7,504 research outputs found
Structural phase transition and material properties of few-layer monochalcogenides
GeSe and SnSe monochalcogenide monolayers and bilayers undergo a
two-dimensional phase transition from a rectangular unit cell to a square unit
cell at a temperature well below the melting point. Its consequences on
material properties are studied within the framework of Car-Parrinello
molecular dynamics and density-functional theory. No in-gap states develop as
the structural transition takes place, so that these phase-change materials
remain semiconducting below and above . As the in-plane lattice transforms
from a rectangle onto a square at , the electronic, spin, optical, and
piezo-electric properties dramatically depart from earlier predictions. Indeed,
the and points in the Brillouin zone become effectively equivalent at
, leading to a symmetric electronic structure. The spin polarization at
the conduction valley edge vanishes, and the hole conductivity must display an
anomalous thermal increase at . The linear optical absorption band edge
must change its polarization as well, making this structural and electronic
evolution verifiable by optical means. Much excitement has been drawn by
theoretical predictions of giant piezo-electricity and ferroelectricity in
these materials, and we estimate a pyroelectric response of about here. These results uncover the fundamental role of
temperature as a control knob for the physical properties of few-layer group-IV
monochalcogenidesComment: Supplementary information included. Published versio
El rol del control personal en la función paliativa de la justificación del sistema entre la población indÃgena y no indÃgena de estudiantes peruanos
Indexación: Scopus.In this article we propose a mediation model for the association between system justification and psychological well-being (i.e., the palliative function of ideology), based on system justification theory and compensatory control theory. Specifically, we argue that endorsing system-justifying beliefs leads to increased perceived personal control, which in turn predicts higher well-being. We used a convenience sample of students from two Peruvian universities. The results showed that system justification was related to general psychological well-being and personal control. In addition, indigenous students rated lower on system justification, general psychological well-being, self-esteem and personal control. Next, we found that the association between system justification and general psychological well-being was stronger among indigenous students, and this relationship was partially mediated by personal control. In addition, we showed that the mediation model is moderated by ethnicity, so that personal control is a mediator only among non-indigenous participants. We conclude that personal control is a mechanism involved in the palliative function of ideology among this group. Finally, we discuss possible explanations for the mechanisms involved in the palliative function of ideology among low-status individuals. © 2018, © 2018 Fundacion Infancia y Aprendizaje.En este artÃculo se propone un modelo de mediación de las
relaciones entre la justificación del sistema y el bienestar psicológico (i.e.,
la función paliativa de la ideologÃa) basado en las teorÃas de la justificación
del sistema y del control compensatorio. En concreto, se propone que la
adopción de creencias justificativas del sistema produce un aumento del
control personal percibido que, a su vez, predice niveles más elevados de bienestar. En este estudio se utilizó una muestra por conveniencia de estudiantes
provenientes de dos universidades peruanas. Los resultados muestran
que la justificación del sistema está relacionada con el bienestar psicológico
general y con el control personal. Además, los estudiantes indÃgenas mostraron
niveles más reducidos de justificación del sistema, bienestar
psicológico general, autoestima y control personal. También se observó que
la relación entre la justificación del sistema y el bienestar psicológico general
era más fuerte entre los estudiantes indÃgenas y que el control personal
mediaba parcialmente en esta relación. Asimismo, mostramos que la etnicidad
es un factor moderador del modelo de mediación, por lo que el control
personal es un mediador únicamente entre los participantes no indÃgenas. El
estudio concluye que el control personal es un mecanismo que interviene en
la función paliativa de la ideologÃa en este grupo. Por último, se discuten
posibles explicaciones de los mecanismos implicados en la función paliativa
de la ideologÃa entre individuos de estatus social bajo.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02134748.2018.153765
Retenção de ferro e zinco em cultivares de feijão comum (Phaseolus vulgaris, L,) após cozimento.
