DOI,journal,abstract,labels
10.1016#j.proeng.2014.10.065.xml,Procedia Engineering,Within this analysis a combination of shearing and bending is designed and carried out. Out of sheared blanks specimens for an air bending test are conducted and subjected to a bending load under a systematic variation of process determining parameters. It is shown that especially the position of the fracture area caused by blanking in the bending area of tensile stresses leads to a significant increase of the edge crack sensitivity and thus has to be considered as an important interaction of the two processes. Also a strong influence of the material anisotropy on the occurring damage and failure is detected.,0
10.1016#j.ijrefrig.2016.11.008.xml,International Journal of Refrigeration,"This paper presents experimental data for the density, solubility, viscosity and capillary constant for solutions of the natural refrigerant isobutane (R600a) with mineral compressor oil and nanoparticles Al2O3 and TiO2 over a wide range of temperatures and concentrations. Based on obtained information for the capillary constant, the surface tension of the solutions isobutane/mineral oil/Al2O3 nanoparticles and isobutane/mineral oil/TiO2 nanoparticles is determined. SP-QSPR (Scaling Principles–Quantitative Structure Property Relationship) model has been successfully applied for fitting the experimental data obtained for solutions of isobutane with mineral compressor oil and nanoparticles Al2O3 and TiO2. It was shown that the nanoparticle additives lead to increase of the viscosity and reduce surface tension of the refrigerant/oil solutions.",0
10.1016#j.applthermaleng.2013.06.055.xml,Applied Thermal Engineering,"An optical differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) system was used in studying the thermal properties of phase change material (PCM). In this study, several typical PCMs were studied on its thermal properties by the optical DSC system. These PCMs are sodium sulfate (Na2SO4·10H2O), paraffin, n-octadecane, and the paraffin/n-octadecane composites at different mass ratios. The thermal properties and micro-structure change of these PCMs were mainly investigated. The results showed that for Na2SO4·10H2O, paraffin and n-octadecane, the measured phase change temperatures and enthalpies appeared no large relative deviation (<5%) from the theoretic values. A high measurement accuracy of the optical DSC system has been obtained and concluded from the experimental results. For the paraffin/n-octadecane composites, the measured phase change temperatures appeared to be lower than that of paraffin, and could be adjusted from 24.2 °C to 49.6 °C by changing the mass fractions of n-octadecane. The lowest eutectic temperature was obtained at the mass fraction 40% of n-octadecane. The measured phase change enthalpies, however, appeared no large variation between 186.4 J/g (paraffin) and 230.5 J/g (n-octadecane). And according to the micro-photos before and after phase change, n-octadecane existed as crystal particles which disappeared with increasing temperature and finally combined with the paraffin matrix.",0
10.1016#j.mtcomm.2020.101665.xml,Materials Today Communications,"Spinel-type Fe2SiO4 has been one of the materials receiving much attention in the field of new spintronics and optoelectronics materials, due to its promising physical properties of high transparency achieved experimentally. In this research, we systematically investigate the structural stabilities, elastic, optical and magnetic, properties of Fe2SiO4 spinel using the first-principles theory within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA + U frameworks. With the GGA + U method, Fe2SiO4 is shown to be stable for both spin-up and down calculations. Furthermore, incorporating the Hubbard correction parameter due to the localized Fe-3d electrons produced the bandgap value to be close to available experimental data. Our result reveals additional information on Fe2SiO4 spinel which is useful for molecular magnet and spintronics devices.",1
10.1016#S0030-4018(97)00624-X.xml,Optics Communications,We present a new approach for multi-layered high-density optical storage using transparent dielectric films. The proposed scheme encodes the digital bits in the storage layer by varying its optical thickness and recovers the signal by performing differential interference between two probe beams that traverse two adjacent data bits. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by scanning two focused laser spots across the edge of an optical step and analysing the interference pattern using a matched grating filter. The system's sectioning capability which permits multi-layered data recovery has also been demonstrated by scanning a stack of two such optical steps. The use of dual probe interference offers the advantage of inherent vibration isolation as both beams pass through a common path except at the focal region where the storage medium is positioned.,1
10.1016#j.sna.2008.04.008.xml,Sensors and Actuators A: Physical,"In-service structural health monitoring (SHM) of engineering structures has assumed a significant role in assessing their safety and integrity. Fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors have emerged as a reliable, in situ, non-destructive tool for monitoring, diagnostics and control in civil structures. The versatility of FBG sensors represents a key advantage over other technologies in the structural sensing field. In this article, the recent research and development activities in structural health monitoring using FBG sensors have been critically reviewed, highlighting the areas where further work is needed. A few packaging schemes for FBG strain sensors are also discussed. Finally a few limitations and market barriers associated with the use of these sensors have been addressed.",1
10.1016#j.micromeso.2003.11.011.xml,Microporous and Mesoporous Materials,"Transparent mesoporous silica films were successfully prepared by spin-coating on silicon wafers at room temperature. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the films indicate that both hexagonal and cubic mesoporous films can be formed by varying the surfactant to silicon mole ratio. These films have reasonable thermal stability and are calcinable up to 670 °C and crack free when thickness is less than 0.5 μm. The calcined films have a thickness of 433±2 nm as measured by cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy. Methylphenothiazine was incorporated into the mesoporous silica films and after photoionization by ultraviolet light, the radical cation photoproduced was characterized by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Erbium 8-hydroxyquinolinate was incorporated into the mesoporous silica films and the mesoporous silica films with incorporated Er(III) were characterized by photoluminescence and isothermal nitrogen physisorption studies. The characteristics of the silica films were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and isothermal nitrogen physisorption.",1
10.1016#j.jallcom.2019.02.277.xml,Journal of Alloys and Compounds,"Oxy-fluoro tellurophosphate glasses with molar composition (40-x)P2O5-20TeO2-20ZnF2-20RO-xEu2O3 (where R = Ca, Sr, and Ba and x = 1) were prepared by melt quenching technique. The structural, optical, and photoluminescent properties were studied for the prepared glass. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) studies revealed the presence of poly-phosphate structure and maximum depolymerization was observed for BaO network modifier mixed glass. The band gap and Urbach energy values were calculated based on the absorption spectra. The intense emission peak was observed at 613 nm (5D0→7F2) under the excitation of 392 nm, which matches well with the emission of commercial near ultraviolet (n-UV) LED chips. The highest emission intensity and quantum efficiency were observed for BaO network modifier mixed glass. Based on these results, BaO network modifier glass samples with molar composition (40-x)P2O5-20TeO2-20ZnF2-20BaO-xEu2O3 (x = 3, 5, 7, and 9) were prepared to optimize the emission intensity. The optimized doping concentration of Eu2O3 was 5 mol% and the Commission International de l’Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates fall in the red region. The interaction among Eu3+ ions was dipole-dipole in nature, which was confirmed by Dexter theory and Inokuti-Hirayama (I-H) model. The above results suggest the applicability of the glass as a potential red photoluminescent material in photonic devices.",1
10.1016#j.rcim.2018.04.006.xml,Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing,"We describe OpenLMD, a novel open-source toolkit for on-line multimodal monitoring and process control of Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). Building on existing open-source libraries (e.g. ROS, OpenCV, PCL), it enables the orchestration and virtualization of a robot cell for LMD and laser materials processing in general. It allows fast and intuitive process programming and planning, easy integration of multiple sensors and equipment, real-time process control, process virtualization and advanced visualization, and web-based interoperability. The approach adopted presents clear advantages in terms of scalability, and multimodal monitoring and data sharing capabilities. OpenLMD speeds up the deployment of laser metal deposition cells that feature CAD-based programming, advanced monitoring and control functionalities, and high interoperability. Its adoption allows focusing on a specific problem, without giving away functionalities that are important for performance demonstration. It facilitates collaborative research and the creation of datasets and benchmarks, in close-to-industrial settings. The ultimate goal is to enable working solutions for fully automated 3D printing of large metal parts, the challenging objective of many recent efforts on process modelling, monitoring, and control.",1
10.1016#0008-6215(94)00249-F.xml,Carbohydrate Research,"The characterization of the main composite sugars of commercial gelling red algae galactans (agarose, iota and kappa carrageenans) by methanolysis and separation of the methyl glycosides produced by high performance liquid chromatography is described. The methanolysis (methanolic hydrochloric acid strength, temperature, and reaction time) was optimized in order to release monosaccharides in near quantitative yield. The results were compared to those obtained by (1) gas chromatography of the alditol acetates of the neutral sugars released by acid hydrolysis and (2) specific colorimetric determination of the acid-labile 3,6-anhydrogalactosyl residue. Conditions such as methanolic 0.125 M HCl for 1 h at 85°C were sufficient to release all of the galactosidic and 3,6-anhydrogalactosidic bonds for iota carrageenan without apparent degradation of the anhydrogalactosyl unit. However, with the same conditions, the yields of 3,6-anhydrogalactosyl residues were 80 and 70% for kappa carrageenan and agarose, respectively. These yields were not improved by stronger conditions. At the opposite extreme, under very mild methanolysis conditions such as methanolic 0.01 M HCl at 100°C for 1 h, agars and gelling carrageenans were well differentiated by the respective determination of agarobiose- and carrabiose-dimethyl acetal which are well-separated on octadecyl reversed phase HPLC columns with water as eluent.",0
10.1016#j.sab.2006.09.006.xml,Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy,"A fast and simple method using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence has been developed for the determination of platinum plasma concentrations of patients undergoing chemotherapy with Pt-bearing drugs. Avoiding chemical digestion, micro liter amounts of blood plasma are employed using Compton peak standardization and the use of matrix-matched spiked samples with known amounts of platinum for spectrometer sensitivity determination. The analytical results with the proposed procedure are compared to values obtained with Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry obtaining values of comparable accuracy and precision. Measurements of the time course of the Pt plasma concentration in single-dose treatments, and of the achieved plasma concentration of multiple infusion treatments demonstrate the potential usefulness of the method for pharmacokinetic studies or for routine optimization of Pt chemotherapy treatments.",1
10.1016#j.ajps.2019.12.001.xml,Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences,"Antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) can directly interfere a series of biological events of the target RNA derived from tumor cells through Watson-Crick base pairing, in turn, plays antitumor therapeutic roles. In the study, a novel HIF-1α ASODN-loaded nanocomposite was formulated to efficiently deliver gene to the target RNA. The physicochemical properties of nanocomposite were characterized using TEM, FTIR, DLS and zeta potentials. The mean diameter of resulting GEL-DGL-FA-ASODN-DCA nanocomposite was about 170–192 nm, and according to the agarose gel retardation assay, the loading amount of ASODN accounted for 166.7 mg/g. The results of cellular uptake showed that the nanocomposite could specifically target to HepG2 and Hela cells. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the toxicity of vectors was greatly reduced by using DCA to reversibly block the cationic DGL. The subcellular distribution images clearly displayed the lysosomal escape ability of the DCA-modified nanocomposite. In vitro exploration of molecular mechanism indicated that the nanocomposite could inhibit mRNA expression and HIF-1α protein translation at different levels. In vivo optical images and quantitative assay testified that the formulation accumulated preferentially in the tumor tissue. In vivo antitumor efficacy research confirmed that this nanocomposite had significant antitumor activity and the tumor inhibitory rate was 77.99%. These results manifested that the GEL-DGL-FA-ASODN-DCA nanocomposite was promising in gene therapeutics for antitumor by interacting directly with target RNA.",0
10.1007#s10044-016-0592-5.html,Pattern Analysis and Applications,"Under study is an application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to landmine detection problem. We focus on the detection of antitank mines carried out in the 3D GPR images, so-called C-scans, by means of a machine learning approach. In that approach, we particularly pursue a technique for fast extraction of image features based on an initial calculation of multiple integral images. This allows later to calculate each feature in constant time, regardless of the scanning window position and size. The features we study are statistical moments formulated in their 3D variant. We present a comparison of detection results for different sizes and parameterizations of feature sets. All results are obtained from a prototype GPR system of our original construction in terms of both hardware and software.",0
10.1016#0038-1101(93)90056-V.xml,Solid-State Electronics,"This paper presents a unified theoretical analysis of the hot-electron-induced n-channel MOSFET characteristic degradations. By considering both electron trapping and interface-state generation, the different degradation behaviors observed in experiments are explained. Analytical expressions for the threshold-voltage shift, the channel-mobility degradation, and the drain-current degradation are derived and verified by measuring the hot-electron induced characteristic degradations in MOS transistors with conventional thermal oxide or nitrided oxide as the gate dielectric. This study does not only provide better understanding of the hot-electron-induced degradation of the threshold voltage, channel mobility, and the drain current, but also provides a useful tool for analyzing the reliability of MOS devices and the bias stability of MOS circuits.",0
10.1016#j.physe.2011.06.009.xml,Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures,"Within tight-binding model, the band gaps of armchair and zigzag carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under both uniaxial tensile and torsional strains have been studied. It is found that the changes in band gaps of CNTs depend strongly on the strain type. The torsional strain can induce a band gap for armchair CNTs, but it has little effect on band gap of the zigzag CNTs. While the tensile strain has great effect on band gap of zigzag CNTs, but it has no effect on that of the armchair CNTs. More importantly, when both the tensile and torsional strains are simultaneously applied to the CNTs, the band gap changes of armchair CNTs are not equal to a simple sum over those induced separately by uniaxial tensile and torsional strains. There exists a cooperative effect between two kinds of strains on band gap changes of armchair CNTs. But for zigzag CNTs, the cooperative effect was not found. Analytical expressions for the band gaps of armchair and zigzag CNTs under combined uniaxial–torsional strains have been derived, which agree well with the numerical results.",0
10.1016#j.colsurfa.2006.10.025.xml,Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects,"Although the properties of mesoscopic charged complexes, originating by the self-assembling of polyions onto oppositely charged particles, are been extensively investigated, both experimentally and theoretically, less attention has been addressed towards the existence of an equilibrium cluster phase in low-density colloidal suspensions, where particles maintain their integrity and polyions act as an electrostatic glue. The self-assembling of lipidic vesicles into mesoscopic aggregates induced by polyions is a hierarchical process where, at different basic levels, aggregates arrange themselves to form superstructures, giving rise to multi-lamellar complexes or honeycomb structures in which polyions are more or less intercalated between the lipid bilayers. This reorganization becomes relevant in many biological important processes such as drug delivery. However, besides these rather complex structural rearrangements, at a lower hierarchy level, clusters formed by intact vesicles, stuck together by oppositely charged polyions, may exist. These equilibrium clusters, which we call “intermediate” aggregates, can be considered as a new class of colloids with a rich and not yet completely understood phenomenology. In this review, we will refer to a specific example and will present a well-documented experimental evidence of the formation of equilibrium clusters composed by positively charged liposomes built up by DOTAP, stuck together by a simple highly charged linear polyion (polyacrylate sodium salt). These structures, governed by a balance between long-range electrostatic repulsion and short-range attraction, give rise to the formation of relatively large, equilibrium clusters whose size and overall charge can be continuously tunable by simple environmental parameters. Under appropriate experimental conditions, in a long time limit, these liposome clusters may further evolve towards a different structural arrangement, giving account for the supramolecular structures of polyion–liposome complexes, such as those observed in DNA–lipid complexes.",0
10.1016#j.nme.2019.100697.xml,Nuclear Materials and Energy,"In this paper, stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of 0%, 5%, 10% cold-worked (CW) 321 stainless steel (321 SS) in abnormal conditions of simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary water was studied at two different slow strain rates of 4.2 × 10−6, 4.2 × 10−7. The experimental results show that with the increase of the degree of cold work, the internal grain of the sample is refined. The slip zone and deformation twins occur inside some grains. The SCC sensitivity of the strain rate of 4.2 × 10− 7 S−1 is higher than the strain rate of 4.2 × 10− 6 S−1. And the higher the degree of cold work, the higher the SCC sensitivity of the sample. Dynamic strain aging (DSA) occurs at 321 SS with different cold work degrees with a slow strain rate of 4.2 × 10− 7 S−1. DSA makes the tensile zone near the fracture of 5% CW and 10% CW samples have higher vacancy defect density, which promotes the initiation and expansion of SCC crack.",0
10.1016#j.jcrysgro.2011.07.012.xml,Journal of Crystal Growth,"TaN x  thin films were grown at temperatures ranging from 200 to 375°C using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Pentakis(dimethylamino)tantalum (PDMAT) was used as a tantalum source with either ammonia or monomethylhydrazine (MMH) as a nitrogen co-reactant. Self-limiting behaviour was observed for both ammonia and MMH processes, with growth rates of 0.6 and 0.4Å/cycle, respectively at 300°C. Films deposited using ammonia were found to have a mono-nitride stoichiometry with resistivities as low as 70mΩcm. In contrast, films deposited using MMH were found to be nitrogen rich Ta3N5 with high resistivities. A Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) was used to measure mass gain and loss during the cyclic ALD processes and the data was used in combination with medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) to elucidate the PDMAT absorption mechanisms.",0
10.1016#j.jpba.2009.10.010.xml,Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis,"The (S)-(+)-isomer of 3-isobutyl-GABA (pregabalin), the blockbuster drug in the treatment of neuropathic pain has been separated from its R isomer by cyclodextrin modified capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) using uncoated fused-silica capillary. Derivatization of the single isomer and the racemate with tosyl- and dansyl-chloride was carried out to introduce strong UV chromophores of different size. CE-pH titrations were performed to determine the dissociation constants for both derivatives. 30 cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives as chiral agents were used at four different pH values to study the enantioseparation of the differently protonated guest molecules. The separation was optimized as a function of CD concentration, buffer type and concentration, pH and applied voltage. For the tosylated derivate the best resolution (R  s  =2.76) was found with 6-monodeoxy-6-mono-(3-hydroxy)-propylamino-beta-cyclodextrin hydrochloride (PA-β-CD) at pH 6.8, while with the same selector at pH 7.2 enantioseparation with an R s value of 4.32 could be achieved for the dansylated pregabalin. At pH 2.5 for the dansylated derivative trimethylated alpha- and beta-CD systems resulted the most significant separation (R s =7.38 and R s =7.74, respectively). Experiments with dual CD systems were carried out as well. The stoichiometry of the complexes was determined using the Job plot method and resulted in a 1:1 complex in both cases. The structures of the inclusion complexes were elucidated using 2D ROESY NMR experiments.",0
10.1016#j.soilbio.2006.05.012.xml,Soil Biology and Biochemistry,"Ultramafic soils have naturally high concentrations of metals and are often low in major plant nutrients. Plant species of non-ultramafic origin, such as Dryobalanops lanceolata (Dipterocarpaceae), generally grow less well on these soils. I found minimal changes in growth, but a 17% reduction in foliar potassium, when seedlings of D. lanceolata were grown in a non-native ultramafic soil when compared with a ‘normal’ tropical ultisol. There were, however, marked changes in the ectomycorrhizal community structure on the roots of D. lanceolata. Cenococcum geophilum was at least 10 times more common and Inocybe sp. was one and a half times more common in non-ultramafic soils, whereas Boletales sp. was over 30 times more common in the non-ultramafic soil. These changes may have been brought about by a number of edaphic differences between the two soil types, including high metal concentrations and differences in organic matter content.",0
10.1016#j.rsase.2016.11.003.xml,Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment,"Oil palm plantations are rapidly expanding in the tropics, which leads to deforestation and other associated damages to biodiversity and ecosystem services. Forest researchers and practitioners in developing nations are in need of a low-cost, accessible and user-friendly tool for detecting the establishment of industrial oil palm plantations. Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud computing platform which hosts publicly available satellite images and allows for land cover classification using inbuilt algorithms. These algorithms conduct pixel-based classification via supervised learning. We demonstrate the use of GEE for the detection of industrial oil palm plantations in Tripa, Aceh, Indonesia. We performed land cover classification using different spectral bands (RGB, NIR, SWIR, TIR, all bands) from our Landsat 8 image to distinguish the following land cover classes: immature oil palm, mature oil palm, non-forest non-oil palm, forest, water, and clouds. The overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient were the highest using all bands for land cover classification, followed by RGB, SWIR, TIR, and NIR. Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and Random Forests (RFT) algorithms produced classified land cover maps which had higher overall accuracies and Kappa coefficients than the Minimum Distance (MD) algorithm. Object-based classification and using a combination of radar- and optic-based imagery are some ways in which oil palm detection can be improved within GEE. Despite its limitations, GEE does have the potential to be developed further into an accessible and low-cost tool for independent bodies to detect and monitor the expansion of oil palm plantations in the tropics.",0
10.1016#S0022-2275(20)31487-5.xml,Journal of Lipid Research,"The Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) protein regulates cholesterol transport from late endosomes-lysosomes to other intracellular compartments. In this article, cholesterol transport to caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 containing compartments, such as the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and plasma membrane caveolae, was examined in normal (NPC+/+), NPC heterozygous (NPC+/−), and NPC homozygous (NPCm/−) human fibroblasts. The expression and distribution of NPC1 in each cell type were similar, and characterized by a finely dispersed, granular staining pattern. The expression of caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 was increased in NPC+/− and NPC−/− fibroblasts, although the distribution in each cell type was similar and characterized by predominant staining of the TGN and plasma membrane. The TGN in NPC+/+ fibroblasts was relatively cholesterol-enriched, whereas the TGN in NPC+/− and NPC−/− fibroblasts was partially or completely cholesterol-deficient, respectively. Consistent with studies demonstrating the transport of cholesterol from the TGN to plasma membrane caveolae, the concentration of cholesterol in plasma membrane caveolae isolated from NPC+/− and NPC−/− fibroblasts was significantly decreased, even though the total concentration of plasma membrane cholesterol in each cell type was similar.   ",0
10.1016#j.cyto.2011.03.008.xml,Cytokine,"Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is a key regulator of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. VEGF-C is also implicated in the development of esophageal cancer. We investigated the mRNA levels of VEGF-C and its receptors in 38 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens (ESCCs) and matched adjacent normal esophageal tissues via real-time PCR. The mRNA levels of VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 were significantly upregulated in ESCCs versus respective side normal tissues. To explore the influence of VEGF-C on esophageal cancer progression, the expression of VEGF-C was manipulated in esophageal cancer cell lines TE-1 and Eca-109. VEGF-C transcription, translation and secretion were significantly enhanced in cells stably transfected with a VEGF-C overexpression vector or attenuated in VEGF-C shRNA-transfected cell lines. In vitro, TE-1 cells stably transfected with a VEGF-C overexpression vector exhibited an increased rate of cell proliferation, migration and focus formation, whereas knockdown of VEGF-C inhibited cell proliferation, migration and focus formation. Similar results were obtained for Eca-109 cells. VEGF-C mediated biological function through transcription of CNTN-1, which is implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis. The expression of VEGF-C was correlated with that of CNTN-1 and cell proliferation and migration induced by VEGF-C were reversed by silencing of CNTN-1. In addition, nude mice inoculated with VEGF-C shRNA-transfected cells exhibited a significantly decreased tumor size in vivo via reduced VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 phosphorylation and microvessel formation. VEGF-C upregulation may be involved in esophageal tumor progression. Vector-based RNA interference (RNAi) targeting VEGF-C is a potential therapeutic method for human esophageal carcinoma.",0
10.1016#j.yjmcc.2015.10.015.xml,Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology,"Phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDPK1) is an important mediator of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling. We previously reported that PI3K but not Akt signaling mediates the increase in mitochondrial oxidative capacity following physiological cardiac hypertrophy. To determine if PDPK1 regulates these metabolic adaptations we examined mice with cardiomyocyte-specific heterozygous knockout of PDPK1 (cPDPK1+/−) after 5 wk. exercise swim training. Akt phosphorylation at Thr308 increased by 43% in wildtype (WT) mice but not in cPDPK1+/− mice following exercise training. Ventricular contractile function was not different between WT and cPDPK1+/− mice at baseline. In addition, exercise did not influence ventricular function in WT or cPDPK1+/− mice. Heart weight normalized to tibia length ratios increased by 13.8% in WT mice (6.2±0.2 vs. 7.1±0.2, P=0.001), but not in cPDPK1+/− (6.2±0.3 vs. 6.5±0.2, P=0.20) mice after swim training. Diastolic LV dimension increased in WT mice (3.7±0.1 vs. 4.0±0.1mm, P=0.01) but not in cPDPK1+/− (3.8±0.1 vs. 3.7±0.1mm, P=0.56) following swim training. Maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption (VADP, nmol/min/mg) using palmitoyl carnitine as a substrate was significantly increased in mice of all genotypes following swim training (WT: 13.6±0.6 vs.16.1±0.9, P=0.04; cPDPK1+/−: 12.4±0.6 vs.15.9±1.2, P=0.04). These findings suggest that PDPK1 is required for exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy but does not contribute to exercise-induced increases in mitochondrial function.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2013.09.091.xml,Ceramics International,"BN/SiC dual-layer interphase in SiCf/SiC composites was successfully prepared using urea–boric acid solution as precursor for dip-coating process and PCS/xylene solution for PIP process. XRD and Raman spectrum results show that both BN and SiC sub-layers have relatively low crystalline degree. The surface of as-prepared BN/SiC dual-layer interphase is smooth and homogeneous, and its thickness is about 0.42μm. The flexural strength and failure displacement of composites with BN/SiC dual-layer interphase are improved conspicuously to 272MPa and 0.26mm, which are both much higher than those of composites without interphase, whose ultimate values are only 126MPa and 0.14mm, respectively. The composites with dual-layer interphase show better anti-oxidation capability than do the composites with BN interphase below 1000°C. ε′ and ε″ of the composites increase from 30−i22 to 45−i32 after incorporation of dual-layer interphase, which are caused by relaxation polarization and conductance losses established in the components, including fibers, matrix and interphase.",1
10.1016#j.jmst.2017.07.012.xml,Journal of Materials Science & Technology,"As structural materials, closed-cell aluminum foams possess obvious advantages in product dimension, strength and process economics compared with open cell aluminum foams. However, as a kind of structure-function integration materials, the application of closed-cell aluminum foams has been restricted greatly in acoustic fields due to the difficulty of sound wave penetration. It was reported that closed-cell foams with macrostructures have important effect on the propagation of sound waves. To date, the relationship between macrostructures and acoustic properties of commercially pure closed-cell aluminum foams is ambiguous. In this work, different perforation and air gap types were designed for changing the macrostructures of the foam. Meanwhile, the effect of macrostructures on the sound absorption coefficient and sound reduction index were investigated. The results showed that the foams with half-hole exhibited excellent sound absorption and sound insulation behaviors in high frequency range (>2500Hz). In addition, specimens with air gaps showed good sound absorption properties in low frequency compared with the foams without air gaps. Based on the experiment results, propagation structural models of sound waves in commercially pure closed-cell aluminum foams with different macrostructures were built and the influence of macrostructures on acoustic properties was discussed.",0
10.1016#j.optmat.2010.08.009.xml,Optical Materials,"We have prepared macroporous Y3Al5O12 (YAG) monoliths doped with rare earth (RE) ions (RE=Ce, Eu, Sm, and Pr) via the ionic precursor-derived sol–gel reaction accompanied by phase separation and investigated their fluorescence and scattering properties. YAG monoliths with well-defined bicontinuous macropores and skeletons were synthesized from the mixture of water and ethanol containing yttrium(III), aluminum(III), and RE(III) salts using propylene oxide as a gelation initiator and poly(ethylene oxide) as a phase separation inducer. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that the sample as-dried and that heat-treated at 700°C are amorphous, while a single crystalline phase of YAG is precipitated in the samples heat-treated at temperatures between 800 and 1100°C. The macroporous YAG:RE ceramics heat-treated at 800°C and higher temperatures exhibit fluorescence due to 4f–5d (Ce3+) and 4f–4f (Eu3+, Sm3+, Pr3+) electronic transitions characteristic of the RE ions occupying the eight-coordinated dodecahedral sites in YAG lattice. Coherent backscattering experiments indicate that the scattering strength is enhanced by the densification of skeletons in macroporous YAG monoliths, depending on the heat treatment temperature.",1
10.1016#j.ceramint.2014.03.160.xml,Ceramics International,"Pure BaCo2 W-type hexaferrites i.e. BaCo2−x Mg x Fe16O27 (x≤1) have been synthesized by the chemical co-precipitation method at 1223K and have been investigated for their structural, electrical and dielectric properties. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns conformed to the standard single phase of the hexagonal W-type structure. We examined the surface morphology of the prepared samples by the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The dc-electrical resistivity (ρ) measurements showed metal to semiconductor transition (T  M–S ), in a temperature range of 298–663K. The maximum, at which the T  M–S  occurs, varies with the magnesium concentration in the samples. Crystallographic distribution of Mg2+ cations was responsible for the variation in the overall resistivity (ρ) pattern of BaCo2-W type hexaferrites. The dielectric constant (ε  ′ ) and the dielectric loss (tan δ) measurements at room temperature showed normal behavior of hexaferrites. The obtained results indicated that the Mg2+ ions played an important role in the tuning of the electric and the dielectric properties of BaCo2-W hexaferrites, which might have possible applications in transformer cores to reduce the eddy current losses.",1
10.1016#j.matdes.2013.09.054.xml,Materials & Design,"A novel honeycomb core made of a natural-fiber reinforced composite consisting of a vinylester matrix reinforced with jute fabric is introduced. Six-mm- and 10-mm-cell honeycombs are manufactured using two compression-molding techniques. Best results are obtained for the mold with lateral compression. Experimental tests are conducted to characterize the elastic response of the composite and the core response under flatwise compression. The effective elastic properties of the core are computed via a homogenization analysis and finite element modeling. The results of the homogenization analysis are in very good agreement with estimations done using analytical formulas from the bibliography. The flatwise compression tests show that the core failure mechanisms are yarn pull-out and fiber breaking. The large wall thickness relative to the cell size of the jute–vinylester cores, which inhibits buckling, and the heterogeneities in the composite, which are preferential damage initiation sites, explain the observed behavior. When compared in terms of the specific strengths, the jute/vinylester cores introduced in this work show similar performances to those of their commercially available counterparts. The results from this study suggest that jute-reinforced cores have the potential to be an alternative to standard cores in applications that sustain compressive static loads.",0
10.1016#j.ijadhadh.2011.01.002.xml,International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives,The mechanical and adhesives properties of epoxy formulations based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A cured with various aliphatic amines were evaluated in the glass state. Impact tests were used to determine the impact energy. The adhesive properties have been evaluated in terms single lap shear using steel adherends. Its durability in water at ambient temperature (24°C) and at 80°C has also been analyzed. The fracture mechanisms were determined by optical microscopy. It was observed a strong participation of the cohesive fracture mechanisms in all epoxy system studied. The 1-(2-aminoethyl)piperazine epoxy adhesive and piperidine epoxy adhesive presents the best adhesive strength and the largest impact energy. The durability in water causes less damage to piperidine epoxy networks. This behavior appears to be associated with the lower water uptake tendency of homopolymerised resins due to its lower hydroxyl group concentration.,1
10.1016#j.bios.2015.08.005.xml,Biosensors and Bioelectronics,"A silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-enhanced time-resolved fluorescence (TR-FL) sensor based on long-lived fluorescent Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) is developed for the sensitive detection of vascular endothelial growth factor-165 (VEGF165), a predominant cancer biomarker in cancer angiogenesis. The aptamers bond with the Mn-doped ZnS QDs and the BHQ-2 quencher-labelling strands hybridized in duplex are coupled with streptavidin (SA)-functionalized AgNPs to form the AgNPs-enhanced TR-FL sensor, showing lower fluorescence intensity in the duplex state due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the Mn-doped ZnS QDs and quenchers. Upon the addition of VEGF165, the BHQ-2 quencher-labelling strands of the duplex are displaced, leading to the disruption of the FRET. As a result, the fluorescence of the Mn-doped QDs within the proximity of the AgNPs is recovered. The FL signal can be measured free of the interference of short-lived background by setting appropriate delay time and gate time, which offers a signal with high signal-to-noise ratio in photoluminescent biodetection. Compared with the bare TR-FL sensor, the AgNPs-based TR-FL sensor showed a huge improvement in fluorescence based on metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) effect, and the sensitivity increased 11-fold with the detection limit of 0.08nM. In addition, the sensor provided a wide range of linear detection from 0.1nM to 16nM.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2010.03.059.xml,Optics Communications,"Molybdenum oxide thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition. The as-deposited films were dark. Annealing the films in air at 400°C resulted in transparent films. These films were further annealed in vacuum at 300 and 400°C to investigate thermocoloration. The structural, chemical, and optical properties of the films were determined. All films were predominantly amorphous. The air-annealed films were nearly stoichiometric. However, after annealing in vacuum at 400°C, the films became oxygen-deficient. The transmittance of the films progressively decreased as the vacuum-annealing temperature increased, indicating stronger coloration of the films. The optical constants were determined from the transmittance measurements. Both the refractive index and extinction coefficient increased upon vacuum annealing. However, the band gap slightly decreased after vacuum annealing.",1
10.1016#S0045-6535(02)00247-3.xml,Chemosphere,"This article presents the status of aerosols in India based on the research activities undertaken during last few decades in this region. Programs, like International Geophysical Year (IGY), Monsoon Experiment (MONEX), Indian Middle Atmospheric Program (IMAP) and recently conducted Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX), have thrown new lights on the role of aerosols in global change. INDOEX has proved that the effects of aerosols are no longer confined to the local levels but extend at regional as well as global scales due to occurrence of long range transportation of aerosols from source regions along with wind trajectories. The loading of aerosols in the atmosphere is on rising due to energy intensive activities for developmental processes and other anthropogenic activities. One of the significant observation of INDOEX is the presence of high concentrations of carbonaceous aerosols in the near persistent winter time haze layer over tropical Indian Ocean which have probably been emitted from the burning of fossil-fuels and biofuels in the source region. These have significant bearing on the radiative forcing in the region and, therefore, have potential to alter monsoon and hydrological cycles.",0
10.1016#j.bbmt.2010.08.021.xml,Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation,"These experiments explored mechanisms of control of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using a murine model of MHC-matched, minor histocompatibility antigen–mismatched transplantation. The central hypothesis examined was that addition of active vaccination against leukemia cells would substantially increase the effectiveness of allogeneic donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) against ALL present in the host after transplantation. Although vaccination did increase the magnitude of type I T cell responses against leukemia cells associated with DLI, it did not lead to substantial improvement in long-term survival. Analysis of immunologic mechanisms of leukemia progression demonstrated that the failure of vaccination was not because of antigen loss in leukemia cells. However, analysis of survival provided surprising findings that, in addition to very modest type I T cell responses, a B cell response that produced antibodies that bind leukemia cells was found in long-term survivors. The risk of death from leukemia was significantly lower in recipients that had higher levels of such antibodies. These studies raise the hypothesis that stimulation of B cell responses after transplantation may provide a novel way to enhance allogeneic graft-versus-leukemia effects associated with transplantation.",0
10.1016#j.msec.2013.10.037.xml,Materials Science and Engineering: C,"Ti–25Nb–3Mo–3Zr–2Sn (TLM) substrates, which consist of pure β phase and duplex α+β phases were achieved by different heat treatment. Different substrates with and without α phase were subjected to surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) for 5 and 30min, respectively. Investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it is found that the content and morphology of α phase in the TLM substrates play crucial roles in nanocrystallization of the alloy. During SMAT, the substrates composed of duplex α+β phases are much easier to nanocrystallized than that composed of pure β phase, and the duplex-phase substrate containing 35vt.% α needles is more inclined to grain refinement than those substrates containing 27vt.% α cobbles and 31vt.% α needles. Accompanied with the nanocrystallization in the surface layers of the duplex-phase substrates, the stress induced α-to-β phase transition occurs. In addition, employing hFOB1.19 cells, the behaviors of osteoblasts on the unSMATed and as-SMATed surfaces were evaluated by examining the morphology and viability of the cells. It shows that the SMAT-induced grain refinement in the surface layer of the alloy can significantly improve the osteoblast response. Our study lays the foundation for nanostructuring β titanium alloys to be used as biomedical implants.",1
10.1016#0142-9418(94)90003-5.xml,Polymer Testing,"Service life estimation of polymer materials by accelerated aging is an indispensable tool which provides either a qualitative or quantitative comparison depending on the methodology used. In this paper, a new approach of reliably evaluating the service life in relatively short time durations is described. The proposed method is based on the cumulative damage theory incorporating the statistical treatment of data to provide a realistic output which would be useful for designing products from selected formulations. It is assumed in this methodology that the overall deterioration of a given material is a cumulative effect of individual deteriorating stresses. It can be computed from the experimental data collected for the aging in various stress conditions, wherein no more than two stresses are accelerated at a time. The aging data obtained from a number of accelerated tests can be analysed using the proposed mathematical equations to simulate the life data for the normal service conditions. This approach is also useful in carrying out comparative studies between two materials with respect to overall performance in the given service environment. The comparison can be either direct or indirect depending on the nature of the product and the service environment selected. The proposed method of modified cumulative damage is described in this paper with all the salient features of the method and its mathematical treatment. A comparison of the proposed approach with other existing methodology is presented to highlight the advantages of the new approach. The experimental work validating the proposed approach and its applications will be described in subsequent publications.",0
10.1016#j.reactfunctpolym.2014.09.013.xml,Reactive and Functional Polymers,"Thin film composite (TFC) polyamide membranes were prepared on a polysulfone support membrane and the effect of various synthesis conditions on the active layer morphology, the physicochemical properties and the membrane performance was investigated. The support membrane porosity factor had a significant effect on the TFC membrane performance. A polyamide top layer was formed within 15s of reaction. Prolonging the reaction time, although resulting in a thicker active layer, only had a minor influence on the membrane performance. This highlights the importance of the incipient layer of the polyamide structure on its performance. The addition of both a surfactant and a base to the amine solution resulted in a change of the active layer morphology and an improved performance. The effect of additives was attributed to changes in the polymerization mechanism. In addition, it was demonstrated that curing at 50°C resulted in an improved membrane performance, due to more cross-linking of the active layer. Curing at higher temperatures deteriorated the structure of the support membrane. This research shows that the TFC membrane performance is well correlated with the changes in the active layer morphology, measured using SEM, AFM and TEM; whereas only minor changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the membranes were detected by zeta potential and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy when the same synthesis parameters were varied.",0
