bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engineered Bamboo’s Further Application: An Empirical Study in China
Authors: Xing WQ , Hao JL , Galobardes I , Wei SB , Chen ZT , Sikora KS
Published: September 2018

The trend of sustainable development has been followed more globally nowadays. There is an urgent need for ecological friendly construction materials in China since the use of concrete produces pollution and leads to inefficient use of energy. Bamboo can effectively address the sustainability trends due to: lightweight construction, little adverse impact on the environment, and anti-seismic properties. However, bamboo products utilization has been very limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility to further utilize bamboo products in the construction industry in China. A review of engineered bamboo products utilization in China, and oversees was conducted. Based on this, a survey focusing on the current situation and suitability of bamboo products was carried out to study their feasibility, and preliminary testing on bonding shear strength for different configurations are presented. The results are promising, in particular the relatively low clamping pressure of 0.6 MPa seems to be sufficient for bonding, and it is clear that engineered bamboo products have a great potential in China. However, further more comprehensive studies on the performance of the laminated bamboo are needed.
Analysis on the Characteristics of Ordinary and More Serious Accidents in Building Projects in China from 2005 to 2016
Authors: Zhang Hui , Ji Xuewei , Wu Aizhi
Published: September 2018

In China, the frequent safety accidents in building projects seriously affect the sustainable development of construction projects. The paper makes a statistical analysis on the characteristics of ordinary and more serious accidents in building projects from the types of accidents, the trends of development and the characteristics of geographical distribution from 2005 to 2016 in China by using the histogram, trend chart, pie chart and table. It can be concluded that in the recent 12 years, the security situation of construction projects generally fluctuates in a big way and is still not optimistic. Among the five major types of accidents, the electric shock and the lifting accidents have been maintained at a relatively stable and low incidence, and the sloughing accidents have accounted for more than half of the proportion. Accidents concentrated in East China, Central China, North China and Southwest China. The economic development in all provinces and cities in China is positively related to the accident. The greater the total regional economy, the rate of economic growth and the demand for infrastructure construction, the more deaths and accidents in construction projects in the corresponding regions.
Le partage des données génétiques : un nouveau capital
Authors: Stoeklé Henri-Corto , Forster Ninon , Charlier Philippe , Bloch Oudy C. , Hervé Christian , Turrini Mauro , Vogt Guillaume
Published: September 2018

En l’espace de trois décennies, différentesbiotechs, principalement nord-américaines, sont devenues expertes dans la production, le traitement et l’analyse de volumes considérables de données génétiques. Elles ont dépassé celles des plateformes académiques habituelles grâce à l’appropriation d’un nouveau modèle économique : celui de « marché biface ». Ainsi, en appliquant les idées duweb 2.0, cesbiotechs, interdites en France, permettent aujourd’hui à des millions d’usagers de produire et de « partager » des données, en particulier génétiques, entre eux ou avec des tiers à travers un réseau numérique riche en informations et en services « gratuits ». Mais en réalité, la donnée est devenue un moyen de paiement pour l’accès à ces réseaux et l’usage de ces services. À l’ère de l’économie numérique, le partage des données est devenu synonyme d’échange commercial et la donnée génétique synonyme de capital.
Multiples Myelom
Authors: Boquoi Amelie , Strapatsas Judith , Fenk Roland , Haas Rainer
Published: September 2018

Ergebnisse molekularbiologischer Untersuchungen mittels „Whole Genome Sequencing“ haben unser pathophysiologisches Verständnis des Multiplen Myeloms grundlegend
verändert. Wir wissen heute, dass der maligne Plasmazellklon keiner linearen Entwicklung folgt, sondern bereits zu Beginn der Erkrankung multiple Klone
vorhanden sind, die aufgrund ihrer individuellen Dynamik und Expansion die klonale Komposition und damit den Verlauf der Erkrankung bestimmen. Klinisch leitet
sich aus dieser Erkenntnis die Notwendigkeit zur Durchführung von Kombinationstherapien mit synergistischen Wirkungsmechanismen ab, um Überleben und Wachstum
möglichst vieler Klone zu verhindern. Der medizinische Fortschritt hat in den letzten Jahren zur Entwicklung und Zulassung vieler neuer Medikamente geführt,
sodass eine Vielzahl derartiger Kombinationstherapien heutzutage möglich ist und diese auch bei guter Verträglichkeit und mit hoher Lebensqualität durchführbar
sind. Die Effektivität der neuen Behandlungsmethoden – insbesondere der neuen Immuntherapien – ist dabei so hoch, dass erstmalig im Rezidiv der Erkrankung tiefe
Remissionen ohne Nachweis von minimaler Resterkrankung möglich geworden sind. Diese Entwicklung schreitet unverändert voran, sodass sich auch in Zukunft das
Überleben der Patienten weiter verbessern wird.
Agomelatin zur Behandlung der Depression
Authors: Volz H.-P.
Published: September 2018

