Characterization of Low Temperature Soluble Polyaniline

Because the charging of polyaniline films occurs in the bulk of the material rather than exclusively at the polymer-electrolyte interface, the use of thick polymer films for battery applications is justifiable. Here, we present a method for producing soluble polyaniline which can be cast to form free-standing films. Investigation by scanning electron microsopy (SEM) has shown that these films are significantly more compact than those made by standard electropolymerization

Modification of Kawai model about the mixing of the pseudoscalar mesons

The Kawai model describing the glueball-quarkonia mixing is modified. The mixing of $\eta$, $\eta^\prime$ and $\eta(1410)$ is re-investigated based on the modified Kawai model. The glueball-quarkonia content of the three states is determined from a fit to the data of the electromagnetic decays involving $\eta$, $\eta^\prime$. Some predictions about the electromagnetic decays involving $\eta(1410)$ are presented.Comment: revtex 8 page

Crystal structures of two tandem malectin-like receptor kinases involved in plant reproduction.

Complex cell-to-cell communication between the male pollen tube and the female reproductive organs is required for plant fertilization. A family of Catharanthus roseus receptor kinase 1-like (CrRLK1L) membrane receptors has been genetically implicated in this process. Here, crystal structures of the CrRLK1Ls ANXUR1 and ANXUR2 are reported at 1.48 and 1.1 Å resolution, respectively. The structures reveal a novel arrangement of two malectin-like domains connected by a short β-hairpin linker and stabilized by calcium ions. The canonical carbohydrate-interaction surfaces of related animal and bacterial carbohydrate-binding modules are not conserved in plant CrRLK1Ls. In line with this, the binding of chemically diverse oligosaccharides to ANXUR1 and HERCULES1 could not be detected. Instead, CrRLK1Ls have evolved a protein-protein interface between their malectin domains which forms a deep cleft lined by highly conserved aromatic and polar residues. Analysis of the glycosylation patterns of different CrRLK1Ls and their oligomeric states suggests that this cleft could resemble a binding site for a ligand required for receptor activation of CrRLK1Ls

Design and Construction of a 50m Single Span Ultra High Performance Ductile Concrete Composite Road Bridge

A single span 50m long prestressed road bridge was constructed under Public Works Department in the State of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia contract recently. The bridge was constructed at a small village, Kampung Linsum, crossing a river, Sungai Linggi. To date, this bridge is the Malaysia first and may also be the world longest composite road bridge which made from ultra-high performance ductile concrete (UHPdC). This paper presents the feature of the UHPdC precast girder; brief in-sight of the manufacturing of the girder; the construction sequence of the bridge; the design method and lastly the environmental impact calculation. The midspan deflections of the bridge at different construction history were compared against the collected field data and it showed that the calculated values generally agree well with the field data

The Environmental Effects of Global Changes on Northeast Central Europe in the Case of Non-Modified Agricultural Management

Climate impact scenarios for agriculture usually consider yield development, landscape water balance, nutrient dynamics or the endangerment of habitats separately. Scenario results are further limited by roughly discriminated land use types at low spatial resolution or they are restricted to single sites and isolated crops. Here, we exemplify a well data based comprehensive sensitivity analysis of a drought endangered agrarian region in Northeast Germany using a 2050 climate scenario. Coherently modelled results on water balance and yields indicate that agricultural production may persist, whereas wetlands and groundwater production will be negatively affected. The average percolation rate decreases from 143 mm a-1 to 12 mm a-1, and the average yield decline broken down by crops ranges from 4% for summer wheat to 14% for potatoes (main cereals: 5%)

DXS10079, DXS10074 and DXS10075

The number of established X-chromosomal STR markers suitable for forensic usage has risen continuously during recent years. The observation of X-chromosomal transmission lines can significantly contribute to the solving of complex kinship cases. The highly polymorphic tetranucleotide markers DXS10079, DXS10074 and DXS10075 are located within a 280 kb region at Xq12 and provide stable haplotypes. Most of these haplotypes occur at low frequencies in the German population, which would qualify this marker cluster as a useful tool in pedigree analysis. For routine use it is necessary to investigate the allele structure and check for variations in the repeat flanking region in samples of different ethnic populations. The information on SNP occurrence may help to minimise pitfalls caused by partial primer mismatching. We sequenced a variety of samples from Germans, Asians and Africans with respect to different STR alleles. For all three marker systems SNPs were detected in the repeat flanking regions. Some alleles found in the marker systems DXS10074 and DXS10075 exhibited typical repeat structures and SNP patterns found only in Africans and differing from Germans and Asians. The highest SNP diversity for DXS10079 was present in samples of all three ethnic groups. Further population data are needed to confirm this observation

