Glass-Like Heat Conduction in High-Mobility Crystalline Semiconductors

The thermal conductivity of polycrystalline semiconductors with type-I clathrate hydrate crystal structure is reported. Ge clathrates (doped with Sr and/or Eu) exhibit lattice thermal conductivities typical of amorphous materials. Remarkably, this behavior occurs in spite of the well-defined crystalline structure and relatively high electron mobility ($\sim 100 cm^2/Vs$). The dynamics of dopant ions and their interaction with the polyhedral cages of the structure are a likely source of the strong phonon scattering.Comment: 4 pages, 3 postscript figures, to be published, Phys. Rev. Let

Cage-size control of guest vibration and thermal conductivity in Sr8Ga16Si30-xGex

We present a systematic study of thermal conductivity, specific heat, electrical resistivity, thermopower and x-ray diffraction measurements performed on single-crystalline samples of the pseudoquaternary type-I clathrate system Sr8Ga16Si30-xGex, in the full range of 0 < x < 30. All the samples show metallic behavior with n-type majority carriers. However, the thermal conductivity and specific heat strongly depend on x. Upon increasing x from 0 to 30, the lattice parameter increases by 3%, from 10.446 to 10.726 A, and the localized vibrational energies of the Sr guest ions in the tetrakaidekahedron (dodecahedron) cages decrease from 59 (120) K to 35 (90) K. Furthermore, the lattice thermal conductivity at low temperatures is largely suppressed. In fact, a crystalline peak found at 15 K for x = 0 gradually decreases and disappears for x > 20, evolving into the anomalous glass-like behavior observed for x = 30. It is found that the increase of the free space for the Sr guest motion directly correlates with a continuous transition from on-center harmonic vibration to off-center anharmonic vibration, with consequent increase in the coupling strength between the guest's low-energy modes and the cage's acoustic phonon modes.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, submitted to PR

Status of scientific knowledge, recovery progress, and future research directions for the Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi Vladykov, 1955

The Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, is an anadromous species of Acipenseridae and native to North America. It currently inhabits and spawns in the upper reaches of seven natal rivers along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico from the Suwannee River, Florida, to the Pearl River, Louisiana, during spring to autumn. Next to the Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula), the Gulf Sturgeon is currently the largest fish species occurring in U.S. Gulf Coast rivers, attaining a length of 2.35 m and weights exceeding 135 kg, but historically attained a substantially larger size. Historically, the spawning populations existed in additional rivers from which the species has been wholly or nearly extirpated, such as the Mobile and Ochlockonee rivers, and possibly the Rio Grande River. Most Gulf Sturgeon populations were decimated by unrestricted commercial fishing between 1895–1910. Subsequently most populations remained unrecovered or extirpated due to continued harvest until the 1970s–1980s, and the construction of dams blocking access to ancestral upriver spawning grounds. Late 20th Century harvest bans and net bans enacted by the several Gulf Coast states have stabilized several populations and enabled the Suwannee River population to rebound substantially and naturally. Hatchery supplementation has not been necessary in this regard to date. Sturgeon are resilient and adaptable fishes with a geological history of 150 million years. Research undertaken since the 1970s has addressed many aspects of Gulf Sturgeon life history, reproduction, migration, population biology, habitat requirements, and other aspects of species biology. However, many knowledge gaps remain, prominently including the life history of early developmental stages in the first year of life. Natural population recovery is evident for the Suwannee River population, but seems promising as well for at least four other populations. The Pascagoula and Pearl River populations face a challenging future due a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. These two populations, and perhaps the Escambi River population, are particularly vulnerable to periodic mass mortality due to major stochastic events including hurricanes, flooding, hypoxia, and toxic spills. The present manuscript provides a comprehensive synthesis of knowledge regarding the Gulf Sturgeon at the organismal and population levels, identifying knowledge gaps as priorities for future research. Topics not treated in the present synthesis include morphology, internal biology, physiology, and endocrinology. Topics only briefly treated include parasites and diseases, contaminants, and sturgeon aquaculture

A Variant in a MicroRNA complementary site in the 3' UTR of the KIT oncogene increases risk of acral melanoma.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ∼22nt single stranded RNAs that negatively regulate protein expression by binding to partially complementary sequences in the 3' untranslated region (3' UTRs) of target gene messenger RNAs (mRNA). Recently, mutations have been identified in both miRNAs and target genes that disrupt regulatory relationships, contribute to oncogenesis and serve as biomarkers for cancer risk. KIT, an established oncogene with a multifaceted role in melanogenesis and melanoma pathogenesis, has recently been shown to be upregulated in some melanomas, and is also a target of the miRNA miR-221. Here, we describe a genetic variant in the 3' UTR of the KIT oncogene that correlates with a greater than fourfold increased risk of acral melanoma. This KIT variant results in a mismatch in the seed region of a miR-221 complementary site and reporter data suggests that this mismatch can result in increased expression of the KIT oncogene. Consistent with the hypothesis that this is a functional variant, KIT mRNA and protein levels are both increased in the majority of samples harboring the KIT variant. This work identifies a novel genetic marker for increased heritable risk of melanoma

Electronic, vibrational and transport properties of pnictogen substituted ternary skutterudites

First principles calculations are used to investigate electronic band structure and vibrational spectra of pnictogen substituted ternary skutterudites. We compare the results with the prototypical binary composition CoSb$_3$ to identify the effects of substitutions on the Sb site, and evaluate the potential of ternary skutterudites for thermoelectric applications. Electronic transport coefficients are computed within the Boltzmann transport formalism assuming a constant relaxation time, using a new methodology based on maximally localized Wannier function interpolation. Our results point to a large sensitivity of the electronic transport coefficients to carrier concentration and to scattering mechanisms associated with the enhanced polarity. The ionic character of the bonds is used to explain the detrimental effect on the thermoelectric properties

DJ-1 interacts with and regulates paraoxonase-2, an enzyme critical for neuronal survival in response to oxidative stress.

