bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ordered Array Electrodes Fabricated by a Mask‐Assisted Electron‐Beam Method as Platforms for Studying Kinetic and Mass‐Transport Phenomena on Electrocatalysts
Authors: Brites Helú Mariela A. , Fernandez Wanda V. , Fernández José L. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThis work describes a method for fabrication of extensive ordered arrays of microelectrodes with varied geometries, surrounded either by an insulating surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or by a conductive material such as gold or glassy carbon (GC). The method is based on procedures from electron beam lithography (EBL) but, in contrast to classic EBL, it can be applied by using widely available conventional SEM instruments that are not specifically tailored for EBL operation. The electron gun of the SEM is used to irradiate and modify a PMMA film that is covered by a micro‐ or nano‐structured mask (i.e., a TEM grid), which is further selectively revealed. Each array can be evaluated in two configurations, when it is surrounded by the PMMA film, and when it is in contact with the exposed support after PMMA removal. The first configuration is useful to evaluate the electrochemical behavior of pure microelectrode arrays for correlating it with model equations. The second configuration is particularly useful when the substrate material by itself is inactive for the studied reaction. In the latter case, any detected differences between the electrochemical behavior of the PMMA‐coated array and that of the bi‐component array should come from the contributions of the microelectrode boundaries. These arrays were employed for studying the hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline medium on Au/Rh and on GC/Rh in order to detect possible kinetic interactions of both components at the heterojunctions.
Carbon Nanolayer‐Coated Na3V2(PO4)3 Nanocrystals Embedded in Conductive Carbon Matrix as High‐Performance Cathode for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wan Xin , Liu Kelu , Lei Ping , Zheng Wenting , Xiang Xingde , Sun Molong 
Published: June 2018

AbstractNa3V2(PO4)3 is a promising cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries. However, the design of appropriate carbon coatings is necessary for improving the Na‐storage performance of this material to overcome the intrinsically low electron conductivity and therefore sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, carbon nanolayer‐coated Na3V2(PO4)3 nanocrystals embedded in a conductive carbon matrix (NVP/C) are fabricated by using a facile in‐situ synthesis method with controlled utilization of graphene‐oxide nanosheets. Structural and electrochemical properties of the as‐synthesized NVP/C material are analyzed by combining X‐ray diffraction, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transition electron microscope, and electrochemical measurements. The optimized NVP/C material exhibits a unique nanostructure consisting of Na3V2(PO4)3 nanocrystals with an average size of ∼60 nm and carbon nanolayers with uniform thickness of ∼5 nm. As electrode, the material delivers a high reversible capacity of 114.8 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C, superior high‐rate capability with a discharge capacity of 101.8 mAh g−1 at 10 C, and excellent cycling performance with capacity retention of 91 % after 1000 cycles. The finding indicates that constructing carbon‐coating nanolayers and a conductive carbon matrix is an important strategy to achieve high‐quality NVP/C material for advanced sodium‐ion batteries.
Defective Anatase TiO2−x Mesocrystal Growth In Situ on g‐C3N4 Nanosheets: Construction of 3D/2D Z‐Scheme Heterostructures for Highly Efficient Visible‐Light Photocatalysis
Authors: Tan Biying , Ye Xiaozhou , Li Yongjun , Ma Xiaoqi , Wang Yun , Ye Jianfeng 
Published: June 2018

AbstractEnvironmental remediation by employing visible‐light‐active semiconductor heterostructures provides effective solutions for handling emerging contaminants by a much greener and lower cost approach compared with other methods. This report demonstrates that the in situ growth of nanosized single‐crystal‐like defective anatase TiO2−x mesocrystals (DTMCs) on g‐C3N4 nanosheets (NSs) can produce a 3D/2D DTMC/g‐C3N4 NS heterostructure with the two components held together by chemical bonds to form tight interfaces. This nanostructured heterostructure displayed remarkably improved photocatalytic activity toward the removal of the model pollutants Methyl Orange (MO) and CrVI under visible‐light irradiation in comparison with the pristine DTMC and g‐C3N4 NS components, which suggests that both the oxidation and reduction abilities of the DTMC/g‐C3N4 NSs were simultaneously enhanced after fabrication. On the basis of the results of a systematic characterization, a reasonable mechanism for the photocatalytic activity based on a direct Z‐scheme heterojunction is proposed and further verified by the measurement of .OH. This novel Z‐scheme heterojunction endows the heterostructure with improved photogenerated electron/hole pair separation and a strong redox ability for the efficient degradation of wastewater pollutants. This work will be useful for the design and fabrication of direct Z‐scheme heterostructured photocatalysts with novel architectures for applications in energy conversion and environmental remediation.
Hierarchical Cobalt‐Based Metal–Organic Framework for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Chen Lin , Yang Wenjuan , Wang Jianbiao , Chen Congrong , Wei Mingdeng 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIn the present work, a simple solvothermal method is developed for the synthesis of hierarchical Co‐based metal–organic framework (H‐Co‐MOF) microflowers. These microflowers are composed of nanosheets, consisting of small nanoflakes. Upon application as an electrode material in Li‐ion batteries, H‐Co‐MOF shows ultrahigh specific capacity and long cycling performance. For instance, a remarkably superior capacity of 1345 mA h g−1 can be achieved after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g−1. Even at 2 A g−1, a large capacity of 828 mA h g−1 is maintained after 700 cycles. This excellent electrochemical performance might be ascribed to the intrinsic properties and unique hierarchical structure of the Co‐based MOF.
Differential privacy–based location privacy enhancing in edge computing
Authors: Miao Qiucheng , Jing Weipeng , Song Houbing 
Published: June 2018

