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Studies to date on ferromagnet/d-wave superconductor heterostructures focus mainly on the effects at or near the interfaces while the response of bulk properties to heterostructuring is overlooked. Here we use resonant soft x-ray scattering spectroscopy to reveal a novel c-axis ferromagnetic coupling between the in-plane Cu spins in YBa$_2$ Cu$_3$ O$_{7-x}$ (YBCO) superconductor when it is grown on top of ferromagnetic La$_{0.7}$ Ca$_{0.3}$ MnO$_3$ (LCMO) manganite layer. This coupling, present in both normal and superconducting states of YBCO, is sensitive to the interfacial termination such that it is only observed in bilayers with MnO_2but not with La$_{0.7}$ Ca$_{0.3}$ interfacial termination. Such contrasting behaviors, we propose, are due to distinct energetic of CuO chain and CuO$_2$ plane at the La$_{0.7}$ Ca$_{0.3}$ and MnO$_2$ terminated interfaces respectively, therefore influencing the transfer of spin-polarized electrons from manganite to cuprate differently. Our findings suggest that the superconducting/ferromagnetic bilayers with proper interfacial engineering can be good candidates for searching the theorized Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state in cuprates and studying the competing quantum orders in highly correlated electron systems., Please note the change of the title. Text might be slightly different from the published version

The low-temperature hidden-order state of ${\mathrm{URu}}_{2}{\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$ has long been a subject of intense speculation, and is thought to represent an as-yet-undetermined many-body quantum state not realized by other known materials. Here, x-ray absorption spectroscopy and high-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering are used to observe electronic excitation spectra of ${\mathrm{URu}}_{2}{\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$, as a means to identify the degrees of freedom available to constitute the hidden-order wave function. Excitations are shown to have symmetries that derive from a correlated $5{f}^{2}$ atomic multiplet basis that is modified by itinerancy. The features, amplitude, and temperature dependence of linear dichroism are in agreement with ground states that closely resemble the doublet ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{5}$ crystal field state of uranium.

This article develops a new integrated missile guidance scheme against ballistic targets based on optimal control theory and neural network technology, in which an optimal midcourse guidance law is analytically derived to reach a near head-on interception engagement. This enables an aerodynamically controlled missile to successfully intercept a very high-speed target. A multi-layer feedforward neural network is incorporated with proportional navigation guidance in the terminal guidance section to adaptively enhance missile agility and to correct acceleration commands in response to rapid changes in aerodynamics and target manoeuvres. The entire defensible volume in three-dimensional space is characterized and the missile performance robustness is verified.

This paper proposes using mixed inventory policies to determine ordering quantities for all organizations in a supply chain. Agents of organizations choose inventory policies from a set of candidate policies, and determine their ordering quantities for each period according to the chosen policies. A genetic algorithm is formulated to search for the optimal combination of inventory policies to minimize the total costs of the whole supply chain over a time horizon. To illustrate and evaluate the performance of our approach, many different setups of experiments are conducted by computer simulation of an MIT Beer game.

Long-term use of excessive nitrogen fertilizer contributes to the accumulation of nitrate-N in soil and, in turn, can lead to excessive accumulation of nitrate in vegetable crops. Better understanding of the spatial variability of soil nitrate-N and vegetable nitrate can provide a basis for site-specific soil nutrient management and for rational nitrogen fertilization rates combined with balanced fertilization for high quality, high yield vegetable production. This study was conducted to determine spatial variability characteristics of soil nitrate-N (NO 3 - -N) and nitrate (NO 3 - ) in cabbage and their interrelationship in a 55-ha vegetable production area using traditional statistics and geostatistics. The study area comprised 182 farm plots belonging to six production groups (recorded as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 8th groups). A total of 217 soil samples 0-20 cm in depth were collected on a 50 × 50-m grid in the study area before cabbage seeding. Prior to the cabbage harvest, 217 samples of edible cabbage parts were collected at sites corresponding to the soil sampling locations. The history of vegetable production at all of the soil sampling sites-including varieties, rotations, and fertilizer use-was surveyed, and soil nitrate-N and cabbage nitrate were measured. The spatial variability structure of nitrate content in cabbage and nitrate-N content in soil increased at first and then decreased with increasing separation distance. The spatial correlation ranges for cabbage nitrate contents and soil nitrate-N contents were 305.0 and 165.0 m, respectively, indicating the existence of significant spatial continuity in nitrate in cabbage and nitrate-N in soil. Notable spatial distribution comparability was observed in the contents of nitrate in cabbage and nitrate-N in soil. The contents of nitrate in edible cabbage parts and nitrate-N in soil were higher in most areas of Group 2 and Group 7 than in Group 1, Group 3, and Group 4; the contents were relatively lower in most areas of Group 8. Spatial variability of nitrate in cabbage was correlated positively with nitrate-N in soil (R 2 = 0.413**, n = 217), whereas soil nitrogen-N contents were closely correlated with vegetable production history and nitrogen fertilizer application rates.

