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A wealth of studies have confirmed that the low-field hysteresis behaviour of ferroelectric bulk ceramics and thin films can be described using Rayleigh relations, and irreversible domain wall motion across the array of pining defects has been commonly accepted as the underlying micro-mechanism. Recently, HfO2 thin films incorporated with various dopants were reported to show pronounced ferroelectricity, however, their microscopic domain structure remains unclear till now. In this work, the effects of the applied electric field amplitude, frequency and temperature on the sub-coercive polarization reversal properties were investigated for 10 nm thick Si-doped HfO2 thin films. The applicability of the Rayleigh law to ultra-thin ferroelectric films was first confirmed, indicating the existence of a multi-domain structure. Since the grain size is about 20-30 nm, a direct observation of domain walls within the grains is rather challenging and this indirect method is a feasible approach to resolve the domain structure. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone cancer pain ( BCP) is one of the most common and severe complications in patients suffering from primary bone cancer or metastatic bone cancer such as breast, prostate, or lung, which profoundly compromises their quality of life. Emerging lines of evidence indicate that central sensitization is required for the development and maintenance of BCP. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of PI3Kγ/Akt in the central sensitization in rats with tumor cell implantation in the tibia, a widely used model of BCP. Our results showed that PI3Kγ and its downstream target pAkt were up-regulated in a time-dependent manner and distributed predominately in the superficial layers of the spinal dorsal horn neurons, astrocytes and a minority of microglia, and were colocalized with non-peptidergic, calcitonin gene-related peptide-peptidergic, and A-type neurons in dorsal root ganglion ipsilateral to tumor cell inoculation in rats. Inhibition of spinal PI3Kγ suppressed BCP-associated behaviors and the up-regulation of pAkt in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion. This study suggests that PI3Kγ/Akt signal pathway mediates BCP in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canarium album (Lour.) DC. belongs to the Burseraceae family. Its leaf, named as Ganlanye (GLY), was recorded to treat warm disease symptoms via clearing lung heat and toxicants in medical classics. Its aqueous extract had anti-influenza activity in our previous phenotypic screening. However, its active components and mechanism were not identified. We aim to isolate the anti-influenza phytochemicals from GLY extract and explore its anti-flu mechanism. Influenza A virus infected MDCK cells were used to test the compounds and fractions. Structural analyses of new compounds were performed via NMR calculation with the combination of DP4plus probability method and computed electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Hemagglutination inhibitory assay and neuraminidase inhibitory assay were performed to find the target protein. Molecular docking and recombinant virus were used to confirm the action site of the three new canaroleosides. Three new phenolic glycosides, canaroleosides A−C (1 – 3), and three known flavonoids (4 – 6), were isolated from the GLY aqueous extract and their anti-influenza virus mechanism was revealed. The absolute configurations of 1 − 3 were determined by ECD method, with the structure of the 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid moiety in 1 assigned by NMR calculation. Compound 1 was found to suppress both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase activities. Compounds 2 , 3 4 and 6 inhibited neuraminidase, while compound 5 inhibited hemagglutinin. 1 – 3 could interact with Arg152 of the viral neuraminidase based on the result of molecular docking and reverse genetics. Six phytochemicals were isolated from GLY aqueous extract and found to inhibit influenza A strains. They were found to interact with hemagglutinin or neuraminidase and canaroleosides 1 – 3 could interact with Arg152 of the viral neuraminidase. This study provided more evidence on the anti-influenza effect of Ganlan and laid the foundation for further generation of potent NA inhibitors. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Co 3 W intermetallic compound is transformed from CoWO 4 by thermal reduction. • Co 3 W presents high performance for HER in non-acidic media. • H 2 production and wastewater treatment are achieved at the same time. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is the cathodic reaction of water electrolysis and electrocoagulation. The development of precious metal-free HER catalyst with high performance is important to decrease the energy consumption and capital cost. Due to the adjustable electronic structure and composition, intermetallic compounds are promising candidates to act as efficient HER catalysts. Herein, Co 3 W intermetallic compound is synthesized by reducing CoWO 4 with H 2 , during which CoWO 4 is transformed into a composite in the form of Co 3 W interconnected with W. The Co 3 W/W composite requires a low overpotential of 78 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH. Moreover, the electrocoagulation device assembled by Co 3 W/W composite and iron plate only needs 0.2 V to initiate H 2 production in 0.5 M Na 2 SO 4 ; meanwhile, high removal ability for multiple water pollutants is also achieved. As the active species, Co 3 W presents low water dissociation energy barrier and proper adsorption strength of hydrogen atom, both of which are beneficial to HER kinetics. This work demonstrates a promising HER electrocatalyst that can be applied in non-acidic media for water splitting and electrocoagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oily sludge (OS) from steel mills contains a large number of heavy components and has high viscosity. In this paper, the preparation of high value-added gas from the pyrolysis of OS catalyzed by calcined olivine (C-OL), xiuyan jade (C-XY), iddingsite (C-ID) and their nickel carrier was investigated. ICP-OES, SEM, EDX, XRF, and XRD were applied to characterize the catalysts. The effect of the catalyst on the pyrolysis of OS and the regulation mechanism of gas product quality were investigated. Thermogravimetric results showed that all the six catalysts could improve the total weight loss of OS, among which the addition of C-OL(Ni) increased by 11.58 wt%. Compared with the pyrolysis of OS, the production of H 2 increased by 82.65 and 23.49 mL after C-OL and C-XY were added at 900 °C, respectively. Ni ore-based catalysts can promote tar cracking, thereby producing more pyrolysis gas, in which the production of H 2 is significantly increased. The addition of C-XY(Ni) increased the production of H 2 by 239.29 mL. After nickel was loaded, the catalysts showed better