bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pulse wave detection method based on the bio-impedance of the wrist
Authors: He Jianman , Wang Mengjun , Li Xiaoxia , Li Gang , Lin Ling
Published: May 2016

The real-time monitoring of pulse rate can evaluate the heart health to some extent, and the measurement of bio-impedance has the potential in wearable health monitoring system. In this paper, an effective method, which contains self-balancing bridge, flexible electrode, and high-speed digital lock-in algorithm (DLIA) with over-sampling, was designed to detect the impedance pulse wave at the wrist. By applying the self-balancing bridge, the basic impedance can be compensated as much as possible, and the low amplitude of impedance variation related to heart pulse can be obtained more easily. And the flexible conductive rubber electrode used in our experiment is human-friendly. Besides, the over-sampling method and high-speed DLIA are used to enhance the effective resolution of the existing data sampled by analog to digital converter. With the high-speed data process and simple circuit above, this proposed method has the potential in wrist-band wearable systems and it can satisfy quests of small volume and low power consumption.
Enhancement of residual stress by electromagnetic fluctuations: A quasi-linear study
Authors: Kaang Helen H. , Jhang Hogun , Singh R. , Kim Juhyung , Kim S. S.
Published: May 2016

A study is conducted on the impact of electromagnetic (EM) fluctuations on residual Reynolds stress in the context of the quasi-linear theory. We employ a fluid formulation describing EM ion temperature gradient turbulence. Analyses show that finite plasma β (=plasma thermal energy/magnetic energy) significantly increases the residual stress, potentially leading to the strong enhancement of flow generation in high β plasmas. We identify that this strong increase of residual stress originates from the reinforcement of radial ⟨k∥⟩ (=spectrally averaged parallel wavenumber) asymmetry due to the deformation of eigenfunctions near a rational surface.
Ultrafast transient absorption revisited: Phase-flips, spectral fingers, and other dynamical features
Authors: Cina Jeffrey A. , Kovac Philip A. , Jumper Chanelle C. , Dean Jacob C. , Scholes Gregory D.
Published: May 2016

We rebuild the theory of ultrafast transient-absorption/transmission spectroscopy starting from the optical response of an individual molecule to incident femtosecond pump and probe pulses. The resulting description makes use of pulse propagators and free molecular evolution operators to arrive at compact expressions for the several contributions to a transient-absorption signal. In this alternative description, which is physically equivalent to the conventional response-function formalism, these signal contributions are conveniently expressed as quantum mechanical overlaps between nuclear wave packets that have undergone different sequences of pulse-driven optical transitions and time-evolution on different electronic potential-energy surfaces. Using this setup in application to a simple, multimode model of the light-harvesting chromophores of PC577, we develop wave-packet pictures of certain generic features of ultrafast transient-absorption signals related to the probed-frequency dependence of vibrational quantum beats. These include a Stokes-shifting node at the time-evolving peak emission frequency, antiphasing between vibrational oscillations on opposite sides (i.e., to the red or blue) of this node, and spectral fingering due to vibrational overtones and combinations. Our calculations make a vibrationally abrupt approximation for the incident pump and probe pulses, but properly account for temporal pulse overlap and signal turn-on, rather than neglecting pulse overlap or assuming delta-function excitations, as are sometimes done.
Ab initio-informed maximum entropy modeling of rovibrational relaxation and state-specific dissociation with application to the O2 + O system
Authors: Kulakhmetov Marat , Gallis Michael , Alexeenko Alina
Published: May 2016

Quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations are used to study state-specific ro-vibrational energy exchange and dissociation in the O2 + O system. Atom-diatom collisions with energy between 0.1 and 20 eV are calculated with a double many body expansion potential energy surface by Varandas and Pais [Mol. Phys. 65, 843 (1988)]. Inelastic collisions favor mono-quantum vibrational transitions at translational energies above 1.3 eV although multi-quantum transitions are also important. Post-collision vibrational favoring decreases first exponentially and then linearly as Δv increases. Vibrationally elastic collisions (Δv = 0) favor small ΔJ transitions while vibrationally inelastic collisions have equilibrium post-collision rotational distributions. Dissociation exhibits both vibrational and rotational favoring. New vibrational-translational (VT), vibrational-rotational-translational (VRT) energy exchange, and dissociation models are developed based on QCT observations and maximum entropy considerations. Full set of parameters for state-to-state modeling of oxygen is presented. The VT energy exchange model describes 22 000 state-to-state vibrational cross sections using 11 parameters and reproduces vibrational relaxation rates within 30% in the 2500–20 000 K temperature range. The VRT model captures 80 × 106 state-to-state ro-vibrational cross sections using 19 parameters and reproduces vibrational relaxation rates within 60% in the 5000–15 000 K temperature range. The developed dissociation model reproduces state-specific and equilibrium dissociation rates within 25% using just 48 parameters. The maximum entropy framework makes it feasible to upscale ab initio simulation to full nonequilibrium flow calculations.
Divertor plasma detachment
Authors: Krasheninnikov S. I. , Kukushkin A. S. , Pshenov A. A.
Published: May 2016

