bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular-dynamics analysis of mobile helium cluster reactions near surfaces of plasma-exposed tungsten
Authors: Hu Lin , Hammond Karl D. , Wirth Brian D. , Maroudas Dimitrios
Published: October 2015

We report the results of a systematic atomic-scale analysis of the reactions of small mobile helium clusters (Hen, 4 ≤ n ≤ 7) near low-Miller-index tungsten (W) surfaces, aiming at a fundamental understanding of the near-surface dynamics of helium-carrying species in plasma-exposed tungsten. These small mobile helium clusters are attracted to the surface and migrate to the surface by Fickian diffusion and drift due to the thermodynamic driving force for surface segregation. As the clusters migrate toward the surface, trap mutation (TM) and cluster dissociation reactions are activated at rates higher than in the bulk. TM produces W adatoms and immobile complexes of helium clusters surrounding W vacancies located within the lattice planes at a short distance from the surface. These reactions are identified and characterized in detail based on the analysis of a large number of molecular-dynamics trajectories for each such mobile cluster near W(100), W(110), and W(111) surfaces. TM is found to be the dominant cluster reaction for all cluster and surface combinations, except for the He4 and He5 clusters near W(100) where cluster partial dissociation following TM dominates. We find that there exists a critical cluster size, n = 4 near W(100) and W(111) and n = 5 near W(110), beyond which the formation of multiple W adatoms and vacancies in the TM reactions is observed. The identified cluster reactions are responsible for important structural, morphological, and compositional features in the plasma-exposed tungsten, including surface adatom populations, near-surface immobile helium-vacancy complexes, and retained helium content, which are expected to influence the amount of hydrogen re-cycling and tritium retention in fusion tokamaks.
Domain formation and polarization reversal under atomic force microscopy-tip voltages in ion-sliced LiNbO3 films on SiO2/LiNbO3 substrates
Authors: Gainutdinov R. V. , Volk T. R. , Zhang H. H.
Published: October 2015

We report on studies on writing of micro- and nanodomains and specified domain patterns by AFM-tip voltages UDC in thin (0.5 μm thick) ion-sliced LiNbO3 films embedded to SiO2/LiNbO3 substrates. A peculiar feature is an overlapping of domains as the distance between them decreases. Piezoelectric hysteresis loops were measured in a wide range of UDC pulse durations. Domain dynamics and characteristics of hysteresis loops reveal marked distinctions from those observed so far in LiNbO3 films and bulk crystals.
Structural and electrical properties of In-implanted Ge
Authors: Feng R. , Kremer F. , Sprouster D. J. , Mirzaei S. , Decoster S. , Glover C. J. , Medling S. A. , Russo S. P. , Ridgway M. C.
Published: October 2015

We report on the effects of dopant concentration on the structural and electrical properties of In-implanted Ge. For In concentrations of ≤ 0.2 at. %, extended x-ray absorption fine structure and x-ray absorption near-edge structure measurements demonstrate that all In atoms occupy a substitutional lattice site while metallic In precipitates are apparent in transmission electron micrographs for In concentrations ≥0.6 at. %. Evidence of the formation of In-vacancy complexes deduced from extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements is complimented by density functional theory simulations. Hall effect measurements of the conductivity, carrier density, and carrier mobility are then correlated with the substitutional In fraction.
Plasma heating power dissipation in low temperature hydrogen plasmas
Authors: Komppula J. , Tarvainen O.
Published: October 2015

A theoretical framework for power dissipation in low temperature plasmas in corona equilibrium is developed. The framework is based on fundamental conservation laws and reaction cross sections and is only weakly sensitive to plasma parameters, e.g., electron temperature and density. The theory is applied to low temperature atomic and molecular hydrogen laboratory plasmas for which the plasma heating power dissipation to photon emission, ionization, and chemical potential is calculated. The calculated photon emission is compared to recent experimental results.
Minimal sufficient positive-operator valued measure on a separable Hilbert space
Authors: Kuramochi Yui
Published: October 2015

We introduce a concept of a minimal sufficient positive-operator valued measure (POVM), which is the least redundant POVM among the POVMs that have the equivalent information about the measured quantum system. Assuming the system Hilbert space to be separable, we show that for a given POVM, a sufficient statistic called a Lehmann-Scheffé-Bahadur statistic induces a minimal sufficient POVM. We also show that every POVM has an equivalent minimal sufficient POVM and that such a minimal sufficient POVM is unique up to relabeling neglecting null sets. We apply these results to discrete POVMs and information conservation conditions proposed by the author.
Structure-dependent localized surface plasmon resonance characteristics and surface enhanced Raman scattering performances of quasi-periodic nanoarrays: Measurements and analysis
Authors: Chen Dong , Zhou Jun , Rippa Massimo , Petti Lucia
Published: October 2015

