bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aspects of the a-TiOx memristor active medium technology
Authors: Palagushkin A. N. , Roshchupkin D. V. , Yudkin F. A. , Irzhak D. V. , Keplinger Olga , Privezentsev V. V.
Published: November 2018

New physical approaches make fast-response non-volatile resistive memory (ReRAM) very attractive for digital, neuromorphic, and other data processing systems considered in many previous publications. Even though the effect of resistance and memory switching in metal-dielectric-metal structures is well known, the physical mechanisms underlying these phenomena are still vague. Considerable instability and insufficient reproducibility of electrical characteristics are the major factors that hold back the practical use of memristors. This problem can be solved by combining the theory of filaments and physics of amorphous wide-bandgap semiconductors which make up the majority of active memristor media currently being investigated. The properties of amorphous and crystalline nanostructures are radically different. Being rather specific, the characteristics of amorphous nanostructures are much dependent on the manufacturing technique. The methods of controlling the amorphous state and its stability are the subject of this paper. The conventional technique of electron-beam induced deposition is used to make the samples. Well-studied TiO2 is taken as a base material for active memristor media. The amorphous state of resultant coats is modified by varying the deposition temperature at an unvaried deposition rate, a residual vacuum-chamber pressure, and coat thicknesses. Sensitive surface plasmon resonance method, spectral technique, and total-external-reflection X-ray diffractometry are the tools to control the stability of the coats. In the experiment, we have observed the long and distinct relaxation of the optical parameters of amorphous layers and the manifestation of the development of an inhomogeneous amorphous layer.
High-rank separable atom-atom interaction potential used for solving two-body Lippmann-Schwinger and three-body Faddeev equations
Authors: Li Jing-Lun , Cong Shu-Lin
Published: November 2018

We derive a high-rank separable potential formula of the atom-atom interaction by using the two-body wave function in the coordinate space as inputs. This high-rank separable potential can be utilized to numerically solve the two-body Lippmann-Schwinger equation and three-body Faddeev equation. By analyzing the convenience and stability of numerical calculations for different kinds of the matrix forms of the Lippmann-Schwinger and Faddeev equations, we can find the optimal forms of the kernal matrices in the two- and three-body scattering equations. We calculate the dimer bound energy, two-body scattering phase shift and off-shell t-matrix, the trimer bound energy, atom-dimer scattering length, and three-body recombination rate using the high-rank separable potentials, taking the identical 4He atoms as an application example. All the calculations converge quickly for the rank number N⩾3. The high-rank separable potential is valid for two-body scattering calculation of 4He atoms, but not accurate enough for reproducing the three-body scattering results by using only two-body s-wave interaction and describing the contributions of two-body high partial-waves to the three-body scattering for the 4He3 system.
Note: Plasma optical emission spectroscopy for water vapor quantification and detection during vacuum drying process
Authors: Tahiyat M. M. , Knight T. W. , Farouk T.
Published: November 2018

A methodology involving plasma optical emission spectroscopy driven by a direct current (dc) plasma source is developed to quantify water vapor concentration in a gaseous stream. The experimental setup consists of a dc driven low-pressure plasma cell in which the emission from the plasma discharge is measured by using an optical emission spectrometer. The emission from Hα at 656.2 nm—the first transition in the Balmer series, was found to be the most sensitive to the water vapor concentration in the gas stream. Consistent linear trends of the emission signals with respect to variation in concentration of water are observed for multiple combinations of operating parameters. This method has been applied to a vacuum drying process of a mock nuclear fuel assembly to quantify the concentration of water vapor during the drying process.
Understanding the electrochemical double layer at the hematite/water interface: A first principles molecular dynamics study
Authors: Ulman Kanchan , Poli Emiliano , Seriani Nicola , Piccinin Simone , Gebauer Ralph
Published: November 2018

Using first principles molecular dynamics simulations, we probe the electrochemical double layer formed at the interface between the hematite surface and water. We consider two terminations of the (001) surface, viz., the fully hydroxylated (OH) and the stoichiometric (FeO3Fe) termination. We explicitly incorporate the counterions (Na+ and F−) in the solution, and model both specific and nonspecific adsorption of F− ions. We find that F− ions prefer to bind directly to the Fe ions (specific adsorption), with a substantial energy gain (0.75 eV/ion). We investigate the effect of the interface and the counterions on the dipole of individual water molecules. We find significant deviations of +0.2/−0.15 D for dipoles of the first solvation shell water molecules of F−/Na+ ions, respectively. Additionally, the hydration layers at the interface show an enhancement in the dipole moment resulting from stronger hydrogen bonding interactions between the water molecules and surface charged species. Furthermore, we analyze the electrostatic potential profile at the solid/liquid interface as a function of the kind of counterion present in the double layer and compute the capacitance of the compact (Helmholtz) layer. We find that our results (40.3 ± 3.5 μF/cm2 for the OH termination and 51 ± 5 μF/cm2 for the FeO3Fe termination) compare favorably with values reported by potentiometric titration based experimental studies (10–100 μF/cm2).
Rock-salt CdZnO as a transparent conductive oxide
Authors: Tamayo-Arriola J. , Huerta-Barberà A. , Montes Bajo M. , Muñoz E. , Muñoz-Sanjosé V. , Hierro A.
Published: November 2018

