bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parents’ food choice motives and their associations with children’s food preferences
Authors: Russell Catherine G , Worsley Anthony , Liem Djin G
Published: June 2014

Objective

The objective was to investigate parents’ motives for selecting foods for their children and the associations between these motives and children’s food preferences.

Design

Cross-sectional survey. A modified version of the Food Choice Questionnaire was used to assess parents’ food choice motives. Parents also reported children’s liking/disliking of 176 food and beverage items on 5-point Likert scales. Patterns of food choice motives were examined with exploratory principal component analysis. Associations between motives and children’s food preferences were assessed with linear regression while one-way and two-way ANOVA were used to test for sociodemographic differences.

Setting

Two Australian cities.

Subjects

Parents (n 371) of 2–5-year-old children.

Results

Health, nutrition and taste were key motivators for parents, whereas price, political concerns and advertising were among the motives considered least important. The more parents’ food choice for their children was driven by what their children wanted, the less children liked vegetables (β =−0·27, P<0·01), fruit (β=−0·19, P<0·01) and cereals (β=−0·28, P<0·01) and the higher the number of untried foods (r=0·17, P<0·01). The reverse was found for parents’ focus on natural/ethical motives (vegetables β=0·17, P<0·01; fruit β=0·17, P<0·01; cereals β=0·14, P=0·01). Health and nutrition motives bordered on statistical significance as predictors of children’s fruit and vegetable preferences.

Conclusions

Although parents appear well intentioned in their motives for selecting children’s foods, there are gaps to be addressed in the nature of such motives (e.g. selecting foods in line with the child’s desires) or the translation of health motives into healthy food choices.
An der Schnittstelle von stationärer Kinder- und Jugendhilfe und psychiatrisch- psychotherapeutischer Gesundheitsversorgung
Authors: Groen Gunter , Jörns-Presentati Astrid
Published: May 2014

Im Rahmen des EU-Projektes RESME wurden in einer explorativen, qualitativen Studie Fachkräfte der stationären Jugendhilfe und der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie zur gegenseitigen Kooperation befragt. Mit Hilfe umfassender leitfadengestützter Interviews wurden exemplarische Erfahrungen und Einschätzungen gesammelt, um die besonderen Herausforderungen in der Zusammenarbeit besser zu verstehen, Bedingungen und Beispiele für gelungene Kooperation zusammen zu tragen und Ansätze für Verbesserungen zu finden. Zentrale Ergebnisse der Interviews mit Sozialarbeitern und -pädagogen, Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatern und Psychologen werden zusammenfassend dargestellt. Es zeigen sich verschiedene Ansatzpunkte zur Verbesserung der systemübergreifenden und interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit. Als wesentlich für eine gelungene Kooperation werden neben Fachlichkeit und Wissen, individuelle Einstellungen und Werte, Aspekte der persönlichen Kontakt- und Beziehungsgestaltung sowie organisatorische Rahmenbedingungen und Entwicklungen erachtet. Die Ergebnisse werden zur Entwicklung eines Curriculums genutzt, das sich zur Förderung der Zusammenarbeit gleichzeitig an Mitarbeiter psychiatrisch-psychotherapeutischer Einrichtungen und der Jugendhilfe richtet.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Moral Foundations Questionnaire
Authors: Davies Caitlin L. , Sibley Chris G. , Liu James H.
Published: May 2014

The Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) measures five universal moral foundations of Harm/care, Fairness/reciprocity, Ingroup/loyalty, Authority/respect, and Purity/sanctity. This study provided an independent test of the factor structure of the MFQ using Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a large New Zealand national probability sample (N = 3,994). We compared the five-factor model proposed by Moral Foundations Theory against alternative single-factor, two-factor, three-factor, and hierarchical (five foundations as nested in two second order factors) models of morality. The hypothesized five-factor model proposed by Moral Foundations Theory provided a reasonable fit. These findings indicate that the five-factor model of moral foundations holds in New Zealand, and provides the first independent test of the factor structure of the Moral Foundations Questionnaire.
Mapping the force field of a hydrogen-bonded assembly
Authors: Sweetman A. M. , Jarvis S. P. , Sang Hongqian , Lekkas I. , Rahe P. , Wang Yu , Wang Jianbo , Champness N.R. , Kantorovich L. , Moriarty P.
Published: May 2014

Hydrogen bonding underpins the properties of a vast array of systems spanning a wide variety of scientific fields. From the elegance of base pair interactions in DNA to the symmetry of extended supramolecular assemblies, hydrogen bonds play an essential role in directing intermolecular forces. Yet fundamental aspects of the hydrogen bond continue to be vigorously debated. Here we use dynamic force microscopy (DFM) to quantitatively map the tip-sample force field for naphthalene tetracarboxylic diimide molecules hydrogen-bonded in two-dimensional assemblies. A comparison of experimental images and force spectra with their simulated counterparts shows that intermolecular contrast arises from repulsive tip-sample interactions whose interpretation can be aided via an examination of charge density depletion across the molecular system. Interpreting DFM images of hydrogen-bonded systems therefore necessitates detailed consideration of the coupled tip-molecule system: analyses based on intermolecular charge density in the absence of the tip fail to capture the essential physical chemistry underpinning the imaging mechanism.
Hydrodynamic alignment and assembly of nanofibrils resulting in strong cellulose filaments
Authors: Håkansson Karl M. O. , Fall Andreas B. , Lundell Fredrik , Yu Shun , Krywka Christina , Roth Stephan V. , Santoro Gonzalo , Kvick Mathias , Prahl Wittberg Lisa , Wågberg Lars , Söderberg L. Daniel
Published: June 2014

