bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finite element mesh optimisation for improvement of the sensitivity matrix in electrical resistance tomography
Authors: Xiao Liqing , Xue Qian , Wang Huaxiang
Published: April 2015

In electrical resistance tomography (ERT), finite element (FE) meshes of different topologies lead to different sensitivity matrices, which have great influence on the imaging quality of the ERT system. To improve the ill‐posedness of the traditional sensitivity matrix and thus to improve the image quality, the reciprocal of the sensitivity matrix condition number is designed as the fitness function, based on which the modified genetic algorithm is utilised to optimise the topology of the FE mesh offline, and the optimised FE mesh is used to generate the sensitivity matrix, which is thereafter applied to image reconstruction using the modified Newton–Raphson algorithm. The feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated in both simulation and prototype experiments. Comparisons among the mesh the authors optimised, the traditional mesh and meshes modified with other methods (all the meshes have the same number of nodes and elements) show that the proposed method has obviously reduced the condition number of the sensitivity matrix, and thus enhanced the imaging quality.
Superintegrable systems with position dependent mass
Authors: Nikitin A. G. , Zasadko T. M.
Published: April 2015

First order integrals of motion for Schrödinger equations with position dependent masses are classified. Eighteen classes of such equations with non-equivalent symmetries are specified. They include integrable, superintegrable, and maximally superintegrable systems. Among them is a system invariant with respect to the Lie algebra of Lorentz group and a system whose integrals of motion form algebra so(4). Three of the obtained systems are solved exactly.
Rapid microfluidic immunoassay for surveillance and diagnosis of Cryptosporidium infection in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients
Authors: Zhang Li , Fu Yongfeng , Jing Wenwen , Xu Qing , Zhao Wang , Feng Meng , Tachibana Hiroshi , Sui Guodong , Cheng Xunjia
Published: April 2015

Cryptosporidiosis has been reported to be associated with HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, which greatly reduces the quality of life and shortens the life expectancy of HIV-infected patients. In order to properly treat the infected patients, accurate and automatic diagnostic tools need to be developed. In this study, a novel microfluidic immunochip system was presented for the surveillance and the rapid detection of Cryptosporidium infection in 190 HIV-infected patients from Guangxi, China, using the P23 antigen of Cryptosporidium. The procedure of detection can be completed within 10 min with 2 μl sample consumption. The system also was evaluated using the standard ELISA method. Among 190 HIV-infected individuals, the rate of P23 positivity was 13.7%. Seropositivity in HIV-infected individuals was higher in female patients. The seropositivity to P23 was higher in HIV-infected individuals with high viral load, although the difference was statistically insignificant. Significantly higher Cryptosporidium seropositivity was observed in HIV-infected individuals with a CD4+ T-cell count of <200 cells/μl than in those with ≥200 cells/μl. Our results also demonstrate that a lower CD4+ T-cell count may reflect an increased accumulated risk for cryptosporidiosis. The detection system was further validated using the standard ELISA method and good correlation between the two methods was found (r = 0.80). Under the same sensitivity, this new microfluidic chip device had a specificity of 98.2%. This developed system may provide a powerful platform for the fast screening of Cryptospordium infection in HIV-infected patients.
Metamaterial electromagnetic energy harvester with near unity efficiency
Authors: Almoneef Thamer S. , Ramahi Omar M.
Published: April 2015

We present the design of a metamaterial medium for electromagnetic energy harvesting based on the full absorption concept. A metamaterial slab was designed comprising 13 × 13 electrically small cells, each loaded with an 82 Ω resistor which mimics the input impedance of a rectification circuitry. Unlike earlier designs of metamaterial absorbers, here the power absorption is mostly dissipated across a resistive load instead of the dielectric substrate. This implies that effective electromagnetic energy harvesting can be achieved. The power is channeled through a via connected to each cell. For a design optimized at 3 GHz, simulation and experimental results show power absorption efficiency of 97% and 93%, respectively.
X-ray microtomography and laser ablation in the analysis of ink distribution in coated paper
Authors: Myllys M. , Häkkänen H. , Korppi-Tommola J. , Backfolk K. , Sirviö P. , Timonen J.
Published: April 2015

A novel method was developed for studying the ink-paper interface and the structural variations of a deposited layer of ink. Combining high-resolution x-ray tomography with laser ablation, the depth profile of ink (toner), i.e., its varying thickness, could be determined in a paper substrate. X-ray tomography was used to produce the 3D structure of paper with about 1 μm spatial resolution. Laser ablation combined with optical imaging was used to produce the 3D structure of the printed layer of ink on top of that paper with about 70 nm depth resolution. Ablation depth was calibrated with an optical profilometer. It can be concluded that a toner layer on a light-weight-coated paper substrate was strongly perturbed by protruding fibers of the base paper. Such fibers together with the surface topography of the base paper seem to be the major factors that control the leveling of toner and its penetration into a thinly coated paper substrate.
Coherent phase control of internal conversion in pyrazine
Authors: Gordon Robert J. , Hu Zhan , Seideman Tamar , Singha Sima , Sukharev Maxim , Zhao Youbo
Published: April 2015

