bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on Lean Manufacturing Practice Carried Out for Axle Housing Plant
Authors: Rishi J. P. , Abhishek  , Srinivas T. R. , Ramachandra C. G.
Published: February 2018

Lean Manufacturing is a way to deal with the elimination of waste through persistent change within the system. The assembling units in India should likewise hope to take its preferences. The Industries are energetically following the Lean assembling strategies to reduce waste and cost. The present work is the study of a manufacturing process for axle housing and to decide how Lean manufacturing process carried out for axle housing plant to improve productivity. The new shot peening machine was installed in a heat treatment plant of a housing line in an automobile rear axle assembly plant and material handling time from storage to this new machine was more and this increased lead time subsequently. To reduce this Kaizens technique was employed and a direct gravity conveyor was chosen and installed between two work stations and the part was directly fed to the new machine installed and this reduces the material handling time considerably. A cost analysis was done to realize the benefits of implementing this lean technique. Therefore reducing lead time and increasing productivity is the Prime benefits of lean manufacturing practices like lean assembly.
Solutions for the disposal of industrial and rain wastewater of transport enterprises in Moscow
Authors: Varyushina Galina
Published: February 2018

The article gives results of the surveys water management systems, auto repair companies, bus compamies, taxis, fleets of trucks, production and technical enterprises. Studied technological processes of primary production: cleaning engines, flushing of radiators and parts of batteries, testing of fuel tanks, cleaning of parts and units, exterior washing and painting of motor vehicles. There were carried out field examinations of local industrial wastewater treatment facilities industrial wastewater and onsite construction runoff, the laboratory-production work to identify quantitative and qualitative indicators of the incoming and treated effluents, including petroleum products, suspended matter, salinity, synthetic surfactants, heavy metals etc. Proposed sustainable solutions for the improvement of the work of treatment facilities of rain sewage by mechanical and physical and chemical methods, including horizontal sand catchers, septic tanks – oil separator, a cascade of pressure filters with granular mineral over-loading and high-performance sorption materials, the effectiveness of treatment meets the requirements of water for its re-use for technical needs, and discharge to water bodies.
Root cause analysis of rough conical seat grinding problem in fuel pump cylinder head by Shainin methodology
Authors: Kadam Sanket Shankar , Virupakshappa N. M. , Achutha Kini U.
Published: February 2018

Problem solving plays a major role in quality engineering and it is popularly adopted by manufacturing industry. This study is aimed to determine root cause for rejection of cylinder head due to rough conical grinding problem by Shainin method. This has two major parts, first is diagnostic part which involves finding out the root cause and second is a remedial action part which consist of actual application of findings to rule out the problem. Wear in tool holder assembly is identified as root cause for rough grinding problem. Converging to root cause and validating the same achieved by successful implementation of Shainin tools.
Influence of Farmer demographics and Supply Chain Issues on Organized Retailer Performance
Authors: Prabhu Aruna , Giridhar Kamath B. , Karthik A. , Sinha Kushagra
Published: February 2018

Advances in information technology and increased social networking have increased health awareness among people in this era. The increased health awareness has prompted people to eat healthy and stay fit. In this regard, the food sector has seen tremendous demand in terms of good quality vegetables/fruits, cereals, with hygiene, nutrition, proteins etc. With the consumer willing to pay an extra premium for the quality expected, it has been observed that the producers are still offered low prices for a good quality produce whereas the intermediaries grab a huge share of the price paid by the consumer. This research tried to understand the supply chain with the farmers in focus and explored the influence of farmer demographics and the supply chain issues on the performance of the organized retail. Linear regression analysis was used to test the linear relationship of supply chain issues with organized retailer performance. The outcome of the study implies that independent variables like demographic characteristics and supply chain issues had no control over the retailer’s performance.
Isoenzymatic characterization of Phlebotomus ariasi and P. perniciosus of canine leishmaniasis foci from Eastern Pyrenean regions and comparison with other populations from Europe
Authors: Ballart Cristina , Pesson Bernard , Gállego Montserrat
Published: February 2018

An entomological survey was carried out in 2007 in two Pyrenean counties of Lleida province (north-eastern Spain), where cases of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis have been recently reported. Phlebotomus ariasi and P. perniciosus, vectors of Leishmania infantum in the Mediterranean area, were captured. The aim of the present study was to compare these phlebotomine populations with others captured in known leishmaniasis foci in Europe. Populations of these species were studied by analysing the polymorphism of seven enzymatic systems (HK, PGI, PGM, MDH, 6PGD, FUM and ACO) and compared with other specimens from endemic regions of France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain captured in other campaigns, and also with previously published results. Phlebotomus ariasi was more polymorphic than P. perniciosus. Only the ACO locus had diagnostic alleles, but some other alleles show high characteristic frequencies for each species. The neighbour-joining trees separated two population groups in both species. On the basis of the isoenzyme study results, sand fly populations of the Pyrenean region in Lleida province are closely related to those of other nearby leishmaniasis endemic regions in France and Spain.
Selective contribution of concrete shielding on the equivalent and effective doses in a prostate radiotherapy treatment
Authors: Braga K.L. , Thalhofer J.L. , Rebello W.F. , Gomes R.G. , Medeiros M.P.C. , Vital H.C. , Silva A.X. , Andrade E.R.
Published: February 2018

