bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct conversion of CO2 to 3D graphene and its excellent performance for dye-sensitized solar cells with 10% efficiency
Authors: Wei Wei , Sun Kai , Hu Yun Hang
Published: July 2016

The direct conversion of CO2 into 3D crape myrtle flower-like graphene by reaction with Na was invented. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with the 3D graphene as a counter electrode exhibited a high energy conversion efficiency of 10.1%, which is much higher than that (7.69%) of the DSSC with an expensive Pt counter electrode.
G-1 exerts neuroprotective effects through G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 following spinal cord injury in mice
Authors: Cheng Qiang , Meng Jia , Wang Xin-shang , Kang Wen-bo , Tian Zhen , Zhang Kun , Liu Gang , Zhao Jian-ning
Published: July 2016

Spinal cord injury (SCI) always occurs accidently and leads to motor dysfunction because of biochemical and pathological events. Estrogen has been shown to be neuroprotective against SCI through estrogen receptors (ERs), but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the role of a newly found membrane ER, G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPR30 or GPER1), and discussed the feasibility of a GPR30 agonist as an estrogen replacement. Forty adult female C57BL/6J mice (10–12 weeks old) were divided randomly into vehicle, G-1, E2, G-1 + G-15 and E2 + G-15 groups. All mice were subjected to SCI using a crushing injury approach. The specific GPR30 agonist, G-1, mimicked the effects of E2 treatment by preventing SCI-induced apoptotic cell death and enhancing motor functional recovery after injury. GPR30 activation regulated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathways, increased GPR30 and anti-apoptosis proteins Bcl-2 and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), but decreased the pro-apoptosis factor Bax and cleaved caspase-3. However, the neuroprotective effects of G-1 and E2 were blocked by the specific GPR30 antagonist, G-15. Thus, GPR30 rather than classic ERs is required to induce estrogenic neuroprotective effects. Given that estrogen replacement therapy may cause unexpected side effects, especially on the reproductive system, GPR30 agonists may represent a potential therapeutic approach for treating SCI.
Assessing the Reliability and Use of the Expository Scoring Scheme as a Measure of Developmental Change in Monolingual English and Bilingual French/English Children
Authors: Kay-Raining Bird Elizabeth , Joshi Nila , Cleave Patricia L.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

The Expository Scoring Scheme (ESS) is designed to analyze the macrostructure of descriptions of a favorite game or sport. This pilot study examined inter- and intrarater reliability of the ESS and use of the scale to capture developmental change in elementary school children.

Method

Twenty-four children in 2 language groups (monolingual English and bilingual French/English) and 2 age groups (7–8 years, 11–12 years) participated (6 in each subgroup). Participants orally explained how to play their favorite game or sport in English. Expository discourse samples were rated for 10 macrostructure components using the ESS. Ratings were summed for a total score.

Results

Inter- and intrarater reliability was high for the total ESS score and for some but not all ESS components. In addition, the total score and ratings for many ESS components increased with age. Few differences were found in use of macrostructure components across language groups.

Conclusions

The ESS captures developmental change in the use of expository macrostructure in spoken discourse samples. It may be beneficial to take into account the lower reliability found for ratings of some ESS components in clinical practice. Due to the small sample size, these results should be considered preliminary and interpreted with caution.
The Narrative Reproduction of White Feminist Racism
Authors: Jonsson Terese
Published: July 2016

White women's racism has been the topic of many critiques, discussions and conflicts within British feminist theory and politics over the last fifty years, driven by women of colour's insistence that white feminists must take on board the significance of race in order to stop perpetuating racism. Yet still today, feminist academia and activism in Britain continues to be white-dominated and to participate in the reproduction of racism and whiteness. This article examines the role of dominant historical narratives of feminism in enabling this reproduction, arguing that there is a direct correlation between how the feminist past is constructed in relation to race and racism and how feminist theory and politics are articulated in the present. Focussing on three contemporary feminist texts that address feminism itself as a subject, it highlights three techniques used in these texts that, it is argued, are commonly employed in the narrative reproduction of white feminist racism. These are: (1) the erasure of the work of British feminists of colour; (2) white feminist co-option of work by feminists of colour; and (3) the narration of feminist theory and politics as having ‘moved on’ from racism. These techniques lead to evasion of the topic of white feminist racism, both historically and in the present. They also reinforce the construction of British feminism as a story that belongs to white women. The article argues that in order to work towards ending white supremacy, white feminists must relinquish control of the feminist narrative and stop moving on from the topic of white feminist racism.
Excitation and dynamics of liquid tin micrometer droplet generation
Authors: Rollinger B. , Abhari R. S.
Published: July 2016

