bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The molecular gas mass of M 33
Authors: Gratier P. , Braine J. , Schuster K. , Rosolowsky E. , Boquien M. , Calzetti D. , Combes F. , Kramer C. , Henkel C. , Herpin F. , Israel F. , Koribalski B. S. , Mookerjea B. , Tabatabaei F. S. , Röllig M. , van der Tak F. F. S. , van der Werf P. , Wiedner M.
Published: October 2016

Do some environments favor efficient conversion of molecular gas into stars? To answer this, we need to be able to estimate the H2 mass. Traditionally, this is done using CO observations and a few assumptions but the Herschel observations which cover the far-IR dust spectrum make it possible to estimate the molecular gas mass independently of CO and thus to investigate whether and how the CO traces H2. Previous attempts to derive gas masses from dust emission suffered from biases. Generally, dust surface densities, H i column densities, and CO intensities are used to derive a gas-to-dust ratio (GDR) and the local CO intensity to H2 column density ratio (XCO), sometimes allowing for an additional CO-dark gas component (Kdark). We tested earlier methods, revealing degeneracies among the parameters, and then used a sophisticated Bayesian formalism to derive the most likely values for each of the parameters mentioned above as a function of position in the nearby prototypical low metallicity (12 + log (O/H) ~ 8.4) spiral galaxy M 33. The data are from the IRAM Large Program mapping in the CO(2–1) line along with high-resolution H i and Herschel dust continuum observations. Solving for GDR, XCO, and Kdark in macropixels 500 pc in size, each containing many individual measurements of the CO, H i, and dust emission, we find that (i) allowing for CO dark gas (Kdark) significantly improves fits; (ii) Kdark decreases with galactocentric distance; (iii) GDR is slightly higher than initially expected and increases with galactocentric distance; (iv) the total amount of dark gas closely follows the radially decreasing CO emission, as might be expected if the dark gas is H2 where CO is photodissociated. The total amount of H2, including dark gas, yields an average XCO of twice the galactic value of 2 × 1020 cm-2/ K km s-1, with about 55% of this traced directly through CO. The rather constant fraction of dark gas suggests that there is no large population of diffuse H2 clouds (unrelated to GMCs) without CO emission. Unlike in large spirals, we detect no systematic radial trend in XCO, possibly linked to the absence of a radial decrease in CO line ratios.
Comparing ε-Aminocaproic Acid and Tranexamic Acid in Reducing Postoperative Transfusions in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Churchill Jessica , Puca Kathleen , Meyer Elizabeth , Carleton Matthew , Anderson Michael
Published: October 2016

Multiple studies have shown tranexamic acid (TXA) to reduce blood loss and transfusion rates in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Accordingly, TXA has become a routine blood conservation agent for TKA. In contrast, ε-aminocaproic acid (EACA), a similar acting antifibrinolytic to TXA, has been less frequently used. This study evaluated whether EACA is as efficacious as TXA in reducing postoperative blood transfusion rates and compared the cost per surgery between agents. A multicenter retrospective chart review of elective unilateral TKA from April 2012 through December 2014 was performed. Five hospitals within a health care system participated. Data collected included age, gender, severity of illness score, use of antifibrinolytic and dose, red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and the number of units, and preadmission and discharge hemoglobin (Hb). Dosing of the antifibrinolytic differed based on the agent used, 5 or 10 g (based on weight) for EACA versus 1 g for TXA. The institutional acquisition cost of each antifibrinolytic was obtained and averaged over the study period. Of 2,922 primary unilateral TKA cases, 820 patients received EACA, 610 patients received TXA, and 1,492 patients received no antifibrinolytic (control group). Compared with the control group both EACA and TXA groups had significantly fewer patients transfused (EACA 2.8% [p < 0.0001], TXA 3.2% [p < 0.0001] vs. control 10.8%) and lower mean RBC units transfused per patient (EACA 0.05 units/patient [pt] [p < 0.0001], TXA 0.05 units/pt [p < 0.0001] vs. control 0.19 units/pt]. There was no difference in mean RBC units transfused per patient, percentage of patients transfused, and discharge Hb levels between the EACA and TXA groups (p = 0.822, 0.236, and 0.322, respectively). Medication acquisition cost for EACA averaged $2.23 per surgery compared with TXA at $39.58 per surgery. Administration of EACA or TXA significantly decreased postoperative transfusion rates compared with no antifibrinolytic therapy. Utilization of EACA for unilateral TKA proved to be comparable to TXA in all studied aspects at a lower cost. The level of evidence for the study is Level 3.
Arthroscopic Lateral Retinacular Release and Modified Elmslie–Trillat Operation Improve Severe Isolated Lateral Patello-Femoral Osteoarthritis
Authors: Lin Renn-Chia , Lue Ko-Huang , Lu Ko-Hsiu
Published: October 2016

