bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dielectric relaxation analysis of Pb(Zr0.54,Ti0.46)O3 thin films: Electric field dependence
Authors: Ponchel F. , Sama N. , Rémiens D. , Lasri T.
Published: December 2014

350 nm-thick Perovskite PbZr0.54Ti0.46O3 (PZT) thin films were deposited on Al2O3 substrates by sputtering with and without an additional 10-nm-thick TiOx buffer layer. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that in presence of TiOx buffer layer, PZT film was highly oriented along the (111) direction film, whereas the unbuffered, counterpart was polycrystalline. A full wave electromagnetic analysis using a vector finite element method was performed to determine the tunability and the complex permittivity up to 67 GHz. A comparison between the electromagnetic analysis and Cole-Cole relaxation model was proposed. Through an original study of the relaxation time as a function of the electric field, values, such as 2 ps and 0.6 ps, were estimated for EDC = 0 kV/cm and 235 kV/cm, respectively, and in both cases (111)-PZT and polycrystalline-PZT. The distribution of relaxation times is found to be larger for (111)-PZT film, which is probably related to the film microstructure.
Arrested coarsening of granular roll waves
Authors: Razis D. , Edwards A. N. , Gray J. M. N. T. , van der Weele Ko
Published: December 2014

We study a system in which granular matter, flowing down an inclined chute with periodic boundary conditions, organizes itself in a train of roll waves of varying size. Since large waves travel faster than small ones, the waves merge, and their number gradually diminishes. This coarsening process, however, does not generally proceed to the ultimate one-wave state: Numerical simulations of the dynamical equations (being the granular analogue of the shallow water equations) reveal that the process is arrested at some intermediate stage. This is confirmed by a theoretical analysis, in which we show that the roll waves cannot grow beyond a certain limiting size (which is fully determined by the system parameters), meaning that on long chutes the material necessarily remains distributed over more waves. We determine the average lifetime τN of the successive N-wave states, from the initial state with typically N = 50 waves (depending on the length of the periodic domain) down to the final state consisting of only a handful of waves (N = Narr). At the latter value of N, the lifetime τN goes to infinity. At this point the roll waves all have become equal in size and are traveling with the same speed. Our theoretical predictions for the successive lifetimes τN and the value for Narr show good agreement with the numerical observations.
Inverse scattering theory: Inverse scattering series method for one dimensional non-compact support potential
Authors: Yao Jie , Lesage Anne-Cécile , Bodmann Bernhard G. , Hussain Fazle , Kouri Donald J.
Published: December 2014

The reversion of the Born-Neumann series of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation is one of the standard ways to solve the inverse acoustic scattering problem. One limitation of the current inversion methods based on the reversion of the Born-Neumann series is that the velocity potential should have compact support. However, this assumption cannot be satisfied in certain cases, especially in seismic inversion. Based on the idea of distorted wave scattering, we explore an inverse scattering method for velocity potentials without compact support. The strategy is to decompose the actual medium as a known single interface reference medium, which has the same asymptotic form as the actual medium and a perturbative scattering potential with compact support. After introducing the method to calculate the Green’s function for the known reference potential, the inverse scattering series and Volterra inverse scattering series are derived for the perturbative potential. Analytical and numerical examples demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this method. Besides, to ensure stability of the numerical computation, the Lanczos averaging method is employed as a filter to reduce the Gibbs oscillations for the truncated discrete inverse Fourier transform of each order. Our method provides a rigorous mathematical framework for inverse acoustic scattering with a non-compact support velocity potential.
Global dynamics analysis of nappe oscillation
Authors: De Rosa Fortunato , Girfoglio Michele , de Luca Luigi
Published: December 2014

The unsteady global dynamics of a gravitational liquid sheet interacting with a one-sided adjacent air enclosure, typically referred to as nappe oscillation, is addressed, under the assumptions of potential flow and absence of surface tension effects. To the purpose of shedding physical insights, the investigation examines both the dynamics and the energy aspects. An interesting re-formulation of the problem consists of recasting the nappe global behavior as a driven damped spring-mass oscillator, where the inertial effects are linked to the liquid sheet mass and the spring is represented by the equivalent stiffness of the air enclosure acting on the average displacement of the compliant nappe centerline. The investigation is carried out through a modal (i.e., time asymptotic) and a non-modal (i.e., short-time transient) linear approach, which are corroborated by direct numerical simulations of the governing equation. The modal analysis shows that the flow system is characterized by low-frequency and high-frequency oscillations, the former related to the crossing time of the perturbations over the whole domain and the latter related to the spring-mass oscillator. The low-frequency oscillations, observed in real life systems, are produced by the (linear) combination of multiple modes. The non-normality of the operator is responsible for short-time energy amplifications even in asymptotically stable configurations, which are confirmed by numerical simulations and justified by energy budget considerations. Strong analogies with the edge-tone problem are encountered; in particular, the integer-plus-one-quarter resonance criterion is uncovered, where the basic frequency to be multiplied by n+14 is just the one related to the spacing among the imaginary parts of the eigenvalues.
Raman tensor elements and Faust-Henry coefficients of wurtzite-type α-GaN: How to overcome the dilemma of the sign of Faust-Henry coefficients in α-GaN?
Authors: Irmer Gert , Röder Christian , Himcinschi Cameliu , Kortus Jens
Published: December 2014

