bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of aminolysis, aminoglycolysis, and simultaneous aminolysis–hydrolysis products of waste PET for production of paint binder
Authors: Bulak Esra , Acar Işıl
Published: October 2013

This work is concerned with the use of aminolysis, aminoglycolysis, and simultaneous aminolysis–hydrolysis products of waste PET for production of paint binder based on alkyd resin. For this purpose, first, aminolysis, aminoglycolysis, and simultaneous hydrolysis–aminolysis reactions of waste PET were carried out in the presence of different chemical agents in xylene medium at high pressures. Reactions of waste PET flakes obtained from grinding postconsumer water bottles were carried out in an autoclave at higher temperatures. Then, four alkyd resins, formulated to have oil content 40–50%, were prepared using these depolymerization products. One of resins is “reference alkyd resin” which was prepared by using soybean oil fatty acid, phthalic anhydride, glycerine, and ethylene glycol for comparison. Other three alkyds are “depolymerization product‐based alkyd resins” in which depolymerization products is used instead of ethylene glycol. Then, the physical and chemical surface coating properties and thermal behaviors of alkyd resins films were investigated comparatively. As a result, we concluded that aminolysis, aminoglycolysis, and simultaneous aminolysis‐hydrolysis products of waste PET are suitable for manufacturing both air drying and oven curing paint binder based on alkyd resins. The film prepared from alkyd resin based on simultaneous aminolysis‐hydrolysis product showed extremely good surface coating properties and thermal stability. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2272–2281, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effects of thermoplastic polyurethane on the properties of poly(lactic acid)/organo‐montmorillonite nanocomposites based on novel vane extruder
Authors: Jia Shikui , Qu Jinping , Chen Rongyuan , Wu Chengran , Huang Zan , Zhai Shufeng , Liu Weifeng , Feng Yanhong
Published: October 2013

Polylactic acid (PLA)/organo‐montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites toughened with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were prepared by melt‐compounding on a novel vane extruder (VE), which generates global dynamic elongational flow. In this work, the mechanical properties of the PLA/TPU/OMMT nanocomposites were evaluated by tensile, flexural, and tensile tests. The wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results show that PLA/TPU/OMMT nanocomposites had clear intercalation and/or exfoliation structures. Moreover, the particles morphology of nanocomposites with the addition of TPU was investigated using high‐resolution scanning electronic microscopy. The results indicate that the spherical TPU particles dispersed in the PLA matrix, and the uniformity decreased with increasing TPU content (≤30%). Interestingly, there existed abundant filaments among amount of TPU droplets in composites with 30 and 40 wt% TPU. Furthermore, the thermal properties of the nanocomposites were examined with differential scanning calorimeter and dynamic mechanical analysis. The elongation at break and impact strength of the PLA/OMMT nanocomposites were increased significantly after addition of TPU. Specially, Elongation at break increased by 30 times, and notched impact strength improved 15 times when TPU loading was 40 wt%, compared with the neat PLA. Overall, the modified PLA nanocomposites can have greater application as a biodegradable material with enhanced mechanical properties. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2292–2300, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Predictors of posttraumatic growth in women with breast cancer
Authors: Danhauer Suzanne C. , Case L. Douglas , Tedeschi Richard , Russell Greg , Vishnevsky Tanya , Triplett Kelli , Ip Edward H. , Avis Nancy E.
Published: October 2013

Objective

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is defined as ‘positive psychological change experienced as a result of a struggle with highly challenging life circumstances’. The current study examined change in PTG over 2 years following breast cancer diagnosis and variables associated with PTG over time.

Methods

Women recently diagnosed with breast cancer completed surveys within 8 months of diagnosis and 6, 12, and 18 months later. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess the longitudinal effects of demographic, medical, and psychosocial variables on PTG as measured by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI).

Results

A total of 653 women were accrued (mean age = 54.9, SD = 12.6). Total PTGI score increased over time mostly within the first few months following diagnosis. In the longitudinal model, greater PTGI scores were associated with education level, longer time since diagnosis, greater baseline level of illness intrusiveness, and increases in social support, spirituality, use of active–adaptive coping strategies, and mental health. Findings for the PTGI domains were similar to those for the total score except for the Spiritual Change domain.

Conclusion

PTG develops relatively soon after a breast cancer diagnosis and is associated with baseline illness intrusiveness and increases in social support, spirituality, use of active–adaptive coping strategies, and mental health. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Plasma Treatments and Plasma‐Polymerized Films on the Adhesion of Parylene‐C to Substrates
Authors: Zeniieh Dani , Bajwa Adeel , Ledernez Loic , Urban Gerald
Published: October 2013

This work deals with the most severe limitations of Parylene‐C coatings, namely their poor adhesion to the substrate and barrier properties. To address these limitations, the surface properties of the substrate are modified prior to the Parylene deposition step by depositing a nano‐film interfacial layer by means of a plasma polymerization process. The multilayer coating was realized using a newly designed, innovative multi‐chamber system. Tests of dry adhesion (at 90° and 180°) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) measurements were performed to evaluate the effect of the plasma pre‐processing. Adhesion strength of 3 and 6.8 N cm−1 were recorded for the 90° and 180° tape tests, respectively, while an impedance level of 107 Ω cm−2 at 100 Hz was registered by EIS measurement.
Floating‐bridge structure of graphene with ionic‐liquid gate
Authors: Yamashiro Yusuke , Ohno Yasuhide , Maehashi Kenzo , Inoue Koichi , Matsumoto Kazuhiko
Published: October 2013