The dynamics of capillary breakup-based droplet generation are studied for an excitation system based on a tunable piezoelectrically actuated oscillating piston, which generates acoustic pressure waves at the dispenser nozzle. First, the non-ideal pressure boundary conditions of droplet breakup are measured using a fast response pressure probe. A structural analysis shows that the axial modes of the excitation system are the main reasons for the resonance peaks in the pressure response. Second, a correlation between the nozzle inlet pressure and the droplet timing jitter is established with the help of experiments and a droplet formation model. With decreasing wave number, the growth rate of the main excitation decreases, while noise contributions with wave numbers with higher growth rates lead to a non-deterministic structure of the droplet train. A highly coherent and monodisperse droplet stream is obtained when the excitation system is tuned to generate high acoustic pressures at the desired operation frequency and when the noise level on the jet is limited. The jet velocity, hence droplet spacing for a set frequency is then adjusted by varying the reservoir pressure, according to the trade-off between lowest wave number and acceptable timing jitter.
Time resolved quantitative imaging of charring in materials at temperatures above 1000 K
Authors: Böhrk Hannah , Jemmali Raouf
Published: July 2016

A device is presented allowing for in situ investigation of chemically changing materials by means of X-ray imaging. A representative cork ablator sample, additionally instrumented with thermocouples, is encapsulated in an evacuated cell heating a sample surface with a heat flux of 230 kW/m2. The images show the sample surface and the in-depth progression of the char front dividing the char layer from the virgin material. Correlating the images to thermocouple data allows for the deduction of a reaction temperature. For the representative cork ablator investigated at the present conditions, the progression rate of the pyrolysis layer is determined to 0.0285 mm/s and pyrolysis temperature is 770 or 737 K, depending on the pre-existing conditions. It is found that the novel device is ideally suited for volume process imaging.
A novel imaging technique for measuring kinematics of light-weight flexible structures
Authors: Zakaria Mohamed Y. , Eliethy Ahmed S. , Canfield Robert A. , Hajj Muhammad R.
Published: July 2016

A new imaging algorithm is proposed to capture the kinematics of flexible, thin, light structures including frequencies and motion amplitudes for real time analysis. The studied case is a thin flexible beam that is preset at different angles of attack in a wind tunnel. As the angle of attack is increased beyond a critical value, the beam was observed to undergo a static deflection that is ensued by limit cycle oscillations. Imaging analysis of the beam vibrations shows that the motion consists of a superposition of the bending and torsion modes. The proposed algorithm was able to capture the oscillation amplitudes as well as the frequencies of both bending and torsion modes. The analysis results are validated through comparison with measurements from a piezoelectric sensor that is attached to the beam at its root.
Novel dynamic tuning of broadband visible metamaterial perfect absorber using graphene
Authors: Jia Xiuli , Wang Xiaoou , Yuan Chengxun , Meng Qingxin , Zhou Zhongxiang
Published: July 2016

We present a novel dynamic tuning of a broadband visible metamaterial absorber consisting of a multilayer-graphene-embedded nano-cross elliptical hole (MGENCEH) structure. It has multiple effects, including excitation of surface plasmon polaritons and extraordinary optical transmission in the first two metal layers. A numerical simulation shows that the MGENCEH structure can realize broadband perfect absorption (BPA) from 5.85 × 1014 to 6.5 × 1014 Hz over a wide incident angle range for transverse magnetic polarized light if the chemical potential of graphene (uc) is tuned to 1.0 eV. Furthermore, it has high broadband absorption (above 96%) from 4.6 × 1014 to 6.6 × 1014 Hz and three areas of narrowband perfect absorption around 4.65 × 1014, 5.1 × 1014, and 5.6 × 1014 Hz. The changes in the absorption spectra as a function of uc can be classically explained by simply considering plasmons as damped harmonic oscillators. This BPA is broader than the result of Zhou et al. [Opt. Express 23, A413–A418 (2015)] and is particularly desirable for various potential applications such as solar energy absorbers.
An analytic model for limiting high density LH transition by the onset of the tertiary instability
Authors: Singh Raghvendra , Jhang Hogun , Kaang Helen H.
Published: July 2016

We perform an analytic study of the tertiary instability driven by a strong excitation of zonal flows during high density low to high (LH) mode transition. The drift resistive ballooning mode is assumed to be a dominant edge turbulence driver. The analysis reproduces main qualitative features of early computational results [Rogers and Drake, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 4396 (1998); Guzdar et al., Phys. Plasmas 14, 020701 (2007)], as well as new characteristics of the maximum edge density due to the onset of the tertiary instability. An analytical scaling indicates that the density scaling of LH transition power may be determined by the onset condition of the tertiary instability when the operating density approaches to the Greenwald density.
Reproducibility and calibration of MMC-based high-resolution gamma detectors
Authors: Bates C. R. , Pies C. , Kempf S. , Hengstler D. , Fleischmann A. , Gastaldo L. , Enss C. , Friedrich S.
Published: July 2016

We describe a prototype γ-ray detector based on a metallic magnetic calorimeter with an energy resolution of 46 eV at 60 keV and a reproducible response function that follows a simple second-order polynomial. The simple detector calibration allows adding high-resolution spectra from different pixels and different cool-downs without loss in energy resolution to determine γ-ray centroids with high accuracy. As an example of an application in nuclear safeguards enabled by such a γ-ray detector, we discuss the non-destructive assay of 242Pu in a mixed-isotope Pu sample.
Optical properties of nonextensive inhomogeneous plasma sheath
Authors: Mousavi A. , Esfandiari-Kalejahi A. , Akbari-Moghanjoughi M.
Published: July 2016

Propagation of electromagnetic wave through an inhomogeneous magnetized nonextensive plasma sheath is numerically examined for a realistic density profile of a reentry problem around a hypersonic vehicle. The effect of nonextensivity and inhomogeneity on radio wave communication is studied parametrically. Variation of reflection and transmission coefficients, total attenuation, and total phase shift over the plasma sheath with respect to the strength of applied magnetic field are derived and compared for different values of q-nonextensive parameter. The obtained results for inhomogeneous plasma sheath are compared with previously obtained results of authors for homogeneous plasma sheath. The comparison shows that radio communication in the inhomogeneous plasma sheath is more advantageous than that in the homogeneous case. The transmission coefficient of a plasma sheath with superthermal electrons (13<q<1) has larger value compared to that with q > 1. Moreover, for ωce>ω, the minimum value of total attenuation corresponds to the range 13<q<1. An interesting result is that nonextensivity effect on wave propagation in plasma sheath depends on the strength of the ambient magnetic field. The effect of nonextensivity on attenuation coefficient is found to be negligible for ωce<ω while it is significant for ωce>ω.
Simulation study of entropy production in the one-dimensional Vlasov system
Authors: Dai Zongliang , Wang Shaojie
Published: July 2016

The coarse-grain averaged distribution function of the one-dimensional Vlasov system is obtained by numerical simulation. The entropy productions in cases of the random field, the linear Landau damping, and the bump-on-tail instability are computed with the coarse-grain averaged distribution function. The computed entropy production is converged with increasing length of coarse-grain average. When the distribution function differs slightly from a Maxwellian distribution, the converged value agrees with the result computed by using the definition of thermodynamic entropy. The length of the coarse-grain average to compute the coarse-grain averaged distribution function is discussed.
Improved interfacial and electrical properties of Ge MOS capacitor by using TaON/LaON dual passivation interlayer
Authors: Cheng Z. X. , Xu J. P. , Liu L. , Huang Y. , Lai P. T. , Tang W. M.
Published: July 2016

The effects of TaON/LaON dual passivation interlayer on the interfacial and electrical properties of Ge metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor with HfO2 gate dielectric are investigated. As compared to its counterpart with only LaON as passivation interlayer, the formation of HfGeOx and LaHfOx, which would degrade the interfacial quality, is effectively suppressed due to the strong blocking role of the TaON barrier layer against Hf diffusion. As a result, excellent interfacial and electrical properties are achieved for the Ge MOS device with the TaON/LaON dual passivation interlayer: high k value (20.9), low interface-state density (5.32 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1) and oxide-charge density (−3.90 × 1012 cm−2), low gate leakage current density (1.77 × 10−4 A/cm2 at Vg = Vfb + 1 V), and high reliability under high-field stress.
Engineered magnetic domain textures in exchange bias bilayer systems
Authors: Gaul Alexander , Hankemeier Sebastian , Holzinger Dennis , Müglich Nicolas David , Staeck Philipp , Frömter Robert , Oepen Hans Peter , Ehresmann Arno
Published: July 2016

A magnetic domain texture has been deterministically engineered in a topographically flat exchange-biased (EB) thin film system. The texture consists of long-range periodically arranged unit cells of four individual domains, characterized by individual anisotropies, individual geometry, and with non-collinear remanent magnetizations. The texture has been engineered by a sequence of light-ion bombardment induced magnetic patterning of the EB layer system. The magnetic texture's in-plane spatial magnetization distribution and the corresponding domain walls have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA). The influence of magnetic stray fields emerging from neighboring domain walls and the influence of the different anisotropies of the adjacent domains on the Néel type domain wall core's magnetization rotation sense and widths were investigated. It is shown that the usual energy degeneracy of clockwise and counterclockwise rotating magnetization through the walls is revoked, suppressing Bloch lines along the domain wall. Estimates of the domain wall widths for different domain configurations based on material parameters determined by vibrating sample magnetometry were quantitatively compared to the SEMPA data.
All-printed capacitors from graphene-BN-graphene nanosheet heterostructures
Authors: Kelly Adam G. , Finn David , Harvey Andrew , Hallam Toby , Coleman Jonathan N.
Published: July 2016

This work aims to develop methodologies to print pinhole-free, vertically stacked heterostructures by sequential deposition of conductive graphene and dielectric h-BN nanosheet networks. We achieve this using a combination of inkjet printing and spray-coating to fabricate dielectric capacitors in a stacked graphene/BN/graphene arrangement. Impedance spectroscopy shows such heterostructures to act as series combinations of a capacitor and a resistor, with the expected dimensional dependence of the capacitance. The areal capacitance ranges from 0.24 to 1.1 nF/cm2 with an average series resistance of ∼120 kΩ. The sprayed BN dielectrics are pinhole-free for thicknesses above 1.65 μm. This development paves the way toward fabrication of all-printed, vertically integrated, multilayer devices.
Improved optical properties of InAs quantum dots for intermediate band solar cells by suppression of misfit strain relaxation
Authors: Xie H. , Prioli R. , Fischer A. M. , Ponce F. A. , Kawabata R. M. S. , Pinto L. D. , Jakomin R. , Pires M. P. , Souza P. L.
Published: July 2016

The properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) have been studied for application in intermediate band solar cells. It is found that suppression of plastic relaxation in the QDs has a significant effect on the optoelectronic properties. Partial capping plus annealing is shown to be effective in controlling the height of the QDs and in suppressing plastic relaxation. A force balancing model is used to explain the relationship between plastic relaxation and QD height. A strong luminescence has been observed from strained QDs, indicating the presence of localized states in the desired energy range. No luminescence has been observed from plastically relaxed QDs.
Spin transport in p-Ge through a vertically stacked Ge/Fe3Si junction
Authors: Kawano M. , Santo K. , Ikawa M. , Yamada S. , Kanashima T. , Hamaya K.
Published: July 2016

We experimentally show spin transport up to 125 K in a ∼40-nm-thick p-Ge(111) layer, epitaxially grown on a ferromagnetic Fe3Si. From the magnitude of the spin signals, the spin diffusion length of the p-Ge(111) layer at 10 K can be estimated to be approximately 50 nm. To understand the detectable spin transport in the p-Ge(111), we should consider the energy splitting between heavy-hole and light-hole bands at the L point.
Communication: Analytical optimal pulse shapes obtained with the aid of genetic algorithms: Controlling the photoisomerization yield of retinal
Authors: Guerrero R. D. , Arango C. A. , Reyes A.
Published: July 2016

We recently proposed a Quantum Optimal Control (QOC) method constrained to build pulses from analytical pulse shapes [R. D. Guerrero et al., J. Chem. Phys. 143(12), 124108 (2015)]. This approach was applied to control the dissociation channel yields of the diatomic molecule KH, considering three potential energy curves and one degree of freedom. In this work, we utilized this methodology to study the strong field control of the cis-trans photoisomerization of 11-cis retinal. This more complex system was modeled with a Hamiltonian comprising two potential energy surfaces and two degrees of freedom. The resulting optimal pulse, made of 6 linearly chirped pulses, was capable of controlling the population of the trans isomer on the ground electronic surface for nearly 200 fs. The simplicity of the pulse generated with our QOC approach offers two clear advantages: a direct analysis of the sequence of events occurring during the driven dynamics, and its reproducibility in the laboratory with current laser technologies.
A new modelling approach intended to develop maps of annual solar irradiation and comparative study using satellite data of Algeria
Authors: Yaiche M. R. , Bouhanik A. , Bekkouche S. M. A. , Benouaz T.
Published: July 2016

Solar irradiation is the main potential energy source used in various processes. An accurate estimation of solar irradiation becomes a challenge due to the unavailability of weather data in Algeria. Therefore, an operated model can offer an important alternative for calculating the solar irradiation including the minimum of the input data. The present study derives a simple model from a review of our previously published work. It aims to develop a new approach for the estimation of the global irradiation on the horizontal plane only based on the measured sunshine duration. Maps of solar energy are required by many system designs; for this reason, it is mandatory to draw the global solar irradiation maps for Algeria for all types of sky. Algebraic relative errors were used as indicators of the agreement between the experimental and the calculated global irradiation. It has been proved that the highest intensity of the solar irradiation is located around the area of Djanet and Tamanrasset, whereas the less intense area extends from Skikda zone to Annaba, and more exactly in around 7° longitude.
Combined electrical and resonant optical excitation characterization of multi-quantum well InGaN-based light-emitting diodes
Authors: Presa S. , Maaskant P. P. , Kappers M. J. , Humphreys C. J. , Corbett B.
Published: July 2016

We present a comprehensive study of the emission spectra and electrical characteristics of InGaN/GaN multi-quantum well light-emitting diode (LED) structures under resonant optical pumping and varying electrical bias. A 5 quantum well LED with a thin well (1.5 nm) and a relatively thick barrier (6.6 nm) shows strong bias-dependent properties in the emission spectra, poor photovoltaic carrier escape under forward bias and an increase in effective resistance when compared with a 10 quantum well LED with a thin (4 nm) barrier. These properties are due to a strong piezoelectric field in the well and associated reduced field in the thicker barrier. We compare the voltage ideality factors for the LEDs under electrical injection, light emission with current, photovoltaic mode (PV) and photoluminescence (PL) emission. The PV and PL methods provide similar values for the ideality which are lower than for the resistance-limited electrical method. Under optical pumping the presence of an n-type InGaN underlayer in a commercial LED sample is shown to act as a second photovoltaic source reducing the photovoltage and the extracted ideality factor to less than 1. The use of photovoltaic measurements together with bias-dependent spectrally resolved luminescence is a powerful method to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of GaN LEDs.
Increase in exciton decay rate due to plane-to-plane interaction between cyanine thin films
Authors: Nagauchi Junpei , Kojima Osamu , Kita Takashi , Shim YongGu
Published: July 2016

