bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of fluid flow, cooling and deformation as recorded by40Ar/39Ar, Rb–Sr and zircon fission track ages in very low- to low-grade metamorphic rocks in Avalonian SE Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Authors: WILLNER ARNE P. , BARR SANDRA M. , GLODNY JOHANNES , MASSONNE HANS-JOACHIM , SUDO MASAFUMI , THOMSON STUART N. , VAN STAAL CEES R. , WHITE CHRIS E.
Published: November 2014

40Ar/39Arin situUV laser ablation of white mica, Rb–Sr mineral isochrons and zircon fission track dating were applied to determine ages of very low- to low-grade metamorphic processes at 3.5±0.4 kbar, 280±30°C in the Avalonian Mira terrane of SE Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia). The Mira terrane comprises Neoproterozoic volcanic-arc rocks overlain by Cambrian sedimentary rocks. Crystallization of metamorphic white mica was dated in six metavolcanic samples by40Ar/39Ar spot age peaks between 396±3 and 363±14 Ma. Rb–Sr systematics of minerals and mineral aggregates yielded two isochrons at 389±7 Ma and 365±8 Ma, corroborating equilibrium conditions during very low- to low-grade metamorphism. The dated white mica is oriented parallel to foliations produced by sinistral strike-slip faulting and/or folding related to the Middle–Late Devonian transpressive assembly of Avalonian terranes during convergence and emplacement of the neighbouring Meguma terrane. Exhumation occurred earlier in the NW Mira terrane than in the SE. Transpression was related to the closure of the Rheic Ocean between Gondwana and Laurussia by NW-directed convergence. The40Ar/39Ar spot age spectra also display relict age peaks at 477–465 Ma, 439 Ma and 420–428 Ma attributed to deformation and fluid access, possibly related to the collision of Avalonia with composite Laurentia or to earlier Ordovician–Silurian rifting. Fission track ages of zircon from Mira terrane samples range between 242±18 and 225±21 Ma and reflect late Palaeozoic reburial and reheating close to previous peak metamorphic temperatures under fluid-absent conditions during rifting prior to opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean.
Diversity of thraustochytrid protists isolated from brown alga,Sargassum cinereumusing 18S rDNA sequencing and their morphological response to heavy metals
Authors: Damare Varada S.
Published: November 2014

Thraustochytrids, the exclusively marine organisms of kingdom Stramenopila and a source of essential fatty acids in the marine milieu, possess an osmoheterotrophic mode of nutrition and are therefore affected by type and source of available organic matter and pollution. To study their response to heavy metal pollution, they were isolated from the brown algaSargassum cinereumfrom the coastal waters of Dona Paula, Goa, India. A total of 22 isolates were obtained from two samples collected during February and March 2012. Based on their 18S rRNA gene sequencing, the majority of the isolates were identified asThraustochytrium kinnei. The rest were identified to beSicyoidochytrium minutum,Ulkenia visurgensisand species ofThraustochytriumandAurantiochytrium. Six isolates were screened for various enzymatic activities. Characteristic and distinctive enzyme profile was obtained from isolates of different genera. All isolates were also screened for their tolerance to heavy metals. They showed good growth in the presence of Mn2+. The other metals that were tolerated by most of the isolates were in the order Ni2+ > Cr6+ > Zn2+. Seven isolates grew in the presence of Cu2+, and six in the presence of Cd2+. The isolates growing on metals showed vast differences from their normal morphology such as small colony size, shrunken cells etc. Scanning electron micrographs revealed holes or depressions in the cell wall in the presence of metals. On the whole, the isolates belonging toUlkenia visurgensisandAurantiochytriumsp. showed tolerance to more metals thanThraustochytrium kinnei. Cluster analysis showed no peculiar trend of metal tolerance to any particular genus as the characters were scattered in the clusters.
Cumulative (Dis)advantage? The Impact of Labour Market Policies on Late Career Employment from a Life Course Perspective
Authors: BENNETT JENNY , MÖHRING KATJA
Published: November 2014

We investigate the labour market situation of older individuals in Europe in relation to their previous employment history as well as the regulations relating to employment protection legislation and early retirement. Specifically, we look at the competing risks of early retirement and late career unemployment. The central research question is whether policy effects differ according to the characteristics of an individual's previous work history. We employ data for twelve European countries from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARELIFE) and estimate multilevel regression models. The results show different mechanisms for the risks of unemployment and early retirement. Late career unemployment results from individual factors related to fragmented careers, marginal employment and short tenures. In the case of early retirement, we find the interplay of individual and policy factors to be crucial. Persons with consistent careers have an increased probability of early retirement, but only in countries with generous early retirement benefits. However, employment protection legislation appears to counteract early retirement for this group of individuals. We conclude that policy factors do not have uniform effects for older individuals, but should rather be viewed against the background of previous developments in individual career paths.
English in rural Bangladesh
Authors: Erling Elizabeth J. , Seargeant Philip , Solly Mike
Published: November 2014

