO as the organic phosphorus source and they demonstrate excellent biocompatibility.
Thermoregulated polyoxometalate-based ionic-liquid gel electrolytes
Authors: Wu Xuefei , Huang Tianpei , Tong Xia , Xie Zhirong , Chen Weixiang , Wu Qingyin , Yan Wenfu
Published: February 2015

Thermoregulated POM-type ionic liquid gels show reversible phase transformation, increasing conductivities. And W-containing compounds have higher conductivity than the Mo-containing one, like the Dawson-type one compared with the Keggin-type one.
Palladium-catalyzed C-7 alkenylation of indolines using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant
Authors: Yang Dong , Mao Shuai , Gao Ya-Ru , Guo Dong-Dong , Guo Shi-Huan , Li Bin , Wang Yong-Qiang
Published: February 2015

A general and efficient palladium-catalyzed C-7 alkenylation of indolines using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant has been described.
Plasma enhanced label-free immunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein based on a U-bend fiber-optic LSPR biosensor
Authors: Liang Gaoling , Zhao Zhongjun , Wei Yin , Liu Kunping , Hou Wenqian , Duan Yixiang
Published: February 2015

A simple, label-free and cost-effective localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) immunosensing method was developed for detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
Correction: From micron to nano-curcumin by sophorolipid co-processing: highly enhanced bioavailability, fluorescence, and anti-cancer efficacy
Authors: Singh Pradeep Kumar , Wani Kirtee , Kaul-Ghanekar Ruchika , Prabhune Asmita , Ogale Satishchandra
Published: February 2015

Correction for ‘From micron to nano-curcumin by sophorolipid co-processing: highly enhanced bioavailability, fluorescence, and anti-cancer efficacy’ by Pradeep Kumar Singh et al., RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 60334–60341.
Effects of terminal chain length in hydrogen-bonded chiral switches on phototunable behavior of chiral nematic liquid crystals: helicity inversion and phase transition
Authors: Fu Dengwei , Li Juntao , Wei Jie , Guo Jinbao
Published: February 2015

The effect of terminal chain length in hydrogen-bonded chiral switches on photo- and thermo- switching behavior of chiral nematic liquid crystals has been demonstrated.
The redox mechanism of FeS2in non-aqueous electrolytes for lithium and sodium batteries
Authors: Zhang Sheng S.
Published: February 2015

Electrochemical processes of FeS2in non-aqueous electrolytes are reviewed and proposed to consist of two conversion reactions between sulphur or lithium polysulphides and sulphide for the upper voltage plateau and between FeS and metallic Fe for the lower voltage plateau.
MnO2 nanostructures with three-dimensional (3D) morphology replicated from diatoms for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Li Fei , Xing Yuan , Huang Ming , Li Kai Lin , Yu Ting Ting , Zhang Yu Xin , Losic Dusan
Published: February 2015

The synthesis of MnO2 with unique and complex 3-d morphology replicated from diatoms and their outstanding electrochemical properties for high-performance supercapacitors are demonstrated.
Photodynamic therapy of oligoethylene glycol dendronized reduction-sensitive porphyrins
Authors: Xu Lei , Liu Lichao , Liu Feng , Li Wen , Chen Ruobin , Gao Yun , Zhang Weian
Published: February 2015

OEGylation of porphyrinsviaa disulfide linkage to form a novel class of dendritic porphyrin photosensitizers (PSs) is presented.
Structural stability and band gap tunability of single-side hydrogenated graphene from first-principles calculations
Authors: Li Min , Wang Lu , Yu Ningning , Sun Xiaotian , Hou Tingjun , Li Youyong
Published: February 2015

Hydrogenation of graphene on one side can efficiently tune the band gap between the visible light and near-infrared regions.
Carbon–metal nanosheets from the water–hexane interface
Authors: Hamoudi Hicham
Published: February 2015

In this paper, the author developed a new method to synthesize a metal–sulfide graphene nanosheets (MSGH) starting from a water–hexane interface.
Particle filter framework for salient object detection in videos
Authors: Muthuswamy Karthik , Rajan Deepu
Published: February 2015