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are widely used in applications from solar cells to light emitting diodes. Here, we show that the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-grown, rock-salt CdZnO ternary, has excellent potential as a TCO. To assess this compound, we use a combination of infrared reflectance and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopies, together with Hall effect, to determine its optical and electrical transport characteristics. It is found that the incorporation of Zn produces an increment of the electron concentration and mobility, yielding lower resistivities than those of CdO, with a minimum of 1.96×10−4 Ω·cm for a Zn content of 10%. Moreover, due to a combination of increasing bandgap energy and band filling, the absorption band-edge energy increases from 2.58 eV in CdO up to 2.89 eV for 15% Zn, yielding a largely enhanced transparency in the visible. The low required growth temperatures, together with the scalability of CVD deposition, provide an excellent ground for the integration of this TCO ternary alloy on foreign devices.
High dielectric polymer and its application on electro-optical Kerr effect of blue phase liquid crystal
Authors: Gao Liang , Li Xuan , Du Xiao-Wei , Han Wen-Ming , Chen Chao-Yuan , Zhu Ji-Liang , Zhang Yan-Jun , Sun Yu-Bao
Published: November 2018

We present a high-dielectric polymer with a lateral fluorine group, and its dielectric constant exhibits larger than 20 at 1 kHz. This well-soluble polymer can solely stabilize blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) while reducing the operating voltage by 30% and increasing the Kerr constant by nearly 70.6%. The influence of the polymer's dielectric property on the operating voltage is investigated based on the potential distribution. The theoretical result predicts that the operation voltage can be further reduced by 50% when the dielectric constant of the chiral dopant is the same as the high-dielectric polymer. The potential application of high-dielectric materials for the improvement of BPLC devices is foreseeable.
Collective locomotion of two self-propelled flapping plates with different propulsive capacities
Authors: Peng Ze-Rui , Huang Haibo , Lu Xi-Yun
Published: November 2018

The role of the hydrodynamic effect in the collective locomotion of several birds or fish is an interesting topic. Taking a model of a self-propelled flapping plate, we numerically investigated the collective locomotion of a pair of plates with comparable but different propulsive capacities, e.g., one long and one short plates. The longer plate is supposed to have a stronger propulsive capacity. It is found that two typical equilibrium configurations, i.e., compact and sparse configurations, may emerge, which depend mainly on initial lateral and longitudinal gap spacing, i.e., H and G0, respectively. In the compact cases, when H is small, e.g., H < 0.6, in terms of cruising speed and efficiency, hydrodynamic advantages are found for both plates. In all sparse configurations, the propulsive performance of the leading plate is identical to that of the corresponding isolated one. The following short plate in the “long-short” (the longer in the front) sparse cases always takes hydrodynamic advantages in terms of cruising speed and efficiency. In the “short-long” (the shorter in the front) sparse cases, the follower’s propulsive capacity is suppressed because the cruising speed and input power decrease significantly compared to its isolated case. The analyses of hydrodynamic force and corresponding potential energy show that the staggered sparse configuration with H ∈ (0.4, 1.0) is more stable than that with other H. The “hydrodynamic drafting” analyzed here may shed some light on understanding the coordinated collective behaviors in biological and natural systems.
Quantumness and state boundaries hidden in supercritical helium-4: A path integral centroid molecular dynamics study
Authors: Takemoto Ayumi , Kinugawa Kenichi
Published: November 2018

Isothermal-isobaric path integral centroid molecular dynamics simulations were conducted for fluid 4He at more than 600 state points in the proximity of the critical point to reveal the detailed states and relevant quantumness underlying the supercritical state. Through intensive analyses of the thermodynamic, dynamic, and quantum properties, we revealed the hidden state boundaries that separate the liquid-like and gas-like states in the supercritical region of this fluid. The Widom line, defined as the locus of the maxima of isobaric heat capacity CP, is also the quantum boundary at which there are changes in the isobaric temperature-dependence of the quantum wavelength, λquantum, i.e., maximum amplitude of the Feynman imaginary-time paths (necklaces) of individual atoms. The Frenkel line, the famous dynamic state boundary, was observed to start from nearly the same point, 0.73-0.76 Tc, on the P-T plane as observed for classical fluids. Several state boundaries based on the new criteria were found to emanate from the critical point or its vicinity on the P-T plane and are discussed in comparison with these boundaries. The quantumness of this fluid was expressed as (a) non-classical significant depression of CP observed in the liquid-like state; (b) the depression of the slopes dP/dT of the Widom line and the liquid-gas coexistence line near the critical point; and (c) the depression of the heat of pseudo-boiling across the Widom line. This is explained in terms of the decreasing kinetic energy with temperature observed in the liquid-like state below the Widom temperature TWidom, or alternatively in terms of the lattice model heat capacity, including the λquantum.
Magnetomechanical model for coating/substrate interface and its application in interfacial crack propagation length characterization
Authors: Qian Zhengchun , Huang Haihong , Liu Wenjie , Zhao Lunwu , Han Gang
Published: November 2018