Floating‐bridge structures of graphene with ionic‐liquid gate have been fabricated. After removing the SiO2 layer under the graphene channel and introduction of ionic liquid, the ionic liquid under the suspended‐graphene channel contacts with an exposed back‐gate electrode, resulting in formation of the floating‐bridge structures. Owing to elimination of the interaction with SiO2 layers and the electrical double layer in the ionic liquid, the floating‐bridge bilayer graphene devices have the on/off ratio of 20 in a conductance when the back‐gate voltage of only 2 V was applied. The floating‐bridge structures of graphene on the ionic liquid operate with high performance by small gate voltage. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Current conduction mechanisms and breakdown fields of AlxTiyO/n‐GaAs(001) metal‐insulator‐semiconductor structures
Authors: Ui Toshimasa , Kudo Masahiro , Suzuki Toshi‐kazu
Published: October 2013

We investigated AlxTiyO/n‐GaAs(001) metal‐insulator‐semiconductor (MIS) structures, in which Alx TiyO thin films as high‐k dielectric were obtained by atomic layer deposition, utilizing alternative supply of Al2O3 and TiO2 precursors. Using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we obtained atomic composition ratios of Al and Ti in the Alx TiyO thin films. It is shown that the breakdown field of the AlxTiyO increases with increase in the Al composition.

Based on temperature‐dependent current density‐voltage (J ‐V) characteristics, we elucidated that dominant conduction mechanisms are thermionic emission, Fowler‐Nordheim tunneling, and Poole‐Frenkel conduction, depending on the composition. From the Poole‐Frenkel current, we estimated dielectric constants of the AlxTiyO, which increase with decrease in the Al composition. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Parent hostility and spin‐out performance
Authors: Walter Sascha G. , Heinrichs Simon , Walter Achim
Published: October 2013

Prior research has focused on the performance implications of positive or neutral parent‐child relationships, but neglected negative, conflict‐laden relationships. This study explores from an embeddedness perspective whether parent hostility (degree to which an incumbent firm disapproves of the spawning of a spin‐out from within its ranks) affects spin‐out performance and how spin‐outs can effectively react to it. Analyses of 144 technology spin‐outs support our arguments that spin‐outs suffer negative consequences from hostility. These are less severe, however, if the spin‐out pursues effective network development. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurements of electromagnetic surface wave propagation in the cut‐off frequency region
Authors: Watanabe Osamu
Published: October 2013

Electromagnetic surface wave propagation on a corrugated metal plate is confirmed by a cold test in the X‐band. The measured cut‐off frequency is almost in agreement with the theoretical cut‐off frequency. The propagation is damped at a frequency region higher than the cut‐off frequency. The periodicity of the propagation power to the frequency is confirmed. For the confirmation of these characteristics, it is necessary that the corrugated metal plate is enclosed within a microwave absorber. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Formaldehyde exposure induces autophagy in testicular tissues of adult male rats
Authors: Han Shui‐Ping , Zhou Dang‐Xia , Lin Pu , Qin Zhen , An Lu , Zheng Lie‐Rui , Lei Li
Published: October 2013

Formaldehyde, a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, has long been suspected of causing adverse male reproductive effects. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. The overall aim of this study is to clarify the role of autophagy in male reproductive injuries induced by formaldehyde exposure, by which we can further understand the molecular mechanism of spermatogenesis and develop new targets for prevention and treatment of male infertility. In this study, electron microscopy, Western blot, and RT‐PCR analysis were used to detect autophagy in testicular tissues. Moreover, testicular weights, histopathology, and morphometry were used to evaluate the reproductive injuries of formaldehyde exposure. We found that formaldehyde exposure‐induced autophagy in testicular tissues was dose dependent. Increasing autophagosomes in spermatogenetic cells was observed by electron microscopy in formaldehyde exposure group. In addition, RT‐PCR and Western blot analysis showed the transcription levels of the LC3‐II, as well as the conversion from LC3‐I to LC3‐II, an indicator of autophagy, significantly increased in testicular tissue of formaldehyde exposure group in a dose dependent manner when compared with those in control group. Furthermore, the alterations of autophage were basically consistent with the changes in testicular weight and morphologic findings. In summary, formaldehyde exposure triggered autophagy, and autophagy may be a scathing factor responsible for male reproductive impairment induced by formaldehyde. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 323–331, 2015.
β‐Naphthoflavone induces oxidative stress in the intertidal copepod, Tigriopus japonicus
Authors: Rhee Jae‐Sung , Lee Young‐Mi , Kim Bo‐Mi , Leung Kenneth Mei Yee , Kim Il‐Chan , Yim Joung Han , Lee Jae‐Seong
Published: October 2013