10.1007#s11082-018-1566-1.html,Optical and Quantum Electronics,"Evaluation of polarization control by polarization attractor based on stimulated Raman scattering in optical fiber is presented. Performed simulations are constructed to evaluate polarization control stability for different parameters of polarization attractor: input number of pumps, their power and state of polarization as well as length and nonlinearity of optical fiber. Evaluation of polarization control stability is analogical to crosstalk calculation during the process of splitting two polarization channels with polarization beam splitter. Achieved crosstalk results, supported by degree of polarization calculation, are useful tool for choosing the most optimal setup of polarization attractor elements, depending on the optimization goal.",1
10.1016#j.ijleo.2016.05.042.xml,Optik,"The influence of temperatures and pressures to the intensity of the Brillouin peaks and the Brillouin shift in gas is analyzed by using the Tenti S6 model. The spontaneous Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering (SRBS) spectra in air with different incident wavelength at different altitudes are simulated for the SRBS lidar applications. A system for detecting the SRBS spectra of gas is also introduced in this paper. The SRBS spectra of N2 in different pressures at the incident wavelength of 532nm with the temperature of 300K and the scattering angle of 90° have been measured, the experiment results are well agreed to the simulations.",1
10.1016#j.carbon.2017.01.051.xml,Carbon,"The thermal conductance across Au/graphene/Au and Au/hydrogenated graphene(H-graphene)/Au interfaces are measured using the time domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) technique. It is found that the thermal conductance decreases from 30 ± 5 MWm−2 K−1 to 14 ± 3 MWm−2K−1 when the graphene is hydrogenated. However, nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulation results show that the thermal conductance can be decreased by no more than 30% as the graphene is hydrogenated if only phonons are considered as the heat energy carriers. Considering the difference between the experimental and simulated results, we infer that electrons are involved in heat conduction across the Au/Graphene/Au interface. Once the graphene is hydrogenated, the electron contribution channel is closed. It is estimated that the contribution from electrons accounts for approximately 53% of the total interfacial thermal conductance for the metal/graphene/metal interfaces.",0
10.1016#j.jelechem.2007.09.033.xml,Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry,"Different immobilization procedures for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were investigated using, as support matrices, self-assembled monolayers (SAM) formed on gold electrodes. The influences of these immobilization processes in the biosensor performance were also evaluated. For this, monolayers were prepared from thiols with different structures, carbon chain sizes and terminal groups. It was shown that the thiol carbon chain size influences especially in monolayer coverage and, consequently, in the biomolecule immobilization efficiency. From the studies carried out for SAM characterization on the electrode surface it was verified that thiols with shorter chains (n <9) tend to form monolayers with a considerable amount of defects on the gold surface that lead to a lower coverage. However, thiols with a longer carbon chain present a higher coverage degree, which are not suited as substrate to the development of electrochemical biosensors, because they passivate the transduction interface, making difficult the electron transfer and, consequently, reducing electrode sensitivity. In relation to the enzyme immobilization on gold electrodes, it was verified, using different techniques, that monolayers that possess –NH2 terminal groups provided the best results, probably due to the use of glutaraldeyde as ligand during the immobilization process. Analyzing biosensor performances for hydrogen peroxide, it was verified that SAM formed by cysteamine is the most adequate for HRP immobilization, because it provides better efficiency for enzyme immobilization associated to high sensitivity for H2O2.",0
10.1016#j.cimid.2018.12.002.xml,"Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases","PD-1 is a negative costimulator of chronic infectious diseases In this study, we investigated the expression of PD-1 and its ligands in the spleen of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis and lymphoproliferative response to soluble antigen, in lymph node cells in the presence or absence of antibodies blocking PD-1 and its ligands. Our results showed expression of PD-1 and its ligands is higher after L. infantum infection and in the spleen of infected dogs, PD-1 blockage was able to restore the antigen-dependent lymphoproliferative response and regulated production of the cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 and NO production. We concluded that L. infantum infection modulates PD-1 and its ligands expression in canine VL and that blockage of PD-1 restores the immune response. Thus, blockage of PD-1 is a target for therapeutic drug development.",0
10.1016#j.compscitech.2013.08.020.xml,Composites Science and Technology,"0.25{0.5[Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3]–0.5[(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3]/[BZT–BCT]}–0.75[(1− x)(PVDF)–xCaCu3Ti4O12/(CCTO)] 0–3 composites (where x =0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1 volume fractions) were prepared by two step mixing and uniaxial hot-press method. The structural, micro structural and dielectric properties have been investigated and discussed in detail. There was an increase in relative permittivity (εr ) of the composites with the increase in the volume fractions of the CCTO ceramics up to x =0.08, and beyond it there was a decrease in εr . At room temperature (RT) and at 1kHz frequency, [0.25(BZT–BCT)–0.69(PVDF)–0.06(CCTO)] composite showed a highest εr  ∼90, making it suitable for embedded capacitor applications. Experimental data were fitted to several theoretical equations to find the equation useful for the prediction of the effective dielectric constant of the studied composites. The Lichtenecker equation, Yamada model and EMT models were found to be useful for the prediction of the effective dielectric constant of studied composites.",1
10.1016#S1872-2067(20)63623-3.xml,Chinese Journal of Catalysis,"The solar-driven catalytic conversion of CO2 to useful chemical fuels is regarded as an environmentally friendly approach to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and mitigate the greenhouse effect. However, it is highly intriguing and challenging to promote the selectivity and efficiency of visible-light-responsive photocatalysts that favor the adsorption of CO2 in photoreduction processes. In this work, three-dimensional hierarchical Cd0.8Zn0.2S flowers (C8Z2S-F) with ultrathin petals were successfully synthesized through an in-situ self-assembly growth process using sodium citrate as a morphology director. The flower-like Cd0.8Zn0.2S solid solution exhibited remarkable photocatalytic performance in the reduction of CO2, generating CO up to 41.4 μmol g−1 under visible-light illumination for 3 h; this was nearly three times greater than that of Cd0.8Zn0.2S nanoparticles (C8Z2S-NP) (14.7 μmol g−1). Particularly, a comparably high selectivity of 89.9% for the conversion of CO2 to CO, with a turnover number of 39.6, was obtained from the solar-driven C8Z2S-F system in the absence of any co-catalyst or sacrificial agent. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy indicated that the introduction of flower structures enhanced the light-harvesting capacity of C8Z2S-F. The in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy unveiled the existence of surface-adsorbed species and the conversion of photoreduction intermediates during the photocatalytic process. Empirical characterizations and predictions of the photocatalytic mechanism demonstrated that the flower-like Cd0.8Zn0.2S solid solution possessed desirable CO2 adsorption properties and an enhanced charge-transfer capability, thus providing a highly effective photocatalytic reduction of CO2.",1
10.1016#0375-9601(94)01005-F.xml,Physics Letters A,"The size dependence of ionization potentials (IPs) of silicon clusters is studied using a localized orbital theory on the basis of the tight-binding approximation. The geometric structures of the silicon clusters are from the theoretical results of the force field model, and the hopping integral and overlap integral in the tight-binding Hamiltonian matrix are obtained from the best fitted formula for the Slater-Koster parameters. It has been found that our results conform to experiments much better than the previous LDA calculation and the estimation of the spherical droplet model. The local maximum of the IPs for Si10 is obtained, corresponding to the magic number behaviour observed by other experimental means. The structural isomer effect and relaxation effect on the IPs of the silicon clusters are also discussed.",0
10.1016#j.ceja.2021.100105.xml,Chemical Engineering Journal Advances,"The graphene oxide @nickel phosphate (GO:NPO) nanocomposites (NCs) are prepared by using a one-pot in-situ solar energy assisted method by varying GO:NPO ratio i.e. 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, and 2.00 without adding any surfactant or a structure-directing reagent. As produced GO:NPO nanosheets exhibited an improved photocatalytic activity due to the spatial seperation of charge carriers through interface, where photoinduced electrons transferred from NiPO4 to the GO sheets without charge-recombination. Out of the series, the system 1.00 GO:NPO NC show the optimum hydrogen production activity (15.37 μmol H2 h−1) towards water splitting under the visible light irradiation. The electronic environment of the nanocomposite GO-NiO6/NiO4-PO4 elucidated in the light of advance experimental analyses and theoretical DFT spin density calculations. Structural advanmcement of composites are well correlated with their hydrogen production activity.",1
10.1016#j.tsf.2016.07.027.xml,Thin Solid Films,"Phase pure Cu2SnSe3 thin films were successfully obtained on glass substrates by annealing of successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) deposited thin films at 623K for an hour in selenium atmosphere. Structural, morphological, compositional, and optical properties of films were investigated, before and after annealing, via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Raman spectroscopy, and optical absorption measurements. XRD results showed that films were polycrystalline nature with cubic structure, the crystallinity was improved with annealing and the secondary phase of SnSe disappeared as well. SEM images revealed existence of the relatively big islands, which were formed overlapping large number of small grains, was observed on the surfaces. The images also showed a considerable change in the shape of the grains with annealing. EDAX measurements revealed that chemical composition of the annealed film was very close to the ideal value 2:1:3. The results of Raman measurement confirmed the formation of Cu2SnSe3 and disappearance of the secondary phase of SnSe after annealing. The optical absorption studies showed that the films have direct transitions with band gap energies of 1.38eV and 1.34eV before and after annealing, respectively.",1
10.1016#j.biteb.2018.05.004.xml,Bioresource Technology Reports,"We describe a three-steps bioprocess to convert rice husk as source of xylooligosaccharides and then used these prebiotics to grow lactic acid bacteria as a model to produce probiotics from vegetal sources. First, Aspergillus brasiliensis BLf and the recombinant Aspergillus nidulans XynC A773 strains were solid-state cultivated in rice husk to produce xylanases (234.7 ± 0.01 U·g−1 and 192 ± 0.03 U·g−1 substrate, respectively). These enzymatic preparations were directly applied to rice husk to hydrolyze its hemicellulosic structure and obtain xylooligosaccharides (37.25 mg XOS·g−1 substrate and 75.92 mg XOS·g−1 substrate, respectively). Prebiotic effect of XOS was tested by cultivating probiotic strains Lactobacillus plantarum BL011 and Bifidobacterium lactis B-12, which grew in this substrate. The results in this work showed that it is possible to produce xylooligosaccharides and then proceed to use these prebiotic sugars to grow probiotic bacteria using the same agro-residue, being possible their use in food related applications.",0
10.1016#j.saa.2004.09.025.xml,Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy,"Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optical absorption spectra of vanadyl ions in zinc lead borate (ZnO–PbO–B2O3) glass system have been studied. EPR spectra of all the glass samples exhibit resonance signals characteristic of VO2+ ions. The values of spin-Hamiltonian parameters indicate that the VO2+ ions in zinc lead borate glasses were present in octahedral sites with tetragonal compression and belong to C4V symmetry. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters g and A are found to be independent of V2O5 content and temperature but changing with ZnO content. The decrease in Δg ∥/Δg ⊥ value with increase in ZnO content indicates that the symmetry around VO2+ ions is more octahedral. The decrease in intensity of EPR signal above 10mol% of V2O5 is attributed to a fall in the ratio of the number of V4+ ions (N 4) to the number of V5+ ions (N 5). The number of spins (N) participating in resonance was calculated as a function of temperature for VO2+ doped zinc lead borate glass sample and the activation energy was calculated. From the EPR data, the paramagnetic susceptibility was calculated at various temperatures and the Curie constant was evaluated from the 1/χ–T graph. The optical absorption spectra show single absorption band due to VO2+ ions in tetragonally distorted octahedral sites.",1
10.1016#j.rinp.2018.11.013.xml,Results in Physics,"A novel design of Hexa Sectored Photonic Crystal Fiber (HS-PCF) with high nonlinearity and high birefringence has been revealed in this paper where core is slotted and filled with Gallium Phosphide (GaP). Finite Element Method has been used for numerical investigation of the proposed PCF along with finer mesh. Different optical parameters like nonlinearity, effective area, power fraction, birefringence, confinement loss and Numerical Aperture (NA) have been explored by proper tuning of Geometrical variables. The investigation shows that, proposed PCF exhibits high nonlinearity of 9.47 × 104 W−1Km−1 at the operating wavelength of 1.4 µm along with high birefringence of 0.259, Numerical aperture of 0.8774 and very low confinement loss of 5.78 × 10−9 dB/m at the optical wavelength of 2.0 µm. Therefore, it is expected that this proposed PCF could be a strong candidate in biomedical imaging, super continuum generation and sensing applications considering polarized light.",1
10.1016#j.omtn.2019.10.023.xml,Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids,"We replicated the rat common carotid artery (CCA) intima hyperplasia model and found the expression of a circular RNA, circRNA_009723 (circDcbld1), was markedly increased in the CCA with intimal hyperplasia. In vitro, the suppression of circDcbld1 in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) led the increase of contractile smooth muscle cell markers and the decrease of cell migration. In vivo, the injection of chemically modified circDcbld1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) lessened the formation of neointima in rat CCA after balloon injury. Further experiments proved that circDcbld1, as a competing endogenous RNA, interacted with miR-145-3p and upregulated the level of neuropilin-1 (Nrp1), thereby regulating the migration of VSMCs. In this study, we demonstrated a new mechanism by which circular RNA promotes intimal hyperplasia. We deem that intervention in the circDcbld1-miR-145-3p/Nrp1 pathway might be a feasible approach to alleviate the post-injury intimal hyperplasia.",0
10.1016#j.ancr.2015.10.003.xml,Analytical Chemistry Research,"In the present work, we have synthesized a new water soluble colorless chemical compound 7-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-4-methylcoumarin (TBDPSC) that releases fluorescent molecules imparting blue fluorescence to the solution, upon interaction with fluoride ions in water. The blue fluorescence can be visualized using simple hand held ultraviolet (UV) lamps. TBDPSC has excellent sensitivity and selectivity towards fluoride and our results indicate that fluoride concentrations as low as 0.2 mg/L can be accurately detected within a few seconds. Fluoride testing with TBDPSC is simple and rapid compared to the conventional methodologies without the requirement of trained personnel. Hence, the present fluoride detection method can be easily field deployable and particularly useful for monitoring water quality in limited resource communities.",1
10.1016#j.nanoen.2017.08.047.xml,Nano Energy,"The poor air-stability and reproducibility of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have prevented the practical applications of the devices that can withstand sustained operation under ambient air conditions. Here, we report all-ambient-air-solution-processed PSCs based on CH3NH3PbI3−xClx-NiO composite film with inserting Al2O3/NiO at the TiO2/perovskite interface in a cell configuration of FTO/c-TiO2/mp-TiO2/Al2O3/NiO/MAPbI3−xClx-NiO/spiroOMeTAD/Au. The interface engineering with Al2O3/NiO not only improves crystalline quality of perovskite films and enhances charge transport, but also effectively suppresses carrier recombination. This composite-based interface engineering PSCs showed a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.14% and excellent reproducibility with average 16–18% PCE for 35 devices. More importantly, the devices without encapsulation showed a significant enhancement in long-term air-stability; the device photovoltaic parameters stabilized after 20 days and sustained its stability over 210 days with retaining ~100% of its original V  oc , ~94% of J  sc , ~91% of FF and ~86% of PCE in an ambient environment.",1
10.1016#j.msec.2015.11.044.xml,Materials Science and Engineering: C,"Restenosis and thrombosis are two major complications associated with vascular stents and grafts. The homing of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) onto implant surfaces brings a new strategy to solve these problems by accelerating self -endothelialization in situ. Peptide aptamers with high affinity and specific recognition of EPCs can be immobilized to capture EPCs from the circulating blood. In this study, a biotinylated peptide aptamer (TPSLEQRTVYAK-GGGC-K-Biotin) for EPC, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were co-immobilized onto titanium surface through avidin–biotin recognition to endow the surface with specific affinity for EPC and anti-platelet adhesion properties. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle measuring were adopted for coating characterization. EPC affinity and hemocompatibility of the coating were also investigated in vitro. The results demonstrated that aptamer and BSA co-immobilized surface significantly reduced platelet adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption/activation. Besides, such functional surface could remarkably enhance EPC adhesion, without affecting the behavior of endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) obviously. The result shows the possibility of utilizing such a multifunctional surface in cardiovascular implants.",1
10.1016#j.elecom.2007.01.043.xml,Electrochemistry Communications,"The gelation of multi-component solvent mixtures with lithium salts was investigated in the presence of gelator 4, 4′bis(stearoylamino)diphenyl ether (BSDE). Ordered structures can be formed by non-covalent interactions in both miscible and non-miscible solvent mixtures. In a non-miscible solvent mixture, there was a soluble competition for BSDE, which can be explained by the different polarities of the solvents. The presence of lithium salt in the solvent mixtures seems to not affect the microscopic morphologies of the aggregates. TEM and SEM images of the gels indicated that BSDE aggregated and self-assembled into flexual, wrinkled and interconnected sheets in the solvent mixtures. These sheet-like aggregates are different from the fibril-like aggregates formed in single component solvents as reported previously. The ion conductivity of the organogels formed by these solvent mixtures confirms that the three-dimensional network does not affect the ions diffusion in the large interconnected liquid domains. The organogels of solvent mixtures containing lithium salts exhibit high conductivities which are in the range of 10−1–10−2 Scm−1 at room temperature, and in the range of 10−3–10−4 Scm−1 at −40°C.",0
10.1016#j.watres.2012.12.001.xml,Water Research,"Selenium is an important rare metal and its recovery from waste and wastewater is necessary for its sustainable utilization. Microbial selenium volatilization is suitable for selenium recovery from industrial wastewater because volatile selenium can be recovered in recyclable forms free from other chemicals. We found that Pseudomonas stutzeri NT-I can aerobically transform selenate, selenite, and biogenic elemental selenium into dimethyldiselenide as well as dimethylselenide; these were temporarily accumulated in the aqueous phase and then transferred into the gaseous phase. The rate of selenium volatilization using strain NT-I ranged 6.5–7.6 μmol/L/h in flask experiments and was much higher than the rates reported previously for other microbes. The selenium volatilization rate accelerated to 14 μmol/L/h in a jar fermenter. Furthermore, 82% of the selenium volatilized using strain NT-I was recovered with few impurities within 48 h in a simple gas trap with nitric acid, demonstrating that strain NT-I is a promising biocatalyst for selenium recovery through biovolatilization from the aqueous phase.",0
10.1053#tgie.2000.7732.xml,Techniques in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy,"Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (EUS FNA) is established as a safe, less invasive, highly sensitive and specific method for tissue diagnosis over the last few years. It assumes particular importance in the cytodiagnosis of lymph nodes in the mediastinum, celiac axis, and peripancreatic regions because of its immense potential in therapeutic decision making. The overall sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of lymph nodes ranges from 80% to 93% and 82% to 92%, respectively. Because the false-positive results are rare on cytology, the specificity of EUS FNA is almost 100%. No complications have been reported with this procedure in relation to the lymph nodal punctures. Because of the increasing potential of this procedure in gastroenterology and pulmoology, especially in lung cancer, there is a need to disseminate the knowledge of this extremely useful technique. We describe the indications and explain the actual technique of performing EUS FNA on lymph nodes and discuss the published results on the topic.",0
10.1016#j.jksus.2018.12.009.xml,Journal of King Saud University - Science,"Present report intends to analyse heat and mass transfer characteristics of naturally convective hydromagnetic flow of fourth-grade radiative fluid resulting from vertical porous plate. The impression of non-linear order chemical reaction and heat generation with thermal diffusion are also considered. The coupled fundamental equations are transformed into a dimensionless arrangement by implementing finite difference scheme explicitly. After initiating the stability test, the governing equations are converged for Prandtl number, Pr ≥ 0.43 and Schmidt number, Sc ≥ 0.168. The impact of dimensionless second, third and fourth-grade parameters with diversified physical parameters are being exhibited graphically on different flow fields. An interesting fact is observed that as the grade of fluid develops it starts to diminish the velocity fields, but a complete opposite scenario is examined for temperature fields. In addition, for advanced visualisation, the impression of thermal radiation is being observed through streamlines and isothermal lines. In which, the respective parameter upsurges the momentum as well as the thermal boundary layers respectively.",0
10.1007#s11244-012-9826-y.html,Topics in Catalysis,"A wide range of metal halides and triflates were examined for the conversion of d-glucose to HMF in DMSO. Chromium and aluminium salts were identified as the most promising catalysts. The effect of process variables like initial d-glucose concentration (0.1–1.5 M), reaction time (5–360 min) and reaction temperature (100–140 °C) on the yield of HMF were examined at a fixed Al(OTf)3 concentration (50 mM). Highest yields of HMF (60 mol%) were obtained using 1 M d-glucose (16 wt%), Al(OTf)3 (5 mol%) at a temperature of 140 °C. A reaction pathway involving initial isomerisation of d-glucose to d-fructose followed by a number of dehydration steps is proposed. Kinetic analysis reveals that the reaction is second order in d-glucose with an activation energy of 138 kJ mol−1.",0
10.1016#j.enbuild.2014.12.038.xml,Energy and Buildings,"In a privatized global marketplace, innovation is a key driver of sustainable development and national competitiveness. Here we report on an innovative new fully building-integrated thermal solar panel concept that is patented and currently being readied for commercialization. The paper outlines the French regulatory landscape governing the deployment of thermal solar panels in France, and thus the need for countries like France to develop new building-integrated solar power meeting “building-envelope” integration requirements for protected areas. We go on to introduce the new as-developed system, its physical modelling via a finite element analysis model constructed using an electric circuit analogy, and the results achieved on a detached home retrofitted with this system and trialled for a 12-month period. This paper leads out of COST – European Cooperation Science and Technology – framework action TU 1205 “Building Integration of Solar Thermal Systems”.",0
10.1016#j.diamond.2012.01.013.xml,Diamond and Related Materials,"The electron field emission (EFE) process for ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films was tremendously enhanced by Fe-coating and post-annealing processes. The extent of enhancement changes with the granular structure of the UNCD films and the post-annealing conditions (temperature and atmosphere). The best EFE properties are obtained by post-annealing the films at 900°C in an H2 environment for 5min. The EFE behavior of the films can be turned on at E0 =1.28V/μm, attaining a large EFE current density of 772μA/cm2 at an applied field of 8.8V/μm. Microstructural analysis indicates that the mechanism for the improvement in the EFE process is the formation of graphene-like phase (a-few-layer graphite) with good crystallinity, surrounding the Fe (or Fe3C) nanoclusters. Presumably, the nanographites were formed via the reaction of Fe-clusters with diamond films, viz. the Fe-clusters dissolved the carbons in the diamond grains and the re-precipitated them on the surface of the other side of clusters, a process similar to the growth of carbon nanotubes via Fe clusters as catalyst.",1
10.1016#j.nanoen.2012.10.006.xml,Nano Energy,"The exciting development of advanced nanostructured materials has driven the rapid growth of research in the field of electrochemical energy storage (EES) systems which are critical to a variety of applications ranging from portable consumer electronics, hybrid electric vehicles, to large industrial scale power and energy management. Owing to their capability to deliver high power performance and extremely long cycle life, electrochemical capacitors (ECs), one of the key EES systems, have attracted increasing attention in the recent years since they can complement or even replace batteries in the energy storage field, especially when high power delivery or uptake is needed. This review article describes the most recent progress in the development of nanostructured electrode materials for EC technology, with a particular focus on hybrid nanostructured materials that combine carbon based materials with pseudocapacitive metal oxides or conducting polymers for achieving high-performance ECs. This review starts with an overview of EES technologies and the comparison between various EES systems, followed by a brief description of energy storage mechanisms for different types of EC materials. This review emphasizes the exciting development of both hybrid nanomaterials and novel support structures for effective electrochemical utilization and high mass loading of active electrode materials, both of which have brought the energy density of ECs closer to that of batteries while still maintaining their characteristic high power density. Last, future research directions and the remaining challenges toward the rational design and synthesis of hybrid nanostructured electrode materials for next-generation ECs are discussed.",0
10.1016#j.burns.2015.03.001.xml,Burns,"Surgical intervention of second degree burns is often delayed because of the difficulty in visual diagnosis, which increases the risk of scarring and infection. Non-invasive metrics have shown promise in accurately assessing burn depth. Here, we examine the use of spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) and laser speckle imaging (LSI) for predicting burn depth. Contact burn wounds of increasing severity were created on the dorsum of a Yorkshire pig, and wounds were imaged with SFDI/LSI starting immediately after-burn and then daily for the next 4 days. In addition, on each day the burn wounds were biopsied for histological analysis of burn depth, defined by collagen coagulation, apoptosis, and adnexal/vascular necrosis. Histological results show that collagen coagulation progressed from day 0 to day 1, and then stabilized. Results of burn wound imaging using non-invasive techniques were able to produce metrics that correlate to different predictors of burn depth. Collagen coagulation and apoptosis correlated with SFDI scattering coefficient parameter   (   μ ′  s  )   and adnexal/vascular necrosis on the day of burn correlated with blood flow determined by LSI. Therefore, incorporation of SFDI scattering coefficient and blood flow determined by LSI may provide an algorithm for accurate assessment of the severity of burn wounds in real time.",0
10.1016#j.tet.2004.08.050.xml,Tetrahedron,"Benzylaminomethyl groups are introduced to the 3,3′-positions of BINOL. The resulting compounds can be used to conduct the enantioselective fluorescent recognition of mandelic acid and N-benzyloxycarbonylphenylglycine. In the presence of (S)-mandelic acid, compound (R)-2  showed over 30-fold fluorescence enhancement with the ef [ef=enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratio=(I S−I 0)/(I R−I 0)] up to 4.2. In the presence of d-N-benzyloxycarbonylphenylglycine, compound (RR)-4  showed up to 15-fold fluorescence enhancement with the ef up to 5.0. These high fluorescence sensitivity and enantioselectivity make compounds (R)-2  and (RR)-4  practically useful sensors for the recognition of the chiral acids in apolar solvents.",1
10.1016#j.marpetgeo.2016.02.006.xml,Marine and Petroleum Geology,"In recent years, new oil reservoirs have been discovered in the Eocene tight sandstone of the Huilu area, northern part of the Pearl River Mouth basin, South China Sea, indicating good prospects for tight oil exploration in the area. Exploration has shown that the Huilu area contains two main sets of source rocks: the Eocene Wenchang (E2w) and Enping (E2e) formations. To satisfy the requirements for further exploration in the Huilu area, particularly for tight oil in Eocene sand reservoirs, it is necessary to re-examine and analyze the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion characteristics. Based on mass balance, this study investigated the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion characteristics as well as the tight oil resource potential using geological and geochemical data and a modified conceptual model for generation and expulsion. The results show that the threshold and peak expulsion of the E2w source rocks are at 0.6% vitrinite reflectance and 0.9% vitrinite reflectance, respectively. There were five hydrocarbon expulsion centers, located in the western, eastern, and northern Huizhou Sag and the southern and northern Lufeng Sag. The hydrocarbon yields attributed to E2w source rocks are 2.4 × 1011 tons and 1.6 × 1011 tons, respectively, with an expulsion efficiency of 65%. The E2e source rock threshold and peak expulsion are at 0.65% vitrinite reflectance and 0.93% vitrinite reflectance, respectively, with hydrocarbon expulsion centers located in the centers of the Huizhou and Lufeng sags. The yields attributed to E2e source rocks are 1.1 × 1011 tons and 0.2 × 1011 tons, respectively, with an expulsion efficiency of 20%. Using an accumulation coefficient of 7%–13%, the Eocene tight reservoirs could contain approximately 1.3 × 1010 tons to 2.3 × 1010 tons, with an average of 1.8 × 1010 tons, of in-place tight oil resources (highest recoverable coefficient can reach 17–18%), indicating that there is significant tight oil potential in the Eocene strata of the Huilu area.",0
10.1016#j.matpr.2020.05.226.xml,Materials Today: Proceedings,"In industries Metal Oxides received attention owing to its salient features such as physical, chemical and optical properties. This work focused thickness, film composition, structural and optical properties of Copper Oxide thin films. A low cost, economically friendly electrodeposition technique has been employed to prepare Copper Oxide thin films on Indium doped Tin Oxide conducting glass substrates. Structural features shown that the deposited films have polycrystalline nature with cubic structure. Weight difference method has been used to find out the range of thickness of the deposited films. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis has been carried to determine the film stoichiometry of the deposited films.. Optical properties showed that the deposited films have band gap value around 2.42 eV.",1
10.1016#j.jqsrt.2017.03.005.xml,Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer,"The knowledge of aerosol complex refractive indices on wide spectral range with high spectral resolution is important for many research fields and applications. Various combinations of experimental/theoretical/numerical approaches have been employed to determine the optical indices of aerosol particles. However, each approach has its own advantages and limitations that restrict its generalization. This article is first part of a work aimed at proposing a new technique for determining the optical constants of aerosols. Experimentally, the method is based on recording transmittance spectra of an aerosol flow from thermal infrared to UV–visible combined with the size distribution measurements. Herein, we present the theoretical and numerical bases of the algorithm developed to retrieve the imaginary and real parts of refractive indices. This model associates the Mie theory, the single subtractive Kramers-Kronig relations, and the optimal estimation method with an iterative process. In order to quantify the capabilities of the algorithm to retrieve complex refractive indices, inverse calculations are performed from simulated extinction spectra of Quartz particles whose some of optical properties are available in the literature. We have detailed each step of the procedure and performed some comparisons with the most currently employed methods. The impact of experimental accuracy and numerical simulation are investigated in terms of errors, and uncertainties on the retrieved real and imaginary parts of the complex optical index.",1
10.1016#j.ijleo.2011.06.002.xml,Optik,In recent days amino acid single crystals are gaining importance due to good optical behavior. The title compound consists of l-alanine; an amino acid and maleic acid; an aromatic organic compound. It has been successfully synthesized and the single crystal has been grown by slow evaporation solution growth. The grown single crystal has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis and FTIR measurements. The crystalline perfection was examined by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) technique and found that the specimen quality is quite good. Optical behavior has been assessed by UV–Vis analysis and found that there is no absorption in the entire visible region. The relative second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency measurement reveals that the incorporation of maleic acid to l-alanine leads to increase its value of SHG. The mechanical behavior and the thermal analysis have been carried out using Vickers microhardness and TG/DTA measurements respectively. Its hyperpolarizability was estimated by density functional theory (DFT).,1
10.1016#j.tsf.2005.08.331.xml,Thin Solid Films,"Since the discovery of M41S materials family in 1992, some special features like aligned pores perpendicularly to the substrate surface and long range order, have been looked for with great interest for many applications of these kind of nanomaterials. The growth of thin films displaying meso- and nano-porous structures have attracted the attention of many research groups in the last decade and, with that aim several techniques such as: MBE, CVD, AFM, ion beam lithography, etc., have been used. On the other hand, a lot of down–top techniques, particularly those in which, self-assembly processes play a relevant role in the growth mechanisms of that nanostructures have been reported. Among them, electrochemical techniques constitute one of the most used to fabricate highly ordered nanostructures to be used as templates for replicating other nanostructured materials and for growing functionalized material arrays. In this paper, a brief overview on the nanofabrication techniques is done mainly of those related with the nanowires and, in general, 1D nanostructures fabrication. In addition, we show some results on ordered and disordered nanoporous anodic alumina membranes (AAM) and anodic titania membranes (ATM), respectively. Besides some functionalized systems based on these membranes used as templates are presented such as, magnetic nanowire arrays, biosensors, and carbon nanotubes. The potentiality of these systems for applications on diverse field, such as, nanoelectronic, magneto-optic, biotechnology and optoelectronic is demonstrated.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2019.09.193.xml,Ceramics International,"A novel approach to enhance the solar cell efficiency via employing a luminescent downshifting mechanism is presented in this work. Gold metal ions were diffused into a commercially available sodalime silicate glass using a versatile field-assisted solid-state ion diffusion technique under different experimental conditions. Some of these samples were irradiated with ns-laser to segregate the diffused ions into dimers and trimers to enhance their luminescence characteristics. The consequent structural modifications in the glass matrix were examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Optical absorption and luminescence measurements were performed to check the presence of resonant plasmonic absorption of nanoclusters and suitability of the samples as luminescent downshifters, respectively. At UV excitation wavelengths (260 and 340 nm), the doped samples downshifted the solar spectrum compared to their undoped counterparts. Furthermore, ns-laser irradiation of the doped samples significantly enhanced the luminescence intensity in comparison to the unirradiated samples. Real-time performance of these samples was tested by measuring the output power of a Si solar cell covered with the treated coverglass when illuminated with a solar simulator. Finally, the Vicker's micro-indentation was applied to conclude that ionic diffusion increased the glass hardness as well.",1
10.1016#j.tiv.2019.02.011.xml,Toxicology in Vitro,"Ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) have gained attention in biomedicine due to their many potential applications, such as targeted drug delivery, their use as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging and oncological treatments. The information about the risk effects of ferrite NPs in human blood cells is, however, scarce. To assess their potential toxicity, in vitro studies were carried out with magnetite and zinc, nickel and nickel‑zinc ferrites NPs at different concentrations (50, 100 and 200 μg·ml−1). The toxicity of the ferrite NPs was evaluated in humans by determining red blood hemolysis, by measuring the content of total proteins, and by assaying catalase and glutathione-S-transferase activities. Our results show that nickel‑zinc ferrite lead to hemolysis, and that magnetite, zinc and nickel‑zinc ferrites increase glutathione-S-transferase activity. No significant changes in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells viability were observed after the treatment with the four different ferrite NPs in vitro.",0
10.1016#j.cellsig.2014.03.033.xml,Cellular Signalling,"Acetylation-dependent inactivation of STAT1 can be mimicked by the exchange of its lysine residues K410 and K413 to glutamine residues. STAT3 harbors non-acetylatable arginine moieties at the corresponding sites R414 and R417. It is unclear whether the mutation of these sites to glutamine residues antagonizes STAT3 activation. Here, we show that an arginine–glutamine-exchange at the STAT3 moieties R414 and R417 (R414Q and R417Q) reduces cytokine-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3. This inhibitory effect can be partially rescued by phosphatase inhibition. In addition, the R414Q and R417Q mutations enhance the nuclear accumulation of unphosphorylated STAT3. STAT3 R414Q and STAT3 R417Q show a reduced response to cytokine stimulation emanating from the plasma membrane. Moreover, these STAT3 mutants have no direct inhibitory effect on the cytokine-induced activation of STAT1/STAT3-mediated gene expression. Since the mutations R414Q and R417Q reside within the STAT3 DNA binding domain (DBD), the STAT3 R414Q and R417Q mutants also lack intrinsic activity as transcription factors. Furthermore, in contrast to wild-type STAT3 they cannot compensate for a loss of STAT1 and they cannot promote STAT1/STAT3-dependent transcriptional activation. We further analyzed a STAT3 arginine–lysine-exchange mutant (R414K/R417K). This molecule mimics corresponding lysine residues found within the DBD of STAT1. Compared to wild-type STAT3, the STAT3 R414K/R417K mutant shows attenuated tyrosine phosphorylation and it is a less active transcription factor. In addition, STAT3 R414K/R417K is not activated by deacetylase inhibition. On the other hand, C-terminal acetylation of STAT3 is intact in STAT3 R414K/R417K. Our results suggest that the exchange of amino acid residues within the DBDs of STAT1/STAT3 affects their phosphorylation as well as their intracellular shuttling.",0
10.1016#j.jpcs.2014.06.006.xml,Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids,"Powder ZnAl2O4 (gahnite) samples doped with 0, 4.3, 7.6 and 11.7at% Mn (in relation to Zn) were prepared by a sol–gel technique followed by thermal treatment. The effect of manganese doping on microstructure of the samples has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Diffraction patterns showed that all samples were cubic with a spinel structure, space group Fd   3  ¯    m. Diffraction lines were broadened indicating nanocrystalline samples. Transmission electron microscopy investigations confirmed that the samples were nanocrystalline. Particles (grains) in the samples, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, were evenly shaped and grain size distribution could be fitted to a lognormal function. Grain sizes determined by TEM analysis and crystallite sizes obtained from diffraction line-broadening analysis were similar. Both decreased with increasing manganese doping level. Increase in doping level from 0 to 11.7at% Mn caused the change in grain size from 25.0(7)nm to 14.2(3)nm and the change in crystallite size from 24.1(1)nm to 18.0(1)nm. Doping Mn2+ cations acted as defects in the gahnite structure that increased lattice strain from 0.07(1)% for undoped sample to 0.21% for sample doped with 11.7at% Mn, and disturbed the crystallites to grow.",1
10.1016#j.nano.2011.03.005.xml,"Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine","Central to understanding how nanoscale objects interact with living matter is the need for reproducible and verifiable data that can be interpreted with confidence. Likely this will be the basis of durable advances in nanomedicine and nanomedical safety. To develop these fields, there is also considerable interest in advancing the first generation of theoretical models of nanoparticle (NP) uptake into cells, and NP biodistribution in general. Here we present an uptake study comparing the outcomes for free molecular dye and NPs labeled with the same dye. A simple flux-based approach is presented to model NP uptake. We find that the intracellular NP concentration grows linearly in time, and that the uptake is essentially irreversible, with the particles accumulating in lysosomes. A wide range of practical challenges, from labile dye release to NP aggregation and the need to account for cell division, are addressed to ensure that these studies yield meaningful kinetic information.",0
10.1016#j.burns.2018.08.019.xml,Burns,"Burn injury induces an acute hyperactive immune response followed by a chronic immune dysregulation that leaves those afflicted susceptible to multiple secondary infections. Many murine models are able to recapitulate the acute immune response to burn injury, yet few models are able to recapitulate long-term immune suppression and thus chronic susceptibility to bacterial infections seen in burn patients. This has hindered the field, making evaluation of the mechanisms responsible for these susceptibilities difficult to study. Herein we describe a novel mouse model of burn injury that promotes chronic immune suppression allowing for susceptibility to primary and secondary infections and thus allows for the evaluation of associated mechanisms.",0
10.1016#j.chemosphere.2018.03.009.xml,Chemosphere,"Mounting evidence suggests there is a link between exposure to synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) and the development of obesity. The information presented in this study suggests that cis-bifenthrin (cis-BF) could activate pregnane X receptor (PXR) mediated pathway and lead to the lipid accumulation of human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. Cells were incubated in the control or different concentrations of cis-BF for 24 h. The 1 × 10−7 M and 1 × 10−6 M cis-BF exposure were found to induce cellular triglyceride (TG) accumulation significantly. This phenomenon was further supported by Oil Red O Staining assay. The cis-BF exposure caused upregulation of PXR gene and protein. Correspondingly, we also observed the increased expression of downstream genes involved in lipid formation and the inhibition of the expression of β-oxidation. As chiral pesticide，cis-BF was further conformed to behave enantioselectivity in the lipid metabolism. Rather than 1R-cis-BF, HepG2 cells incubated with 1S-cis-BF exhibited a significant TG accumulation. 1S-cis-BF also showed a higher binding level, of which the KD value was 9.184 × 10−8 M in the SPR assay, compared with 1R-cis-BF (3.463 × 10−6 M). In addition, the molecular docking simulation analyses correlated well with the KD values measured by the SPR, indicating that 1S-cis-BF showed a better binding affinity with PXR. The results in this study also elucidates the differences between the two enantiomers of pyrethroid-induced toxicity in lipid metabolism of non-target organism.",0