During the service process of remanufactured components, the stress and crack may occur at the interface between coating and substrate due to their mechanical property mismatch. Based on the spontaneous magnetization phenomenon in ferromagnetic materials, the stress distribution and crack propagation length along the interface can be characterized. In this paper, the magnetomechanical constitutive model for interface is established according to Timoshenko beam theory and Jiles' stress-magnetization model. The distributions of stress and residual magnetization along the interface are analyzed under the effect of typical three-point bending (TPB) load. The results show that the interfacial residual magnetization Mr can reflect the stress distribution very well and its peak value at supporting seat Mr3 is closely related to interfacial crack propagation length. In order to verify the theoretical model, the metal magnetic memory (MMM) technique is used to collect the residual magnetic field along the interface in the TPB testing. The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical predictions. They indicate that the magnetomechanical model for coating/substrate interface established in this paper can provide the theoretical support for magnetic non-destructive testing and the calculation results can be applied to the interfacial crack propagation length characterization in MMM.
Nonadiabatic transition probabilities in a time-dependent Gaussian pulse or plateau pulse: Toward experimental tests of the differences from Dirac’s transition probabilities
Authors: Mandal Anirban , Hunt Katharine L. C.
Published: November 2018

For a quantum system subject to a time-dependent perturbing field, Dirac’s analysis gives the probability of transition to an excited state |k⟩ in terms of the norm square of the entire excited-state coefficient ck(t) in the wave function. By integrating by parts in Dirac’s equation for ck(t) at first order, Landau and Lifshitz separated ck(1)(t) into an adiabatic term ak(1)(t) that characterizes the gradual adjustment of the ground state to the perturbation without transitions and a nonadiabatic term bk(1)(t) that depends explicitly on the time derivative of the perturbation at times t′ ≤ t. Landau and Lifshitz stated that the probability of transition in a pulsed perturbation is given by |bk(t)|2, rather than by |ck(t)|2. We use the term “transition probability” to refer to the probability that a true excited-state component is present in the time-evolved wave function, as opposed to a smooth modification of the initial state. In recent work, we have examined the differences between |bk(t)|2 and |ck(t)|2 when a system is perturbed by a harmonic wave in a Gaussian envelope. We showed that significant differences exist when the frequency of the harmonic wave is off-resonance with the transition frequency. In this paper, we consider Gaussian perturbations and pulses that rise via a half Gaussian shoulder to a level plateau and later return to zero via a down-going half Gaussian. While the perturbation is constant, the transition probability |bk(t)|2 does not change. By contrast, |ck(t)|2 continues to oscillate while the perturbation is constant, and its time averaged value differs from |bk(t)|2. We suggest a general type of experiment to prove that the transition probability is given by |bk(t)|2, not |ck(t)|2. We propose a ratio test that does not require accurate knowledge of transition matrix elements or absolute field intensities.
Border trap evaluation for SiO2/GeO2/Ge gate stacks using deep-level transient spectroscopy
Authors: Wen Wei-Chen , Yamamoto Keisuke , Wang Dong , Nakashima Hiroshi
Published: November 2018

A border trap (BT) evaluation method was established for SiO2/GeO2/Ge gate stacks by using deep-level transient spectroscopy with a lock-in integrator. Ge metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) with SiO2/GeO2/Ge gate stacks were fabricated by using different methods. The interface trap (IT) and BT signals were successfully separated based on their different dependences on the intensity of injection pulses. By using p-type MOSCAPs, BTs at the position of 0.4 nm from the GeO2/Ge interface were measured. The energy of these BTs was centralized at the position near to the valence band edge of Ge, and their density (Nbt) was in the range of 1017–1018 cm−3. By using n-type MOSCAPs, BTs at the position range of 2.8–3.4 nm from the GeO2/Ge interface were measured, of which Nbt varied little in the depth direction. The energy of these BTs was distributed in a relatively wide range near to the conduction band edge of Ge, and their Nbt was approximately one order of magnitude higher than those measured by p-MOSCAPs. This high Nbt value might originate from the states of the valence alternation pair with energy close to 1 eV above the conduction band edge of Ge. We also found that Al post metallization annealing can passivate both ITs and BTs near to the valence band edge of Ge but not those near to the conduction band edge.
Natural convection of nanofluids in a square enclosure with different shapes of inner geometry
Authors: Roy Nepal Chandra
Published: November 2018

