bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maintenance tocolysis with oral micronized progesterone for prevention of preterm birth after arrested preterm labor
Authors: Choudhary Manju , Suneja Amita , Vaid Neelam B. , Guleria Kiran , Faridi M.M.A.
Published: April 2014

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of maintenance therapy with oral micronized progesterone (OMP) for prolongation of pregnancy in cases of arrested preterm labor.

Methods

Ninety women at 24–34 weeks of singleton pregnancy with intact membranes and arrested preterm labor were randomly allocated to receive OMP (n = 45) or placebo (n = 45) daily until 37 weeks or delivery, whichever was earlier. Outcome parameters were compared using Student t test, χ2 test, Fisher exact test, and log‐rank χ2 test.

Results

OMP significantly prolonged the latency period (33.29 ± 22.16 vs 23.07 ± 15.42 days; P = 0.013). Log‐rank analysis revealed a significant difference in mean time to delivery between the 2 groups (P = 0.014). There were significantly fewer preterm births (33% vs 58%; P = 0.034) and low birth weight neonates (37% vs 64%; P = 0.017), and significantly higher mean birth weight (2.44 ± 0.58 vs 2.14 ± 0.47 kg; P = 0.009) in the OMP group. Perinatal outcomes and adverse effects were similar in the 2 groups.

Conclusion

Maintenance tocolysis with OMP significantly prolonged pregnancy and decreased the number of preterm births.

Clinical Trial Registry of India: CTRI/2011/10/002043.
Understanding supplier structural embeddedness: A social network perspective
Authors: Kim Dong‐Young
Published: April 2014

Despite a significant amount of attention, the potential of supplier structural embeddedness (i.e., the value of the structural position in an extended network) to improve the performance of a buying firm remains poorly understood. This study drew on the social network theory to empirically examine a conceptual framework specifying a relationship between the efforts of a buying firm to understand supplier structural configuration and operational and financial performance. This study also examines how the comprehension of structural embeddedness is transformed into performance for a buying firm through relational embeddedness (i.e., the strength of a dyadic relationship). Survey data collected from companies in the U.S. were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. The results indicate that the understanding of the structural dimension does help to enhance operational performance of a buying firm, but it does not lead to better financial performance. Empirical evidence shows that a buying firm does improve the quality of a dyadic relationship between the buying firm and a supplier by understanding how the supplier is connected to other firms and what positional values are produced. Further, relational embeddedness is found to mediate the influence of the enhanced understanding of the structural configuration on operational performance.
Protective effect of chitosan treatment against acetaminophen‐induced hepatotoxicity
Authors: Ozcelik Eda , Uslu Sema , Erkasap Nilufer , Karimkhani Hadi
Published: April 2014

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the most commonly reported toxic ingestion in the world. Severe liver injury resulting from overdose or chronic use of APAP remains a significant clinical problem. In recent years, the mechanisms underlying liver injury caused by APAP have become much better understood. We have studied the protective effect of chitosan supplementation against APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity with respect to changes in the levels of total and lipid‐bound sialic acid in the serum and in the liver tissue and changes in the activity of diagnostic marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and ceruloplasmin oxidase enzyme in normal and experimental groups of rats. During the experimental period, chitosan (200 mg/kg body weight per day) was administered to APAP + chitosan‐treated rats by oral gavage. Results showed that treatment with APAP induced a significant increase in the serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, in total and lipid‐bound sialic acids levels, and in the liver lipid peroxide content. The administration of chitosan significantly prevented APAP‐induced alterations in the levels of diagnostic marker enzymes, total sialic acid, lipid‐bound sialic acid, and malondialdehyde in the experimental groups of rats. Furthermore, chitosan administration increased the activity of ceruloplasmin oxidase. In conclusion, our results suggest that chitosan has a protective effect on APAP‐induced hepatic injury in rats. The study sheds light on the therapeutic potential of chitosan in an APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity model.
Analytical solutions of compacting flow past a sphere
Authors: Rudge John F.
Published: April 2014

A series of analytical solutions are presented for viscous compacting flow past a rigid impermeable sphere. The sphere is surrounded by a two-phase medium consisting of a viscously deformable solid matrix skeleton through which a low-viscosity liquid melt can percolate. The flow of the two-phase medium is described by McKenzie’s compaction equations, which combine Darcy flow of the liquid melt with Stokes flow of the solid matrix. The analytical solutions are found using an extension of the Papkovich–Neuber technique for Stokes flow. Solutions are presented for the three components of linear flow past a sphere: translation, rotation and straining flow. Faxén laws for the force, torque and stresslet on a rigid sphere in an arbitrary compacting flow are derived. The analytical solutions provide instantaneous solutions to the compaction equations in a uniform medium, but can also be used to numerically calculate an approximate evolution of the porosity over time whilst the porosity variations remain small. These solutions will be useful for interpreting the results of deformation experiments on partially molten rocks.
“All Your Ages at the Mercy of My Loves”: Rewriting History in John Berryman's Homage to Mistress Bradstreet
Authors: JORDAN AMY
Published: April 2014