English's elevated status within a global economy of languages means that English-language education is increasingly promoted in international development initiatives in countries such as Bangladesh. This is partly due to a growing conviction that English is able to play an important role in helping people participate in global economic markets from which they have previously been excluded (Seargeant & Erling, 2011). Despite the strong associations made between English-language ability and development, there is at present only limited evidence showing a causal relationship between the two (Erling, forthcoming), while a complex of other issues surrounding the cultural politics of the language also play a role in the social implications of its promotion in such contexts. The aim of this article is to examine how English is perceived in rural Bangladesh by the people at whom such international development programmes are targeted. A broad assumption of such programmes is that English is a positive and, in some sense, necessary resource for development. The article investigates whether this matches the perception of those at whom such projects are aimed, and what it is that these communities feel the language can offer both in practical and in socio-cultural terms for the developmental challenges they face. In order to examine these questions the article draws on results from an ethnographical survey of two rural areas in Bangladesh which investigated the attitudes and aspirations of local community members to the potential impact of English-language education on their social prospects and cultural identities.
W(h)ither the /r/ in Britain?
Authors: Bulley Michael
Published: November 2014

In sound recordings of British English from the first part of the last century we
can hear some speakers whose pronunciation of the letter r, in words such as
ring, bread and around,
sounded just like a /w/. We know, too, from literary texts, that it goes back
further. This article is about another, newer, pronunciation of /r/ in British
English, close to /w/, but distinct from it, that has increased in frequency and
prominence in the last decade. In it, the lips are less pursed than for a /w/
and you sense there is less muscular tension than for what we might call the
‘traditional’ /r/ of speakers of standard English. In
ambiguous contexts it could still cause confusion, as between
real and wheel, or crack and
quack. It may occur less in Scottish, Welsh and Irish
accents than in ones from England.
English and politics
Authors: Saraceni Mario
Published: November 2014

The Politics of English is an important book. Its subject is not English as a discrete, isolated linguistic entity, but the complex set of policies, values and practices that it is an inextricable part of. In exploring a range of interrelated themes, the focus is very much on English as a lived language or, better, as lived experience. In a textbook, this approach is particularly welcomed. There is great availability, nearly an inflation, of texts about English as a world language and the many varieties that have emerged in the last two centuries. By and large, these volumes tend to provide historical, geographical and linguistic overviews of the spread of English. While this is certainly very important, The Politics of English distinguishes itself by offering a different and critical perspective and extremely useful insights into what English actually means to its many users around the world.
Expression and localization of Nlrp4g in mouse preimplantation embryo
Authors: Peng Hui , Lin Xiujiao , Li Wenhao , Zhang Wenchang
Published: November 2014

The Nlrp gene family contains 20 members and plays a pivotal role in the innate immune and reproductive systems in the mouse. During evolution, seven Nlrp4 gene copies (named from Nlrp4a to Nlrp4g). Nlrp4a–Nlrp4g have arisen that display specific or preferential ovarian expression patterns. However, the expression pattern and localization of Nlrp4g in mouse preimplantation embryo development are unknown. Here we report that Nlrp4g was highly expressed in mature oocytes and zygotes, then downregulated and not detected after the 2-cell embryo stage. NLRP4G protein remained present through the blastocyst stage and was mainly localized in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, overexpression of Nlrp4g in zygotes did not affect normal development in terms of the rate of blastocyst formation. These results provide the first evidence that NLRP4G is a maternal factor that may play essential role during zygotic genome activation in the mouse.
Factors Associated with the Intention of Health Care Personnel to Respond to a Disaster
Authors: Connor Susan B.
Published: November 2014

Introduction

Over the past decade, numerous groups of researchers have studied the willingness of health care personnel (HCP) to respond when a disaster threatens the health of a community. Not one of those studies reported that 100% of HCP were willing to work during a public-health event (PHE).

Problem

The objective of this study was to explore factors associated with the intent of HCP to respond to a future PHE.

Methods

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) framed this cross-sectional study. Data were obtained via a web-based survey from 305 HCP. Linear associations between the TPB-based predictor and outcome variables were examined using Pearson's correlations. Differences between two groups of HCP were calculated using independentttests. A model-generating approach was used to develop and assess a series of TBP-based observed variable structural equation models for prediction of intent to respond to a future PHE and to explore moderating and mediating effects.

Results

The beginning patterns of relationships identified by the correlation matrix andttests were evident in the final structural equation model, even though the patterns of prediction differed from those posited by the theory. Outcome beliefs had both a significant, direct effect on intention and an indirect effect on intention that was mediated by perceived behavioral control. Control beliefs appeared to influence intention through perceived behavioral control, as posited by the TPB, and unexpectedly through subjective norm. Subjective norm not only mediated the relationship between control beliefs and intention, but also the relationship between referent beliefs and intention. Additionally, professional affiliation seemed to have a moderating effect on intention.

Conclusion

The intention to respond was influenced primarily by normative and control factors. The intent of nurses to respond to a future PHE was influenced most by the control factors, whereas the intent of other HCP was shaped more by the normative factors. Health care educators can bolster the normative and control factors through education by focusing on team building and knowledge related to accessing supplies and support needed to respond when a disaster occurs.