Correspondance: Molecular Ecology Resources Primer Development Consortium, E-mail: editorial.office@molecol.com; International audience; This article documents the addition of 396 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Anthocidaris crassispina, Aphis glycines, Argyrosomus regius, Astrocaryum sciophilum, Dasypus novemcinctus, Delomys sublineatus, Dermatemys mawii, Fundulus heteroclitus,Homalaspis plana, Jumellea rossii, Khaya senegalensis, Mugil cephalus, Neoceratitis cyanescens, Phalacrocorax aristotelis, Phytophthora infestans, Piper cordulatum, Pterocarpus indicus, Rana dalmatina, Rosa pulverulenta, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Scomber colias, Semecarpus kathalekanensis, Stichopus monotuberculatus, Striga hermonthica, Tarentola boettgeri and Thermophis baileyi. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Aphis gossypii, Sooretamys angouya, Euryoryzomys russatus, Fundulus notatus, Fundulus olivaceus, Fundulus catenatus, Fundulus majalis, Jumellea fragrans, Jumellea triquetra Jumellea recta, Jumellea stenophylla, Liza richardsonii, Piper marginatum, Piper aequale, Piper darienensis, Piper dilatatum, Rana temporaria, Rana iberica, Rana pyrenaica, Semecarpus anacardium, Semecarpus auriculata, Semecarpus travancorica, Spondias acuminata, Holigarna grahamii, Holigarna beddomii, Mangifera indica, Anacardium occidentale, Tarentola delalandii, Tarentola caboverdianus and Thermophis zhaoermii

High-temperature-oriented production of bacterial penicillin acylase (PAC), which is usually expressed at low temperatures (less than 30 degrees C), was demonstrated in this study via heterologous expression of the Providencia rettgeri (P. rettgeri) pac gene in Escherichia coli (E. coli). While it is possible to produce PAC at a temperature as high as 37 degrees C, the environmental condition (specifically, culture pH) critically affected culture performance. Production of PAC at 37 degrees C was feasible only when culture pH was close to neutral (i.e., 6.5-7.5). Outside this pH range, cell physiology for the host/vector system was seriously affected, resulting in poor culture performance. In acidic culture environments, temperature significantly affected the pac expression level and specific PAC activity decreased with an increase in culture temperature. In basic culture environments, cell growth was seriously inhibited though the pac expression level was minimally affected by temperature. Such unusual types of pH and temperature effects on pac expression were never reported for bacterial PACs. The results suggest that culture pH should be precisely controlled for the current host/vector systems being applied on the overproduction of P. rettgeri PAC in E. coli at high temperatures.

A variety of cell performances, such as program speed, second-bit effect, program disturbance along the channel direction (X-disturbance), and random telegraph noise (RTN), are investigated extensively under different junction dosages in a virtual-ground charge-trap nor array of 45-nm technology. Junction profiles and the location of programmed charges are compared by means of a gate-induced drain leakage scheme. Experiments reveal that the source/drain dosage beneath gate edges affects the program speed, injected charge distribution, X-disturbance induced by secondary impact ionization, and RTN performance.

Strain is a leading candidate for controlling magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroics. Here, we use x-ray diffraction to study the coupling between magnetic order and structural distortion in epitaxial films of the orthorhombic (o-) perovskite LuMnO(3). An antiferromagnetic spin canting in the E-type magnetic structure is shown to be related to the ferroelectrically induced structural distortion and to a change in the magnetic propagation vector. By comparing films of different orientations and thicknesses, these quantities are found to be controlled by b-axis strain. It is shown that compressive strain destabilizes the commensurate E-type structure and reduces its accompanying ferroelectric distortion.

Ultrafast Manipulation Multiferroic materials commonly show both magnetism and ferroelectricity, such that the electric field can be used to manipulate the magnetic order, and vice versa. Kubacka et al. (p. 1333 , published online 6 March) used a strong terahertz electromagnetic pulse in resonance with an electromagnon—an excitation based on both electric and magnetic ordering—to control the spin dynamics of the multiferroic TbMnO 3 on a sub-picosecond time scale and induce the rotation of the spin-cycloid plane of the material.

Strongly correlated electron systems often exhibit very strong interactions between structural and electronic degrees of freedom that lead to complex and interesting phase diagrams1 2. For technological applications of these materials it is important to learn how to drive transitions from one phase to another. A key question here is the ultimate speed of such phase transitions and to understand how a phase transition evolves in the time domain3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Here we apply time resolved X ray diffraction to directly measure the changes in long range order during ultrafast melting of the charge and orbitally ordered phase in a perovskite manganite. We find that although the actual change in crystal symmetry associated with this transition occurs over different timescales characteristic of the many electronic and vibrational coordinates of the system the dynamics of the phase transformation can be well described using a single time dependent ‘order parameter’ that depends exclusively on the electronic excitation.

We establish the spectral line shape of orbital excitations created by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering for the model Mott insulator CoO. Improved experimental energy resolution reveals that the line shapes are strikingly different from expectations in a first principles-based atomic multiplet model. Extended theoretical simulations are performed to identify the underlying physical origins, which include a pronounced thermal tail reminiscent of anti-Stokes scattering on the energy gain side of excitations, and an essential contribution from interatomic many-body dynamics on the energy loss side of excitations., Comment: 7 pages + 2 pages of supplemental material

t-haplotypes are a meiotic drive system found on the 17th chromosome of the house mouse (Mus musculus). They can be found in wild populations of all four genetically differentiated subspecies. The drive phenomenon is male-specific, such that heterozygous males (+/t) show non-Mendelian transmission and transmit the t-chromosome to > 90% of their offspring. So far the most comprehensive studies on the frequencies of t-haplotypes in natural populations have been on just one of the subspecies (M. musculus domesticus). We applied molecular methods to accurately screen t-haplotypes in a large number of populations of a second subspecies (M. musculus castaneus) distributed in Taiwan. We found that the overall t-haplotype frequency is low in M. m. castaneus (0.108), and the chromosomes are patchily distributed among its populations, closely resembling the situation found in M. m. domesticus. Further, we found the frequencies of t-haplotypes in our sample did not differ in relation to the sex or age of mice. This resemblance in the frequency and distribution among populations of the two distinct subspecies suggests that similar general mechanisms might be responsible for the low frequencies in both subspecies.

