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Apusomonads comprise an understudied and undersampled group of heterotrophic flagellates that is closely related to opisthokonts, the supergroup containing animals and fungi. We cultured representatives of a new clade of apusomonads, Chelonemonas n. gen., which is sister to marine forms of Thecamonas in SSU rRNA gene phylogenies. Scanning electron microscopy shows that members of Chelonemonas have a hexagonal patterning to their submembranous pellicle, which is not known to exist in other apusomonads. We propose that the subfamily Thecamonadinae refer to the marine Thecamonas/Chelonomonas clade. We also report two new strains of Multimonas, one of which is genetically divergent from previously described strains, and here described as a new species, Multimonas koreensis. Both strains of Multimonas have appendages on their dorsal surface that could be extrusomes, and a frilled appearance to the border of their pellicle. Explorations of taxon sampling in SSU rRNA gene phylogenies confirm the new strains' evolutionary affinities, but do not resolve relationships among the five main apusomonad clades. These phylogenies also separate the freshwater species "Thecamonas" oxoniensis from the marine members of the genus Thecamonas. The new strains described here may provide valuable genetic and morphological data for evaluating the relationships and evolution of apusomonads.

Multistep hydrothermal (MSH) process is employed for growth of TiO2 nanocorals onto the conducting fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrates. The surface morphological features and physical properties of TiO2 films were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy, room temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphology revealed the formation of TiO2 corals having nanosized (30–40 nm) polyps. The photoelectrochemical properties of the TiO2 nanocoral electrodes were investigated in 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte under ultraviolet illumination. The results presented in this study highlight two major findings: (i) tuning the photoelectrochemical response and photoconversion efficiency via controlled thickness of TiO2 nanocorals by MSH route and (ii) the substantial increase in short-circuit photocurrent (Jsc) because of the improved charge transport through TiO2 nanocorals prepared via MSH process. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Computer simulations reveal the unique conformation of or erythro diisotactic polynorbornene, a polymer with numerous important applications in microelectronics. While previous simulations suggested that this polymer adopts a helix-kink morphology, the results presented herein indicate that the reversal of the helix symmetry is the origin of such kinks which cause a transition from a rigid-rod conformation to a random coil with increasing molecular weight. An RIS model was developed that accurately predicts the unique conformation of this polymer. This model predicts a rigid-rod helical conformation that eventually transitions to a random coil at a degree of polymerization of approximately 500.

Increasing the length of an alkyl side chain on a rigid polynorbornene (PNB) backbone is shown to decrease the glass-transition temperature of the resultant polymer, decrease the density of the bulk polymer, decrease the number and average free-volume element size present, and decrease the permeability of gases through the polymer. Methyl-, butyl-, and hexyl-substituted PNBs were investigated. Experimental results were compared with predictions based on molecular modeling. By using models that provided good agreement between the experimental and simulated wide-angle diffraction patterns, the distributions of free-volume elements were predicted. These predictions clearly indicate that the number of large free-volume elements decreases as the length of the side chain increases, suggesting that the flexible aliphatic side chains can be largely accommodated within the free volume between the rigid PNB backbones. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 215–233, 2006

This article demonstrates that transport of gases through glassy polymers is significantly influenced not only by the absolute amount but also by the distribution of free volume. Two stereoisomers of polynorbornene with nearly equivalent total free volume, but markedly different average free-volume sizes, were evaluated. The free-volume element size was probed with positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray scattering, gas sorption, and molecular modeling. The permeation, sorption, and diffusion of light gases were measured in each stereoisomer at 35 °C. All analytical techniques indicated that one isomer (labeled as Architecture II) had a larger average free-volume element size but fewer elements. This isomer also had a very slightly higher bulk density (1.000 vs 0.992 g/cm3 for the other stereoisomer). Architecture II also had gas sorption and diffusion coefficients that were two to three times those of the less dense counterpart. These differences have been attributed to differences in the free-volume element size available within the polymer matrix. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2185–2199, 2003

This study has estimated the extent to which 659 infants in the Fels Longitudinal Study maintained their positions in canals on the current NCHS growth charts during 6- and 12-month intervals. These canals are the zones between adjacent major percentile lines (5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th) on the growth charts. The probabilities of increases or decreases in level by two or more canals were calculated. Additionally, the probabilities were calculated for changes in level from between the 5th and 10th percentiles or between the 90th and 95th percentiles to zones beyond the 5th or 95th percentiles, respectively (transitions from normal limits). The analyses were made from birth to 36 months for weight and from 1-36 months for length and head circumference. The probabilities of decanalization were larger for weight than for length or head circumference for the interval from birth to 6 months, but not later. The probabilities for each variable analyzed tended to be large for young age intervals and larger for changes toward the medians than for changes from the medians. The directions of decanalization for weight from birth to 6 months were related to birth weight and those for length were related to midparent stature for the intervals from 6-12 months in each sex, 1-12 months in girls, and 6-18 months in boys. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 9:689-698, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

An experimental study of a smart-materials actuator driven by a microwave is presented in this paper. A proof-of-concept experiment using a smart material, such as thin layer composite unimorph ferroelectric driver and sensor (THUNDER), has been demonstrated with wirelessly transmitted microwave power. Such an advance system will offer a new class of smart devices that are remotely controlled via wirelessly transmitted power. Thus, a system of this nature autonomously functions without an onboard power infrastructure. Potential applications are integrated sensors, actuators, and smart flight control in space applications, as well as biologically-inspired systems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 36: 331–333, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10757

The discharge characteristics of the coplanar and face-to-face sustain electrode structures were examined. The visible spectrum (VIS) of a Ne emission of 585 nm and infrared (IR) of 823 and 828 nm were observed under the two different coplanar and face-to-face structures of the 6-inch test panel with non-phosphor discharge cell. The IR(Xe)/VIS(Ne) plot was used to calculate the discharge efficiency in the PDP-cell. In a coplanar sustain electrode structure, the intensity ratio between the IR(Xe) and VIS(Ne) was relatively low, whereas in a face-to-face sustain electrode structure, the intensity ratio between the IR(Xe) and VIS(Ne) was very high. In a coplanar electrode structure, the distribution of the IR(Xe) and VIS(Ne) was localized on the coplanar electrode near the space between the two sustain electrode, whereas in the face-to face sustain electrode structure, the distribution of the IR(Xe) and VIS(Ne) was broad over the entire discharge region area. Finally, as a result of the integration of the IR(Xe)/VIS(Ne) distribution, the discharge efficiency of the face-to-face sustain electrode structure was improved by about 2.5 times than that of the coplanar sustain electrode structure.

The luminous characteristics of the LDP (Long Discharge Path: 500 μm)-PDP with a ridged front dielectric layer were investigated, where the ridged front dielectric layer means that the dielectric layer between the sustain electrodes was etched out completely using the Sand-blasting process. In the LDP-PDP of which the main discharge is produced along the address electrode, the higher luminance was obtained due to the improved visible transmittance in the ridged front dielectric layer, thereby contributing to improving the luminous efficiency of a LDP-PDP with a ridged front dielectric layer. As a result, it was observed that the luminance of the LDP-PDP with a ridged front dielectric layer increased about 16∼17 %, when compared to that of the LDP-PDP cell with a conventional dielectric layer, whereas the corresponding luminous efficiency was improved about 12∼14 % due to the slight increase in the discharge current.