2,442 research outputs found
Compositional analysis of InAs-GaAs-GaSb heterostructures by low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy
As an alternative to Core-Loss Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy, Low-Loss EELS is suitable for compositional analysis of complex heterostructures, such as the InAs-GaAs-GaSb system, since in this energy range the edges corresponding to these elements are better defined than in Core-Loss. Furthermore, the analysis of the bulk plasmon peak, which is present in this energy range, also provides information about the composition. In this work, compositional information in an InAs-GaAs-GaSb heterostructure has been obtained from Low-Loss EEL spectra
Tunable dipolar magnetism in high-spin molecular clusters
We report on the Fe17 high-spin molecular cluster and show that this system
is an exemplification of nanostructured dipolar magnetism. Each Fe17 molecule,
with spin S=35/2 and axial anisotropy as small as D=-0.02K, is the magnetic
unit that can be chemically arranged in different packing crystals whilst
preserving both spin ground-state and anisotropy. For every configuration,
molecular spins are correlated only by dipolar interactions. The ensuing
interplay between dipolar energy and anisotropy gives rise to macroscopic
behaviors ranging from superparamagnetism to long-range magnetic order at
temperatures below 1K.Comment: Replaced with version accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
A study into the impact of interface roughness development on mechanical degradation of oxides formed on zirconium alloys
AbstractAs a cladding material used to encapsulate nuclear fuel pellets, zirconium alloys are the primary barrier separating the fuel and a pressurised steam or lithiated water environment. Degradation mechanisms such as oxidation can be the limiting factor in the life-time of the fuel assembly. Key to controlling oxidation, and therefore allowing increased burn-up of fuel, is the development of a mechanistic understanding of the corrosion process. In an autoclave, the oxidation kinetics for zirconium alloys are typically cyclical, with periods of accelerated kinetics being observed in steps of ∼2μm oxide growth. These periods of accelerated oxidation are immediately preceded by the development of a layer of lateral cracks near the metal-oxide interface, which may be associated with the development of interface roughness. The present work uses scanning electron microscopy to carry out a statistical analysis of changes in the metal-oxide interface roughness between three different alloys at different stages of autoclave oxidation. The first two alloys are Zircaloy-4 and ZIRLO™ for which analysis is carried out at stages before, during and after first transition. The third alloy is an experimental low tin alloy, which under the same oxidation conditions and during the same time period does not appear to go through transition. Assessment of the metal-oxide interface roughness is primarily carried out based on the root mean square of the interface slope known as the Rdq parameter. Results show clear trends with relation to transition points in the corrosion kinetics. Discussion is given to how this relates to the existing mechanistic understanding of the corrosion process, and the components required for possible future modelling approaches
The iridium double perovskite Sr2YIrO6 revisited: A combined structural and specific heat study
Recently, the iridate double perovskite SrYIrO has attracted
considerable attention due to the report of unexpected magnetism in this
Ir (5d) material, in which according to the J model, a
non-magnetic ground state is expected. However, in recent works on
polycrystalline samples of the series BaSrYIrO no indication of
magnetic transitions have been found. We present a structural, magnetic and
thermodynamic characterization of SrYIrO single crystals, with emphasis
on the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the specific heat. Here, we
demonstrate the clue role of single crystal X-ray diffraction on the structural
characterization of the SrYIrO double perovskite crystals by reporting
the detection of a supercell, where ,
and are the unit cell dimensions of the reported monoclinic subcell. In
agreement with the expected non-magnetic ground state of Ir (5d) in
SrYIrO, no magnetic transition is observed down to 430~mK. Moreover,
our results suggest that the low temperature anomaly observed in the specific
heat is not related to the onset of long-range magnetic order. Instead, it is
identified as a Schottky anomaly caused by paramagnetic impurities present in
the sample, of the order of \%. These impurities lead to
non-negligible spin correlations, which nonetheless, are not associated with
long-range magnetic ordering.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure
Circle talks as situated experiential learning: Context, identity, and knowledgeability in \u27learning from reflection\u27
This article presents research that used ethnographic and sociolinguistic methods to study ways participants learn through reflection when carried out as a “circle talk.” The data indicate that participants in the event (a) invoked different contextual frames that (b) implicated them in various identity positions, which (c) affected how they could express their knowledge. These features worked together to generate socially shared meanings that enabled participants to jointly achieve conceptualization—the ideational role “reflection” is presumed to play in the experiential learning process. The analysis supports the claim that participants generate new knowledge in reflection, but challenges individualistic and cognitive assumptions regarding how this occurs. The article builds on situated views of experiential learning by showing how knowledge can be understood as socially shared and how learning and identity formation are mutually entailing processes
Discussions on the past, present, and future of quantitative research ethics in applied linguistics
Massive Schwinger model and its confining aspects on curved space-time
Using a covariant method to regularize the composite operators, we obtain the
bosonized action of the massive Schwinger model on a classical curved
background. Using the solution of the bosonic effective action, the energy of
two static external charges with finite and large distance separation on a
static curved space-time is obtained. The confining behavior of this model is
also explicitly discussed.Comment: A disscussion about the infrared regularization and also two
references are added. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D (2001
Geo-Biological Investigations on Azooxanthellate Cold-Water Coral Reefs on the Carbonate Mounds Along the Celtic Continental Slope
Northeast Atlantic 2004 Cruise No. 61, Leg 1 April 19 to May 4, 2004, Lisbon – Cor
A novel splice site variant in CYP11A1 in trans with the p.E314K variant in a male patient with congenital adrenal insufficiency
Background:
The CYP11A1 gene encodes the cytochrome P450 side‐chain cleavage enzyme, which is essential for steroid formation. Recessive variants in this gene can lead to impairment of sexual differentiation caused by a complete or partial loss of steroid hormone production. The phenotypic spectrum in affected 46XY males may vary from surgically repairable defects including cryptorchidism and hypospadias to complete feminization of external gonads, accompanied by symptoms of adrenal dysfunction.
Methods
Whole‐exome sequencing (WES) of a 12‐year‐old male proband and his parents was performed after a protracted diagnostic odyssey failed to uncover the cause of his primary adrenal insufficiency. Of note, the proband had early symptomatology and corrective surgery for hypospadias, raising suspicion for a disorder of steroidogenesis.
Results:
WES identified compound heterozygous variants in CYP11A1 including a novel canonical splice site variant (c.425+1G>A) and a previously reported p.E314K variant, which were consistent with a diagnosis of congenital adrenal insufficiency with partial 46XY sex reversal.
Conclusion:
Congenital adrenal insufficiency with 46XY sex reversal is a rare disorder that is characterized by dysregulation of steroid hormone synthesis, leading to adrenal and gonadal dysfunction. In this report, we describe a patient with adrenal insufficiency, hypospadias, and skin hyperpigmentation who was found to have a novel c.425+1G>A variant in trans with the p.E314K variant in CYP11A1. We performed structural analyses to examine the effect of the p.E314K variant on protein function and show that it falls in the core of the protein may disrupt cholesterol binding in the active site
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