bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dietary protein quality and malnutrition in Africa
Authors: Schönfeldt Hettie Carina , Gibson Hall Nicolette
Published: October 2012

The WHO (2007) Technical Report on protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition states that the best estimate for a population average requirement is 105 mg nitrogen/kg body weight per day, or 0·66 g protein/kg body weight per day. In many developing countries protein intake falls significantly short of these values. Apart from protein quantity, protein quality including bioavailability and digestibility, from different food sources, are currently on the global agenda. The 1st International Symposium on Dietary Protein for Human Health held in Auckland, in March 2011, and the consecutive Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Expert Consultation on Dietary Protein Quality, both highlighted the importance of assessing the quality of protein from different food sources through determination of amino acid content. Throughout the developed world, animal products and cereals are the two most important sources of protein; in developing countries this order is reversed. In low income countries only 3 % of total dietary energy, as an indicator of diet composition, is derived from meat and offal, 11 % from roots and tubers and 6 % from pulses, nuts and oilseeds. The remainder of the dietary energy is mainly derived from cereal-based staple food. Although the production of livestock has increased in developing countries, the consumption of protein in these countries with people consuming the most limited amounts of protein are continually decreasing. Undernutrition, including insufficient consumption of protein, remains a persistent problem in the developing world, and although many diets within these developing countries are deficient in thequantityof protein compared to recommendations, thequalityof the protein also strongly comes into focus.
Validation of the Diet Quality Index for Adolescents by comparison with biomarkers, nutrient and food intakes: the HELENA study
Authors: Vyncke Krishna , Cruz Fernandez Estefania , Fajó-Pascual Marta , Cuenca-García Magdalena , De Keyzer Willem , Gonzalez-Gross Marcela , Moreno Luis A. , Beghin Laurent , Breidenassel Christina , Kersting Mathilde , Albers Ulrike , Diethelm Katharina , Mouratidou Theodora , Grammatikaki Evangelia , De Vriendt Tineke , Marcos Ascensión , Bammann Karin , Börnhorst Claudia , Leclercq Caterine , Manios Yannis , Dallongeville Jean , Vereecken Carine , Maes Lea , Gwozdz Wencke , Van Winckel Myriam , Gottrand Frédéric , Sjöström Michael , Díaz Ligia E. , Geelen Anouk , Hallström Lena , Widhalm Kurt , Kafatos Anthony , Molnar Denes , De Henauw Stefaan , Huybrechts Inge
Published: October 2012

Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) aim to address the nutritional requirements at population level in order to prevent diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle. Diet quality indices can be used to assess the compliance with these FBDG. The present study aimed to investigate whether the newly developed Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A) is a good surrogate measure for adherence to FBDG, and whether adherence to these FBDG effectively leads to better nutrient intakes and nutritional biomarkers in adolescents. Participants included 1804 European adolescents who were recruited in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) Study. Dietary intake was assessed by two, non-consecutive 24 h recalls. A DQI-A score, considering the components' dietary quality, diversity and equilibrium, was calculated. Associations between the DQI-A and food and nutrient intakes and blood concentration biomarkers were investigated using multilevel regression analysis corrected for centre, age and sex. DQI-A scores were associated with food intake in the expected direction: positive associations with nutrient-dense food items, such as fruits and vegetables, and inverse associations with energy-dense and low-nutritious foods. On the nutrient level, the DQI-A was positively related to the intake of water, fibre and most minerals and vitamins. No association was found between the DQI-A and total fat intake. Furthermore, a positive association was observed with 25-hydroxyvitamin D, holo-transcobalamin andn-3 fatty acid serum levels. The present study has shown good validity of the DQI-A by confirming the expected associations with food and nutrient intakes and some biomarkers in blood.
Immunological programming by breast milk creates an anti-inflammatory cytokine milieu in breast-fed infants compared to formula-fed infants
Authors: Kainonen Essi , Rautava Samuli , Isolauri Erika
Published: October 2012

Breast milk provides important maturational stimuli to an infant's developing immune system. However, data concerning the role of breast-feeding in reducing the risk of allergic disease remain contradictory. Previous studies have centred on comparative analyses of breast milk and formula compositions. We chose a slightly different angle, whereby we focused on the effects of the chosen diet on the infant himself, comparing the immune development of formula-fed and breast-fed children. The objective of the present study was to determine how the mode of feeding affects infant immunology. Altogether, eighteen formula-fed infants with limited breast-feeding for < 3 months and twenty-nine infants who were exclusively breast-fed for >3 months were included in the study. Concentrations of interferon γ, TNF-α IL-10, IL-5, IL-4 and IL-2 were measured simultaneously from the same serum sample through use of a multiplexed flow cytometric assay at the ages of 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) was measured using ELISA at the same time points. Serum TNF-α and IL-2 concentrations were significantly higher in formula-fed than in breast-fed infants during the first year of life (ANOVA,P= 0·002). The serum concentrations of TGF-β were significantly lower in formula-fed than in breast-fed infants throughout the first year of life (ANOVA,P≤ 0·0001). Exclusive breast-feeding promotes an anti-inflammatory cytokine milieu, which is maintained throughout infancy. Such an immunological environment limits hyper-responsiveness and promotes tolerisation, possibly prohibiting the onset of allergic disease.
The earliest rugose coral
Authors: BAARS CHRISTIAN , GHOBADI POUR MANSOUREH , ATWOOD ROBERT C.
Published: October 2012

