bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Light induced instability mechanism in amorphous InGaZn oxide semiconductors
Authors: Robertson John , Guo Yuzheng
Published: April 2014

A model of the negative bias illumination stress instability in InGaZn oxide is presented, based on the photo-excitation of electrons from oxygen interstitials. The O interstitials are present to compensate hydrogen donors. The O interstitials are found to spontaneously form in O-rich conditions for Fermi energies at the conduction band edge, much more easily that in related oxides. The excited electrons give rise to a persistent photoconductivity due to an energy barrier to recombination. The formation energy of the O interstitials varies with their separation from the H donors, which leads to a voltage stress dependence on the compensation.
Crystalline Si nanoparticles below crystallization threshold: Effects of collisional heating in non-thermal atmospheric-pressure microplasmas
Authors: Askari S. , Levchenko I. , Ostrikov K. , Maguire P. , Mariotti D.
Published: April 2014

Nucleation and growth of highly crystalline silicon nanoparticles in atmospheric-pressure low-temperature microplasmas at gas temperatures well below the Si crystallization threshold and within a short (100 μs) period of time are demonstrated and explained. The modeling reveals that collision-enhanced ion fluxes can effectively increase the heat flux on the nanoparticle surface and this heating is controlled by the ion density. It is shown that nanoparticles can be heated to temperatures above the crystallization threshold. These combined experimental and theoretical results confirm the effective heating and structure control of Si nanoparticles at atmospheric pressure and low gas temperatures.
Josephson effects in three-band superconductors with broken time-reversal symmetry
Authors: Huang Zhao , Hu Xiao
Published: April 2014

In superconductors with three or more bands, time-reversal symmetry (TRS) may be broken in the presence of repulsive interband couplings, resulting in a pair of degenerate states characterized by opposite chiralities. We consider a Josephson junction between a three-band superconductor with broken TRS and a single-band superconductor. Phenomena such as asymmetric critical currents, subharmonic Shapiro steps, and symmetric Fraunhhofer patterns are revealed theoretically. Existing experimental results are discussed in terms of the present work.
A close correlation between nanostructure formations and the thickness dependence of the critical current density in pure and BaSnO3-added GdBa2Cu3O7-δ films
Authors: Tran D. H. , Putri W. B. K. , Kang B. , Lee N. H. , Kang W. N.
Published: April 2014

A close correlation between the nanostructure formations and the thickness dependence of the in-field critical current density (Jc) in GdBa2Cu3O7-δ (GdBCO) films is reported. Pure and 2 wt. % BaSnO3 (BSO)-added GdBCO films with film thicknesses (d) ranging from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm were deposited on SrTiO3 single-crystalline substrates by using a pulsed laser deposition technique. Magnetization data measured at 77 K with the magnetic field applied parallel to the c-axis of the films showed the general trend of decreasing in-field Jc with increasing residual film thickness. The two special inversions, however, were observed at d ∼ 0.6 μm, for which the Jc’s of both the pure and BSO-added GdBCO films were larger than those of the films with d ∼ 0.4 μm. A sequential ion-milling process and scanning electron microscopy studies were employed to examine the microstructural evolution in the 1.5- μm-thick GdBCO films. For the pure GdBCO films, nanosized dislocations were observed to start growing at intersections of perpendicularly connected a-axis-oriented grains in a residual film thickness (t) of ∼ 0.6 μm and the growth persisted to the top surface of the 1.5-μm-thick GdBCO film. For the BSO-added GdBCO films, the density of BSO nanorods was estimated to be decreased versus t with an increase found at t of ∼ 0.6 μm A reason for this inversions of Jc might be the nanostructure formations at t ∼ 0.6 μm, which were proved to serve as effective pinning centers.
Large exchange bias enhancement in (Pt(or Pd)/Co)/IrMn/Co trilayers with ultrathin IrMn thanks to interfacial Cu dusting
Authors: Vinai G. , Moritz J. , Bandiera S. , Prejbeanu I. L. , Dieny B.
Published: April 2014

The magnitude of exchange bias (Hex) at room temperature can be significantly enhanced in IrMn/Co and (Pt(or Pd)/Co)/IrMn/Co structures thanks to the insertion of an ultrathin Cu dusting layer at the IrMn/Co interface. The combination of trilayer structure and interfacial Cu dusting leads to a three-fold increase in Hex as compared to the conventional IrMn/Co bilayer structure, with an increased blocking temperature (TB) and a concave curvature of the temperature dependence Hex(T), ideal for improved Thermally Assisted-Magnetic Random Access Memory storage layer. This exchange bias enhancement is ascribed to a reduction of the spin frustration at the IrMn/Co interface thanks to interfacial Cu addition.
Influences of carrier diffusion and radial mode field pattern on high speed characteristics for microring lasers
Authors: Lv Xiao-Meng , Huang Yong-Zhen , Yang Yue-De , Zou Ling-Xiu , Long Heng , Liu Bo-Wen , Xiao Jin-Long , Du Yun
Published: April 2014