SummaryIn the era of edge computing, real‐time data preprocessing on the edge node has the potential to improve computational efficiency and data accuracy. However, a significant challenge is private data disclosure, particularly in the case of location‐based services. To address this challenge, in this paper, by leveraging differential privacy, we propose a privacy‐aware framework for mobile edge computing called MEPA to protect the location privacy in which the edge node is regarded as an anonymous central server. The proposed framework can provide computing services without deploying special infrastructure. To be specific, in order to solve the problem of constrained computing resources in the edge nodes, the algorithm of Quadtree Differential Privacy based on Hilbert curve division (QTDP‐H) two‐dimensional spatial data query transmission is proposed. First, a noise quadtree is established and the privacy budget is divided according to the tree level. Then, the constructed quadtree is represented by quanternary, so that the partition based on Hilbert curve can be established and the two‐dimensional data in the area can be converted into one‐dimensional, which can greatly improve the retrieval efficiency. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in terms of time complexity and retrieval accuracy has been verified by extensive experimental results. Compared with traditional methods of (D,ε) − LP, the average runtime can be reduced by 15%‐20%, and the average relative error is reduced by 20%.
Dissecting sequential programs for parallelization—An approach based on computational units
Authors: Atre Rohit , Ul‐Huda Zia , Wolf Felix , Jannesari Ali 
Published: June 2018

SummaryWhen trying to parallelize a sequential program, programmers routinely struggle during the first step: finding out which code sections can be made to run in parallel. While identifying such code sections, most of the current parallelism discovery techniques focus on specific language constructs. In contrast, we propose to concentrate on the computations performed by a program. In our approach, a program is treated as a collection of computations communicating with one another using a number of variables. Each computation is represented as a computational unit (CU). A CU contains the inputs and outputs of a computation, and the three phases of a computation are read, compute, and write. Based on the notion of CU, which ensures that the read phase executes before the write phase, we present a unified framework to identify both loop parallelism and task parallelism in sequential programs. We conducted a range of experiments on 23 applications from four different benchmark suites. Our approach accurately identified the parallelization opportunities in benchmark applications based on comparison with their parallel versions. We have also parallelized the opportunities identified by our approach that were not implemented in the parallel versions of the benchmarks and reported the speedup.
An efficient SIMD compression format for sparse matrix‐vector multiplication
Authors: Chen Xinhai , Xie Peizhen , Chi Lihua , Liu Jie , Gong Chunye 
Published: June 2018