Post-fabrication heat treatment has been found as an effective means for controlling the size distribution of Tb-doped Gd 2 O 3 nanoparticles. Variations in the electronic structure and structural order of these doped quantum dots are investigated by using the techniques of X-ray excited luminiscence and diffraction. From room temperature to 1000°C X-ray powder diffraction of this nanoparticle system shows a three-stage transition from featureless data to that of the bulk crystalline structure with increasing particle size. However, substantial changes found in the X-ray excited luminescence are not directly related to the crystalline structure of the nanoparticles. These observations also indicate that bulk-like crystalline phase of the quantum dot material is not a necessary condition for generating the X-ray induced optical effects which are useful for some technological applications.

We report on measurements of nonresonant inelastic x-ray scattering (NIXS) to unravel the effective symmetry of Cu $3d$ orbitals in the ground state of CuO. A clear feature of energy loss at about 2 eV exists in the NIXS spectrum, arising from $dd$ excitations; the intensities of these excitations display a pronounced anisotropy. The comparison between the measured angular distributions of scattering and those from theoretical predictions by the tesseral harmonics indicates that, in terms of a hole picture, the lowest-energy $dd$ excitation is the orbital transition ${x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}$ $\ensuremath{\rightarrow}$ $xy$. In addition, the transition ${x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}$ $\ensuremath{\rightarrow}$ $3{z}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{r}^{2}$ has an energy higher than ${x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}$ $\ensuremath{\rightarrow}$ $yz/zx$, in contrast to a previous interpretation. Our results imply a large Jahn-Teller-like splitting between ${x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}$ and $3{z}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{r}^{2}$ orbitals. The theory assuming a ${C}_{4h}$ symmetry explains the angular dependence of the NIXS spectra fairly well, implying that this symmetry is a reasonable approximation. This demonstrates that NIXS can provide important information for modeling of the electronic structure of $d$ ions embedded in a complicated crystal field.

Angiogenesis contributes to coronary heart disease, immune disorders and numerous malignancies. VEGF-A and its receptors (VEGFRs) play a pivotal role in regulating angiogenesis. In an effort to discover more effective inhibitors of tumour angiogenesis, we have analysed the actions of a novel anthraquinone derivative, PPemd26, and explored its anti-angiogenic mechanisms.The effects of PPemd26 were evaluated in vitro using HUVEC cultures to assess proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation. Immunoblotting was used to analyse phosphorylation of signalling kinases. Effects in vivo were assayed using Matrigel plug and xenograft mouse models.PPemd26 significantly inhibited VEGF-A-induced proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation of HUVECs. PPemd26 also attenuated VEGF-A-induced microvessel sprouting from rat aortic rings ex vivo and suppressed formation of new blood vessels in implanted Matrigel plugs in models of angiogenesis in vivo. In addition, PPemd26 inhibited VEGF-A-induced phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and its downstream protein kinases including Akt, focal adhesion kinase, ERK and Src. Furthermore, systemic administration of PPemd26 suppressed the growth of s.c. xenografts of human colon carcinoma in vivo. Histochemical analysis of the xenografts revealed a marked reduction in stainingfor the vascular marker CD31 and proliferation marker Ki-67.This study provides evidence that PPemd26 suppressed tumour angiogenesis through inhibiting VEGFR2 signalling pathways, suggesting that PPemd26 is a potential drug candidate for developing anti-angiogenic agents for the treatment of cancer and angiogenesis-related diseases.

We have used soft x-ray magnetic diffraction at the Fe${}^{3+}$ ${L}_{2,3}$ edges to examine to what extent the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction in Ba${}_{3}$NbFe${}_{3}$Si${}_{2}$O${}_{14}$ influences its low-temperature magnetic structure. A modulated component of the moments along the $c$ axis is present, adding to the previously proposed helical magnetic configuration of coplanar moments in the $a,b$ plane. This leads to a ``helical-butterfly'' structure and suggests that both the multiaxial in-plane and the uniform out-of-plane Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya vectors are relevant. A nonzero orbital magnetic signal is also observed at the oxygen $K$ edge, which reflects the surprisingly strong hybridization between iron 3$d$ and oxygen 2$p$ states, given the nominal spherical symmetry of the Fe${}^{3+}$ half-filled shell.

