bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A morphological study of the changes in the ultrastructure of a bacterial biofilm disrupted by an ac corona discharge in air
Authors: Stepanova Olga , Rybalchenko Oksana , Astafiev Alexander , Orlova Olga , Kudryavtsev Anatoly , Kapustina Valentina
Published: August 2016

The morphology of bacterial cells and biofilms subjected to a low frequency (∼105 Hz) ac (∼10−1 A) corona discharge was investigated using electron microscopy. A low-frequency ac corona discharge in air is shown to have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect on Escherichia coli M17 culture at both the cellular and population levels. Corona exposure inhibits the formation of a microbial community and results in the destruction of formed biofilms. This paper presents data on changes in the ultrastructure of cells and biofilms after corona treatment. Our results suggest that the E. coli M17 cells inside biofilms are affected with results similar to sub-lethal and lethal thermal exposure. Some of the biological aspects of colony and biofilm cells death are evaluated. Morphological changes in the ultrastructure of the biofilms under corona treatment are described. Our results indicate that the heating effect is the main factor responsible for the corona-induced inactivation of bacteria.
Neural forecasting and optimal sizing for hybrid renewable energy systems with grid-connected storage system
Authors: Gurubel K. J. , Osuna-Enciso V. , Cardenas J. J. , Coronado-Mendoza A. , Perez-Cisneros M. A. , Sanchez E. N.
Published: August 2016

Energy systems with renewable sources are used around the world in order to satisfy both off-grid and on-grid load demands, and are commonly coupled to conventional sources. A good behavior of this kind of systems depends on the renewable sources availability that includes the solar irradiance and the wind speed, as well as the profile variations over the energy demand. Their main objective is to satisfy the load demand while minimizing the use of conventional sources, reducing pollutant emissions and storing the energy excess for deficit conditions. This paper presents modeling, neural forecasting and optimal sizing for hybrid energy systems, which are proposed to minimize both the overall annual cost and the use of conventional sources, which in turn represents reduction of pollutant emissions. In this paper, the use of renewable sources along with load demand variations are predicted by a High Order Neural Network trained with an Extended Kalman Filter, whereas the optimal sizing is calculated by using both a Clonal Selection Algorithm and a Genetic Algorithm. The efficiency of using neural forecasting data is illustrated through a simulation with the results showing the effectiveness of both optimization algorithms for calculating an optimal sizing of the hybrid system, which ultimately represents an optimal cost-effective system.
Painting cracks: A way to investigate the pictorial matter
Authors: Giorgiutti-Dauphiné Frédérique , Pauchard Ludovic
Published: August 2016

An old painting generally exhibits a wide variety of crack patterns. From a strictly aesthetic point of view, cracks are undesirable; nevertheless, they can be seen as the fingerprints of the painting and provide valuable knowledge about the art piece. Precisely, the morphology of crack patterns can be related to the mechanical properties of the pictorial matter or they can reveal information about the methods used by the artist or the conditions of conservation. In the present paper, we show how drying dispersions of colloidal particles in a volatile solvent on a non-porous substrate provides a good candidate to study crack formation in a solid layer. We recover the crack patterns observed in paintings, and we investigate the role of the substrate, e.g., the sub-layer, and of the thickness of the layer in the crack spacing. We show how to deduce mechanical properties of a sub-layer, provided the thickness and the elastic modulus of the layer are known. These experiments aim to propose a potentially non-invasive method to deduce quantitative information about mechanical properties of a pictorial matter which could be of great interest for cultural heritage.
Wick polynomials and time-evolution of cumulants
Authors: Lukkarinen Jani , Marcozzi Matteo
Published: August 2016

We show how Wick polynomials of random variables can be defined combinatorially as the unique choice, which removes all “internal contractions” from the related cumulant expansions, also in a non-Gaussian case. We discuss how an expansion in terms of the Wick polynomials can be used for derivation of a hierarchy of equations for the time-evolution of cumulants. These methods are then applied to simplify the formal derivation of the Boltzmann-Peierls equation in the kinetic scaling limit of the discrete nonlinear Schödinger equation (DNLS) with suitable random initial data. We also present a reformulation of the standard perturbation expansion using cumulants, which could simplify the problem of a rigorous derivation of the Boltzmann-Peierls equation by separating the analysis of the solutions to the Boltzmann-Peierls equation from the analysis of the corrections. This latter scheme is general and not tied to the DNLS evolution equations.
In vacuo growth studies of Ru thin films on Si, SiN, and SiO2 by high-sensitivity low energy ion scattering
Authors: Coloma Ribera R. , van de Kruijs R. W. E. , Sturm J. M. , Yakshin A. E. , Bijkerk F.
Published: August 2016

