bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Photovoltaic solar panel Raising efficiency of photovoltaic solar panel by preventive actions
Authors: Geagea Georges , Batache Abdallah , El Zakhem Henri , Moufarej Abou Jaoude Marie-Thérèse
Published: June 2018

this document describes the main factors responsible for the reduction of the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) solar panel. Those factors are: type of material used, accumulated dust on solar panel, higher temperature, position of the panel, and low area for photon capturing. To achieve higher efficiency, this paper investigated several ways to reduce the effects of the affecting parameters: reducing the temperature of the PV panel, eliminating the dust, controlling the position of the panel and adding a mirror to collect more photons. Those modifications were applied on a laboratory-scale prototype in order to enhance the performance of the (PV) to deliver higher efficiency.
Analytical model for the energy harvesting of a spherical sensor from ambient vibrations
Authors: Diab D. , Lefebvre F. , Nassar G. , Smagin N. , Naja A. , El Omar F.
Published: June 2018

In this work an analytical model for the energy harvesting of an acoustic spherical sensor has been developed in the context to make it autonomous. Our spherical sensor is composed of two half-spheres of Plexiglas and a piezoelectric ring of PZ26 that can be used as exciter or sensor. For the analytical model, the piezoelectric ring was modeled using two primary modes of vibration: thickness and radial. For each mode, the ring is described by an equivalent electromechanical model which connects the mechanical part (forces and velocities) to the electrical part (voltage and current). The proposed paper theoretical model enables building a global electromechanical circuit in order to simulate the total harvested voltage response.
La certification dans le domaine de la radioprotection
Authors: Fondeviole M. , Jatteau L. , Vaucheret P.
Published: June 2018

Cet article retrace l’historique du CEFRI, dès 1990 depuis sa création, jusqu’aux dernières évolutions réglementaires actuelles. Il confirme la démarche de recherche d’efficacité par une action continue de simplification administrative et de numérisation des processus, alliée à une grande compétence des intervenants. Est réaffirmée la volonté du CEFRI, créé par la profession, de conserver le niveau de qualité de la certification qui a fait ses preuves depuis maintenant plus de 20 ans ; cette certification a participé sans aucun doute à aider les exploitants à garantir la sécurité des opérations en milieu hostile.
The cross technique for the positioning of Kerboull plate in acetabular reconstruction surgery
Authors: Assi Chahine , Caton Jacques , Aslanian Thierry , Samaha Camille , Yammine Kaissar
Published: June 2018

Acetabular reconstruction aims at filling bony defects and positioning the acetabular component in its anatomical place. To this, the use of Kerboull plate would give an automatic optimal positioning while reconstructing the acetabular cavity. We developed a technique, the cross technique, that approaches acetabular reconstruction in a systematic way. It consists of placing the KP following its cross design, in reference to a vertical plane (hook, center, palette) and a horizontal plane (horizontal flanges). The cross technique has three steps; the preparation of the acetabular cavity, the cross technique itself and cementation. We recommend a downsizing of the plate in relation to the size of the acetabular cavity in addition to another downsizing of the acetabular implant in relation to the plate size whenever a dual mobility cup is used.
Therapeutische Hilfe für Menschen mit
Pädophilie
Authors: Siegel Stefan , Beier Klaus M.
Published: June 2018

Pädophilie gilt als „das Böse“ par excellence. Fiktionale Inszenierungen von
Sexualverbrechen an Kindern, etwa im Film „Es geschah am hellichten Tag“, und
mediale Aufbereitungen realer spektakulärer Kriminalfälle, etwa des Falls Jürgen
Bartsch, prägen bis heute die Assoziationen, die wir mit diesem Begriff
verbinden. Bei den Darstellungen der Täter wird dabei aber häufig nicht zwischen
ihren Taten und der Darstellung ihrer Sexualität unterschieden.
Mythos Todestrieb – Über einen Irrweg der
Psychoanalyse
Authors: Peglau Andreas
Published: June 2018

1932 bezeichnete Freud die Trieblehre als „unsere Mythologie“, Triebe als
„mythische Wesen“. 1920, in „Jenseits des Lustprinzips“ (Freud 1999a, vgl. May
2013), hatte er das umstrittenste dieser Wesen erstmals öffentlich vorgestellt:
den Destruktions- oder Todestrieb, später Thanatos genannt, nach dem
griechischen Todesgott. Noch heute hat die Annahme eines solchen Triebes
Einfluss in- und außerhalb der Psychoanalyse – obwohl ihre Realitätsferne längst
erwiesen ist.
Schreiben in der Psychotherapie oder Wofür es sich lohnen
könnte, einen Stift zu haben…
Authors: Wilms Bettina , Unterholzer Carmen C.
Published: June 2018

Das Schreiben von Listen, Zertifikaten, Briefen und anderen Schriftstücken
durch Therapeuten und Patientinnen und Patienten wird in verschiedenen
therapeutischen Verfahren genutzt: oftmals eher „nebenbei“ und selten als
zentrales Element von Veränderungsprozessen bei der Behandlung
krankheitswertiger Störungen. Dennoch bietet therapeutisches Schreiben an
sich Möglichkeiten, die zeigen, dass in der Therapie entstehende und
entstandene Texte als spezifische Therapiemethode verstanden und genutzt
werden können.
Die antisoziale Persönlichkeitsstörung – Hintergründe von
Bösartigkeit
Authors: Abel Torvi
Published: June 2018