Shaped ultrafast laser pulses were used to study and control the ionization dynamics of electronically excited pyrazine in a pump and probe experiment. For pump pulses created without feedback from the product signal, the ion growth curve (the parent ion signal as a function of pump/probe delay) was described quantitatively by the classical rate equations for internal conversion of the S2 and S1 states. Very different, non-classical behavior was observed when a genetic algorithm (GA) employing phase-only modulation was used to minimize the ion signal at some pre-determined target time, T. Two qualitatively different control mechanisms were identified for early (T < 1.5 ps) and late (T > 1.5 ps) target times. In the former case, the ion signal was largely suppressed for t < T, while for t ≫ T, the ion signal produced by the GA-optimized pulse and a transform limited (TL) pulse coalesced. In contrast, for T > 1.5 ps, the ion growth curve followed the classical rate equations for t < T, while for t ≫ T, the quantum yield for the GA-optimized pulse was much smaller than for a TL pulse. We interpret the first type of behavior as an indication that the wave packet produced by the pump laser is localized in a region of the S2 potential energy surface where the vertical ionization energy exceeds the probe photon energy, whereas the second type of behavior may be described by a reduced absorption cross section for S0 → S2 followed by incoherent decay of the excited molecules. Amplitude modulation observed in the spectrum of the shaped pulse may have contributed to the control mechanism, although this possibility is mitigated by the very small focal volume of the probe laser.
Design and characteristics analysis of linear oscillatory actuator with ferrite permanent magnet for refrigerator compressor
Authors: Kim Kwan-Ho , Jang Seok-Myeong , Ahn Ji-Hun , Choi Jang-Young , Jeong Sang-Sub
Published: April 2015

Actuators using NdFeB permanent magnets (PMs) are widely used, but they are costly and are affected by unstable material supply. In this study, a linear oscillatory actuator (LOA) using a ferrite PM is designed for use in the compressor for refrigerators, instead of the NdFeB PM. In spite of benefits of ferrite PM, it has not been widely used because the residual magnetic flux density of the ferrite PM is normally 35% less than that of a NdFeB PM. To overcome this shortcoming, we analyze the mover features of the LOA using two types of the ferrite PMs: interior PM type and Halbach PM type. The LOA designed has the same outer stator outer radius and number of coil turns as a conventional LOA with the NdFeB PM. The validity of the designed model is verified by comparing the analysis results using the nonlinear finite element method.
Analysis of 2D THz-Raman spectroscopy using a non-Markovian Brownian oscillator model with nonlinear system-bath interactions
Authors: Ikeda Tatsushi , Ito Hironobu , Tanimura Yoshitaka
Published: April 2015

We explore and describe the roles of inter-molecular vibrations employing a Brownian oscillator (BO) model with linear-linear (LL) and square-linear (SL) system-bath interactions, which we use to analyze two-dimensional (2D) THz-Raman spectra obtained by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In addition to linear infrared absorption (1D IR), we calculated 2D Raman-THz-THz, THz-Raman-THz, and THz-THz-Raman signals for liquid formamide, water, and methanol using an equilibrium non-equilibrium hybrid MD simulation. The calculated 1D IR and 2D THz-Raman signals are compared with results obtained from the LL+SL BO model applied through use of hierarchal Fokker-Planck equations with non-perturbative and non-Markovian noise. We find that all of the qualitative features of the 2D profiles of the signals obtained from the MD simulations are reproduced with the LL+SL BO model, indicating that this model captures the essential features of the inter-molecular motion. We analyze the fitted 2D profiles in terms of anharmonicity, nonlinear polarizability, and dephasing time. The origins of the echo peaks of the librational motion and the elongated peaks parallel to the probe direction are elucidated using optical Liouville paths.
Ions confined in spherical dielectric cavities modeled by a splitting field-theory
Authors: Lue Leo , Linse Per
Published: April 2015

The properties of ions confined within spherical dielectric cavities are examined by a splitting field-theory and Monte Carlo simulations. Three types of cavities are considered: one possessing a uniform surface charge density, one with a uniform volume charge density, and one containing mobile ions. In all cases, mobile counterions are present within the dielectric sphere. The splitting theory is based on dividing the electrostatic interaction into long- and short-wavelength contributions and applying different approximations on the two contributions. The splitting theory works well for the case where the dielectric constant of the confining sphere is equal to or less than that of the medium external to the sphere. Nevertheless, by extending the theory with a virial expansion, the predictions are improved. However, when the dielectric constant of the confining sphere is greater than that of the medium outside the sphere, the splitting theory performs poorly, only qualitatively agreeing with the simulation data. In this case, the strong-coupling expansion does not seem to work well, and a modified mean-field theory where the counterions interact directly with only their own image charge gives improved predictions. The splitting theory works best for the system with a uniform surface charge density and worst for the system with a uniform volume charge density. Increasing the number of ions within the sphere, at a fixed radius, tends to increase the ion density near the surface of the sphere and leads to a depletion region in the sphere interior; however, varying the ion number does not lead to any qualitative changes in the performance of the splitting theory.
Pulsed field probe of real time magnetization dynamics in magnetic nanoparticle systems
Authors: Foulkes T. , Syed M. , Taplin T.
Published: April 2015