Agomelatin ist ein innovatives Antidepressivum, das an den melatonergen MT1– und MT2-Rezeptoren agonistisch, an dem serotonergen 5-HT2c-Rezeptor antagonistisch wirkt. Anders als monaminerge Substanzen verfügt Agomelatin über einen positiven Effekt auf bei Depressiven gestörte zirkadiane Parameter wie Schlaf und Aktivitätszyklus. Die Wirksamkeit auf alle Kernsymptome der Depression ist mit anderen modernen Antidepressiva vergleichbar, mitunter ist Agomelatin diesen sogar überlegen. Trotz eines schlafregulierenden Effektes hat die Substanz keine sedierenden Eigenschaften, was sich positiv auf die Tagesaktivität auswirkt. Die Verträglichkeit ist sehr gut, die Häufigkeit der Nebenwirkungen liegt auf Placebo-Niveau. Somit stellt Agomelatin eine wesentliche Bereicherung unserer pharmakologischen Möglichkeiten zur Behandlung der Depression dar.
Caregivers' Perceptions of Their Child's Language Disorder: Alignment between Caregivers and Speech–Language Pathologists
Authors: Selin Jennifer , Schmitt Mary , Hill Margaret
Published: September 2018

Caregivers' perceptions regarding their child's language disorder may influence caregivers' involvement in therapy as well as daily home interactions, thus impacting developmental outcomes. However, little is known about the alignment between caregivers' perceptions of their child's language disorder and those of speech–language pathologists (SLPs), nor of factors that might relate to alignment between caregivers and SLPs. This study addressed three aims: (1) to characterize caregivers' perceptions regarding children's quality of communicative interactions, competence in communicative abilities, and outcomes of communicative improvement; (2) to measure alignment between caregivers' and SLPs' perceptions; and (3) to explore caregiver- and child-level factors that might relate to alignment. Caregivers and SLPs of 3- to 4-year-old children currently receiving treatment for language disorders completed questionnaires to assess perceptions along with two caregiver factors (maternal education and self-efficacy) and child language disorder severity. Caregivers' perceptions were more positive and more variable than those of SLPs. However, caregivers and SLPs agreed in rating perceptions of present and future outcomes higher than either quality or competence. Maternal education, caregiver's self-efficacy, and children's language disorder severity were not related to alignment between caregivers and SLPs. Given the variability in caregivers' perceptions, future research should explore the role of perceptions in children's language intervention outcomes.
Management of Microsurgical Patients using Intraoperative Unfractionated Heparin and Thromboelastography
Authors: Zavlin Dmitry , Chegireddy Vishwanath , Jubbal Kevin , Agrawal Nikhil , Spiegel Aldona
Published: September 2018

Background Maintaining optimal coagulation is vital for successful microvascular tissue transfer. The viscoelastic thromboelastography (TEG) is a modern and dynamic method to assess a patient's coagulation status. The aim of this study was to evaluate its diagnostic capabilities of identifying microvascular complications.

Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted for the most recent 100 cases of abdominal free flap breast reconstruction of a single surgeon. Patient demographics, medical history, clinical, and operative details were documented. Thrombocyte counts, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and various TEG parameters were gathered for preoperative, intraoperative, and two postoperative time points.

Results A total of hundred patients were identified, who underwent 172 abdominal-based free flaps for breast reconstruction. TEG was more dynamic compared with PT or aPTT and demonstrated borderline hypocoagulate values intraoperatively upon unfractionated heparin administration and hypercoagulate values postoperatively. In contrast, PT and aPTT demonstrated a continuously hypocoagulable state. Complications included five thrombotic events and three hematomas. The thrombotic cases had much steeper increases of TEG-G between surgery and postoperative day 2 (p = 0.049), while PT and aPTT failed to identify these patients. Of those, two resulted in flap loss (1.2%) that both occurred in patients with abdominal scars from previous surgery.

Conclusion The TEG is a useful adjunct for monitoring coagulation status in microsurgical breast reconstruction. When thrombosis at the anastomosis occurs, TEG correlates with a more rapid rebound from an intraoperative hypocoagulable state to a postoperative hypercoagulable state, when using the TEG. The TEG is a valuable tool for a more dynamic assessment of the patients' changing coagulation status.
Effects of Systemic and Local Caffeine on Vessel Diameter, Anastomosis Patency, and Intimal Hyperplasia in the Rat
Authors: Sakarya Ahmet , Uzun Hakan , Türkkanı Ayten , Çakar Ayşe Nur , Hsieh Yun-Huan , Üstün Galip , Şafak Tunç
Published: September 2018

Background The use of caffeine is not recommended prior to elective microsurgery due to its demonstrated negative effects on vessel anastomosis by the presumed sympathomimetic induction of vasoconstriction. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the systemic and local effects of caffeine on vessel diameter, anastomosis patency, and degree of intimal hyperplasia during the healing process.

Methods Twenty-five rats were randomly assigned to five groups: (1) negative control, (2) preoperative systemic caffeine, (3) postoperative systemic caffeine, (4) perioperative systemic caffeine, and (5) a local caffeine group. Both the right and left femoral arteries were used. Ten anastomoses were performed per group. The arterial diameter was measured by micrometer, anastomosis patency was assessed surgically and histologically, and the histological examination was conducted 3 weeks postoperatively to determine intimal hyperplasia.

Results The overall patency rate was 96%. Mild vasoconstriction was observed in the systemic caffeine groups (statistically insignificant); however, there were no negative effects on anastomosis patency. Local caffeine irrigation resulted in significant vasodilatation in the local caffeine group (p = 0.001); a similar effect was not observed in the other groups. There was a significant decrease in the intima/media ratio in the local caffeine group (p < 0.01), when compared with the control and systemic caffeine groups. No other intima/media ratio differences were observed among other comparison groups.