Schon im Altertum wurden skrupellose Charaktere beschrieben: „Der Skrupellose …
spielt gern den Gastwirt, den Puffbesitzer und den Steuereintreiber und pflegt
kein schändliches Gewerbe von sich zu weisen … Seine Mutter läßt er hungern,
(läßt) sich beim Diebstahl erwischen, und im Gefängnis wohnt er länger als im
eigenen Haus“ (Theophrast 2000, S. 37). Was ist seither passiert und wie ist das
heutige Verständnis von Antisozialität?
Das kollektive Böse – Destruktive Kräfte in
Gruppen
Authors: Antons Klaus
Published: June 2018

Bei allem, was Gruppen leisten können, enthalten sie auch ihr Gegenteil: In ihnen
steckt auch ein hohes destruktives Potenzial. Dieser Beitrag zeigt die
verschiedenen Formen von Dysfunktionalität in sozialen Gruppen auf und gibt der
Leiterin/dem Leiter von therapeutischen Gruppen (wie auch Selbsthilfe-,
Beratungs-, Lern- und Supervisionsgruppen) Hinweise zum kompetenten Umgang mit
diesen Phänomenen.
SOFIA: A Novel Automated Breast Ultrasound System Used on Patients in the Prone Position: A Pilot Study on Lesion Detection in Comparison to Handheld Grayscale Ultrasound
Authors: Farrokh André , Erdönmez Harika , Schäfer Fritz , Maass Nicolai
Published: June 2018

Introduction Most of the currently available automated breast ultrasound systems require patients to be in the supine position. Previous data, however, show a high recall rate with this method due to artifacts. The novel automated breast ultrasound scanner SOFIA scans the breast with the patient in a prone position, resulting in even compression of breast tissue. We present our initial results with this examination method.

Material and Methods 63 patients were analyzed using a handheld B-mode ultrasound. In cases of BI-RADS 1, 2 or 5, a SOFIA scan was performed. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated. Interobserver agreement was evaluated using Cohenʼs kappa. The duration of the scan was measured for both methods.

Results No BI-RADS 5 lesion was missed with SOFIA. The SOFIA had an additional recall rate of 16.67% compared to B-mode ultrasound. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SOFIA was 100, 83.33 and 88.89%, respectively. Cohenʼs kappa showed substantial agreement (κ = 0.769) between examiner 1 (B-mode) and examiner 2 (SOFIA). The mean scan duration for the B-mode system and the SOFIA system was 24.21 minutes and 12.94 minutes, respectively. In four cases, D-cup breasts were not scanned in their entirety.

Conclusion No cancer was missed when SOFIA was used in this preselected study population. The scanning time was approximately half of that required for B-mode ultrasound. The additional unnecessary recall rate was 16.67%. Larger D cup-size breasts were difficult to position and resulted in an incomplete image in four cases.
Das PURE Desaster: Vorschnelle Schlagzeilen führen zu unnötiger Verunsicherung von Verbrauchern und Patienten
Authors: Richter Margrit , Egert Sarah , Watzl Bernhard , Lorkowski Stefan ,   Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V. (DGE)
Published: June 2018

Die Auswertung der Prospective Urban Rural Epidemioloy (PURE)-Studie von Dehghan et al. sowie verschiedene, in diesem Zusammenhang veröffentlichte Schlagzeilen suggerierten, dass die Ergebnisse der Studie die gängigen Ernährungsempfehlungen widerlegen und die Empfehlungen dahingehend geändert werden müssten, die Kohlenhydratzufuhr zu senken und die Fettzufuhr zu erhöhen. Durch methodische Schwächen, wie der Einschluss von Probanden mit nichtadäquater Energiezufuhr, den Vergleich mit Referenzgruppen mit unzureichender Nährstoffzufuhr, die Nichtbeachtung der Kohlenhydratqualität, der Ballaststoffzufuhr sowie der Substitution einfacher Kohlenhydrate durch Fett bzw. gesättigte Fettsäuren und die fehlende Stratifizierung der Daten nach Einkommen und Region ist die Aussagekraft der Ergebnisse stark eingeschränkt. Zudem ist die Schlussfolgerung falsch, dass die Erkenntnisse aus der PURE-Studie aktuelle Ernährungsempfehlungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V. (DGE) infrage stellen. Mit einer Ernährung, die entsprechend den Richtwerten der DGE einen moderaten Fettanteil von 30 – 35 En% und einem Kohlenhydratanteil von über 50 En% aufweist, ist in der PURE-Studie kein erhöhtes Risiko für Mortalität und Morbidität zu erkennen. Wichtiger als eine Diskussion über Nährstoffrelationen ist aus Sicht der DGE eine generell zu hohe Energiezufuhr und eine unzureichende Qualität der Ernährung, d. h. der zu geringe Verzehr von ballaststoffreichen Lebensmitteln und der zu hohe Verzehr von zugesetztem Zucker und raffinierter Stärke.
Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Natural History of Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Turetz Meredith , Sideris Andrew , Friedman Oren , Triphathi Nidhi , Horowitz James
Published: June 2018