To evaluate whether arthroscopic lateral retinacular release and the modified Elmslie–Trillat operation improve osteoarthritis (OA) progression and clinical outcomes in patients with severe isolated lateral patello-femoral OA. Nine women (11 knees) and one man (one knee) with isolated late-stage lateral patello-femoral OA underwent surgery. The severity of patello-femoral OA was recorded using the Merchant method, while the level of pain and anterior knee function were scored using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Kujala knee scores, respectively. The articular cartilage was graded under arthroscopy using the Outerbridge classification. All of the patients underwent the modified Elmslie–Trillat operation after arthroscopic surgery, including lateral retinacular release. Ten patients (12 knees) had a mean 6.45 ± 0.80 mm of medial transfer, 6.02 ± 0.80 mm of anterior transfer of the tibial tubercle, and follow-up of 67.0 months. The mean VAS and Kujala knee scores improved from 8 ± 0.17 preoperatively to 2.33 ± 0.33 on the last follow-up and from 43.08 ± 2.09 to 68.83 ± 2.59, respectively (both p < 0.001). Postoperatively, all had improved subchondral bone remodeling, including cyst resolution, density and trabeculae normalization, and subchondral smoothing in the patello-femoral compartment. The patello-femoral joint space and patellar thickness increased from 0.39 ± 0.16 mm to 1.77 ± 0.18 mm and from 18.28 ± 0.67 mm to 19.60 ± 0.69 mm, respectively (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005). Treatment of severe isolated lateral patello-femoral OA using arthroscopic lateral retinacular release and the modified Elmslie–Trillat operation can improve pain relief, functional outcomes, and subchondral bone remodeling, and also restore the patello-femoral joint space and patellar thickness. Prompt transfer of the tibial tubercle seems to reverse the progress of OA radiographically.
Surgical Treatment of Childhood Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors
Authors: Talim Beril , Karnak İbrahim , Ekinci Saniye , Andiran Fatih , Çiftçi Arbay , Orhan Diclehan , Akyüz Canan , Tanyel Feridun , Soyer Tutku
Published: October 2016

Aim A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the clinical features, diagnostic methods, and treatment alternatives of childhood inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs).

Patients and Methods Patients who underwent surgical treatment for IMT between 2000 and 2015 were evaluated for age, sex, presenting symptoms, physical examination findings, diagnostic methods, treatment modalities, histopathologic findings, and results of surgical treatment during long-term follow-up.

Results Eleven patients who underwent surgical treatment were included in the study. Male:female ratio was 7:4 and the mean age of the patients was 6.09 years (1–10 years). Presenting symptoms were respiratory difficulty, cough (n = 7, 63.3%), abdominal pain, vomiting (n = 2, 18.8%), loss of body weight (n = 1, 9.09%), palpable mass (n = 1, 9.09%), and rectal bleeding (n = 1, 9.09%). Ultrasonography (n = 4, 36.3%) and computed tomography (n = 9, 81.1%) were used for diagnosis. Localizations of tumors were lungs (n = 5, 45.4%), mediastinum (n = 2, 18.1%), spleen (n = 1, 9.09%), neck (n = 1, 9.09%), colon (n = 1, 9.09%), and rectum (n = 1, 9.09%). The mean size of mass was 6.6 cm (2–12 cm) and six patients were diagnosed with preoperative biopsy. Lung lobectomy (right lower lobe; n = 3, right middle and lower lobe; n = 2), total resection of mass with adjacent bowel (n = 2), partial splenectomy (n = 1), total resection of neck mass (n = 1), and incomplete resection (n = 2) were the choice of surgical treatment. Incomplete resection was performed in masses closely adjacent to atrium and mediastinal structures. In histopathologic evaluation, surgical margins were free of tumor in four cases, positive in six cases, and were not reported in one case. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positivity was detected in six cases, negative in two cases, and was not evaluated in three cases. Two cases who had residual mass with positive ALK received chemotherapy. Mean follow-up time was 68.2 months (5 months to 12 years). During follow-up, there was no recurrence or distant metastasis. Ten patients survived and one patient was lost to follow-up.

Conclusion IMT is a rare tumor of childhood with a spectrum of clinical findings because of variable localization. Surgical treatment is the first choice of treatment. Patients with residual mass and ALK positivity may require medical treatment. In our series, long-term survival of patients was favorable in patients with total resection.
Design of the opacity spectrometer for opacity measurements at the National Ignition Facility
Authors: Ross P. W. , Heeter R. F. , Ahmed M. F. , Dodd E. , Huffman E. J. , Liedahl D. A. , King J. A. , Opachich Y. P. , Schneider M. B. , Perry T. S.
Published: October 2016

Recent experiments at the Sandia National Laboratory Z facility have called into question models used in calculating opacity, of importance for modeling stellar interiors. An effort is being made to reproduce these results at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). These experiments require a new X-ray opacity spectrometer (OpSpec) spanning 540 eV–2100 eV with a resolving power E/ΔE > 700. The design of the OpSpec is presented. Photometric calculations based on expected opacity data are also presented. First use on NIF is expected in September 2016.
Communication: Equivalence between symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of NH3 in promoting H + NH3 → H2 + NH2 reaction
Authors: Song Hongwei , Yang Minghui , Guo Hua
Published: October 2016