catalytic activity at a high temperature. Results show that the nickel-loaded natural ore as catalyst can promote the pyrolysis of OS and can obtain pyrolysis gas with high added value. [Display omitted] • The catalytic pyrolysis of oily sludge was employed with six different catalysts. • Ni ore-based catalysts promoted pyrolysis of oily sludge to produce hydrogen. • Calcined-xiuyan jade loaded with Ni(C-XY(Ni)) showed the best catalytic ability. • After adding C-XY(Ni), the maximum gas yield was 1322 mL and the H 2 accounted for 45%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterogeneous interface constituted by Cu and Al were diffusion-bonded with CuZn alloy fibre interlayer under different bonding parameters, which was compared with directly bonded Cu/Al interface to analyze the effects of the different intermetallic compounds (IMCs) occurred at the joining interface on the interface mechanical properties. The interface microstructure was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the compositions profiles across the joining interface were measured by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), the phase and grain in the bonding interface of a Cu/Al bond were carefully investigated via electron backscatter diffraction technique (EBSD), the results show that the interface phase of Cu/Al composites grows irregularly, which leads to the low uniformity of interface properties. By adding CuZn alloy fibre, the interface of Cu/Al shows cellular skeleton and promotes the uniform diffusion of interface. When the bonding time was 570 °C for 60 min, the average shear strength of Cu/CuZn/Al interface reached 60.7 MPa. Compared with Cu/Al interface, the standard deviation of shear strength decreased from 18.7 to 1.6, and the variance decreased from 3.7 to 1.1. • The diffusion of Cu and Al was promoted by the introduction of Zn. • CuZn alloy can improve the interface homogeneity of large area Cu/Al composites. • When CuZn alloy fibre was added, the fracture mode changed to mixed fracture. • The bonding time has a great effect on the uniformity of the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intends to conquer the mystery of microRNA-16-5p/erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular A1/nuclear factor-κB signaling (miR-16-5p/EPHA1/NF-κB signaling) in breast cancer. Expression of miR-16-5p, EPHA1 and NF-κB signaling-related proteins were detected. Gene overexpression or silencing was used to examine the biological roles of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exo -miR-16-5p in breast cancer. The effect of exo-miR-16-5p on tumorigenesis of breast cancer was confirmed by the xenograft nude mouse model. Low miR-16-5p and high EPHA1 expression were examined in breast cancer. BMSCs-derived exosomes, up-regulated miR-16-5p or down-regulated EPHA1 restrained epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer cells and tumor growth in nude mice. Down-regulated miR-16-5p or up-regulated EPHA1 activated NF-κB signaling. Knockdown of EPHA1 or inhibition of NF-κB signaling reversed the effects of down-regulated miR-16-5p on breast cancer cells. BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-16-5p hinders breast cancer cells progression via EPHA1/NF-κB signaling axis. • Low miR-16-5p and high EPHA1 expression present in breast cancer. • BMSCs-derived exosomes deliver miR-16-5p to inhibit EMT in breast cancer. • MiR-16-5p targets EPHA1. • Down-regulated miR-16-5p or up-regulated EPHA1 activated NF-κB signaling. • Knockdown of EPHA1 or inhibition of NF-κB signaling reversed the effects of down-regulated miR-16-5p on breast cancer cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a pathogen-associated molecular pattern receptor, is known to initiate an inflammatory cascade in response to certain stimuli within the central nervous system (CNS). Although TLR4 activation is known to be a first-line response of the innate immune system, whether and how hyperoxia influences TLR4 signaling in an immature brain remains unclear. In this study, TLR4 wild-type (W) and TLR4 knock-out(M) mice were exposed to 100% oxygen (the WO 2 and MO 2 groups, respectively), and control groups were exposed to ambient air (the WA and MA groups, respectively) for 48 h after postnatal-day (PND) 3. Next, neuronal apoptosis was quantified, and Morris water maze assays were conducted. The WO 2 mice showed increased TLR4 expression compared with the WA mice, additionally, the expression level of Tumor Necrosis Factor- α (TNF- α ) in the WO 2 mice was significantly increased compared with the levels in the WA, MA and MO 2 mice. Electron microscopy and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays showed a significant increase, compared to the WO 2 mice, in neuronal apoptosis within the prefrontal cortex and hippocampal CA1 region in the WO 2 mice. In contrast, there were no obvious differences in neuronal apoptosis between the MO 2 and MA groups. The results of the Morris water maze tests demonstrated marked deficits in learning and memory in the WO 2 mice but much milder deficits in the MO 2 mice compared to the WA and MA groups, respectively. Moreover, cultured N9 (TLR4 wild-type, derived from ICR/CD1 mice) microglia exposed to hyperoxia showed an immediate increase in the expression of TLR4 mRNA, followed by an increase in the expression of both TNF- α and reactive oxygen species (ROS), but this increase was abrogated by the loss of TLR4 signaling in TLR4-knockout microglia (primary cells from a C3H/HeJ strain defective in TLR4). Taken together, these data suggest that 1) TLR4 signaling is involved in hyperoxia-induced immune responses in the immature brain and 2) the loss of TLR4 activation may abrogate the neuronal apoptosis and cognitive deficits following hyperoxia exposure in newborn mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the scaling behavior of dynamic hysteresis with frequency f and electric field E in epitaxial PbZrO 3 antiferroelectric film on (111)-oriented SrTiO 3 substrate. The scaling relation for the saturated hysteresis loops takes the form of hysteresis area ∝ f 0.03 ( E − 499) 0.20 at relatively low testing f . However, when frequency exceeds 30 Hz, the shows stronger dependence on f while remains basically unchanged relation with E , leading to a form of ∝ f 0.10 ( E − 499) 0.20 . The scaling behavior is modeled as occurring in a viscous medium where several forces, such as viscous and restoring forces, act on the phase transition process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) are rare lesions, but primary sellar tumors are rarer. Only 10 cases have been reported, and they are often misdiagnosed as pituitary macroadenoma. We report the case of a 54-year-old Chinese man who developed progressive bitemporal hemianopsia and visual loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an intrasellar and suprasellar clouded lesion adhering to the optic chiasm, hypothalamus, and hypophyseal stalk that was suspected of being