High-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) mysteriously emerges upon doping holes or electrons into insulating copper oxides with antiferromagnetic (AFM) order. It has been thought that the large energy scale of magnetic excitations, compared to phonon energies for example, lies at the heart of an electronically-driven superconducting phase at high temperatures. However, despite extensive studies, little information is available for comparison of high-energy magnetic excitations of hole- and electron-doped superconductors to assess a possible correlation with the respective superconducting transition temperatures. Here, we use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Cu L3-edge to reveal high-energy collective excitations in the archetype electron-doped cuprate Nd2-xCexCuO4 (NCCO). Surprisingly, despite the fact that the spin stiffness is zero and the AFM correlations are short-ranged, magnetic excitations harden significantly across the AFM-HTSC phase boundary, in stark contrast with the hole-doped cuprates. Furthermore, we find an unexpected and highly dispersive mode in superconducting NCCO that is undetected in the hole-doped compounds, which emanates from the zone center with a characteristic energy comparable to the pseudogap, and may signal a quantum phase distinct from superconductivity. The uncovered asymmetry in the high-energy collective excitations with respect to hole and electron doping provides additional constraints for modeling the HTSC cuprates., 23 pages, 8 figures, Submitted to Nature Physics

The design, construction and commissioning of a beamline and spectrometer for inelastic soft X-ray scattering at high resolution in a highly efficient system are presented. Based on the energy-compensation principle of grating dispersion, the design of the monochromator–spectrometer system greatly enhances the efficiency of measurement of inelastic soft X-rays scattering. Comprising two bendable gratings, the set-up effectively diminishes the defocus and coma aberrations. At commissioning, this system showed results of spin-flip, d–d and charge-transfer excitations of NiO. These results are consistent with published results but exhibit improved spectral resolution and increased efficiency of measurement. The best energy resolution of the set-up in terms of full width at half-maximum is 108 meV at an incident photon energy tuned about the Ni L3-edge.

We apply grazing-incidence femtosecond x-ray diffraction to investigate the details of the atomic motion connected with a displacively excited coherent optical phonon. We concentrate on the low frequency phonon associated with the charge and orbital order in the mixed valence manganite La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3 for T < 210 K. We measure the response of three superlattice reflections that feature different sensitivities to the motion of the unit cell constituents. The results support the assignment to a translational mode of the Mn4+ atoms together with the oxygen atoms connecting adjacent Mn4+ sites., 13 pages, 3 figures

Time resolved optical reflectivity and x-ray diffraction techniques are employed to study the laser-induced structural response in two charge and orbitally ordered manganites. Optical data indicate a non-thermal nature of the laser-triggered phase transition via the disappearance of an optical phonon related to the charge and orbitally ordered phase. The x-ray diffraction measurements on superlattice reflections confirm the non-thermal time scale of the initial step of this phase transition but also show that the complete change of structural symmetry is not instantaneous. ISSN:2100-014X ISSN:2101-6275

The effect of x-rays on an orbital and charge ordered epitaxial film of a Pr$_{0.5}$Ca$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$ is presented. As the film is exposed to x-rays, the antiferromagnetic response increases and concomitantly the conductivity of the film improve. These results are discussed in terms of a persistent x-ray induced doping, leading to a modification of the magnetic structure. This effect allows writing electronic and magnetic domains in the film and represents a novel way of manipulating magnetism., 5 pages, 5 figures

Non-equilibrium effects are studied using a full Lorentz-invariant formalism. Our analysis shows that in reactions considered here, no global or local equilibrium is reached. The heavier masses are found to be equilibrated more than the lighter systems. The local temperature is extracted using hot Thomas Fermi formalism generalized for the case of two interpenetrating pieces of nuclear matter. The temperature is found to vary linearly with bombarding energy and impact parameter whereas it is nearly independent of the mass of the colliding nuclei. This indicates that the study of temperature with medium size nuclei is also reliable. The maximum temperatures obtained in our approach are in a nice agreement with earlier calculations of other approaches. A simple parametrization of maximal temperature as a function of the bombarding energy is also given., Comment: LaTex-file, 17 pages, 8 figures (available upon request), Journal of Physics G20 (1994) 1817

X-ray-absorption fine-structure measurements were carried out to probe the local environment surrounding Mn ions in Mn-doped nanocrystals of ZnS with different size distributions ranging from 30--35 \AA{} to 50--55 \AA{}. The interatomic distances between Mn and neighboring atoms, the coordination number, local disorder, and effective valency determined for the nanocrystals are compared with those in bulk Mn-doped ZnS. The Mn ions are found to substitute for the Zn sites in the host ZnS but with significant size-dependent local structural changes. The questions of Mn-cluster formation and the presence of Mn impurities on the surface of the nanocrystals are addressed. Near-edge x-ray-absorption fine structures indicate that the effective valency of Mn ions in the nanocrystals is close to +2 with a weak size dependence. These local structures are believed to be closely related to the novel optical properties observed in this new class of semiconductors.

We investigate the role of medium effects on the production of antiprotons in nucleus-nucleus collisions at subthreshold energies. The reaction dynamics is simulated within the framework of quantum molecular dynamics. The antiprotons, produced through elementary baryon-baryon processes, are propagated in its time-dependent self-consistent mean field. Both absorption and rescattering by the baryonic environment are evaluated dynamically. The density and temperature dependence of the associated scalar and vector self-energies are calculated on the basis of an effective Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. We found that the inclusion of the self-energies enhances the production of antiprotons. The calculated spectra are in good agreement with the experimental data and consistent with the formation of a very hot phase from which antiprotons are produced.