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are extensively used in biotechnology. These applications rely on magnetic properties that are a keen function of MNP size, distribution, and shape. Various magneto-optical techniques, including Faraday Rotation (FR), Cotton-Mouton Effect, etc., have been employed to characterize magnetic properties of MNPs. Generally, these measurements employ AC or DC fields. In this work, we describe the results from a FR setup that uses pulsed magnetic fields and an analysis technique that makes use of the entire pulse shape to investigate size distribution and shape anisotropy. The setup employs a light source, polarizing components, and a detector that are used to measure the rotation of light from a sample that is subjected to a pulsed magnetic field. This magnetic field “snapshot” is recorded alongside the intensity pulse of the sample's response. This side by side comparison yields useful information about the real time magnetization dynamics of the system being probed. The setup is highly flexible with variable control of pulse length and peak magnitude. Examining the raw data for the response of bare Fe3O4 and hybrid Au and Fe3O4 nanorods reveals interesting information about Brownian relaxation and the hydrodynamic size of these nanorods. This analysis exploits the self-referencing nature of this measurement to highlight the impact of an applied field on creating a field induced transparency for a longitudinal measurement. Possible sources for this behavior include shape anisotropy and field assisted aggregate formation.
Intrinsic Gilbert damping constant in epitaxial Co2Fe0.4Mn0.6Si Heusler alloys films
Authors: Kwilu Augustin L. , Oogane Mikihiko , Naganuma Hiroshi , Sahashi Masashi , Ando Yasuo
Published: April 2015

The (001)-oriented and (110)-oriented epitaxial grown Co2Fe0.4Mn0.6Si films were fabricated by magnetron sputtering technique in order to investigate the annealing temperature dependence of the intrinsic Gilbert damping constant (α). The stuck films, deposited on MgO and Al2O3 a-plane substrates, respectively, were annealed at various temperatures ranging from 400 °C to 550 °C. The X-ray diffraction analysis was conducted to confirm that all the films were epitaxially grown. In addition, the ferromagnetic resonance measurements as well as the vibrating sample magnetometer were carried out to determine their magnetic properties. A small α of 0.004 was recorded for the sample with 001-oriented Co2Fe0.4Mn0.6Si (CFMS (001)) and 110-oriented CFMS (CFMS (110)) annealed at 450 °C.
Reactive intermediates in 4He nanodroplets: Infrared laser Stark spectroscopy of dihydroxycarbene
Authors: Broderick Bernadette M. , McCaslin Laura , Moradi Christopher P. , Stanton John F. , Douberly Gary E.
Published: April 2015

Singlet dihydroxycarbene (HOC̈OH) is produced via pyrolytic decomposition of oxalic acid, captured by helium nanodroplets, and probed with infrared laser Stark spectroscopy. Rovibrational bands in the OH stretch region are assigned to either trans,trans- or trans,cis-rotamers on the basis of symmetry type, nuclear spin statistical weights, and comparisons to electronic structure theory calculations. Stark spectroscopy provides the inertial components of the permanent electric dipole moments for these rotamers. The dipole components for trans, trans- and trans, cis-rotamers are (μa, μb) = (0.00, 0.68(6)) and (1.63(3), 1.50(5)), respectively. The infrared spectra lack evidence for the higher energy cis,cis-rotamer, which is consistent with a previously proposed pyrolytic decomposition mechanism of oxalic acid and computations of HOC̈OH torsional interconversion and tautomerization barriers.
Nanocluster building blocks of artificial square spin ice: Stray-field studies of thermal dynamics
Authors: Pohlit Merlin , Porrati Fabrizio , Huth Michael , Ohno Yuzo , Ohno Hideo , Müller Jens
Published: April 2015

We present measurements of the thermal dynamics of a Co-based single building block of an artificial square spin ice fabricated by focused electron-beam-induced deposition. We employ micro-Hall magnetometry, an ultra-sensitive tool to study the stray field emanating from magnetic nanostructures, as a new technique to access the dynamical properties during the magnetization reversal of the spin-ice nanocluster. The obtained hysteresis loop exhibits distinct steps, displaying a reduction of their “coercive field” with increasing temperature. Therefore, thermally unstable states could be repetitively prepared by relatively simple temperature and field protocols allowing one to investigate the statistics of their switching behavior within experimentally accessible timescales. For a selected switching event, we find a strong reduction of the so-prepared states' “survival time” with increasing temperature and magnetic field. Besides the possibility to control the lifetime of selected switching events at will, we find evidence for a more complex behavior caused by the special spin ice arrangement of the macrospins, i.e., that the magnetic reversal statistically follows distinct “paths” most likely driven by thermal perturbation.
High-frequency electromagnetic properties of the manganese ferrite nanoparticles
Authors: Zeng Min , Liu Jue , Yue Ming , Yang Haozhe , Dong Hangrong , Tang Wukui , Jiang He , Liu Xiaofang , Yu Ronghai
Published: April 2015

