Possible Superconductivity at 37 K in Graphite-Sulfur Composite

Sulfur intercalated graphite composites with diamagnetic transitions at 6.7 K and 37 K are prepared. The magnetization hysteresis loops (MHL), Xray diffraction patterns, and resistance were measured. From the MHL, a slight superconducting like penetration process is observed at 15 K in low field region. The XRD shows no big difference from the mixture of graphite and sulfur indicating that the volume of the superconducting phase (if any) is very small. The temperature dependence of resistance shows a typical semiconducting behavior with a saturation in low temperature region. This saturation is either induced by the de-localization of conducting electrons or by possible superconductivity in this system.Comment: CHIN. PHYS.LETT v18 1648 (2001

Varied Signature Splitting Phenomena in Odd Proton Nuclei

Varied signature splitting phenomena in odd proton rare earth nuclei are investigated. Signature splitting as functions of $K$ and $j$ in the angular momentum projection theory is explicitly shown and compared with those of the particle rotor model. The observed deviations from these rules are due to the band mixings. The recently measured $^{169}$Ta high spin data are taken as a typical example where fruitful information about signature effects can be extracted. Six bands, two of which have not yet been observed, were calculated and discussed in detail in this paper. The experimentally unknown band head energies are given

Records of volcanic events since AD 1800 in the East Rongbuk ice core from Mt. Qomolangma

Continuous Bi profile of the East Rongbuk (ER) ice core near Mt. Qomolangma reveals nine major volcanic events since AD 1800. Compared with Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), it shows that the concentrations of Bi in the ER ice core can reflect the major volcanic events within the key areas. This provides a good horizon layer for ice core dating, as well as a basis for reconstructing a long sequence of volcanic records from the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau ice cores

National inventory of emergency departments in Singapore

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) are the basic units of emergency care. We performed a national inventory of all Singapore EDs and describe their characteristics and capabilities. Methods: Singapore EDs accessible to the general public 24/7 were surveyed using the National ED Inventories instrument ( http://www.emnet-nedi.org). ED staff members were asked about ED characteristics with reference to calendar year 2007. Results: Fourteen EDs participated (100% response). All EDs were located in hospitals, and most (92%) were independent departments. One was a psychiatric ED; the rest were general EDs. Among general EDs, all had a contiguous layout, with medical and surgical care provided in one area. All but two EDs saw both adults and children; one ED was adult-only, and the other saw only children. Six were in the public sector and seven in private health-care institutions, with public EDs seeing the majority (78%) of ED patients. Each private ED had an annual patient census of 60,000. They received 98% of ambulances and had an inpatient admission rate of 30%. Two public EDs reported being overcapacity; no private EDs did. For both public and private EDs, availability of consultant resources in EDs was high, while technological resources varied. Conclusion: Characteristics and capabilities of Singapore EDs varied and were largely dependent on whether they are in public or private hospitals. This initial inventory establishes a benchmark to further monitor the development of emergency care in Singapore

Models for Metal Hydride Particle Shape, Packing, and Heat Transfer

A multiphysics modeling approach for heat conduction in metal hydride powders is presented, including particle shape distribution, size distribution, granular packing structure, and effective thermal conductivity. A statistical geometric model is presented that replicates features of particle size and shape distributions observed experimentally that result from cyclic hydride decreptitation. The quasi-static dense packing of a sample set of these particles is simulated via energy-based structural optimization methods. These particles jam (i.e., solidify) at a density (solid volume fraction) of 0.665+/-0.015 - higher than prior experimental estimates. Effective thermal conductivity of the jammed system is simulated and found to follow the behavior predicted by granular effective medium theory. Finally, a theory is presented that links the properties of bi-porous cohesive powders to the present systems based on recent experimental observations of jammed packings of fine powder. This theory produces quantitative experimental agreement with metal hydride powders of various compositions.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, 2 table

Evolution of Landau Levels into Edge States at an Atomically Sharp Edge in Graphene

The quantum-Hall-effect (QHE) occurs in topologically-ordered states of two-dimensional (2d) electron-systems in which an insulating bulk-state coexists with protected 1d conducting edge-states. Owing to a unique topologically imposed edge-bulk correspondence these edge-states are endowed with universal properties such as fractionally-charged quasiparticles and interference-patterns, which make them indispensable components for QH-based quantum-computation and other applications. The precise edge-bulk correspondence, conjectured theoretically in the limit of sharp edges, is difficult to realize in conventional semiconductor-based electron systems where soft boundaries lead to edge-state reconstruction. Using scanning-tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to follow the spatial evolution of bulk Landau-levels towards a zigzag edge of graphene supported above a graphite substrate we demonstrate that in this system it is possible to realize atomically sharp edges with no edge-state reconstruction. Our results single out graphene as a system where the edge-state structure can be controlled and the universal properties directly probed.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

The maize (Zea mays L.) roothairless3 gene encodes a putative GPI-anchored, monocot-specific, COBRA-like protein that significantly affects grain yield