10.1016#j.foodhyd.2016.09.008.xml,Food Hydrocolloids,"In this study, β-carotene (BC)-loaded nanoemulsions encapsulated with native whey protein isolate (WPI) and WPI-dextran (DT, 5 kDa, 20 kDa, and 70 kDa) conjugates were prepared and the effects of glycosylation with various molecular weight DTs on the physicochemical property, lipolysis, and BC bioaccessibility were evaluated. Mean particle diameter of BC-loaded nanoemulsions stabilized with WPI-DT (5 kDa, 20 kDa, and 70 kDa) conjugates (156.8, 156.0, and 155.6 nm) were significantly lower than that stabilized with native WPI (165.6 nm). The pH stability of BC-loaded nanoemulsions, especially when the pH was close to the isoelectric point of 5.0 was remarkedly improved after glycosylation regardless of the molecular weight of DTs. No appreciably creaming or flocculation was observed for all nanoemulsions after 30 days of storage at 25 and 50 °C. BC retention was the highest at both temperatures when stabilized with WPI-DT (5 kDa) conjugates due to the relatively higher DPPH scavenging ability. When glycosylated 70 kDa DT, the encapsulated nanoemulsions had remarkable inhibition on the extent of lipolysis and release of BC. A positively linear correlation between lipolysis and BC bioaccessibility was found. The information obtained in this study will facilitate the uses and applications of nutraceuticals-loaded nanoemulsion delivery system.",0
10.1016#j.solidstatesciences.2014.10.005.xml,Solid State Sciences,"A facile and effective solution phase reduction method was developed to synthesize graphene-based magnetic metal nanocomposites. Metals (Co, and Ni) or alloys (Fe51Co49, Fe48Ni52, Ni49Co51, Co51Cu49, and Ni52Cu48)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by reduction of the corresponding aqueous metal ions and ethylenediamine (EDA)–graphene oxide (GO) with hydrazine hydrate at 353 K for 1 h under N2 atmosphere. The effects of synthetic parameters such as metal ions concentration, adding sequence of NaOH and N2H4·H2O, linkage agent and reaction time on the formation of nanocomposites were investigated. The experimental results showed that using ethylenediamine and adding sequence played critical roles in the formation of metals or alloys/RGO nanocomposites. Magnetic hysteresis measurements revealed that the as-synthesized metals or alloys in nanocomposites showed excellent soft magnetic behavior with enhanced saturation magnetization, and could have promising applications in biotechnology, catalysis, and magnetic storage devices.",0
10.1016#j.intimp.2020.107029.xml,International Immunopharmacology,"Growing evidence shows that gut microbiota and neuroinflammatory responses play a critical role in the pathogenesis of depression. Our previous study demonstrated that schisandrin (SCH) could reduce proinflammatory factors of depressive mice. Therefore, our present study is to research the potential connection between gut microbial and anti-inflammatory effects of SCH on a depressive mouse model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that SCH pre-treatment could decrease the immobility time of forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). And the results of 16S rRNA demonstrated that SCH pre-administration attenuated the dysbiosis of gut microbiota of depressive mice, along with altered fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Furthermore, SCH reduced the levels of proinflammatory factors of depressive mice and the expression of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in the hippocampus. Overall, our study indicated that SCH might recover the gut microbial disorder of depressive mice through suppressing the expression of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.",0
10.1016#S0022-2313(97)00185-3.xml,Journal of Luminescence,"We performed persistent spectral-hole burning in the γ line of V4+ in the wide-gap semiconductor 6H-SiC at 11 K. The hole burning was achieved by two-step photoionization of V4+ from the 2E ground state via the 2T2 excited state to the conduction band (“self-gated” spectral-hole burning). The spectral holes were stable up to temperatures of at least 320 K. Optical erasure of the spectral holes was possible by pumping of electrons back from stable traps as well as by a charge-transfer transition from the valence band to the V5+ ions. In this context, typical features of spectral-hole burning in a semiconductor system are discussed. The homogeneous line width of the γ line could be determined by the hole-burning experiments to be 0.3 cm−1 yielding a coherence time of 18 ps. The temperature dependence of the hole width shows this coherence time to be essentially determined by the excited state's (remarkably short) lifetime.",1
10.1016#j.enconman.2014.03.016.xml,Energy Conversion and Management,"A mathematical model for the entire length of a downdraft gasifier was developed using thermochemical principles to derive energy and mass conversion equations. Analysis of heat transfer (conduction, convection and radiation) and chemical kinetic technique were applied to predict the temperature profile, feedstock consumption rate (FCR) and reaction equivalence ratio (RER). The model will be useful for designing gasifiers, estimating output gas composition and gas production rate (GPR). Implicit finite difference method solved the equations on the considered reactor length (50cm) and diameter (20cm). Conversion criteria for calculation of temperature and feedstock consumption rate were 1×10−6 °C and 1×10−6 kg/h, respectively. Experimental validation showed that model outputs fitted well with experimental data. Maximum deviation between model and experimental data of temperature, FCR and RER were 52°C at combustion temperature 663°C, 0.7kg/h at the rate 8.1kg/h and 0.03 at the RER 0.42, respectively. Experimental uncertainty of temperature, FCR and RER were 24.4°C, 0.71kg/h and 0.04, respectively, on confidence level of 95%.",0
10.1016#j.compscitech.2010.10.016.xml,Composites Science and Technology,"Bonded joints prepared with conductive epoxy adhesive based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) display an unusually high resistance mainly due to the high contact resistivity at the adhesive metal interface. A new method is proposed to reduce efficiently the contact resistivity by forcing a controlled amount of electric current through the bonded joint. Current treatment at 0.5A/cm2 of current densities for 30s typically reduces to up to 10 times the contact resistivity. Apart from noble metals, all other metals are usually covered by a more or less conductive oxide layer. This oxide layer is the main cause for high contact resistivity. During the current treatment large gradients of electric field developed around the highly curved CNTs are capable of breaking down locally the oxide layer generating conductive channels. Static shear strength and fatigue resistance of the bonded joint are not affected by the current treatment.",0
10.1016#j.optcom.2018.11.058.xml,Optics Communications,"Integrated optical gyros (IOG) draw attention due to the remarkable promise of miniaturization, mass-manufacturability and high reliability. However, the wafer-scale integration of these devices is not available. A heterogeneous platform of lithium niobate (LN) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) waveguide is proposed in this study to enable the integration of phase modulator and resonator firstly, with large polarization intensity extinction ratio and low loss. The optical interlayer coupling between LN and Si3N4 waveguide is realized using Si3N4 bilevel taper above the lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) substrate. The relationship between polarization intensity extinction ratio and lithium niobate thin film (LNTF) thickness of LN waveguide is developed based on polarization model. The optimal polarization intensity extinction ratio is achieved when the thickness of LNTF is 0. 2  μ m . At the start of the interlayer coupler, the Si3N4 strip with width=0. 9  μ m  and thickness=0.  1  μ m  is designed to maximize the fraction of optical power in the LNTF layer. The polarization intensity extinction ratio of the LN waveguide is 85.6 dB/mm. At the end of the coupler, the optical power in the Si3N4 strip with width of 0. 9  μ m  and thickness of 0. 9  μ m  reaches its maximum. Along the direction of light propagation from LN to Si3N4 waveguide, the optical interlayer coupler with length= 110  μ m  is designed to achieve optical coupling between LN and Si3N4 waveguide while maintaining its state of polarization all the way from the feeder waveguides. The coupling efficiency of the optimized interlayer coupler has been improved to about 99 %.",1
10.1016#j.compscitech.2007.07.022.xml,Composites Science and Technology,"This paper presents a study of the delamination resistance of unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composites manufactured from prepreg for racing yacht mast applications. Fibre modulus has been varied from 290 to 640GPa. Two manufacturing methods, oven cure under vacuum and autoclave, were used to produce samples. Results show that delamination resistance under mode I and mixed mode loading decreases as fibre modulus increases. The manufacturing route affects G c values by modifying interlaminar layer geometry but does not change the trend of lower toughness with increasing fibre modulus. For the pitch composites crack propagation is observed within the fibres, in addition to more usual matrix and interface cracking. For the very high modulus fibre composites it is no longer possible to measure the G I/IIc fracture envelope with the MMB specimen, compression failure occurs before delamination. FE analysis and instrumented specimens have been used to define the limits to the current standard test method for these materials.",0
10.1016#j.polymer.2017.02.012.xml,Polymer,"We prepared cellulose tris(ethylcarbamate) (CTEC), cellulose tris(n-butylcarbamate) (CTBC), and cellulose tris(n-octadecylcarbamate) (CTODC) samples with different molecular weight to determine their conformational properties in dilute solution. Weight average molar masses M w, z-average mean-square radii of gyration 〈S 2〉z, particle scattering functions P(q), and intrinsic viscosities [η] of the CTEC, CTBC, and CTODC samples in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 25 °C were determined by size exclusion chromatography equipped with multi-angle light scattering detectors (SEC-MALS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and viscometry. Infrared (IR) absorption measurements were also made to observe intramolecular hydrogen bonding between C=O and NH groups. The obtained 〈S 2〉z, P(q), and [η] data were analyzed in terms of the wormlike chain model to determine the Kuhn segment length (stiffness parameter, or twice of the persistence length) λ −1 and the helix pitch (rise) per residue h. While CTBC has the highest chain stiffness in the three cellulose derivatives as in the case of the corresponding amylose derivatives, the difference in the wormlike chain parameters is less significant for the cellulose alkylcarbamate derivatives. Indeed, intramolecular hydrogen bonding of CTEC, CTBC, and CTODC is weaker and fewer than that for the corresponding amylose derivatives owing to the main chain linkage, α or β.",0
10.1016#j.nimb.2005.02.014.xml,Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms,"We report a bi-layer optical waveguide in a Ce-doped strontium barium niobate (SBN) crystal formed by double boron ion implantation. The energies of the B+ and B3+ ions are 3 and 6MeV, respectively, while the doses of the two boron implantation are both 2×1014 ions/cm2. A classic m-lines arrangement is performed to investigate the waveguide properties of the sample. The reconstructed refractive index profile of the waveguide shows a double-barrier confined shape, which suggests the formation of a bi-layer waveguide structure. The thickness of the two guide layers are 2.6 and 4.6μm, respectively, which is in a good agreement with the mean projective range of the implanted boron ions of 3 and 6MeV in the crystal. The nuclear energy loss distribution of the boron ions into SBN has a similar shape to that of the waveguide index, which means an inherent relationship between the waveguide formation and the energy deposition of the energetic ions.",1
10.1016#j.msec.2016.04.064.xml,Materials Science and Engineering: C,"In this study, a series of magnetic polyurethane/Fe3O4 elastomer nanocomposites were prepared by covalently embedding novel thiacalix[4]arenes (TC4As) functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles (TC4As-Fe3O4) which contain macrocycles with reactive hydroxyl groups. Surface functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with TC4As macrocycles as unique reactive surface modifier not only gives specific characteristics to Fe3O4 nanoparticles but also improves the interphase interaction between nanoparticles and the polyurethane matrices through covalent attachment of polymer chains to nanoparticle surfaces. The novel synthesized TC4As-Fe3O4 nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, VSM and SEM analysis. Furthermore, the effect of functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the various properties of resulting nanocomposites was studied by XRD, TGA, DMTA, SEM, and a universal tensile tester. It was found that the functionalization of nanoparticles with TC4As affords better mechanical and thermal properties to polyurethane nanocomposites in comparison with unmodified nanoparticles. The SEM analysis showed finer dispersion of TC4As-Fe3O4 nanoparticles than unmodified Fe3O4 nanoparticles within the polyurethane matrices, which arising from formation of covalent bonding between TC4As functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles and polyurethane matrices. Moreover, the investigation of in vitro biocompatibility of novel nanocomposites showed that these samples are excellent candidate for biomedical use.",0
10.1016#0042-207X(96)00075-9.xml,Vacuum,"The improvement of impurity contamination and extraction of non metallic inclusions during electron beam (EB) refining involves a better understanding of heat exchange mass transport and chemical interactions among the alloy components, the contaminants and residual gases in the technological vacuum chamber. A physical description of the EB refining process and a computer simulation code for evaluating the kinetics of the refining of copper, titanium and cobalt base alloys are developed and applied. The data for the calculated approximation parameters of the partial processes during refining are given. Such evaluations are applicable to an optimization of the fabrication of pure metals and alloys.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2018.09.076.xml,Ceramics International,"Aurivillius single-phase ceramics of Gd3+ substituted SrBi4Ti4O15 with nominal formula of Sr1-xGd2×/3Bi4Ti4O15 (where x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1) herein denoted as SGBT-x have been prepared by using mixed oxide technique. The primary structural analysis from XRD study confirms that orthorhombic distortion to increase with increase in Gd-content, which was strongly supported by Raman spectroscopy. Two of the relaxation mechanisms were clearly identified from cole-cole plot and modulus spectroscopy analysis, which could be discerned to both grain and grain boundary contributions effect. The kinetic study of frequency dependent AC conductivity at various temperature was investigated by using Jonscher's power law equation, σtot(ω)=A(T) ωs + σDC(T); where 0 < s < 1. Close resemblance of obtained activation energy from relaxation mechanism, DC conductivity as well as hopping conduction below transition temperature (TC) suggested that the transport behavior is to originate from oxygen vacancy related hopping mechanism in SGBT-0.08 specimen. In order to further confirm the possible conduction mechanisms in the system the 's' exponent has also been analyzed detail at different temperature regions. Overall we examine that CBH (correlated barrier hopping) and NSPT (non-overlapping small polaron) are two of the appropriate models for conduction process in ferroelectric and paraelectric region respectively. Also the orthorhombic distortion (b/a) of SGBT system plays a major role in the conduction and relaxation process.",1
10.1016#j.heliyon.2020.e05464.xml,Heliyon,"The molecular structural dimerization of biologically potent 2-chloro-5-fluoro phenol (2C5FP) is optimized. A combined experimental and theoretical characteristics of vibrational spectral determinations (NMR, FT-IR and Raman) on 2-chloro-5-fluoro phenol (2C5FP) were used at DFT-B3LYP/6–31++G (d,p) level of computation. A close coherence is achieved when experimentally observed wave numbers are compared with calculated wave numbers by refinement of the scale factors. Calculated values of global chemical descriptors of the present molecule reveal significant molecular stability and chemical reactivity. Non-Linear optical (NLO) property of the present molecule is investigated by determining the second order non linear parameter of first hyperpolarizability β. Moreover, hydrogen bond and thermodynamic parameters at various temperatures are determined and discussed. Investigated compound 2C5FP possesses a better antibacterial activity against Echerichia coli, Streptococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aureus,and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The title molecule is subjected to molecular docking studies with two different proteins, namely Staphylococcus aureus Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (PDB ID: 1JIL) and human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (hDHODH) (PDB ID: 6CJF). The results of molecular docking analysis support the antibacterial activity and demonstrate a strong interaction with the DHODH inhibitor.",1
10.1016#j.sajce.2018.11.001.xml,South African Journal of Chemical Engineering,"This study investigated the removal of phosphorus from waste phosphogypsum by using citric acid as a leaching reagent, evaluated the potential environmental effect of the final product produced and provide recommendations for the application of developed products. A dissolution process was applied and three variables were studies namely, concentration, stirring speed and temperature. The results showed that Phosphorus can successfully be removed from waste phosphogypsum and the optimum leaching conditions were at the concentration of 0.5 M and temperature of 40 °C, with no effect observed on varying the stirring speed. Shrinking core model (SCM) was used to determine the best fit for the experimental data. For the pore diffusion model (KD), all correlation coefficients yielded were above 0.9, illustrating a positively linear correlation of KD and leaching behavior for phosphorus. Pore diffusion proved to be the effective rate controlling mechanism for the removal of phosphorus from phosphogypsum. The analysis of moments of particle size distribution (PSD) also showed a reduction in particle size, indicating the dissolution of the solid particles. The application of Toxic Leaching Characteristic Procedure (TLCP) showed low concentrations on the effluent, indicating that the developed product will not contaminate the environment through leaching. The obtained leachate concentrations were within the South African effluent discharge standards. The results also showed that dissolution had a significant contribution on the moments of particle size distribution, in terms of the volume, surface area and particles number. In respect to unconfined compressive strength the products developed can be used for load bearing and as backfill material.",0
10.1016#j.calphad.2021.102284.xml,Calphad,"Vanadium oxides were added to the existing GTOx database because of its important role in the ferro-titanium metallurgy as well as in petroleum coke gasification. The CaO–FeO–Fe2O3–MgO–SiO2 system is a part of GTOx database and is chosen because of the existence of experimentally determined vanadium distributions between vanadium ferroalloys and metallurgical slags. The CaO–FeO–Fe2O3–MgO–SiO2–V2O3–V2O5 system including all binary and ternary sub-systems was thermodynamically assessed using all available experimental data. Vanadium was introduced into the thermodynamic description of solid solution phases such as MeO, Spinel, Corundum and Ca2SiO4-α using available experimental information. Particular attention was given to the phase Spinel which forms the wide completely miscible solid solution Fe3O4–FeV2O4–MgV2O4–MgFe2O4. The thermodynamic description of the metallic vanadium containing systems was taken from the SGTE alloy database. With the knowledge about the complex behavior of vanadium in slags as well as in liquid metal alloys it is possible to calculate the vanadium distribution ratios (V)/[V] between iron melts and slags in a wide range of temperatures and compositions, corroborating the validity of the model under reducing conditions. The additionally developed viscosity model shows good agreement between the calculated and experimental values in vanadium-containing slags.",0
10.1016#j.triboint.2008.02.019.xml,Tribology International,"This paper presents a study concerning the influence of the amount of metallic nanoparticles on the wear behaviour of Fe0.5–Cr0.5–alumina nanocomposites rubbing on Ti–6Al–4V in fretting. Due to the elaboration process (metal–oxide nanopowder prepared by selective reduction in hydrogen of oxide solid solution and densified by spark plasma sintering), these materials generally own two sorts of nanoparticles: the intragranulars (size:  < 10  nm ) located within the alumina grains and the intergranulars (size:  > 100  nm ) located at the grain boundaries. This paper focuses on the role of each sort of nanoparticles with respect to the wear of the nanocomposite. Results show that the presence of intergranular nanoparticles is crucial for improving the wear resistance of nanocomposites whereas the intragranulars rather improve the mechanical properties of matrix grains. The lowest wear rate of the nanocomposite is obtained when the amount of intergranulars is about 3.5wt%. Finally, the fretting wear mechanism of nanocomposites and the mechanism enabling to prevent it by using nanoparticles are both identified and discussed.",0
10.1016#j.jmapro.2018.06.029.xml,Journal of Manufacturing Processes,"In the present study, Induction welding was carried out to achieve the joining between dissimilar metals such as mild steel (AISI 1015) and copper (Cu) in open atmosphere with different loads and different current settings. Microstructural evaluation of the welded joints was done by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The study showed that Cu was well bonded with mild steel (MS) without any crack near diffusion line. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis was carried out and it revealed the presence of FeCu4 and Cu(Fe2O4) along with Cu and Fe. Joint quality was examined by measuring ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and microhardness. The UTS of the welded specimens was found to be increasing with the increase of load and current. The maximum UTS was obtained for specimen welded at 650 A with 2.5 kg load applied during welding. Microhardness distribution of the welded specimens showed that microhardness at interface line was more than that of copper and less than that of mild steel. The maximum microhardness on the copper side was at the interface line and attained base metal microhardness 1 mm onward from the interface. However the microhardness on mild steel side increased nearly upto 6 mm from the interface line.",0
10.1016#j.cap.2013.01.025.xml,Current Applied Physics,"We present a high-efficient particle trapping chip, where a wide and uniform slit is formed by a deformable membrane barrier with air bubble plugs. The previous particle trapping methods based on membrane barriers resulted in low trapping efficiency due to the non-uniform slit gap between the membrane and the substrate, especially at the side walls of rectangular channel. In the present method, the air bubble plugs remained in the extended microchannel during sample filling process, block the particle passage at the both side ends of the membrane, thus all particles flow through the uniform slit gap. Therefore, high-efficient particle trapping without particle loss can be achieved. The present particle trapping chip was composed of three layers: pneumatic (top), membrane and channel (bottom) layers. The membrane was deformed by the pneumatic pressure applied from the top layer. In the experimental study using 10.3 μm-diameter polystyrene beads, the membrane barrier with the air bubble plugs successfully trapped the injected beads with the trapping efficiency of 100% at the flow rate of 10 μl/min, while the barrier without the air bubble plugs showed low efficiency of 20%. At the increased flow rate of 20 μl/min, beads were still trapped with trapping efficiency over 98% in the present device. By using a mixture of 5.7 and 10.3 μm-diameter beads, we also verified the present method was capable to trap and release the beads selectively according to their size with the release efficiency of 95.1%. The present simple and effective particle trapping device is applicable for the high-efficient bioparticle isolation and recovery in the micro total analysis system.",0
10.1016#j.ijbiomac.2019.03.105.xml,International Journal of Biological Macromolecules,"Fucoidan, referred to as fucose containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSP), is a polymer from brown algae cell wall that is reported to exhibit potential anti-inflammatory activity. In the present study, the fucoidans are extracted from Turbinaria ornata (TO) from the Maldives. The method involves enzyme assisted extraction and is modified in order to improve the effectiveness and purity of final product. Purified fucoidan fraction was identified as F10, and its chemical properties were verified via FTIR, 1H NMR and monosaccharide analysis. Selected inflammatory mediators were studied to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential using RAW 264.7 macrophages. F10 successfully inhibited NO production (IC50 = 30.83 ± 1.02 μg mL−1). F10 dose-dependently down-regulated iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines including PGE2 levels. The in vivo experiments were assisted by zebrafish embryo model. This exhibited reduction in ROS, NO expression levels. To our knowledge, this is the first report to illustrate potential anti-inflammatory activity of FCSPs' extracted from the brown algae T. ornata. Concisely, the results suggest that fucoidan purified from T. ornata increases the macrophage cellular and zebrafish embryo resistance against LPS-induced inflammation. Based on the observations, the fucoidans are promising candidates to be used in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical sectors.",0
10.1016#j.archoralbio.2012.12.009.xml,Archives of Oral Biology,"Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are known to play a key role during orthodontic treatment leading to periodontal remodelling and tooth movement. MMPs may be induced by mechanical forces. However, the role played by toll-like receptors (TLRs) in modulating the effects of the mechanical force on periodontal fibroblasts is not known. To investigate the interaction between mechanical force and TLR stimulation, primary cultures of human periodontal fibroblasts were submitted to centrifugation in the presence of LPS and Pam3Cys, which are known TLR-4 and TLR-2 ligands, respectively. The expression of MMP-1, -2, -3, -8, -9, -10 and -13; TIMP (Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases) -1, -2 and -4; TNF-α (Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha); IL-1β (Interleukin 1 beta); ERK 1/2 (Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2); p38; JNK (c-jun N-terminal Kinase); IRAK1 (Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinase); and NF-κB (Nuclear Factor kappa B) were measured by antibody array, ELISA and immunoblotting methods. The activation of TLRs associated with centrifugation induced an increase in the secretion of MMPs 1, 3 and 10, with no increase in TNF-α or IL-1β. An increase in the phosphorylation of the MAP kinases p38 and JNK and the transcription factor NF-κB, without an increase in TIMPs was also observed. These findings suggest that the secretion of MMPs by cultured periodontal fibroblasts that is induced by combined TLR activation and mechanical force stimulation is regulated via the p38, JNK and NF-κB pathways. The increased secretion of MMPs by TLR activation may be an important factor that should be considered during orthodontic treatment.",0
10.1016#j.clay.2003.09.011.xml,Applied Clay Science,The electromagnetic determination of clay water content requires a good understanding of the main factors that affect the relationship between the clay relative permittivity κ and the water content θ. The first part of this paper proposes a review of the different factors affecting it: (a) a significantly high imaginary part of the relative permittivity; (b) a frequency-dependent response; (c) a high content of bound water with a relative permittivity value lower than that of free water; (d) a geometrical effect associated with “platy” units that characterize the clay texture. The next sections focus on the c and d factors related to the microporosity of clayey geomaterials; both factors are studied with two theoretical tools: the Moment Method (MoM) and the Differential Effective Medium (DEM) theory.,1
10.1016#S0022-3093(97)00481-X.xml,Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids,"The effect of different processing parameters on the efficiency of entrapment of pH indicators in a sol–gel-derived silica film is reported. An evanescent wave absorption approach was used to monitor dopant-leaching from these films. The issues investigated include the effect on the rate of leaching of the water:alkoxide ratio, the pH of the leachant solution and the choice of silicon alkoxide. Results indicate that the most suitable sol–gel films in terms of leaching and response time are those prepared using tetraethoxysilane as precursor, acid catalysis and a water:alkoxide ratio of at least 4. Leaching is more pronounced for films used directly after preparation and varies for different pH environments. Implications of leaching for the long-term use of sol–gel based pH sensors are discussed.",0
10.1016#j.tet.2016.01.019.xml,Tetrahedron,"A chemical sensor containing triphenylamine and benzothiadiazole for cyanide anions detection was designed and synthesized, whose structural feature is a donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) molecular configuration, which is substituted with a dicyanovinyl group served as a sensing unit. The nucleophilic addition of cyanide ion to the dicyanovinyl moiety was activated in the principle of Michael addition, which broken the electron-withdrawing interaction of dicyanovinyl moiety. The obstruction in the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) induced remarkable changes in the absorption and emission spectra. The sensor exhibited splendid selectivity and anti-interference performance towards CN− over other anions (F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, NO2 −, NO3 −, HCO3 −, H2PO4 −, HS−, HSO3 −, NCO−, SCN−, SO3 2−, SO4 2−, HPO4 2−, CO3 2−). The mechanism was investigated by absorption and emission spectra together with 1H NMR titration.",0
10.1016#j.jpba.2012.06.031.xml,Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis,"Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are proposed as chiral selectors for separation of carvedilol stereoisomers beginning since its racemic mixture. The novel developed FIA-methodology employs a microcolumn (mC) packed with a few milligrams of SWNT which showed to be effective in S(−) and R(+) carvedilol separation. Attending to spectral properties of analytes, molecular fluorescence was employed in the detection step. Separation of carvedilol enantiomers was achieved in less than 70s with an acceptable resolution factor of 3.16. Variables that influence the chiral separation such as pH and composition of eluent solution, sample injection volume and flow rate, activation mode of NTs and mass of the same in column have been examined in detail. At optimal operational conditions, well repeatability was achieved using the same column for more than 100 injections, putting in evidence the stability of nanomaterial and the efficacy and versatility of the proposed FIA-configuration. The new methodology was successfully applied to S(−) and R(+) carvedilol quantification in pharmaceutical preparations, resulting an attractive alternative to traditional separative methods being fast, simple, using low cost instrumentation and producing scarce waste.",0
10.1529#biophysj.107.107771.xml,Biophysical Journal,"We study the phase behavior of phage ϕX174 single-stranded DNA in very dilute solutions in the presence of monovalent and multivalent salts, in both water (H2O) and heavy water (D2O). DNA solubility depends on the nature of the salts, their concentrations, and the nature of the solvent. The appearance of attractive interactions between the monomers of the DNA chains in the bulk of the solution is correlated with an adsorption of the chains at the air-water interface. We characterize this correlation in two types of aggregation processes: the condensation of DNA induced by the trivalent cation spermidine and its salting out in the presence of high concentrations (molar and above) of monovalent (sodium) cations, both in water and in heavy water. The overall solubility of single-stranded DNA is decreased in D2O compared to H2O, pointing to a role of DNA hydration in addition to electrostatic factors in the observed phase separations. DNA adsorption involves attractive van der Waals forces, and these forces are also operating in the bulk aggregation process.",0
10.1016#j.jmapro.2020.05.013.xml,Journal of Manufacturing Processes,"The present work explored the application of conventional stamping technology to manufacture micro-channels in SS304 and AA1050 ultra-thin sheets of 200 μm thickness. In order to obtain defect free stamped components, the forming limit diagrams (FLDs) of both the ultra-thin sheets were determined experimentally by sub-sized stretch forming setup, and these were further used as diagnostic tool for formability predictions. The finite element (FE) simulation of the stamping process was performed to predict different channel parameters such as channel width, depth and thinning development. Based on these predicted results, an in-house stamping test setup was designed and developed to fabricate novel multi-pass and parallel-serpentine micro-channels, and the stamping operation was demonstrated successfully using a 20 ton hydraulic press. The micro-channels with an average width of 1.5 mm and depth of 0.463 mm were fabricated without any wrinkling and fracture, and moreover, the quality of the channels was investigated in terms of channel depth uniformity, thinning development and surface roughness. It was observed that uniform channel with a negligible variation of approximately 1.5% in depth was observed at the central channel compared to that of the lateral channel irrespective of the material. The thickness distribution showed a maximum thinning of approximately 23% and 11% near the bottom corner region of the channels in case of AA1050 and SS304 ultra-thin sheets respectively. Also, surface roughness was found to be higher in the micro-channels fabricated using AA1050 material compared to that of SS304 material due to larger initial grain size and higher amount of effective plastic strain in AA1050 material during stamping.",0
10.1016#j.solmat.2005.04.014.xml,Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells,"The electrical conduction properties of ZincPhthalocyanine (ZnPc) thin films have been studied using copper, silver and aluminium electrodes. The sandwich structures were prepared by the thermal evaporation method. The I–V characteristics were investigated to identify the dominant charge transport mechanism in the films. Among all possible mechanisms, it was observed that the data fits well to the SCLC type of conduction in the Al/ZnPc/Al and Schottky type of conduction prevails in the Ag/ZnPc/Ag and Cu/ZnPc/Cu devices. The trap levels and its dependence of structure have been studied and results are discussed. The charge transport phenomenon in the ZnPc films seems to depend highly on the electrode material and temperature. The carrier mobility increases with increasing temperature whereas the density of trapped holes decreases with increasing temperature. The barrier height also decreases with increase in temperature. The influence of the temperature on the electrical parameters such as saturation current density (J s), barrier height (    Φ    b     ), density of states in the valence band edge N d (m−3), the position of the Fermi level E F (eV), ionized acceptor atom density N e (m−3), activation energy    Δ  Φ   (eV), mobilities of hole (    μ   0    ) and the concentration of free holes in the valence band (n 0) have been discussed in detail.",0
10.1016#S1350-4495(01)00105-0.xml,Infrared Physics & Technology,"We have demonstrated a new type of infrared photodetector based on infrared intersubband transitions in doped quantum wells in which the excited state is confined by the minigap between two minibands in surrounding superlattice barrier layers. Sharp peaks in the infrared photocurrent spectra were observed at 78 K in the 2.7–3.6 μm wavelength region corresponding to transitions in which the excited state energy is substantially above the conduction band edge of the higher-bandgap component of the superlattice. This indicates that the excited state is strongly confined within the well layer by the forbidden-energy minigap region between two allowed minibands. Broader, longer-wavelength photocurrent features corresponding to transitions into the lower-lying miniband states were also observed. The spectral features in the photocurrent spectra are well described by calculations of the optical absorption cross-section, and the relative magnitudes of these features are shown to be strongly affected by bias-dependent photocarrier transport.",1
10.1016#0260-8774(95)00040-2.xml,Journal of Food Engineering,"Microwave vacuum drying of banana slices was investigated experimentally. This type of drying procedure is preferable to conventional drying techniques in order to avoid product degradation due to high temperatures encountered in convective drying. The drying process was examined by introducing pulsegenerated microwave power in banana samples. The material temperature was monitored. Temperature peaks in the last stages of drying indicated that drying could be favoured if temperature was maintained below a maximum level, so that the final product should not be burned by hot spots during microwave drying. This procedure produced dehydrated products of excellent quality as examined by taste, aroma, smell and rehydration tests.",0
10.1016#j.fsi.2017.05.015.xml,Fish & Shellfish Immunology,"Annual fishes of the genus Nothobranchius show expression of age-related biomarkers at behavioral and histological levels. They therefore represent an excellent animal model for aging studies. However, oocyte development, histological and biochemical degeneration and immune response of ovary in the annual fishes remain unclear. Here, using one of these short-lived fishes, Nothobranchius guentheri, we reported that oogenesis process was divided into four stages (oogonium, primary growth stage, cortical alveolus stage and vitellogenesis stage), and old ovaries showed histological degeneration (with decreased mature oocytes and increased atretic oocytes) accompaning with high levels of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase and lipofuscin by down-regulation of vitellogenin (the precursor of yolk proteins). Moreover, poly(I:C) induced inflammation with overexpression of NF-κB and IL-8, and up-regulated vitellogenin expression. It was a first analysis for vitellogenin to participate in ovarian degeneration and immune response in ovary of fish, indicating that vitellogenin fulfilled a critical role in ovary development and innate immune system.",0
10.1016#S0032-3861(00)00861-2.xml,Polymer,"The molecular shape of well-defined poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEOz) chains in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at room temperature has been studied by a combination of static and dynamic light scattering and viscometry in the framework of the hard-sphere model. Data of the z-average radius of gyration as well as equivalent sphere radii such as the hydrodynamic radius (R H), the viscometric radius (R V), and the thermodynamic radius (R T) give some evidences of sphere-like structure. The unperturbed molecular dimension ((〈R G  2〉0/M w )∞ 1/2=624×10−4  nm) determined by an indirect method and the persistence length q=0.70 nm  determined by the Bushin–Bohdanecky method appear to be quite small compared to those of common flexible polymers. In particular, the R value (24.0), defined by 〈R G 2〉1/2/q, being of a considerably higher order than unity allows an estimation that the chain possibly has a type of “random Gaussian globule”. Based upon the experimental results so far obtained, it can be concluded that the chains of PEOz in THF at 25°C assume basically a shape that is very similar to that of a sphere in the least draining limit. Both the branch-like structure of the PEOz molecule and the intramolecular polar interaction between the nitrogen of the main chain and the carbonyl carbon in the side group are considered to be responsible for the chain contraction.",0
10.1016#0009-2614(87)80321-4.xml,Chemical Physics Letters,"The interaction energy between two periodic crystals obeys a structure registry condition. When the 2D periodic structures in the atomic planes parallel to the surfaces of the two crystals are not coincident, the energy contribution which accounts for the discrete characteristics of the solids along these planes vanishes. The remaining continuum potential is then unable to discriminate between the atomic distribution of surface atoms when one crystal is laterally translated with respect to the other. This registry condition leads to drastic changes in the interaction energy between two ionic crystals and can be responsible for the disappearance of specific structural properties in solids.",0
10.1016#j.jcrysgro.2015.01.019.xml,Journal of Crystal Growth,"The bandedge optical properties of GaAsBi films, as thick as 470nm, with Bi content varying from 0.7% Bi to 2.8% Bi grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs substrates are measured by photoluminescence (PL) and photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS). The PDS spectra were fit with a modified Fernelius model which takes into account multiple reflections within the GaAsBi layer and GaAs substrate. Three undoped samples and two samples that are degenerately doped with silicon are studied. The undoped samples show a clear Urbach absorption edge with a composition dependent bandgap that decreases by 56meV/% Bi and a composition independent Urbach slope parameter of 25meV due to absorption by Bi cluster states near the valence band. The doped samples show a long absorption tail possibly due to absorption by gap states and free carriers in addition to a Burstein–Moss bandgap shift. PL of the undoped samples shows a lower energy emission peak due to defects not observed in the usually available thin samples (50nm or less) grown under similar conditions.",1
10.1016#S1872-5813(21)60106-8.xml,Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology,"The effect of desulfurizer, modified TiO2 prepared by different methods on the NO emission from inferior coal burning and the adaptability of coal type were studied by using a tube furnace. The prepared Zr-TiO2 and the char were characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, XPS, TGA, and the mechanism of denitrification was explored. The results show that the addition of desulfurizer can promote NO emission. When the combustion temperature is 850°C, oxygen flow rate is 40 mL/min and the desulfurizer is MgO, the NO emission is the lowest as the catalyst of 5%Zr-TiO2 prepared by impregnation method is added, which is 51.0% lower than that with addition of pure TiO2 and 84.6% lower than that with pure coal under the same conditions. The catalyst 5%Zr-TiO2 can be applied to the coal with sulfur < 3% and ash < 30%, having a wide application range. The doping of Zr can inhibit the growth of grain, enhance the active component, increase the content of adsorbed oxygen, promote the transformation of the valence states of the elements, accelerate the devolatilization of volatiles, promote the combustion, increase the specific surface area of chars, and enhance the ability of heterogeneous reduction of chars.",0
10.1016#j.mri.2017.01.018.xml,Magnetic Resonance Imaging,"Head motion is an unsolved problem in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the brain. Real-time tracking using a camera has recently been proposed as a way to prevent head motion artifacts. As compared to navigator-based approaches that use MRI data to detect and correct motion, optical motion correction works independently of the MRI scanner, thus providing low-latency real-time motion updates without requiring any modifications to the pulse sequence. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to demonstrate that prospective optical motion correction using an optical camera mitigates artifacts from head motion in three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (3D PCASL) acquisitions and 2) to assess the effect of latency differences between real-time optical motion tracking and navigator-style approaches (such as PROMO). An optical motion correction system comprising a single camera and a marker attached to the patient's forehead was used to track motion at a rate of 60fps. In the presence of motion, continuous tracking data from the optical system was used to update the scan plane in real-time during the 3D-PCASL acquisition. Navigator-style correction was simulated by using the tracking data from the optical system and performing updates only once per repetition time. Three normal volunteers and a patient were instructed to perform continuous and discrete head motion throughout the scan. Optical motion correction yielded superior image quality compared to uncorrected images or images using navigator-style correction. The standard deviations of pixel-wise CBF differences between reference and non-corrected, navigator-style-corrected and optical-corrected data were 14.28, 14.35 and 11.09mL/100g/min for continuous motion, and 12.42, 12.04 and 9.60mL/100g/min for discrete motion. Data obtained from the patient revealed that motion can obscure pathology and that application of optical prospective correction can successfully reveal the underlying pathology in the presence of head motion.",1
10.1016#S0030-4018(99)00497-6.xml,Optics Communications,We analyze a doubly-resonant type II phase-matched optical parametric oscillator that includes an intracavity waveplate for inducing mutual injection locking between the signal and the idler. The intracavity waveplate provides a linear coupling between the normally orthogonally polarized signal and idler fields and allows for mode locking at frequency degeneracy. Under mode locked conditions the signal–idler phase difference is locked and the optical parametric oscillator becomes self-phase locked. The signal–idler phase can be adjusted by changing the operating point within the locking range. Two self-phase locked modes with different thresholds and signal–idler phases are possible. Characteristics of the self-phase locked regime are presented for different linear coupling strengths.,1
10.1016#j.tsf.2010.05.023.xml,Thin Solid Films,"Polycrystalline Fe-doped barium titanate (Fe-doped BaTiO3) thin films were grown by thermal decomposition of the precursors deposited from a sol–gel system onto quartz substrates. The changes in the transmittance spectra induced by gamma irradiation on the Fe-doped BaTiO3 thin films were quantified. The values for the optical energy band gap were in the range of 3.42–3.95eV depending on the annealing time. The refractive index of the film, as measured in the 350–750nm wavelength range was in the 2.17–1.88 range for the as prepared film, and this increased to 2.34–1.95 after gamma irradiation at 15kGy. The extinction coefficient of the film was in the order of 10− 2 and increased after gamma irradiation. We obtained tuneable complex refractive index of the films by exposure to various gamma rays doses.",1