a hemorrhagic pituitary macroadenoma. Because of the atypically giant, hemorrhagic, and upward-growing lesion, an initial trans-sphenoidal approach failed, and subsequent transfrontal craniotomy was adopted to achieve macroscopically complete resection. Histopathologic findings revealed a benign melanocytic tumor. Despite an extensive search, no other primary or secondary site was found. Considering the relatively benign lesion, effective surgery, and potential significant consequences of radiotherapy, the patient received no further treatment and is still alive at the 7-year follow-up. Primary sellar melanocytic tumors are exceptional lesions that are difficult to diagnose before operating and/or obtaining pathological findings. The pathological classification and extent of surgical resection may play a key role in the prognosis. Once this type of lesion is suspected, the transfrontal approach may achieve preferable exposure and resection. Complete surgical resection may be sufficient for relatively benign lesions; otherwise, stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy is indicated. More cases should be reported to improve the treatment strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase transition behaviors of Pb 0.99 (Zr 0.95 Ti 0.05 ) 0.98 Nb 0.02 O 3 ferroelectric ceramics doped with different MgO concentrations (0–0.2 wt%) were systematically investigated by Raman and dielectric measurements. Raman results showed that the phase transitions were strongly dependent on MgO concentration. It was found that the low temperature rhombohedral (F R(LT) )–high temperature rhombohedral (F R(HT) ) ferroelectric phase transition shifted toward a lower temperature with increasing MgO concentration up to 0.1 wt%, while the F R(HT) –cubic paraelectric (P C ) phase transition changed to a higher temperature. The Raman results were in good agreement with phase transition determined by dielectric measurements. Moreover, it was indicated that the changes of Raman active modes were related to distortion of BO 6 octahedra during the phase transitions. Then, the distortion of BO 6 octahedron caused by B-site replacement of Mg 2+ ions was proposed to explain the observed behaviors. In addition, the effects of MgO doping on the dielectric, ferroelectric and pyroelectric properties were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simple and accurate method to simulate the characteristic output of a PV system under either partial shading or mismatch conditions, that are caused by the interconnection of solar cells or modules which do not have identical properties or which experience different conditions from one another. First, a five-parameter equivalent circuit is used to represent the characteristics of a PV module or PV array under normal conditions (without partial shading or mismatch). Then an analytical method is developed to extract the five parameters using the basic manufacture template data. In this way, the I – V characteristics of the PV module or array at normal operating conditions can be achieved. Additionally, the electrical characteristics of the PV module or array with bypass diodes under partial shading or mismatch conditions are analyzed in detail. To describe the I – V characteristic equations of the PV module or array under complex shading conditions, a calculation algorithm with several subsection functions is proposed. Lastly, a judgment method for the states of the bypass diodes in PV modules is designed to synthesize the subsection functions. Thus, the multi-peak characteristics of a PV system under partial shading or mismatch conditions can be achieved. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, experiments have been conducted to compare the experimental and simulated I – V and P – V curves of a PV system under some predefined partial shading and mismatch conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that the method has high accuracy in simulating the I – V and P – V characteristics of a PV module or array under either partial shading or mismatch conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an effective method to improve the electrical characteristics of dual-material-gate (DMG) junctionless transistor (JLT) based on gate engineering approach, with the example of n-type double gate (DG) JLT with total channel length down to 30 nm. The characteristics are demonstrated and compared with conventional DMG DGJLT and single-material gate (SMG) DGJLT. The results show that the novel DMG DGJLT presents superior subthreshold swing (SS), drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), transconductance ( G m ), ON/OFF current ratio, and intrinsic delay ( τ ). Moreover, these unique features can be controlled by engineering the length and workfunction of the gate material. In addition, the sensitivities of the novel DMG device with respect to structural parameters are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we showed that activation of the spinal CXCL9, 10/CXCR3 pathway mediated bone cancer pain (BCP) in rats. However, the cellular mechanism involved is poorly understood. Here, we found that the activated CXCR3 was co-localized with either neurons, microglia, and astrocytes in the spinal cord, or non-peptidergic-, peptidergic-, and A-type neurons in the dorsal root ganglion. The inoculation of Walker-256 mammary gland carcinoma cells into the rat’s tibia induced a time-dependent phosphorylation of Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) in the spinal cord, and CXCR3 was necessary for the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK 1/2. Meanwhile, CXCR3 was co-localized with either pAkt or pERK1/2. Blockage of either Akt or ERK1/2 prevented or reversed the mechanical allodynia in BCP rats. Furthermore, there was cross-activation between PI3K/Akt and Raf/MEK/ERK pathway under the BCP condition. Our results demonstrated that the activation of spinal chemokine receptor CXCR3 mediated BCP through Akt and ERK 1/2 kinase, and also indicated a crosstalk between PI3K/Akt and Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathways under the BCP condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure and Nb-doped Pb(Zr 1− x Ti x )O 3 ( x = 0.47, 0.48, 0.50) ceramics were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction technique. Dielectric anomalies are observed in both kinds of samples near room temperature. The anomalies could be depressed by donor doping and prefer to be significant in ceramics with tetragonal crystallographic phase. Phase transition mechanism and domain wall pinning effect are proposed to explain this anomaly, and the former is considered as the dominated reason. Further results of the pyroelectric measurements confirm the existence of the ferroelectric–ferroelectric phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Grain size effect on phase transition, dielectric and pyroelectric properties of BST ceramics under DC bias field was reported for the first time. With