High-speed directly modulated microlasers are potential light sources for on-chip optical interconnection and photonic integrated circuits. In this Letter, dynamic characteristics are studied for microring lasers by rate equation analysis considering radial carrier hole burning and diffusion and experimentally. The coupled modes with a wide radial field pattern and the injection current focused in the edge area of microring resonator can greatly improve the high speed response curve due to the less carrier hole burning. The small-signal response curves of a microring laser connected with an output waveguide exhibit a larger 3 dB bandwidth and smaller roll-off at low frequency than that of the microdisk laser with the same radius of 15 μm, which accords with the simulation results.
Highly sensitive wide bandwidth photodetectors using chemical vapor deposited graphene
Authors: Goo Kang Chang , Kyung Lee Sang , Jin Yoo Tae , Park Woojin , Jung Ukjin , Ahn Jinho , Hun Lee Byoung
Published: April 2014

A photodetector generating a nearly constant photocurrent in a very wide spectral range from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared has been demonstrated using chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene. Instability due to a photochemical reaction in the UV region has been minimized using an Al2O3 passivation layer, and a responsivity comparable to that of Highly Ordered Pyrolytic Graphite graphene photodetectors of ∼8 mA/W has been achieved at a 0.1 V bias, despite high defect density in the CVD graphene. A highly sensitive multi-band photodetector using graphene has many potential applications including optical interconnects, multi-band imaging sensors, highly sensitive motion detectors, etc.
Pressureless wafer bonding by turning hillocks into abnormal grain growths in Ag films
Authors: Oh Chulmin , Nagao Shijo , Kunimune Teppei , Suganuma Katsuaki
Published: April 2014

We demonstrate pressureless wafer bonding using silver abnormal grain growth caused by stress migration at 250 °C, which is very low for a direct solid-state bonding temperature. The bonding achieved a die-shear strength of more than 50 MPa, which exceeds the fracture toughness of Si wafer. Various deposition temperatures for the silver films, i.e., initial residual stress, reveal that the bonding process is driven by thermomechanical stress. Abnormal grain growth is induced at the contact interface instead of hillocks growing on the film surface. Pressureless wafer bonding can be applied to advanced devices such as thin-wafer multi-chip integrations.
Exploring the behavior of molybdenum diboride (MoB2): A high pressure x-ray diffraction study
Authors: Liu Pingping , Peng Fang , Yin Shuai , Liu Fangming , Wang Qiming , Zhu Xuhui , Wang Pei , Liu Jing , He Duanwei
Published: April 2014

Investigation of the equation of state of molybdenum diboride (MoB2) has been performed to 24.1 GPa using synchrotron radiation angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction techniques (ADXRD) in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) at room temperature. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray powder diffraction data reveals that the rhombohedral structure MoB2 is stable up to 24.1 GPa. The ADXRD data yield a bulk modulus K0 = 314(11) GPa with a pressure derivative K0′ = 6.4(1.5). The experimental data are discussed and compared to the results of first-principles calculations. In addition, the compressibility of the unit cell axes (a and c axes) of MoB2 demonstrates an anisotropic property with pressure increasing.
Understanding molecular interactions in light-emitting polymer bilayers: The role of solvents and molecular structure on the interface quality
Authors: de Pauli M. , Santos P. L. , Costa B. B. A. , Magalhães-Paniago R. , Cury L. A. , Malachias A.
Published: April 2014

We explore the donor/acceptor interaction between distinct polymers at sequential bilayer interfaces to understand if their emission is influenced by the solvent. Resonant soft X-ray reflectivity and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurements were used to investigate optical and morphological properties of polymer stacks, which were made using polymer chain structures diluted with different or equal solvents. We identified coupled and uncoupled bilayer systems using as a probe the exciton energy transfer effect inferred from the donor/acceptor interdiffusion region at the heterojunction interfaces. We also show that the overall emission is dominated by the affinity of the chemical structures at the interface, regardless of the solvent used for the deposition of each layer.
Progress into power conversion efficiency for solar cells based on nanostructured and realistic spectra
Authors: Aly Abou El-Maaty M.
Published: April 2014

To make the solar cell technology more competitive as a source of alternative energy, the study of how to improve its efficiency is essential. The detailed balance efficiency of traditional and one-intermediate band solar cell (one-IBSC) is analyzed by using realistic spectra at AM0 and AM1.5 under various light concentrations. Theoretically, the optimum location for one-IB is investigated to determine the maximum efficiency of one-IBSC. The quantum dot (QD) intermediate band solar cell is studied with the effect of some parameters for QD such as width size (QDW) and barrier thickness (BT) to determine the optimum location of one-IB. The main results conclude that the one-IBSC under AM0 spectrum has maximum balanced efficiencies reached to 45.70% and 63.56% for 1 Sun and maximum light concentration, respectively. While for AM1.5 spectrum these efficiencies are 49.35% and 67.60% with the same conditions of AM0 spectrum. The results also show that the maximum balanced efficiencies for one-IBSC nearly achieved when they are processed by QDs which have the main parameters, QDW and BT.
Negative refraction by a planar Ag/SiO2 multilayer at ultraviolet wavelength to the limit of silver
Authors: Zhao J. , Gao J. , Deng Y. , Liu H. , Wang X.
Published: April 2014