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and potentially deadly form of venous thromboembolic disease. It is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death and is associated with multiple inherited and acquired risk factors as well as advanced age. The prognosis from PE depends on the degree of obstruction and hemodynamic effects of PE and understanding the pathophysiology helps in risk-stratifying patients and determining treatment. Though the natural history of thrombus is resolution, a subset of patients have chronic residual thrombus, contributing to the post-PE syndrome.
Unconventional large linear magnetoresistance in Cu2−xTe
Authors: Sirusi Ali A. , Page Alexander , Steinke Lucia , Aronson Meigan C. , Uher Ctirad , Ross Joseph H.
Published: May 2018

We report a large linear magnetoresistance in Cu2−xTe, reaching Δρ/ρ(0) = 250% at 2 K in a 9 T field, for samples with x = 0.13 to 0.22. These results are comparable to those for Ag2X materials, though for Cu2−xTe the carrier densities are considerably larger. Examining the magnitudes and the crossover from quadratic to high-field linear behavior, we show that models based on classical transport behavior best explain the observed results. The effects are traced to the misdirection of currents in high mobility transport channels, likely due to behavior at grain boundaries such as topological surface states or a high mobility interface phase. The resistivity also exhibits a T2 dependence in the temperature range where the large linear MR appears, an indicator of electron-electron interaction effects within the high mobility states. Thus this is an example of a system in which electron-electron interactions dominate the low-temperature linear magnetoresistance.
Effect of alcohols on the structure and dynamics of [BMIM][PF6] ionic liquid: A combined molecular dynamics simulation and Voronoi tessellation investigation
Authors: Sharma Anirban , Ghorai Pradip Kr.
Published: May 2018

The solubility of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) ionic liquid (IL) in water is much less, whereas it is highly soluble in alcohol. The composition dependent structural and dynamical properties of [BMIM][PF6] in methanol and ethanol have been investigated by using all-atom molecular dynamics simulation. Though the density of IL/alcohol binary mixtures is nearly identical for different alcohol mole fractions, we observe the unalike structural and dynamical properties of the IL in methanol and ethanol due to different local environments of the IL and polarity of the solvent. Voronoi polyhedral analysis exhibits strong dependence of local environments on alcohol concentrations. Void and neck distribution in Voronoi tessellation are approximately Gaussian for pure IL, but it deviates from the Gaussian behavior at very high alcohol concentration. At low alcohol concentration, void and neck distributions of [BMIM]+ with [PF6]− in both methanol and ethanol are almost identical, whereas the distributions in ethanol are broader with lesser intensity than in methanol at high alcohol concentration. This suggests the existence of a very few larger free space in ethanol than in methanol. Although peak positions in the void and neck distributions in ethanol are at larger void and neck radius than in methanol, peak intensity for medium sized void in methanol is significantly higher than in ethanol. Thus the translational motion of both [BMIM]+ and [PF6]− and the rotational motion of [BMIM]+ are faster in methanol than in ethanol. Hydrogen bonding of [BMIM]+ with [PF6]− is more predominate than the alcohols, hence cation-anion hydrogen bonding plays an important role in determining self-diffusion coefficient (D) of [BMIM]+, whereas for [PF6]−, cooperative motion due to hydrogen bonding with the alcohols is indispensable.
Betatron x-ray radiation from laser-plasma accelerators driven by femtosecond and picosecond laser systems
Authors: Albert F. , Lemos N. , Shaw J. L. , King P. M. , Pollock B. B. , Goyon C. , Schumaker W. , Saunders A. M. , Marsh K. A. , Pak A. , Ralph J. E. , Martins J. L. , Amorim L. D. , Falcone R. W. , Glenzer S. H. , Moody J. D. , Joshi C.
Published: May 2018

A comparative experimental study of betatron x-ray radiation from laser wakefield acceleration in the blowout and self-modulated regimes is presented. Our experiments use picosecond duration laser pulses up to 150 J (self-modulated regime) and 60 fs duration laser pulses up to 10 J (blowout regime), for plasmas with electronic densities on the order of 1019 cm−3. In the self-modulated regime, where betatron radiation has been very little studied compared to the blowout regime, electrons accelerated in the wake of the laser pulse are subject to both the longitudinal plasma and transverse laser electrical fields. As a result, their motion within the wake is relatively complex; consequently, the experimental and theoretical properties of the x-ray source based on self-modulation differ from the blowout regime of laser wakefield acceleration. In our experimental configuration, electrons accelerated up to about 250 MeV and betatron x-ray spectra with critical energies of about 10–20 keV and photon fluxes between 108 and 1010 photons/eV Sr are reported. Our experiments open the prospect of using betatron x-ray radiation for applications, and the source is competitive with current x-ray backlighting methods on multi-kilojoule laser systems.
Role of A-site Ca and B-site Zr substitution in BaTiO3 lead-free compounds: Combined experimental and first principles density functional theoretical studies
Authors: Keswani Bhavna C. , Saraf Deepashri , Patil S. I. , Kshirsagar Anjali , James A. R. , Kolekar Y. D. , Ramana C. V.
Published: May 2018