Loss-of-function mutations in DJ-1 (PARK7) gene account for about 1% of all familial Parkinson's disease (PD). While its physiological function(s) are not completely clear, DJ-1 protects neurons against oxidative stress in both in vitro and in vivo models of PD. The molecular mechanism(s) through which DJ-1 alleviates oxidative stress-mediated damage remains elusive. In this study, we identified Paraoxonase-2 (PON2) as an interacting target of DJ-1. PON2 activity is elevated in response to oxidative stress and DJ-1 is crucial for this response. Importantly, we showed that PON2 deficiency hypersensitizes neurons to oxidative stress induced by MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium). Conversely, over-expression of PON2 protects neurons in this death paradigm. Interestingly, PON2 effectively rescues DJ-1 deficiency-mediated hypersensitivity to oxidative stress. Taken together, our data suggest a model by which DJ-1 exerts its antioxidant activities, at least partly through regulation of PON2

In-situ X-ray-absorption Spectroscopy Study of Hydrogen Absorption by Nickel-Magnesium Thin Films

Structural and electronic properties of co-sputtered Ni-Mg thin films with varying Ni to Mg ratio were studied by in-situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy in the Ni L-edge and Mg K-edge regions. Co-deposition of the metals led to increased disorder and decreased coordination around Ni and Mg compared to pure metal films. Exposure of the metallic films to hydrogen resulted in formation of hydrides and increased disorder. The presence of hydrogen as a near neighbor around Mg caused a drastic reduction in the intensities of multiple scattering resonances at higher energies. The optical switching behavior and changes in the x-ray spectra varied with Ni to Mg atomic ratio. Pure Mg films with Pd overlayers were converted to MgH2: the H atoms occupy regular sites as in bulk MgH2. Although optical switching was slow in the absence of Ni, the amount of H2 absorption was large. Incorporation of Ni in Mg films led to an increase in the speed of optical switching but decreased maximum transparency. Significant shifts in the Ni L3 and L2 peaks are consistent with strong interaction with hydrogen in the mixed films

First Order Bipolaronic Transition at Finite Temperature in the Holstein Model

We investigate the Holstein model by using the dynamical mean-field theory combined with the exact diagonalization method. Below a critical temperature Tcr, a coexistence of the polaronic and the bipolaronic solutions is found for the same value of the electron-phonon coupling $ in the range gc1(T)<g<gc2(T). In the coexistence region, the system shows a first order phase transition from the bipolaronic to the polaronic states as T decreases at T=Tp(<Tcr), where the double occupancy and the lattice fluctuation together with the anharmonicity of the effective ion potential change discontinuously without any symmetry breaking. The obtained bipolaronic transition seems to be consistent with the rattling transition in the beta-pyrochlore oxide KOs2O6.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 79 (2010) 09370

Low thermal conductivity of the layered oxide (Na,Ca)Co_2O_4: Another example of a phonon glass and an electron crystal

The thermal conductivity of polycrystalline samples of (Na,Ca)Co_2O_4 is found to be unusually low, 20 mW/cmK at 280 K. On the assumption of the Wiedemann-Franz law, the lattice thermal conductivity is estimated to be 18 mW/cmK at 280 K, and it does not change appreciably with the substitution of Ca for Na. A quantitative analysis has revealed that the phonon mean free path is comparable with the lattice parameters, where the point-defect scattering plays an important role. Electronically the same samples show a metallic conduction down to 4.2 K, which strongly suggests that NaCo_2O_4 exhibits a glass-like poor thermal conduction together with a metal-like good electrical conduction. The present study further suggests that a strongly correlated system with layered structure can act as a material of a phonon glass and an electron crystal.Comment: 5 pages 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

X-231A demonstration of in-situ remediation of DNAPL compounds in low permeability media by soil fracturing with thermally enhanced mass recovery or reactive barrier destruction

The overall goal of the program of activities is to demonstrate robust and cost-effective technologies for in situ remediation of DNAPL compounds in low permeability media (LPM), including adaptations and enhancements of conventional technologies to achieve improved performance for DNAPLs in LPM. The technologies sought should be potential for application at simple, small sites (e.g., gasoline underground storage tanks) as well as at complex, larger sites (e.g., DOE land treatment units). The technologies involved in the X-231A demonstration at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) utilized subsurface manipulation of the LPM through soil fracturing with thermally enhanced mass recovery or horizontal barrier in place destruction. To enable field evaluation of these approaches, a set of four test cells was established at the X-231A land treatment unit at the DOE PORTS plant in August 1996 and a series of demonstration field activities occurred through December 1997. The principal objectives of the PORTS X-231A demonstration were to: determine and compare the operational features of hydraulic fractures as an enabling technology for steam and hot air enhanced soil vapor extraction and mass recovery, in situ interception and reductive destruction by zero valent iron, and in situ interception and oxidative destruction by potassium permanganate; determine the interaction of the delivered agents with the LPM matrix adjacent to the fracture and within the fractured zone and assess the beneficial modifications to the transport and/or reaction properties of the LPM deposit; and determine the remediation efficiency achieved by each of the technology strategies