Vibrational excitations of reactants sometimes promote reactions more effectively than the same amount of translational energy. Such mode specificity provides insights into the transition-state modulation of reactivity and might be used to control chemical reactions. We report here a state-of-the-art full-dimensional quantum dynamical study of the hydrogen abstraction reaction H + NH3 → H2 + NH2 on an accurate ab initio based global potential energy surface. This reaction serves as an ideal candidate to study the relative efficacies of symmetric and degenerate antisymmetric stretching modes. Strong mode specificity, particularly for the NH3 stretching modes, is demonstrated. It is further shown that nearly identical efficacies of the symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of NH3 in promoting the reaction can be understood in terms of local-mode stretching vibrations of the reactant molecule.
Insight into the mechanism for the methanol synthesis via the hydrogenation of CO2 over a Co-modified Cu(100) surface: A DFT study
Authors: Qiu Mei , Tao Huilin , Li Rong , Li Yi , Huang Xin , Chen Wenkai , Su Wenyue , Zhang Yongfan
Published: October 2016

A comprehensive density functional theory calculation was employed to investigate the reaction mechanism of methanol synthesis on a Co-modified Cu(100) surface via CO2 hydrogenation. The Cu(100) surface with embedded small Co clusters prepared experimentally was employed as a model system to explore the effects of Co dopant on the catalytic performance of Cu(100) surface towards CH3OH synthesis. The activation energy barriers and the reaction energies of 16 elementary surface reactions were determined. Our calculated results show that the most favorable reaction pathway for the hydrogenation of CO2 to CH3OH follows the sequence of CO2 → HCOO* →H2COO* →H2COOH* →H2CO* →H3CO* →H3COH*, and the OH* group hydrogenation to H2 O* is the rate-limiting step with an activation barrier of 112.3 kJ/mol. It is noted that, since the strength of Co–O bond is stronger than that of Cu–O bond, the introducing of Co dopant on the Cu surface can facilitate the formation of key intermediates for the CH3OH synthesis. Especially, the stability of the unstable dioxomethylene intermediate (H2COO*) found on the pure Cu(100) surface can be obviously enhanced on the Co-doped Cu(100) surface. As a result, with respect to the undoped surface, the productivity and selectivity towards CH3OH production on the Cu(100) surface will be improved after dispersing small Co clusters on the surface.
Mode-specific multi-channel dynamics of the F− + CHD2Cl reaction on a global ab initio potential energy surface
Authors: Szabó István , Czakó Gábor
Published: October 2016

We report a detailed quasiclassical trajectory study for the dynamics of the ground-state and CH/CD stretching-excited F− + CHD2Cl(vCH/CD = 0, 1) → Cl− + CHD2F, HF + CD2Cl−, and DF + CHDCl− SN2, proton-, and deuteron-abstraction reactions using a full-dimensional global ab initio analytical potential energy surface. The simulations show that (a) CHD2Cl(vCH/CD = 1), especially for vCH = 1, maintains its mode-specific excited character prior to interaction, (b) the SN2 reaction is vibrationally mode-specific, (c) double inversion can occur and is enhanced upon CH/CD stretching excitations, (d) in the abstraction reactions the HF channel is preferred and the vCH/CD = 1 excitations significantly promote the HF/DF channels, (e) back-side rebound, back-side stripping, and front-side stripping are the dominant direct abstraction mechanisms based on correlated scattering- and attack-angle distributions, (f) the exact classical vibrational energy-based Gaussian binning (1GB) provides realistic mode-specific polyatomic product state distributions, (g) in the abstraction reactions CH and CD stretchings are not pure spectator modes and mainly ground-state products are produced, thus most of the initial energy transfers into product translation, and (h) the HF and DF product molecules are rotationally cold without any significant dependence on the reactant’s and HF/DF vibrational states.
A transmission infrared cell design for temperature-controlled adsorption and reactivity studies on heterogeneous catalysts
Authors: Cybulskis Viktor J. , Harris James W. , Zvinevich Yury , Ribeiro Fabio H. , Gounder Rajamani
Published: October 2016

A design is presented for a versatile transmission infrared cell that can interface with an external vacuum manifold to undergo in situ gas treatments and receive controlled doses of various adsorbates and probe molecules, allowing characterization of heterogeneous catalyst surfaces in order to identify and quantify active sites and adsorbed surface species. Critical design characteristics include customized temperature control for operation between cryogenic and elevated temperatures (100–1000 K) and modified Cajon fittings for operation over a wide pressure range (10−2–103 Torr) that eliminates the complications introduced when using sealants or flanges to secure cell windows. The customized, hand-tightened Cajon fittings simplify operation of the cell compared to previously reported designs, because they allow for rapid cell assembly and disassembly and, in turn, replacement of catalyst samples. In order to validate the performance of the cell, transmission infrared spectroscopic experiments are reported to characterize the Brønsted and Lewis acid sites present in H-beta and H-mordenite zeolites using cryogenic adsorption of CO (<150 K).
Time-resolved ARPES with sub-15 fs temporal and near Fourier-limited spectral resolution
Authors: Rohde G. , Hendel A. , Stange A. , Hanff K. , Oloff L.-P. , Yang L. X. , Rossnagel K. , Bauer M.
Published: October 2016

An experimental setup for time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy with sub-15 fs temporal resolution is presented. A hollow-fiber compressor is used for the generation of 6.5 fs white light pump pulses, and a high-harmonic-generation source delivers 11 fs probe pulses at a photon energy of 22.1 eV. A value of 13 fs full width at half-maximum of the pump-probe cross correlation signal is determined by analyzing a photoemission intensity transient probing a near-infrared interband transition in 1T-TiSe2. Notably, the energy resolution of the setup conforms to typical values reported in conventional time-resolved photoemission studies using high harmonics, and an ultimate resolution of 170 meV is feasible.
Ultra-low-frequency vertical vibration isolator based on a two-stage beam structure for absolute gravimetry
Authors: Wang G. , Wu K. , Hu H. , Li G. , Wang L. J.
Published: October 2016