10.1016#j.tsf.2015.03.062.xml,Thin Solid Films,"Useful thin film information may be obtained using ellipsometry data recorded during film growth. In cases in which the growing film overlies a substrate already coated with other films, it is possible to use a model which includes prior knowledge of the optical properties and layer thicknesses of all underlying films and the substrate. However, accuracy of the analysis is limited by imprecision in knowledge of the underlying structure and is not possible if the underlying material structure is unknown. These problems may be addressed by substituting a four-variable “numerical substrate” in place of the underlying materials. The “numerical substrate” exactly mathematically replaces a model of the physical substrate. It is represented by two effective optical indices which are independent of the growing film and dependent only upon light incidence angle and wavelength. The method may be implemented with a set of five measurements at a single wavelength and incidence angle or a set of three measurements at each of two incidence angles. Measurements may be made in-situ during film growth or ex-situ using “step deposited” films of different thicknesses. The work presented here is to demonstrate the method for nickel and rhenium films deposited on a BK7 substrate by Yamamoto using ion sputtering.",1
10.1016#j.polymertesting.2018.08.028.xml,Polymer Testing,"Polymer separators for lithium ion batteries are thin, porous membranes of 20–30 μm thickness. At elevated temperatures, some separators can shrink considerably. To predict the deformation and stresses in the separator in battery cells, it is necessary to measure the expansion/shrinkage property of a separator as expressed by the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The reported CTE measurement techniques for thin films have their limitations. This paper examines the use of a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) for the measurement of the thermal expansion/shrinkage property of polymer separators. The effect of the dimensional change of the testing fixture was considered. The influences of the preloading levels and heating rates were investigated. The measurements were carried out for three common types of polymer based separator. The CTE as a function of temperature was determined from the DMA data. DMA offers continuous measurements in an automatic fashion, which is an efficient and convenient method to characterize the thermal expansion/shrinkage behavior of thin polymer films.",0
10.1016#j.reactfunctpolym.2010.06.001.xml,Reactive and Functional Polymers,"New brush-like copolymers have been synthesized using functional polymethacrylate backbones bearing pendant sugars. Ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide and ε-caprolactone have been performed using 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) and 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) carbohydrate residues on the polymethacrylate chains. The latter have been first synthesized by copolymerization of three methacrylate monomers including methyl methacrylate (MMA), α-methoxy, ω-methacrylate poly(ethylene oxide) (MAPEO), and 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-6-O-methacryloyl-d-galactopyranose (MAIGP) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in toluene at 80°C using CuBr ligated with 1,1,4,7,10,10 hexamethyltriethylenetetramine (HMTETA) as catalytic complex. The protected sugars have been selectively deprotected using an aqueous solution of formic acid. The molecular characterization of those copolymers was performed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis.",0
10.1016#j.trac.2014.03.006.xml,TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry,"Genetic and functional heterogeneity of tumor cells represents major obstacles to cancer research, detection and effective treatment. In order to develop new therapeutic approaches in an era of personalized medicine, it is important to understand the functional characteristics of DNA, RNA, and proteins at the single-molecule level in individual cancer cells. Droplet microfluidics has emerged as a new tool that offers advantages in analyzing single molecules and single cells for high-throughput analysis with exceptional sensitivity. In this review, we highlight some recent reports that employed droplet microfluidics for cancer research, diagnostics, and therapeutics, and offer a view on future applications.",0
10.1016#0022-3697(67)90258-2.xml,Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids,"The isotope effect in transition metal superconductors is reexamined. The approximate calculations of Garland are shown to be qualitatively justifiable in the limit of sufficient dirtiness, i.e. ω D  −1 ∼ τ ⪢ ϵ F  −1. Here ω D  is the Debye frequency, ϵ F  the Fermi energy of electrons and τ the relaxation time of electrons due to impurity scattering. Furthermore a necessary condition for Garland's calculation to be valid is that the effective mass ratio   md ∗  ms ∗    be not greatly in excess of unity. If this condition is violated, which appears to be the case in such alloys as Nb3Sn, then a modification ensues wherein the cut-off of Garland corresponding to the band width is replaced by the d band plasma frequency.",0
10.1016#j.jconrel.2006.11.017.xml,Journal of Controlled Release,"The colloidal phenomenon of soft particles is becoming an important field of research due to the growing interest in using polymeric system in drug delivery. Previous studies have focused on techniques that require intermediate process step such as dialysis or centrifugation, which introduces additional errors in obtaining the diffusion kinetic data. In this study, a drug selective electrode was used to directly measure the concentration of procaine hydrochloride (PrHy) released from methacrylic acid–ethyl acrylate (MAA–EA) microgel, thereby eliminating the intermediate process step. PrHy selective membrane constructed using a modified poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane and poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-carbon monoxide) as plasticizer exhibited excellent reproducibility and stability. The response was reproducible at pH of between 3 to 8.5 and the selectivity coefficients against various organic and inorganic cations were evaluated. Drug release was conducted using the drug electrode under different pHs and the release rate increased with pH. The release behavior of the system under different pH exhibited obvious gradient release characteristics.",0
10.1016#j.intimp.2015.03.008.xml,International Immunopharmacology,"Ethanol consumption during pregnancy is associated with fetal heart malformation. However, the underlying mechanism of prenatal ethanol exposure causing heart malfunction is not well known. The current study examined the effect of prenatal and early postnatal ethanol consumption on heart abnormality resulting from oxidative and inflammatory stress. It was also intended to find out whether vitamin E inhibits the abnormality induced by ethanol in rats' heart tissue. Pregnant Wistar rats received ethanol with/without vitamin E from the seventh day of gestation (GD7) throughout lactation. The proliferation in heart muscle cells and coronary smooth muscle cells, protein carbonyl, IL-6, TNF-α, homocysteine levels, also lipid profile in heart and plasma of male pups were measured at the end of lactation (PN 21) and 90days after birth (PN 90). The results indicated proliferation of heart muscle and coronary smooth muscle cells along with heart structural alteration, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory reaction, and hyperhomocysteinemia in offspring after 21 and 90days of birth compared with the controls. Vitamin E treatment significantly decreased cell proliferation and heart structural alteration, compared with the group treated by ethanol alone. Furthermore, it reduced the elevation of protein carbonyl, lipid peroxidation, and increased inflammatory proteins to levels as those of the controls. These findings strongly support the idea that ethanol intake by dams during pregnancy and early postnatal days induces heart abnormality mediated by oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, and that these effects can be alleviated by using vitamin E as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule.",0
10.1016#j.matdes.2014.05.028.xml,Materials & Design (1980-2015),"Hook defect (HD) seriously decreases the mechanical properties of friction stir spot welded (FSSW) joints. In this study, two methods were therefore used to eliminate the HD in pinless FSSW joints. The one is changing welding parameters such as rotating speed and dwell time. The other one is FSSW plus subsequent friction stir welding (FSSW-FSW), which is an innovative method proposed in this study. Experimental results showed that the HD in pinless FSSWed AA2024 joints was successfully eliminated by using FSSW-FSW, not by changing process parameters. The joints without HD exhibited a tensile–shear load of as much as 12kN, which was higher than that of 6.9kN in the joints with HD. Furthermore, it was proved that the tensile–shear load is not greatly improved only by increasing the nugget zone when HD still existed in the FSSW joints. In addition, the fracture morphology analysis demonstrated that the shear fracture of the FSSW-FSW joints took place along the boundary between the upper and lower sheets through the weld nugget, and the faying surface between the two sheets was completely sheared off.",0
10.1016#j.ultsonch.2016.10.014.xml,Ultrasonics Sonochemistry,"Recently, great attention has been paid to predict the acoustic streaming field distribution inside the sonoreactors, induced by high-power ultrasonic wave generator. The focus of this paper is to model an ultrasonic vibrating horn and study the induced flow pattern with a newly developed moving boundary condition. The numerical simulation utilizes the modified cavitation model along with the “mixture” model for turbulent flow (RNG,   k - ε  ), and a moving boundary condition with an oscillating parabolic-logarithmic profile, applied to the horn tip. This moving-boundary provides the situation in which the center of the horn tip vibrates stronger than that of the peripheral regions. The velocity field obtained by computational fluid dynamic was in a reasonably good agreement with the PIV results. The moving boundary model is more accurate since it better approximates the movement of the horn tip in the ultrasonic assisted process. From an optimizing point of view, the model with the new moving boundary is more suitable than the conventional models for design purposes because the displacement magnitude of the horn tip is the only fitting parameter. After developing and validating the numerical model, the model was utilized to predict various quantities such as cavitation zone, pressure field and stream function that are not experimentally feasible to measure.",0
10.1016#j.desal.2011.04.036.xml,Desalination,"Nanoparticles (NPs) suspensions of CeO2, Fe3O4 and TiO2 were synthesized and tested for lead removal in water cleaning processes. The results obtained are promising for the use of these NPs in lead elimination via adsorption process. The adsorption capacity obtained for the NPs was: 189mg Pb/g NPs CeO2, 83mg Pb/g NPs Fe3O4 and 159mg Pb/g NPs TiO2. Another important issue assessed in this study was to determine the toxicity of the NPs in each step of the process: synthesized NPs, NPs after lead adsorption and the supernatant after NPs separation. In order to study the interaction with living organisms and prevent future environmental damages, the Germination test in Tomato (Lycopersicom esculentum), Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seeds and the Microtox® assay, based on the use of bioluminescent marine bacterium, Photobacterium phosphoreum/Vibrio fischeri, were used to evaluate the toxicity of these materials. The CeO2 NPs showed a high level of lead removal although presented a high phytotoxicity. The TiO2 NPs inhibited the lead toxicity against the marine bacterium. Interestingly, the media used to stabilize the NPs (tetramethylammonium hydroxide and hexamethylenetetramine) presented a significant reduction in the germination index. TiO2 and Fe3O4 NPs did not exhibit any toxicity and could be used as absorbents for Pb (II) removal.",0
10.1016#j.microrel.2016.10.011.xml,Microelectronics Reliability,"Through-silicon via (TSV) is one of the most critical elements in 3D integration, where defects such as unfilled bottom and holes are very common. Thus, defect detection is of great importance to improve products quality. In this work, a non-destructive TSV defect detection method using X-ray imaging is introduced. Seven features representative of TSVs are extracted from the images, and then inputted into a self-organizing map (SOM) network for classification and testing. The results demonstrate that the normal TSVs and defective TSVs can be distinguished obviously by SOM network. The voids inside the TSVs are further located qualitatively using the Otsu algorithm and verified by the SEM images. These prove the feasibility of X-ray inspection of TSV defects with SOM network and Otsu algorithm.",1
10.1016#j.pnsc.2019.04.007.xml,Progress in Natural Science: Materials International,"The sintering behavior of Cu-9Al alloys prepared from die pressing of elemental powders was investigated. The experimental results and kinetic analysis showed the formation of three consecutive layers of Al2Cu, Al4Cu9, and AlCu phases, with Al2Cu appearing first in the initial solid phase sintering stage. A liquid phase formed in the intermediate stage, resulting from the eutectic reaction between Al and Al2Cu phases at 500 °C, which is 47 °C lower than the equilibrium reaction temperature. Swelling occurred when the liquid phase infiltrated the gaps between the copper particles, leaving pores at the original sites of Al particles and Al2Cu. In the final stage of sintering, the Al-rich phases (Al2Cu and AlCu) transformed to Al-poor phases (Al4Cu9 and α-Cu) in the temperature range of 500–565 °C. Al4Cu9 and α-Cu then transformed to AlCu3 (β) above the eutectoid reaction temperature (565 °C), whereas AlCu3 transformed to α-Cu and eutectoid phases (α-Cu + Al4Cu9) during cooling. The pure copper transformed to AlCu3, and the pore volume decreased at 1000 °C. The microstructure study helps manipulate precisely the sintering process of Cu-Al alloys and optimize the microstructure with a high dimensional accuracy.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2014.08.058.xml,Ceramics International,"In the paper, (1−x)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3−xK0.5Na0.5NbO3 ((1−x)BNT−xKNN, (0≤x≤0.08) powders with perovskite structure were firstly synthesized by the hydrothermal method, then the highly dense piezoelectric ceramics exhibiting lower coercive field were prepared by sintering (1−x)BNT−xKNN powders at 1150°C for 2h, followed by polarizing it in silicon oil at 80°C for 5min. The phase compositions and micro-morphology of (1−x)BNT−xKNN powders and ceramics were characterized by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscope. The results showed that (1−x)BNT–xKNN (0≤x≤0.09) powders and ceramics dispersibility and crystal morphology could be successfully synthesized at 210°C for 24h by the hydrothermal method with KOH/NaOH=1:7 (molar ratio) in precursor when Ti(OC4H9)4 was used as titanium source. With the addition of KNN, the grain size of prepared powders became smaller and more disperse. The crystal structure of (1−x)BNT–xKNN ceramics was found to be changed from rhombohedral to pseudo-cubic phase combined with morphology change from regular round shape to cubic or rectangular shape. When the actual KNN content was in the range of 0.04–0.05, abrupt changes in both the phase and morphology of the ceramics were observed. This would be indicative of the formation of a rhombohedral and pseudo-cubic morphtropic phase boundary (MPB). The piezoelectric constant d33 gradually reached its highest value of 96pC/N at x=0.04, with the coercive field Ec of ceramics as 28KV/cm. This result was much lower than that of pure BNT (45KV/cm), indicating that the doping of KNN successfully decreases coercive field Ec of BNT ceramics.",0
10.1016#j.foodcont.2016.01.023.xml,Food Control,"Antimicrobial peptide F1, a novel antimicrobial peptide from Tibetan kefir, have shown strong antimicrobial activity against several bacteria and fungi. We identified the amino acid sequence and studied the antimicrobial mechanism of peptide F1 against Escherichia coli. Our results showed that antimicrobial peptide F1 contained 18 amino acids (Thr-DAP-Asn-Thr-PEA-His-Pro-Asn-Thr-His-Leu-Ile- PEA-CySH-Val-Asn-PEA-Tau), which increased the outer and inner membrane permeability of E. coli, and the leakage of the cytoplasmic β-galactosidase and potassium ions was detected in the process. Morphologies of E. coli were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, which visually showed that antimicrobial peptide F1 could penetrate and accumulate into cell causing disruption of cell membrane functions. Furthermore, we elucidated the DNA binding ability of antimicrobial peptide F1 by agarose gel retardation and atomic force microscopy. Our findings indicated that antimicrobial peptide F1 has multiple targets in the killing of E. coli.",0
10.1016#j.radmeas.2005.05.008.xml,Radiation Measurements,"The optical penetration depth for polycarbonate (PC) at 308nm due to XeCl laser is about  450  μ m  while those of KrF (248nm) and ArF (193nm) lasers become noticeably shorter to  1  μ m  and 20nm, respectively, to show the strong superficial absorption at shorter UV wavelengths. On the other hand, KrF laser exposure on polycarbonate, at doses above  6  J /   cm   2   , creates the surface crosslinking. In spite of several reliable methods available, such as “hot set” and “gel content”, to determine the bulk crosslinking, there are a few consistent techniques to evaluate the surface crosslinking effect quantitatively. It includes hardening measurements using nanoindenter or AFM (atomic force microscopy). In this work, we present a technique for the measurement of superficial crosslinking, based on electrochemical etching of alpha irradiated polycarbonate accordingly. The mean diameter of the developed tracks nonlinearly decreases for KrF laser treatment at higher doses. The relative shrinkage of track diameters due to UV exposure before alpha irradiation, comparing to those without UV pre-radiation, indicates that UV laser makes the polymer surface hardened. The variation of mean track diameters can be strongly used to quantify the surface crosslinking.",1
10.1007#s10854-015-3631-x.html,Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics,"The (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics was prepared by a spark plasma sintering technique, and the microstructure and electrical properties of (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics prepared by spark plasma sintering technique was investigated systematically. The result revealed that, compared with a conventional sintered (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 ceramics, a high relative densities of 99 % was achieved in (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 ceramics sintered at 1450 °C for 3 min, suggesting a very highly dense microstructure was developed by employing the spark plasma sintering technique. A relatively small grain size and the existence of internal stress was formed in (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 ceramics prepared by spark plasma sintering technique showed by the SEM and XRD, resulting in the degradation of piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties, while an enhancement in dielectric constant. ",0
10.1016#j.jlumin.2013.04.016.xml,Journal of Luminescence,"The intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence of trans-ethyl p-(dimethylamino) cinamate (EDAC) is used to monitor the complexation behavior of this probe with surfactants/β-CD by steady state and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The ICT fluorescence band intensity was found to increase with concomitant blue shift in presence of surfactants/β-CD. The encapsulation behavior was further characterized by increase in emission yield as well as lifetime values. Detailed analyses of the spectroscopic data indicate that the probe forms 1:1 complex with β-CD in aqueous medium. However, in presence of surfactants, 1:1 complex is formed below the critical micelle concentration (cmc) value; whereas, 1:2 complexes are formed under fully micellized condition.",1
10.1016#j.cap.2006.09.029.xml,Current Applied Physics,"Molecular electronic devices were fabricated with amino-style derivatives as redox-active components. These molecules are amphiphilic to allow monolayer formation by the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) method, and this LB monolayer is inserted between two metal electrodes. On measuring the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics, it was found that the Al/amino style LB monolayer/Al devices show remarkable hysteresis and switching behavior, so that they can be used as memory devices at ambient conditions, when an aluminum oxide layer exists on the bottom electrode. From the results of I–V measurements, we acquired values of the switching voltage and some large on/off ratios in the case of the ASBC-18 molecule. Also, we improved the yield of the molecular electronic device by reducing the area of the device and by inserting a Ti protecting layer between the top metal electrode and the amino style LB monolayer.",0
10.1016#j.compag.2009.02.004.xml,Computers and Electronics in Agriculture,"The goal of this study was to develop an image processing method to detect green citrus fruit in individual trees. This technology can be applied for crop yield estimation at a much earlier stage of growth, providing many benefits to citrus growers. A hyperspectral camera of 369–1042nm was employed to acquire hyperspectral images of green fruits of three different citrus varieties (Tangelo, Valencia, and Hamlin). First, a pixel discrimination function was generated based upon a linear discriminant analysis and applied to all pixels in a hyperspectral image for image segmentation of fruit and other objects. Then, spatial image processing steps (noise reduction filtering, labeling, and area thresholding) were applied to the segmented image, and green citrus fruits were detected. The results of pixel identification tests showed that detection success rates were 70–85%, depending on citrus varieties. The fruit detection tests revealed that 80–89% of the fruit in the foreground of the validation set were identified correctly, though many occluded or highly contrasted fruits were identified incorrectly.",1
10.1016#S0082-0784(96)80150-0.xml,Symposium (International) on Combustion,"The combustion behavior of graphite rods in the stagnation flow of an oxidizer is studied experimentally to investigate the coupled nature caused by the interaction between the gas-phase and surface reactions. Toward this aim, not only the combustion rate but also the gas-phase temperature profile is measured as a function of the surface temperature of the burning graphite. The temperature profile over the burning graphite rod is measured with CARS thermometry. It is observed that with increasing surface temperature, the temperature profile in the gas phase shifts from that without CO flame to that with CO flame. At the ignition surface temperature, at which a CO flame is established in the forward region, it is observed that there exists a reaction zone whose temperature is nearly equal to the surface temperature. When the surface temperature is higher than the ignition surface temperature, a reaction zone whose temperature is higher than the surface temperature is observed. It is confirmed that the abrupt reduction in the combustion rate is related closely to the change of the flame structure in the gas phase caused by the establishment of the CO flame in the forward stagnation region, by which the dominant surface reaction changes from the C-O2 reaction to the C-CO2 reaction. Experimental results are also compared with predicted results with the gas-phase and surface kinetic parameters reported in the literature. A fair degree of agreement is demonstrated as far as the trend and approximate magnitude are concerned.",0
10.1016#j.matpr.2020.02.193.xml,Materials Today: Proceedings,"Graphene- 2D, single layered, one atom thick material has gained high importance as an electromagnetic interference shielding material due to its superior electrical property and large aspect ratio.It is an allotrope of carbon with sp2 configuration that exhibits excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Graphene have been used as electromagnetic interference shielding material in the form of ultrathin flexible film, paper, laminates, microcellular foams, sheets etc. Electromagnetic shielding efficiency of graphene can be as high as 135 dB, whereas the commercial applications requirement is only 20 dB. The present review work mainly focuses on the use of graphene as an EMI shielding materialin composites, free standing films, foams and aerogels. This study also reviews the use of different dopants to dope graphenethat can be used as EMI shielding material. Methods of production of different forms of graphene and mechanisms of EMI shielding have been briefly discussed in the current review. The study reveals that the highest EMI SE is exhibited by graphene aerogels, as high as 135 dB. The study explores the effective use of graphene as an EMI shielding material in various electronic devices. Despite possessing many superior properties, few limitations that exist to the usage of grapheme have also been listed out in this review",0
10.1016#j.ultsonch.2007.09.003.xml,Ultrasonics Sonochemistry,"A novel sonochemical method for direct preparation of nanocrystalline antimony sulfoiodide (SbSI) has been established. The SbSI gel was synthesized using elemental Sb, S and I in the presence of ethanol under ultrasonic irradiation (35kHz, 2W/cm2) at 50°C for 2h. The products were characterized by using techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and optical diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). The SEM and HRTEM investigations exhibit that the as-prepared samples are made up of large quantity nanowires with diameters of about 10–50nm and lengths reaching up to several micrometers and single-crystalline in nature.",0
10.1016#S0142-1123(03)00121-X.xml,International Journal of Fatigue,"Cavitation shotless peening (CSP) is a surface enhancement technique which makes use of cavitation impact to induce compressive residual stress on the metallic materials, thereby increasing the fatigue life of components. The technique is similar to shot peening except that shots are not used and that is why we refer to it as shotless peening. In case of CSP a submerged high-speed water jet with cavitation, i.e. a cavitating jet is used. To explore the potentials of CSP as a means of improving fatigue strength, carbonized chrome-molybdenum alloy steel (JIS SCM415) has been analyzed in the non-peened, shot-peened and CSP conditions with respect to processing times, residual stress and cyclic-stress curves. The residual stress was measured by an X-ray diffraction method. Experimental results confirmed that the rotating beam fatigue strength of a CSP specimen was stronger than non-peened and shot-peened specimens by 79 and 27 MPa, respectively.",0
10.1016#j.micromeso.2007.05.035.xml,Microporous and Mesoporous Materials,"Regular arrays of parallel nanotubes of chrysotile asbestos have been infilled with CdTe nanocrystals using capillary forces. The radiative recombination of photoexcited electron–hole pairs has been studied using photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation techniques. The co-existence of two channels of radiative relaxation of photoexcitations generated in the nanocomposite, namely, the recombination in nanocrystals and the recombination in template defects, has been observed. The enhancement of the defect emission in infilled asbestos has been interpreted as a result of trapping the electron–hole pairs from nanocrystals. Selective inhibition of emission from nanocrystals has been observed in nanotubes co-infiltrated with semiconductor and gold nanoparticles.",1
10.1016#j.marpetgeo.2016.03.011.xml,Marine and Petroleum Geology,"Petrographic, petrophysical and fracture analyses were carried out on middle Cretaceous platform carbonates of the southern Apennines (Italy) that represent an outcrop analogue of the Val d’Agri and Tempa Rossa reservoirs of the Basilicata region. The studied outcrops, which are made of interlayered limestones and dolomites of inner platform environment, were selected to study the impact of dolomitization on reservoir properties and the control of dolomite texture on fracture development. Two types of dolomites – both formed during very early diagenesis – were found interlayered, at a metre scale, with micrite-rich limestones (mainly mudstones and wackestones). Dolomite A is fine-to medium crystalline and makes non-planar mosaics. Dolomite B is coarse-crystalline and makes planar-s and planar-e mosaics. The intercrystalline space of the planar-e subtype of dolomite B is either open or filled by un-replaced micrite or by late calcite or saddle dolomite cement. Dolomite A and dolomite B have similar average porosities of 3.7 and 3.1% respectively, which are significantly higher than the average porosity of limestones (1.4%). Their poro-perm relationships are similar, with the notable exception of planar-e type B dolomites, which generally display higher permeability values.",0
10.1016#j.mtener.2020.100612.xml,Materials Today Energy,"Conversion and storage of renewable energy is an important step towards the sustainable future. In this work, we have combined photoconversion of solar energy and Zn–air batteries in a single device which could be an effective strategy for augmenting energy conversion and storage. We report the synthesis of inexpensive cobalt-doped 2D δ-MnO2 nanosheets by one-pot hydrothermal method. Spectroscopic and microscopic characterizations prove both in-plane and interplanar doping of cobalt in δ-MnO2 structure. The as-prepared catalyst shows the bifunctional catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction as well as oxygen evolution reaction in presence and absence of visible light. Under light conditions, δ-MnO2 shows 11.56% increment in bifunctional activity. Moreover, the doped MnO2 sample exhibits 19.23% increment in bifunctional activity as compared with pristine δ-MnO2. Upon light irradiation, the doped MnO2 cathode electrode can execute four times enhancement in power density, 2.38% improvement in voltage difference between charging and discharging and 16.26% increment in round-trip efficiency. This work provides a simple and easy method to prepare stable and durable photoactive bifunctional catalysts for energy storage applications.",1
10.1016#S1385-299X(96)00023-2.xml,Brain Research Protocols,"The interleukin-1 family of polypeptides (IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-1 receptor antagonist (RA)) induces various centrally mediated host defense responses to infectious pathogens [3]. Considerable interest has focussed on IL-1 as a mediator in disease and in the production of systemic acute phase responses. We have recently studied the effects of a peripheral stimulation by intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of lipoposaccharide (LPS) on the mRNAs expressions of IL-1 (α, β, RA) and their receptors (IL-1 receptor type I and type II (IL-1R1, IL-1R2)) in the central nervous system (CNS) [5, 6]. The levels of these expressions being very low in the CNS, the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques are required for these studies. RT-PCR is a developed method of identifying mRNAs in very small amount of nucleic acid. We have previously developed a method to choose specific PCR primers [9]. The detection of specific PCR products is extremely important. Since amplifications with these specific PCR primers can be achieved under the same conditions (buffers and temperatures) reliable results can be obtained. Characterization of a PCR product requires the use of a specific DNA probe that hybridizes to the region of interest. In addition to providing specificity of detection, the use of labeled DNA probes provides increased sensitivity over ethidium bromide staining. We have previously described a method of synthesis of non-radioactive probe labeled with digoxigenin by nested PCR [5, 6, 8]. Moreover the major advantage to the use of non-radioactive label is that it does not have a short half-life and can last for weeks or even months. A quantification of the PCR products can be obtained using a method based on the analysis of photographic negatives of agarose gels. ©1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.",0
10.1529#biophysj.104.058842.xml,Biophysical Journal,"Linear dichroism, the unequal absorption of parallel and perpendicular linear polarized light, is often used to determine the anisotropic ordering of rodlike polymers in a smectic phase, such as helices in a lipid bilayer. It is a measure of two properties of the sample: 1), orientation of the chromophore transition dipole moment (TDM) and 2), disorder. Since it is the orientation of the chromophore TDM that is needed for high resolution structural studies, it is imperative to either deconvolve sample disorder, or at a minimum, estimate its effect upon the calculated TDM orientation. Herein, a rigorous analysis of the effects of disorder is undertaken based on the recently developed Gaussian disorder model implemented in linear dichroism data. The calculation of both the rod tilt and rotational pitch angles as a function of the disorder and dichroism, yield the following conclusions: Disorders smaller than 5° have a vanishingly small effect on the calculated polymer orientation, whereas values smaller than 10° have a negligible effect on the calculated parameters. Disorders larger than 10° have an appreciable effect on the calculated orientational parameters and as such must be estimated before any structural characterization. Finally the theory is tested on the HIV vpu transmembrane domain, employing experimental mosaicity measurements from x-ray reflectivity rocking scans and linear dichroism.",0
10.1016#S0264-410X(99)00210-8.xml,Vaccine,"We describe the interaction of a nonepitopic synthetic decapeptide sequence comprising, GQVLQGAIKG, derived from a random sequence with polyclonal IgGs from various animal sources. GQVLQGAIKG was screened for antibody binding activity using ELISA techniques. The peptide showed similar binding characteristics to the IgGs tested. The results were similar whether we used peptide acid or amide. MAP (multiple antigen peptide)-type construct of the peptide was synthesised and employed as an approach to enhance peptide-IgG interaction. The construct, (GQVLQGAIKG)4-K2-K, showed significant antibody binding activity relative to its monomeric form. These results show that nonepitopic sequences may contribute to binding activity observed in peptide library screening and development of peptide based vaccines. As a cautionary point the measure of antibody binding cannot alone be used to classify peptide as an antigen.",0
10.1006#mthe.2002.0581.xml,Molecular Therapy,"Gene delivery is a multistep process that is being studied to increase its efficiency, a major hurdle for effective gene therapy. Our study focused on the nuclear entry step by microinjecting a mixture of fluorescent dextran and the pEYFP-Nuc plasmid (encoding a nuclear-targeted, enhanced GFP) into the cytoplasm of nondividing and dividing cells that were selected using non-chemical means. After 10 and 1000 ng/μl of plasmid DNA (pDNA) were cytoplasmically injected, 28% and 50% of the cells that had not divided expressed GFP, respectively, compared with 50% and 90% for the cells that had divided. This result suggested that pDNA can enter the nonmitotic nuclei of mononucleated cells, albeit at a lower efficiency than mitotic nuclei. The ability of pDNA to enter the intact nuclei of nondividing cells is consistent with our previous experience using multinucleated myotubes and digitonin-permeabilized cells in culture and using intravascular naked pDNA delivery in vivo. An explanation for the small effect of cell division was provided by studies using fluorescently labeled molecules and confocal fluorescent microscopy. They showed that the bulk of large dextran, and similarly pDNA, was excluded from re-formed nuclei after mitosis, thereby limiting the effect of cell division on the nuclear entry of pDNA.",0
10.1016#0032-3861(96)85344-4.xml,Polymer,"Procedures that lead to surface selective modification of preformed poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films are detailed. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscoy (X.p.s.), ultra-violet (u.v.)—visible spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance infra-red spectroscopy, we followed the changes induced in PVC films by dehydrochlorination with lithiated α,ω-diaminopoly(alkene oxide)s. By controlling the temperature of the reaction, we could control the depth and extent of reaction. After about 20–30 min at −78°C, −42°C or 0°C, the depth of the polyunsaturated layer was about 60 Å, 500 Å or 2000 Å (1 Å = 0.1 nm), respectively, as estimated by u.v.—visible analysis. Further modification at that point occurred at a slower rate. X.p.s. analysis of the changes in the Cl 2p  and C 1s  signals indicated that about 60% of the vinyl chloride subunits had been consumed by the lithiated amide base in 1 h at −78°C. Subsequent modifications of the unsaturated surfaces produced by dehydrochlorination are also described. Nucleophilic substitution led to surfaces grafted by poly(alkene oxide)s or poly(ethylene imine)s. Hydroboration—oxidation or hydroboration—grafting led to surfaces containing hydroxy groups or poly(methyl methacrylate) grafts.",0
10.1016#j.spmi.2015.01.033.xml,Superlattices and Microstructures,"A series of W1−  x Mo x O3⋅0.33H2O (x =0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75) nano/microstructures and MoO3⋅0.55H2O with elongated morphology were prepared by using hydrothermal technique. Aqueous acidified solutions of ammonium metatungstate hydrate ((NH4)6H2W12O40⋅XH2O) and ammonium heptamolybdate tetrahydrate ((NH4)6Mo7O24⋅4H2O) were hydrothermally reacted to yield the desired nano/microstructures. In the WO3⋅0.33H2O crystal lattice can be substituted with up to 75% Mo without structural alterations. When the Mo atoms increase, from 0 to 75at. %, the band gap of the, as-prepared, W1−  x Mo x O3⋅0.33H2O material decreases from 2.55 to 2.15eV. In order to corroborate experimental data, first-principle calculations using DFT and DFT+ U framework were employed which revealed indirect band gap semiconductors up to x =0.75. We suggest that the increase in the Mo fraction (25%, 50% and 75%) by hydrothermal synthesis (pressure and temperature) is responsible for the narrowing of the band gap.",0
10.1016#j.tet.2014.10.021.xml,Tetrahedron,"A synthesis of poinsettifolin A (1), a prenylated flavonol isolated from Dorstenia poinsettifolia, is described. Two routes starting from quercetin were explored, and 1 could be prepared if a prenyl group first was incorporated at C-6 of the protected quercetin followed by a condensation with citral at C-8. The key synthetic steps are a Mitsunobu reaction, an europium (III)-catalysed Claisen rearrangement coupled with cross-metathesis, and a benzopyran-forming geranylation. The two geranylated 3,5,3′,4′-tetrahydroxyflavonols prepared, 1 and 3, were assayed for antileishmanial activity against Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania braziliensis, and found to be active. Compound 3 showed cytotoxic activity against leukaemia and lung cancer cells while 1 lacked cytotoxicity.",0
10.1016#j.polymertesting.2019.02.029.xml,Polymer Testing,"In this study, a novel polycaprolactone/chitosan/polypyrrole (PCL/chitosan/PPy) conductive composite film was fabricated. A polymer blend of PCL/chitosan (7:3) was selected and then 1, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 wt% of PPy was added to each solution. The addition of PPy to the PCL/chitosan blend resulted in decreased surface pit size and at higher concentration of PPy a porous structure was detected. The electrical conductivity of PCL/chitosan was 0.0164 ± 0.008 mS/m but increased to 0.55 ± 0.03 mS/m with the addition of 7.5% PPy. Hydrophilicty also improved with the addition of PPy as water contact angle changed from 107 ± 2.1° for PCL/chitosan to 101 ± 3.5° at 7.5% PPy. The tensile strength increased from 7.57 MPa for PCL/chitosan sample to 18.06, 16.02, 15.33 and 13.87 MPa for 1, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 wt% PPy, respectively. The films containing PPy had improved antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus.",0
10.1016#S0169-328X(98)00101-6.xml,Molecular Brain Research,"A between-side comparison of GABAA receptor subunit expression levels in the globus pallidus and anterior-pole motor thalamic nuclei of rats with an ibotenate lesion of the striatum, and rats receiving a fetal striatal graft in the lesioned area was made by using immunocytochemistry with subunit-specific antibodies, at different times post-lesion or different times post-grafting. At 10 days post-lesion, there was already an increase in the labeling of the α1- and β2/3-subunits in the globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus and ventrolateral nucleus ipsilateral to the lesion when compared with the contralateral side, while there were no significant changes at the level of the ventromedial nucleus. Labeling of the α2-subunit showed a clear increase in the entopeduncular nucleus compared with the contralateral side at 10 days post-lesion. Similar changes were also observed for the different subunits studied at 30 and 120 days after lesioning. Rats with 20-day old transplants of fetal striatal neurons that were implanted in the ibotenate lesioned striatum at 10 days post-lesioning, continued to show changes in the expression of GABAA receptor subunits, albeit at a lower level than those of ibotenate lesioned rats at similar age post-lesion. However, when examining rats with 70-day old transplants, the ibotenate-lesion induced between-side changes were almost completely compensated. These findings suggest a correlation between the maturation of the grafts and their capability to function in reestablishing neuronal circuits as shown by the reduction of changes in GABAergic transmission induced by ibotenate lesions, as indicated by the reversal of changes in GABAA receptor subunit in several areas of the basal ganglia circuit.",0
10.1016#j.nima.2007.01.100.xml,"Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment","The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors of LHCb will use pixel Hybrid Photon Detectors to measure the spatial position of Cherenkov photons. The first six pre-production photon detectors have been tested in a beam, together with prototypes of the on-detector electronics. The tests were performed at CERN using  10  GeV / c  pions together with an    N   2    gas radiator as a source of Cherenkov light. With 1.1m of radiator, around 10 photoelectrons were detected per track. The single-photon Cherenkov angle resolution was measured to be  1.66 ± 0.03  mrad , which is dominated by the pixelisation of the photon detector in the test-beam set-up. Both numbers agree with expectations.",1
10.1016#j.polymer.2009.08.019.xml,Polymer,"We report the synthesis and optoelectronic properties of highly soluble poly(9,10-bis(3′,4′-di(2″-ethylhexyloxy))phenyl)-2,6-anthracenevinylene) (HSM-PAV). The key intermediate for the synthesis of HSM-PAV is 2,6-dimethyl-9,10-dibromoanthracene, and the high solubility of HSM-PAV is from the incorporation of lateral 3,4-di(2-ethylhexyloxy)phenyl moieties into the 9,10-positions of anthracene units. The increase of side alkyloxy groups endows HSM-PAV with higher molecular weight (M n =3.2×104) and better electroluminescence performances (L max =590cd/m2, LEmax =0.27cd/A) compared with the poly(2,6-anthracenevinylene) with lateral monoalkyoxy moieties (M n =1.9×104, L max =340cd/m2, LEmax =0.17cd/A). The electrical conductivity of doped HSM-PAV film with iodine is 5×10−2 Scm−1 that is several order higher than that of doped 9,10-anthracene-based polymers, further demonstrating that linkage position has a dramatic effect on the optoelectronic properties of anthracene-based conjugated polymers.",1
10.1016#S0038-092X(01)00081-0.xml,Solar Energy,"In this paper a modelling and simulation of an absorption solar cooling system is presented. The system is modelled with the TRNSYS simulation program and the typical meteorological year file containing the weather parameters of Nicosia, Cyprus. Initially a system optimisation is carried out in order to select the appropriate type of collector, the optimum size of storage tank, the optimum collector slope and area, and the optimum thermostat setting of the auxiliary boiler. The final optimised system consists of a 15-m2 compound parabolic collector tilted 30° from the horizontal and a 600-l hot water storage tank. The collector area is determined by performing the life cycle analysis of the system. The optimum solar system selected gives life cycle savings of C£1376 when a nonsubsidized fuel cost is considered. The system operates with maximum performance when the auxiliary boiler thermostat is set at 87°C. The system long-term integrated performance shows that 84,240 MJ required for cooling and 41,263 MJ for hot water production are supplied with solar energy.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2006.07.035.xml,Optics Communications,"All-optical tunable wavelength conversion of ps-pulses is proposed and experimentally demonstrated by use of cascaded sum- and difference frequency generation (cSFG/DFG) in a periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) waveguide. The amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise is effectively suppressed by employing two tunable filters. As a result, tunable wavelength down- and up-conversions are simultaneously observed. The temporal evolutions of the signal, pump, control and idler waves propagating along the PPLN waveguide are simulated. From the temporal waveforms and optical spectra in the simulations, it is interesting to find that continuous wave (CW) pump and control are evolved into optical pulses during the cSFG/DFG nonlinear interactions. Moreover, some new sidebands in the output pump spectrum are observed both in the simulations and experiments.",1
10.1016#j.carbon.2013.06.014.xml,Carbon,"Combustion synthesis (CS) of graphene by a novel type of exothermic self-sustain reaction between a refractory ceramic compound (silicon carbide) and polymer (polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) under the inert gas (argon) environment is reported. The synthesis of graphene is confirmed by both transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It is important that the produced graphene has low (<1wt.%) oxygen content. The mechanism for CS of graphene is also discussed. It is experimentally shown that fluorocarbon gases (e.g. tetrafluoroethylene, C2F4) released due to PTFE decomposition in the combustion wave, reduces SiC to tetrafluorosilane (SiF4) gas and meso-porous carbon particles with folded “native” graphene layers on their surfaces. The continuous supply of carbon, in the form of fluorocarbon gases, and the high reaction temperature (∼1400K) enables further rapid growth of “free-standing” graphene sheets on the surface of those graphene-coated particles. The developed method for synthesis of graphene does not require an external energy source, since it occurs in a self-sustained synergetic manner. This approach is also flexible in terms of tuning the synthesis conditions, and allows easy scale-up.",0