Since its 1953 publication, John Berryman's Homage to Mistress Bradstreet has incited debate. The text's dialogue with the first published poet of colonial North America has been described as a factual study, a redaction of adultery and a veiled critique of modern society. It is seldom noted, however, that Berryman's strategy of “modulat[ing]” his voice into Anne Bradstreet's raises key questions regarding his reappropriation of her life and writing. Does Homage's conscious ventriloquism problematize its status as a “historical” poem? And how might this revised understanding illuminate the work's relation to America's origins? This paper proposes a more multifaceted context for Homage's composition than has hitherto been recognized. Through mapping the poem's rewriting of history, I demonstrate it to be the product of both national and literary anxieties: if voicing Bradstreet enables Berryman to interrogate the American Dream's legacy, her canonical status casts scrutiny upon the contemporary poet's role in an age of sociopolitical tensions. Foregrounding Berryman's public self-positioning in Homage invites a reassessment of his engagements with society that liberates his oeuvre from “confessional” designations. As a result, it opens the way for readings that might situate Homage and The Dream Songs within the wider tradition of American epic poetry.
Prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies
Authors: Donaghy P. C. , O'Brien J. T. , Thomas A. J.
Published: April 2014

Background

The clinical condition of dementia is now recognized as a diagnosis that can only be applied too late in the disease process to be useful for therapeutic approaches centring on disease modification. As a result, in recent years increasing attention has been given to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the diagnosis of prodromal dementia. This paper reviews the evidence for the clinical presentation of prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Method

A Medline search was carried out to identify articles with original data on the prodromal presentation of DLB.

Results

In MCI cohorts that progress to dementia, the proportion diagnosed with DLB is similar to that reported in dementia cohorts. Prodromal DLB may present as any MCI subtype, although visuospatial and executive domains may be most commonly affected. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (RBD), autonomic symptoms, hyposmia, hallucinations and motor symptoms seem to be more common in prodromal DLB than in prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some of these symptoms can precede the diagnosis of DLB by several years. There has been little research into the use of biomarkers in prodromal DLB, although in RBD cohorts, clinical and imaging biomarkers have been associated with the development of DLB.

Conclusions

The evidence available suggests that prodromal DLB may be differentiated from other dementia prodromes in most cases. Further research is needed to confirm this, and to assess the utility of biomarkers such as 123I-FP-CIT and 123I-MIBG imaging.
Fallenness and anhypostasis: a way forward in the debate over Christ's humanity
Authors: Sumner Darren O.
Published: April 2014

The doctrine of the incarnation suggests that Christ is necessarily like us in some respects, and also unlike us in others. One long-standing debate in modern christology concerns whether Jesus’ human nature ought to be regarded as ‘fallen’ – as conditioned by the effects of the Fall – despite the fact that he himself remained without sin (Heb 4:15). Is fallenness a condition which is necessary in order for Christ to sympathise with human beings, to represent them, and so to reconcile them to God? Is fallenness logically separable from sinfulness? Recent literature has suggested an increasing intractability on both sides of this debate. This article seeks to bring clarity to the question of the fallenness of Christ's human nature by identifying areas of common ground between advocates and opponents of this position. It engages the work of representatives from both sides – Oliver Crisp in opposition and Karl Barth in support – in order to determine the different ways in which they approach the matter of Jesus’ fallenness and impeccability, and to locate points of potential consensus. Crisp argues that fallenness cannot be detached from sin and guilt – i.e. Augustine's notion of both original sin and original corruption, in which sin is an inevitability. Barth, on the other hand, is critical of the Augustinian view and takes as his point of departure Jesus’ unity and sympathy with fallen creatures. Yet the fallenness of Jesus’ humanity does not mean that sin was a real possibility for him.

In this article the christological doctrine of anhypostasis – a way of speaking exclusively of human nature apart from its hypostatic union with God the Son – is suggested as the primary way forward. Advocates of the fallenness position seem to have this qualifier in mind when describing Jesus’ human nature as ‘fallen’: it is true of the assumed nature only when considered in itself, apart from the hypostatic union. There are logical and historical grounds for opponents to accept fallenness strictly on these terms, as well. Beyond this, I argue that anhypostatic fallenness should be acceptable to both sides because it is never without a corresponding sanctification of Jesus’ human nature by its encounter with God. Though Jesus’ humanity was conditioned by the fall, by virtue of the communicatio gratiarum it was not left in a state of peccability.
Psalm 2:7 and the concept of περιχώρησις
Authors: Straus Michael
Published: April 2014

This article takes as its springboard the well-known text of Psalm 2:7, in which the Psalmist – presumably David, king of Israel – refers to himself as a ‘begotten’ son of God by virtue of his Lord's decree. The article first explores various linguistic and theological options as to the identity of the ‘son’ to whom the passage refers; and analyses the relationship between that son and the one who is stated to have begotten him. In this context, the article addresses ways in which the passage more generally sheds light on the relationship between God and Israel, including through analysis of a number of fluctuating usages of singular and plural terms in the Old Testament to describe that relationship. Second, and against that background, the article examines texts in the New Testament which quote or refer to Psalm 2:7 to see whether they provide a better understanding of the nature of the relationship between the father and the son described in the Psalm; and further to see whether any enhanced understanding of that relationship reciprocally sheds light on the relationship of God the Father to God the Son as revealed in the New Testament. The article then seeks to determine whether these passages, taken as a whole, provide explicit, implicit, or proto-Trinitarian concepts in anticipation of those given fuller expression in orthodox Church doctrine. Finally, the article explores the concept of circumincession, or coinherence, John of Damascus’ highly abstracted and nearly poetic effort at the close of the Patristic era to provide an extra-biblical explanation of the relationship between the Father and the Son as well as the relationship among the three members of the Trinity. The article concludes by finding that his attempted articulation, and quite possibly all such efforts, will ultimately fail, leaving intact the mystery of the Trinity as one escaping, or rather surpassing, conceptual analysis.
Empires of Writing: Britain, America and Constitutions, 1776–1848
Authors: Colley Linda
Published: April 2014

