The 3D-tomography of the nano-clusters formed by Fe-coating and annealing of diamond films for enhancing their surface electron field emitters

[[abstract]]The Fe-coating and H2-annealed processes markedly increased the conductivity and enhanced the surface electron field emission (s-EFE) properties for the diamondfilms. The enhancement on the s-EFE properties for the diamondfilms is presumably owing to the formation of nano-graphite clusters on the surface of the films via the Fe-to-diamond interaction. However, the extent of enhancement varied with the granular structure of the diamondfilms. For the microcrystalline (MCD)films, the s-EFE process can be turned on at (E0)MCD = 1.9 V/μm, achieving a large s-EFE current density of (Je)MCD = 315 μA/cm2 at an applied field of 8.8 V/μm. These s-EFE properties are markedly better than those for Fe-coated/annealed ultrananocrystalline diamond(UNCD)films with (E0)UNCD = 2.0 V/μm and (Je)UNCD = 120 μA/cm2. The transmission electron microscopy showed that the nano-graphite clusters formed an interconnected network for MCDfilms that facilitated the electron transport more markedly, as compared with the isolated nano-graphitic clusters formed at the surface of the UNCDfilms. Therefore, the Fe-coating/annealing processes improved the s-EFE properties for the MCDfilms more markedly than that for the UNCDfilms. The understanding on the distribution of the nano-clusters is of critical importance in elucidating the authentic factor that influences the s-EFE properties of the diamondfilms. Such an understanding is possible only through the 3D-tomographic investigations.[[journaltype]]國外[[ispeerreviewed]]Y[[booktype]]電子版[[countrycodes]]US

Measurements of Natural Carbonate Rare Earth Elements in Femtogram Quantities by Inductive Coupled Plasma Sector Field Mass Spectrometry

A rapid and precise standard-bracketing method has been developed for measuring femtogram quantity rare earth element (REE) levels in natural carbonate samples by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry that does not require chemical separation steps. A desolvation nebulization system was used to effectively reduce polyatomic interference and enhance sensitivity. REE/Ca ratios are calculated directly from the intensities of the ion beams of 46Ca, 139La, 140Ce, 141Pr, 146Nd, 147Sm, 153Eu, 160Gd, 159Tb, 163Dy, 165Ho, 166Er, 169Tm, 172Yb, and 175Lu using external matrix-matched synthetic standards to correct for instrumental ratio drifting and mass discrimination. A routine measurement time of 3 min is typical for one sample containing 20-40 ppm Ca. Replicate measurements made on natural coral and foraminiferal samples with REE/Ca ratios of 2-242 nmol/mol show that external precisions of 1.9-6.5% (2 RSD) can be achieved with only 10-1000 fg of REEs in 10-20 μg of carbonate. We show that different sources for monthly resolved coral ultratrace REE variability can be distinguished using this method. For natural slow growth-rate carbonate materials, such as sclerosponges, tufa, and speleothems, the high sample throughput, high precision, and high temporal resolution REE records that can be produced with this procedure have the potential to provide valuable time-series records to advance our understanding of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental dynamics on different time scales

TRPC5 channels participate in pressure-sensing in aortic baroreceptors

published_or_final_versio

Expert-Novice Differences in SMR Activity during Dart Throwing

Cheng M-Y, Hung C-L, Huang C-J, et al. Expert-Novice Differences in SMR Activity during Dart Throwing. Biological Psychology. 2015;110:212-218.Previous evidence suggests that augmented sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity is related to the superior regulation of processing cognitive-motor information in motor performance. However, no published studies have examined the relationship between SMR and performance in precision sports; thus, this study examined the relationship between SMR activity and the level of skilled performance in tasks requiring high levels of attention (e.g., dart throwing). We hypothesized that skilled performance would be associated with higher SMR activity. Fourteen dart-throwing experts and eleven novices were recruited. Participants were requested to perform 60 dart throws while EEG was recorded. The 2 (Group: Expert, Novice) x 2 (Time window: –2000 ms to –1000 ms, –1000 ms to 0 ms) ANOVA showed that the dart-throwing experts maintained a relatively higher SMR power than the novices before dart release. These results suggest that SMR might reflect the adaptive regulation of cognitive-motor processing during the preparatory period

Obliquity pacing of the western Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zone over the past 282,000 years

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) encompasses the heaviest rain belt on the Earth. Few direct long-term records, especially in the Pacific, limit our understanding of long-term natural variability for predicting future ITCZ migration. Here we present a tropical precipitation record from the Southern Hemisphere covering the past 282,000 years, inferred from a marine sedimentary sequence collected off the eastern coast of Papua New Guinea. Unlike the precession paradigm expressed in its East Asian counterpart, our record shows that the western Pacific ITCZ migration was influenced by combined precession and obliquity changes. The obliquity forcing could be primarily delivered by a cross-hemispherical thermal/pressure contrast, resulting from the asymmetric continental configuration between Asia and Australia in a coupled East Asian-Australian circulation system. Our finding suggests that the obliquity forcing may play a more important role in global hydroclimate cycles than previously thought

Significance of the Balance between Regulatory T (Treg) and T Helper 17 (Th17) Cells during Hepatitis B Virus Related Liver Fibrosis