10.1016#j.bmc.2003.06.006.xml,Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry,"In a model formed by hydroxy acids with a general structure (±)-1, we found that solid-state structures depend on steric interactions. Thus, with the exception of molecules 1b and 1e, compounds (±)-1a-(±)-1m, which possess bulky and conformationally rigid substituents, aggregate by forming tapes and sheets by alternating (+) and (−) subunits held together via carboxylic acid to alcohol hydrogen bonds. Homologue (±)-1n with conformationally flexible substituents, which allow conformational deformation gives, by way of the incorporation of water molecules, an efficient hexagonal assembly, which extends to the third-dimension to form tubular H-bonding networks. Each puckered channel can be described as being interconnected by closely packed hexagons in chair-like conformations. The ethyl groups presented in (±)-1n provided the volume required to lock the inner hexagonal wall into a rigid structure.",0
10.1016#j.electacta.2007.02.084.xml,Electrochimica Acta,"Corrosion behaviors of stainless steel (SS304), with attached Acidithiobacilus ferrooxidans (ATF) bacteria and exposed to three different types of artificial saliva solutions, namely: (1) Jenkin's solution, (2) Tomasi's solution, and (3) NaCl solution, have been monitored using electrochemical noise (ECN) analysis and signal processing techniques. The ECN data has been analyzed in time and frequency domains, and the time-domain analysis was used to calculate parameters such as skewness, kurtosis and noise resistance, R n. The corrosion mechanisms were analyzed in terms of the ranges of skewness and kurtosis. The frequency analysis showed that the conventional fast Fourier transforms (FFT) method failed to differentiate among the ECN signals obtained in different solutions with and without the attachment of bacteria. Therefore, the fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) was introduced to process ECN signals and has been demonstrated as a better tool to describe the corrosion behaviors of electrodes in different solutions.",0
10.1016#S0956-5663(98)00063-3.xml,Biosensors and Bioelectronics,"Solid binding matrix (SBM) based composite transducers have been used for development of series of multibiosensor systems applicable in various fields. Here we present two hybrid three-channel multibiosensors for simultaneous amperometric operation in food quality control, i.e. glucose/fructose/ethanol multibiosensor, based on glucose oxidase/fructose dehydrogenase/alcohol dehydrogenase surface-modified enzyme electrodes and l-lactate/l-malate/sulfite multibiosensor, based on l-lactate dehydrogenase/l-malate dehydrogenase/sulfite oxidase surface-modified enzyme electrodes. Different parameters have been studied in order to optimize the response of the multibiosensor systems. The multibiosensor showed a good sensitivity, linear range and storage stability. The multibiosensors were used for the determination of glucose, fructose, ethanol, l-lactate, l-malate and sulfite in samples of wine, resulting in a good agreement with data certified by the supplier. Comparison of various designs, surface-modified, bulk-modified and thick-cover, of SBM based biosensors is studied on the example of fructose biosensor.",0
10.1016#j.tet.2005.04.056.xml,Tetrahedron,"In this report, we describe an efficient, highly convergent, stereocontrolled first total synthesis and a second-generation synthesis of madindolines A  1  and B  2 , potent selective inhibitors of interleukin 6. The key steps include (1) asymmetric oxidative ring-closure reaction of tryptophol  3  to construct a chiral 3a-hydroxyfuroindoline  4  using the modified Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation condition, (2) highly diastereoselective acylation to build up the quaternary carbon center, and (3) intramolecular acylation of ester  32  with allylsilanes to produce the full substituted cyclopentenedione units. Our first synthetic route defines for the first time both their relative and absolute configurations. Moreover, a more efficient second-generation synthesis was designed, which is suitable for gram-scale preparation of these compounds.",0
10.1016#S0165-3253(96)80039-3.xml,Studies in Organic Chemistry,"Isoprenoids have been an important class in biosynthetic studies on monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and tri- and tetraterpenoid compounds during the past four decades. The potential interaction of the fundamental C5 building blocks with other naturally derived classes, such as the polyketides, at some stage must have been predictable in work on secondary metabolites, yet comparatively few compounds having this dual origin have been isolated. However, the possible reaction of phenolic compounds with isoprenoids was only incidental at that time to the study of the latter. Although the natural formation of mixed systems by the reaction of phenols with C5, C10, C15, and C20 prenyi intermediates is thought to be widespread, the present state of compositional studies reveals comparatively few substances in the prenylphenol class. This chapter discusses the synthesis and reactions of prenylphenols.",0
10.1016#j.actamat.2010.10.035.xml,Acta Materialia,"The early-stage dynamics and onset mechanisms for eutectic solidification are investigated experimentally using slab-geometry slides of succinonitrile–(D)camphor (SCN–DC) transparent organic eutectic material. By specifically focusing separately on the pre-growth or holding period and the growth or pulling period, the critical roles of each in the establishment of initial conditions and the competition between eutectic initiation mechanisms, leading to the development of a steady-state eutectic front, are examined. It is found that a single-phase layer forms and increases in thickness monotonically with time during the holding period with a corresponding increase in the interface temperature. Because the thickness of this layer is observed to influence subsequent eutectic initiation mechanisms, it is concluded that the pre-existing structure, holding period duration, single-phase identity and thickness, and specimen slide geometry should all be reported as standard practice, along with the pulling velocity and thermal gradient, for a complete description of a gradient-zone directional solidification experiment.",0
10.1016#j.matpr.2018.10.171.xml,Materials Today: Proceedings,"Aluminium metal matrix composites are extensively used in automobile industries and aerospace. Aluminium metal matrix composites (AMMCs) reinforced by firm ceramic particulates which provide expressively improved mechanical properties by the addition of ceramics particles into the matrix. The ceramic particles dissolve into aluminium matrix, which helps to produce a high bonding strength among the particles and matrix materials. The adding of reinforcement particles into the AMMCs increases the specific strength, stiffness, wear rate, fatigue and creep properties when it is compared with conventional engineering resources. The main aim of this paper is to review the benefits of using MMCs over other Al/Al alloy with respect to mechanical properties. It is possible to optimize the wt. % of reinforcement in to metal matrix by using the proper proportion and combination of different particle as reinforcement",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2017.03.209.xml,Ceramics International,"Duplex-treated AlTiN coatings were deposited by advanced plasma assisted arc (APA-Arc) technology on pre-plasma nitrided AISI-H13 steel substrates using different N2/H2 flow ratios. The microstructures and properties of the AlTiN coatings were comprehensively characterized and analyzed. The results show that the N2/H2 flow ratios can tailor the thickness of compound layer during plasma nitriding process and the bright nitriding layer without compound layer is achieved. The properties of duplex-treated AlTiN coatings are well improved compared with monolayer AlTiN coating. The adhesion of the AlTiN coating is well enhanced by duplex treatment process, and adhesion grade increases from HF3-4 for monolayer AlTiN coating to HF1 for composite coatings. Moreover, the composite coatings with various thickness compound layers show different load-bearing capacities, and the interfacial adhesion force of the composite coating without compound layer reaches 61 N. The hardness of AlTiN coating is also enhanced by duplex treatment with the highest hardness of 2935 HV0.05. Meanwhile, tribological properties of AlTiN coatings are also slightly improved by duplex treatments.",0
10.1016#j.bios.2015.11.057.xml,Biosensors and Bioelectronics,"Copper pollution has become more and more serious in modern society as the increasing industrial emission and the acid mine drainage, and exposure to excess copper can result in damage to living organisms. Thus, the development of efficient strategy for copper ion (Cu2+) detection is very essential and significant. Here, a high-efficiency fluorescent method is proposed for Cu2+ monitoring. The detection mechanism is based on the in situ formation of fluorescent copper nanoparticles (CuNPs). When the water sample is polluted by Cu2+, fluorescence emission of CuNPs can be observed by a one-step manner, and the emission intensity is proportional to Cu2+ concentration. Attractively, besides its advantages in operation and good detection capability, the generation of fluorescent signal is ultrafast, with a good signal response in 1min; and there is no interference from background and other ions due to the in situ formation of signal unit. By virtue of its advantages, this strategy has been used to detect Cu2+ from polluted tap and river water samples, good performances demonstrate that the proposed method can be practically applied for Cu2+ monitoring in real drinking and environmental water. Simultaneously, great potential for Cu2+ toxicides screening has been verified by direct analysis of the effects of different model molecules on Cu2+, which will contribute to Cu2+-related sewage treatment and medical therapy.",1
10.1016#j.ultrasmedbio.2007.11.012.xml,Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology,"Ultrasound images are very noisy. Along with system noise, a significant noise source is the speckle phenomenon caused by interference in the viewed object. Most of the past approaches for denoising ultrasound images essentially blur the image and they do not handle attenuation. We discuss an approach that does not blur the image and handles attenuation. It is based on frequency compounding, in which images of the same object are acquired in different acoustic frequencies and, then, compounded. Existing frequency compounding methods have been based on simple averaging, and have achieved only limited enhancement. The reason is that the statistical and physical characteristics of the signal and noise vary with depth, and the noise is correlated between acoustic frequencies. Hence, we suggest two spatially varying frequency compounding methods, based on the understanding of these characteristics. As demonstrated in experiments, the proposed approaches suppress various noise sources and also recover attenuated objects while maintaining a high resolution. (E-mail: yaele@il.ibm.com)",1
10.1016#j.micron.2008.02.005.xml,Micron,"The combination of transparent conductive oxides with high-barrier films deposited onto flexible polymeric substrates is of considerable importance in order to improve the efficiency, lifetime and stability of flexible electronic devices. In this work, ZnO thin films have been deposited onto high-barrier hybrid/PET flexible substrates by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering, at room temperature and by applying different power values on the target. The employment of in situ and real-time Vis–fUV (1.5–6.5eV) spectroscopic ellipsometry allowed the investigation of the growth mechanisms of ZnO thin films as well as the modification procedure in the hybrid's surface. Island growth is dominant during the initial stages of deposition concerning low target power regime, whereas layer-by-layer deposition prevails at the high target power regime. The hybrid's modified layer of ∼10nm was confirmed by the transmission electron microscopy measurements which additionally revealed a columnar structure of the film with a nanocrystalline morphology. The estimated size of the nanocrystals (∼15nm and above) was compatible with atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Finally, the evolution of the optical parameters (energy gap and absorption peaks) of the ZnO films during the deposition was similar.",0
10.1016#j.matpr.2021.11.205.xml,Materials Today: Proceedings,"Localized surface plasmon interaction of colloidal gold nanoparticles and the resultant changes in the linewidth of plasmon bands are reported. The evolution of the plasmon band in colloids is investigated by increasing the number of particles per unit volume. The volume of the solvent is reduced from 15 to 3 ml by the simple evaporation method. It is observed that the linewidth of the plasmon band varies in a non-uniform manner, which is attributed to the interaction of plasmons from the surface of gold nanoparticles rather than aggregation effects. Indication of aggregation effects such as a progressive redshift in plasmon peak and continuous broadening of linewidth were absent. Gold nanoparticles are prepared using laser ablation of the gold target with nanosecond laser pulses using pure water as a solvent. Change in the linewidth of plasmon bands on colloidal gold nanoparticles with minimized size distribution prepared using laser fluences viz. 5.09, 10.19, 15.28, 20.38 and 25.48 J/cm2 are explored.",0
10.1016#j.bios.2016.05.094.xml,Biosensors and Bioelectronics,"A novel biosensor for rapid, sensitive and selective monitoring of p-nitrophenyl substituted organophosphate pesticides (OPs) in aqueous system was developed using a functional nanocomposite which consists of elastin-like-polypeptide-organophosphate hydrolase (ELP-OPH), bovine serum albumin (BSA), titanium dioxide nanofibers (TiO2NFs) and carboxylic acid functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNTs). ELP-OPH was simply purified from genetically engineered Escherichia coli based on the unique phase transition of ELP and thus served as biocatalyst for OPs, while BSA was used to stabilize OPH activity in the nanocomposite. TiO2NFs was employed to enrich organophosphates in the nanocomposite due to its strong affinity with phosphoric group in OPs, while c-MWCNTs was used to enhance the electron transfer in the amperometric detection as well as for covalent immobilization of ELP-OPH. ELP-OPH/BSA/TiO2NFs/c-MWCNTs nanocomposite were systematically characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectra, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Under the optimized operating conditions, the ELP-OPH/BSA/TiO2NFs/c-MWCNTs based biosensor for OPs shows a wide linear range, a fast response (less than 5s) and limits of detection (S/N=3) as low as 12nM and 10nM for methyl parathion and parathion, respectively. Such excellent sensing performance can be attributed to the synergistic effects of the individual components in the nanocomposite. Its further application for selectively monitoring OPs compounds spiked in lake water samples was also demonstrated with good accuracy. These features indicate that the developed nanocomposite offers an excellent biosensing platform for rapid, sensitive and selective detection of organophosphates compounds.",1
10.1016#j.jnoncrysol.2014.01.028.xml,Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids,"The structure and ion mobility in glasses in the PbF2–BiF3–ZrF4 ternary systems have been studied by Raman and 19F NMR spectroscopy. Raman spectra of glasses of compositions with concentration ZrF4 >45% remain typical for fluorozirconate glasses and zirconium complex fluorides. The correlation between the vibrational data and the n(F)/n(Zr+Bi) ratio in glasses is identified. The glass network in the BiF3–PbF2–ZrF4 system is formed according to the zirconium complex fluorides structural regularities. The Zr nearest surrounding and the glass network polymerization degree depend on the nF/n(Zr+Bi) ratio. One can affirm that the coordination number of Zr atom is equal to 7–8. BiF3 completely loses its individual crystal geometry in the structure of glasses under study: it serves as an ‘intermediate’, providing the glass stability at ZrF4 concentrations up to 40mol%. For the investigated glasses n(F)/n(Zr+Bi) ratio is between 5 and 4. Found that with temperature increasing (150→550K) in the fluorine subsystem of the glasses the transition is observed from a rigid lattice to diffusion through an intermediate phase associated with an appearance of local motions of zirconium fluorine-containing groups that form the glass network. Examined the correlation between the temperature at which this transition occurs, and the concentration of fluoride in the glass composition is included.",1
10.1016#j.idairyj.2012.12.005.xml,International Dairy Journal,"To study the effects of whey constituents on lactose crystallisation, a model based on population balance and taking into account mutarotation was implemented. Outputs were the nucleation constants (B 0, k  n0) and the growth rate constants (kg 0, g 0). Batch crystallisation of a lactose solution (70 g 100 g−1 water) was studied with and without addition of various organic acids, salts, galactose and proteins. Kinetics and crystal size distributions were monitored using refractometry and laser light scattering. Factorial analysis of the results highlighted that the presence of organic acids (lactate, citrate) leads to faster crystallisation and confirmed the fact that whey proteins are slowing down the crystal growth step. The results of this study make a contribution towards a better understanding of lactose crystallisation.",0
10.1016#S0168-9002(01)00296-0.xml,"Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment","An International Workshop on Metrology for X-ray and Neutron Optics, the first of its kind, was held on March 16–17, 2000, at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Metrology specialists, beamline engineers and scientists, and vendors from around the world met to evaluate current metrology instrumentation and methods used to characterize the surface figure and finish off long grazing-incidence optics used in synchrotron radiation beamlines, and to consider future needs for synchrotron, free-electron laser, and neutron sources. This paper summarizes the discussions on mirror and metrology requirements for the current and next-generation X-ray sources. Some recommended strategies for the needs of the future are also given.",1
10.1016#j.snb.2012.07.061.xml,Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical,"KMPR is an epoxy-based photoresist, similar to SU-8, featuring shorter processing times and superior resistance to fissuring. As such, KMPR is a material well-suited to microfluidic device fabrication in miniaturized biomedical instrumentation. However, like SU-8, KMPR requires surface treatment for hemocompatibility. In this work, we demonstrate that KMPR can be efficiently passivated with bovine serum albumin (BSA), improving hemocompatibility of the material surfaces. Experimental validation was conducted using fibrinogen adsorption as a hemocompatibility model. Protein adsorption to KMPR surfaces was measured using metal-clad waveguides (MCWG) with a KMPR film acting as the waveguide core layer. Passivation efficiency was compared both on natively hydrophobic KMPR and on hydrophilic KMPR treated with HNO3 catalyzed with ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN). Results show that the surface treatment significantly increases hemocompatibility for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, with slightly better results in the case of hydrophobic surfaces. Post-treatment ultrasound wash had no observable effect, demonstrating that BSA adsorption to KMPR is robust. MCWG-based protein adhesion measurements were compared to that from conventional surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and long-range surface plasmon resonance (LR-SPR), confirming the validity of the measurements.",0
10.1016#S0266-3538(01)00129-4.xml,Composites Science and Technology,"Polyurethane-based composites reinforced with woven flax and jute fabrics were prepared with an evenly distributed microvoid foam structure. The relationship between the resin-filled grade and the microvoid content and the density was described. The influence of the type of reinforcing fibre, fibre and microvoid content on the mechanical properties was studied. The investigation results for the static mechanical properties of the composites were described by approximate formulae. It was found that the specific data were only slightly dependent on microvoid content. Increasing the fibre content induces an increase in the shear modulus and impact strength. However, increasing the microvoid content in the matrix results in a decreased shear modulus and impact strength. The woven flax fibre results in composites with better mechanical strength than the woven jute fibre composites.",0
10.1016#j.prostr.2019.08.191.xml,Procedia Structural Integrity,"In order to consider the cyclic material behaviour during the design process of cyclically loaded components and safety relevant parts, the importance of local strain-based fatigue design approaches is growing continuously. For the damage impact of load‐time histories on components such as chassis parts, standard service loads with amplitudes settled in the High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) and Very High Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) regime, as well as overloads and misuse with load amplitudes in the Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) regime, must be considered in order to perform a reliable fatigue life estimation. Therefore, a continuous fatigue life curve from the LCF up to the VHCF regime, which covers all relevant damage mechanisms, is required. In the case of aluminium wrought alloys the tri-linear strain-life curve, which has been developed and validated during previous research, enhances the accuracy of the mathematical approximation of test results. Due to this reason, the tri-linear strain-life curve is qualified for the integration into a digital twin, considering the requirements of fatigue and structural durability.",0
10.1016#S0021-9290(99)00227-4.xml,Journal of Biomechanics,"Electromagnetic tracking devices are widely used in biomechanics. In this article a method is evaluated to construct models of articular surfaces using an electromagnetic tracking device. First, the accuracy of the space tracker was examined and optimised. Then, from several joint surfaces random points were measured and eighth degree polynomials were fitted to these measurements. To check if the fit converged well, plots of cross sections of the model with corresponding data points were examined. The accuracy of the models was determined by comparing them with computed tomography data and by reproducibility tests. All the fits converged well to the data. The root mean square (RMS) error of the models varied from 0.07 to 0.18mm, and was proportional to the size and complexity of the surface. This was mainly due to systematic errors made by the space tracker, which were also proportional to the size and complexity of the surface.",0
10.1016#S0309-1740(00)00132-7.xml,Meat Science,"This study evaluated the effect of different air relative humidities (RH) on the nature and structure of the rind of dry-cured ham and of salted subcutaneous fat. After salting 16 hams were stored for 40 days at 4°C, and at two different RHs (50–55 and 80–85%). Salted subcutaneous fat samples were stored for 30 days at 15°C and at different RH (57.7, 70.8, 75.3 and 80.0%). Storage of hams at 50–55% RH after salting produced a whiteness on some parts of the rind, due to precipitation of salt inside the rind. Fat samples stored at 80.0% RH showed no oil drip and the fat cells observed microscopically were similar to non-salted cells. In contrast, fat samples stored at 57.7 and 70.8% RH showed oil drip and the fat cells from the external layer showed a wrinkled aspect in the optical microscope. Samples stored at 75.3% RH showed only a slight oil drip at the edges.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2015.10.027.xml,Ceramics International,"The structural and luminescent properties of Sm3+ doped NaSrVO4 phosphors prepared by the combustion method were investigated. The phosphors were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). NaSrVO4 crystallized into the monoclinic phase with P21/n  space group. The Debye Scherrer׳s formula and Williamson–Hall (W–H) plot were used to determine the average crystallite size of the phosphors. Upon near-UV excitation, the phosphor gives the characteristic orange–red emission ascribed to the intra-4f-shell 4G5/2 to 6H J  (J=5/2, 7/2, 9/2, 11/2) transitions of Sm3+. The diffused reflectance spectra of the phosphors were used to calculate the optical band gap (Eg ) of the material, which was estimated to be 3.58eV. The chromaticity coordinates (x=0.61, y=0.39) of the phosphors further validated the orange–red emission of the material. This phosphor may be used as near ultraviolet (n-UV) convertible orange–red emitting phosphor in light emitting diodes (LEDs).",1
10.1016#S1381-1177(98)00124-6.xml,Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic,"Several microorganisms that can use (S)-5-[(amino-iminomethyl) amino]-2-chloropentanoic acid (l-Cl-arginine) as a nitrogen source have been isolated, the most interesting of which is a spontaneous mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (DSM 10581). In a fermenter, this unique biocatalyst hydrolysed l-Cl-arginine to (S)-5-amino-2-chloropentanoic acid (l-Cl-ornithine), which spontaneously converted to d-proline with inversion of configuration at an apparent average rate of 0.12 mmol −l h−1 OD−1. The enzyme, for which we suggest the name Cl-arginine amidinohydrolase, was best induced by using the substrate l-Cl-arginine as inducer and l-arginine as nitrogen source. The results presented here describe a new route for the production of d-proline from l-arginine, involving a chemical step and a biocatalytic step followed by a spontaneous chemical cyclisation.",0
10.1016#j.mser.2006.06.001.xml,Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports,"Recently, polymer nanocomposites reinforced with lower volume fraction of nanoceramics and carbon nanotubes have attracted steadily growing interest due to their peculiar and fascinating properties as well as their unique applications in commercial sectors. The incorporation of nanoceramics such as layered silicate clays, calcium carbonate or silica nanoparticles arranged on the nanometer scale with a high aspect ratio and/or an extremely large surface area into polymers improves their mechanical performances significantly. The properties of nanocomposites depend greatly on the chemistry of polymer matrices, nature of nanofillers, and the way in which they are prepared. The uniform dispersion of nanofillers in the polymer matrices is a general prerequisite for achieving desired mechanical and physical characteristics. In this review article, current development on the processing, structure, and mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites reinforced with respective layered silicates, ceramic nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes will be addressed. Particular attention is paid on the structure–property relationship of such novel high-performance polymer nanocomposites.",0
10.1007#s11165-018-9714-y.html,Research in Science Education,"The aim of this study was to examine the impact of assessing students’ achievements in a physics course in the form of a group board game. Research was conducted in two groups of 131 high school students in Poland. In each school, the research sample was divided into experimental and control groups. Each group was taught by the same teacher and participated in the same courses and tests before the game. Just after finishing the course on waves and vibrations (school 1) and optics (school 2), experimental groups took part in a group board game to assess their knowledge. One week after the game, the experimental and control groups (not involved in the game) took part in the post-tests. Students from the experimental groups performed better in the game than in the tests given before the game. As well their results in the post-tests were significantly higher statistically than students from the control groups. Simultaneously, student’s opinions in the experimental groups about the board game as an assessment method were collected in an open-descriptive form and in a short questionnaire, and analyzed. Results showed that students experienced a positive attitude toward the assessment method, a reduction of test anxiety and an increase in their motivation for learning.",0
10.1016#j.bone.2015.04.044.xml,Bone,"Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were isolated from bone marrow of the vertebral body. The hBMSCs were cultured under either hypoxic (1% O2) or normoxic (21% O2; control) conditions and the characteristics as mesenchymal stem cells were compared. Results revealed that hypoxia reduced proliferative potential and colony-forming efficiency of hBMSCs, and significantly enhanced osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. The hBMSCs enhanced the regenerative potential of bone in vivo. In vitro synthesis of soluble and insoluble collagen was significantly increased in the hypoxic condition. In vivo collagen tissue regeneration was also enhanced under the hypoxic condition, with concomitant increased expressions of various subtypes of collagen and lysyl-oxidase family mRNA. MicroRNA assays revealed that miR-155-5p, which negatively regulates HIF-1α, was significantly highly expressed. These observations demonstrate that hBMSCs obtained from human vertebrae exhibit altered characteristics under hypoxic conditions, and each factor contributing to hBMSC-mediated tissue healing should be evaluated with the goal of allowing their clinical application.",0
10.1016#j.etap.2013.11.015.xml,Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology,"Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common mycotoxin contaminants of raw and processed cereal food. Lymphoid cells and fibroblasts are specified to be the most DON-sensitive cell types. In this study, we investigated the toxic effects of DON in chicken embryo fibroblast DF-1 cells. The results showed that DON significantly inhibited DF-1 cell viability in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner. DON could also inhibit the proliferation of DF-1 cells through G2/M phase arrest in the cell cycle progression. Moreover, oxidative stress induced by DON was indicated by increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased levels of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, DON could also cause mitochondrial damage by decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential and induce apoptosis accompanied with the up-regulation of apoptosis-related genes including Caspase-3, Caspase-8, Caspase-9, and AIFM1. These results suggested that DON could cause cell cycle arrest, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in DF-1 cells.",0
10.1016#S0927-6505(02)00155-X.xml,Astroparticle Physics,"The radiation fields external to the jets and originating from within a few parsecs from the black hole, are discussed in this paper. They are the direct radiation from an accretion disk in symbiosis with jets, the radiation field from the broad line region (BLR) surrounding the accretion disk, and the infrared radiation from a dusty torus. The jet/disk symbiosis modifies the energetics in the central parsec of active galactic nuclei (AGN) such that for a given accretion rate, a powerful jet would occur at the expense of the disk luminosity, and consequently the disk would less efficiently ionize the BLR clouds or heat the dust in the torus, thereby affecting potentially important target photon fields for interactions of γ-rays, accelerated electrons and protons along the jet.",1
10.1016#j.jas.2010.07.015.xml,Journal of Archaeological Science,"Studies of the typical late Neolithic Corded Ware beakers are usually undertaken from a morphological point of view, and describe the shape and decoration of the vessel. Interesting details can, however, also be identified via the technical description of the twisted cord impressions. In this paper, a clear methodology of such a technical analysis is presented. This analysis points out different quality standards of both the vessels and their patterning. The cord impressions have also been correlated with organic finds of cords from the same period. With the help of experimental archaeology, facts were investigated which elucidate the possible raw material used for the cord impressions, the quality of the clay, and the surface condition of the beakers.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2017.03.114.xml,Ceramics International,"Porous silicon single layer (PSM), bilayer (PSB) and pillar (PSP) structures have been evaluated as nucleation centers for vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) crystals. Deposition of vanadium precursor over different substrates (drop casting technique), followed by annealing treatment under Ar-H2 (5% H2) atmosphere, induced crystallization of vanadium oxide. With respect to c-Si/SiO2 substrate, V2O5 nanorods with relatively large aspect ratio were formed over and within PSP structures. On the other hand, pores in PSM and PSB were found to be filled with relatively smaller crystals. Additionally, PSB provided a nucleation substrate capable to align the nanocrystals in a preferential orientation, while V2O5 crystals grown on PSP were found to be randomly aligned around the nanoporous pillar microstructure. Nanorods and nanocrystals were identified as V2O5 by temperature-controlled XRD measurements and evidence of their crystalline nature was observed via transmission electron microscopy. A careful analysis of electronic microscopy images allows the identification of the facets composing the ends of the crystals and its corresponding surface free energy has been evaluated employing the Wulff theorem. Such high surface area composite structures have potential applications as cathode material in Lithium-ion batteries.",1
10.1016#j.yhbeh.2012.08.005.xml,Hormones and Behavior,"Bisphenol-A (BPA), an environmental endocrine disruptor, has attracted attention because of its adverse effects on the brain and behavioral development. Previous evidence indicates that perinatal exposure to low levels of BPA affects anxiety-like and cognitive behaviors in adult rodents. The present study aims to investigate the changes of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors of perinatally exposed mice in adulthood following the gestational (gestation days 7 to 20) or lactational (postnatal days 1 to 14) exposure to BPA (0.4 or 4mg/kg/d). The results indicated that both gestational and lactational exposures to BPA increased anxiety- and depression-like behavior in mice of both sexes. The females with gestational exposure exhibited an increased anxiety-like state in the four models tested, including the open field, dark–light transition task, mirrored maze, and elevated plus maze tasks. Furthermore, the females with lactational exposure and the males with gestational exposure exhibited an anxiogenic-like behavior in two models, whereas the males with lactational exposure exhibited an anxiogenic-like behavior only in the elevated plus maze test. The results of the forced swim task showed that gestational exposure markedly increased the immobile time in both sexes, and the same effect was induced by lactational exposure only with 4mg/kg/d BPA. Furthermore, western blot analyses showed that both gestational and lactational exposures inhibited the expression of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the hippocampus and amygdala in mice of both sexes, whereas the level of the NMDA receptor subunit NR1 was increased in the amygdala following gestational exposure but was reduced in the hippocampus of the females with lactational exposure. These results suggest that both gestational and lactational exposures to BPA increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviors of adult mice of both sexes. In addition gestational exposure exhibited a stronger effect on anxiety-like state in females. The altered levels of AMPA and NMDA receptors in the hippocampus and amygdala may be associated with BPA-induced behavioral changes.",0
10.1016#j.photonics.2020.100792.xml,Photonics and Nanostructures - Fundamentals and Applications,"We theoretically report that asymmetric transmission phenomenon of linearly polarized light enables an ultrasensitive and background-free metamaterial sensor with a sensitivity of 47.5 THz/RIU in the optical range. The asymmetric transmission in the metamaterial arises from the twist arrangement of two cascaded ring apertures and its asymmetric factor can reach 0.47. Importantly, by detecting the direction-dependent polarization conversion, the metamaterial is capable of sensing refractive index of surrounding medium. The sensing principle dictated by cross-polarization makes the sensor background-free since co-polarization background noise is easily removed. The proposed metamaterial may open up opportunities to develop novel sensors and polarization modulators in the optical regime.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2018.05.032.xml,Optical Materials,"We investigate the modal properties (effective index and modal gain) of an active, Erbium-doped single-mode slab waveguide made of silica tin-dioxide glass-ceramics on Silica. Completed with a photo-inscribed Bragg grating, such a structure is a good candidate for realizing an optically pumped laser emitter. For total Erbium concentration of 9.84 × 10−4 mol/cm3 and a cross-section (for stimulated transitions) of σ ≈ 2 × 10−25 m2 in a discussed structure, the maximum achievable material gain in DFB with Quarter-Wave phase Shift (QWS-DFB) is σ N  tot  ≈ 23 m−1. Taking into account the confinement factor, the maximum achievable modal gain, in complex amplitude, over the length of 10 mm is at about (α  max  L) ≈ 0.09.",1
10.1016#S0167-2894(96)80006-6.xml,Developments in Petrology,"Layered mafic intrusions are significant sources of the platinum-group elements, base metal sulphides, chromite, magnetite, and ilmenite. The distribution of these ores is reviewed, with special attention to the economic deposits and subeconomic occurrences. The geological setting, composition, mineralogy, and textures of the ores are described for the Bushveld and Stillwater Complexes, the Great Dyke, the Munni Munni Intrusion, complexes in Finland, and some smaller intrusions. Both the platinum-group element (PGE) mineralization and the often associated base metal sulphides have characteristic geochemical and mineralogical styles; these are variable in even a single layered intrusion, and are even more so when different intrusions are compared. The distinction between constant and variable metal contents in relation to thickness variations of the PGE sequences is emphasized. Oxide ore deposits are less variable but the compositions, especially for chromite, are specific to the layered intrusion in question. Subsolidus re-equilibration and ore-mineral alteration are usually present as variable processes in all the mineralized sequences. Mineralization models are briefly addressed in the light of these variations. The primary geochemical character of PGE ores, and the occurrence and character of the oxide ores, probably reflect the influence of the magma source region at depth rather than processes in the magma chamber at the site of emplacement.",0
10.1016#0222-0776(96)82290-5.xml,RBM-News,"Les générateurs de fréquences radiofréquences (RF) sont employés couramment en bloc opératoire. Ils sont généralement utilisés comme source d'énergie des résecteurs endoscopiques pour l'ablation de l'adénome prostatique. L'étude présentée décrit la physique de l'électrochirurgie avec l'utilisation des courants de fréquence élevée pour la coupe et la coagulation, l'interface électrode-tissu d'électrodes dispersives (plaques) et d'électrodes actives (anses) et l'impédance électrique des tissus profonds. Les principales caractéristiques électriques des générateurs RF pour la coupe et l'hémostase sont illustrées par des mesures sur un appareil du commerce. L'énergie délivrée par le générateur inclut l'énergie absorbée par l'interface plaque-peau et l'énergie dissipée dans des circuits parallèles associés aux fuites de courant. Les différentes pertes électriques sont susceptibles d'engendrer des risques pour le patient et l'opérateur. Les risques rencontrés en résection endo-urétrale de la prostate sont récapitulés afin d'en assurer un contrôle optimal.",0
10.1016#j.molcatb.2004.05.007.xml,Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic,"Partially purified Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30 acetyl esterase preparation was found to catalyze acyl transfer reactions in organic solvents, mixtures of organic solvents with water and even in water. Using different acyl donors, the best results for acetyl transfer in water were obtained using vinyl acetate. As acetyl acceptors, a variety of hydroxyl bearing compounds in aqueous solutions were used. Degree of conversion and the number of newly formed acetates varied according to the acceptor used. Conversions over 50% were observed for the majority of several common monosaccharides, their methyl and deoxy derivatives and oligosaccharides. In several cases, the transesterification reaction exhibited strict regioselectivity, leading to only one acetyl derivative. Preparative potential of the transesterification in water was demonstrated by acetylation of methyl β-d-glucopyranoside, 4-nitrophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside and kojic acid, yielding 56.4% of methyl 3-O-acetyl β-d-glucopyranoside, 70.2% of 4-nitrophenyl 3-O-acetyl β-d-glucopyranoside and 30.9% of 7-O-acetyl-kojic acid as the only reaction products.",0
10.1016#j.mee.2009.12.012.xml,Microelectronic Engineering,"Si master molds are generally patterned by electron-beam lithography (EBL) that is known to be a time-consuming nanopatterning technique. Thus, developing mold duplication process based on high throughput technique such as nanoimprint lithography can be helpful in reducing its fabrication time and cost. Moreover, it could be of interest to get inverted patterns (holes instead of pillars) without changing the master EBL process. In this paper, we propose a two step process based on thermal nanoimprint lithography (T-NIL) (step 1) and soft UV assisted nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) (step 2) to invert a master EBL mold. After the two inversion steps, the grand-daughter Si mold exhibits the same pattern polarity as the EBL mold. For step 1, pattern transfer using ion beam etching (IBE) of a thin metallic underlayer is the critical step for dimension control due to the low NXR1020 resistance. For step 2, the optimized reactive ion etching (RIE) step allows transfer with good anisotropy even for nanostructures at the 50nm-scale. For structures larger than 100nm, this inversion process has been successfully applied to large field replication (up to 1.5cm2) on whole wafer.",0
10.1007#s11069-015-1839-y.html,Natural Hazards," The nature of electromagnetic phenomena before an earthquake is associated with the excitation of the natural electromechanical transformation. This study investigated the impact of the relationship between the stress–strain and the dilatancy process on the electromagnetic phenomena and evaluated the relationship between electromagnetic changes and the seismogenic process. The impact of the change of the crustal stress field over time on the resistivity was analyzed. The ground displacement and pore pressure variation were calculated to simulate the variation characteristics of pre-earthquake electromagnetic waves according to stress. The changes in the crustal rock resistivity caused by the change in the crack aspect ratio due to the stress field were investigated as were the impacts of the dilatancy process on the waveform characteristics and frequency range of the electromagnetic signals. The relationships between the frequency and amplitude of electromagnetic radiation and the epicentral distance and strain were obtained. Apparent resistivity changes under small strain during the dilatancy stage of an impending earthquake are closely related to the voidage change. The rapid development and interconnections of microfissures and conductive fluid activity are the major causes of electrical change. The electromagnetic radiation frequency increases with the elastic modulus and decreases with the hypocenter size and intensity. The accumulation and release of the typical strain associated with major earthquakes give rise to a change in the medium resistivity, which in turn significantly changes the apparent resistivity. The crustal resistivity change may provide a sensitive method for studying the crustal properties during the dilatancy. ",0
10.1016#j.physb.2008.03.005.xml,Physica B: Condensed Matter,"Zinc telluride thin films with different thicknesses have been deposited by electron beam gun evaporation system onto glass substrates at room temperature. X-ray and electron diffraction techniques have been employed to determine the crystal structure and the particle size of the deposited films. The stoichiometry of the deposited films was confirmed by means of energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The optical transmission and reflection spectrum of the deposited films have been recorded in the wavelength optical range 450–2500nm. The variation of the optical parameters, i.e. refractive index, n, extinction coefficient, k, with thickness of the deposited films has been investigated. The refractive index dispersion in the transmission and low absorption region is adequately described by the single-oscillator model, whereby the values of the oscillator strength, oscillator position, dispersion parameter as well as the high-frequency dielectric constant were calculated for different film thickness. Graphical representations of the surface and volume energy loss function were also presented.",1
10.1016#j.pmatsci.2015.01.003.xml,Progress in Materials Science,"As nanotechnology rapidly advanced over the past decades, a variety of nanomaterials have been developed and studied. Among them, SiC nanomaterials have recently attracted increasing attention for their demonstrated unique chemical and physical properties as well as wide potential applications. This article provides a comprehensive review of the recent progress on the synthesis, novel properties, and applications of SiC nanomaterials. It begins with the introduction of various techniques used for the rational design and synthesis of SiC nanomaterials, with an emphasis on vapor-based and solution-based methods. Discussion is then made on the mechanical, luminescent, electrical, thermal, and wetting properties of SiC nanomaterials as well as the characterizations that reveal them. Thereafter, various intriguing applications particularly in composites, field emitters, field effect transistors, sensors, nanoelectromechanical devices, catalyst, supercapacitors, bioimaging probes and microwave absorbers are highlighted. Finally, this review is concluded with an outlook of future research on SiC nanomaterials, major challenges to be met and possible solutions.",1
10.1016#0924-0136(95)02232-5.xml,Journal of Materials Processing Technology,"Modelling is necessary for the optimization and control of any process to achieve improved product quality, high productivity and low cost. Of most importance in ceramic grindings is the establishment of process models that relates flexure strength of ground ceramics with wheel specifications, grinding conditions and material properties through consideration of mechanical and thermal interactions between the abrasive grits and the ceramic material and the induced microcracks and residual stresses. As the first effort of the author's research in this direction, this paper evaluates several theoretical equations for the calculation of the number of active cutting points per unit area based on a simulation analysis. Along with the force data obtained from ceramic grinding experiments, the number of active cutting points is used to calculate the average normal and tangential grinding forces per grit, φ n and φ t. Both φ n and φ t are found to be a power function of the average cross-sectional area of the cutting edges or the grit depth of cut. Different expressions for φ n and φ t are found for the predominant ductile-flow regime and the predominant brittle-fracture regime.",0
