bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Layered Oxide Cathodes for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: Phase Transition, Air Stability, and Performance
Authors: Wang Peng‐Fei , You Ya , Yin Ya‐Xia , Guo Yu‐Guo 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe increasing demand for replacing conventional fossil fuels with clean energy or economical and sustainable energy storage drives better battery research today. Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as a promising alternative for grid‐scale storage applications due to their similar “rocking‐chair” sodium storage mechanism to lithium‐ion batteries, the natural abundance, and the low cost of Na resources. Searching for appropriate electrode materials with acceptable electrochemical performance is the key point for development of SIBs. Layered transition metal oxides represent one of the most fascinating electrode materials owing to their superior specific capacity, environmental benignity, and facile synthesis. However, three major challenges (irreversible phase transition, storage instability, and insufficient battery performance) are known for cathodes in SIBs. Herein, a comprehensive review on the latest advances and progresses in the exploration of layered oxides for SIBs is presented, and a detailed and deep understanding of the relationship of phase transition, air stability, and electrochemical performance in layered oxide cathodes is provided in terms of refining the structure–function–property relationship to design improved battery materials. Layered oxides will be a competitive and attractive choice as cathodes for SIBs in next‐generation energy storage devices.
Investigation of the abnormal nasal aerodynamics and trigeminal functions among empty nose syndrome patients
Authors: Li Chengyu , Farag Alexander A. , Maza Guillermo , McGhee Sam , Ciccone Michael A. , Deshpande Bhakthi , Pribitkin Edmund A. , Otto Bradley A. , Zhao Kai 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundAbnormal nasal aerodynamics or trigeminal functions have been frequently implicated in the symptomology of empty nose syndrome (ENS), yet with limited evidence.MethodsIndividual computed tomography (CT)‐based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was applied to 27 ENS patients to simulate their nasal aerodynamics and compared with 42 healthy controls. Patients’ symptoms were confirmed with Empty Nose Syndrome 6‐item Questionnaire (ENS6Q), 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22), and Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scores. Nasal trigeminal sensitivity was measured with menthol lateralization detection thresholds (LDTs).ResultsENS patients had significantly lower (∼25.7%) nasal resistance and higher (∼2.8 times) cross‐sectional areas compared to healthy controls (both p < 0.001). Despite inferior turbinate reductions, CFD analysis demonstrated that ENS patients had increased airflow concentrated in the middle meatus region (66.5% ± 18.3%) compared to healthy controls (49.9% ± 15.1%, p < 0.0001). Significantly less airflow (25.8% ± 17.6%) and lower peak wall shear stress (WSS) (0.58 ± 0.24 Pa) were found in the inferior meatus (vs healthy: 36.5% ± 15.9%; 1.18 ± 0.81 Pa, both p < 0.05), with the latter significantly correlated with the symptom scores of ENS6Q (r = −0.398, p = 0.003). Item‐wise, complaints of “suffocation” and “nose feels too open” were also found to be significantly correlated with peak WSS around the inferior turbinate (r = −0.295, p = 0.031; and r = −0.388, p = 0.004, respectively). These correlations were all negative, indicating that less air‐mucosal stimulations resulted in worse symptom scores. ENS patients (n = 12) also had impaired menthol LDT when compared to healthy controls (p < 0.0001).ConclusionThis is the first CFD examination of nasal aerodynamics in a large cohort of ENS patients. The results indicated that a combination of loss of neural sensitivity and poorer inferior air‐mucosal stimulation may potentially lead to ENS symptomology.