To reduce seismic and environmental vibration noise, ultra-low-frequency vertical vibration isolation systems play an important role in absolute gravimetry. For this purpose, an isolator based on a two-stage beam structure is proposed and demonstrated. The isolator has a simpler and more robust structure than the present ultra-low-frequency vertical active vibration isolators. In the system, two beams are connected to a frame using flexural pivots. The upper beam is suspended from the frame with a normal hex spring and the lower beam is suspended from the upper one using a zero-length spring. The pivot of the upper beam is not vertically above the pivot of the lower beam. With this special design, the attachment points of the zero-length spring to the beams can be moved to adjust the effective stiffness. A photoelectric detector is used to detect the angle between the two beams, and a voice coil actuator attached to the upper beam is controlled by a feedback circuit to keep the angle at a fixed value. The system can achieve a natural period of 100 s by carefully moving the attachment points of the zero-length spring to the beams and tuning the feedback parameters. The system has been used as an inertial reference in the T-1 absolute gravimeter. The experiment results demonstrate that the system has significant vibration isolation performance that holds promise in applications such as absolute gravimeters.
Asymmetry parameter of peaked Fano line shapes
Authors: Meierott S. , Hotz T. , Néel N. , Kröger J.
Published: October 2016

The spectroscopic line shape of electronic and vibrational excitations is ubiquitously described by a Fano profile. In the case of nearly symmetric and peaked Fano line shapes, the fit of the conventional Fano function to experimental data leads to difficulties in unambiguously extracting the asymmetry parameter, which may vary over orders of magnitude without degrading the quality of the fit. Moreover, the extracted asymmetry parameter depends on initially guessed values. Using the spectroscopic signature of the single-Co Kondo effect on Au(110) the ambiguity of the extracted asymmetry parameter is traced to the highly symmetric resonance profile combined with the inevitable scattering of experimental data. An improved parameterization of the conventional Fano function is suggested that enables the nonlinear optimization in a reduced parameter space. In addition, the presence of a global minimum in the sum of squared residuals and thus the independence of start parameters may conveniently be identified in a two-dimensional plot. An angular representation of the asymmetry parameter is suggested in order to reliably determine uncertainty margins via linear error propagation.
A two-dimensional angular-resolved proton spectrometer
Authors: Yang Su , Yuan Xiaohui , Fang Yuan , Ge Xulei , Deng Yanqing , Wei Wenqing , Gao Jian , Fu Feichao , Jiang Tao , Liao Guoqian , Liu Feng , Chen Min , Li Yutong , Zhao Li , Ma Yanyun , Sheng Zhengming , Zhang Jie
Published: October 2016

We present a novel design of two-dimensional (2D) angular-resolved spectrometer for full beam characterization of ultrashort intense laser driven proton sources. A rotated 2D pinhole array was employed, as selective entrance before a pair of parallel permanent magnets, to sample the full proton beam into discrete beamlets. The proton beamlets are subsequently dispersed without overlapping onto a planar detector. Representative experimental result of protons generated from femtosecond intense laser interaction with thin foil target is presented.
Novel control modes to improve the performance of rectilinear ion trap mass spectrometer with dual pressure chambers
Authors: Huo Xinming , Tang Fei , Zhang Xiaohua , Chen Jin , Zhang Yan , Guo Cheng’an , Wang Xiaohao
Published: October 2016

The rectilinear ion trap (RIT) has gradually become one of the preferred mass analyzers for portable mass spectrometers because of its simple configuration. In order to enhance the performance, including sensitivity, quantitation capability, throughput, and resolution, a novel RIT mass spectrometer with dual pressure chambers was designed and characterized. The studied system constituted a quadrupole linear ion trap (QLIT) in the first chamber and a RIT in the second chamber. Two control modes are hereby proposed: Storage Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap-Rectilinear Ion Trap (SQLIT-RIT) mode, in which the QLIT was used at high pressure for ion storage and isolation, and the RIT was used for analysis; and Analysis Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap-Rectilinear Ion Trap (AQLIT-RIT) mode, in which the QLIT was used for ion storage and cooling. Subsequently, synchronous scanning and analysis were carried out by QLIT and RIT. In SQLIT-RIT mode, signal intensity was improved by a factor of 30; the limit of quantitation was reduced more than tenfold to 50 ng mL−1, and an optimal duty cycle of 96.4% was achieved. In AQLIT-RIT mode, the number of ions coexisting in the RIT was reduced, which weakened the space-charge effect and reduced the mass shift. Furthermore, the mass resolution was enhanced by a factor of 3. The results indicate that the novel control modes achieve satisfactory performance without adding any system complexity, which provides a viable pathway to guarantee good analytical performance in miniaturization of the mass spectrometer.
Polyaspartic acid facilitates oxolation within iron(iii) oxide pre-nucleation clusters and drives the formation of organic-inorganic composites
Authors: Scheck J. , Drechsler M. , Ma X. , Stöckl M. T. , Konsek J. , Schwaderer J. B. , Stadler S. M. , De Yoreo J. J. , Gebauer D.
Published: October 2016