Salient object detection in videos is challenging because of the competing motion in the background, resulting from camera tracking an object of interest, or motion of objects in the foreground. The authors present a fast method to detect salient video objects using particle filters, which are guided by spatio‐temporal saliency maps and colour feature with the ability to quickly recover from false detections. The proposed method for generating spatial and motion saliency maps is based on comparing local features with dominant features present in the frame. A region is marked salient if there is a large difference between local and dominant features. For spatial saliency, hue and saturation features are used, while for motion saliency, optical flow vectors are used as features. Experimental results on standard datasets for video segmentation and for saliency detection show superior performance over state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Analysis, design and experimental verification of a field‐modulated permanent‐magnet machine for direct‐drive wind turbines
Authors: Li Xianglin , Chau Kwok Tong , Cheng Ming
Published: February 2015

This paper presents the design and experimental verification of a field‐modulated permanent‐magnet (FMPM) machine using spoke‐magnet outer rotor for direct‐drive wind turbines. The fundamental operation and optimised design process of the proposed machine are elaborated and discussed in detail. The electromagnetic analytical calculation is used for the initial determination of the prototype design, mainly concerning the special constraints of wind power generation, and the two‐dimensional finite element analysis is also applied to optimise and investigate the detailed characteristics. A 5 kW prototype is constructed, and the measured performances have verified the analysis and design, justifying that the proposed machine can offer significant advantages of high‐torque capability and low‐voltage regulation. Experience gained from this study has led to develop a general design guideline for the open‐slot FMPM machine using spoke‐magnet outer rotor for direct‐drive applications.
Design and analysis of double‐sided slotless axial‐flux permanent magnet machines with conventional and new stator core
Authors: Hekmati Parham , Yazdanpanah Reza , Mirsalim Mojtaba
Published: February 2015

The objective of this paper is to present the design equations of the conventional double‐sided axial‐flux slotless brushless DC machine (BLDC) and the new one with the trapezoidal cross‐section core as well as performances comparison based on the proposed design algorithm. Direct search method is used to find the optimum designs, whereas machines with the rated power of 0.25–10 kW are compared. Efficiency and size of the optimum designed machines are presented to make a comprehensive study for choosing the best topology from the viewpoint of electrical and geometrical characteristics. Finite element analysis and experimental results are presented to show the validity of the derived equations and the design outcomes.
Asymmetric structure with high electric–thermal conversion efficiency for nanoscale phase change memory based on three‐dimensional simulation
Authors: Lan Tian , Sun Jinjie , Cheng Xiao Min , Zhou Jiao , Miao Xiangshui
Published: February 2015

How to decrease the reset current is a key point for improving the performance of phase change memory (PCM). Therefore, an asymmetric structure of PCM is proposed to achieve this aim. Using ANSYS, three‐dimensional finite element models were established to simulate the efficiency of electric–thermal conversion in PCM cells with an asymmetric structure and a conventional symmetric structure. Simulation results show that the peak temperature in the asymmetric cell with a feature size (FS) of 16 nm is higher than that in the conventional symmetric cell with the same FS by 37.2% when the same current pulse is applied. In an asymmetric cell, the current path and heat dissipating conditions are quite different from those in a symmetric cell, which leads to the remarkable enhancement in electric–thermal conversion efficiency. Simulation results also suggest a proper offset value in asymmetric structures, with which the efficiency of electric–thermal conversion can be further improved. If this new structure is used in fabrication, no additional cost will be incurred because the only difference between symmetric and asymmetric structures is the position of the top opening of the electrodes, indicating that the new structure is highly compatible with modern fabrication processes of PCM.
Synthesis and characterisation of pore‐expanded mesoporous silica materials
Authors: Ma Juanjuan , Liu Qiming , Chen Dandan , Wen Sheng , Wang Tianhe
Published: February 2015

Mesoporous silicas are synthesised using 1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene (TMB) and heptanes as pore expanders. Small‐angle X‐ray diffraction and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms at 77 K were used to characterise the pore structure of the prepared materials. The porosity increased with the added TMB amount for samples using TMB as a pore expander and a total pore value of 2.48 cm3/g was obtained, representing an increase by a factor of 2.4 as compared with mesoporous silica without TMB addition. For samples with heptanes as a pore expander, the pore volume increased with synthesis temperature. The mesoporous silica synthesised at 52°C had a total pore volume of 2.38 cm3/g.
Gyrokinetic particle simulation of microturbulence for general magnetic geometry and experimental profiles
Authors: Xiao Yong , Holod Ihor , Wang Zhixuan , Lin Zhihong , Zhang Taige
Published: February 2015

