bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the crystallinity of N and Te codoped Zn-polar ZnO films grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy
Authors: Park S. H. , Minegishi T. , Lee H. J. , Park J. S. , Im I. H. , Yao T. , Oh D. C. , Taishi T. , Yonenaga I. , Chang J. H.
Published: November 2010

We report on the crystallinity, N incorporation efficiency, optical properties, and electrical properties of N and Te codoped ZnO films grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Te improves the surface morphology and roughness of ZnO films in terms of both streak reflection high energy electron diffraction pattern and atomic force microscopy observations. Also, N and Te codoping is helpful to improve the crystallinity and N incorporation efficiency simultaneously. We found that; (a) narrower x-ray linewidth and higher N concentration were obtained by codoping. (b) Nitrogen related emission lines including donor-acceptor pair and acceptor-bound exciton dominantly emerged in photoluminescence spectra. (c) Codoping enhanced the carrier compensation of native donors in ZnO films and suppressed the dislocation scattering. As a consequence, we concluded that N and Te codoping is very effective for the growth of reliable p-type ZnO films which fulfill the controversial requirements; high N concentration and high crystallinity, simultaneously.
Distortion analysis of pulsed terahertz signal measured with spectral-encoding technique
Authors: Peng Xiao-Yu , Teng Jing-Hua , Zhang Xin-Hai , Foo Yong-Lim
Published: November 2010

The principle of the spectral-encoding technique, one of the single-shot techniques for measurement of arbitrary pulsed terahertz (THz) signals, or T-rays, is demonstrated theoretically and through simulation. For single-cycle input THz pulse (bipolar wave form), THz signal could be retrieved faithfully under certain conditions, while for the multicycle input case, the THz signal cannot be retrieved without any distortion. However, there is an optimal length of the chirped-probe-pulse, corresponding to the characteristic time of the multicycle THz field, to minimize the distortion in the retrieved THz signal. Three main possible sources of distortions from both bipolar and multicycle THz signals are analyzed systematically. The first distortion originates from the mismatch of the optimal duration Tco of the chirped-probe-pulse and the T-ray length T. The second one is relevant to the spectrum bandwidth of the probe pulse. The third one occurs when the modulation depth k⪡1 is not satisfied. It comes from the neglect of the quadratic term of the modulation depth k, which reflects the strength of the THz signal in the retrieving process. Possible strategies are proposed to reduce these distortions.
Electron and hole components of tunneling currents through an interfacial oxide-high-k gate stack in metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors
Authors: Noor Fatimah A. , Abdullah Mikrajuddin , Sukirno  , Khairurrijal  , Ohta Akio , Miyazaki Seiichi
Published: November 2010

Two different components of tunneling current in the TiN/HfSiOxN/SiO2/p-Si(100) metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor have been presented. The tunneling currents were calculated by taking into account a longitudinal-transverse kinetic energy coupling. The calculated tunneling currents were compared with that measured ones by employing the electron and hole effective masses and phase velocities as fitting parameters. It has been shown that hole tunneling currents dominate at low voltages whereas at high voltages the tunneling currents are mainly contributed by electrons. It has also been found that the effective mass of hole in the HfSiOxN layer is higher than that of electron. The gate electron and substrate hole velocities are 1×105 m/s independent of the HfSiOxN thickness. In addition, it is speculated that the electron and hole effective masses in the HfSiOxN layer perhaps increase as its thickness decreases.
Quantum theory of molecular collisions in a magnetic field: Efficient calculations based on the total angular momentum representation
Authors: Tscherbul T. V. , Dalgarno A.
Published: November 2010