For planar structured hyperbolic metamaterial, the shortest wavelength achievable for negative refraction is often limited by dielectric layers, which are usually wide band gap semiconductors that absorb light strongly at wavelength shorter than their absorption edge. Here we proposed that using SiO2 may break such limitation based on effective medium theory. Through calculation and simulation we demonstrated broad angle negative refraction by a planar Ag/SiO2 layered structure at wavelength down to 326 nm. Its imaging and focusing abilities were also presented. The lower limit of wavelength here is defined by the property of silver, whose permittivity turns positive below 324 nm.
Coherent nanocavity structures for enhancement in internal quantum efficiency of III-nitride multiple quantum wells
Authors: Kim T. , Liu B. , Smith R. , Athanasiou M. , Gong Y. , Wang T.
Published: April 2014

A “coherent” nanocavity structure has been designed on two-dimensional well-ordered InGaN/GaN nanodisk arrays with an emission wavelength in the green spectral region, leading to a massive enhancement in resonance mode in the green spectra region. By means of a cost-effective nanosphere lithography technique, we have fabricated such a structure on an InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well epiwafer and have observed the “coherent” nanocavity effect, which leads to an enhanced spontaneous emission (SE) rate. The enhanced SE rate has been confirmed by time resolved photoluminescence measurements. Due to the coherent nanocavity effect, we have achieved a massive improvement in internal quantum efficiency with a factor of 88, compared with the as-grown sample, which could be significant to bridge the “green gap” in solid-state lighting.
Fractal-like charge injection kinetics in transformer oil stressed by high-voltage pulses
Authors: Zhang X. , Zahn M.
Published: April 2014

Kerr electro-optic measurements are taken to study the transient electrode charge injection in high voltage pulsed transformer oil. It is found that the injection current densities from two stainless-steel parallel-plate electrodes with distinct surface roughness display fractal-like kinetics, i.e., power-law time dependence. Our measurement data agree with numerical simulation results of the time-dependent drift-diffusion model with the experimentally determined injection current boundary conditions. The fractal-like kinetics implies that the electric double layer processes contributing to injection are diffusion-limited. Physical mechanisms based on formative steps of adsorption-reaction-desorption reveal possible connections between geometrical characteristics of electrode surfaces and fractal-like kinetics of charge injection.
Acoustic cloaking by a near-zero-index phononic crystal
Authors: Zheng Li-Yang , Wu Ying , Ni Xu , Chen Ze-Guo , Lu Ming-Hui , Chen Yan-Feng
Published: April 2014

Zero-refractive-index materials may lead to promising applications in various fields. Here, we design and fabricate a near Zero-Refractive-Index (ZRI) material using a phononic crystal (PC) composed of a square array of densely packed square iron rods in air. The dispersion relation exhibits a nearly flat band across the Brillouin zone at the reduced frequency f = 0.5443c/a, which is due to Fabry-Perot (FP) resonance. By using a retrieval method, we find that both the effective mass density and the reciprocal of the effective bulk modulus are close to zero at frequencies near the flat band. We also propose an equivalent tube network model to explain the mechanisms of the near ZRI effect. This FP-resonance-induced near ZRI material offers intriguing wave manipulation properties. We demonstrate both numerically and experimentally its ability to shield a scattering obstacle and guide acoustic waves through a bent structure.
Seedling growth rates and light requirements of subtropical rainforest trees associated with basaltic and rhyolitic soils
Authors: Lusk C. H. , Sendall K. M. , Clarke P. J.
Published: April 2014

A trade-off between shade tolerance and growth in open conditions is widely believed to underlie the dynamics of humid forests. Little is known about how the growth versus shade tolerance trade-off interacts with other major trade-offs associated with differential adaptation to major environmental factors besides light. We asked whether the growth versus shade tolerance trade-off differed between subtropical rainforest tree assemblages native to basaltic (fertile) and rhyolitic (infertile) soils in northern New South Wales, because of the allocational costs of adaptation to low nutrient availability. Seedling relative growth rates of six basalt specialists and five rhyolite specialists were measured in a glasshouse and the minimum light requirements of each species were quantified in the field by determining the 10th percentile of juvenile tree distributions in relation to understorey light availability. A similar range of light requirements was observed in the two assemblages, and although the two fastest growing species were basalt specialists, seedling growth rates did not differ significantly between the two substrates. The overall relationship between light requirements and growth rate was weak, and there was no compelling evidence that the slope or elevation of this relationship differed between the two assemblages. Growth rates were significantly correlated, overall, with specific leaf area, and marginally with leaf area ratio. The apparent similarity of the growth versus shade tolerance trade-off in the two suites of species could reflect effects of leaf nutrient content on respiration rates; basalt specialists tended to have a smaller root mass fraction, but this may have been offset by the effects of leaf nitrogen status on respiration rates, with higher respiration rates expected on fertile basaltic soils. However, the results might also partly reflect impairment of the field performance of two basalt specialists that were heavily attacked by natural enemies.
Predicting the future of plant breeding: complementing empirical evaluation with genetic prediction
Authors: Cooper Mark , Messina Carlos D. , Podlich Dean , Totir L. Radu , Baumgarten Andrew , Hausmann Neil J. , Wright Deanne , Graham Geoffrey
Published: April 2014