Developments in gyrokinetic particle simulation enable the gyrokinetic toroidal code (GTC) to simulate turbulent transport in tokamaks with realistic equilibrium profiles and plasma geometry, which is a critical step in the code–experiment validation process. These new developments include numerical equilibrium representation using B-splines, a new Poisson solver based on finite difference using field-aligned mesh and magnetic flux coordinates, a new zonal flow solver for general geometry, and improvements on the conventional four-point gyroaverage with nonuniform background marker loading. The gyrokinetic Poisson equation is solved in the perpendicular plane instead of the poloidal plane. Exploiting these new features, GTC is able to simulate a typical DIII-D discharge with experimental magnetic geometry and profiles. The simulated turbulent heat diffusivity and its radial profile show good agreement with other gyrokinetic codes. The newly developed nonuniform loading method provides a modified radial transport profile to that of the conventional uniform loading method.
Temperature-dependent self-assembly of NC–Ph5–CN molecules on Cu(111)
Authors: Pivetta Marina , Pacchioni Giulia E. , Fernandes Edgar , Brune Harald
Published: February 2015

We present the results of temperature-dependent self-assembly of dicarbonitrile-pentaphenyl molecules (NC–Ph5–CN) on Cu(111). Our low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy study reveals the formation of metal-organic and purely organic structures, depending on the substrate temperature during deposition (160–300 K), which determines the availability of Cu adatoms at the surface. We use tip functionalization with CO to obtain submolecular resolution and image the coordination atoms, enabling unequivocal identification of metal-coordinated nodes and purely organic ones. Moreover, we discuss the somewhat surprising structure obtained for deposition and measurement at 300 K.
Interference enhanced thermoelectricity in quinoid type structures
Authors: Strange M. , Seldenthuis J. S. , Verzijl C. J. O. , Thijssen J. M. , Solomon G. C.
Published: February 2015

Quantum interference (QI) effects in molecular junctions may be used to obtain large thermoelectric responses. We study the electrical conductance G and the thermoelectric response of a series of molecules featuring a quinoid core using density functional theory, as well as a semi-empirical interacting model Hamiltonian describing the π-system of the molecule which we treat in the GW approximation. Molecules with a quinoid type structure are shown to have two distinct destructive QI features close to the frontier orbital energies. These manifest themselves as two dips in the transmission, that remain separated, even when either electron donating or withdrawing side groups are added. We find that the position of the dips in the transmission and the frontier molecular levels can be chemically controlled by varying the electron donating or withdrawing character of the side groups as well as the conjugation length inside the molecule. This feature results in a very high thermoelectric power factor S2G and figure of merit ZT, where S is the Seebeck coefficient, making quinoid type molecules potential candidates for efficient thermoelectric devices.
5D quantum dynamics of the H2@SWNT system: Quantitative study of the rotational-translational coupling
Authors: Mondelo-Martell M. , Huarte-Larrañaga F.
Published: February 2015

The dynamics of the dihydrogen molecule when confined in carbon nanotubes with different chiralities and diameters are studied by using a 5 dimensional model considering the most relevant degrees of freedom of the system. The nuclear eigenstates are calculated for an (8,0) and a (5,0) carbon nanotubes by the State-Average Multiconfigurational Time-dependent Hartree, and then studied using qualitative tools (mapping of the total wave functions onto given subspaces) and more rigorous analysis (different kinds of overlaps with reference functions). The qualitative analysis is seen to fail due to a strong coupling between the internal and translational degrees of freedom. Using more accurate tools allows us to gain a deeper insight into the behaviour of confined species.
A simple microviscometric approach based on Brownian motion tracking
Authors: Hnyluchová Zuzana , Bjalončíková Petra , Karas Pavel , Mravec Filip , Halasová Tereza , Pekař Miloslav , Kubala Lukáš , Víteček Jan
Published: February 2015