An efficient method is presented for rigorous quantum calculations of atom-molecule and molecule-molecule collisions in a magnetic field. The method is based on the expansion of the wave function of the collision complex in basis functions with well-defined total angular momentum in the body-fixed coordinate frame. We outline the general theory of the method for collisions of diatomic molecules in the Σ2 and Σ3 electronic states with structureless atoms and with unlike Σ2 and Σ3 molecules. The cross sections for elastic scattering and Zeeman relaxation in low-temperature collisions of CaH(Σ+2) and NH(Σ−3) molecules with H3e atoms converge quickly with respect to the number of total angular momentum states included in the basis set, leading to a dramatic (>10-fold) enhancement in computational efficiency compared to the previously used methods [A. Volpi and J. L. Bohn, Phys. Rev. A 65, 052712 (2002); R. V. Krems and A. Dalgarno, J. Chem. Phys. 120, 2296 (2004)]. Our approach is thus well suited for theoretical studies of strongly anisotropic molecular collisions in the presence of external electromagnetic fields.
Dense granular flow down an inclined plane: A comparison between the hard particle model and soft particle simulations
Authors: Reddy K. Anki , Kumaran V.
Published: November 2010

The granular flow down an inclined plane is simulated using the discrete element (DE) technique to examine the extent to which the dynamics of an unconfined dense granular flow can be well described by a hard particle model. First, we examine the average coordination number for the particles in the flow down an inclined plane using the DE technique using the linear contact model with and without friction, and the Hertzian contact model with friction. The simulations show that the average coordination number decreases below 1 for values of the spring stiffness corresponding to real materials, such as sand and glass, even when the angle of inclination is only 1° larger than the angle of repose. Additional measures of correlations in the system, such as the fraction of particles with multibody contact, the force ratio (average ratio of the magnitudes of the largest and the second largest force on a particle), and the angle between the two largest forces on the particle, show no evidence of force chains or other correlated motions in the system. An analysis of the bond-orientational order parameter indicates that the flow is in the random state, as in event-driven (ED) simulations [V. Kumaran, J. Fluid Mech. 632, 107 (2009); J. Fluid Mech. 632, 145 (2009)]. The results of the two simulation techniques for the Bagnold coefficients (ratio of stress and square of the strain rate) and the granular temperature (mean square of the fluctuating velocity) are compared with the theory [V. Kumaran, J. Fluid Mech. 632, 107 (2009); J. Fluid Mech. 632, 145 (2009)] and are found to be in quantitative agreement. In addition, we also conduct a comparison of the collision frequency and the distribution of the precollisional relative velocities of particles in contact. The strong correlation effects exhibited by these two quantities in event-driven simulations [V. Kumaran, J. Fluid Mech. 632, 145 (2009)] are also found in the DE simulations.
Study of discharge after electron irradiation in sapphires and polycrystalline alumina
Authors: Zarbout K. , Moya G. , Ahmed A. Si , Damamme G. , Kallel A.
Published: November 2010

The fraction R of charges undergoing discharge during the time separating two electron pulses is derived from the induced current method developed in a scanning electron microscope. Irradiation is performed via a 10 keV defocused electron beam and low current density. The evolution of R with temperature (in the range 300–663 K) obeys to an Arrhenius type relation. Activation energies connected with the processes involved are deduced. In sapphire, no discernible discharge is observed due to the dominance of deep traps. In silver doped sapphire, R increases sharply from 10% to 70% as the temperature rises from 360 to 420 K, with a corresponding activation energy of 0.51 eV. In contrast, in polycrystalline alumina processed by solid state sintering (grain diameters of 1.7, 2.7, and 4.5 μm) the degree of discharge increases continuously with temperature and grain size. The enhancement with grain size indicates that the sintering conditions influence strongly the efficiency of a gettering effect. The activation energy below 573 K is about 0.12 eV independently of grain size. Above 573 K, a second activation energy of 0.26 eV appears for the smallest grain size sample. The results suggest that discharge may stem from a density of trapping states, associated to grain boundaries in sintered samples, rather than from a single trapping level linked to the doping element as Ag in sapphire.
Dependency of temperature on polarization in CH4/N2 dielectric barrier discharge plasma: A crude assumption
Authors: Majumdar Abhijit , Ghosh Basudev , Hippler Rainer
Published: November 2010