For the foreseeable future, plant breeding methodology will continue to unfold as a practical application of the scaling of quantitative biology. These efforts to increase the effective scale of breeding programs will focus on the immediate and long-term needs of society. The foundations of the quantitative dimension will be integration of quantitative genetics, statistics, gene-to-phenotype knowledge of traits embedded within crop growth and development models. The integration will be enabled by advances in quantitative genetics methodology and computer simulation. The foundations of the biology dimension will be integrated experimental and functional gene-to-phenotype modelling approaches that advance our understanding of functional germplasm diversity, and gene-to-phenotype trait relationships for the native and transgenic variation utilised in agricultural crops. The trait genetic knowledge created will span scales of biology, extending from molecular genetics to multi-trait phenotypes embedded within evolving genotype–environment systems. The outcomes sought and successes achieved by plant breeding will be measured in terms of sustainable improvements in agricultural production of food, feed, fibre, biofuels and other desirable plant products that meet the needs of society. In this review, examples will be drawn primarily from our experience gained through commercial maize breeding. Implications for other crops, in both the private and public sectors, will be discussed.
Current perspectives and the future of domestication studies
Authors: Larson Greger , Piperno Dolores R. , Allaby Robin G. , Purugganan Michael D. , Andersson Leif , Arroyo-Kalin Manuel , Barton Loukas , Climer Vigueira Cynthia , Denham Tim , Dobney Keith , Doust Andrew N. , Gepts Paul , Gilbert M. Thomas P. , Gremillion Kristen J. , Lucas Leilani , Lukens Lewis , Marshall Fiona B. , Olsen Kenneth M. , Pires J. Chris , Richerson Peter J. , Rubio de Casas Rafael , Sanjur Oris I. , Thomas Mark G. , Fuller Dorian Q.
Published: April 2014

It is difficult to overstate the cultural and biological impacts that the domestication of plants and animals has had on our species. Fundamental questions regarding where, when, and how many times domestication took place have been of primary interest within a wide range of academic disciplines. Within the last two decades, the advent of new archaeological and genetic techniques has revolutionized our understanding of the pattern and process of domestication and agricultural origins that led to our modern way of life. In the spring of 2011, 25 scholars with a central interest in domestication representing the fields of genetics, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geoarchaeology, and archaeology met at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center to discuss recent domestication research progress and identify challenges for the future. In this introduction to the resulting Special Feature, we present the state of the art in the field by discussing what is known about the spatial and temporal patterns of domestication, and controversies surrounding the speed, intentionality, and evolutionary aspects of the domestication process. We then highlight three key challenges for future research. We conclude by arguing that although recent progress has been impressive, the next decade will yield even more substantial insights not only into how domestication took place, but also when and where it did, and where and why it did not.
A cognitive sociolinguistic approach to metaphor and denominative variation
Authors: Ureña Gómez-Moreno José Manuel , Faber Pamela
Published: April 2014

This research applied corpus analysis techniques to a corpus of marine biology texts in Peninsular Spanish (PS) and Latin American Spanish (LAS). The results explain why these varieties of Spanish have different designations for the same sea organism. The focus of our research was thus on types of formal onomasiological variation (Geeraerts, Grondelaers, & Bakema, 1994) and its pervasiveness in Spanish scientific discourse. Also addressed was the incidence of metaphor in specialized concept formation and designation. Domain-specific and standard strategies were used for the semi-automatic retrieval of metaphorical terms. The resulting qualitative and quantitative account of terminological diversity reflected the pervasiveness of intralingual denominative variation in scientific language and also identified its causes.
Characterization of the quality of imbibed soybean at an early stage of pre-germination for the development of a new protein food item
Authors: Tamura Tomoko , Kamei Asuka , Ueda Reiko , Arai Soichi , Mura Kiyoshi
Published: April 2014