Conclusion The systemic administration of caffeine, although statistically insignificant, has an observable effect on vasoconstriction. However, it does not appear to have negative effects on anastomosis patency regardless of its application period (pre-, post-, or perioperatively). The local application of caffeine resulted in considerable vasodilatation as opposed to the vasoconstriction effect in the systemic caffeine groups. Decreased intimal hyperplasia at the anastomosis edge, and antifibrotic properties in the surgical field were also observed in this group. Histologically, the local caffeine group demonstrated an additional beneficial effect on anastomosis remodeling.
Hybrid graphene/unintentionally doped GaN ultraviolet photodetector with high responsivity and speed
Authors: Tian Huijun , Liu Qiaoli , Zhou Chenxi , Zhan Xuejiao , He Xiaoying , Hu Anqi , Guo Xia
Published: September 2018

Ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors with high responsivity and speed are highly desirable for imaging and remote sensing applications. Limited by the crystalline quality of a GaN-based material, which is ideal for UV photodetection, the further improvement of the performance is minimal. A hybrid graphene/unintentionally doped (UID) GaN UV photodetector with both high responsivity and high speed is reported. Holes in graphene, which are induced by the photogenerated electrons trapped at the graphene/UID GaN interface according to the capacitive effect, have a long lifetime owing to the electron-hole pair separation in space. Graphene acts as a carrier transport channel and greatly increases the charge collection efficiency under an external bias voltage. The responsivity of a hybrid graphene/UID GaN photodetector with a photosensitive area of 2 mm2 reaches 5.83 A/W at −10 V with a specific detectivity of ∼1011 Jones. The response time is ∼5 ms, which is faster than that of traditional GaN photodetectors. These results will provide a feasible route to UV detection with high performance.
Fringe jump compensation techniques for the time-averaging zero-crossing phase measurement in the KSTAR millimeter-wave interferometer
Authors: Nam Y. U. , Juhn J. W. , Lee K. C. , Wi H. M.
Published: September 2018

A fringe jump compensation algorithm has been developed for a phase measurement that measures the phase within a single fringe. The algorithm is extremely useful in the case of the time-averaging zero-crossing phase detector on noisy environments. When the noise level on the measurements is not sufficiently suppressed, the signals near the fringe jump show a negative slope instead of a sharp drop. The slope brings an ambiguity over the compensation process. An algorithm with an additional channel that measures the phase of a half fringe shift has been applied in the millimeter-wave interferometer on the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research device. These techniques removed the ambiguity in most cases. The algorithm can provide a most simple, robust, and cost-effective solution for the phase measurement system in various fields.
Determination of the electron-lattice coupling strength of copper with ultrafast MeV electron diffraction
Authors: Mo M. Z. , Becker V. , Ofori-Okai B. K. , Shen X. , Chen Z. , Witte B. , Redmer R. , Li R. K. , Dunning M. , Weathersby S. P. , Wang X. J. , Glenzer S. H.
Published: September 2018

Electron-lattice coupling strength governs the energy transfer between electrons and the lattice and is important for understanding the material behavior under highly non-equilibrium conditions. Here we report the results of employing time-resolved electron diffraction at MeV energies to directly study the electron-lattice coupling strength in 40-nm-thick polycrystalline copper excited by femtosecond optical lasers. The temporal evolution of lattice temperature at various pump fluence conditions were obtained from the measurements of the Debye-Waller decay of multiple diffraction peaks. We observed the temperature dependence of the electron-lattice relaxation time which is a result of the temperature dependence of electron heat capacity. Comparison with two-temperature model simulations reveals an electron-lattice coupling strength of (0.9 ± 0.1) × 1017 W/m3/K for copper.
Spin readout via spin-to-charge conversion in bulk diamond nitrogen-vacancy ensembles
Authors: Jayakumar Harishankar , Dhomkar Siddharth , Henshaw Jacob , Meriles Carlos A.
Published: September 2018

We demonstrate the optical readout of ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center spins in a bulk diamond sample via spin-to-charge conversion. A high power 594 nm laser is utilized to selectively ionize these paramagnetic defects in the mS=0 spin state with a contrast of up to 12%. In comparison to the conventional 520 nm spin readout, the spin-to-charge-conversion-based readout provides a higher signal-to-noise ratio, with tenfold sensing measurement speedup for millisecond long pulse sequences. This level of performance was achieved for an NV− ionization of only 25%, limited by the ionization and readout laser powers. These observations pave the way to a range of high-sensitivity metrology applications where the use of NV− ensembles in bulk diamond has proven useful, including sensing and imaging of target materials overlaid on the diamond surface.
Instability growth seeded by DT density perturbations in ICF capsules
Authors: Peterson J. R. , Johnson B. M. , Haan S. W.
Published: September 2018