10.1016#j.surfin.2018.02.002.xml,Surfaces and Interfaces,"In this study, we describe an experimental investigation on synthesis and characterization of silicon carbide (SiC) particles encapsulated with MgO (magnesium oxide) and nanocrystalline MgAl2O4 spinel (magnesium aluminate), respectively through sol− gel route, a facile technique. Synthesized microcomposites were comprehensively examined by various characterization techniques like FE-SEM (Field emission scanning electron microscopy), XRD (X-Ray diffraction) and TEM (Transmission electron microscopy), respectively. Elemental mapping and X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDX) associated with high-resolution SEM provided the specific amount of shell materials. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) examination was conducted for the MgO encapsulated SiC and MgAl2O4 encapsulated SiC microcomposites. The synthesized encapsulated SiC with MgAl2O4 spinel is having a better catalytic ability and show higher peak currents compared to MgO decorated SiC and pristine SiC. The results obtained from EIS and CV testing demonstrate that synthesized microcomposites can be applied as an active material for supercapacitors, fuel cells, electronic devices, electrodes and unique reinforcing materials in other metal as well as polymer matrix, respectively.",1
10.1016#S1002-0721(07)60535-3.xml,Journal of Rare Earths,"Tellurite glasses were generally applied in rare earth optical materials due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. In this study, novel tellurite glasses composed of TeO2-TiO2-La2O3 were prepared by conventional melting-quenching method. Some basic physical parameters such as density, refractive indices, transition temperature and crystalline temperature were measured. The structure was analyzed by Raman spectra. The absorption, upconversion and fluorescence spectra were measured by UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer and spectrofluorimeter. Under 980 nm laser excitation, upconversion luminescence centered at 531, 545 and 657 nm corresponding to the transition 4H11/2→4I15/2, 4S3/2→4I15/2 and 4F9/2→4I15/2 respectively, were observed. The effects of TiO2 concentration on structure and upconversion luminescence intensity were discussed. The result indicated that the upconversion intensity increased as the phonon concentration decreased. The fluorescence properties of Er3+ doped glass were also studied. The dominant peak centered at 1531 nm and full width at half maximum (FWHM) was 64 nm. The Er3+ stimulated emission cross-section was calculated on the basis of McCumber theory. The possible mechanism of upconvesion and fluorescence were proposed.",1
10.1016#S0378-5173(99)00021-6.xml,International Journal of Pharmaceutics,"Ternary mixtures composed of coarse lactose (CL) (90.8 μm), salbutamol sulphate (SS) (5.8 μm) and either micronised lactose (ML) (5 μm) or intermediate sized lactose (IML) (15.9 μm) in a ratio of 66.5:1:1 w/w were prepared using different mixing sequences of the various components. In addition, a binary mixture composed of CL and SS (67.5:1 w/w) was also prepared as the control. The in vitro deposition of SS was measured using a twin stage impinger after aerosolisation at 60 and 90 l min−1 via a Rotahaler®. The aerodynamic particle size distribution of both the aerosolised SS and lactose was further analysed using an Andersen cascade impactor at 60 l min−1. All ternary mixtures produced a significantly higher (analysis of variance, P<0.01) fine particle fraction (FPF) and fine particle dose (FPD) of SS than the control after aerosolisation at either 60 or 90 l min−1. Formulations containing the ML produced significantly (P<0.05) higher FPF and FPD of SS than those containing the IML at both aerosolisation flow rates. Different mixing sequences were also shown to result in different deposition profiles of both SS and lactose after aerosolisation of the ternary mixtures containing ML at 60 l min−1. The formulation prepared by first blending ML with CL before mixing with SS produced a higher FPF and FPD of SS but a lower FPF of lactose than the same formulation in terms of composition but prepared using different mixing orders of the three components. In contrast, the formulations containing IML produced a similar deposition profile to SS, regardless of the mixing sequences, and so did the formulations containing ML aerosolised at 90 l min−1. These results suggest that the effect of mixing sequences on drug deposition may become more prominent at lower aerosolisation flow rates and by reducing the size of any added fine lactose.",0
10.1016#j.bpj.2018.07.023.xml,Biophysical Journal,"During the packaging and ejection of viral DNA, its mechanical properties play an essential role in viral infection. Some of these mechanical properties originate from different microscopic interactions of the encapsulated DNA in the capsid. Based on an updated mesoscopic model of the interaction potential by Parsegian et al., an alternative continuum elastic model of the free energy of the confined DNA in the capsid is developed in this work. With this model, we not only quantitatively identify the respective contributions from hydration repulsion, electrostatic repulsion, entropy and elastic bending but also predict the ionic effect of viral DNA’s mechanical properties during the packaging and ejection. The relevant predictions are quantitively or qualitatively consistent with the existing experimental results. Furthermore, the nonmonotonous or monotonous changes in the respective contributions of microscopic interactions to the ejection force and free energy at different ejection stages are revealed systematically. Among these, the nonmonotonicity in the entropic contribution implies a transition of viral DNA structure from order to disorder during the ejection.",1
10.1016#j.ces.2010.03.010.xml,Chemical Engineering Science,"The electrolyte NRTL (e-NRTL) model by Chen (1982) and Chen and Evans (1986) is perhaps the most commonly used activity coefficient based thermodynamic model for industrial systems. It has been shown by Bollas et al. (2008) that the original e-NRTL model is inconsistent for systems with multiple cations and/or anions, in the same work the model equations for the so-called refined e-NRTL model were given. In this work the refined e-NRTL model is applied to CO2–H2O–alkanolamine systems. The interaction parameters of the refined e-NRTL model are regressed to partial pressure of CO2, binary vapour–liquid-equilibrium, freezing point depression data and excess enthalpy data. The model is in the end used to predict partial pressures and speciation for the CO2–H2O–MEA and CO2–H2O–MDEA systems.",0
10.1016#j.jlumin.2019.02.050.xml,Journal of Luminescence,"High-brightness, red-emitting Ca9Gd1−x (PO4)7:xEu3+ phosphors were developed via the facile route of solution-combustion. The Rietveld-assisted structural analysis of Ca9Gd(PO4)7 and Ca9Gd0.40Eu0.60(PO4)7 systems unveiled a trigonal crystal system having R3c(161) space-group symmetry. The absence of JCPDS data was compensated by simulating one from refined structural prototype. The band-gap for the host and best luminescent composition were determined to be 4.55 and 4.01 eV, respectively. The ratio of Judd-Ofelt parameters inferred a very high asymmetry around activator ion which can further be enhanced as a function of dopant concentration. The refractive index of Ca9Gd(PO4)7 was determined to be 2.34. The value of stimulated emission cross section, total radiative transition rate and non-radiative transition rate for Ca9Gd0.40Eu0.60(PO4)7 are calculated from detailed photo-luminescent (PL) analysis. Furthermore, very high value of quantum efficiency (98.13%) and radiative lifetime (1.85 ms) suggested that Ca9Gd0.40Eu0.60(PO4)7 nanophosphor have practical applicability in PC-WLEDs (components of solid-state lighting).",1
10.1007#s10008-017-3695-z.html,Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry,"In this work, the use of a polyethylene oxide-based nanocomposite polymer electrolyte (NCPE) in a redox capacitor with polypyrrole electrodes has been studied. To the best of our knowledge, not much work has been reported in the literature on redox capacitors fabricated using NCPEs. The composition of the polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based NCPE was fine tuned to obtain films with the highest ionic conductivity. They were mechanically stable to handle for any purpose without damaging the film. The optimized composition was {[(10PEO:NaClO4) molar ratio]: 75 wt.% propylene carbonate (PC)}: 5 wt.% TiO2. This electrolyte film showed an ambient temperature ionic conductivity of 5.42 × 10−3 S cm−1. It was employed in a redox capacitor with polypyrrole electrodes polymerized in the presence of sodium perchlorate in non-aqueous medium. Performance of the redox capacitors were observed using cycling voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge discharge test. It was possible to observe a satisfactory capacitive behavior in the range 58–83 F/g. Further, the redox capacitors had the ability to retain for continuous charge discharge processes.",0
10.1016#S0925-9635(00)00464-7.xml,Diamond and Related Materials,"To understand the dynamics of energy transfer and randomization of photoluminescence polarization in hydrogen-rich polymer-like amorphous carbon a-C:H films, time-resolved investigations of intensity and anisotropy decays have been performed recently. The intensity decay rates increase exponentially as a function of emission energy with a behavior very similar to that observed in wide band-gap C-rich a-Si1–x C x :H. In addition, in polymer-like carbon, the observation of a plateau of PL anisotropy in the 100–1000 ps range, is taken as strong evidence for the existence of a finite density of excitonic species in radiative recombination phenomena; it does not fit the phonon-assisted depolarization models proposed earlier. Polarization anisotropy decays and steady-state values are consistently interpreted using a dipole–dipole non-radiative energy transfer mechanism (Förster mechanism) with a characteristic depolarization time of 50 ps rather independent of the emission energy. The latter value is likely to be related to the density of radiative centers distribution estimated independently in the constant exciton radius approximation, rather than the result of hopping in an exponential distribution of tail states.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2015.07.044.xml,Optical Materials,"A novel Tb(III) ternary complex, Tb(p-BBA)3UA, was synthesized with 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (p-BBA) as primary ligand and undecylenic acid (UA) as reactive ligand. Tb(III) complex exhibits high thermal stability and wide and strong excitation bands from 310nm to 400nm when monitored at 543nm, which matches well with the 365nm UV chip. The complex displays Tb(III) characteristic peaks at 488, 543, 584 and 619nm under the excitation of 365nm UV-light. The intramolecular energy transfer process was also discussed. Meanwhile, the complex has longer fluorescence lifetime (1.317ms) and higher quantum yield (44.8%). When used in LED with 365nm UV chip (power efficiency is 17.3lm/W), the complex still maintained its qualified luminescent performance. All the results indicate that Tb(p-BBA)3UA can be applied as a green component for fabrication of near UV-based white LED.",1
10.1016#j.fusengdes.2008.11.071.xml,Fusion Engineering and Design,"The present ECRH launcher installed on a single equatorial port of FTU tokamak was designed to inject four beams independently steered continuously in poloidal direction and in a set of predetermined toroidal angles. The launching mirrors can be moved only shot by shot. New experimental programmes for control of MHD instabilities with ECH/ECCD and heating of over-dense plasmas with ECBW require new launcher respectively with fast-steerable mirrors and increased toroidal capabilities. The required scanning speed for tracking the rational surfaces in the FTU plasma is 1cm in 10ms in poloidal direction, while the maximum toroidal angle needed for O–X–B heating scheme is around ±40°. Two ECRH lines, feeding the old launcher, will be switched to the new launcher, located in a different equatorial position, capable of launching two independent beams from small movable mirrors in the plasma proximity. A control on the power deposition width will be achieved by changing the beam radius in the plasma using an optical system composed by two mirrors (zooming range 17–28mm). Place has been reserved for future arrangements of additional components, e.g. a remote steering waveguide. A dedicated feedback control for the poloidal motion of the launching mirrors is being developed, in order to adapt the tracking of the power deposition location to the dynamic changes of magnetic surfaces in real-time. The maximum toroidal angle impacts strongly on the movable mirror design; dimensions (height around 90mm, width around 54mm) are limited by the port width (=80mm) and the need to preserve the maximum steering angle. Since the mirrors will not be actively cooled, temperature control will be achieved by covering the backside with a high emissivity coating, to obtain an efficient radiative cooling. A detailed description of the launcher is presented in the paper.",1
10.1016#j.jcrysgro.2008.06.051.xml,Journal of Crystal Growth,"High-quality GaN layer was successfully grown on a SiO2 nanorod-array patterned sapphire substrate (NAPSS) using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition by a nanoscaled epitaxial lateral overgrowth (NELO) method. From tunneling electron microscope images, well coalescence and turned dislocations are parallel to the surface direction were clearly observed. The Raman shift measurement shows the residual stress in GaN was greatly reduced from 1.359 to 0.652GPa when compared to a GaN on flat sapphire substrate. Also, a high-efficiency GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were demonstrated on the NELO NAPSS GaN, the respective output power and external quantum efficiency of the NELO NAPSS LEDs were estimated to be 22mW and 40.2% at an injection current of 20mA, showing an enhancement factor of 52% over conventional LEDs. The significant improvement resulted from both the enhanced light extraction assisted by the NAPSS, and the reduced dislocation densities using the NELO method.",1
10.1016#j.isatra.2018.07.036.xml,ISA Transactions,"The development of industry technology requires magnetic bearings to work in high speed conditions. However, the current stiffness and displacement stiffness of the magnetic bearing will decrease significantly due to the consequent eddy current effect, and that decrease will make the system unstable and even result in the rotor drop and instrument damage. Therefore, the traditional Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) method based on constant stiffness is not adaptable for high speed conditions. This paper proposes a PID parameters tuning strategy based on dynamic stiffness for the radial active magnetic bearing (RAMB). The dynamic stiffness model under eddy current effect is established by analyzing the equivalent magnetic circuit model in which parameters are frequency-dependent. The PID parameters tuning method for RAMB control system including dynamic stiffness model is put forward according to the characteristic equation and Routh-Hurwitz criterion. Different PID parameters are set in simulations and several corresponding experiments are conducted. Satisfactory control effects consistent with the theoretical analysis are obtained and thus the proposed PID tuning strategy is verified to be good. Simulations and experiments in this paper provide theoretical guidance for the design of controller parameters and have research significance for structural optimization of RAMB.",0
10.1016#j.solidstatesciences.2016.10.014.xml,Solid State Sciences,"BiFeO3 perovskite with 2D laminated cylinder-like structure was prepared via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method, whose morphologies and optical properties was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), and UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). The photocatalytic properties of the as-prepared BiFeO3 composites were evaluated according to degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) and desulfurization under visible light irradiation, with excellent photocatalytic degradation and desulfurization activity found. Moreover, the mechanism study of active free radicals in photocatalytic activity indicates that the h + radical in holes was mainly responsible for synergistic catalytic efficacy in photocatalytic degradation.",1
10.1016#j.optlaseng.2005.05.006.xml,Optics and Lasers in Engineering,"This work presents a scanning micro-interferometer, without moving parts, based on the well-known Mach-Zehnder geometry. The micro-system was obtained by using non-standard processes of planar technology on lithium niobate crystals, in particular the waveguide fabrication was obtained by using high energy ion implantation of medium light mass elements. The scanning effect without moving parts has been obtained by changing the refractive index of the optical waveguides by using electric field. The whole device is 60mm long with a 0.5×1mm2 cross section, weights only few grams and its power consumption lies in the milliwatt range. The performances were preliminary tested in the spectral window ranging from 0.4 to 1.0μm. By using standard radiation sources, this micro-system demonstrated a spectral resolution suitable for detecting the characteristic spectral lines of a Xe-arc lamp on a 400nm wide spectral window. In a further experiment we tested the performances of the microinterferometer for gas trace detection by using a calibrated NO2 optical gas cell. A sensitivity of about 10ppb for NO2 detection, when suitable optical paths are used, was evaluated.",1
10.1016#j.ces.2011.10.049.xml,Chemical Engineering Science,"The wetted-wire packing, mainly consisting of a bundle of vertical parallel wires, is a promising concept for the use in separation columns. To investigate the multiphase flow inside the packing in detail and to estimate the performance of the packing, experiments on liquid films on a single vertical wire in a counter current gas flow were carried out. To get information about the interfacial area, an optical measurement of the film thickness was carried out with a digital high speed camera and image recognition tools. By measuring the evaporation of water and aqueous polyvinylpyrrolidone solutions into air, the gas-side mass transfer was determined. The liquid-side mass transfer was examined by measuring the desorption of CO2 from water into air. The results show that the mass transfer coefficients are comparable to those appearing in common structured packings. When assuming a sufficiently high wire packing density, a specific interfacial area similar to corrugated sheet structured packings can be reached. Previous studies predicted a low pressure drop per packing height and extended capacity limits compared to common packings. In consideration of these results, the wetted wire packing therefore is shown to be suitable especially for absorption processes where a low pressure drop is favourable.",0
10.1016#S0925-2312(98)00035-6.xml,Neurocomputing,"We offer three algorithms for the generation of topographic mappings to the practitioner of unsupervised data analysis. The algorithms are each based on the minimization of a cost function which is performed using an EM algorithm and deterministic annealing. The soft topographic vector quantization algorithm (STVQ) – like the original self-organizing map (SOM) – provides a tool for the creation of self-organizing maps of Euclidean data. Its optimization scheme, however, offers an alternative to the heuristic stepwise shrinking of the neighborhood width in the SOM and makes it possible to use a fixed neighborhood function solely to encode desired neighborhood relations between nodes. The kernel-based soft topographic mapping (STMK) is a generalization of STVQ and introduces new distance measures in data space, based on kernel functions. Using the new distance measures corresponds to performing the STVQ in a high-dimensional feature space, which is related to data space by a nonlinear mapping. This preprocessing can reveal structure in the data which may go unnoticed if the STVQ is performed in the standard Euclidean space. The soft topographic mapping for proximity data (STMP) is another generalization of STVQ that enables the user to generate topographic maps for data which are given in terms of pairwise proximities. It thus offers a flexible alternative to multidimensional scaling methods and opens up a new range of applications for SOMs. Both STMK and STMP share the robust optimization properties of STVQ due to the application of deterministic annealing. In our contribution we discuss the algorithms together with their implementation and provide detailed pseudo-code and explanations.",0
10.1016#0273-1177(95)00402-Z.xml,Advances in Space Research,"An outdoor observation bed was prepared in the vicinity of the Department of Electronics Engineering, Banaras Hindu University for the study of the effect of surface roughness on remote sensing of normalised brightness temperature. Experimentally observed data was utilized to give a simple linear model for regression analysis. Brightness temperature was normalised with surface temperature to give normalised brightness temperature (NTB). Observed NTB was correlated with the calculated values, where dependent variable was taken as surface roughness. These two paarameters give a linear relationship for computing regression parameters. We have also computed values of NTB for various look angles. The results from the regression analysis which was for higher surface roughness at constant soil moisture are found to be close to the experimental values. We conclude that the best fit angle for observing surface roughness from satellite is nearly 50° for both polarizations (HH-pol and VV-pol).",0
10.1016#j.arth.2012.06.026.xml,The Journal of Arthroplasty,"Sequential bilateral total knee arthroplasty performed on 54 patients utilizing navigation (CAS-TKA) in one knee and traditional instrumentation (T-TKA) in the contralateral knee was reviewed at a mean follow-up duration of 2.5years. There were no differences with regard to KSS, ROM, postoperative anatomic alignment, mechanical axis, or tibial angle. There was a statistically significant decrease in outliers for the CAS-TKA group with respect to anatomic alignment (3.7% vs. 17.0%, P =0.024), mechanical axis (6.1 vs. 20.4%, P =0.037) and tibial component alignment (0% vs. 7.5%, P =0.042). There is no apparent benefit of CAS-TKA with regards to KSS, ROM, or alignment in the hands of fellowship-trained total joint specialists. The clinical relevance of reduced outliers in the CAS-TKA group is unknown with the current follow-up interval.",0
10.1016#j.diamond.2005.12.003.xml,Diamond and Related Materials,"Structural, electronic and dynamical properties of the rocksalt structure of the nitride materials ScN and GaN have been studied by employing an ab initio pseudopotential method and a linear response scheme, within the generalized gradient approximation. The calculated lattice constant, bulk modulus, pressure derivative of bulk modulus, and the direct band gaps for ScN are in agreement with the previous ab initio calculations and available experimental results. For the rocksalt GaN, we have observed that this material is characterized by an indirect band gap with minimum of the conduction band lying at the X point. Our results for the zone-centre frequencies are in reasonable agreement with experimentally determined values obtained from Raman spectroscopy. The phonon dispersion curves for the two materials are compared and contrasted.",0
10.1016#j.nano.2018.07.002.xml,"Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine","The 3-D spatial and mechanical features of nano-topography can create alternative environments, which influence cellular response. In this paper, murine fibroblast cells were grown on surfaces characterized by protruding nanotubes. Cells cultured on such nano-structured surface exhibit stronger cellular adhesion compared to control groups, but despite the fact that stronger adhesion is generally believed to promote cell cycle progression, the time cells spend in G1 phase is doubled. This apparent contradiction is solved by confocal microscopy analysis, which shows that the nano-topography inhibits actin stress fiber formation. In turn, this impairs RhoA activation, which is required to suppress the inhibition of cell cycle progression imposed by p21/p27. This finding suggests that the generation of stress fibers, required to impose the homeostatic intracellular tension, rather than cell adhesion/spreading is the limiting factor for cell cycle progression. Indeed, nano-topography could represent a unique tool to inhibit proliferation in adherent well-spread cells.",0
10.1016#j.jesp.2018.01.003.xml,Journal of Experimental Social Psychology,"Proverbs in different cultures describe being indebted as burdensome or a physical strain. To our knowledge, little research has examined the link between debt and burden. In the present work, we conducted five studies to examine the hypothesis that debt would lead to perceptual judgments of the environment as more forbidding and extreme in much the same manner as a physical burden. In Studies 1–3, we found that compared with the control condition, people in the debt condition threw beanbags farther, estimated the distance to be greater, and estimated the hills to be steeper. In study 4 we found that participants with student loan debt rated their subjective weight as heavier than participants without debt. In Study 5, we replicated the results of Study 3, which we pre-registered using the Open Science Framework. These findings provided the first evidence of the association between debt and physical burden and indicated that debts affect people similarly to physical burdens.",0
10.1016#0030-4018(95)00490-4.xml,Optics Communications,Excited dye molecules on metallic gratings can relax by generating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). These non-radiative modes can scatter from the grating emitting light in well-defined direction and with a characteristic polarisation. This paper presents an experimental study of the emission properties of a thin layer of laser dye on a silver grating. It is found that the emission is dominated by light re-radiated by SPPs. The direction and the polarisation of the emission are found to depend on the azimuthal angle between the emitted light and the grating grooves. The experimental results are explained in terms of the momentum matching conditions that govern the coupling between photons and SPPs.,1
10.1016#j.polymdegradstab.2011.06.013.xml,Polymer Degradation and Stability,"Effect of electron irradiation on the free volume related microstructural and optical properties of chalcone doped Poly(vinyl alcohol) composite films have been studied using FTIR, UV–Visible, XRD and Positron Annihilation techniques. The FTIR spectral study shows that the irradiation induces the crosslinking within the composite. Using UV–Visible absorption spectra the optical energy band gap and activation energies were estimated and the variation of these parameters suggests the existence of defects and molecular ordering within the irradiated composite. XRD diffractograms reveal that the crosslinking enhances the crystallinity of the sample. In this cross-linked polymer composite the fluorescence enhancement has been observed in the fluorescence spectral study. The Positron annihilation result suggests that the irradiation affects the free volume properties and crosslinking hinders the chalcone chromophore molecular rotation. Under this restricted condition the chromophore molecules likely to emit enhanced fluorescence and its mobility is directly related to the free volume around it.",1
10.1016#S0039-9140(99)00031-4.xml,Talanta,"This paper reports the study of the mineralogical evolution during the firing process (800–1150°C) of the main types of raw materials used for the brick industry in Santa Cruz de Mudela (Ciudad Real, Spain). The mineralogical diversity observed in these materials leads to different behaviour during the shaping, drying and firing stages. Traditional use of similar working conditions in local industries, despite the mineralogical differences in the starting material, promotes the presence of defects in the drying and/or firing stages. This study attempt to implement some analytical guideline for the raw materials in order to improve the final product. Three types of raw materials obtained in different quarries have been characterised by means of chemical analysis with electron microprobe, powder X-ray diffraction and FT-Raman spectroscopy. The main difference between the clays studied is the carbonate content: one of the analysed samples is deficient in this component, while it is present as calcite (8%) or as calcite (14%) plus dolomite (10%) in the rest. The observed compositional differences seem to be relevant in the firing process. FT-Raman spectra reveal the onset of early vitrification (at about 900°C) in the sample without carbonate. The importance of calcium and magnesium oxides, obtained from the corresponding carbonates, for the synthesis of new mineral phases that could slow down the vitrification process is discussed.",0
10.1016#j.tsf.2018.07.047.xml,Thin Solid Films,"Ellipsometry is an optical technique for determining properties of laminar reflecting (or transmitting) structures from the measurement of light polarization state change resulting from the light-sample interaction. In all but the simplest of cases, the measurements must be followed by data processing in which the measured data is compared to an appropriate mathematical model of the sample derived from Maxwell's equations and measurement conditions. Thus a key common problem is determining how many and which measurements to make. A single measurement in standard ellipsometry consists of one complex data point and in generalized ellipsometry, three complex data points and therefore usually more than one measurement is required. Previously we have addressed these problems using Complex Analysis in the n-k plane for homogeneous isotropic films. One of the key findings was that certain angles and wavelengths are useful and others are not. The purpose of the work here is to extend that analysis to anisotropic films. These films have a greater number of unknowns and consequently may require more measurements. The central question remains, how many measurements are needed and which specific measurements will provide sufficiently independent equations considering the unknowns. It can be that additional measurements vary to such a small degree that they are not useful considering measurement error tolerance. The work to be presented will show how to identify useful measurements based upon the anticipated, non-depolarizing sample configuration. The approach avoids making unnecessary measurements which can actually reduce the solution accuracy.",1
10.1016#j.placenta.2003.09.008.xml,Placenta,"Maternal infection of Trypanosoma cruzi is associated with premature births, abortions and placentitis. A decrease in EGF levels has been suggested to occur in animals infected by T. cruzi, but there is no research about the levels of EGF in human patients with Chagas' disease. We evaluated serum EGF levels in pregnant women with and without the disease, and with immunological methods detected EGF receptors and EGF in both groups of placentae and in cultures of normal placental villi with and without parasites. PLAP in placentae from those women was also immunologically detected, since EGF can induce the release of PLAP from the trophoblast surface and PLAP is suggested to be a receptor allowing parasite invasion of the placenta. Plasma from women with Chagas' disease contained lower level of EGF when compared to plasma of healthy women. Placentae from women with Chagas' disease showed lower PLAP expression but same level of detectable EGF receptors and EGF when compared with placentae from women without the disease. Culture with parasites did not reduce EGFr level. Results suggest a lower availability of EGF in women with Chagas' disease, which could explain several malfunctions of the placenta associated with maternal Chagas' disease.",0
10.1016#S1002-0721(10)60320-1.xml,Journal of Rare Earths,"Viscosity of soda-lime-silicate glass doped with rare earth oxides (Pr6O11, Eu2O3, Yb2O3) was investigated by the rotating crucible viscometer, the melting temperature and activation energy for viscous flow of the studied melt were derived on the basis of the Arrhenius Equation, the coefficient of thermal expansion, glass transition temperature and dilatometric softening temperature were also determined with dilatometry, in order to reveal the effects of rare earth elements on the behavior of soda-lime-silicate glass. The results showed that introduction of rare earth oxides decreased the viscosity of soda-lime-silicate glass and melting temperature of corresponding melt, increased coefficient of thermal expansion of soda-lime-silicate glass. The glass transition temperature, dilatometric softening temperature, and melting temperature of soda-lime-silicate glass doped with rare earth oxides increased with increasing cationic field strength of corresponding rare earth ions.",0
10.1038#mtna.2014.26.xml,Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids,"Well-differentiated human airway epithelia present formidable barriers to efficient siRNA delivery. We previously reported that treatment of airway epithelia with specific small molecules improves oligonucleotide uptake and facilitates RNAi responses. Here, we exploited the platelet activating factor receptor (PAFR) pathway, utilized by specific bacteria to transcytose into epithelia, as a trigger for internalization of Dicer-substrate siRNAs (DsiRNA). PAFR is a G-protein coupled receptor which can be engaged and activated by phosphorylcholine residues on the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae and the teichoic acid of Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as by its natural ligand, platelet activating factor (PAF). When well-differentiated airway epithelia were simultaneously treated with either nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae LOS or PAF and transduced with DsiRNA formulated with the peptide transductin, we observed silencing of both endogenous and exogenous targets. PAF receptor antagonists prevented LOS or PAF-assisted DsiRNA silencing, demonstrating that ligand engagement of PAFR is essential for this process. Additionally, PAF-assisted DsiRNA transfection decreased CFTR protein expression and function and reduced exogenous viral protein levels and titer in human airway epithelia. Treatment with spiperone, a small molecule identified using the Connectivity map database to correlate gene expression changes in response to drug treatment with those associated with PAFR stimulation, also induced silencing. These results suggest that the signaling pathway activated by PAFR binding can be manipulated to facilitate siRNA entry and function in difficult to transfect well-differentiated airway epithelial cells.",0
10.1016#bs.po.2015.10.002.xml,Progress in Optics,"Supercontinuum (SC) light fields are characterized by broadband spectra that may extend from ultraviolet to near-infrared. Such SC fields can be generated by nonlinear processes in solid-state bulk media and liquids, or in optical fibers. In the latter case, SC pulse trains with high spatial coherence can be produced, which however may feature widely different spectral and temporal properties depending on the excitation conditions. In this review, we consider the coherence properties of SC pulses using the second-order coherence theory of nonstationary light. We begin with an overview of SC generation and explain how different nonlinear processes give rise to variable coherence properties. After a brief review of the coherence theory of nonstationary light, we show how second-order correlation functions in both time and frequency domains can be constructed from numerical simulations of ensembles of individual pulses. Two types of convenient modal representations of these correlation functions are presented, and a connection to the widely used “first-order” spectral coherence function is made. We then consider several interferometric techniques that have been used to measure this first-order coherence function, and discuss methods for experimental determination of the second-order correlations. Finally, some conclusions are drawn and certain as-yet unresolved questions regarding the coherence of SC are outlined.",1
10.1016#j.optlastec.2008.11.003.xml,Optics & Laser Technology,"The last decade has been of great significance for the development of slow light technology. Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), coherent population oscillation (CPO), stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), soliton collision, and photonic crystal waveguides have been used to slow down the velocity of light. In this paper, some important theoretical and technical developments of slow light technology that occurred over the last decade are discussed. Novel technologies for slowing down the velocity of light and their primary applications are introduced in detail. In addition, the future developing trends of slow light and its potential applications, especially in optical fiber sensors, are also forecasted and proposed in this paper.",1
10.1016#j.optlastec.2012.03.022.xml,Optics & Laser Technology,"A novel synchronized optimization method of multiple freeform surfaces is proposed and applied to double lenses illumination system design of CF-LCoS pico-projectors. Based on Snell's law and the energy conservation law, a series of first-order partial differential equations are derived for the multiple freeform surfaces of the initial system. By assigning the light deflection angle to each freeform surface, multiple surfaces can be obtained simultaneously by solving the corresponding equations, meanwhile the restricted angle on CF-LCoS is guaranteed. In order to improve the spatial uniformity, the multi-surfaces are synchronously optimized by using simplex algorithm for an extended LED source. Design example shows that the double lenses based illumination system, which employs a single 2mm×2mm LED chip and a CF-LCoS panel with a diagonal of 0.59inches satisfies the needs of pico-projector. Moreover, analytical result indicates that the design method represents substantial improvement and practical significance over traditional CF-LCoS projection system, which could offer outstanding performance with both portability and low cost. The synchronized optimization design method could not only realize collimating and uniform illumination, but also could be introduced to other specific light conditions.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2016.05.064.xml,Optics Communications,"We use polarization-resolved surface plasmon resonance microscopy to image single dielectric nanoparticles. In real space, the nanoparticles exhibit V-shape diffraction patterns due to the interference between the incident surface plasmon polariton wave and the evanescent scattered waves, which arise from the interplay between the electric and magnetic dipoles of the nanoparticle. By using cross-polarized Fourier space imaging to extract only the scattered waves, we find the angular far-field intensity corresponds very well to the near-field scattering distribution, as confirmed by both analytical and numerical calculations. As a result, we directly deconvolute the contributions of electric and magnetic dipoles to the scattered fields without involving near-field techniques.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2014.01.033.xml,Optics Communications,"We report on the design of amorphous silicon solar cells with the periodic wave grating structures. Optical absorption in TF a-Si solar cells is studied numerically via the rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) enhanced by the modal transmission line (MTL) theory. The impact of period of the wave gratings is investigated. The result shows that the studied wave grating structure can promote the absorption in wavelength of 0.4–0.65μm under any periods; clearer absorption gains emerge in wavelength range of 0.65–0.84μm when periods of 0.3–0.7μm are chosen. The integral for the absorbance spectrum of each model shows that the absorption gains reach up to the highest point in period of 0.5μm, which is 46.44%.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2018.08.016.xml,Optical Materials,"We report a simple method for preparing flexible polymer film containing carbon quantum dots/N-doped ZnO (CQD/N-ZnO) nanoparticles, as UV shielding material. The polymer film showed an enhanced UV shielding capability with increasing of CQD/N-ZnO nanoparticles. The maximum of 47% of UV shielding capability was achieved with 1 wt.% of CQD/N-ZnO nanoparticles and two-order enhancement was achieved by controlling film thickness to 250 μm. It was found that CQDs plays important role to promote compatibility of hydrophilic ZnO into hydrophobic polymer matrix without disturbing the transparency of the film. An excellent UV shielding capability of 85% and 92% was witnessed in 250 μm thick polymer film under a UV lamp and direct daylight, respectively.",1
10.1016#j.omx.2019.100004.xml,Optical Materials: X,"Ultrafast-laser inscribed optical memories have been considered as a high-density low-energy-consumption alternative to the magnetization-based memories. The optical memories are based on laser-induced material modifications resulting in the refractive index change. The long-term stability of such modifications has been indicated by subjecting them to the accelerated aging by annealing at elevated temperatures. Here, the first direct evidence is provided of the durability of the type II refractive index change in BK7 glass. The investigation was performed for over 27 months at room temperature. The results show the existence of the laser pulse intensity threshold above which the magnitude of the index change does not deteriorate with time and, hence, is suitable for optical memory, photonic crystal and fibre-grating writing.",1
10.1016#j.ijleo.2012.10.053.xml,Optik - International Journal for Light and Electron Optics,"The main focus of this study is to improve the light extraction efficiency, as well as directionality of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) using multi-layer structures between Indium tin Oxide (ITO) and glass layers in a typical OLED. In conventional OLEDs, only about half of the light generated in the emission zone can reach to the glass substrate due to refractive index mismatch in ITO (n =1.8⿿i0.01)/glass (n =1.51) interface. The main attempt is to reduce the share of total internal reflection (TIR) and hence, the effect of different structures such as Thue-Morse and Fibonacci have been investigated and optimized with suitable layer thickness and materials based on Transfer Matrix Method (TMM). The most effective Multi-layer structures have been added to conventional OLED and have been analyzed the extraction efficiency using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. Results show large enhancement of extraction efficiency (about 40%) in ITO/glass interface. Using this idea and applying micro-lenses array to glass substrate at the same time, one can get even higher extraction efficiency in OLED. The interesting aspect of this project is its easy fabrication process in order to commercialize the product with highest extraction efficiency and low fabrication cost.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2008.12.005.xml,Optics Communications,"The present article describes novel highly nonlinear photonic crystal fibers (HN-PCFs) with flattened chromatic dispersion and low confinement losses. The proposed design has been simulated based on the finite-difference method with anisotropic perfectly matched layers absorbing boundary condition. It is proved that the design novel HN-PCFs is obtained a nonlinear coefficient greater than 45W−1 km−1 and low dispersion slope −0.009ps/(nm2.km) at 1.55μm wavelength. In addition, results from numerical simulation show that the ultra-flattened dispersion of 0±0.65ps/(nm.km) can be obtained in a 1.36–1.62μm wavelength range with confinement losses lower than 10−7 dB/m in the same wavelength range. Another advantage of the proposed HN-PCFs is that it possessed modest number of design parameters.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2005.06.039.xml,Optics Communications,"Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) imposes a limitation on the transmitted power in radio-over-fiber (RoF) distribution systems. By employing an optical filter at the transmitter that converts the optical microwave signal to single sideband format (in order to overcome dispersive fading), it is also possible to reduce the effect of SBS on system performance. In this paper the authors compare the cases of filtering the optical microwave signal at the transmitter or the remote site of a RoF system, in terms of the effect of SBS on system performance. The authors also investigate and demonstrate how the modulation depth of the optical-microwave data signal influences the Brillouin threshold in RoF distribution systems.",1
10.1016#j.optlastec.2013.12.005.xml,Optics & Laser Technology,"A newly synthesized 2-{3-[2-(4-bromophenyl) vinyl]-5, 5-dimethylcyclo-hex-2-en-1-ylidene} malononitrile (Br1) organic compound has been studied. Br1 crystals were grown by employing the solution growth method. The single crystal XRD analysis shows that Br1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c, with cell parameters a=10.064(5), b=11.218, c=14.862 and V=1667.2. TG and DTA studies show Br1 melts at 195.1°C and decomposes at 352°C. UV absorption spectrum of Br1 crystal shows the cutoff wavelength at 614nm, and the wide transparency of crystal is in the region of 615–1550nm. The optical constants are theoretically calculated in the optical communication range 1300–1550nm. The refractive index of Br1 crystal (1.655) has been measured using Abbe's refractometer. Z-scan technique with He–Ne laser has measured the optical nonlinearity of Br1 crystal along the a, b and c axes. The mechanism of the nonlinear variation of crystal can be regarded as the thermal nonlinear effects. The largest third order nonlinear refractive index is along the c-axis, possessing a value of 11.6194×10−6 esu which is larger than that of the a and b axes. Photoinduced absorption is responsible for the optical absorption of the organic molecular crystal. The two figures of merit, W=47>1 and T=0.12<1 are suitable for optical switching application. Photoluminescence spectrum of crystal has been studied using xenon lamp in the wavelength range of 450–700nm. The sharp emission of photoluminescence spectrum is excited at 642.74nm (137711a.u). Laser damage threshold of Br1 crystal has been studied using Nd-YAG laser. The laser energy is initiating the crack at 89.4mJ after 10s on the surface (100) of Br1 crystal.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2016.09.030.xml,Optical Materials,"In this study, we investigated the growth of GaN polycrystals using the Al-added Na flux method. We studied the effects of Al on accelerating the nucleation and purity of GaN polycrystals. The yields of GaN crystals grown in Al-added Na flux were dramatically increased from those in Al-free Na flux, and the polycrystals grown by the Al-added Na flux method were highly transparent. As observed in secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements, the Al content of the polycrystals was below the detection limit of 3 × 1016 atoms/cm3. From these results, the Al-added Na flux method is found to be appropriate for fabricating a large amount of GaN polycrystals without deteriorating the crystal quality.",0