β‐Naphtoflavone (β‐NF) is a flavonoid and enhances oxidative stress in vertebrates with little information from aquatic invertebrates as yet. In this study, we investigated the effects of β‐NF on the antioxidant defense systems of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus japonicus. To measure the β‐NF‐triggered changes in oxidative stress markers, such as intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH) concentration, residual glutathione S‐transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, T. japonicus were exposed to β‐NF (0.5 and 1 mg/L) for 72 h. Significant (P < 0.05) induction of the intracellular ROS content (%) was observed in 1 mg/L of β‐NF exposed T. japonicus, compared to the negative control and H2O2‐exposed group. The GSH levels were significantly increased in the 0.5 mg/L of β‐NF‐exposed group for 12 h and 1 mg/L of β‐NF‐exposed groups for 12–24 h. GPx, GST, and GR activities showed a significant increase in the 1 mg/L β‐NF‐exposed group, indicating that β‐NF induces oxidative stress in T. japonicus. To understand the effects of β‐NF at the level of transcript expression, a 6K microarray analysis was employed. Transcript profiles of selected antioxidant‐related genes were modulated after 72 h exposure to 1 mg/L of β‐NF. From microarray data, 10 GST isoforms, GR, GPx, PH‐GPx, and Se‐GPx were chosen for a time‐course test by real‐time RT‐PCR. T. japonicus GST‐S, GST‐O, GST‐M, and GST‐D1 were significantly increased in a 1 mg/L β‐NF‐exposed group. T. japonicus GPx, GR, and Se‐GPx mRNA levels were also significantly increased at both concentrations. Our results revealed that oxidative stress was induced by β‐NF exposure in T. japonicus. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 332–342, 2015.
Climate change and visual imagery
Authors: O'Neill Saffron J. , Smith Nicholas
Published: October 2013

Many actors—including scientists, journalists, artists, and campaigning organizations—create visualizations of climate change. In doing so, they evoke climate change in particular ways, and make the issue meaningful in everyday discourse. While a diversity of climate change imagery exists, particular types of climate imagery appear to have gained dominance, promoting particular ways of knowing about climate change (and marginalizing others). This imagery, and public engagement with this imagery, helps to shape the cultural politics of climate change in important ways. This article critically reviews the nascent research area of the visual representations of climate change, and public engagement with visual imagery. It synthesizes a diverse body of research to explore visual representations and engagement across the news media, NGO communications, advertising, and marketing, climate science, art, and virtual reality systems. The discussion brings together three themes which occur throughout the review: time, truth, and power. The article concludes by suggesting fruitful directions for future research in the visual communication of climate change. WIREs Clim Change 2014, 5:73–87. doi: 10.1002/wcc.249

This article is categorized under:

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Communication
Multidimensional compressed sensing and their applications
Authors: Caiafa Cesar F. , Cichocki Andrzej
Published: October 2013

Compressed sensing (CS) comprises a set of relatively new techniques that exploit the underlying structure of data sets allowing their reconstruction from compressed versions or incomplete information. CS reconstruction algorithms are essentially nonlinear, demanding heavy computation overhead and large storage memory, especially in the case of multidimensional signals. Excellent review papers discussing CS state‐of‐the‐art theory and algorithms already exist in the literature, which mostly consider data sets in vector forms. In this paper, we give an overview of existing techniques with special focus on the treatment of multidimensional signals (tensors). We discuss recent trends that exploit the natural multidimensional structure of signals (tensors) achieving simple and efficient CS algorithms. The Kronecker structure of dictionaries is emphasized and its equivalence to the Tucker tensor decomposition is exploited allowing us to use tensor tools and models for CS. Several examples based on real world multidimensional signals are presented, illustrating common problems in signal processing such as the recovery of signals from compressed measurements for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals or for hyper‐spectral imaging, and the tensor completion problem (multidimensional inpainting). WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2013, 3:355–380. doi: 10.1002/widm.1108

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Spatial and Temporal Data Mining

Algorithmic Development > Structure Discovery

Application Areas > Science and Technology
Light staus and enhanced Higgs diphoton rate with non-universal gaugino masses and SO(10) Yukawa unification
Authors: Badziak Marcin , Olechowski Marek , Pokorski Stefan
Published: October 2013

Abstract

It is shown that substantially enhanced Higgs to diphoton rate induced by light staus with large left-right mixing in MSSM requires at the GUT scale non-universal gaugino masses with bino and/or wino lighter than gluino. The possibility of such enhancement is investigated in MSSM models with arbitrary gaugino masses at the GUT scale with additional restriction of top-bottom-tau Yukawa unification, as predicted by minimal SO(10) GUTs. Many patterns of gaugino masses leading to enhanced Higgs to diphoton rate and the Yukawa unification are identified. Some of these patterns can be accommodated in a well-motivated scenarios such as mirage mediation or SUSY breaking F -terms being a non- singlet of SO(10). Phenomenological implications of a scenario with non-universal gaugino masses generated by a mixture of the singlet F -term and the F -term in a 24-dimensional representation of SU(5) ⊂ SO(10) are studied in detail. Possible non-universalities of other soft terms generated by such F-terms are discussed. The enhancement of Higgs to diphoton rate up to 30% can be obtained in agreement with all phenomenological constraints, including vacuum metastability bounds. The lightest sbottom and pseudoscalar Higgs are within easy reach of the 14 TeV LHC. The LSP can be either bino-like or wino-like. The thermal relic abundance in the former case may be in agreement with the cosmological data thanks to efficient stau coannihilation.
Seeding Success: Schools That Work for Aboriginal Students
Authors: Munns Geoff , O'Rourke Virginia , Bodkin-Andrews Gawaian
Published: October 2013