Identifying and controlling hydrodynamic instabilities is vital to inertial confinement fusion. We use simulations to examine the growth of several defects seeded in the deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel layer. First, we examine the growth of bulk density fluctuations in a solid DT ice layer. These density perturbations grow with amplitudes similar to surface defects, however the high-mode (m > 40) growth structures differ. We also consider the wetted foam capsule design, where density perturbations can be seeded by foam inhomogeneity. Simulations show that foam-seeded perturbations grow similarly to pure DT density seeds at low modes (m < 40), but at higher modes, the foam seeds grow significantly more. Next, we simulate the growth of two common multimode ice defects, grooves, and bubbles, and find that bubbles are significantly less harmful than grooves of similar width. Finally, we explore shimming the ablator to counteract surface roughness and show that instability growth from low-mode roughness can be effectively mitigated.
Note: Observation of the angular distribution of an x-ray characteristic emission through a periodic multilayer
Authors: Jonnard Philippe , Wu Meiyi , André Jean-Michel , Le Guen Karine , Wang Zhanshan , Huang Qiushi , Vickridge Ian , Schmaus Didier , Briand Emrick , Steydli Sébastien , Walter Philippe
Published: September 2018

We present the observation of the angular distribution of a characteristic x-ray emission through a periodic multilayer. The emission coming from the substrate on which the multilayer is deposited is used for this purpose. It is generated upon proton irradiation through the multilayer and detected with an energy sensitive CCD camera. The observed distribution in the low detection angle range presents a clear dip at a position characteristic of the emitting element. Thus, such a device can be envisaged as a spectrometer without mechanical displacement and using various ionizing sources (electrons, x-rays, and ions), their incident direction being irrelevant.
Generation of low power and ultrashort laser pulses at 800 nm through soliton compression in chloroform-infiltrated cascaded photonic crystal fibers
Authors: Yamunadevi R. , Vasantha Jayakantha Raja R. , Arzate N.
Published: September 2018

A unique modest approach to obtain low energy, few-cycle laser pulses at 800 nm through chloroform filled cascaded photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is theoretically presented. Temperature is considered as the control parameter in designing the cascaded PCF to compress femtosecond pulses using higher order soliton compression scheme. The temperature-dependent parameters of both fiber and the infiltrated chloroform liquid are utilized to solve the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation that facilitates the engineering of ultrashort pulses. Through this method, cascaded PCF could be designed using a single fiber for the generation of short pulses with minimal pedestal energy deprived of any other supplementary modules. We numerically prove that the compression of pulses from an input pulse of 140 fs up to 6.98 fs is possible by using temperature-controlled PCF. The designed fiber compressor is estimated to provide the possible compression factor of 20.05, quality factor of 0.49, output energy of 4.81 pJ, with 50.81% of pedestal energy, through 2.4 cm of entire length.
Simulation of stellarator divertors
Authors: Boozer Allen H. , Punjabi Alkesh
Published: September 2018

The nested magnetic surfaces that confine a fusion plasma can be designed to be bounded by a limiter or a divertor. For a limiter, confining surfaces extend until they intercept a part of the surrounding structure. For a divertor, an outermost confining magnetic surface exists, which is well separated from the surrounding structures. The only designs that are thought to be fusion relevant have divertors that direct field lines from the plasma edge into chambers where the particle exhaust can be pumped and the residual heat exhaust can be handled. The topological properties of magnetic field lines just outside the outermost confining surface determine much of the physics of divertors. Axisymmetric tokamak divertors are well-known, and the outermost confining surface is defined by a sharp separatrix. The topology of the magnetic field lines associated with a stellarator divertor is far more subtle. Related subtleties arise in tokamak divertors when subjected to sufficiently strong non-axisymmetric perturbations. An efficient simulation method for carrying out topological studies of non-axisymmetric divertors is developed and illustrative results are given.
Ferroelectric polarization control of spin states in Mn4N/PMN-PT heterostructures revealed by topological Hall effect
Authors: Wang G. L. , Wu S. X. , Zhou W. Q. , Li H. W. , Li D. , Dai T. , Kang S. D. , Dang S. , Ma X. Y. , Hu P. , Li S. W.
Published: September 2018

Topological Hall effect (THE) as one of spin-related effects originates from scalar spin chirality formed by non-coplanar spin structures, being a promising tool for probing the change of electron spin. Single-phase (022) Mn4N films with coplanar spin structures were prepared on unpoled ferroelectric [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3]0.67-[PbTiO3]0.33 (PMN-PT) substrates. The transport properties of Mn4N/PMN-PT have been investigated. The decreased magnetization and anomalous resistivity imply that the spin states of Mn4N are influenced by ferroelectric polarization of the substrate. The observation of THE in the Mn4N/PMN-PT heterostructure strongly supports that the spin states of Mn4N are modified. After poling PMN-PT, the enhanced THE peak magnitude verifies that the spin states of Mn4N are tuned by ferroelectric polarization. This study provides a non-magnetic method for manipulation of spin states, which could avoid the external magnetic field perturbations.
Structural and magnetic properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/LaCoO3 heterostructures
Authors: Thota S. , Roychowdhury K. , Thakare V. , Ganguli S. C. , Chen Z. H. , Guo E. J. , Das S.
Published: September 2018

Perovskite manganites are well known for their complex magnetic and electronic properties. Their heterostructures are even more perplexing, specifically when interfaced with magnetic or nonmagnetic insulators as they offer particular promise for applications such as spin filter tunnel junctions. This study explores the structural and magnetic properties of one such heterostructure, namely, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/LaCoO3 (LSMO/LCO) bilayers as the thickness of the LCO layer is varied while keeping that of the LSMO layer fixed. Exceeding a threshold value while gradually increasing the LCO layer thickness, prominent side lobes are observed in the reciprocal space map signifying the formation of periodic structural striped domains in LCO. The magnetic properties of the bilayers, specifically the interfacial couplings, are markedly influenced by the variation of the LCO thickness with noteworthy consequences that include a tunable negative exchange bias.
Powder consolidation of Nd-Fe-B/α-Fe nanocomposite materials by cold deformation process
Authors: Hosokawa Akihide , Takagi Kenta
Published: September 2018