This was a pilot study carried out to develop a new protein food item from imbibed soybean before germination. It identified the significance of a short stage after imbibition and before germination, and that vitamin C production was activated in as little as 16 h from the start of imbibition, without any influence on the soy protein quality or sensory acceptability, while longer imbibition caused the imbibed soybean to activate its phytophysiological metabolism for germination. DNA microarray analysis indicated that the genes for carbohydrate metabolism were up-regulated prior to 16 h, and that the expression rates of genes responsible for environmental factors were down-regulated. Thereafter, the expression rates of the genes associated with lipid metabolism and secondary metabolite production were changed. This information should contribute to a better understanding of how to develop a new soy protein item in pre-germination before active physiological processes begin.
Enhancement of (R)-1,3-butanediol production by engineered Escherichia coli using a bioreactor system with strict regulation of overall oxygen transfer coefficient and pH
Authors: Kataoka Naoya , Vangnai Alisa S , Ueda Hiromitsu , Tajima Takahisa , Nakashimada Yutaka , Kato Junichi
Published: April 2014

(R)-1,3-butanediol ((R)-1,3-BD) is an important substrate for the synthesis of industrial chemicals. Despite its large demand, a bioprocess for the efficient production of 1,3-BD from renewable resources has not been developed. We previously reported the construction of recombinant Escherichia coli that could efficiently produce (R)-1,3-BD from glucose. In this study, the fermentation conditions were optimized to further improve 1,3-BD production by the recombinant strain. A batch fermentation was performed with an optimized overall oxygen transfer coefficient (82.3 h−1) and pH (5.5); the 1,3-BD concentration reached 98.5 mM after 36 h with high-yield (0.444 mol (mol glucose)−1) and a high maximum production rate (3.63 mM h−1). In addition, a fed-batch fermentation enabled the recombinant strain to produce 174.8 mM 1,3-BD after 96 h cultivation with a yield of 0.372 mol (mol glucose)−1, a maximum production rate of 3.90 mM h−1, and a 98.6% enantiomeric excess (% ee) of (R)-1,3-BD.
Virtuous leadership revisited: the case of Hüsnü Özyeğin of FIBA Holding
Authors: Pearce Craig L. , Csikszentmihalyi Mihalyi
Published: April 2014

In 2006, we, the authors, and David Waldman wrote an article for the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion describing a theoretical model of how we thought virtuous leadership might manifest and perpetuate itself in modern organizations, particularly in relation
to organizational learning. The article was inspired because of two things. First, we witnessed many dramatic cases of executive malfeasance and lack of virtue in organizations, which was a bit dispiriting, as we were and still are executive educators. Second, we had a lot of hope for the
future and all worked in the areas of positive organizational behavior and positive psychology. Thus, we desired to articulate a more positive model for organizations. Today, we revisit that model and test it, if you will, using the case of the self-made billionaire and richest man in Turkey
– Hüsnü Özyeğin – who is also a well-known philanthropist and social entrepreneur.
Policing and spirituality: their impact on brain integration and consciousness
Authors: Charles Ginger L. , Travis Fred , Smith Jonathan
Published: April 2014

This paper reports findings from two studies that explore the role of a spiritual framework in buffering toxic experiences police officers encounter in the course of their duty. The first study was an interview of 33 police officers who were active in their law enforcement career. The
officers responded to eight core questions about their police work, spiritual history, and spiritual beliefs. Three themes emerged from the content analysis. The second study was a quantitative investigation of psychological performance using Electroencephalography measures. These officers,
who were identified with high levels of spirituality in the interview study, had low levels of perceived stress, high levels on the Transcendence dimension, fast executive processing, and high levels of brain integration. These studies suggest that levels of spirituality are grounded in mental
and brain functioning, and so could be systematically cultured to help officers deal effectively with the toxic nature of police work.
Three‐dimensional kinematic correlates of ball velocity during maximal instep soccer kicking in males
Authors: Sinclair Jonathan , Fewtrell David , Taylor Paul John , Bottoms Lindsay , Atkins Stephen , Hobbs Sarah Jane
Published: April 2014

Achieving a high ball velocity is important during soccer shooting, as it gives the goalkeeper less time to react, thus improving a player's chance of scoring. This study aimed to identify important technical aspects of kicking linked to the generation of ball velocity using regression analyses. Maximal instep kicks were obtained from 22 academy‐level soccer players using a 10‐camera motion capture system sampling at 500 Hz. Three‐dimensional kinematics of the lower extremity segments were obtained. Regression analysis was used to identify the kinematic parameters associated with the development of ball velocity. A single biomechanical parameter; knee extension velocity of the kicking limb at ball contact Adjusted R2 = 0.39, p ≤ 0.01 was obtained as a significant predictor of ball‐velocity. This study suggests that sagittal plane knee extension velocity is the strongest contributor to ball velocity and potentially overall kicking performance. It is conceivable therefore that players may benefit from exposure to coaching and strength techniques geared towards the improvement of knee extension angular velocity as highlighted in this study.
The Repeal of Asian Exclusion
Authors: Hong Jane H.
Published: April 2014

Laws barring Asians from legal immigration and naturalization in the United States began with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and expanded to include all other Asian groups by 1924. Beginning in World War II, U.S. lawmakers began to dismantle the Asian exclusion regime in response to growing international pressure and scrutiny of America’s racial policies and practices. The Japanese government sought to use the U.S. Asian exclusion laws to disrupt the Sino-American alliance of World War II, causing Washington officials to recognize these laws as a growing impediment to international diplomacy and the war effort. Later, the Soviet Union and other communist powers cited U.S. exclusion policies as evidence of American racial hypocrisy during the Cold War.