Impact of Flue Gas Compounds on Microalgae and Mechanisms for Carbon Assimilation and Utilization
Authors: Vuppaladadiyam Arun K. , Yao Joseph G. , Florin Nicholas , George Anthe , Wang Xiaoxiong , Labeeuw Leen , Jiang Yuelu , Davis Ryan W. , Abbas Ali , Ralph Peter , Fennell Paul S. , Zhao Ming 
Published: November 2017

AbstractTo shift the world to a more sustainable future, it is necessary to phase out the use of fossil fuels and focus on the development of low‐carbon alternatives. However, this transition has been slow, so there is still a large dependence on fossil‐derived power, and therefore, carbon dioxide is released continuously. Owing to the potential for assimilating and utilizing carbon dioxide to generate carbon‐neutral products, such as biodiesel, the application of microalgae technology to capture CO2 from flue gases has gained significant attention over the past decade. Microalgae offer a more sustainable source of biomass, which can be converted into energy, over conventional fuel crops because they grow more quickly and do not adversely affect the food supply. This review focuses on the technical feasibility of combined carbon fixation and microalgae cultivation for carbon reuse. A range of different carbon metabolisms and the impact of flue gas compounds on microalgae are appraised. Fixation of flue gas carbon dioxide is dependent on the selected microalgae strain and on flue gas compounds/concentrations. Additionally, current pilot‐scale demonstrations of microalgae technology for carbon dioxide capture are assessed and its future prospects are discussed. Practical implementation of this technology at an industrial scale still requires significant research, which necessitates multidisciplinary research and development to demonstrate its viability for carbon dioxide capture from flue gases at the commercial level.
Anionic Redox Chemistry in Polysulfide Electrode Materials for Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Grayfer Ekaterina D. , Pazhetnov Egor M. , Kozlova Mariia N. , Artemkina Sofya B. , Fedorov Vladimir E. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractClassical Li‐ion battery technology is based on the insertion of lithium ions into cathode materials involving metal (cationic) redox reactions. However, this vision is now being reconsidered, as many new‐generation electrode materials with enhanced reversible capacities operate through combined cationic and anionic (non‐metal) reversible redox processes or even exclusively through anionic redox transformations. Anionic participation in the redox reactions is observed in materials with more pronounced covalency, which is less typical for oxides, but quite common for phosphides or chalcogenides. In this Concept, we would like to draw the reader's attention to this new idea, especially, as it applies to transition‐metal polychalcogenides, such as FeS2, VS4, TiS3, NbS3, TiS4, MoS3, etc., in which the key role is played by the (S−S)2−/2 S2− redox reaction. The exploration and better understanding of the anion‐driven chemistry is important for designing advanced materials for battery and other energy‐related applications.
Micelle‐Assisted Electrodeposition of Mesoporous Fe–Pt Smooth Thin Films and their Electrocatalytic Activity towards the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Isarain‐Chávez Eloy , Baró Maria Dolors , Alcantara Carlos , Pané Salvador , Sort Jordi , Pellicer Eva 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMesoporous Fe–Pt thin films are obtained by micelle‐assisted electrodeposition onto metallic substrates with dissimilar activity (namely, gold, copper, and aluminum seed layers evaporated on Si/Ti) under constant applied potential (E=−1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl) and deposition time (600 s). The amphiphilic triblock copolymer Pluronic P‐123 is used as a soft template to guide the formation of mesopores. The occurrence of pores (ca. 7 nm in diameter) with narrow size distribution, distributed evenly over the surface, is observed in all cases. Despite the applied conditions being the same, the roughness and the amount of Fe incorporated in the films are influenced by the nature of the substrate. In particular, ultra‐smooth films containing a larger amount of Fe (21 wt %) are obtained when deposition takes place on the Au surface. X‐ray diffraction analyses reveal that Pt and Fe are alloyed to a certain extent, although some iron oxides/hydroxides also unavoidably form. The resulting films have been tested as electrocatalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media. The mesoporous Fe‐rich Fe–Pt films on Au show excellent HER activity and cyclability.
Stripping flow cytometry: How many detectors do we need for bacterial identification?