High-pressure torsion (HPT) was applied to Nd-Fe-B/α-Fe nanocomposite materials for the following two purposes. The first is to obtain anisotropic nanocomposite magnets by development of deformation texture, and the second is to consolidate bulk magnets directly from powder compacts without sintering process. Although no texturing occurred in this set of experiments, the consolidation was successful and increased the relative density up to 90% of a nanocomposite magnet having the coercivity Hc = 4.4 kOe and the remanence/saturation magnetization σr/σsat =100/165 emu/g. The shear strain gradient generated in a disc after HPT allowed us to discuss a relationship between shear strain and porosity, as well as the significance of shear in densification process.
Multipoint segmental repulsive potential for entangled polymer simulations with dissipative particle dynamics
Authors: Iwaoka Nobuyuki , Hagita Katsumi , Takano Hiroshi
Published: September 2018

A model is developed for simulating entangled polymers by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) using the segmental repulsive potential (SRP). In contrast to previous SRP models that define a single-point interaction on each bond, the proposed SRP model applies a dynamically adjustable multipoint on the bond. Previous SRP models could not reproduce the equilibrium properties of Groot and Warren’s original DPD model [R. D. Groot and P. B. Warren, J. Chem. Phys. 107, 4423 (1997)] because the introduction of a single SRP induces a large excluded volume, whereas, the proposed multipoint SRP (MP-SRP) introduces a cylindrical effective excluded bond volume. We demonstrate that our MP-SRP model exhibits equilibrium properties similar to those of the original DPD polymers. The MP-SRP model parameters are determined by monitoring the number of topology violations, thermodynamic properties, and the polymer internal structure. We examine two typical DPD polymers with different bond-length distributions; one of them was used in the modified SRP model by Sirk et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 136, 134903 (2012)], whereas the other was used in the original DPD model. We demonstrate that for both polymers, the proposed MP-SRP model captures the entangled behaviors of a polymer melt naturally, by calculating the slowest relaxation time of a chain in the melt and the shear relaxation modulus. The results indicate that the proposed MP-SRP model can be applied to a variety of DPD polymers.
Magnetoelectric mutual-control in collinear antiferromagnetic NdCrTiO5
Authors: Li Xiang , Liu Meifeng , Wang Yu , Tian Liman , Shi Rui , Yang Lun , Pan Qiyun , Han Juanjuan , Xie Bo , Zhao Nian , Wang Xiuzhang , Li Shaozhen , Lin Lin , Yan Zhibo , Liu Jun-Ming
Published: September 2018

Strong magnetoelectric (ME) coupling has been one of the dreaming goals in magnetoelectric and multiferroic materials. In particular, the electro-control of magnetic ordering and magnetization is of high interest. In this work, we synthesize NdCrTiO5 and perform a set of characterization studies on the multiferroic properties and the linear ME effect. It is revealed that NdCrTiO5 exhibits a magnetic phase transition at TN ∼ 20 K, below which a remarkable ME response is observed. On one hand, it is non-ferroelectric at zero magnetic field and a magnetic field as low as 1.0 T is sufficient to induce remarkable pyroelectric current below TN, demonstrating the magnetism-induced ferroelectricity. On the other hand, the remarkable magnetic control of electric polarization and electro-control of magnetization are recorded. At 10 K, a magnetic field of 1.0 T can lead to a change in polarization as large as 20%. Moreover, magnetization M can be significantly modulated by an electric field, with the estimated inverse ME coefficient as large as −1.84 ps/m. The temporal evolution of electrical polarization and magnetization indicates the stable ME mutual control, suggesting potential applications of NdCrTiO5 as a promising multiferroic.
Reduced interface roughness scattering in InGaAs/InAlAs quantum cascade lasers grown on (411)A InP substrates
Authors: Semtsiv M. P. , Kurlov S. S. , Alcer D. , Matsuoka Y. , Kischkat J.-F. , Bierwagen O. , Masselink W. T.
Published: September 2018

Lattice-matched InGaAs-InAlAs quantum cascade lasers were prepared to compare differences between using a (411)A InP substrate and a (100) InP substrate. The lasers grown on the (411)A substrate showed higher gain, lower threshold current density, higher slope efficiency, and twice the power efficiency compared to the otherwise-identical structure on the (100) substrate. This performance improvement is attributed to less interface roughness scattering at the heterointerfaces in the (411)A structure. The lower interface roughness scattering appears to result from the high-spatial frequency steps on the (411)A surface.
Effect of fiber alignment on dielectric response in the 1–3 connectivity fiber/polymer composites by quantitative evaluation
Authors: Zhong Shao-Long , Yin Li-Juan , Pei Jia-Yao , Li Xiang-Yu , Wang Si-Jiao , Dang Zhi-Min
Published: September 2018

