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Context. The protection of threatened species in fenced safe havens has become a vital component of conservation management in Australia. However, despite their success, fenced safe havens face several ecological and economic constraints. There is a need to explore additional approaches to restore species beyond the fence. Aims. To explore naturally occurring mesas as potential 'sky-island safe havens', created by natural barriers in elevation and relief, which may restrict the movement of introduced predators and other mammals. Methods. We examined species occurrences at a mesa site (Mt. Talaterang in south-east NSW, Australia) as well as a nearby lower-lying site (Little Forest Plateau). We then provide a geospatial analysis of other mesas in NSW to investigate the number of potential sky-island safe havens in the state. Key results. Species assemblages differed between the two sites, with red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), dingoes/domestic dogs (Canis dingo/familiaris), and European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) absent from the mesa site, while Antechinus spp. were not detected from the lower-lying site. Feral cats (Felis catus) occurred at significantly lower densities on the mesa site compared to the lower-lying site. In NSW, we identified 91 other mesas of =10 ha with similar topology as Mt. Talaterang. Conclusions. Although differences in species assemblages are expected between different habitats, the absence of red foxes and lower number of feral cat detections at the mesa site suggest the need to further explore the potential for mesas in conservation initiatives. Implications. Our findings introduce a supplementary conservation strategy that could augment existing fenced safe haven approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agent-based modeling is a simulation method in which autonomous agents interact with their environment and one another, given a predefined set of rules. It is an integral method for modeling and simulating complex systems, such as socio-economic problems. Since agent-based models are not described by simple and concise mathematical equations, the code that generates them is typically complicated, large, and slow. Here we present Agents.jl, a Julia-based software that provides an ABM analysis platform with minimal code complexity. We compare our software with some of the most popular ABM software in other programming languages. We find that Agents.jl is not only the most performant but also the least complicated software, providing the same (and sometimes more) features as the competitors with less input required from the user. Agents.jl also integrates excellently with the entire Julia ecosystem, including interactive applications, differential equations, parameter optimization, and so on. This removes any "extensions library" requirement from Agents.jl, which is paramount in many other tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mutagenesis has also been used to improve many desirable traits such as earliness, darkness, resistance or tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress, seed yield and oil quality. There are numerous mutagen agents, both chemical and physical, available to create and obtain valuable mutations in crop plants. Methods: The experiment was done at the laboratory of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University in Vietnam from September 2021 to December 2022. This study examined the effects of ultraviolet B-light (UV-B) and methyl salicylate (MeSA) treatment on phytochemical constituents (total phenols and flavonoids) and nutritional characteristics (protein and fat content) in a common bean cultivar, GRIS2. Result: The results show that UV irradiation for 3 hours increased the phenolic content in M1 seeds when compared to the control and other treatments. Furthermore, compared to the control and other treatments, UV-B irradiation for up to 5 hours increased the phenolic, protein and lipid content in the pod (in the immature pod, mature pod and seed). Alternatively, treatment with MeSA considerably decreased the levels of these same compounds. Treating the seed with 0.05 mM MeSA did increase the flavonoid content. These findings demonstrate the potential of UV-B treatment for improving bean nutritional quality. On the other hand, the negative general implications of the higher MeSA treatment suggest exogenous treatments should be kept at lower concentrations to ensure the minimization of nutritional losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agent-based model (ABM) community has a rich and diverse ecosystem of libraries, platforms, and applications to help modelers develop rigorous simulations. Despite this robust and diverse ecosystem, the complexity of life from microbial communities to the global ecosystem still presents substantial challenges in making reusable code that can optimize the ability of knowledge-sharing and reproducibility. This research seeks to provide new tools to mitigate some of these challenges by offering a vision of a more holistic ecosystem that takes researchers and practitioners from the data collection through validation, with transparent, accessible, and extensible subcomponents. This proposed approach is demonstrated through two data pipelines (crop yield and synthetic population) that take users from data download through cleaning and processing until users have data that can be integrated into an ABM. These pipelines are built to be transparent by walking users step by step through the process, accessible by being skill scalable so users can leverage them without code or with code, and extensible by being freely available on the coding sharing repository GitHub to facilitate community development. Reusing code that simulates complex phenomena is a significant challenge but one that must be consistently addressed to help the community move forward. This research seeks to aid that progress by offering potential new tools extended from the already robust ecosystem to help the community collaborate more effectively internally and across disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional enhancement has been reported to effectively relieve infected symptoms of Huanglongbing, one of the most destructive diseases of citrus. However, few studies focused on the role of plant nutrition in citrus plant–vector (Asian citrus psyllid; Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) interactions, which is regarded as an important part to develop an effective management strategy. Method In the present study, a hydroponic culture was carried out to evaluate the effects of boron deficiency on psyllid feeding process to decode the molecular/biochemical basis of host–psyllid interaction. Results Boron deficiency was observed to play a major role in accelerating the release of volatile organic compounds, especially methyl salicylate, affecting the shikimic acid pathway through an elevated synthesis of shikimic acid, l -phenylalanine, 3-phenylpyruvic acid and salicylic acid. These changes made citrus leaf more attractive to psyllid adults. Meanwhile, boron deficiency evidently decreased the boron concentration of leaf cell wall fractions, thereby, weakened the structural stability by affecting pectin and cellulose formations. A significant decrease of cell wall mechanical strength was observed in boron-deficiency leaf, which could be the critical reasons to reduce piercing and to increase phloem ingestion during psyllid feeding. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that boron deficiency facilitated the feeding behavior of psyllid adults through elevated release of methyl salicylate, coupled with weakened mechanical properties of cell wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective irrigation systems that increase crop water productivity by minimizing evaporative losses are paramount for extending the longevity of finite groundwater resources in the semi-arid U.S. Southern High Plains (SHP). Although subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) acreage has increased in recent years, center-pivot sprinkler systems still account for greater than 85% of the irrigated area in the SHP. Modern sprinkler configurations are typically classified according to application height as either mid-elevation spray application (MESA) or low-elevation spray application (LESA). While application drift and evaporative losses are easily measured under fallow conditions, quantifying evaporative losses under cropped conditions is difficult. Lysimeter-derived daily evapotranspiration (ET) values for SDI-irrigated and sprinklerirrigated fields planted to corn in 2016 (MESA) and 2018 (LESA) near Bushland, TX, were compared for days when sprinkler irrigation events occurred and for subsequent days, when possible. Differences (extra ET) were attributed to evaporative losses associated with MESA and LESA irrigation. Average daily extra ET values for both sprinkler irrigation methods were similar on the day of irrigation, although MESA was slightly larger than LESA at 1.4 and 1.2 mm, respectively. The average daily