Highly oriented nonepitaxially grown \u3ci\u3eL\u3c/i\u3e1\u3csub\u3e0\u3c/sub\u3e FePt films

A method of preparing nonepitaxially grown, highly textured L10 FePt thin films is described. A nearly perfect (001) texture was obtained by direct deposition of FePt films on Corning 7059 glass substrates and subsequent rapid thermal annealing. The ordering and orientation of the L10-phase FePt grains were controlled by the initial as-deposited film structure, and also by the annealing process. Magnetic measurements reveal large perpendicular anisotropy for these (001) textured films. The substrates and processes used for nonepitaxial growth of L10 ordered FePt films are much more compatible with practical applications than those grown epitaxially

Local walking and cycling by residents living near urban motorways: cross-sectional analysis

Abstract: Background: Everyday activities, such as walking or cycling, may be a feasible and practical way to integrate physical activity into everyday life. Walking and cycling for transport or recreation in the area local to a person’s home may have additional benefits. However, urban planning tends to prioritise car use over active modes. We explored the cross-sectional association between living near an urban motorway and local walking and cycling. Methods: In 2013, residents living in an area (a) near a new urban motorway (M74), (b) near a longstanding urban motorway (M8), or (c) without a motorway, in Glasgow, Scotland, were invited to complete postal surveys assessing local walking and cycling journeys and socio-demographic characteristics. Using adjusted regression models, we assessed the association between motorway proximity and self-reported local walking and cycling, as well as the count of types of destination accessed. We stratified our analyses according to study area. Results: One thousand three hundred forty-three residents (57% female; mean age: 54 years; SD: 16 years) returned questionnaires. There was no overall association between living near an urban motorway and the likelihood of local walking or cycling, or the number of types of local destination accessed by foot or bicycle. In stratified analyses, for those living in the area around the new M74 motorway, increasing residential proximity to the motorway was associated with lower likelihood of local recreational walking and cycling (OR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.00) a pattern not found in the area with the longstanding M8 motorway. In the area near the M8 motorway residential proximity was statistically significantly (p = 0.014) associated with a 12% decrease in the number of types of destination accessed, a pattern not found in the M74 study area. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that associations between living near a motorway and local walking and cycling behaviour may vary by the characteristics of the motorway, and by whether the behaviour is for travel or recreation. The lack of associations seen in the study area with no motorway suggests a threshold effect whereby beyond a certain distance from a motorway, additional distance makes no difference

Orientation-controlled nonepitaxial L1\u3csub\u3e0\u3c/sub\u3e CoPt and FePt films

We report results on highly oriented, face-centered tetragonal ordered CoPt and FePt thin films grown nonepitaxially by directly depositing films on thermally oxidized Si substrates and subsequent annealing. By controlling the thickness, composition, and annealing conditions, and/or depositing a proper underlayer, nearly perfect (001)-oriented CoPt and FePt films can be obtained. Magnetic measurements reveal large perpendicular anisotropy for such films

Coupling angle variability in healthy and patellofemoral pain runners

Background Patellofemoral pain is hypothesized to result in less joint coordination variability. The ability to relate coordination variability to patellofemoral pain pathology could have many clinical uses; however, evidence to support its clinical application is lacking. The aim was to determine if vector coding's coupling angle variability, as a measure of joint coordination variability, was less for runners with patellofemoral pain than healthy controls as is commonly postulated. Methods Nineteen female recreational runners with patellofemoral pain and eleven healthy controls performed a treadmill acclimation protocol then ran at a self-selected pace for 15 min. 3-D kinematics, force plate kinetics, knee pain and rating of perceived exertion were recorded each minute. Data were selected for the: pain group at the highest pain reached (pain � 3/10) in a non-exerted state (exertion < 14/20), and; non-exerted healthy group from the eleventh minute. Coupling angle variability was calculated over several portions of the stride for six knee-ankle combinations during five non-consecutive strides. Findings 46 of 48 coupling angle variability measures were greater for the pain group, with 7 significantly greater (P <.05). Interpretation These findings oppose the theory that less coupling angle variability is indicative of a pathological coordinate state during running. Greater coupling angle variability may be characteristic of patellofemoral pain in female treadmill running when a larger threshold of pain is reached than previously observed. A predictable and directional response of coupling angle variability measures in relation to knee pathology is not yet clear and requires further investigation prior to considerations for clinical utility. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Synthesis and Structure of Solution-Stable One-Dimensional Palladium Wires

One-dimensional metal wires are valuable materials because of their optical and electronic anisotropy, and they have potential utility in devices such as photovoltaic cells and molecular sensors. However, despite more than a century of research, only a few examples exist of well-defined one-dimensional (1D) metal wires that allow for the rational variation of conductivity. Herein we describe the first examples of 1D molecular wires supported by Pd–Pd bonds, the thin-film conductive properties of which can be altered by controlled molecular changes. Wires based on Pd(III) give semiconducting films with a modifiable bandgap, whereas wires based on Pd(2.5) give films that display metallic conductivity above 200 K: a metallic state has not been reported previously for any polymer composed of 1D metal wires. The wires are infinite in the solid state and maintain 1D structures in solution with lengths of up to 750 nm. Solution stability enables thin film coating, a requisite for device fabrication using molecular wires.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

Vesicle shape, molecular tilt, and the suppression of necks

Can the presence of molecular-tilt order significantly affect the shapes of lipid bilayer membranes, particularly membrane shapes with narrow necks? Motivated by the propensity for tilt order and the common occurrence of narrow necks in the intermediate stages of biological processes such as endocytosis and vesicle trafficking, we examine how tilt order inhibits the formation of necks in the equilibrium shapes of vesicles. For vesicles with a spherical topology, point defects in the molecular order with a total strength of $+2$ are required. We study axisymmetric shapes and suppose that there is a unit-strength defect at each pole of the vesicle. The model is further simplified by the assumption of tilt isotropy: invariance of the energy with respect to rotations of the molecules about the local membrane normal. This isotropy condition leads to a minimal coupling of tilt order and curvature, giving a high energetic cost to regions with Gaussian curvature and tilt order. Minimizing the elastic free energy with constraints of fixed area and fixed enclosed volume determines the allowed shapes. Using numerical calculations, we find several branches of solutions and identify them with the branches previously known for fluid membranes. We find that tilt order changes the relative energy of the branches, suppressing thin necks by making them costly, leading to elongated prolate vesicles as a generic family of tilt-ordered membrane shapes.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phy. Rew.