Recent advances in the electrospinning technique offer significant opportunities for improved fiber reinforced polymer composites of interest for capacitor applications. Classical effective medium approximation may fail to reach exact solutions due to the intricately inhomogeneous distribution of the depolarizing field in fibers with arbitrary orientation degrees. In this work, a three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) model has been developed to in-depth study the effects of fiber alignment on the dielectric response in fiber/polymer composites. A quantitative relationship between the effective permittivity of composites and the alignment degree of fiber has been initially established. Furthermore, we define a parameter of the effective angle which has the equivalent contribution on the effective permittivity with the actually distributed multiple alignment angles of fibers in practical composite materials. The calculation results with FEM show good agreement with the experiment measurements delivered recently.
Magnetic steering of beam-confined random laser in liquid crystals
Authors: Perumbilavil Sreekanth , Kauranen Martti , Assanto Gaetano
Published: September 2018

Using an external magnetic field, we demonstrate in-plane angular steering of a green pumped random laser in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals, where a near-infrared reorientational spatial soliton provides a smooth output profile with emission in a well-defined direction. By varying the orientation of the applied magnetic field, the soliton-guided random laser beam can be steered over an angle as large as 14°, corresponding to a transverse displacement of 0.49 mm at the output facet of a 2 mm-long sample.
Overcoming the Challenges of Hydrogenation in Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Hallam Brett J. , Ciesla Alison M. , Chan Catherine C. , Soeriyadi Anastasia , Liu Shaoyang , Soufiani Arman Mahboubi , Wright Matthew , Wenham Stuart
Published: September 2018

The challenges of passivating defects in silicon solar cells using hydrogen atoms are discussed. Atomic hydrogen is naturally incorporated into conventional silicon solar cells through the deposition of hydrogen-containing dielectric layers and the metallisation firing process. The firing process can readily passivate certain structural defects such as grain boundaries. However, the standard hydrogenation processes are ineffective at passivating numerous defects in silicon solar cells. This difficulty can be attributed to the atomic hydrogen naturally occupying low-mobility and low-reactivity charge states, or the thermal dissociation of hydrogen–defect complexes. The concentration of the highly mobile and reactive neutral-charge state of atomic hydrogen can be enhanced using excess carriers generated by light. Additional low-temperature hydrogenation processes implemented after the conventional fast-firing hydrogenation process are shown to improve the passivation of difficult structural defects. For process-induced defects, careful attention must be paid to the process sequence to ensure that a hydrogenation process is included after the defects are introduced into the device. Defects such as oxygen precipitates that form during high-temperature diffusion and oxidation processes can be passivated during the subsequent dielectric deposition and high-temperature firing process. However, for laser-based processes performed after firing, an additional hydrogenation process should be included after the introduction of the defects. Carrier-induced defects are even more challenging to passivate, and advanced hydrogenation methods incorporating minority carrier injection must be used to induce defect formation first, and, second, provide charge state manipulation to enable passivation. Doing so can increase the performance of industrial p-type Czochralski solar cells by 1.1 % absolute when using a new commercially available laser-based advanced hydrogenation tool.
Improved Fenton Therapy Using Cancer Cell Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Ranji-Burachaloo Hadi , Fu Qiang , Gurr Paul A. , Dunstan Dave E. , Qiao Greg G.
Published: September 2018

Fenton cancer therapy as a new methodology for the treatment of tumour cells is largely restricted owing to the low stability, high aggregation, and poor selectivity of reported nanoparticles. In this study, an improved approach for the selective destruction of cancer cells is reported. Metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles were synthesized and reduced via a hydrothermal method, and then PEGylated through the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) reaction to produce a PEGylated reduced MOF (P@rMOF). The ratio of PEG to nanoparticles was used to optimize the size and aggregation of the nanoparticles, with 2P@rMOF (2 : 1 mass ratio) having the smallest hydrodynamic diameter. The nanoparticles were further conjugated with folic acid for cell targeting. In vitro cell uptake experiments demonstrated that the internalization of 2P@rMOF-FA nanoparticles into cancer cells (HeLa) was almost 3-fold that of normal cells (NIH-3T3). In the presence of 2P@rMOF-FA, the HeLa cell viability decreased dramatically to 22 %, whereas the NIH-3T3 cell viability remained higher than 80 % after 24 h incubation. The selectivity index for 2P@rMOF-FA is 4.48, which is significantly higher than those reported in the literature for similar strategies. This work thus demonstrates the most stable and selective nanoparticle system for the treatment of cancer cells using the cell’s own H2O2.
Phosphoethanolamine cellulose enhances curli-mediated adhesion of uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
to bladder epithelial cells
Authors: Hollenbeck Emily C. , Antonoplis Alexandra , Chai Chew , Thongsomboon Wiriya , Fuller Gerald G. , Cegelski Lynette
Published: September 2018

Significance

Escherichia coli
secrete polysaccharides, protein adhesins, and fibers to promote adhesion and biofilm formation. Curli are functional amyloid fibers produced by many human and environmental
E. coli
isolates. Furthermore, we recently discovered that
E. coli
produces a chemically modified form of cellulose, phosphoethanolamine cellulose. Here, we use a custom-built live-cell monolayer rheometer, housed within a microscope, to examine curli-based adhesion and reveal the molecular role of the modified cellulose in influencing adhesion of uropathogenic
E. coli
to bladder epithelial cells. In a high-shear environment, phosphoethanolamine cellulose confers a mortar-like function in maintaining cellular association of curli. Curli are readily dissociated from the cell in the absence of cellulose. This approach is applicable to other cellular and host-pathogen interfaces.
Repurposing type III polyketide synthase as a malonyl-CoA biosensor for metabolic engineering in bacteria
Authors: Yang Dongsoo , Kim Won Jun , Yoo Seung Min , Choi Jong Hyun , Ha Shin Hee , Lee Mun Hee , Lee Sang Yup
Published: September 2018