Rugose corals are thought to have evolved from an ancestral anthozoan during the Middle Ordovician Epoch even though there is a lack of fossil evidence for the early evolutionary history of the Rugosa. Previously documented species of early rugose corals are all assigned to the main orders Calostylina, Streptelasmatina, Cystiphyllina and Stauriina, which had all evolved by the late Sandbian.Lambelasma? sp., a new rugose coral, was recovered from the upper Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) part of the Shirgesht Formation of Central Iran. One of the fossils, partly embedded in rock matrix, was examined using synchrotron X-ray tomography, which is here demonstrated to be a useful tool in palaeontological taxonomic studies. The new fossils form part of a mid-latitude Gondwana fauna and are the earliest record of rugose corals to date. The specimens combine features of both the Streptelasmatina and Calostylina, but are here assigned to the Lambelasmatidae (Calostylina) on the grounds of a very deep calice, the pinnate arrangement of the septa and a lack of synapticulae and tabulae.
Cyber Warfare: Applying the Principle of Distinction in an Interconnected Space
Authors: Geiß Robin , Lahmann Henning
Published: October 2012

While the rules of the jus in bello are generally operative in cyberspace, it appears to be problematic to apply the fundamental principle of distinction because of the systemic interconnection of military and civilian infrastructure in the cyber realm. In this regard, the application of the accepted legal definition of military objectives will make various components of the civilian cyber infrastructure a legitimate military objective. In order to avoid serious repercussions for the civilian population that might follow from this inherent interconnectedness, different concepts are analysed that could provide potential solutions for a clearer separation of legitimate military targets and protected civilian installations and networks. The approaches discussed range from the exemption of central cyber infrastructure components that serve important civilian functions, to the creation of ‘digital safe havens’ and possible precautionary obligations regarding the segregation of military and civilian networks. As a solution, the authors propose a dynamic interpretation of the wording ‘damage to civilian objects’ within the principle of proportionality of Article 51(5)(b) of Additional Protocol I, an interpretation that would comprise the degradation of the functionality of systems that serve important civilian functions.
Two new species ofSyphacia(Nematoda: Oxyuridae) in endemic murid rodents from Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Dewi K. , Hasegawa H.
Published: October 2012

Two new species ofSyphacia(Nematoda: Oxyuridae) are described from endemic murids of Sulawesi, Indonesia:Syphacia(Syphacia)taeromyossp. n. andS.(S.)paruromyossp. n. parasitic in the caecum ofTaeromys celebensisandParuromys dominator, respectively. They are readily distinguished from all of the congeners recorded from Indonesia–Australian regions by having a round cephalic plate, vesicular lateral alae in the male, posteriorly positioned excretory pore in the male, and/or lacking cervical alae.Syphacia (S.) paruromyosdiffers fromS. (S.) taeromyosby having a whip-like tail appendage in the male, longer relative distance between excretory pore and vulva, and larger eggs. The round cephalic plate in both sexes and developed vesicular lateral alae in the male are morphological traits common in endemicSyphaciaspecies hitherto known from Sulawesi murids, suggesting that they have derived from a common ancestor and evolved with their hosts in the isolated insular environment.
Quality of life assessment following adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea in children under three years of age
Authors: Mandavia R , Dhar V , Kapoor K , Rachmanidou A
Published: October 2012

Aim:

To investigate the effects of adenotonsillectomy on the quality of life of children under three years of age with obstructive sleep apnoea. To our knowledge, there have been no previously published studies on this topic.

Method:

Thirty-nine children under three years of age and treated with adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea met the inclusion criteria. A quality of life questionnaire was adapted from the validated, six-item instrument developed by de Serreset al.(2000). The questionnaire assessed improvement in specific domains following adenotonsillectomy. Carers scored each domain on a point scale ranging from ‘none’ (0) to ‘couldn't be more’ (6).

Results:

The quality of life of all children improved after surgery. The greatest mean improvement scores were in the domains of care-giver concern, physical suffering and sleep disturbance. The modal questionnaire score was 4 and the overall mean questionnaire score was 4.2.

Conclusion:

Adenotonsillectomy provides measurable improvements in quality of life for children under three years of age with obstructive sleep apnoea.
Devotion, Antiquity, and Colonial Custody of the Hindu Temple in British India
Authors: SUTTON DEBORAH
Published: October 2012

In 1904, the British Indian government passed the Ancient Monuments Protection Act and, in doing so, radically enlarged the state's bureaucratic claim to structures defined, for the purposes of the Act, as monuments. The project of conserving the Hindu temple was beset by disagreements. The claims of the colonial state and local Hindu devotees were separated by different precepts about religiosity and alternate orders of aesthetics, time, and history. However, it is clear that there were also confluences: legislative authority could masquerade as custody of the antiquarian and, in practice, the secular veneration of material antiquity blurred with Hindu divinity. This paper combines an exploration of the principles of archaeological conservation, as they were formed in the European bourgeois imagination, and then traces their transfer, though imperial administration, to case-studies of specific temples. Of particular interest is the deployment of the Act by local administrations and the counter-challenges, appropriations, and manipulations of the same legislation. How were the aesthetic codes of conservation—and the legislation that sought to order and enforce their introduction—compromised by religious claims and practices?
A model for the evolution of the thermal bar system
Authors: FARROW DUNCAN E.
Published: October 2012