Existence and Stability of Standing Pulses in Neural Networks : I Existence

We consider the existence of standing pulse solutions of a neural network integro-differential equation. These pulses are bistable with the zero state and may be an analogue for short term memory in the brain. The network consists of a single-layer of neurons synaptically connected by lateral inhibition. Our work extends the classic Amari result by considering a non-saturating gain function. We consider a specific connectivity function where the existence conditions for single-pulses can be reduced to the solution of an algebraic system. In addition to the two localized pulse solutions found by Amari, we find that three or more pulses can coexist. We also show the existence of nonconvex ``dimpled'' pulses and double pulses. We map out the pulse shapes and maximum firing rates for different connection weights and gain functions.Comment: 31 pages, 29 figures, submitted to SIAM Journal on Applied Dynamical System

Connecting Binuclear Pd(III) and Mononuclear Pd(IV) Chemistry by Pd–Pd Bond Cleavage

Oxidation of binuclear Pd(II) complexes with PhICl$_2$ or PhI(OAc)$_2$ has previously been shown to afford binuclear Pd(III) complexes featuring a Pd–Pd bond. In contrast, oxidation of binuclear Pd(II) complexes with electrophilic trifluoromethylating (“CF$_3^+$”) reagents has been reported to afford mononuclear Pd(IV) complexes. Herein, we report experimental and computational studies of the oxidation of a binuclear Pd(II) complex with “CF$_3^+$” reagents. These studies suggest that a mononuclear Pd(IV) complex is generated by an oxidation–fragmentation sequence proceeding via fragmentation of an initially formed, formally binuclear Pd(III), intermediate. The observation that binuclear Pd(III) and mononuclear Pd(IV) complexes are accessible in the same reactions offers an opportunity for understanding the role of nuclearity in both oxidation and subsequent C–X bond-forming reactions.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

The role of sand lances (Ammodytes sp.) in the Northwest Atlantic ecosystem: a synthesis of current knowledge with implications for conservation and management

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Staudinger, M. D., Goyert, H., Suca, J. J., Coleman, K., Welch, L., Llopiz, J. K., Wiley, D., Altman, I., Applegate, A., Auster, P., Baumann, H., Beaty, J., Boelke, D., Kaufman, L., Loring, P., Moxley, J., Paton, S., Powers, K., Richardson, D., Robbins, J., Runge, J., Smith, B., Spiegel, C., & Steinmetz, H. The role of sand lances (Ammodytes sp.) in the Northwest Atlantic ecosystem: a synthesis of current knowledge with implications for conservation and management. Fish and Fisheries, 00, (2020): 1-34, doi:10.1111/faf.12445.The American sand lance (Ammodytes americanus, Ammodytidae) and the Northern sand lance (A. dubius, Ammodytidae) are small forage fishes that play an important functional role in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWA). The NWA is a highly dynamic ecosystem currently facing increased risks from climate change, fishing and energy development. We need a better understanding of the biology, population dynamics and ecosystem role of Ammodytes to inform relevant management, climate adaptation and conservation efforts. To meet this need, we synthesized available data on the (a) life history, behaviour and distribution; (b) trophic ecology; (c) threats and vulnerabilities; and (d) ecosystem services role of Ammodytes in the NWA. Overall, 72 regional predators including 45 species of fishes, two squids, 16 seabirds and nine marine mammals were found to consume Ammodytes. Priority research needs identified during this effort include basic information on the patterns and drivers in abundance and distribution of Ammodytes, improved assessments of reproductive biology schedules and investigations of regional sensitivity and resilience to climate change, fishing and habitat disturbance. Food web studies are also needed to evaluate trophic linkages and to assess the consequences of inconsistent zooplankton prey and predator fields on energy flow within the NWA ecosystem. Synthesis results represent the first comprehensive assessment of Ammodytes in the NWA and are intended to inform new research and support regional ecosystem‐based management approaches.This manuscript is the result of follow‐up work stemming from a working group formed at a two‐day multidisciplinary and international workshop held at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Massachusetts in May 2017, which convened 55 experts scientists, natural resource managers and conservation practitioners from 15 state, federal, academic and non‐governmental organizations with interest and expertise in Ammodytes ecology. Support for this effort was provided by USFWS, NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (Award # G16AC00237), an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to J.J.S., a CINAR Fellow Award to J.K.L. under Cooperative Agreement NA14OAR4320158, NSF award OCE‐1325451 to J.K.L., NSF award OCE‐1459087 to J.A.R, a Regional Sea Grant award to H.B. (RNE16‐CTHCE‐l), a National Marine Sanctuary Foundation award to P.J.A. (18‐08‐B‐196) and grants from the Mudge Foundation. The contents of this paper are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New England Fishery Management Council and Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This manuscript is submitted for publication with the understanding that the United States Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Governmental purposes. Any use of trade, firm or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government