The rth3 (roothairless 3) mutant is specifically affected in root hair elongation. We report here the cloning of the rth3 gene via a PCR-based strategy (amplification of insertion mutagenized sites) and demonstrate that it encodes a COBRA-like protein that displays all the structural features of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Genes of the COBRA family are involved in various types of cell expansion and cell wall biosynthesis. The rth3 gene belongs to a monocot-specific clade of the COBRA gene family comprising two maize and two rice genes. While the rice (Oryza sativa) gene OsBC1L1 appears to be orthologous to rth3 based on sequence similarity (86% identity at the protein level) and maize/rice synteny, the maize (Zea mays L.) rth3-like gene does not appear to be a functional homolog of rth3based on their distinct expression profiles. Massively parallel signature sequencing analysis detected rth3 expression in all analyzed tissues, but at relatively low levels, with the most abundant expression in primary roots where the root hair phenotype is manifested.In situ hybridization experiments confine rth3 expression to root hair-forming epidermal cells and lateral root primordia. Remarkably, in replicated field trials involving near-isogenic lines, the rth3 mutant conferred significant losses in grain yield

Non-destructive assessment of the internal quality of intact persimmon using colour and VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging

The internal quality of intact persimmon cv. Rojo Brillante was assessed trough visible and near infrared hyperspectral imaging. Fruits at three stages of commercial maturity were exposed to different treatments with CO2 to obtain fruit with different ripeness and level of astringency (soluble tannin content). Spectral and spatial information were used for building classification models to predict ripeness and astringency trough multivariate analysis techniques like linear and quadratic discriminant analysis (LDA and QDA) and support vector machine (SVM). Additionally, flesh firmness was predicted by partial least square regression (PLSR). The full spectrum was used to determine the internal properties and later principal component analysis (PCA) was used to select optimal wavelengths (580, 680 and 1050 nm). The correct classification was above 92% for the three classifiers in the case of ripeness and 95% for QDA in the case of astringency. A value of R2 = 0.80 and a ratio of prediction deviation (RPD) of 1.86 were obtained with the selected wavelengths for the prediction of firmness which demonstrated the potential of hyperspectral imaging as a non-destructive tool in the assessment of the firmness, ripeness state and astringency level of Rojo Brillante persimmon.This work has been partially funded by the INIA and FEDER through projects RTA2012-00062-C04-01, RTA2012-00062-C04-03 and RTA2013-00043-C02, GVA through the project AICO/2015/122, the International S&T Cooperation Programs of China (2015DFA71150), and the International S&T Cooperation Program of Guangdong Province, China (2013B051000010). Sandra Munera thanks INIA for the grant FPI-INIA #43 (CPR2014-0082) partially supported by FSE funds.Munera-Picazo, S.; Besada Ferreiro, CM.; Aleixos Borrás, MN.; Talens Oliag, P.; Salvador, A.; Sun, D.; Cubero-García, S.... (2017). Non-destructive assessment of the internal quality of intact persimmon using colour and VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging. Food Science and Technology. 77:241-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2016.11.063S2412487

Generality of shear thickening in suspensions

Suspensions are of wide interest and form the basis for many smart fluids. For most suspensions, the viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate, i.e. they shear thin. Few are reported to do the opposite, i.e. shear thicken, despite the longstanding expectation that shear thickening is a generic type of suspension behavior. Here we resolve this apparent contradiction. We demonstrate that shear thickening can be masked by a yield stress and can be recovered when the yield stress is decreased below a threshold. We show the generality of this argument and quantify the threshold in rheology experiments where we control yield stresses arising from a variety of sources, such as attractions from particle surface interactions, induced dipoles from applied electric and magnetic fields, as well as confinement of hard particles at high packing fractions. These findings open up possibilities for the design of smart suspensions that combine shear thickening with electro- or magnetorheological response.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Nature Material

Stromal MED12 exon 2 mutations in complex fibroadenomas of the breast

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.Aims: Here we explore the presence of mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) exon 2 and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter hotspot mutations in complex fibroadenomas (CFAs) of the breast. Methods: The stromal components from 18 CFAs were subjected to Sanger sequencing of MED12 exon 2 and the TERT promoter hotspot loci. The epithelial and stromal components of two MED12 mutated CFAs were subjected to laser capture microdissection, and Sanger sequencing of MED12 exon 2, TERT promoter and PIK3CA exons 9 and 20, separately. Results: MED12 exon 2 mutations were identified in the stroma of 17% of CFAs. The analyses of epithelial and stromal components, microdissected separately, revealed that MED12 mutations were restricted to the stroma. No TERT promoter or PIK3CA mutations in exons 9 and 20 were detected in analysed CFAs. Conclusions: Like conventional fibroadenomas, MED12 exon 2 mutations appear to be restricted to the stromal component of CFAs, supporting the notion that CFAs are stromal neoplasms.This study was funded by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. BW is funded by a Cycle for Survival grant, CS by a Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia grant (SFRH/BDE/110544/2015). FP is partially funded by a K12 CA184746 grant. The research reported in this paper was supported in part by a Cancer Centre Support Grant of the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (grant No P30CA008748).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio