A Compact Semi-Lumped Tunable Complex Impedance Transformer

International audienceThis article describes the design and performance of a compact tunable impedance transformer. The structure is based on a transmission line loaded by varactor diodes. Using only two pairs of diodes, the circuit is very small with a total length of only λ/10. Both the frequency range and the load impedance can be tuned by varying the varactor bias voltages. Our design provides a tunable operating frequency range of ± 40% and an impedance match ranging from 20 Ω to 90 Ω at 0.8 GHz and from 30 Ω to 170 Ω at 1.5 GHz. In addition, a new approach that considers losses for the simulation and measurement of this impedance transformer was investigated. The measured performance of a 1 GHz prototype design confirmed the validity of this new approach

Localized f electrons in CexLa1-xRhIn5: dHvA Measurements

Measurements of the de Haas-van Alphen effect in CexLa1-xRhIn5 reveal that the Ce 4f electrons remain localized for all x, with the mass enhancement and progressive loss of one spin from the de Haas-van Alphen signal resulting from spin fluctuation effects. This behavior may be typical of antiferromagnetic heavy fermion compounds, inspite of the fact that the 4f electron localization in CeRhIn5 is driven, in part, by a spin-density wave instability.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR

STAT1 activation in association with JAK2 exon 12 mutations

La inclusión de la perspectiva de género en la actividad jurisdiccional es una demanda sostenida de los colectivos feministas y de mujeres, dado que las sentencias tienen un poder performativo y envían un mensaje a la sociedad: “[…] tienen un poder individual y colectivo que impactan en la vida de las personas y conforman la identidad del poder judicial como un actor imprescindible en la construcción de un Estado democrático de derecho” (Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación, 2013:7). La incorporación de la perspectiva de género viene a garantizar la igualdad de posiciones (Kessler, 2014) entre mujeres y varones como una meta, trascendiendo la mera igualdad de oportunidades que hasta el presente se ha demostrado insuficiente para que las mujeres consigamos una ciudadanía plena. Al momento de incorporar la perspectiva de género en las sentencias, quienes juzgan deben tener presente en primer lugar, el impacto diferenciado de las normas en base al sexo de las personas. En segundo lugar, la interpretación y aplicación de las leyes en relación con (y en base a) estereotipos de género. Si, por ejemplo, quienes imparten justicia no tienen presentes los estereotipos de género vigentes detrás de las violaciones a los derechos humanos de las mujeres, si no los detectan ni cuestionan, entonces los reproducen. Tal como sostiene Scott (1996) el género es una categoría imprescindible para el análisis social. En tercer lugar, al momento del juzgamiento, se deben tener en cuenta las exclusiones legitimadas por la ley por pensar el mundo en términos binarios y androcéntricos; en cuarto lugar, la distribución no equitativa de recursos y poder que opera entre varones y mujeres en el marco de una organización social patriarcal, y, por último, el trato diferenciado por género legitimado por las propias leyes.Eje 3: Tramas violentas y espacios de exclusión.Instituto de Cultura Jurídic

Quantum dots with two electrons: Singlet-triplet transitions

The magnetic character of the ground-state of two electrons on a double quantum dot, connected in series to left and right single-channel leads, is considered. By solving exactly for the spectrum of the two interacting electrons, it is found that the coupling to the continuum of propagating states on the leads, in conjunction with the electron-electron interactions, may result in a delocalization of the bound state of the two electrons. This, in turn, reduces significantly the range of the Coulomb interaction parameters over which singlet-triplet transitions can be realized. It is also found that the coupling to the leads favors the singlet ground-state.Comment: 8 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev.

The KMOS Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS): the Tully–Fisher relation at z ∼ 1

We present the stellar mass (M*), and K-corrected K-band absolute magnitude (MK) Tully–Fisher relations (TFRs) for subsamples of the 584 galaxies spatially resolved in H α emission by the KMOS Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS). We model the velocity field of each of the KROSS galaxies and extract a rotation velocity, V80 at a radius equal to the major axis of an ellipse containing 80 per cent of the total integrated H α flux. The large sample size of KROSS allowed us to select 210 galaxies with well-measured rotation speeds. We extract from this sample a further 56 galaxies that are rotationally supported, using the stringent criterion V80/σ > 3, where σ is the flux weighted average velocity dispersion. We find the MK and M* TFRs for this subsample to be MK/mag=(−7.3±0.9)×[(log(V80/km s−1)−2.25]−23.4±0.2MK/mag=(−7.3±0.9)×[(log⁡(V80/km s−1)−2.25]−23.4±0.2, and log(M∗/M⊙)=(4.7±0.4)×[(log(V80/km s−1)−2.25]+10.0±0.3log⁡(M∗/M⊙)=(4.7±0.4)×[(log⁡(V80/km s−1)−2.25]+10.0±0.3, respectively. We find an evolution of the M* TFR zero-point of −0.41 ± 0.08 dex over the last ∼8 billion years. However, we measure no evolution in the MK TFR zero-point over the same period. We conclude that rotationally supported galaxies of a given dynamical mass had less stellar mass at z ∼ 1 than the present day, yet emitted the same amounts of K-band light. The ability of KROSS to differentiate, using integral field spectroscopy with KMOS, between those galaxies that are rotationally supported and those that are not explains why our findings are at odds with previous studies without the same capabilities