We report an increase in exciton decay rates because of long-range interaction based on surface charge between cyanine thin films. The dependence of the decay rate on the spatial separation between the cyanine molecule layers shows that the rate is almost constant, which is different from the well-known energy transfer process. The rate is hardly affected by the fluctuation of the film thickness, which is an advantage of using cyanine or organic molecules.
Quantitative analysis of the relationship between non-uniform stresses and residual magnetizations under geomagnetic fields
Authors: Li Hongmei , Chen Zhenmao
Published: July 2016

The quantitative relationship between non-uniform stresses and stress-induced residual magnetizations in ferromagnetic materials under geomagnetic fields was investigated. A ferromagnetic steel specimen with two symmetric notches was stretched to generate a non-uniform stress distribution. The residual leakage magnetic field and surface strain of the specimen were detected. Stress distribution was calculated according to the tested stress–strain curve of the material. The residual magnetization inside the specimen was reconstructed using residual leakage magnetic field signals. The quantitative relationship between stress and stress-induced residual magnetization was then established. Stress-induced residual magnetization was observed along the stress direction, and the intensity of the residual magnetization increased almost linearly with increasing stress.
Synthesis micro-scale boron nitride nanotubes at low substrate temperature
Authors: Sajjad Muhammad , Makarov Vladimir , Aldalbahi Ali , Feng Peter X. , Weiner Brad R. , Morell Gerardo
Published: July 2016

High temperature synthesis methods produce defects in 1D nanomaterials, which ultimately limit their applications. We report here the synthesis of micro-scale boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) at low substrate temperature (300 oC) using a pulsed CO2 laser deposition technique in the presence of catalyst. The electron microscopic analyses have shown the nanotubes distributed randomly on the surface of the substrate. The average diameter (∼0.25 μm) of a nanotube, which is the highest reported value to date, is estimated by SEM data and confirmed by TEM measurements. These nanotubes are promising for high response deep-UV photo-luminescent devices. A detailed synthesis mechanism is presented and correlated with the experimental results.
Measured sound speeds and acoustic nonlinearity parameter in liquid water up to 523 K and 14 MPa
Authors: Sturtevant Blake T. , Pantea Cristian , Sinha Dipen N.
Published: July 2016

Sound speed in liquid water at temperatures between 275 and 523 K and pressures up to 14 MPa were experimentally determined using a high temperature/high pressure capable acoustic resonance cell. The measurements enabled the determination of the temperature and pressure dependence of sound speed and thus the parameter of acoustic nonlinearly, B/A, over this entire P-T space. Most of the sound speeds measured in this work were found to be within 0.4% of the IAPWS-IF97 formulation, an international standard for calculating sound speed in water as a function of temperature and pressure. The values for B/A determined at laboratory ambient pressure and at temperatures up to 356 K, were found to be in general agreement with values calculated from the IAPWS-IF97 formulation. Additionally, B/A at 293 K was found to be 4.6, in agreement with established literature values.
Ferroelectric domain inversion and its stability in lithium niobate thin film on insulator with different thicknesses
Authors: Shao Guang-hao , Bai Yu-hang , Cui Guo-xin , Li Chen , Qiu Xiang-biao , Geng De-qiang , Wu Di , Lu Yan-qing
Published: July 2016

Ferroelectric domain inversion and its effect on the stability of lithium niobate thin films on insulator (LNOI) are experimentally characterized. Two sets of specimens with different thicknesses varying from submicron to microns are selected. For micron thick samples (∼28 μm), domain structures are achieved by pulsed electric field poling with electrodes patterned via photolithography. No domain structure deterioration has been observed for a month as inspected using polarizing optical microscopy and etching. As for submicron (540 nm) films, large-area domain inversion is realized by scanning a biased conductive tip in a piezoelectric force microscope. A graphic processing method is taken to evaluate the domain retention. A domain life time of 25.0 h is obtained and possible mechanisms are discussed. Our study gives a direct reference for domain structure-related applications of LNOI, including guiding wave nonlinear frequency conversion, nonlinear wavefront tailoring, electro-optic modulation, and piezoelectric devices.
Severe muscle wasting and denervation in mice lacking the RNA-binding protein ZFP106
Authors: Anderson Douglas M. , Cannavino Jessica , Li Hui , Anderson Kelly M. , Nelson Benjamin R. , McAnally John , Bezprozvannaya Svetlana , Liu Yun , Lin Weichun , Liu Ning , Bassel-Duby Rhonda , Olson Eric N.
Published: July 2016