The interplay between polymers and inorganic minerals during the formation of solids is crucial for biomineralization and bio-inspired materials, and advanced material properties can be achieved with organic-inorganic composites. By studying the reaction mechanisms, basic questions on organic-inorganic interactions and their role during material formation can be answered, enabling more target-oriented strategies in future synthetic approaches. Here, we present a comprehensive study on the hydrolysis of iron(iii) in the presence of polyaspartic acid. For the basic investigation of the formation mechanism, a titration assay was used, complemented by microscopic techniques. The polymer is shown to promote precipitation in partly hydrolyzed reaction solutions at the very early stages of the reaction by facilitating iron(iii) hydrolysis. In unhydrolyzed solutions, no significant interactions between the polymer and the inorganic solutes can be observed. We demonstrate that the hydrolysis promotion by the polymer can be understood by facilitating oxolation in olation iron(iii) pre-nucleation clusters. We propose that the adsorption of olation pre-nucleation clusters on the polymer chains and the resulting loss in dynamics and increased proximity of the reactants is the key to this effect. The resulting composite material obtained from the hydrolysis in the presence of the polymer was investigated with additional analytical techniques, namely, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, light microscopy, atomic force microscopy, zeta potential measurements, dynamic light scattering, and thermogravimetric analyses. It consists of elastic, polydisperse nanospheres, ca. 50-200 nm in diameter, and aggregates thereof, exhibiting a high polymer and water content.
Morphomechanics of bacterial biofilms undergoing anisotropic differential growth
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Li Bo , Huang Xiao , Ni Yong , Feng Xi-Qiao
Published: October 2016

Growing bacterial biofilms exhibit a number of surface morphologies, e.g., concentric wrinkles, radial ridges, and labyrinthine networks, depending on their physiological status and nutrient access. We explore the mechanisms underlying the emergence of these greatly different morphologies. Ginzburg-Landau kinetic method and Fourier spectral method are integrated to simulate the morphological evolution of bacterial biofilms. It is shown that the morphological instability of biofilms is triggered by the stresses induced by anisotropic and heterogeneous bacterial expansion, and involves the competition between membrane energy and bending energy. Local interfacial delamination further enriches the morphologies of biofilms. Phase diagrams are established to reveal how the anisotropy and spatial heterogeneity of growth modulate the surface patterns. The mechanics of three-dimensional microbial morphogenesis may also underpin self-organization in other development systems and provide a potential strategy for engineering microscopic structures from bacterial aggregates.
Bubble-free patterning with low line edge roughness by ultraviolet nanoimprinting using trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene condensable gas
Authors: Suzuki Kenta , Youn Sung-Won , Hiroshima Hiroshi
Published: October 2016

Ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) in pentafluoropropane (PFP) is recognized as one of the most promising methods to achieve ultrahigh-speed UV-NIL without air bubble defects. Although liquefied PFP dissolved in the resin reduces the resin viscosity and demolding force, it also causes large shrinkage of the pattern and degrades the pattern quality compared with that achieved in air or He environments. In this work, UV-NIL in trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (TFP), which has a higher vapor pressure than that of PFP, was investigated with respect to throughput and pattern quality characteristics to find an alternative to PFP. Bubble-free filling of UV-NIL was demonstrated in an TFP atmosphere: the cavity-filling time was about four times shorter than that in He, and the fine values of line edge roughnesses comparable to those achieved in air or He were obtained.
Open microwave cavity for use in a Purcell enhancement cooling scheme
Authors: Evetts N. , Martens I. , Bizzotto D. , Longuevergne D. , Hardy W. N.
Published: October 2016

A microwave cavity is described which can be used to cool lepton plasmas for potential use in synthesis of antihydrogen. The cooling scheme is an incarnation of the Purcell effect: when plasmas are coupled to a microwave cavity, the plasma cooling rate is resonantly enhanced through increased spontaneous emission of cyclotron radiation. The cavity forms a three electrode section of a Penning-Malmberg trap and has a bulged cylindrical geometry with open ends aligned with the magnetic trapping axis. This allows plasmas to be injected and removed from the cavity without the need for moving parts while maintaining high quality factors for resonant modes. The cavity includes unique surface preparations for adjusting the cavity quality factor and achieving anti-static shielding using thin layers of nichrome and colloidal graphite, respectively. Geometric design considerations for a cavity with strong cooling power and low equilibrium plasma temperatures are discussed. Cavities of this weak-bulge design will be applicable to many situations where an open geometry is required.
Mobility enhancement of organic field-effect transistor based on guanine trap-neutralizing layer
Authors: Shi Wei , Zheng Yifan , Yu Junsheng , Taylor André D. , Katz Howard E.
Published: October 2016