We develop a model to study the natural convection of a nanofluid between a square enclosure and a circular, an elliptical, or a rectangular cylinder. Using super elliptic functions, the dimensionless governing equations of two-dimensional rectangular coordinates have been transformed into a system of equations valid for the above geometry. The resulting equations are then solved utilizing finite difference technique. We illustrate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids with streamlines and isotherms as well as the Nusselt number at the inner and outer cylinders. It is found that the intensity of streamlines becomes stronger with the increase in the volume fraction of nanoparticles and the Rayleigh number. The Nusselt number at the inner and outer cylinders is almost linearly increased for higher values of the volume fraction of nanoparticles while an exponentially increasing tendency is observed with the increase in the Rayleigh number. The distinct findings are that the intensity of the streamlines increases with rectangular, circular, and elliptical inner shapes. Moreover, the Nusselt number at the inner and outer cylinders diminishes with circular, elliptical, and rectangular inner shapes. The acquired knowledge from the results could be used to augment or control the heat transfer of nanofluids and for the advancement of existing technology. Moreover, the present concept of introducing super elliptic functions might be useful to formulate a model for more complex geometry.
Temperature dependence of 180° domain wall width in iron and nickel films analyzed using electron holography
Authors: Niitsu K. , Tanigaki T. , Harada K. , Shindo D.
Published: November 2018

Although numerous studies have been dedicated to magnetic domain walls since their discovery, some issues concerning their essential features remain unclear. For bulk ferromagnets, the Bloch-type 180° domain wall width is scalable by the characteristic length A/K, where A is the ferromagnetic exchange stiffness constant and K is the magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant. This relationship has long been thought to be applicable to the domain walls that we can commonly observe using electron microscopy and other magnetic imaging techniques. In this study, we investigated the temperature dependence of the Bloch-type 180° domain wall width introduced in thin (100) iron and (110) nickel films using electron holography and elucidated that the temperature dependence of the domain wall width does not follow that of A/K. The domain wall width changed non-monotonically, showing an obvious discrepancy with A/K that dramatically increases with increasing temperature. This discrepancy may arise from the contribution of the magnetostatic energy to the total domain wall energy, which has been overlooked or less often considered. The magnetostatic energy plays a key role in squeezing the domain wall near the specimen surfaces. A revised energy landscape can reproduce the temperature dependence of the observed domain wall width and hence provides an easy-to-use approach to exploit the magnetic properties of A and K over a very wide temperature range below the Curie temperature.
Precise gas discrimination with cross-reactive graphene and metal oxide sensor arrays
Authors: Shi Chen , Ye Huixian , Wang Hui , Ioannou Dimitris E. , Li Qiliang
Published: November 2018

Discriminating similar molecules remains a very challenging problem for semiconductor gas sensors. Here, we report a method to achieve precise gas discrimination of similar chemical vapors (mesitylene, o-xylene, and toluene) by using cross-reactive arrays consisting of metal oxide semiconductor and graphene sensors. It is difficult to identify these three chemicals as they have very similar responses to these sensors. Through cross-reactive Principal Component Analysis of the sensor response features, however, the discrimination accuracy improved from about 70% with a single gas sensor to almost 100% with the cross-reactive sensor array. Such a precise discrimination and the low-cost planar process make this approach a very attractive candidate for smart gas sensing and for future Internet of Things applications.
Ferromagnet structural tuning of interfacial symmetry breaking and spin Hall angle in ferromagnet/heavy metal bilayers
Authors: Tang Meng , Ramaswamy Rajagopalan , Yang Hyunsoo , Yang Huanglin , Fan Weijia , Shi Zhong , Zhou Shiming , Qiu Xuepeng
Published: November 2018

We investigate the influence of ferromagnet crystalline structures on spin Hall angle (SHA) in ferromagnet (FM)/heavy metal (HM) bilayers with reversed stacking order. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show that a pronounced permalloy (Py) (111) texture emerges in substrate/Ta/Py compared to that in substrate/Py/Ta. Spin torque ferromagnetic resonance measurements show that the out-of-plane SHA (θ⊥, associated with Rashba-like effective field) is ∼2 times larger in substrate/Ta/Py than that in substrate/Py/Ta, while in-plane SHA (θǁ, associated with spin Hall-like effective field) shows no distinct difference. We ascribe the FM structure dependent SHA to the interfacial symmetry breaking between the FM and HM, which is tuned by the work functions due to different crystalline structures of the FM. The emergence of the Py (111) structure enlarges the interfacial symmetry breaking and consequently enhances the Rashba effect at the FM/HM interface.
SUMOylation of PCNA by PIAS1 and PIAS4 promotes template switch in the chicken and human B cell lines
Authors: Mohiuddin Mohiuddin , Evans Terry John , Rahman Md Maminur , Keka Islam Shamima , Tsuda Masataka , Sasanuma Hiroyuki , Takeda Shunichi
Published: November 2018