In vacuo high-sensitivity low energy ion scattering (HS-LEIS) has been used to investigate the initial growth stages of DC sputtered Ru on top of Si, SiN, and SiO2. The high surface sensitivity of this technique allowed an accurate determination of surface coverages and thicknesses required for closing the Ru layer on all three substrates. The Ru layer closes (100% Ru surface signal) at about 2.0, 3.2, and 4.7 nm on top of SiO2, SiN, and Si, respectively. In-depth Ru concentration profiles can be reconstructed from the Ru surface coverages when considering an error function like model. The large intermixing (4.7 nm) for the Ru-on-Si system is compared to the reverse system (Si-on-Ru), where only 0.9 nm intermixing occurs. The difference is predominantly explained by the strong Si surface segregation that is observed for Ru-on-Si. This surface segregation effect is also observed for Ru-on-SiN but is absent for Ru-on-SiO2. For this last system, in vacuo HS-LEIS analysis revealed surface oxygen directly after deposition, which suggests an oxygen surface segregation effect for Ru-on-SiO2. In vacuo XPS measurements confirmed this hypothesis based on the reaction of Ru with oxygen from the SiO2, followed by oxygen surface segregation.
Investigation of nonextensivity trapped electrons effect on the solitary ion-acoustic wave using fractional Schamel equation
Authors: Nazari-Golshan A.
Published: August 2016

Ion-acoustic (IA) solitary wave propagation is investigated by solving the fractional Schamel equation (FSE) in a homogenous system of unmagnetized plasma. This plasma consists of the nonextensive trapped electrons and cold fluid ions. The effects of the nonextensive q-parameter, electron trapping, and fractional parameter have been studied. The FSE is derived by using the semi-inverse and Agrawal's methods. The analytical results show that an increase in the amount of electron trapping and nonextensive q-parameter increases the soliton ion-acoustic amplitude in agreement with the previously obtained results. However, it is vice-versa for the fractional parameter. This feature leads to the fact that the fractional parameter may be used to increase the IA soliton amplitude instead of increasing electron trapping and nonextensive parameters.
On the compressibility effect in test particle acceleration by magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
Authors: González C. A. , Dmitruk P. , Mininni P. D. , Matthaeus W. H.
Published: August 2016

The effect of compressibility in a charged particle energization by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fields is studied in the context of test particle simulations. This problem is relevant to the solar wind and the solar corona due to the compressible nature of the flow in those astrophysical scenarios. We consider turbulent electromagnetic fields obtained from direct numerical simulations of the MHD equations with a strong background magnetic field. In order to explore the flow compressibility effect over the particle dynamics, we performed different numerical experiments: an incompressible case and two weak compressible cases with Mach number M = 0.1 and M = 0.25. We analyze the behavior of protons and electrons in those turbulent fields, which are well known to form aligned current sheets in the direction of the guide magnetic field. What we call protons and electrons are test particles with scales comparable to (for protons) and much smaller than (for electrons) the dissipative scale of MHD turbulence, maintaining the correct mass ratio me/mi. For these test particles, we show that compressibility enhances the efficiency of proton acceleration, and that the energization is caused by perpendicular electric fields generated between currents sheets. On the other hand, electrons remain magnetized and display an almost adiabatic motion, with no effect of compressibility observed. Another set of numerical experiments takes into account two fluid modifications, namely, electric field due to Hall effect and electron pressure gradient. We show that the electron pressure has an important contribution to electron acceleration allowing highly parallel energization. In contrast, no significant effect of these additional terms is observed for the protons.
Synthesis of graphene by cobalt-catalyzed decomposition of methane in plasma-enhanced CVD: Optimization of experimental parameters with Taguchi method
Authors: Mehedi H.-A. , Baudrillart B. , Alloyeau D. , Mouhoub O. , Ricolleau C. , Pham V. D. , Chacon C. , Gicquel A. , Lagoute J. , Farhat S.
Published: August 2016

This article describes the significant roles of process parameters in the deposition of graphene films via cobalt-catalyzed decomposition of methane diluted in hydrogen using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The influence of growth temperature (700–850 °C), molar concentration of methane (2%–20%), growth time (30–90 s), and microwave power (300–400 W) on graphene thickness and defect density is investigated using Taguchi method which enables reaching the optimal parameter settings by performing reduced number of experiments. Growth temperature is found to be the most influential parameter in minimizing the number of graphene layers, whereas microwave power has the second largest effect on crystalline quality and minor role on thickness of graphene films. The structural properties of PECVD graphene obtained with optimized synthesis conditions are investigated with Raman spectroscopy and corroborated with atomic-scale characterization performed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy, which reveals formation of continuous film consisting of 2–7 high quality graphene layers.
Asymptotic behaviour of the Boltzmann equation as a cosmological model
Authors: Lee Ho
Published: August 2016