extra ET values for incomplete canopy conditions were 2.2 mm for MESA and 1.9 mm for LESA, while values were identical for both methods at 0.6 mm for full canopy conditions. Average daily extra ET values were also expressed as a percentage of daily standardized grass reference ET (ETos) values. Average values for MESA and LESA were 20.1% and 13.5%, respectively, for the season, with similar findings of 29.3% and 19.4% for incomplete canopy conditions. Average extra ET/ETos values for incomplete canopy conditions were similar at 7.5% and 7.7% for MESA and LESA, respectively. Evaporative irrigation losses, calculated as the percentage of extra ET to irrigation depth, were slightly larger overall for the day of irrigation for MESA (5.4%) than LESA (5.2%). Losses of 7.9% and 7.0% were observed for incomplete canopy conditions for MESA and LESA, respectively. Average losses for LESA (3.5%) under full canopy conditions were greater than those for MESA (1.9%). A comparison of extra ET values for days following irrigation revealed that evaporative losses from irrigation events extended beyond the day of irrigation. MESA extra ET values for the day following irrigations increased by 57.1% (2.2 mm) overall, 13.6% (2.5 mm) for incomplete canopy conditions, and 150.0% (1.5 mm) for full canopy conditions. The same was true for LESA, with increases of 125.0% (2.7 mm) overall, 78.9% (3.4 mm) for incomplete, and 216.7% (1.9 mm) for full canopy conditions. Summing of extra ET values for the day of irrigation and the subsequent day yielded average values more than double those for the day of irrigation only, at 3.9 and 4.3 mm for MESA and LESA, respectively. Similarly, values for extra ET as a percentage of irrigation depth were also more than double those for the day of irrigation only, with the greatest loss values of 39.5% for MESA and 28.0% for LESA. These findings suggest that although LESA appears to mitigate evaporative losses marginally more in corn than MESA on the day of irrigation, considerably more evaporative losses occurred for both methods during the subsequent day, with slightly increased losses for LESA, resulting in little difference between overall losses over the two days. This may in part be explained by the temporary cooling effect of the irrigation inside the canopy on the day of irrigation, which is diminished by the second day. A greater discrepancy between evaporative losses for MESA and LESA is likely to be observed for crops having shorter stature or lower leaf density, such as cotton, although more study is needed to corroborate this claim. Knowledge of these findings provides useful information for both producers and water managers when considering irrigation management and water planning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we employ two publicly available analysis tools to study four hydrogen (H)–stripped core–collapse supernovae (CCSNe), namely, SN 2009jf, iPTF13bvn, SN 2015ap and SN 2016bau. We use the modular open-source fitter for transients (MOSFiT) to model the multi-band light curves. MOSFiT analyses show ejecta masses ( log M ej ) of 0. 80 - 0.13 + 0.18 M ⊙ , 0. 15 - 0.09 + 0.13 M ⊙ , 0. 19 - 0.03 + 0.03 M ⊙ and 0. 19 + 0.02 - 0.01 M ⊙ for SN 2009jf, iPTF13vn, SN 2015ap and SN 2016au, respectively. Later, modules for experiments in stellar astrophysics (MESA), is used to construct models of stars from pre-main sequence upto core collapse, which serve as the possible progenitors of these H-stripped CCSNe. Based on literature, we model a 12 M ⊙ ZAMS star as the possible progenitor for iPTF13vn, SN 2015ap and SN 2016bau, while a 20 M ⊙ ZAMS star is modeled as the possible progenitor for SN 2009jf. Glimpses of stellar engineering and physical properties of models at various stages of their lifetime have been presented to demonstrate the usefulness of these analysis threads to understand the observed properties of several classes of transients in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarized growth is a defining property of filamentous fungi, which plays an important role in different aspects of their biology, including virulence. However, little information is available about the determinants of cell surface organization and their role in polarized growth. The fungal protein MesA was identified in a genetic screen in Aspergillus nidulans and is involved in the stabilization of the polarity axes, but it has no evident role in budding yeast. In this work, I present evidence that in the dimorphic fungal phytopathogen Ustilago maydis MesA/Mes1 is involved in cell wall stability and polarized growth. mes1 mutants were more sensitive to drugs provoking cell wall stress, and they displayed a temperature-sensitive phenotype. Actin cytoskeleton was disorganized in a mes1 mutant, suggesting that there is a connection between Mes1, the actin cytoskeleton and polarized morphogenesis. The septin ring was also absent from the bud tip, but not the bud neck. Deletion of mes1 provoked defects in endocytosis and vacuolar organization in the cells. Mes1 was essential for strong polarized growth in the hyphal form, but it was dispensable during low or moderate polarized growth in the yeast form in U. maydis at a permissive temperature. Consistently, mes1 mutants showed delayed mating and they were avirulent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In areas of the Colorado Plateau, rock basins, or potholes, occur in abundance. Because of their impressive size and often enigmatic location, their presence begs an explanation. Our goal in undertaking this research is to suggest a model for the origin of Rock Window Mesa's potholes, by which we might better interpret the geomorphological history of the mesa and Chinle Valley. Data collection consisted of both field work and analysis of a high-resolution 3D point cloud of the mesa. The southern and western edges of the mesa, closest to the Chinle Wash, and close to where knickpoints may have been, are the areas of highest pothole density. The pothole-forming processes disrupted drainage systems, and pothole sizes do not correlate with the catchment areas of the potholes. There are abundant, fluvially deposited erratic pebbles and cobbles on the mesa, and the joints and cracks that are present in the bedrock exert little to no control over pothole morphology. These data suggest that the potholes were formed subaqueously. A proposal that may point us to a possible mechanism is that similar potholes, in the Navajo Sandstone exposed in the Henry Mountains, appear to have been formed via fluvial processes in over-steepened tributary junctions. At our research location, the water that carved out the potholes appears to have come from ENE, and the point at which this water met the Chinle Wash may have been over-steepened as a result of rapid incision of the Chinle Wash through the poorly lithified Navajo Sandstone. • Fluvially formed potholes in the Navajo Sandstone. • High-resolution 3D point clouds for geological research from photogrammetry. • Use of ArcGIS to analyze spatial data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we study the synthetic explosions of a massive star. We take a 100 M ⊙ zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) star and evolve it until the onset of core-collapse using MESA. Then, the resulting star model is exploded using the publicly available stellar explosion code, STELLA. The outputs of STELLA calculations provide the bolometric light curve and photospheric velocity evolution along with other physical properties of the underlying supernova. In this paper, the effects of having a large Hydrogen-envelope on the supernova light curve have been explored. We also explore the effects of the presence of different amounts of nickel mass and the variation of the explosion energy of the supernovae from such heavy progenitors, on the bolometric light curves and photospheric velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated historical redlining, a government-sanctioned discriminatory policy, in relation to cardiovascular health (CVH) and whether associations were modified by present-day neighborhood physical and social environments. Data included 4,779 participants (mean age 62 y; SD = 10) from the baseline sample of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA; 2000 to 2002). Ideal CVH was a summary measure of ideal levels of seven CVH risk factors based on established criteria (blood pressure, fasting glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, diet, physical activity, and smoking). We assigned MESA participants' neighborhoods to one of four grades (A: best, B: still desirable, C: declining, and D: hazardous) using the 1930s federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps, which guided decisions regarding mortgage financing. Two-level hierarchical linear and logistic models, with a random intercept to account for participants nested within neighborhoods (i.e., census tracts) were used to assess associations within racial/ethnic subgroups (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Chinese). We found that Black adults who lived in historically redlined areas had a 0.82 (95% CI -1.54, -0.10) lower CVH score compared to those residing in grade A (best) neighborhoods, in a given neighborhood and adjusting for confounders. We also found that as the current neighborhood social environment improved the association between HOLC score and ideal CVH weakened (P < 0.10). There were no associations between HOLC grade and CVH measures or effect modification by current neighborhood conditions for any other racial/ethnic group. Results suggest that historical redlining has an enduring impact on cardiovascular risk among Black adults in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a complex phenomenon manifesting several features typical of chronic inflammation and disorders of lipid metabolism. We assessed association of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) lipid variables and inflammatory markers with incident coronary artery calcium (CAC) and CAC progression among participants with baseline CAC ≥0. MESA is a longitudinal cohort study of 6,814 participants (aged 45–85). 