A set of periodic and quasi-periodic Au nanoarrays with different morphologies have been fabricated by using electron beam lithography technique, and their optical properties have been examined experimentally and analyzed theoretically by scanning near-field optical microscope and finite element method, respectively. Results present that the localized surface plasmon resonance of the as-prepared Au nanoarrays exhibit the structure-depended characteristics. Comparing with the periodic nanoarrays, the quasi-periodic ones demonstrate stronger electric field enhancement, especially for Thue-Morse nanoarray. Meanwhile, the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid molecular labeled nanoarrays show that the quasi-periodic nanoarrays exhibit distinct SERS enhancement, for example, a higher enhancement factor of ∼107 is obtained for the Thue-Morse nanoarray consisted of square pillars of 100 nm size. Therefore, it is significant to optimally design and fabricate the chip-scale quasi-periodic nanoarrays with high localized electric field enhancement for SERS applications in biosensing field.
A general method for large-area and broadband enhancing photoresponsivity in graphene photodetectors
Authors: Xing Fei , Xin Wei , Jiang Wen-Shuai , Liu Zhi-Bo , Tian Jian-Guo
Published: October 2015

We report on a general method for broadband responsivity enhancement in graphene photodetectors based on the sandwiched graphene structure under total internal reflection. The optical absorption is ∼25% for transverse electric waves for pure monolayer graphene, and the responsivity of pure monolayer graphene photodetectors is 0.012 A/W, which is one or two orders of magnitude larger than the normal incidence excitation. The enhanced responsivity covers a wide wavelength range from 300 to 1550 nm. Further, this method is not limited by the device, and it is a general method used to improve the light-graphene coupling, thus increasing the responsivity of graphene photodetectors largely. And this method allows large area preparation to meet the needs of the free space light detections.
First-order ferromagnetic transition in single-crystalline (Mn,Fe)2(P,Si)
Authors: Yibole H. , Guillou F. , Huang Y. K. , Blake G. R. , Lefering A. J. E. , van Dijk N. H. , Brück E.
Published: October 2015

(Mn,Fe)2(P,Si) single crystals have been grown by flux method. Single crystal X-ray diffraction demonstrates that Mn0.83Fe1.17P0.72Si0.28 crystallizes in a hexagonal Fe2P crystal structure (space group P6¯2m) at both 100 and 280 K, in the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic states, respectively. Magnetization measurements show that the crystals display a first-order ferromagnetic phase transition at their Curie temperature (TC). The preferred magnetization direction is along the c axis. A weak magnetic anisotropy of K1 = 0.28 × 106 J/m3 and K2 = 0.22 × 106 J/m3 is found at 5 K. A series of discontinuous magnetization jumps is observed far below TC by increasing the field at constant temperature. These magnetization jumps are irreversible, occur spontaneously at a constant temperature and magnetic field, but can be restored by cycling across the first-order phase transition.
Temperature dependent dual hydrogen sensor response of Pd nanoparticle decorated Al doped ZnO surfaces
Authors: Gupta D. , Dutta D. , Kumar M. , Barman P. B. , Som T. , Hazra S. K.
Published: October 2015

Sputter deposited Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films exhibit a dual hydrogen sensing response in the temperature range 40 °C–150 °C after surface modifications with palladium nanoparticles. The unmodified AZO films showed no response in hydrogen in the temperature range 40 °C–150 °C. The operational temperature windows on the low and high temperature sides have been estimated by isolating the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature zone of the sensor device. The gas response pattern was modeled by considering various adsorption isotherms, which revealed the dominance of heterogeneous adsorption characteristics. The Arrhenius adsorption barrier showed dual variation with change in hydrogen gas concentration on either side of the semiconductor-to-metal transition. A detailed analysis of the hydrogen gas response pattern by considering the changes in nano palladium due to hydrogen adsorption, and semiconductor-to-metal transition of nanocrystalline Al doped ZnO layer due to temperature, along with material characterization studies by glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, are presented.
Splashing of high speed droplet train impinging on a hot surface
Authors: Qiu Lu , Dubey Swapnil , Choo Fook Hoong , Duan Fei
Published: October 2015

Transition phenomena are observed when a water droplet train (with up to 18.9 m/s in velocity and 39.20 kHz in frequency) impinges onto a heated copper surface (up to 250 °C). The hydrodynamic flow pattern strongly depends on the wall temperature. The surface temperature does not apparently influence the spreading speed when the wall temperature is less than the boiling temperature, but it enhances the spreading rate significantly at higher surface temperatures. A “steady-state” wetting surface area can be reached when the water supply rate equals the water consumption rate. The time-independent spreading diameter decreases with an increase in the wall temperature until an ultimate diameter of the “steady-state” wetting area is observed at around 0.4 mm, 3.4 times the droplet diameter, when the surface temperature is higher than 190 °C. Moreover, unlike the random direction splashing when wall temperature is less than 180 °C, a stable splashing angle is established at higher wall temperatures. However, the angle reduces apparently with the increase in the wall temperature.
Band alignment and photon extraction studies of Na-doped MgZnO/Ga-doped ZnO heterojunction for light-emitter applications
Authors: Pandey Sushil Kumar , Awasthi Vishnu , Sengar Brajendra Singh , Garg Vivek , Sharma Pankaj , Kumar Shailendra , Mukherjee C. , Mukherjee Shaibal
Published: October 2015

Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy is carried out to measure the energy discontinuity at the interface of p-type Na-doped MgZnO (NMZO)/n-type Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) heterojunction grown by dual ion beam sputtering. The offset values at valence band and conduction band of NMZO/GZO heterojunction are calculated to be 1.93 and −2.36 eV, respectively. The p-type conduction in NMZO film has been confirmed by Hall measurement and band structure. Moreover, the effect of Ar+ ion sputtering on the valence band onset values of NMZO and GZO thin films has been investigated. This asymmetric waveguide structure formed by the lower refractive index of GZO than that of NMZO indicates that easy extraction of photons generated in GZO through the NMZO layer into free space. The asymmetric waveguide structure has potential applications to produce ZnO-based light emitters with high extraction efficiency.
Methane emission and bioenergy potential from livestock manures in Mexico
Authors: Hernandez-De Lira Inty Omar , Huber David H. , Espinosa-Solares Teodoro , Balagurusamy Nagamani
Published: October 2015

Methane is an important greenhouse gas contributing to the global climate change leading to global warming and livestock accounts as one of the major sources of methane emission. Although, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has developed guidelines to quantify emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management, it is recently reported that the National methane emission in U.S. is underestimated by a factor of 1.5–1.7. This study estimated the emission of methane in Mexico based on the animal census data from 2012. On an average, the total livestock in Mexico produced about 344 275 t·d−1 of animal manure. Further, a manure map of different states of Mexico was developed, and their potential methane emission was estimated. It is calculated that the total methane emission from enteric fermentation and manure is about 40 447.68 and 1307.04 Gg CO2 Eq., respectively. In the case of animal manures, beef and swine manures, respectively, contributed about 47% and 27% of total methane emission. Based on the data obtained, the bioenergy potential of Mexico by way of manure treatment using anaerobic digestion was calculated and is approximately 5910.35 TJ, which can generate 410.41 GWh of electricity and reduce emissions of methane by 2240.64 Gg CO2 Eq. The data clearly suggest that anaerobic digestion is a sustainable technology, not only for generation of renewable bioenergy but also for significant reduction in methane emission from animal manures.
Enhanced energy capture by a vertical axis wind turbine during gusty winds in an urban/suburban environment
Authors: Nguyen Lam , Metzger Meredith
Published: October 2015

Wind resource maps of annual-averaged wind speeds, typically used in the siting of wind turbines and wind farms, can grossly underpredict the actual wind energy potential in areas with highly transient or gusty winds. The goal of the present study is to quantify the additional energy capable of being harvested by a small vertical axis wind turbine using control strategies that exploit the excess energy in wind gusts. A transient-response numerical model is utilized with input from actual wind data acquired by cup-vane and sonic anemometers located in both an urban and suburban area. The total energy captured by the turbine during the year 2013, along with its overall efficiency, was determined for two different control strategies: constant rotational speed (ω) controller and ideal tip speed ratio (TSR) controller. For the case of the constant ω controller, the turbine achieves maximum efficiency when it is operated at an optimal overspeed setting, ωopt. Results indicate that ωopt can be estimated from the turbulence intensity of the wind. For the case of the ideal TSR controller, turbine efficiency was observed a plateau to a maximum value when the nondimensional turbine response parameter ζ dropped below a critical value ζc. This is as expected since turbines with fast response times (ζ < ζc) are capable of instantaneously tracking fluctuations in the wind and thus effectively capturing the high energy content contained within each wind gust. The value of ζc exhibits a dependence on the characteristic gust time scale. Over the course of the year, the turbine in conjunction with the constant ω controller, operating at ωopt, was capable of harvesting six times the energy of a naive controller operating a fixed ω based on the annual-averaged mean wind speed. The same turbine operating in conjunction with an ideal TSR controller, however, was successful in harvesting nearly thirteen times the energy of that with the naive controller. This may have significant implications on the viability of small turbines in relatively gusty urban/suburban areas, even when the annual-averaged wind speed is below a threshold typically considered practical for harvesting wind energy.
Surface confined quantum well state in MoS2(0001) thin film
Authors: Sun Jia-Tao , Song S. R. , Meng S. , Du S. X. , Liu F. , Gao H. J.
Published: October 2015