As a Newtonian cosmological model the Vlasov-Poisson-Boltzmann system is considered, and a slightly modified Boltzmann equation, which describes the stability of an expanding universe, is derived. Asymptotic behaviour of solutions turns out to depend on the expansion of the universe, and in this paper we consider the soft potential case and will obtain asymptotic behaviour.
Plasma filamentation and shock wave enhancement in microwave rockets by combining low-frequency microwaves with external magnetic field
Authors: Takahashi Masayuki , Ohnishi Naofumi
Published: August 2016

A filamentary plasma is reproduced based on a fully kinetic model of electron and ion transports coupled with electromagnetic wave propagation. The discharge plasma transits from discrete to diffusive patterns at a 110-GHz breakdown, with decrease in the ambient pressure, because of the rapid electron diffusion that occurs during an increase in the propagation speed of the ionization front. A discrete plasma is obtained at low pressures when a low-frequency microwave is irradiated because the ionization process becomes more dominant than the electron diffusion, when the electrons are effectively heated by the low-frequency microwave. The propagation speed of the plasma increases with decrease in the incident microwave frequency because of the higher ionization frequency and faster plasma diffusion resulting from the increase in the energy-absorption rate. An external magnetic field is applied to the breakdown volume, which induces plasma filamentation at lower pressures because the electron diffusion is suppressed by the magnetic field. The thrust performance of a microwave rocket is improved by the magnetic fields corresponding to the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and its higher-harmonic heating, because slower propagation of the ionization front and larger energy-absorption rates are obtained at lower pressures. It would be advantageous if the fundamental mode of ECR heating is coupled with a lower frequency microwave instead of combining the higher-harmonic ECR heating with the higher frequency microwave. This can improve the thrust performance with smaller magnetic fields even if the propagation speed increases because of the decrease in the incident microwave frequency.
Temporal dependence of transient dark counts in an avalanche photodiode: A solution for power-law behavior of afterpulsing
Authors: Akiba M. , Tsujino K.
Published: August 2016

This paper offers a theoretical explanation of the temperature and temporal dependencies of transient dark count rates (DCRs) measured for a linear-mode silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) and the dependencies of afterpulsing that were measured in Geiger-mode Si and InGaAs/InP APDs. The temporal dependencies exhibit power-law behavior, at least to some extent. For the transient DCR, the value of the DCR for a given time period increases with decreases in temperature, while the power-law behavior remains unchanged. The transient DCR is attributed to electron emissions from traps in the multiplication layer of the APD with a high electric field, and its temporal dependence is explained by a continuous change in the electron emission rate as a function of the electric field strength. The electron emission rate is calculated using a quantum model for phonon-assisted tunnel emission. We applied the theory to the temporal dependence of afterpulsing that was measured for Si and InGaAs/InP APDs. The power-law temporal dependence is attributed to the power-law function of the electron emission rate from the traps as a function of their position across the p–n junction of the APD. Deviations from the power-law temporal dependence can be derived from the upper and lower limits of the electric field strength.
Suppression of surface-originated gate lag by a dual-channel AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor architecture
Authors: Deen David A. , Storm David F. , Scott Katzer D. , Bass R. , Meyer David J.
Published: August 2016

A dual-channel AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) architecture is demonstrated that leverages ultra-thin epitaxial layers to suppress surface-related gate lag. Two high-density two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channels are utilized in an AlN/GaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure wherein the top 2DEG serves as a quasi-equipotential that screens potential fluctuations resulting from distributed surface and interface states. The bottom channel serves as the transistor's modulated channel. Dual-channel AlN/GaN heterostructures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on free-standing hydride vapor phase epitaxy GaN substrates. HEMTs fabricated with 300 nm long recessed gates demonstrated a gate lag ratio (GLR) of 0.88 with no degradation in drain current after bias stressed in subthreshold. These structures additionally achieved small signal metrics ft/fmax of 27/46 GHz. These performance results are contrasted with the non-recessed gate dual-channel HEMT with a GLR of 0.74 and 82 mA/mm current collapse with ft/fmax of 48/60 GHz.
Elastic anisotropy and electronic properties of Si3N4 under pressures
Authors: Fan Qingyang , Chai Changchun , Wei Qun , Zhou Peikun , Yang Yintang
Published: August 2016

First principles calculations are performed to systematically investigate the electronic structures, elastic, anisotropic and electronic properties of the monoclinic, tetragonal and orthorhombic structures of Si3N4 under pressure. Anisotropy studies show that three Si3N4 phases exhibit a large anisotropy. Furthermore, using the HSE06 hybrid functional, the monoclinic, tetragonal and orthorhombic phases are found to be wide band-gap semiconductors. The pressure induced band gap direct-indirect transition is found for monoclinic Si3N4. The elastic modulus, compressional and shear wave velocities as well as Debye temperatures as a function of pressure in three Si3N4 phases are also investigated in detail.
Strain effects on the optical conductivity of gapped graphene in the presence of Holstein phonons beyond the Dirac cone approximation
Authors: Yarmohammadi Mohsen
Published: August 2016