A diverse group of actors championed the repeal of Asian exclusion laws over the 1940s and early 1950s. They included former American missionaries to Asia, U.S. and Asian state officials, and Asian and Asian American activists. The movement argued for repeal legislation as an inexpensive way for the United States to demonstrate goodwill, counter foreign criticism, and rehabilitate America’s international image as a liberal democracy. Drawing upon the timely language and logic of geopolitics, advocates lobbied Congressional lawmakers to pass legislation ending the racial exclusion of Asians from immigration and naturalization eligibility, in support of U.S. diplomatic and security interests abroad.
The US–Mexico War
Authors: Valerio-Jiménez Omar
Published: April 2014

The United States–Mexico War was the first war in which the United States engaged in a conflict with a foreign nation for the purpose of conquest. It was also the first conflict in which trained soldiers (from West Point) played a large role. The war’s end transformed the United States into a continental nation as it acquired a vast portion of Mexico’s northern territories. In addition to shaping U.S.–Mexico relations into the present, the conflict also led to the forcible incorporation of Mexicans (who became Mexican Americans) as the nation’s first Latinos. Yet, the war has been identified as the nation’s “forgotten war” because few Americans know the causes and consequences of this conflict. Within fifteen years of the war’s end, the conflict faded from popular memory, but it did not disappear, due to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War. By contrast, the U.S.–Mexico War is prominently remembered in Mexico as having caused the loss of half of the nation’s territory, and as an event that continues to shape Mexico’s relationship with the United States. Official memories (or national histories) of war affect international relations, and also shape how each nation’s population views citizens of other countries. Not surprisingly, there is a stark difference in the ways that American citizens and Mexican citizens remember and forget the war (e.g., Americans refer to the “Mexican American War” or the “U.S.–Mexican War,” for example, while Mexicans identify the conflict as the “War of North American Intervention”).
Epidemics in Indian Country
Authors: Jones David S.
Published: April 2014

Few developments in human history match the demographic consequences of the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. Between 1500 and 1900 the human populations of the Americas were traBnsformed. Countless American Indians died as Europeans established themselves, and imported Africans as slaves, in the Americas. Much of the mortality came from epidemics that swept through Indian country. The historical record is full of dramatic stories of smallpox, measles, influenza, and acute contagious diseases striking American Indian communities, causing untold suffering and facilitating European conquest. Some scholars have gone so far as to invoke the irresistible power of natural selection to explain what happened. They argue that the long isolation of Native Americans from other human populations left them uniquely susceptible to the Eurasian pathogens that accompanied European explorers and settlers; nothing could have been done to prevent the inevitable decimation of American Indians. The reality, however, is more complex. Scientists have not found convincing evidence that American Indians had a genetic susceptibility to infectious diseases. Meanwhile, it is clear that the conditions of life before and after colonization could have left Indians vulnerable to a host of diseases. Many American populations had been struggling to subsist, with declining populations, before Europeans arrived; the chaos, warfare, and demoralization that accompanied colonization made things worse. Seen from this perspective, the devastating mortality was not the result of the forces of evolution and natural selection but rather stemmed from social, economic, and political forces at work during encounter and colonization. Getting the story correct is essential. American Indians in the United States, and indigenous populations worldwide, still suffer dire health inequalities. Although smallpox is gone and many of the old infections are well controlled, new diseases have risen to prominence, especially heart disease, diabetes, cancer, substance abuse, and mental illness. The stories we tell about the history of epidemics in Indian country influence the policies we pursue to alleviate them today.
Infrastructure: Mass Transit in 19th- and 20th-Century Urban America
Authors: Young Jay
Published: April 2014

Mass transit has been part of the urban scene in the United States since the early 19th century. Regular steam ferry service began in New York City in the early 1810s and horse-drawn omnibuses plied city streets starting in the late 1820s. Expanding networks of horse railways emerged by the mid-19th century. The electric streetcar became the dominant mass transit vehicle a half century later. During this era, mass transit had a significant impact on American urban development. Mass transit’s importance in the lives of most Americans started to decline with the growth of automobile ownership in the 1920s, except for a temporary rise in transit ridership during World War II. In the 1960s, congressional subsidies began to reinvigorate mass transit and heavy-rail systems opened in several cities, followed by light rail systems in several others in the next decades. Today concerns about environmental sustainability and urban revitalization have stimulated renewed interest in the benefits of mass transit.
Genocide and American Indian History
Authors: Ostler Jeffrey
Published: April 2014