Surface confined quantum well state (scQWS) is a QWS confined around the surface of a thin film whose electronic energy is smaller than the work function of the film. The scQWS is rather rare in most thin films. Here, we show the existence of scQWS in thin films of transition metal dichalcogenides, MoS2. Signatures of scQWS are identified as the overall downward band dispersion in the bulk gap of 2 H-MoS2 thin film at larger binding energy range. These scQWSs are also characterized with a Shockley-type surface state having an inverse parabolic decay into the film and a symmetric (asymmetric) distribution of projected charge density at the two surfaces of odd-layer (even-layer) films. Our findings of scQWS in MoS2 shed some light on understanding the electronic properties of 2D materials with implications in future 2D electronic devices.
Intrinsic slow charge response in the perovskite solar cells: Electron and ion transport
Authors: Shi Jiangjian , Xu Xin , Zhang Huiyin , Luo Yanhong , Li Dongmei , Meng Qingbo
Published: October 2015

The intrinsic charge response and hysteresis characteristic in the perovskite solar cell has been investigated by an electrically modulated transient photocurrent technology. An ultraslow charge response process in the timescale of seconds is observed, which can be well explained by the ion migration in the perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 film driven by multiple electric fields derived from the heterojunction depletion charge, the external modulation, and the accumulated ion charge. Furthermore, theoretical calculation of charge transport reveals that the hysteresis behavior is also significantly influenced by the interfacial charge extraction velocity and the carrier transport properties inside the cell.
Near-field mapping of three-dimensional surface charge poles for hybridized plasmon modes
Authors: Huang Yu , Ringe Emilie , Hou Mengjing , Ma Lingwei , Zhang Zhengjun
Published: October 2015

We describe a new computational approach to mapping three-dimensional (3D) surface charge poles and thus to determine complicated and hybridized plasmon modes in metallic nanostructures via finite element method (FEM) calculations. 3D surface charge distributions at the near-field resonance energies are calculated directly using Gauss’ law. For a nanosphere dimer, we demonstrate that higher-order hybridized plasmon modes can be addressed clearly. As an improvement to conventional mapping approaches, this new approach provides a better understanding of comprehensive physical image of plasmonic systems necessary for fundamental studies and spectroscopy applications.
Relationships between biomass allocation, axis organogenesis and organ expansion under shading and water deficit conditions in grapevine
Authors: Pallas Benoît , Christophe Angélique
Published: October 2015

The relationships between whole-plant growth and morphogenetic processes under abiotic stresses are still partly unknown. Whole-plant biomass growth can be decreased by many abiotic stresses, including water deficit and shading. Two experiments were performed on potted plants of one grapevine cultivar (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Syrah) subjected to watering and shading treatments. Under water stress, plants reduced their primary and secondary axis leaf production rate, whereas secondary axis budburst was relatively unaffected. Individual leaf area was reduced and a strong decrease in leaf expansion rate was observed. Under shading, primary axis organogenesis was maintained, both secondary axis budburst rate and phytomer appearance rate were decreased, and individual leaf area slightly increased. Specific leaf area did not change under soil water deficit, whereas it increased under shading. These results confirm the existence of dynamic changes in organ sink strength and biomass allocation patterns to favour plant leaf area growth under shading, and to reduce plant leaf area and water losses by transpiration under water stress. From a modelling point of view, this study shows that functional structural models based on a C balance are not fully relevant for simulating plant growth under abiotic constraints if they do not include non-trophic relationships (hormonal signalling or plant hydraulic properties) that modify organ sink strength according to abiotic constraints.
A dual control mechanism synchronizes riboflavin and sulphur metabolism in
Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Pedrolli Danielle Biscaro , Kühm Christian , Sévin Daniel C. , Vockenhuber Michael P. , Sauer Uwe , Suess Beatrix , Mack Matthias
Published: October 2015

Significance

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) riboswitches are present in many bacteria and control genes responsible for biosynthesis and/or transport of the vitamin riboflavin. Riboflavin is the direct precursor of the flavoenzyme cofactors FMN and flavin adenine dinucleotide. When FMN levels are adequate, riboflavin biosynthesis and transport are shut down by FMN riboswitches. We now show that the protein RibR from
Bacillus subtilis
overrides this genetic decision of both FMN riboswitches. The function of RibR was previously unknown. When
B. subtilis
has an increased demand for flavins, RibR binding to FMN riboswitches allows riboflavin gene expression even in the presence of relatively high levels of FMN. Such an increased demand for flavins occurs when
B. subtilis
encounters sulphur compounds in its environment.
Putting interpreting strategies in their place
Authors: Li Xiangdong
Published: October 2015

The term strategy is increasingly mentioned in the interpreting literature. Individual strategies have been approached from various perspectives by a number of interpreting research scholars. Those strategies are used by interpreters to cope with cognitive constraints, interpreting mode-specific difficulties, and language- and culture-specific constraints. Given its importance, the author argues to include strategy training in interpreter education based on a synthesis of evidence from the current literature. This article firstly presents a state-of-theart review of research on the defining features of strategies and their varieties. It then validates the contribution of strategy training to interpreter education in terms of overcoming cognitive constraints, combating interpreting mode-specific constraints, coping with language- and culture-specific constraints, conforming to interpreting norms, revealing problem-solution relations in the interpreting process, highlighting novice-expert differences for pedagogical use, and leading to interpreter competence development. The article also provides a brief demonstration of how to teach strategies to trainees. Hopefully, this article can inspire interpreter trainers to recognize the importance of strategies and include strategy training in their teaching.
Audience Attitude and Translation Reception
Authors: McAuley Thomas E.
Published: October 2015

