bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Broadband optical mammography instrument for depth-resolved imaging and local dynamic measurements
Authors: Krishnamurthy Nishanth , Kainerstorfer Jana M. , Sassaroli Angelo , Anderson Pamela G. , Fantini Sergio
Published: February 2016

We present a continuous-wave instrument for non-invasive diffuse optical imaging of the breast in a parallel-plate transmission geometry. The instrument measures continuous spectra in the wavelength range 650–1000 nm, with an intensity noise level <1.5% and a spatial sampling rate of 5 points/cm in the x- and y-directions. We collect the optical transmission at four locations, one collinear and three offset with respect to the illumination optical fiber, to recover the depth of optical inhomogeneities in the tissue. We imaged a tissue-like, breast shaped, silicone phantom (6 cm thick) with two embedded absorbing structures: a black circle (1.7 cm in diameter) and a black stripe (3 mm wide), designed to mimic a tumor and a blood vessel, respectively. The use of a spatially multiplexed detection scheme allows for the generation of on-axis and off-axis projection images simultaneously, as opposed to requiring multiple scans, thus decreasing scan-time and motion artifacts. This technique localizes detected inhomogeneities in 3D and accurately assigns their depth to within 1 mm in the ideal conditions of otherwise homogeneous tissue-like phantoms. We also measured induced hemodynamic changes in the breast of a healthy human subject at a selected location (no scanning). We applied a cyclic, arterial blood pressure perturbation by alternating inflation (to a pressure of 200 mmHg) and deflation of a pneumatic cuff around the subject’s thigh at a frequency of 0.05 Hz, and measured oscillations with amplitudes up to 1 μM and 0.2 μM in the tissue concentrations of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, respectively. These hemodynamic oscillations provide information about the vascular structure and functional integrity in tissue, and may be used to assess healthy or abnormal perfusion in a clinical setting.
Response and representation of ductile damage under varying shock loading conditions in tantalum
Authors: Bronkhorst C. A. , Gray G. T. , Addessio F. L. , Livescu V. , Bourne N. K. , McDonald S. A. , Withers P. J.
Published: February 2016

The response of polycrystalline metals, which possess adequate mechanisms for plastic deformation under extreme loading conditions, is often accompanied by the formation of pores within the structure of the material. This large deformation process is broadly identified as progressive with nucleation, growth, coalescence, and failure the physical path taken over very short periods of time. These are well known to be complex processes strongly influenced by microstructure, loading path, and the loading profile, which remains a significant challenge to represent and predict numerically. In the current study, the influence of loading path on the damage evolution in high-purity tantalum is presented. Tantalum samples were shock loaded to three different peak shock stresses using both symmetric impact, and two different composite flyer plate configurations such that upon unloading the three samples displayed nearly identical “pull-back” signals as measured via rear-surface velocimetry. While the “pull-back” signals observed were found to be similar in magnitude, the sample loaded to the highest peak stress nucleated a connected field of ductile fracture which resulted in complete separation, while the two lower peak stresses resulted in incipient damage. The damage evolution in the “soft” recovered tantalum samples was quantified using optical metallography, electron-back-scatter diffraction, and tomography. These experiments are examined numerically through the use of a model for shock-induced porosity evolution during damage. The model is shown to describe the response of the tantalum reasonably well under strongly loaded conditions but less well in the nucleation dominated regime. Numerical results are also presented as a function of computational mesh density and discussed in the context of improved representation of the influence of material structure upon macro-scale models of ductile damage.
Nuclear magnetic relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism: General theory with applications to two-spin systems
Authors: Chang Zhiwei , Halle Bertil
Published: February 2016

In aqueous systems with immobilized macromolecules, including biological tissue, the longitudinal spin relaxation of water protons is primarily induced by exchange-mediated orientational randomization (EMOR) of intra- and intermolecular magnetic dipole-dipole couplings. We have embarked on a systematic program to develop, from the stochastic Liouville equation, a general and rigorous theory that can describe relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism over the full range of exchange rates, dipole coupling strengths, and Larmor frequencies. Here, we present a general theoretical framework applicable to spin systems of arbitrary size with symmetric or asymmetric exchange. So far, the dipolar EMOR theory is only available for a two-spin system with symmetric exchange. Asymmetric exchange, when the spin system is fragmented by the exchange, introduces new and unexpected phenomena. Notably, the anisotropic dipole couplings of non-exchanging spins break the axial symmetry in spin Liouville space, thereby opening up new relaxation channels in the locally anisotropic sites, including longitudinal-transverse cross relaxation. Such cross-mode relaxation operates only at low fields; at higher fields it becomes nonsecular, leading to an unusual inverted relaxation dispersion that splits the extreme-narrowing regime into two sub-regimes. The general dipolar EMOR theory is illustrated here by a detailed analysis of the asymmetric two-spin case, for which we present relaxation dispersion profiles over a wide range of conditions as well as analytical results for integral relaxation rates and time-dependent spin modes in the zero-field and motional-narrowing regimes. The general theoretical framework presented here will enable a quantitative analysis of frequency-dependent water-proton longitudinal relaxation in model systems with immobilized macromolecules and, ultimately, will provide a rigorous link between relaxation-based magnetic resonance image contrast and molecular parameters.
Optical transparency of paper as a function of moisture content with applications to moisture measurement
Authors: Forughi A. F. , Green S. I. , Stoeber B.
Published: February 2016