3,115 had CAC = 0 and 2,896 had CAC>0 at baseline. Repeat CAC measurements were obtained (mean duration of follow up, 6.5 years). IL-6 (log pg/mL) and fibrinogen (50 mg/dL) were associated with a higher relative risk (RR) of incident CAC (HU) (RR = 1.09, p= 0.010 & RR 1.05, p= 0.004, respectively). Small LDL (100 nmol/L) (RR = 1.03, p< 0.001) and log large VLDL (log nmol/L) (RR = 1.06, p= 0.001) were associated with higher risks, whereas large HDL (μmol/L) was associated with an inverse risk of incident CAC (RR = 0.97, p < 0.001) in a model adjusted for follow up time, age, gender and race. Among participants with baseline CAC>0, progression of CAC was positively associated with hsCRP (log mg/L) (β = 1.99), IL-6 (log pg/mL) (β = 2.9), fibrinogen (50 mg/dL) (β = 1.0), large VLDL (log nmol/L) (β = 2.2), and small LDL (100 nmol/L) (β = 0.36) (all p values < 0.05) in a model adjusted for scanner type, age, gender and race. Relationships with inflammatory markers and NMR lipoprotein particles lost significance after adjustment for traditional risk factors and statin use. Traditional risk factors were strongly associated with both CAC incidence and progression with the exception of cholesterol parameters not associated with CAC progression in adjusted model. Inflammatory markers and lipoprotein particles were associated with CAC incidence and progression in minimally adjusted models, but not after adjustment for traditional risk factors. • Atherosclerosis is a complex phenomenon manifesting several features typical of chronic inflammation and disorders of lipid metabolism. • This study evaluates the association of inflammatory markers and specialized lipoprotein particles with incident coronary artery calcium (CAC) development and CAC progression over time. • Inflammatory markers and specialized lipoprotein particles were associated with CAC incidence and progression in minimally adjusted models, but not after adjustment for traditional risk factors. • Traditional risk factors were strongly associated with both CAC incidence and progression with the exception of cholesterol parameters not associated with CAC progression in adjusted model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The complexity of physical activity (PA) and DNA methylation interaction in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rarely simultaneously investigated in one study. We examined the role of DNA methylation on the association between PA and CVD. Results: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort Exam 5 data with 1065 participants free of CVD were used for final analysis. The quartile categorical total PA variable was created by activity intensity (METs/week). During a median follow-up of 4.0 years, 69 participants developed CVD. Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip was used to provide genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in purified human monocytes (CD14+). We identified 23 candidate DNA methylation loci to be associated with both PA and CVD. We used the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to test the complex relationships among multiple variables and the roles of mediators. Three of the 23 identified loci (corresponding to genes VPS13D, PIK3CD and VPS45) remained as significant mediators in the final SEM model along with other covariates. Bridged by the three genes, the 2nd PA quartile (β = − 0.959; 95%CI: − 1.554 to − 0.449) and the 3rd PA quartile (β = − 0.944; 95%CI: − 1.628 to − 0.413) showed the greatest inverse associations with CVD development, while the 4th PA quartile had a relatively weaker inverse association (β = − 0.355; 95%CI: − 0.713 to − 0.124). Conclusions: The current study is among the first to simultaneously examine the relationships among PA, DNA methylation, and CVD in a large cohort with long-term exposure. We identified three DNA methylation loci bridged the association between PA and CVD. The function of the identified genes warrants further investigation in the pathogenesis of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this brief, a high-performance quasi-vertical GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD) on sapphire substrate with post-mesa nitridation process is reported, featuring a low damaged sidewall with extremely low leakage current. The fabricated SBD with a drift layer of 1 μm has achieved a very high ON/ OFF current ratio (ION/IOFF) of 1012 with a low leakage current of ~ 10−9 A/cm2@-10 V, high forward current density of 5.2 kA/cm2 at 3 V in dc, a low differential specific ON-resistance (RON,sp) of 0.3 mΩ ⋅ cm2, and ideality factor of 1.04. In addition, a transmission-line-pulse (TLP) I – V test was carried out and 53 kA/cm2 at 30 V in pulsed measurement was obtained without device failure, exhibiting a great potential for high power applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) has become an important irrigation application method in the U.S. Southern High Plains where pan evaporation exceeds 2,400 mm per year. Early research comparing SDI with spray sprinklers showed that SDI was over-applied when scheduling irrigations using crop coefficients developed using sprinkler irrigation. Thus, crop coefficients developed using SDI may be smaller than those developed using sprinkler irrigation. Grain corn was grown for two years on large, precision weighing lysimeters at Bushland, Texas, with two lysimeters irrigated by SDI and two by mid-elevation spray (MESA) irrigation. Data used in this study were for fields irrigated to replenish soil water in the top 1.5 m of the soil to field capacity, as indicated by weekly neutron probe readings (100% replenishment). Crop coefficients developed for SDI (Kc_SDI) were compared with those developed for MESA (Kc_MESA) using ASCE standardized reference ET equations. The value of Kc_SDI ranged from 0.83 to 0.89 of Kc_MESA for the two years. Values of Kc_SDI remained consistently less than Kc_MESA even after maximum leaf area index was reached, indicating that considerable evaporative loss from the soil surface occurred with MESA irrigation even after full canopy cover. When we shortened the initial period after planting from 30 to 20 d and followed FAO 56 recommendations for surface drip irrigation under full-cover plastic mulch, we calculated basal Kc (Kcb) values (ETo basis) that were reasonably close to our Kc values for SDI for the crop development and early mid-season periods but were greater than our data for the later mid-season and late season periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of experiments aimed at fabricating and studying the properties of photodetector structures based on single-layer graphene produced by chemical vapor deposition are presented. The configuration of a Ta2O5 vertical microcavity with a resonance wavelength of about 850 nm and a lower dielectric SiO2/Ta2O5 distributed Bragg reflector is taken as the base structure. The conditions for the transfer and fabrication of mesas in the graphene layer on the microcavity surface are optimized. The diagnostics by Raman spectroscopy of the structural quality of graphene after fabrication of the mesas in the graphene layer and contact pads are indicative of the single-layer structure of graphene with a low intensity of features in its spectrum, responsible for imperfection of the structure. The photocurrent is measured under local optical pumping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND In some cultivars, yellowing resulting from chlorophyll breakdown has a direct and negative effect on food supply and health. The 'Zaosu' pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.), a commercial Asian pear cultivar in China, rapidly turns yellow when stored at room temperature after harvest. To develop techniques that delay or suppress chlorophyll degradation, the effects of methyl salicylate (MeSA) on yellowing in 'Zaosu' pear fruit during storage were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with the untreated fruit, the application of 0.05 mmol L−1 MeSA delayed the decline of the total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b content, and maintained more intact chloroplasts with fewer and smaller plastoglobuli. Methyl salicylate suppressed enzyme activities, including chlorophyllase, chlorophyll‐degrading peroxidase, Mg dechelatase, and pheophytinase, and the expression levels of NYC, NOL, CLH, SGR, PPH, PAO and RCCR in treated fruit. CONCLUSION: Methyl salicylate could delay chlorophyll breakdown in the fruit. The results also suggested that the conversion from chlorophyll a to pheophorbide a could proceed via two pathways, and that alternative pathways for the breakdown of chlorophyll a exist in 'Zaosu' pears. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black rot disease of winter jujube causes considerable losses to the jujube industry in Xinjiang. Methyl salicylate (MeSA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) are elicitors of plant disease resistance; therefore, the inhibitory effects of 1 mmol/L MeSA and 0.1 mmol/L MeJA on the black rot disease of winter jujube caused by Alternaria tenuissima were investigated herein. Both MeSA and MeJA reduced the fruit decay index, and the effect of MeJA was superior. MeSA and MeJA enhanced the activities of enzymes related to phenylpropane metabolism and pathogenesis-related proteins, and the expression of their corresponding genes. MeSA and MeJA increased the accumulation of phenylpropane metabolites, containing the lignin, total phenol, and total flavonoid contents. These findings indicated that MeSA and MeJA may enhance the resistance of winter jujube to A. tenuissima by enhancing the phenylpropane metabolism pathway and the activity of pathogenesis-related proteins. • MeSA and MeJA enhanced the phenylpropane metabolism pathway of winter jujube. • Exogenous MeSA and MeJA improved the disease resistance of winter jujube. • Decay index of treatment groups was closely related to the phenylpropane metabolism. • MeJA was superior to MeSA in suppressing the black rot disease of winter jujube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The Metabolic syndrome (MetS), refers to one of the most challenging public health issues across the world. The aim of this study was to explore the clusters of participants on the basis of MetS components and determine its effect on coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods This study used the information from Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). MESA was performed at 6 US sites and was a population-based cohort study of 6776 adults (3576 females; 3200 males), aged 45 to 84 years. The participants were free of clinical cardiovascular disease at baseline. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to achieve the study's objectives. The outcome variable was CHD during the study period (2000−2012). Results The prevalence of all Mets components (except triglyceride (TG) and fasting blood glucose (FBS)) is more common in females than in males. Three latent classes were recognized: (1) Non-MetS, (2) low risk, and (3) MetS. Notably, MetS latent class included 29.88% and 35.38% in females and males, respectively. After adjustment for covariates (e.g. demographic, biomarker etc.), MetS latent class showed a positive association with CHD events in both genders. Conclusions Results showed that clustering pattern of the MetS components, as well as the association between latent classes and risk of incident CHD events, are different in females and males. Notable percentages of individuals are in the MetS class, which emphasizes the necessity of implementing preventive interventions for this sub-group of the population. Highlights • Age-standardization were done using WHO standard world population of 2000. • Five dichotomous observable variables, including components of metabolic syndrome were considered in LCA. • The visual agreement between the results of LCA model and NCEP components of the MetS criteria was compared. • In this study, Association of the latent classes with incidence of CHD was assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesas are residual landforms typical for layered rock sequences, formed due to tableland dissection and cliff retreat. Caprock cliffs are characteristic elements of mesa morphology. Mesas have finite lifetimes and over time are reduced in area, transforming into buttes and eventually into irregular arrays of boulders. Thus, they are ‘born’, when separated from a plateau, and ‘die’, when the caprock completely disintegrates. In this paper, sequential development of sandstone-capped mesas is first inferred from theory and then verified on the basis of field observations and landform inventories from a sandstone tableland of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in the eastern part of Germany. Finally, selected morphometric parameters of mesa morphology, potentially indicative of their evolutionary phases, are computed from a high-resolution digital terrain model. Both field evidence and results of morphometric analysis indicate that mesas evolve along various pathways and, tending towards specific end-members, illustrate the principle of equifinality. Space-for-time substitution, if applied with care, may also be helpful in deciphering the geomorphic history of mesas and tracing their life until disappearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants release a broad spectrum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The composition of the released VOC blend is dependent on the physiological status and, consequently, is affected by biotic and abiotic stresses. Stress-related VOCs can be perceived by different organisms, including natural enemies of herbivores and neighboring plants. Here, the responses of tomato plants (emitters) to single or combined abiotic (water stress) and biotic (aphid attack) stresses, and the effect of VOC released by emitters on neighboring unstressed plants (receivers), have been investigated. Emissions of α-pinene and methyl salicylate from plants exposed to single or combined stress, and of camphene from plants exposed to water or combined stress were significantly higher than in unstressed plants. In receivers, only the release of methyl salicylate increased when companion emitters were stressed. The expression of genes related to VOC biosynthesis and plant defense responses was unaffected or declined in water-stressed emitters, and was generally higher in receivers than in emitters. The gene coding for methyl salicylate biosynthesis was particularly active in aphid-attacked emitters and in receivers that were conditioned by the infested emitters. In addition, VOCs emitted by stressed plants induce VOC emission in unstressed receivers, and this increases attraction of parasitic wasps, which may improve protection against aphid attacks under conditions of reduced water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Understanding the factors that influence the ability of predators to find and kill herbivores is central to enhancing their impact on prey populations, but few studies have tested the impact of these factors on predation rates in realistic foraging environments. Using the tri‐trophic system consisting of tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanaceae), hornworm caterpillars, Manduca sexta L. (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), and the predaceous stink bug Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), we measured the effects of associative learning and plant volatile camouflage on predator behavior and foraging efficiency in field enclosures. To do so, we compared experienced vs. naive individuals under varying environmental contexts. Experienced predators were those with prior exposure to induced volatiles from the tomato–caterpillar association, whereas naive predators had not experienced tomato, only prey (caterpillars). We varied their environmental foraging matrix using either (1) tomato surrounded by basil (Ocimum basilicum L.; Lamiaceae) or (2) tomato exposed to the synthetic volatile, methyl salicylate (MeSA). We found that (1) experienced predators were more efficient than naive predators, capturing 28% more prey; (2) the tomato–basil combination did not affect predator–prey interactions; and (3) constitutive emission of synthetic MeSA caused a 22% reduction in P. maculiventris predation rate. These differences corresponded with distinct shifts in predator foraging; for example, experienced individuals were less stationary and exhibited unique behaviors such as stylet extension. Taken together, these results suggest that it is possible to improve the function of generalist predators in suppressing prey by coupling odors with food. However, constitutive emission of volatiles to attract natural enemies may ultimately camouflage neighboring plants, reducing the benefits of orientation to learned stimuli such as induced volatiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methyl salicylate (MeSA), which is released by plants after herbivore attack, not only attractant effect on natural enemies but also effect behaviour of pest arthropods. These compounds release by plants which is named herbivore induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). In this study, the population of aphids and predators in synthetic MeSA applied and mite infected bean plants in order to naturally stimulate MeSA, linalol etc. release were investigated. This study was conducted in field conditions with three replicates and following treatments MeSA alone, MeSA+mite release, mite release and untreated control in both year 2011 and 2012. Vials include 2 ml MeSA were used in every plot and renew every week. Randomly selected 15 bean leaves from each plot were examined under stereomicroscope and aphids and predators were counted. In 2011 and 2012, aphid abundance of Control (0.76± 0. 