Cellulose nanofibrils can be obtained from trees and have considerable potential as a building block for biobased materials. In order to achieve good properties of these materials, the nanostructure must be controlled. Here we present a process combining hydrodynamic alignment with a dispersion–gel transition that produces homogeneous and smooth filaments from a low-concentration dispersion of cellulose nanofibrils in water. The preferential fibril orientation along the filament direction can be controlled by the process parameters. The specific ultimate strength is considerably higher than previously reported filaments made of cellulose nanofibrils. The strength is even in line with the strongest cellulose pulp fibres extracted from wood with the same degree of fibril alignment. Successful nanoscale alignment before gelation demands a proper separation of the timescales involved. Somewhat surprisingly, the device must not be too small if this is to be achieved.
Current breast cancer proliferative markers correlate variably based on decoupled duration of cell cycle phases
Authors: Lee Lik Hang , Yang Hua , Bigras Gilbert
Published: May 2014

Mitotic count, PhH3 and MIB-1 are used as measures of the proportion of proliferating malignant cells in surgical pathology. They highlight different stages of the cell cycle, but little is known about how this affects their counts. This study assesses the strength of their correlations and attempts to determine the relationship between them. Proliferation counts for forty-nine consecutive cases of invasive breast carcinomas were analyzed, with the same tumor area on each stain counted using digital image analysis. The integrated optical density (IOD) of nuclei was measured as an approximation of nuclear DNA content. PhH3 strongly correlated with mitotic count (r = 0.94). Weaker correlations were found between MIB-1 versus PhH3 (r = 0.79) and mitotic count (r = 0.83). Nuclear IOD showed stronger correlation with MIB-1 (r = 0.37) than to mitotic count (r = 0.23) and PhH3 (r = 0.34). With evidence from a literature review, it is suggested that the weaker correlations with MIB-1 are not explained by count imprecision or error, but relies on temporal decorrelation between cell cycle phases. Consequences on correlation between these proliferative markers are illustrated by mathematical models.
Testing of a femtosecond pulse laser in outer space
Authors: Lee Joohyung , Lee Keunwoo , Jang Yoon-Soo , Jang Heesuk , Han Seongheum , Lee Sang-Hyun , Kang Kyung-In , Lim Chul-Woo , Kim Young-Jin , Kim Seung-Woo
Published: May 2014

We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space. The fibre-based ultrashort pulse laser payload was designed to meet space-use requirements, undergone through ground qualification tests and finally launched into a low-earth orbit early in 2013. Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through although the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power. This successful test operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere in the near future.
Immunomodulating effects of casein-derived peptides QEPVL and QEPV on lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Jiehui Zhou , Liuliu Ma , Haihong Xu , Yang Gao , Yingkai Jin , Lun Zhao , An Li David Xi , Dongsheng Zhan , Shaohui Zhang
Published: May 2014

QEPVL has significant immunomodulating effects on lymphocytes and contributes to inflammation.
Trap and track: designing self-reporting porous Si photonic crystals for rapid bacteria detection
Authors: Massad-Ivanir Naama , Mirsky Yossi , Nahor Amit , Edrei Eitan , Bonanno-Young Lisa M. , Ben Dov Nadav , Sa'ar Amir , Segal Ester
Published: June 2014

Self-reporting optical structures that can detect and quantify bacteria in real-time, based on 2D porous Si photonic crystals. The sensors can be easily modified to monitor concentration, growth and physiological state of bacteria cells.
Growth of boronic acid based two-dimensional covalent networks on a metal surface under ultrahigh vacuum
Authors: Clair Sylvain , Abel Mathieu , Porte Louis
Published: May 2014

An extensive analysis of the complex mechanisms governing the on-surface polymerisation of boronic acid on a metal surface under vacuum.
Pentaarylbiimidazole, PABI: an easily synthesized fast photochromic molecule with superior durability
Authors: Yamashita Hiroaki , Abe Jiro
Published: May 2014

We have developed a new type of fast photochromic imidazole dimer, pentaarylbiimidazole (PABI), which shows a few μs fast photochromism having the high fatigue resistance against light irradiation.
High-efficiency photocatalytic activity of type II SnO/Sn3O4 heterostructures via interfacial charge transfer
Authors: Xia Weiwei , Wang Haibo , Zeng Xianghua , Han Jie , Zhu Jun , Zhou Min , Wu Shudong
Published: June 2014

Flower-like hollow microspheres were synthesized on a large scale using a one-step hydrothermal route.
Physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles and their behavior in the biological environment
Authors: Treuel L. , Eslahian K. A. , Docter D. , Lang T. , Zellner R. , Nienhaus K. , Nienhaus G. U. , Stauber R. H. , Maskos M.
Published: May 2014

Whilst the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles in the gas or idealized solvent phase can nowadays be characterized with sufficient accuracy, this is no longer the case for particles in the presence of a complex biological environment.
Effect of enzymatic orientation through the use of syringaldazine molecules on multiple multi-copper oxidase enzymes
Authors: Ulyanova Yevgenia , Babanova Sofia , Pinchon Erica , Matanovic Ivana , Singhal Sameer , Atanassov Plamen
Published: May 2014