A new framework for modelling the evolution of the thermal bar system in a lake is presented. The model assumes that the thermal bar is located between two regions: the deeper region, where spring warming leads to overturning of the entire water column, and the near shore shallower region, where a stable surface layer is established. In this model the thermal bar moves out slightly more quickly than predicted by a simple thermal balance. Also, the horizontal extent of the thermal bar region increases as it moves out from the shore.
Sums of Dilates in p
Authors: PONTIVEROS GONZALO FIZ
Published: October 2012

We consider the problem of sums of dilates in groups of prime order. It is well known that sets with small density and small sumset in p behave like integer sets. Thus, given A ⊂ p of sufficiently small density, it is straightforward to show that

\begin{linenomath}
$$| \lambda_{1}A+\lambda_{2}A+\cdots+ \lambda_{k}A | \ge\biggl(\sum_{i}|\lambda_{i}|\biggr)|A|- o(|A|).$$
\end{linenomath}

On the other hand, the behaviour for sets of large density turns out to be rather surprising. Indeed, for any ε > 0, we construct subsets of density 1/2–ε such that |A + λ A| ≤ (1–δ)p, showing that there is a very different behaviour for subsets of large density.
An ER-based framework for declarative web programming
Authors: HANUS MICHAEL , KOSCHNICKE SVEN
Published: October 2012

We describe a framework to support the implementation of web-based systems intended to manipulate data stored in relational databases. Since the conceptual model of a relational database is often specified as an entity-relationship (ER) model, we propose to use the ER model to generate a complete implementation in the declarative programming language Curry. This implementation contains operations to create and manipulate entities of the data model, supports authentication, authorization, session handling, and the composition of individual operations to user processes. Furthermore, the implementation ensures the consistency of the database w.r.t. the data dependencies specified in the ER model, i.e., updates initiated by the user cannot lead to an inconsistent state of the database. In order to generate a high-level declarative implementation that can be easily adapted to individual customer requirements, the framework exploits previous works on declarative database programming and web user interface construction in Curry.
Sustainable development in the WTO: from mutual supportiveness to balancing
Authors: LYDGATE EMILY BARRETT
Published: October 2012

The WTO Secretariat describes sustainable development as a central WTO principle. Relevant international law treaties have declared sustainable development's mutual supportiveness with trade liberalization, and also emphasized the need to balance its ‘pillars’: economic development, often equated with trade liberalization, with environmental conservation and social welfare. While ‘mutual supportiveness’ suggests that sustainable development's environmental and social goals are a side effect of trade liberalization, ‘balancing’ involves weighing these different goals, and prompts the difficult question of which are most important, and who is empowered to decide. This paper traces these two broad theoretical conceptions through WTO legal texts, negotiations and dispute settlement, arguing that they have important pragmatic implications. In particular, to create mutual supportiveness WTO Director-General, Pascal Lamy, has stated the need for adequate domestic policies, suggesting that the WTO should support these. Yet, if they have negative trade impacts, pure ‘sustainable development’ policies may be difficult to balance against the WTO obligation to liberalize trade.
Precipitation of highly energetic protons by helium branch electromagnetic ion cyclotron triggered emissions
Authors: Shoji Masafumi , Omura Yoshiharu
Published: October 2012

In the equatorial region of the Earth's inner magnetosphere, the electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) triggered emissions are generated through interaction with energetic protons. We investigate the generation process of the EMIC triggered emissions in the He+branch and associated precipitation of the energetic protons using a one‐dimensional hybrid simulation with a cylindrical parabolic magnetic geometry. The simulation results show a good agreement with the nonlinear wave growth theory. As the electron density becomes higher as in the plasmasphere or the plasmaplume, the wave amplitude thresholds for both H+ and He+ band triggered emissions become lower and their nonlinear growth rates become higher. The higher hot proton density also makes the thresholds lower. While the H+ branch triggered emissions interact with a few keV protons, the He+ branch triggered emissions interact with more energetic protons of a few hundred keV with a larger nonlinear growth rate.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate induces filopodia formation through S1PR2 activation of ERM proteins
Authors: Gandy K. Alexa Orr , Canals Daniel , Adada Mohamad , Wada Masayuki , Roddy Patrick , Snider Ashley J. , Hannun Yusuf A. , Obeid Lina M.
Published: October 2012