10.1016#S0030-4018(99)00547-7.xml,Optics Communications,"We report the theoretical analysis and the numerical calculation of the dispersion relations of TE-mode in a 3-layer slab waveguide whose guide layer is constructed with an absorbing material. From the analysis, we lead to the same equation for such an absorbing waveguide as that from Yeh's formalism. It is shown that the effective extinction coefficient depends not on its sign but on both a mode number and an effective refractive index (n eff) and the n eff has a maximum and a minimum value depend on the bulk extinction coefficient (k). From the calculation of the symmetric absorbing waveguide whose parameters are n 1=n 3=1.51 and n 2=1.52, there is no propagation mode in the waveguide for k>0.155. Moreover, it is shown that the minimum guide layer thickness becomes non-zero value for k≠0 even for the first mode of the symmetric waveguide.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2006.10.005.xml,Optical Materials,"Lanthanide complexes, Eu(dbm)3(Phen), [Et4N][Eu(nta)4] and Er(dbm)3(Phen), are employed as luminescent dopants within planar waveguides based on a UV-processable fluorinated polymer material. Thin films doped with each of the complexes are fabricated and their spectroscopic properties investigated in detail. The films act as low loss multi-mode planar waveguides capable of guiding visible and near infrared light emitted following optical excitation of the lanthanide dopants. Judd–Ofelt parameters are calculated for the europium complex dopants and effects of the polymer host environment on the photophysical properties of the chelates are identified. The radiative properties of the europium complexes are also determined viz. their potential for use in optical amplification applications.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2008.10.017.xml,Optical Materials,"In this work, optical and electrical characterization of transparent Eu and Pd-doped TiO2 thin films has been presented. Thin films of TiO2 doped with Eu (0.9at.%) and Pd (5.8at.%) were deposited on silicon and glass substrates from Ti–Eu–Pd mosaic target using modified magnetron sputtering method. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed nanocrystalline structure with the only rutile phase of TiO2 in prepared thin films. Pd-doping, through formation of discontinuous paths for charge carriers brings the enhanced electrical conductivity and makes prepared thin films oxide semiconductors. It has been shown, that Eu dopant acts as an optical activator of light conversion from UV to the red-visible, corresponding to the optical working range of standard silicon devices. From electrical measurements it was found out that Eu-doping of TiO2 results in the n-type of electrical conduction. From optical transmission spectroscopy measurements position of the fundamental absorption edge and optical band-gap energy have been determined. The current to voltage dependence and photovoltage observations confirmed the formation of heterojunction at thin film–silicon interface.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2006.05.044.xml,Optics Communications,"An efficient approach for determination of the optimum process parameters for titanium dioxide coatings by using second-order response surface model is presented and investigated experimentally. Thin films were prepared by electron-beam evaporation associated with ion-beam assisted deposition by using different control factors, including starting materials, working pressure, substrate temperature, deposition rate and annealing temperature. The factorial design of the experiment was established to meet the equipment conditions and to avoid affecting the results. The main effect between various factors and interactions are independent. The significant level of both the main effects and the interaction are observed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach. Based on the statistical analysis, the results have provided much valuable information on the relationship between various control factors and thin film properties. Besides the optimum optical constants and surface roughness of TiO2 thin films were obtained in the range of each parameter level. The factorial prediction model for preparation parameters of thin film was also established.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2017.05.030.xml,Optical Materials,"Herein, we report an efficient ultraviolet/visible to near-infrared (NIR) down-conversion luminescence phenomenon in transparent Er3+, Yb3+ co-doped (Y0.88La0.09Zr0.03)2O3 ceramics. Almost fully densified (Y0.88La0.09Zr0.03)2O3 transparent ceramic has been prepared by vacuum sintering at 1800 °C with different contents of Er3+ and Yb3+ elements. The intensity ratio of Yb3+: 2F5/2 → 2F7/2 emission (∼1000 nm) to the Er3+: 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 emission (∼1550 nm) has been tuned by adjusting the excitation wavelength. Phonon-assist quantum cutting from the 4G11/2 level of Er3+ with two energy transfer (ET) processes to Yb3+ has been determined, which enhances the Yb3+ emission around the wavelength of 1000 nm. It is found that when one photon around 379 nm is absorbed, two photons around 1000 nm will be emitted, and hence the quantum efficiency is estimated to be ∼182% in this transparent ceramics. The mechanism of the visible to near-infrared (NIR) down-conversion luminescence in the Er3+, Yb3+ co-doped (Y0.88La0.09Zr0.03)2O3 ceramics has been discussed.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2017.03.020.xml,Optical Materials,"The compound eyes of insects are smaller, lighter, and have a wider field of view and high sensitivity to moving targets. In recent years, these advantages have attracted many researchers to develop minimized optical devices. In this study, a high performance microlens was fabricated, mimicking the biological visual feature. Polystyrene (PS) microspheres were synthesized by dispersion polymerization first, and then a close-packed monolayer of PS microspheres was assembled by the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) deposition method. Following this, a 2D polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) concave mold was fabricated by a soft lithography technique. Different aperture sizes of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) curved microlens array replicated films were prepared using traditional Chinese medicine cupping tool with a temperature-controllable hot plate, which eliminated the need for inconvenient metal modeling. The optical performance of the curved microlens films were evaluated by a system of optical microscopy (OM) and a home-made image capture charge-coupled device (CCD). The field of view (FOV) and the light intensity distribution of the curved microlens array were also investigated. We found that a broader field of view corresponded to a smaller aperture size of the curved microlens films, as the convex heights of the films are identical. The resolution of the curved microlens films was not affected by their aperture sizes, but was determined by their interommatidial angle and the diameter of the microlens.",1
10.1016#j.optlastec.2011.08.026.xml,Optics & Laser Technology,"We simulated the temperature distribution and single track geometry in Laser Rapid Manufacturing (LRM) of metal structures using two dimensional FEM with a finer modeling approach. This approach involved the calculation of excessive enthalpies above melting point for all nodal points in the process domain and using those for the computation of local track height at every node along the track width on the substrate. Laser power, laser beam size with its spatial profile, scan speed, powder feed rate and powder stream diameter with its flow distribution were taken as user-defined input parameters to simulate the single track geometry during LRM. The simulated results were experimentally verified. The percentage errors in simulated and corresponding experimental track heights along the normalized track width were calculated and compared with those of other existing models. With our modeling approach, the localized errors in predicting track geometries were found to be the least. This model is capable of dynamically predicting the temperatures and track geometry at various user-defined input parameters.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2006.04.050.xml,Optics Communications,"The nonlinear refractive index, n 2, and the birefringence, Δn, of a nematic liquid crystal mixture (denoted as 1294-1b) doped with a anthraquinone derivative (denoted as AQ) dye were measured as a function of an external ac applied voltage. The self-phased modulation effect was used to measure the nonlinear refractive index of homeotropical-aligned samples. The change of the dyed liquid crystal nonlinearity, which is the direct impact of the applied voltage on the dye molecules orientation, was not observed for the nonlinear response of the pure liquid crystal. Planar (homogeneous) aligned samples were used for birefringence measurements by taking into account the absorption coefficients of the dye. The birefringence decreased to a limiting value in the high voltage region for both pure and dye-doped samples, although in the presence of the absorbing dye the birefringence of the liquid crystal was not approximately changed.",1
10.1016#j.optmat.2017.02.018.xml,Optical Materials,"To provide a systematic study of scheelite structure tungstates, potentially better red phosphors, series of CaGd2−x(WO4)4:Eux were successfully synthesized by the conventional solid state method. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence spectra, decay lifetime measurement and Judd-Ofelt theory were used to investigate the properties of CaGd2(WO4)4:Eu3+ phosphors. The results reveal that CaGd2(WO4)4 compound has monoclinic system with space group I2/b. Under the excitation at 393 nm, Eu3+ doped CaGd2(WO4)4 phosphor exhibits the dominant red emission peak located at 616 nm, which is ascribed to 5D0 → 7F2 transition of Eu3+ ion. Effect of the calcination temperature on the photoluminescence properties has also been studied and it is found that the emission intensity reaches the maximum at 1273 K. In addition, the optimal doping concentration of Eu3+ is determined to be x = 0.8. It can be confirmed that the dipole-dipole interaction type plays an important role in the energy transfer in CaGd2(WO4)4:Eu3+ phosphors through the concentration quenching curve. The Judd-Ofelt parameters Ω2 and Ω4 have been calculated, indicating the lower site symmetry and higher covalency around Eu3+ ions. The CIE coordinates of CaGd1.2(WO4)4:0.8Eu3+ phosphors are x = 0.649 and y = 0.349, which are close to the standard of NTSC. These results show that CaGd2(WO4)4:Eu3+ phosphor can be a potentially better red emitting phosphor for white light emitting diodes (LEDs).",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2017.03.048.xml,Optics Communications,"The relationship between partition function, particle density, refractive index, and temperature for atmospheric plasma is calculated based on thermodynamics and chemical equilibrium. Taking into account the contribution of hydrogen-like levels to the atomic partition function, a compact method to calculate the atomic partition function is first used with the Eindhoven model to deduce the plasma's refractive index. Results calculated by the new approach and two other traditional simplified methods are compared and analyzed. For a better understanding on the temperature measurement accuracy deduced by different partition function disposal approaches, moiré deflectometry is employed as the experimental scheme to acquire the refractive index-position curve. Finally, applicability of different partition function disposal approaches are discussed, and results indicate that the optical properties deduced in this paper are well suited for the refractive index–based plasma diagnosis.",1
10.1016#0030-4018(79)90083-X.xml,Optics Communications,"We report on a simple, high-power, TEA laser operating with N2, XeF and KrF in the UV, with F and Ar in the visible and near IR, and with HF, CO, CO2 and N2O in the IR. Peak power of 0.5 MW and pulse energy of 4.5 mJ are obtained from N2, 1.5 MW and 16 mJ from XeF, and 18 MW and 2.7 J from CO2 in the same device. The performance of the N2 laser is greatly improved (1 MW, 10 mJ) by the addition of NF3 to the lasing mixture. Maximum power and energy are achieved near or above atmospheric pressure.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2016.12.021.xml,Optics Communications,"We present a tunable, membrane-less, mechanical-wetting liquid lens that can be actuated manually using a linear actuator such as screw or piston. The operation of the liquid lens is based on deforming the interface separating two immiscible liquids with different refractive indices, while pinning the three-phase contact line at the sharp edge of lens aperture. Our lens design improves upon the existing designs of mechanical-wetting lenses by eliminating the use of complex actuation mechanisms, without compromising on the optical performance. We demonstrate the operation of the liquid lens by tuning its power back and forth from negative to positive by simple rotation of a screw. We also present an analytical description of the focal length of the lens and validate it with detailed experimental measurements. Our experiments show that the focal length of the liquid lens can be tuned repeatably without any adverse effects of hysteresis and gravity.",1
10.1016#j.optlastec.2013.12.015.xml,Optics & Laser Technology,"A temporal deformation of nanosecond laser pulses occurring during an amplification process in a two-stage erbium-doped fiber amplifier operating in saturation is presented. We discuss distortion of rectangular laser pulses with duration ranging from 5ns to 300ns, generated at 20kHz repetition rate. Calculations of a suitable peak power scaling factor for distorted pulses are presented. A simple compensation method of temporal pulse distortion, based on the direct current modulation with the use of arbitrary function generator (AFG), is also reported. An appropriate input pulse shape modification leads to obtaining an output amplified pulse with any desired shape. The main limitation of pulse shaping in a fiber amplifier seeded by a narrow linewidth laser diode turns out to be stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). However, the pulse shaping method can also improve the amplifier performance by increasing the power threshold of SBS. SBS phenomenon in the context of arbitrary pulse shaping have been also discussed.",1
10.1016#j.optcom.2014.10.032.xml,Optics Communications,"An optical fiber curvature sensor based on bulge-taper splicing structures modal interferometer is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor is fabricated by a length of 10mm single mode fiber (SMF) which is spliced between two SMFs with bulge-taper splicing. The results show that the sensor is sensitive to curvature with a sensitivity coefficient of −31.821nm/m−1 in the range of 4.29–4.98m−1 and −17.051nm/m−1 in the range of 4.98–5.59m−1. The proposed sensor also shows the temperature sensitivity of 72pm/°C, and the curvature error caused by temperature is only 0.0023m−1/°C in the range of 4.29–4.98m−1 and 0.0042m−1/°C in the range of 4.98–5.59m−1. This sensor exhibits the advantages of compactness, robustness, low cost, all-SMF structure, easy and repeated fabrication, and high sensitivity.",1
10.1016#j.yofte.2010.08.009.xml,Optical Fiber Technology,"This paper reviews the work carried out in the recent years on sensors which exploit optical fibre nanotapers (OFN). After a brief introduction on the morphology, fabrication and properties of OFN, this paper will review the various OFN sensors. This type of sensors are extremely compact and relatively robust, are usually unperturbed by electromagnetic interference and can be interrogated remotely. In this review sensors will be grouped in three categories according to their morphology: linear sensors, resonant sensors and tip sensors. While linear and resonant sensors exploit the fraction of power propagating in the evanescent field (outside the nanotaper physical boundary), tip sensors exploit light confined within the nanotaper to excite/detect variations within a very limited area.",1
10.1016#j.jseaes.2013.10.027.xml,Journal of Asian Earth Sciences,"The retreat of the Tethys Sea and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau play the critical roles in driving Asian climatic changes during the Cenozoic. In the Pamir–Tien Shan convergence zone, over 3000m of Cenozoic successions, consisting of marine deposits in the lower, continental clay and fine sand in the middle, and molasse in the upper part, record the evolution of the Tethys Sea, the Asian aridification, and the deformation of the Pamir. In this work, the existing biostratigraphic subdivisions and new electronic spinning resonance dating results were used to assign ages to formations within the Ulugqat section. Sedimentary facies analysis and multi-proxy indices were used to reconstruct the paleo-environmental evolution. The results show: (1) the Pamir–Tien Shan convergence zone has undergone progressive environmental changes from shallow marine before ∼34Ma to arid land at ∼23Ma and finally to inter-mountain basin by ∼5.3Ma; (2) the overall increase in mean size of grains, decrease in redness, in magnetic susceptibility, and in proportion of the ultrafine component of the sediments studied revealed a long-term strengthening in potential energy to transporting medium, cooling, and enhanced continental aridity, respectively; (3) the easternmost edge of the Tethys Sea prevailed in the western Tarim Basin from late Cretaceous to early Cenozoic, and finally retreated from this region around the Eocene–Oligocene transition, which in turn strengthened the Asian aridification; (4) accumulation of molasse with an upper age of ∼1Ma suggests that the deformation front of the Pamir migrated to this area at or before that time.",0
10.1016#j.actamat.2003.10.011.xml,Acta Materialia,"Polarization switching in a ferroelectric subjected to an electric field or a stress field is simulated using a phase-field model based on the time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau equation, which takes both multiple-dipole–dipole–electric and multiple-dipole–dipole–elastic interactions into account. The temporal evolution of the polarization switching shows that the switching is a process of nucleation, if needed, and growth of energy-favorite domains. Macroscopic polarization and strain are obtained by averaging polarizations and strains over the entire simulated ferroelectric. The simulation results successfully reveal the hysteresis loop of macroscopic polarization versus the applied electric field, the butterfly curve of macroscopic strain versus the applied electric field, and the macroscopically nonlinear strain response to applied compressive stresses.",0
10.1016#j.exger.2009.02.002.xml,Experimental Gerontology,"In the search of new therapeutic targets improving the quality of life of elderly, melatonin, “the chemical expression of darkness”, seems to play a remarkable role in aging process possibly due to its antioxidant, immunoenhancer and anti-aging properties. The present study was designed to elucidate effects of aging in melatonin extrapineal synthesis and investigate evident age-related alterations in the action mechanisms involved. The presence of the two key enzymes involved in melatonin synthesis, arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) was analyzed in thymus, spleen, liver, kidney and heart of 3- and 12month-old rats using real time PCR as well as its functionality by enzymatic activity assays. In addition, extrapineal melatonin content was measured by a competitive enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The results of this study reveal that all rat tissues studied including thymus, and for the first time, spleen, liver, kidney and heart have the necessary machinery to synthesize melatonin. Moreover, we report an age-related decline in rat extrapineal melatonin synthesis with a consequent HIOMT functionality decrease in spleen, liver and heart during physiological aging. On the contrary, NAT enzymatic activity maintains unchanged without evident alterations with advancing age. Moreover, diminished melatonin concentrations were measured in these tissues cited above during aging except in the thymus, where, surprisingly, melatonin content, NAT/HIOMT expression, and enzymatic functionality assays revealed no significant alterations with age. As a conclusion, we report evident age-related changes in melatonin synthesis in some rat peripheral organs. We suggest that thymus may develop compensatory mechanisms to counteract the loss of immune activity and consequently, the loss of this potent antioxidant, during physiological aging.",0
10.1007#s10443-016-9540-1.html,Applied Composite Materials,"The EU-project EVITA (Non-Destructive EValuation, Inspection and Testing of Primary Aeronautical Composite Structures Using Phase Contrast X-Ray Imaging) aims at bringing Grating-based Phase Contrast X-ray imaging technology to Non-Destructive Evaluation and Inspection of advanced primary and/or complex aerospace composite structures. Grating-based Phase Contrast X-Ray Imaging is based on the so-called Talbot-Lau interferometer, which is made of the combination of a standard X-ray apparatus with three transmission gratings as documented in the literature. This paper presents a comparison of two traditional non-destructive techniques (NDT): ultrasonic through transmission (immersed and water jet) and ultrasonic phased-array pulse echo, with the developed phase contrast X-Ray Imaging applied to advanced aerospace carbon fibre reinforced polymer. Typical defects produced during manufacture is examined as part of the testing and validation procedure. The following defects have been identified as being those most likely to be detected more effectively by the Grating-based Phase Contrast X-Ray Imaging process than other state of the art industrial NDT techniques: porosity, foreign objects, cracks, resin rich, cut fibres, and wavy fibres. The introduction of this innovative methodology is expected to provide the aeronautical industry with a reliable and detailed insight of the integrity of thin and thick composite structures as well as of complex geometry ones, such as integrated closed boxes and sandwiches.",1
10.1016#j.atmosenv.2018.09.044.xml,Atmospheric Environment,"In this study, we evaluated the emission rates of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass, particle number (PN), and black carbon (BC) from sources at the Ports of Los Angeles (POLA) and Long Beach (POLB), including ships, cargo-handling equipment (CHE), locomotives, and heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) operating at the ports terminal, as well as from vehicles on the nearby freeways. We also evaluated the impact of these emissions on local air quality (i.e., within the “impact zone” of POLA and POLB), and on the air quality in the Los Angeles County. The impact zone of POLA and POLB was defined as the area confined by the I-105, I-110, and I-710 freeways, and the ports’ ship terminals. At the local scale, emission rates were dominated by the sources at the ports (i.e., ships, locomotives, CHE, and HDVs operating at the ports), with overall PM2.5, PN, and BC emission rates of 97.8 ± 9.8 kg day−1, 91.6 ± 10.6 × 1019 particles day−1, and 60.3 ± 5.3 kg day−1, respectively. Emission rates from sections of the abovementioned nearby freeways were considerably lower, with corresponding values of 8.4 ± 3.8 kg day−1 for PM2.5, 2.4 ± 1.3 × 1019 particles day−1 for PN, and 2.0 ± 1.6 kg day−1 for BC. However, at the scale of Los Angeles County, the emission rates from total freeways across the Los Angeles County were significantly higher than those of the POLA and POLB, with overall values of 506.9 ± 20.3 kg day−1 for PM2.5, 1.9 ± 0.4 × 1021 particles day−1 for PN, and 119.4 ± 10.2 kg day−1 for BC. Our findings illustrate the major impact of emissions from POLA and POLB on the air quality of communities in the vicinity of the port. However, across the Los Angeles County as a whole, freeway emissions become the most important source of PM2.5, PN, and BC emissions, with emission rates 2–5 times higher than those of source categories at POLA and POLB.",0
10.1016#j.infrared.2009.07.006.xml,Infrared Physics & Technology,"In conventional infrared multilayer antireflection coatings (MLAR) materials of fluoride and chalcogenide types are used, which are disadvantaged due to their low mechanical strength and poor stability against humidity and environmental impacts. In this paper, we show that high performance ultra broadband and hard infrared multilayer antireflection coatings on ZnSe substrates in the wavelength range from 2 to 16μm can be designed and fabricated. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) hard coating as a mechanical and environmental protection layer was proposed and deposited onto MLAR surfaces (MLAR+DLC) using a pulsed vacuum arc ion deposition technique. The thickness of the high optical quality DLC can be optimized in the design simulation to achieve a practically best antireflection and surface protection performance. We show that a germanium thin film (15nm) between the MLAR and DLC surfaces can be used as a transition layer for optical and material match. The average transmission of the fabricated MLAR+DLC surfaces was 93.1% in the wavelength range between 2 and 16μm. The peak transmission was about 97.6%, close to the simulated values. The durability and stability against mechanical impacts and environmental tests was improved significantly compared with the conventional infrared windows.",1
10.1016#j.snb.2016.06.090.xml,Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical,"For the prism based SPR glucose sensors, glucose sensitive membrane (GSM) is a key factor that decides the performance of sensor. GSM consists of glucose oxidase (GOD) and matrix material (for example, polyacrylamide gel, PAM). As the prism based SPR glucose sensor coated with GSM is put in the glucose solution, some glucose and dissolved oxygen can diffuse into the GSM and produce by-products, then the by-products will change the refractive index (RI) of GSM and cause the spectrum shift of SPR sensor. In this paper, our proposes are to build the quantitative relationships among the resonance angle of SPR sensor, the RI of GSM, the concentration of glucose in GSM and the concentration of glucose in solution, and then to provide an efficient research method for the GSM of optical sensors. Firstly, we have reported the fabrication and characterization of GSM which is made of immobilized GOD on SiO2 nanoparticles and polyacrylamide gel. Secondly, we have finished a serial of SPR sensing experiments and obtained the resonance spectra of SPR sensors coated with pure PAM gel film, with free GOD@PAMfilm, and with immobilized GOD@PAM film in PBS solution, respectively, also displayed their variation relationship of resonance angle with the concentration of glucose in PBS solution. Thirdly, we have investigated the effects of solution pH and the content of immobilized GOD on the performance of the sensor, and obtained the optimum solution pH and the optimum content of GOD. Finally, we have related the resonance angle of SPR sensor and the RI of GSM by the combination of SPR experiment data and theoretical simulation, related the RI of GSM and the concentration of glucose in GSM according to Gladstone-Dale mixing rule, related the concentration of glucose in GSM and the concentration of glucose in solution by using the adsorption isotherm model of GSM.",1
10.1016#j.polymer.2005.01.071.xml,Polymer,"Star polymers based on styrene/divinyl benzene (St/DVB) and PSt-b-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (NIPAAM)/DVB have been successively prepared by ‘arm-first’ method via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The linear macro RAFT agent PSt-SC(S)Ph was prepared by RAFT polymerization of St using benzyl dithiobenzoate and AIBN as RAFT agent and initiator. Successive RAFT polymerization of NIPAAM with PSt-SC(S)Ph as macro RAFT agent to afford diblock copolymer, PSt-b-PNIPAAM-SC(S)Ph. The coupling reactions of PSt-SC(S)Ph or PSt-b-PNIPAAM-SC(S)Ph in the presence of DVB produced the star copolymers, C(PSt) n  or C(PSt-b-PNIPAAM) n . The molar ratio of DVB/PSt-SC(S)Ph and polymerization time influenced the yields, molecular weight and distribution of the star-shaped polymers, which was characterized by 1H NMR and IR spectra, GPC measurements as well as DLS.",0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2018.09.077.xml,Ceramics International,"High discharged energy density and efficiency composites dielectric capacitors have gained world-wide attention. We apply a solution casting method to prepare films of PVDF nanocomposites containing sol-gel processed core-shell structured BaTiO3 @Al2O3 nanoparticles. Their interfacial polarization and discharged energy density performance were investigated. On the morphological characterizations, the core-shell nanoparticles based on TEM were found to have Al2O3 with an average thickness of 6 nm, which acts as a shell layer coating on the surface of the BaTiO3-core. SEM results indicate that the core-shell nanoparticles created are dispersed uniformly in the PVDF matrix. Among the studied PVDF nanocomposites with different BaTiO3@Al2O3 nanoparticle loadings, the nanocomposite with 5 vol% BaTiO3@Al2O3 nanoparticles shows the highest discharged energy density of 6.1 J/cm3, which is 1.2 times higher than that of the nanocomposite with pure BaTiO3 nanoparticles. For the 5 vol% of BaTiO3@Al2O3 nanoparticles added, the resulting nanocomposite exhibits a high efficiency of 81.6% below 1000 kV/cm and is higher than 66.5% at 2800 kV/cm. The enhanced discharged energy density and efficiency could be attributed to the improvement of the Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars interfacial polarization at the dynamic interface between PVDF matrix and BaTiO3@Al2O3 nanoparticles by which the difference of dielectric constant at the interface is reduced.",0
10.1016#j.solidstatesciences.2018.03.018.xml,Solid State Sciences,"Polycrystalline samples of TiOF have been prepared at 1300 °C and 8 GPa, with small single crystals grown at the same conditions. The crystal structure remains tetragonal rutile-type down to at least 90 K (space group P42/mnm, a = 4.6533 (2) Å and c = 3.0143 (2) Å at 90 K) and the Ti(O,F)6 octahedra are slightly compressed, consistent with Jahn-Teller distortion of 3d1 Ti3+. Diffuse scattering reveals disordered structural correlations that may arise from local cis-order of oxide anions driven by covalency. TiOF is paramagnetic down to 5 K and observation of a small paramagnetic moment and a substantial Pauli term indicates that the d-electrons are partially delocalised.",0
10.1016#S0272-8842(00)00008-0.xml,Ceramics International,"An original nitriding method [powder immersion reaction assisted coating (PIRAC)] for improving wear resistance of Ti-based surgical alloys was developed. CP Ti and Ti–6Al–4V alloy samples were annealed in sealed stainless steel containers that allow selective diffusion of nitrogen atoms from the atmosphere. The microhardness-microstructure and nitrogen concentration relationship were studied for TiN-based PIRAC coatings grown at 850–1100°C. Phase identification and microstructure characterization of nitrided samples were performed by XRD, SEM/EPMA and HRSEM. The effect of PIRAC coating on fretting behavior of Ti–6Al–4V was studied in vitro under conditions simulating in vivo conditions at the interface of modular orthopedic implants. A significant reduction in friction coefficient and fretted areas was measured for the coated samples.",0
10.1016#j.optcom.2016.05.069.xml,Optics Communications,"A new method of optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) monitoring in presence of fiber nonlinearities, suitable for Nyquist Wavelength Division Multiplexing (Nyquist-WDM) coherent optical transmission system, is proposed, in which the correlation function (CF) between the symbols who come from neighboring channels is used. The effectiveness of the proposed method is numerically verified in a 28 Gbaud per channel Nyquist-QPSK-WDM coherent system. The results show that, under the configuration with fiber nonlinearities, this method can achieve OSNR monitoring with the error less than 1.5dB in the OSNR range of 10–24dB, and keep valid regardless of the transmission distances, channel input powers and number of WDM channels.",1
10.1016#j.heliyon.2020.e05119.xml,Heliyon," Arachis hypogaea L. (Leguminosae) is distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. Peanut has high nutritional and commercial value. Scientific research showed that peanut has biological properties such as anticancer, antioxidant, antiinflammatory. However, it is necessary to know if consumption of peanut, either as food or as a phytopharmaceutical implies a health risk. The aim was to evaluate cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of ethanolic extracts from A. hypogaea. Also, chemical characterization of these extracts was performed. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT and Neutral Red Uptake (NRU) assays on Vero cells. Genotoxicity was studied by Micronuclei and comet assays on Balb/C mice. Qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of extracts were performed. Results showed that extracts have low cytotoxicity. Tegument ethanolic extract (TEE) and Seed ethanolic extract (SEE) were not genotoxic. The treatments with TEE at 250 mg/kg and SEE at 2000 mg/kg revealed (highest concentrations evaluated) some toxicity on blood marrow cells of mice. Chemical characterization indicated that TEE had 74.33 ± 1.10 mg GAE/g of dried extract and SEE had 15.05 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g of dried extract of total phenolic content. Also, proanthocyanidins (O.D. at 550 nm 1.39 ± 0.15) and caffeic acid (2.46%) were identified in TEE. While, linoleic acid (58.84%) oleic acid (11.31%) and palmitic acid (8.37%) were major compounds of SEE. In conclusion, peanut consumption is safe at concentrations recommended for healthy uses, such as nutrition, and phytomedicine.",0
10.1016#j.materresbull.2004.03.020.xml,Materials Research Bulletin,"Bulk texture AlN with preferential orientation perpendicular to (002) plane parallel to c-axis was obtained by hot pressing at 2000°C for 2h under 35MPa. The bulk textured AlN was evaluated by XRD and SEM micrograph. The results indicated the orientation with (002) plane parallel to the pressing direction was dominant in all diffraction peaks of hexagonal AlN. The same texturing was not found for micron-grade SHS AlN, which might be attributed to different dissolve–precipitate and nuclei growth rate between bulk nanosize and SHS AlN along the direction of c-axis. For bulk nanosize AlN, it is beneficial to increase pressure and soak time for the increment of the oriented crystallinity of bulk AlN. These investigations showed the optimal values of pressure and soak time in our experiment were 35MPa and 4h, respectively. The mechanisms of preferential orientation with the normal of c-axis for nanosize bulk AlN were also proposed.",0
10.1016#j.biomaterials.2015.10.013.xml,Biomaterials,"The cell binding motif RGD is the most widely used peptide to improve cell binding properties of various biomaterials, including recombinant spider silk. In this paper we use genetic engineering to further enhance the cell supportive capacity of spider silk by presenting the RGD motif as a turn loop, similar to the one found in fibronectin (FN), but in the silk stabilized by cysteines, and therefore denoted FNCC. Human primary cells cultured on FNCC-silk showed increased attachment, spreading, stress fiber formation and focal adhesions, not only compared to RGD-silk, but also to silk fused with linear controls of the RGD containing motif from fibronectin. Cell binding to FNCC-silk was shown to involve the α5β1 integrin, and to support proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. The FNCC-silk protein allowed efficient assembly, and could even be transformed into free standing films, on which keratinocytes could readily form a monolayer culture. The results hold promise for future applications within tissue engineering.",0
10.1016#j.electacta.2005.02.150.xml,Electrochimica Acta,"Many efforts have been made to describe and control the formation of polypyrrole layers on iron. The corrosion protection performance of these layers has been greatly improved through the variation of their bulk properties such as the size of the counter-ions or the inclusion of metallic oxide nanoparticles. In this work, the properties of the iron/polypyrrole interface have been varied through a set of iron surface pre-treatments. Surface analysis techniques allowed to monitor this variation, which proves to have a strong influence on the corrosion protection performance of polypyrrole-coated iron. A clear correlation could then be established with the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data by modelling the system with an equivalent circuit. The properties of the iron/polypyrrole interface were quantified and this quantification was confirmed experimentally by the use of a mercury cell.",0
10.1016#j.electacta.2017.12.135.xml,Electrochimica Acta,"In this work, planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite layer and low-temperature processed TiO2 have been fabricated. Polymers including poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-pheny- lenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in chlorobenzene solution have been selected to modify the interface between perovskite and hole transport layer (HTL), respectively. The concentrations of the three polymer solutions have been optimized. The effect of interfacial modification by different polymer solutions on the photoelectric properties of perovskite layer and the performance of PSCs has been systematically investigated. The microstructure and photoelectric properties of the modified perovskite films has been systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), conducting force microscopy (CFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The results reveal that the modified perovskite films with tetrahedral perovskite structure have lager grain size, lower roughness and better photoelectric properties compared with the reference sample. The electron trap state density (Dtrap), charge extraction, carrier transfer and recombination process in the PSCs have been investigated by current-voltage (I-V) characteristic curves, steady-state photoluminescence (PL), photo-voltage decay and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicate that the polymeric interface modification at the optimum concentration can reduce the Dtrap, promote the charge transfer and suppress carrier recombination, resulting in the improved performance of PSCs. All of the modified PSCs at an optimum concentration exhibit the improved fill factor (FF) and open circuit voltage (Voc), thus the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is enhanced to over 17% from 15.49%.",1
10.1016#bs.coac.2020.08.009.xml,Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry,"In the recent years, graphene-based nanomaterials have gathered a vast amount of attention and its emerging advancement in the field of medical science and technology has paved its way in the detection of diseases and sensing of biomolecules and chemical compounds to a large extent selectively. This has also provoked the scientific community to explore its usage in life and material sciences and in healthcare management. Tremendous research work is being carried out regarding the real-time biomedical applications of graphene due to its intrinsic and tunable properties, and to explore its wide span in the healthcare sector as it is the need of the hour for sustaining the quality and reliable life. Special attention is given for monitoring the health, biological fluids, immune systems and for various diagnostics and prognostics. This work deals with the overview of recent and future prospections of graphene-based bio-sensing and detecting platforms especially focusing on the point-of-care applications as it is vital for better health and human life.",0
10.1016#j.carbon.2011.07.052.xml,Carbon,"Composites for a photo-active layer in an organic photovoltaic device are fabricated using homogeneously dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polymer:fullerene bulk-heterojunction matrix. CNTs are functionalized by alkyl-amide groups for high dispersion in organic media and by homogeneously mixing them with the polymer and fullerene in solution. In a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry analysis, the formation of functional groups is confirmed. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate the high dispersion of the CNTs. These composites show considerable improvement of their optical and electrical properties due to effects of the wideband photo-absorption and high charge carrier mobility of the CNTs. These effects were investigated by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and by the fabrication of an organic thin film transistor. An organic solar cell was fabricated from these composites as a photo-active layer, showing a remarkable 40% (3.2–4.4%) increase of the power conversion efficiency compared to an organic solar cell using a photo-active layer without CNTs.",1
10.1016#S1002-0721(14)60170-8.xml,Journal of Rare Earths,"Structural, magnetic and electrical properties of the La0.7Ca0.3Co1–x Mn x O3 (x=0, 0.7 and 1) samples prepared by a simple method were systematically studied and it was found that the crystal structure was transformed from rhombohedral for La0.7Ca0.3CoO3 (LCCO) and La0.7Ca0.3Co0.3Mn0.7O3 (LCCMO) samples to orthorhombic for La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCMO) sample. The AC magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that LCCO sample underwent a transition from paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) phase at Curie temperature, T C∼155 K and below Curie temperature, the glassy ferromagnetism nature was observed. In LCCMO sample, clear evidence of spin glass (SG) state was observed at low temperature. PM-FM phase transition at about T C∼260 K and long range FM order at low temperatures were observed in LCMO sample. Both the LCCO and LCCMO samples exhibited insulating behavior in the whole range of measuring temperature whereas the LCMO sample underwent a clear metal-insulator (MI) transition at about T MI∼263 K, corresponding to Curie temperature. Metallic region of ρ(T) curve of the LCMO sample was fitted to the model of electron-electron and electron-magnon scattering. The charge carrier transport behavior in all the samples was compared based on polaronic models.",0
10.1016#j.ijfatigue.2008.07.013.xml,International Journal of Fatigue,"The present study performs an experimental investigation to identify the EDM processing parameters which suppress the formation of surface cracks in the machined surface of SKD11 tool steel specimens. In the EDM trials, the specimens are machined using pulse currents of 4A, 16A or 32A with pulse-on durations of either 4μs or 16μs. The various specimens are then fatigue tested at loads ranging from 1470 to 2401N in order to determine their respective fatigue lives. A polished SKD11 specimen is also fatigue tested for comparison purposes. Finally, the fracture surfaces are examined using scanning electron microscopy to examine the crack propagation characteristics.",0
10.1016#j.ijantimicag.2012.04.019.xml,International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents,"We have previously demonstrated a potent in vitro inhibitory activity for two pentacyano(isoniazid)ferrate(II) compounds, namely IQG-607 and IQG-639, against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase enzyme. In this study, the activity of these compounds was evaluated using an in vivo murine model of tuberculosis. Swiss mice were infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain and then IQG-607 or IQG-639 (250mg/kg) was administered for 28 days or 56 days. In addition, a dose–response study was performed with IQG-607 at 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 250mg/kg. The activity of test compounds was compared with that of the positive control drug isoniazid (INH) (25mg/kg). After 28 days or 56 days of treatment, both IQG-607 and INH significantly reduced M. tuberculosis-induced splenomegaly as well as significantly diminishing the colony-forming units in the spleen and lungs. IQG-607 and INH ameliorated the lung macroscopic aspect, reducing lung lesions to a similar extent. However, IQG-639 did not significantly modify any evaluated parameter. Experiments using early and late controls of infection revealed a bactericidal activity for IQG-607. IQG-607 might well represent a good candidate for clinical development as a new antimycobacterial agent.",0
10.1016#j.neuropharm.2006.08.011.xml,Neuropharmacology,"Recent studies have shown that activation of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor by synthetic agonists, and pharmacological elevation of endocannabinoid levels, suppress hyperalgesia and allodynia in animal models of neuropathic pain. However, the concentrations of endocannabinoids in the nervous tissues involved in pain transmission during neuropathic pain have never been measured. Here we have determined the levels of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), as well as of the analgesic anandamide congener, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), in three brain areas involved in nociception, i.e. the dorsal raphe (DR), periaqueductal grey (PAG) and rostral ventral medulla (RVM), as well as in the spinal cord (SC), following chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in the rat, in comparison with sham-operated rats. After 3days from CCI, anandamide or 2-AG levels were significantly enhanced only in the SC or PAG, respectively. After 7days from CCI, when thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia are maximal, a strong (1.3–3-fold) increase of both anandamide and 2-AG levels was observed in the PAG, RVM and SC. At this time point, anandamide, but not 2-AG, levels were also enhanced in the DR. PEA levels were significantly decreased in the SC after 3days, and in the DR and RVM after 7days from CCI. These data indicate that anandamide and 2-AG, operating at both spinal and supra-spinal levels, are up-regulated during CCI of the sciatic nerve, possibly to inhibit pain. Yet to be developed substances that inhibit both endocannabinoid and PEA inactivation might be useful for the treatment of neuropathic pain.",0
10.1016#j.pdpdt.2017.04.014.xml,Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy,"The treatment of erosive oral lichen planus represents a therapeutic challenge. Despite numerous existing remedies, some of these treatments display disappointing results. Since it is a chronic disease with no current cure, the best treatment should target mainly the reduction of the duration and severity of symptomatic outbreaks with minimal side effects. To date, corticosteroids remain the first choice of treatment for oral lichen planus (OLP) patients. Although, topical corticosteroids have been found to be the safest and the most successful agents in the treatment of OLP, their prolonged use may cause mucosal problems and may lead to systemic complications. Recently, the use of photodynamic therapy has been well introduced in the treatment of oral diseases. Our clinical study was done to evaluate clinically the effect of photodynamic therapy mediated by methylene blue (MB-PDT) on signs and symptoms of erosive oral lichen planus (EOLP) lesions in comparison with the conventional topical corticosteroids (TC) treatment. The present work tried this recent modality of treatment to overcome the disadvantages of TC.",1
