Oscillatory convection in binary mixtures: Thermodiffusion,solutal buoyancy,and advection

The role of thermodiffusive generation of concentration fluctuations via the Soret effect, their contribution to the buoyancy forces that drive convection, the advective mixing effect of the latter, and the diffusive homogenisation are compared and elucidated for oscillatory convection. Numerically obtained solutions of the field equations in the form of spatially extended relaxed traveling waves, of standing waves, and of the transient growth of standing waves and their transition to traveling waves are discussed as well as spatially localized convective states of traveling waves that are surrounded by the quiescent fluid.     

Tunable, narrow-band, grating-assisted microring reflectors

Tunable, grating-assisted ring resonator based optical mirrors are analyzed and their characteristics numerically evaluated. Mode number selection rules are presented to aid mirror optimization for high, narrow-band reflection and efficient sidelobe suppression. Data is presented on tuning sensitivity, on the effect of coupling on bandwidth and reflection coefficient, and on the influence of waveguide and grating loss on mirror performance. Group delay in the presence of loss and circuit parameter variations is also treated.     

Spontaneous magnetostriction in R2Fe14B (R=Y,Nd, Gd,Tb, Er)

Thermal expansion anomalies of R₂Fe₁₄B (R=Y, Nd, Gd, Tb, Er) stoichiometric compounds were studied by X-ray diffraction with high-energy synchrotron radiation using a Debye–Scherrer geometry in temperature range of ∼10–1000 K. A large invar effect with a corresponding large temperature dependence of lattice parameters ∼10–15 K above their Curie temperatures (T_c) are observed. The a-axes show a larger invar effect than the c-axes in all compounds. The spontaneous magnetostrain of the lattices and bonds are calculated. The iron sublattice is shown to dominate the volumetric spontaneous magnetostriction of the compounds and the contribution from the rare-earth sublattice is roughly proportional to the spin magnetic moment of the rare earths. The bond-length changes are consistent with the theoretical spin-density calculation. The average bonds magnetostrain around Fe sites is approximately proportional to their magnetic moments.     

Asymmetric volatility, volatility clustering, and herding agents with a borrowing constraint

Recent empirical research has documented asymmetric volatility and volatility clustering in stock markets. We conjecture that a limit of arbitrage due to a borrowing constraint and herding behavior by investors are related to these phenomena. This study conducts simulation analyses on a spin model where borrowing constrained agents imitate their nearest neighbors but switch their strategies to a different one intermittently. We show that herding matters for volatility clustering while a borrowing constraint intensifies the asymmetry of volatility through the herding effect.     

Fabrication,Investigation, and Application of Doped Indium Antimonide Microcrystals in Radiation-Resistant Sensors

Results of investigations into the physical properties and radiation stability of InSb microcrystals grown from the vapor phase are presented. The effect of Sn, Al, and Cr dopants on the parameters of microcrystals and their stability to high-energy neutron irradiation are examined. It is reported that microcrystals have already been used in magnetic field sensors and magnetic measuring systems operating under irradiation.     

Induced currents, frozen charges and the quantum Hall effect breakdown

Puzzling results obtained from torque magnetometry in the quantum Hall effect regime are presented, and a theory is proposed for their explanation. Magnetic moment saturation, which is usually attributed to the quantum Hall effect breakdown, is shown to be related to the charge redistribution across the sample.     

Competition of Brazil nut effect,buoyancy, and inelasticity induced segregation in a granular mixture

It has been recently reported that a granular mixture in which grains differ in their restitution coefficients presents segregation: the more inelastic particles sink to the bottom. When other segregation mechanisms as buoyancy and the Brazil nut effect are present, the inelasticity induced segregation can compete with them. First, a detailed analysis, based on numerical simulations of two dimensional systems, of the competition between buoyancy and the inelasticity induced segregation is presented, finding that there is a transition line in the parameter space that determines which mechanism is dominant. In the case of neutrally buoyant particles having different sizes the inelasticity induced segregation can compete with the Brazil nut effect (BNE). Reverse Brazil nut effect (RBNE) could be obtained at large inelasticities of the intruder. At intermediate values, BNE and RBNE coexist and large inelastic particles are found both near the bottom and at the top of the system.     