Significance

A large number of nucleotides is continuously damaged in every cell. Damaged nucleotides stall replicative DNA polymerases on template strands. Resulting replication blockage is released by two alternative pathways, error-free template switching (TS) and error-prone translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). TLS plays a major role in converting DNA damage to mutations, and thus, the relative usage of TLS over TS determines the frequency of mutagenesis. The relative usage is controlled by post-translational modification of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which physically interacts with DNA synthesis enzymes, in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Environmental DNA damage induces ubiquitylation of PCNA and promotes TLS. We here show that SUMOylation of PCNA ensures the release of replication blockage by error-free TS pathways and prevents mutagenesis during the physiological cell cycle.
UBL domain of Usp14 and other proteins stimulates proteasome activities and protein degradation in cells
Authors: Kim Hyoung Tae , Goldberg Alfred L.
Published: November 2018

Significance

26S proteasomes catalyze most of the protein degradation in eukaryotic cells, and their activity is precisely regulated. Upon binding ubiquitinated proteins, proteasomes become activated. This activation is triggered by binding of the ubiquitin chain to the proteasome-associated deubiquitinating enzyme Usp14/Ubp6. In studying this activation mechanism, we discovered that Usp14’s ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain by itself stimulates multiple proteasome activities and thus appears to mediate the activation by ubiquitinated proteins. Many other proteins contain UBL domains, and we show that the UBL domains of other proteins also stimulate the proteasomes’ degradative capacity. Thus, activation of proteasomes may represent a general new role for UBL-containing proteins. Furthermore, overexpressing the UBL domain in cells increases overall protein breakdown, which may have therapeutic applications.
Ablation of α
2
δ-1 inhibits cell-surface trafficking of endogenous N-type calcium channels in the pain pathway in vivo
Authors: Nieto-Rostro Manuela , Ramgoolam Krishma , Pratt Wendy S. , Kulik Akos , Dolphin Annette C.
Published: November 2018

Significance

Neuronal N-type (Ca
V
2.2) voltage-gated calcium channels are important at the first synapse in the pain pathway. In this study, we have characterized a knockin mouse containing Ca
V
2.2 with an extracellular HA tag to determine the localization of Ca
V
2.2 in primary afferent pain pathways. These endogenous channels have been visualized at the plasma membrane and rigorously quantified in vivo. We examined the effect of ablation of the calcium channel auxiliary subunit α
2
δ-1 (the target of gabapentinoids) on Ca
V
2.2 distribution. We found preferential cell-surface localization of Ca
V
2.2 in DRG nociceptor neuron cell bodies was lost, accompanied by a dramatic reduction at dorsal horn terminals, but no effect on distribution of other spinal cord synaptic markers.
Translational switching of Cry1 protein expression confers reversible control of circadian behavior in arrhythmic Cry-deficient mice
Authors: Maywood Elizabeth S. , Elliott Thomas S. , Patton Andrew P. , Krogager Toke P. , Chesham Johanna E. , Ernst Russell J. , Beránek Václav , Brancaccio Marco , Chin Jason W. , Hastings Michael H.
Published: November 2018

Significance

Circadian rhythms dominate our lives through our daily cycle of sleep and wakefulness. They are controlled by a brain master clock: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). SCN timekeeping pivots around a molecular loop incorporating Cryptochrome (Cry) proteins; global loss of these proteins disables the clock. We developed a biologically appropriate translational switch based on genetic code expansion to achieve reversible control of Cry1 expression. Cry1 translation in neurons of arrhythmic Cry-null SCN slices immediately, reversibly, and dose-dependently initiated circadian molecular rhythms. Cry1 translation in SCN neurons was sufficient to initiate circadian behavior rapidly and reversibly in arrhythmic Cry-null mice. This demonstrates control of mammalian behavior using translational switching, a method of broad applicability.
Tense and aspect marking in (Low) German perfect constructions based on variety contact
Authors: Weber Kathrin
Published: November 2018

Synchronic variability is an essential characteristic of all human languages. However, issues of linguistic variation have only recently become a popular topic within the framework of construction grammar (cf. Hoffmann 2011), cognitive sociolinguistics (Geeraerts et al. 2010) and variety contact (Höder 2014). This paper investigates synchronic variation of perfect auxiliary constructions with the verb anfangen (‘to start/to begin’) in variety contact of Low- and High German in the Westphalian and Emslandic areas. Based on qualitative and quantitative data analysis, we provide a model of the constructions within Cognitive Linguistics in the form of a two-dimensional geometric analysis of aspectual construals (Croft 2012) and Construction Grammar (Goldberg 1995).
Distributional assimilation in constructional semantics
Authors: Colleman Timothy
Published: November 2018

This paper brings a contact linguistic perspective to the investigation of variation and change in the semantic structures of schematic argument structure constructions, i.e. diachronic constructional semasiology. The empirical focus is on three clusters of ongoing change in the lexical and semantic possibilities of three-argument constructions in Afrikaans that can plausibly be related to interlingual identification with formally and functionally similar English argument structure constructions. The main theoretical argument is that the concept of distributional assimilation as introduced by Gast & van der Auwera (2012) can be fruitfully extended to constructional semantics.
Constructions as cross-linguistic generalizations over instances
Authors: Östman Jan-Ola
Published: November 2018

The study takes the position that constructions (as form–meaning–function constellations) are not by definition language specific. This position is supported and illustrated with a case where different types of passive constructions in one language come in contact with ways of expressing comparable meanings and functions in another language. The functions of the constructions in the languages are in many respects similar, albeit that the languages express these functions differently in form. This opens up the very question of what is to be counted as “the same form” in two different languages, which leads to an approach where semantic and pragmatic features are given a more central place in the constructional analysis.