Accurate measurement of the moisture content of paper is essential in papermaking and is also important in some paper-based microfluidic devices. Traditional measurement techniques provide very limited spatiotemporal resolution and working range. This article presents a novel method for moisture content measurement whose operating principle is the strong correlation between the optical transparency of paper and its moisture content. Spectrographic and microscopic measurement techniques were employed to characterize the relation of moisture content and relative transparency of four types of paper: hardwood chemi-thermomechanical pulp paper, Northern bleached softwood kraft paper, unbleached softwood kraft paper, and General Electric® Whatman™ grade 1 chromatography paper. It was found that for all paper types, the paper transparency increased monotonically with the moisture content (as the ratio of the mass-of-water to the mass-of-dry-paper increased from 0% to 120%). This significant increase in relative transparency occurred due to the refractive index matching role of water in wet paper. It is further shown that mechanical loading of the paper has little impact on the relative transparency, for loadings that would be typical on a paper machine. The results of two transient water absorption experiments are presented that show the utility and accuracy of the technique.
Simulation of a low magnetic field relativistic backward wave oscillator with single mode structure
Authors: Li Xiaoze , Song Wei , Tan Weibing , Zhang Ligang , Zhu Xiaoxin , Hu Xianggang , Shen Zhiyuan , Ning Qi , Liang Xu
Published: February 2016

A low magnetic field relativistic backward wave oscillator with single mode structure is presented. Particle-in-cell simulation results show that 1.25 GW output power with 37% efficiency is generated under 0.88 T. The mode purity of the output signal is high because higher modes are cut off by the structure. According to the analytical results, the influence of bombardment of electrons on the surface of the slow wave structures is minor. A modulation cavity is adopted to enhance beam-wave interaction and realize mechanical frequency tunability. The power capacity is increased though redistribution of electric field. The computational results indicate that the device with a single mode structure is a competitive candidate for devices working at low magnetic field especially for devices focused with permanent magnet.
Analytical model for thermal boundary conductance and equilibrium thermal accommodation coefficient at solid/gas interfaces
Authors: Giri Ashutosh , Hopkins Patrick E.
Published: February 2016

We develop an analytical model for the thermal boundary conductance between a solid and a gas. By considering the thermal fluxes in the solid and the gas, we describe the transmission of energy across the solid/gas interface with diffuse mismatch theory. From the predicted thermal boundary conductances across solid/gas interfaces, the equilibrium thermal accommodation coefficient is determined and compared to predictions from molecular dynamics simulations on the model solid-gas systems. We show that our model is applicable for modeling the thermal accommodation of gases on solid surfaces at non-cryogenic temperatures and relatively strong solid-gas interactions (εsf ≳ kBT).
High brightness field emission from printed carbon nanotubes in an S-band microwave gun
Authors: Wang Qilong , Li Xiangkun , Di Yusong , Yu Cairu , Zhang Xiaobing , Li Ming , Lei Wei
Published: February 2016

Printed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were applied as cold cathode and placed into an S-band microwave gun operating at 2856 MHz with the pulse duration of 2.8 μs. High brightness field emission was demonstrated and the current density achieves the value more than 4.2 A/cm2. The emittance of field emission beam is calculated to be nearly 21 μm based on the beam profile of emission electrons monitored via yttrium aluminum garnet screen. The infrared image of printed CNTs confirms that the emitters in the center contributed more electrons and the heat generated during the large current density field emission. The results in the paper imply that randomly distributed printed CNTs have the potential to be applied as the high brightness electron sources for free electron lasers.
Dynamics of water confined in lyotropic liquid crystals: Molecular dynamics simulations of the dynamic structure factor
Authors: Mantha Sriteja , Yethiraj Arun
Published: February 2016

The properties of water under confinement are of practical and fundamental interest. In this work, we study the properties of water in the self-assembled lyotropic phases of Gemini surfactants with a focus on testing the standard analysis of quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) experiments. In QENS experiments, the dynamic structure factor is measured and fit to models to extract the translational diffusion constant, DT, and rotational relaxation time, τR. We test this procedure by using simulation results for the dynamic structure factor, extracting the dynamic parameters from the fit as is typically done in experiments, and comparing the values to those directly measured in the simulations. We find that the de-coupling approximation, where the intermediate scattering function is assumed to be a product of translational and rotational contributions, is quite accurate. The jump-diffusion and isotropic rotation models, however, are not accurate when the degree of confinement is high. In particular, the exponential approximations for the intermediate scattering function fail for highly confined water and the values of DT and τR can differ from the measured value by as much as a factor of two. Other models have more fit parameters, however, and with the range of energies and wave-vectors accessible to QENS, the typical analysis appears to be the best choice. In the most confined lamellar phase, the dynamics are sufficiently slow that QENS does not access a large enough time scale.
Oblique propagation of low frequency nonlinear waves in an electron depleted magnetized plasma with positive and negative dust
Authors: Mobarak Hossen M. , Alam M. S. , Sultana S. , Mamun A. A.
Published: February 2016