Approximately 50 years ago, R. R. Palmer published his two volume masterworkThe Age of the Democratic Revolution. Designed as a “comparative constitutional history of Western civilization,” it charted the struggles after 1776 over ideas of popular sovereignty and civil and religious freedoms, and the spreading conviction that, instead of being confined to “any established, privileged, closed, or self-recruiting groups of men,” government might be rendered simple, accountable and broadly based. Understandably, Palmer placed great emphasis on the contagion of new-style constitutions. Between 1776 and 1780, eleven onetime American colonies drafted state constitutions. These went on to inform the provisions of the United States Constitution adopted in 1787, which in turn influenced the four Revolutionary French constitutions of the 1790s, and helped to inspire new constitutions in Haiti, Poland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and elsewhere. By 1820, according to one calculation, more than sixty new constitutions had been attempted within Continental Europe alone, and this is probably an underestimate. At least a further eighty constitutions were implemented between 1820 and 1850, many of them in Latin America. The spread of written constitutions proved in time almost unstoppable, and Palmer left his readers in no doubt that this outcome could be traced back to the Revolution of 1789, and still more to the Revolution of 1776. Despite resistance by entrenched elites, and especially from Britain, “the greatest single champion of the European counter-revolution,” a belief was in being by 1800, Palmer argued, that “democracy was a matter of concern to the world as a whole, that it was a thing of the future, [and] that while it was blocked in other countries the United States should be its refuge.”
The influence of galactic cosmic rays on ion–neutral hydrocarbon chemistry in the upper atmospheres of free-floating exoplanets
Authors: Rimmer P. B. , Helling Ch. , Bilger C.
Published: April 2014

Cosmic rays may be linked to the formation of volatiles necessary for prebiotic chemistry. We explore the effect of cosmic rays in a hydrogen-dominated atmosphere, as a proof-of-concept that ion–neutral chemistry may be important for modelling hydrogen-dominated atmospheres. In order to accomplish this, we utilize Monte Carlo cosmic ray transport models with particle energies of 106 eV<E<1012 eV in order to investigate the cosmic-ray enhancement of free electrons in substellar atmospheres. Ion–neutral chemistry is then applied to a Drift–Phoenix model of a free-floating giant gas planet. Our results suggest that the activation of ion–neutral chemistry in the upper atmosphere significantly enhances formation rates for various species, and we find that C2H2, C2H4, NH3, C6H6 and possibly C10H are enhanced in the upper atmospheres because of cosmic rays. Our results suggest a potential connection between cosmic-ray chemistry and the hazes observed in the upper atmospheres of various extrasolar planets. Chemi-ionization reactions are briefly discussed, as they may enhance the degree of ionization in the cloud layer.
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS): Normative Data and Factor Structure for a Large-Scale Sample in Mexico
Authors: González-Ramírez Mónica Teresa , Rodríguez-Ayán María Noel , Hernández René Landero
Published: April 2014

One of the most widely used scales for the evaluation of stress is the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and it has been adapted into different languages. However, few studies have presented normative data from large samples, and there do not appear to be any studies of the PSS that provide normative data based on large samples for Mexico. Thus, the goal of this study was to provide normative data regarding gender and different age groups for a sample of 1990 Mexican subjects to validate the factor structure of the construct for this sample. The analysis of the 10- and 14-item versions of the PSS revealed that the scale had adequate reliability and that the factor structure was consistent with previous studies. With respect to the normative data, the means of the different groups ranged from 20.93 to 25.63 for the PSS14 and from 14.52 to 17.73 for the PSS10. We propose that scores within one standard deviation of these means be used as reference values for each group.
Gesundheit und Alltagsfertigkeiten im frühen Kindesalter
Authors: Eckhardt Andrea G. , Egert Franziska
Published: April 2014

Die Gesundheit von Kindern und ihre potentiellen Auswirkungen auf den weiteren Entwicklungsverlauf sind in den vergangenen Jahren zunehmend in den Blick geraten. Dazu hat zunächst das Robert Koch-Institut mit der KiGGS-Studie eine umfassende Datenbasis vorgelegt und der 13. Kinder- und Jugendbericht behandelte Gesundheit als Schwerpunktthema (vgl. BMFSFJ, 2009 ). Gesundheit wird dabei nicht isoliert betrachtet, sondern im Kontext relevanter Bezugssysteme verortet, z. B. der Familie und der Kindertagesbetreuung. Die Bedeutung, die der Gesundheitsförderung in Kindertageseinrichtungen zuteil wird, zeigt sich u. a. darin, dass Gesundheit als ein separater Bildungsbereich in den meisten Bildungs- und Erziehungsplänen der Bundesländer aufgeführt ist. Während inzwischen einige deskriptive Befunde zur Gesundheit von Kindern vorliegen, fehlen bislang Zusammenhangsanalysen zum Einfluss gesundheitlicher Bedingungen auf die kindliche Entwicklung. Anhand der NUBBEK-Studie wird in diesem Beitrag der Frage nachgegangen, wie sich Gesundheitsfaktoren des Kindes und der Familie auf Alltagskompetenzen von Kindern auswirken. Auch wenn den einzelnen Bedingungen insgesamt eine geringe Rolle zukommt, zeigt sich ein eigenständiger Einfluss gesundheitlicher Aspekte auf die Entwicklung der Alltagsfertigkeiten der Kinder. Darüber hinaus sind differenzielle Effekte in Abhängigkeit vom Alter des Kindes zu erkennen. Die Bedeutung gesundheitlicher Einflussfaktoren reduziert sich in der Gruppe der 4-Jährigen.
Density of founder cells affects spatial pattern formation and cooperation in Bacillus subtilis biofilms
Authors: van Gestel Jordi , Weissing Franz J , Kuipers Oscar P , Kovács Ákos T
Published: April 2014