The effect of proper enzyme orientation at the electrode surface was explored for two multi-copper oxygen reducing enzymes: Bilirubin Oxidase (BOx) and Laccase (Lac).
Experimental and theoretical investigations of the self-association of oxaliplatin
Authors: Petrović Predrag V. , Grimme Stefan , Zarić Snežana D. , Pfeffer Michel , Djukic Jean-Pierre
Published: June 2014

The issue of self-aggregation of oxaliplatin in water as well as in the gas phase is investigated analytically and analyzed by state-of-the-art DFT-D methods.
Sub-10 nm monodisperse PbS cubes by post-synthesis shape engineering
Authors: Zhang Haitao , Yang Jun , Hanrath Tobias , Wise Frank W.
Published: June 2014

Sub-10 nm PbS cubes are synthesized by reacting quasi-spherical PbS nanocrystals with (NH4)2S, and can organize into simple square superlattices.
Oxidation of hydrocarbons with H2O2/O2catalyzed by osmium complexes containing p-cymene ligands in acetonitrile
Authors: Vinogradov Mikhail M. , Kozlov Yuriy N. , Nesterov Dmytro S. , Shul'pina Lidia S. , Pombeiro Armando J. L. , Shul'pin Georgiy B.
Published: June 2014

Osmium π-complexes containingp-cymene ligands efficiently catalyze (TONs up to 200 000) the oxidation of alkanes to alkyl hydroperoxides with H2O2.
Synthesis and catalytic application of PVP-coated Ru nanoparticles embedded in a porous metal–organic framework
Authors: Sadakiyo Masaaki , Kon-no Masaru , Sato Katsutoshi , Nagaoka Katsutoshi , Kasai Hidetaka , Kato Kenichi , Yamauchi Miho
Published: May 2014

A hybrid catalyst consisting of polymer-coated Ru nanoparticles embedded in a porous metal–organic framework of ZIF-8 exhibits higher catalytic activity and higher CO2 selectivity in a CO oxidation reaction with H2 gas feeds.
Reduced graphene oxide–CdS nanocomposites with enhanced visible-light photoactivity synthesized using ionic-liquid precursors
Authors: Jiang Nan , Xiu Zhiliang , Xie Zheng , Li Hongyun , Zhao Gang , Wang Wenpeng , Wu Yongzhong , Hao Xiaopeng
Published: May 2014

A series of RGO–CdS nanocomposites with increasing excellent stability and high photodegradation efficiency were synthesized, in which the ionic-liquid [BMIM]SCN served as both the sulfur source and the stabilizing agent.
Fluoroacetate biosynthesis from the marine-derived bacterium Streptomyces xinghaiensis NRRL B-24674
Authors: Huang Sheng , Ma Long , Tong Ming Him , Yu Yi , O'Hagan David , Deng Hai
Published: May 2014

Streptomyces xinghaiensis is the first fluorometabolite producing microorganism identified from the marine environment.
Triazole-acetate functionalized gold nanoparticles for colorimetric Pb(ii) sensing
Authors: Lee I-Lin , Sung Yi-Ming , Wu Shu-Pao
Published: May 2014

New triazole-acetate functionalized gold nanoparticles (TTA–AuNPs) for sensitive and selective colorimetric detection of Pb2+ were developed.
Nanolamellar triblock of poly-d,l-lactide–δ-valerolactone–d,l-lactide with tuneable glass transition temperature and crystallinity for use as a drug-delivery vesicle
Authors: Kasyapi Nibedita , Bhowmick Anil K.
Published: June 2014

A d,l-lactide–δ-valerolactone–d,l-lactide triblock copolymer, synthesized by sequential ring-opening polymerization, showed a nanolamellar morphology and was fabricated into microspheres for drug delivery.
Palladium(ii) complexes with chiral organoantimony(iii) ligands. Solution behaviour and solid state structures
Authors: Copolovici Dana , Isaia Francesco , Breunig Hans J. , Raţ Ciprian I. , Silvestru Cristian
Published: May 2014

The stibines R(Ph)SbCl (1) and R(Mes)2Sb (2) (R = 2-Me2NCH2C6H4) were used to obtain [Me2NHCH2C6H5]+[PdCl3{SbCl(Ph)R}]¬ (3) and [PdCl2{Sb(Mes)2R-N,Sb}] (4). While in 3 the intramolecular N→Sb interaction is preserved, in compound 4 the stibine 2 acts as a (N,Sb)-chelating ligand.
C5-curcuminoid-dithiocarbamate based molecular hybrids: synthesis and anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity evaluation
Authors: Anthwal Amit , Singh Kundan , Rawat M. S. M. , Tyagi Amit K. , Aggarwal Bharat B. , Rawat Diwan S.
Published: May 2014

The C5-curcumin-dithiocarbamate analogues were synthesized in search of new molecules with anti-proliferation potential against cancer cells. These new compounds demonstrated higher anti-proliferation and anti-inflammatory activity against cancer cell lines in comparison to curcumin.
S4N4 as an intermediate in Ag2S nanoparticle synthesis
Authors: Kumar Baskaran Ganesh , Muralidharan Krishnamurthi
Published: June 2014

Hexamethyldisilazane assisted synthesis of Ag2S nanoparticles is demonstrated. Mechanistic studies revealed that Ag2S nanoparticles formed through S4N4 intermediates.
Self-assembly of three-dimensional open structures using patchy colloidal particles
Authors: Rocklin D. Zeb , Mao Xiaoming
Published: May 2014

The formation of entropically stabilized 3D open lattices from triblock Janus particles
Ionic asymmetry and solvent excluded volume effects on spherical electric double layers: A density functional approach
Authors: Medasani Bharat , Ovanesyan Zaven , Thomas Dennis G. , Sushko Maria L. , Marucho Marcelo
Published: May 2014