Within a radiotherapy room, in addition to the primary beam, there is also secondary radiation that leaks from the accelerator head and scattering caused by surrounding objects, the patient’s body and even the walls of the shielded room itself, designed to protect the external individuals, disregarding effects on the patient. The aim of this work is to study the radiation effect on the patient’s healthy tissues caused by scattering from a concrete shield expressed as equivalent and effective doses. MCNPX simulations of the linear accelerator Varian 2100/2300C/D were performed for a MAX phantom of a patient in a typical radiotherapy room. In addition, calculations were made with and without shielding. It was concluded that the concrete shielding affects in 5% the effective dose absorbed by the patient.
Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Dearomatization of 2-Nitrobenzofurans through Formal (3+2) Cycloadditions with Vinylcyclopropanes: A Straightforward Access to Cyclopenta[b]benzofurans
Authors: Vitale Maxime , Ling Johanne , Laugeois Maxime , Michelet Véronique , Ratovelomanana-Vidal Virginie
Published: February 2018

In the context of the palladium-catalyzed dearomatization of electron-poor arenes, we report herein that various 2-nitrobenzofurans efficiently undergo a dearomative (3+2) cycloaddition with vinylcyclopropanes. This new method gives access to a wide variety of cyclo­penta[b]benzofuran derivatives in a straightforward manner.
Coupling of N-Nosylhydrazones with Nitrosoarenes: Transition-Metal-Free Approach to (Z)-N-Arylnitrones
Authors: Liu Tingting , Liu Zhaohong , Liu Zhenhua , Hu Donghua , Wang Yeming
Published: February 2018

An efficient and transition-metal-free protocol for the synthesis of (Z)-N-arylnitrones from the direct coupling of N-nosylhydrazones with nitrosoarenes under mild conditions is described. The protocol is compatible with a wide range of functional groups placed on both the reagents and provided the corresponding nitrones in good to excellent yields by simple recrystallization process. The use of these 1,3-dipoles for the synthesis of substituted indoles is elaborated for 2,3-diphenyl-1H-indole.
(R)- and (S)-Proline-Derived Chiral Phosphoramides as Organo­catalysts for the Enantiodivergent Aldol Reaction of Isatins with Cyclohexanone in the Presence of Water
Authors: Juaristi Eusebio , Cruz-Hernández Carlos , Hernández-González Perla
Published: February 2018

Novel organocatalysts derived from (R)- and (S)-proline and incorporating a chiral phosphoramide fragment were rationally designed and subsequently synthesized. These chiral compounds catalyze the enantioselective aldol addition reaction of cyclohexanone to prochiral isatins in the presence of water. These observations are particularly relevant since reports of asymmetric aldol reactions between cyclohexanone­ and isatins catalyzed by chiral secondary amines remain scarce, with primary amines being the most studied and successful catalysts. The present report includes a thorough evaluation of the new bifunctional catalysts that actually give rise to either enantiomer of the chiral product by proper selection of the configuration of the proline moiety.
Expedient Entry to 1-Aminoadamantane Derivatives via Aza-Prins Cyclization of 7-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one Oximes
Authors: Iwabuchi Yoshiharu , Kuga Tetsuya , Sasano Yusuke , Tomizawa Masaki , Shibuya Masatoshi
Published: February 2018

An efficient synthesis of 1-aminoadamantane (amantadine) derivatives is described. This synthesis features acid-promoted aza-Prins cyclization of 7-methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one oximes, which are readily prepared from 1,3-adamantanediol via a Grob fragmentation and the subsequent oximation, to give various 3-substituted 1-(alkoxyamino)adamantanes. After the reduction of alkoxyamines, not only 3-substituted 1-aminoadamantanes, but also chiral 2,5-disubstituted derivatives were obtained in good yields.
Komorbiditäten und Mortalität bei Patienten mit entzündlichen Gelenkerkrankungen
Authors: Kleinert Stefan
Published: February 2018

Die entzündlichen Gelenkerkrankungen werden zunehmend als Systemerkrankungen angesehen. Systemische Manifestationen und Komorbiditäten wie kardiovaskuläres Risiko, Fatigue und Depression, Anämie, Osteoporose und erhöhte Mortalität sind in den letzten Jahren zunehmend in den klinischen und wissenschaftlichen Blickpunkt geraten. Infektionsrisiko, chronische Nieren- und Lungenerkrankungen können die Therapie im klinischen Alltag komplizieren. Einschränkungen der Kognition oder der sexuellen Funktion sind dagegen kaum wissenschaftlich erfasst und werden vermutlich auch auf Arzt-Patienten-Ebene unzureichend adressiert. Eine systematische Umsetzung der Erfassung und des Management von Komorbiditäten ist notwendig, um die Mortalität von Patienten mit entzündlichen Systemerkrankungen zu reduzieren und die Lebensqualität zu verbessern. Eine solche Umsetzung wird aber derzeit vom kassenärztlichen System nicht vergütet.
Erhöhtes Schlaganfallrisiko nach Neck Dissection?
Authors: Park Jonas J.-H.
Published: February 2018

Cramer JD et al. Is Neck Dissection Associated with an Increased Risk of Postoperative Stroke? Otolaryngol Head
Neck Surg 2017; 157(2): 226–232

Der Schlaganfall gehört zu den schwersten Komplikationen der Kopf- und Hals- Chirurgie. Wie hoch das Risiko
speziell nach einer Neck Dissection ist, haben Cramer und Kolleginnen/Kollegen jetzt in einer
retrospektiven Kohortenstudie genauer untersucht.
Zeiterfassung in der Endoskopie
Authors: Schmitt Klaus , Schweizer Rebecca
Published: February 2018