In nature, most bacteria live in surface-attached sedentary communities known as biofilms. Biofilms are often studied with respect to bacterial interactions. Many cells inhabiting biofilms are assumed to express ‘cooperative traits’, like the secretion of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). These traits can enhance biofilm-related properties, such as stress resilience or colony expansion, while being costly to the cells that express them. In well-mixed populations cooperation is difficult to achieve, because non-cooperative individuals can reap the benefits of cooperation without having to pay the costs. The physical process of biofilm growth can, however, result in the spatial segregation of cooperative from non-cooperative individuals. This segregation can prevent non-cooperative cells from exploiting cooperative neighbors. Here we examine the interaction between spatial pattern formation and cooperation in Bacillus subtilis biofilms. We show, experimentally and by mathematical modeling, that the density of cells at the onset of biofilm growth affects pattern formation during biofilm growth. At low initial cell densities, co-cultured strains strongly segregate in space, whereas spatial segregation does not occur at high initial cell densities. As a consequence, EPS-producing cells have a competitive advantage over non-cooperative mutants when biofilms are initiated at a low density of founder cells, whereas EPS-deficient cells have an advantage at high cell densities. These results underline the importance of spatial pattern formation for competition among bacterial strains and the evolution of microbial cooperation.
Scaling behaviour for the water transport in nanoconfined geometries
Authors: Chiavazzo Eliodoro , Fasano Matteo , Asinari Pietro , Decuzzi Paolo
Published: April 2014

The transport of water in nanoconfined geometries is different from bulk phase and has tremendous implications in nanotechnology and biotechnology. Here molecular dynamics is used to compute the self-diffusion coefficient D of water within nanopores, around nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and proteins. For almost 60 different cases, D is found to scale linearly with the sole parameter θ as D(θ)=DB[1+(DC/DB−1)θ], with DB and DC the bulk and totally confined diffusion of water, respectively. The parameter θ is primarily influenced by geometry and represents the ratio between the confined and total water volumes. The D(θ) relationship is interpreted within the thermodynamics of supercooled water. As an example, such relationship is shown to accurately predict the relaxometric response of contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. The D(θ) relationship can help in interpreting the transport of water molecules under nanoconfined conditions and tailoring nanostructures with precise modulation of water mobility.
Ultrabroadband direct detection of nonclassical photon statistics at telecom wavelength
Authors: Wakui Kentaro , Eto Yujiro , Benichi Hugo , Izumi Shuro , Yanagida Tetsufumi , Ema Kazuhiro , Numata Takayuki , Fukuda Daiji , Takeoka Masahiro , Sasaki Masahide
Published: April 2014

Broadband light sources play essential roles in diverse fields, such as high-capacity optical communications, optical coherence tomography, optical spectroscopy and spectrograph calibration. Although a nonclassical state from spontaneous parametric down-conversion may serve as a quantum counterpart, its detection and characterization have been a challenging task. Here we demonstrate the direct detection of photon numbers of an ultrabroadband (110 nm FWHM) squeezed state in the telecom band centred at 1535 nm wavelength, using a superconducting transition-edge sensor. The observed photon-number distributions violate Klyshko's criterion for the nonclassicality. From the observed photon-number distribution, we evaluate the second- and third-order correlation functions and characterize a multimode structure, which implies that several tens of orthonormal modes of squeezing exist in the single optical pulse. Our results and techniques open up a new possibility to generate and characterize frequency-multiplexed nonclassical light sources for quantum info-communications technology.
Magnetic Field Tunable Small-scale Mechanical Properties of Nickel Single Crystals Measured by Nanoindentation Technique
Authors: Zhou Hao , Pei Yongmao , Fang Daining
Published: April 2014

Nano- and micromagnetic materials have been extensively employed in micro-functional devices. However, measuring small-scale mechanical and magnetomechanical properties is challenging, which restricts the design of new products and the performance of smart devices. A new magnetomechanical nanoindentation technique is developed and tested on a nickel single crystal in the absence and presence of a saturated magnetic field. Small-scale parameters such as Young's modulus, indentation hardness and plastic index are dependent on the applied magnetic field, which differ greatly from their macroscale counterparts. Possible mechanisms that induced 31% increase in modulus and 7% reduction in hardness (i.e., the flexomagnetic effect and the interaction between dislocations and magnetic field, respectively) are analyzed and discussed. Results could be useful in the microminiaturization of applications, such as tunable mechanical resonators and magnetic field sensors.
A formaldehyde trace gas sensor based on a thermoelectrically cooled CW-DFB quantum cascade laser
Authors: Li Jingsong , Parchatka Uwe , Fischer Horst
Published: April 2014