Regime with the plasma detached from the divertor targets (detached divertor regime) is a natural continuation of the high recycling conditions to higher density and stronger impurity radiation loss. Both the theoretical considerations and experimental data show clearly that the increase of the impurity radiation loss and volumetric plasma recombination causes the rollover of the plasma flux to the target when the density increases, which is the manifestation of detachment. Plasma-neutral friction (neutral viscosity effects), although important for the sustainment of high density/pressure plasma upstream and providing the conditions for efficient recombination and power loss, is not directly involved in the reduction of the plasma flux to the targets. The stability of detachment is also discussed.
Plane shock wave interaction with a cylindrical water column
Authors: Sembian S. , Liverts M. , Tillmark N. , Apazidis N.
Published: May 2016

A complex system of waves propagating inside a water column due to the impact of plane shock wave is investigated both experimentally and numerically. Flow features, such as, focusing of expansion waves generating large negative pressure, nucleation of cavitation bubbles, and a re-circulation zone are observed and discussed qualitatively and quantitatively. Experiments are conducted on a 22 mm diametrical water column hit by shock waves with Mach numbers 1.75 and 2.4 in a newly constructed exploding wire facility. A new technique to create a properly shaped, repeatable, large diameter water column with straight walls is presented. Qualitative features of the flow are captured using the shadowgraph technique. With the aid of numerical simulations the wave motions inside the column are analyzed; the spatial location of the expansion wave focusing point and the corresponding negative peak pressures is estimated.
Staging of laser-plasma accelerators
Authors: Steinke S. , van Tilborg J. , Benedetti C. , Geddes C. G. R. , Daniels J. , Swanson K. K. , Gonsalves A. J. , Nakamura K. , Shaw B. H. , Schroeder C. B. , Esarey E. , Leemans W. P.
Published: May 2016

We present results of an experiment where two laser-plasma-accelerator stages are coupled at a short distance by a plasma mirror. Stable electron beams from the first stage were used to longitudinally probe the dark-current-free, quasi-linear wakefield excited by the laser of the second stage. Changing the arrival time of the electron beam with respect to the second stage laser pulse allowed reconstruction of the temporal wakefield structure, determination of the plasma density, and inference of the length of the electron beam. The first stage electron beam could be focused by an active plasma lens to a spot size smaller than the transverse wake size at the entrance of the second stage. This permitted electron beam trapping, verified by a 100 MeV energy gain.
Identification of multi-modal plasma responses to applied magnetic perturbations using the plasma reluctance
Authors: Logan Nikolas C. , Paz-Soldan Carlos , Park Jong-Kyu , Nazikian Raffi
Published: May 2016

Using the plasma reluctance, the Ideal Perturbed Equilibrium Code is able to efficiently identify the structure of multi-modal magnetic plasma response measurements and the corresponding impact on plasma performance in the DIII-D tokamak. Recent experiments demonstrated that multiple kink modes of comparable amplitudes can be driven by applied nonaxisymmetric fields with toroidal mode number n = 2. This multi-modal response is in good agreement with ideal magnetohydrodynamic models, but detailed decompositions presented here show that the mode structures are not fully described by either the least stable modes or the resonant plasma response. This work identifies the measured response fields as the first eigenmodes of the plasma reluctance, enabling clear diagnosis of the plasma modes and their impact on performance from external sensors. The reluctance shows, for example, how very stable modes compose a significant portion of the multi-modal plasma response field and that these stable modes drive significant resonant current. This work is an overview of the first experimental applications using the reluctance to interpret the measured response and relate it to multifaceted physics, aimed towards providing the foundation of understanding needed to optimize nonaxisymmetric fields for independent control of stability and transport.
A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence
Authors: Huber Franz J. T. , Altenhoff Michael , Will Stefan
Published: May 2016

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiation signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.
A broadband toolbox for scanning microwave microscopy transmission measurements
Authors: Lucibello Andrea , Sardi Giovanni Maria , Capoccia Giovanni , Proietti Emanuela , Marcelli Romolo , Kasper Manuel , Gramse Georg , Kienberger Ferry
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we present in detail the design, both electromagnetic and mechanical, the fabrication, and the test of the first prototype of a Scanning Microwave Microscope (SMM) suitable for a two-port transmission measurement, recording, and processing the high frequency transmission scattering parameter S21 passing through the investigated sample. The S21 toolbox is composed by a microwave emitter, placed below the sample, which excites an electromagnetic wave passing through the sample under test, and is collected by the cantilever used as the detector, electrically matched for high frequency measurements. This prototype enhances the actual capability of the instrument for a sub-surface imaging at the nanoscale. Moreover, it allows the study of the electromagnetic properties of the material under test obtained through the measurement of the reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) parameters at the same time. The SMM operates between 1 GHz and 20 GHz, current limit for the microwave matching of the cantilever, and the high frequency signal is recorded by means of a two-port Vector Network Analyzer, using both contact and no-contact modes of operation, the latter, especially minded for a fully nondestructive and topography-free characterization. This tool is an upgrade of the already established setup for the reflection mode S11 measurement. Actually, the proposed setup is able to give richer information in terms of scattering parameters, including amplitude and phase measurements, by means of the two-port arrangement.
Subcritical transition in plane Poiseuille flow as a linear instability process
Authors: Roizner Federico , Karp Michael , Cohen Jacob
Published: May 2016

In this work, a transition scenario is demonstrated, in which most of the stages are followed analytically. The transition is initiated by the linear transient growth mechanism in plane Poiseuille flow subjected to an infinitesimally small secondary disturbance. A novel analytical approximation of the linear transient growth mechanism enables us to perform a secondary linear stability analysis of the modified base-flow. Two possible routes to transition are highlighted here, both correspond to a small secondary disturbance superimposed on a linear transient growth. The first scenario is initiated by four decaying odd normal modes which form a counter-rotating vortex pair; the second is initiated by five even decaying modes which form a pair of counter-rotating pairs. The approximation of the linear transient growth stage by a combination of minimal number of modes allows us to follow the transition stages analytically by employing the multiple time scale method. In particular, the secondary instability stage is followed analytically using linear tools, and is verified by obtaining transition in a direct numerical simulation initiated by conditions dictated by the transient growth analytical expressions. Very good agreement is observed, verifying the theoretical model. The similarities between the two transition routes are discussed and the results are compared with similar results obtained for plane Couette flow.
A possible new origin of long absorption tail in Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet induced by 15 MeV gold-ion irradiation and heat treatment
Authors: Amekura Hiro , Akhmadaliev Shavkat , Zhou Shengqiang , Chen Feng
Published: May 2016

When ion irradiation introduces point-defects in semiconductors/insulators, discrete energy levels can be introduced in the bandgap, and then optical transitions whose energies are lower than the bandgap become possible. The electronic transitions between the discrete level and the continuous host band are observed as a continuous tail starting from the fundamental edge. This is the well-known mechanism of the absorption tail close to the band-edge observed in many semiconductors/insulators. In this paper, we propose another mechanism for the absorption tail, which is probably active in Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) after ion irradiation and annealing. A Nd:YAG bulk crystal was irradiated with 15 MeV Au5+ ions to a fluence of 8 × 1014 ions/cm2. The irradiation generates an amorphous layer of ∼3 μm thick with refractive index reduction of Δn = −0.03. Thermal annealing at 1000 °C induces recrystallization to randomly aligned small crystalline grains. Simultaneously, an extraordinarily long absorption tail appeared in the optical spectrum covering from 0.24 to ∼2 μm without fringes. The origin of the tail is discussed based on two models: (i) conventional electronic transitions between defect levels and YAG host band and (ii) enhanced light scattering by randomly aligned small grains.
The dynamics of two-dimensional turbulence excited at two scales using electromagnetic forces
Authors: Habchi Charbel , Antar Ghassan
Published: May 2016

Several forcing scales can co-exist in nature leading and affecting turbulent flows. This is not critical in three-dimensional systems where only a direct cascade of energy exists, but it is a concern in two dimensions where the direct and inverse cascades lead to different statistical properties of turbulence. The effect of forcing at two different scales on turbulence is studied here using numerical simulation inspired by a recent experiment [L. M. Moubarak and G. Y. Antar, “Dynamics of a two-dimensional flow subject to steady electromagnetic forces,” Exp. Fluids 53, 1627–1636 (2012)] where a thin layer of electrolyte is stirred using electromagnetic forces. The small scale eddies are generated by the Lorentz force near the domain edge while the large scale motion is produced by the magnetic field gradient. We compare the case of one to two forcing scales for steady state turbulence to show that the addition of two forcing scales leads to the onset of turbulence at low Reynolds numbers due to the co-existence and thus the interaction of small and large structures. By determining the k-spectra as well as the energy transfer function, it is established that the dynamics of turbulence change from being dominated by an inverse cascade process, with one forcing scale, to one dominated by a direct cascade process when two scales are present. We believe that these results are important in understanding two- and quasi-two-dimensional turbulence phenomena occurring in nature where several excitation scales co-exist.
A highly versatile optical fibre vacuum feed-through
Authors: Davidson Ian A. , Azzouz Hatim , Hueck Klaus , Bourennane Mohamed
Published: May 2016