ConnorSB.Factors associated with the intention of health care personnel to respond to a disaster.Prehosp Disaster Med.2014;29(6):1-6.
FIRM DYNAMICS, ENDOGENOUS MARKUPS, AND THE LABOR SHARE OF INCOME
Authors: Colciago Andrea , Rossi Lorenza
Published: November 2014

Recent U.S. evidence suggests that the response of labor share to a productivity shock is characterized by countercyclicality and overshooting. These findings cannot be reconciled easily with existing business cycle models. We extend the Diamond–Mortensen–Pissarides model of search in the labor market by considering strategic interactions among an endogenous number of producers, which leads to countercyclical price markups. Although Nash bargaining delivers a countercyclical labor share, we show that countercyclical markups are fundamental to address the overshooting. On the contrary, we find that real wage rigidity does not seem to play a crucial role in the dynamics of the labor share of income.
Meal types as sources for intakes of fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains among Norwegian adults
Authors: Myhre Jannicke B , Løken Elin B , Wandel Margareta , Andersen Lene F
Published: November 2014

Objective

To study how different meals contribute to intakes of fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains in a group of Norwegian adults and in subgroups of this population. Moreover, to investigate the consequences of skipping the meal contributing most to the intake of each food group (main contributing meal).

Design

Cross-sectional dietary survey in Norwegian adults. Dietary data were collected using two non-consecutive telephone-administered 24 h recalls. The recorded meal types were breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper/evening meal and snacks.

Setting

Nationwide, Norway (2010–2011).

Subjects

Adults aged 18–70 years (n 1787).

Results

Dinner was the main contributing meal for fish and vegetables, while snacks were the main contributing meal for fruit intake. For whole grains, breakfast was the main contributing meal. The main contributing meal did not change for any of the food groups when studying subgroups of the participants according to intake of each food group, educational level or age. A substantially lower intake of the food groups in question was found on days when the main contributing meal was skipped.

Conclusions

Intakes of fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains largely depend on one meal type. Inclusion of these foods in other meals in addition to the main contributing meal, preferably replacing energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, should be promoted.
CONVOLUTION OF ORBITAL MEASURES ON SYMMETRIC SPACES OF TYPE AND
Authors: GRACZYK P. , SAWYER P.
Published: November 2014

We study the absolute continuity of the convolution ${\it\delta}_{e^{X}}^{\natural }\star {\it\delta}_{e^{Y}}^{\natural }$ of two orbital measures on the symmetric spaces $\mathbf{SO}_{0}(p,p)/\mathbf{SO}(p)\times \mathbf{SO}(p)$, $\mathbf{SU}(p,p)/\mathbf{S}(\mathbf{U}(p)\times \mathbf{U}(p))$ and $\mathbf{Sp}(p,p)/\mathbf{Sp}(p)\times \mathbf{Sp}(p)$. We prove sharp conditions on $X$, $Y\in \mathfrak{a}$ for the existence of the density of the convolution measure. This measure intervenes in the product formula for the spherical functions.
CHEBYSHEV SETS
Authors: FLETCHER JAMES , MOORS WARREN B.
Published: November 2014

A Chebyshev set is a subset of a normed linear space that admits unique best approximations. In the first part of this paper we present some basic results concerning Chebyshev sets. In particular, we investigate properties of the metric projection map, sufficient conditions for a subset of a normed linear space to be a Chebyshev set, and sufficient conditions for a Chebyshev set to be convex. In the second half of the paper we present a construction of a nonconvex Chebyshev subset of an inner product space.
The Flip Side of the Auditory Spatial Selection Benefit
Authors: Koch Iring , Lawo Vera
Published: November 2014

In cued auditory task switching, one of two dichotically presented number words, spoken by a female and a male, had to be judged according to its numerical magnitude. One experimental group selected targets by speaker gender and another group by ear of presentation. In mixed-task blocks, the target-defining feature (male/female vs. left/right) was cued prior to each trial, but in pure blocks it remained constant. Compared to selection by gender, selection by ear led to better performance in pure blocks than in mixed blocks, resulting in larger “global” mixing costs for ear-based selection. Selection by ear also led to larger “local” switch costs in mixed blocks, but this finding was partially mediated by differential cue-repetition benefits. Together, the data suggest that requirements of attention shifting diminish the auditory spatial selection benefit.
Extending medium-range predictability of extreme hydrological events in Europe
Authors: Lavers David A. , Pappenberger Florian , Zsoter Ervin
Published: November 2014

Widespread flooding occurred across northwest Europe during the winter of 2013/14, resulting in large socioeconomic damages. In the historical record, extreme hydrological events have been connected with intense water vapour transport. Here we show that water vapour transport has higher medium-range predictability compared with precipitation in the winter 2013/14 forecasts from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Applying the concept of potential predictability, the transport is found to extend the forecast horizon by 3 days in some European regions. Our results suggest that the breakdown in precipitation predictability is due to uncertainty in the horizontal mass convergence location, an essential mechanism for precipitation generation. Furthermore, the predictability increases with larger spatial averages. Given the strong association between precipitation and water vapour transport, especially for extreme events, we conclude that the higher transport predictability could be used as a model diagnostic to increase preparedness for extreme hydrological events.
Maxwell's Daemon: Information versus Particle Statistics
Authors: Plesch Martin , Dahlsten Oscar , Goold John , Vedral Vlatko
Published: November 2014

Maxwell's daemon is a popular personification of a principle connecting information gain and extractable work in thermodynamics. A Szilard Engine is a particular hypothetical realization of Maxwell's daemon, which is able to extract work from a single thermal reservoir by measuring the position of particle(s) within the system. Here we investigate the role of particle statistics in the whole process; namely, how the extractable work changes if instead of classical particles fermions or bosons are used as the working medium. We give a unifying argument for the optimal work in the different cases: the extractable work is determined solely by the information gain of the initial measurement, as measured by the mutual information, regardless of the number and type of particles which constitute the working substance.
Neuroprotection by Acetyl-11-Keto-β-Boswellic Acid, in Ischemic Brain Injury Involves the Nrf2/HO-1 defense Pathway
Authors: Ding Yi , Chen MinChun , Wang Min , Wang MingMing , Zhang Tiejun , Park Jongsun , Zhu YanRong , Guo Chao , Jia YanYan , Li YuWen , Wen AiDong
Published: November 2014

Stroke is a complex disease involved oxidative stress-related pathways in its pathogenesis. The nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway has been considered a potential target for neuroprotection in stroke. Acetyl-11-Keto-β-Boswellic Acid (AKBA) is an active triterpenoid compound from the extract of Boswellia serrate. The present study was to determine whether AKBA, a novel Nrf2 activator, can protect against cerebral ischemic injury. The stroke model was produced in Sprague–Dawley rats via middle cerebral artery occlusion. To model ischemia-like conditions in vitro, primary cultured cortical neurons were exposed to transient oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). Treatment of AKBA significantly reduced infarct volumes and apoptotic cells and also increased neurologic scores by elevating the Nrf2 and HO-1 expression in brain tissues in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats at 48 hours post reperfusion. In primary cultured neurons, AKBA increased the Nrf2 and HO-1 expression, which provided protection against OGD-induced oxidative insult. Additionally, AKBA treatment increased Nrf2 binding activity to antioxidant-response elements (ARE). The protective effect of AKBA was attenuated by knockdown of Nrf2 or HO-1. In conclusion, these findings provide evidence that AKBA protects neurons against ischemic injury and this neuroprotective effect involves the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
A new colorimetric protocol for selective detection of phosphate based on the inhibition of peroxidase-like activity of magnetite nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Chuanxia , Lu Lixia , Zheng Yu , Zhao Dan , Yang Fan , Yang Xiurong
Published: November 2014

A simple colorimetric assay for phosphate ion (Pi) has been established based on analyte-induced inhibition of the magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs)-catalyzed oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2.
Multicolor imaging and the anticancer effect of a bifunctional silica nanosystem based on the complex of graphene quantum dots and hypocrellin A
Authors: Zhou Lin , Zhou Lin , Ge Xuefeng , Zhou Jiahong , Wei Shaohua , Shen Jian
Published: November 2014

A theranostic platform based on silica nanoparticles encapsulated with the complex of a photosensitive anticancer drug and graphene quantum dots was prepared.
Beryllium bis(diazaborolyl): old neighbors finally shake hands
Authors: Arnold T. , Braunschweig H. , Ewing W. C. , Kramer T. , Mies J. , Schuster J. K.
Published: November 2014

The synthesis of a linear beryllium bis(diazaborolyl) compound featuring the first non-cluster bond between boron and beryllium has been achieved through the reaction of Yamashita's lithium diazaborolide and BeCl2.
Reactive distillation process for the production of furfural using solid acid catalysts
Authors: Metkar Pranit S. , Till Eric J. , Corbin David R. , Pereira Carmo J. , Hutchenson Keith W. , Sengupta Sourav K.
Published: November 2014

A novel continuous reactive distillation process with solid acid catalysts is demonstrated for the production of furfural from synthetic and pre-hydrolysate liquor feeds containing xylose.
Cyclic chlorine trap-doping for transparent, conductive, thermally stable and damage-free graphene
Authors: Pham Viet Phuong , Kim Kyong Nam , Jeon Min Hwan , Kim Ki Seok , Yeom Geun Young
Published: November 2014

We propose a novel doping method of graphene using the cyclic trap-doping method with low energy chlorine adsorption.
Amino and nitro substituted 2-amino-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-diones: as versatile photoinitiators of polymerization from violet-blue LED absorption to a panchromatic behavior
Authors: Xiao Pu , Dumur Frédéric , Zhang Jing , Graff Bernadette , Gigmes Didier , Fouassier Jean Pierre , Lalevée Jacques
Published: November 2014

The well-designed 2-amino-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3-(2H)-dione derivatives exhibit an excellent photopolymerization ability upon LEDs.
Phosphine-free ruthenium-arene complex for low temperature one-pot catalytic conversion of aldehydes to primary amides in water
Authors: Tyagi Deepika , Rai Rohit K. , Dwivedi Ambikesh D. , Mobin Shaikh M. , Singh Sanjay K.
Published: November 2014

A simple and highly efficient catalytic system based on a phosphine-free ruthenium arene complex for aqueous-phase one-pot direct synthesis of primary amides from aldehydes and hydroxylamine hydrochloride, with a high tolerance for other reactive functional groups, is described.
Contribution of silica–rubber interactions on the viscoelastic behaviors of modified solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubbers (M-S-SBRs) filled with silica
Authors: Qu Liangliang , Wang Lijing , Xie Ximing , Yu Guozhu , Bu Shaohua
Published: November 2014