Significance

Disorders affecting neuromuscular tissues are among the most devastating human diseases, characterized by progressive loss of voluntary movement, muscle wasting, and premature death. Neurodegenerative disorders are genetically heterogeneous, with most disease-causing mutations still unidentified. Here we show that mice lacking zinc finger protein 106 (ZFP106) develop muscle and motor nerve atrophy and degeneration and die prematurely. We found that ZFP106 is a skeletal muscle-enriched RNA-binding protein that directly interacts with the core splicing factor RNA binding motif protein 39 in nuclear speckles. Analysis of
Zfp106
knockout tissues revealed gene expression and alternative splicing changes consistent with disease-causing abnormalities found in human neurodegenerative diseases. These findings identify ZFP106 as a candidate gene for autosomal-recessive neurodegenerative disorders in humans.
Contextualizing the meaning of respect: the case of evangelicals in Brazil / Contextualización del significado del respeto: el caso de la comunidad evangélica de Brasil
Authors: Simon Bernd , Brause Ann-Christin , Galeão-Silva Luis-Guilherme
Published: July 2016

This article examines the meaning of respect for evangelicals in Brazil. We were particularly interested in the roles which the recognition of equality, achievements and needs would play in the respect experiences of members of this religious minority. With regard to the sources of respect our focus was on Brazilians as a superordinate ingroup and on five different outgroups. As expected, equality recognition emerged as the dominant principle governing intragroup respect. Intergroup respect, however, was governed primarily by the principle of need recognition, especially in relations with religious outgroups. The principles of achievement and equality recognition also played a role in intergroup respect, but only in relations with secular outgroups. Implications for religious groups’ struggles for respect in modern society are discussed.
Evaluating Steelhead Kelt Treatments to Increase Iteroparous Spawners in the Yakima River Basin
Authors: Trammell Jeffrey L. J. , Fast David E. , Hatch Douglas R. , Bosch William J. , Branstetter Ryan , Pierce Andrew L. , Blodgett Joseph W. , Frederiksen Chris R.
Published: July 2016

Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss are iteroparous, distinguishing them from Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. that are semelparous. In this study we evaluated enhancement techniques that exploit this life history strategy to facilitate species restoration and recovery. In the Columbia River basin, where the natural ecosystem has been substantially altered over several decades due to human influence, all steelhead populations are listed as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. One factor believed to be limiting survival of Columbia River kelt (postspawned) steelhead is poor migration success to the ocean past several dams. We evaluated three treatments for kelts captured in the Yakima River basin from 2002 to 2011: (1) transport and release below Bonneville Dam (to provide unimpeded access to the ocean); (2) short-term reconditioning (holding and feeding in an artificial environment to facilitate gonad maturation) with transport; and (3) long-term reconditioning. These treatments were compared with an in-river migration control group to identify differences in the rate at which kelts survived and returned to Prosser Dam for potential repeat spawning (hereafter repeat spawners). The long-term reconditioning treatment exhibited the highest return rate of repeat spawners (range, 11.5–17.6%). The short-term reconditioning treatment with transport downstream from Bonneville Dam had a 3.2% return rate. The transport only treatment exhibited the lowest return rate (0.9%); this was only one-third of the control group's return rate (2.7%). Our results indicate that long-term steelhead kelt reconditioning is more successful than either transportation or in-river migration alternatives at increasing potential repeat spawner abundance and providing recovery benefits in river systems that have experienced substantial losses in natural productivity due to loss of habitat and habitat connectivity.

Received June 23, 2015; accepted February 27, 2016 Published online July 15, 2016
Quercetin 3,7-O-dimethyl ether from Siegesbeckia pubescens suppress the production of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages and colon epithelial cells
Authors: Lee Seul-gi , Kim Mihye , Kim Cho Een , Kang Jisu , Yoo Hyunji , Sung Sang Hyun , Lee Mina
Published: July 2016

Siegesbeckia pubescens (Compositae) is an annual herb indigenous to Korean mountainous regions. Recent reports have been issued on some compounds derived from S. pubescens for its anti-inflammatory activity or mode of action. The quercetin 3,7-O-dimethyl ether (QDE) isolated from the herbs of S. pubescens suppressed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein production in mouse macrophages. QDE downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor -α levels in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Also, QDE decreased the expression of LPS-induced iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein and the production of IL-8 in LPS-induced HT-29 cells. Macrophages and colon epithelial cells are important for regulating the colon immune systems, thus QDE may regulate inflammatory colon disease via LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages and colon epithelial cells. QDE, anti-inflammatory constituent of S. pubescens herbs, can be expected to be a potential candidate for therapeutics against inflammatory bowel disease.
Laser cleaning of diagnostic mirrors from tungsten–oxygen tokamak-like contaminants
Authors: Maffini A. , Uccello A. , Dellasega D. , Passoni M.
Published: July 2016

This paper presents a laboratory-scale experimental investigation about the laser cleaning of diagnostic first mirrors from tokamak-like contaminants, made of oxidized tungsten compounds with different properties and morphology. The re-deposition of contaminants sputtered from a tokamak first wall onto first mirrors’ surfaces could dramatically decrease their reflectivity in an unacceptable way for the proper functioning of plasma diagnostic systems. The laser cleaning technique has been proposed as a solution to tackle this issue. In this work, pulsed laser deposition was exploited to produce rhodium films functional as first mirrors and to deposit onto them contaminants designed to be realistic in reproducing materials expected to be re-deposited on first mirrors in a tokamak environment. The same laser system was also used to perform laser cleaning experiments, exploiting a sample handling procedure that allows one to clean some cm2 in a few minutes. Cleaning effectiveness was evaluated in terms of specular reflectance recovery and mirror surface integrity. The effect of different laser wavelengths (