We introduced a nucleic acid component guanine as a trap-neutralizing layer between silicon dioxide gate dielectric and a pentacene semiconducting layer to obtain increased field-effect mobility in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). A tripling of the field-effect mobility, from 0.13 to 0.42 cm2/V s, was achieved by introducing a 2 nm guanine layer. By characterizing the surface morphology of pentacene films grown on guanine, we found that the effect of guanine layer on the topography of pentacene film was not responsible for the mobility enhancement of the OFETs. The increased field-effect mobility was mainly attributed to the hydrogen bonding capacity of otherwise unassociated guanine molecules, which enabled them to neutralize trapping sites on the silicon dioxide surface.
Highly compact and easy-to-use optical chip interferometer with picometric performances
Authors: Merzouk W. A. , Cagneau B. , Gardillou F. , Hilouane K. , Chassagne L.
Published: October 2016

In this paper, we present a compact, inexpensive, and easy-to-use optical chip interferometer based on the telecom integrated waveguide technology. The measurement evaluation is focused on the resolution and the noise level of the sensor. The power spectral density of 100 fm Hz−1/2 @ 10 kHz is reached in static conditions. The same level is obtained with the standard Allan deviation for both short and long term measurements. Dynamic performances are also evaluated with sub-nanometer measurements made with piezoelectric systems. The potential bandwidth of the sensor is very high and is currently only limited by electronics (250 kHz).
Blending crystalline/liquid crystalline small molecule semiconductors: A strategy towards high performance organic thin film transistors
Authors: He Chao , He Yaowu , Li Aiyuan , Zhang Dongwei , Meng Hong
Published: October 2016

Solution processed small molecule polycrystalline thin films often suffer from the problems of inhomogeneity and discontinuity. Here, we describe a strategy to solve these problems through deposition of the active layer from a blended solution of crystalline (2-phenyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene, Ph-BTBT) and liquid crystalline (2-(4-dodecylphenyl) [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene, C12-Ph-BTBT) small molecule semiconductors with the hot spin-coating method. Organic thin film transistors with average hole mobility approaching 1 cm2/V s, much higher than that of single component devices, have been demonstrated, mainly due to the improved uniformity, continuity, crystallinity, and stronger intermolecular π-π stacking in blend thin films. Our results indicate that the crystalline/liquid crystalline semiconductor blend method is an effective way to enhance the performance of organic transistors.
Hexagonal arrays of round-head silicon nanopillars for surface anti-reflection applications
Authors: Yan Wensheng , Dottermusch Stephan , Reitz Christian , Richards Bryce S.
Published: October 2016

We designed and fabricated an anti-reflection surface of hexagonal arrays of round-head silicon nanopillars. The measurements show a significant reduction in reflectivity across a broad spectral range. However, we then grew a conformal titanium dioxide coating via atomic layer deposition to achieve an extremely low weighted average reflection of 2.1% over the 460–1040 nm wavelength range. To understand the underlying reasons for the reduced reflectance, the simulations were conducted and showed that it is due to strong forward scattering of incident light into the silicon substrate. The calculated normalized scattering cross section demonstrates a broadband distribution feature, and the peak has a red-shift to longer wavelengths. Finally, we report two-dimensional weighted average reflectance as a function of both wavelength and angle of incidence and present the resulting analysis contour map.
Tree based machine learning framework for predicting ground state energies of molecules
Authors: Himmetoglu Burak
Published: October 2016

We present an application of the boosted regression tree algorithm for predicting ground state energies of molecules made up of C, H, N, O, P, and S (CHNOPS). The PubChem chemical compound database has been incorporated to construct a dataset of 16 242 molecules, whose electronic ground state energies have been computed using density functional theory. This dataset is used to train the boosted regression tree algorithm, which allows a computationally efficient and accurate prediction of molecular ground state energies. Predictions from boosted regression trees are compared with neural network regression, a widely used method in the literature, and shown to be more accurate with significantly reduced computational cost. The performance of the regression model trained using the CHNOPS set is also tested on a set of distinct molecules that contain additional Cl and Si atoms. It is shown that the learning algorithms lead to a rich and diverse possibility of applications in molecular discovery and materials informatics.
Non-sticky translocation of bio-molecules through Tween 20-coated solid-state nanopores in a wide pH range
Authors: Li Xiaoqing , Hu Rui , Li Ji , Tong Xin , Diao J. J. , Yu Dapeng , Zhao Qing
Published: October 2016

Nanopore-based sensing technology is considered high-throughput and low-cost for single molecule detection, but solid-state nanopores have suffered from pore clogging issues. A simple Tween 20 coating method is applied to ensure long-term (several hours) non-sticky translocation of various types of bio-molecules through SiN nanopores in a wide pH range (4.0–13.0). We also emphasize the importance of choosing appropriate concentration of Tween 20 coating buffer for desired effect. By coating nanopores with a Tween 20 layer, we are able to differentiate between single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA, to identify drift-dominated domain for single-stranded DNA, to estimate BSA volume and to observe the shape of individual nucleosome translocation event without non-specific adsorption. The wide pH endurance from 4.0 to 13.0 and the broad types of detection analytes including nucleic acids, proteins, and biological complexes highlight the great application potential of Tween 20-coated solid-state nanopores.
Electrical and mechanical characteristics of fully transparent IZO thin-film transistors on stress-relieving bendable substrates
Authors: Park Sukhyung , Cho Kyoungah , Oh Hyungon , Kim Sangsig
Published: October 2016