In this article, we present a classical density functional theory for electrical double layers of spherical macroions that extends the capabilities of conventional approaches by accounting for electrostatic ion correlations, size asymmetry, and excluded volume effects. The approach is based on a recent approximation introduced by Hansen-Goos and Roth for the hard sphere excess free energy of inhomogeneous fluids [J. Chem. Phys. 124, 154506 (2006); Hansen-Goos and Roth, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 18, 8413 (2006)]. It accounts for the proper and efficient description of the effects of ionic asymmetry and solvent excluded volume, especially at high ion concentrations and size asymmetry ratios including those observed in experimental studies. Additionally, we utilize a leading functional Taylor expansion approximation of the ion density profiles. In addition, we use the mean spherical approximation for multi-component charged hard sphere fluids to account for the electrostatic ion correlation effects. These approximations are implemented in our theoretical formulation into a suitable decomposition of the excess free energy which plays a key role in capturing the complex interplay between charge correlations and excluded volume effects. We perform Monte Carlo simulations in various scenarios to validate the proposed approach, obtaining a good compromise between accuracy and computational cost. We use the proposed computational approach to study the effects of ion size, ion size asymmetry, and solvent excluded volume on the ion profiles, integrated charge, mean electrostatic potential, and ionic coordination number around spherical macroions in various electrolyte mixtures. Our results show that both solvent hard sphere diameter and density play a dominant role in the distribution of ions around spherical macroions, mainly for experimental water molarity and size values where the counterion distribution is characterized by a tight binding to the macroion, similar to that predicted by the Stern model.
A synchrotron-radiation-based variable angle ellipsometer for the visible to vacuum ultraviolet spectral range
Authors: Neumann M. D. , Cobet C. , Kaser H. , Kolbe M. , Gottwald A. , Richter M. , Esser N.
Published: May 2014

A rotating analyzer spectroscopic polarimeter and ellipsometer with a wide-range θ-2θ goniometer installed at the Insertion Device Beamline of the Metrology Light Source in Berlin is presented. With a combination of transmission- and reflection-based polarizing elements and the inherent degree of polarization of the undulator radiation, this ellipsometer is able to cover photon energies from about 2 eV up to 40 eV. Additionally, a new compensator design based on a CaF2 Fresnel rhomb is presented. This compensator allows ellipsometric measurements with circular polarization in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral range and thus, for example, the characterization of depolarizing samples. The new instrument was initially used for the characterization of the polarization of the beamline. The technical capabilities of the ellipsometer are demonstrated by a cohesive wide-range measurement of the dielectric function of epitaxially grown ZnO.
A stochastic extension of the explicit algebraic subgrid-scale models
Authors: Rasam A. , Brethouwer G. , Johansson A. V.
Published: May 2014

The explicit algebraic subgrid-scale (SGS) stress model (EASM) of Marstorp et al. [“Explicit algebraic subgrid stress models with application to rotating channel flow,” J. Fluid Mech. 639, 403–432 (2009)] and explicit algebraic SGS scalar flux model (EASFM) of Rasam et al. [“An explicit algebraic model for the subgrid-scale passive scalar flux,” J. Fluid Mech. 721, 541–577 (2013)] are extended with stochastic terms based on the Langevin equation formalism for the subgrid-scales by Marstorp et al. [“A stochastic subgrid model with application to turbulent flow and scalar mixing,” Phys. Fluids 19, 035107 (2007)]. The EASM and EASFM are nonlinear mixed and tensor eddy-diffusivity models, which improve large eddy simulation (LES) predictions of the mean flow, Reynolds stresses, and scalar fluxes of wall-bounded flows compared to isotropic eddy-viscosity and eddy-diffusivity SGS models, especially at coarse resolutions. The purpose of the stochastic extension of the explicit algebraic SGS models is to further improve the characteristics of the kinetic energy and scalar variance SGS dissipation, which are key quantities that govern the small-scale mixing and dispersion dynamics. LES of turbulent channel flow with passive scalar transport shows that the stochastic terms enhance SGS dissipation statistics such as length scale, variance, and probability density functions and introduce a significant amount of backscatter of energy from the subgrid to the resolved scales without causing numerical stability problems. The improvements in the SGS dissipation predictions in turn enhances the predicted resolved statistics such as the mean scalar, scalar fluxes, Reynolds stresses, and correlation lengths. Moreover, the nonalignment between the SGS stress and resolved strain-rate tensors predicted by the EASM with stochastic extension is in much closer agreement with direct numerical simulation data.
Variations of ionization potential and electron affinity as a function of surface orientation: The case of orthorhombic SnS
Authors: Stevanović Vladan , Hartman Katy , Jaramillo R. , Ramanathan Shriram , Buonassisi Tonio , Graf Peter
Published: May 2014

We investigated the dependence of absolute SnS band-edge energies on surface orientation using density functional theory and GW method for all surfaces with Miller indices −3≤h,k,l≤3 and found variations as large as 0.9 eV as a function of (hkl). Variations of this magnitude may affect significantly the performance of photovoltaic devices based on polycrystalline SnS thin-films and, in particular, may contribute to the relatively low measured open circuit voltage of SnS solar cells. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm that our thermally evaporated SnS films exhibit a wide distribution of different grain orientations, and the results of Kelvin force microscopy support the theoretically predicted variations of the absolute band-edge energies.
Numerical study of Alfvén eigenmodes in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak
Authors: Hu Youjun , Li Guoqiang , Gorelenkov N. N. , Cai Huishan , Yang Wenjun , Zhou Deng , Ren Qilong
Published: May 2014