We have investigated the variations of polarization (P) and the temperature (ΔT) at the electrode surfaces during the deposition of C–N layer in CH4/N2 (1:2) dielectric barrier discharge plasma. The reactive deposition process influences the surface temperature, polarization, and the value of the in situ dielectric constant. We have developed a crude model that correlates the surface temperature and surface polarization with thin film properties. We assume that during the thin film deposition process, the atomic mean kinetic energy is equal to the electrostatic energy stored in the electrode surface area. Theoretically estimated temperature is found to agree well with the experimental results. However, the linear model thus developed cannot be used to explain the phenomena in the interfacial polarization stage that requires a nonlinear theory.
Subcritical microwave coupling to femtosecond and picosecond laser ionization for localized, multipoint ignition of methane/air mixtures
Authors: Michael J. B. , Dogariu A. , Shneider M. N. , Miles R. B.
Published: November 2010

Ignition in methane/air mixtures has been achieved using low energy seed laser pulses and an overlapping subcritical microwave pulse. It is shown that the extremely weak ionization of the laser localizes the microwave energy deposition—leading to rapid heating, high temperatures, and ignition. Multiple simultaneous localized regions of ignition are also achieved using the same microwave pulse. Interactions of the seed laser pulse and microwave heating pulse were observed using schlieren and shadowgraph to record the intensity of heating, the scale of the interaction, and for confirmation of ignition. In addition, a coupled one-dimensional gasdynamic-plasma dynamic model has been developed to follow the rapidly evolving plasma properties and the gas properties achieved through this interaction.
Roughness induced magnetic inhomogeneity in Co/Ni multilayers: Ferromagnetic resonance and switching properties in nanostructures
Authors: Shaw Justin M. , Nembach Hans T. , Silva T. J.
Published: November 2010

We report on the effect roughness has on the magnetic properties of Co/Ni multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy. We can systematically vary the surface roughness and grain size by the variation in the Cu seed layer thickness. The roughness has a significant effect on the lateral anisotropy variation across the material, which was studied through the size dependence of the switching field and switching field distribution in nanostructures. Ferromagnetic resonance measurements show a large dependence of the linewidth on the topography. However, only the inhomogeneous linewidth broadening varied significantly with roughness with little to no effect on the intrinsic damping parameter of α=0.015–0.018.
Interaction of high contrast laser pulse with foam-attached target
Authors: Nakamura Tatsufumi , Tampo Motonobu , Kodama Rryosuke , Bulanov Sergei V. , Kando Masaki
Published: November 2010

Interactions of high contrast laser pulses with foam-attached targets are investigated via particle-in-cell simulations in order to enhance the energy coupling from laser to plasmas. A foam layer whose mass density is much lower than that of the solid state is used for controlling the plasma density distribution of the laser irradiation region with the aid of the high contrast laser pulses, which are by contrast with the expanding profile of preformed plasmas which are inevitably generated by the irradiation of the low contrast laser pulses. The ionization process plays a role in the laser and foam interaction, which results in the formation of periodic structure of ion charge density. The bulk electrons inside the foam layer are heated by the laser pulse, which results in the generation of abundant MeV electrons and higher energy coupling from laser to plasma. These features are utilized for laser ion acceleration by using a foam-attached thin foil target. It is shown that the laser accelerated ion energy is enhanced by properly choosing the foam parameters.
The antiguiding parameter in mid-infrared optically pumped semiconductor lasers
Authors: Ongstad A. P. , Dente G. C. , Tilton M. L. , Kaspi R. , Chavez J. R.
Published: November 2010