Manganese (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles are prepared via a facile solvothermal method. The electromagnetic properties are investigated in 1–18 GHz, indicating the MnFe2O4 nanoparticles are the promising materials to be applied as microwave absorbers. The wave absorbing mechanism can be attributed to the dielectric loss, magnetic loss, and the synergetic effect. The permittivity dispersion behavior is explained by Debye dipolar relation expression. The complex permeability is analyzed using Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. Natural resonance, exchange resonance, and eddy current loss arise at different frequencies.
Vertical organic transistors withstanding high voltage bias
Authors: Chang Po-Yi , Peng Shao-Fu , Chao Yu-Chiang , Lin Hung-Cheng , Zan Hsiao-Wen , Meng Hsin-Fei
Published: April 2015

Vertical organic transistors withstanding high voltage bias were realized with an insulating silicon monoxide layer obliquely deposited on both the surface of the base electrode and sidewalls of the vertically oriented cylindrical nanopores. No noticeable insulating layer can be observed on the emitter electrode at the bottom of the cylindrical nanopores. The leakage current between the electrodes was suppressed and an operating voltage as high as 15 V was obtained. An on/off current ratio of 103–104 and an output current density of 5–10 mA/cm2 were achieved.
Entire plasmas can be restructured when electrons are emitted from the boundaries
Authors: Campanell M. D.
Published: April 2015

It is well known that electron emission can restructure the thin sheaths at plasma-facing surfaces. But conventional models assume that the plasma's structure negligibly changes (the “presheath” is still thought to be governed by ion acceleration to the Bohm speed). Here, it is shown by theory and simulation that the presheath can take a fundamentally different structure where the emitted electrons entering the quasineutral region cause numerous changes. Gradients of total plasma density, ion and electron pressures, and electric potential throughout the “inverted” presheath can carry different magnitudes, and opposite signs, from Bohm presheaths.
Amorphorized tantalum-nickel binary films for metal gate applications
Authors: Ouyang Jiaomin , Wongpiya Ranida , Deal Michael D. , Clemens Bruce M. , Nishi Yoshio
Published: April 2015

Amorphous metal gates have the potential to eliminate the work function variation due to grain orientation for poly-crystalline metal gate materials, which is a leading contributor to threshold voltage variation for small transistors. Structural and electrical properties of TaNi alloys using co-sputtering with different compositions and multilayer structures with different thicknesses are investigated in this work. It is found that TaNi films are amorphous for a wide range of compositions as deposited, and the films stay amorphous after annealing at 400 °C in RTA for 1 min and up to at least 700 °C depending on the composition. The amorphous films eventually crystallize into Ni, Ta, and TaNi3 phases at high enough temperature. For multilayer Ta/Ni structures, samples with individual layer thickness of 0.12 nm and 1.2 nm are amorphous as deposited due to intermixing during deposition, and stay amorphous until annealed at 500 °C. The resistivity of the films as-deposited are around 200 μΩ·cm. The work function of the alloy is fixed at close to the Ta work function of 4.6 eV for a wide range of compositions. This is attributed to the segregation of Ta at the metal-oxide interface, which is confirmed by XPS depth profile. Overall, the excellent thermal stability and low resistivity makes this alloy system a promising candidate for eliminating work function variation for gate last applications, as compared to crystalline Ta or TiN gates.
Thermal conductance of superlattice junctions
Authors: Lu Simon , McGaughey Alan J. H.
Published: April 2015

We use molecular dynamics simulations and the lattice-based scattering boundary method to compute the thermal conductance of finite-length Lennard-Jones superlattice junctions confined by bulk crystalline leads. The superlattice junction thermal conductance depends on the properties of the leads. For junctions with a superlattice period of four atomic monolayers at temperatures between 5 and 20 K, those with mass-mismatched leads have a greater thermal conductance than those with mass-matched leads. We attribute this lead effect to interference between and the ballistic transport of emergent junction vibrational modes. The lead effect diminishes when the temperature is increased, when the superlattice period is increased, and when interfacial disorder is introduced, but is reversed in the harmonic limit.
Transparent conductor-embedding nanolens for Si solar cells
Authors: Kim Joondong , Kumar Melvin David , Yun Ju-Hyung , Park Hyeong-Ho , Lee Eunsongyi , Kim Dong-wook , Kim Hyunyub , Kim Mingeon , Yi Junsin , Kim Hongsik , Jeong Chaehwan
Published: April 2015

We present a large-scale applicable nanolens-embedding solar cell. An electrically conductive and optically transparent indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film was coated on a Si substrate. After then, periodically patterned ITO nanodome-arrays were formed on the ITO film by using a nano-imprint method. This structure is effective to reduce the incident light reflection for broad wavelengths and also efficient to drive the incident photons into a light-absorbing Si substrate. There exist two electric fields. One is by a p/n junction and the other is by the light absorption into Si. We designed nanolens structures to overlap two electric fields and demonstrate highly improved solar cell performances of current and voltage values from a planar structure.
Visibility analysis in urban spaces: a raster-based approach and case studies
Authors: Garnero Gabriele , Fabrizio Enrico
Published: April 2015