An adoptive de-noising technique based on Wavelet Transform and a zero-air based background subtraction technique have been successfully applied to improve the H2CO sensor performance, yielding sub-ppb measurement precision without reducing the fast temporal response.
bFGF-grafted electrospun fibrous scaffolds via poly(dopamine) for skin wound healing
Authors: Sun Xiaoming , Cheng Liying , Zhao Jingwen , Jin Rong , Sun Baoshan , Shi Yaoming , Zhang Lu , Zhang Yuguang , Cui Wenguo
Published: April 2014

bFGF was facilely grafted on a PLGA fiber surface in aqueous solutionviapolydopamine, which maintained fiber properties and bFGF bioactivity.
Analysis of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in human plasma by HPLC-UV using a high purity C18 silica-based SPE sorbent
Authors: Nazario Carlos Eduardo Domingues , de Lima Gomes Paulo Clairmont Feitosa , Lancas Fernando Mauro
Published: April 2014

Chromatograms of blank drug-free plasma and spiked plasma samples with 100 ng mL−1of FLX and NFLX, and 500 ng mL−1of CLO.
Ratiometric fluorescence sensing of sugars via a reversible disassembly and assembly of the peptide aggregates mediated by sugars
Authors: Neupane Lok Nath , Han Song Yee , Lee Keun-Hyeung
Published: April 2014

An amphiphilic dipeptide (1) bearing pyrene and phenylboronic acid was demonstrated as a unique example of a ratiometric sensing system for sugars by reversibly converting the peptide aggregates into the monomer form of the complex with sugars in aqueous solutions.
A gram-scale route to phlegmarine alkaloids: rapid total synthesis of (−)-cermizine B
Authors: Bradshaw Ben , Luque-Corredera Carlos , Bonjoch Josep
Published: April 2014

The asymmetric total synthesis of the cis-phlegmarine alkaloid cermizine B was achieved rapidly and on a gram-scale by an uninterrupted eight-step sequence and a final reduction step.
Synthesis of naphthalene amino esters and arylnaphthalene lactone lignans through tandem reactions of 2-alkynylbenzonitriles
Authors: He Yan , Zhang Xinying , Fan Xuesen
Published: April 2014

A novel and efficient synthesis of naphthalene amino esters and arylnaphthalene lactone lignans via the tandem reaction of 2-alkynylbenzonitriles is presented.
Surprising acidity of hydrated lithium cations in organic solvents
Authors: Deng Haiqiang , Peljo Pekka , Stockmann T. Jane , Qiao Liang , Vainikka Tuomas , Kontturi Kyösti , Opallo Marcin , Girault Hubert H.
Published: April 2014

The surprising acidity of hydrated lithium cations was found to have a significant role in catalyzing many chemical reactions.
Dual modes of binding on the hexafluorosilicate anion by a C3vsymmetric flexible tripodal amide ligand in solid state
Authors: Basu Arghya , Chutia Romen , Das Gopal
Published: April 2014

Apara-nitrophenyl functionalizedC3vsymmetric flexible tripodal amide ligand,L, shows remarkable solvent dependent dual binding behaviour towards the octahedral hexafluorosilicate anion in solid state.
A universal approach to the preparation of colloidal mesoporous platinum nanoparticles with controlled particle sizes in a wide range from 20 nm to 200 nm
Authors: Li Cuiling , Imura Masataka , Yamauchi Yusuke
Published: April 2014

We report a universal method for the preparation of mesoporous Pt nanoparticles with tunable particle sizes by changing the surfactant concentration.
Silver nanoparticle aided self-healing of polyelectrolyte multilayers
Authors: Huang Xiayun , Bolen Matthew J. , Zacharia Nicole S.
Published: April 2014

Weak polyelectrolyte multilayer films containing silver nanoparticles are shown to have enhanced ability to self-heal when exposed to water when compared to the films assembled without particles.
Exploring the electronic states of iodocarbyne: a theoretical contribution
Authors: Alves Tiago Vinicius , Ornellas Fernando R.
Published: April 2014

By contrasting for the first time the non-relativistic and relativistic characterization of the electronic states of iodocarbyne, we provide a very reliable description of this species that we expect can motivate and guide the spectroscopist in its experimental investigation.
Solvation dependence of valence electronic states of water diluted in organic solvents probed by soft X-ray spectroscopy
Authors: Tokushima Takashi , Horikawa Yuka , Takahashi Osamu , Arai Hidemi , Sadakane Koichiro , Harada Yoshihisa , Takata Yasutaka , Shin Shik
Published: April 2014

The variety of occupied and unoccupied valence electronic states of water in organic solutions detected by X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy.
Anode modification with capacitive materials for a microbial fuel cell: an increase in transient power or stationary power
Authors: Feng Chunhua , Lv Zhisheng , Yang Xiaoshuang , Wei Chaohai
Published: April 2014

The discharge of bio-electrons stored in the capacitive anode of an MFC significantly contributes to the measured power density.
Convenient divergent synthesis of linear-dendron block polyphosphoesters via acyclic diene metathesis polymerization
Authors: Ding Liang , Qiu Jun , Wei Jun , Zhu Zhenshu
Published: April 2014