Previously we demonstrated that the sphingolipids ceramide and S1P (sphingosine 1-phosphate) regulate phosphorylation of the ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin) family of cytoskeletal proteins [Canals, Jenkins, Roddy, Hernande-Corbacho, Obeid and Hannun (2010) J. Biol. Chem. 285, 32476–3285]. In the present article, we show that exogenously applied or endogenously generated S1P (in a sphingosine kinase-dependent manner) results in significant increases in phosphorylation of ERM proteins as well as filopodia formation. Using phosphomimetic and non-phosphorylatable ezrin mutants, we show that the S1P-induced cytoskeletal protrusions are dependent on ERM phosphorylation. Employing various pharmacological S1PR (S1P receptor) agonists and antagonists, along with siRNA (small interfering RNA) techniques and genetic knockout approaches, we identify the S1PR2 as the specific and necessary receptor to induce phosphorylation of ERM proteins and subsequent filopodia formation. Taken together, the results demonstrate a novel mechanism by which S1P regulates cellular architecture that requires S1PR2 and subsequent phosphorylation of ERM proteins.
Kr II laser-induced fluorescence for measuring plasma acceleration
Authors: Hargus W. A. , Azarnia G. M. , Nakles M. R.
Published: October 2012

We present the application of laser-induced fluorescence of singly ionized krypton as a diagnostic technique for quantifying the electrostatic acceleration within the discharge of a laboratory cross-field plasma accelerator also known as a Hall effect thruster, which has heritage as spacecraft propulsion. The 728.98 nm Kr II transition from the metastable 5d4D7/2 to the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$5p ^4P^\circ _{5/2}$\end{document}5p4P5/2∘ state was used for the measurement of laser-induced fluorescence within the plasma discharge. From these measurements, it is possible to measure velocity as krypton ions are accelerated from near rest to approximately 21 km/s (190 eV). Ion temperature and the ion velocity distributions may also be extracted from the fluorescence data since available hyperfine splitting data allow for the Kr II 5d4D7/2–\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$5p ^4P^\circ _{5/2}$\end{document}5p4P5/2∘ transition lineshape to be modeled. From the analysis, the fluorescence lineshape appears to be a reasonable estimate for the relatively broad ion velocity distributions. However, due to an apparent overlap of the ion creation and acceleration regions within the discharge, the distributed velocity distributions increase ion temperature determination uncertainty significantly. Using the most probable ion velocity as a representative, or characteristic, measure of the ion acceleration, overall propellant energy deposition, and effective electric fields may be calculated. With this diagnostic technique, it is possible to nonintrusively characterize the ion acceleration both within the discharge and in the plume.
Properties of atoms under pressure: Bonded interactions of the atoms in three perovskites
Authors: Gibbs G. V. , Wang D. , Hin C. , Ross N. L. , Cox D. F. , Crawford T. D. , Spackman M. A. , Angel R. J.
Published: October 2012

The crystal structures for the three perovskites, CaSnO3, YAlO3, and LaAlO3, were geometry optimized at the density functional theory level for a wide range of simulated isotropic pressures up to 80 GPa. The connections between the geometry optimized bond lengths, R(M-O), the values of the electron density, ρ(rc), the local kinetic, G(rc), potential, V(rc), energy densities, H(rc), and the Laplacian, ∇2(rc), at the bond critical points, rc, for the M-O nonequivalent bonded interactions were examined. With increasing pressure, ρ(rc) increases along four distinct trends when plotted in terms of the Al-O, Ca-O, Sn-O, Y-O, and La-O bond lengths, but when the bond lengths were plotted in terms of ρ(rc)/r where r is the periodic table row number of the M atoms, the data scatter along a single trend modeled by the power law regression expression R(M-O) = 1.41(ρ(rc)/r)−0.21, an expression that is comparable with that obtained for the bonded interactions for a large number of silicate and oxides crystals, R(M-O) = 1.46(ρ(rc)/r)−0.19 and that obtained for a relatively large number of hydroxyacid molecules R(M-O) = 1.39(s/r)−0.22 where s is the Pauling bond strength of a bonded interaction. The similarity of the expressions determined for the perovskites, silicate and oxides crystals, and hydroxyacid molecules suggest that the bonded interactions in molecules and crystal are not only similar and comparable. The close correspondence of the expressions for the perovskites, the silicate and oxide crystals, and the molecules indicates that Pauling bond strength and ρ(rc) are comparable measures of the bonded interactions, the larger the accumulation of the electron density between the bonded atoms the larger the value of s, the shorter the bond lengths. It also indicates that the bonded interactions that govern the bond length variations behave as if largely short ranged. Like ρ(rc)/r, the values of G(rc)/r, V(rc)/r, ∇2(rc)/r likewise correlate in terms of R(M-O) in a single trend. With increasing pressure, the value of V(rc) decreases at a faster rate than G(rc) increases consistent with the observation that ρ(rc) increases with increasing pressure thereby stabilizing the structures at high pressures. As evinced by the well-developed power law trends between R(M-O) and the bond critical point properties, the bulk of the bonded interactions for the perovskites are concluded to change progressively from closed-shell to intermediate polar covalent interactions with increasing pressure. A well-developed trend between the ratios |V(rc)| /G(rc) and H(rc)/ρ(rc) is consistent with this conclusion. The employment of a positive value for the Laplacian alone in distinguishing between closed shell and polar covalent bonded interactions is unsatisfactory when 2G(rc) > |V(rc)| > G(rc).
Efficient simultaneous fluorescence orientation, spectrum, and lifetime detection for single molecule dynamics
Authors: Börner Richard , Kowerko Danny , Krause Stefan , Borczyskowski Christian von , Hübner Christian G.
Published: October 2012