We report on the combined experimental and theoretical simulation results of lead-free ferroelectrics, Ba(1-x)CaxTiO3 (x = 0.0–0.3) and BaTi(1-y)ZryO3 (y = 0.0–0.2), synthesized by standard solid state reaction method. First principles density functional calculations are used to investigate the electronic structure, dynamical charges, and spontaneous polarization of these compounds. In addition, the structural, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and dielectric properties are studied using extensive experiments. The X-ray diffraction and temperature dependent Raman spectroscopy studies indicate that the calcium (Ca) substituted compositions exhibit a single phase crystal structure, while zirconium (Zr) substituted compositions are biphasic. The scanning electron micrographs reveal the uniform and highly dense microstructure. The presence of polarization-electric field and strain-electric field hysteresis loops confirms the ferroelectric and piezoelectric nature of all the compositions. Our results demonstrate higher values for polarization, percentage strain, piezoelectric coefficients, and electrostrictive coefficient compared to those existing in the literature. For smaller substitutions of Ca and Zr in BaTiO3, a direct piezoelectric coefficient (d33) is enhanced, while the highest d33 value (∼300 pC/N) is observed for BaTi0.96Zr0.04O3 due to the biphasic ferroelectric behavior. Calculation of Born effective charges indicates that doping with Ca or Zr increases the dynamical charges on Ti as well as on O and decreases the dynamical charge on Ba. An increase in the dynamical charges on Ti and O is ascribed to the increase in covalency of Ti-O bond that reduces the polarizability of the crystal. A broader range of temperatures is demonstrated to realize the stable phase in the Ca substituted compounds. The results indicate enhancement in the temperature range of applicability of these compounds for device applications. The combined theoretical and experimental study is expected to enhance the current scientific understanding of the lead-free ferroelectric materials.
Quantum tunneling of thermal protons through pristine graphene
Authors: Poltavsky Igor , Zheng Limin , Mortazavi Majid , Tkatchenko Alexandre
Published: May 2018

Engineering of atomically thin membranes for hydrogen isotope separation is an actual challenge which has a broad range of applications. Recent experiments [M. Lozada-Hidalgo et al., Science 351, 68 (2016)] unambiguously demonstrate an order-of-magnitude difference in permeabilities of graphene-based membranes to protons and deuterons at ambient conditions, making such materials promising for novel separation technologies. Here we demonstrate that the permeability mechanism in such systems changes from quantum tunneling for protons to quasi-classical transport for heavier isotopes. Quantum nuclear effects exhibit large temperature and mass dependence, modifying the Arrhenius activation energy and Arrhenius prefactor for protons by more than 0.5 eV and by seven orders of magnitude correspondingly. Our findings not only shed light on the separation process for hydrogen isotope ions passing through pristine graphene but also offer new insights for controlling ion transport mechanisms in nanostructured separation membranes by manipulating the shape of the barrier and transport process conditions.
High pressure high temperature devitrification of Fe78B13Si9 metallic glass with simultaneous x-ray structural characterization
Authors: Stemshorn Andrew K. , Vohra Yogesh K. , Smith Spencer J.
Published: May 2018

Changes in bulk crystallization behavior following devitrification at high pressure are investigated for a Fe78B13Si9 composition metallic glass using in-situ energy dispersive x-ray powder diffraction. Crystallization with time was evaluated for a series of measurements to a maximum pressure of 5.63 ± 0.15 GPa for the Fe78B13Si9 glass. Pressure was found to strongly affect onset bulk crystallization temperature Tx. Crystallization at each pressure was found to progress in two stages. In the first stage, α-Fe precipitates and in the second Fe2B forms while α-Fe continues to crystallize. Complementary high pressure room temperature studies were conducted.
Magnetic properties of X-C2N (X=Cl, Br and I) monolayers: A first-principles study
Authors: Zhu Jingzhong , Zulfiqar Muhammad , Zeng Shuming , Zhao Yinchang , Ni Jun
Published: May 2018

The electronic and magnetic properties of X-C2N (X=F, Cl, Br and I) monolayers have been systematically investigated from first-principles calculations. The F atom can be strongly adsorbed on the top of the host carbon atoms, while the Cl, Br and I atoms favor the top of the host nitrogen atoms of C2N monolayers. These functionalized X-C2N (X=F, Cl, Br and I) monolayers exhibit interesting electronic and magnetic features. The F-C2N monolayer system shows a nonmagnetic metallic state, while the X-C2N (X=Cl, Br and I) monolayer systems exhibit the magnetic semiconducting ground state. Moreover, the ferromagnetic state is energetically more stable configuration for the X-C2N (X=Cl, Br and I) monolayer systems. Magnetic analysis further elaborates that the induced magnetism in the X-C2N (X=Cl, Br and I) monolayer systems mainly arises from the local magnetic moments of the halogen adatoms. Thus, the chemical functionalization of nitrogenated honey graphene through halogen atoms adsorption has promising applications in electronic devices.
Connecting bright and dark states through accidental degeneracy caused by lack of symmetry
Authors: Hu Zixuan , Engel Gregory S. , Kais Sabre
Published: May 2018

Coupled excitonic structures are found in natural and artificial light harvesting systems where optical transitions link different excitation manifolds. In systems with symmetry, some optical transitions are allowed, while others are forbidden. Here we examine an excitonic ring structure and identify an accidental degeneracy between two categories of double-excitation eigenstates with distinct symmetries and optical transition properties. To understand the accidental degeneracy, a complete selection rule between two arbitrary excitation manifolds is derived with a physically motivated proof. Remarkably, symmetry analysis shows that the lack of certain symmetry elements in the Hamiltonian is responsible for this degeneracy, which is unique to rings with size N = 4l + 2 (l being an integer).
The stochastic dynamical behaviors of the gene regulatory circuit in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Wang Liang , Huang Mei , Yue Xiaole , Jia Wantao , Xu Wei
Published: June 2018