Alfvén eigenmodes in up-down asymmetric tokamak equilibria are studied by a new magnetohydrodynamic eigenvalue code. The code is verified with the NOVA code for the Solovév equilibrium and then is used to study Alfvén eigenmodes in a up-down asymmetric equilibrium of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. The frequency and mode structure of toroidicity-induced Alfvén eigenmodes are calculated. It is demonstrated numerically that up-down asymmetry induces phase variation in the eigenfunction across the major radius on the midplane.
An ultrafast carbon nanotube terahertz polarisation modulator
Authors: Docherty Callum J. , Stranks Samuel D. , Habisreutinger Severin N. , Joyce Hannah J. , Herz Laura M. , Nicholas Robin J. , Johnston Michael B.
Published: May 2014

We demonstrate ultrafast modulation of terahertz radiation by unaligned optically pumped single-walled carbon nanotubes. Photoexcitation by an ultrafast optical pump pulse induces transient terahertz absorption in nanowires aligned parallel to the optical pump. By controlling the polarisation of the optical pump, we show that terahertz polarisation and modulation can be tuned, allowing sub-picosecond modulation of terahertz radiation. Such speeds suggest potential for semiconductor nanowire devices in terahertz communication technologies.
The nature of hydrogen in γ-alumina
Authors: Li Yunguo , Lousada Cláudio M. , Korzhavyi Pavel A.
Published: May 2014

Gibbs free energy models are derived from the calculated electronic and phonon structure of two possible models of γ-alumina, a defective spinel phase and a hydrogenated spinel phase. The intrinsic vacancies and hydrogen in the two structural models give rise to a considerable configurational (residual) entropy and significantly contribute to thermodynamic stability and physical-chemical properties of γ-alumina, which was neglected in previous studies but considered in this work. The electronic densities of states, calculated using a hybrid functional for the two structural models of γ-alumina, are presented. The dynamic stability of the two phases is confirmed by full-spectrum phonon calculations. The two phases share many similarities in their electronic structure, but can be distinguished by their vibrational spectra and specific heat. The defective spinel is found to be the ground state of γ-alumina, while the hydrogenated spinel to be a metastable phase. However, dehydration of the metastable phase into the ground state is expected to be slow due to the low diffusion rate of H, which leaves hydrogen as a locked-in impurity in γ-alumina.
Local atomic order, electronic structure and electron transport properties of Cu-Zr metallic glasses
Authors: Antonowicz J. , Pietnoczka A. , Pękała K. , Latuch J. , Evangelakis G. A.
Published: May 2014

We studied atomic and electronic structures of binary Cu-Zr metallic glasses (MGs) using combined experimental and computational methods including X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power (TEP) measurements, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and ab-initio calculations. The results of MD simulations and extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis indicate that atomic order of Cu-Zr MGs and can be described in terms of interpenetrating icosahedral-like clusters involving five-fold symmetry. MD configurations were used as an input for calculations of theoretical electronic density of states (DOS) functions which exhibits good agreement with the experimental X-ray absorption near-edge spectra. We found no indication of minimum of DOS at Fermi energy predicted by Mott's nearly free electron (NFE) model for glass-forming alloys. The theoretical DOS was subsequently used to test Mott's model describing the temperature variation of electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power of transition metal-based MGs. We demonstrate that the measured temperature variations of electrical resistivity and TEP remain in a contradiction with this model. On the other hand, the experimental temperature dependence of electrical resistivity can be explained by incipient localization of conduction electrons. It is shown that weak localization model works up to relatively high temperatures when localization is destroyed by phonons. Our results indicate that electron transport properties of Cu-Zr MGs are dominated by localization effects rather than by electronic structure. We suggest that NFE model fails to explain a relatively high glass-forming ability of binary Cu-Zr alloys.
Direct determination of the band offset in atomic layer deposited ZnO/hydrogenated amorphous silicon heterojunctions from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy valence band spectra
Authors: Korte L. , Rößler R. , Pettenkofer C.
Published: May 2014

The chemical composition and band alignment at the heterointerface between atomic layer deposition-grown zinc oxide (ZnO) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is investigated using monochromatized X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A new approach for obtaining the valence band offset ΔEV is developed, which consists in fitting the valence band (VB) spectrum obtained for a-Si:H with a thin ZnO overlayer as the sum of experimentally obtained VB spectra of a bulk a-Si:H film and a thick ZnO film. This approach allows obtaining ΔEV = 2.71 ± 0.15 eV with a minimum of assumptions, and also yields information on the change in band bending of both substrate and ZnO film. The band offset results are compared to values obtained using the usual approach of comparing valence band edge-to-core level energy differences, ΔEB,CL − ΔEB,VB. Furthermore, a theoretical value for the VB offset is calculated from the concept of charge neutrality level line-up, using literature data for the charge neutrality levels and the experimentally determined ZnO/a-Si:H interface dipole. The thus obtained value of ΔEVCNL = 2.65 ± 0.3 eV agrees well with the experimental ΔEV.
Efficient solution-processed small-molecule solar cells with titanium suboxide as an electric adhesive layer
Authors: Lee Byoung Hoon , Coughlin Jessica , Kim Geunjin , Bazan Guillermo C. , Lee Kwanghee
Published: May 2014