the grain size increased by one order of magnitude, phase transition diffuseness parameters δ and γ decreased from 282 to 63 and 1.64–1.33, respectively. This resulted in the dielectric constant maximum increased by 65%, the pyroelectric coefficient maximum and corresponding figure of merit were quadrupled and tripled, respectively. The physical essence of the great size effect can be attributed to a combination of surface effect, mechanical stress effect and extrinsic effect of grain boundary. A well understanding of the grain size effect and its mechanism will be useful for the BaTiO3-based ceramics and other ferroelectrics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Arabinoxylan is one of the main components of xylan-rich hemicellulose of sugarcane bagasse. The study on the dissolution behavior of arabinoxylan from sugarcane bagasse (AXSB) is beneficial to its efficient utilization. The dissolution behavior of AXSB in a 50% TBAH aqueous solution was investigated by small angle X-ray scattering and rheological methods. SAXS analysis showed that the radius of gyration (R g) of AXSB is between 8.5 nm and 21.6 nm, and R g has a larger value with the rising AXSB concentration. Rheological measurements showed that AXSB is completely dissolved in TBAH aqueous solution at low concentration, aggregating after reaching a certain concentration. The estimated critical concentration is approximately 0.033 g mL−1. The rheological curves at the high concentration indicated shear thinning behavior, causing the failure of the Cox-Merz rule. The storage modulus grows gradually with the increasing AXSB concentration, inferring the probable formation of AXSB aggregation in TBAH aqueous solution. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to investigate the electrical sliding wear behavior of the dual-scale particulate reinforced copper matrix composites by a self-developed pin-on-disk wear tester. Cu- x Cr-0.3Zr-1ZrB 2 (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0) composites were fabricating by casting and cold rolling. The microstructure of worn surfaces was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser scanning confocal microscope to unravel the wear mechanisms. The results indicated that the combined effect of mechanical wear and electrical wear dominated the wear process with an increase in the apparent normal load. Amplifying the electrical current increased the wear loss of the sliding pair, in the meantime alleviated the fluctuation of the friction coefficient with marginal changes in the average values. After introducing Cr element and ZrB 2 particles, the wear rate decreased from 0.197 mg/m to 0.141 mg/m under moderate operating test conditions. Adhesive wear and abrasive wear occupied an important position in the wear mechanism of the Cu-1wt%Cr-0.3wt%Zr-1wt%ZrB 2 composite under electrical current due to the elevation of thermal stability and the formation of a tribolayer introduced by these reinforcements. [Display omitted] • The Cu-1Cr-0.3Zr-1ZrB 2 composite stands out with the best tribological properties. • High apparent contact load changes the wear mechanism from abrasive to arc erosion. • Amplifying the electrical current results into the increased Joule and arc heat effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a new SL LDMOS structure similar to a silicon-on-insulator. The P+/N structure is used to replace the buried oxygen layer of traditional SOI LDMOS devices. The N-type layer is made of SiC material, and the highly doped P-type layer is used to partially deplete the SiC layer to achieve the SOI Like effect. At the same time, the highly doped buried layer is formed by ion implantation in the SiC layer to adjust the electric field in the drift region and improve the breakdown voltage. The Silvaco TCAD software is used to conduct a two-dimensional simulation of the proposed structure. The breakdown voltage of the device is 306 V. Compared with the SOI LDMOS under the same withstand voltage, the proposed SL LDMOS has about 32.9% lower the on-resistance and better electrical characteristics. In the study of radiation effects, the burnout threshold of the proposed structure is LET = 0.93 pC/μm and V d = 222 V, which shows that the device has good anti-single event burnout performance. In the study of the total-ionizing-dose, when the total dose is higher than 119 Krad(Si), the breakdown voltage of the proposed device is significantly higher than that of the SOI LDMOS device. This can effectively address the shortcomings of SOI LDMOS devices regarding the total-ionizing-dose. Therefore, the proposed structure is suitable for application in harsh environments such as those with high radiation. • The high doped P-type layer can deplete the low doped n-type layer(4H-SiC), realize the effect of buried oxygen layer. • Adjusting the electric field in the drift region by using highly doped SiC buried layer. • The burnout threshold of the structure is LET = 0.93 pC/μm and V d = 222 V. The TID does not affect the BV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study related to brominated polyunsaturated lipids and steroids from the South China Sea sponge haliclona subarmigera. It discusses origination of the species along with an analysis of its isolation from current state. It further mentions medicinal properties of the species and how it is used as medical treatment in various places. It also presents chemical bonding of the process.

The article focuses on a study related to briarane diterpenoids from gorgonian dichotella gemmacea collected from the South China Sea. It discusses various biological activities of Dichotella gemmacea, such as antifouling, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory. It also discusses screening for bioactive natural products from marine invertebrates.

Abstract: The majority of patients with metastatic bone disease experience moderate to severe pain. Bone cancer pain is usually progressive as the disease advances, and is very difficult to treat due to the poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Recent studies demonstrated that synaptic plasticity induces spinal cord sensitization and contributes to bone cancer pain. However, whether the synaptic plasticity is due to modifications of existing synapses or the formation of new synaptic connections is still unknown. Here we showed that a carcinoma implantation into a rats' tibia induced a significant increase in the number of excitability synapses in the dorsal horn, which contributes to the development of bone cancer pain. Previous studies identified that non-clustered protocadherins play significant roles in neuronal development and other implications in neurological disorders. In the present study, we showed that Protocadherin20 was significantly increased in the dorsal horn of cancer-bearing rats, while knockdown of Protocadherin20 with RNAi lentivirus reversed bone cancer-induced pain behaviors and decreased excitatory synaptogenesis in