We describe measurements of the antiguiding parameter, α, for several optically pumped semiconductor lasers. Three laser structures were investigated; two of the lasers utilize W-quantum wells (QWs) in which 14 InAs/In0.4 GaSb/InAs QWs are imbedded in lattice-matched In0.25 GaAsSb layers. The emission wavelengths of the W lasers were ∼3.5 and 4.5 μm, respectively. The other laser, a double heterostructure (DH) design, contained a ∼1.5 μm InAsSb active region embedded in ∼2.5 μm thick AlAsSb clad regions. The emission wavelength of the DH was λ∼3.8 μm. We employed the Hakki–Paoli method [B. W. Hakki and T. L. Paoli, J. Appl. Phys., 44, 4113, (1973)] in conjunction with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer to measure subthreshold gain and index variations as a function of pump intensity. To reduce errors associated with incoherent background emission a full spectral curve fit was used to determine the differential gain and index. The results reveal the antiguiding factor in the W lasers to be low with α∼1.0. The antiguiding factor for the DH was markedly larger with α=9.4±1.3. We attribute the low α for the W lasers to the higher QW gain as well as to inhomogeneous broadening induced by the 14 QWs. The differing well widths and the independent optical pumping of the wells, leads to a net gain spectrum that is symmetrical about the gain peak. This symmetry, in turn, leads to small differential index shifts at the gain peak; the result of the small differential index and large differential gain is low antiguiding
Strong light-matter coupling at terahertz frequencies at room temperature in electronic LC resonators
Authors: Geiser Markus , Walther Christoph , Scalari Giacomo , Beck Mattias , Fischer Milan , Nevou Laurent , Faist Jérôme
Published: November 2010

Strong light-matter coupling at room temperature in the terahertz (THz) range is demonstrated. The studied system consists of electronic intersubband transitions in AlxGa1−xAs parabolic quantum wells coupled to an electronic LC microcavity resonator allowing strong subwavelength confinement of the cavity mode. The measured Rabi frequency is 0.48 THz, corresponding to 14% of the center frequency, independent of the temperature of the system in the range 10–300 K.
Enhanced photocurrent generation from UV-laser-synthesized-single-wall-carbon-nanotubes/n-silicon hybrid planar devices
Authors: Le Borgne V. , Castrucci P. , Del Gobbo S. , Scarselli M. , De Crescenzi M. , Mohamedi M. , El Khakani M. A.
Published: November 2010

We report on the significant generation of photocurrent (PC) from planar devices built from the drop casting of UV-laser-synthesized single-wall-carbon-nanotubes (SWCNTs) onto n-Si substrate. These SWCNTs/n-Si hybrid devices are shown to generate PC with external quantum efficiencies (EQE) reaching up to ∼10%. Their EQE has been optimized by controlling the amount of deposited SWCNTs, and is shown to be significantly enhanced over all the spectral range with a pronounced boost (up to ∼25× times) around 460 nm. The extension of the photoresponse of these devices toward UV correlates well with the absorbance of SWCNTs.
A terahertz plasmon cavity detector
Authors: Dyer G. C. , Vinh N. Q. , Allen S. J. , Aizin G. R. , Mikalopas J. , Reno J. L. , Shaner E. A.
Published: November 2010

Sensitivity of a plasmonic detector is enhanced by integrating a broadband log-periodic antenna with a two-dimensional plasma cavity that is defined by source, drain, and multiple gates of a GaAs/AlGaAs high electron mobility transistor. Both narrow-band terahertz detection and a rich harmonic spectrum are evident. With a bolometric sensor in the channel, we report responsivity, on resonance at 235–240 GHz and at 20 K, of up to 7 kV/W and a noise equivalent power of 5×10−10 W/Hz1/2.
Single-shot divergence measurements of a laser-generated relativistic electron beam
Authors: Perez F. , Baton S. D. , Koenig M. , Chen C. D. , Hey D. , Key M. H. , Le Pape S. , Ma T. , McLean H. S. , MacPhee A. G. , Patel P. K. , Ping Y. , Beg F. N. , Higginson D. P. , Murphy C. W. , Sawada H. , Westover B. , Yabuuchi T. , Akli K. U. , Giraldez E. , Hoppe M. , Shearer C. , Stephens R. B. , Gremillet L. , Lefebvre E. , Freeman R. R. , Kemp G. E. , Krygier A. G. , Van Woerkom L. D. , Fedosejevs R. , Friesen R. H. , Tsui Y. Y. , Turnbull D.
Published: November 2010