Dynamic mechanical analysis of M-S-SBR filled with silica: the temperature dependence of loss factor, tan δ.
Reaction induced phase separation in thermosetting/thermosetting blends: effects of imidazole content on the phase separation of benzoxazine/epoxy blends
Authors: Zhao Pei , Zhou Qian , Deng Yu Yuan , Zhu Rong Qi , Gu Yi
Published: November 2014

Multiphase structure were prepared in situ in traditional homogeneous benzoxazine/epoxy blending systems by reaction induced phase separation method.
Tuning the electronic and structural properties of WO3 nanocrystals by varying transition metal tungstate precursors
Authors: Rahimnejad Sara , He Jing Hui , Chen Wei , Wu Kai , Xu Guo Qin
Published: November 2014

WO3 nanoplates derived from NiWO4 were found to have the highest concentration of oxygen vacancy, narrowest band gap, longest electron–hole recombination time, and in turn the highest rate of photodegradation of azo dye methylene blue.
Thermal stability, swelling behavior and CO2 absorption properties of Nanoscale Ionic Materials (NIMs)
Authors: Andrew Lin Kun-Yi , Park Youngjune , Petit Camille , Park Ah-Hyung Alissa
Published: November 2014

Nanoscale Ionic Materials (NIMs) consist of a nanoscale core, a corona of charged brushes tethered on the surface of the core, and a canopy of the oppositely charged species linked to the corona.
Raman spectral signature of Mn-rich nanoscale phase segregations in carbon free LiFe1−xMnxPO4 prepared by hydrothermal technique
Authors: Sahana M. B. , Vasu S. , Sasikala N. , Anandan S. , Sepehri-Amin H. , Sudakar C. , Gopalan R.
Published: November 2014

Mn-rich nanoscale secondary phases were identified in LiFe1−xMnxPO4, despite of known complete solubility for the LiFePO4–LiMnPO4 system and observed linear increase in the lattice parameters of LiFe1−xMnxPO4 with increasing Mn concentration.
Self-assembly of Au nanoparticles on graphene sheets as a catalyst with controlled grafting density and high reusability
Authors: Yao Haiqing , Huang Tsao-Cheng , Sue Hung-Jue
Published: November 2014

Novel catalysts based on self-assembly of Au NPs on graphene oxide sheets through silane functionalization were reported.
Nitrogen-doped graphene composites as efficient electrodes with enhanced capacitive deionization performance
Authors: Gu Xiaoyu , Yang Yu , Hu Yang , Hu Meng , Huang Jian , Wang Chaoyang
Published: November 2014

Nitrogen-doped graphene composites were prepared by incorporating melamine formaldehyde nanoparticles and used as high performance electrodes for capacitive deionization.
Polarization-selective polymerization in a photo-crosslinking monomer film
Authors: Van My-Phung , Schuurmans Carl C. L. , Bastiaansen Cees W. M. , Broer Dirk J.
Published: November 2014

The molecular order in a smectic monomer is utilized to create a photoreactive material that is highly polarization-selective during its photo-crosslinking polymerization.
Recent progress in Li-rich layered oxides as cathode materials for Li-ion batteries
Authors: Yan Jianhua , Liu Xingbo , Li Bingyun
Published: November 2014

This review systematically summarized Li-rich layered oxides and states the strategies to enhance such materials when used in Li-ion batteries.
Low levels of lipid oxidation radically increase the passive permeability of lipid bilayers
Authors: Runas Kristina A. , Malmstadt Noah
Published: November 2014

In a model lipid bilayer system with well-controlled concentrations of an oxidized lipid species, small amounts of lipid oxidation lead to large increases in small-molecule permeability.
One-pot and general synthesis of crystalline mesoporous metal oxides nanoparticles by protective etching: potential materials for catalytic applications
Authors: Yang Nating , Pang Fei , Ge Jianping
Published: November 2014

A one-pot protective etching process was developed to prepare several mesoporous metal oxides, including CeO2, Cu2O and ZnO.
Architecting smart “umbrella” Bi2S3/rGO-modified TiO2 nanorod array structures at the nanoscale for efficient photoelectrocatalysis under visible light
Authors: Wang Xiaodeng , Xie Jiale , Li Chang Ming
Published: November 2014

Umbrella hybrid (Bi2S3/rGO)5/TiO2 nanorod arrays with high light absorption and stepwise band-edge structure accomplish high conversion efficiency under visible light.
Graphene oxide based heparin-mimicking and hemocompatible polymeric hydrogels for versatile biomedical applications
Authors: He Chao , Shi Zhen-Qiang , Ma Lang , Cheng Chong , Nie Chuan-Xiong , Zhou Mi , Zhao Chang-Sheng
Published: November 2014

Inspired from the chemical and biological benefits of heparinized hydrogels, this study presented the substituted hemocompatible design of graphene oxide based heparin-mimicking polymeric hydrogels for versatile biomedical applications.
The role of nanoporosity on the local piezo and ferroelectric properties of lead titanate thin films
Authors: Castro Alichandra , Ferreira Paula , Rodriguez Brian J. , Vilarinho Paula M.
Published: November 2014