In this paper we study the optical conductivity and density of states (DOS) of doped gapped graphene beyond the Dirac cone approximation in the presence of electron-phonon (e-ph) interaction under strain, i.e., within the framework of a full π-band Holstein model, by using the Kubo linear response formalism that is established upon the retarded self-energy. A new peak in the optical conductivity for a large enough e-ph interaction strength is found which is associated to transitions between the midgap states and the Van Hove singularities of the main π-band. Optical conductivity decreases with strain and at large strains, the system has a zero optical conductivity at low energies due to optically inter-band excitations through the limit of zero doping. As a result, the Drude weight changes with e-ph interaction, temperature and strain. Consequently, DOS and optical conductivity remains stable with temperature at low e-ph coupling strengths.
Anomalous Hall effect in ZnxFe3-xO4: Universal scaling law and electron localization below the Verwey transition
Authors: Jedrecy N. , Hamieh M. , Hebert C. , Escudier M. , Becerra L. , Perriere J.
Published: August 2016

We show that the well-established universal scaling σxyAHE ∼ σxx1.6 between anomalous Hall and longitudinal conductivities in the low conductivity regime (σxx < 104 Ω−1 cm−1) transforms into the scaling σxyAHE ∼ σxx2 at the onset of strong electron localization. The crossover between the two relations is observed in magnetite-derived ZnxFe3-xO4 thin films where an insulating/hopping regime follows a bad metal/hopping regime below the Verwey transition temperature Tv. Our results demonstrate that electron localization effects come into play in the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) modifying significantly the scaling exponent. In addition, the thermal evolution of the anomalous Hall resistivity suggests the existence of spin polarons whose size would decrease below Tv.
Using quantum dot photoluminescence for load detection
Authors: Moebius M. , Martin J. , Hartwig M. , Baumann R. R. , Otto T. , Gessner T.
Published: August 2016

We propose a novel concept for an integrable and flexible sensor capable to visualize mechanical impacts on lightweight structures by quenching the photoluminescence (PL) of CdSe quantum dots. Considering the requirements such as visibility, storage time and high optical contrast of PL quenching with low power consumption, we have investigated a symmetrical and an asymmetrical layer stack consisting of semiconductor organic N,N,N′,N′-Tetrakis(3-methylphenyl)-3,3′-dimethylbenzidine (HMTPD) and CdSe quantum dots with elongated CdS shell. Time-resolved series of PL spectra from layer stacks with applied voltages of different polarity and simultaneous observation of power consumption have shown that a variety of mechanisms such as photo-induced charge separation and charge injection, cause PL quenching. However, mechanisms such as screening of external field as well as Auger-assisted charge ejection is working contrary to that. Investigations regarding the influence of illumination revealed that the positive biased asymmetrical layer stack is the preferred sensor configuration, due to a charge carrier injection at voltages of 10 V without the need of coincident illumination.
Oxygen vacancy effects in HfO2-based resistive switching memory: First principle study
Authors: Dai Yuehua , Pan Zhiyong , Wang Feifei , Li Xiaofeng
Published: August 2016

The work investigated the shape and orientation of oxygen vacancy clusters in HfO2-base resistive random access memory (ReRAM) by using the first-principle method based on the density functional theory. Firstly, the formation energy of different local Vo clusters was calculated in four established orientation systems. Then, the optimized orientation and charger conductor shape were identified by comparing the isosurface plots of partial charge density, formation energy, and the highest isosurface value of oxygen vacancy. The calculated results revealed that the [010] orientation was the optimal migration path of Vo, and the shape of system D4 was the best charge conductor in HfO2, which effectively influenced the SET voltage, formation voltage and the ON/OFF ratio of the device. Afterwards, the PDOS of Hf near Vo and total density of states of the system D4_010 were obtained, revealing the composition of charge conductor was oxygen vacancy instead of metal Hf. Furthermore, the migration barriers of the Vo hopping between neighboring unit cells were calculated along four different orientations. The motion was proved along [010] orientation. The optimal circulation path for Vo migration in the HfO2 super-cell was obtained.
Characterization and physical modeling of MOS capacitors in epitaxial graphene monolayers and bilayers on 6H-SiC
Authors: Winters M. , Sveinbjörnsson E. Ö. , Melios C. , Kazakova O. , Strupiński W. , Rorsman N.
Published: August 2016