SummarySparse matrix‐vector multiplication (SpMV) is an essential kernel in sparse linear algebra and has been studied extensively on all modern processor and accelerator architectures. Compressed Sparse Row (CSR) is a frequently used format for sparse matrices storage. However, CSR‐based SpMV has poor performance on processors with vector units. In order to take full advantage of SIMD acceleration technology in SpMV, we proposed a new matrix storage format called CSR‐SIMD. The new storage format compresses the non‐zero elements into many variable‐length data fragments with consecutive memory access addresses. Thus, the data locality of sparse matrix A and dense vector x expands and the floating‐point operations for each fragment can be completely calculated by vectorized implementation on wide SIMD units. Our experimental results indicate that CSR‐SIMD has better storage efficiency and low‐overhead for format conversion. Besides, the new format achieves high scalability on wide SIMD units. In comparison with the CSR‐based and BCSR‐based SpMV, CSR‐SIMD obtains better performance on FT1500A, Intel Xeon, and Intel Xeon Phi.
Proton Spin‐Lattice Relaxation in Organic Molecular Solids: Polymorphism and the Dependence on Sample Preparation
Authors: Beckmann Peter A. , Ford Jamie , Malachowski William P. , McGhie Andrew R. , Moore Curtis E. , Rheingold Arnold L. , Sloan Gilbert J. , Szewczyk Steven T. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWe report solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance 1H spin‐lattice relaxation, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, powder X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry in solid samples of 2‐ethylanthracene (EA) and 2‐ethylanthraquinone (EAQ) that have been physically purified in different ways from the same commercial starting compounds. The solid‐state 1H spin‐lattice relaxation is always non‐exponential at high temperatures as expected when CH3 rotation is responsible for the relaxation. The 1H spin‐lattice relaxation experiments are very sensitive to the “several‐molecule” (clusters) structure of these van der Waals molecular solids. In the three differently prepared samples of EAQ, the relaxation also becomes very non‐exponential at low temperatures. This is very unusual and the decay of the nuclear magnetization can be fitted with both a stretched exponential and a double exponential. This unusual result correlates with the powder X‐ray diffractometry results and suggests that the anomalous relaxation is due to crystallites of two (or more) different polymorphs (concomitant polymorphism).
Isolation of Human Innate Lymphoid Cells
Authors: Krabbendam Lisette , Nagasawa Maho , Spits Hergen , Bal Suzanne M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractInnate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are innate immune cells of lymphoid origin that have important effector and regulatory functions in the first line of defense against pathogens, but also regulate tissue homeostasis, remodeling, and repair. Their function mirrors T helper cells and cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes, but they lack expression of rearranged antigen‐specific receptors. Distinct ILC subsets are classified in group 1 ILCs (ILC1s), group 2 ILCs (ILC2s), and group 3 ILCs (ILC3s and lymphoid tissue–inducer cells), based on the expression of transcription factors and the cytokines they produce. As the frequency of ILCs is low, their isolation requires extensive depletion of other cell types. The lack of unique cell surface antigens further complicates the identification of these cells. Here, methods for ILC isolation and characterization from human peripheral blood and different tissues are described. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Auto‐Crosslinked Rigid Foams Derived from Biorefinery Byproducts
Authors: Tosi Pierluigi , van Klink Gerard P. M. , Celzard Alain , Fierro Vanessa , Vincent Luc , de Jong Ed , Mija Alice 
Published: June 2018

AbstractA new macroporous foam‐like material is presented based on autocross‐linking humins, an industrial biorefinery byproduct. Humins foams are obtained by a simple heating process, without any pretreatment and with high control of morphology, porosity, and carbon content. Untreated humins have been characterized by GC, ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), elemental analysis, and FTIR, whereas the mechanism of foaming was elucidated by a combination of thermal and rheological analyses. A preliminary screening of conditions was conducted to identify the parameters controlling this foaming process. A foam was produced in a controlled way with open and/or closed cells with cell diameters between 0.2 and 3.5 mm. Humins foams were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, nitrogen adsorption, pycnometry, and mechanical tests. The results show that, based on humins, it is possible to obtain porous materials with controlled architectures and a range of parameters that can be tailored, depending on the foreseen applications.
Zinc‐Coordinated Nitrogen‐Codoped Graphene as an Efficient Catalyst for Selective Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to CO
Authors: Chen Zhipeng , Mou Kaiwen , Yao Shunyu , Liu Licheng 
Published: June 2018

AbstractElectrochemical reduction of CO2 to value‐added chemicals by using renewable electricity offers a promising strategy to deal with rising CO2 emission and the energy crisis. Single‐site zinc‐coordinated nitrogen‐codoped graphene (Zn–N–G) catalyzes the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO. The Zn–N–G catalyst exhibits excellent intrinsic activity toward CO2 reduction, reaching a faradaic efficiency of 91 % for CO production at a low overpotential of 0.39 V. X‐ray absorption fine structure and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy both confirm the presence of isolated Zn–Nx moieties, which act as the key active sites for CO formation. DFT calculations reveal the origin of enhanced activity for CO2 reduction on Zn–N–G catalysts. This work provide further understanding of the active centers on transition metal–nitrogen–carbon (M–N–C) catalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO.
Renewable Isohexide‐Based, Hydrolytically Degradable Poly(silyl ether)s with High Thermal Stability
Authors: Vijjamarri Srikanth , Hull Marianne , Kolodka Edward , Du Guodong 
Published: June 2018