Faust-Henry coefficients are ratios describing the relative influence of lattice displacements and electric field onto the electric susceptibility. They are essential in order to access the charge carrier concentration as well as the mobility of polar semiconductors by Raman scattering from measured frequencies, bandwidths, and intensities of coupled phonon-plasmon modes. In the case of α-GaN only the Faust-Henry coefficient connected with the Raman tensor elements aTO and aLO of the axial modes has been reported with differing results and questionable sign. However, according to its wurtzite structure, in hexagonal GaN three Faust-Henry coefficients associated with phonon modes of different symmetry exist. In the present study, from Raman scattering efficiencies of corresponding transverse optical and longitudinal optical phonons which are accessible in different scattering configurations, Raman tensor elements, and respective Faust-Henry coefficients were deduced. It is shown that near-forward scattering of phonon-polaritons, depending on frequency, allows the unambiguous determination of the sign of Faust-Henry coefficients. In case of α-GaN the obtained Faust-Henry coefficients connected with the corresponding Raman tensor elements are CaFH=−3.46, CbFH=−3.81, and CcFH=−2.31.
The Seebeck coefficient and phonon drag in silicon
Authors: Mahan G. D. , Lindsay L. , Broido D. A.
Published: December 2014

We present a theory of the phonon-drag Seebeck coefficient in nondegenerate semiconductors, and apply it to silicon for temperatures 30 < T < 300 K. Our calculation uses only parameters from the literature, and previous calculations of the phonon lifetime. We find excellent agreement with the measurements of Geballe and Hull [Phys. Rev. 98, 940 (1955)]. The phonon-drag term dominates at low temperature, and shows an important dependence on the dimensions of the experimental sample.
Exploitation of the coffee-ring effect to realize mechanically enhanced inkjet-printed microelectromechanical relays with U-bar-shaped cantilevers
Authors: Chung Seungjun , Ul Karim Muhammed Ahosan , Spencer Matthew , Kwon Hyuk-Jun , Grigoropoulos Costas P. , Alon Elad , Subramanian Vivek
Published: December 2014

We report a mechanically enhanced inkjet-printed microelectromechanical (MEM) relay with a U-bar-shaped cantilever by exploiting the coffee-ring effect. The printed cantilever shape, especially the effective thickness caused by the elevated walls, can be controlled during the drying process by outward convective flow of silver nanoparticles. This enhances mechanical stiffness to efficiently produce a strongly suspended cantilever that is immune to collapse- and curling-related failures. This approach to enhancing cantilever stiffness is unique to printing-based processes using metal-nanoparticle inks and is not feasible for conventional photolithography processes. The resulting printed MEM relays show a pull-in voltage of only 6.6 V and an on/off ratio of 108 with extremely low on-state resistance (∼14.3 Ω) and off-state leakage that is comparable to those of conventional silicon-based MEM relays.
Facile synthesis and photoluminescence mechanism of graphene quantum dots
Authors: Yang Ping , Zhou Ligang , Zhang Shenli , Wan Neng , Pan Wei , Shen Wenzhong
Published: December 2014

We report a facile hydrothermal synthesis of intrinsic fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with two-dimensional morphology. This synthesis uses glucose, concentrate sulfuric acid, and deionized water as reagents. Concentrated sulfuric acid is found to play a key role in controlling the transformation of as-prepared hydrothermal products from amorphous carbon nanodots to well-crystallized GQDs. These GQDs show typical absorption characteristic for graphene, and have nearly excitation-independent ultraviolet and blue intrinsic emissions. Temperature-dependent PL measurements have demonstrated strong electron-electron scattering and electron-phonon interactions, suggesting a similar temperature behavior of GQDs to inorganic semiconductor quantum dots. According to optical studies, the ultraviolet emission is found to originate from the recombination of electron-hole pairs localized in the C=C bonds, while the blue emission is from the electron transition of sp2 domains.
Quantifying carrier recombination at grain boundaries in multicrystalline silicon wafers through photoluminescence imaging
Authors: Sio H. C. , Trupke T. , Macdonald D.
Published: December 2014

We present a method based on steady state photoluminescence (PL) imaging and modelling of the PL intensity profile across a grain boundary (GB) using 2D finite element analysis, to quantify the recombination strength of a GB in terms of the effective surface recombination velocity (Seff). This quantity is a more meaningful and absolute measure of the recombination activity of a GB compared to the commonly used signal contrast, which can strongly depend on other sample parameters, such as the intra-grain bulk lifetime. The method also allows the injection dependence of the Seff of a given GB to be explicitly determined. The method is particularly useful for studying the responses of GBs to different cell processing steps, such as phosphorus gettering and hydrogenation. The method is demonstrated on double-side passivated multicrystalline wafers, both before and after gettering, and single-side passivated wafers with a strongly non-uniform carrier density profile depth-wise. Good agreement is found between the measured PL profile and the simulated PL profile for both cases. We demonstrate that single-side passivated wafers allow more recombination active grain boundaries to be analysed with less unwanted influence from nearby features. The sensitivity limits and other practical constraints of the method are also discussed.
Closely related magnetic and dielectric transitions in the “114” magnetoelectric Zn-doped CaBaCo4O7
Authors: Seikh Md. Motin , Caignaert V. , Suard E. , Preethi Meher K. R. S. , Maignan A. , Raveau B.
Published: December 2014