Coupling light into a vacuum system is a non-trivial problem, requiring the use of a specialized feed-through. This feed-through must be both leak tight and offer a low optical loss if it is to be suitable for general use. In this paper, we report on the development of an extremely simple yet versatile, low cost, demountable optical fiber vacuum feed-through based on the modification of a standard optical fiber bulkhead connector. The modified connector was found to have a leak rate of 6.6 ± 2.1 × 10−6 mbar l/s and an optical loss of −0.41 ± 0.28 dB, making it suitable for use in high vacuum applications.
Equation of state and transport properties of warm dense helium via quantum molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Li Zhi-Guo , Cheng Yan , Chen Qi-Feng , Chen Xiang-Rong
Published: May 2016

The equation of state, self-diffusion, and viscosity coefficients of helium have been investigated by quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations in the warm dense matter regime. Our simulations are validated through the comparison with the reliable experimental data. The calculated principal and reshock Hugoniots of liquid helium are in good agreement with the gas-gun data. On this basis, we revisit the issue for helium, i.e., the possibility of the instabilities predicted by chemical models at around 2000 GPa and 10 g/cm3 along the pressure isotherms of 6309, 15 849, and 31 623 K. Our calculations show no indications of instability in this pressure-temperature region, which reconfirm the predictions of previous QMD simulations. The self-diffusion and viscosity coefficients of warm dense helium have been systematically investigated by the QMD simulations. We carefully test the finite-size effects and convergences of statistics, and obtain numerically converged self-diffusion and viscosity coefficients by using the Kubo-Green formulas. The present results have been used to evaluate the existing one component plasma models. Finally, the validation of the Stokes-Einstein relationship for helium in the warm dense regime is discussed.
Simulations of electromagnetic emissions produced in a thin plasma by a continuously injected electron beam
Authors: Annenkov V. V. , Timofeev I. V. , Volchok E. P.
Published: May 2016

In this paper, electromagnetic emissions produced in a thin beam-plasma system are studied using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. For the first time, the problem of emission generation in such a system is considered in a realistic formulation allowing for the continuous injection of a relativistic electron beam through a plasma boundary. Specific attention is given to the thin plasma case in which the transverse plasma size is comparable to the typical wavelength of beam-driven oscillations. Such a case is often implemented in laboratory beam-plasma experiments and has a number of peculiarities. Emission from a thin plasma does not require intermediate generation of the electromagnetic plasma eigenmodes, as in an infinite case, and is more similar to the regular antenna radiation. In this work, we determine how efficiently the fundamental and the second harmonic emissions can be generated in previously modulated and initially homogeneous plasmas.
Time-frequency energy density precipitation method for time-of-flight extraction of narrowband Lamb wave detection signals
Authors: Zhang Y. , Huang S. L. , Wang S. , Zhao W.
Published: May 2016

The time-of-flight of the Lamb wave provides an important basis for defect evaluation in metal plates and is the input signal for Lamb wave tomographic imaging. However, the time-of-flight can be difficult to acquire because of the Lamb wave dispersion characteristics. This work proposes a time-frequency energy density precipitation method to accurately extract the time-of-flight of narrowband Lamb wave detection signals in metal plates. In the proposed method, a discrete short-time Fourier transform is performed on the narrowband Lamb wave detection signals to obtain the corresponding discrete time-frequency energy density distribution. The energy density values at the center frequency for all discrete time points are then calculated by linear interpolation. Next, the time-domain energy density curve focused on that center frequency is precipitated by least squares fitting of the calculated energy density values. Finally, the peak times of the energy density curve obtained relative to the initial pulse signal are extracted as the time-of-flight for the narrowband Lamb wave detection signals. An experimental platform is established for time-of-flight extraction of narrowband Lamb wave detection signals, and sensitivity analysis of the proposed time-frequency energy density precipitation method is performed in terms of propagation distance, dispersion characteristics, center frequency, and plate thickness. For comparison, the widely used Hilbert–Huang transform method is also implemented for time-of-flight extraction. The results show that the time-frequency energy density precipitation method can accurately extract the time-of-flight with relative error of <1% and thus can act as a universal time-of-flight extraction method for narrowband Lamb wave detection signals.
Low frequency terahertz-induced demagnetization in ferromagnetic nickel
Authors: Shalaby Mostafa , Vicario Carlo , Hauri Christoph P.
Published: May 2016

A laser stimulus at terahertz (THz) frequency is expected to offer superior control over magnetization dynamics compared to an optical pulse, where ultrafast demagnetization is mediated by heat deposition. As a THz field cycle occurs on a timescale similar to the natural speed of spin motions, this can open a path for triggering precessional magnetization motion and ultimately ultrafast magnetic switching by the THz magnetic field component, without quenching. Here, we explore the ultrafast magnetic response of a ferromagnetic nickel thin film excited by a strong (33 MV/cm) terahertz transient in non-resonant conditions. While the magnetic laser pulse component induces ultrafast magnetic precessions, we experimentally found that at high pump fluence, the THz pulse leads to large quenching which dominates the precessional motion by far. Furthermore, degradation of magnetic properties sets in and leads to permanent modifications of the Ni thin film and damage.
High-efficiency beam manipulation combining geometric phase with anisotropic Huygens surface
Authors: Zhao Wenyu , Jiang Huan , Liu Bingyi , Song Jie , Jiang Yongyuan
Published: May 2016