The magnetic structure of multiferroic RMn${}_{2}$O${}_{5}$ (R $=$ Y, Er) has been investigated by means of resonant soft x-ray diffraction. Energy, temperature, and azimuthal angle scans were performed in addition to reciprocal space maps on the magnetic reflection in the different magnetic phases of YMn${}_{2}$O${}_{5}$. We also investigated the orbital magnetic moment at the oxygen K-edge for RMn${}_{2}$O${}_{5}$ with both, R $=$ Y and R $=$ Er compositions. These moments reflect the strong hybridization between Mn 3$d$ and oxygen 2$p$ states. Experiments with applied electric fields are additionally presented, showing that the helical component of the magnetic structure in the CM phase of YMn${}_{2}$O${}_{5}$ can be reversed by the application of an electric field. However, the incommensurate magnetic reflection in the high-temperature phase is unaffected. Interestingly, this is observed only in the presence of a small electrical current, indicative of a current-induced/-enhanced switching of magnetic domains.

Summary In patients with severe knee osteoarthritis (OA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is performed for both symptom relief and to achieve better function in daily life. Implementation of efficient TKA rehabilitation programs with shorter length of stay (LOS) and reduced medical expenditures is an important issue in clinical practice. However, the effectiveness of preoperative rehabilitation programs is still under debate. Most preoperative rehabilitation programs last many weeks and may be more expensive than TKA. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a simplified, easy-to-learn, and less time-consuming preoperative rehabilitation education program on TKA patients. Patients and methods In this randomized controlled study, we allocated all the patients into study and control group according to chart number. The study group, which comprised 126 patients, participated in a 40-min preoperative home rehabilitation education program 4 weeks prior to TKA. One hundred seventeen patients in the control group did not participate in this preoperative program. Results The study group required a shorter hospital LOS (mean: 7.12 days; P = 0.027) and had less hospitalization-related medical expenditures (mean: 123726 New Taiwan dollars [NTD], equivalent to 4266.4 United States dollars [USD] or 3022.1 [Euros]), ( P = 0.001) than the control group. However, the study group showed no significant improvement in function when compared to the control group. Discussion Our study demonstrates that a simplified preoperative rehabilitation program can reduce LOS and increase cost savings. This program was recommended as a routine protocol for OA patients before admission for TKA. Level of evidence Level II. Prospective randomized study.

Static charge-density-wave (CDW) and spin-density-wave (SDW) order has been convincingly observed in La-based cuprates for some time. However, more recently it has been suggested by quantum oscillation, transport, and thermodynamic measurements that density-wave order is generic to underdoped cuprates and plays a significant role in YBa${}_{2}$Cu${}_{3}$O${}_{6+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ (YBCO). We use resonant soft x-ray scattering at the Cu $L$ and O $K$ edges to search for evidence of density-wave order in ortho-II and ortho-VIII oxygen-ordered YBCO. We report a null result\char22{}no evidence for static CDW order\char22{}in both ortho-II and ortho-VIII ordered YBCO. While this does not rule out static CDW order in the CuO${}_{2}$ planes of YBCO, these measurements place limits on the parameter space (temperature, magnetic field, scattering vector) in which static CDW order may exist. In addition, we present a detailed analysis of the energy and polarization dependence of the ortho-II superstructure Bragg reflection [0.5 0 0] at the Cu $L$ edge. The intensity of this peak, which is due to the valence modulations of Cu in the chain layer, is compared with calculations using atomic scattering form factors deduced from x-ray absorption measurements. The calculated energy and polarization dependence of the scattering intensity is shown to agree very well with the measurement, validating the approach and providing a framework for analyzing future resonant soft x-ray scattering measurements.

Variations in the electronic structure and structural distortion in multiferroic DyMnO(3) were probed by synchrotron x-ray diffraction, lifetime-broadening-suppressed x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and ab initio electronic structure calculations. The refined x-ray diffraction data enabled an observation of a diminished local Jahn-Teller distortion of Mn sites within MnO(6) octahedra in DyMnO(3) on applying the hydrostatic pressure. The intensity of the white line in Mn K-edge x-ray absorption spectra of DyMnO(3) progressively increased with the increasing pressure. With the increasing hydrostatic pressure, the absorption threshold of an Mn K-edge spectra of DyMnO(3) shifted toward a greater energy, whereas the pre-edge line slightly shifted to a smaller energy. We provide the spectral evidence for the pressure-induced bandwidth broadening for manganites. The intensity enhancement of the white line in Mn K-edge spectra is attributed to a diminished Jahn-Teller distortion of MnO(6) octahedra in compressed DyMnO(3). A comparison of the pressure-dependent XAS spectra with the ab initio electronic structure calculations and full calculations of multiple scattering using the code FDMNES shows the satisfactory agreement between experimental and calculated Mn K-edge spectra.