ipsilateral dorsal horn. In an in vitro study, we showed that knockdown of Protocadherin20 inhibited neurite outgrowth and excitatory synapse formation of dorsal neurons. These findings indicate that Protocadherin20 is required for the development of bone cancer pain probably by promoting the excitability synaptogenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dielectric properties of Pb0.99375(Zr0.52Ti0.48)0.9875Nb0.0125O3 (PZTN) ceramics were measured during heating and cooling processes before and after poling. A dielectric anomaly from 220K to 290K was only observed in poled PZTN samples. The frequency dependence of the ε′′ peaks was fitted using the Vogel–Fulcher law, which indicated that this dielectric anomaly could be associated with the poling induced monoclinic distortion. Meanwhile, the existence of the low-temperature transformation involving rotations of the octahedra was confirmed by the broadening peaks in ε′′–T curves and the variation of slopes in ε′–T curves in both unpoled and poled samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hafnium oxide based ferroelectric thin films have shown potential as a promising alternative material for non-volatile memory applications. This work reports the switching stability of a Si-doped HfO2 film under bipolar pulsed-field operation. High field cycling causes a 'wake-up' in virgin 'pinched' polarization hysteresis loops, demonstrated by an enhancement in remanent polarization and a shift of negative coercive voltage. The rate of wake-up is accelerated by either reducing the frequency or increasing the amplitude of the cycling field. We suggest de-pinning of domains due to reduction of the defect concentration at bottom electrode interface as origin of the wake-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The FR(LT)–FR(HT) phase transition was reduced from 41°C to 24°C with MgO addition. [•] Superior pyroelectric properties were obtained in 0.10wt% MgO-modified sample. [•] The largest p of 65×10−8 Ccm−2 K−1 was achieved at room temperature. [•] Fd of 20×10−5 Pa−1/2 and Fv of 0.91m2C−1 were also attained at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current decay characteristic in the time domain is studied in Y3+ and Mn2+ modified Ba0.67Sr0.33TiO3 ceramics under different temperatures (25 °C-213 °C) and voltage stresses (0 V-800 V). The decay of the current is correlated with the overlapping of the relaxation process and leakage current. With respect to the inherent remarkable dielectric nonlinearity, a simple method through curve fitting is derived to differentiate these two currents. Two mechanisms of the relaxation process are proposed: a distribution of the potential barriers mode around room temperature and an electron injection mode at the elevated temperature of 110 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-temperature sintering and electric properties of Pb0.99( Zr0.95 Ti0.05)0.98 Nb0.02 O3 ( PZTN 95/5) ferroelectric ceramics with CuO addition was investigated. The CuO addition significantly promoted the densification and reduced the sintering temperature of PZTN 95/5 ceramics by more than 200°C. The 0.2 wt% CuO-added sample sintered at 1150°C exhibited the optimum relative density of 96.7% and excellent electric properties with values of Pr = 37.80 μC/cm2, TC = 223°C, εr = 329, and tan δ = 0.016, which were superior to that of PZTN 95/5 ceramics sintered at 1350°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three pairs of undescribed enantiomeric α -pyrone derivatives (1a / 1b – 3a / 3b) and six previously undescribed congeners (4 – 9), were obtained from the fungus Alternaria brassicicola , which was isolated from the fresh leaves of Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino (Compositae). The structures of these new compounds were identified by extensive NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data, and their absolute configurations were further elucidated by ECD calculations, a modified Mosher's method, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This is the first report of three pairs of enantiomeric α -pyrone derivatives from fungus Alternaria brassicicola , and these enantiomers were successfully acquired from scalemic mixtures via chiral HPLC. Compounds 1a/1b – 3a/3b and 4 – 9 were evaluated for the herbicidal activity against Echinochloa crusgalli , Setaria viridis , Portulaca oleracea and Taraxacum mongolicum. At a concentration of 100 μ g/mL, compounds 1a and 1b could significantly inhibit the germination of the monocotyledon weed seeds (E. crusgalli and S. viridis) with inhibitory ratios ranging from 68.6 ± 6.4% to 84.2 ± 5.1%, , which was equivalent to that of the positive control (glyphosate). In addition, the structure-herbicidal activity relationship of the above compounds was discussed. To a certain extent, the results of this study will attract great interest for the potential practical application of promising fungal metabolites, α -pyrone derivatives, as ecofriendly herbicides. [Display omitted] • Twelve new bioactive metabolites were isolated from the fungus Alternaria brassicicola. • Their absolute configurations were characterized by a modified Mosher's method, chemical conversion, X-ray crystallography analysis, and ECD calculations. • Compounds 1a / 1b – 3a / 3b are the first examples of enantiomeric α -pyrone derivatives from the fungus A. brassicicola. • Compounds 1a and 1b could significantly inhibit the germination of the monocotyledon weed seeds (E. crusgalli and S. viridis), which was equivalent to that of the positive control (glyphosate). Three pairs of undescribed enantiomeric α -pyrone derivatives (1a / 1b – 3a / 3b) and six undescribed congeners (4 – 9), were obtained from the fungus Alternaria brassicicola that was isolated from the fresh leaves of Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino (Compositae). The structures of these new compounds were characterized by extensive NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data, and their absolute configurations were further elucidated by a modified Mosher's method, chemical conversion, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and ECD calculations. This is the first report of three pairs of enantiomeric α -pyrone derivatives from the fungus A. brassicicola , and these enantiomers were successfully acquired from scalemic mixtures via chiral HPLC. Compounds 1a/1b – 3a/3b and 4 – 9 were evaluated for the herbicidal activity against Echinochloa crusgalli , Setaria viridis , Portulaca oleracea , and Taraxacum mongolicum. At a concentration of 100 μ g/mL, compounds 1a and 1b could significantly inhibit the germination of monocotyledon weed seeds (E. crusgalli and S. viridis) with inhibitory ratios ranging from 68.6 ± 6.4% to 84.2 ± 5.1%, which was equivalent to that of the positive control (glyphosate). The potential structure-herbicidal activity relationship of these compounds was also discussed. To a certain extent, the results of this study will