We demonstrate efficient and air-stable small-molecule bulk heterojunction (SM BHJ) solar cells by introducing titanium suboxide (TiOx) between the active layer and the cathode as an electric adhesive layer. The SM BHJ solar cell with the TiOx interlayer exhibits improved power conversion efficiency of 6.4% as well as greatly enhanced device lifetime. Analysis of the dark diode characteristics and comparison of the current density-voltage characteristics upon heat annealing indicate that the TiOx interlayer improves the electrical contact between the active layer and the cathode, thereby resulting in efficient sweep-out of photogenerated charge carriers.
Impact of the GaN nanowire polarity on energy harvesting
Authors: Gogneau Noelle , Chrétien Pascal , Galopin Elisabeth , Guilet Stephane , Travers Laurent , Harmand Jean-Christophe , Houzé Frédéric
Published: May 2014

We investigate the piezoelectric generation properties of GaN nanowires (NWs) by atomic force microscopy equipped with a Resiscope module for electrical measurements. By correlating the topography profile of the NWs with the recorded voltage peaks generated by these nanostructures in response to their deformation, we demonstrate the influence of their polarity on the rectifying behavior of the Schottky diode formed between the NWs and the electrode of measurement. These results establish that the piezo-generation mechanism crucially depends on the structural characteristics of the NWs.
Excitation of flow instabilities due to nonlinear scale invariance
Authors: Prasad Datta Dhurjati , Sen Sudip
Published: May 2014

A novel route to instabilities and turbulence in fluid and plasma flows is presented in kinetic Vlasov-Maxwell model. New kind of flow instabilities is shown to arise due to the availability of new kinetic energy sources which are absent in conventional treatments. The present approach is based on a scale invariant nonlinear analytic formalism developed to address irregular motions on a chaotic attractor or in turbulence in a more coherent manner. We have studied two specific applications of this turbulence generating mechanism. The warm plasma Langmuir wave dispersion relation is shown to become unstable in the presence of these multifractal measures. In the second application, these multifractal measures are shown to induce naturally non-Gaussian, i.e., a stretched, Gaussian distribution and anomalous transport for tracer particles from the turbulent advection-diffusion transport equation in a Vlasov plasma flow.
Enhanced performance for polymer/fullerene solar cells by using bromobenzene/1,8-diiodooctane co-solvent
Authors: Huang Xiaodong , Peng Jun , Lu Kunyuan , Liu Zeke , Wu Zhongwei , Yuan Jianyu , Lu Jialing , Wang Hai-Qiao , Ma Wanli
Published: May 2014

Bromobenzene and iodobenzene with/without additive 1,8-diiodooctane were investigated as the alternative solvents for the widely used chlorobenzene/1,8-diiodooctane in polymer/fullerene solar cells. The P3HT/[6,6]-phenylC61-butyric acid methyl ester devices using bromobenzene/1,8-diiodooctane co-solvent have achieved significantly better performance than those using conventional chlorobenzene/1,8-diiodooctane, which is attributed to the enhanced diode characteristics, higher charge-carrier mobility, and the improved morphology. More importantly, the bromobenzene/1,8-diiodooctane system has also demonstrated improved performance for other polymer/fullerene composites. Thus, we conclude that, with appropriate boiling point, intriguing solubility for active materials, and good compatibility with 1,8-diiodooctane, bromobenzene can be an excellent alternative solvent used for some polymer/fullerene systems in polymer/fullerene solar cells.
Origin of resolution enhancement by co-doping of scintillators: Insight from electronic structure calculations
Authors: Åberg Daniel , Sadigh Babak , Schleife André , Erhart Paul
Published: May 2014

It was recently shown that the energy resolution of Ce-doped LaBr3 scintillator radiation detectors can be crucially improved by co-doping with Sr, Ca, or Ba. Here, we outline a mechanism for this enhancement on the basis of electronic structure calculations. We show that (i) Br vacancies are the primary electron traps during the initial stage of thermalization of hot carriers, prior to hole capture by Ce dopants; (ii) isolated Br vacancies are associated with deep levels; (iii) Sr doping increases the Br vacancy concentration by several orders of magnitude; (iv) SrLa binds to VBr resulting in a stable neutral complex; and (v) association with Sr causes the deep vacancy level to move toward the conduction band edge. The latter is essential for reducing the effective carrier density available for Auger quenching during thermalization of hot carriers. Subsequent de-trapping of electrons from SrLa–VBr complexes can activate Ce dopants that have previously captured a hole leading to luminescence. This mechanism implies an overall reduction of Auger quenching of free carriers, which is expected to improve the linearity of the photon light yield with respect to the energy of incident electron or photon.
Ultrashort laser pulse induced nanogratings in borosilicate glass
Authors: Zimmermann Felix , Plech Anton , Richter Sören , Tünnermann Andreas , Nolte Stefan
Published: May 2014

We report on nanogratings inscribed by repetitive femtosecond laser pulses into the bulk of borosilicate glass. The irradiation produces small nanopores (10–20 nm thick) which start to self-organize in gratings as well as elongated sheets of up to 400 nm length. A quantitative description of the grating structure and its development are obtained by a combination of focused ion beam milling, scanning electron microscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The SAXS partial invariant of the thin sheets is found to correlate well with the measured optical retardance. Compared to fused silica nanogratings borosilicate glass shows a much smaller retardance due to re-annealing of pores. In addition, the nanograting period strongly deviates from the well-known λ/2n prediction. We could observe periods down to 60 nm (at an inscribing wavelength of 800 nm). This has not been observed yet in other glasses.
A new phylogenetic analysis of the Sphaerotheriida (Diplopoda) with a revision of the Australian giant pill-millipedes
Authors: Wesener Thomas
Published: May 2014