Nanoporous PbTiO3 films present enhanced tetragonality at lower temperatures than respective dense films. Moreover, the porosity present in the nanoporous films allows an increase of the local piezoelectric response and a decrease of the local coercive field. As a result, these nanoporous films might be used to improve the switching behaviour of ferroelectric thin films.
Application of a novel regulatable Cre recombinase system to define the role of liver and gut metabolism in drug oral bioavailability
Authors: Henderson Colin J. , McLaughlin Lesley A. , Osuna-Cabello Maria , Taylor Malcolm , Gilbert Ian , McLaren Aileen W. , Wolf C. Roland
Published: November 2014

The relative contribution of hepatic compared with intestinal oxidative metabolism is a crucial factor in drug oral bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Oxidative metabolism is mediated by the cytochrome P450 mono-oxygenase system to which cytochrome P450 reductase (POR) is the essential electron donor. In order to study the relative importance of these pathways in drug disposition, we have generated a novel mouse line where Cre recombinase is driven off the endogenous Cyp1a1 gene promoter; this line was then crossed on to a floxed POR mouse. A 40 mg/kg dose of the Cyp1a1 inducer 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) eliminated POR expression in both liver and small intestine, whereas treatment at 4 mg/kg led to a more targeted deletion in the liver. Using this approach, we have studied the pharmacokinetics of three probe drugs–paroxetine, midazolam, nelfinavir–and show that intestinal metabolism is a determinant of oral bioavailability for the two latter compounds. The Endogenous Reductase Locus (ERL) mouse represents a significant advance on previous POR deletion models as it allows direct comparison of hepatic and intestinal effects on drug and xenobiotic clearance using lower doses of a single Cre inducing agent, and in addition minimizes any cytotoxic effects, which may compromise interpretation of the experimental data.
Phase diagram of vertically vibrated dense suspensions
Authors: von Kann Stefan , Snoeijer Jacco H. , van der Meer Devaraj
Published: November 2014

When a hole is created in a layer of a dense, vertically vibrated suspension, phenomena are known to occur that defy the natural tendency of gravity to close the hole. Here, an overview is presented of the different patterns that we observed in a variety of dense particulate suspensions. Subsequently, we relate the occurrence of these patterns to the system parameters, namely, the layer thickness, the particle concentration, and the shaking parameters. Special attention is given to the geometric properties of the particles in the various suspensions such as shape and particle size distribution. We observe these properties to be crucial for selecting the dynamics of the vibrated suspension.
An enzyme logic bioprotonic transducer
Authors: Miyake Takeo , Josberger Erik E. , Keene Scott , Deng Yingxin , Rolandi Marco
Published: November 2014

Translating ionic currents into measureable electronic signals is essential for the integration of bioelectronic devices with biological systems. We demonstrate the use of a Pd/PdHx electrode as a bioprotonic transducer that connects H+ currents in solution into an electronic signal. This transducer exploits the reversible formation of PdHx in solution according to PdH↔Pd + H+ + e−, and the dependence of this formation on solution pH and applied potential. We integrate the protonic transducer with glucose dehydrogenase as an enzymatic and gate for glucose and NAD+. PdHx formation and associated electronic current monitors the output drop in pH, thus transducing a biological function into a measurable electronic output.
Field-effect and capacitive properties of water-gated transistors based on polythiophene derivatives
Authors: Porrazzo R. , Bellani S. , Luzio A. , Bertarelli C. , Lanzani G. , Caironi M. , Antognazza M. R.
Published: November 2014

Recently, water-gated organic field-effect transistors (WGOFET) have been intensively studied for their application in the biological field. Surprisingly, a very limited number of conjugated polymers have been reported so far. Here, we systematically explore a series of polythiophene derivatives, presenting different alkyl side chains lengths and orientation, and characterized by various morphologies: comparative evaluation of their performances allows highlighting the critical role played by alkyl side chains, which significantly affects the polymer/water interface capacitance. Reported results provide useful guidelines towards further development of WGOFETs and represent a step forward in the understanding of the polymer/water interface phenomena.
Extensions of a class of similarity solutions of Fokker-Planck equation with time-dependent coefficients and fixed/moving boundaries
Authors: Ho Choon-Lin , Sasaki Ryu
Published: November 2014

A general formula in closed form to obtain exact similarity solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation with both time-dependent drift and diffusion coefficients was recently presented by Lin and Ho [Ann. Phys. 327, 386 (2012); Lin and Ho, J. Math. Phys. 54, 041501 (2013)]. In this paper, we extend the class of exact solutions by exploiting certain properties of the general formula.
The 3-dimensional cored and logarithm potentials: Periodic orbits
Authors: Kulesza Maité , Llibre Jaume
Published: November 2014

We study analytically families of periodic orbits for the cored and logarithmic Hamiltonians with 3 degrees of freedom, which are relevant in the analysis of the galactic dynamics. First, after introducing a scale transformation in the coordinates and momenta with a parameter ɛ, we show that both systems give essentially the same set of equations of motion up to first order in ɛ. Then the conditions for finding families of periodic orbits, using the averaging theory up to first order in ɛ, apply equally to both systems in every energy level H = h > 0 showing the existence of at least 3 periodic orbits, for ɛ small enough, and also provides an analytic approximation for the initial conditions of these periodic orbits. We prove that at every positive energy level the cored and logarithmic Hamiltonians with 3 degrees of freedom have at least three periodic solutions. The technique used for proving such a result can be applied to other Hamiltonian systems.
New Turaev braided group categories and weak (co)quasi-Turaev group coalgebras
Authors: Zhang Xiaohui , Wang Shuanhong
Published: November 2014