The relativistic electron transport induced by an ultraintense picosecond laser is experimentally investigated using an x-ray two-dimensional imaging system. Previous studies of the electron beam divergence [R. B. Stephens et al. Phys. Rev. E 69, 066414 (2004), for instance] were based on an x-ray imaging of a fluorescence layer buried at different depths in the target along the propagation axis. This technique required several shots to be able to deduce the divergence of the beam. Other experiments produced single-shot images in a one-dimensional geometry. The present paper describes a new target design producing a single-shot, two-dimensional image of the electrons propagating in the target. Several characteristics of the electron beam are extracted and discussed and Monte Carlo simulations provide a good understanding of the observed beam shape. The proposed design has proven to be efficient, reliable, and promising for further similar studies.
Effects of lattice strains on the interfacial potential in La0.67Ca0.33MnO3/SrTiO3:Nb heterojunctions
Authors: Wang D. J. , Sun J. R. , Xie Y. W. , Li Y. B. , Zhang L. G. , Wang R. W. , Shen B. G.
Published: November 2010

Oxide p-n heterojunctions composed of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LCMO) films with different thickness and SrTiO3:Nb 0.1 wt % are fabricated and the effects of thickness on the interfacial potential are experimentally studied. Excellent rectifying behavior of the junctions well described by the Shockley equation is observed and the interfacial potential eVD is obtained for all of the junctions based on an analysis of the current-voltage characteristics. The remarkable result of the present work is the strong dependence of the interfacial potential on the thickness of LCMO films: eVD increases from 0.5 to 0.72 eV as the thickness increase from 3.6 to 33 nm. The strain in the LCMO film, which affects the carrier density through modulating the Jahn–Teller effect, is believed to be responsible for the observation.
Experimental demonstration of multiwire endoscopes capable of manipulating near-fields with subwavelength resolution
Authors: Belov Pavel A. , Palikaras George K. , Zhao Yan , Rahman Atiqur , Simovski Constantin R. , Hao Yang , Parini Clive
Published: November 2010

Endoscopes formed by arrays of metallic wires can transmit, magnify, and demagnify near-field distributions with subwavelength resolution. Our experiments demonstrate that despite their small apertures, the parallel multiwire endoscopes can be used to transmit near-field distributions with a resolution of five thousandths of a wavelength to a distance of a half-wavelength in the microwave frequency range, and tapered multiwire endoscopes with flat input and output interfaces provide threefold image magnification and demagnification.
Effects of absorption coefficients and intermediate-band filling in InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells
Authors: Hu W. G. , Inoue T. , Kojima O. , Kita T.
Published: November 2010

The effects of absorption coefficients were incorporated in a detailed balance model to analyze the intermediate-band (IB) configuration in quantum dot (QD) solar cells. Our results show that the optimum IB level, EIB, depends on the ratio of two subbandgap absorption coefficient constants, αIC0/αVI0. Efficiency contour plots have been calculated to determine the optimum values of EIB and αIC0/αVI0. In many cases, a large αIC0 results in high conversion efficiency, especially for thin QD solar cells. Optimizing QD shape and size is a promising method to increase αIC0. Increasing the QD total thickness partially addresses the urgent demand for a large αIC0.
Two-step photolithography to fabricate multilevel microchannels
Authors: Choi Sungyoung , Park Je-Kyun
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we study the variation of the thickness of patterned microchannel features in photoresist (PR) by two-step photolithography. The final PR thickness is determined by the thickness and width of the predefined PR pattern in the first-step lithography and the thickness of the spin-coated PR film in the second-step lithography. Thickness variation is demonstrated to be an important consideration within the critical pattern width that the capillary pressure is still dominant for forming the PR film thickness. With this mechanism of two-step photolithography, we demonstrate its ability to form multilevel channel features and its use to fabricate a cross-flow filter with two different pore sizes as a microfluidic application.
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-assisted Synthesis of 1-(Benzothiazolylamino)methyl-2-naphthols in Water
Authors: Kumar Anil , Rao M. Sudershan , Rao V. Kameswara
Published: November 2010