attract great interest for the potential practical application of promising fungal metabolites, α -pyrone derivatives, as ecofriendly herbicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• N -acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) was obtained from chitin using an affinity adsorption–enzymatic reaction integrated approach. • GlcNAc can be efficiently converted to 3A5AF with a yield of 56.66 mol% using new catalyst NH 4 SCN. • The NH 4 SCN showed good recyclability within five cycles. • 3A5AF needle-shaped crystals with high purity can be obtained by crystallisation purification. In this study, efficient production of the platform chemical 3-acetamido-5-acetylfuran (3A5AF) from chitin resources via a chemo-enzymatic protocol was investigated. Initially, chitinolytic enzyme was used to convert chitin into N -acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) using an affinity adsorption–enzymatic reaction integrated approach. Then, the obtained GlcNAc was used to produce 3A5AF using screened ammonium thiocyanate (NH 4 SCN) as the catalyst. The optimal conditions for converting GlcNAc into 3A5AF were determined at a temperature of 180 °C, solvent of DMAc, a molar ratio of GlcNAc to NH 4 SCN of 2:1, addition of CaCl 2 ·2H 2 O, a molar ratio of GlcNAc to CaCl 2 ·2H 2 O of 1:1 and a reaction time of 10 min, resulting in 3A5AF with a molar yield of 56.66%. The NH 4 SCN showed good recyclability within five cycles. Furthermore, upon scaling up of the 3A5AF preparation, a good yield was still maintained. Additionally, 99% pure 3A5AF needle-shaped crystals were obtained with 34 wt% yield by crystallisation purification. This new chemo-enzymatic protocol provides a good option to convert chitin resources into 3A5AF. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Porous Pb (Zr0.95Ti0.05) O3/xMgO (PZT/MgO, x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0wt%) ferroelectric ceramics were prepared with MgO nanoparticles as reinforcing phase. The effects of MgO nanoparticles on the phase, microstructure, electrical and mechanical properties of as-prepared ceramics were investigated. The results show that the grain size is reduced obviously when increasing the amount of MgO. Compared with pure porous PZT, T C of MgO-added PZT ceramics shifts to higher temperature. Moreover, dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties show no much degradation. Further, PZT/MgO ceramics possess enhanced mechanical properties compared to pure porous PZT ceramics, the largest increment of the fracture toughness and hardness being 31.3% and 19.8%, respectively. The optimal electrical and mechanical properties are obtained with the addition of less than 0.5wt% MgO nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The holographic ghost imaging is a novel ghost imaging scheme, where orbital angular momentum (OAM) entanglement is used to encode object information. OAM state is associated with the spatial distribution of the wave-functions. Hence, atmosphere turbulence (AT), in principle, will reduce the corresponding image resolutions. In this paper, we quantitatively investigate the influences of AT on such imaging scheme with a two-gray-scale and a eight-gray-scale phase object by both numerical simulations and experiments, where the AT-induced phase perturbations are introduced by simulated random phase screens inserting propagation paths. The numerical simulation and experimental results show that with the increase of the constant of index refraction, the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the reconstructed image goes down quickly. For a two-gray-scale ‘NUPT’ character, PSNR degrades from 102 at weak turbulence to 20 at strong turbulence by simulations, while the PSNR decreases from 20 at to 12 at by experiment. When the object is turned to eight-gray-scale ‘Lena’ image, the PSNR values show that AT has the degraded effects on HGI, even at weak turbulence. All these results show that the holographic ghost imaging is influenced by atmospheric turbulence, the methods to mitigate the influence should be developed in the implementation of ghost imaging using OAM states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polarization switching and energy storage properties of highly (100) oriented antiferroelectric (AFE) (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films (≤250 nm) deposited via a sol-gel process with both LaNiO3 and Pt top electrodes were investigated. By using LaNiO3 top electrodes, the energy density as well as energy efficiency can be enhanced by 4.6 J/cm3 and 11%, respectively. Furthermore, the films with LaNiO3 top electrodes are more capable of providing high energy density over a wide temperature regime above room temperature compared to Pt. This work clearly highlights that oxide top electrodes can greatly improve the energy storage performance of antiferroelectric thin film capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sr x Ba1−x Nb2O6 (with x=0.50, 0.45, 0.40 and 0.30) ceramics were synthesized by conventional solid-state method and sintered at 1350°C for 3h. The phase structure, microstructure, dielectric, ferroelectric and pyroelectric properties of obtained ceramics were systematically investigated. Pure tungsten bronze phase could be obtained in all ceramics. The dielectric characteristics showed that SBN ceramic was a relaxor with strong diffuse phase transition and weak frequency dispersion. As Sr molar fraction x increases from 0.30 to 0.50, the transition temperature T C decreased linearly while the diffusivity parameter γ declined from 1.88 to 1.68. The saturated polarization, remnant polarization and pyroelectric coefficient were also found to be enhanced in SBN ceramics with increasing Sr content. The pyroelectric coefficient of about 2×10−8 C/cm2K can be obtained for polarized SBN50 ceramics at room temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST)/MgO columnar composites are fabricated via the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The microstructure, dielectric and tunable properties of columnar composites are investigated. The unmodified BST Curie temperatures with the increase of MgO addition indicate a sufficient suppression of ions interdiffusion between the two phases. The dielectric constant is decreased from 7000 to 3800 when MgO weight ratio is up to 15% while the tunability still stays at high level over 45%. The coefficient of the dielectric nonlinearity β shows a growing trend with increasing MgO content. The experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical prediction and confirm that if the composite is fabricated in columnar model, a reduction of dielectric constant without a deterioration of tunability could be achieved, which make them useful for potential tunable device applications in wireless communication system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cax(Sr0.5Ba0.5)1-xNb2O6 [CSBN(x), x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20] lead-Free