We report on the impact of zinc doping upon the magneto-electric properties of CaBaCo4O7.We show that the presence of less than 1% Zn at the Co sites decreases TC from 64 K to 48 K and generates two magnetic transitions, concomitant with changes of slope of dielectric permittivity, at 54 K and 77 K, respectively. Powder neutron diffraction and magnetic data show the existence of an incommensurate magnetic phase and a spin-flop transition in this temperature range. The crossover of the magnetodielectric effect of this oxide, from positive below 50 K to negative above this temperature emphasizes the primordial role of the incommensurate magnetic phase in the evolution of these properties.
Incident angle insensitive tunable multichannel perfect absorber consisting of nonlinear plasma and matching metamaterials
Authors: Kong Xiang-kun , Liu Shao-Bin , Zhang Hai-feng , Bian Bo-rui , Chen Chen
Published: December 2014

A novel, compact, and multichannel nonreciprocal absorber through a wave tunneling mechanism in epsilon-negative and matching metamaterials is theoretically proposed. Nonreciprocal absorption properties are acquired via the coupling together of evanescent and propagating waves in an asymmetric configuration, constituted of nonlinear plasma alternated with matching metamaterial. The absorption channel number can be adjusted by changing the periodic number. Due to the positive feedback between nonlinear permittivity of plasma and the inner electric field, bistable absorption and reflection are achieved. Moreover, compared with some truncated photonic crystal or multilayered designs proposed before, our design is more compact and independent of incident angle or polarization. This kind of multilayer structure offers additional opportunities to design novel omnidirectional electromagnetic wave absorbers.
Impact of the pedestal plasma density on dynamics of edge localized mode crashes and energy loss scaling
Authors: Xu X. Q. , Ma J. F. , Li G. Q.
Published: December 2014

The latest BOUT++ studies show an emerging understanding of dynamics of edge localized mode (ELM) crashes and the consistent collisionality scaling of ELM energy losses with the world multi-tokamak database. A series of BOUT++ simulations are conducted to investigate the scaling characteristics of the ELM energy losses vs collisionality via a density scan. Linear results demonstrate that as the pedestal collisionality decreases, the growth rate of the peeling-ballooning modes decreases for high n but increases for low n (1 < n < 5), therefore the width of the growth rate spectrum γ(n) becomes narrower and the peak growth shifts to lower n. Nonlinear BOUT++ simulations show a two-stage process of ELM crash evolution of (i) initial bursts of pressure blob and void creation and (ii) inward void propagation. The inward void propagation stirs the top of pedestal plasma and yields an increasing ELM size with decreasing collisionality after a series of micro-bursts. The pedestal plasma density plays a major role in determining the ELM energy loss through its effect on the edge bootstrap current and ion diamagnetic stabilization. The critical trend emerges as a transition (1) linearly from ballooning-dominated states at high collisionality to peeling-dominated states at low collisionality with decreasing density and (2) nonlinearly from turbulence spreading dynamics at high collisionality into avalanche-like dynamics at low collisionality.
H irradiation effects on the GaAs-like Raman modes in GaAs1-xNx/GaAs1-xNx:H planar heterostructures
Authors: Giulotto E. , Geddo M. , Patrini M. , Guizzetti G. , Felici M. , Capizzi M. , Polimeni A. , Martelli F. , Rubini S.
Published: December 2014

The GaAs-like longitudinal optical phonon frequency in two hydrogenated GaAs1-xNx/GaAs1-xNx:H microwire heterostructures—with similar N concentration, but different H dose and implantation conditions—has been investigated by micro-Raman mapping. In the case of GaAs0.991N0.009 wires embedded in barriers where GaAs-like properties are recovered through H irradiation, the phonon frequency in the barriers undergoes a blue shift with respect to the wires. In GaAs0.992N0.008 wires embedded in less hydrogenated barriers, the phonon frequency exhibits an opposite behavior (red shift). Strain, disorder, phonon localization effects induced by H-irradiation on the GaAs-like phonon frequency are discussed and related to different types of N-H complexes formed in the hydrogenated barriers. It is shown that the red (blue) character of the frequency shift is related to the dominant N-2H (N-3H) type of complexes. Moreover, for specific experimental conditions, an all-optical determination of the uniaxial strain field is obtained. This may improve the design of recently presented devices that exploit the correlation between uniaxial stress and the degree of polarization of photoluminescence.
Temperature dependent transport characteristics of graphene/n-Si diodes
Authors: Parui S. , Ruiter R. , Zomer P. J. , Wojtaszek M. , van Wees B. J. , Banerjee T.
Published: December 2014