Authors: Rubbens Peter , Props Ruben , Garcia‐Timermans Cristina , Boon Nico , Waegeman Willem 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMulticolor approaches are challenging for microbial flow cytometry; as flow cytometers are mainly developed for biomedical applications, modern instruments contain more detectors than needed. Some of these additional fluorescence detectors measure biological information due to spectral overlap, yet the extent to which this information is relevant for the identification of bacterial populations is ambiguous. In this paper we characterize the usefulness of these additional detectors. We propose a data‐driven detector selection method to select the smallest subset of detectors that will optimally discriminate between bacterial populations. Using a detector elimination strategy, we show that one or more detectors can be removed without loss of resolving power. A number of additional detectors are included in the final subset, which help to improve the identification of bacterial populations. Experimental data were retrieved from two types of modern cytometers with different configurations. The method reveals a clear ordering of detector importances, which depends on the instrument from which the data were retrieved. In addition, we were able to pinpoint unexpected behavior of SYBR Green I in the red spectrum. As the field of microbial flow cytometry is maturing, these results motivate the construction of a different kind of cytometric instruments for microbiologists, for which the number of detectors is reduced, but tailored toward the characteristics of microbial experiments. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
From patches to richness: assessing the potential impact of landscape transformation on biodiversity
Authors: Arnillas Carlos Alberto , Tovar Carolina , Cadotte Marc W. , Buytaert Wouter 
Published: November 2017

AbstractNatural patchiness and human fragmentation result in habitats that are not continuously distributed. How spatial configuration of patches in fragmented habitats influences biodiversity remains largely controversial. Here, we propose a framework to extend the species–area relationship (SAR) approach to analyze how changes in habitat configuration affect species richness in fragmented habitats. We use hypothetical communities that are characterized by (1) their tolerance to human activities, (2) the dispersal capability of the individuals of any species, (3) the SAR, and (4) the species turnover among patches. Further, the species turnover is a function of (4a) the predictability of species survival and (4b) the species recolonization odds. In our framework, we identify three extreme communities that encompass the richness of all potential different communities, and thus encapsulate the richness of real communities. We propose a graph to visualize the effect of different patch sizes on species richness, an index to quantify those changes, and a second graph using the index to visualize the effect of distance between patches on species richness. After applying our framework and tools to the Tropical Andes, we found strong differences in the impact of natural vs. human‐driven fragmentation on richness between biomes. When projecting future richness values under climate change scenarios, the largest sources of uncertainty in our richness calculation (>90%) were species turnover among patches and species dispersal for most of the biomes rather than future climate or species tolerance to human activities. Habitat loss consistently decreased the species richness; however, fragmentation per se often increased it. The increment was mostly linked to the species turnover rate among patches. Our framework is a new theoretical tool to study the main patterns that underlie regional richness and therefore can provide new insights to face spatial habitat reconfiguration caused by human activities.
How do firm political connections impact foreign acquisitions? The effects of decision makers' political and firm embeddedness
Authors: Albino‐Pimentel João , Anand Rahul , Dussauge Pierre 
Published: November 2017

Research Summary: We examine how firm political connections established through the political embeddedness of senior decision makers affect firms' foreign acquisition strategies. We argue that such political embeddedness affects the mental models of decision makers and, in turn, influences their preferences for particular strategies. We propose that political embeddedness leads to the formation of mental models that favor foreign acquisition strategies. We further argue that the firm embeddedness of politically embedded decision makers alters their mental models, thereby mitigating their inclination for such strategies. We find evidence consistent with our mental models explanation using a sample of foreign acquisitions made by French publicly traded firms during the 2009–2014 period. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which political connections impact global strategy.Managerial Summary: We investigate how firm political connections affect firms' foreign acquisition strategies. We argue that when firms have top decision makers with close connections to the government, they will make more foreign acquisitions. We further argue that this inclination toward foreign acquisitions is driven primarily by nonexecutive board members, with politically connected executives appearing to be more reluctant to engage in such strategies. We find evidence consistent with these ideas when examining foreign acquisitions made by French publicly traded firms managed by graduates of the prestigious ENA government school, which trains many government and senior civil servants in France.
Combinatorial Libraries Reloaded[1]
Authors: Reetz Manfred T. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis essay constitutes a personal assessment of two quite different projects that the author has initiated during the last two decades, both involving combinatorial libraries of catalysts. The first encounter with combinatorial catalysis involved the use of a mixture of two different monodentate ligands in asymmetric transition metal catalysis, especially when one ligand is chiral and the other achiral. The reason for abandoning this approach as a research topic, although (industrially) successful, is outlined herein. The second and distinctly more significant approach concerns the directed evolution of stereo‐ and regioselective enzymes as catalysts in organic chemistry. It is not only a prolific source of catalysts for a variety of synthetically useful selective transformations, but has also produced several fundamentally important insights. The lessons learned include mechanistic intricacies of enzyme catalysis as well insights regarding cooperative mutational effects which are distinctly more than additive. The Darwinian approach to generating stereoselective enzymes is compared with evolution as it occurs in Nature.