Capacitance voltage (CV) measurements are performed on planar MOS capacitors with an Al2O3 dielectric fabricated in hydrogen intercalated monolayer and bilayer graphene grown on 6H-SiC as a function of frequency and temperature. Quantitative models of the CV data are presented in conjunction with the measurements in order to facilitate a physical understanding of graphene MOS systems. An interface state density of order 2 ⋅ 1012 eV−1 cm−2 is found in both material systems. Surface potential fluctuations of order 80-90meV are also assessed in the context of measured data. In bilayer material, a narrow bandgap of 260meV is observed consequent to the spontaneous polarization in the substrate. Supporting measurements of material anisotropy and temperature dependent hysteresis are also presented in the context of the CV data and provide valuable insight into measured and modeled data. The methods outlined in this work should be applicable to most graphene MOS systems.
Hydrodynamic theory of thermoelectric transport and negative magnetoresistance in Weyl semimetals
Authors: Lucas Andrew , Davison Richard A. , Sachdev Subir
Published: August 2016

Significance

Weyl semimetals are exotic materials with negative electrical magnetoresistance: when an electric and magnetic field are applied in parallel, the induced electrical current increases upon increasing magnetic field strength. This is due to an emergent axial quantum anomaly in Weyl semimetals. We present a universal description of thermoelectric transport in weakly disordered Weyl semimetals where electron–electron interactions are faster than electron–impurity scattering. We predict negative thermal magnetoresistance: upon applying a parallel temperature gradient and magnetic field, the induced heat current increases with increasing magnetic field strength. This is caused by a distinct emergent quantum anomaly—the axial–gravitational anomaly. Measuring this effect may be the most practical route to experimentally observing this anomaly in any branch of physics.
Ultrapotent vinblastines in which added molecular complexity further disrupts the target tubulin dimer–dimer interface
Authors: Carney Daniel W. , Lukesh John C. , Brody Daniel M. , Brütsch Manuela M. , Boger Dale L.
Published: August 2016

Significance

Vinblastine is a clinical drug used in frontline combination therapies for treatment of cancer. It acts by inhibition of mitosis through binding tubulin and disrupting microtubule formation. Because of advances in its total synthesis, we report previously inaccessible and unusual modifications to vinblastine that improve potency a remarkable 100-fold. These ultrapotent vinblastines display much higher tubulin binding affinities and likely further disrupt the tubulin head-to-tail dimer–dimer interaction by strategic placement of an added rigid, extended group along the adjacent continuing protein–protein interface. Significantly, the ultrapotent vinblastines are accessible by chemical synthesis in three steps from commercially available materials (catharanthine, $16/g; vindoline, $36/g) based on newly introduced synthetic methodology and are inaccessible by natural product derivatization, late-stage functionalization, or biosynthetic methods.
Testing aptitude
Authors: Rogers Vivienne E. , Meara Paul , Aspinall Rachel , Fallon Louise , Goss Thomas , Keey Emily , Thomas Rosa
Published: August 2016

Meara (2005) developed the LLAMA tests as a free, language-neutral, user-friendly suite of aptitude tests incorporating four
separate elements: vocabulary learning (LLAMA_B), phonetic (implicit) memory (LLAMA_D), sound-symbol correspondence (LLAMA_E) and
grammatical inferencing (LLAMA_F) based on the standardised MLAT tests (Carroll & Sapon 1959). Recently, they have become
increasingly popular in L2 acquisition research (Grañena & Long 2013b). However, Meara has expressed concern about the wide
use of these tests without validity testing (cf. Grañena 2013a). To this end, we investigated several areas relating to the LLAMA
tests, i.e. (1) the role of gender in LLAMA test performance; (2) language neutrality; (3) the role of age; (4) the role of formal
education qualifications; (5) the effect of playing logic puzzles on LLAMA scores and (6) the effect of changing the test timings
to scores. 229 participants from a range of language backgrounds, aged 10–75 with various education levels, typologically distinct
L1s, and varying levels of multilingualism were tested. A subset of participants was also tested with varying timings for the
tests. The results showed that the LLAMA tests are gender and language neutral. The younger learners (10–11s) performed
significantly worse than the adults in the sound/symbol correspondence task (LLAMA_E). Formal education qualifications show a
significant advantage in 3 of the LLAMA subcomponents (B, E, F) but not the implicit measure (LLAMA_D). Playing logic puzzles did
not improve LLAMA test scores. The timings appear to be optimal apart from LLAMA_F, which could be shortened. We suggest that the
LLAMA aptitude tests are not significantly affected by these factors although researchers using these tests should be aware of the
possible impact of education level on some components of the tests.
“Oh no, it’s just culture”
Authors: Siegel Aki
Published: August 2016