This article reports on a large mixed methods research project that investigated the conditions of success for Aboriginal school students. The article presents the qualitative case study component of the research. It details the work of four schools identified as successful for Aboriginal students with respect to social and academic outcomes, and showed what was common and contextually different in their relationships with community and their approaches to curriculum and pedagogy. The article shows there were eight common themes that emerged in the analysis of the schools’ approaches, and these themes are considered key indicators of the ‘seeding success’.
Methodological Individualism and Holism in Political Science: A Reconciliation
Authors: LIST CHRISTIAN , SPIEKERMANN KAI
Published: October 2013

Political science is divided between methodological individualists, who seek to explain political phenomena by reference to individuals and their interactions, and holists (or nonreductionists), who consider some higher-level social entities or properties such as states, institutions, or cultures ontologically or causally significant. We propose a reconciliation between these two perspectives, building on related work in philosophy. After laying out a taxonomy of different variants of each view, we observe that (i) although political phenomena result from underlying individual attitudes and behavior, individual-level descriptions do not always capture all explanatorily salient properties, and (ii) nonreductionistic explanations are mandated when social regularities are robust to changes in their individual-level realization. We characterize the dividing line between phenomena requiring nonreductionistic explanation and phenomena permitting individualistic explanation and give examples from the study of ethnic conflicts, social-network theory, and international-relations theory.
Political Parties at War: A Study of American War Finance, 1789–2010
Authors: FLORES-MACÍAS GUSTAVO A. , KREPS SARAH E.
Published: October 2013

What determines when states adopt war taxes to finance the cost of conflict? We address this question with a study of war taxes in the United States between 1789 and 2010. Using logit estimation of the determinants of war taxes, an analysis of roll-call votes on war tax legislation, and a historical case study of the Civil War, we provide evidence that partisan fiscal differences account for whether the United States finances its conflicts through war taxes or opts for alternatives such as borrowing or expanding the money supply. Because the fiscal policies implemented to raise the revenues for war have considerable and often enduring redistributive impacts, war finance—in particular, war taxation—becomes a high-stakes political opportunity to advance the fiscal interests of core constituencies. Insofar as the alternatives to taxation shroud the actual costs of war, the findings have important implications for democratic accountability and the conduct of conflict.
Elevating endocannabinoid levels: pharmacological strategies and potential therapeutic applications
Authors: Pertwee Roger G.
Published: October 2013

The endocannabinoid system consists of cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, of endogenous agonists for these receptors known as ‘endocannabinoids’, and of processes responsible for endocannabinoid biosynthesis, cellular uptake and metabolism. There is strong evidence first, that this system up-regulates in certain disorders as indicated by an increased release of endocannabinoids onto their receptors and/or by increases in the expression levels or coupling efficiency of these receptors, and second, that this up-regulation often appears to reduce or abolish unwanted effects of these disorders or to slow their progression. This discovery has raised the possibility of developing a medicine that enhances up-regulation of the endocannabinoid system associated with these disorders by inhibiting the cellular uptake or intracellular metabolism of an endocannabinoid following its ‘autoprotective’ endogenous release. For inhibition of endocannabinoid metabolism, research has focused particularly on two highly investigated endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, and hence on inhibitors of the main anandamide-metabolising enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and of the main 2-arachidonoyl glycerol-metabolising enzyme, monoacylglycerol (MAG) lipase. The resulting data have provided strong preclinical evidence that selective FAAH and MAG lipase inhibitors would ameliorate the unwanted effects of several disorders, when administered alone or with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and that the benefit-to-risk ratio of a FAAH inhibitor would exceed that of a MAG lipase inhibitor or dual inhibitor of FAAH and MAG lipase. Promising preclinical data have also been obtained with inhibitors of endocannabinoid cellular uptake. There is now an urgent need for clinical research with these enzyme and uptake inhibitors.
Sustaining Collective Action in Urbanizing China
Authors: Kuang Xianwen , Göbel Christian
Published: October 2013