In recent years, the gene regulatory circuit in biological systems has attracted a considerable interest. In this paper, we consider the dynamical behaviors of the gene regulatory circuit in Bacillus subtilis, including deterministic system and stochastic system effected by colored noise. First of all, the global dynamical behaviors of the deterministic system are exhibited by numerical method. Moreover, we give an effective method to explore the stochastic response and bifurcation by means of the stochastic generalized cell mapping method. To satisfy the Markov nature, we transform the colored-noise system into the equivalent white-noise system. And the stochastic generalized cell mapping method can be used to obtain the dynamical behaviors of the stochastic system. We found that the system parameters and noise can induce the occurrence of the stochastic P-bifurcation in the stochastic system, which means that the conversion between competent state and vegetative state in Bacillus subtilis is possible. In addition, the effectiveness of the stochastic generalized cell mapping method is verified by Monte Carlo simulation.
Wetting of chemically heterogeneous striped surfaces: Molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Nguyen Chinh Thanh , Barisik Murat , Kim BoHung
Published: June 2018

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we thoroughly investigated the wetting behaviors of a chemically heterogeneous striped substrate patterned with two different wetting materials, face-centered cubic gold and face-centered cubic silver. We analyzed the density distributions, normal stress distributions, surface tensions, and contact angles of a water droplet placed on the substrates at different heterogeneities. We found that the density and stress profile of the water droplet near the substrate-water interface were noticeably affected by altering the gold and silver contents in the substrate. Specifically, a greater portion of gold (more wetting) or smaller portion of silver (less wetting) in the substrate composition induced higher densities and higher normal stresses in the vicinity of the substrate surface. Also, it was observed that the surface tensions at liquid-vapor interface and solid-vapor interface were not largely impacted by the change of the substrate composition while the solid-liquid surface tension decreased exponentially with increasing fraction of gold. Most importantly, we found that contact angle of a nanometer-sized water droplet resting on the chemically heterogeneous striped substrate does not show linear dependence on corresponding surface fractions like that predicted by Cassie-Baxter model at the macro-scale. Consequently, we proposed a method for successfully predicting the contact angle by including the critical effects of the substrate heterogeneity on both surface tensions and line tension at the three-phase contact line of the water droplet and the chemically striped substrate.
Magnetic properties of a GdCr3(BO3)4 single crystal
Authors: Bludov A. N. , Savina Yu. O. , Pashchenko V. A. , Gnatchenko S. L. , Mal'tsev V. V. , Kuzmin N. N. , Leonyuk N. I.
Published: May 2018

The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility χ (T) of the GdCr3(BO3)4 single crystal was studied in the temperature range of 2–300 K for two orientations of the external magnetic field: H ǁ c and H ± c. It was established that gadolinium chromium borate is ordered antiferromagnetically at TN = 7 K. It was found that, at T > 10 K, the magnetic properties of the crystal are isotropic, which is characteristic of the pure spin states of Cr3+ and Gd3+ ions. It was demonstrated that the magnetic susceptibility χ(T) of the GdCr3(BO3)4 compound at T > TN is well described by a one-dimensional spin model for a system of ferromagnetic chains of Cr3+ ions with ferromagnetic exchange 2J/k = −13.6 K and antiferromagnetic interchain interaction of 2J′/k = + 0.72 K. The gadolinium subsystem is antiferromagnetically biased due to the exchange f-d-interaction, which gives θGd=−2.8K. It was assumed that the GdCr3(BO3)4 compound is an antiferromagnet with “easy-plane” type anisotropy in the magnetically ordered state.
Femtosecond laser–assisted thermal annealing of Ni electrode on SiC substrate
Authors: Kawakami Hiroki , Naoi Yoshiki , Tomita Takuro
Published: June 2018

Alloying at the metal–semiconductor interface induced by femtosecond laser irradiation associated with thermal annealing was examined to ascertain whether an ohmic contact was formed on silicon carbide (SiC). In general, the electric field of the femtosecond laser beam destroys the crystal structure, but with lower thermal damage around the irradiated areas. In addition to the laser irradiation, we employed thermal annealing to enhance the diffusion of the metal atoms inside the SiC. After these processes, an ohmic contact was successfully formed on the SiC with thermal annealing at a temperature of 900 °C, which is 100 °C lower than with the conventional thermal annealing method.
Molecular characterisation of ambient aerosols by sequential solvent extractions and high-resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Jingyi , Jiang Bin , Wang Zhiheng , Liang Yongmei , Zhang Yahe , Xu Chunming , Shi Quan
Published: May 2018

Environmental contextOrganic compounds generally make a large contribution to ambient aerosol fine particles, and can influence atmospheric chemistry. Solvent extraction before mass spectrometry is widely used for the determination of organic compounds in aerosols, but the molecular selectivity of different solvents is unclear. We extracted an aerosol sample with various solvents and show how the organic compound profile obtained by mass spectrometry changes depending on the extracting solvent. AbstractFor a comprehensive characterisation of organic compounds in aerosols, samples collected on a hazy day from Beijing were sequentially extracted with various solvents and analysed by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Electrospray ionisation (ESI) was used for the MS analysis. Aerosol samples were extracted in an apolar-to-polar solvent order of n-hexane (n-C6), dichloromethane (DCM), acetonitrile (ACN) and water, and also extracted in reverse sequence. The separated fractions were defined as non-polar, low-polarity, mid-polarity and high-polarity organic compounds respectively. Approximately 70 % of the total organic carbon (TOC) was extractable, of which the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and non-polar organic carbon accounted for 30 and 25 % of the TOC respectively. Non-polar and low-polarity compounds with a high degree of molecular condensation such as oxidised polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrogen-containing compounds (CHN) were extracted by n-C6 and DCM. Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) was predominant with aliphatic and aromatic organosulfates (CHOS) and nitrooxy-organosulfates (CHONS). Most oxygen-containing compounds (CHO) and oxygen- and nitrogen-containing compounds (CHON) with high double-bond equivalents (DBEs) and long carbon chains tended to be extracted into organic solvents.
Spatial and temporal variation in food web structure of an impounded river in Anatolia
Authors: Kaymak Nehir , Winemiller Kirk O. , Akin Senol , Altuner Zekeriya , Polat Fatih , Dal Tarik
Published: June 2018

