A Novel 2D Folding Technique for Enhancing Fermi Surface Signatures in the Momentum Density: Application to Compton Scattering Data from an Al-3at%Li Disordered Alloy

We present a novel technique for enhancing Fermi surface (FS) signatures in the 2D distribution obtained after the 3D momentum density in a crystal is projected along a specific direction in momentum space. These results are useful for investigating fermiology via high resolution Compton scattering and positron annihilation spectroscopies. We focus on the particular case of the (110) projection in an fcc crystal where the standard approach based on the use of the Lock-Crisp-West (LCW) folding theorem fails to give a clear FS image due to the strong overlap with FS images obtained through projection from higher Brillouin zones. We show how these superposed FS images can be disentangled by using a selected set of reciprocal lattice vectors in the folding process. The applicability of our partial folding scheme is illustrated by considering Compton spectra from an Al-3at%Li disordered alloy single crystal. For this purpose, high resolution Compton profiles along nine directions in the (110) plane were measured. Corresponding highly accurate theoretical profiles in Al-3at%Li were computed within the local density approximation (LDA)-based Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA) first-principles framework. A good level of overall accord between theory and experiment is obtained, some expected discrepancies reflecting electron correlation effects notwithstanding, and the partial folding scheme is shown to yield a clear FS image in the (110) plane in Al-3%Li.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Disease consequences of higher adiposity uncoupled from its adverse metabolic effects using Mendelian randomisation

Background:Some individuals living with obesity may be relatively metabolically healthy, whilst others suffer from multiple conditions that may be linked to adverse metabolic effects or other factors. The extent to which the adverse metabolic component of obesity contributes to disease compared to the non-metabolic components is often uncertain. We aimed to use Mendelian randomisation (MR) and specific genetic variants to separately test the causal roles of higher adiposity with and without its adverse metabolic effects on diseases.Methods:We selected 37 chronic diseases associated with obesity and genetic variants associated with different aspects of excess weight. These genetic variants included those associated with metabolically ‘favourable adiposity’ (FA) and ‘unfavourable adiposity’ (UFA) that are both associated with higher adiposity but with opposite effects on metabolic risk. We used these variants and two sample MR to test the effects on the chronic diseases.Results:MR identified two sets of diseases. First, 11 conditions where the metabolic effect of higher adiposity is the likely primary cause of the disease. Here, MR with the FA and UFA genetics showed opposing effects on risk of disease: coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, renal cancer, and gout. Second, 9 conditions where the non-metabolic effects of excess weight (e.g. mechanical effect) are likely a cause. Here, MR with the FA genetics, despite leading to lower metabolic risk, and MR with the UFA genetics, both indicated higher disease risk: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, gallstones, adult-onset asthma, psoriasis, deep vein thrombosis, and venous thromboembolism.Conclusions:Our results assist in understanding the consequences of higher adiposity uncoupled from its adverse metabolic effects, including the risks to individuals with high body mass index who may be relatively metabolically healthy.Funding:Diabetes UK, UK Medical Research Council, World Cancer Research Fund, National Cancer Institute

Disease consequences of higher adiposity uncoupled from its adverse metabolic effects using Mendelian randomisation

Background:Some individuals living with obesity may be relatively metabolically healthy, whilst others suffer from multiple conditions that may be linked to adverse metabolic effects or other factors. The extent to which the adverse metabolic component of obesity contributes to disease compared to the non-metabolic components is often uncertain. We aimed to use Mendelian randomisation (MR) and specific genetic variants to separately test the causal roles of higher adiposity with and without its adverse metabolic effects on diseases.Methods:We selected 37 chronic diseases associated with obesity and genetic variants associated with different aspects of excess weight. These genetic variants included those associated with metabolically ‘favourable adiposity’ (FA) and ‘unfavourable adiposity’ (UFA) that are both associated with higher adiposity but with opposite effects on metabolic risk. We used these variants and two sample MR to test the effects on the chronic diseases.Results:MR identified two sets of diseases. First, 11 conditions where the metabolic effect of higher adiposity is the likely primary cause of the disease. Here, MR with the FA and UFA genetics showed opposing effects on risk of disease: coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, renal cancer, and gout. Second, 9 conditions where the non-metabolic effects of excess weight (e.g. mechanical effect) are likely a cause. Here, MR with the FA genetics, despite leading to lower metabolic risk, and MR with the UFA genetics, both indicated higher disease risk: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, gallstones, adult-onset asthma, psoriasis, deep vein thrombosis, and venous thromboembolism.Conclusions:Our results assist in understanding the consequences of higher adiposity uncoupled from its adverse metabolic effects, including the risks to individuals with high body mass index who may be relatively metabolically healthy.Funding:Diabetes UK, UK Medical Research Council, World Cancer Research Fund, National Cancer Institute