Viscosity—an integral property of a liquid—is traditionally determined by mechanical instruments. The most pronounced disadvantage of such an approach is the requirement of a large sample volume, which poses a serious obstacle, particularly in biology and biophysics when working with limited samples. Scaling down the required volume by means of microviscometry based on tracking the Brownian motion of particles can provide a reasonable alternative. In this paper, we report a simple microviscometric approach which can be conducted with common laboratory equipment. The core of this approach consists in a freely available standalone script to process particle trajectory data based on a Newtonian model. In our study, this setup allowed the sample to be scaled down to 10 μl. The utility of the approach was demonstrated using model solutions of glycerine, hyaluronate, and mouse blood plasma. Therefore, this microviscometric approach based on a newly developed freely available script can be suggested for determination of the viscosity of small biological samples (e.g., body fluids).
Dynamics of polymer translocation through kinked nanopores
Authors: Wang Junfang , Wang Yilin , Luo Kaifu
Published: February 2015

Polymer translocation through nanopore has potential technological applications for DNA sequencing, where one challenge problem is to slow down translocation speed. Inspired by experimental findings that kinked nanopores exhibit a large reduction in translocation velocity compared with their straight counterparts, we investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation through kinked nanopores in two dimensions under an applied external field. With increasing the tortuosity of an array of nanopores, our analytical results show that the translocation probability decreases. Langevin dynamics simulation results support this prediction and further indicate that with increasing the tortuosity, translocation time shows a slow increase followed by a rapid increase after a critical tortuosity. This behavior demonstrates that kinked nanopores can effectively reduce translocation speed. These results are interpreted by the roles of the tortuosity for decreasing the effective nanopore diameter, increasing effective nanopore length, and greatly increasing the DNA-pore friction.
All-perovskite transparent high mobility field effect using epitaxial BaSnO3 and LaInO3
Authors: Kim Useong , Park Chulkwon , Ha Taewoo , Kim Young Mo , Kim Namwook , Ju Chanjong , Park Jisung , Yu Jaejun , Kim Jae Hoon , Char Kookrin
Published: February 2015

We demonstrate an all-perovskite transparent heterojunction field effect transistor made of two lattice-matched perovskite oxides: BaSnO3 and LaInO3. We have developed epitaxial LaInO3 as the gate oxide on top of BaSnO3, which were recently reported to possess high thermal stability and electron mobility when doped with La. We measured the dielectric properties of the epitaxial LaInO3 films, such as the band gap, dielectric constant, and the dielectric breakdown field. Using the LaInO3 as a gate dielectric and the La-doped BaSnO3 as a channel layer, we fabricated field effect device structure. The field effect mobility of such device was higher than 90 cm2 V−1 s−1, the on/off ratio was larger than 107, and the subthreshold swing was 0.65 V dec−1. We discuss the possible origins for such device performance and the future directions for further improvement.
Texture control of multiferroic BiFeO3 polycrystalline films on glass substrates with various metal electrode underlayers
Authors: Chang H. W. , Yuan F. T. , Chen P. H. , Yu Y. C. , Lin P. C. , Wang C. R. , Jen S. U.
Published: February 2015

Texture control of multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) polycrystalline films on glass substrates with various metal electrode underlayers at reduced processing temperature of 450 °C has been demonstrated. The structural results confirm the synthesis of perovskite BFO with (001) texture on the refined Pt(111) and L10-FePt(001) electrode layers and with (110) texture on CoPt(111) one. All studied BFO films exhibit typical ferroelectric properties. Larger remanent electrical polarization 2Pr of 135 μC/cm2 and coercive electric field Ec of 495 kV/cm are obtained for BFO(110) film on CoPt(111) electrode as compared to BFO(001) films on Pt(111) and L10-FePt(001) electrodes (2Pr = 93–98 μC/cm2 and Ec of 304–354 kV/cm), which is consistent with the epitaxial BFO films and theoretical calculations. Besides, the ferroelectric properties of the studied BFO films are comparable to BFO films grown on single crystal substrates. The ferroelectric properties with various metal electrode underlayers are related to the orientation of texture and leakage behavior.
Low-frequency noise in MoSe2 field effect transistors
Authors: Das Suprem R. , Kwon Jiseok , Prakash Abhijith , Delker Collin J. , Das Saptarshi , Janes David B.
Published: February 2015