Conventional geometric metasurfaces relying on space-variant metal antennas for beam manipulation suffer from strong Ohmic loss and incomplete polarization conversion. The efficiency is often limited to rather small values, especially when operating in transmission mode. Here, we tackle this challenge by deliberately constructing an equivalent sheet with anisotropic surface electric and magnetic polarizabilities using cross-shaped dielectric antennas. An incident circularly polarized light can be almost fully converted to a transmitted light of opposite helicity with an unprecedented efficiency up to 98%. Such a transmissive metasurface possessing the merits of high-efficiency, non-dispersion, and robust against variations can serve as an outstanding candidate for flat optics, such as anomalous refraction and beam focusing.
Eddy current imaging with an atomic radio-frequency magnetometer
Authors: Wickenbrock Arne , Leefer Nathan , Blanchard John W. , Budker Dmitry
Published: May 2016

We use a radio-frequency 85Rb alkali-vapor cell magnetometer based on a paraffin-coated cell with long spin-coherence time and a small, low-inductance driving coil to create highly resolved conductivity maps of different objects. We resolve sub-mm features in conductive objects, we characterize the frequency response of our technique, and by operating at frequencies up to 250 kHz we are able to discriminate between differently conductive materials based on the induced response. The method is suited to cover a wide range of driving frequencies and can potentially be used for detecting non-metallic objects with low DC conductivity.
Impacts of Co doping on ZnO transparent switching memory device characteristics
Authors: Simanjuntak Firman Mangasa , Prasad Om Kumar , Panda Debashis , Lin Chun-An , Tsai Tsung-Ling , Wei Kung-Hwa , Tseng Tseung-Yuen
Published: May 2016

The resistive switching characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO)/Zn1−xCoxO/ITO transparent resistive memory devices were investigated. An appropriate amount of cobalt dopant in ZnO resistive layer demonstrated sufficient memory window and switching stability. In contrast, pure ZnO devices demonstrated a poor memory window, and using an excessive dopant concentration led to switching instability. To achieve suitable memory performance, relying only on controlling defect concentrations is insufficient; the grain growth orientation of the resistive layer must also be considered. Stable endurance with an ON/OFF ratio of more than one order of magnitude during 5000 cycles confirmed that the Co-doped ZnO device is a suitable candidate for resistive random access memory application. Additionally, fully transparent devices with a high transmittance of up to 90% at wavelength of 550 nm have been fabricated.
Anomalous thermal conductivity of monolayer boron nitride
Authors: Tabarraei Alireza , Wang Xiaonan
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics modeling to investigate the thermal properties of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride nanoribbons under uniaxial strain along their longitudinal axis. Our simulations predict that hexagonal boron nitride shows an anomalous thermal response to the applied uniaxial strain. Contrary to three dimensional materials, under uniaxial stretching, the thermal conductivity of boron nitride nanoribbons first increases rather than decreasing until it reaches its peak value and then starts decreasing. Under compressive strain, the thermal conductivity of monolayer boron nitride ribbons monolithically reduces rather than increasing. We use phonon spectrum and dispersion curves to investigate the mechanism responsible for the unexpected behavior. Our molecular dynamics modeling and density functional theory results show that application of longitudinal tensile strain leads to the reduction of the group velocities of longitudinal and transverse acoustic modes. Such a phonon softening mechanism acts to reduce the thermal conductivity of the nanoribbons. On the other hand, a significant increase in the group velocity (stiffening) of the flexural acoustic modes is observed, which counteracts the phonon softening effects of the longitudinal and transverse modes. The total thermal conductivity of the ribbons is a result of competition between these two mechanisms. At low tensile strain, the stiffening mechanism overcomes the softening mechanism which leads to an increase in the thermal conductivity. At higher tensile strain, the softening mechanism supersedes the stiffening and the thermal conductivity slightly reduces. Our simulations show that the decrease in the thermal conductivity under compressive strain is attributed to the formation of buckling defects which reduces the phonon mean free path.
Thermoelectric properties of Zintl compound Ca1−xNaxMg2Bi1.98
Authors: Shuai Jing , Kim Hee Seok , Liu Zihang , He Ran , Sui Jiehe , Ren Zhifeng
Published: May 2016