Realizing an optimal Schottky interface of graphene on Si is challenging, as the electrical transport strongly depends on the graphene quality and the fabrication processes. Such interfaces are of increasing research interest for integration in diverse electronic devices as they are thermally and chemically stable in all environments, unlike standard metal/semiconductor interfaces. We fabricate such interfaces with n-type Si at ambient conditions and find their electrical characteristics to be highly rectifying, with minimal reverse leakage current (<10−10 A) and rectification of more than 106. We extract Schottky barrier height of 0.69 eV for the exfoliated graphene and 0.83 eV for the CVD graphene devices at room temperature. The temperature dependent electrical characteristics suggest the influence of inhomogeneities at the graphene/n-Si interface. A quantitative analysis of the inhomogeneity in Schottky barrier heights is presented using the potential fluctuation model proposed by Werner and Güttler.
Band alignment in visible-light photo-active CoO/SrTiO3 (001) heterostructures
Authors: Seo Hosung , Demkov Alexander A.
Published: December 2014

Epitaxial oxide heterostructures are of fundamental interest in a number of problems ranging from oxide electronics to model catalysts. The epitaxial CoO/SrTiO3 (001) heterostructure on Si(001) has been recently studied as a model oxide catalyst for water splitting under visible light irradiation (Ngo et al., J. Appl. Phys. 114, 084901 (2013)). We use density functional theory to investigate the valence band offset at the CoO/SrTiO3 (001) interface. We examine the mechanism of charge transfer and dielectric screening at the interface and demonstrate that charge transfer is mediated by the metal-induced gap states in SrTiO3, while the dielectric screening at the interface is largely governed by the ionic polarization of under-coordinated oxygen. Based on this finding, we argue that strain relaxation in CoO plays a critical role in determining the band offset. We find that the offsets of 1.36–1.10 eV, calculated in the Schottky-limit are in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 1.20 eV. In addition, we investigate the effect of the Hubbard correction, applied on the Co 3d states, on the dipole layer and potential shift at the interface.
Enhanced spin Seebeck effect in a germanene p-n junction
Authors: Zheng Jun , Chi Feng , Guo Yong
Published: December 2014

Spin Seebeck effect in a germanene p-n junction is studied by using the nonequilibrium Green's function method combined with the tight-binding Hamiltonian. We find that the thermal bias ΔT can generate spin thermopower when a local exchange field is applied on one edge of the germanene nano-ribbon. The magnitude of the spin thermopower can be modulated by the potential drop across the two terminals of the p-n junction. When the value of the potential drop is smaller than the spin-orbit interaction strength, the spin thermopower is enhanced by two orders of magnitude larger as compared to the case of zero p-n voltage. Optimal temperature corresponding to maximum spin thermopower is insensitive to the potential drop. In the p-n region, maximum spin thermopower can be obtained at relatively higher temperatures. When the value of the potential drop is larger than that of the spin-orbit interaction, however, the spin Seebeck effect decays rapidly with increasing potential drop or temperature. By optimizing the structure parameters, the magnitude of the spin thermopower can be remarkably enhanced due to the coexistence of the exchange field and the potential drop.
Reducing collective quantum state rotation errors with reversible dephasing
Authors: Cox Kevin C. , Norcia Matthew A. , Weiner Joshua M. , Bohnet Justin G. , Thompson James K.
Published: December 2014

We demonstrate that reversible dephasing via inhomogeneous broadening can greatly reduce collective quantum state rotation errors, and observe the suppression of rotation errors by more than 21 dB in the context of collective population measurements of the spin states of an ensemble of 2.1×105 laser cooled and trapped 87Rb atoms. The large reduction in rotation noise enables direct resolution of spin state populations 13(1) dB below the fundamental quantum projection noise limit. Further, the spin state measurement projects the system into an entangled state with 9.5(5) dB of directly observed spectroscopic enhancement (squeezing) relative to the standard quantum limit, whereas no enhancement would have been obtained without the suppression of rotation errors.
Generalizing thermodynamic properties of bulk single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Rodriguez Kenneth R. , Malone Marvin A. , Nanney Warren A. , A. Maddux Cassandra J. , Coe James V. , Martínez Hernán L.
Published: December 2014

The enthalpy and Gibbs free energy thermodynamical potentials of single walled carbon nanotubes were studied of all types (armchairs, zig-zags, chirals (n>m), and chiral (n<m)). Bulk values of these thermodynamic potentials were obtained using a previously demonstrated robust method based on semi-empirical PM3 calculations and an extrapolated cluster approach. Those values were used to study the relationship between the thermodynamic potentials and the diameter of the nanotube. Results of this study led to the proposal of a single equation for the thermodynamical potential of ΔHAB298 K or ΔGAB298 K (assembly of nanotubes from atoms) versus the chiral vector indexes n and m for any given nanotube. The equations show a good level of accuracy in predicting thermodynamic potentials for practical applications.
Effect of elastic compliances and higher order Landau coefficients on the phase diagram of single domain epitaxial Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films
Authors: Mtebwa M. , Tagantsev A. K. , Setter N.
Published: December 2014

We report the qualitative study of the influence of both elastic compliances and higher order terms of Landau free energy potential on the phase diagram of Pb(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O3 thin films by using a single domain Landau theory. Although the impact of elastic compliances and higher order terms of the Landau free energy potential on the phase diagram of ferroelectric thin films are known, the sensitivity of the phase diagram of PZT thin film on these parameters have not been reported. It is demonstrated that, while values of elastic compliances affect the positions of the phase boundaries including phase transition temperature of the cubic phase; higher order terms can potentially introduce an a1a2-phase previously predicted in PbTiO3 phase diagram.
𝐿^{𝑝} theory for outer measures and two themes of Lennart Carleson united
Authors: Do Yen , Thiele Christoph
Published: December 2014