Cyliosoma Pocock, 1895, the oldest available genus name for Australian giant pill-millipedes, is revised with a redescription of its type species, Sphaerotherium angulatum Butler, 1878. All 16 species of Epicyliosoma Silvestri, 1917 are transferred to Cyliosoma, together with two species, Sphaerotherium fraternum Butler, 1872 and S. marginepunctatum Karsch, 1881, which are redescribed here. A new phylogenetic analysis of the Sphaerotheriida was conducted using 100 morphological characters and including two Cyliosoma species and four recently described or redescribed species of the family Zephroniidae. Most character states are illustrated for Cyliosoma, including the first SEM images of a member of the genus. Cyliosoma is neither closely related to the South African Sphaerotherium, nor to the other Australian genus, Procyliosoma, and is here placed in a new family, Cyliosomatidae. The monotypic Australian genus Cynotelopus Jeekel, 1986 is also referred to the Cyliosomatidae. The current position of the Cyliosomatidae is in a trichotomy including the South African Sphaerotheriidae and the Malagasy–Indian Arthrosphaeridae.
Titan solar occultation observations reveal transit spectra of a hazy world
Authors: Robinson Tyler D. , Maltagliati Luca , Marley Mark S. , Fortney Jonathan J.
Published: May 2014

Significance

Hazes dramatically influence exoplanet observations by obscuring deeper atmospheric layers. This effect is especially pronounced in transit spectroscopy, which probes an exoplanet’s atmosphere as it crosses the disk of its host star. However, exoplanet observations are typically noisy, which hinders our ability to disentangle haze effects from other processes. Here, we turn to Titan, an extremely well-studied world with a hazy atmosphere, to better understand how high-altitude hazes can impact exoplanet transit observations. We use data from National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s
Cassini
mission, which observed occultations of the Sun by Titan’s atmosphere, to effectively view Titan in transit. These new data challenge our understanding of how hazes influence exoplanet transit observations, and provide a means of testing proposed approaches for exoplanet characterization.
High-efficiency nuclear transformation of the oleaginous marine Nannochloropsis species using PCR product
Authors: Li Fengjuan , Gao Dawen , Hu Hanhua
Published: May 2014

Nannochloropsis are model species for investigating biofuel production by algae. To develop them into an integrated photons-to-fuel production platform, high efficiency transformation methods are necessary. Here, we obtained the β-tubulin promoter regions of all recognized species of genus Nannochloropsis, and successfully transformed all five marine species by electroporation. In addition, the PCR amplified double stranded DNA fragments (PCR fragments) based transformation system was established in these Nannochloropsis species, which showed much higher transformation efficiency (10.7–61.2 × 10−6, 1.5–13-fold) than that of linearized plasmid based transformation. The cotransformation of N. salina using a circular plasmid containing a non-selectable GUS gene and a PCR fragment containing only a selection marker cassette was also achieved and found to be very efficient (over 50%). This simple and highly efficient transformation protocol reported in our study provided a useful tool for gene functional analysis and genetic engineering of the oleaginous Nannochloropsis species.
Why fat is so preferable: from oral fat detection to inducing reward in the brain
Authors: Fushiki Tohru
Published: May 2014

Potential mechanisms underlying the high palatability of fat can be assessed by reviewing animal studies on fat detection and brain patterns during reward behavior. Fatty acids are likely recognized by receptors on taste buds, with the signals transmitted to the brain through taste nerves. Ingested oil is broken down and absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, which also sends signals to the brain through unknown mechanisms. Information from both sensory receptors and peripheral tissue is integrated by the brain, resulting in a strong appetite for fatty foods via a reward system. Understanding mechanisms of fat recognition will prove valuable in the development of strategies to manage the high palatability of foods.
The informers: Hannah Arendt's appraisal of Whittaker Chambers and the ex-Communists
Authors: Baehr Peter
Published: May 2014

By the time that Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism was published in 1951, one totalitarian regime lay in ruins while another – Soviet Communism – stood newly reenergized. Stalin's prestige, burnished by victory, had never been greater. The cold war was re-dividing the world. And, in the United States, the fear of Communism was a pervasive feature of the political landscape. The revelation that the State Department and other government ministries, in the 1930s and beyond, had been penetrated by American Communists, prompted public outrage against the miscreants. It aroused corresponding curiosity about those who had once embraced the Marxist creed but who now publicly renounced it. One such person was Whittaker Chambers (1901–1961) – Communist spy, Communist defector, and key witness in the perjury trial of Alger Hiss. Into this imbroglio stepped Hannah Arendt. She was by turns suspicious and dismissive. Who were the ex-Communists? Why had they broken with Communism? How thorough or deep-rooted was their abrogation? On her account, Chambers and others like him had no understanding of democratic politics and of what it means to be a quotidian political actor. She also denounced ‘ex-Communist’ informing as analogous to the exposure practices of totalitarian regimes. This article evaluates the cogency of her analysis. It devotes particular attention to a problematic distinction Arendt draws between ‘ex-Communists’ and ‘former’ Communists. And it seeks to answer a question that Arendt left opaque: when, if ever, is informing against fellow citizens justified in a constitutional republic?
Digital image politics: the networked rhetoric of Anonymous
Authors: Jarvis Jason L.
Published: June 2014