10.1016#S0273-1177(99)80065-9.xml,Advances in Space Research,"After subtracting the intense dust-scattered continuum from the original spectra transmitted by the Vega 2 three-channel spectrometer, a broad-band emission emerges in the 342–375 nm spectral range when the cometocentric projected distance p is smaller than 5000 km. This newly detected emission varies as p−1, which implies that the involved molecule(s) has a parent-type behavior. The emission band presents four peaks at 347, 356, 364 and 373 nm. It is tentatively identified as being due to phenanthrene, a three-cycle aromatic condensed hydrocarbon. A determination of the gQ product, where g is the fluorescence quantum efficiency and Q the production rate gives gQ = 1.2 × 1025. If g = 0.012, it comes Q = 1 × 1027 s−1. The detection of phenanthrene in Halley's inner coma is an important argument in favor of a similarity of composition between cometary material and interstellar matter. It supports the hypothesis that comets have kept trace of the interstellar composition through the solar system formation epoch.",1
10.1016#j.joule.2019.03.018.xml,Joule,"Humidity management is essential and widely needed in various fields. Traditional moisture removal technologies are mostly based on cooling condensation or desiccant dehumidification. These methods come with inherent defects of energy efficiency and are bulky and complex for small-space humidity-control applications. Here, we demonstrate a full-solid-state humidity pump using the advantages of commercial thermoelectric coolers and silica gel materials. Silica gel is coated on the surface of heat sinks to minimize contact thermal resistance between the material and heat source while maintaining enough heat and mass transfer area between the desiccant and the air. The humidity pump device exhibits 0.61 g W−1 h−1 humidity transfer efficiency, corresponding to a humidity transfer rate of 28.38 g h−1. The proposed device neither uses refrigerant nor introduces liquid water. It opens up the possibility of use in localized humidity control applications with higher efficiency and a wider ambient temperature range than traditional technologies.",0
10.1016#j.vacuum.2005.11.046.xml,Vacuum,"Indium sulfide thin films prepared using spray pyrolysis, with In/S ratio 2/3 in the solution, were annealed in vacuum at 300 and 400°C. The effect of this treatment on properties of the films was studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical absorption, transmission and electrical measurements. Optical constants of the films were calculated using the envelope method. Annealing did not affect the optical properties of the film much, but the resistivity of the films showed a drastic decrease and the grain size increased. In2S3 thin films have potential use as buffer layer in photovoltaic heterojunction devices.",1
10.1016#j.crci.2019.10.003.xml,Comptes Rendus Chimie,"The present study aims to synthesize highly active and transparent monoliths of Al-, Fe- and Sr-doped TiO2. These photocatalysts were synthesized for the first time using a simple modified solgel process. Titanium isopropoxide was used as a precursor of titanium. The control of hydrolysis and polycondensation of the precursor were mediated by the esterification reaction between acetic acid and the solvent at room temperature. The doped monoliths prepared by this method were transparent at wavelengths ranging from 500 nm to 800 nm. The noncalcinated Al–TiO2 and Fe–TiO2 crystallized in the anatase form. Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the amorphous-to-anatase and the anatase brookite to-rutile phase transformations at different treatment temperatures. Based on the obtained results, only the anatase form was observed in all samples calcined at 450 °C. According to the N2 adsorption/desorption analysis, transparent gels had a larger surface area and high porosity. Al–TiO2 showed improved photocatalytic performance in the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) upon UV irradiation. Fe–TiO2 exhibited a good yield for the degradation of MB upon solar irradiation. This study uses transparent monoliths as a novel approach to achieve the required findings.",1
10.1016#S1001-0742(12)60093-X.xml,Journal of Environmental Sciences,"As an important precursor of hydroxyl radical, nitrous acid (HONO) plays a key role in the chemistry of the lower atmosphere. Recent atmospheric measurements and model calculations show strong enhancement for HONO formation during daytime, while they are inconsistent with the known sources in the atmosphere, suggesting that current models are lacking important sources for HONO. In this article, heterogeneous photochemical reactions of nitric acid/nitrate anion and nitrogen oxide on various aerosols were reviewed and their potential contribution to HONO formation was also discussed. It is demonstrated that HONO can be formed by photochemical reaction on surfaces with deposited HNO3, by photocatalytic reaction of NO2 on TiO2 or TiO2-containing materials, and by photochemical reaction of NO2 on soot, humic acids or other photosensitized organic surfaces. Although significant uncertainties still exist in the exact mechanisms and the yield of HONO, these additional sources might explain daytime observations in the atmosphere.",1
10.1016#j.actamat.2005.09.020.xml,Acta Materialia,"The processing of piezoelectric (1− x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–xPbTiO3 (PMN–PT) with x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.35 and 0.4 ceramics from powders synthesized by mechanochemical activation of precursors has been studied. Conventional sintering, sintering in PbO-rich atmospheres and hot pressing were explored, and factors controlling the microstructure development were identified. Ceramics with a range of grain sizes between 0.2 and 5μm were obtained by varying the PbO partial pressure and temperature. Ceramic samples have a high crystallographic quality, most probably associated with a high chemical homogeneity, which makes them suitable for fundamental studies. A series of ceramics with the same microstructure but different values of x was prepared for the analysis of the properties as a function of composition and, therefore, of crystalline structure. Dielectric permittivity and losses as a function of temperature and frequency, ferroelectric hysteresis loops, and piezoelectric coefficients and losses, never reported before for this system, were studied and discussed in relation to the crystalline structure, the domain configuration and its dynamics.",0
10.1016#j.cirp.2010.03.051.xml,CIRP Annals,"Compared to conventional metallic implant materials, biodegradable Mg–Ca alloys are attractive orthopedic biomaterials that avoid negative stress shielding and revision surgeries. However, the process mechanics and surface integrity by high-speed dry milling Mg–Ca0.8 are poorly understood. Key findings of the synergistic experimental and numerical study are: (a) Mg–Ca0.8 alloy is sensitive to strain rate and adiabatic softening; (b) high-speed dry milling can be safely performed using PCD tools with process characteristics of lamella structured chips and slight flank build-up; and (c) machined surface integrity is characterized by low roughness, highly compressive residual stress, increased microhardness, and microstructure without phase changes.",0
10.1016#0009-3084(91)90078-P.xml,Chemistry and Physics of Lipids,"Over many years, a detailed picture of the phase transitions in phospholipid monolayers at the air-water interface has been constructed from extensive studies of the force-area, viscoelastic and surface potential properties of phospholipid monolayers, yet the microscopic nature of the transitions has remaned obscure. Recent investigations have focused specifically on these aspects. Through the use of fluorescence microscopy, electron diffraction and X-ray scattering experiments, in combination with data obtained by classical methods, a wealth of new information regarding the properties of monolayers undergoing phase transistions has been genrated. Direct observation of fluid-solid phase coexistence at the air-water interface has been achieved with fluorescence microscopy and on solid supports with electron miscroscopy. The fluid-solid coexistence region has been studied most thoroughly to date, but regions of gas-fluid and fluid-fluid phase coexistence have also been detected. Numerous factors govern the properties of the coexistence region; however, the promiment features can be explained in terms of a competition between forces: long-range electrostatic forces and short-range attractive forces. In this review these recent experimental findings and theoretical interpretations are summarized.",1
10.1016#j.mtla.2020.100952.xml,Materialia,"Constitutive micromechanical behavior of transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) stainless steel (SS) alloys was investigated using high-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction (S-XRD) and in-situ neutron diffraction techniques. First, four different steel alloys were designed and produced: (1) a metastable austenitic TRIP SS, (2) a stable austenitic SS, which is a stable counterpart of the TRIP SS, (3) a lean duplex TRIP SS with ferrite and metastable austenite phases, and (4) a lean duplex stable SS, which is a stable counterpart of duplex TRIP SS. Then, effects of chemical composition, microstructure, and texture on the plastic anisotropy, martensitic transformation kinetics, and residual stress concentration during a tensile deformation were investigated. The results show that the plastic anisotropy, governed by the initial microstructure and texture, has insignificant effect on macroscopic tensile properties and martensitic phase transformation kinetics despite different R-values observed along different loading directions. On the other hand, the interplay between stress partitioning among constituent phases and martensitic phase transformation plays a critical role in the micromechanics of plastic deformation, and, consequently, determines the distributions of in-situ martensite fraction and residual stresses. The phase stress partitioning in the TRIP alloy clearly shows that a large tensile residual stress of 1.8 GPa can concentrate on the martensite phase with 30% plastic strain. In contrast, the introduction of the tensile load-sharing ferrite phase in the cost-effective lean duplex TRIP alloy significantly reduces the tensile residual stress concentration in the martensite phase, which could improve the formability of high-strength TRIP steels.",0
10.1016#S1385-299X(99)00040-9.xml,Brain Research Protocols,"The auditory cortex of mustached bats, Pteronotus parnellii, has been studied extensively using neuroanatomical tract-tracing and electrophysiological techniques to elucidate the functional organization and neural mechanisms important for auditory processing. While these techniques have identified several cortical maps involved in processing auditory information, there has been no direct observation of the dynamics of simultaneous activation of several discrete areas. We applied magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques for visualizing brain structures in awake bats using a 7-Tesla magnet system; we also investigated functional MR imaging by measuring changes in stimulus-correlated blood oxygenation levels to detect cortical areas exhibiting evoked neural activity. High resolution (100 μm) anatomical images were successfully acquired without any motion artifacts. It was possible to reconstruct the whole brain image and analyze brain surface structures with three dimensional (3D) MR imaging data. These data provide detailed morphometric measurements that will allow localization of stimulus specific neural activity patterns using modified functional magnetic-resonance-imaging (fMRI) protocols. Motion artifacts is the primary disadvantage of using awake bats; our study shows that fMRI of a bat's brain is feasible and may prove to be an important advancement for a further understanding of auditory processing in this species. Themes: Sensory systems, Neural basis of behavior.  Topics: Auditory systems: central anatomy, Auditory systems: central physiology, Neuroethology, Neural plasticity.",0
10.1016#j.chempr.2021.06.010.xml,Chem,"As an analog of graphene, carbon nitrides have drawn increasing attention, ranging from artificial photosynthesis to synthetic organic chemistry. Notably, the most studied polymeric, C3N4, and other stoichiometric ones, such as C3N5, C4N3, and C3N, are commonly employed repetitive units of six-membered rings. Building blocks of five-membered rings (FMRs) are also fascinating and prevalent from a fundamental point of view, but FMR-based carbon nitrides are scarcely reported. Here, we propose a stable FMR-based C3N2 and the kinetic-oriented synthesis method via a pre-stabilization strategy using abundant-available zeolitic imidazolate framework as a precursor. The FMR topological structure and the associated dangling bonds were disclosed in C3N2, leading to an interesting p-π conjugation and splitting molecular orbitals, which remarkably narrowed the optical bandgap unusually down to 0.81 eV. The as-obtained C3N2 was further successfully applied to real-time, dynamic, and quantitative photoelectrochemical biosensing for practical non-transparent biosamples under near-infrared light irradiation.",1
10.1016#j.bcp.2006.06.027.xml,Biochemical Pharmacology,"Long-term exposure to sodium arsenite (AsO2) promotes the development of various cancers. Paradoxically, arsenic also induces pro-myelomonocytic leukemia cell differentiation, and at higher concentrations, apoptosis. The present study investigated the effects of AsO2 on preosteoclasts. When treated with 2.5–5μM AsO2, RAW264.7 cells underwent osteoclast differentiation as evidenced by an increase in the number of multinucleate cells expressing tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). The appearance of these phenotypic markers was preceded by a low level increase in extracellular production of H2O2 and was prevented by the addition of catalase (4.5μg/ml), an enzyme that removes H2O2. Only at high concentrations (10–25μM) of AsO2 was a significant loss of cell viability and a high level increase in H2O2 production (1.5μM) observed. Apoptosis was blocked by pretreatment with diphenylene iodonium chloride (2μM), a NAD(P)H-flavoprotein inhibitor, suggesting the involvement of NADPH-oxidase. The data show that AsO2, dose-dependently, stimulates increasing amounts of H2O2 production. Moreover, at concentrations found in tissues of individuals exposed to geochemical AsO2, osteoclasts underwent an H2O2-dependent differentiation. Therefore, chronic exposure to low-level amounts of AsO2 could result in increased bone resorption and contribute to bone related pathologies.",0
10.1016#j.optlaseng.2015.03.016.xml,Optics and Lasers in Engineering,"The optical behaviour of a carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite material is investigated for a near infrared laser heating process applied to automated composite tape placement. A nip point heating strategy in laser tape placement results in a shadow before the nip point on both the incoming tape and substrate. The moderate laser angle relative to the surface of the composite leads to reflections in the cavity formed by the tape and the substrate, reducing the shadow. An optical ray tracing model can provide valuable insight to the interaction of the laser with the composite, as well as detailed estimation of the irradiance distributions. This paper provides the foundations for such a model, describing an optical characterisation process and formulation of appropriate models to capture the composite surface and laser source behaviour. A micro-half-cylinder surface treatment was shown to give a good approximation of the anisotropic scattering behaviour of the composite. Angular dependent reflectance was described well by Fresnel equations. An approximation of the laser beam profile and propagation is also presented.",1
10.1016#j.vaccine.2018.04.041.xml,Vaccine,"It is accepted that booster vaccinations of chickens with live Salmonella vaccines are essential part of vaccinations schemes to induce an effective adaptive immune response. As manufacturer of registered live Salmonella vaccines recommend different times of booster the question raises whether the duration between the first and second immunisation might influence the protective effect against Salmonella exposure. Chickens were immunised with a live Salmonella Enteritidis vaccine on day 1 of age followed by a booster vaccination at different intervals (day 28, 35 or 42 of age) to study the effects on the colonisation and invasion of the Salmonella vaccine strain, the humoral immune response and the efficacy against infection with Salmonella Enteritidis on day 56 of age. Immunisation of all groups resulted in a very effective adaptive immune response and a high degree of protection against severe Salmonella exposure, however, the time of booster had only an unverifiable influence on either the colonisation of the vaccine strain, the development of the humoral immune response or the colonisation of the Salmonella challenge strain. Therefore, the first oral immunisation of the chicks on day 1 of age seems to be of special importance and prerequisite for the development of the effective immune response. A booster immunisation should be carried out, however, the time of booster may vary between week 3 and week 7 of age of the chickens without adversely impact on the efficacy of the adaptive immune response or the protective effects.",0
10.1016#j.ijmecsci.2014.01.003.xml,International Journal of Mechanical Sciences,"This work was focused on evaluation of the more accurate flow stresses and damage indices after onset of necking by simulating tensile tests of Al6061 plates with various grain sizes. By assuming strength coefficient and strain hardening coefficient, load vs. displacement curve was obtained from finite element simulation and then was compared with that obtained from the experimental tensile test. By means of repetition of this procedure, the flow stress curve with the accurate strength coefficient and strain hardening coefficient after onset of necking were determined when the error between load vs. displacement curves obtained from simulation and experiment of tensile test was minimized. Through comparison of the deformed shapes obtained from FE simulation and experiment of tensile test, the reliability of flow stress was verified. Based on the flow stress determined, the damage index of normalized Cockcroft–Latham ductile fracture criterion was evaluated at the displacement where fracture initiates during tensile test. Finally, grain size effect of Al6061 plate on the flow stress and damage index was investigated. It was revealed from this work that the strain hardening exponent and damage index increase when the grain size increases. On the contrary, strength coefficient is not so much different regardless of the grain size.",0
10.1016#j.ijhydene.2010.07.090.xml,International Journal of Hydrogen Energy,"Dark fermentation, photo fermentation, and autotrophic microalgae cultivation were integrated to establish a high-yield and CO2-free biohydrogen production system by using different feedstock. Among the four carbon sources examined, sucrose was the most effective for the sequential dark (with Clostridium butyricum CGS5) and photo (with Rhodopseudomonas palutris WP3-5) fermentation process. The sequential dark–photo fermentation was stably operated for nearly 80 days, giving a maximum H2 yield of 11.61 mol H2/mol sucrose and a H2 production rate of 673.93 ml/h/l. The biogas produced from the sequential dark–photo fermentation (containing ca. 40.0% CO2) was directly fed into a microalga culture (Chlorella vulgaris C–C) cultivated at 30 °C under 60 μmol/m2/s illumination. The CO2 produced from the fermentation processes was completely consumed during the autotrophic growth of C. vulgaris C–C, resulting in a microalgal biomass concentration of 1999 mg/l composed mainly of 48.0% protein, 23.0% carbohydrate and 12.3% lipid.",1
10.1016#j.enzmictec.2008.10.003.xml,Enzyme and Microbial Technology,"Hydrolysis of corn cob performed for 6h with 0.5N NaOH at solid/liquid ratio of 0.084g/g allowed obtaining a hydrolyzate containing 1171±34mg/l ferulic acid and 2156±63mg/l p-coumaric acid that was used as a medium for vanillin bioproduction by the engineered strain Escherichia coli JM109/pBB1. Aiming at maximizing vanillin bioproduction, the effects of medium heat sterilization, one-stage or two-stage pre-cultivation, adaptation of the microorganism to the hydrolyzate and inoculum biomass level were investigated. Biomass pre-cultivated once in unsterilized hydrolyzate was able to effectively convert ferulic and p-coumaric acids to a mixture of vanillin, vanillic acid and vanillyl alcohol provided with the typical vanilla flavor. At initial biomass concentration of 0.5gDM/l, maximum values of vanillin concentration (239±15mg/l), vanillin yield on consumed ferulic acid (0.66±0.03mol/mol) and vanillin volumetric productivity (10.9±0.7mg/lh) were obtained after 22h.",0
10.1016#j.tsf.2007.05.053.xml,Thin Solid Films,"A commercially available phase modulated spectroscopic ellipsometer (PMSE) has been used to characterize a full thin film transistor–liquid crystal display (TFT–LCD) structure, including the glass substrates coated with transparent conducting indium tin oxide (ITO) layers, the twisted liquid crystal (LC) layer sandwiched in between, and the amorphous silicon (a-Si) TFT device which controls the luminance of a pixel. Due to its unique optical design, PMSE presents an unparallel capability to measure very accurately ultra thin films on transparent substrates as often found in display applications. Results show that the ITO layer is inhomogeneous in depth, corresponding to a graded microstructure. In addition, strong uniaxial anisotropy was determined for the liquid crystal device over the entire measured spectral range. Finally, doping effects on the optical properties of the a-Si layer of the TFT device were also measured.",1
10.1016#j.polymdegradstab.2018.10.022.xml,Polymer Degradation and Stability,"Poly(5-hydroxy-trimethylene carbonate) (PHTMC) was synthesized through ring-opening polymerization of 5-benzyloxy trimethylene carbonate followed by debenzylation. The water solubility of the resulting homopolymer was measured as a function of its molecular weight, and its degradation in acidic (pH 2.0), and basic (pH 12.0) solutions of deionized water, as well as in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) assessed. PHTMC exhibited notable hydrophilicity, even at molecular weights as high as 49 kDa. The pendant hydroxyl functional groups also allowed PHTMC to degrade rapidly (<1 h) under basic conditions via an intramolecular cyclization process along the polymer backbone. The ultimate degradation products were the biologically benign glycerol and carbon dioxide.",0
10.1016#0040-6090(94)05678-7.xml,Thin Solid Films,"When porous silicon is transferred into a non-fluoride electrolyte and anodically oxidized, the onset of red electroluminescence during anodic oxidation appears correlated with a decrease in the OH IR absorption bands, indicating significant electrolyte removal from the pores. The electron states whose population is affected by carrier injection or light excitation have been investigated using in situ electromodulated or photomodulated IR spectroscopy. The modulated IR absorption of red-luminescent electro-oxidized porous silicon exhibits an extra absorption of localized carriers in the 1000–2500 cm−1 region, suggesting that the red luminescence occurs through carriers trapped in localized states. The localization process may be efficiently affected by the dielectric constant of the medium surrounding the silicon nanocrystallites.",1
10.1016#j.actamat.2013.01.064.xml,Acta Materialia,"A new multi-zone model is proposed that explains how porosity forms in various regions of a casting under different conditions and leads to distinct zonal differences in pore shape, size and distribution. This model was developed by considering the effect of cooling rate on solidification and distribution of porosity in Al–Si alloys cast as plates in moulds made with silica, ilmenite or zirconia sand cores or steel chills facing the major plate faces. The alloys cast were Al–7wt.% Si and Al–12.5wt.% Si in unmodified and modified forms, the latter with either Na or Sr addition. It is found that, regardless of cooling condition, Si content and modification treatment, the microstructure can be divided into three zones of varying size (across the casting thickness) that are determined by the local cooling conditions and the nucleation and growth mode of the Al–Si eutectic. The zones are: (1) an outer shell-like zone where directional columnar dendritic grains and a fine-celled, coherent eutectic form a low-porosity shell at the casting surface; (2) a transitional zone where equiaxed, eutectic cells grow between columnar dendritic grains and irregular pores become trapped in the mush; and finally (3) a central zone where the thermal gradient is low and equiaxed dendritic grains and eutectic cells grow at the centre of the casting and larger, rounded pores tend to form. The paper discusses how Si content, modification type and cooling conditions influence the location and size (i.e. depth) of each of these zones and how the distribution of porosity is thus affected.",0
10.1016#j.mssp.2016.09.025.xml,Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing,"Electron channelling contrast imaging (ECCI) performed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a rapid and non-destructive structural characterisation technique for imaging, identifying and quantifying extended defects in crystalline materials. In this review, we will demonstrate the application of ECCI to the characterisation of III-nitride semiconductor thin films grown on different substrates and with different crystal orientations. We will briefly describe the history and the theory behind electron channelling and the experimental setup and conditions required to perform ECCI. We will discuss the advantages of using ECCI, especially in combination with other SEM based techniques, such as cathodoluminescence imaging. The challenges in using ECCI are also briefly discussed.",1
10.1016#j.mssp.2014.06.024.xml,Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing,"The gas sensing behavior of thick films of Bi doped SnO2 has been investigated towards ethanol vapor. The screen printing technique was used to prepare the thick films. The films were sintered at 650°C for 2h. The structural, surface morphological, optical and gas sensing properties of undoped and Bi doped SnO2 thick films have been studied. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the films consisted exclusively of tetragonal tin oxide, without any impurity phases. FE-SEM studies revealed the formation of highly porous microstructure with grain size in few tens of nanometers. From the optical studies, the band gap was found to be decreased with bismuth doping (3.96eV for undoped, 3.83eV, 3.71eV and 3.6eV for 1mol%, 2mol% and 3mol% Bi, respectively). The 3mol % Bi doped SnO2 thick films exhibited the highest sensitivity to 100ppm of ethanol vapor at 300°C. The effect of microstructure on sensitivity, response time and recovery time of the sensor was studied and discussed.",1
10.1016#S0144-2449(97)00063-8.xml,Zeolites,"Fibrous titanium silicalite (FTS-1) zeolite has been prepared from titanium silicalite (TS-1) particles that were less than 120 nm in diameter. The formation of FTS-1 was mainly affected by the particle size of the TS-1 zeolite. FTS-1 is formed by both capillary force and dehydroxylation among the TS-1 particles during the drying and evaporation process of the dispersed TS-1 particles in aqueous solution. The average length and the aspect ratio (length/diameter) of FTS-1 are 2.2 and mm 50~70, respectively. The obtained FTS-1 shows a two-dimensionally aligned surface that is affected by the treatment of dispersed TS-1 particles in aqueous solution. 29Si MAS n.m.r. spectra showed that the concentration of the hydroxyl group on the surface of TS-1 particles was decreased after the formation of FTS-1 and was reduced continuously up to 750 °C with calcination. This suggests that the condensation reaction of hydroxyl groups on the surface of TS-1 particles occurs by drying and heat treatment. After calcination at 750 °C, FTS-1 still exhibited characteristics of MFI-type structure with orthorhombic symmetry. It showed distinctive secondary pores due to the aggregation of TS-1 particles. This method of FTS-1 formation may suggest a new method for the preparation of various types of zeolites.",0
10.1016#j.aeolia.2017.07.007.xml,Aeolian Research,"The Tuoji II (TJII) section on the Miaodao Islands in the Bohai Sea is a representative aeolian section off China’s east coast. This study applied optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, conducted grain size analysis, and examined major and trace element compositions, to investigate the loess–paleosol sequences. The OSL ages at depths of 0.6, 1.8, 2.8, 3.8, and 4.8m were determined as 14.4±0.4, 16.7±1.3, 20.8±1.0, 40.9±1.5, and 47.9±3.7ka, respectively. It was projected that the loess started to accumulate at ca. 62.6ka, according to presumed depositional rates. In this study, typical aeolian deposits elsewhere including the Luochuan (LC), Xiashu (XS), Wushan (WS), and Xifeng (XF) sections were compared with TJII section here. The results showed similarity in the geochemical characteristics of the deposits from the different areas of China and normalized upper continental crust, indicating aeolian origin of this island loess. In comparison with the LC, XS, WS, and XF samples, the aeolian deposits of the TJII section have higher concentrations of TiO2 and Zr and lower concentrations of Al2O3, Rb, and Ni, and they have higher SiO2/Al2O3 and TiO2/Al2O3 ratios and lower Al2O3/Na2O and Ba/Sr ratios. These features indicate the dust materials of the TJII section were derived from local sources of well-mixed sedimentary protoliths. Our results support the suggestion that paleoclimatic change and the evolution of aeolian sediments were controlled primarily by variation of the East Asian summer monsoon and sea level change.",1
10.1016#S0038-1101(97)00020-8.xml,Solid-State Electronics,"A contactless dual-beam optical modulation (DBOM) technique [Y. S. Chang and S. S. Li, Solid-State Electron., 1995, 38, 297–304, Y. S. Chang, S. S. Li and P. C. Yang, Solid-State Electron., 1995, 38, 1359–1366] was employed to determine the interface recombination velocities and substrate carrier lifetimes in the SIMOX SOI wafers processed under different implant energies (155–185 keV), temperatures (540–640°C), beam currents (45–65 mA), and with channeling and non-channeling implants. The results revealed that using an implant energy of 185 keV, implant temperature of 640°C, beam current of 45 mA, and with channeling implant yielded a better front-interface (Si film/buried oxide layer (BOX) interface) quality. In contrast, when an implant energy of 155 keV, a beam current of 65 mA, and non-channeling implant were used, a better back interface (   BOX   Si    substrate interface) was obtained. Similar to the back interface recombination velocity study, the DBOM measurements also showed that using an implant energy of 155 keV, implant temperature of 540°C, beam current of 45 mA, and with non-channeling implant yielded a higher substrate carrier lifetimes. An etch-pit method was used to correlate the Si-overlayer defect density with the front-interface recombination velocity determined by the DBOM technique. Good correlation was obtained between the measured interface recombination velocities and the Si-overlayer defect densities.",1
10.1016#j.optlastec.2011.10.008.xml,Optics & Laser Technology,"Laser cutting is a popular manufacturing process utilized to cut various types of materials economically. The width of laser cut or kerf, quality of the cut edges and the operating cost are affected by laser power, cutting speed, assist gas pressure, nozzle diameter and focus point position as well as the work-piece material. In this paper CO2 laser cutting of stainless steel of medical grade AISI316L has been investigated. Design of experiment (DOE) was implemented by applying Box–Behnken design to develop the experiment lay-out. The aim of this work is to relate the cutting edge quality parameters namely: upper kerf, lower kerf, the ratio between them, cut section roughness and operating cost to the process parameters mentioned above. Then, an overall optimization routine was applied to find out the optimal cutting setting that would enhance the quality or minimize the operating cost. Mathematical models were developed to determine the relationship between the process parameters and the edge quality features. Also, process parameters effects on the quality features have been defined. Finally, the optimal laser cutting conditions have been found at which the highest quality or minimum cost can be achieved.",1
10.1016#j.jqsrt.2003.12.003.xml,Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer,"A numerical model has been developed for studying the time-dependent behavior of cylindrical high power xenon flashlamp. The equations of local energy conservation and mass conservation are solved using the finite volume method to give plasma parameters such as radial temperature profiles, instantaneous emission spectra, pressure, velocity, arc conductance, etc. In a first approximation the plasma is described under local thermodynamic equilibrium, LTE. The results are given as a function of time over the pulse and for several nodes in the cross section. Then the detailed spectral and temporal calculations of the output radiation from xenon flashlamp and radiation efficiencies are provided.",1
10.1016#S0966-9795(99)00012-6.xml,Intermetallics,"Using advanced γ-TiAl based alloys and various ingot and powder metallurgical routes, several aerospace engine components are now being developed. Further application of this material in the aerospace industry can only be implemented provided that successful joining and cost effective fabrication methods for this material are developed. In this context, diffusion bonding and superplastic forming of this material is considered to be of particular interest. The possibility of producing sound bonds in γ-TiAl sheets by industrially available diffusion bonding equipment designed for conventional Ti-alloys was investigated. Defect-free bonds were achieved at 1000°C with pressure levels of 5, 10 and 20 MPa, the holding time varying between 5 and 8 h. The bond qualities were assessed by shear testing at room temperature. Reasonable shear strength levels were obtained by bonding at 1000°C. The bonds were also post bond heat treated at 1430°C for 30 min, which improved the bond quality in all cases.",0
10.1016#j.molcatb.2007.12.002.xml,Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic,"A systematic study of the bioreduction of ethyl 3-oxobutyrate by Saccharomyces cerevisiae under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was performed by using flow isothermal microcalorimetry. In association with this technique, other properties directly related to the metabolism of S. cerevisiae such as consumption of O2, glucose and pH were also studied. The metabolic aspects of the bioreduction, such as compartmentalization and preferential use of the cofactors (NADH or NADPH), are discussed based on heat and ethanol production, and oxygen and glucose consumption data obtained during a period of 20h. These data allows us to suggest the compartment in the microorganism cell where the bioreduction can occur for each experimental condition. The obtained results indicate that under aerobic conditions, the process occurs preferentially in the mitochondrial matrix and is associated with the consumption of the cofactor NADH which is regenerated by the respiratory pathway. However, under anaerobic conditions, the bioreduction occurs in the cytosol and is associated with the consumption of the cofactor NADPH, which is regenerated by the pentose phosphate pathway.",0
10.1016#j.mtchem.2021.100526.xml,Materials Today Chemistry,"In this review, some established concepts from Colloidal Science and their application to graphene and carbon nanotubes dispersions in organic or aqueous media are highlighted to rationalize alternatives for some issues in terms of colloidal properties. Recent applications for carbon-based dispersions are presented, as well as van der Waals interactions in carbon materials and strategies to overcome these interactions, such as increasing electrostatic repulsion between dispersed particles, surface functionalization, or adsorption of passivation agents such as macromolecules, which are the basis of many dispersion and exfoliation procedures. The demonstration of how knowledge and fine control of colloidal interactions have been used to overcome several limitations, such as the preparation of stable and concentrated dispersions of carbon materials and keeping appreciable electrical conductivity, is presented. It is also showed that the same knowledge can help the development of more environmentally friendly carbon-based colloids as well as the improvement of similar systems as dispersions of two-dimensional materials.",0
10.1016#j.nima.2010.07.007.xml,"Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment","Future high-energy physics (HEP) experiments as well as next generation medical imaging applications are more and more pushing towards better scintillation characteristics. One of the problems in heavy scintillating materials is related to their high electronic density, resulting in a large index of refraction. As a consequence, most of the scintillation light produced in the bulk material is trapped inside the crystal due to total internal reflection. The same problem also occurs with light emitting diodes (LEDs) and has for a long time been considered as a limiting factor for their overall efficiency. Recent studies have shown that those limits can be overcome by means of light scattering effects of photonic crystals (PhCs). In our simulations we could show light yield improvements between 90% and 110% when applying PhC structures to different scintillator materials. To evaluate the results, a PhC modified scintillator was produced in cooperation with the NIL (Nanotechnology Institute of Lyon). By using silicon nitride (Si3N4) as a transfer material for the PhC pattern and a 70nm thick Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) layer for the electrical conductivity during the lithography process, we could successfully fabricate first samples of PhC areas on top of LYSO crystals.",1
10.1016#j.expthermflusci.2011.01.015.xml,Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science,"High-resolution PIV measurements of the flow field inside cross-flow fans have been performed in planes normal and parallel to the fan axis, both outside and inside the impeller. The well known difficulties in obtaining the optical access inside the impeller have been overcome by allowing the internal flow planes to be illuminated by the laser light sheet or shot by the CCD camera through the moving blade vanes. Measurements have been performed in two cross-flow fans having the same two-module impeller but casing geometries based on very different design concepts. PIV data in planes normal to the rotor axis show a strong correlation between vorticity distribution and turbulent shear stresses inside the eccentric vortex of each fan. Furthermore, they provide useful elements to explain the very different performance of the two fans evidenced by their characteristic curves. Measurements in planes parallel to the impeller axis show that wide three-dimensional recirculation structures develop near the casing end walls at the discharge of the fans. These mean flow structures are responsible for the backflow into the end portions of the impeller of part of the discharged fluid, which is then transported axially by the eccentric vortex towards the rotor central disc before being discharged once again outside the impeller. In the case of cross-flow fans including few rotor modules, the existence of significant axial velocity components inside the eccentric vortex can alter substantially the flow picture, common in the current literature, resulting from 2-D numerical models or measurements performed in a single transverse plane of the fan.",1
10.1016#j.saa.2010.05.014.xml,Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy,"In this paper we report the effect of the incorporation of nano-dimensional clay platelets, laponite, on the J-aggregation of a thiacyanine dye N,N′-dioctadecyl thiacyanine perchlorate (NK) assembled into Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) monolayers. π–A isotherms and atomic force microscopic studies confirm the successful incorporation of clay platelets into the Langmuir monolayer of NK. J-aggregates of NK remain present in LB films lifted at lower as well as higher surface pressures in the absence of laponite clay platelets. However, with the incorporation of clay platelets, J-aggregates are formed only in LB films lifted at higher surface pressure of 30mN/m and totally absent in the films lifted at lower surface pressures of 10 and 15mN/m. This may be due to the formation of nano-trapping level by overlapping of clay platelets at higher surface pressure. NK molecules may get squeezed to these nano-trapping to form J-aggregates.",0
10.1016#j.envint.2011.04.010.xml,Environment International,"Bisphenol A (BPA), identified as an endocrine disruptor, is an industrially important chemical that is used as a raw material in the manufacture of many products such as engineering plastics (e.g., epoxy resins/polycarbonate plastics), food cans (i.e., lacquer coatings), and dental composites/sealants. The demand and production capacity of BPA in China have grown rapidly. This trend will lead to much more BPA contamination in the environmental media and in the general population in China. This paper reviews the current literature concerning the pollution status of BPA in China (the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) and its potential impact on human health. Due to potential human health risks from long-term exposure to BPA, body burden of the contaminant should be monitored.",0
10.1016#j.carbon.2011.09.047.xml,Carbon,"The growth of graphene on Cu substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) was investigated and its growth mechanism was discussed. At a substrate temperature of 500°C, formation of graphene was found to precede the growth of carbon nanowalls (CNWs), which are often fabricated by PE-CVD. The growth of graphene was investigated in various conditions, changing the plasma power, gas pressures, and the substrate temperature. The catalytic nature of Cu also affects the growth of monolayer graphene at high substrate temperatures, while the growth at low temperatures and growth of multilayer graphene are dominated mostly by radicals generated in the plasma.",0
10.1016#j.jeurceramsoc.2014.03.008.xml,Journal of the European Ceramic Society,"In this contribution, well-size-distributed nanopowder of 8YSZ:Eu3+ composite oxide was synthesized by hydrothermal method. TG-DSC, SEM, TEM and XRD were applied to characterize the thermal decomposition, morphology and crystal structure of nanopowder. The thermal stability of the powder was investigated by thermal treated at temperatures ranging from 500°C to 1300°C for 2h. Fluorescence properties variation and phase composition variation of the powder were investigated after thermal exposure at 1300°C for 192h. The relationship between the phase composition variation and fluorescence properties variation was further examined. The results show that when monoclinic phase is absent, the intensity ratio I 593/I 608 of fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to preliminary assess the extent of the phase transformation.",0
10.1016#j.fusengdes.2013.04.007.xml,Fusion Engineering and Design,"The linear IFMIF prototype accelerator (LIPAc) produces deuteron beam with 1MW power. Since huge number of neutrons occur from such a high power beam, therefore, it is important for the radiation management to design a high reliability area monitoring system for gamma-rays and neutrons. To obtain the valuable operation data of the high-power deuteron beam at LIPAc, it is important to link and record the beam operation data and the area monitoring data. We realize the reliable data transfer to provide the area monitoring data to the accelerator control system which needs a high reliability using the shared-memory data link method.",0
10.1016#j.ultrasmedbio.2010.04.019.xml,Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology,"Ultrasound-mediated delivery systems have mainly focused on microbubble contrast agents as carriers of drugs or genetic material. This study uses micron-sized, perfluoropentane (PFP) emulsions as carriers of chlorambucil (CHL), a lipophilic chemotherapeutic. The release of CHL is achieved via acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV), whereby the superheated emulsion is converted into gas bubbles using ultrasound. Emulsions were made using an albumin shell and soybean oil as the CHL carrier. The ratio of the PFP to soybean oil phases in the droplets and the fraction of droplets that vaporize per ultrasound exposure were shown to correlate with droplet diameter. A 60-min incubation with the CHL-loaded emulsion caused a 46.7% cellular growth inhibition, whereas incubation with the CHL-loaded emulsion that was exposed to ultrasound at 6.3 MHz caused an 84.3% growth inhibition. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01), signifying that ADV can be used as a method to substantially enhance drug delivery. (E-mail: mfabiill@umich.edu)",0
10.1016#S0956-5663(97)00094-8.xml,Biosensors and Bioelectronics,Porous silicon dioxide surfaces have been used for monitoring the specific affinity binding of low molecular weight molecules to streptavidin. Streptavidin was immobilized to the porous silicon dioxide surface by spontaneous adsorption at pH 7.4. Binding of biotin and an oligopeptide synthesized by means of combinatorial chemistry were monitored with an in situ null ellipsometer. Measurements were also done with hydroxy-azobenzene-2-carboxylic acid and DL-6-8-thioctic acid amide. The performance of porous silicon dioxide as a potential surface in biosensor applications was compared with a of the response compared to planar silicon dioxide. It was possible to monitor the binding of biotin and the oligopeptide in the concentration range 2–40 μM. A response times as low as 30s was obtained for the oligopeptide at 40μM.,0
10.1016#j.ceramint.2017.09.088.xml,Ceramics International,"The nanocrystalline particles of BiFO3,co-doped with ytterbium and cobalt Bi1−xYbxCoyFe1−yO3 (BYCFO) were fabricated via micro-emulsion method using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant. The dopant contents were kept x = 0.00, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.125 and y = 0.00, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 for six different compositions. The BYCFO-nanoparticles were investigated for structure, electric, dielectric, magnetic and photocatalytic properties. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the normal growth habitat Rhombohedral (R3c) phase on inclusion of ytterbium and cobalt ions as it is observed in undoped BiFeO3 multiferroic. However further doping of Yb+3 and Co+3 ions (x = 0.125, y = 0.25) resulted in some extra peaks, that is attributed to the formation of extra phase. The vibrating sample magnetometer recorded saturated magnetization (Ms) 0.385emu/g with remanent magnetization (Mr) 0.13emu/g for a coercivity of 405Oe which is higher than the undoped BiFeO3. The substitution of Yb+3 and Co+3 ions improved the canting angle and optimally aligned the sub lattices in ferromagnetic order. The grain size was found in the range of 20–24nm which is less than spiral spin modulation (≈ 62nm). The entire dielectric parameters showed smooth decreasing trend in low range frequency but at higher frequency (1.98GHz) resonance peaks appeared in the spectra. The insulating character was also enhanced up to 16.42 × 1010 Ωcm−1, with increase in doping concentrations. The optical band gap was measured 1.5eV which was lower than the undoped BiFeO3 (2.15eV). The photocatalytic performance of co doped ceramic (Bi0.875Yb0.125Co0.25Fe0.75O3) was monitored using the textile dye Congo red. Approximately 28% of initial concentration (0.5ppm) was degraded by 200mg of ceramics in 42min under visible light irradiation. Being magnetic in nature, the Bi1−xYbxCoyFe1−yO3 particles could be separated by conventional magnetic bar.",1