One of the important performance metrics of emerging nanoelectronic devices, including low dimensional Field Effect Transistors (FETs), is the magnitude of the low-frequency noise. Atomically thin 2D semiconductor channel materials such as MoX2 (X ≡ S, Se) have shown promising transistor characteristics such as ION/IOFF ratio exceeding 106 and low IOFF, making them attractive as channel materials for next generation nanoelectronic devices. However, MoS2 FETs demonstrated to date exhibit high noise levels under ambient conditions. In this letter, we report at least two orders of magnitude smaller values of Hooge parameter in a back-gated MoSe2 FET (10 atomic layers) with nickel S/D contacts and measured at atmospheric pressure and temperature. The channel dominated regime of noise was extracted from the total noise spectrum and is shown to follow a mobility fluctuation model with 1/f dependence. The low noise in MoSe2 FETs is comparable to other 1D nanoelectronic devices such as carbon nanotube FETs (CNT-FETs) and paves the way for use in future applications in precision sensing and communications.
Evidence for a broad-scale decline in giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) abundance from non-targeted survey data
Authors: Prowse Thomas A. A. , Gillanders Bronwyn M. , Brook Barry W. , Fowler Anthony J. , Hall Karina C. , Steer Michael A. , Mellin Camille , Clisby N. , Tanner Jason E. , Ward Tim M. , Fordham Damien A.
Published: February 2015

Little is known about the population trajectory and dynamics of many marine invertebrates because of a lack of robust observational data. The giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) is IUCN-listed as Near Threatened because the largest known breeding aggregation of this species in northern Spencer Gulf, South Australia, has declined markedly since the turn of the century. We used by-catch records from long-term trawl surveys to derive abundance data for S. apama and commercial cuttlefish harvest data as a measure of exploitation. Using Bayesian hierarchical models to account for zero-inflation and spatial dependence in these abundance counts, we demonstrated a high probability of broad-scale declines in the density of S. apama, particularly surrounding the primary aggregation site, which supports the recent closure of the entire S. apama fishery in northern Spencer Gulf. Historical harvest data were positively correlated with S. apama density estimated from the trawl surveys, suggesting that the commercial cuttlefish catch tracks the species abundance. Our results also indicated the possibility that the known S. apama breeding grounds might be supplemented by individuals that were spawned elsewhere in northern Spencer Gulf.
Spermatozoa of Sminthopsis murina (Mammalia: Metatheria) exhibit an unusually high degree of chromatin stability in the absence of disulphide bonding in protamine 1
Authors: Johnston S. D. , López-Fernández C. , Arroyo F. , Fardell S. , Roy R. , Gosálvez J.
Published: February 2015

Although all but a single genus (Planigale) of the metatheria so far examined contain no cysteine residues in protamine 1, we report a remarkable level of chromatin stability in the spermatozoa of the common dunnart, Sminthopsis murina. S. murina cauda epididymal spermatozoa and somatic epithelial cells were exposed to a combination of graded treatments to lyse sperm protein and induce sperm DNA damage via standard freeze–thaw protocols and post-thaw incubation at 37°C for 48 h, exposure to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and the enzyme AluI restriction endonuclease. Sperm DNA fragmentation was assessed using the comet assay and sperm chromatin dispersal test. Although S. murina somatic cells showed DNA fragmentation following protein lysis and after treatment with all the protocols specifically designed to induce chromatin damage, sperm DNA fragmentation was only observed following moderate to severe proteolytic exposure and treatment with the restriction endonuclease; there was also an increase in the baseline halo of spermatozoa treated with an aggressive reducing agent, but no corresponding evidence of fragmented DNA, suggesting that cysteine residues may be functioning to conform tertiary and/or quaternary chromatin structure. Given that the protamine 1 of S. murina contains no cysteine, we suggest that the source of these residues is possibly the histone fraction of the chromatin and that the high level of stability is potentially related to prolonged sperm survival in the female’s reproductive tract.
On convex relaxation of graph isomorphism
Authors: Aflalo Yonathan , Bronstein Alexander , Kimmel Ron
Published: February 2015

Significance

Graphs are a ubiquitous mathematical abstraction used in numerous problems in science and engineering. Of particular importance is the need to find the best structure-preserving matching of graphs. Since graph matching (GM) is a computationally intractable problem, numerous heuristics exist to approximate its solution. An important class of GM heuristics is relaxation techniques based on replacing the original problem by a continuous convex program. Conditions for applicability or inapplicability of such convex relaxations are poorly understood. In this study, we propose easy to check spectral properties to characterize a wide family of graphs for which we prove equivalence of convex relaxation to the exact GM.
Mother’s voice and heartbeat sounds elicit auditory plasticity in the human brain before full gestation
Authors: Webb Alexandra R. , Heller Howard T. , Benson Carol B. , Lahav Amir
Published: February 2015