Dams interrupt the longitudinal connectivity of rivers by impeding the movement of water, sediments and organisms, which, in turn, could affect aquatic biodiversity and food web ecology. Using stable isotope analysis, we examined spatiotemporal variation in food web structure at four sites in the upper Yeşilırmak River, Anatolia Peninsula, Turkey, in relation to environmental parameters and a dam. It was apparent that the dam created discontinuity in the longitudinal fluvial gradient of fish species richness, with more species observed at upstream sites. Fish assemblages from different sites and seasons occupied distinct areas of isotopic space. Isotopic niche space, trophic diversity, variation in δ13C of basal resources and assemblage redundancy were all higher for the fish assemblage at the site downstream from the dam compared with the site above the dam, a possible indication of greater interspecific dietary variation. Food chain length (the range in δ15N) was lower at the downstream site, possibly resulting from a greater tendency towards omnivory. The findings strongly suggest that the dam affects not only environmental conditions and fish diversity, but also trophic ecology. The results of the present study emphasise the need for research to assess potential effects of new dams in Anatolia on aquatic communities and ecosystem dynamics in rivers.
Circulating endothelial progenitor cells in pregnant women with premature rupture of membranes: potential association with placental disorders
Authors: Asadian Simin , Siavashi Vahid , Jabarpour Masoumeh , Sharifi Azam , Esmaeilivand Masoumeh , Pourmohammad Pirouz , Nassiri Seyed Mahdi
Published: June 2018

The frequency of preterm labour has risen over the last few years. Plasma oestrogen concentrations differ between patients who deliver before term and those who deliver at term. Oestrogen can influence the kinetics of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs). Here, we attempted to identify the potential association of cEPCs with the incidence of complications typical of prematurity. The study groups consisted of 60 pregnant women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM; less than 37 weeks) and 50 term pregnant women (more than 38 weeks). cEPCs were isolated from term pregnant women and pregnant women with PROM and then migratory, proliferative, tubulogenic and functional properties of these cells along with serum secretion of important EPC chemotactic cytokines were analysed. In addition, the effect of 17β-oestradiol on biological features of cEPCs harvested from pregnant women was investigated. Our results showed that an increased concentration of oestrogen in women with PROM was associated with increased numbers of cEPCs, with these cells having increased oestrogen receptor α expression together with augmented proliferative, migratory and colony-formation properties. 17β-oestradiol induced proliferation, migration and angiogenic secretory activity of cEPCs from pregnant women. Overall, circulation mobilisation of EPCs in pregnant women may be associated with placental disorders.
Significant difference in HEDIS annual chlamydia testing rates between women who had given birth and those who had not among young Medicaid women
Authors: Tao Guoyu , Owusu-Edusei Kwame , Friedman Eleanor , Aslam Maria , Viall Abigail H. , Dietz Patricia , Gift Thomas L.
Published: June 2018

We used the 2013 Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) database to estimate chlamydia testing rates separately for sexually active women aged 15–25 years who had, or had not, given birth in 2013. Approximately 9.2% of sexually active women aged 15–25 years gave birth in 2013. The Healthcare Effectiveness Data Information Set (HEDIS) annual chlamydia testing rate was significantly higher among women who had given birth than women who had not in 2013 (59.7 vs 29.4%, P < 0.05). Our findings suggest a need for more research to understand how differences in population mix changes and preventive screening practices for pregnant and non-pregnant women affect publicly reported chlamydia screening rates.
Building a local learner corpus
Authors: Kwon Monica H. , Partridge R. Scott , Staples Shelley
Published: May 2018

This paper describes the construction process involved in creating a robust local learner corpus of texts produced by international students in a first-year writing course at a large public, mid-western university in the U.S. We show how involving faculty members and graduate students of our local writing program in the process of learner corpus analysis provides them with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge as writing instructors, course designers, and, ultimately, knowledge producers. An additional benefit of such an undertaking is that the corpus can become part of the infrastructure of a research community that allows continued contributions by others individually and collaboratively. We also illustrate the usefulness of our local learner corpus for research, teaching, mentoring, and collaboration within our writing program with examples of the research projects and teaching interventions we have developed.
邢臺話「了1」的兩個變體 (The verbal-LEvariants in Xingtai dialect)
Authors: Fan Xiaolei
Published: June 2018