Malonyl-CoA is an important central metabolite for the production of diverse valuable chemicals including natural products, but its intracellular availability is often limited due to the competition with essential cellular metabolism. Several malonyl-CoA biosensors have been developed for high-throughput screening of targets increasing the malonyl-CoA pool. However, they are limited for use only inEscherichia coliandSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand require multiple signal transduction steps. Here we report development of a colorimetric malonyl-CoA biosensor applicable in three industrially important bacteria:E. coli,Pseudomonas putida, andCorynebacterium glutamicum. RppA, a type III polyketide synthase producing red-colored flaviolin, was repurposed as a malonyl-CoA biosensor inE. coli. Strains with enhanced malonyl-CoA accumulation were identifiable by the colorimetric screening of cells showing increased red color. Other type III polyketide synthases could also be repurposed as malonyl-CoA biosensors. For target screening, a 1,858 synthetic small regulatory RNA library was constructed and applied to find 14 knockdown gene targets that generally enhanced malonyl-CoA level inE. coli. These knockdown targets were applied to produce two polyketide (6-methylsalicylic acid and aloesone) and two phenylpropanoid (resveratrol and naringenin) compounds. Knocking down these genes alone or in combination, and also in multiple differentE. colistrains for two polyketide cases, allowed rapid development of engineered strains capable of enhanced production of 6-methylsalicylic acid, aloesone, resveratrol, and naringenin to 440.3, 30.9, 51.8, and 103.8 mg/L, respectively. The malonyl-CoA biosensor developed here is a simple tool generally applicable to metabolic engineering of microorganisms to achieve enhanced production of malonyl-CoA–derived chemicals.
Structural basis for cooperative regulation of KIX-mediated transcription pathways by the HTLV-1 HBZ activation domain
Authors: Yang Ke , Stanfield Robyn L. , Martinez-Yamout Maria A. , Dyson H. Jane , Wilson Ian A. , Wright Peter E.
Published: September 2018

The human T cell leukemia virus I basic leucine zipper protein (HTLV-1 HBZ) maintains chronic viral infection and promotes leukemogenesis through poorly understood mechanisms involving interactions with the KIX domain of the transcriptional coactivator CBP and its paralog p300. The KIX domain binds regulatory proteins at the distinct MLL and c-Myb/pKID sites to form binary or ternary complexes. The intrinsically disordered N-terminal activation domain of HBZ (HBZ AD) deregulates cellular signaling pathways by competing directly with cellular and viral transcription factors for binding to the MLL site and by allosterically perturbing binding of the transactivation domain of the hematopoietic transcription factor c-Myb. Crystal structures of the ternary KIX:c-Myb:HBZ complex show that the HBZ AD recruits two KIX:c-Myb entities through tandem amphipathic motifs (L/V)(V/L)DGLL and folds into a long α-helix upon binding. Isothermal titration calorimetry reveals strong cooperativity in binding of the c-Myb activation domain to the KIX:HBZ complex and in binding of HBZ to the KIX:c-Myb complex. In addition, binding of KIX to the two HBZ (V/L)DGLL motifs is cooperative; the structures suggest that this cooperativity is achieved through propagation of the HBZ α-helix beyond the first binding motif. Our study suggests that the unique structural flexibility and the multiple interaction motifs of the intrinsically disordered HBZ AD are responsible for its potency in hijacking KIX-mediated transcription pathways. The KIX:c-Myb:HBZ complex provides an example of cooperative stabilization in a transcription factor:coactivator network and gives insights into potential mechanisms through which HBZ dysregulates hematopoietic transcriptional programs and promotes T cell proliferation.
The perception and interpretation of sentence types by L1 Spanish–L2 English speakers
Authors: Radu Malina , Colantoni Laura , Klassen Gabrielle , Patience Matthew , Pérez-Leroux Ana Teresa , Tararova Olga
Published: September 2018

While the L2 perception of segmentals has been investigated, our knowledge of the L2 perception of intonation is limited. Moreover, it is unclear how context affects L1 transfer. This study investigates the perception of English sentence types by adult L1 Spanish speakers across tasks varying in contextual information. In Task 1, participants heard low-pass filtered utterances and identified them as statements, questions or exclamations. Task 2 was similar, but consisted of unaltered utterances. In Task 3, participants heard a scenario and three options (absolute question, declarative question, statement), and selected the best one. Accuracy and reaction times were measured. Learners had the most difficulty in Task 3, but were target-like in the others, confirming previous findings. Namely, L2 speakers perform better in tasks lacking contextual information versus contextualized ones. Thus, while learners maintain their auditory resolution to intonation cues in non-speech tasks, they cannot relate contours to appropriate L2 meanings.
Influence of alloy element distributions on austempered ductile irons
Authors: Boccardo A. D. , Dardati P. M. , Godoy L. A.
Published: September 2018