O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar os teores de ferro e zinco em diferentes cultivares de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) cru, e após o cozimento caseiro em panela semi-tampada e em panela de pressão, com e sem maceração prévias
Biofertilization of micropropagated Agave tequilana: Effect on plant growth and production of hydrolytic enzymes
Three beneficial bacterial strains [Gluconoacetobacter diazotrophicus (Pal5), the diazotrophs (11B) and Pachaz (008)] and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus [Glomus intraradices (AMF)] were evaluated for their ability to enhance plant growth and the production of hydrolytic enzymes in micropropagated Agave tequilana Weber var. Blue. Results show that the growth of the agave plants and the production of hydrolytic enzymes in their roots were influenced by the presence of these microorganisms. AMF + 11B treatment induced the greatest fresh weight, showing significant differences with respect to other combinations. Microscopic analysis showed dense root colonization in the AMF treated plants. Pal 5 treatment produced taller plants, indicating a better plant nitrogen nutrition and possibly phytohormone production by Gluconoacetobacter. Treatment Pachaz 008 presented the highest values of the most important agronomic variables, such as the diameter of the pseudo-stem. On another hand, differential catalytic activities of the enzymes β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase and endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase were detected in inoculated roots in comparison to the un-inoculated control . We offer explanations about those results based on nutritional and hormonal relationships between the microorganisms and the agave plantlets, as well as on the microbial mechanism to colonize the agave roots.Key words: Bacterial and mycorrhizal inoculants, Agave plantlets, hydrolytic enzymes
Experimental evidence of planar channeling in a periodically bent crystal
The usage of a Crystalline Undulator (CU) has been identified as a promising
solution for generating powerful and monochromatic -rays. A CU was
fabricated at SSL through the grooving method, i.e., by the manufacturing of a
series of periodical grooves on the major surfaces of a crystal. The CU was
extensively characterized both morphologically via optical interferometry at
SSL and structurally via X-ray diffraction at ESRF. Then, it was finally tested
for channeling with a 400 GeV/c proton beam at CERN. The experimental results
were compared to Monte Carlo simulations. Evidence of planar channeling in the
CU was firmly observed. Finally, the emission spectrum of the positron beam
interacting with the CU was simulated for possible usage in currently existing
facilities
A matrix–free high–order solver for the numerical solution of cardiac electrophysiology
We propose a matrix-free solver for the numerical solution of the cardiac electrophysiology model consisting of the monodomain nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation coupled with a system of ordinary differential equations for the ionic species. Our numerical approximation is based on the high-order Spectral Element Method (SEM) to achieve accurate numerical discretization while employing a much smaller number of Degrees of Freedom than first-order Finite Elements. We combine vectorization with sum- factorization, thus allowing for a very efficient use of high-order polynomials in a high performance computing framework. We validate the effectiveness of our matrix-free solver in a variety of applications and perform different electrophysiological simulations ranging from a simple slab of cardiac tissue to a realistic four-chamber heart geometry. We compare SEM to SEM with Numerical Integration (SEM-NI), showing that they provide comparable results in terms of accuracy and efficiency. In both cases, increasing the local polynomial degree p leads to better numerical results and smaller computational times than reducing the mesh size h. We also implement a matrix-free Geometric Multigrid preconditioner that results in a comparable number of linear solver iterations with respect to a state-of-the-art matrix-based Algebraic Multigrid preconditioner. As a matter of fact, the matrix-free solver proposed here yields up to 45x speed-up with respect to a conventional matrix-based solver. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
A matrix–free high–order solver for the numerical solution of cardiac electrophysiology
We propose a matrix-free solver for the numerical solution of the cardiac electrophysiology model consisting of the monodomain nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation coupled with a system of ordinary differential equations for the ionic species. Our numerical approximation is based on the high-order Spectral Element Method (SEM) to achieve accurate numerical discretization while employing a much smaller number of Degrees of Freedom than first-order Finite Elements. We combine vectorization with sum- factorization, thus allowing for a very efficient use of high-order polynomials in a high performance computing framework. We validate the effectiveness of our matrix-free solver in a variety of applications and perform different electrophysiological simulations ranging from a simple slab of cardiac tissue to a realistic four-chamber heart geometry. We compare SEM to SEM with Numerical Integration (SEM-NI), showing that they provide comparable results in terms of accuracy and efficiency. In both cases, increasing the local polynomial degree p leads to better numerical results and smaller computational times than reducing the mesh size h. We also implement a matrix-free Geometric Multigrid preconditioner that results in a comparable number of linear solver iterations with respect to a state-of-the-art matrix-based Algebraic Multigrid preconditioner. As a matter of fact, the matrix-free solver proposed here yields up to 45x speed-up with respect to a conventional matrix-based solver. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Messenger RNA degradation is initiated at the 5′ end and follows sequence- and condition-dependent modes in chloroplasts
Using reporter gene constructs, consisting of the bacterial uidA (GUS) coding region flanked by the 5′ and 3′ regions of the Chlamydomonas rbcL and psaB genes, respectively, we studied the degradation of mRNAs in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in vivo. Extending the 5′ terminus of transcripts of the reporter gene by more than 6 nucleotides triggered rapid degradation. Placing a poly(G) tract, known to pause exoribonucleases, in various positions downstream of the 5′ terminus blocked rapid degradation of the transcripts. In all these cases the 5′ ends of the accumulating GUS transcripts were found to be trimmed to the 5′ end of the poly(G) tracts indicating that a 5′→3′ exoribonuclease is involved in the degradation process. Several unstable variants of the GUS transcript could not be rescued from rapid degradation by a poly(G) tract showing that sequence/structure-dependent modes of mRNA breakdown exist in the Chlamydomonas chloroplast. Furthermore, degradation of poly(G)-stabilized transcripts that accumulated in cells maintained in the dark could be augmented by illuminating the cells, implying a photo-activated mode of mRNA degradation that is not blocked by a poly(G) tract. These results suggest sequence- and condition-dependent 5′→3′ mRNA-degrading pathways in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii
Specific roles of 5′ RNA secondary structures in stabilizing transcripts in chloroplasts
RNA secondary structures, e.g. stem–loops that are often found at the 5′ and 3′ ends of mRNAs, are in many cases known to be crucial for transcript stability but their role in prolonging the lifetime of transcripts remains elusive. In this study we show for an essential RNA-stabilizing stem–loop at the 5′ end of rbcL gene transcripts in Chlamydomonas that it neither prevents ribonucleases from binding to the RNA nor impedes their movement along the RNA strand. The stem–loop has a formative function in that it mediates folding of a short sequence around its base into a specific RNA conformation, consisting of a helical and single-stranded region, i.e. the real structure required for longevity of rbcL transcripts in chloroplasts. Disturbing this structure renders transcripts completely unstable, even if the sequence of this element is not altered. The requirement of a specific 5′ sequence and structure for RNA longevity suggests an interaction of this element with a trans-acting factor that protects transcripts from rapid degradation in chloroplasts
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