We report on the simultaneous detection of the fluorescence lifetime, spectrum, and three-dimensional dipole orientation determination of single perylene diimide molecules deposited on a silica surface as a model system for studying fluorophore internal and orientational dynamics. We employ a multi-parameter detection scheme to demonstrate how jumps in the orientation of the molecule can be disentangled from spectral jumps, both leading to changes of the detected total fluorescence intensity. The fluorescence lifetime determined simultaneously from the same photons is also sensitive to the orientation of the dipole with respect to the interface between media with different refractive indices. The correlated changes of the lifetime and orientation we observe are in good agreement with theory.
Theoretical study of AunV-CO, n = 1–14: The dopant vanadium enhances CO adsorption on gold clusters
Authors: Nhat Pham Vu , Tai Truong Ba , Nguyen Minh Tho
Published: October 2012

The CO adsorption on vanadium-doped gold clusters AunV with n = 1–14 is studied by density functional theory computations, using the BB95 and B3LYP functionals along with the cc-pVDZ-PP basis for metals and cc-pVTZ for non-metals. When both Au and V sites are exposed, CO adsorption on V is thermodynamically favorable because with partially filling d orbitals vanadium is more willing to interact with CO empty or filled orbitals. When vanadium is confined inside a gold cage, the low-coordinated Au atoms become the preferred sites for CO attachment. The presence of V tends to reinforce CO adsorption as compared with the bare gold clusters. The diatomic AuV is predicted to have the largest CO adsorption affinity as it has a typical π-back donation bond. AunV–CO complexes typically have the larger CO binding energies and larger CO frequency shift than the isoatomic gold-carbonyl Aun+1-CO counterparts.
Local density of states analysis using Bader decomposition for N2 and CO2 adsorbed on Pt(110)-(1 × 2) electrodes
Authors: Gudmundsdóttir Sigrídur , Tang Wenjie , Henkelman Graeme , Jónsson Hannes , Skúlason Egill
Published: October 2012

Local density of states and electric charge in regions defined for individual atoms and molecules using grid based Bader analysis is presented for N2 and CO2 adsorbed on a platinum electrode in the presence of an applied electric field. When the density of states is projected onto Bader regions, the partial density of states for the various subregions correctly sums up to the total density of states for the whole system, unlike the commonly used projection onto spheres which results in missing contributions from some regions while others are over counted, depending on the radius chosen. The electrode is represented by a slab with a missing row reconstructed Pt(110)-(1 × 2) surface to model an edge between micro-facets on the surface of a nano-particle catalyst. For both N2 and CO2, a certain electric field window leads to adsorption. The binding of N2 to the electrode is mainly due to polarization of the molecule but for CO2 hybridization occurs between the molecular states and the states of the Pt electrode.
A prototype mass spectrometer for in situ analysis of cave atmospheres
Authors: Patrick Edward L. , Mandt Kathleen E. , Mitchell Evelynn J. , Mitchell Joseph N. , Younkin Kerri N. , Seifert Clarissa M. , Williams Gregg C.
Published: October 2012

Research in cave environments has many applications: studying local hydrogeologic activity, paleoclimate studies, analyzing white nose syndrome in bat populations, analogs for underground atmospheres in mining facilities, carbon sequestration efforts, and terrestrial analogs for planetary caves. The atmospheres of many caves contain tracers of current geological and biological activity, but up to this point, in situ studies have been limited to sensors that monitor individual components of the cave atmosphere. A prototype cave mass spectrometer system was assembled from commercial off-the-shelf parts to conduct surveys of atmospheric compositions inside four local Texas caves and to perform atmospheric analysis of two aquifer wellheads to a depth of 60 m. We found increased levels of CO2 in all caves and, surprisingly, increased levels of O2 in Bracken Bat Cave. Aquifer wellhead measurements showed indications of methane, other hydrocarbons, and other constituents not anticipated.
One electron-based smallest flexible logic cell
Authors: Kim S. J. , Lee J. J. , Kang H. J. , Choi J. B. , Yu Y.-S. , Takahashi Y. , Hasko D. G.
Published: October 2012

A one electron-based operating half-adder, the smallest arithmetic block, has been implemented on silicon-on-insulator structure whose basic element is a nanoscale single-electron transistor (SET) with two symmetrical side-wall gates. Grayscale contour plots of the resulting cell output voltages exhibit the Coulomb blockade-induced periodic alternating high/low features. Their voltage transfer characteristics display typical Sum and Carry-Out functions for binary, multi-valued (MV), and binary-MV mixed input voltages. Moreover, the half-adder function converts into a subtraction mode by adjusting control gates of the SET element. This flexible multi-valued cell provides an arithmetic block for the SET MV logic family of high density integration, operating with ultra-low power.
Developing small vacuum spark as an x-ray source for calibration of an x-ray focusing crystal spectrometer
Authors: Ghomeishi Mostafa , Karami Mohammad , Adikan Faisal Rafiq Mahamd
Published: October 2012