Motivated by good thermoelectric performance of Bi-based Zintl compounds Ca1−xYbxMg2Biy, we further studied the thermoelectric properties of Zintl compound CaMg2Bi1.98 by doping Na into Ca as Ca1−xNaxMg2Bi1.98 via mechanical alloying and hot pressing. We found that the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, power factor, and carrier concentration can be effectively adjusted by tuning the Na concentration. Transport measurement and calculations revealed that an optimal doping of 0.5 at. % Na achieved better average ZT and efficiency. The enhancement in thermoelectric performance is attributed to the increased carrier concentration and power factor. The low cost and nontoxicity of Ca1−xNaxMg2Bi1.98 makes it a potentially promising thermoelectric material for power generation in the mid-temperature range.
Synthesis of copper quantum dots by chemical reduction method and tailoring of its band gap
Authors: Prabhash P. G. , Nair Swapna S.
Published: May 2016

Metallic copper nano particles are synthesized with citric acid and CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) as surfactant and chlorides as precursors. The particle size and surface morphology are analyzed by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy. The average size of the nano particle is found to be 3 - 10 nm. The optical absorption characteristics are done by UV-Visible spectrophotometer. From the Tauc plots, the energy band gaps are calculated and because of their smaller size the particles have much higher band gap than the bulk material. The energy band gap is changed from 3.67 eV to 4.27 eV in citric acid coated copper quantum dots and 4.17 eV to 4.52 eV in CTAB coated copper quantum dots.
Improved light extraction efficiency of GaN-based flip-chip light-emitting diodes with an antireflective interface layer
Authors: Wu Dongxue , Ma Ping , Liu Boting , Zhang Shuo , Wang Junxi , Li Jinmin
Published: May 2016

GaN-based flip-chip light-emitting diodes (FC-LEDs) grown on nanopatterned sapphire substrates (NPSS) are fabricated using self-assembled SiO2 nanospheres as masks during inductively coupled plasma etching. By controlling the pattern spacing, epitaxial GaN can be grown from the top or bottom of patterns to obtain two different GaN/substrate interfaces. The optoelectronic characteristics of FC-LED chips with different GaN/sapphire interfaces are studied. The FC-LED with an antireflective interface layer consisting of a NPSS with GaN in the pattern spacings demonstrates better optical properties than the FC-LED with an interface embedded with air voids. Our study indicates that the two types of FC-LEDs grown on NPSS show higher crystal quality and improved electrical and optical characteristics compared with those of FC-LEDs grown on conventional planar sapphire substrates.
Charge storage and tunneling mechanism of Ni nanocrystals embedded HfOx film
Authors: Zhu H. X. , Zhang T. , Wang R. X. , Zhang Y. Y. , Li L. T. , Qiu X. Y.
Published: May 2016

A nano-floating gate memory structure based on Ni nanocrystals (NCs) embedded HfOx film is deposited by means of radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Microstructure investigations reveal that self-organized Ni-NCs with diameters of 4-8 nm are well dispersed in amorphous HfOx matrix. Pt/Ni-NCs embedded HfOx/Si/Ag capacitor structures exhibit voltage-dependent capacitance-voltage hysteresis, and a maximum flat-band voltage shift of 1.5 V, corresponding to a charge storage density of 6.0 × 1012 electrons/cm2, is achieved. These capacitor memory cells exhibit good endurance characteristic up to 4 × 104 cycles and excellent retention performance of 105 s, fulfilling the requirements of next generation non-volatile memory devices. Schottky tunneling is proven to be responsible for electrons tunneling in these capacitors.
Engineered a/c domain patterns in multilayer (110) epitaxial Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films: Impact on domain compliance and piezoelectric properties
Authors: Mtebwa M. , Mazzalai A. , Sandu C. S. , Crassous A. , Setter N.
Published: May 2016

While there is extensive literature on the influence of both compressive and tensile strain on the domain patterns of (001) tetragonal ferroelectric thin films, little is known regarding domain engineering in (110) films. The primary reason is the absence of suitable substrates that allow the growth of epitaxial films with this orientation. However, recent works emphasized the importance of this orientation with the possibility for e.g. to achieve ultra-high ferroelectric domain density. This work reports the controlled growth of a/c domain patterns in highly tetragonal monocrystalline (110) oriented Pb(Zr0.05, Ti0.95)O3. It is demonstrated that while a/c patterns can easily be realized in the single layer film relaxed under compressive misfit strain, modulation of tensile misfit strain through the use of buffer layers allows for consistent control of domain periodicity, in which case the average domain period was tuned between 630 and 60 nm. The effects of domain density and defects on both switching behavior and piezoelectric properties in single and multilayered structures are also investigated, revealing an optimum composition of the buffer layer for improved domain compliance and piezoelectric properties.
Fabrication of three-dimensional nanofibrous macrostructures by electrospinning
Authors: Zhu Ping , Lin Aimin , Tang Xuchong , Lu Xizhao , Zheng Jianyi , Zheng Gaofeng , Lei Tingping
Published: May 2016

