Thermoelectric performance of multiphase XNiSn (X = Ti, Zr, Hf) half-Heusler alloys

Quantitative X-ray powder diffraction analysis demonstrates that mixing Ti, Zr and Hf on the ionic site in the half-Heusler structure, which is a common strategy to lower the lattice thermal conductivity in this important class of thermoelectric materials, leads to multiphase behaviour. For example, nominal Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn has a distribution of Ti1−xZrxNiSn compositions between 0.24 ≤ x ≤ 0.70. Similar variations are observed for Zr0.50Hf0.5NiSn and Ti0.5Hf0.5NiSn. Electron microscopy and elemental mapping demonstrate that the main compositional variations occur over micrometre length scales. The thermoelectric power factors of the mixed phase samples are improved compared to the single phase end-members (e.g. S2/ρ = 1.8 mW m−1 K−2 for Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn, compared to S2/ρ = 1.5 mW m−1 K−2 for TiNiSn), demonstrating that the multiphase behaviour is not detrimental to electronic transport. Thermal conductivity measurements for Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn0.95 suggest that the dominant reduction comes from Ti/Zr mass and size difference phonon scattering with the multiphase behaviour a secondary effect

Charge asymmetry in high-energy μ+μ−\mu^+\mu^- photoproduction in the electric field of a heavy atom

The charge asymmetry in the differential cross section of high-energy $\mu^+\mu^-$ photoproduction in the electric field of a heavy atom is obtained. This asymmetry arises due to the Coulomb corrections to the amplitude of the process (next-to-leading term with respect to the atomic field). The deviation of the nuclear electric field from the Coulomb field at small distances is crucially important for the charge asymmetry. Though the Coulomb corrections to the total cross section are negligibly small, the charge asymmetry is measurable for selected final states of $\mu^+$ and $\mu^-$. We further discuss the feasibility for experimental observation of this effect.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Treatments for women with gestational diabetes mellitus: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews

Background Successful treatments for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have the potential to improve health outcomes for women with GDM and their babies. Objectives To provide a comprehensive synthesis of evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews of the benefits and harms associated with interventions for treating GDM on women and their babies. Methods We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (5 January 2018) for reviews of treatment/management for women with GDM. Reviews of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes were excluded. Two overview authors independently assessed reviews for inclusion, quality (AMSTAR; ROBIS), quality of evidence (GRADE), and extracted data. Main results We included 14 reviews. Of these, 10 provided relevant high-quality and low-risk of bias data (AMSTAR and ROBIS) from 128 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 27 comparisons, 17,984 women, 16,305 babies, and 1441 children. Evidence ranged from high to very low-quality (GRADE). Only one effective intervention was found for treating women with GDM. Effective Lifestyle versus usual care Lifestyle intervention versus usual care probably reduces large-for-gestational age (risk ratio (RR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50 to 0.71; 6 RCTs, N = 2994; GRADE moderate-quality). Promising No evidence for any outcome for any comparison could be classified to this category. Ineffective or possibly harmful Lifestyle versus usual care Lifestyle intervention versus usual care probably increases the risk of induction of labour (IOL) suggesting possible harm (average RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.46; 4 RCTs, N = 2699; GRADE moderate-quality). Exercise versus control Exercise intervention versus control for return to pre-pregnancy weight suggested ineffectiveness (body mass index, BMI) MD 0.11 kg/m², 95% CI -1.04 to 1.26; 3 RCTs, N = 254; GRADE moderate-quality). Insulin versus oral therapy Insulin intervention versus oral therapy probably increases the risk of IOL suggesting possible harm (RR 1.3, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.75; 3 RCTs, N = 348; GRADE moderate-quality). Probably ineffective or harmful interventions Insulin versus oral therapy For insulin compared to oral therapy there is probably an increased risk of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.12; 4 RCTs, N = 1214; GRADE moderate-quality). Inconclusive Lifestyle versus usual care The evidence for childhood adiposity kg/m² (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.11; 3 RCTs, N = 767; GRADE moderate-quality) and hypoglycaemia was inconclusive (average RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.52; 6 RCTs, N = 3000; GRADE moderate-quality). Exercise versus control The evidence for caesarean section (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.16; 5 RCTs, N = 316; GRADE moderate quality) and perinatal death or serious morbidity composite was inconclusive (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.12 to 2.61; 2 RCTs, N = 169; GRADE moderate-quality). Insulin versus oral therapy The evidence for the following outcomes was inconclusive: pre-eclampsia (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.52; 10 RCTs, N = 2060), caesarean section (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.14; 17 RCTs, N = 1988), large-for-gestational age (average RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.35; 13 RCTs, N = 2352), and perinatal death or serious morbidity composite (RR 1.03; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.26; 2 RCTs, N = 760). GRADE assessment was moderate-quality for these outcomes. Insulin versus diet The evidence for perinatal mortality was inconclusive (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.33; 4 RCTs, N = 1137; GRADE moderate-quality). Insulin versus insulin The evidence for insulin aspart versus lispro for risk of caesarean section was inconclusive (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.09; 3 RCTs, N = 410; GRADE moderate quality). No conclusions possible No conclusions were possible for: lifestyle versus usual care (perineal trauma, postnatal depression, neonatal adiposity, number of antenatal visits/admissions); diet versus control (pre-eclampsia, caesarean section); myo-inositol versus placebo (hypoglycaemia); metformin versus glibenclamide (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, pregnancy-induced hypertension, death or serious morbidity composite, insulin versus oral therapy (development of type 2 diabetes); intensive management versus routine care (IOL, large-for-gestational age); post- versus pre-prandial glucose monitoring (large-for-gestational age). The evidence ranged from moderate-, low- and very low quality. Authors’ conclusions Currently there is insufficient high-quality evidence about the effects on health outcomes of relevance for women with GDM and their babies for many of the comparisons in this overview comparing treatment interventions for women with GDM. Lifestyle changes (including as a minimum healthy eating, physical activity and self-monitoring of blood sugar levels) was the only intervention that showed possible health improvements for women and their babies. Lifestyle interventions may result in fewer babies being large. Conversely, in terms of harms, lifestyle interventions may also increase the number of inductions. Taking insulin was also associated with an increase in hypertensive disorders, when compared to oral therapy. There was very limited information on long-term health and health services costs. Further high-quality research is needed