A rigorous theoretical investigation has been carried out to study the properties of obliquely propagating dust-acoustic (DA) waves in an electron depleted magnetized dusty plasma system containing nonextensive q-distributed ions and mobile positively charged, as well as negatively charged dust particles. The reductive perturbation technique is employed to derive the modified Korteweg-de Vries (mK-dV) equation to analyze solitary waves (SWs) and the standard Gardner (SG) equation to analyze SWs and double layers (DLs) solution. The basic features (viz., amplitude, polarity, speed, width, etc.) of the DA mK-dV SWs, SG SWs, and DLs are examined. The comparison between mK-dV SWs and SG SWs is also made. It is seen that the amplitude, polarity, speed, width of such DA SWs, and DLs are significantly modified by the presence of nonextensive ions, external magnetic field, and obliquity angle (the angle between the external magnetic field and wave propagation). The results of our present investigation may be useful for understanding the nonlinear wave propagation in various interstellar space plasma environments where positive and negative dust particles are available.
Screening out the non-Arrhenius behaviour of nematic-isotropic transition by room temperature ionic liquid
Authors: Dan K. , Datta A. , Yoshida Y. , Saito G. , Yoshikawa K. , Roy M.
Published: February 2016

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and optical polarization microscopy of a mixture of the liquid crystalline material (N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline, MBBA) and a Fe-based room temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate ([Emim]+ [FeCl4]−, EMIF) indicate a decrease in the nematic-isotropic (N-I) phase transition temperature (TNI) with an increase in EMIF concentration, explained by a proposed model of Coulomb “screening” of MBBA quadrupoles by the EMIF ions along with ionic “self screening.” DSC studies of EMIF-MBBA and pure EMIF and comparison with pure MBBA results show that the major transitions in pure EMIF have Arrhenius behaviour, but more importantly the previously found convex Arrhenius behaviour of the pristine MBBA [K. Dan et al., Europhys. Lett. 108, 36007 (2014)] becomes Arrhenius in the mixture, indicating a conversion of the entropic N-I activation barrier to an enthalpic one. In presence of EMIF, a drastic decrease in the intensity of out-of-plane distortions of benzene rings in MBBA is found from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, consistent with significant reduction in the conformational states of MBBA. This suppression of large amplitude motion is again consistent with a Coulomb screening and gives a molecular basis for the entropic-to-enthalpic conversion of the N-I activation barrier.
The effects of grain size and grain boundary characteristics on the thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline diamond
Authors: Spiteri David , Anaya Julian , Kuball Martin
Published: February 2016

Molecular dynamics simulation was used to study the effects of each grain dimension and of grain boundary characteristics on the inter-grain thermal boundary resistance (TBR) and intragrain thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline diamond. The effect of the grain boundaries perpendicular to the heat flow was studied using a multiple slab configuration, which greatly reduced the artifacts associated with the heat source/sink. The TBR between the slabs was found to be more sensitive to the atomic arrangement at the boundary than to the tilt angle between the slabs. When the atomic arrangement at the interface was altered from the minimum energy configuration, the TBR increased by a factor of three, suggesting that a sub-optimal interface quality between the grains could play a large role in reducing the thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline diamond. The thermal conductivity between the boundaries was found to be similar to the bulk value, even when the boundaries were only 25 nm apart. The effect of grain boundaries parallel to the heat flow was found to have a large dependence on the microstructural details. Parallel boundaries which were 2 nm apart reduced the thermal conductivity of defect-free diamond by between one third and a factor of ten.
Detailed model for hot-dense aluminum plasmas generated by an x-ray free electron laser
Authors: Ciricosta O. , Vinko S. M. , Chung H.-K. , Jackson C. , Lee R. W. , Preston T. R. , Rackstraw D. S. , Wark J. S.
Published: February 2016

The possibility of creating hot-dense plasma samples by isochoric heating of solid targets with high-intensity femtosecond X-ray lasers has opened up new opportunities in the experimental study of such systems. A study of the X-ray spectra emitted from solid density plasmas has provided significant insight into the X-ray absorption mechanisms, subsequent target heating, and the conditions of temperature, electron density, and ionization stages produced (Vinko et al., Nature 482, 59–62 (2012)). Furthermore, detailed analysis of the spectra has provided new information on the degree of ionization potential depression in these strongly coupled plasmas (Ciricosta et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 065002 (2012)). Excellent agreement between experimental and simulated spectra has been obtained, but a full outline of the procedure by which this has been achieved has yet to be documented. We present here the details and approximations concerning the modelling of the experiment described in the above referenced work. We show that it is crucial to take into account the spatial and temporal gradients in simulating the overall emission spectra, and discuss how aspects of the model used affect the interpretation of the data in terms of charge-resolved measurements of the ionization potential depression.
Superparamagnetic nanoparticles encapsulated in lipid vesicles for advanced magnetic hyperthermia and biodetection
Authors: Alonso Javier , Khurshid Hafsa , Devkota Jagannath , Nemati Zohreh , Khadka Nawal K. , Srikanth Hariharan , Pan Jianjun , Phan Manh-Huong
Published: February 2016