Significance

Newborns can hear their mother’s voice and heartbeat sounds before birth. However, it is unknown whether, how early, and to what extent the newborn's brain is shaped by exposure to such maternal sounds. This study provides evidence for experience-dependent plasticity in the auditory cortex in preterm newborns exposed to authentic recordings of maternal sounds before full-term brain maturation. We demonstrate that the auditory cortex is more adaptive to womb-like maternal sounds than to environmental noise. Results are supported by the biological fact that maternal sounds would otherwise be present in utero had the baby not been born prematurely. We theorize that exposure to maternal sounds may provide newborns with the auditory fitness necessary to shape the brain for hearing and language development.
Robust Hadley Circulation changes and increasing global dryness due to CO
2
warming from CMIP5 model projections
Authors: Lau William K. M. , Kim Kyu-Myong
Published: February 2015

Significance

In spite of increasing research efforts, global warming signals of the Hadley Circulation (HC) and its dynamical linkages to water cycle changes remain largely unknown. Here, from model projections, we find robust signals of both strengthening and weakening components of the HC induced by CO
2
warming. These changes in the HC drive a pattern of global dryness featuring widespread reduction of tropospheric humidity and increased frequency of dry months, particularly over subtropical and tropical land regions. We also find that global warming signal in increased dryness is the most detectable among numerous water-cycle quantities examined. Our results provide a scientific basis for inferring that greenhouse warming is likely to contribute to the observed prolonged worldwide droughts in recent decades.
Analysis of 13 cell types reveals evidence for the expression of numerous novel primate- and tissue-specific microRNAs
Authors: Londin Eric , Loher Phillipe , Telonis Aristeidis G. , Quann Kevin , Clark Peter , Jing Yi , Hatzimichael Eleftheria , Kirino Yohei , Honda Shozo , Lally Michelle , Ramratnam Bharat , Comstock Clay E. S. , Knudsen Karen E. , Gomella Leonard , Spaeth George L. , Hark Lisa , Katz L. Jay , Witkiewicz Agnieszka , Rostami Abdolmohamad , Jimenez Sergio A. , Hollingsworth Michael A. , Yeh Jen Jen , Shaw Chad A. , McKenzie Steven E. , Bray Paul , Nelson Peter T. , Zupo Simona , Van Roosbroeck Katrien , Keating Michael J. , Calin George A. , Yeo Charles , Jimbo Masaya , Cozzitorto Joseph , Brody Jonathan R. , Delgrosso Kathleen , Mattick John S. , Fortina Paolo , Rigoutsos Isidore
Published: February 2015

Significance

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ∼22-nt RNAs that are important regulators of posttranscriptional gene expression. Since their initial discovery, they have been shown to be involved in many cellular processes, and their misexpression is associated with disease etiology. Currently, nearly 2,800 human miRNAs are annotated in public repositories. A key question in miRNA research is how many miRNAs are harbored by the human genome. To answer this question, we examined 1,323 short RNA sequence samples and identified 3,707 novel miRNAs, many of which are human-specific and tissue-specific. Our findings suggest that the human genome expresses a greater number of miRNAs than has previously been appreciated and that many more miRNA molecules may play key roles in disease etiology.
Selective molecular transport through the protein shell of a bacterial microcompartment organelle
Authors: Chowdhury Chiranjit , Chun Sunny , Pang Allan , Sawaya Michael R. , Sinha Sharmistha , Yeates Todd O. , Bobik Thomas A.
Published: February 2015