An efficient synthesis of 1‐(benzothiazolylamino)methyl‐2‐naphthols has been developed in water by one‐pot condensation of 2‐naphthol, aldehydes and 2‐aminobenzothiazole catalyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate. Advantages of the methodology include a very short reaction time, excellent yields and catalytic use of the sodium dodecyl sulfate.
Screening university students for genital chlamydial infection: another lesson to learn
Authors: Aldeen Taha , Jacobs Jacky , Powell Roy
Published: November 2010

Background: Genital chlamydial infection is the most common bacterial sexually transmissible infection in Britain. However, the magnitude of the problem at a university setting has not been sufficiently explored. The objective of the present study was to assess the acceptability and the feasibility of Chlamydia trachomatis opportunistic screening at the University of Exeter, England, UK. Methods: A cross-sectional study at the University of Exeter was performed. Study posters were placed in the campuses inviting the students to participate in the study. C. trachomatis screening flyers were offered to consecutive male and female students visiting the university health centre. Participants were given an information sheet and asked to complete a demographic and sexual health questionnaire. Following informed consent, a first void urine specimen was collected from male participants and a self-administered vaginal swab was collected from female participants. Specimens were tested for C. trachomatis using nucleic acid amplification test. Results: Of the 250 students offered chlamydia study slips in the university health centre, 88 (35.2%) agreed to participate in the screening. Six of them were ineligible for the study. A further nine students volunteered to participate in the screening through reading study posters in the university campuses, and three of them were ineligible. A total of 88 students (66 female and 22 male) were screened for C. trachomatis and three of them (3.41%; 95% confidence interval 0.71%–9.64%) tested positive. All of the positive participants were offered treatment and partner notification. The majority of the screened students (96.5%) had had at least one sexual partner in the past 3 months. Conclusion: Opportunistic screening for C. trachomatis in the university can identify and treat infected students. However, the uptake rate was low. More efforts are needed to determine the best ways of engaging students in the screening.
HIV is rare among low-risk heterosexual men and significant potential savings could occur through phone results
Authors: Bush Matiu R. , Williams Henrietta , Fairley Christopher K.
Published: November 2010

Background: The legislation in Victoria requires HIV-positive results to be given in person by an accredited health professional. Many sexual health clinics require all men to receive HIV results in person. Our aim was to determine the proportion of low-risk heterosexual men at a sexual health centre who tested HIV-positive. Methods: The electronic data on all HIV tests performed between 2002 and 2008 on heterosexual men at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) was reviewed. The individual client files of all heterosexual men who tested HIV-positive were reviewed to determine their risks for HIV at the time that the HIV test was ordered. Results: Over the 6 years there were 33 681 HIV tests performed on men, of which 17 958 tests were for heterosexual men. From these heterosexual men, nine tested positive for the first time at MSHC (0.05%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01%, 0.09%). These nine cases included six men who had had sex with a female partner from the following countries: Thailand, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Botswana and South Africa. Two men had injected drugs and one had a HIV-positive female partner. Of the 17 958 test results for heterosexual males, 14 902 (83% 95% CI: 84%, 86%) test results were for men who did not have a history of intravenous drug use or had sexual contact overseas. Of these 14 902 low-risk men, none tested positive (0%, 95% CI: 0, 0.00025). Conclusion: Asking the 83% of heterosexual men who have an extremely low risk of HIV to return in person for their results is expensive for sexual health clinics and inconvenient for clients. We have changed our policy to permit heterosexual men without risk factors to obtain their HIV-negative results by phone.
Chlamydia testing in general practice in Australia
Authors: Sawleshwarkar Shailendra , Harrison Christopher , Britt Helena , Mindel Adrian
Published: November 2010