In this study, we report the electrical and mechanical characteristics of fully transparent indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated on stress-relieving bendable substrates. An IZO TFT on a stress-relieving substrate can operate normally at a bending radius of 6 mm, while an IZO TFT on a normal plastic substrate fails to operate normally at a bending radius of 15 mm. A plastic island with high Young's modulus embedded on a soft elastomer layer with low Young's modulus plays the role of a stress-relieving substrate for the operation of the bent IZO TFT. The stress and strain distributions over the IZO TFT will be analyzed in detail in this paper.
Review of near-field optics and superlenses for sub-diffraction-limited nano-imaging
Authors: Adams Wyatt , Sadatgol Mehdi , Güney Durdu Ö.
Published: October 2016

Near-field optics and superlenses for imaging beyond Abbe’s diffraction limit are reviewed. A comprehensive and contemporary background is given on scanning near-field microscopy and superlensing. Attention is brought to recent research leveraging scanning near-field optical microscopy with superlenses for new nano-imaging capabilities. Future research directions are explored for realizing the goal of low-cost and high-performance sub-diffraction-limited imaging systems.
Leaf trichomes and foliar chemistry mediate defence against glasshouse thrips; Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché) in Rhododendron simsii
Authors: Scott-Brown Alison S. , Gregory Tom , Farrell Iain W. , Stevenson Philip C.
Published: October 2016

Herbivore defence mechanisms are a costly diversion of resources away from growth and reproduction. Thus time-limited and tissue specific expression in critical plant parts is more efficient as defined by optimal defence theory. Surprisingly little is known about Rhododendron herbivore defence but it may be mediated by combined chemical and physical mechanisms. Rhododendron simsii Planch. survives cyclic infestations of a leaf-feeding thrips, Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché), which severely damage mature leaves but avoid terminal young leaves suggesting specific, localised defence expression. We examined correlations between the distribution of thrips and feeding damage with density of trichomes and the concentration of the diterpenoid, grayanotoxin I, a compound implicated in but not previously reported to mediate invertebrate defence in Rhododendron. Our data show that as leaves matured the number of thrips and area of feeding damage increased as trichome density and grayanotoxin I concentration decreased, this inverse correlation suggesting trichomes and grayanotoxin I mediate defence in younger leaf tissue. Grayanotoxin I was tested against H. haemorrhoidalis and was toxic to immature life stages and repellent to the adult thrips, reducing numbers of first instars emerging on leaves when applied at ecologically relevant concentrations. This work demonstrates that the pattern of defensive traits in foliage of a species of Rhododendron is key to its ability to tolerate cyclic infestations of a generalist herbivore, effectively conserving vital tissues required for growth and reproduction.
Challenges faced by shorebird species using the inland wetlands of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway: the little curlew example
Authors: Bellio M. , Minton C. , Veltheim I.
Published: October 2016

Asia is experiencing an alarming rate of inland wetlands loss, posing a risk to the future long-term survival of many species depending on these ecosystems. This review on the status and conservation of the little curlew (Numenius minutus) aims to draw attention to the conservation challenges faced by migratory shorebird species using the inland wetlands of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF). Extensive and systematic research survey efforts along the EAAF have focused on species using coastal and tidal areas rather than on species using inland wetlands. Knowledge gaps include functional ecology and physiological responses to quality of food resources, population trends, migratory strategy and the role species play in supporting ecosystems resilience. Studies using remote sensing and geographic information system techniques to track the movements of birds along the flyway and to map habitat condition will prove essential in the future to allow a better understanding of the dynamics occurring at the stopover areas, how birds use resources and what competition pressures exist among species. Ultimately, these studies will contribute to our ability to predict changes and establish management practices for the long-term protection and conservation of the stopover areas for a suite of shorebird species using inland wetlands along the flyway.
Connecting the litterfall temporal dynamics and processing of coarse particulate organic matter in a tropical stream
Authors: Lemes da Silva Aurea Luiza , Kleba Lisboa Leonardo , Siegloch Ana Emília , Petrucio Mauricio Mello , Gonçalves Júnior José Francisco
Published: October 2016

We collected leaf litter monthly and analysed how the temporal dynamics of litterfall affect the breakdown rates, microbial and fungal biomass and aquatic invertebrate community in a tropical stream in southern Brazil. The results showed that total annual litterfall varied over time and was negatively associated with rainfall. Litter fell mostly in the spring months, but other peaks occurred throughout the year. In all, 122 tree species were identified; however, only seven represented >70% of the total of leaf litter vertical input. Leaf decomposition was higher in February and April (wet, warm months) than during the wet season. Fungal biomass was high in decomposing leaves (460±28μgg–1 of ash-free dry mass, AFDM), with a maximum of 655μgg–1 AFDM in July. Microbial biomass in decomposing leaves was lower (326±27 nmol g–1 AFDM), with a maximum of 504 nmol g–1 AFDM in October. Monthly variability in the fungal and microbial biomass and aquatic invertebrate colonisation were associated with litter quality. The results suggested that litterfall is the result of regional environmental factors and characteristics of the riparian vegetation and that modifications in the quality, quantity and timing of the delivery of litter input to the stream affect activity in the decomposer community, which then affects monthly litter-breakdown rates.
Nutritional care of older patients: experiences of general practitioners and practice nurses
Authors: Winter Jane , McNaughton Sarah A. , Nowson Caryl A.
Published: October 2016