We develop a theory of

L
p

L^p

spaces based on outer measures generated through coverings by distinguished sets. The theory includes as a special case the classical

L
p

L^p

theory on Euclidean spaces as well as some previously considered generalizations. The theory is a framework to describe aspects of singular integral theory, such as Carleson embedding theorems, paraproduct estimates, and

T
(
1
)

T(1)

theorems. It is particularly useful for generalizations of singular integral theory in time-frequency analysis, the latter originating in Carleson’s investigation of convergence of Fourier series. We formulate and prove a generalized Carleson embedding theorem and give a relatively short reduction of the most basic

L
p

L^p

estimates for the bilinear Hilbert transform to this new Carleson embedding theorem.
Microbiology: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Money Nicholas P.
Published: December 2014

In recent decades we have come to realize that the microbial world is hugely diverse, and can be found in the most extreme environments. Fungi, single-celled protists, bacteria, archaea, viruses, and sub-viral particles far outnumber plants and animals. Microbes play a critical role in ecosystems, in the chemistry of the atmosphere and oceans, and within our bodies. Microbiology: A Very Short Introduction explores not only the traditional methods of microscopy and laboratory culture, but also the modern techniques of genetic detection and DNA sequencing, genomic analysis, and genetic manipulation. In turn, it demonstrates how advances in microbiology have had a tremendous impact on the areas of medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.
Anticipated Increase in the Number of Patients Who Require Dialysis Treatment Among the Aging Population of Japan
Authors: Wakasugi Minako , Kazama Junichiro James , Narita Ichiei
Published: December 2014

The aging population is anticipated to have a large impact on the number of incident dialysis patients, as the risk of end‐stage kidney disease increases with age. This study aimed to examine trends in the sex‐ and age‐specific incidence rates of dialysis between 2008 and 2012, and to assess the impact of population aging on the number of incident dialysis patients over the next decade in Japan. Incidence was calculated using published data and Japan's population statistics. The 2012 incidence was extrapolated, and projected future demographic changes within the Japanese population were used to estimate the number of incident dialysis patients in 2020 and 2025. As a general trend, the sex‐ and age‐specific incidence rates of dialysis decreased gradually between 2008 and 2012, except among men aged ≥80 years. The total number of incident dialysis patients was projected to increase by 12.8% from 36 590 in 2012 to 41 270 in 2025. Greater increases were observed in the oldest age group (≥85 years). In 2025, the number of incident dialysis patients in this group was projected to increase by 92.6% in men and 62.2% in women. This study shows the number of patients who initiate dialysis treatment is projected to increase over the next decade in Japan due to aging of the population. Effective strategies are needed to offset the challenges faced by the aging population, with a particular focus on octogenarians and older, given the notable proportion of patients requiring dialysis treatment in the future.
Acute Intradialytic Cardiac Function and Inflammatory Cytokine Changes During High‐Efficiency Online Hemodiafiltration With Acetate‐Free and Standard Dialysis Solutions
Authors: Tiranathanagul Khajohn , Tangvoraphonkchai Kamonwan , Srisawat Nattachai , Susantitaphong Paweena , Tungsanga Kriang , Praditpornsilpa Kearkiat , Eiam‐Ong Somchai
Published: December 2014

Acetate in standard acetate‐containing bicarbonate (AC) dialysis fluid could induce peripheral vasodilatation, suppression of myocardial function, and inflammatory cytokine production, resulting in intradialytic hypotension in conventional hemodialysis (HD) patients. Online hemodiafiltration (HDF) provides superior hemodynamic stability over HD. The potentially additive hemodynamic benefits of the novel acetate‐free bicarbonate (AF) dialysis fluid in online HDF have never been explored before. The present randomized, double‐blind, crossover study was conducted in 22 online HDF patients to investigate the impact of AF dialysis fluid on hemodynamic and cytokine changes compared with AC dialysis fluid in online HDF. The results demonstrated the comparable changes of arterial pressure between AF and AC online HDF. During the study periods, the incidences of composite intradialytic hypotension and other adverse events were not different. The baseline and hourly changes of cardiac index, cardiac output, and peripheral vascular resistance during dialysis were comparable (P = 0.534, 0.199, and 0.641, respectively). The percent reductions of NT‐proBNP and cTnT were not significantly different (72.6 ± 12.3 vs. 72.6 ± 12.8%, P = 0.99 and 35.2 ± 12.8 vs. 36.7 ± 12.0%, P = 0.51). The changes of all pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐2β, IL‐6, IL‐8, and TNF‐α) and anti‐inflammatory cytokine (IL‐10) during dialysis were comparable between both groups. In conclusion, AF dialysis solution does not offer additional hemodynamic benefit for stable online HDF patients. The hemodynamic stability provided by online HDF might protect the adverse effects of acetate.
Omega‐3 Fatty Acid Profile of Eggs from Laying Hens Fed Diets Supplemented with Chia, Fish Oil, and Flaxseed
Authors: Coorey Ranil , Novinda Agnes , Williams Hannah , Jayasena Vijay
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of diets supplemented with fish oil, flaxseed, and chia seed on the omega‐3 fatty acid composition and sensory properties of hens’ eggs. No significant difference in yolk fat content was found between treatments. The fatty acid composition of egg yolk was significantly affected by the dietary treatments. Inclusion of chia at 300 g/kg into the diet produced eggs with the highest concentration of omega‐3 fatty acid. Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were only detected in eggs from laying hens fed the diet supplemented with fish oil. Diet had a significant effect on color, flavor and overall acceptability of eggs. Types and levels of omega‐3 fatty acids in feed influence the level of yolk omega‐3 fatty acids in egg yolk. Inclusion of chia into the hens’ diet significantly increased the concentration of yolk omega‐3 fatty acid without significant change in sensory properties.
Culture and decision‐making: Investigating cultural variations in the East Asian and North American online decision‐making processes
Authors: Li Liman Man Wai , Masuda, Takahiko , Russell Matthew J.
Published: December 2014