SOF’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC COMPETITION: A WARGAME

Includes Supplementary MaterialCan a wargame effectively model how Special Operation Forces’ (SOF) irregular warfare capabilities influence strategic competition, and more broadly, do wargames have a place in the education of SOF professionals? SOF needs educational tools that stimulate critical thinking and intellectual creativity to address the challenges and complexities of irregular warfare and strategic competition so they can maintain their position as the DOD’s premier option for irregular warfare. Educational wargames have an extensive history in professional military organizations, and the wargame Tears of Tyranny is ready for use now to educate joint SOF on irregular warfare at the tactical and operational levels. Further development of Tears of Tyranny should include digitization and refinement through an additional capstone team.Outstanding ThesisMajor, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Combining a root exclusion technique with continuous measurements of CO2 by chambers and inside soil for a pin-point separation of ecosystem respiration in croplands

To better assess ecosystem C budgets of croplands and understand their potential response to climate and management changes, detailed information on the mechanisms and environmental controls driving the individual C flux components are needed. This accounts in particular for the ecosystem respiration (Reco) and its components, the autotrophic (Ra) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh) which vary tremendously in time and space. Therefore, we developed and tested a method to separate Reco into Ra (as the sum of Ra (shoot) and Ra (root)) and Rh in order to detect temporal and small-scale spatial dynamics within their relative contribution to overall Reco. Investigations were carried out for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) during the crop season 2015 at an experimental plot (CarboZALF-D) located in the hummocky ground moraine landscape of NE Germany. Reco was derived from CO2 flux measurements from plant stand and soil during nighttime using automatic chambers. Rh was derived from CO2 efflux measurements from fallow next to the automatic chambers using CO2 sampling tubes in 10 cm soil depth. Ra (root) was calculated as the difference between CO2 efflux measurements in planted soil and Rh. Ra (shoot) was calculated as Reco - Ra (root) - Rh. Reco varied seasonally from <1 to 9.5 g C m-2 d-1, and was higher in adult (a) and reproductive (r) than juvenile (j) stands (g C m-2 d-1: j 1.2, a 4.6, r 5.3). Observed Ra and Rh were in general smaller compared to the independently measured Reco, contributing in average 56 % and 44 % to Reco. However, both varied strongly regarding their environmental drivers and particular contribution throughout the study period, following the seasonal development of soil temperature and moisture (Rh) as well as crop development (Ra). Thus, our results consistently revealed temporal dynamics regarding the relative contribution of Ra (root) and Ra (shoot) to Ra, as well as of Ra and Rh to Reco. Based on the observed results, implications for partitioning of Reco in croplands are given, which requires a spatial and temporal pin-point approach to increase reliability

Magnetism in Semiconducting Molybdenum Dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are interesting for understanding fundamental physics of two-dimensional materials (2D) as well as for many emerging technologies, including spin electronics. Here, we report the discovery of long-range magnetic order below TM = 40 K and 100 K in bulk semiconducting TMDs 2H-MoTe2 and 2H-MoSe2, respectively, by means of muon spin-rotation (muSR), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The muon spin rotation measurements show the presence of a large and homogeneous internal magnetic fields at low temperatures in both compounds indicative of long-range magnetic order. DFT calculations show that this magnetism is promoted by the presence of defects in the crystal. The STM measurements show that the vast majority of defects in these materials are metal vacancies and chalcogen-metal antisites which are randomly distributed in the lattice at the sub-percent level. DFT indicates that the antisite defects are magnetic with a magnetic moment in the range of 0.9-2.8 mu_B. Further, we find that the magnetic order stabilized in 2H-MoTe2 and 2H-MoSe2 is highly sensitive to hydrostatic pressure. These observations establish 2H-MoTe2 and 2H-MoSe2 as a new class of magnetic semiconductors and opens a path to studying the interplay of 2D physics and magnetism in these interesting semiconductors.Comment: 13 pages, 10 Figure