抽象

河北邢臺話的動後時體詞「了1」有兩個語音形式：強變體「咾 [lau]」和弱變體「囒 [læ͊]」，二者在很大程度上是條件變體。經考察，漢語「了1」的使用受制於謂語的整體屬性（現實性狀況、話語地位）和謂語的構件屬性（賓語類型、動詞類型）兩大類語法因素，而邢臺話「了1」兩變體的分佈同樣受制於這些因素：謂語的整體屬性決定「了1」兩變體分佈的基本格局，謂語的構件屬性決定既定的「咾」或「囒」可換為另一變體的特殊情況。各項語法因素制約「了1」變體的作用強度存在一個優先等級「現實性狀況＞話語地位＞賓語類型＞動詞類型」。最重要的是，「了1」兩變體的分佈呈現出一個顯著的態勢：某語法環境中「了1」的句法自由度越高，則越排斥強變體「咾」、越接受弱變體「囒」。由此可對其他方言「了1」變體的分佈態勢提出多項理論預測，該現象也反映出北方漢語的「了1」是一個複雜的語法異質語素。本文「了1」的語法分析範式應有助於深入發掘漢語方言「了1」語素的事實，並推進對多項理論問題的認識。
Humor, irony, and the body
Authors: Gibbs Raymond W. , Samermit Patrawat , Karzmark Christopher R.
Published: May 2018

Irony has traditionally been studied as a purely pragmatic phenomenon, one in which a speaker says one thing and means another,
often by commenting on the contrast between expectation and reality. However, as cognitive linguists have discerned for many other
aspects of language, much of the ways that people speak and understand one another is motivated by people’s pervasive bodily
experiences. Ironic humor provides another compelling phenomenon in which to understand the embodied foundation of both linguistic
meaning and multimodal expression, particularly in terms of rough-and-tumble play. Many forms of humor arise from different benign
violations of the body in play fighting. We describe cognitive linguistic and psychological evidence on the importance of bodily
experience, and benign violations of the body, in linguistic expressions referring to teasing and humor. Variations of
rough-and-tumble play help explain some of the instabilities in the ways ironic humor unfolds in interpersonal interactions.
Mental models, humorous texts and humour evaluation
Authors: Jongste Henri de
Published: May 2018

This paper investigates how a mental-model theory of communication can explain differences in humorous texts and how aesthetic criteria to evaluate humour are dependent on the way mental models are exploited. Humour is defined as the deliberate manipulation by speakers of their private mental models of situations in order to create public mental models which contain one or more incongruities. Recipients can re-construct this manipulation process and thereby evaluate its nature and its quality. Humorous texts can be distinguished in terms of ownership of the manipulated mental model, the relationship between the speakers’ private and their public (humorous) mental model, as well as the speed required in the humorous mental model construction. Possible aesthetic criteria are the quality of the mental model manipulation, the pressure under which the humorously manipulated mental models have been constructed and the quality of the presentation of humorous mental models.
Emotions in motion
Authors: Oster Ulrike
Published: May 2018

This paper outlines some of the challenges and possibilities of a corpus-based approach to the diachronic description of the semantics of emotion words. It analyses three German anger words (Wut,ZornandÄrger) in two corpora: DTA (Deutsches Textarchiv, covering the period 1600–1899) and DWDS (Digitales Wörterbuch der Deutschen Sprache, which covers twentieth-century German). The study is based on two complementary approaches: a semantic and pragmatic analysis of co-occurrences (Oster, 2012); and the use of semantic foci (Ogarkova & Soriano, 2014). This allows for a detailed description of the semantic evolution of the three anger words for four aspects of emotion – Control, Lack of Control, Visibility and Internalization – while exploring the advantages of a combined quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis.
Evaluation of serum extracellular vesicle isolation methods for profiling miRNAs by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Buschmann Dominik , Kirchner Benedikt , Hermann Stefanie , Märte Melanie , Wurmser Christine , Brandes Florian , Kotschote Stefan , Bonin Michael , Steinlein Ortrud K. , Pfaffl Michael W. , Schelling Gustav , Reithmair Marlene
Published: June 2018

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are intercellular communicators with key functions in physiological and pathological processes and have recently garnered interest because of their diagnostic and therapeutic potential. The past decade has brought about the development and commercialization of a wide array of methods to isolate EVs from serum. Which subpopulations of EVs are captured strongly depends on the isolation method, which in turn determines how suitable resulting samples are for various downstream applications. To help clinicians and scientists choose the most appropriate approach for their experiments, isolation methods need to be comparatively characterized. Few attempts have been made to comprehensively analyse vesicular microRNAs (miRNAs) in patient biofluids for biomarker studies. To address this discrepancy, we set out to benchmark the performance of several isolation principles for serum EVs in healthy individuals and critically ill patients. Here, we compared five different methods of EV isolation in combination with two RNA extraction methods regarding their suitability for biomarker discovery‐focused miRNA sequencing as well as biological characteristics of captured vesicles. Our findings reveal striking method‐specific differences in both the properties of isolated vesicles and the ability of associated miRNAs to serve in biomarker research. While isolation by precipitation and membrane affinity was highly suitable for miRNA‐based biomarker discovery, methods based on size‐exclusion chromatography failed to separate patients from healthy volunteers. Isolated vesicles differed in size, quantity, purity and composition, indicating that each method captured distinctive populations of EVs as well as additional contaminants. Even though the focus of this work was on transcriptomic profiling of EV‐miRNAs, our insights also apply to additional areas of research. We provide guidance for navigating the multitude of EV isolation methods available today and help researchers and clinicians make an informed choice about which strategy to use for experiments involving critically ill patients.
Intracellular and extracellular loops of LRRC8 are essential for volume-regulated anion channel function
Authors: Yamada Toshiki , Strange Kevin
Published: May 2018

The volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) is expressed ubiquitously in vertebrate cells and mediates swelling-induced release of Cl− and organic solutes. Recent studies by several laboratories have demonstrated conclusively that VRAC is encoded by members of the leucine-rich repeat containing 8 (Lrrc8) gene family, which comprises five members, termed Lrrc8a–e. Numerous observations indicate that VRAC is a heteromeric channel comprising the essential subunit LRRC8A and one or more of the other LRRC8 paralogs. Here we demonstrate that the intracellular loop (IL) connecting transmembrane domains 2 and 3 of LRRC8A and the first extracellular loop (EL1) connecting transmembrane domains 1 and 2 of LRRC8C, LRRC8D, or LRRC8E are both essential for VRAC activity. We generate homomeric VRACs by replacing EL1 of LRRC8A with that of LRRC8C and demonstrate normal regulation by cell swelling and shrinkage. We also observe normal volume-dependent regulation in VRAC homomers in which the IL of LRRC8C, LRRC8D, or LRRC8E is replaced with the LRRC8A IL. A 25–amino acid sequence unique to the LRRC8A IL is sufficient to generate homomeric VRAC activity when inserted into the corresponding region of LRRC8C and LRRC8E. LRRC8 chimeras containing these partial LRRC8A IL sequences exhibit altered anion permeability, rectification, and voltage sensitivity, suggesting that the LRRC8A IL plays a role in VRAC pore structure and function. Our studies provide important new insights into the structure/function roles of the LRRC8 EL1 and IL. Homomeric LRRC8 channels will simplify future studies aimed at understanding channel structure and the longstanding and vexing problem of how VRAC is regulated by cell volume changes.
The Amsterdam ReBus progressor cohort: identification of 165 Barrett's surveillance patients who progressed to early neoplasia and 723 nonprogressor patients
Authors: Duits L C , Klaver E , Bureo Gonzalez A , Boerwinkel D F , ten Kate F J W , Offerhaus G J A , Meijer S L , Visser M , Seldenrijk C A , Krishnadath K K , Schoon E J , Weusten Bas L A M , Mallant-Hent Rosalie C , Pouw Roos E , Bergman Jacques J G H M
Published: June 2018

Patient selection is suboptimal in most studies focused on identifying biological markers for neoplastic progression in Barrett's esophagus (BE). This study aims to describe a stringently selected community-based case-control cohort of non-dysplastic BE (NDBE) patients who progressed to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and BE patients who never progressed to be used for future biomarker studies. We identified all patients referred for endoscopic work-up of BE neoplasia at three tertiary referral centers for treatment of BE neoplasia between 2000 and 2013. We performed a detailed registration of any endoscopic surveillance history before neoplastic progression. Controls were selected from a retrospective BE surveillance registration in 10 community hospitals. A total of 887 patients were referred for endoscopic work-up of BE neoplasia. Based on predefined selection criteria, we identified 165 progressor patients (82% men; mean age 55 years ± 10.4) with a baseline endoscopy demonstrating NDBE > 2 years before neoplastic progression. Using the same predefined selection criteria, 723 nonprogressor patients (67% men; mean age 57 years ± 11.3) with >2 years of endoscopic surveillance were identified. Median length of the BE segment was 5 cm (IQR 4–7) in progressors and 4 cm (IQR 2–6) in controls. Median duration of surveillance was 89 months (IQR 54–139) in progressors and 76 months (IQR 47–116) in nonprogressors. Paraffin embedded biopsies are available for biomarker research in all patients. Ethical approval was obtained and material transfer agreements were signed with all 58 contributing pathology labs. This is the largest community-based case-control cohort of BE patients with and without progression to early neoplasia. The stringent selection criteria and the availability of paraffin embedded biopsy specimens make this a unique cohort for biomarker studies.
Ecological and economic effects of the landing obligation evaluated using a quantitative ecosystem approach: a Mediterranean case study
Authors: Celić Igor , Libralato Simone , Scarcella Giuseppe , Raicevich Saša , Marčeta Bojan , Solidoro Cosimo
Published: May 2018

The reformed Common Fisheries Policy [Regulation (EU) 1380/2013] introduces the obligation to land unwanted catches gradually from 2015 to 2019 with the aim to reduce discards. The ecological and economic consequences of this controversial regulation are evaluated here using an ecosystem model for the North-Eastern Adriatic Sea to quantify the long-term stocks’ biomass, landings, and fisheries revenues under future scenarios with and without landing obligation. Results indicate that landings will increase by +13%, causing an increase in fishermen workload, reduction of biomasses at sea (∼−0.20%) for species of both commercial and non-commercial interest, thus a small decrease in fisheries revenue (∼−0.50%). Selling landed unwanted catches for fishmeal production will not compensate the economic losses. Additional adaptation scenarios were tested: (i) introduction of quotas for small pelagics, (ii) reduction of effort for bottom trawlers, (iii) improvement of gear selectivity, and (iv) a combination of (i) and (iii). Improving selectivity and introducing quotas resulted the best alternative but none of the adaptation scenarios compensated the adverse effects of the landing obligation, suggesting that this management measure has ecological and economic negative effects in systems where fisheries are not regulated by quota such as the Mediterranean Sea.