The two languages and their contact features investigated are Finnish and Swedish, and in particular the Solv dialect of Swedish, i.e., languages that are both typologically and genetically very different from each other. Actives and passives are seen as constituting different patterns that speakers orient to and use; patterns are not constructions in the traditional sense of form–meaning pairs, but constructions as meaning–function constellations. The study suggests that what we may interpret as Swedish dialects having borrowed features from Finnish in their passive constructions is rather the result of a long-standing cultural give-and-take situation between Finnish and Swedish in the Solf community.
A constructional account of the modal particle ‘ja’ in Texas German
Authors: Boas Hans C.
Published: November 2018

The last decade has seen the expansion of systematic study of spoken language within Construction Grammar (Fried & Östman 2005, Östman 2006,
Günthner 2006, Imo 2007). While most studies have only noted that a specific syntactic pattern may have different manifestations in spoken language and in ‘standard’ grammar, the emphasis in these studies has been on the domain of the sentence/utterance as the appropriate context of analysis (e.g. Lambrecht & Lemoine 2005). To overcome this bias, this paper presents a case study of a constructional representation and analysis of a regular patterning in natural discourse, namely the modal particle ja in Texas German, a critically endangered dialect (see Boas 2009, Boas & Pierce 2011).
Autosegmental evaluative morphology in Japanese
Authors: Toyoshima Takashi
Published: November 2018

Augmentatives and diminutives have never been recognized as such in grammars of Japanese though they constitute well-recognized classes in many languages, under the rubric of evaluative morphology. This study puts forward a view that the Japanese augmentatives and diminutives are found predominantly in the mimetic vocabulary, and especially as autosegmental subphonemic morphemes, thus escaping recognitions as such, in otherwise segmental agglutinative morphology of Japanese.
Wh-indefinites in East Asian languages
Authors: Yun Jiwon
Published: November 2018

This paper investigates the syntactic and semantic behaviors of wh-indefinites in Chinese, Japanese and Korean when they receive an existential reading, and identifies the source of such a reading in the three languages. The observation is that Japanese and Korean pattern together in terms of the behavior of their complex wh-indefinites, while Chinese and Korean show apparently different behaviors regarding their bare wh-indefinites. However, a closer scrutiny suggests that bare wh-indefinites in Korean and Chinese share more commonalities than has been reported in the literature in that they both can have an apparently exceptional wide scope reading when they are interpreted as indicating a specific referent.
Discrimination of passive predicates by Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children
Authors: de Lima Júnior João Claudio , Augusto Marina Rosa Ana , Sicuro Corrêa Letícia M.
Published: November 2018

This paper investigates the discrimination of passive predicates by children acquiring Brazilian Portuguese. A truth-value judgment experiment is reported here which assesses 3–4- and 5–6-year-olds’ ability to discriminate eventive/stative and eventive/resultative predicates. The results show an adult-like performance as far as stative and resultative predicates are concerned. As for eventive predicates, children’s performance has not reached the adult-standard, though they do discriminate eventive from stative/resultative predicates. These results are discussed in relation to previous ones with children acquiring European Portuguese and Catalan (Estrela, 2013; Gavarró & Parramon, 2017). A developmental account is provided which aims at reconciling the present and previous results.
Experiment and prediction of weld morphology for laser oscillating welding of AA6061 aluminium alloy
Authors: Wang Lei , Gao Ming , Zeng Xiaoyan
Published: November 2018

Effects of oscillating diameter ( D) and frequency ( f) on weld surface and cross-sectional morphologies were investigated in laser welding of AA6061 aluminium alloy with circular beam oscillation. Weld surface was mainly characterised by straight line shape when f > 10 Hz. Weld cross-section transformed from slender nail to irregular shape, dumpy nail, rectangle and crescent shape in sequence with the increase of D and f. A modified model considering material thermal properties was developed to predict the surface feature, especially whether the weld totally overlapped or not. A new normalised enthalpy was proposed to predict the keyhole mode of laser oscillating welding by considering materials thermal properties and remelting effect, which was suitable to explain the formation of cross-sectional morphology.
ConDo: protein domain boundary prediction using coevolutionary information
Authors: Hong Seung Hwan , Joo Keehyoung , Lee Jooyoung
Published: November 2018

Motivation

Domain boundary prediction is one of the most important problems in the study of protein structure and function. Many sequence-based domain boundary prediction methods are either template-based or machine learning (ML) based. ML-based methods often perform poorly due to their use of only local (i.e. short-range) features. These conventional features such as sequence profiles, secondary structures and solvent accessibilities are typically restricted to be within 20 residues of the domain boundary candidate.