This article proposes askopos-based analysis of the English translations of the eleventh century Japanese literary work,Genji monogatari(“The Tale of Genji”) as a means of understanding the basis for the translations’ differing receptions among their target audiences. The translations, by Suematsu Kenchō, Arthur Waley, Edward Seidensticker and Royall Tyler, are widely spaced chronologically, being published between 1888–2001, and were each produced with differing audiences and aims, thus making them a useful corpus for this analysis. In addition, all of the translators have written, with varying degrees of explicitness, about their motivations and purposes in conducting their translations. First, through an analysis of the translators’ writings, introductions, and individual circumstances, the article will demonstrate how theskoposfor each translation can be determined. Second, through an analysis and comparison of text excerpts, it will demonstrate how theskoposinfluenced the translation choices of the individual translators, with material being, for example, omitted, changed in psychological tone, or rendered more explicit, depending upon the individual translator’s overriding purpose in their work. Finally, through an analysis of the reviews of the various translations, it will consider the extent to which each translator was successful in achieving a positive and intended response to his translation in the target audience.
Articulate forgiveness and normative constraints
Authors: Warmke Brandon
Published: October 2015

Philosophers writing on forgiveness typically defend the Resentment Theory of Forgiveness, the view that forgiveness is (or crucially implicates) the overcoming of resentment. Rarely is much more said about the nature of resentment or how it is overcome when one forgives. Pamela Hieronymi, however, has advanced detailed accounts both of the nature of resentment and how one overcomes resentment when one forgives. In this paper, I argue that Hieronymi’s account of the nature of forgiveness is committed to two implausible claims about the norms bearing on forgiveness. Her account is highly instructive, however, for it brings into relief how certain intuitive views about the norms of forgiveness should be used to constrain our theories about its nature. I conclude by defending this methodological proposal.
Language and education laws in multi-ethnic de facto states: the cases of Abkhazia and Transnistria
Authors: Comai Giorgio , Venturi Bernardo
Published: October 2015

Even after the conflicts of the early 1990s that brought them to their de facto independence, both Abkhazia and Transnistria remained strongly multi-ethnic. In both territories, no single ethnic group is an absolute majority and Russian is the language that is mostly spoken on the streets of Sukhumi and Tiraspol. Legislators of both entities felt the need to deal with multi-ethnicity and multilingualism, including in their constitutions, in laws related to education, or more directly with specific language laws (1992 law “On languages” in Transnistria; 2007 law “On the state language in Abkhazia”). The protection of linguistic rights that is formally part of the legislation of both territories finds limitations in practice. The language of education has proved to be particularly contentious, in particular for Moldovan/Romanian language schools in Transnistria and Georgian language schools in Abkhazia. Why are language laws in Abkhazia and Transnistria so different, in spite of the fact that they are both post-Soviet, multi-ethnic territories that became de facto independent in the early 1990s? The different approaches found in Abkhazia and Transnistria represent remarkable examples of language legislation as a tool for nation-building in ethnically heterogeneous territories.
Dependency redux: why Africa is not rising
Authors: Taylor Ian
Published: October 2015

Whilst numerous accounts claim that the continent is on the rise, driven by high growth rates and supposed better governance and economic policies, Africa's dependent position in the global economy is being reified. This article seeks to analyse the dynamics which are accompanying a notional ‘rise’ of Africa but which are actually contributing to the continent being pushed further and further into underdevelopment and dependency. It calls into question the superficial accounts of a continent on the move or that declare that the continent has somehow turned a definitive page in its history. A ‘rise’ based on an intensification of resource extraction whilst dependency deepens, inequality increases and de-industrialisation continues apace, cannot be taken seriously. A model based on growth-for-growth's sake has replaced development and the agenda of industrialisation and moving Africa up the global production chain has been discarded. Instead, Africa's current ‘comparative advantage’ as a primary commodity exporter is celebrated and reinforced. History repeats itself.
Jung and non-duality: some clinical and theoretical implications of the self as totality of the psyche
Authors: Corbett Lionel , Whitney Leanne
Published: October 2015

Some of Jung's writing reveals a non-dual sensibility, especially when he describes the Self as the totality of the psyche, and in his stress on theunus mundusand synchronicity. But overall he tends to favor a dualistic approach to the psyche; he never relinquishes the importance of the ego, he believes that the Self needs the ego to become conscious of itself, and he does not focus on pure consciousness beyond its images. This paper compares Jung's notion of the Self with descriptions of consciousness in various non-dual religious traditions. We suggest that because the Self is the ultimate subject, it can never be an object of consciousness. We suggest some of the implications of non-dual philosophy for psychotherapy.
Sp1‐Mediated Nonmuscle Myosin Light Chain Kinase Expression and Enhanced Activity in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor–Induced Vascular Permeability
Authors: Shimizu Yuka , Camp Sara M. , Sun Xiaoguang , Zhou Tong , Wang Ting , Garcia Joe G. N.
Published: October 2015