04; 2± 0.2) and mite release (0.67± 0.08; 0.17± 0.02) plots were higher than MeSA (0.1± 0.02;0) and mite release+MeSA (0.1± 0.02; 0.17± 0.02) plots. In 2011 coccinellids were high in MeSA plots, Orius sp. and syrphids were high in mite release+MeSA plots. In this study MeSA is not only repellent effect on aphids but also attractant effect on predators and improve the effectiveness of natural enemies in field. In future, MeSA could be used for the support of biological control against aphids in plant protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic activity of Raung Volcano was raised on 11 November 2014. As many as 1709 tremors were recorded followed by continuous tremors appearing in late November 2014. Quasi-harmonic and gliding tremors appeared in a spectrogram on 12 November 2014. The quasi-harmonic tremors refer to tremors that have no fully harmonic form in spectrum. The gliding harmonic tremors refer to harmonic tremors that have frequency jumps with either positive or negative increment. After signal restitution processing, the Maximum Entropy Spectral Analysis (MESA) method was applied in Raung recordings resulting the spectrum and the spectrogram of tremors. The quasi- harmonic tremors have the monotonic spectrum in its head and centre segment, and the harmonic one in its tails. There are twenty-four spectrums that show frequency changes between the monotonic and harmonic. The similarity between the fundamental frequency range of the monotonic and harmonic ones suggests that both signals are excited from a common resonator. The alternating of monotonic and harmonic respectively over this period is qualitatively similar with Julian's synthetic time series about the nonlinear oscillator model. It is suggested that Raung Volcano magma pressure is sizeable to make a chaotic vibration. A pressure increasing in Raung magmatic conduit causes the increasing of P-wave velocity and makes a positive gliding frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aroma, a complex mixture of volatiles, is essential for tomato flavor; however, the expression patterns of most volatile compounds and their response to exogenous methyl salicylate (MeSA) treatment are still unclarified. In this study, in association with the alteration in ethylene evolution and its biosynthetic genes (SlACO1 and SlACS2/4), 31 volatiles fluctuated or accumulated during 'FL 47′ tomato ripening with a burst at pink or red stage, resulting in the alteration in aroma quality. Meanwhile, the alternation of 29 volatiles, lycopene and β-carotenoid content as well as SlPSY1 and SlCCD1A/B mRNAs demonstrated a strong correlation with ethylene evolution. Further study validated the role of ethylene in apocarotenoid volatile biosynthesis. The formation of 24 volatiles were greatly suppressed in MeSA-treated fruit at red stage along with lower ethylene. In addition, the reduction of apocarotenoid volatiles was associated with downregulated SlPSY1 and SlCCD1A/B mRNAs and carotenoid accumulation when compared with control. In combination with the alternation of ethylene evolution and apocarotenoid volatile formation in SlACS2 -overexpressing fruit after MeSA treatment, our results implied that ethylene played a critical role in MeSA-induced reduction of apocarotenoid volatiles via its influence on carotenoid biosynthesis and SlCCD1A/B expression. Although the formation of over 60% of the tomato volatiles was altered by MeSA fumigation, no difference in total volatile abundance or aroma quality could be detected between samples. On the other hand, the taste quality was substantiality altered by MeSA treatment in association with the reduction of TSS and TSS/TA ratio as well as TA increment. Taken together, our results illustrated that MeSA application for fruit quality control was at the expense of flavor alternation. [Display omitted] • 50 volatiles demonstrated diverse expression patterns during tomato ripening. • Formation of over 60% volatiles was altered by MeSA fumigation. • Ethylene functioned in MeSA-induced reduction of apocarotenoid volatiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Taoxingli' plum is a characteristic fruit in Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. It is favored by consumers for its vibrant color and high nutrition, closely related to anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation. Anthocyanin synthase (ANS) and uridine diphosphate flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT) are two key enzymes in the downstream portion of anthocyanin synthetic pathways. 100 μM methyl salicylate (MeSA) enhanced the expression of five PsbZIPs (bZIP1, 2, 3, 4, 10), which was positively correlated with the activities of PsANS and PsUFGT, their encoding gene expression, and anthocyanin content. The gene expression validated by qRT-PCR was correspond to FPKM value obtained from the transcriptome data. Yeast one-hybrid assays and motif mutation demonstrated that PsbZIP1 and PsbZIP10 can directly bind to the PsUFGT promoter via the G-box motif (5′-CACGTG-3′). These results indicated that PsbZIP1 and PsbZIP10 triggered anthocyanin synthesis in 'Taoxingli' plum fruit by binding to the G-box of the PsUFGT promoter after MeSA treatment during postharvest. • MeSA treatment increased anthocyanin content in 'Taoxingli' plums during postharvest. • MeSA induced PsANS and PsUFGT enzyme activities and the gene expression of bZIP1, 2, 3, 4, 10 , PsANS , and PsUFGT. • PsbZIP1 and PsbZIP10 promoted anthocyanin synthesis by binding directly to the G-box of the PsUFGT promoter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gross morphology of a free face and talus rampart occurs in a range of landscape settings. Semi-arid mesas, river gorges and coastal cliffs all share this geometry, but differ in how the components respond to their respective environments, to each other and to the capacity to export material from the talus rampart. Differences are reflected in the rates and processes of cliff retreat, and in the boundary conditions for rampart growth and removal. For mesas and buttes, export from the talus is controlled by the rate at which coarse material weathers to a size that can be readily washed away, leading to a stable proportional height for the rampart, which then consists of a boulder controlled slope at the angle of repose. For river gorges, a high incremental increase in fluvial sediment transport allows incision to accompany cliff retreat, while low rates lead to valley widening and rampart formation. Coastal cliffs may either lack ramparts, with supply limited development controlled by wave attack on cliffs; or be limited by the transport capacity of transverse offshore sediment processes, allowing development of a persistent rampart. In all contexts, the transport term should not be ignored in understanding both the rates of retreat and the morphology of cliffed landforms. [Display omitted] • Cliffs with a talus rampart occur in diverse settings. • Mesas, river gorges and steep coasts. • Boundary conditions depend on the process setting and geometry. • Evolution may be driven by supply- or transport-limited removal. • The rate of material transport from rampart base is always important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims This study investigated the associations of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) volume and density, and whether these relationships vary by race/ethnicity and/or sex, information that are limited in current literature. Methods We studied 1004 adults from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis to assess the relationship between NAFLD (liver-to-spleen ratio <1) and the following measures of AAC: presence (volume score >0, using Poisson regression); change in volume score (increasing vs. no change, using Poisson regression); and morphology (volume and density score, where volume score >0, using linear regression); and interaction by race/ethnicity and sex. Results Among Blacks, those with NAFLD had greater prevalence for AAC compared to Whites regardless of sex (Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 1.41, CI = 1.15–1.74, p -interaction = 0.02). Concurrent interaction by race/ethnicity and sex was found comparing Chinese and Blacks to Whites ( p -interaction = 0.017 and 0.042, respectively) in the association between NAFLD and the prevalence of increasing AAC. Among women, this relationship was inverse among Chinese (PR = 0.59, CI = 0.28–1.27), and positive among Whites (PR = 1.34, CI = 1.02–1.76). This finding was reversed evaluating the men counterpart. Black men also had a positive association (PR = 1.86, CI = 1.29–2.70), which differed from the inverse relationship among