Application of kartogenin for musculoskeletal regeneration
Authors: Im Gun‐Il 
Published: November 2017

AbstractKartogenin (KGN) is a recently characterized small molecule that promotes the selective differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes, and thus, KGN stimulates cartilage regeneration. KGN also possess chondro‐protective effect. Furthermore, because it is a highly stable small molecule, KGN can be stored and transported at room temperature. These obvious superiorities over peptide growth factors make KGN a desirable chondrogenic agent for cartilage regeneration. Since its discovery, KGN has drawn much attention as a new chondrogenic drug for intraarticular (IA) treatment. Although it was originally developed with a focus on OA, it has been used to treat other conditions and to promote disc and bone‐tendon junction regeneration. Our group has also developed several formulations for IA delivery of KGN including KGN‐conjugated chitosan nano/microparticles, thermo‐responsive polymeric nanospheres based on chitosan oligosaccharide conjugated pluronic F127, and hyluronate hydrogels containing polyethylene glycol (PEG/KGN) micelles. This review was undertaken to summarize current research on the action mechanism of KGN and the various formulations described in the literature that induce musculoskeletal regeneration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1141–1148, 2018.
Electro‐optic Polymer Ring Resonator Modulator on a Flat Silicon‐on‐Insulator
Authors: Qiu Feng , Spring Andrew M. , Hong Jianxun , Miura Hiroki , Kashino Tsubasa , Kikuchi Takamasa , Ozawa Masaaki , Nawata Hideyuki , Odoi Keisuke , Yokoyama Shiyoshi 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOptical polymers are a promising material of choice in the development of hybrid silicon photonics devices. Particularly, recent progress in electro‐optic (EO) active polymers has shown a strong Pockels effect. A ring resonator modulator is a vital building block for practical applications, such as signal processing, routing, and monitoring. However, the properties of the hybrid silicon and EO polymer ring modulators are still far from their theoretical limits. Here, we demonstrate a unique design of a hybrid ring resonator modulator simply located onto a silicon‐on‐insulator (SOI) substrate. Extra doping and etching of the SOI wafer is not required, even so we measured an in‐device electro‐optic coefficient r33 = 129 pm/V. The ring modulator exhibited a high sensitivity of the electrically tunable resonance, which enabled a 3 dB bandwidth of up to 18 GHz. The proposed technique will enable efficient mass‐production of the micro‐footprint modulators and promote the development of integrated silicon photonics.
Tunable Visible Cloaking Using Liquid Diffusion
Authors: Zhu Xiaoqiang , Liang Li , Zuo Yunfeng , Zhang Xuming , Yang Yi 
Published: November 2017

AbstractA method is introduced for the design of invisibility cloaks inspired by fluid dynamics that is different from traditional transformation optics. The inhomogeneous refractive index of the liquid cloak controlled by the natural liquid diffusion is analogous to its counterpart designed by transformation optics. Here, a tunable liquid visible cloak is experimentally presented by the natural diffusion of miscible flows. This method avoids the use of complex nanostructures in its solid counterpart, and provides a simple and low‐cost approach. This implies that optofluidics can be used as a technology to make real‐time reconfigurable transformation optic devices.