Significance

Here, we describe a type of selective channel formed by a nonmembrane protein that is used to control metabolite movement between cellular compartments. In this case, the channel controls the movement of metabolites between the bacterial cytoplasm and the lumen of a bacterial microcompartment, a primitive organelle that is bounded by a protein shell and lacks any lipid bilayer. These studies are the first to our knowledge to prove selective molecular transport through a protein-based barrier. These findings broaden our understanding of how cells control the movement of molecules between cellular compartments, which is fundamental to biological systems. It also solves a key question about the function of bacterial microcompartments, which themselves impact many diverse and important biological processes.
Variability of stalagmite-inferred Indian monsoon precipitation over the past 252,000 y
Authors: Cai Yanjun , Fung Inez Y. , Edwards R. Lawrence , An Zhisheng , Cheng Hai , Lee Jung-Eun , Tan Liangcheng , Shen Chuan-Chou , Wang Xianfeng , Day Jesse A. , Zhou Weijian , Kelly Megan J. , Chiang John C. H.
Published: February 2015

Significance

This paper presents a new long speleothem δ
18
O time series from Xiaobailong cave in southwest China that characterizes changes in a major branch of Indian summer monsoon precipitation over the last 252 kyrs. This record shows not only 23-kyr precessional cycles punctuated by prominent millennial-scale weak monsoon events synchronous with Heinrich events in the North Atlantic, but also clear glacial–interglacial variations that are consistent with marine records but different from the cave records in East China. The speleothem records of Xiaobailong and other caves in East China show that the relationship between the Indian and the East Asian summer monsoon precipitation is not invariant, but rather varies on different timescales depending on the nature and magnitude of the climate forcing.
Extraordinary diversity of visual opsin genes in dragonflies
Authors: Futahashi Ryo , Kawahara-Miki Ryouka , Kinoshita Michiyo , Yoshitake Kazutoshi , Yajima Shunsuke , Arikawa Kentaro , Fukatsu Takema
Published: February 2015

Significance

Human color vision is tri-chromatic, with three opsins expressed in cone photoreceptors that are sensitive in the red, green, and blue region of the spectrum. As theories predict, such tri- or tetra-chromacy with three or four opsin genes is common among mammals, birds, and other animals, including insects. However, we discovered that dragonflies possess as many as 15–33 opsin genes that have evolved through dynamic gene multiplications and losses within the lineage of dragonflies. These opsin genes are differentially expressed between adult and larva, as well as between dorsal and ventral regions of adult compound eyes, which plausibly underpin the versatile behavioral and ecological adaptations of actively flying adults to aerial lifestyle and sedentary larvae to aquatic lifestyle.
Rational design of a split-Cas9 enzyme complex
Authors: Wright Addison V. , Sternberg Samuel H. , Taylor David W. , Staahl Brett T. , Bardales Jorge A. , Kornfeld Jack E. , Doudna Jennifer A.
Published: February 2015

Significance

Bacteria have evolved clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) together with CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to defend themselves against viral infection. RNAs derived from the CRISPR locus assemble with Cas proteins into programmable DNA-targeting complexes that destroy DNA molecules complementary to the guide RNA. In type II CRISPR-Cas systems, the Cas9 protein binds and cleaves target DNA sequences at sites complementary to a 20-nt guide RNA sequence. This activity has been harnessed for a wide range of genome-engineering applications. This study explores the structural features that enable Cas9 to bind and cleave target DNAs, and the results suggest a way of regulating Cas9 by physical separation of the catalytic domains from the rest of the protein scaffold.
Conserving Pacific Lamprey through Collaborative Efforts
Authors: Wang Christina , Schaller Howard
Published: February 2015

Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) have been an important part of the ecological community and co-evolved with aquatic species of the western rivers of the United States. Scarce information on Pacific Lamprey has hindered conservation and management efforts. To assess and conserve Pacific Lamprey, we developed a conservation initiative composed of three parts: assessment, conservation agreement, and regional implementation plans. We applied a novel ranking system that characterized risk to Pacific Lamprey throughout the U.S. range. We found that the majority of watersheds are at relatively high risk of extirpation, with few secure. The risk assessment results were instrumental in gaining partners’ support for a conservation agreement, with the goal of achieving long-term persistence and supporting traditional tribal cultural use of Pacific Lamprey. This extensive support has led to a collaborative effort in developing implementation plans and delivering numerous conservation actions. This approach for assessing Pacific Lamprey status and identifying restoration priorities is easily transferrable to other species.