Despite the important role played by the nonmuscle isoform of myosin light chain kinase (nmMLCK) in vascular barrier regulation and the implication of both nmMLCK and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the role played by nmMLCK in VEGF‐induced vascular permeability is poorly understood. In this study, the role played by nmMLCK in VEGF‐induced vascular hyperpermeability was investigated. Human lung endothelial cell barrier integrity in response to VEGF is examined in both the absence and the presence of nmMLCK small interfering RNAs. Levels of nmMLCK messenger RNA (mRNA), protein, and promoter activity expression were monitored after VEGF stimulation in lung endothelial cells. nmMYLK promoter activity was assessed using nmMYLK promoter luciferase reporter constructs with a series of nested deletions. nmMYLK transcriptional regulation was further characterized by examination of a key transcriptional factor. nmMLCK plays an important role in VEGF‐induced permeability. We found that activation of the VEGF signaling pathway in lung endothelial cells increases MYLK gene product at both mRNA and protein levels. Increased nmMLCK mRNA and protein expression is a result of increased nmMYLK promoter activity, regulated in part by binding of the Sp1 transcription factor on triggering by the VEGF signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings suggest that MYLK is an important ARDS candidate gene and a therapeutic target that is highly influenced by excessive VEGF concentrations in the inflamed lung.
Diagnosing Hodgkin Lymphoma From an Endobronchial Ultrasound Core Needle Biopsy
Authors: Furukawa Brian S. , Bernstein Matthew , Siddiqi Nasar , Pastis Nicholas J.
Published: October 2015

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) commonly presents as isolated mediastinal adenopathy. Although there is evidence to support minimally invasive techniques such as endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) fine-needle aspiration as the initial diagnostic test for suspected lymphoma involving the mediastinum, it consistently performs the poorest at definitively diagnosing HL for a variety of reasons, and therefore histology specimens are usually required. We present a case of HL presenting as isolated mediastinal adenopathy that was definitively diagnosed on EBUS using a 22 G coring needle in which cellular and histologic specimens were obtained, allowing the core biopsy to be fixed in formalin and treated as a surgical specimen. The patient started treatment soon after the procedure without requiring any further invasive tests. Although it seems intuitive that a coring EBUS needle would be advantageous in diseases such as HL, further studies are needed before definitive recommendations can be made.
Homomorphic ZW chromosomes 1 in a wild strawberry show distinctive recombination heterogeneity but a small sex-determining region
Authors: Tennessen Jacob A , Govindarajulu Rajanikanth , Liston Aaron , Ashman Tia-Lynn
Published: October 2015

Recombination in ancient, heteromorphic sex chromosomes is typically suppressed at the sex-determining region (SDR) and proportionally elevated in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR). However, little is known about recombination dynamics of young, homomorphic plant sex chromosomes.

We examine male and female function in crosses and unrelated samples of the dioecious octoploid strawberryFragaria chiloensisin order to map the small and recently evolved SDR controlling both traits and to examine recombination patterns on the incipient ZW chromosome.

The SDR of this ZW system is located within a 280kb window, in which the maternal recombination rate is lower than the paternal. In contrast to the SDR, the maternal PAR recombination rate is much higher than the rates of the paternal PAR or autosomes, culminating in an elevated chromosome-wide rate. W-specific divergence is elevated within the SDR and a single polymorphism is observed in high species-wide linkage disequilibrium with sex.

Selection for recombination suppression within the small SDR may be weak, but fluctuating sex ratios could favor elevated recombination in the PAR to remove deleterious mutations on the W. The recombination dynamics of this nascent sex chromosome with a modestly diverged SDR may be typical of other dioecious plants.
A strenuous experimental journey searching for spectroscopic evidence of a bridging nickel–iron–hydride in [NiFe] hydrogenase
Authors: Wang Hongxin , Yoda Yoshitaka , Ogata Hideaki , Tanaka Yoshihito , Lubitz Wolfgang
Published: October 2015

Direct spectroscopic evidence for a hydride bridge in the Ni–R form of [NiFe] hydrogenase has been obtained using iron-specific nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS). The Ni–H–Fe wag mode at 675 cm−1is the first spectroscopic evidence for a bridging hydride in Ni–R as well as the first iron-hydride-related NRVS feature observed for a biological system. Although density function theory (DFT) calculation assisted the determination of the Ni–R structure, it did not predict the Ni–H–Fe wag mode at ∼675 cm−1before NRVS. Instead, the observed Ni–H–Fe mode provided a critical reference for the DFT calculations. While the overall science about Ni–R is presented and discussed elsewhere, this article focuses on the long and strenuous experimental journey to search for and experimentally identify the Ni–H–Fe wag mode in a Ni–R sample. As a methodology, the results presented here will go beyond Ni–R and hydrogenase research and will also be of interest to other scientists who use synchrotron radiation for measuring dilute samples or weak spectroscopic features.
The new structure type Gd3Ni7Al14
Authors: Pukas Svitlana , Gladyshevskii Roman
Published: October 2015