ceramics were prepared by a traditional solid-state reaction technique. Dielectric, ferroelectric, and pyroelectric properties of CSBN(x) lead-Free ceramics were systematically investigated. The pyroelectric properties of CSBN(x) have been enhanced remarkably due to Ca addition and reached the maximum values at x = 0.15, with pyroelectric coefficient of 3.61 × 10-8 C/cm2 K and pyroelectric figure of merit of Fi = 172 pm/V, Fv = 0.021 m2/C, and Fd = 11.5 μPa-1/2, which are superior to other lead-free ferroelectric ceramics. These results indicate the potential of CSBN(x) ceramics for infrared detector applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 1-3 type ( Ba, Sr) TiO3 ( BST)/resin epoxy composites were prepared by dice and fill technique. The microstructure, dielectric, and tunable properties of columnar composites were investigated. An important feature of 1-3 type composites is that the dc field is efficiently applied to the high-permittivity ferroelectric phase. With the increase of resin epoxy content, the tunability of the composite remains nearly unchanged while the permittivity decreases much. The coefficient of dielectric nonlinearity β increases sharply with the increase of resin epoxy volume and β increases up to 2.8 × 1012 when the resin epoxy volume is 90%. These properties make 1-3 type composites very promising for potential tunable device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BiScO3–PbTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics were fabricated by the conventional solid state reaction method. The effects of sintering atmosphere on microstructure and electrical properties of BiScO3–PbTiO3 were studied. Different weight changes were found in samples sintered in different atmospheres. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that all the samples have perovskite structure and a second phase is observed in the samples sintered in sacrificial powders. EDS analysis suggests the second phase could be the compound containing Bi and Pb. Samples sintered in air show lower dielectric constant than those sintered in sacrificial powders, but a higher piezoelectric coefficient. The resisitivity of samples sintered in air is about one order of magnitude higher than that of those sintered in sacrificial powders. These results suggest a promising method to gain BiScO3–PbTiO3 high-temperature piezoceramics with excellent electromechanical properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An accumulation gate enhanced power U-shaped metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (UMOSFET) integrated with a Schottky rectifier is proposed. In this device, a Schottky rectifier is integrated into each cell of the accumulation gate enhanced power UMOSFET. Specific on-resistances of 7.7 mΩ· mm2 and 6.5 mΩ· mm2 for the gate bias voltages of 5 V and 10 V are achieved, respectively, and the breakdown voltage is 61 V. The numerical simulation shows a 25% reduction in the reverse recovery time and about three orders of magnitude reduction in the leakage current as compared with the accumulation gate enhanced power UMOSFET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our recent studies suggest that H2 (hydrogen) has a potential as a novel radioprotector without known toxic side effects. The present study was designed to examine the underlying radioprotective mechanism of H2 and its protective role on irradiated germ cells. Produced by the Fenton reaction and radiolysis of H2O, hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were identified as the free radical species that were reduced by H2. We used a H2 microelectrode to dynamically detect H2 concentration in vivo, and found H2 significantly reduced in situ fluorescence intensity of hydroxyphenyl fluorescein; however, as we treated the mice with H2 after irradiation, the decrease is not significant. We found that pre-treatment of H2 to IR (ionizing radiation) significantly suppressed the reaction of •OH and the cellular macromolecules which caused lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl and oxidatively damaged DNA. The radioprotective effect of H2 on male germ cells was supported by ameliorated apoptotic findings examined by morphological changes and TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling) in testicular tissue, and by preserved viability of stem spermatogonia examined for testicular histological parameters, daily sperm production and sperm quality; we used WR-2721 [S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethyl phosphorothioic acid] as a reference compound. Our results represent the first in vivo evidence in support of a radioprotective role of H2 by neutralizing •OH in irradiated tissue with no side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The doped 0.25 Pb(Mg1/3 Nb2/3) O3-0.40 PbTiO3-0.35 PbZrO3 ( PMN-PZT) ceramics with pure perovskite phase were prepared by one-step oxide-mixed method and conventional columbite method. The phase structure and electrical properties were systematically investigated. Crystallites of the ceramic fabricated by the oxide-mixed method are partially oriented with the c-axis, while samples prepared from columbite method are randomly oriented. This crystalline orientation enabled better electric properties, especially a higher piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 760 pC/N and electromechanical coupling factor kp of 69%. Materials fabricated from the oxide-mixed method are attractive for high-performance piezoelectric actuator and this simple method may have a great prospect in industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Al–Ti–B refiners with excess-Ti perform adequately for wrought aluminum alloys but inefficiently in the case of foundry alloys. The high content of silicon in the latter, which forms silicides with Ti and severely impairs the refining potency of the nuclei, is known to be responsible for the poor performance. Hence, new grain refiners, such as Al–3B and Al–3Ti–3B master alloys with excess-B have been developed with well documented advantages for Al–Si alloys. It is very desirable to involve TiAl3 particles in the Al–3Ti–3B master alloy to maximize its grain refining efficiency. However, fading phenomenon is a key drawback for application of the TiAl3-containing refiners in aluminum foundry. In the present work, new Al–3Ti–3B grain refiners, containing TiB2, AlB12 and TiAl3 particles were developed with an aim to prolong the acting time after inoculation. The results showed that inoculation of Al–7Si alloy with thus meliorated Al–3Ti–3B grain refiner has produced a fine grain structure which was approximately maintained up to 30min. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Junction barrier Schottky (JBS) rectifiers with p-well on 4H-SiC for improving the electrical performance are proposed. Compared with the common JBS rectifier, the devices show an increasing breakdown voltage due to a uniform electric field. Forward and reverse characteristics have been verified at room and elevated temperatures. As a result, the breakdown voltage of 1.9 kV was obtained for the JBS rectifier with the \P^+ grids on the p-well (POP), and that of the JBS rectifier with the \P^+ grids in the p-well (PIP) is about 1.6 kV. The forward voltage drops of the POP and PIP JBS rectifiers at a current density of 100 \A/cm^2 are 3 and 3.2 V, respectively. The POP and PIP JBS rectifiers have more than \3.3 \times \10^10 and \5.4 \times \10^10 on/off (1 V/ -500 V) current ratios, respectively. In addition, the output capacitance of the POP JBS rectifier at -3 V reduces about 15% relative to that of the common JBS rectifier. In addition, the figures of merit of the POP and PIP JBS rectifiers are about 4.1 times and 2.9 times that of the common JBS rectifier, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Energy-storage properties of 0.89 Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.06 BaTiO3-0.05 K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (0.89 BNT-0.06 BT-0.05 KNN) lead-free ceramics were first investigated. Measurements of dielectric properties together with switching current curves indicate a rather diffuse ferroelectric ( FE) to anti-ferroelectric ( AFE) phase transition when heating from 20°C to 90°C. The energy density ( W), which was calculated from P-E hysteresis loops, increases linearly with the external electric field when E exceeds AFE- FE transition field. W is independent of temperature and frequency, and maintains around 0.59 J/cm3 under 5.6 kV/mm in the stable AFE phase region. These properties indicate that 0.89 BNT-0.06 BT-0.05 KNN ceramics might be a promising lead-free AFE material for energy-storage capacitor application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency ( f) dependence of coercive field ( Ec) of six Pb( Zr1− x Ti x) O3 (0.20 ≤ x ≤ 0.60) bulk ceramics with different compositions was investigated at various frequencies (1-100 Hz). Scaling relations of Ec against f, Ec ∝ f β, were obtained, where the value of exponent β varied with the ceramics composition. These exponents were far smaller than that of the theoretic prediction because the domain wall motion played a major role in the frequency region. In addition, the values of the exponents were of obvious discrepancy for different phase structures with tetragonal, rhombohedral, and morphotropic phases, but nearly similar for the same phase structure with different compositions, suggesting that different domain structures influence the scaling behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aeolianite deposits on Shidao Island of the Xisha Islands, the South China Sea, contain five stages of aeolian biocalcarenites and four paleosols. The aeolian biocalcarenites consist of two sedimentary facies: dune and interdune deposits. In the dunes, large-scale festoon cross-bedding, humped cross-bedding and high-angle foreset bedding are well developed, and in the interdunes, large-scale flat-bedding and low-angle wedge shaped cross-bedding are well developed. The sedimentary structures and lamella features indicate that the aeolian deposits are driven mainly by the northeast monsoon. The aeolian biocalcarenite and paleosols may reflect the arid and humid climates of the East Asian monsoon, respectively. By comparison with the stalagmite oxygen isotope climosequence of Hulu Cave, Nanjing, we inferred that the aeolianite formed in the last glacial stage, and the paleosols were formed during relatively long-term warm events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Human leukocyte antigen(HLA)–G could inhibit functions of immune cells and induce regulatory T cells (Treg) and could be involved in antitumor immune responses. In the current study, HLA-G expression in 58 primary breast cancer lesions was analyzed with immunohistochemistry. Plasma soluble HLA-G was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 92 breast cancer patients and in 70 normal healthy donors. The proportion of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg was analyzed with flow cytometry in 64 breast cancer patients and 23 normal controls. HLA-G expression was observed in 70.7% (41/58) of breast cancer lesions. Lesion HLA-G expression was more frequently observed in advanced disease stage (I/II vs III/IV, p = 0.044) and tumor grade (I/II vs III/IV, p = 0.021). sHLA-G was dramatically increased in patients when compared with normal controls (median 82.19 vs 9.65 U/ml, p < 0.001); The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for sHLA-G was 0.953 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.926–0.981, p < 0.001). However, sHLA-G was irrelevant to the disease stage and tumor grade. Moreover, CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg are markedly increased in the breast cancer patients compared with normal controls (4.46±1.36% vs 2.67±1.45%, p < 0.001), and the increased frequency of Treg was strongly correlated to sHLA-G levels (R = 0.582, p = 0.001). Our findings indicated that HLA-G could play critical roles in the progression of breast cancer, and plasma sHLA-G levels might be a useful preoperative biomarker for diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Biocatalysis of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) to ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate [(S)-CHBE] was carried out using Escherichia coli co-expressing a carbonyl reductase gene from Pichia stipitis and a glucose dehydrogenase gene from Bacillus megaterium. An efficient polycistronic plasmid with a high-level of enzyme co-expression was constructed by changing the order of the genes, altering the Shine–Dalgarno (SD) regions, and aligned spacing (AS) between the SD sequence and the translation initiation codon. The optimal SD sequence was 5-TAAGGAGG-3, and the optimal AS distance was eight nucleotides. Asymmetric reduction of COBE to (S)-CHBE with more than 99% enantiomeric excess was demonstrated by transformants, using a water/ethyl caprylate system. The recombinant cells produced 1260mM product in the organic phase, and the total turnover number, defined as moles (S)-CHBE formed per mole NADP+, was 12,600, which was more than 10-fold higher than in aqueous systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The ferroelectric hysteresis loops of (1− x)BiScO3–xPbTiO3 (BSPT) ceramics with different phase structure were measured under sinusoidal electric fields. Three-stage behaviors between ln〈A〉 (〈A〉 is hysteresis loop area) and ln E 0 (E 0 is the amplitude of field) were identified with the increasing of E 0. These three-stage behaviors reflected different polarization behavior in each stage, which were distinct from the existing two-stage behavior. The shifting of dividing points between two stages with the evolution of phase structure revealed that in the tetragonal phase domain switching has a higher activation field due to the different domain structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]