λ
=
1064

, 266 nm) on the cleaning process was also addressed, as well as the impact of multiple contamination/cleaning cycles on the process outcome. A satisfactory recovery of pristine mirror reflectance (⩾90%) was obtained in the vis–NIR spectral range, avoiding at the same time mirror damaging. The results here presented show the potential of the laser cleaning technique as an attractive solution for the cleaning of diagnostic first mirrors.
Zika Virus Infection Associated With Severe Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Sharp Tyler M. , Muñoz-Jordán Jorge , Perez-Padilla Janice , Bello-Pagán Melissa I. , Rivera Aidsa , Pastula Daniel M. , Salinas Jorge L. , Martínez Mendez Jose H. , Méndez Mónica , Powers Ann M. , Waterman Stephen , Rivera-García Brenda
Published: July 2016

We report two patients that developed severe thrombocytopenia after Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. The first patient had 1000 platelets/μL and died after multiple hemorrhages. The second patient had 2000 platelets/μL, had melena and ecchymoses, and recovered after receiving intravenous immunoglobulin. ZIKV may be associated with immune-mediated severe thrombocytopenia.
Reproduction in moose at their southern range limit
Authors: Ruprecht Joel S. , Hersey Kent R. , Hafen Konrad , Monteith Kevin L. , DeCesare Nicholas J. , Kauffman Matthew J. , MacNulty Daniel R.
Published: July 2016

Reproduction is a critical fitness component in large herbivores. Biogeographic models predict that populations occurring at the edges of the range may have compromised reproductive rates because of inferior habitat at range peripheries. When reproductive rates are chronically low, ungulate populations may lack the resiliency to rebound quickly after periods of environmental stress, and this effect may be greatest for heat-sensitive organisms at their southern range limit. To assess the demographic vulnerability of moose (Alces alces), we studied relationships between reproductive rates, maternal age, and rump fat in the southernmost naturally occurring moose population in North America. For prime-aged moose in our study, pregnancy rates were high (92%), but moose aged < 3 or > 9 years had low pregnancy rates (32% and 38%, respectively). The relationship between rump fat and pregnancy was nonlinear such that a threshold of at least 2mm of rump fat yielded a high probability of being pregnant midwinter. In contrast, among pregnant moose, the probability of both producing a calf and recruiting it until spring increased linearly with rump fat. We also conducted a meta-analysis of pregnancy and twinning rates for adult (≥ 2 years) moose across a latitudinal gradient to compare reproductive rates from our study to other populations in North America. Moose living at southern latitudes tended to have lower reproductive rates than those living in the core of moose range, implying that southern moose populations may be demographically more vulnerable than northern moose populations.
Novel shell device for gas exchange in an operculate land snail
Authors: Páll-Gergely Barna , Naggs Fred , Asami Takahiro
Published: July 2016

The operculum of terrestrial snails tightly seals the shell aperture providing protection from predators and body-water loss. To allow respiration with a closed operculum, operculate land snails repeatedly evolved shell devices such as tubes or channels that open to the air. In all Asian members of the Alycaeidae, an externally closed tube lies along the suture behind the aperture that possesses a small internal opening into the last whorl at the tube's anterior end. However, this structure presents a paradox: how is gas exchanged through an externally closed tube? Here we show that many microtunnels open into the tube and run beneath radial ribs along the growth line of the last whorl in
Alycaeus conformis
. These tunnels open to the outside of the shell surface near the umbilicus. Examination under high magnification revealed that the outermost shell layer forms these tunnels only in the whorl range beneath the sutural tube. Each tunnel (
ca
16 µm diameter) is far narrower than any known metazoan parasite. These findings support our hypothesis that the externally closed sutural tube functions with microtunnels as a specialized apparatus for predator-free gas exchange with minimal water loss when the operculum seals the aperture.
User-based representation of time-resolved multimodal public transportation networks
Authors: Alessandretti Laura , Karsai Márton , Gauvin Laetitia
Published: July 2016

Multimodal transportation systems, with several coexisting services like bus, tram and metro, can be represented as time-resolved multilayer networks where the different transportation modes connecting the same set of nodes are associated with distinct network layers. Their quantitative description became possible recently due to openly accessible datasets describing the geo-localized transportation dynamics of large urban areas. Advancements call for novel analytics, which combines earlier established methods and exploits the inherent complexity of the data. Here, we provide a novel user-based representation of public transportation systems, which combines representations, accounting for the presence of multiple lines and reducing the effect of spatial embeddedness, while considering the total travel time, its variability across the schedule, and taking into account the number of transfers necessary. After the adjustment of earlier techniques to the novel representation framework, we analyse the public transportation systems of several French municipal areas and identify hidden patterns of privileged connections. Furthermore, we study their efficiency as compared to the commuting flow. The proposed representation could help to enhance resilience of local transportation systems to provide better design policies for future developments.
Modelling density segregation in flowing bidisperse granular materials
Authors: Xiao Hongyi , Umbanhowar Paul B. , Ottino Julio M. , Lueptow Richard M.
Published: July 2016