White men, and was greater compared to Black women (PR = 1.45, CI = 1.09–1.94). NAFLD was unrelated to AAC morphology. Conclusions NAFLD was related to the presence of AAC, however, limited to Blacks. Significant concurrent interaction by race/ethnicity (Chinese and Blacks vs. Whites) and sex was found in the relationship between NAFLD and increasing AAC. These findings suggest disparities in the pathophysiologic pathways in which atherosclerosis develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of mesa edge capacitance on the frequency characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with 90 nm gate length was studied in this paper. To extract mesa edge capacitances, a small-signal equivalent circuit model considering mesa edge capacitances was provided. Based on the model, the intrinsic gate capacitances of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with 2 × 20 μm, 2 × 30 μm, 2 × 40 μm, and 2 × 50 μm gate widths were extracted, respectively. Through linear fitting along gate width for the extracted results and simulations, 8.06 fF/μm 2 of mesa edge capacitances at V gs = −4.5 V and V ds = 8 V in the devices with 2 × 20 μm gate width was obtained, which can be about 33.2% of the total gate capacitance. Mesa edge capacitances results in a significant drop of current-gain cut-off frequency ( f T ), and the effect is more serious in the shorter gate length devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data of cryoprotectant-free vitrification of human testicular and epididymal spermatozoa are limited. The aim of this investigation was to compare two aseptic technologies of TESE (testicular) and MESA (epididymal) spermatozoa cryopreservation: standard conventional freezing with the use of cryoprotectants and cryoprotectant-free vitrification. Sperm motility, capacitation-like changes, acrosome reaction and the mitochondrial membrane potential of frozen (5% glycerol, −10 °C/min) and vitrified (Human Tubal Fluid + 1% Human Serum Albumin+0.25 M sucrose, plunging into liquid nitrogen of capillaries with spermatozoa isolated from liquid nitrogen (aseptic method) were compared. The quality of the cryoprotectant-free vitrified MESA- and TESE-spermatozoa was higher than that of spermatozoa conventionally frozen with permeable cryoprotectants. Intracellular sperm injection (ICSI) was performed with vitrified spermatozoa. We report the birth of three healthy babies from two women following ICSI with motile MESA- and TESE-spermatozoa vitrified without cryoprotectants. This is the first report of full-term pregnancies and babies born after ICSI with epididymal and testicular spermatozoa vitrified without cryoprotectants. In conclusion, cryoprotectant-free vitrification can be successfully applied for the cryopreservation of motile TESE- and MESA-spermatozoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hip fractures have increased in the last decades, mainly in elderly patients with osteoporosis. The incidence becomes in some countries up to 250 thousand new cases per year, generating millions for health systems costs, so it should be considered a public health problem. They are treated in supine position, with a fracture table, through a lateral approach. However, it is important to know that there are other techniques, which can dispense a table of fractures and in a different position. Material and methods: Show a surgical technique for the treatment of transtrochanteric fractures of hip in lateral decubitus, without a fracture tab le and define its advantages and precise indications. Results: Eight patients, five women (62.5%) and three men (37.5%). Bleeding average 115 cc and average surgical time of 67 minutes. A patient with detachment of the system that ended in Girdlestone. No neurological complications or early infection was documented. Conclusions: The reduction and fixation of transtrochanteric hip fractures with intramedullary nail without fracture tab le and in lateral decubitus is feasible and with a low level of associated complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An L-shaped tunnel FET (TFET), which features band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) perpendicular to the channel direction, is experimentally demonstrated for the first time. It is more scalable than other vertical-BTBT-based TFET designs and provides more than $1000\times $ higher ON-current ( $I_{{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}} ) than a conventional planar TFET with the same gate overdrive ( V\mathrm{ov} ) of 0.8 V, due to improved subthreshold swing ( S ) and larger tunnel junction area. Its temperature dependence, constant $S$ , and nonlinear output characteristics are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genital prolapse represents a frequent pathology in women associating various uro-gynecological complications. The known risk factors are multiple births, menopause and obesity. Material and methods: In a retrospective study we have analyzed 15 women with advanced genital prolapse (grade III and IV). They all underwent mesh surgical procedures, according to their pathology. For the anterior prolapse we have used a four arm polypropylene mesh and for the posterior prolapse a two arm mesh anchored to the sacrospinous ligament. Results: Operating time and hospitalization were brief and no major intraoperatory complications occurred. The patients were discharged 2 - 3 days after the procedure, being periodically evaluated. After three months, two relapses occurred and vaginal hysterectomy and colpocleisis was performed. Conclusions: Genital prolapse represents a serious health condition, with direct impact on the normal social life and activities of women. With this kind of procedures, the operating time has been shortened, anatomical and functional results were excellent and due to the experience of the surgeons, the complications were practically absent. Classical surgical techniques such as perineoraphy are now becoming obsolete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An overview of principal grand morphological landscapes in sedimentary tablelands. • Implications of variety of rock controls linked to processes and resultant landforms. • Vertical succession of strong and weak rocks as the viable unifying theme. • Underground processes are more important than usually thought. Coarse clastic sedimentary successions cover approximately-one fourth of the continental surface and give rise to distinctive landforms at a variety of scales. Rock-mass strength differences between members of layered successions account for the presence of escarpments, typically capped by thick sandstone or conglomerate beds, usually also with mid-slope cliffs and benches reflecting variable resistance of individual members of the succession. Depending on the dip of strata, two main types of regional landscapes are plateaus and plains, or homoclinal ridges (cuestas), but higher degree of deformation may occur in the vicinity of major faults, resulting in hogback morphology. Medium-scale landforms include residual hills of various types such as mesas and buttes, rock cities and assemblages of ruiniform relief, whereas canyons and slots are common valley forms. Escarpment retreat is usually considered as an overarching concept in geomorphology of layered successions, but it does not seem to be a universal pathway of landscape evolution and even retreat itself may occur in different ways. We propose that juxtaposition of strong and weak rocks in the vertical succession is the viable unifying theme, as it has profound geomorphological implications, influencing processes and patterns of evolution at a variety of spatial scales. However, depending on lithological characteristics, mechanical and hydrogeological properties, dominant processes may vary, explaining considerable landform diversity within tablelands, even though at the grand scale stepped topography becomes a repetitive theme. Synthetic graphical presentation of morphogenetic systems on coarse clastic successions is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesa combined with JTE termination structures for high-voltage 4H–SiC PiN diodes are designed, fabricated, and characterized in this paper. Designs based on simulation are performed to investigate the influence of the mesa shape on breakdown for SiC PiN diodes. It is found that a deeper mesa height and a smaller mesa angle contribute to a higher breakdown voltage owing to a smoother and more uniform surface electric field distribution. A maximum reverse blocking voltage of 3.8 kV and an on-state voltage drop of 3.4 V at 100 A/cm 2 are obtained from the fabricated diodes with a mesa height of 2.1 μm and a mesa angle of 22°, corresponding to about 80% of a parallel plane breakdown voltage for the drift layer with a thickness of 30 μm. Additionally, the dependence of the breakdown voltage on the JTE length observed in the fabricated diodes shows a good agreement with the simulated results in the trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Accelerated atherosclerosis is a major cause of morbidity and death in SLE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the prevalence and