$\text{Mn}\text{ }3d$ valence states and elementary electronic excitations in single-crystalline ${\text{TbMnO}}_{3}$ were probed with resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) (or resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy, RXES), polarized x-ray absorption spectra and ab initio electron-structure calculations. Polarized $\text{Mn}\text{ }K$-edge x-ray absorption spectra of ${\text{TbMnO}}_{3}$ crystals exhibit a significant anisotropy along three crystallographic directions, particularly for the white-line region. The $1s3p$-RXES spectra obtained at the $\text{Mn}\text{ }K$ edge reveal that the quadrupolar Raman regime is restricted predominantly to below the pre-edge peak whereas the fluorescence regime starts from the first pre-edge peak of $1s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3d$ transitions, indicating a relatively delocalized character of unoccupied $\text{Mn}\text{ }3d$ states. The additional $\text{K}\ensuremath{\beta}$ emission profile at energy loss $\ensuremath{\sim}62\text{ }\text{eV}$ is attributed to the off-site dipole $\text{Mn}\text{ }1s{\text{-Mn}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\text{ }3d$ and/or $\text{Mn}\text{ }1s\text{-Tb}\text{ }5d$ transitions, originating from hybridization between $\text{Mn}\text{ }4p$ states and neighboring ${\text{Mn}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\text{ }3d/\text{Tb}\text{ }5d$ states. The off-site dipole transition makes a considerable contribution to the pre-edge region of $\text{Mn}\text{ }K$-edge spectrum. Three prominent RIXS features at $\ensuremath{\sim}2.9$, 7, and 11 eV were observed. Based on $\text{GGA}+U$ calculations, the 7 eV region corresponds to transitions from $\text{O}\text{ }2p$ states to unoccupied minority $\text{Mn}\text{ }3d$ states, whereas the 11 eV band is ascribed to transitions from the $\text{O}\text{ }2p$ band to the empty $\text{Tb}\text{ }5d$ band. The broad 2.9 eV band is attributed to the coexistence of on-site $\text{Mn}\text{ }3d\text{-Mn}\text{ }3d$ and off-site $\text{Mn}\text{ }3d{\text{-Mn}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\text{ }3d$ transitions.

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on the $\text{Mn}\text{ }3d$ orbital occupation in orthorhombic ${\text{DyMnO}}_{3}$ single crystals. We have observed a very strong polarization dependence in the $\text{Mn}\text{ }{L}_{2,3}$ x-ray absorption spectra, indicative for a distinct anisotropic orbital occupation. Ab initio electronic-structure calculations clearly infer the existence of a strong orbital polarization in the ${e}_{g}$ band with a staggered ${d}_{3{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{r}^{2}}/{d}_{3{y}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{r}^{2}}$-type ordering pattern in the $ab$ plane. This finding is in excellent agreement with a quantitative analyis of the spectra using the atomic multiplet cluster approach.

Navigation of unmanned underwater vehicle (UUVs) in unstructured environments without long baseline transponders is a challenging problem due to the lack of predefined sea floor landmarks. This study proposes a real time sea floor mapping method using sidescan sonar on UUVs. The mapping system combines the motion information and the observation model of the sidescan sonar. The observation process firstly detects environmental features and then localizes the feature positions relative to the UUV. The landmark localization procedure considers the working principle of sidescan sonar and the acoustic velocity in sea water to localize the landmark and calculate the sidescan sonar footprint region. An occupancy grid mapping algorithm is then used to map the sea floor combining the uncertainties of UUV's motion and measurement errors from the observations. This procedure was implemented on an UUV to verify its landmark detection capability. Experimental results conducted on sandy seabed with concrete targets are demonstrated.

Imiquimod shows antitumour activity through the stimulation of cell-mediated immunity in vivo. Recent studies have shown that imiquimod promotes apoptosis in melanoma cells and induces autophagy in macrophage cell lines.To evaluate the imiquimod-induced apoptosis, autophagy and their relationship in a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cell line.Cell viability was determined by XTT test. Apoptosis was evaluated by DNA content assay, annexin V/propidium iodide staining assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labelling assay. Autophagy was determined by LC3 immunoblotting, EGFP-LC3 puncta formation and quantification of acidic vesicular organelles with acridine orange staining. The temporal and spatial differences of imiquimod-induced apoptosis and autophagy were examined by immunoblotting and simultaneously monitored by staining the EGFP-LC3 transfected cells with caspase 3 fluorogenic substrate. We inhibited the apoptosis and autophagy by pancaspase inhibitor and siRNA for Beclin 1 or Atg5, respectively, to evaluate the interplay between imiquimod-induced apoptosis and autophagy.We found that imiquimod induces autophagy and apoptosis in BCC cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Imiquimod not only induced EGFP-LC3 puncta formation for autophagy, but also simultaneously activated an apoptotic caspase cascade in the same cells. Both apoptosis and autophagy induced by imiquimod cooperate to cause BCC cell death. However, inhibition of imiquimod-induced apoptosis increased the strength of autophagy, and inhibition of imiquimod-induced autophagy further promoted cell apoptosis.This study not only demonstrates that imiquimod can directly induce autophagy and apoptosis in BCC cells, but also shows the cooperation and coordination between these two processes to induce cell death.

The linkage maps of male and female tiger shrimp (P. monodon) were constructed based on 256 microsatellite and 85 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Microsatellite markers obtained from clone sequences of partial genomic libraries, tandem repeat sequences from databases and previous publications and fosmid end sequences were employed. Of 670 microsatellite and 158 AFLP markers tested for polymorphism, 341 (256 microsatellite and 85 AFLP markers) were used for genotyping with three F(1) mapping panels, each comprising two parents and more than 100 progeny. Chi-square goodness-of-fit test (chi(2)) revealed that only 19 microsatellite and 28 AFLP markers showed a highly significant segregation distortion (P0.005). Linkage analysis with a LOD score of 4.5 revealed 43 and 46 linkage groups in male and female linkage maps respectively. The male map consisted of 176 microsatellite and 49 AFLP markers spaced every approximately 11.2 cM, with an observed genome length of 2033.4 cM. The female map consisted of 171 microsatellite and 36 AFLP markers spaced every approximately 13.8 cM, with an observed genome length of 2182 cM. Both maps shared 136 microsatellite markers, and the alignment between them indicated 38 homologous pairs of linkage groups including the linkage group representing the sex chromosome. The karyotype of P. monodon is also presented. The tentative assignment of the 44 pairs of P. monodon haploid chromosomes showed the composition of forty metacentric, one submetacentric and three acrocentric chromosomes. Our maps provided a solid foundation for gene and QTL mapping in the tiger shrimp.