A neutron diffraction and magnetization study of Heusler alloys containing Co and Zr,Hf, V or Nb

Neutron diffraction, X-ray diffraction and saturation magnetization measurements have been made on a series of ferromagnetic alloys at the composition Co₂YZ, where Y is a group IVA or VA element and Z is a group IIIB or IVB element. The alloys are mainly ordered in the Heusler L2₁ type chemical structure, but some show the presence of a small amount of additional phase, or some preferential disorder.The magnetic results form two distinct groups in which the moments are confined to the Co sites but their magnitude depends on the electron concentration determined by the Y and Z atoms. Although the magnetic moments and Curie temperatures of the alloys in the same group are similar, their lattice parameters differ according to whether Z is a group IIIB or IVB element. Such behaviour indicates that, as in other alloy series with the Heusler structure, a change in lattice parameter has little effect on the magnetic properties in comparison with the effect of a change in electron concentration.     

Granular species segregation under vertical tapping: effects of size, density, friction, and shaking amplitude

We present extensive molecular dynamics simulations on species segregation in a granular mixture subject to vertical taps. We discuss how grain properties, e.g., size, density, friction, as well as shaking properties, e.g., amplitude and frequency, affect such a phenomenon. Both the Brazil nut effect (larger particles on the top, BN) and the reverse Brazil nut effect (larger particles on the bottom, RBN) are found and we derive the system comprehensive "segregation diagram" and the BN to RBN crossover line. We also discuss the role of friction and show that particles which differ only for their frictional properties segregate in states depending on the tapping acceleration and frequency.     

Sonochemical synthesis of carbon dots,mechanism, effect of parameters,and catalytic,energy, biomedical and tissue engineering applications

Carbon-based nanomaterials are gaining more and more interest because of their wide range of applications. Carbon dots (CDs) have shown exclusive interest due to unique and novel physicochemical, optical, electrical, and biological properties. Since their discovery, CDs became a promising material for wide range of research applications from energy to biomedical and tissue engineering applications. At same time several new methods have been developed for the synthesis of CDs. Compared to many of these methods, the sonochemical preparation is a green method with advantages such as facile, mild experimental conditions, green energy sources, and feasibility to formulate CDs and doped CDs with controlled physicochemical properties and lower toxicity. In the last five years, the sonochemically synthesized CDs were extensively studied in a wide range of applications. In this review, we discussed the sonochemical assisted synthesis of CDs, doped CDs and their nanocomposites. In addition to the synthetic route, we will discuss the effect of various experimental parameters on the physicochemical properties of CDs; and their applications in different research areas such as bioimaging, drug delivery, catalysis, antibacterial, polymerization, neural tissue engineering, dye absorption, ointments, electronic devices, lithium ion batteries, and supercapacitors. This review concludes with further research directions to be explored for the applications of sonochemical synthesized CDs.     

Metal Nanoparticle Photocatalysts: Synthesis,Characterization, and Application

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a kind of new photocatalyst to drive various chemical reactions by visible‐light irradiation. A distinct advantage of metal NP photocatalysts is that their light absorption is not limited to a certain wavelength but instead they are able to utilize a broad range of wavelengths, constituting a large fraction of the solar spectrum. Metal NPs like gold, silver, and copper NPs can strongly absorb visible light due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. Recent developments have shown that the light absorption properties strongly depend on the shape, size, and particle–particle interactions of NPs, which directly influence their photocatalytic activities. In this review, an overview of the preparation of metal NPs photocatalysts with various morphologies is given along with a brief discussion of the relationship between the morphology/composition and optical properties. The latest photocatalytic applications of these morphologies are also presented, and some of the challenges for the development of metal NPs photocatalysts are provided.     

Superconductivity in PdH,PdD and PdAgD systems

The possible mechanisms of superconductivity in PdH(D) and PdAgH(D) systems which have been studied by Buckel and Stritzker are discussed. Especially we examine the possible participation of the optical phonon modes in the electron-phonon coupling and their importance for the observed opposite isotope effect in these systems.     

Stress-Strain Curves,Fracture Mechanisms,and Size Effect for Low-Carbon Low-Alloyed Steels with a Quasi-Composite Structure

The present paper is devoted to a detailed study of low-carbon low-alloyed reinforcing steel bars of different diameters. The mechanical characteristics of a reinforcing bar as a whole and its quasi-composite parts are determined and their dependences on the diameters of samples are established. The composition and defect structure of reinforcing steel are investigated. Fracture of steel after uniaxial tension is examined. Particular attention is given to the quasi-composite structure of reinforcing steel formed during the manufacture of the bar. The stress-strain dependence and the size effect are studied in detail.     