A multifunctional nanocomposite formed by superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles of 12.8 ± 1.7 nm diameter encapsulated in lipid unilamellar vesicles (i.e., magnetoliposomes) was prepared using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The quality of the synthesized nanoparticles was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements. Using a modified Langevin model, we analyzed the magnetic measurement data. We found that the SEC prepared magnetoliposomes possess superparamagnetic characteristics. We also performed calorimetric based magnetic hyperthermia measurement to quantify field dependent heating efficiency of the obtained magnetoliposomes. A heating efficiency of ∼160 W/g at 800 Oe and 310 kHz was obtained. Finally, we used magnetoreactance-based biodetection to explore the effect of magnetoliposomes on magneto-impedance (MI) and magneto-reactance (MX) ratios. Compared to pure vesicles, magnetoliposomes were found to increase the MI and MX ratios by ∼1.0% and 4.5%, respectively. Together, our magnetic hyperthermia and magneto-detection measurements indicate that our SEC prepared magnetoliposomes exhibit good qualities for hyperthermia and biosensing applications.
Microstructural heterogeneity perspective on the yield strength of metallic glasses
Authors: Cao X. F. , Gao M. , Zhao L. Z. , Wang W. H. , Bai H. Y.
Published: February 2016

We report an intrinsic universal correlation between yielding and dynamic activation of flow units in various metallic glasses, analogous to yielding in crystalline materials accompanied by activation of structural defects of dislocation. A transition point of yield strength when test temperature reaches a critical value is observed, and the evolution of the yield strength corresponds well to the evolution of activation energy and fraction of flow units with temperature, indicating the correlation between yield strength and intrinsic structural heterogeneity in glasses. We propose a model based on the flow units to understand the structural origin of yielding phenomenon and the nature of the yield strength.
Trimeric metasurfaces for independent control of bright and dark modes of Fano resonances
Authors: Deng Zi-Lan , Fu Tao , Ouyang Zhengbiao , Wang Guo Ping
Published: February 2016

In this paper, we present a simple trimeric metasurface consisting of three dipolar resonators in each unit cell, to achieve the independent controlling over both the broad bright mode and the sharp dark mode of Fano resonances. Through both the finite difference time domain simulation and microwave experiment, we find that spectral positions of the bright and dark modes are linearly dependent on, respectively, the global spacing between adjacent unit cells and the local spacing between adjacent dipoles within each unit cell. The dependence of the spectral position of bright (dark) mode on the global (local) spacing is independent without mutual influence, which provides a facile pathway to control the Fano resonance with large flexibility. Our proposed scheme to control Fano resonance is highly desired in various fields including lasing spaser and biosensing with improved performance.
Gradual improvements of charge carrier mobility at ionic liquid/rubrene single crystal interfaces
Authors: Yokota Yasuyuki , Hara Hisaya , Morino Yusuke , Bando Ken-ichi , Ono Sakurako , Imanishi Akihito , Okada Yugo , Matsui Hiroyuki , Uemura Takafumi , Takeya Jun , Fukui Ken-ichi
Published: February 2016

We report evolution of electric characteristics of an electric double layer field-effect transistor based on the ionic liquid/rubrene single crystal interfaces. In contrast to usual devices, the field effect mobility was found to gradually increase with time for a day, followed by minor long-term fluctuations. Although the details of the evolution were somewhat device dependent, the final values of the mobility turned out to be 3–4 times larger irrespective of the initial values. These observations are explained by the evolution of the flat interface by defect-induced spontaneous dissolution of rubrene molecules at the ionic liquid/rubrene single crystal interfaces, revealed by frequency modulation atomic force microscopy.
Super-resolution ultrasonic imaging of stiffness variations on a microscale active metasurface
Authors: Lani Shane , Sabra Karim G. , Degertekin F. Levent
Published: February 2016

Surface acoustic waves propagating over an immersed membrane metasurface, such as an array of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers, can be leveraged to achieve subwavelength focusing and imaging. This is demonstrated numerically and experimentally utilizing a time reversal method on a 2D membrane array at MHz frequencies. The focusing region is a dense metasurface of CMUT membranes with 6.5 MHz resonance frequency that supports a wave field that is evanescent normal to the metasurface and capable of super-resolution along the metasurface. Electrostatically actuated membranes, spatially separate from the focusing region, are used to generate the focused wave field. Subwavelength focusing is demonstrated on the metasurface with a resolution of a single membrane resonator or λ/5. Similar techniques allow for super-resolution imaging of a subwavelength defect or change in the medium of the focusing region. A subwavelength sized imaging target, obtained by altering the stiffness of a single membrane by 1.2%, is shown to be properly imaged with subwavelength resolution. These results pave the way for practical implementation of ultrasonic super-resolution imaging systems using metasurfaces.
First-principles prediction of the deformation modes in austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni alloys
Authors: Li Wei , Lu Song , Kim Dongyoo , Kokko Kalevi , Hertzman Staffan , Kwon Se Kyun , Vitos Levente
Published: February 2016