This study investigates the dynamic identities of an Asian university student engaged in English as a lingua franca (ELF) interactions from a membership categorization analysis (MCA) approach (Sacks, 1972a, 1989). Studies adopting MCA have demonstrated that identity and intercultural membership are co-constructed in ongoing interactions (e.g., Nishizaka, 1999; E. Zimmerman, 2007). Nevertheless, MCA studies have yet to document the multicultural identity of an individual and the ways in which members co-construct their multifaceted identities in naturally occurring non-institutional ELF interactions. The study analyzes interactions between two participants from different Asian countries, Japan and Korea. Approximately three hours of video recorded conversations were collected across four months. In and through the interaction, one of the participants was found utilizing multiple cultural identities to accomplish interactive goals. In addition, “language-form related category-bound activity” was used in constructing these identities. This study challenges the use of predetermined social categories and suggests an organic and interactional approach to identity construction.
Global and national identity construction in ELF
Authors: Gao Yihong , Ma Xiaoqi , Wang Xiaoying
Published: August 2016

This longitudinal case study explored how four Chinese university students constructed their global and national identities while learning English and using it as a lingua franca in the course of four undergraduate years. Qualitative research methods were adopted. Primary data were obtained through open interviews, and supplementary data sources included student journals, classroom observations, and Internet postings. Analysis showed that the students constructed multiple kinds of global identities and a prominent Chinese national identity in their engagement with ELF. The national and the global were often dialogically related. The ELF-associated identities, particularly the global, were often embedded in their membership in selected communities of practice and imagined communities. The students were also found to exercise their agencies in choosing their target communities. The study showed both the pervasiveness and variation of identity work with ELF.
Exploring identity construction of student teachers practicing ELF pedagogy in a microteaching course
Authors: Zacharias Nugrahenny T.
Published: August 2016

This paper reports on the results of a qualitative study that explored the experiences of a group of student-teachers (STs) in Indonesia as they undertook a microteaching course as part of their undergraduate teacher training program. Grounded in the notions of ‘teacher identity as the process of becoming’ (Britzman, 2003) and ‘identity in practice’ (Varghese et al., 2005), the present paper examines how participation in a microteaching course that oriented STs to ELF pedagogy affected the formation of teacher identities amongst one group of STs in Indonesia. Data were gathered from three post-mini lesson interviews with individual STs and STs’ mini lessons. The findings show a positive relationship between ELF pedagogy, STs’ perception of their teacher role and their identity construction. Many STs’ identity construction appears to be informed by their concerns of the hegemonic presence of English in the local community and their role primarily as a revival of Indonesian cultures. Although the majority of STs showed a general agreement towards the need to construct a teacher identity independent of native-speaker norms, a few STs continued to believe the importance of teachers to speak Standard English due to its marketability potential.
The adaptation of the terms ‘laicism’, ‘secularism’ and ‘laïcité’ in Arabic
Authors: Alsulaiman Abied
Published: August 2016

This article intends to study the adaptation of the termslaicism,secularismandlaïcitéin Arabic and the rendering of these three western terms into a single Arabic term:calmāniyyah. The paper intends also to trace the etymology ofcalmāniyyahfirst through a scrutiny of its original concepts and significations in western languages, and then describe its incorporation into Arabic, its development and the development of its significations in this language.
The silent violence of marginalization and teasing in dementia care residences
Authors: Davis Boyd , Maclagan Margaret , Shenk Dena
Published: August 2016

Differences in power are frequent in institutional care settings and provide contexts in which conflict can occur. In order to examine the power imbalance between residents and caregivers and the consequent potential for verbal conflict we first discuss the situations in which persons with dementia (PWD) find themselves within long-term residential care institutions and the interactions they commonly experience with those who care for them. We then examine strategies commonly used by conversational partners that either support or hinder the attempts by PWD to interact competently. The strategies may lead to cooperative conversations or verbal conflicts. They include caregiver marginalization as well as joking and teasing, both of which may serve to positively support PWD or can minimize conflict (Offord et al. 2006; Schnurr and Chan 201l) and can be initiated by both residents and caregivers. The final section contains case studies of interactions with two PWD, “Madge” and “Maureen”, to illustrate the minimization and the positive and negative use of joking and teasing in interactions with PWD. We conclude with a brief discussion with “Maureen” on joking and deliberate repression of conflict.
Turn openings in L2 French
Authors: Thörle Britta
Published: August 2016

In this contribution we will analyze a corpus of telephone conversations between German students of French and native speakers from an interactional linguistic point of view. The study is based on a corpus of ten formal conversations performed as role play between German university students and native speakers of French. Taking an interactional approach, the use of discourse markers will be described as a situated activity of learners who use the resources at their disposal to accomplish conversational tasks. The analysis will concentrate on the accomplishment of turn openings and point out the dynamic nature of the use of discourse markers in exolingual interaction. During the conversations, learners employ forms already available in their repertoire as discourse markers, they use the interlocutor’s example as a model, and they develop their own routines. Against this background, certain characteristics of discourse markers in L2 can be described as the result of communication and acquisition strategies that allow learners to maintain the conversation as well as to build, expand or adjust their repertoire.
Prosumidoras de traducciones
Authors: Guerrero María José Hernández
Published: August 2016