Zeiterfassung in der Endoskopie wird immer wichtiger. Sie dient als Nachweis der geleisteten Arbeit, dokumentiert aber auch die geleistete Qualität. Hier sollten und müssen wir uns von der pflegerischen Seite einbringen und unseren nicht unwichtigen Anteil am Gelingen einer endoskopischen Intervention transparent machen. In Fragen der Personalbedarfsberechnung ist die Zeiterfassung unverzichtbar, um die individuelle Situation der eigenen Abteilung realistisch abbilden zu können. Die Hersteller von Dokumentationsprogrammen sollten ermutigt werden, in ihre Produkte Module zu integrieren, mit denen das Erfassen von Eckpunkten der pflegerischen und ärztlichen Tätigkeit individuell, leicht veränderbar, einfach, möglich ist. Dies würde der Zeiterfassung in der Endoskopie einen neuen „Schub“ bringen.
Medikamentöse Therapie des Schilddrüsenknotens
Authors: Derwahl Karl-Michael
Published: February 2018

Während in Regionen mit ausreichender Iodversorgung die Therapie des Schilddrüsenknotens mit Levothyroxin
weitgehend verlassen wurde und auch nicht mehr in den Leitlinien empfohlen wird, gibt es für eine
medikamentöse Therapie von Schilddrüsenknoten in Deutschland eine Indikation, wie die randomisierte,
placebokontrollierte LISA-Studie nachgewiesen hat.

Wesentlicher Grund ist ein leichter Iodmangel bei Patienten mit Schilddrüsenknoten. In der LISA-Studie führte
eine Levothyroxin-Iodid-Kombinationstherapie zu einer mindestens 50 %igen Volumenreduktion der Knoten bei 21,6
% der Patienten gegenüber bei nur 5,2 % der Placebo-Behandelten.

Unter der kombinierten L-T4-Iodidtherapie wird der TSH-Wert im unteren Referenzbereich eingestellt, eine
TSH-Suppression (latente Hyperthyreose) muss vermieden werden, da sie zu Herzrhythmusstörungen führen
kann.

Im höheren Alter muss aufgrund der kardiovaskulären Risiken die Indikation zu einer Schilddrüsenhormontherapie
überprüft, die Dosis häufig reduziert oder die Therapie abgesetzt werden.
Administrative Prävalenz und Versorgungssituation der Demenz im Krankenhaus – Eine versorgungsepidemiologische Studie basierend auf GKV-Daten sächsischer Versicherter
Authors: Motzek Tom , Werblow Andreas , Schmitt Jochen , Marquardt Gesine
Published: February 2018

Ziel der Studie Menschen mit Demenz stellen das Versorgungsystem – und insbesondere die akutstationäre Versorgung – vor große Herausforderungen. Anhand von Routinedaten soll die kleinräumige administrative Prävalenz bzw. Diagnosehäufigkeit der Demenz, die administrative Prävalenz im Krankenhaus und die Versorgungssituation im Krankenhaus untersucht werden.

Methoden Es wurden Routinedaten der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung AOK PLUS für Sachsen im Jahr 2014 ausgewertet. Eine Demenz lag vor, wenn in mind. 3 von 4 Quartalen eine ambulante oder stationäre Demenzdiagnose identifiziert werden konnte (n=61 700). Für die Analysen der Versorgungssituation im Krankenhaus wurden 61 239 Personen mit und 183 477 Kontrollpersonen ohne Demenz eingeschlossen. Die Auswahl der Kontrollgruppe erfolgte gematched nach Alter, Geschlecht und Wohnort im Verhältnis 1:3.

Ergebnisse Die administrative Ein-Jahres-Prävalenz bzw. Diagnosehäufigkeit der Demenz der über 65-Jährigen betrug 9,3%. Die Hochrechnung der administrativen Prävalenz der Demenz im Krankenhaus ergab für die über 65-jährigen Krankenhauspatienten eine Rate von 16,7%. Personen mit Demenz hatten um 33% mehr Krankenhauseinweisungen, eine um 36% längere Pro-Kopf Verweildauer und um 18% höhere akutstationäre Kosten je Personenjahr als Personen ohne Demenz. Die längere Verweildauer und höheren Kosten wurden überwiegend durch die höhere Einweisungshäufigkeit verursacht. Die akutstationären Inanspruchnahmen von Patienten mit Demenz waren – im Vergleich zu Patienten ohne Demenz – eher durch pflegerische und betreuende Bedarfe, als durch therapeutische und diagnostische Bedarfe charakterisiert.

Schlussfolgerungen Um die Versorgungslage der Menschen mit Demenz zu verbessern, den Herausforderungen für die Krankenhäuser zu begegnen und um die finanziellen Belastungen der sozialen Sicherungssysteme zu reduzieren, sind zukünftig Verbesserungen notwendig. Dies umfasst unteren anderen Verbesserungen in den Erkennungsraten der Demenz und die Reduktion von vermeidbaren Krankenhauseinweisungen.
Performance evaluation and bias correction of DBS measurements for a 1290-MHz boundary layer profiler
Authors: Liu Zhao , Zheng Chaorong , Wu Yue
Published: February 2018