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Hepatitis B virus-related liver fibrosis (HBV-LF) always progresses from inflammation to fibrosis. However, the relationship between these two pathological conditions is not fully understood. Here, it is postulated that the balance between regulatory T (Treg) cells and T helper 17 (Th17) cells as an indicator of inflammation may predict fibrosis progression of HBV-LF.</p> <h3>Methodology/Principal Findings</h3><p>The frequencies and phenotypes of peripheral Treg and Th17 cells of seventy-seven HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who underwent liver biopsies and thirty healthy controls were determined by flow cytometry. In the periphery of CHB patients, both Treg and Th17 frequencies were significantly increased and correlated, and a lower Treg/Th17 ratio always indicated more liver injury and fibrosis progression. To investigate exact effects of Treg and Th17 cells during HBV-LF, a series of <em>in vitro</em> experiments were performed using purified CD4⁺, CD4⁺CD25⁺, or CD4⁺CD25⁻ cells from the periphery, primary human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) isolated from healthy liver specimens, human recombinant interleukin (IL)-17 cytokine, anti-IL-17 antibody and HBcAg. In response to HBcAg, CD4⁺CD25⁺ cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation and cytokine production (especially IL-17 and IL-22) by CD4⁺CD25⁻ cells in cell-contact and dose-dependent manners. In addition, CD4⁺ cells from CHB patients, compared to those from HC subjects, dramatically promoted proliferation and activation of human HSCs. Moreover, in a dramatically dose-dependent manner, CD4⁺CD25⁺ cells from CHB patients inhibited, whereas recombinant IL-17 response promoted the proliferation and activation of HSCs. Finally, <em>in vivo</em> evidence about effects of Treg/Th17 balance during liver fibrosis was obtained in concanavalin A-induced mouse fibrosis models via depletion of CD25⁺ or IL-17⁺ cells, and it’s observed that CD25 depletion promoted, whereas IL-17 depletion, alleviated liver injury and fibrosis progression.</p> <h3>Conclusions/Significance</h3><p>The Treg/Th17 balance might influence fibrosis progression in HBV-LF via increase of liver injury and promotion of HSCs activation.</p> </div

26th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2017): Part 3 - Meeting Abstracts - Antwerp, Belgium. 15–20 July 2017

This work was produced as part of the activities of FAPESP Research,\ud Disseminations and Innovation Center for Neuromathematics (grant\ud 2013/07699-0, S. Paulo Research Foundation). NLK is supported by a\ud FAPESP postdoctoral fellowship (grant 2016/03855-5). ACR is partially\ud supported by a CNPq fellowship (grant 306251/2014-0)

Fabrication and Characteristics of SnAgCu Alloy Nanowires for Electrical Connection Application

As electronic products become more functional, the devices are required to provide better performances and meet ever smaller form factor requirements. To achieve a higher I/O density within the smallest form factor package, applying nanotechniques to electronic packaging can be regarded as a possible approach in microelectronic technology. Sn-3.0 wt% Ag-0.5 wt% Cu (SAC305) is a common solder material of electrical connections in microelectronic devices. In this study, SAC305 alloy nanowire was fabricated in a porous alumina membrane with a pore diameter of 50 nm by the pressure casting method. The crystal structure and composition analyses of SAC305 nanowires show that the main structure of the nanowire is &#946;-Sn, and the intermetallic compound, Ag3Sn, locates randomly but always appears on the top of the nanowire. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicate the melting point of SAC305 alloy nanowire is around 227.7 &#176;C. The melting point of SAC305 alloy nanowire is significantly higher than that of SAC305 bulk alloy (219.4 &#176;C). It is supposed that the non-uniform phase distribution and composite difference between the nanowires causes the change of melting temperature

[[alternative]]Textual Evidences of Master Hsing Yun's ＂Four Givings＂ and the Presentation of the Buddha Museum's Permanent Exhibitions

[[abstract]]　　本研究探討星雲大師「四給」的理念，並以「四無量心－慈悲喜捨」經證的脈絡，作為理念的爬梳；並透過佛陀紀念館常設展的探究，探討四無量心化做現代詮釋的四給理念後，如何在佛館的常設展中呈現。對於慈無量心的爬梳，依著給人信心的現代詮釋，呈現在佛陀的一生館的意義在於「認識正信佛教」與「發展人類智慧」為闡述；而在佛教地宮還原館則是依著給人希望的現代詮釋，以「續佛慧命」與「保存人類文明」的主軸，呈現大乘菩薩道悲無量心的精神與內涵；而喜無量心依著給人歡喜的現代詮釋，呈現在佛教節慶館的意義在於「塑造佛教的民族性」與「生活體驗佛法」；佛光山宗史館則是依著給人方便的現代詮釋，呈現出「弘法應機」與「大乘菩薩道當代實踐」的精神與意義。[[abstract]]　　This paper is a study on the Four Giving promoted by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. In addition, this paper intends to construct some ideas based on the textual evidences of the Four Immeasurable Mind (Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity). Not only that, studies will be made in reference to the permanent exhibition of the Buddha Museum, investigating how the Four Immeasurable Mind have been interpreted in terms of Four Giving, as well as how these ideas have been implemented in the permanent exhibitions of the Buddha Museum. For Loving Kindness of the Four Immeasurable Mind, it refers to the interpretation of “to give others confidence.” This is presented in the Life of the Buddha, with the intention to initiate right understandings of Buddhism and develop wisdom among humanity as its significance. The Treasures of the Underground Palace follows the idea of “to give others hope”, with the main purposes to carry forward the righteous teachings of the Buddha and continuity of human civilization. This reflects on the Compassion aspect of the Four Immeasurable Mind, and exemplifies the spirit and values of bodhisattva practices. In terms of Joy of the Four Immeasurable Mind, it follows the interpretation of “to give others joy” which is implemented in the Buddhist Festivals exhibition at the Buddha Museum. It portrays the ethnicity of Buddhism and living experiences of the Buddha's teachings. The Historical Museum of Fo Guang Shan is an interpretation of “to give others convenience”. It shows the mindset and essence of how the propagation of the Dharma in response to situations, as well as the practices of the Mahayana bodhisattva path