The issue of genocide and American Indian history has been contentious. Many writers see the massive depopulation of the indigenous population of the Americas after 1492 as a clear-cut case of the genocide. Other writers, however, contend that European and U.S. actions toward Indians were deplorable but were rarely if ever genocidal. To a significant extent, disagreements about the pervasiveness of genocide in the history of the post-Columbian Western Hemisphere, in general, and U.S. history, in particular, pivot on definitions of genocide. Conservative definitions emphasize intentional actions and policies of governments that result in very large population losses, usually from direct killing. More liberal definitions call for less stringent criteria for intent, focusing more on outcomes. They do not necessarily require direct sanction by state authorities; rather, they identify societal forces and actors. They also allow for several intersecting forces of destruction, including dispossession and disease. Because debates about genocide easily devolve into quarrels about definitions, an open-ended approach to the question of genocide that explores several phases and events provides the possibility of moving beyond the present stalemate. However one resolves the question of genocide in American Indian history, it is important to recognize that European and U.S. settler colonial projects unleashed massively destructive forces on Native peoples and communities. These include violence resulting directly from settler expansion, intertribal violence (frequently aggravated by colonial intrusions), enslavement, disease, alcohol, loss of land and resources, forced removals, and assaults on tribal religion, culture, and language. The configuration and impact of these forces varied considerably in different times and places according to the goals of particular colonial projects and the capacities of colonial societies and institutions to pursue them. The capacity of Native people and communities to directly resist, blunt, or evade colonial invasions proved equally important.
McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare
Authors: Storrs Landon R. Y.
Published: April 2014

The second Red Scare refers to the fear of communism that permeated American politics, culture, and society from the late 1940s through the 1950s, during the opening phases of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. This episode of political repression lasted longer and was more pervasive than the Red Scare that followed the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I. Popularly known as “McCarthyism” after Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin), who made himself famous in 1950 by claiming that large numbers of Communists had infiltrated the U.S. State Department, the second Red Scare predated and outlasted McCarthy, and its machinery far exceeded the reach of a single maverick politician. Nonetheless, “McCarthyism” became the label for the tactic of undermining political opponents by making unsubstantiated attacks on their loyalty to the United States.

The initial infrastructure for waging war on domestic communism was built during the first Red Scare, with the creation of an antiradicalism division within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the emergence of a network of private “patriotic” organizations. With capitalism’s crisis during the Great Depression, the Communist Party grew in numbers and influence, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program expanded the federal government’s role in providing economic security. The anticommunist network expanded as well, most notably with the 1938 formation of the Special House Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities, which in 1945 became the permanent House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Other key congressional investigation committees were the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee and McCarthy’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Members of these committees and their staff cooperated with the FBI to identify and pursue alleged subversives. The federal employee loyalty program, formalized in 1947 by President Harry Truman in response to right-wing allegations that his administration harbored Communist spies, soon was imitated by local and state governments as well as private employers. As the Soviets’ development of nuclear capability, a series of espionage cases, and the Korean War enhanced the credibility of anticommunists, the Red Scare metastasized from the arena of government employment into labor unions, higher education, the professions, the media, and party politics at all levels. The second Red Scare did not involve pogroms or gulags, but the fear of unemployment was a powerful tool for stifling criticism of the status quo, whether in economic policy or social relations. Ostensibly seeking to protect democracy by eliminating communism from American life, anticommunist crusaders ironically undermined democracy by suppressing the expression of dissent. Debates over the second Red Scare remain lively because they resonate with ongoing struggles to reconcile Americans’ desires for security and liberty.
Print, the Press, and the American Revolution
Authors: Parkinson Robert G.
Published: April 2014

According to David Ramsay, one of the first historians of the American Revolution, “in establishing American independence, the pen and press had merit equal to that of the sword.” Because of the unstable and fragile notions of unity among the thirteen American colonies, print acted as a binding agent that mitigated the chances that the colonies would not support one another when war with Britain broke out in 1775.

Two major types of print dealt with the political process of the American Revolution: pamphlets and newspapers. Pamphlets were one of the most important conveyors of ideas during the imperial crisis. Often written by elites under pseudonyms and published by booksellers, they have long been held by historians as the lifeblood of the American Revolution. There were also three dozen newspaper printers in the American mainland colonies at the start of the Revolution, each producing a four-page issue every week. These weekly papers, or one-sheet broadsides that appeared in American cities even more frequently, were the most important communication avenue to keep colonists informed of events hundreds of miles away. Because of the structure of the newspaper business in the 18th century, the stories that appeared in each paper were “exchanged” from other papers in different cities, creating a uniform effect akin to a modern news wire. The exchange system allowed for the same story to appear across North America, and it provided the Revolutionaries with a method to shore up that fragile sense of unity. It is difficult to imagine American independence—as a popular idea let alone a possible policy decision—without understanding how print worked in colonial America in the mid-18th century.
The cell behavior ontology: describing the intrinsic biological behaviors of real and model cells seen as active agents
Authors: Sluka James P. , Shirinifard Abbas , Swat Maciej , Cosmanescu Alin , Heiland Randy W. , Glazier James A.
Published: April 2014

Motivation: Currently, there are no ontologies capable of describing both the spatial organization of groups of cells and the behaviors of those cells. The lack of a formalized method for describing the spatiality and intrinsic biological behaviors of cells makes it difficult to adequately describe cells, tissues and organs as spatial objects in living tissues, in vitro assays and in computational models of tissues.