The authors study the impact parameter dependence of collective flows and particle multiplicities in heavy-ion reactions from 84-2100 MeV A-1. They consider mainly the 40Ca+40Ca system. For comparison with experimental data other systems are also quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) with the nucleon-nucleon cross section obtained considered. When the bombarding energies are below 400 MeV A-1, they use the quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) with the nucleon-nucleon cross section obtained from the G-matrix. At bombarding energies in the GeV A-1 region, they use relativistic quantum molecular dynamics (RQMD) with the Cugnon parametrization for the baryon-baryon cross sections. They calculate the degree of equilibrium, the directed transverse momentum and the rapidity distribution. The multiplicities of photons, pions, etas and kaons are also calculated and analysed. Their dependence on the nuclear equation of state is studied in detail. There is fair agreement between the theoretical results and experimental data for particle production cross sections and multiplicities.

Based on Brueckner's theory and the Bethe-Goldstone equation in nuclear matter, the authors obtain a microscopic mean-field potential and an in-medium nucleon-nucleon (NN) cross section which are implemented in the quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) approach. This self-consistent QMD approach with mean-field potential and the NN cross section derived from the same realistic NN interaction (Reid soft-core potential) is used to study the dynamic evolution and photon production of nucleus-nucleus collisions. Comparisons are made among the theoretical results with different mean fields (G-matrix versus Skyrme forces) and between theoretical results and available experimental data.

We currently present a design concept for a photoacoustic imaging endoscope as well as some preliminary experimental results. The device is based on the generation of acoustic waves in tissue by short laser pulses and the sensing of these waves with a thin, optical Fabry-Pérot etalon. The entire device is designed to be mounted on the tip of a needle to deliver high-resolution photoacoustic imaging for minimally-invasive clinical applications such as diagnosing kidney disease and guiding laparoscopic surgery.

C. L. Chen,1,* K. W. Yeh,1 D. J. Huang,2,3,4,† F. C. Hsu,1,5 Y. C. Lee,1,5 S. W. Huang,2,4 G. Y. Guo,6 H.-J. Lin,2 S. M. Rao,1 and M. K. Wu1 1Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan 2National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan 3Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan 4Department of Electrophysics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan 5Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan 6Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan Received 8 August 2008; revised manuscript received 22 October 2008; published 12 December 2008

We analyzed repeat sequences composition in the genome of cucumber inbred line 9930 using whole-genome shotgun reads. The analysis showed that satellite DNA sequences are the most dominant components in the cucumber genome. The distribution pattern of several tandem repeat sequences (Type I/II, Type III and Type IV) on cucumber chromosomes was visualized using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The FISH signals of the Type III and 45S rDNA provide useful cytogenetic markers, whose position and fluorescence intensity allow for easy identification of all somatic metaphase chromosomes. A karyotype showing the position and fluorescence intensity of several tandem repeat sequences is constructed. The establishment of this FISH-based karyotype has created the basis for the integration of molecular, genetic and cytogenetic maps in Cucumis sativus and for the ultimate genome sequencing project as well.

Based on resonant soft x-ray magnetic scattering, we report that LiCu2O2 exhibits a large interchain coupling which suppresses quantum fluctuations along spin chains, and a quasi-2D short-range magnetic order prevails at temperatures above the magnetic transition. These observations unravel the fact that the ground state of LiCu2O2 possesses long-range 2D-like incommensurate magnetic order rather than being a gapped spin liquid as expected from the nature of quantum spin-1/2 chains. In addition, the spin coupling along the c axis is found to be essential for inducing electric polarization.

The equation of state of the asymmetric nuclear matter is calculated with the Gogny D1 effective density-dependent nucleon-nucleon interaction and the Coulomb interaction in the framework of the finite-temperature HF method with the rearrangement term. The dependence of the thermodynamical properties such as the critical temperature of the liquid-gas phase transition, the chemical potential, the compression modulus and the entropy on the Coulomb interaction in nuclear matter is treated by using a shielded two-body Coulomb potential and this method has been found to be a reasonable and effective approach.

To shed light on the symmetry of the superconducting order parameter in ${\mathrm{Na}}_{x}\mathrm{Co}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}∙y{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$, the Mn doping effects are studied. X-ray absorption spectroscopy verifies that the doped Mn impurities occupy the Co sites and are with a valance close to $+4$. Impurity scattering by Mn is in the unitary limit that, however, does not lead to strong ${T}_{c}$ suppression. This absence of the strong impurity effects on ${T}_{c}$ is inconsistent with the simple picture of a sign-changing order parameter. Coexistence of the $s$-wave superconducting order parameter and the nodal one is proposed to reconcile all the existing experiments and has been implied by the specific heat experiments.