Este trabajo analiza una de las manifestaciones de la traducción fan hasta ahora inexplorada: las traducciones de novelas románticas hechas por aficionadas para aficionadas, un fenómeno virtual protagonizado por mujeres, en el que traductoras amateurs actúan como prosumidoras al producir, consumir y distribuir sus propias traducciones. Se trata de comunidades virtuales sin fines lucrativos, que intercambian información sobre novelas y autoras que les interesan y, que de manera voluntaria, emprenden proyectos de traducción que posteriormente ponen a disposición de otras usuarias. En este trabajo nos hemos centrado en el análisis y la descripción de este fenómeno. Nuestra finalidad es averiguar qué tipo de producto ofrecen las traductoras amateurs al resto de seguidoras basándonos en un estudio de caso.
LCA*: an entropy-based measure for taxonomic assignment within assembled metagenomes
Authors: Hanson Niels W. , Konwar Kishori M. , Hallam Steven J.
Published: August 2016

Motivation: A perennial problem in the analysis of environmental sequence information is the assignment of reads or assembled sequences, e.g. contigs or scaffolds, to discrete taxonomic bins. In the absence of reference genomes for most environmental microorganisms, the use of intrinsic nucleotide patterns and phylogenetic anchors can improve assembly-dependent binning needed for more accurate taxonomic and functional annotation in communities of microorganisms, and assist in identifying mobile genetic elements or lateral gene transfer events.

Results: Here, we present a statistic called LCA* inspired by Information and Voting theories that uses the NCBI Taxonomic Database hierarchy to assign taxonomy to contigs assembled from environmental sequence information. The LCA* algorithm identifies a sufficiently strong majority on the hierarchy while minimizing entropy changes to the observed taxonomic distribution resulting in improved statistical properties. Moreover, we apply results from the order-statistic literature to formulate a likelihood-ratio hypothesis test and P-value for testing the supremacy of the assigned LCA* taxonomy. Using simulated and real-world datasets, we empirically demonstrate that voting-based methods, majority vote and LCA*, in the presence of known reference annotations, are consistently more accurate in identifying contig taxonomy than the lowest common ancestor algorithm popularized by MEGAN, and that LCA* taxonomy strikes a balance between specificity and confidence to provide an estimate appropriate to the available information in the data.

Availability and Implementation: The LCA* has been implemented as a stand-alone Python library compatible with the MetaPathways pipeline; both of which are available on GitHub with installation instructions and use-cases (http://www.github.com/hallamlab/LCAStar/).

Contact:  shallam@mail.ubc.ca

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Executive Summary: Management of Adults With Hospital-acquired and
Ventilator-associated Pneumonia: 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious
Diseases Society of America and the American Thoracic Society
Authors: Kalil Andre C. , Metersky Mark L. , Klompas Michael , Muscedere John , Sweeney Daniel A. , Palmer Lucy B. , Napolitano Lena M. , O'Grady Naomi P. , Bartlett John G. , Carratalà Jordi , El Solh Ali A. , Ewig Santiago , Fey Paul D. , File Thomas M. , Restrepo Marcos I. , Roberts Jason A. , Waterer Grant W. , Cruse Peggy , Knight Shandra L. , Brozek Jan L.
Published: August 2016

It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. IDSA considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.

These guidelines are intended for use by healthcare professionals who care for patients at risk for hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), including specialists in infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, critical care, and surgeons, anesthesiologists, hospitalists, and any clinicians and healthcare providers caring for hospitalized patients with nosocomial pneumonia. The panel's recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of HAP and VAP are based upon evidence derived from topic-specific systematic literature reviews.
Automation bias and verification complexity: a systematic review
Authors: Lyell David , Coiera Enrico
Published: August 2016

Introduction: While potentially reducing decision errors, decision support systems can introduce new types of errors. Automation bias (AB) happens when users become overreliant on decision support, which reduces vigilance in information seeking and processing. Most research originates from the human factors literature, where the prevailing view is that AB occurs only in multitasking environments.

Objectives: This review seeks to compare the human factors and health care literature, focusing on the apparent association of AB with multitasking and task complexity.

Data sources: EMBASE, Medline, Compendex, Inspec, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Business Source Premiere from 1983 to 2015.

Study selection: Evaluation studies where task execution was assisted by automation and resulted in errors were included. Participants needed to be able to verify automation correctness and perform the task manually.

Methods: Tasks were identified and grouped. Task and automation type and presence of multitasking were noted. Each task was rated for its verification complexity.

