Macro- and micro-strain in GaN nanowires on Si(111)

We analyze the strain state of GaN nanowire ensembles by x-ray diffraction. The nanowires are grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a Si(111) substrate in a self-organized manner. On a macroscopic scale, the nanowires are found to be free of strain. However, coalescence of the nanowires results in micro-strain with a magnitude from +-0.015% to +-0.03%.This micro-strain contributes to the linewidth observed in low-temperature photoluminescence spectra

A symmoriiform from the Late Devonian of Morocco demonstrates a derived jaw function in ancient chondrichthyans

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.The Palaeozoic record of chondrichthyans (sharks, rays, chimaeras, extinct relatives) and thus our knowledge of their anatomy and functional morphology is poor because of their predominantly cartilaginous skeletons. Here, we report a previously undescribed symmoriiform shark, Ferromirum oukherbouchi, from the Late Devonian of the Anti-Atlas. Computed tomography scanning reveals the undeformed shape of the jaws and hyoid arch, which are of a kind often used to represent primitive conditions for jawed vertebrates. Of critical importance, these closely fitting cartilages preclude the repeatedly hypothesized presence of a complete gill between mandibular and hyoid arches. We show that the jaw articulation is specialized and drives mandibular rotation outward when the mouth opens, and inward upon closure. The resultant eversion and inversion of the lower dentition presents a greater number of teeth to prey through the bite-cycle. This suggests an increased functional and ecomorphological disparity among chondrichthyans preceding and surviving the end-Devonian extinctions.Swiss National Science Foundation (project number 200020_184894)NOW Vidi grant no. 864.14.00

Composite Structures Damage Tolerance Analysis Methodologies

This report presents the results of a literature review as part of the development of composite hardware fracture control guidelines funded by NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) under contract NNL04AA09B. The objectives of the overall development tasks are to provide a broad information and database to the designers, analysts, and testing personnel who are engaged in space flight hardware production

Dynamical hologram generation for high speed optical trapping of smart droplet microtools

This paper demonstrates spatially selective sampling of the plasma membrane by the implementation of time-multiplexed holographic optical tweezers for Smart Droplet Microtools (SDMs). High speed (>1000fps) dynamical hologram generation was computed on the graphics processing unit of a standard display card and controlled by a user friendly LabView interface. Time multiplexed binary holograms were displayed in real time and mirrored to a ferroelectric Spatial Light Modulator. SDMs were manufactured with both liquid cores (as previously described) and solid cores, which confer significant advantages in terms of stability, polydispersity and ease of use. These were coated with a number of detergents, the most successful based upon lipids doped with transfection reagents. In order to validate these, trapped SDMs were maneuvered up to the plasma membrane of giant vesicles containing Nile Red and human biliary epithelial (BE) colon cancer cells with green fluorescent labeled protein (GFP)-labeled CAAX (a motif belonging to the Ras protein). Bright field and fluorescence images showed that successful trapping and manipulation of multiple SDMs in x, y, z was achieved with success rates of 30-50% and that subsequent membrane-SDM interactions led to the uptake of Nile Red or GFP-CAAX into the SDM

The Na/K-ATPase Oxidant Amplification Loop Regulates Aging

As aging involves oxidant injury, we examined the role of the recently described Na/K-ATPase oxidant amplification loop (NKAL). First, C57Bl6 old mice were given a western diet to stimulate oxidant injury or pNaKtide to antagonize the NKAL. The western diet accelerated functional and morphological evidence for aging whereas pNaKtide attenuated these changes. Next, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were exposed to different types of oxidant stress in vitro each of which increased expression of senescence markers, cell-injury, and apoptosis as well as stimulated the NKAL. Further stimulation of the NKAL with ouabain augmented cellular senescence whereas treatment with pNaKtide attenuated it. Although N-Acetyl Cysteine and Vitamin E also ameliorated overall oxidant stress to a similar degree as pNaKtide, the pNaKtide produced protection against senescence that was substantially greater than that seen with either antioxidant. In particular, pNaKtide appeared to specifically ameliorate nuclear oxidant stress to a greater degree. These data demonstrate that the NKAL is intimately involved in the aging process and may serve as a target for anti-aging interventions

Photoactivation experiment on 197Au and its implications for the dipole strength in heavy nuclei

The 197Au(gamma,n) reaction is used as an activation standard for photodisintegration studies on astrophysically relevant nuclei. At the bremsstrahlung facility of the superconducting electron accelerator ELBE (Electron Linear accelerator of high Brilliance and low Emittance) of Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, photoactivation measurements on 197Au have been performed with bremsstrahlung endpoint energies from 8.0 to 15.5 MeV. The measured activation yield is compared with previous experiments as well as with calculations using Hauser-Feshbach statistical models. It is shown that the experimental data are best described by a two-Lorentzian parametrization with taking the axial deformation of 197Au into account. The experimental 197Au(gamma,n) reaction yield measured at ELBE via the photoactivation method is found to be consistent with previous experimental data using photon scattering or neutron detection methods.Comment: 9 page

Smartphone-based cardiac implantable electronic device remote monitoring: improved compliance and connectivity

Aims: Remote monitoring (RM) is the standard of care for follow up of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices. The aim of this study was to compare smartphone-based RM (SM-RM) using patient applications (myMerlinPulse™ app) with traditional bedside monitor RM (BM-RM). Methods and results: The retrospective study included de-identified US patients who received either SM-RM or BM-RM capable of implantable cardioverter defibrillators or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (Abbott, USA). Patients in SM-RM and BM-RM groups were propensity-score matched on age and gender, device type, implant year, and month. Compliance with RM was quantified as the proportion of patients enrolling in the RM system (Merlin.net™) and transmitting data at least once. Connectivity was measured by the median number of days between consecutive transmissions per patient. Of the initial 9714 patients with SM-RM and 26 679 patients with BM-RM, 9397 patients from each group were matched. Remote monitoring compliance was higher in SM-RM; significantly more patients with SM-RM were enrolled in RM compared with BM-RM (94.4 vs. 85.0%, P < 0.001), similar number of patients in the SM-RM group paired their device (95.1 vs. 95.0%, P = 0.77), but more SM-RM patients transmitted at least once (98.1 vs. 94.3%, P < 0.001). Connectivity was significantly higher in the SM-RM, with patients transmitting data every 1.2 (1.1, 1.7) vs. every 1.7 (1.5, 2.0) days with BM-RM (P < 0.001) and remained better over time. Significantly more SM-RM patients utilized patient-initiated transmissions compared with BM-RM (55.6 vs. 28.1%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: In this large real-world study, patients with SM-RM demonstrated improved compliance and connectivity compared with BM-RM