First-principles alloy theory is used to establish the γ-surface of Fe-Cr-Ni alloys as function of chemical composition and temperature. The theoretical stacking fault energy (SFE) versus chemistry and temperature trends agree well with experiments. Combining our results with the recent plasticity theory based on the γ-surface, the stacking fault formation is predicted to be the leading deformation mechanism for alloys with effective stacking fault energy below ∼18 mJ m−2. Alloys with SFE above this critical value show both twinning and full slip at room temperature. Interestingly, twinning remains a possible deformation mode in addition to full slip even at elevated temperatures, in line with observations.
Synchronization of two memristively coupled van der Pol oscillators
Authors: Ignatov M. , Hansen M. , Ziegler M. , Kohlstedt H.
Published: February 2016

The objective of this letter is to convey two essential principles of biological computing—synchronization and memory—in an electronic circuit with two van der Pol (vdP) oscillators coupled via a memristive device. The coupling was mediated by connecting the gate terminals of two programmable unijunction transistors through a resistance-capacitance network comprising an Ag-TiOx-Al memristive device. In the high resistance state the memristance was in the order of MΩ, which leads to two independent self-sustained oscillators characterized by the different frequencies f1 and f2 and no phase relation between the oscillations. Depending on the mediated pulse amplitude, the memristive device switched to the low resistance state after a few cycles and a frequency adaptation and phase locking were observed. The experimental results are underlined by theoretically considering a system of two coupled vdP equations. This experiment may pave the way to larger neuromorphic networks in which the coupling parameters (through memristive devices) can vary in time and strength and are able to remember the history of applied electrical potentials.
Polarity of pulsed laser deposited ZnO nanostructures
Authors: Käbisch Sven , Timpel Melanie , Kirmse Holm , Gluba Marc A. , Koch Norbert , Nickel Norbert H.
Published: February 2016

ZnO nanostructures were grown by pulsed laser deposition on planar ZnO with different surface polarities. While for planar layers of pulsed laser deposited ZnO polarity control is feasible, the polarity relation of ZnO nanostructures to their substrate layers is not yet investigated. Depending on the polarity of the nucleation layer, two distinct morphologies were found, namely, nanorods on O-polar and nanowalls on Zn-polar ZnO. Convergent beam electron diffraction was performed to reveal the polarity of the ZnO nanostructures. The evolution of ZnO nanostructures is described in terms of a growth rate and a surface diffusion model.
Optimization of thermoelectric properties in n-type SnSe doped with BiCl3
Authors: Wang Xue , Xu Jingtao , Liu Guoqiang , Fu Yajie , Liu Zhu , Tan Xiaojian , Shao Hezhu , Jiang Haochuan , Tan Tianya , Jiang Jun
Published: February 2016

N-type SnSe compound has been synthesized through melting with spark plasma sintering. By doping BiCl3, the carrier concentration of SnSe is significantly increased, leading to a large enhancement of electrical conductivity. Meanwhile, the SnSe0.95-BiCl3 samples also exhibit higher Seebeck coefficient and lower lattice thermal conductivity, compared with polycrystalline SnSe. Consequently, a high power factor of ∼5 μW cm−1 K−2 and a ZT of 0.7 have been achieved at 793 K. The synergistic roles of BiCl3 doping in SnSe provide many opportunities in the optimization of n-type SnSe materials.
Note: Photopyroelectric measurement of thermal effusivity of transparent liquids by a method free of fitting procedures
Authors: Ivanov R. , Marín E. , Villa J. , Hernández Aguilar C. , Domínguez Pacheco A. , Hernández Garrido S.
Published: February 2016

In a recent paper published in this journal [R. Ivanov et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 064902 (2015)], a methodology free of fitting procedures for determining the thermal effusivity of liquids using the electropyroelectric technique was reported. Here the same measurement principle is extended to the well-known photopyroelectric technique. The theoretical basis and experimental basis of the method are presented and its usefulness is demonstrated with measurements on test samples.
Preparation of L11-CoPt/MgO/L11-CoPt tri-layer film on Ru(0001) underlayer
Authors: Ohtake Mitsuru , Suzuki Daisuke , Futamoto Masaaki , Kirino Fumiyoshi , Inaba Nobuyuki
Published: February 2016

A CoPt/MgO/CoPt tri-layer film is prepared on an Ru(0001) single-crystal underlayer at 300 °C by ultra-high vacuum magnetron sputtering. The growth behavior and the crystallographic properties are investigated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. A fully epitaxial CoPt/MgO/CoPt film is formed on the Ru underlayer. The lower CoPt, the MgO, and the upper CoPt layers consist of two (111) variants whose atomic stacking sequences of close-packed plane along the perpendicular direction are ABCABC... and ACBACB... The lower and the upper CoPt layers involve metastable L11 structure, whereas the crystal structure of MgO layer is B1. Flat and atomically sharp interfaces are formed between the layers. The tri-layer film shows a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy reflecting the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of L11 crystal. The present study shows that an epitaxial L11-CoPt/MgO/L11-CoPt tri-layer film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy can be formed by using a low substrate temperature of 300 °C.
Composition of more specialised pre-starter and starter diets for young broiler chickens: a review
Authors: Barekatain M. R. , Swick R. A.
Published: February 2016