Electrospinning has been widely used in fabricating nanofibers and nanofibrous membranes. Recently, the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) nanofibrous macrostructures has become a hot subject in the development of electrospinning technology. In this paper, the 3D nanofibrous macrostructure was constructed by using electrospinning apparatus with both dynamic and static 3D collecting templates. The effect of the governing parameters on the formation process of 3D macrostructure is studied, such as the applied voltage, the flow rate, the needle-tip-to-collector distance, and the rotating speed. It was found that laying the collecting device either in parallel or perpendicularly with some gap in between, would lead to orderly deposition of nanofibers. In this study, a “dumbbell” dynamic collector was used to fabricate special 3D macrostructures consisting of multilayers of fibrous membranes. By adjusting the rotating speed of the collector, the formation process of multilayer 3D macrostructure can be controlled. An umbrella-shaped static structure collector was used to fabricate 3D framework structures. It is feasible to fabricate various 3D nanofibrous structures via electrospinning with 3D collecting templates, which has great potential in tissue engineering.
Large tunneling magnetoresistance in octahedral Fe3O4 nanoparticles
Authors: Mitra Arijit , Barick Barun , Mohapatra Jeotikanta , Sharma H. , Meena S. S. , Aslam M.
Published: May 2016

We have observed large tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) in amine functionalized octahedral nanoparticle assemblies. Amine monolayer on the surface of nanoparticles acts as an insulating barrier between the semimetal Fe3O4 nanoparticles and provides multiple tunnel junctions where inter-granular tunneling is plausible. The tunneling magnetoresistance recorded at room temperature is 38% which increases to 69% at 180 K. When the temperature drops below 150 K, coulomb staircase is observed in the current versus voltage characteristics as the charging energy exceeds the thermal energy. A similar study is also carried out with spherical nanoparticles. A 24% TMR is recorded at room temperature which increases to 41% at 180 K for spherical particles. Mössbauer spectra reveal better stoichiometry for octahedral particles which is attainable due to lesser surface disorder and strong amine coupling at the <111> facets of octahedral Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Less stoichiometric defect in octahedral nanoparticles leads to a higher value of spin polarization and therefore larger TMR in octahedral nanoparticles.
The contribution of qualitative behavioural assessment to appraisal of livestock welfare
Authors: Fleming Patricia A. , Clarke Taya , Wickham Sarah L. , Stockman Catherine A. , Barnes Anne L. , Collins Teresa , Miller David W.
Published: May 2016

Animal welfare is increasingly important for the Australian livestock industries, to maintain social licence to practice as well as ensuring market share overseas. Improvement of animal welfare in the livestock industries requires several important key steps. Paramount among these, objective measures are needed for welfare assessment that will enable comparison and contrast of welfare implications of husbandry procedures or housing options. Such measures need to be versatile (can be applied under a wide range of on- and off-farm situations), relevant (reveal aspects of the animal’s affective or physiological state that is relevant to their welfare), reliable (can be repeated with confidence in the results), relatively economic to apply, and they need to have broad acceptance by all stakeholders. Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA) is an integrated measure that characterises behaviour as a dynamic, expressive body language. QBA is a versatile tool requiring little specialist equipment suiting application to in situ assessments that enables comparative, hypothesis-driven evaluation of various industry-relevant practices. QBA is being increasingly used as part of animal welfare assessments in Europe, and although most other welfare assessment methods record ‘problems’ (e.g. lameness, injury scores, and so on), QBA can capture positive aspects of animal welfare (e.g. positively engaged with their environment, playfulness). In this viewpoint, we review the outcomes of recent QBA studies and discuss the potential application of QBA, in combination with other methods, as a welfare assessment tool for the Australian livestock industries.
Comparison of rumen in vitro fermentation of temperate pastures using different batch culture systems
Authors: Keim Juan Pablo , Berthiaume Robert , Pacheco David , Muetzel Stefan
Published: May 2016

In vitro batch culture systems are popular because they are relatively inexpensive and allow the screening and testing of large amounts of samples in a short time. Most of the batch culture systems have been designed for the evaluation of gas produced during fermentation of substrates and different designs have been compared between laboratories, but very little work is published where methane production or volatile fatty acid production is compared. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of agreement between two different in vitro batch culture systems, from different laboratories when measuring in vitro fermentation kinetics and end products using pasture samples as substrates. The two systems were a manual and a fully automated pressure-based system. Duplicates of pasture samples were incubated in three consecutive runs. Concordance correlation coefficients between systems and estimates of variance components (pasture, incubation run and random error) for each system were determined for all measured variables. There were poor correlations between systems for most of the variables except for time to produce half of the asymptotic gas production and acetate molar proportion of volatile fatty acids. However, for both systems most of variance was due to pasture sample and then incubation run. The poor agreement between systems might be explained by the different laboratory protocols. Therefore, comparisons of absolute values from different batch culture systems or experiments must be done carefully. Alternatively, more standardisation in terms of sample preparation and incubation procedure may be needed to compare in vitro fermentation products among systems.
An update on direct-fed microbials in broiler chickens in post-antibiotic era
Authors: Lee Kyung-Woo , Lillehoj Hyun S.
Published: May 2016