extent of coronary artery calcium (CAC) is higher in female SLE patients compared with a non-SLE sample from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Methods. CAC was measured in 80 female SLE patients and 241 female MESA controls from the Baltimore Field Centre, ages 45-64 years, without evidence of clinical cardiovascular disease. Binary regression was used to estimate the ratio of CAC prevalence in SLE vs MESA controls, controlling for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. To compare the groups with respect to the quantity of CAC among those with non-zero Agatston scores, we used linear models in which the outcome was a log-transformed Agatston score. Results. The prevalence of CAC was substantially higher in SLE. The differences were most pronounced and statistically significant in those aged 45-54 years (58% vs 20%, P< 0.0001), but were still observed among those aged 55-65 years (57% vs 36%, P = 0.069). After controlling for age, ethnicity, education, income, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, high-density lipoprotein levels, smoking, education and BMI, SLE patients still had a significantly higher prevalence of CAC than controls. Among those with CAC, the mean log Agatston score did not differ significantly between SLE and MESA participants. Conclusion. Women with SLE have a higher prevalence of CAC than comparable women without SLE, even after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, especially among those aged 45-54 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Ga,In)N/GaN multiple quantum well blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on mesa-patterned silicon substrates with improved electro-optic characteristics are demonstrated. The active regions are grown on top of high-reflectivity AlN/(Al,Ga)N distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). Due to efficient stress relaxation at the mesa edges, crack formation during growth or upon the post-growth cooling-down of the samples can be avoided. A large number of AlN/(Al,Ga)N bilayers in the DBR can be then included in the LED structures leading to strong enhancement of the LED device output power in spite of the presence of the absorbing silicon substrate at the LED emission wavelength. Photograph of a blue light emitting diode ( I = 20 mA) grown on top of a high reflectivity distributed Bragg reflector on a mesa-patterned silicon substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to determine and compare the colour characteristics as a distinctive biological feature of animals from different domestic and wild animal species. Colour measurements were made on the fresh cuts of m. longissimus of pigs, beef cattle, red deer, rabbit, brown hare, on the m. pectoralis profundus of horse, on the m. pectoralis major of goose and on the hind leg muscles of red deer, rabbit, brown hare and goose within 5 min of blooming. CIE colour expressions, such as lightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*), chroma (C) and hue angle (h) were measured using a chromameter CR-410. Differences in colour parameters of different muscles within species were negligible, but species highly affected all studied parameters. Rabbit and pig showed the highest meat lightness. Brown hare and red deer showed the highest redness and colour saturation followed by beef and horse, but the highest meat yellowness was in rabbit and horse followed by pig. Negative Pearson's correlation coefficients between the meat pH and colour parameters were found in pork and beef, however, no significant correlations were estimated between these traits in meat of red deer, horse and rabbit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved Bosch etching process using inductively coupled plasma system has been investigated for the etching of 4H-silicon carbide (SiC). By optimizing the etch parameters, a mesa structure with nearly vertical sidewall and without microtrench at the bottom corner has been fabricated, and the formation and elimination of the microtrench are preliminarily discussed for the Bosch cycles in this paper. Scanning electron microscopic analysis was used to demonstrate the etched morphology under different etching conditions. Simple mesa-terminated 4H-SiC p-i-n diodes were fabricated. The effect of the improved mesa structure on the dc characteristics of the diodes has been experimentally verified by comparing with the nonoptimized mesa structure with microtrench. The results exhibited a completely consistent forward tendency and a similar reverse leakage level less than −900 V for both diodes, but different blocking performances. A maximum blocking voltage of 1565 V at room temperature was obtained from the nonmicrotrenched device with a mesa height of 4.3 \mu \textm , corresponding to 66% of a parallel plane breakdown voltage for the drift layer of 15 \mu \textm . Slight microtrench is the main cause of premature breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION: HOW do live birth rates compare after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for men with obstructive azoospermia when using sperm derived from testicular sperm extraction (TESE) versus microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Our study suggests that proximal epididymal sperm (from MESA) result in higher live birth rates as compared with testicular sperm (from TESE) in couples where the man has obstructive azoospermia due to congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) or vasectomy. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: For couples with obstructive azoospermia, MESA (epididymal sperm) and TESE (testicular sperm) have generally been assumed to be equivalent for use in ICSI. But this assumption has never been confirmed, and this view has important clinical and basic scientific consequences. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This was a retrospective study of a consecutive cohort of 374 men with obstructive azoospermia and normal spermatogenesis, who underwent IVF and ICSI using either epididymal sperm or testicular sperm in the period 2000-2009. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The study included men undergoing MESA or TESE at St. Luke's Hospital for obstructive azoospermia due to CBAVD or vasectomy. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: A total of 280 couples underwent MESA and 94underwent TESE with ICSI. The live birth rate was 39% after MESA-ICSI and 24% after TESE-ICSI. The MESA-ICSI cycles also resulted in a significantly higher implantation rate and significantly higher clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates than the TESE-ICSI cycles. There was no significant difference in results between fresh or frozen sperm for both MESA and TESE. When adjusted for the available confounders, the odds ratio for live birth was significantly in favour of MESA-ICSI versus TESE-ICSI (OR 1.82; 95% CI 1.05-3.67). The only significant confounders were female age and ovarian reserve. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This is a retrospective cohort study and not a randomized clinical trial. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our study suggests that some aspect of sperm maturation after the sperm leaves the testicle to enter the epididymis is required for the most optimal results, even when ICSI is used for fertilization. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): NO funding was used and there are no competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of group concentration for subsequent arc atomic emission analysis (AAEA) with a multichannel emission spectra analyzer (MESA) aimed at determining trace amounts of platinum metals (PMs) and gold in secondary and technogenic materials using commercial or newly synthesized (via the thiomethylation reaction) sorbents containing nitrogen and sulfur was studied. The conditions for sorption concentration of PMs and gold were determined. The sample preparation method and the conditions for performing the MESA-assisted AAEA of the sorption concentrate were chosen. The impurity detection limits were determined. The possibility of determining the elements at the 10-10 wt % level was demonstrated. The validity of the results was checked by varying the sample weight and by conducting a comparative experiment with the use of different methods. The other two methods used in this experiment were atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular structure at Mohar (Dhala structure) in the western part of Bundelkhand Gneissic Complex, is marked by a prominent outlier of Kaimur sediments surrounded by low lying concentric sequence of sediments of Dhala Formation and basement granite breccia. This has been interpreted as a volcanic eruption related cauldron structure and meteoritic impact crater structure by various authors, on the basis of absence or presence of shock indicators in the clasts of a rhyolite-like rock that crops out scantily in the north western part of the structure. During the course of extensive sub-surface uranium exploration in this structure, the geoscientists of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research observed unequivocal