The influence of alloy element distributions on austempered ductile iron microstructure and austempering treatment was analysed by a cellular automaton model that considers the ausferritic and martensitic transformations. The initial microstructure is modelled as spherical graphite nodules inserted in an austenitic matrix, in which the alloy elements are distributed in a uniform or non-uniform way. The study is performed for different chemical compositions and graphite nodule sizes. Delays in the development of ausferritic transformation are produced by the increment of graphite nodule size and the presence of alloy element microsegregations. Moreover, microsegregation reduces the final volume fraction of ferrite platelets. The predicted retained austenite volume fraction is in good agreement with the experimental measurements reported in the literature.
Temporal and spatial variations of coastal water quality in Sishili Bay, northern Yellow Sea of China
Authors: Dong Zhijun , Liu Dongyan , Wang Yujue , Di Baoping
Published: September 2018

Different chemometric approaches were used to determine generic patterns in the temporal and spatial variations in the coastal water quality of the northern Yellow Sea off Yantai, China. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the 16 months into two periods (i.e. March-October and November-February), reflecting strong seasonality in the data, and grouped the 12 sampling sites into two clusters (i.e. outside Yantai Bay and inside Yantai Bay), based on similarities in water quality characteristics. Discriminant analysis gave the best results for data complexity reduction during temporal analysis, but not during spatial analysis. Discriminant analysis identified five significant parameters (water temperature, salinity, and concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphate and dissolved silicate) affording about 97.9% correct assignations in temporal analysis. In addition, principal component analysis identified three varifactors that explained 71% of temporal changes in the coastal water quality data set. Overall, the present study showed that these multivariate statistic methods were effective for evaluating temporal and spatial variations in the coastal water quality of Yantai. Water temperature and nutrient inputs may be major driving factors for the trophic status of these coastal waters. Low variances in spatial patterns of water quality parameters of Yantai were mostly related to the unrestricted water exchange between Sishili Bay and the Yellow Sea.
Cylindrical Three-Dimensional Dust-Ion Acoustic Propagation in Plasmas
Authors: El-Labany S. K. , El-Shewy E. K. , Abd El-Razek H. N. , El-Rahman A. A.
Published: September 2018

Wave properties of solitons in an unmagnetized four-component dusty plasma system contains isothermal distributed electrons, mobile ions, and negative-positive dusty grains have been examined. To study DIA wave properties, a reductive perturbation (RP) analysis is used. By a reductive perturbation (RP) analysis under convenient coordinate transformation, the three dimension Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation in cylindrical coordinates is obtained. The effects of dust grain charge on soliton pulse structures are studied. More specifically, solitary profile depending on the axial, radial, and polar angle coordinates with time is discussed. This investigation may be viable in plasmas of the Earth’s mesosphere.
Investigation of toroidal rotation modulation and momentum transport with electrode biasing in J-TEXT tokamak
Authors: Liu Hai , Chen Zhipeng , Xu Yuhong , Zhu Lizhi , Chen Zhongyong , Zhuang Ge
Published: September 2018

The toroidal rotation modulation and momentum transport have been investigated in the J-TEXT tokamak using a modulated electrode biasing (EB) along with measurements of the toroidal rotation (V

ϕ
) by a spectrometer and a Langmuir-Mach probe array. The amplitude A
v and phase delay ϕ
v (relative to the phase of the biasing current, I
EB) of the rotation modulation are extracted through sine-fitting approaches. It is found that the A
v increases with increasing I
EB and the ϕ
v becomes larger when the modulation frequency increases. It has been estimated that the momentum transport time across a radial range from r/a ∼ 0.9 to 0.65 is about 10 ms, shorter than the half of modulation period (∼30 ms). Using the perturbation analysis technique, the toroidal momentum transport coefficients, including momentum diffusivity χ

ϕ
and convective velocity V
conv, have been calculated and an inward pinch effect has been observed. In addition, the impact of the EB on the ion temperature and intrinsic rotation and the toroidal rotation difference between impurity and main ions are analyzed and discussed.
Effects of Ethanol Plant Proximity and Crop Prices on Land‐Use Change in the United States
Authors: Li Yijia , Miao Ruiqing , Khanna Madhu
Published: September 2018

Expansion of ethanol production in the United States has raised concerns regarding its land‐use change effects. However, little is known about the extent to which observed land use change in the United States can be attributed to ethanol plant proximity or is caused by changes in crop prices that may be partly induced by expansion in ethanol production. This study aims to examine the determinants of changes in corn acreage and aggregate crop acreage by simultaneously identifying the effects of establishment of ethanol plants serving as terminal markets for corn and the effects of changes in crop prices in the United States between 2003 and 2014. Our results show that corn acreage and total acreage are fairly inelastic with respect to both changes in ethanol capacity in the vicinity, as well as changes in crop prices. Our estimates of acreage elasticity with respect to corn ethanol production are smaller than those obtained by previous studies that disregard the price effect on crop acreage. We find that, ceteris paribus, the increase in ethanol capacity alone led to a modest 3% increase in corn acreage and less than a 1% increase in total crop acreage by 2012 when compared to 2008. The effect of corn price and aggregate crop price on acreage change from 2008 to 2012 was more than twice larger than that of effective ethanol production capacity over this period; but this price effect was largely reversed by the downturn in crop prices after 2012. This study shows that land‐use change is not a static phenomenon and that it is important to examine how it evolves in response to various factors that may change over time.