Recently, the government installed a boundary layer profiler (BLP), which is operated under the Doppler beam swinging mode, in a coastal area of China, to acquire useful wind field information in the atmospheric boundary layer for several purposes. And under strong wind conditions, the performance of the BLP is evaluated. It is found that, even though the quality controlled BLP data show good agreement with the balloon observations, a systematic bias can always be found for the BLP data. For the low wind velocities, the BLP data tend to overestimate the atmospheric wind. However, with the increment of wind velocity, the BLP data show a tendency of underestimation. In order to remove the effect of poor quality data on bias correction, the probability distribution function of the differences between the two instruments is discussed, and it is found that the t location scale distribution is the most suitable probability model when compared to other probability models. After the outliers with a large discrepancy, which are outside of 95% confidence interval of the t location scale distribution, are discarded, the systematic bias can be successfully corrected using a first-order polynomial correction function. The methodology of bias correction used in the study not only can be referred for the correction of other wind profiling radars, but also can lay a solid basis for further analysis of the wind profiles.
Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions with Mn-modified ultrathin MnGa layer
Authors: Suzuki K. Z. , Miura Y. , Ranjbar R. , Bainsla L. , Ono A. , Sasaki Y. , Mizukami S.
Published: February 2018

Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) with a MgO barrier and a 1-nm-thick MnGa electrode were investigated by inserting several monolayers (MLs) of Mn. The tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio systematically increased when increasing the Mn layer thickness with a maximum of 18 (38.4)% at 300 (5) K for a Mn layer thickness of 0.6–0.8 nm. This ratio is five times higher compared to that without the Mn layer. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) field and the PMA constant of the ultrathin MnGa layer also increased up to 62–90 kOe and 6.2–11.3 Merg/cm3, respectively, with an increase in the Mn interlayer thickness, even for the ultrathin regime of the MnGa layer. For p-MTJs showing a high TMR and PMA, electron microscopy indicated the presence of 3–4 MLs of Mn at the MnGa/MgO interface; thus, the Mn modification enhanced the TMR as well as improved the PMA. This may be a promising finding to develop a Mn-based free layer for spin-transfer-torque devices for high-recording-density magnetoresistive random access memory and a sub-THz oscillator/detector.
Liquid crystal mediated active nano-plasmonic based on the formation of hybrid plasmonic-photonic modes
Authors: Mehrzad Hossein , Mohajerani Ezeddin
Published: February 2018

The present study aims to demonstrate how active hybrid nano-plasmonic modes become excited due to the coupling of localized plasmonic resonance and Fabry-Perot (FP) optical modes. The proposed structure includes an integration of a micro-cavity filled with liquid crystals with high anisotropy and a layer of gold nanoislands (NIs). The optical absorption of NI is controllably discretized to the narrow-width modes, called “hybrid modes (HM),” due to the interplay between FP and plasmonic modes. HM could demonstrate a strongly intensified and diminished absorption, compared to the absorption of the bare gold layer. Based on the active plasmonic experiments, the HM boosted the figure of merit related to activation capability up to 40 times and subsequently experienced impressive spectral shifts, leading to very wavelength-selective changes. The theoretical simulation of the HM is provided to suggest relevant insights into the experimental results.
Similarity-transformed equation-of-motion vibrational coupled-cluster theory
Authors: Faucheaux Jacob A. , Nooijen Marcel , Hirata So
Published: February 2018

A similarity-transformed equation-of-motion vibrational coupled-cluster (STEOM-XVCC) method is introduced as a one-mode theory with an effective vibrational Hamiltonian, which is similarity transformed twice so that its lower-order operators are dressed with higher-order anharmonic effects. The first transformation uses an exponential excitation operator, defining the equation-of-motion vibrational coupled-cluster (EOM-XVCC) method, and the second uses an exponential excitation-deexcitation operator. From diagonalization of this doubly similarity-transformed Hamiltonian in the small one-mode excitation space, the method simultaneously computes accurate anharmonic vibrational frequencies of all fundamentals, which have unique significance in vibrational analyses. We establish a diagrammatic method of deriving the working equations of STEOM-XVCC and prove their connectedness and thus size-consistency as well as the exact equality of its frequencies with the corresponding roots of EOM-XVCC. We furthermore elucidate the similarities and differences between electronic and vibrational STEOM methods and between STEOM-XVCC and vibrational many-body Green’s function theory based on the Dyson equation, which is also an anharmonic one-mode theory. The latter comparison inspires three approximate STEOM-XVCC methods utilizing the common approximations made in the Dyson equation: the diagonal approximation, a perturbative expansion of the Dyson self-energy, and the frequency-independent approximation. The STEOM-XVCC method including up to the simultaneous four-mode excitation operator in a quartic force field and its three approximate variants are formulated and implemented in computer codes with the aid of computer algebra, and they are applied to small test cases with varied degrees of anharmonicity.
Analysis and mitigation of interface losses in trenched superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators
Authors: Calusine G. , Melville A. , Woods W. , Das R. , Stull C. , Bolkhovsky V. , Braje D. , Hover D. , Kim D. K. , Miloshi X. , Rosenberg D. , Sevi A. , Yoder J. L. , Dauler E. , Oliver W. D.
Published: February 2018

Improving the performance of superconducting qubits and resonators generally results from a combination of materials and fabrication process improvements and design modifications that reduce device sensitivity to residual losses. One instance of this approach is to use trenching into the device substrate in combination with superconductors and dielectrics with low intrinsic losses to improve quality factors and coherence times. Here, we demonstrate titanium nitride coplanar waveguide resonators with mean quality factors exceeding two million and controlled trenching reaching 2.2 μm in the silicon substrate. Additionally, we measure sets of resonators with a range of sizes and trench depths and compare these results with finite-element simulations to demonstrate quantitative agreement with a model of interface dielectric loss. We then apply this analysis to determine the extent to which trenching can improve resonator performance.
Note: Erosion of W–Ni–Fe and W–Cu alloy electrodes in repetitive spark gaps
Authors: Wu Jiawei , Han Ruoyu , Ding Weidong , Qiu Aici , Tang Junping
Published: February 2018