The crystal structure of Gd3Ni7Al14(trigadolinium heptanickel tetradecaaluminide) belongs to a family of two-layer structures and can be described as an assembly of interpenetrating centred straight prisms. For the Ni atoms, trigonal prisms (Al4Gd2and Al6) are observed, the Al atoms are inside tetragonal (Ni2Al2Gd4, Ni2Al4Gd2, Al4Gd4, Ni4Al4and Al8) and pentagonal (Ni4Al6and Al10) prisms, while the Gd atoms are at the centres of pentagonal (Ni4Al6) and hexagonal (Ni4Al8) prisms. In each case, the true coordination polyhedron is a capped prism, also including atoms from the same layer. The structural features of Gd3Ni7Al14are similar to those of the intermetallides PrNi2Al3and ZrNiAl. In all these structures, Ni-centred trigonal prisms form infinite columnsviacommon triangular faces. The columns share prism edges and form a three-dimensional framework with six-membered rings in the (001) plane in the case of the PrNi2Al3and ZrNiAl types. In the case of Gd3Ni7Al14, six-membered rings are also observed, but only two-thirds of the rings are interconnectedviaprism edges.
Structure of a fungal form of aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase fromCryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Dahal Gopal , Viola Ronald E.
Published: October 2015

Aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ASADH) functions at a critical junction in the aspartate-biosynthetic pathway and represents a valid target for antimicrobial drug design. This enzyme catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reductive dephosphorylation of β-aspartyl phosphate to produce the key intermediate aspartate semialdehyde. Production of this intermediate represents the first committed step in the biosynthesis of the essential amino acids methionine, isoleucine and threonine in fungi, and also the amino acid lysine in bacteria. The structure of a new fungal form of ASADH fromCryptococcus neoformanshas been determined to 2.6 Å resolution. The overall structure ofCnASADH is similar to those of its bacterial orthologs, but with some critical differences both in biological assembly and in secondary-structural features that can potentially be exploited for the development of species-selective drugs.
Structure ofEscherichia colitryptophanase purified from an alkaline-stressed bacterial culture
Authors: Rety Stephane , Deschamps Patrick , Leulliot Nicolas
Published: October 2015

Tryptophanase is a bacterial enzyme involved in the degradation of tryptophan to indole, pyruvate and ammonia, which are compounds that are essential for bacterial survival. Tryptophanase is often overexpressed in stressed cultures. Large amounts of endogenous tryptophanase were purified fromEscherichia coliBL21 strain overexpressing another recombinant protein. Tryptophanase was crystallized in space groupP6522 in the apo form without pyridoxal 5′-phosphate bound in the active site.
Production, crystallization and neutron diffraction of fully deuterated human myelin peripheral membrane protein P2
Authors: Laulumaa Saara , Blakeley Matthew P. , Raasakka Arne , Moulin Martine , Härtlein Michael , Kursula Petri
Published: October 2015

The molecular details of the formation of the myelin sheath, a multilayered membrane in the nervous system, are to a large extent unknown. P2 is a peripheral membrane protein from peripheral nervous system myelin, which is believed to play a role in this process. X-ray crystallographic studies and complementary experiments have provided information on the structure–function relationships in P2. In this study, a fully deuterated sample of human P2 was produced. Crystals that were large enough for neutron diffraction were grown by a ten-month procedure of feeding, and neutron diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.4 Å from a crystal of 0.09 mm3in volume. The neutron crystal structure will allow the positions of H atoms in P2 and its fatty-acid ligand to be visualized, as well as shedding light on the fine details of the hydrogen-bonding networks within the P2 ligand-binding cavity.
Crystallization and X-ray diffraction studies of a complete bacterial fatty-acid synthase type I
Authors: Enderle Mathias , McCarthy Andrew , Paithankar Karthik Shivaji , Grininger Martin
Published: October 2015

While a deep understanding of the fungal and mammalian multi-enzyme type I fatty-acid synthases (FAS I) has been achieved in recent years, the bacterial FAS I family, which is narrowly distributed within the Actinomycetales generaMycobacterium,CorynebacteriumandNocardia, is still poorly understood. This is of particular relevance for two reasons: (i) although homologous to fungal FAS I, cryo-electron microscopic studies have shown that bacterial FAS I has unique structural and functional properties, and (ii)M. tuberculosisFAS I is a drug target for the therapeutic treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and therefore is of extraordinary importance as a drug target. Crystals of FAS I fromC. efficiens, a homologue ofM. tuberculosisFAS I, were produced and diffracted X-rays to about 4.5 Å resolution.
Exploring the antecedents of firm performance in a Latin-American and European diverse industrial context
Authors: Díaz-Fernández M. Carmen , González-Rodríguez M. Rosario , Paddison Brendan
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the top management team (TMT) intangible assets (demographical and managerial experience) diversity which influences firm performance in a diverse industrial context.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses 159 whole TMTs from Latin American and European enterprises. The study focuses on three indicators (sales, return on assets and return on sales) as proxies of firm performance. The hypotheses formulated were tested using panel data and applying a random-effects model.