A new technique of x-ray focusing crystal spectrometers’ calibration is the desired result. For this purpose the spectrometer is designed to register radiated copper Kα and Kβ lines by using a flat α-quartz crystal. This experiment uses pre-breakdown x-ray emissions in low vacuum of about 2.5–3 mbar. At this pressure the pinch will not form so the plasma will not radiate. The anode material is copper and the capacity of the capacitor bank is 22.6 nF. This experiment designed and mounted a repetitive triggering system to save the operator time making hundreds of shots. This emission amount is good for calibration and geometrical adjustment of an optical crystal x-ray focusing spectrometer.
Head-on-collision of modulated dust acoustic waves in strongly coupled dusty plasma
Authors: El-Labany S. K. , El-Taibany W. F. , El-Shamy E. F. , El-Depsy A. , Zedan N. A.
Published: October 2012

The derivative expansion perturbation method is applied to a strongly coupled dusty plasma system consisting of negatively charged dust grains, electrons, and ions. The basic equations are reduced to a nonlinear Schrödinger type equation appropriate for describing the modulated dust acoustic (DA) waves. We have examined the modulation (in) stability and the dependence of the system physical parameters (angular frequency and group velocity) on the polarization force variation. Finally, the extended Poincaré-Lighthill-Kuo technique is employed to investigate the head-on collision (HoC) between two DA dark solitons. The analytical phase shifts and the trajectories of these dark solitons after the collision are derived. The numerical illustrations show that the polarization effect has strong influence on the nature of the phase shifts and the trajectories of the two DA dark solitons after collision.
GaP based terahertz time-domain spectrometer optimized for the 5-8 THz range
Authors: Vugmeyster I. D. , Whitaker J. F. , Merlin R.
Published: October 2012

We use GaP to generate terahertz pulses via optical rectification in a collinear phase-matched configuration relying on the dispersion of the refractive index. The GaP-based time-domain system operates up to 8 THz and is especially well suited at high frequencies, where it has high signal-to-noise ratio and power conversion efficiency ∼30 times greater than those of commercial photoconductive emitters. These characteristics are demonstrated in measurements of ZnTe in the reflection geometry. We also discuss the power output and describe theoretically the observed THz field generation by nonlinear mixing, the field's free space propagation, and its detection.
Large area orientation films based on graphene oxide self-assembly and low-temperature thermal reduction
Authors: Niu Yongan , Zhao Jiupeng , Zhang Xin , Wang Xianjie , Wu Jie , Li Yang , Li Yao
Published: October 2012

Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) have many outstanding physical and mechanical properties. Uniform and thickness controllable RGO films with large area were prepared by evaporation-induced self-assembly at a liquid/air interface on glass substrates in combination with low temperature thermal reduction at 200 °C. This process has the advantage of good compatibility with flexible and non-flexible substrates. The films are of centimeter scale and their thickness can be controlled. The structural evolution was characterized. The obtained thermal RGO films exhibit excellent optical properties, a high elastic modulus of 76.18 GPa, and a hardness of 6.89 GPa.
Design rules of (Mg,Zn)O-based thin-film transistors with high-κ WO3 dielectric gates
Authors: Lorenz M. , Reinhardt A. , von Wenckstern H. , Grundmann M.
Published: October 2012

We present a study on the design and optimization of metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors based on (Mg,Zn)O channel material with WO3 dielectric. The thickness of the dielectric and of the channel layer were adjusted independently to minimize the off-current density joff, the subthreshold slope (SS), and to modify the turn-on voltage. For optimized dielectric thickness, values of joff<10−8 A/cm2 and SS = 68 mV/decade were obtained. The variation of the (Mg,Zn)O-film thickness gives rise to a shift of the turn-on voltage: For 21 nm thick channels Von=−1.68V is obtained and by reducing the thickness to 8.6 nm Von=−0.27V. Using a Pt gate metal, normally off transistors with Von=0.19V were realized.
Self-induced spin-polarized carrier source in active photonic device with artificial optical chirality
Authors: Ye Yuqian , Chang Shu-Wei
Published: October 2012

We demonstrate a scheme of active photonic devices which can spontaneously polarize the carrier spin in active regions. Rather than externally breaking the time-reversal symmetry of carrier spin states such as applying magnetic fields, only the optical chirality is required in this setup. Spin-polarized carriers are generated by interactions between carriers and self-initiated circularly polarized photons without the spin-selective optical pumping/electrical injection and breaking of the reciprocity. The device requires a cavity which supports modes with only one circular polarization and can be implemented with the vertical-cavity type of arrangements for distributed Bragg reflectors and artificial chiral photonic structures.
Electrostatics and electrical transport in semiconductor nanowire Schottky diodes
Authors: Hsu Cheng-Han , Wang Qiaoming , Tao Xin , Gu Yi
Published: October 2012