A pair of W–Ni–Fe and W–Cu electrodes were tested under 100 kA level pulsed currents for 10 000 shots, respectively. Surface roughness and morphology characteristics of the two pairs of electrodes were obtained and compared. Experimental results indicated cracks divided the W–Cu electrode surface to polygons while the W–Ni–Fe electrode surface remained as a whole with pits and protrusions. Accordingly, the surface roughness of W–Ni–Fe electrodes increased to ∼3 μm while that of W–Cu electrodes reached ∼7 μm at the end of the test. The results reveal that the W–Ni–Fe alloy has a better erosion resistance and potential to be further applied in spark gaps.
Accurate image-charge method by the use of the residue theorem for core-shell dielectric sphere
Authors: Fu Jing , Xu Zhenli
Published: February 2018

An accurate image-charge method (ICM) is developed for ionic interactions outside a core-shell structured dielectric sphere. Core-shell particles have wide applications for which the theoretical investigation requires efficient methods for the Green’s function used to calculate pairwise interactions of ions. The ICM is based on an inverse Mellin transform from the coefficients of spherical harmonic series of the Green’s function such that the polarization charge due to dielectric boundaries is represented by a series of image point charges and an image line charge. The residue theorem is used to accurately calculate the density of the line charge. Numerical results show that the ICM is promising in fast evaluation of the Green’s function, and thus it is useful for theoretical investigations of core-shell particles. This routine can also be applicable for solving other problems with spherical dielectric interfaces such as multilayered media and Debye-Hückel equations.
The method of UCN “small heating” measurement in the big gravitational spectrometer (BGS) and studies of this effect on Fomblin oil Y-HVAC 18/8
Authors: Nesvizhevsky V. V. , Voronin A. Yu. , Lambrecht A. , Reynaud S. , Lychagin E. V. , Muzychka A. Yu. , Nekhaev G. V. , Strelkov A. V.
Published: February 2018

The Big Gravitational Spectrometer (BGS) takes advantage of the strong influence of the Earth’s gravity on the motion of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) that makes it possible to shape and measure UCN spectra. We optimized the BGS to investigate the “small heating” of UCNs, that is, the inelastic reflection of UCNs from a surface accompanied by an energy change comparable with the initial UCN energy. UCNs whose energy increases are referred to as “Vaporized UCNs” (VUCNs). The BGS provides the narrowest UCN spectra of a few cm and the broadest “visible” VUCN energy range of up to ∼150 cm (UCN energy is given in units of its maximum height in the Earth’s gravitational field, where 1.00 cm ≈ 1.02 neV). The dead-zone between the UCN and VUCN spectra is the narrowest ever achieved (a few cm). We performed measurements with and without samples without breaking vacuum. BGS provides the broadest range of temperatures (77-600 K) and the highest sensitivity to the small heating effect, up to ∼10−8 per bounce, i.e., two orders of magnitude higher than the sensitivity of alternative methods. We describe the method to measure the probability of UCN “small heating” using the BGS and illustrate it with a study of samples of the hydrogen-free oil Fomblin Y-HVAC 18/8. The data obtained are well reproducible, do not depend on sample thickness, and do not evolve over time. The measured model-independent probability P+ of UCN small heating from an energy “mono-line” 30.2 ± 2.5 cm to the energy range 35–140 cm is in the range 1.05±0.02stat×10−5−1.31±0.24stat×10−5 at a temperature of 24 °C. The associated systematic uncertainty would disappear if a VUCN spectrum shape were known, for instance, from a particular model of small heating. This experiment provides the most precise and reliable value of small heating probability on Fomblin measured so far. These results are of importance for studies of UCN small heating as well as for analyzing and designing neutron lifetime experiments.
Cochlear spike synchronization and neuron coincidence detection model
Authors: Bader Rolf
Published: February 2018

Coincidence detection of a spike pattern fed from the cochlea into a single neuron is investigated using a physical Finite-Difference model of the cochlea and a physiologically motivated neuron model. Previous studies have shown experimental evidence of increased spike synchronization in the nucleus cochlearis and the trapezoid body [Joris et al., J. Neurophysiol. 71(3), 1022–1036 and 1037–1051 (1994)] and models show tone partial phase synchronization at the transition from mechanical waves on the basilar membrane into spike patterns [Ch. F. Babbs, J. Biophys. 2011, 435135]. Still the traveling speed of waves on the basilar membrane cause a frequency-dependent time delay of simultaneously incoming sound wavefronts up to 10 ms. The present model shows nearly perfect synchronization of multiple spike inputs as neuron outputs with interspike intervals (ISI) at the periodicity of the incoming sound for frequencies from about 30 to 300 Hz for two different amounts of afferent nerve fiber neuron inputs. Coincidence detection serves here as a fusion of multiple inputs into one single event enhancing pitch periodicity detection for low frequencies, impulse detection, or increased sound or speech intelligibility due to dereverberation.
Doping and compensation in Al-rich AlGaN grown on single crystal AlN and sapphire by MOCVD
Authors: Bryan Isaac , Bryan Zachary , Washiyama Shun , Reddy Pramod , Gaddy Benjamin , Sarkar Biplab , Breckenridge M. Hayden , Guo Qiang , Bobea Milena , Tweedie James , Mita Seiji , Irving Douglas , Collazo Ramon , Sitar Zlatko
Published: February 2018