and rampant evidences of shock metamorphic features for the first time in drill core samples of basement granitoids which constitute the bed rock for the rhyolite-like melt breccia, which overlies it. Published data of shock metamorphic features from this area are largely confined to the surface samples of the rhyolite-like melt rock, exposed in sparse outcrops. The shock metamorphic features recorded in the sub-surface granitoid bed rock samples during the present study, comprise planar deformation features (PDF) in quartz, feldspar, apatite and zircon, toasted, diaplectic, ladder-textured feldspars, selectively shock-melted feldspars and melt-veined quartz. The shock metamorphic features recorded in surface and sub-surface samples of the melt rock include ballen quartz, PDF in quartz clasts, toasted and diaplectic feldspar clasts shocked basic rock fragments with isotropised feldspars. Both the shocked bedrock granitoid and the melt rock bear uncharacteristic geochemical signatures with elevated KO, MgO and depleted CaO. The study also observes that the melt breccia overlying the granitoid bedrock also occurs as pocket-like patches at various depths within the granitoids. Thus, the present findings have helped in understanding the attributes of the basement granitoid and associated melt breccia, thereby linking the genesis of the latter by selective melting of the former, due to the process of impact. It reinforces the already propounded theory of impact as the likely cause for the development of the structure in the basement Bundelkhand granitoid that was later filled by sediments standing out presently as a mesa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delineates a treatment model for healing and empowering women's sexuality co-created by a psychologist and sex therapist and an elder in Shamanic work. The interweaving of perspectives and experience using yoga breathing patterns, movement, guided meditation, Mesa work, and Shamanic ceremony offers new pathways for awakening feminine sexual energy, creativity, and personal power. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Development of surface morphology in Si molecular beam epitaxy on mesa-structured Si(111) at temperatures around the (7×7)-“1×1” surface phase transition was studied by atomic force microscopy. Significant changes in surface morphology were found for a small increase in temperature near the surface phase transition, accompanied by a strong increase in step-free area dimension. This behavior is reported for the first time for epitaxial silicon growth, but supports earlier in situ studies of the thermal decay of 2-dimensional islands and voids on Si(111) close to the surface phase transition using low energy electron microscopy by Hibino et al. (Phys. Rev. B 63, 245402, 2001). The observed changes in surface morphology clearly demonstrate the interplay of crystal growth and the surface phase transformation. In particular, the simultaneous appearance of two surface phases under certain conditions and their specific influence on the growth behavior are discussed with regard to this matter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: This study assessed whether impaired fasting glucose (IFG), insulin resistance, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) had effects on cardiac remodeling, independent of obesity, in the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) trial. Background: Recent studies have suggested that central obesity and insulin resistance may be primary mediators of obesity-related cardiac remodeling independent of body mass index (BMI). Methods: We investigated 4,364 subjects without diabetes in the MESA trial. IFG (100 to 125 mg/dl) or insulin resistance (by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]) and WHR were used for cardiometabolic phenotyping. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the effects of the cardiometabolic markers on left ventricular (LV) remodeling, assessed primarily through the LV mass-to-volume ratio obtained by cine cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Individuals with IFG were more likely to be older and hypertensive, with increased prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors regardless of BMI. In each quartile of BMI, subjects with above-median HOMA-IR, above-median WHR, or IFG had a higher LV mass-to-volume ratio (p < 0.05 for all). HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001), WHR (p < 0.0001), and the presence of IFG (p = 0.04), but not BMI (p = 0.24), were independently associated with LV mass-to-volume ratio after adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, race, and dyslipidemia. Conclusions: Insulin resistance and WHR were associated with concentric LV remodeling independent of BMI. These results support the emerging hypothesis that the cardiometabolic phenotype, defined by insulin resistance and central obesity, may play a critical role in LV remodeling independently of BMI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: While nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with the metabolic syndrome, it is not known if NAFLD plays an independent role in the atherogenic dyslipidemia phenotype. Methods and results: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a population-based prospective cohort study of adults free of clinical cardiovascular disease at enrollment. We tested for a relationship between NAFLD, defined as a liver/spleen (L/S) attenuation ratio of <1 on a non-contrast cardiac CT scan, and multiple measures of fasting serum lipoprotein size, cholesterol and particle concentrations. NAFLD was present in 569 (17%) of 3362 participants. After adjustment for multiple metabolic risk factors, adiposity and measures of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), NAFLD was independently associated with higher fasting serum triglycerides and lower serum HDL-C. Despite a lack of association with LDL-C, NAFLD was associated with higher LDL particle concentration and lower LDL particle size. Modeling the L/S ratio as a continuous variable, a severity dependent association was observed between atherogenic lipoprotein abnormalities and NAFLD. Conclusion: In a large, multi-ethnic, gender balanced cohort, CT-diagnosed NAFLD was associated with the atherogenic dyslipidemia phenotype in a dose dependent fashion. These relationships persisted after adjustment for several metabolic risk factors and HOMA-IR, suggesting a possible independent pathophysiologic role between NAFLD and dyslipidemia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An optimized split-gate-enhanced UMOSFET (SGE-UMOS) layout design is proposed, and its mechanism is investigated by 2-D and 3-D simulations. The layout features trench surrounding mesa (TSM): First, it optimizes the distribution of electric field density in the outer active mesa, reduces the electric-field crowding effect, and improves the breakdown voltage of the SGE-UMOS device. Second, it is unnecessary to design the layout corner with a large diameter in the termination region for the TSM structure as the conventional mesa surrounding trench (MST) structure, which is more efficient in terms of silicon usage. Rsp.on is reduced when compared with the MST structure within the same rectangular chip area. The BV of SGE-UMOS is increased from 72 to 115 V, and Rsp.on is reduced by approximately 3.5% as compared with the MST structure, due to the application of the TSM. Finally, it needs five masks in the process, and the trenches in active and termination regions are formed with the same processing steps; hence, the manufacturing process is simplified, and the cost is reduced as well. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fabrication of optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) typically involves photolithography steps, requiring specific lithography masks. This approach is expensive, inflexible and time consuming, in particular for prototyping. Therefore it would be attractive to replace these steps by direct writing techniques such as laser processing, which would speed up, for example the development and prototyping of new devices. Picosecond lasers provide a universal tool for material processing. Due to the short pulse length, material is removed by a process called "cold ablation," with minimal thermal damage to neighboring regions. As a result, better-defined structures with smoother and cleaner side walls can be fabricated compared to nanosecond-pulsed laser-based processing. We report on fully laser-processed planar gallium nitride-based LEDs fabricated using only ps laser processing for pattern definition and material removal. On the bare semiconductor wafer, isolation trenches and mesa structures are formed directly by ultraviolet ps laser pulse writing. For the direct deposition of patterned ohmic contact metallizations, the ps laser fabrication and subsequent use of high-resolution shadow masks is presented. Finally, the ps laser-processed LEDs are electrically and optically characterized and their characteristics compared with those of conventionally fabricated mesa LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]