In order to construct a class of new braided crossed G-categories with nontrivial associativity and unit constraints, we study the G-graded monoidal category over a family of algebras {Hα}α∈G and introduce the notion of a weak (co)quasi-Turaev G-(co)algebra. Then we prove that the category of (co)representations of (co)quasitriangular weak (co)quasi-Turaev π-(co)algebras is exactly a braided crossed G-category. In fact, this (co)quasitriangular structure provides a solution to a generalized quantum Yang-Baxter type equation.
Copper intercalation at the interface of graphene and Ir(111) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy
Authors: Sicot M. , Fagot-Revurat Y. , Kierren B. , Vasseur G. , Malterre D.
Published: November 2014

We report on the intercalation of a submonolayer of copper at 775 K underneath graphene epitaxially grown on Ir(111) studied by means of low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at 77 K. Nucleation and growth dynamics of Cu below graphene have been investigated, and, most importantly, the intercalation mechanism has been identified. First, LEED patterns reveal the pseudomorphic growth of Cu on Ir under the topmost graphene layer resulting in a large Cu in-plane lattice parameter expansion of about 6% compared to Cu(111). Second, large-scale STM topographs as a function of Cu coverage show that Cu diffusion on Ir below graphene exhibits a low energy barrier resulting in Cu accumulation at Ir step edges. As a result, the graphene sheet undergoes a strong edges reshaping. Finally, atomically-resolved STM images reveal a damaged graphene sheet at the atomic scale after metal intercalation. Point defects in graphene were shown to be carbon vacancies. According to these results, a Cu penetration path beneath graphene is proposed to occur via metal aided defect formation with no or poor self healing of the graphene sheet. This work illustrates the fact that Cu intercalation is harmful for graphene grown on Ir(111) at the atomic scale.
Depletion of nonlinearity in two-dimensional turbulence
Authors: Pushkarev Andrey V. , Bos Wouter J. T.
Published: November 2014

The strength of the nonlinearity is measured in decaying two-dimensional turbulence, by comparing its value to that found in a Gaussian field. It is shown how the nonlinearity drops following a two-step process. First a fast relaxation is observed on a timescale comparable to the time of formation of vortical structures, then at long times the nonlinearity relaxes further during the phase when the eddies merge to form the final dynamic state of decay. Both processes seem roughly independent of the value of the Reynolds number.
From Things to Events: Whitehead and the Materiality of Process
Authors: Roberts Tom
Published: November 2014

The new materialist turn has refocused attention upon the shortcomings, both philosophical and scientific, of styles of thought that figure matter as an inert substance. According to the new materialists, the concept of matter must be rethought in order to account for its own vital capacities. Whilst largely sympathetic to this critique, this paper short-circuits the contemporary focus on matter through a sustained engagement with the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. For Whitehead, the concept of matter represents a failure to think process on its own terms; that is, without invoking an underlying permanence. Whitehead's philosophy is thus of great significance to contemporary debates because it questions what it means to speak of agency, relation, and vitality in a world composed of processual events rather than things. In doing so, it sharpens our sensitivities towards nonhuman processes of existential change. Exploiting this capacity to shift our attention, the paper explores the implications of Whitehead's philosophy by staging an encounter with a peculiar experimental object. By unpacking the key concepts of ‘occasion’, ‘prehension’, and ‘concrescence’, the object in question is gradually transformed from discrete thing to processual event, with a number of consequences for materialist thought.
Writing a History of Scientific Endeavour in Australia’s Deserts
Authors: Robin Libby , Morton Steve , Smith Mike
Published: November 2014

This special issue of Historical Records of Australian Science explores some of the sciences that have contributed to our understanding of inland Australia, country variously known as desert, the arid zone, drylands and the outback. The sciences that have concentrated on deserts include ecology, geomorphology, hydrology, rangeland management, geography, surveying, meteorology and geology, plus many others. In recognition that desert science has surged ahead in the past few decades, we have invited contributors who describe various different desert initiatives. We use these case studies to open up the discussion about how Australians see their desert lands, how this has changed over time and how desert scientists from the rest of the world regard the distinctive desert country in Australia.
Putting Science in its Place: The Role of Sandringham Station in Fostering Arid Zone Science in Australia
Authors: Dickman Christopher R. , Robin Libby
Published: November 2014