Results

To address the performance of ML-based methods, we developed a new protein domain boundary prediction method (ConDo) that utilizes novel long-range features such as coevolutionary information in addition to the aforementioned local window features as inputs for ML. Toward this purpose, two types of coevolutionary information were extracted from multiple sequence alignment using direct coupling analysis: (i) partially aligned sequences, and (ii) correlated mutation information. Both the partially aligned sequence information and the modularity of residue–residue couplings possess long-range correlation information.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/gicsaw/ConDo.git

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A two-stage estimation procedure for non-linear structural equation models
Authors: Holst Klaus Kähler , Budtz-Jørgensen Esben
Published: November 2018

Applications of structural equation models (SEMs) are often restricted to linear associations between variables. Maximum likelihood (ML) estimation in non-linear models may be complex and require numerical integration. Furthermore, ML inference is sensitive to distributional assumptions. In this article, we introduce a simple two-stage estimation technique for estimation of non-linear associations between latent variables. Here both steps are based on fitting linear SEMs: first a linear model is fitted to data on the latent predictor and terms describing the non-linear effect are predicted by their conditional means. In the second step, the predictions are included in a linear model for the latent outcome variable. We show that this procedure is consistent and identifies its asymptotic distribution. We also illustrate how this framework easily allows the association between latent variables to be modeled using restricted cubic splines, and we develop a modified estimator which is robust to non-normality of the latent predictor. In a simulation study, we compare the proposed method to MLE and alternative two-stage estimation techniques.
In vitro anti-Pythium insidiosum activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles
Authors: de Souza Silveira Valente Júlia , Braga Caroline Quintana , Brasil Carolina Litchina , Baptista Cristiane Telles , Reis Guilherme Fonseca , Panagio Luciano Aparecido , Nakazato Gerson , de Oliveira Hübner Silvia , Soares Mauro Pereira , de Avila Botton Sônia , Pereira Daniela Isabel Brayer
Published: November 2018

Pythium insidiosum belongs to the phylum Oomycota. It is capable of infecting mammals causing a serious condition called pythiosis, which affects mainly horses in Brazil and humans in Thailand. The objective of the present study was to verify the in vitro anti-P. insidiosum activity of a biogenic silver nanoparticle (bio-AgNP) formulation. The in vitro assays were evaluated on P. insidiosum isolates (n = 38) following the M38-A2 protocol. Damage to the P. insidiosum hyphae ultrastructure was verified by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Bio-AgNP inhibition concentrations on P. insidiosum isolates ranged from 0.06 to 0.47 μg/ml. It was observed through SEM that P. insidiosum hyphae treated showed surface roughness, as well as cell walls with multiple retraction areas, loss of continuity, and rupture in some areas. The TEM of treated hyphae did not differentiate organelle structures; also, the cellular wall was rarefied, showing wrinkled and partly ruptured borders. The bio-AgNP evaluated has excellent in vitro anti-P. insidiosum activity. However, further studies on its in vivo action are necessary as so to determine the possibility of its use in the treatment of the disease in affected hosts.
Evolution of galactic magnetic fields
Authors: Rodrigues L F S , Chamandy L , Shukurov A , Baugh C M , Taylor A R
Published: November 2018

We study the cosmic evolution of the magnetic fields of a large sample of spiral galaxies in a cosmologically representative volume by employing a semi-analytic galaxy formation model and numerical dynamo solver in tandem. We start by deriving time- and radius-dependent galaxy properties using the galform galaxy formation model, which are then fed into the non-linear mean-field dynamo equations. These are solved to give the large-scale (mean) field as a function of time and galactocentric radius for a thin disc, assuming axial symmetry. A simple prescription for the evolution of the small-scale (random) magnetic field component is also adopted. We find that, while most massive galaxies are predicted to have large-scale magnetic fields at redshift $z$ = 0, a significant fraction of them is expected to contain negligible large-scale field. Our model indicates that, for most of the galaxies containing large-scale magnetic fields today, the mean-field dynamo becomes active at $z$ < 3. Moreover, the typical magnetic field strength at any given galactic stellar mass is predicted to decline with time up until the present epoch, in agreement with our earlier results. We compute the radial profiles of pitch angle, and find broad agreement with observational data for nearby galaxies.
High rates of protein intake are associated with an accelerated rate of decline of residual kidney function in incident peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: Otero Alonso Pablo , Pérez Fontán Miguel , López Iglesias Antía , García Falcón Teresa , Rodríguez-Carmona Ana
Published: November 2018

Background

Preservation of residual kidney function (RKF) is a relevant objective in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The influence of dietary protein intake (PI) on this variable has not been adequately investigated.