The broiler industry has experienced remarkable improvements in productivity owing to high priority placed on genetic programming, nutrition and management practices. Nutrition of the meat chicken is driven by the need to satisfy the constantly increasing genetic potential, resulting in the shortening of the rearing time required to get the bird to market weight. The concept of feeding broilers a more specialised pre-starter diet for the first 10–14 days of age is gaining interest, as this now accounts for more than 20% of the time for grow-out. Specialised diets may be formulated to be highly digestible or aim to provide specific nutrients at a higher level to meet nutritional requirements of the bird. The effectiveness of specifically formulated pre-starter or starter diets depends on potential carryover effect to increase the bird performance up to the market age. There is evidence that some nutrient requirements of birds, digestible amino acids in particular, in the first 10 days of life may be higher than the current industry recommendation. Among cereals, rice with its lower non-starch polysaccharide content may be a better cereal for pre-starter diets than are corn or wheat. Inclusion of fibrous ingredients in low-fibre diets of young broilers may also stimulate gut development and enhance nutrient utilisation, leading to improved bird performance. There are inconsistencies in responses to various feed additives tested specifically for pre-starter diets of broilers. Finally, with an increasing demand for removal of antibiotic growth promoters from all broiler feeds, focus on formulations to ensure sustainable growth at start will gain importance.
Changes in feed intake during isolation stress in respiration chambers may impact methane emissions assessment
Authors: Llonch Pol , Troy Shane M. , Duthie Carol-Anne , Somarriba Miguel , Rooke John , Haskell Marie J. , Roehe Rainer , Turner Simon P.
Published: February 2016

Respiration chambers are considered the ‘gold standard’ technique for measuring in vivo methane (CH4) emissions in live animals. However, the imposed isolation required may alter feeding behaviour and intake, which ultimately impact CH4 emissions. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of isolation within respiration chambers on feed intake and CH4 emissions with two different diets and breeds of beef cattle. In addition, a routine stressor (transport) was used to examine the relationship between individual stress responsiveness and changes in feed intake during isolation. Eighty-four steers (castrated males) (569 ± 5.7 kg bodyweight, BW) were divided into two groups and each group fed with one of two basal diets consisting of (g/kg dry matter, DM) either 50 : 50 (Mixed) or 8 : 92 (Concentrate) forage to concentrate ratios. Within each basal diet there were three supplementation treatments: (1) control, (2) calcium nitrate, and (3) rapeseed cake. The stress biomarkers plasma cortisol, creatine kinase (CK), and free fatty acids (FFA) were determined before (0 h) and after (30 min, 3 h, 6 h and 9 h) a 30-min journey, when steers were transported to the respiration chamber facilities. Methane emissions were measured over a 3-day period using individual respiration chambers. Dry matter intake (DMI) was assessed within the group-housed pens (4 weeks before entry to training pen), in the training pens and the chambers. Cortisol, FFA and CK increased (P < 0.05) after transport confirming a stress response. DMI (g/kg BW) decreased (P < 0.001) during isolation in the training pens (14.7 ± 0.28) and the chambers (14.3 ± 0.26) compared with that of the same animals in the group pens (16.8 ± 0.23). DMI during isolation decreased more in those animals which had an increased (P < 0.05) stress response during transport as measured by cortisol, FFA and CK. With the Mixed diet, the decline in DMI was estimated to result in an increase in CH4 (g/kg DMI) (r = 0.25, P = 0.001), which did not occur with the Concentrate diet. According to the results of this experiment, the stress associated with isolation reduces the DMI resulting in an increase in g CH4/kg DMI in fibrous diets. Habituation to isolation needs refinement in order to reduce the impact of stress on intake and therefore achieve more accurate estimates of CH4 emissions. Alternatively, modelling CH4 estimations according to behavioural and physiological changes associated with isolation stress would improve accuracy of CH4 estimations.
ATP binding by the P-loop NTPase OsYchF1 (an unconventional G protein) contributes to biotic but not abiotic stress responses
Authors: Cheung Ming-Yan , Li Xiaorong , Miao Rui , Fong Yu-Hang , Li Kwan-Pok , Yung Yuk-Lin , Yu Mei-Hui , Wong Kam-Bo , Chen Zhongzhou , Lam Hon-Ming
Published: February 2016