Results: We have developed an OWL-2 ontology to describe the intrinsic physical and biological characteristics of cells and tissues. The Cell Behavior Ontology (CBO) provides a basis for describing the spatial and observable behaviors of cells and extracellular components suitable for describing in vivo, in vitro and in silico multicell systems. Using the CBO, a modeler can create a meta-model of a simulation of a biological model and link that meta-model to experiment or simulation results. Annotation of a multicell model and its computational representation, using the CBO, makes the statement of the underlying biology explicit. The formal representation of such biological abstraction facilitates the validation, falsification, discovery, sharing and reuse of both models and experimental data.

Availability and implementation: The CBO, developed using Protégé 4, is available at http://cbo.biocomplexity.indiana.edu/cbo/ and at BioPortal (http://bioportal.bioontology.org/ontologies/CBO).

Contact:  jsluka@indiana.edu or Glazier@indiana.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Intraperitoneal Local Anesthetics Have Predominant Local Analgesic Effect
Authors: Perniola Andrea , Magnuson Anders , Axelsson Kjell , Gupta Anil
Published: April 2014

Background:

It remains unclear whether analgesia from intraperitoneal local anesthetics is via local or central mechanisms. This double-blind clinical trial tests the hypothesis that intraperitoneal local anesthetic is superior to continuous IV infusion for pain management. Primary outcome was morphine consumption during 0 to 24 h.

Methods:

Informed consent was obtained from 60 patients, age 30 to 75 yr, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I to II, undergoing abdominal hysterectomy. A computer-generated program randomized patients in parallel arms to group IV: continuous infusion of lidocaine 50 mg/h (10 ml) IV and saline 10 ml/h intermittently intraperitoneal; group IP: injection of lidocaine 50 mg/h (10 ml) once every hour intraperitoneally and continuous infusion of saline 10 ml/h intravenously; and group P (placebo): saline 10 ml/h both intravenously and intermittent intraperitoneal injection. Postoperative morphine consumption, pain intensity, recovery, home discharge, and lidocaine concentrations were measured.

Results:

Morphine consumption during 0 to 24 h was lower in group IP versus group IV, mean difference −22.6 mg (95% CI, 11.4 to 33.8; P < 0.01). No difference was seen between group IV and group P. The total mean plasma concentration of lidocaine in group IP was significantly lower than group IV, 0 to 4.5 h postoperatively (P = 0.03) with no evidence of systemic toxicity. Pain intensity and other recovery parameters were similar between the groups.

Conclusion:

The lower supplemental morphine consumption and plasma lidocaine concentration in group IP would confirm that the effects of local anesthetics are likely to be predominant via local intraperitoneal receptors or anti-inflammatory effects and not via central mechanisms alone.
Phosphodiesterase 2A Localized in the Spinal Cord Contributes to Inflammatory Pain Processing
Authors: Kallenborn-Gerhardt Wiebke , Lu Ruirui , Bothe Aaron , Thomas Dominique , Schlaudraff Jessica , Lorenz Jana E. , Lippold Nancy , Real Catherine I. , Ferreirós Nerea , Geisslinger Gerd , Del Turco Domenico , Schmidtko Achim
Published: April 2014

Background:

Phosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A) is an evolutionarily conserved enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of the cyclic nucleotides, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, and/or cyclic guanosine monophosphate. Recent studies reported the expression of PDE2A in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, pointing to a potential contribution to the processing of pain. However, the functions of PDE2A in spinal pain processing in vivo remained elusive.

Methods:

Immunohistochemistry, laser microdissection, and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction experiments were performed to characterize the localization and regulation of PDE2A protein and messenger RNA in the mouse spinal cord. Effects of the selective PDE2A inhibitor, BAY 60–7550 (Cayman Chemical, Ann Arbor, MI), in animal models of inflammatory pain (n = 6 to 10), neuropathic pain (n = 5 to 6), and after intrathecal injection of cyclic nucleotides (n = 6 to 8) were examined. Also, cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels in spinal cord tissues were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results:

The authors here demonstrate that PDE2A is distinctly expressed in neurons of the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord, and that its spinal expression is upregulated in response to hind paw inflammation. Administration of the selective PDE2A inhibitor, BAY 60–7550, increased the nociceptive behavior of mice in animal models of inflammatory pain. Moreover, BAY 60–7550 increased the pain hypersensitivity induced by intrathecal delivery of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, but not of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, and it increased the cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels in spinal cord tissues.

Conclusion:

Our findings indicate that PDE2A contributes to the processing of inflammatory pain in the spinal cord.