In order to understand the influence of dislocations on doping and compensation in Al-rich AlGaN, thin films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on different templates on sapphire and low dislocation density single crystalline AlN. AlGaN grown on AlN exhibited the highest conductivity, carrier concentration, and mobility for any doping concentration due to low threading dislocation related compensation and reduced self-compensation. The onset of self-compensation, i.e., the “knee behavior” in conductivity, was found to depend only on the chemical potential of silicon, strongly indicating the cation vacancy complex with Si as the source of self-compensation. However, the magnitude of self-compensation was found to increase with an increase in dislocation density, and consequently, AlGaN grown on AlN substrates demonstrated higher conductivity over the entire doping range.
An integrated nonlinear optical loop mirror in silicon photonics for all-optical signal processing
Authors: Wang Zifei , Glesk Ivan , Chen Lawrence R.
Published: February 2018

The nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) has been studied for several decades and has attracted considerable attention for applications in high data rate optical communications and all-optical signal processing. The majority of NOLM research has focused on silica fiber-based implementations. While various fiber designs have been considered to increase the nonlinearity and manage dispersion, several meters to hundreds of meters of fiber are still required. On the other hand, there is increasing interest in developing photonic integrated circuits for realizing signal processing functions. In this paper, we realize the first-ever passive integrated NOLM in silicon photonics and demonstrate its application for all-optical signal processing. In particular, we show wavelength conversion of 10 Gb/s return-to-zero on-off keying (RZ-OOK) signals over a wavelength range of 30 nm with error-free operation and a power penalty of less than 2.5 dB, we achieve error-free nonreturn to zero (NRZ)-to-RZ modulation format conversion at 10 Gb/s also with a power penalty of less than 2.8 dB, and we obtain error-free all-optical time-division demultiplexing of a 40 Gb/s RZ-OOK data signal into its 10 Gb/s tributary channels with a maximum power penalty of 3.5 dB.
Spin-orbit torque-induced switching in ferrimagnetic alloys: Experiments and modeling
Authors: Je Soong-Geun , Rojas-Sánchez Juan-Carlos , Pham Thai Ha , Vallobra Pierre , Malinowski Gregory , Lacour Daniel , Fache Thibaud , Cyrille Marie-Claire , Kim Dae-Yun , Choe Sug-Bong , Belmeguenai Mohamed , Hehn Michel , Mangin Stéphane , Gaudin Gilles , Boulle Olivier
Published: February 2018

We investigate spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced switching in rare-earth-transition metal ferrimagnetic alloys using W/CoTb bilayers. The switching current is found to vary continuously with the alloy concentration, and no reduction in the switching current is observed at the magnetic compensation point despite a very large SOT efficiency. A model based on coupled Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert (LLG) equations shows that the switching current density scales with the effective perpendicular anisotropy which does not exhibit strong reduction at the magnetic compensation, explaining the behavior of the switching current density. This model also suggests that conventional SOT effective field measurements do not allow one to conclude whether the spins are transferred to one sublattice or just simply to the net magnetization. The effective spin Hall angle measurement shows an enhancement of the spin Hall angle with the Tb concentration which suggests an additional SOT contribution from the rare earth Tb atoms.
Numerical investigation for entropy generation in hydromagnetic flow of fluid with variable properties and slip
Authors: Khan M. Ijaz , Hayat Tasawar , Alsaedi Ahmed
Published: February 2018

This modeling and computations present the study of viscous fluid flow with variable properties by a rotating stretchable disk. Rotating flow is generated through nonlinear rotating stretching surface. Nonlinear thermal radiation and heat generation/absorption are studied. Flow is conducting for a constant applied magnetic field. No polarization is taken. Induced magnetic field is not taken into account. Attention is focused on the entropy generation rate and Bejan number. The entropy generation rate and Bejan number clearly depend on velocity and thermal fields. The von Kármán approach is utilized to convert the partial differential expressions into ordinary ones. These expressions are non-dimensionalized, and numerical results are obtained for flow variables. The effects of the magnetic parameter, Prandtl number, radiative parameter, heat generation/absorption parameter, and slip parameter on velocity and temperature fields as well as the entropy generation rate and Bejan number are discussed. Drag forces (radial and tangential) and heat transfer rates are calculated and discussed. Furthermore the entropy generation rate is a decreasing function of magnetic variable and Reynolds number. The Bejan number effect on the entropy generation rate is reverse to that of the magnetic variable. Also opposite behavior of heat transfers is observed for varying estimations of radiative and slip variables.
Carbon doping induced Ge local structure change in as-deposited Ge2Sb2Te5 film by EXAFS and Raman spectrum
Authors: Li Tao , Wu Liangcai , Ji Xinglong , Zheng Yonghui , Liu Guangyu , Song Zhitang , Shi Jianjun , Zhu Min , Song Sannian , Feng Songlin
Published: February 2018

The local structure change of Ge induced by carbon doping in as-deposited Ge2Sb2Te5 films were studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure and Raman spectrum. Ge-C bonds are formed at the expense of reducing the coordination of Ge-Ge and Ge-Te bonds, and make the local structure of Ge to be a well-defined tetrahedral geometry, which increases the rigidity of amorphous network and reduces the number of ABAB rings, thus the crystallization temperature of carbon-doped Ge2Sb2Te5 (CGST) films are enhanced. The reduced proportion of the tetrahedral units GeTe4−nGen (n = 1, 2) caused by carbon doping accounts for the weaker Raman peak intensity at ∼124 cm−1 in CGST films. Meanwhile, the impact of doping carbon on the crystalline structure of CGST films were investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscope.
An analytical investigation: Effect of solar wind on lunar photoelectron sheath
Authors: Mishra S. K. , Misra Shikha
Published: February 2018