Mechanical Deformation Induced in Si and GaN Under Berkovich Nanoindentation

Details of Berkovich nanoindentation-induced mechanical deformation mechanisms of single-crystal Si(100) and the metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition (MOCVD) derived GaN thin films have been systematic investigated by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) techniques. The XTEM samples were prepared by using focused ion beam (FIB) milling to accurately position the cross-section of the nanoindented area. The behaviors of the discontinuities displayed in the loading and unloading segments of the load-displacement curves of Si and GaN thin films performed with a Berkovich diamond indenter tip were explained by the observed microstructure features obtained from XTEM analyses. According to the observations of micro-Raman and XTEM, the nanoindentation-induced mechanical deformation is due primarily to the generation and propagation of dislocations gliding along the pyramidal and basal planes specific to the hexagonal structure of GaN thin films rather than by indentation-induced phase transformations displayed in Si

Lichenometric dating (lichenometry) and the biology of the lichen genus rhizocarpon:challenges and future directions

Lichenometric dating (lichenometry) involves the use of lichen measurements to estimate the age of exposure of various substrata. Because of low radial growth rates and considerable longevity, species of the crustose lichen genus Rhizocarpon have been the most useful in lichenometry. The primary assumption of lichenometry is that colonization, growth and mortality of Rhizocarpon are similar on surfaces of known and unknown age so that the largest thalli present on the respective faces are of comparable age. This review describes the current state of knowledge regarding the biology of Rhizocarpon and considers two main questions: (1) to what extent does existing knowledge support this assumption; and (2) what further biological observations would be useful both to test its validity and to improve the accuracy of lichenometric dates? A review of the Rhizocarpon literature identified gaps in knowledge regarding early development, the growth rate/size curve, mortality, regeneration, competitive effects, colonization, and succession on rock surfaces. The data suggest that these processes may not be comparable on different rock surfaces, especially in regions where growth rates and thallus turnover are high. In addition, several variables could differ between rock surfaces and influence maximum thallus size, including rate and timing of colonization, radial growth rates, environmental differences, thallus fusion, allelopathy, thallus mortality, colonization and competition. Comparative measurements of these variables on surfaces of known and unknown age may help to determine whether the basic assumptions of lichenometry are valid. Ultimately, it may be possible to take these differences into account when interpreting estimated dates

Size Doesn't Matter: Towards a More Inclusive Philosophy of Biology

notes: As the primary author, O’Malley drafted the paper, and gathered and analysed data (scientific papers and talks). Conceptual analysis was conducted by both authors.publication-status: Publishedtypes: ArticlePhilosophers of biology, along with everyone else, generally perceive life to fall into two broad categories, the microbes and macrobes, and then pay most of their attention to the latter. ‘Macrobe’ is the word we propose for larger life forms, and we use it as part of an argument for microbial equality. We suggest that taking more notice of microbes – the dominant life form on the planet, both now and throughout evolutionary history – will transform some of the philosophy of biology’s standard ideas on ontology, evolution, taxonomy and biodiversity. We set out a number of recent developments in microbiology – including biofilm formation, chemotaxis, quorum sensing and gene transfer – that highlight microbial capacities for cooperation and communication and break down conventional thinking that microbes are solely or primarily single-celled organisms. These insights also bring new perspectives to the levels of selection debate, as well as to discussions of the evolution and nature of multicellularity, and to neo-Darwinian understandings of evolutionary mechanisms. We show how these revisions lead to further complications for microbial classification and the philosophies of systematics and biodiversity. Incorporating microbial insights into the philosophy of biology will challenge many of its assumptions, but also give greater scope and depth to its investigations

A Parameter-Based Model for Generating Culturally Adaptive Nonverbal Behaviors in Embodied Conversational Agents

Abstract. The goal of this paper is to integrate culture as a computational term in embodied conversational agents by employing an empirical data-driven approach as well as a theoretical model-driven approach. We propose a parameter-based model that predicts nonverbal expressions appropriate for specific cultures. First, we introduce the Hofstede theory to describe socio-cultural characteristics of each country. Then, based on the previous studies in cultural differences of nonverbal behaviors, we propose expressive parameters to characterize nonverbal behaviors. Finally, by integrating socio-cultural characteristics and nonverbal expressive characteristics, we establish a Bayesian network model that predicts posture expressiveness from a country name, and vice versa