Research in cross‐cultural psychology suggests that East Asians hold holistic thinking styles whereas North Americans hold analytic thinking styles. The present study examines the influence of cultural thinking styles on the online decision‐making processes for Hong Kong Chinese and European Canadians, with and without time constraints. We investigated the online decision‐making processes in terms of (1) information search speed, (2) quantity of information used, and (3) type of information used. Results show that, without time constraints, Hong Kong Chinese, compared to European Canadians, spent less time on decisions and parsed through information more efficiently, and Hong Kong Chinese attended to both important and less important information, whereas European Canadians selectively focused on important information. No cultural differences were found in the quantity of information used. When under time constraints, all cultural variations disappeared. The dynamics of cultural differences and similarities in decision‐making are discussed.
Diadenosine polyphosphates in the tears of aniridia patients
Authors: Peral Assumpta , Carracedo Gonzalo , Pintor Jesús
Published: December 2014

Purpose

To quantify diadenosine polyphosphate levels in tears of congenital aniridia patients to estimate the ocular surface changes associated with congenital aniridia compared to normal individuals.

Methods

Fifteen patients diagnosed with congenital aniridia and a control group of forty volunteers were studied. Tears were collected to quantify the levels of diadenosine polyphosphates Ap4A and Ap5A by high‐performance liquid chromatography (H.P.L.C). Break‐up time (BUT), corneal staining, McMonnies questionnaire and the Schirmer I test were applied to both groups.

Results

Dinucleotides in congenital aniridia patients were higher than in control subjects. For the congenital aniridia group, under 15 years old, the values were 0.77 ± 0.01 μm and 0.17 ± 0.02 μm for Ap4A and Ap5A, respectively. The group aged from 15 to 40 years old provided concentrations of 4.37 ± 0.97 μm and 0.46 ± 0.05 μm for Ap4A and Ap5A, the group over 40 gave concentrations of 11.17 ± 5.53 μm and 0.68 ± 0.17 μm for Ap4A and Ap5A. Dinucleotide concentrations increased with age, being statistically significant different among the three age groups (p < 0.05). Congenital aniridia patients showed a normal tear secretion and no dry eye McMonnies scores, except for the group over 40 years old. BUT values decreased and corneal staining increased with age and correlated with the levels of diadenosine polyphosphates (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The levels of dinucleotides in tears increase in aniridia patients compared with healthy subjects, and they seem to be related with the progression of corneal disorders in aniridia patients, both of which increase with ageing.
Smoking during pregnancy and vision difficulties in children: a systematic review
Authors: Fernandes Michelle , Yang Xiao , Li Jinying Y. , Cheikh Ismail Leila
Published: December 2014

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is a major public health concern. Intra‐uterine exposure to maternal cigarette smoking is associated with increased risks of growth and neurodevelopmental problems during childhood and later life. Few studies have focussed on visual difficulties in children in the context of maternal smoking during pregnancy. A systematic search of online databases was carried out between February and May 2013 to examine the trend in visual outcomes in children exposed to maternal cigarette smoking during intra‐uterine life. Twenty‐four non‐randomized studies were identified. Each study was rated for quality using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Most studies (n = 18) reported fetal exposure to active or passive maternal cigarette smoking to be associated with an increased risk of adverse visual outcomes in children. In particular, there were higher rates of strabismus, refractive errors and retinopathy among children of women who smoked during pregnancy. These findings suggest that fetal exposure to cigarette smoke is a significant risk factor for visual problems during later life and that certain visual faculties, such as the intraocular muscles and retinal neurons, are more affected than others. The findings provide evidence in support of public health policies aimed at reducing fetal exposure to smoking by advising both women and their partners to quit smoking during pregnancy.
Danish Rural Eye Study: the association of preschool vision screening with the prevalence of amblyopia
Authors: Høeg Tracy B. , Moldow Birgitte , Ellervik Christina , Klemp Kristian , Erngaard Ditte , la Cour Morten , Buch Helena
Published: December 2014

Purpose

To determine the prevalence of amblyopia in Denmark before and after the initiation of the Danish national preschool vision screening programme.

Methods

In a population‐based cross‐sectional study, 3826 participants of the Danish General Suburban Population Study (GESUS) aged 20 years and older from a Danish rural municipality received a complete general health examination and an ophthalmological interview and examination. This study included a comprehensive ophthalmologic interview, measurement of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in each eye, Hirschberg's test for strabismus and two 45‐degree retinal fundus photographs of each eye. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed when indicated.