This essay examines the origins, structure, and tactics of Anonymous. Anonymous is a meme-complex shared by unique actors and networks of activists that are born digital, have network structures, and engage in ‘digital image politics’. Anonymous networks demonstrate an evolution in image politics by staging image events in cyberspace and physical space, while using the mobile public screens of social media to both circumvent and hijack the public screens of mass media.
Reference-free prediction of rearrangement breakpoint reads
Authors: Wijaya Edward , Shimizu Kana , Asai Kiyoshi , Hamada Michiaki
Published: May 2014

Motivation : Chromosome rearrangement events are triggered by atypical breaking and rejoining of DNA molecules, which are observed in many cancer-related diseases. The detection of rearrangement is typically done by using short reads generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and combining the reads with knowledge of a reference genome. Because structural variations and genomes differ from one person to another, intermediate comparison via a reference genome may lead to loss of information.

Results : In this article, we propose a reference-free method for detecting clusters of breakpoints from the chromosomal rearrangements. This is done by directly comparing a set of NGS normal reads with another set that may be rearranged. Our method SlideSort-BPR ( b reak p oint r eads) is based on a fast algorithm for all-against-all comparisons of short reads and theoretical analyses of the number of neighboring reads. When applied to a dataset with a sequencing depth of 100×, it finds ∼88% of the breakpoints correctly with no false-positive reads. Moreover, evaluation on a real prostate cancer dataset shows that the proposed method predicts more fusion transcripts correctly than previous approaches, and yet produces fewer false-positive reads. To our knowledge, this is the first method to detect breakpoint reads without using a reference genome.

Availability and implementation : The source code of SlideSort-BPR can be freely downloaded from https://code.google.com/p/slidesort-bpr/ .

Contact : ewijaya@ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp or mhamada@waseda.jp

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Outcomes After Curative Thoracic Radiotherapy in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Existing Cardiac Stents
Authors: Sio Terence T. , Liang Jackson J. , Chang Kenneth , Novotny Paul J. , Prasad Abhiram , Miller Robert C.
Published: May 2014

Objectives:

To evaluate outcomes among cancer patients with preexisting coronary artery disease and cardiac stenting who subsequently underwent thoracic radiotherapy (RT).

Methods:

From 1998 to 2012, 147 patients received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and then curative external beam RT (>30 Gy, except for Hodgkin lymphoma patients) involving the heart and the lungs. Heart-specific and lung-specific dosimetric parameters were correlated to overall survival (OS) and cardiac-specific survival by Cox variate methods.

Results:

The mean interval between PCI and cancer diagnosis was 1.8 years (range, 0.1 to 14.2 y). Hypertension was present in 105 patients (71%), and hyperlipidemia in 82 (56%). At the time of analysis, 69 patients (47%) were alive, 3 (2%) died of cardiac causes, and 53 (36%) died of cancer. In multivariate analyses, OS since PCI was related to cancer type (P=0.004). Decreased OS since cancer diagnosis was related to older age (P<0.001) and increased percentage of targeted volume or organ receiving 20 Gy or more for lung (P<0.001), even after controlling for sex, cancer type, and stage. However, for non–cancer-specific survival and major adverse cardiac event-free survival, older age and underlying cardiopulmonary comorbidities dominated (rather than heart and lung dosimetric parameters) in predicting worse outcome for these patients with preexisting coronary artery disease who later underwent RT.

Conclusions:

Cancer type, older age, and preexisting cardiopulmonary comorbidities and risk factors most significantly predicted clinical outcome and survival for these patients with existing coronary stents who subsequently received thoracic RT. Dosimetric detrimental effects were not significant in our study.
Do Sociodemographic Factors Influence Outcome in Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With External Beam Radiation Therapy?
Authors: Movsas Avielle , Ibrahim Ramy , Elshaikh Mohamed A. , Lamerato Lois , Lu Mei , Sitarik Alexandra , Pradhan Deepak , Walker Eleanor M. , Stricker Hans , Freytag Svend O. , Chetty Indrin J. , Movsas Benjamin , Siddiqui Farzan
Published: May 2014

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to analyze the prognostic significance of sociodemographic factors on biochemical control (bNED) and overall survival (OS) in patients with prostate cancer.

Methods:

Prostate cancer patients treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT)±hormone therapy from 1997 to 2006 were analyzed in this IRB-approved study. Patient demographics, treatment (Tx), and clinical outcome were obtained from electronic medical records. Median household income (mHHI) at the census block group level was obtained from the 2000 census data. Data on disease and Tx parameters included Gleason score, pre-Tx prostate-specific antigen (PSA), T stage, year of Tx, EBRT dose, and use of hormone therapy. Patients were categorized as having low-risk, intermediate-risk, or high-risk disease. Sociodemographic factors included age, race, marital status, and mHHI. Biochemical failure was defined as nadir PSA+2 ng/mL. OS was based on death from any cause.

Results:

A total of 788 consecutive patients were studied with a median follow-up of 7 years (range, 0.4 to 15 y). African Americans comprised 48% of the patients, whereas 46% of patients were white and 6% were other races. Whites had an average mHHI of $60,190 compared with $36,917 for African Americans (P<0.001). After multivariable modeling, only radiation dose was predictive for bNED (P=0.004) or OS (P=0.008). No sociodemographic factors were predictive for either outcome. Higher radiation dose predicted for better biochemical control and OS.

Conclusions:

This analysis suggests that sociodemographic factors are not important prognostic factors in determining outcome after EBRT for prostate cancer.