Preventing segregation in flowing granular mixtures is an ongoing challenge for industrial processes that involve the handling of bulk solids. A recent continuum-based modelling approach accurately predicts spatial concentration fields in a variety of flow geometries for mixtures varying in particle size. This approach captures the interplay between advection, diffusion and segregation using kinematic information obtained from experiments and/or discrete element method (DEM) simulations combined with an empirically determined relation for the segregation velocity. Here, we extend the model to include density-driven segregation, thereby validating the approach for the two important cases of practical interest. DEM simulations of density bidisperse flows of mono-sized particles in a quasi-two-dimensional-bounded heap were performed to determine the dependence of the density-driven segregation velocity on local shear rate and particle concentration. The model yields theoretical predictions of segregation patterns that quantitatively match the DEM simulations over a range of density ratios and flow rates. Matching experiments reproduce the segregation patterns and quantitative segregation profiles obtained in both the simulations and the model, thereby demonstrating that the modelling approach captures the essential physics of density-driven segregation in granular heap flow.
High-frequency homogenization for travelling waves in periodic media
Authors: Harutyunyan Davit , Milton Graeme W. , Craster Richard V.
Published: July 2016

We consider high-frequency homogenization in periodic media for travelling waves of several different equations: the wave equation for scalar-valued waves such as acoustics; the wave equation for vector-valued waves such as electromagnetism and elasticity; and a system that encompasses the Schrödinger equation. This homogenization applies when the wavelength is of the order of the size of the medium periodicity cell. The travelling wave is assumed to be the sum of two waves: a modulated Bloch carrier wave having crystal wavevector

k

and frequency
ω
1
plus a modulated Bloch carrier wave having crystal wavevector

m

and frequency
ω
2
. We derive effective equations for the modulating functions, and then prove that there is no coupling in the effective equations between the two different waves both in the scalar and the system cases. To be precise, we prove that there is no coupling unless
ω
1
=
ω
2
and

(

k

−

m

)
⊙
Λ
∈
2
π

Z

d

,

where
Λ
=(λ
1
λ
2
…λ

d

) is the periodicity cell of the medium and for any two vectors

a
=
(

a
1

,

a
2

,
…
,

a
d

)
,
b
=
(

b
1

,

b
2

,
…
,

b
d

)
∈

R

d

,

the product
a
⊙
b
is defined to be the vector (
a
1
b
1
,
a
2
b
2
,…,
a

d

b

d

). This last condition forces the carrier waves to be equivalent Bloch waves meaning that the coupling constants in the system of effective equations vanish. We use two-scale analysis and some new weak-convergence type lemmas. The analysis is not at the same level of rigour as that of Allaire and co-workers who use two-scale convergence theory to treat the problem, but has the advantage of simplicity which will allow it to be easily extended to the case where there is degeneracy of the Bloch eigenvalue.
Whispering Bloch modes
Authors: Maling B. , Craster R. V.
Published: July 2016

We investigate eigenvalue problems for the planar Helmholtz equation in open systems with a high order of rotational symmetry. The resulting solutions have similarities with the whispering gallery modes exploited in photonic micro-resonators and elsewhere, but unlike these do not necessarily require a surrounding material boundary, with confinement instead resulting from the geometry of a series of inclusions arranged in a ring. The corresponding fields exhibit angular quasi-periodicity reminiscent of Bloch waves, and hence we refer to them as whispering Bloch modes (WBMs). We show that if the geometry of the system is slightly perturbed such that the rotational symmetry is broken, modes with asymmetric field patterns can be observed, resulting in field enhancement and other potentially desirable effects. We investigate the WBMs of two specific geometries first using expansion methods and then by applying a two-scale asymptotic scheme.
The dynamic generalization of the Eshelby inclusion problem and its static limit
Authors: Ni Luqun , Markenscoff Xanthippi
Published: July 2016

The dynamic generalization of the celebrated Eshelby inclusion with transformation strain is the (subsonically) self-similarly expanding ellipsoidal inclusion starting from the zero dimension. The solution of the governing system of partial differential equations was obtained recently by Ni & Markenscoff (In press.
J. Mech. Phys. Solids
(
doi:10.1016/j.jmps.2016.02.025
)) on the basis of the Radon transformation, while here an alternative method is presented. In the self-similarly expanding motion, the Eshelby property of constant constrained strain is valid in the interior domain of the expanding ellipsoid where the particle velocity vanishes (lacuna). The dynamic Eshelby tensor is obtained in integral form. From it, the static Eshelby tensor is obtained by a limiting procedure, as the axes' expansion velocities tend to zero and time to infinity, while their product is equal to the length of the static axis. This makes the Eshelby problem the limit of its dynamic generalization.