In this paper a method for the estimation of the visual impact of buildings with symbolic relevance, such as skyscrapers that are out of scale with their surrounding urban space, is discussed and applied. It is based on the viewshed analysis as developed in rural landscape studies, but it also takes into account the peculiarity emerging from the urban studies. In order to go beyond the sole information of whether a cell is, or is not, visible, which is typical of viewshed analyses, in this work the various factors that cause the visual attenuation with the distance are discussed and quantitatively assessed by determining various limit-of-visibility distances that may also be time variable. These factors are the visual acuity, the contrast between the target and its surroundings, the atmospheric visibility, and the recognition process of the subject. An application of this methodology is carried out on various case study buildings in the city of Turin, Italy (an ancient building, an urban landmark, the Mole, and a skyscraper under construction). From the visibility maps, under various conditions, it can be seen that the new skyscraper will be a major landmark not only for the entire city, but also for the surrounding municipalities.
miR-424/322 is downregulated in the semen of patients with severe DNA damage and may regulate sperm DNA damage
Authors: Zhao Kai , Chen Yaoping , Yang Ruifeng , Bai Yang , Li Cuiling , Li Honggang , Xiong Chengliang
Published: April 2015

Sperm DNA integrity is an essential factor for accurate transmission of genetic information. Human sperm DNA damage is a common cause of male infertility but the exact mechanism remains poorly understood. Considering the vital role of microRNA (miRNA) in multiple pathophysiological processes, we hypothesised that testicular miRNA is involved in sperm DNA damage during spermatogenesis. Infertile patients with high sperm DNA fragment index (DFI; n = 94) were selected from 1090 infertile men and a total of 18 testis-specific seminal miRNAs previously identified from human seminal plasma were chosen and tested. miR-29c and miR-424 were downregulated in men with high DFI. The inhibition of these two miRNAs in mice confirmed the role of miR-424 (murine homologue miR-322) in sperm DNA damage during spermatogenesis; by contrast, miR-29c exhibited a negative result. Thus, miR-424/322 is involved in sperm DNA damage. Furthermore, the dysregulation of this miRNA can induce DNA double-strand breaks during spermatogenesis.
Seed bank longevity and age to reproductive maturity of Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton in the dry tropics of northern Queensland
Authors: Bebawi Faiz F. , Campbell Shane D. , Mayer Robert J.
Published: April 2015

Understanding the reproductive biology of Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton, an invasive weed of northern Australia, is critical for development of effective management strategies. Two experiments are reported on. In Experiment 1 seed longevity of C. procera seeds, exposed to different soil type (clay and river loam), pasture cover (present and absent) and burial depth (0, 2.5, 10 and 20 cm) treatments were examined. In Experiment 2 time to reach reproductive maturity was studied. The latter experiment included its sister species, C. gigantea (L.) W.T. Aiton, for comparison and two separate seed lots were tested in 2009 and 2012 to determine if exposure to different environmental conditions would influence persistence. Both seed lots demonstrated a rapid decline in viability over the first 3 months and declined to zero between 15 and 24 months after burial. In Experiment 1, longevity appeared to be most influenced by rainfall patterns and associated soil moisture, burial depth and soil type, but not the level of pasture cover. Experiment 2 showed that both C. procera and C. gigantea plants could flower once they had reached an average height of 85 cm. However, they differed significantly in terms of basal diameter at first flowering with C. gigantea significantly smaller (31 mm) than C. procera (45 mm). On average, C. gigantea flowered earlier (125 days vs 190 days) and set seed earlier (359 days vs 412 days) than C. procera. These results suggest that, under similar conditions to those that prevailed in the present studies, land managers could potentially achieve effective control of patches of C. procera in 2 years if they are able to kill all original plants and treat seedling regrowth frequently enough to prevent it reaching reproductive maturity. This suggested control strategy is based on the proviso that replenishment of the seed bank is not occurring from external sources (e.g. wind and water dispersal).
Predicting the future range and abundance of fallow deer in Tasmania, Australia
Authors: Potts J. M. , Beeton N. J. , Bowman D. M. J. S. , Williamson G. J. , Lefroy E. C. , Johnson C. N.
Published: April 2015

Context Since the introduction of fallow deer (Dama dama) to Tasmania in the early 1830s, the management of the species has been conflicted; the species is partially protected as a recreational hunting resource, yet simultaneously recognised as an invasive species because of its environmental impact and the biosecurity risk that it poses. The range and abundance of fallow deer in Tasmania has evidently increased over the past three decades. In the 1970s, it was estimated that ~7000–8000 deer were distributed in three distinct subpopulations occupying a region of ~400 000 ha (generally centred around the original introduction sites). By the early 2000s, the estimated population size had more than tripled to ~20 000–30 000 deer occupying 2.1 million ha. No study has attempted to predict what further growth in this population is likely. Aims The purpose of our study was to provide a preliminary estimate of the future population range and abundance of fallow deer in Tasmania under different management scenarios. Methods We developed a spatially explicit, deterministic population model for fallow deer in Tasmania, based on estimates of demographic parameters linked to a species distribution model. Spatial variation in abundance was incorporated into the model by setting carrying capacity as a function of climate suitability. Key results On the basis of a conservative estimate of population growth for the species, and without active management beyond the current policy of hunting and crop protection permits, abundance of fallow deer is estimated to increase substantially in the next 10 years. Uncontrolled, the population could exceed 1 million animals by the middle of the 21st century. This potential increase is a function both of local increase in abundance and extension of range. Conclusions Our results identify areas at high risk of impact from fallow deer in the near future, including ecologically sensitive areas of Tasmania (e.g. the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area). Implications The research approach and results are presented as a contribution to debate and decisions about the management of fallow deer in Tasmania. In particular, they provide a considered basis for anticipating future impacts of deer in Tasmania and prioritising management to mitigate impact in ecologically sensitive areas.
Glycolytic flux controls
d
-serine synthesis through glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in astrocytes
Authors: Suzuki Masataka , Sasabe Jumpei , Miyoshi Yurika , Kuwasako Kanako , Muto Yutaka , Hamase Kenji , Matsuoka Masaaki , Imanishi Nobuaki , Aiso Sadakazu
Published: April 2015