In a post-antibiotic era, applying dietary alternatives to antibiotics into diets of chickens has become a common practice to improve the productivity and health status of chickens. It is generally accepted that direct-fed microbials (DFMs), defined as a source of viable, naturally occurring microorganisms, as an alternative to antibiotics, have a long history for their safe use and health benefit and are generally regarded for therapeutic, prophylactic and growth-promotion uses in poultry industry. It has been suggested that two primary modes of action by DFMs are balancing gut microbiota and modulating host immunity. Recent findings have suggested that gut microbiota plays an important role in developing immune system and maintaining the homeostasis of mature immune system in mammals and chickens. With the help of molecular and bioinformatics tools, it is now scientifically proven that gut microbiota is diverse, dynamic, and varies according to age, breed, diet composition, environment and feed additives. Broiler chickens are commonly raised on the floor with bedding materials, which facilitates the acquisition of microorganisms present in the bedding materials. Thus, it is expected that environmental factors, including the type of litter, influence host immunity in a positive or negative way. In this regard, adding DFMs into diets of chickens will affect host–microbe interaction, shaping host immunity towards increasing resistance of chickens to enteric diseases.
Functional evolution of IGF2:IGF2R domain 11 binding generates novel structural interactions and a specific IGF2 antagonist
Authors: Frago Susana , Nicholls Ryan D. , Strickland Madeleine , Hughes Jennifer , Williams Christopher , Garner Lee , Surakhy Mirvat , Maclean Rory , Rezgui Dellel , Prince Stuart N. , Zaccheo Oliver J. , Ebner Daniel , Sanegre Sabina , Yu Sheng , Buffa Francesca M. , Crump Matthew P. , Hassan Andrew Bassim
Published: May 2016

Significance

During 150 million years of mammalian evolution, the membrane-bound mannose 6-phosphate receptor evolved high-affinity binding loops for insulin-like growth factor 2. It remains unknown whether this highly evolved ligand interaction is optimal, and whether it can be further evolved. We addressed these questions using a mutation and selection strategy that incorporated surface display and protein structure. Multiple mutations of all the binding loops were identified and improved affinity by 100-fold when combined, yet retained IGF2 specificity. Structurally, IGF2 surface interactions with binding loops were reshaped, indicating that binding site evolution could not be predicted. High IGF2 affinity binding domains could selectively inhibit IGF2-dependent cell signaling, and may be applied in therapeutic IGF2 targeting in cancer.
A genetic method for dating ancient genomes provides a direct estimate of human generation interval in the last 45,000 years
Authors: Moorjani Priya , Sankararaman Sriram , Fu Qiaomei , Przeworski Molly , Patterson Nick , Reich David
Published: May 2016

Significance

We report a method for dating ancient human samples that uses the recombination clock. To infer the age of ancient genomes, we take advantage of the shared history of Neanderthal gene flow into non-Africans that occurred around 50,000 y ago and measure the amount of “missing evolution” in terms of recombination breakpoints in the ancient genome compared with present-day samples. We show that this method provides age estimates that are highly correlated to radiocarbon dates, thus documenting the promise of this approach. By studying the linear relationship between the dates of Neanderthal admixture and the radiocarbon dates, we obtain, to our knowledge, the first direct estimate of the historical generation interval of 26–30 y.
Cryptic sequence features within the disordered protein p27
Kip1
regulate cell cycle signaling
Authors: Das Rahul K. , Huang Yongqi , Phillips Aaron H. , Kriwacki Richard W. , Pappu Rohit V.
Published: May 2016

Significance

Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of proteins are scaffolds for linear motifs that mediate protein–protein interactions and are the sites of posttranslational modifications. Using the cell cycle inhibitory protein p27 as an archetypal example, we show that the patterning of oppositely charged residues controls the conformational properties of IDRs. Charge patterning also encodes for auxiliary motifs within IDRs. We find that the functionalities of primary motifs are modulated by a combination of the net charge per residue within auxiliary motifs and their intra-IDR interactions that result from sequence-encoded charge patterning. These findings demonstrate that the sequences of IDRs are not just passive scaffolds for motifs. Instead, they encode features that regulate the functions of primary motifs.
Drift in ocean currents impacts intergenerational microbial exposure to temperature
Authors: Doblin Martina A. , van Sebille Erik
Published: May 2016

Significance

Our current understanding of how marine biota are adapted to magnitudes, trends, and temporal patterns of variability in sea-surface temperature has arisen from examining long-term records at key ocean locations. However, floating plankton have a different perception of their habitat because they drift in ocean currents. Here we show that upper ocean microbes can be advected up to 3,500 km in latitude in 500 d, and that their operational temperatures exceed the in situ Eulerian temperature range by up to 10 °C, even in locations with strong seasonality. This result revises the present view of thermal exposure in the upper ocean, and provides a new framework for investigating climate change impacts on planktonic organisms.