Older people living in the community face unique nutritional issues that put them at risk of undernutrition, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Primary healthcare staff such as general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses (PNs) are well placed to identify nutritional problems early and intervene. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences and current practices in a sample of GPs and PNs with regards to nutritional care of elderly patients. An online survey of GPs and PNs working in regional Victoria was conducted. Among the 45 respondents, 89% reported encountering consultations with a nutritional component for older patients within the previous 3 months, and 94% of those took some action, most commonly referrals, dietary advice or prescribing supplements. Although the majority (63%) felt confident in providing appropriate nutritional recommendations for patients, 68% reported a desire for further professional development in the area. Given the frequency of nutritional issues presenting, further work is required to determine how well equipped primary healthcare staff are to provide nutritional advice to older patients.
Spatial variability of surface fuels in treated and untreated ponderosa pine forests of the southern Rocky Mountains
Authors: Vakili Emma , Hoffman Chad M. , Keane Robert E. , Tinkham Wade T. , Dickinson Yvette
Published: October 2016

There is growing consensus that spatial variability in fuel loading at scales down to 0.5 m may govern fire behaviour and effects. However, there remains a lack of understanding of how fuels vary through space in wildland settings. This study quantifies surface fuel loading and its spatial variability in ponderosa pine sites before and after fuels treatment in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA. We found that spatial semivariance for 1- and 100-h fuels, litter and duff following thin-and-burn treatments differed from untreated sites, and was lower than thin-only sites for all fuel components except 1000-h fuels. Fuel component semivariance increased with mean fuel component loading. The scale of spatial autocorrelation for all fuel components and sites ranged from <1 to 48 m, with the shortest distances occurring for the finest fuel components (i.e. duff, litter). Component mean fuel particle diameter strongly predicted (R2 = 0.88) the distance needed to achieve sample independence. Additional work should test if these scaling relationships hold true across forested ecosystems, and could reveal fundamental processes controlling surface fuel variability. Incorporating knowledge of spatial variability into fuel sampling protocols will enhance assessment of wildlife habitat, and fire behaviour and effects modelling, over singular stand-level means.
Double-observer evaluation of pronghorn aerial line-transect surveys
Authors: Smyser Timothy J. , Guenzel Richard J. , Jacques Christopher N. , Garton Edward O.
Published: October 2016

Context
Distance sampling is used to estimate abundance for several taxa, including pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Comparisons between population estimates derived from quadrat sampling and distance sampling suggest that distance sampling underestimates pronghorn density, likely owing to violations of the critical assumption of distance sampling that all pronghorn within the innermost distance band (A band; nearest to the aircraft) are detected.

Aims
We sought to rigorously test the assumption that all pronghorn clusters are detected within the innermost distance band by applying a double-observer approach to an established pronghorn aerial-survey protocol. Additionally, we evaluated potential effects of cluster size, landscape composition and seat position (front seat versus rear) on the probability of detection.

Methods
We conducted aerial line-transect distance-sampling surveys using independent, paired observers and modelled the probability of detection with mark–recapture distance-sampling (MRDS) analysis techniques that explicitly estimate the probability of detection for pronghorn clusters in the innermost distance band. We compared density estimates produced by the MRDS analysis with those produced by multiple-covariate distance sampling (MCDS), a method that assumes complete detection for clusters on the transect line.

Key results
We identified violations of the assumption that all clusters within the innermost distance band were detected, which would contribute to proportional biases in density estimates for analysis techniques that assume complete detection. The frequency of missed clusters was modest from the front-seat position, with 45 of the 47 (96%) clusters in the A band detected. In contrast, the frequency of missed clusters was more substantial for the rear position, from which 37 of 47 (79%) clusters in the A band were detected. Further, our analysis showed that cluster size and landscape composition were important factors for pronghorn sightability.

Conclusions
When implementing standard survey methodologies, pronghorn aerial-line transect surveys underestimated population densities. A double-observer survey configuration allowed us to quantify and correct for the bias caused by the failure of observers to detect all pronghorn clusters within the innermost distance band.

Implications
Population monitoring programs should incorporate double-observer validation trials to quantify the extent of bias owing to undetected clusters within the innermost distance band realised under typical survey conditions. Wildlife managers can improve the precision of pronghorn aerial line-transect surveys by incorporating cluster size and measures of landscape composition and complexity into detection models without incurring additional survey costs.
The development of orthographic processing skills in children in early French immersion programs
Authors: Commissaire Eva , Pasquarella Adrian , Chen Xi , Deacon Hélène
Published: October 2016

Children learning to read in two languages are faced with orthographic features from both languages, either unique to a language or similar across languages. In the present study, we examined how children develop orthographic processing skills over time (from grade 1 to grade 2) with a sample of Canadian children attending a French immersion program and we investigated the underlying factor structure of orthographic skills across English and French. Two orthographic processing tasks were administered in both languages: lexical orthographic processing (e.g. choose the correct spelling from people–peeple) and sub-lexical orthographic processing (e.g. which is the more word-like vaid–vayd?), which included both language-specific and language-shared orthographic regularities. Children’s performances in sub-lexical tasks increased with grade but were comparable across languages. Further, evidence for a one factor model including all measures suggested that there is a common underlying orthographic processing skill that cuts across measurement and language variables.