A transposon mutant library of Bacillus cereus ATCC 10987 reveals novel genes required for biofilm formation and implicates motility as an important factor for pellicle‐biofilm formation
Authors: Okshevsky Mira , Louw Matilde Greve , Lamela Elena Otero , Nilsson Martin , Tolker‐Nielsen Tim , Meyer Rikke Louise 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBacillus cereus is one of the most common opportunistic pathogens causing foodborne illness, as well as a common source of contamination in the dairy industry. B. cereus can form robust biofilms on food processing surfaces, resulting in food contamination due to shedding of cells and spores. Despite the medical and industrial relevance of this species, the genetic basis of biofilm formation in B. cereus is not well studied. In order to identify genes required for biofilm formation in this bacterium, we created a library of 5000 + transposon mutants of the biofilm‐forming strain B. cereusATCC 10987, using an unbiased mariner transposon approach. The mutant library was screened for the ability to form a pellicle biofilm at the air‐media interface, as well as a submerged biofilm at the solid‐media interface. A total of 91 genes were identified as essential for biofilm formation. These genes encode functions such as chemotaxis, amino acid metabolism and cellular repair mechanisms, and include numerous genes not previously known to be required for biofilm formation. Although the majority of disrupted genes are not directly responsible for motility, further investigations revealed that the vast majority of the biofilm‐deficient mutants were also motility impaired. This observation implicates motility as a pivotal factor in the formation of a biofilm by B. cereus. These results expand our knowledge of the fundamental molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation by B. cereus.
Pulse duration settings in subthalamic stimulation for Parkinson's disease
Authors: Steigerwald Frank , Timmermann Lars , Kühn Andrea , Schnitzler Alfons , Reich Martin M. , Kirsch Anna Dalal , Barbe Michael Thomas , Visser‐Vandewalle Veerle , Hübl Julius , van Riesen Christoph , Groiss Stefan Jun , Moldovan Alexia‐Sabine , Lin Sherry , Carcieri Stephen , Manola Ljubomir , Volkmann Jens 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTBackgroundStimulation parameters in deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus for Parkinson's disease (PD) are rarely tested in double‐blind conditions. Evidence‐based recommendations on optimal stimulator settings are needed. Results from the CUSTOM‐DBS study are reported, comparing 2 pulse durations.MethodsA total of 15 patients were programmed using a pulse width of 30 µs (test) or 60 µs (control). Efficacy and side‐effect thresholds and unified PD rating scale (UPDRS) III were measured in meds‐off (primary outcome). The therapeutic window was the difference between patients’ efficacy and side effect thresholds.ResultsThe therapeutic window was significantly larger at 30 µs than 60 µs (P = ·0009) and the efficacy (UPDRS III score) was noninferior (P = .00008).InterpretationSubthalamic neurostimulation at 30 µs versus 60 µs pulse width is equally effective on PD motor signs, is more energy efficient, and has less likelihood of stimulation‐related side effects. © 2017 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Technical Note: Response time evolution of XR‐QA2 GafChromic™ film models
Authors: Aldelaijan Saad , Tomic Nada , Papaconstadopoulos Pavlos , Schneider James , Seuntjens Jan , Shih Shelley , Lewis David , Devic Slobodan 
Published: November 2017

PurposeTo evaluate the response of the newest XR‐QA2 GafChromic™ film model in terms of postexposure signal growth and energy response in comparison with the older XR‐QA (Version 2) model.MethodsPieces of film were irradiated to air kerma in air values up to 12 cGy with several beam qualities (5.3–8.25 mm Al) commonly used for CT scanning. Film response was scored in terms of net reflectance from scanned film images at various points in time postirradiation ranging from 1 to 7 days and 5 months postexposure. To reconstruct the measurement signal changes with postirradiation delay, we irradiated one film piece and then scanned it at different point times starting from 2" min and up to 3 days postexposure.ResultsFor all beam qualities and dose range investigated, it appears that the XR‐QA2 film signal completely saturated after 15 h. Compared to 15 h postirradiation scanning time, the observed variation in net reflectance were 3%, 2%, and 1% for film scanned 2" min, 20 min, and 3 h after exposure, respectively, which is well within the measurement uncertainty of the XR‐QA2 based reference radiochromic film dosimetry system. A comparison between the XR‐QA (Version 2) and the XR‐QA2 film response after several months (relative to their responses after 24 h) show differences in up to 8% and 1% for each film model respectively.ConclusionsThe replacement of cesium bromide in the older XR‐QA (Version 2) film model with bismuth oxide in the newer XR‐QA2 film, while keeping the same single sensitive layer structure, lead to a significantly more stable postexposure response.