The formation of a photoelectron sheath over the lunar surface and subsequent dust levitation, under the influence of solar wind plasma and continuous solar radiation, has been analytically investigated. The photoelectron sheath characteristics have been evaluated using the Poisson equation configured with population density contributions from half Fermi-Dirac distribution of the photoemitted electrons and simplified Maxwellian statistics of solar wind plasma; as a consequence, altitude profiles for electric potential, electric field, and population density within the photoelectron sheath have been derived. The expression for the accretion rate of sheath electrons over the levitated spherical particles using anisotropic photoelectron flux has been derived, which has been further utilized to characterize the charging of levitating fine particles in the lunar sheath along with other constituent photoemission and solar wind fluxes. This estimate of particle charge has been further manifested with lunar sheath characteristics to evaluate the altitude profile of the particle size exhibiting levitation. The inclusion of solar wind flux into analysis is noticed to reduce the sheath span and altitude of the particle levitation; the dependence of the sheath structure and particle levitation on the solar wind plasma parameters has been discussed and graphically presented.
Electrical characterization of amorphous Al2O3 dielectric films on n-type 4H-SiC
Authors: Khosa R. Y. , Thorsteinsson E. B. , Winters M. , Rorsman N. , Karhu R. , Hassan J. , Sveinbjörnsson E. Ö.
Published: February 2018

We report on the electrical properties of Al2O3 films grown on 4H-SiC by successive thermal oxidation of thin Al layers at low temperatures (200°C - 300°C). MOS capacitors made using these films contain lower density of interface traps, are more immune to electron injection and exhibit higher breakdown field (5MV/cm) than Al2O3 films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or rapid thermal processing (RTP). Furthermore, the interface state density is significantly lower than in MOS capacitors with nitrided thermal silicon dioxide, grown in N2O, serving as the gate dielectric. Deposition of an additional SiO2 film on the top of the Al2O3 layer increases the breakdown voltage of the MOS capacitors while maintaining low density of interface traps. We examine the origin of negative charges frequently encountered in Al2O3 films grown on SiC and find that these charges consist of trapped electrons which can be released from the Al2O3 layer by depletion bias stress and ultraviolet light exposure. This electron trapping needs to be reduced if Al2O3 is to be used as a gate dielectric in SiC MOS technology.
Loss of function of a rice TPR-domain RNA-binding protein confers broad-spectrum disease resistance
Authors: Zhou Xiaogang , Liao Haicheng , Chern Mawsheng , Yin Junjie , Chen Yufei , Wang Jianping , Zhu Xiaobo , Chen Zhixiong , Yuan Can , Zhao Wen , Wang Jing , Li Weitao , He Min , Ma Bingtian , Wang Jichun , Qin Peng , Chen Weilan , Wang Yuping , Liu Jiali , Qian Yangwen , Wang Wenming , Wu Xianjun , Li Ping , Zhu Lihuang , Li Shigui , Ronald Pamela C. , Chen Xuewei
Published: February 2018

Significance

Crops carrying broad-spectrum resistance loci provide an effective strategy for controlling infectious disease. Despite their importance, few broad-spectrum resistance loci have been reported, and the underlying mechanisms controlling the trait remain largely unknown. This report describes the identification of a gene, called “
bsr-k1
,” conferring broad-spectrum resistance and demonstrates that the encoded protein regulates immunity-related genes. Loss of function of BSR-K1 in rice leads to enhanced broad-spectrum resistance to two serious rice diseases with no major penalty on yield. This report provides insights into broad-spectrum resistance and offers an efficient strategy to breeding durably resistant rice.
A big data analysis of the relationship between future thinking and decision-making
Authors: Thorstad Robert , Wolff Phillip
Published: February 2018

We use big data methods to investigate how decision-making might depend on future sightedness (that is, on how far into the future people’s thoughts about the future extend). In study 1, we establish a link between future thinking and decision-making at the population level in showing that US states with citizens having relatively far future sightedness, as reflected in their tweets, take fewer risks than citizens in states having relatively near future sightedness. In study 2, we analyze people’s tweets to confirm a connection between future sightedness and decision-making at the individual level in showing that people with long future sightedness are more likely to choose larger future rewards over smaller immediate rewards. In study 3, we show that risk taking decreases with increases in future sightedness as reflected in people’s tweets. The ability of future sightedness to predict decisions suggests that future sightedness is a relatively stable cognitive characteristic. This implication was supported in an analysis of tweets by over 38,000 people that showed that future sightedness has both state and trait characteristics (study 4). In study 5, we provide evidence for a potential mechanism by which future sightedness can affect decisions in showing that far future sightedness can make the future seem more connected to the present, as reflected in how people refer to the present, past, and future in their tweets over the course of several minutes. Our studies show how big data methods can be applied to naturalistic data to reveal underlying psychological properties and processes.
Pressure-induced structural change in MgSiO
3
glass at pressures near the Earth’s core–mantle boundary
Authors: Kono Yoshio , Shibazaki Yuki , Kenney-Benson Curtis , Wang Yanbin , Shen Guoyin
Published: February 2018