In recent years there has been a proliferation of scholarship on protests and other forms of collective action in China. Important insights have been gained into how conflicts between social groups and local governments begin, which strategies and instruments protesters apply, and under which circumstances protests are likely to succeed or fail. However, comparatively little is known about the mobilizing structures and how such collective action can be sustained over a long period of time, in some instances over several years. Such perseverance would be remarkable even in a democracy, but it is more so in an authoritarian system where the risks of participating in collective action are higher and the chances to succeed much smaller. This article compares the development of public protests in two research locations and identifies four factors instrumental to overcoming the formidable challenges of sustaining collective action in China: the continuing existence of substantial grievances; the re-activation of strong social ties; the presence of unifying frames; and an adaptive protest leadership. The comparison shows that the last factor is particularly crucial: while the two villages were similar in all other respects, leadership in village B was far more adaptive than in village A, which goes a long way towards explaining why collective action could be sustained twice as long in village B.
Constraint-handling techniques for generative product design systems in the mass customization context
Authors: Nordin Axel , Motte Damien , Hopf Andreas , Bjärnemo Robert , Eckhardt Claus-Christian
Published: October 2013

Generative product design systems used in the context of mass customization are required to generate diverse solutions quickly and reliably without necessitating modification or tuning during use. When such systems are employed to allow for the mass customization ofproduct form, they must be able to handle mass production and engineering constraints that can be time-consuming to evaluate and difficult to fulfill. These issues are related to how the constraints are handled in the generative design system. This article evaluates two promising sequential constraint-handling techniques and the often used weighted sum technique with regard to convergence time, convergence rate, and diversity of the design solutions. The application used for this purpose was a design system aimed at generating a table with an advanced form: a Voronoi diagram based structure. The design problem was constrained in terms of production as well as stability, requiring a time-consuming finite element evaluation. Regarding convergence time and rate, one of the sequential constraint-handling techniques performed significantly better than the weighted sum technique. Nevertheless, the weighted sum technique presented respectable results and therefore remains a relevant technique. Regarding diversity, none of the techniques could generate diverse solutions in a single search run. In contrast, the solutions from different searches were always diverse. Solution diversity is thus gained at the cost of more runs, but no evaluation of the diversity of the solutions is needed. This result is important, because a diversity evaluation function would otherwise have to be developed for every new type of design. Efficient handling of complex constraints is an important step toward mass customization of nontrivial product forms.
Food-derived serotonergic modulators: effects on mood and cognition
Authors: Hulsken Sjoerd , Märtin Antje , Mohajeri M. Hasan , Homberg Judith Regina
Published: October 2013

The most frequently described drugs in the treatment of mood disorders are selective serotonin reuptake and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, enhancing serotonin levels in the brain. However, side-effects have been reported for these drugs. Because serotonin levels in the brain are dependent on the availability of the food-derived precursor tryptophan, foods such as chicken, soyabeans, cereals, tuna, nuts and bananas may serve as an alternative to improve mood and cognition. Here we discuss the effects of high- or low-tryptophan-containing food, as well as plant extracts with a modest monoamine reuptake and MAO-A inhibition functional profile, on mood and cognition in healthy and vulnerable human subjects and rodents. Together the studies suggest that there is an inverted U-shaped curve for plasma tryptophan levels, with low and too high tryptophan levels impairing cognition, and moderate to high tryptophan levels improving cognition. This relationship is found for both healthy and vulnerable subjects. Whereas this relationship may also exist for mood, the inverted U-shaped curve for plasma tryptophan levels and mood may be based on different tryptophan concentrations in healthyv.vulnerable individuals. Animal studies are emerging and allow further understanding of effects and the mode of action of food-derived serotonergic components on mood, cognition and mechanisms. Ultimately, insight into the concentrations of tryptophan and other serotonergic components in food having beneficial effects on mood and cognition in healthy, but particularly vulnerable, subjects may support well-being in our highly demanding society.
A question of balance: achieving appropriate nutrient levels in biofortified staple crops
Authors: Sanahuja Georgina , Farré Gemma , Berman Judit , Zorrilla-López Uxue , Twyman Richard M. , Capell Teresa , Christou Paul , Zhu Changfu
Published: October 2013

The biofortification of staple crops with vitamins is an attractive strategy to increase the nutritional quality of human food, particularly in areas where the population subsists on a cereal-based diet. Unlike other approaches, biofortification is sustainable and does not require anything more than a standard food-distribution infrastructure. The health-promoting effects of vitamins depend on overall intake and bioavailability, the latter influenced by food processing, absorption efficiency and the utilisation or retention of the vitamin in the body. The bioavailability of vitamins in nutritionally enriched foods should ideally be adjusted to achieve the dietary reference intake in a reasonable portion. Current vitamin biofortification programmes focus on the fat-soluble vitamins A and E, and the water-soluble vitamins C and B9 (folate), but the control of dosage and bioavailability has been largely overlooked. In the present review, we discuss the vitamin content of nutritionally enhanced foods developed by conventional breeding and genetic engineering, focusing on dosage and bioavailability. Although the biofortification of staple crops could potentially address micronutrient deficiency on a global scale, further research is required to develop effective strategies that match the bioavailability of vitamins to the requirements of the human diet.
TYPIFICATION OF NAMES OF BRAZILIAN AND CARIBBEAN SPECIES OF CALYPTRANTHES (MYRTACEAE – MYRCIINAE)
Authors: Araújo A. C. , Lucas E.
Published: October 2013