AbstractSeveral degradable poly(silyl ether)s (PSEs) have been synthesized by dehydrogenative cross‐coupling between bio‐based 1,4:3,6‐dianhydrohexitols (isosorbide and isomannide) and commercially available hydrosilanes. An air‐stable manganese salen nitrido complex [MnVN(salen‐3,5‐tBu2)] was employed as the catalyst. High‐molecular‐weight polymer was obtained from isosorbide and diphenylsilane (Mn up to 17000 g mol−1). Thermal analysis showed that these PSEs possessed high thermal stability with thermal decomposition temperatures (T−5 %) of 347–446 °C and glass transition temperatures of 42–120 °C. Structure–property analysis suggested that steric bulk and molecular weight have a significant influence to determine the thermal properties of synthesized polymers. Importantly, these polymers were degraded effectively to small molecules under acidic and basic hydrolysis conditions.
Plant community response to switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) population source in establishing prairies
Authors: Flint Shelby A. , Jordan Nicholas R. , Shaw Ruth G. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractEcological restoration and revegetation efforts entail the translocation of native plant populations. Risks associated with these efforts include failure of translocated populations to establish or, conversely, such strong establishment that they excessively dominate the recipient community. The role that selective breeding plays in mediating these risks is unclear but of increasing importance as efforts to restore and establish multifunctional grasslands also increase. In a three‐year, spatially replicated study, we seeded experimental prairie communities with either domesticated (cultivar) or undomesticated strains of Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), a North American C4 species under development as a biomass crop. We evaluated the composition, performance, and diversity of the recipient plant communities and compared the performance of cultivar and undomesticated switchgrass in those communities. We found little evidence that switchgrass population source affected community response. Switchgrass cultivars modestly exceeded undomesticated strains with respect to stand establishment, third‐year stand density, and aboveground biomass; effect size and significance differed among sites. Our results suggest that including cultivars in ecological restorations and multifunctional grasslands may enhance success of switchgrass establishment with little risk of impairing the composition or diversity of plant communities for up to three years, as reflected in the measures used here. However, the incorporation of undomesticated switchgrass into multifunctional grasslands may enhance landscape‐scale genetic variation and mitigate risks associated with gene flow between translocated and local wild switchgrass populations; more research on these dynamics is needed.
Effects of reverse seasonal submersion on the germination and persistence of soil seed banks in hydro‐fluctuation belts
Authors: Ma Yanran , Chen Fangqing , Chen Shaohua , Guan Shoupeng , Chen Chen 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe construction of the Three Gorges Dam has resulted in the occurrence of reverse seasonal water‐level fluctuations. The species composition and quantity of riparian soil seed banks collected from four hydro‐fluctuation belts were assessed by simulating different submersion cycles to determine the effects of reverse seasonal water‐level fluctuations on the germination and persistence of soil seed banks in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. Results showed the number of species that germinated from the soil seed bank decreased with submersion. The number of germinated seeds in soil seed banks after submersion for 7 months in Xingshan, Zigui, Wanzhou, and Zhongxian decreased by 60%, 53%, 57%, and 57%, respectively, relative to the control. The species diversity index and seed density of germinated seeds in soil seed banks also significantly decreased with prolongation of submersion time. Seed density decreased by 93%, 83%, 76%, and 72%, respectively, after 7 months of submersion. Species composition and dominance within the soil seed bank changed over time due to submersion. In general, reverse seasonal submersion negatively impacts the germination and persistence of soil seed banks. The response of soil seed bank germination and persistence to reverse seasonal submersion became the key factor determining the heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of the soil seed bank in hydro‐fluctuation belts due to the large differences in submersion time between areas at various elevations.
The cooler the better? Indirect effect of spring–summer temperature on fecundity in a capital breeder
Authors: Corlatti Luca , Gugiatti Alessandro , Ferrari Nicola , Formenti Nicoletta , Trogu Tiziana , Pedrotti Luca 
Published: June 2018

AbstractFemale reproductive performance is a central component of ungulate population dynamics, and it can be influenced by individual, social, and environmental factors. Researchers have often assumed direct effects of different predictors on reproduction, yet more complex relationships should be considered when investigating temporal variations in life‐history traits within a broader eco‐evolutionary context. In this study, we explored direct effects of individual, social, and environmental predictors on female reproductive performance and investigated potential causal chains among variables. We analyzed the variation in fecundity, measured as the probability of being pregnant, in 215 adult female deer Cervus elaphus culled on the Italian Alps, with respect to age, body mass, kidney fat, jaw length, lactation status, population size, temperature and precipitation in spring–summer, temperature and snow depth in winter, and the delayed effect of spring–summer temperature. We used random forest and logistic regression models to select variables whose direct effects best explained variation in fecundity. Path analysis was used to test for alternative hypotheses of direct/indirect effects between pre‐selected weather (spring–summer temperature) and individual (age, kidney fat index [KFI]) predictors. The most important direct predictors of fecundity were age, kidney fat, and the interaction between kidney fat and spring–summer temperature. Path analysis supported the hypothesis that higher spring–summer temperature had negative, indirect effects on the probability of being pregnant, mediated by decreasing values of KFI. Our study revealed some complex, cause–effect relationships between weather stochasticity, body condition, and reproduction, possibly suggesting a conditional trade‐off between opportunity for reproduction and survival, and emphasizing how environmental variations and individual characteristics may interact to shape life‐history traits in ungulate populations.