Significance

Neurons require enormous energy to maintain continuous neurotransmission. To meet this requirement, astrocytes support neurons by balancing glycolytic flux with the synaptic level of an excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate. But to control NMDA-subtype glutamate receptors, regulation of a coagonist,
d
-serine, as well as of glutamate, is crucial. Here we report that a glycolytic enzyme regulates
d
-serine synthesis as an indicator of glycolytic activity in astrocytes. This study shows how glutamatergic neurotransmission accommodates to changing energy circumstances through the coagonist.
Self-aligned deterministic coupling of single quantum emitter to nanofocused plasmonic modes
Authors: Gong Su-Hyun , Kim Je-Hyung , Ko Young-Ho , Rodriguez Christophe , Shin Jonghwa , Lee Yong-Hee , Dang Le Si , Zhang Xiang , Cho Yong-Hoon
Published: April 2015

Significance

Control and optimization of interaction between light and single quantum emitters are a crucial issue for cavity quantum electrodynamics studies and quantum information science. Although considerable efforts have been made, reliable and reproducible coupling between quantum emitter and cavity mode still remains a grand challenge due to the uncertainty of the size, i.e., the emission wavelength, and position of the quantum emitter. Here, we demonstrate an unprecedented approach of the self-aligned deterministic coupling of single quantum dots (QDs) to nanofocused plasmonic modes on an entire wafer. Spatial precision is better than any nanopositioning techniques, and almost all processed QDs exhibit outstanding spontaneous emission rate enhancement. This reliable approach eliminates a major obstacle in the implementation of practical solid-state quantum emitters.
Endogenous circadian system and circadian misalignment impact glucose tolerance via separate mechanisms in humans
Authors: Morris Christopher J. , Yang Jessica N. , Garcia Joanna I. , Myers Samantha , Bozzi Isadora , Wang Wei , Buxton Orfeu M. , Shea Steven A. , Scheer Frank A. J. L.
Published: April 2015

Significance

It is established that glucose tolerance decreases from the morning to the evening, and that shift work is a risk factor for diabetes. However, the relative importance of the endogenous circadian system, the behavioral cycle (including the sleep/wake and fasting/feeding cycles), and circadian misalignment on glucose tolerance is unclear. We show that the magnitude of the effect of the endogenous circadian system on glucose tolerance and on pancreatic β-cell function was much larger than that of the behavioral cycle in causing the decrease in glucose tolerance from morning to evening. Also, independent from circadian phase and the behavioral cycle, circadian misalignment resulting from simulated night work lowered glucose tolerance—without diminishing effects upon repeated exposure—with direct relevance for shift workers.
Interfacial self-assembly of a bacterial hydrophobin
Authors: Bromley Keith M. , Morris Ryan J. , Hobley Laura , Brandani Giovanni , Gillespie Rachel M. C. , McCluskey Matthew , Zachariae Ulrich , Marenduzzo Davide , Stanley-Wall Nicola R. , MacPhee Cait. E.
Published: April 2015

Significance

In the natural environment the majority of bacteria live within the confines of a structured social community called a biofilm. The stability of biofilms arises from the extracellular matrix, which consists of proteins, polysaccharides, and extracellular DNA. One of these proteins, BslA, forms a hydrophobic “raincoat” at the surface of the biofilm. We have uncovered the mechanism that enables this protein to function, revealing a structural metamorphosis from a form that is stable in water to a structure that prefers the interface where it self-assembles with nanometer precision to form a robust film. Our findings have wide-ranging implications, from the disruption of harmful bacterial biofilms to the generation of nanoscale materials.
HCN channels enhance spike phase coherence and regulate the phase of spikes and LFPs in the theta-frequency range
Authors: Sinha Manisha , Narayanan Rishikesh
Published: April 2015

Significance

The impact of the pacemaking hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide–gated (HCN) channels on local field potentials (LFP) has not been analyzed. Here, employing a neuropil of several morphologically precise hippocampal neuronal models that received systematically randomized rhythmic synaptic inputs, we demonstrate that HCN channels alter the phase, but not the amplitude, of LFPs. Further, it is known that the spike timings of individual neurons follow the beat of the LFPs and fire at precise phases of the LFP beat. We demonstrate that the presence of HCN channels alters this phase and enhances the precision to which the spikes follow the LFP beat. These results unveil several important roles for HCN channels, extending their regulatory potential beyond single-neuron physiology.
High-throughput patterning of photonic structures with tunable periodicity
Authors: Kempa Thomas J. , Bediako D. Kwabena , Kim Sun-Kyung , Park Hong-Gyu , Nocera Daniel G.
Published: April 2015