Significance

Among all regular nucleotides, GTP is commonly regarded as the sole signaling ligand associated with G proteins. However, the ability of the YchF subfamily (an unconventional G protein) to bind and hydrolyze both GTP and ATP poses a major question on the role of ATP binding. Through X-ray crystallography, we showed the different specific conformational changes caused by the binding of OsYchF1 to ATP versus GTP. A mutation that precludes the binding/hydrolysis of ATP also prevents OsYchF1 from functioning as a negative regulator of plant defense responses, demonstrating the specific role of ATP-binding/hydrolysis in disease resistance. This discovery will have a significant impact on our understanding of the structure–function relationships of the YchF subfamily of G proteins in all kingdoms of life.
FOXC1 maintains the hair follicle stem cell niche and governs stem cell quiescence to preserve long-term tissue-regenerating potential
Authors: Lay Kenneth , Kume Tsutomu , Fuchs Elaine
Published: February 2016

Significance

Stem cells (SCs) of the hair follicle (HF) undergo cyclical bouts of activity during which hair regeneration occurs. They reside in a specialized niche, the bulge, which confers upon them extended periods of quiescence. Here, we identify Forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) as a key transcriptional regulator of HFSC activity and bulge maintenance. Loss of FOXC1 reduces the threshold for HFSC activation, causing excessive HFSC usage and dramatically shortening periods between hair growth cycles. Additionally, signs of weakened cellular junctions are seen within the niche, resulting in mechanically induced, premature loss of established hairs along with some SCs. The consequences of these defects are dire for aging animals, which display diminished HFSC niches and a sparse hair coat.
Spatial language and converseness
Authors: Burigo Michele , Coventry Kenny R. , Cangelosi Angelo , Lynott Dermot
Published: February 2016

Typical spatial language sentences consist of describing the location of an object (the located object) in relation to another object (the reference object) as in “The book is above the vase”. While it has been suggested that the properties of the located object (the book) are not translated into language because they are irrelevant when exchanging location information, it has been shown that the orientation of the located object affects the production and comprehension of spatial descriptions. In line with the claim that spatial language apprehension involves inferences about relations that hold between objects it has been suggested that during spatial language apprehension people use the orientation of the located object to evaluate whether the logical property of converseness (e.g., if “the book is above the vase” is true, then also “the vase is below the book” must be true) holds across the objects’ spatial relation. In three experiments using sentence acceptability rating tasks we tested this hypothesis and demonstrated that when converseness is violated people's acceptability ratings of a scene's description are reduced indicating that people do take into account geometric properties of the located object and use it to infer logical spatial relations.
Cooperative cell motility during tandem locomotion of amoeboid cells
Authors: Bastounis Effie , Álvarez-González Begoña , del Álamo Juan C. , Lasheras Juan C. , Firtel Richard A.
Published: February 2016

Streams of migratory cells are initiated by the formation of tandem pairs of cells connected head to tail to which other cells subsequently adhere. The mechanisms regulating the transition from single to streaming cell migration remain elusive, although several molecules have been suggested to be involved. In this work, we investigate the mechanics of the locomotion of Dictyostelium tandem pairs by analyzing the spatiotemporal evolution of their traction adhesions (TAs). We find that in migrating wild-type tandem pairs, each cell exerts traction forces on stationary sites (∼80% of the time), and the trailing cell reuses the location of the TAs of the leading cell. Both leading and trailing cells form contractile dipoles and synchronize the formation of new frontal TAs with ∼54-s time delay. Cells not expressing the lectin discoidin I or moving on discoidin I–coated substrata form fewer tandems, but the trailing cell still reuses the locations of the TAs of the leading cell, suggesting that discoidin I is not responsible for a possible chemically driven synchronization process. The migration dynamics of the tandems indicate that their TAs’ reuse results from the mechanical synchronization of the leading and trailing cells’ protrusions and retractions (motility cycles) aided by the cell–cell adhesions.
An improved smaller biotin ligase for BioID proximity labeling
Authors: Kim Dae In , Jensen Samuel C. , Noble Kyle A. , KC Birendra , Roux Kenneth H. , Motamedchaboki Khatereh , Roux Kyle J.
Published: February 2016

The BioID method uses a promiscuous biotin ligase to detect protein–protein associations as well as proximate proteins in living cells. Here we report improvements to the BioID method centered on BioID2, a substantially smaller promiscuous biotin ligase. BioID2 enables more-selective targeting of fusion proteins, requires less biotin supplementation, and exhibits enhanced labeling of proximate proteins. Thus BioID2 improves the efficiency of screening for protein–protein associations. We also demonstrate that the biotinylation range of BioID2 can be considerably modulated using flexible linkers, thus enabling application-specific adjustment of the biotin-labeling radius.
Diet of the Assamese macaque Macaca assamensis in limestone habitats of Nonggang, China
Authors: Zhou Qihai , Wei Hua , Huang Zhonghao , Huang Chengming
Published: February 2016