Results: Of 890 papers identified, 40 met the inclusion criteria; 6 were in health care. Contrary to the prevailing human factors view, AB was found in single tasks, typically involving diagnosis rather than monitoring, and with high verification complexity.

Limitations: The literature is fragmented, with large discrepancies in how AB is reported. Few studies reported the statistical significance of AB compared to a control condition.

Conclusion: AB appears to be associated with the degree of cognitive load experienced in decision tasks, and appears to not be uniquely associated with multitasking. Strategies to minimize AB might focus on cognitive load reduction.
Cluster Analysis of an International Pressure Pain Threshold Database Identifies 4 Meaningful Subgroups of Adults With Mechanical Neck Pain
Authors: Walton David M. , Kwok Timothy S.H. , Mehta Swati , Loh Eldon , Smith Ashley , Elliott James , Kamper Steven J. , Kasch Helge , Sterling Michele
Published: August 2016

Objective:

To determine pressure pain detection threshold (PPDT) related phenotypes of individuals with mechanical neck pain that may be identifiable in clinical practice.

Methods:

This report describes a secondary analysis of 5 independent, international mechanical neck pain databases of PPDT values taken at both a local and distal region (total N=1176). Minor systematic differences in mean PPDT values across cohorts necessitated z-transformation before analysis, and each cohort was split into male and female sexes. Latent profile analysis (LPA) using the k-means approach was undertaken to identify the most parsimonious set of PPDT-based phenotypes that were both statistically and clinically meaningful.

Results:

LPA revealed 4 distinct clusters named according to PPDT levels at the local and distal zones: low-low PPDT (67%), mod-mod (25%), mod-high (4%), and high-high (4%). Secondary predictor variables were evaluated for intracluster and cross-cluster significance. Low-low cluster was most affected, as indicated by pain intensity, disability, and catastrophization scores all significantly above the cohort-specific and sex-specific mean, and active range of motion scores significantly below the mean.

Discussion:

The results suggest that there are a large proportion of people with neck pain that present with signs indicating dysfunction beyond the local tissues. Ongoing exploration of these presentations may lead to more informed management and improved outcomes.
The Mediating Role of Pain Acceptance in the Relation Between Perceived Injustice and Chronic Pain Outcomes in a Community Sample
Authors: Martel Marie-Eve , Dionne Frédérick , Scott Whitney
Published: August 2016

Objective:

Perceived injustice has been defined as an appraisal regarding the severity and irreparability of loss associated with pain, blame, and a sense of unfairness. Recent findings suggest that perceived injustice is an important risk factor for elevated disability associated with chronic pain. However, the mechanisms by which this perception leads to disability are not well understood. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the mediating role of pain acceptance on the relation between perceived injustice and chronic pain outcomes (pain intensity, pain-related disability, and psychological distress).

Method:

This cross-sectional study used a sample of 475 individuals from the community who report chronic pain. Participants completed the Injustice Experience Questionnaire, the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire, a pain rating intensity scale, the Modified Brief Pain Inventory, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results:

Results revealed significant direct links from perceived injustice to pain intensity (c′=0.416, P<0.001), disability (c′=0.891, P<0.001), and distress (c′=0.261, P<0.001), as well as indirect links from perceived injustice through acceptance of pain to pain disability (ab=0.512, P<0.001, confidence interval, 0.390-0.635) and psychological distress (ab=0.106, P<0.001, confidence interval, 0.077-0.136).

Discussion:

Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed along with future research directions.
Facing Death
Authors: Sullivan Suzanne S. , Dickerson Suzanne S.
Published: August 2016

Studies have shown that advanced care planning improves communication and reduces suffering for patients and their bereaved caregivers. Despite this knowledge, the rates of advance care plans are low and physicians, as the primary gatekeepers, have made little progress in improving their rates. Through the lens of critical social theory, we examine these forces and identify the ideologies, assumptions, and social structures that curtail completion of advanced care plans such as Preserving Life, Ageism, Paternalism, and Market-Driven Healthcare System. A critical discourse provides suggestions to eliminate oppressive ideologies that act as barriers to advanced care planning.
Returning to the Profession's Roots
Authors: Thurman Whitney , Pfitzinger-Lippe Megan
Published: August 2016

This article reviews the history of social justice in nursing and argues that education needs to be redesigned to allow nurses to return to the profession's social justice roots. A review of social justice literature in nursing practice and education was conducted. Although social justice is a recurring theme in the literature, definitions are abstract, calls to action are ambiguous, and theoretical frameworks continue to emphasize the individual nurse-patient dyad. Nursing education needs to be redesigned to incorporate social justice concepts throughout the entire curriculum. By educating the current and future nursing workforce, the profession can return to its roots of social justice to address structural inequalities and social injustices that manifest as health inequities in the United States.