The electrostatics and electrical transport characteristics in semiconductor nanowire Schottky diodes are studied using three-dimensional finite-element simulations. From the simulations, the dependences of the depletion region width on the bias and the doping level are found to deviate significantly from the relations in the bulk Schottky model, indicating different electrostatic properties in nanowire Schottky junctions. Furthermore, simulations of the current-voltage relation, which is corroborated by experimental measurements, demonstrate that the standard analytical model is not sufficient to describe current-voltage characteristics in nanowire Schottky diodes. An important implication is that the commonly used analytical model is not valid for extracting the ideality factor and the Schottky barrier height. These findings suggest that numerical simulations are critical to evaluating nanoscale device performance and guiding device development efforts.
Alkaline hydrolysis of porcine blood haemoglobin: applications for peptide and amino acid production
Authors: Álvarez Carlos , Rendueles Manuel , Díaz Mario
Published: October 2012

Alkaline hydrolysis of proteins recovered from slaughterhouse blood is a method to obtain profitable peptides and free amino acids for animal feed, besides decreasing the waste produced by this industry. The current trend to use enzymatic hydrolysis may need reconsidering due to its high cost in materials and the need for control processes that are both complex and expensive. The use of caustic soda (NaOH), which is a low-cost product, to obtain useful peptides from porcine haemoglobin is studied in this paper. Concentrations of 6 M NaOH at 50°C for 24 h afforded an 80% peptide recovery yield with an average peptide size of 13 kDa. Product obtained at 24 h was composed of soluble haemoglobin (7%), peptides larger than 10 kDa (63%), peptides between 6 and 10 kDa (16%), peptides between 1 and 6 kDa (1%), free amino acids (4%) and non-soluble compounds (8%). A kinetic model was subsequently developed. It is proposed that neutralising the alkaline product using acid products allows the processing of a higher amount of protein while employing the same amounts of reagents, although this topic requires further research.
Field Determinations of Pentachlorophenol in Water Using UV/Vis Spectroscopy
Authors: Stuckey Nicholas G. , Larsen Kim
Published: October 2012

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is an organochloride pesticide banned in many countries due to its broad-spectrum toxicity. Current methods for monitoring PCP in environmental water require expensive laboratory equipment, limiting field monitoring. Two field methods for screening the concentration of PCP in environmental water are described herein. The first involves filtering the sample and calculating the indicative concentration from the absorbance at 320 nm. Alternatively, the sample can be acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid to produce a fine suspension. This cloudy solution can be matched to a photo card for field estimation of concentration, or calculated more accurately from the absorbance at 450 nm. The useable ranges for these methods are 2 ppb to 100 ppm for the un-acidified method and 4 ppm to 1000 ppm for the acidified method. Results indicate that aquatic humic substances and natural turbidity present in environmental water do not compromise the results.
Effects of Some Multivalent Ions on Coagulation and Electrokinetic Behaviours of Colemanite Particles
Authors: Ucbeyiay Havvanur , Ozkan Alper
Published: October 2012

The effects of magnesium, barium, aluminium, and ferric cations as multivalent ions on the coagulation and electrokinetic behaviours of colemanite have been investigated in relation to pH and cation concentration. The zero point of charge for colemanite was determined to be at pH 10.2. The positive surface charge of colemanite increased in the presence of multivalent ions at pH values below the zero point of charge. Also, these ions changed the zeta potential of colemanite from negative to positive within the pH range 10.2 to 12. In the experiments, the coagulation of colemanite with ferric ions was more efficient than with the other ions and the effect of ferric ions varied considerably depending on the concentration and pH. The coagulation recovery values of colemanite suspension increased quickly up to 2.5 × 10–3 M concentration of ferric ions and the maximum value (~93 %) was obtained at a pH of 11.5. It was also found that the coagulation behaviour of the colemanite suspension in the presence of multivalent cations was in good agreement with the electrokinetic characteristics.
SPICY: towards automated phenotyping of large pepper plants in the greenhouse
Authors: van der Heijden Gerie , Song Yu , Horgan Graham , Polder Gerrit , Dieleman Anja , Bink Marco , Palloix Alain , van Eeuwijk Fred , Glasbey Chris
Published: October 2012

Most high-throughput systems for automated plant phenotyping involve a fixed recording cabinet to which plants are transported. However, important greenhouse plants like pepper are too tall to be transported. In this research we developed a system to automatically measure plant characteristics of tall pepper plants in the greenhouse. With a device equipped with multiple cameras, images of plants are recorded at a 5 cm interval over a height of 3 m. Two types of features are extracted: (1) features from a 3D reconstruction of the plant canopy; and (2) statistical features derived directly from RGB images. The experiment comprised 151 genotypes of a recombinant inbred population of pepper, to examine the heritability and quantitative trait loci (QTL) of the features. Features extracted from the 3D reconstruction of the canopy were leaf size and leaf angle, with heritabilities of 0.70 and 0.56 respectively. Three QTL were found for leaf size, and one for leaf angle. From the statistical features, plant height showed a good correlation (0.93) with manual measurements, and QTL were in accordance with QTL of manual measurements. For total leaf area, the heritability was 0.55, and two of the three QTL found by manual measurement were found by image analysis.
Phenotyping plants: genes, phenes and machines
Authors: Pieruschka Roland , Poorter Hendrik
Published: October 2012