Simulations of the Static Friction Due to Adsorbed Molecules

The static friction between crystalline surfaces separated by a molecularly thin layer of adsorbed molecules is calculated using molecular dynamics simulations. These molecules naturally lead to a finite static friction that is consistent with macroscopic friction laws. Crystalline alignment, sliding direction, and the number of adsorbed molecules are not controlled in most experiments and are shown to have little effect on the friction. Temperature, molecular geometry and interaction potentials can have larger effects on friction. The observed trends in friction can be understood in terms of a simple hard sphere model.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure

Encounters and management of oral conditions at general medical practices in Australia

Poor oral health has been widely recognised as an ongoing public health issue. Patients with oral conditions may visit either a general practitioner (GP) or a dental practitioner for management. The aims of this study are to report (i) the GP management rate of oral health conditions by patient and GP demographics, (ii) what specific oral conditions were managed, and (iii) how GPs managed oral conditions. Methods Data from the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health study (2006 to 2016 inclusive) were analysed. Descriptive statistics with 95% confidence intervals around point estimates were used to summarise data. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the independent effect of patient and GP characteristics. Results A total of 972,100 GP encounters were included in the dataset, with oral condition-related encounters managed at a rate of 1.19 oral conditions per 100 GP encounters. Patients who were aged 54 years or younger, resided in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area, came from a non-English speaking background or Indigenous background were more likely to have oral conditions managed by GPs. The most commonly reported oral conditions were dental and oral mucosa-related. Over 60% of oral conditions were managed by GPs through prescribed medications. Conclusions This study provided an overview of management of oral conditions by GPs in Australia. Patients from certain vulnerable demographic groups were more likely to attend a GP for management of oral conditions. Common oral conditions and management approaches were identified. The findings of this study contribute to public health and health policy discussions around optimising primary care provision in oral health.An-Lun Cheng, Joerg Eberhard, Julie Gordon, Madhan Balasubramanian, Amber Willink, Woosung Sohn, Jennifer Dai, and Christopher Harriso

Genetic variation at MECOM, TERT, JAK2 and HBS1L-MYB predisposes to myeloproliferative neoplasms

Clonal proliferation in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) is driven by somatic mutations in JAK2, CALR or MPL, but the contribution of inherited factors is poorly characterized. Using a three-stage genome-wide association study of 3,437 MPN cases and 10,083 controls, we identify two SNPs with genome-wide significance in JAK2V617F-negative MPN: rs12339666 (JAK2; meta-analysis P=1.27 × 10−10) and rs2201862 (MECOM; meta-analysis P=1.96 × 10−9). Two additional SNPs, rs2736100 (TERT) and rs9376092 (HBS1L/MYB), achieve genome-wide significance when including JAK2V617F-positive cases. rs9376092 has a stronger effect in JAK2V617F-negative cases with CALR and/or MPL mutations (Breslow–Day P=4.5 × 10−7), whereas in JAK2V617F-positive cases rs9376092 associates with essential thrombocythemia (ET) rather than polycythemia vera (allelic χ2 P=7.3 × 10−7). Reduced MYB expression, previously linked to development of an ET-like disease in model systems, associates with rs9376092 in normal myeloid cells. These findings demonstrate that multiple germline variants predispose to MPN and link constitutional differences in MYB expression to disease phenotype

A Model for the Development of the Rhizobial and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbioses in Legumes and Its Use to Understand the Roles of Ethylene in the Establishment of these two Symbioses

We propose a model depicting the development of nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizae. Both processes are dissected into many steps, using Pisum sativum L. nodulation mutants as a guideline. For nodulation, we distinguish two main developmental programs, one epidermal and one cortical. Whereas Nod factors alone affect the cortical program, bacteria are required to trigger the epidermal events. We propose that the two programs of the rhizobial symbiosis evolved separately and that, over time, they came to function together. The distinction between these two programs does not exist for arbuscular mycorrhizae development despite events occurring in both root tissues. Mutations that affect both symbioses are restricted to the epidermal program. We propose here sites of action and potential roles for ethylene during the formation of the two symbioses with a specific hypothesis for nodule organogenesis. Assuming the epidermis does not make ethylene, the microsymbionts probably first encounter a regulatory level of ethylene at the epidermis–outermost cortical cell layer interface. Depending on the hormone concentrations there, infection will either progress or be blocked. In the former case, ethylene affects the cortex cytoskeleton, allowing reorganization that facilitates infection; in the latter case, ethylene acts on several enzymes that interfere with infection thread growth, causing it to abort. Throughout this review, the difficulty of generalizing the roles of ethylene is emphasized and numerous examples are given to demonstrate the diversity that exists in plants

Tomato: a crop species amenable to improvement by cellular and molecular methods

Tomato is a crop plant with a relatively small DNA content per haploid genome and a well developed genetics. Plant regeneration from explants and protoplasts is feasable which led to the development of efficient transformation procedures. In view of the current data, the isolation of useful mutants at the cellular level probably will be of limited value in the genetic improvement of tomato. Protoplast fusion may lead to novel combinations of organelle and nuclear DNA (cybrids), whereas this technique also provides a means of introducing genetic information from alien species into tomato. Important developments have come from molecular approaches. Following the construction of an RFLP map, these RFLP markers can be used in tomato to tag quantitative traits bred in from related species. Both RFLP's and transposons are in the process of being used to clone desired genes for which no gene products are known. Cloned genes can be introduced and potentially improve specific properties of tomato especially those controlled by single genes. Recent results suggest that, in principle, phenotypic mutants can be created for cloned and characterized genes and will prove their value in further improving the cultivated tomato.