We performed ultrafast time resolved near infrared pump resonant soft x ray diffraction probe measurements to investigate the coupling between the photoexcited electronic system and the spin cycloid magnetic order in multiferroic TbMnO3 at low temperatures. We observe melting of the long range antiferromagnetic order at low excitation fluences with a decay time constant of 22.3 ± 1.1 ps which is much slower than the ~1 ps melting times previously observed in other systems. To explain the data we propose a simple model of the melting process where the pump laser pulse directly excites the electronic system which then leads to an increase in the effective temperature of the spin system via a slower relaxation mechanism. Despite this apparent increase in the effective spin temperature we do not observe changes in the wave vector q of the antiferromagnetic spin order that would typically correlate with an increase in temperature under equilibrium conditions.We suggest that this behavior results from the extremely low magnon group velocity that hinders a change in the spin spiral wave vector on these time scales. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.92.184429

This paper describes how most people nowadays believe that the greenway-system planning is one of the strategies to develop a sustainable city. However, most metropolitan areas are over-developed and there are no massive undeveloped areas left to create greenways. Under these circumstances, this paper proposes redeveloping the current inter-city transportation system to create greenways, which meet the needs of ecological protection, recreation, and transportation. This research emphasizes on the Taichung Metropolitan Area (TMA), Taiwan. The paper first developed an assessment tool which includes geographic information system (GIS) mapping techniques and an indicator valuation system to select appropriate roads from the current transportation system to create greenways. The indicator valuation system contains a series of indicators to evaluate the efficiency of each road in terms of 3 purposes: ecological protection, recreation, and transportation. The analyses reveal that 10 roads meet 3 purposes and 14 roads meet 2 purposes. The paper further applies the GIS grid technique to connect these roads to create the greenway network for the TMA. In summary, this paper develops a procedure to create the metropolitan greenway network to satisfy the multi-purposes of the public.

Surface coatings of Stellite 6 were produced using laser cladding, high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying and plasma spraying techniques. The surface roughness, chemical composition and microstructure of these coatings were characterised by a surface profilometer, optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microhardness of the coatings was measured and the wear behaviour of the coatings was assessed under controlled test conditions in a pin-on-plate (reciprocating) tribometer.The results show that fully dense and crack-free laser clad Stellite 6 coatings can be formed on a high nickel steel substrate. Average microhardness values of the matrix for the coatings were in the range 350-520HV and the pin-on-plate (reciprocating) wear tests showed the laser cladding coating performed the highest wear resistance compared to the other two coatings.Surface coatings of Stellite 6 were produced using laser cladding, high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying and plasma spraying techniques. The surface roughness, chemical composition and microstructure of these coatings were characterised by a surface profilometer, optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microhardness of the coatings was measured and the wear behaviour of the coatings was assessed under controlled test conditions in a pin-on-plate (reciprocating) tribometer.The results show that fully dense and crack-free laser clad Stellite 6 coatings can be formed on a high nickel steel substrate. Average microhardness values of the matrix for the coatings were in the range 350-520HV and the pin-on-plate (reciprocating) wear tests showed the laser cladding coating performed the highest wear resistance compared to the other two coatings.

Summary In patients with severe knee osteoarthritis (OA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is performed for both symptom relief and to achieve better function in daily life. Implementation of efficient TKA rehabilitation programs with shorter length of stay (LOS) and reduced medical expenditures is an important issue in clinical practice. However, the effectiveness of preoperative rehabilitation programs is still under debate. Most preoperative rehabilitation programs last many weeks and may be more expensive than TKA. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a simplified, easy-to-learn, and less time-consuming preoperative rehabilitation education program on TKA patients. Materials and methods In this randomzied controlled study, we allocated all the patients into study and control group according to chart number. The study group, which comprised 126 patients, participated in a 40-min preoperative home rehabilitation education program 4 weeks prior to TKA. One hundred and seventeen patients in the control group did not participate in this preoperative program. Results The study group required a shorter hospital LOS (mean, 7.12 days; P = 0.027) and had less hospitalization-related medical expenditures (mean, 123726 New Taiwan dollars [NTD], equivalent to 4266.4 United States dollars [USD] or 3022.1 [Euros]), (P = 0.001) than the control group. However, the study group showed no significant improvement in function when compared to the control group. Discussion Our study demonstrates that a simplified preoperative rehabilitation program can reduce LOS and increase cost savings. This program was recommended as a routine protocol for OA patients before admission for TKA. Level of evidence Level II. Prospective randomized study.

Background Tumour cells increase glucose uptake and predominantly utilise glycolysis instead of mitochondrial respiration, even in the presence of abundant oxygen (aerobic glycolysis, the Warburg effect). HIF-1 α is a major determinant for aerobic glycolysis and cancer cell homeostasis under cytotoxic stress. Targeting HIF-1 α may be a specific strategy for chemotherapy. Methods and Findings In this study, we demonstrated imiquimod, a synthetic Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 ligand which contains anti-tumour effects, can promote aerobic glycolysis that was not required for expression of TLR7 or TLR8. This effect depends on up-regulation of HIF-1 α expression at the transcriptional and translational levels via ROS mediated STAT3-dependent and Akt-dependent pathways. The genetic silencing of HIF-1 α not only repressed imiquimod-induced aerobic glycolysis but also sensitised imiquimod-induced apoptosis due to faster ATP and Mcl-1 depletion. Moreover, the glucose analogue 2-DG and the HIF-1 α inhibitor 17-AAG synergised with imiquimod to induce tumour cell apoptosis in vitro and significantly inhibited tumour growth in vivo. Interpretation We suggest that imiquimod-induced aerobic glycolysis and HIF-1 α expression is a protective effect in response to imiquimod treatment, and therefore, co-treatment with inhibitors of HIF-1 α and/or glycolysis may be a useful therapeutic strategy to enhance the anti-tumour effects of imiquimod in clinical settings.