Results

The prevalence of monocular visual impairment (MVI) was 4.26% (95% CI, 3.66–4.95, n = 163). Amblyopia was the most common cause, accounting for 33%. The prevalence of amblyopia was 1.44% (95% CI, 1.01–1.81, n = 55), being higher among non‐preschool vision screened persons compared to those who were offered (estimated 95% attendance) preschool vision screening (1.78%, n = 41, 95% CI 1.24–2.33 versus 0.44%, n = 2, 95% CI, 0.12–1.60, p = 0.024). The leading cause of amblyopia was anisometropia (45.5%, 25/55).

Conclusions

Amblyopia was the most common cause of MVI. Following the initiation of the Danish national preschool vision screening programme, which has an approximate attendance rate of 95%, the prevalence of amblyopia decreased by fourfold.
Comparing treatment‐seeking codeine users and strong opioid users: Findings from a novel case series
Authors: Nielsen Suzanne , Murnion Bridin , Dunlop Adrian , Degenhardt Louisa , Demirkol Apo , Muhleisen Peter , Lintzeris Nicholas
Published: December 2014

Introduction and Aims

Few studies have described those seeking treatment for codeine dependence. This study aimed to compare patients presenting for treatment where either codeine or a strong pharmaceutical opioid (oxycodone or morphine) was the principal drug of concern to understand if codeine users may have unique treatment needs.

Design and Methods

Retrospective case review of 135 patients from three geographical areas in New South Wales, Australia. Cases where the principal drug of concern was codeine (n = 53) or a strong pharmaceutical opioid (oxycodone or morphine, n = 82) were compared. Differences in demographic characteristics, pain history, mental health, substance use history and, subsequently, the treatment that was received were examined.

Results

People whose principal drug of concern was codeine were more likely to be female (66% vs. 37%, P < 0.001), employed (43% vs. 22%, P < 0.01) and use only one pharmaceutical opioid (91% vs. 49%, P < 0.001). There was no difference in age between the codeine group (mean 38.6 years) and the strong opioid group (39.3 years). Opioid substitution therapy was the most common treatment received by both groups although codeine patients were more likely to be treated with buprenorphine than methadone (odds ratio = 7.7, 95% confidence interval 2.2–27.2, P < 0.001) and more likely to attempt withdrawal (odds ratio = 2.6, 95% confidence interval 1.2–5.3, P = 0.010).

Discussion and Conclusions

There are important differences between codeine‐dependent patients and strong prescription opioid‐dependent patients. Further work should explore the outcomes of withdrawal versus maintenance treatment for codeine users. [Nielsen S, Murnion B, Dunlop A, Degenhardt L, Demirkol A, Muhleisen P, Lintzeris N. Comparing treatment‐seeking codeine users and strong opioid users: Findings from a novel case series. Drug Alcohol Rev 2014]
Parents' level of support for adults' purchase and consumption of alcohol at primary school events when children are present
Authors: Ward Bernadette , Kippen Rebecca , Buykx Penny , Gilligan Conor , Chapman Kathy
Published: December 2014

Introduction

Environmental and societal factors are significant determinants of children's initiation to and use of alcohol. Schools are important settings for promoting well‐being and substantial resources have been devoted to curriculum‐based alcohol programs, but the effects of these in reducing the misuse of alcohol have been modest. Adults can and do consume alcohol at school events when students are present, but there is a dearth of evidence about parents' level of support for the practice. The aim of this study was to examine parents' level of support for the purchase and consumption of alcohol at primary school fundraising events when children are present.

Methods

Four hundred seventy‐nine Australian parents of children aged 0–12 years participated in an online survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of parent characteristics on the level of agreement with parental purchase and consumption of alcohol at school fundraising events when children are present.

Results

The majority of parents (60%) disagreed/strongly disagreed with the practice of adults being able to purchase and consume alcohol at school fundraising events when children were present. The 21% of parents who supported the practice were more likely to be daily smokers and/or have higher (>6) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test—alcohol consumption scores.

Conclusions

Despite the fact that the majority of parents disagree with this practice, published reports suggest that adults' use of alcohol at primary school events is an emerging issue. It is important that school decision‐makers are mindful of the financial and educational value of fundraising activities. [Ward B, Kippen R, Buykx P, Gilligan C, Chapman K. Parents' level of support for adults' purchase and consumption of alcohol at primary school events when children are present. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;34:202–206]
Becoming a high‐fidelity – super – imitator: what are the contributions of social and individual learning?
Authors: Subiaul Francys , Patterson Eric M. , Schilder Brian , Renner Elizabeth , Barr Rachel
Published: December 2014