To enhance our understanding of dietary adaptations in macaques we studied the diet of the Assamese macaque Macaca assamensis in limestone seasonal rain forests at Nonggang Nature Reserve, China from September 2005 to August 2006. Our results show that although macaques fed on many plant species, 85.2% of the diet came from only 12 species, of which a bamboo species, Indocalamus calcicolus contributed to 62% of the diet. Young leaves were staple food items (74.1% of the diet) for Assamese macaques at Nonggang, and constituted the bulk of monthly diets almost year-round, ranging from 44.9% (July) to 92.9% (May). Young parts of Indocalamus calcicolus unexpanded leaves contributed to a large proportion of the young leaf diet in most months. Fruit accounted for only 17.4% of the diet, with a peak of consumption in July. We suggest that this highly folivorous diet may be related to the long lean season of fruit availability in limestone habitats as well as the utilization of cliffs of low fruit availability.
Take only pictures, leave only...fear? The effects of photography on the West Indian anole Anolis cristatellus
Authors: Huang Brian , Lubarsky Katie , Teng Tiffany , Blumstein Daniel T.
Published: February 2016

Ecotourism encourages an environmentally friendly exploration of the world's natural habitats. Tourists often engage in wildlife photography, an activity that is generally not considered disturbing to animals. We investigated the effects of camera-related stimuli to determine whether shutter noise and/or flash affected the immediate behavior of female crested anoles Anolis cristaellus. Anoles decreased their display rate following stimuli that included shutter noises, but did not change their behavior in response to flash or silence treatments. To determine the relative importance of this response, we observed anole behavior following playbacks of calls from kestrels Falco sparverius, a predator, and bananaquits Coereba flaveola, a non-predator. Anoles decreased display rates following kestrel calls when compared to their response to bananaquit calls. Furthermore, anoles spent a greater proportion of time displaying following bananaquit calls compared to both kestrel calls and silence. The magnitude of response to shutter noises was about the same as that to predator calls. This demonstrates that photography may not be as benign as commonly believed, and we should consider whether restrictions on camera noises should be implemented to reduce animal disturbance.
Complex courtship displays facilitate male reproductive success and plasticity in signaling across variable environments
Authors: Wilgers Dustin J. , Hebets Eileen A.
Published: February 2016

Effective signal transmission is essential for communication. In environments where signal transmission is highly variable, signalers may utilize complex signals, which incorporate multiple components and modalities, to maintain effective communication. Male Rabidosa rabida wolf spiders produce complex courtship signals, consisting of both visual and seismic components. We test the hypothesis that the complex signaling of R. rabida contributes to male reproductive success in variable signaling environments. We first examine the condition-dependence of foreleg ornamentation (a presumed visual signal) and seismic signal components and find that both may provide potentially redundant information on foraging history. Next, we assessed reproductive success across manipulated signaling environments that varied in the effectiveness of visual and/or seismic signal transmission. In environments where only one signal could be successfully transmitted (e.g., visual or seismic), pairs were still able to successfully copulate. Additionally, we found that males altered their courtship display depending on the current signaling environment. Specifically, males reduced their use of a visual display component in signaling environments where visual signal transmission was ablated. Incorporating signals in multiple modalities not only enables R. rabida males to maintain copulation success across variable signaling environments, but it also enables males to adjust their composite courtship display to current signaling conditions.
The effect of pyrazine odor on avoidance learning and memory in wild robins Erithacus rubecula
Authors: Siddall Emma C. , Marples Nicola M.
Published: February 2016

Toxic insects advertise their defended state to potential predators using warning displays. Frequently these displays use cues through more than one sensory modality, and combine color, smell and sound to produce a multimodal warning display. Signalling through more than one sensory pathway may enhance the rate of avoidance learning, and the memorability of the learned avoidance. A common insect warning odor, pyrazine, has previously been shown to increase the rate of learned avoidance of unpalatable yellow prey by domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus), and the odor also improved memory of this learned avoidance. However, to date no research has examined this response to pyrazine odor using wild birds under natural conditions. This study used wild robins (Erithacus rubecula) to investigate whether wild birds avoided yellow baits that smelled of pyrazine more strongly than those presented with no odor. The results provide some evidence that pyrazine odor does increase the level of protection an aposematic insect gains from a wild avian predator, but that the effect of pyrazine on learned avoidance was much weaker than was found with domestic chicks.
Forget-me-not: Complex floral displays, inter-signal interactions, and pollinator cognition
Authors: Leonard Anne S. , Dornhaus Anna , Papaj Daniel R.
Published: February 2016

Flowers are multisensory displays used by plants to influence the behavior of pollinators. Although we know a great deal about how individual signal components are produced by plants and detected or learned by pollinators, very few experiments directly address the function of floral signal complexity, i.e. how the multicomponent nature of these signals benefits plant or pollinator. Yet, experimental psychology suggests that increasing complexity can enhance subjects’ ability to detect, learn and remember stimuli, and the plant’s reproductive success depends upon ensuring that pollinators learn their signals and so transport pollen to other similar (conspecific) flowers. Here we explore functional hypotheses for why plants invest in complex floral displays, focusing on hypotheses in which floral signals interact to promote pollinator learning and memory. Specifically, we discuss how an attention-altering or context-providing function of one signal may promote acquisition or recall of a second signal. Although we focus on communication between plants and pollinators, these process-based hypotheses should apply to any situation where a sender benefits from enhancing a receiver’s acquisition or recall of information.