Findings

The paper reveals a large degree of volatility in the findings depending on the type of firm performance indicator. This provides insights regarding the controversy surrounding the black box Upper Echelon Theory and for entrepreneurial purposes concerning the relationship between TMT composition and the achievement of a high level performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study could be extended by analysing other important variables, such as top mangers’ physiological traits and cultural differences within the TMTs. The analysis could also be applied to a wider geographical area.

Practical implications

This paper may help enterprises to reach a better understanding of their TMT’s internal complex diversity by providing appropriate insights for a better decision-making process required to achieve an accurate firm outcome.

Originality/value

The paper is an extension on prior studies not only by focusing on a different geographical area different from the traditional USA context but also applying a longitudinal study scarcely applied in the demographic literature. In addition, attributes for all the TMT’s members (not only CEOs), three different proxies of performance and a highly diverse industry context from Latin American and European companies have been considered.
Explaining job satisfaction and intentions to quit from a value-risk perspective
Authors: Valle Mauricio A. , Ruz Gonzalo A. , Varas Samuel
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of risk aversion (RA) on expected income and job satisfaction (JS) with pay in the case of sales agents under a compensation system based on pay-for-performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 125 sales agents of an outbound call center via questionnaires and controlled experiments. Seemingly unrelated equations using maximum likelihood estimation was employed to estimate the proposed model and test relationships.

Findings

Findings show that income expectations (IE) respond to a model of trade-off between value and risk. The sales agents trade off their expected value of performance (i.e. expected income) with RA. Additionally, IE and actual performance of the salesperson have influence on JS with pay with opposite signs.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this research may need to be modified to consider jobs with compensation systems with a higher proportion of fixed component of the wage than the variable component. Also, a broader concept of JS and not just related to the pay, should be considered.

Practical implications

Given the importance of RA in the attitudes of employees in relation to their expectations, the authors believe that it should be necessary and useful to incorporate measures of RA in the process of selection and recruitment for these jobs.

Originality/value

This paper assessed an important element as the RA at the micro level inside of an organization. This element could be very important for job environments with high uncertainty in income that could influence JS via employee expectations.
Adoption of IFRS in an emerging market: the Chilean case
Authors: Espinosa Christian , Maquieira Carlos , Diaz Fernando , Abarca Allyson
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact triggered by adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in South America. In order to do this, the case of Chile is considered, as it was the first country in the region to adopt IFRS in full form from 2009.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze a sample of 43 Chilean companies. The analysis has two stages. First, the authors analyze if the adoption of IFRS in Chile produced a statistically significant change in the main financial indicators. Then, the authors analyze the market reaction to the announcement of the adoption and implementation of IFRS, by doing an event study.

Findings

The authors found that adopting IFRS in Chile produced a statistically significant change in the main financial indicators, except for in leverage and Price-Earnings Ratios. As for the main accounts of the financial statements, the authors found significant differences, with the exception of inventories and current assets. However, after assessing the market reaction to the announcement of the adoption and implementation of IFRS, by studying the events, the authors report neither reward nor punishment by the market.

Originality/value

This paper pioneers the analysis of the impact triggered by adopting IFRS in South America. The authors results apply not only to Chile but also to a number of South American countries since many of these countries share similar characteristics with Chile.
Modern slavery and the supply chain: the limits of corporate social responsibility?
Authors: New Stephen John
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– This conceptual paper aims to examine modern slavery in the supply chain, showing how the issue challenges conventional thinking and practice in corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper considers the differences between modern slavery and other concerns within CSR. It examines legal attempts to encourage supply chain transparency and the use of corporate CSR methods. An example of forced labour in UK agriculture is used to develop a critique of these approaches. The paper examines the challenges facing research in this important area.

Findings

– The paper shows that the distinctive characteristics of modern slavery may make conventional supply chain CSR practices relatively ineffective. A holistic perspective may be needed in future research.

Research limitations/implications

– Researchers need to focus less on the espoused policies of corporations, and more on the enacted practice.

Social implications

– Modern slavery is universally accepted as a shameful blight on society; firms’ supply chain practices may be part of the problem.

Originality/value

– The paper’s contribution is to point to the potential differences between modern slavery and other CSR-related issues and to highlight the paradox that firms’ approaches to the issue may run in parallel with actions that foster the problem in the first place.