Methods

Following an observational design, we studied 336 patients incident on PD, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months. The main study variable was the mean PI [normalized rate of protein nitrogen appearance (nPNA)] during the first 4 months on PD. The main outcome variables were the absolute rate of decline of RKF and the proportion of patients presenting a >50% decay of their RKF during the first year of follow-up. We applied univariate and multivariate strategies of analysis, taking into consideration the main control variables bearing a correlation with nPNA and/or RKF.

Results

Mean nPNA (first 4 months) was 1.23 ± 0.33 g/kg/day, while the overall rate of decline of RKF was −0.13 ± 0.29 mL/min/month; 69 patients (25.1%) had lost >50% of their initial RKF by the end of the first year. Univariate analysis disclosed consistent associations between the main study variable on one hand and baseline RKF (r = 0.32, P < 0.0005) and its rate of decline (r = −0.23, P < 0.0005) on the other. The latter two variables were also significantly correlated (r = −0.36, P < 0.0005). Multivariate analysis identified mean nPNA as an independent predictor of the rate of decline of RKF [odds ratio 1.09 per 0.10 g/kg/day, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99–1.19, P = 0.058] and, in particular, of the probability of losing >50% of the baseline RKF during the first year of treatment (odds ratio 1.15 per 0.10 g/kg/day, 95% CI 1.04–1.27, P = 0.006).

Conclusion

Higher rates of PI during the first months of therapy are associated with a faster decline of RKF among patients incident on PD. Our results underline the convenience of keeping an adequate balance between sufficient protein ingestion, to prevent malnutrition and wasting, and sensible restriction in stable, adequately nourished individuals with rates of intake in the higher range or above-recommended allowances.
Prevention of Opioid-Induced Nausea and Vomiting During Treatment of Moderate to Severe Acute Pain: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial Comparing CL-108 (Hydrocodone 7.5 mg/Acetaminophen 325 mg/Rapid-Release, Low-Dose Promethazine 12.5 mg) with Conventional Hydrocodone 7.5 mg/Acetaminophen 325 mg
Authors: Zuniga John R , Papas Athena S , Daniels Stephen E , Patrick Kyle , Muse Derek D , Oreadi Daniel , Giannakopoulos Helen E , Granquist Eric J , Levin Lawrence M , Chou Joli C , Maibach Hilda , Schachtel Bernard P
Published: November 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the prevention of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting (OINV) and the relief of moderate to severe acute pain by CL-108, a novel drug combining a low-dose antiemetic (rapid-release promethazine 12.5 mg) with hydrocodone 7.5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg (HC/APAP) was used.

Methods

This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled multidose study. After surgical extraction of two or more impacted third molar teeth (including at least one mandibular impaction), 466 patients with moderate to severe pain (measured on a categorical pain intensity scale [PI-CAT]) were randomized to CL-108, HC/APAP, or placebo. Over the next 24 hours, patients used the PI-CAT to assess pain at regular intervals whereas nausea, vomiting, and other opioid-related side effects were also assessed prospectively. Study medications were taken every four to six hours as needed; supplemental rescue analgesic and antiemetic medications were permitted. Co-primary end points were the incidence of OINV and the time-weighted sum of pain intensity differences over 24 hours (SPID24).

Results

Relative to HC/APAP treatment alone, CL-108 treatment reduced OINV by 64% (P < 0.001). Treatment with CL-108 significantly reduced pain intensity compared with placebo (SPID24 = 16.2 vs 3.5, P < 0.001). There were no unexpected or serious adverse events.

Conclusions

CL-108 is a safe and effective combination analgesic/antiemetic for the prevention of OINV during treatment of moderate to severe acute pain.
A MODEL TO PREDICT 238U IN AQUIFER ROCK BASED ON 222Rn AND 226Ra MEASUREMENT IN GROUNDWATER SAMPLES: A CASE STUDY AT SOUTH BENGALURU CITY, KARNATAKA, INDIA
Authors: Poojitha C G , Sahoo B K , Ganesh K E , Pranesha T S , Sapra B K
Published: November 2018

Naturally occurring 222Rn and 226Ra concentrations were investigated in groundwater samples collected from different parts of South Bengaluru city using Smart RnDuo monitor developed indigenously by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India. The study area has been divided into two zones on the basis of external gamma radiation dose rates as zone A (100–200 nSv/h) and zone B (above 200 nSv/h). Radon concentration in groundwater for various sites, both supported (contribution from dissolved 226Ra in water) and unsupported (contribution from aquifer rock), was estimated. Assuming that 238U and 226Ra are roughly in secular equilibrium in the aquifer rock, a model has been proposed to predict the uranium (238U) content in the aquifer rocks using onsite measured 222Rn concentration and dissolved 226Ra concentration in the groundwater. Results of a case study carried out at South Bengaluru city, Karnataka, India have been discussed in the paper.