ADMET polymerization was successfully applied for the synthesis of linear-dendritic polyphosphoester structures by using macromolecular chain stoppers.
Magnetically recoverable and reusable CuFe2O4nanoparticle-catalyzed synthesis of benzoxazoles, benzothiazoles and benzimidazoles using dioxygen as oxidant
Authors: Yang Daoshan , Zhu Xiao , Wei Wei , Sun Nana , Yuan Li , Jiang Min , You Jinmao , Wang Hua
Published: April 2014

A green and efficient strategy for the synthesis of benzoxazoles, benzothiazoles and benzimidazoles has been developed by using inexpensive, readily available, dioxygen-stable and recyclable CuFe2O4as the nanocatalyst.
Design and fabrication of a novel superhydrophobic surface based on a copolymer of styrene and bisphenol A diglycidyl ether monoacrylate
Authors: Liu Jin-Qiu , Bai Chong , Jia De-Dong , Liu Wei-Liang , He Fu-Yan , Liu Qin-Ze , Yao Jin-Shui , Wang Xin-Qiang , Wu Yong-Zhong
Published: April 2014

PS-co-AADGEBA was synthesized and used to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces. It was then grafted onto amino-functionalized hollow silica nanospheres to generate a nanocomposite superhydrophobic surface.
Comparison of Speech Recognition With Adaptive Digital and FM Remote Microphone Hearing Assistance Technology by Listeners Who Use Hearing Aids
Authors: Thibodeau Linda
Published: April 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the benefits of 3 types of remote microphone hearing assistance technology (HAT), adaptive digital broadband, adaptive frequency modulation (FM), and fixed FM, through objective and subjective measures of speech recognition in clinical and real-world settings.

Method

Participants included 11 adults, ages 16 to 78 years, with primarily moderate-to-severe bilateral hearing impairment (HI), who wore binaural behind-the-ear hearing aids; and 15 adults, ages 18 to 30 years, with normal hearing. Sentence recognition in quiet and in noise and subjective ratings were obtained in 3 conditions of wireless signal processing.

Results

Performance by the listeners with HI when using the adaptive digital technology was significantly better than that obtained with the FM technology, with the greatest benefits at the highest noise levels. The majority of listeners also preferred the digital technology when listening in a real-world noisy environment. The wireless technology allowed persons with HI to surpass persons with normal hearing in speech recognition in noise, with the greatest benefit occurring with adaptive digital technology.

Conclusion

The use of adaptive digital technology combined with speechreading cues would allow persons with HI to engage in communication in environments that would have otherwise not been possible with traditional wireless technology.
No Learning Effect Observed for Reception Thresholds for Sentences in Noise
Authors: Stuart Andrew , Butler Alyson K.
Published: April 2014

Purpose

This study examined reception thresholds for sentences (RTSs) as a function of test session (
N
= 5) and noise (continuous and interrupted) in normal-hearing adults. It was hypothesized that RTSs would be superior in interrupted noise and would be stable across repeated testing.

Method

Twenty-five normal-hearing adults participated. RTSs were determined with Hearing in Noise Test sentences in continuous and interrupted noise presented at 65 dBA. An adaptive technique was used where sentences varied in intensity to converge on a level of 50% of correct performance. Sentence lists were counterbalanced with 5 unique lists in both continuous and interrupted noise.

Results

RTS signal-to-noise ratios were significantly better in the interrupted noise (
p
< .0001). There was no effect of test session (
p
= .12) or a Test Session × Noise interaction (
p
= .13).

Conclusions

Stable RTS signal-to-noise ratios across test sessions in both noises are consistent with the notion that a learning effect was not present in noise. Further, one may conclude that Hearing in Noise Test sentences provide stable measures of sentence recognition thresholds in normal-hearing adults over time so long as sentences are unique or are not repeated.
Experimental study on detection of electrostatic discharges generated by polymer granules inside a metal silo
Authors: Choi Kwangseok , Mogami Tomofumi , Suzuki Teruo
Published: April 2014

To detect electrostatic discharges generated by polymer granules within a metal silo, we developed a novel and simple electrostatic discharge detector that utilizes a photosensor. The novel detector consists of a photosensor module in a metal cylinder, an optical band-pass filter, a quartz glass, a power supply, an amplifier for the photosensor module, and a digital oscilloscope. In this study, we conducted experiments at a real pneumatic powder transport facility that includes a metal silo to evaluate the novel detector using polypropylene granules. To determine the performance of the novel detector, we observed the electrostatic discharge within the metal silo using a conventional image intensifier system. The results obtained from the experiments show that the novel detector worked well in this study. The signals obtained with the novel detector were identical to the electrostatic discharges obtained with the conventional image intensifier system. The greatest advantage of this novel detector is that it is effective even when placed under external lights. In addition, the influence of various optical band-pass filters on the performance of the novel detector was discussed. Our study confirmed that an optical band-pass filter with a center wavelength of λ 330 nm (λ1/2: 315–345 nm) was the best performer among the optical band-pass filters used in this study.
Rotational quenching of H2O by He: Mixed quantum/classical theory and comparison with quantum results
Authors: Ivanov Mikhail , Dubernet Marie-Lise , Babikov Dmitri
Published: April 2014

The mixed quantum/classical theory (MQCT) formulated in the space-fixed reference frame is used to compute quenching cross sections of several rotationally excited states of water molecule by impact of He atom in a broad range of collision energies, and is tested against the full-quantum calculations on the same potential energy surface. In current implementation of MQCT method, there are two major sources of errors: one affects results at energies below 10 cm−1, while the other shows up at energies above 500 cm−1. Namely, when the collision energy E is below the state-to-state transition energy ΔE the MQCT method becomes less accurate due to its intrinsic classical approximation, although employment of the average-velocity principle (scaling of collision energy in order to satisfy microscopic reversibility) helps dramatically. At higher energies, MQCT is expected to be accurate but in current implementation, in order to make calculations computationally affordable, we had to cut off the basis set size. This can be avoided by using a more efficient body-fixed formulation of MQCT. Overall, the errors of MQCT method are within 20% of the full-quantum results almost everywhere through four-orders-of-magnitude range of collision energies, except near resonances, where the errors are somewhat larger.
Electromagnetic and microwave absorbing properties of raw and milled FeSiCr particles
Authors: Yang R. B. , Liang W. F. , Chen C. C. , Choi S. T.
Published: April 2014

FeSiCr alloy (Fe: 90%, Si: 7.9%, and Cr: 2.1%) with pre-milled flaky shape was re-milled in a planetary ball-mill for 30 h. The complex permittivity (ε′−jε″) and permeability (μ′−jμ″) are measured by using the transmission/reflection method for two different aspect ratios of flake-shaped FeSiCr/epoxy composites for 30%, 40%, and 50% weight ratios. Dielectric loss tangent and magnetic loss tangent of re-milled FeSiCr powder show larger electromagnetic wave energy dissipation than those of the raw flaky FeSiCr powder. For 30 wt. % of FeSiCr/epoxy absorbers with 2 mm thickness, the calculated reflection loss reaches −25 dB at 13.0 GHz for raw flaky powder, −40 dB at 11.4 GHz for the re-milled FeSiCr powder with higher aspect ratios.
Spectroscopic characterization of the complex between water and the simplest Criegee intermediate CH2OO
Authors: Nakajima Masakazu , Endo Yasuki
Published: April 2014

The hydrogen-bonded complex between water and the simplest Criegee intermediate CH2OO was detected by Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy under a jet-cooled condition. Both a-type and b-type rotational transitions were observed for H2O–CH2OO and D2O–CH2OO. The determined rotational constants enable us to conclude that the complex has an almost planar ring structure with the terminal oxygen atom of CH2OO being a strong proton acceptor.
Note: Large area deposition of Rh single and Rh/W/Cu multilayer thin films on stainless steel substrate by pulsed laser deposition technique
Authors: Mostako A. T. T. , Khare Alika
Published: April 2014

Mirror like thin films of single layer Rh and multilayer Rh/W/Cu are deposited on highly polished 50 mm diameter stainless steel substrate by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique for first mirror application in fusion reactors. For this, the conventional PLD technique has been modified by incorporating substrate rastering stage for large area deposition via PLD. Process optimization to achieve uniformity of deposition as estimated from fringe visibility and thickness is also discussed.
Organic ferroelectric evaporator with substrate cooling and in situ transport capabilities
Authors: Foreman K. , Labedz C. , Shearer M. , Adenwalla S.
Published: April 2014

We report on the design, operation, and performance of a thermal evaporation chamber capable of evaporating organic thin films. Organic thin films are employed in a diverse range of devices and can provide insight into fundamental physical phenomena. However, growing organic thin films is often challenging and requires very specific deposition parameters. The chamber presented here is capable of cooling sample substrates to temperatures below 130 K and allows for the detachment of the sample from the cooling stage and in situ transport. This permits the use of multiple deposition techniques in separate, but connected, deposition chambers without breaking vacuum and therefore provides clean, well characterized interfaces between the organic thin film and any adjoining layers. We also demonstrate a successful thin film deposition of an organic material with a demanding set of deposition parameters, showcasing the success of this design.
A framework for moment equations for magnetized plasmas
Authors: Ji Jeong-Young , Held Eric D.
Published: April 2014

Mathematical formalism to solve a system of general moment equations [J.-Y. Ji and E. D. Held, Phys. Plasmas 13, 102103 (2006); 16, 102108 (2009)] for magnetized plasmas is presented. A series of ordered moment equations are written using a perturbative expansion based on large cyclotron frequency. For the most general solution, formulas for homogeneous and particular solutions are obtained. These formulas generalize the CGL [G. F. Chew et al., Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 236, 112 (1956)] and non-CGL [C. T. Hsu et al., Phys. Fluids 29, 1480 (1986)] tensors, respectively, from rank-2 to arbitrary rank. The parallel moment equations to determine parallel moments in the homogeneous solution are derived. The formalism can be applied to plasmas of general collisionality and magnetic geometry with accurate collision operators provided.
Measurement of local internal friction in metallic glasses
Authors: Wagner H. , Büchsenschütz-Göbeler M. , Luo Y. , Kumar A. , Arnold W. , Samwer K.
Published: April 2014

Atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM), an advanced scanning probe microscopy technique, has been used to measure local elastic properties with a spatial resolution given by the tip-sample contact radius. AFAM is based on inducing out-of-plane vibrations in the specimen. The vibrations are sensed by the AFM cantilever from by the photodiode signal when its tip is in contact with the material under test. To measure local damping, the inverse quality factor Q−1 of the resonance curve is usually evaluated. Here, from the contact-resonance spectra obtained, we determine the real and imaginary part of the contact stiffness k* and from these two quantities the local damping factor Qloc−1 is obtained which is proportional to the imaginary part γ of the contact stiffness. The evaluation of the data is based on the cantilever's mass distribution with damped flexural modes and not on an effective point-mass approximation for the cantilever’s motion. The given equation is simple to use and has been employed to study the local Qloc−1 of amorphous PdCuSi metallic glass and its crystalline counterpart as a function of position of the AFM tip on the surface. The width of the distribution changes dramatically from the amorphous to the crystalline state as expected from the consequences of the potential-energy landscape picture. The center value of the distribution curve for Qloc−1 coincides very well with published data, based on global ultrasonic or internal friction measurements. This is compared to Qloc−1 measured in crystalline SrTiO3, which exhibits a narrow distribution, as expected.
Vortex-induced drag and the role of aspect ratio in undulatory swimmers
Authors: Raspa V. , Ramananarivo S. , Thiria B. , Godoy-Diana R.
Published: April 2014

During cruising, the thrust produced by a self-propelled swimmer is balanced by a global drag force. For a given object shape, this drag can involve skin friction or form drag, both being well-documented mechanisms. However, for swimmers whose shape is changing in time, the question of drag is not yet clearly established. We address this problem by investigating experimentally the swimming dynamics of undulating thin flexible foils. Measurements of the propulsive performance together with full recording of the elastic wave kinematics are used to discuss the general problem of drag in undulatory swimming. We show that a major part of the total drag comes from the trailing longitudinal vortices that roll-up on the lateral edges of the foils. This result gives a comparative advantage to swimming foils of larger span thus bringing new insight to the role of aspect ratio for undulatory swimmers.
Engineering absorption and blackbody radiation in the far-infrared with surface phonon polaritons on gallium phosphide
Authors: Streyer W. , Law S. , Rosenberg A. , Roberts C. , Podolskiy V. A. , Hoffman A. J. , Wasserman D.
Published: April 2014

We demonstrate excitation of surface phonon polaritons on patterned gallium phosphide surfaces. Control over the light-polariton coupling frequencies is demonstrated by changing the pattern periodicity and used to experimentally determine the gallium phosphide surface phonon polariton dispersion curve. Selective emission via out-coupling of thermally excited surface phonon polaritons is experimentally demonstrated. Samples are characterized experimentally by Fourier transform infrared reflection and emission spectroscopy, and modeled using finite element techniques and rigorous coupled wave analysis. The use of phonon resonances for control of emissivity and excitation of bound surface waves offers a potential tool for the exploration of long-wavelength Reststrahlen band frequencies.
Schottky barrier inhomogeneity for graphene/Si-nanowire arrays/n-type Si Schottky diodes
Authors: Zeng Jian-Jhou , Lin Yow-Jon
Published: April 2014

The current–voltage characteristics of graphene/Si-nanowire (SiNW) arrays/n-type Si Schottky diodes with and without H2O2 treatment were measured in the temperature range of −150 ∼ 150 °C. The forward-bias current-voltage characteristics were analyzed on the basis of thermionic emission theory. It is found that the barrier height decreases and the ideality factor increases with the decreased temperatures. Such behavior is attributed to barrier inhomogeneities. It is shown that both Schottky barrier inhomogeneity and the T0 effect are affected by H2O2 treatment, implying that charge traps in the SiNWs have a noticeable effect on Schottky barrier inhomogeneity for graphene/SiNWs/n-type Si diodes.
Control of magnetic flux and eddy currents in magnetic films for on-chip radio frequency inductors: Role of the magnetic vias
Authors: Wu Hao , Gardner Donald S. , Zhao Shirong , Huang Hai , Yu Hongbin
Published: April 2014

In this paper, the role of the magnetic vias for magnetic flux and eddy current control is investigated using both simulations and experiments that used different patterning techniques and by altering the magnetic via width. Improved finger-shaped magnetic vias have been designed and integrated into on-chip radio frequency inductors improving the peak quality factor from 400 MHz to 800 MHz without sacrificing the inductance enhancement. The eddy currents and magnetic flux density in different areas of the magnetic vias are analyzed by 3D electromagnetic simulation. With optimized magnetic vias, the high frequency response of up to 2 GHz has been achieved.
Transverse dynamics of an intense electron bunch traveling through a pre-ionized plasma
Authors: Lehe R. , Thaury C. , Lifschitz A. , Rax J.-M. , Malka V.
Published: April 2014

The propagation of a relativistic electron bunch through a plasma is an important problem in both plasma-wakefield acceleration and laser-wakefield acceleration. In those situations, the charge of the accelerated bunch is usually large enough to drive a relativistic wakefield, which then affects the transverse dynamics of the bunch itself. Yet to date, there is no fully relativistic, fully electromagnetic model that describes the generation of this wakefield and its feedback on the bunch. In this article, we derive a model which takes into account all the relevant relativistic and electromagnetic effects involved in the problem. A very good agreement is found between the model and the results of particle-in-cell simulations. The implications of high-charge effects for the transport of the bunch are discussed in detail.