Significance

Knowledge of the structure of MgSiO
3
melt at pressures near the Earth’s core–mantle boundary is important in understanding geochemical and geophysical processes at the region. However, there is no structural determination under such ultrahigh pressures. A double-stage Paris–Edinburgh press combined with multiangle energy dispersive X-ray diffraction enabled in situ structure measurements on MgSiO
3
glass up to 111 GPa. We report direct experimental evidence of a structural change in this glass at pressures greater than 88 GPa, which is shallower than the pressure of the Earth’s core–mantle boundary. Considering similarities in pressure-induced structural changes between silicate melts and glasses, a similar ultrahigh-pressure structural change may occur in MgSiO
3
melts in the deep lower mantle.
Identification and paleoclimatic significance of magnetite nanoparticles in soils
Authors: Ahmed Imad A. M. , Maher Barbara A.
Published: February 2018

Significance

In the famous Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), weakly magnetic, windblown dust layers alternate with variably magnetic fossil soils, recording monsoonal variations through the last ∼3 My. The soils contain strongly magnetic iron oxides, formed in situ, the mineralogy and paleoclimatic significance of which are controversial. Reduction of iron to form Fe
2+
-bearing magnetite has been linked to soil wetting/drying. Conversely, oxidation of iron to form Fe
3+
-bearing maghemite, which ages into Al-substituted hematite, has been linked to paleotemperature. This study uses structural fingerprinting and electron energy loss spectroscopy to resolve this debate, proving that magnetite is the dominant soil-formed magnet. The magnetic variations of the CLP paleosols thus record changes in monsoonal rainfall, providing a key time series for testing of general circulation climate models.
Divergent and parallel routes of biochemical adaptation in high-altitude passerine birds from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Zhu Xiaojia , Guan Yuyan , Signore Anthony V. , Natarajan Chandrasekhar , DuBay Shane G. , Cheng Yalin , Han Naijian , Song Gang , Qu Yanhua , Moriyama Hideaki , Hoffmann Federico G. , Fago Angela , Lei Fumin , Storz Jay F.
Published: February 2018

When different species experience similar selection pressures, the probability of evolving similar adaptive solutions may be influenced by legacies of evolutionary history, such as lineage-specific changes in genetic background. Here we test for adaptive convergence in hemoglobin (Hb) function among high-altitude passerine birds that are native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and we examine whether convergent increases in Hb–O
2
affinity have a similar molecular basis in different species. We documented that high-altitude parid and aegithalid species from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have evolved derived increases in Hb–O
2
affinity in comparison with their closest lowland relatives in East Asia. However, convergent increases in Hb–O
2
affinity and convergence in underlying functional mechanisms were seldom attributable to the same amino acid substitutions in different species. Using ancestral protein resurrection and site-directed mutagenesis, we experimentally confirmed two cases in which parallel substitutions contributed to convergent increases in Hb–O
2
affinity in codistributed high-altitude species. In one case involving the ground tit (
Parus humilis
) and gray-crested tit (
Lophophanes dichrous
), parallel amino acid replacements with affinity-enhancing effects were attributable to nonsynonymous substitutions at a CpG dinucleotide, suggesting a possible role for mutation bias in promoting recurrent changes at the same site. Overall, most altitude-related changes in Hb function were caused by divergent amino acid substitutions, and a select few were caused by parallel substitutions that produced similar phenotypic effects on the divergent genetic backgrounds of different species.
Ancient duons may underpin spatial patterning of gene expression in C
4
leaves
Authors: Reyna-Llorens Ivan , Burgess Steven J. , Reeves Gregory , Singh Pallavi , Stevenson Sean R. , Williams Ben P. , Stanley Susan , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: February 2018

If the highly efficient C
4
photosynthesis pathway could be transferred to crops with the C
3
pathway there could be yield gains of up to 50%. It has been proposed that the multiple metabolic and developmental modifications associated with C
4
photosynthesis are underpinned by relatively few master regulators that have allowed the evolution of C
4
photosynthesis more than 60 times in flowering plants. Here we identify a component of one such regulator that consists of a pair of
cis
-elements located in coding sequence of multiple genes that are preferentially expressed in bundle sheath cells of C
4
leaves. These motifs represent duons as they play a dual role in coding for amino acids as well as controlling the spatial patterning of gene expression associated with the C
4
leaf. They act to repress transcription of C
4
photosynthesis genes in mesophyll cells. These duons are also present in the C
3
model
Arabidopsis thaliana
, and, in fact, are conserved in all land plants and even some algae that use C
3
photosynthesis. C
4
photosynthesis therefore appears to have coopted an ancient regulatory code to generate the spatial patterning of gene expression that is a hallmark of C
4
photosynthesis. This intragenic transcriptional regulatory sequence could be exploited in the engineering of efficient photosynthesis of crops.
Diamond anvil cell behavior up to 4 Mbar
Authors: Li Bing , Ji Cheng , Yang Wenge , Wang Junyue , Yang Ke , Xu Ruqing , Liu Wenjun , Cai Zhonghou , Chen Jiuhua , Mao Ho-kwang
Published: February 2018

Significance

Diamond anvil cell (DAC) could be one of the most popular and versatile devices to generate static high pressure. By using beveled anvils, researchers can study materials up to 4 Mbar, which is considered as a limit pressure of conventional DAC; however, very few experiments have visited this pressure region. Here, we have systematically studied the behaviors of three DACs with three typical culet sizes, one of which reached 4 Mbar. In addition, by using submicrometer synchrotron X-ray probe, double cupping of beveled diamond anvils up to 4 Mbar is reported experimentally. Our results provide important guidance for future DAC studies to extreme high pressures.