Holotypes do not exist for many names currently accepted in Calyptranthes (Myrtaceae – Myrciinae), either because the species was described with several syntypes or because the holotype is lost or destroyed. A thorough literature survey, extensive visits to international herbaria and analysis of online type collections has been undertaken. As a result, six lectotypifications and three neotypifications are made here. The type collection for Calyptranthes thomasiana is clarified.
OCHOTONOPHILA FLAVA (CARYOPHYLLACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN
Authors: Dickoré W. B. , Schloeder C. , Jacobs M. , Spribille T. , Freitag H.
Published: October 2013

Ochotonophila flava Dickoré & Freitag sp. nov. (Caryophyllaceae – Silenoideae) is described from the mountains of Bamiyan Province, central Afghanistan. It differs from the two previously known species endemic to Afghanistan, Ochotonophila allochrusoides Gilli and O. eglandulosa Hedge & Wendelbo, by its cream to yellow petals and elliptic leaves. A key to the identification of Ochotonophila species is provided; distribution and ecology are outlined.
GENERAL INDEX TO VOLUME 70 (2013)
Authors: Editor Journal
Published: October 2013

Note: Main entries are emboldened; * signifies the page range of keywords; pages with illustrations (Fig.), maps, appendices (App.) and reviews (Rev.) are indicated; tables are not annotated separately.
Multivariate Pattern Analysis of fMRI in Breast Cancer Survivors and Healthy Women
Authors: Hosseini S.M. Hadi , Kesler Shelli R.
Published: October 2013

Advances in breast cancer (BC) treatments have resulted in significantly improved survival rates. However, BC chemotherapy is often associated with several side effects including cognitive dysfunction. We applied multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to find a brain connectivity pattern that accurately and automatically distinguishes chemotherapy-treated (C+) from non-chemotherapy treated (C−) BC females and healthy female controls (HC). Twenty-seven C+, 29 C−, and 30 HC underwent fMRI during an executive-prefrontal task (Go/Nogo). The pattern of functional connectivity associated with this task discriminated with significant accuracy between C+ and HC groups (72%, p = .006) and between C+ and C− groups (71%, p = .012). However, the accuracy of discrimination between C− and HC was not significant (51%, p = .46). Compared with HC, behavioral performance of the C+ and C− groups during the task was intact. However, the C+ group demonstrated altered functional connectivity in the right frontoparietal and left supplementary motor area networks compared to HC, and in the right middle frontal and left superior frontal gyri networks, compared to C−. Our results provide further evidence that executive function performance may be preserved in some chemotherapy-treated BC survivors through recruitment of additional neural connections. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–11)
Climate Engineering in Global Climate Governance: Implications for Participation and Linkage
Authors: Parson Edward A.
Published: October 2013

The prospect of climate engineering (CE) – also known as geoengineering, referring to modification of the global environment to partly offset climate change and impacts from elevated atmospheric greenhouse gases – poses major, disruptive challenges to international policy and governance. If full global cooperation to manage climate change is not initially achievable, adding CE to the agenda has major effects on the challenges and risks associated with alternative configurations of participation – for example, variants of partial cooperation, unilateral action, and exclusion. Although the risks of unilateral CE by small states or non-state actors have been over-stated, some powerful states may be able to pursue CE unilaterally, risking international destabilization and conflict. These risks are not limited to future CE deployment, but may also be triggered by unilateral research and development (R&D), secrecy about intentions and capabilities, or assertion of legal rights of unilateral action. They may be reduced by early cooperative steps, such as international collaboration in R&D and open sharing of information. CE presents novel opportunities for explicit bargaining linkages within a complete climate response. Four CE-mitigation linkage scenarios suggest how CE may enhance mitigation incentives, and not weaken them as commonly assumed. Such synergy appears to be challenging if CE is treated only as a contingent response to a future climate crisis, but may be more achievable if CE is used earlier and at lower intensity, either to reduce peak near-term climate disruption in parallel with a programme of deep emission cuts or to target regional climate processes linked to acute global risks.
Paving a regulatory pathway for phage therapy
Authors: Huys Isabelle , Pirnay Jean‐Paul , Lavigne Rob , Jennes Serge , De Vos Daniel , Casteels Minne , Verbeken Gilbert
Published: October 2013

The growing problem of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria has re‐kindled interest in phage‐based therapies. Yet, the use of phages to treat life‐threatening bacterial infections is held back by the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework for phage therapy.
Tpo1‐mediated spermine and spermidine export controls cell cycle delay and times antioxidant protein expression during the oxidative stress response
Authors: Krüger Antje , Vowinckel Jakob , Mülleder Michael , Grote Phillip , Capuano Floriana , Bluemlein Katharina , Ralser Markus
Published: October 2013

Cells counteract oxidative stress by altering metabolism, cell cycle and gene expression. However, the mechanisms that coordinate these adaptations are only marginally understood. Here we provide evidence that timing of these responses in yeast requires export of the polyamines spermidine and spermine. We show that during hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure, the polyamine transporter Tpo1 controls spermidine and spermine concentrations and mediates induction of antioxidant proteins, including Hsp70, Hsp90, Hsp104 and Sod1. Moreover, Tpo1 determines a cell cycle delay during adaptation to increased oxidant levels, and affects H2O2 tolerance. Thus, central components of the stress response are timed through Tpo1‐controlled polyamine export.
Intermediate range order and structure in colloidal dispersions with competing interactions
Authors: Godfrin P. Douglas , Castañeda-Priego Ramón , Liu Yun , Wagner Norman J.
Published: October 2013

