A diffusive ink transport model for lipid dip-pen nanolithography

Despite diverse applications, phospholipid membrane stacks generated by dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) still lack a thorough and systematic characterization that elucidates the whole ink transport process from writing to surface spreading, with the aim of better controlling the resulting feature size and resolution. We report a quantitative analysis and modeling of the dependence of lipid DPN features (area, height and volume) on dwell time and relative humidity. The ink flow rate increases with humidity in agreement with meniscus size growth, determining the overall feature size. The observed time dependence indicates the existence of a balance between surface spreading and the ink flow rate that promotes differences in concentration at the meniscus/substrate interface. Feature shape is controlled by the substrate surface energy. The results are analyzed within a modified model for the ink transport of diffusive inks. At any humidity the dependence of the area spread on the dwell time shows two diffusion regimes: at short dwell times growth is controlled by meniscus diffusion while at long dwell times surface diffusion governs the process. The critical point for the switch of regime depends on the humidity

Nonsense mutations in alpha-II spectrin in three families with juvenile onset hereditary motor neuropathy

Distal hereditary motor neuropathies are a rare subgroup of inherited peripheral neuropathies hallmarked by a length-dependent axonal degeneration of lower motor neurons without significant involvement of sensory neurons. We identified patients with heterozygous nonsense mutations in the alpha II-spectrin gene, SPTAN1, in three separate dominant hereditary motor neuropathy families via next-generation sequencing. Variable penetrance was noted for these mutations in two of three families, and phenotype severity differs greatly between patients. The mutant mRNA containing nonsense mutations is broken down by nonsense-mediated decay and leads to reduced protein levels in patient cells. Previously, dominant-negative alpha II-spectrin gene mutations were described as causal in a spectrum of epilepsy phenotypes

Shifted loops and coercivity from field imprinted high energy barriers in ferritin and ferrihydrite nanoparticles

We show that the coercive field in ferritin and ferrihydrite depends on the maximum magnetic field in a hysteresis loop and that coercivity and loop shifts depend both on the maximum and cooling fields. In the case of ferritin we show that the time dependence of the magnetization also depends on the maximum and previous cooling fields. This behavior is associated to changes in the intra-particle energy barriers imprinted by these fields. Accordingly, the dependence of the coercive and loop shift fields with the maximum field in ferritin and ferrihydrite can be described within the frame of a uniform-rotation model considering a dependence of the energy barrier with the maximum and the cooling fields.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B. Final version with improved writing and figure

Possible technical measures that could be applied in NAFO 3M cod.

It has analyzed different technical measures that could be adopted in the NAFO 3M cod case to reduce the catches of cod below the Minimum Landing Size (MLS) and increase the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). There is not so much information about technical measures in the NAFO cod fisheries. This analysis was mainly based on the Norwegian cod fisheries information. The adoption of the some studied technical measures seems to have a biological support because they would allow catching bigger fish minimizing the immature cod catches (length below the MLS) and the redfish by-catches in the NAFO 3M cod fishery. It was also studied the impact on Fmsy of some of these technical measures. These technical measures would increase slightly the current MSY but with a large increase in the fishing effort. The increase in the equilibrium yield with the selectivity change seems not to be very efficient. In NAFO, it should be studied the possibility of implementing technical measures to prevent the large catches of small immature individuals observed in 2013. These devices would prevent catches of individuals with length below MLS to avoid discards and will improve the exploitation pattern.Framework Contract MARE/2012/21 - "Scientific advice for Fisheries beyond EU Waters" - Specific Contract No 2 (SI2.681887

Origin of slow magnetic relaxation in Kramers ions with non-uniaxial anisotropy

Transition metal ions with long-lived spin states represent minimum size magnetic bits. Magnetic memory has often been associated with the combination of high spin and strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Yet, slow magnetic relaxation has also been observed in some Kramers ions with dominant easy-plane magnetic anisotropy, albeit only under an external magnetic field. Here we study the spin dynamics of cobalt(II) ions in a model molecular complex. We show, by means of quantitative first-principles calculations, that the slow relaxation in this and other similar systems is a general consequence of time-reversal symmetry that hinders direct spin–phonon processes regardless of the sign of the magnetic anisotropy. Its magnetic field dependence is a subtle manifestation of electronuclear spin entanglement, which opens relaxation channels that would otherwise be forbidden but, at the same time, masks the relaxation phenomenon at zero field. These results provide a promising strategy to synthesize atom-size magnetic memories

Low recruitment 3M Cod Operating Model.

This paper presents the results of F = 0 and the slope and target Harvest Control Rules (HCRs) for a selection of Operating Models (OMs) of 3M Cod with the Low Recruitment regime. The results of these scenarios show that if the current low level of recruitment continues for 2 or 3 more years, the risk of the SSB falling below Blim in the short to medium term is greater than 50% in all scenarios, including those with F=0. Another conclusion that can be drawn from these results is that the current target HCR needs to be improved by investigating more deeply the values of the different parameters of this HCR

Spatial and seasonal fleet activity and cod distribution in Flemish Cap

The aim of this analysis is to describe the spatial and seasonal fleet activity and cod distribution in the Flemish Cap area in the period 2008-2013. Especial attention is paid to the relative distribution of mature and immature sub-stocks, as well as individuals bellow 41 cm size (Minimum Landing Size, MLS). The following data sources were analyzed for different periods depending on the data availability and the aim followed: Daily Catch Reports (DCR), Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), Spanish Scientific Observers, EU Flemish Cap surveys.Framework Contract MARE/2012/21 - "Scientific advice for Fisheries beyond EU Waters" - Specific Contract No 2 (SI2.681887

Results of the 3M Cod MSE

The general objective of the 3M Cod MSE is to maintain the SSB of this species in the safe zone as defined by the NAFO precautionary approach framework and to assure the optimum utilization, rational management and conservation of the 3M cod stock. Based on this, five performance objectives were tested via five different Performance Statistics. Six different OMs and two HCRs with three different Ftarget were tested. The six OMs come from different assumptions over M and over the Stock-Recruitment relationship (SRR). The two HCRs are one model-based (based on the Bayesian XSA model approved by SC) and one model-free (based on the EU-FC survey). A 20% constraint of annual variation of TAC was set for both HCR. Based on this, a total of 24 scenarios were tested and results projected for the period 2014-2025. Differences in the results come mainly from the assumed stock recruitment relationship and in a much lesser extent of assumed M and the different Ftarget levels tested. The SSB have an increasing trend in all cases reaching a level well above Blim at the end of the projected period. There are two main trends in yields, one for the scenarios with the model-based HCR and other for the scenarios with the model-free HCR. In the first case, landings decrease to 6 500 tons in 2020, and after that increase until 2025 reaching a value between 10 500 and 15 000 tons, depending on the SRR assumed. In the case of the model-free HCR, until 2023 the decrease is very small and then a quiet constant value between 5 000 and 11 000 tons is reached. None of the tested HCR reached the established performance objectives in the 2016-2023 period but most of the scenarios met the performance objectives after 2024. The main reasons for not achieving these objectives are the high initial F and catch levels and the 20% catch constraint. The necessary period to achieve the performance objectives would be longer if we had applied a more restrictive TAC constraint (15% or 10%). If the TAC constraint is not applied, lower landings are allowed in the short-term period (2016-2020), but after that the increase in TAC is higher than if the constraint is applied