For the past fifty years, Sandringham Station has provided a major focus for scientific work in southwestern Queensland, an arid region that includes the Simpson Desert and the Channel Country (together 'Desert Channels'). This paper explores the role of place, chance and private enterprise in supporting science in this region. Unlike other parts of inland Australia, where government initiatives were prominent, science in Queensland's arid country was privately supported, and research there had an ecological or eco-physiological rather than an economic focus. It began later than elsewhere (1960s), and its scientific questions were different from those framed in research stations set up to address agricultural and pastoral imperatives. The location of Sandringham on the ecological edge between the ephemeral wetlands of the anastomosing channels and the dune country of the Simpson Desert created an ecotonal area that was rich in animals adapted to living in Australian desert country, and a particular opportunity to observe their adaptations to the boom-and-bust ecological conditions. The role of local observers, particularly station managers and naturalists, has been critical in studying the often cryptic animals of the region, and the ongoing support of the station itself was essential to investigations that were mostly on private leasehold lands.
Lizards of the Australian Deserts: Uncovering an Extraordinary Ecological Story
Authors: Morton S. R. , Emmott A. J.
Published: November 2014

For 150 years after European settlement of Australia there were no indications that the lizards of the Australian deserts might be exceptional in their species diversity and ecology. However, from the 1950s to the present, and especially from the 1970s, there has been acceleration in the rate of description of new species, a process likely to push the number known from the deserts past 400. Systematic work led rapidly to ecological research showing that the most diverse assemblages of lizards on Earth occur in the spinifex deserts, a phenomenon leading to considerable debate among ecologists on causal mechanisms. Appreciation of the extraordinary nature of the Australian desert lizards has come about through four developments: a cadre of dedicated systematists; explosive expansion in technologies for molecular analysis of species relationships; opening-up of the spinifex country to four-wheel-drive transport; and the vigorous efforts of a few dedicated ecologists.
John Robert Anderson 1928–2007
Authors: Avery Neil R. , Jackson W. Roy , Spurling Thomas H.
Published: November 2014

John Anderson was born in Sydney on 5 March 1928 and died in Melbourne on 26 February 2007.
He was educated at Sydney Boys' High School, Sydney Technical College, the New South Wales University of Technology (now the University of New South Wales) and the University of Cambridge. He was at Queens University Belfast as a Ramsay Memorial Fellow, 1954–5, was a Lecturer in Chemistry at the New South Wales University of Technology, a Reader in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne and Foundation Professor of Chemistry at Flinders University in South Australia. In 1969 he was appointed Chief of the CSIRO Division of Tribophysics and managed the Division's transition to become the Division of Materials Science. He was a Professor of Chemistry at Monash University, Melbourne, from 1987 until his retirement in 1993. He will be remembered for his contributions to the understanding of gas–solid interactions with particular emphasis on fundamental heterogeneous catalysis on metals, but also embracing other adsorption and oxidation processes.
Ann Janet Woolcock 1937–2001
Authors: Smith Babette
Published: November 2014

Ann Woolcock graduated in medicine from the University of Adelaide and pursued postgraduate studies in respiratory medicine with Professor John Read at the University of Sydney. Her MD thesis, awarded in 1967, was on the mechanical behaviour of the lungs in asthma. From 1966 to 1968 she worked with Professor Peter Macklem at McGill University in Canada, then returned to the University of Sydney to continue researching asthma. Her work in asthma and epidemiology showed that asthma was caused by allergens but that there is a genetic component. Her clinical research was a major contribution to better outcomes in asthma, in particular, the demonstration and practical measurement of airway hyperresponsiveness and her subsequent research that examined its contribution to asthma severity and the ways in which treatments were able to reduce it. In 1989 she wrote, with others, the world's first national guidelines for asthma management, the Australian Asthma Management Plan. In 1984, she was appointed to a personal chair of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Sydney. She founded the Institute of Respiratory Medicine in 1985, based at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. After her death, the Institute was renamed the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in her honour.
Input-specific maturation of synaptic dynamics of parvalbumin interneurons in primary visual cortex
Authors: Lu Jiangteng , Tucciarone Jason , Lin Ying , Huang Z. Josh
Published: November 2014

Significance

Proper recruitment of inhibitory interneurons is crucial to configuring cortical neural circuits for information processing and propagation, but the development of synaptic inputs to these interneurons is not well-understood. We traced the sources of long-range and local inputs to a major interneuron subtype, the parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PVNs), in mouse visual cortex. Whereas the long-range inputs show strong short-term synaptic depression, local recurrent inputs gradually lose such depression during postnatal maturation. We further uncovered the circuitry and molecular mechanisms that contribute to this source-dependent maturation in synaptic inputs. Although short-term depression of long-range inputs is well-suited for afferent signal detection, the robust synaptic dynamics of local inputs may facilitate rapid and proportional PVN recruitment for regulating network operations.
Hard sphere-like glass transition in eye lens α-crystallin solutions
Authors: Foffi Giuseppe , Savin Gabriela , Bucciarelli Saskia , Dorsaz Nicolas , Thurston George M. , Stradner Anna , Schurtenberger Peter
Published: November 2014

Significance

Normal vision and accommodation rely on the clarity and softness of the eye lens. Hardening of the lens has been linked with presbyopia, the loss of accommodative capability with age, and lens clarity is disrupted in cataract, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Here, realistically concentrated solutions of a prevalent eye lens structural protein, α-crystallin, which exhibits short-range order needed for lens transparency, are found in addition to show high-concentration dynamical slowing down similar to that of hard-sphere glass transitions. This suggests that analogous investigation of concentrated crystallin mixtures, like those in the living lens, may help to advance understanding of the molecular basis of both presbyopia and cataract.