Significance

Patterning large substrate areas with arrays of submicrometer structures in a facile, reliable, and timely manner is important for fabrication of optical elements that capture, guide, and convert light. RIPPLE (reactive interface patterning promoted by lithographic electrochemistry) is an electrochemical patterning method that is demonstrated for the rapid fabrication of periodic arrays of metallic circular Bragg gratings over large substrate areas. The grating period can be tuned in situ over micrometer and submicrometer length scales in a high-throughput fashion. We have identified point-like and annular scattering modes at different planes above the structured surface, suggesting the potential to use such structures to control the propagation of light. The described methods may be useful for high-throughput fabrication of sensors and light-management elements for energy conversion applications.
Electrochemical detection of a single cytomegalovirus at an ultramicroelectrode and its antibody anchoring
Authors: Dick Jeffrey E. , Hilterbrand Adam T. , Boika Aliaksei , Upton Jason W. , Bard Allen J.
Published: April 2015

Significance

The need for rapid, dependable, and sensitive detection of biological threats is ever increasing. Relatively arduous techniques, with varying degrees of sensitivity, exist for the detection of pathogens, including ELISA, electrogenerated chemiluminescence methods, sensitive PCR techniques, culturing, and microscopy. Here, we extend the observation of particle collisions on ultramicroelectrodes to murine cytomegalovirus. We further present an electrochemical technique for the specific detection of low concentrations of a virus by observing the effect of virus and antibody-specific polystyrene bead binding. This work, in principle, provides a framework for the detection of any biologically relevant antigen.
On the development of the Chilean Spanish discourse markercachái
Authors: Gille Johan
Published: April 2015

The discourse markercachái(‘y’see?’) has in a rather short time span become one of the most frequently used in colloquial Chilean Spanish, especially in the talk of young speakers. Being a recent addition to the language, it is not surprising that the history and use of the marker remain in large part to be described. The etymology which is commonly presented (Real Academia Española, 2014, s.v. cachar), according to whichcacharis a loan of the English verbcatch, is problematic as it fails to account for the uses attested forcacháiin modern Chilean Spanish. The present study adopts a historical pragmatic perspective to track the development of the verb, proposing an alternative origin, namely in the verbcatar(‘look (for)’, ‘see’). By contrasting this explanation with authentic, situated, uses ofcachái, the study argues that such an origin can account for the uses we see today more adequately and convincingly.
Locuzioni preposizionali «evidenziative» del tipoa dimostrazione che/die costruzioni equivalenti con l’infinito in italiano, francese e spagnolo
Authors: Veland Reidar
Published: April 2015

The main aim of this article, based extensively on corpus evidence, is to describe a particular system of constructions denoting metaphorical showing in Italian: PPs introduced by a complex preposition headed byaand containing a deverbal noun, and corresponding PPs of the <;a+ infinitive> type. The most frequent forms area dimostrazione che/dianda dimostrare che/NP. Such expressions are typically, but not exclusively, used as parenthetical comments in written texts. Constructions of this kind, which have gone largely unnoticed by lexicographers and grammarians alike, are widespread in (journalistic) Italian and can be found, to some extent, also in French and, to a lesser degree, in Spanish.
Las mentiras en Pedro Páramo
Authors: Popovic Karic Pol
Published: April 2015

Four types of lies will be analyzed in the novel Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. Each one stems from a specific area: space, time, love and death. These lies are complementary; the first two permeate into the other two and these complement each other forming a circle of ambiguity and uncertainty in the narrative.
Au commencement il était le Soi
Authors: Medvedev Yevgeny
Published: April 2015

By reviewing two famous episodes, in which the Narrator fails to efficiently communicate with Gilberte and Albertine, we attempt to construct a theory, able to explain Marcel’s communicative strategy. In order for a desired meaning to appear in the addressee’s mind, it first behooves the issuer to present the latter with a hermeneutical problem. The article argues that the communication, envisioned by the Narrator, can succeed only if the issuer of the message also becomes an interpreter of himself. As soon as this scattering of Ego happens, a hermeneutic situation presents itself as an operating room, where a fragmented Ego undergoes its reconstitution back into a coherent communicating entity.
Fish Community Response to a Small‐Stream Dam Removal in a Maine Coastal River Tributary
Authors: Hogg Robert S. , Coghlan Stephen M. , Zydlewski Joseph , Gardner Cory
Published: April 2015