Intended and Unintended Consequences: The 2006 Fair Minimum Wage Amendment of the Ohio Constitution

This Article first provides a brief overview of federal and Ohio minimum wage law. The Article then examines the text of the 2006 Amendment. The third section delves into the provisions of HB 690 and the differences between HB 690 and the Amendment. The final section explores litigation issues arising from these differences

Identification of Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) Protein Putative Interactors Using Phage Display

Arabidopsis thaliana seeds without functional SEED MATURATION PROTEIN1 (SMP1), a boiling soluble protein predicted to be of intrinsic disorder, presumed to be a LATE EMBRYOGENESIS ABUNDANT (LEA) family protein based on sequence homology, do not enter secondary dormancy after 3 days at 40 °C. We hypothesized that SMP1 may protect a heat labile protein involved in the promotion of secondary dormancy. Recombinant SMP1 and GmPM28, its soybean (Glycine max), LEA4 homologue, protected the labile GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYROGENASE enzyme from heat stress, as did a known protectant, Bovine Serum Albumin, whether the LEA protein was in solution or attached to the bottom of microtiter plates. Maintenance of a biological function for both recombinant LEA proteins when immobilized encouraged a biopanning approach to screen for potential protein interactors. Phage display with two Arabidopsis seed, T7 phage, cDNA libraries, normalized for transcripts present in the mature, dehydrated, 12-, 24-, or 36-h imbibed seeds, were used in biopans against recombinant SMP1 and GmPM28. Phage titer increased considerably over four rounds of biopanning for both LEA proteins, but not for BSA, at both 25 and at 41 °C, regardless of the library used. The prevalence of multiple, independent clones encoding portions of specific proteins repeatedly retrieved from different libraries, temperatures and baits, provides evidence suggesting these LEA proteins are discriminating which proteins they protect, a novel finding. The identification of putative LEA-interacting proteins provides targets for reverse genetic approaches to further dissect the induction of secondary dormancy in seeds in response to heat stress

Effect of spark plasma sintering on the structure and properties of Ti1-xZrxNiSn half-heusler alloys

XNiSn (X = Ti, Zr and Hf) half-Heusler alloys have promising thermoelectric properties and are attracting enormous interest for use in waste heat recovery. In particular, multiphase behaviour has been linked to reduced lattice thermal conductivities, which enables improved energy conversion efficiencies. This manuscript describes the impact of spark plasma sintering (SPS) on the phase distributions and thermoelectric properties of Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn based half-Heuslers. Rietveld analysis reveals small changes in composition, while measurement of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivities reveals that all SPS treated samples are electron doped compared to the as-prepared samples. The lattice thermal conductivities fall between 4 W·m−1·K−1 at 350 K and 3 W·m−1·K−1 at 740 K. A maximum ZT = 0.7 at 740 K is observed in a sample with nominal Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn composition

High-resolution computed tomography reconstructions of invertebrate burrow systems

The architecture of biogenic structures can be highly influential in determining species contributions to major soil and sediment processes, but detailed 3-D characterisations are rare and descriptors of form and complexity are lacking. Here we provide replicate high-resolution micro-focus computed tomography (μ-CT) data for the complete burrow systems of three co-occurring, but functionally contrasting, sediment-dwelling inter-tidal invertebrates assembled alone, and in combination, in representative model aquaria. These data (≤2,000 raw image slices aquarium−1, isotropic voxel resolution, 81 μm) provide reference models that can be used for the development of novel structural analysis routines that will be of value within the fields of ecology, pedology, geomorphology, palaeobiology, ichnology and mechanical engineering. We also envisage opportunity for those investigating transport networks, vascular systems, plant rooting systems, neuron connectivity patterns, or those developing image analysis or statistics related to pattern or shape recognition. The dataset will allow investigators to develop or test novel methodology and ideas without the need to generate a complete three-dimensional computation of exemplar architecture