Colloidal dispersions with a short-range attraction and long-range repulsion can exhibit an intriguing intermediate range order, manifested in scattering experiments as a low-q peak in the structure factor. Monte Carlo simulations are performed on fluids that exhibit intermediate range order to explicitly determine its connection to a possible state of microphase separation, equilibrium clustering. This is accomplished by decomposing the structure factor into cluster-cluster, monomer-monomer, and cross-correlations that cannot be extracted from experimental scattering patterns. Our simulation results indicate that the intermediate range order arises from either monomeric or cluster species, depending on solution conditions, and reflects the presence of a preferred length scale that is not trivially related to the interparticle potential. Further, criteria are established to define monomer, cluster, and percolated states in these systems that facilitate further studies. Combining scattering techniques with simulations provides an effective method for identifying clustered states in complex fluids.
A 2.45 GHz intense proton source and low energy beam transport system for China Initiative Accelerator Driven Sub-Critical reactor system
Authors: Wu Q. , Zhang Z. M. , Sun L. T. , Yang Y. , Ma H. Y. , Cao Y. , Zhang X. Z. , Zhao H. W.
Published: October 2013

At Institute of Modern Physics, a cw 35 keV, 20 mA intense proton source and the low energy beam transport system (LEBT) have been developed for China Initiative Accelerator Driven Sub-Critical reactor system. In order to ensure high quality transmission of the intense ion beam from the exit of ion source to Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ), a low energy beam transport line is used to focus beam to the RFQ entrance and match the Twiss parameters to the RFQ requirements. The 35 keV, 20 mA ion beam extracted by a three-electrode extraction system from the ion source passes through the LEBT to the RFQ entrance and the root-mean-square emittance is measured to be less than 0.2 π mm mrad. The commissioning results of the ion source and low energy beam transport system are described in this paper. The beam quality and transmission efficiency are also studied.
Graphene-based non-Boolean logic circuits
Authors: Liu Guanxiong , Ahsan Sonia , Khitun Alexander G. , Lake Roger K. , Balandin Alexander A.
Published: October 2013

Graphene revealed a number of unique properties beneficial for electronics. However, graphene does not have an energy band-gap, which presents a serious hurdle for its applications in digital logic gates. The efforts to induce a band-gap in graphene via quantum confinement or surface functionalization have not resulted in a breakthrough. Here we show that the negative differential resistance experimentally observed in graphene field-effect transistors of “conventional” design allows for construction of viable non-Boolean computational architectures with the gapless graphene. The negative differential resistance—observed under certain biasing schemes—is an intrinsic property of graphene, resulting from its symmetric band structure. Our atomistic modeling shows that the negative differential resistance appears not only in the drift-diffusion regime but also in the ballistic regime at the nanometer-scale—although the physics changes. The obtained results present a conceptual change in graphene research and indicate an alternative route for graphene's applications in information processing.
AsGa+ antisites identified by electron spin resonance as a main interface defect system in thermal GaAs/native oxide structures
Authors: Stesmans A. , Nguyen S. , Afanas'ev V. V.
Published: October 2013

Aiming to assess the atomic-structural identity of inherently generated interfacial point defects during thermal oxidation, a conventional low-temperature electron spin resonance study has been carried out on (100)GaAs/native oxide structures thermally grown in the range of 350–615 °C on both powders and slices of semi-insulating (100)GaAs. This compellingly reveals substantial generation (density ∼ 1 × 1013 cm−2) of interfacial 75AsGa+ antisites in registry with the GaAs substrate layer, thus providing solid independent evidence of substantial interfacial As enrichment, appearing as endemic to oxidation of GaAs, and at the same time, providing an answer of how a major part of excess As gets interfacially incorporated. Given the known electrical deep double donor attribute of AsGa, direct identification is thus established of a major system of detrimental interface traps.
Germanium-on-silicon planar concave grating wavelength (de)multiplexers in the mid-infrared
Authors: Malik Aditya , Muneeb Muhammad , Shimura Yosuke , Van Campenhout Joris , Loo Roger , Roelkens Gunther
Published: October 2013

Mid-infrared wavelength (de)multiplexers based on planar concave gratings (PCGs) fabricated on a germanium-on-silicon waveguide platform are presented. PCGs with two different types of gratings (flat facet and distributed bragg reflectors) are analyzed for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations. The insertion loss and cross talk for flat facet PCGs are found to be −7.6/−6.4 dB and 27/21 dB for TE/TM polarization. For distributed bragg reflector PCGs the insertion loss and cross talk are found to be −4.9/−4.2 dB and 22/23 dB for TE/TM polarization.
Amoeba-inspired computing architecture implemented using charge dynamics in parallel capacitance network
Authors: Kasai Seiya , Aono Masashi , Naruse Makoto
Published: October 2013

We propose an electronic system for implementing a biologically inspired computing architecture, called “amoeba-inspired computing,” for solving computationally demanding problems. The system consists of a parallel capacitance network. The spatiotemporal dynamics of an amoeboid organism exhibiting the sophisticated ability of exploring a solution space is mimicked using dynamics in charging the capacitors under charge conservation. The system for solving an instance of a four-variable constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) is implemented using an electronic circuit simulator, which successfully finds solutions. We also found that small fluctuations inherently involved in electronic devices can be used to explore solution space.
Electrochemically gated organic photovoltaic with tunable carbon nanotube cathodes
Authors: Cook Alexander B. , Yuen Jonathan D. , Zakhidov Anvar
Published: October 2013

We demonstrate an organic photovoltaic (OPV) device with an electrochemically gated carbon nanotube (CNT) charge collector. Bias voltages applied to the gate electrode reconfigure the common CNT electrode from an anode into a cathode which effectively collects photogenerated electrons, dramatically increasing all solar cell parameters to achieve a power conversion efficiency of ∼3%. This device requires very little current to initially charge and the leakage current is negligible compared to the photocurrent. This device can also be viewed as a hybrid tandem OPV-supercapacitor with a common CNT electrode. Other regimes of operation are briefly discussed.
The reduction of keep-out zone (∼10×) by the optimized novel trench structures near the through silicon vias for the application in 3-dimensional integrated circuits
Authors: Liao M. H.
Published: October 2013

The trench structure is designed and used to release the process induced stress, resulted from the different material thermal expansion coefficients, in the three-dimensional integral circuits (3-DICs). The stress in the designed trench structure is measured by the atomic force microscope-Raman technique experimentally and simulated by the full process simulation model. With the help of this simulation model, the optimized trench structure near the copper-filled through silicon via (TSV) is designed and reported. The experimental data demonstrate that the compressive stress near the TSV can be reduced from 600 MPa to 150 MPa, and the corresponding keep-out zone can also be decreased ∼4 times with the designed trench structure having the depth of 10 μm and the spacing distance of 8 μm to the TSV. This work provides one potential solution to release the process induced stress for the real application of 3-DICs.
Tuning the conductance of monatomic carbon chain
Authors: Chen Xi , Ming Chen , Meng Fan-Xin , Li Jing-Tian , Zhuang Jun , Ning Xi-Jing
Published: October 2013

Ab initio calculations show that the conductance of short monatomic carbon chain can be dramatically modified by adhering a single H, N, or O atom to the chain. For example, the conductance of the pristine chain gets about two orders of magnitude smaller, if an H atom is adhered to the chain. By a statistical model, the structure of the carbon chain with the single atom adhered is found to be quite stable at room temperature, indicating that the method can be used to tune the conductance of monatomic carbon chain.
Simulation analysis of the effects of an initial cone position and opening angle on a cone-guided implosion
Authors: Yanagawa T. , Sakagami H. , Nagatomo H.
Published: October 2013

In inertial confinement fusion, the implosion process is important in forming a high-density plasma core. In the case of a fast ignition scheme using a cone-guided target, the fuel target is imploded with a cone inserted. This scheme is advantageous for efficiently heating the imploded fuel core; however, asymmetric implosion is essentially inevitable. Moreover, the effect of cone position and opening angle on implosion also becomes critical. Focusing on these problems, the effect of the asymmetric implosion, the initial position, and the opening angle on the compression rate of the fuel is investigated using a three-dimensional pure hydrodynamic code.
Evidence for hydrogen two-level systems in atomic layer deposition oxides
Authors: Khalil M. S. , Stoutimore M. J. A. , Gladchenko S. , Holder A. M. , Musgrave C. B. , Kozen A. C. , Rubloff G. , Liu Y. Q. , Gordon R. G. , Yum J. H. , Banerjee S. K. , Lobb C. J. , Osborn K. D.
Published: October 2013

Two-level system (TLS) defects in dielectrics are known to limit the performance of electronic devices. We study TLS using millikelvin microwave (6.4 GHz) loss measurements of three atomic layer deposited (ALD) oxide films–crystalline BeO (c-BeO), amorphous Al2O3 (a–Al2O3), and amorphous LaAlO3 (a–LaAlO3)–and interpret them with room temperature characterization measurements. We find that the bulk loss tangent in the crystalline film is 6 times higher than in the amorphous films. In addition, its power saturation agrees with an amorphous distribution of TLS. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) impurity analysis of the c-BeO film showed excess surface carbon (C) impurities and a uniform hydrogen (H) impurity distribution, which coupled with the analysis of loss tangent strongly suggests H limited loss. Impurity analysis of the amorphous films reveals that they have excess H impurities at the ambient-exposed surface, and we extract the associated H-based surface loss tangent. We compare two a–Al2O3 films with drastically different C impurity concentrations and similar H impurity concentrations and conclude that H rather than C is the likely source of loss in the amorphous films and we find the loss per H concentration in a–Al2O3 to be KH =3×10−24 cm3.