Sedgeunkedunk Stream, a third‐order tributary to the Penobscot River in Maine, historically has supported several anadromous fishes including Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar, Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, and Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus. Two small dams constructed in the 1800s reduced or eliminated spawning runs entirely. In 2009, efforts to restore marine–freshwater connectivity in the system culminated in removal of the lowermost dam (Mill Dam) providing access to 4.7 km of lotic habitat and unimpeded passage into the lentic habitat of Fields Pond. In anticipation of these barrier removals, we initiated a modified before‐after‐control‐impact study, and monitored stream fish assemblages in fixed treatment and reference sites. Electrofishing surveys were conducted twice yearly since 2007. Results indicated that density, biomass, and diversity of the fish assemblage increased at all treatment sites upstream of the 2009 dam removal. No distinct changes in these metrics occurred at reference sites. We documented recolonization and successful reproduction of Atlantic Salmon, Alewife, and Sea Lamprey in previously inaccessible upstream reaches. These results clearly demonstrate that dam removal has enhanced the fish assemblage by providing an undisrupted stream gradient linking a small headwater lake and tributary with a large coastal river, its estuary, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Age and Growth of Atlantic Sturgeon from the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada
Authors: Stewart Nathan D. , Dadswell Michael J. , Leblanc Paul , Bradford Rod G. , Ceapa Cornel , Stokesbury Michael J. W.
Published: April 2015

As a long-lived and late-maturing species, Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus are susceptible to overharvest, which makes knowledge concerning their age and growth essential to sustainable management. The Saint John River, New Brunswick, and the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, support the two remaining commercial fisheries for Atlantic Sturgeon in North America; however, the relationship between age and growth has not previously been modeled for the Saint John River population. Ages of Saint John River Atlantic Sturgeon were estimated by using pectoral fin spine sections collected from 262 individuals of known TL. Most (87%) of the pectoral spine sections were aged by two readers to evaluate possible reader bias. An age–bias plot and coefficient of variation (CV) indicated relatively low between-reader precision (CV = 5.6%) compared with that reported in other studies. Von Bertalanffy growth model (VBGM) parameters were estimated for males (n = 67), females (n = 85), and the combined sexes. Unsexed juveniles and subadults smaller than 150 cm TL (n = 110) were used for the lower part of each curve. The growth models indicated that (1) males reached maximum length sooner than females and (2) females continued to grow more as adults to greater lengths (males: Brody growth coefficient K = 0.06, asymptotic length L∞ = 230 cm TL; females: K = 0.04, L∞ = 264 cm TL). As predicted, the VBGM parameters estimated for combined sexes of the Saint John River stock (K = 0.05, L∞ = 254 cm) were intermediate to those of Atlantic Sturgeon from the Hudson and St. Lawrence rivers, in agreement with a previously observed latitudinal trend in growth.

Received June 26, 2014; accepted January 13, 2015
Are African diasporas development partners, peace-makers or spoilers? The case of Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria
Authors: Beyene Hailay Gebretinsae
Published: April 2015

This study assesses the role of African diasporas in development, conflict resolution and peacebuilding in their countries of origin with specific reference to Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria between 1995 and 2013. Remittances from diaspora to developing countries’ are three times larger than official development assistance (ODA). In relation to a country’s/region’s population, it is revealed that migrants from Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria are less than the world, and sub-Saharan Africa. The adverse consequences of migration of skilled labour are more severe for small economies than for larger economies and the incentive to attract skilled human resources home is meager. About one-sixth of Nigeria’s and Ethiopia’s total inflows (export) and one-ninth of the total inflows of Kenya are from diaspora remittances. The estimated annual potential diaspora market that can be tapped by issuing bond for Nigeria is about $6 billion, for Ethiopia and Kenya more than $4 billion and $3 billion, respectively. The Kenyan diaspora is well organized across the globe, attentive to and keenly participates in conflict resolution and peace-building affairs. Even though there are some efforts, the vast majority of Nigerian diaspora is not active in dealing with conflict resolution, peace-building and political affairs in Nigeria. Unlike Kenyan and Nigerian diasporas, most of conflict-generated Ethiopian diasporas’ role is wrecking and escalating conflict.
Transitional intervention strategies for conflict transformation in the South Caucasus
Authors: Huseynov Tabib
Published: April 2015

This article discusses major policy and institutional interventions needed for conflict transformation in the South Caucasus. It examines how different forms of territorialpolitical organisation of government have been used to mitigate both violent and nonviolent conflicts and how international experience could be applied to promote peaceful resolution of the conflicts over Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorny Karabakh. The article shows how the conflicting parties’ mental fixation on final status stalls peace processes, and argues that rather than discussing end-state solutions or end-state models of governance, conflict parties need to focus on interim (transitional) policy and institutional arrangements that would allow them to normalise relations and set out roadmaps for cooperation and gradual reconciliation. The article also underlines the importance of adhering to standards of good governance and human rights, as necessary preconditions for ensuring the legitimacy, and thus, sustainability, of peace processes.
Justice, Fairness, and Mental Health Care
Authors: Kious Brent M.
Published: April 2015

What justice requires of society with respect to health care and, more specifically, with respect to the treatment of the mentally ill, is a pressing philosophical and practical question. A natural approach to answering this question is to begin with the work of John Rawls, who has articulated one of the most comprehensive and influential modern theories of justice. I explore the basic outlines of Rawls’s theory and examine multiple attempts to apply it to health care, examining issues specific to the just allocation of mental health care where they arise. I argue that, though Rawls’s view and its derivates offer compelling reasons to think that justice requires a society to provide health care to its mentally ill citizens, they provide little guidance regarding how extensive the claims of the mentally ill on a society’s resources should be.