Dimensionally,morphologically, and thermally induced phase transformations in boron-nitrogen nanowires

Structural, thermal, electronic, and energetic properties of cubic boron nitride (BN) nanowires are studied using the density-functional tight-binding method. The effect of the total or partial rearrangement of the cubic structure of nanowires into the hexagonal one depending on the size, morphology, and thermal treatment of the starting wire has been revealed. As distinct from the known homogeneous carbon diamond-like nanowires, stable BN nanowires are two-phase systems whose “shell” has a hexagonal structure and “core” has a cubic structure. The changes in the electronic properties of BN nanowires induced by their structural transformations are discussed. It is shown that boron-nitrogen nanowires can exhibit both semiconducting and metallic properties.     

Interplay of noncoding RNAs,mRNAs, and proteins during the growth of eukaryotic cells

Numerous biological functions of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in eukaryotic cells are based primarily on their ability to pair with target mRNAs and then either to prevent translation or to result in rapid degradation of the mRNA-ncRNA complex. Using a general model describing this scenario, we show that ncRNAs may help to maintain constant mRNA and protein concentrations during the growth of cells. The possibility of observation of this effect on the global scale is briefly discussed.     

表面包覆TiO2纳米微粒的结构表征、电子态与性质

报道用微乳液法制备TiO₂纳米微粒的过程和条件,并对纳米微粒的结构、形貌等进行了表征,分析了量子尺寸效应对它的光吸收的影响,并对其光学非线性进行了初步研究。     

Correlation between time functions of sound pressure, masking, and OAE suppression

Periodic sound-pressure time functions with frequency components below 50 Hz were used to measure within their period (a) the temporal course of masking, called a masking-period pattern (MPP), and (b) the temporal course of suppression of delayed evoked otoacoustic emissions, called a suppression-period pattern (SPP). Three different time functions were used: an alternating Gaussian impulse, its first integral, and its second integral. In each case, the course of the SPP is a mirror image of that of the MPP: Small masking corresponds to small suppression, while strong masking coincides with almost total suppression. Since otoacoustic emissions are assumed to have their origin in the inner ear, it can be argued that simultaneous masking, an effect including central processing, is very strongly based on peripheral processes located in the cochlea. Both MPP and SPP are closely related to the second derivative of the sound-pressure time function.     

Deformation,yield and ageing in glassy solids

A brief review of molecular simulations of physical ageing in structural glasses and its influence on their mechanical properties is presented. Recent studies based on simple molecular models of glass forming solids reproduce a wealth of experimental phenomena, and provide additional insight into the molecular rearrangements that govern ageing and yield. Phenomenological models are summarised that describe the effect of ageing on yield and compliance under applied strain or stress, respectively. Modifications of ageing due to plastic deformation (rejuvenation and overageing) are also discussed.     

Reversibly switchable DNA nanocompartment on surfaces: experiments, applications, and theory

This paper summarizes our studies of DNA nano-compartement in recent years. Biological macromolecules have been used to fabricate many nanostructures, bio-devices, and biomimetics because of their physical and chemical properties. But dynamic nanostructure and bio-machinery that depend on collective behavior of biomolecules have not been demonstrated. Here, we report the design of DNA nanocompartment on surfaces that exhibit reversible changes in molecular mechanical properties. Such molecular nanocompartment is served to encage molecules, switched by the collective effect of Watson-Crick base-pairing interactions. This effect is used to investigate the dynamic process of nanocompartment switching and molecular thermosensing, as well as perform molecular recognition. Further, we found that ‘fuel’ strands with single-base variation cannot afford an efficient closing of nanocompartment, which allows highly sensitive label-free DNA array detection. Theoretical analysis and computer simulations confirm our experimental observations, which are discussed in this review paper. Our results suggest that DNA nanocompartment can be used as building blocks for complex biomaterials, because its core functions are independent of substrates and mediators.      

Reversibly switchable DNA nanocompartment on surfaces: experiments,applications, and theory

This paper summarizes our studies of DNA nanocompartement in recent years. Biological macromolecules have been used to fabricate many nanostructures, bio-devices, and biomimetics because of their physical and chemical properties. But dynamic nanostructure and bio-machinery that depend on collective behavior of biomolecules have not been demonstrated. Here, we report the design of DNA nanocompartment on surfaces that exhibit reversible changes in molecular mechanical properties. Such molecular nanocompar- tment is served to encage molecules, switched by the collective effect of Watson-Crick base- pairing interactions. This effect is used to investigate the dynamic process of nanocompartment switching and molecular thermosensing, as well as perform molecular recognition. Further, we found that ‘fuel’ strands with single-base variation cannot afford an efficient closing of nanocompartment, which allows highly sensitive label-free DNA array detection. Theoretical analysis and computer simulations confirm our experimental observations, which are discussed in this review paper. Our results suggest that DNA nanocompartment can be used as building blocks for complex biomaterials, because its core functions are independent of substrates and mediators.