No matter how fascinating the discoveries in the field of molecular biology are, in the end it is the phenotype that matters. In this paper we pay attention to various aspects of plant phenotyping. The challenges to unravel the relationship between genotype and phenotype are discussed, as well as the case where ‘plants do not have a phenotype’. More emphasis has to be placed on automation to match the increased output in the molecular sciences with analysis of relevant traits under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions. Currently, non-destructive measurements with cameras are becoming widely used to assess plant structural properties, but a wider range of non-invasive approaches and evaluation tools has to be developed to combine physiologically meaningful data with structural information of plants. Another field requiring major progress is the handling and processing of data. A better e-infrastructure will enable easier establishment of links between phenotypic traits and genetic data. In the final part of this paper we briefly introduce the range of contributions that form the core of a special issue of this journal on plant phenotyping.
Biokinetics and discrimination factors for δ13C and δ15N in the omnivorous freshwater crustacean, Cherax destructor
Authors: Carolan J. Veliscek , Mazumder D. , Dimovski C. , Diocares R. , Twining J.
Published: October 2012

Knowledge and understanding of biokinetics and discrimination factors for carbon-13 (δ13C) and nitrogen-15 (δ15N) are important when using stable isotopes for food-web studies. Therefore, we performed a controlled laboratory diet-switch experiment to examine diet–tissue and diet–faeces discrimination factors as well as the biokinetics of stable-isotope assimilation in the omnivorous freshwater crustacean, Cherax destructor. The biokinetics of δ13C could not be established; however, the δ15N value of C. destructor tissue reached equilibrium after 80 ± 35 days, with an estimated biological half-time for 15N of 19 ± 5 days. Metabolic activity contributed to the turnover of 15N by nearly an order of magnitude more than growth. The diet–tissue discrimination factors at the end of the exposure were estimated as –1.1 ± 0.5‰ for δ13C and +1.5 ± 1.0‰ for δ15N, indicating that a δ15N diet–tissue discrimination factor different from the typically assumed +3.4‰ may be required for freshwater macroinvertebrates such as C. destructor. The diet–faeces discrimination factor for δ15N after 120 days was estimated as +0.9 ± 0.5‰. The present study provides an increased understanding of the biokinetics and discrimination factors for a keystone freshwater macroinvertebrate that will be valuable for future food-web studies in freshwater ecosystems.
Global gene expression in the bovine corpus luteum is altered after stimulatory and superovulatory treatments
Authors: Fátima Luciana A. , Baruselli Pietro S. , Gimenes Lindsay U. , Binelli Mario , Rennó Francisco P. , Murphy Bruce D. , Papa Paula C.
Published: October 2012

Equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) has been widely used in superovulation and artificial insemination programmes and usually promotes an increase in corpus luteum (CL) volume and stimulates progesterone production. Therefore, to identify eCG-regulated genes in the bovine CL, the transcriptome was evaluated by microarray analysis and the expression of selected genes was validated by qPCR and western blot. Eighteen Nelore crossbred cows were divided into control (n = 5), stimulated (n = 6) and superovulated groups (n = 7). Ovulation was synchronised using a progesterone device-based protocol. Stimulated animals received 400 IU of eCG at device removal and superovulated animals received 2000 IU of eCG 4 days prior. Corpora lutea were collected 7 days after gonadotrophin-releasing hormone administration. Overall, 242 transcripts were upregulated and 111 transcripts were downregulated in stimulated cows (P ≤ 0.05) and 111 were upregulated and 113 downregulated in superovulated cows compared to the control animals (1.5-fold, P ≤ 0.05). Among the differentially expressed genes, many were involved in lipid biosynthesis and progesterone production, such as PPARG, STAR, prolactin receptors and follistatin. In conclusion, eCG modulates gene expression differently depending on the treatment, i.e. stimulatory or superovulatory. Our data contribute to the understanding of the pathways involved in increased progesterone levels observed after eCG treatment.
Auditory abstraction from spectro-temporal features to coding auditory entities
Authors: Chechik Gal , Nelken Israel
Published: October 2012

The auditory system extracts behaviorally relevant information from acoustic stimuli. The average activity in auditory cortex is known to be sensitive to spectro-temporal patterns in sounds. However, it is not known whether the auditory cortex also processes more abstract features of sounds, which may be more behaviorally relevant than spectro-temporal patterns. Using recordings from three stations of the auditory pathway, the inferior colliculus (IC), the ventral division of the medial geniculate body (MGB) of the thalamus, and the primary auditory cortex (A1) of the cat in response to natural sounds, we compared the amount of information that spikes contained about two aspects of the stimuli: spectro-temporal patterns, and abstract entities present in the same stimuli such as a bird chirp, its echoes, and the ambient noise. IC spikes conveyed on average approximately the same amount of information about spectro-temporal patterns as they conveyed about abstract auditory entities, but A1 and the MGB neurons conveyed on average three times more information about abstract auditory entities than about spectro-temporal patterns. Thus, the majority of neurons in auditory thalamus and cortex coded well the presence of abstract entities in the sounds without containing much information about their spectro-temporal structure, suggesting that they are sensitive to abstract features in these sounds.