In contrast to other primates, human children's imitation performance goes from low to high fidelity soon after infancy. Are such changes associated with the development of other forms of learning? We addressed this question by testing 215 children (26–59 months) on two social conditions (imitation, emulation) – involving a demonstration – and two asocial conditions (trial‐and‐error, recall) – involving individual learning – using two touchscreen tasks. The tasks required responding to either three different pictures in a specific picture order (Cognitive: Airplane→Ball→Cow) or three identical pictures in a specific spatial order (Motor‐Spatial: Up→Down→Right). There were age‐related improvements across all conditions and imitation, emulation and recall performance were significantly better than trial‐and‐error learning. Generalized linear models demonstrated that motor‐spatial imitation fidelity was associated with age and motor‐spatial emulation performance, but cognitive imitation fidelity was only associated with age. While this study provides evidence for multiple imitation mechanisms, the development of one of those mechanisms – motor‐spatial imitation – may be bootstrapped by the development of another social learning skill – motor‐spatial emulation. Together, these findings provide important clues about the development of imitation, which is arguably a distinctive feature of the human species.
Post‐tsunami relocation of fisher settlements in South Asia: evidence from the Coromandel Coast, India
Authors: Bavinck Maarten , de Klerk Leo , van der Plaat Felice , Ravesteijn Jorik , Angel Dominique , Arendsen Hendrik , van Dijk Tom , de Hoog Iris , van Koolwijk Ant , Tuijtel Stijn , Zuurendonk Benjamin
Published: December 2014

The tsunami that struck the coasts of India on 26 December 2004 resulted in the large‐scale destruction of fisher habitations. The post‐tsunami rehabilitation effort in Tamil Nadu was directed towards relocating fisher settlements in the interior. This paper discusses the outcomes of a study on the social effects of relocation in a sample of nine communities along the Coromandel Coast. It concludes that, although the participation of fishing communities in house design and in allocation procedures has been limited, many fisher households are satisfied with the quality of the facilities. The distance of the new settlements to the shore, however, is regarded as an impediment to engaging in the fishing profession, and many fishers are actually moving back to their old locations. This raises questions as to the direction of coastal zone policy in India, as well as to the weight accorded to safety (and other coastal development interests) vis‐à‐vis the livelihood needs of fishers.
Update From Hell
Authors: Cooper James
Published: December 2014

There's a difference between updates that represent true improvement and updates that only function as a way of getting in the customer's face.

In which “iteration” becomes a four‐letter word.
Prescribing Design
Authors: Parker T.J.
Published: December 2014

It was only a matter of imagining himself as one of his customers. And after all, how many of us have been pharmacy customers? It didn't take long to see the flaws in the system, and correct them.

He was studying pharmacy, but design was his avocation. After graduation, he built a business.
Type 2 wide‐field amacrine cells in TH::GFP mice show a homogenous synapse distribution and contact small ganglion cells
Authors: Brüggen Bianca , Meyer Arndt , Boven Franziska , Weiler Reto , Dedek Karin
Published: December 2014

In vertebrate retinas, wide‐field amacrine cells represent a diverse class of interneurons, important for the extraction of selective features, like motion or objects, from the visual scene. Most types of wide‐field amacrine cells lack dedicated output processes, whereas some types spatially segregate outputs from inputs. In the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)::green fluorescent protein (GFP) mouse line, two types of GFP‐expressing wide‐field amacrine cells have been described: dopaminergic type 1 and γ‐aminobutyric acid‐ergic type 2 cells (TH2). TH2 cells possess short and long radial processes stratifying in the middle of the inner plexiform layer, where they collect excitatory and inhibitory inputs from bipolar cells and other amacrine cells, respectively. Although it was shown that these inputs lead to ON–OFF light responses, their spatial distribution along TH2 cell processes is unknown. Also, the postsynaptic targets of TH2 cells have not been identified so far. Here, we analysed the synapse distribution of these cells in TH::GFP mice and show that they form a weakly coupled network. Electrical synapses (made of connexin36) and chemical (excitatory and inhibitory) synapses are uniformly distributed along TH2 dendrites, independent of dendrite length or distance from soma. Moreover, we reveal that TH2 cells contact at least two types of small ganglion cells; one of them is the W3 cell, a ganglion cell sensitive to object motion. Contacts were often associated with markers of inhibitory synapses. Thus, TH2 wide‐field amacrine cells likely provide postsynaptic inhibition to W3 ganglion cells and may contribute to object‐motion detection in the mouse retina.
Covariate Measurement Error Correction for Student Growth Percentiles Using the SIMEX Method
Authors: Shang Yi , VanIwaarden Adam , Betebenner Damian W.
Published: December 2014

In this study, we examined the impact of covariate measurement error (ME) on the estimation of quantile regression and student growth percentiles (SGPs), and find that SGPs tend to be overestimated among students with higher prior achievement and underestimated among those with lower prior achievement, a problem we describe as ME endogeneity in this article. We proceeded to assess the effect of covariate ME correction on SGP estimation at two levels—the individual (student) and the aggregate (classroom). Our ME correction approach was limited to the simulation‐extrapolation method known as SIMEX. For both the individual and aggregate SGP, we find SIMEX effective in bias reduction. Further, because SIMEX is especially effective in reducing SGP bias for students with very high or very low prior achievement, it significantly weakens the ME endogeneity. SIMEX is also effective in reducing the MSE of aggregate SGP, provided that the students are sorted to some extent on their latent prior achievement. Our empirical study confirms the pattern of the simulation results: SIMEX mainly affects the mean SGP of classes in the highest and lowest quintiles of the prior score distribution, and significantly lowers the correlation between class SGP and prior achievement.