La lamprea del Pacífico (Entosphenus tridentatus) ha sido parte esencial de la comunidad ecológica y ha co-evolucionado con especies acuáticas de los ríos del oeste de los EE.UU. La falta de información sobre la lamprea del Pacífico ha entorpecido los esfuerzos de manejo y conservación. Con el fin de evaluar y conservar la lamprea del Pacífico, se desarrolló una iniciativa de conservación que se compone de tres partes: evaluación, acuerdos de conservación y planes regionales de implementación. Se aplica un sistema nuevo de ordenación que caracteriza el riesgo de la lamprea del Pacífico a lo largo de los EE.UU. Se encontró que, con algunas excepciones, en la mayor parte de las cuencas hidrológicas, la especie está en riesgo de extirpación. Los resultados de la evaluación del riesgo fueron esenciales para adquirir el apoyo de los participantes en los acuerdos de conservación, con el objetivo de lograr la persistencia de largo plazo y apoyo del uso cultural de la lamprea del Pacífico. Este amplio apoyo ha dado como resultado un esfuerzo de colaboración para desarrollar planes de implementación y la puesta en práctica de numerosas acciones de conservación. Este enfoque para evaluar el estado de la lamprea del Pacífico y para identificar prioridades de restauración se puede transferir fácilmente a otras especies.
A Multivariate Assessment of Factors Influencing Survival of Red Drum in Earthen Outdoor Rearing Ponds
Authors: Cason Paul D , Anderson Joel D
Published: February 2015

Extensive culture of larval Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus in outdoor ponds occasionally results in low survival, thereby stifling stock enhancement goals. Mortality is probably tied to multiple environmental influences rather than to any singular factor. We assessed factors influencing Red Drum mortality and survival in the context of an extensive aquaculture operation in Texas. Larvae were stocked into 120 rearing ponds of various sizes in the spring, summer, and fall of 2012 and 2013. Water quality variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH) were assessed throughout culture. A principal components analysis of water quality, pond size, stocking density, and zooplankton density (number of organisms/L) was used to determine how each variable related to survival (measured as a ratio of the total number of Red Drum harvested to the total number of Red Drum stocked). Temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH all loaded significantly onto the first ordination axis, suggesting correlations among water quality variables. Survival loaded significantly on the second and third ordination axes and was positively associated with larger ponds, lower stocking density, higher zooplankton density, and lower pH. Stepwise regression of observed variables in ponds pooled by year suggested that pH and stocking density were important in both 2012 (r2 = 0.452) and 2013 (r2 = 0.305, P < 0.05). These data indicate that ponds with moderate densities of Red Drum larvae will have a higher probability of survival than ponds with high larval densities; the results also confirm previous findings that pH is a significant mortality factor in extensive aquaculture of Red Drum.
Word knowledge in the crowd: Measuring vocabulary size and word prevalence in a massive online experiment
Authors: Keuleers Emmanuel , Stevens Michaël , Mandera Paweł , Brysbaert Marc
Published: February 2015

We use the results of a large online experiment on word knowledge in Dutch to investigate variables influencing vocabulary size in a large population and to examine the effect of word prevalence—the percentage of a population knowing a word—as a measure of word occurrence. Nearly 300,000 participants were presented with about 70 word stimuli (selected from a list of 53,000 words) in an adapted lexical decision task. We identify age, education, and multilingualism as the most important factors influencing vocabulary size. The results suggest that the accumulation of vocabulary throughout life and in multiple languages mirrors the logarithmic growth of number of types with number of tokens observed in text corpora (Herdan's law). Moreover, the vocabulary that multilinguals acquire in related languages seems to increase their first language (L1) vocabulary size and outweighs the loss caused by decreased exposure to L1. In addition, we show that corpus word frequency and prevalence are complementary measures of word occurrence covering a broad range of language experiences. Prevalence is shown to be the strongest independent predictor of word processing times in the Dutch Lexicon Project, making it an important variable for psycholinguistic research.
Cyclic polynomials in two variables
Authors: Bénéteau Catherine , Knese Greg , Kosiński Łukasz , Liaw Constanze , Seco Daniel , Sola Alan
Published: February 2015

We give a complete characterization of polynomials in two complex variables that are cyclic with respect to the coordinate shifts acting on Dirichlet-type spaces in the bidisk, which include the Hardy space and the Dirichlet space of the bidisk. The cyclicity of a polynomial depends on both the size and nature of the zero set of the polynomial on the distinguished boundary. The techniques in the proof come from real analytic function theory, determinantal representations for polynomials, and harmonic analysis on curves.