Objectives: We aimed to ascertain how frequently Australian general practitioners (GPs) test patients for chlamydia and to determine GP, patient and encounter characteristics where tests occurred. Methods: We identified all GP, patient and encounter characteristics associated with higher testing rates, April 2000 to March 2007, using the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health data. Multiple logistic regression was used to measure the effect of each GP, patient and encounter characteristic. Results: Data were available for 689 000 encounters from 6890 GPs, of which 2236 were test encounters. Testing rates increased significantly between 2000 and 2007 (P < 0.0001). The rate of testing was higher for female patients (4.2 per 1000, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.8–4.5) than males (2.0; 95% CI: 1.8–2.2). Predictors of higher chlamydia testing were: female GP (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.84; 95% CI: 1.60–2.1); GP age (<35 v. 55+, 2.17; 95% CI: 1.65–2.85); practice in a major city (1.34; 95% CI: 1.18–1.52); large practice (5+ GP practice v. solo, 1.69; 95% CI: 1.27–2.25); graduated in Australia (1.22; 95% CI: 1.04–1.44); patient sex and younger age, being new to the practice (1.65; 95% CI: 0.47–1.86), Indigenous (3.46; 95% CI: 2.64–4.54), late in the study (twice as likely in 2006–07 than in 2000–01) and ‘opportunity to test’ (AOR: 32.25; 95% CI: 27.25–38.16). Conclusions: Chlamydia testing rates have increased in general practice in Australia, with higher rates in females. Initiatives to overcome barriers to testing (especially for male patients and older male GPs) need to be established and evaluated.
Establishing a linked sentinel surveillance system for blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections: methods, system attributes and early findings
Authors: Goller Jane L. , Guy Rebecca J. , Gold Judy , Lim Megan S. C. , El-Hayek Carol , Stoove Mark A. , Bergeri Isabel , Fairley Christopher K. , Leslie David E. , Clift Phillip , White Bethany , Hellard Margaret E.
Published: November 2010

Objective: To describe the attributes and key findings from implementation of a new blood-borne virus (BBV) and sexually transmissible infection (STI) sentinel surveillance system based on routine testing at clinical sites in Victoria, Australia. Methods: The Victorian Primary Care Network for Sentinel Surveillance (VPCNSS) on BBV and STI was established in 2006 at 17 sites. Target populations included men who have sex with men (MSM), young people and injecting drug users (IDU). Sites collected demographic and risk behaviour information electronically or using paper surveys from patients undergoing routine HIV or STI (syphilis, chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis)) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing. These data were linked with laboratory results. Results: Between April 2006 and June 2008, data were received for 67 466 tests and 52 042 questionnaires. In clinics providing electronic data, >90% of individuals tested for HIV, syphilis and chlamydia had risk behaviour information collected. In other clinics, survey response rates were >85% (HIV), 43.5% (syphilis), 42.7–66.5% (chlamydia) and <20% (HCV). Data completeness was >85% for most core variables. Over time, HIV, syphilis and chlamydia testing increased in MSM, and chlamydia testing declined in females (P = 0.05). The proportion of positive tests among MSM was 1.9% for HIV and 2.1% for syphilis. Among 16–24-year-olds, the proportion positive for chlamydia was 10.7% in males and 6.9% in females. Among IDU, 19.4% of HCV tests were antibody positive. Conclusions: The VPCNSS has collected a large, rich dataset through which testing, risk behaviours and the proportion positive can be monitored in high-risk groups, offering a more comprehensive BBV and STI surveillance system for Victoria. Building system sustainability requires an ongoing focus.
Feelings, language and referential preferences in advertising (North America, French Canada and France)
Authors: Quillard Geneviève
Published: November 2010

This study is based on a bilingual corpus made up of advertisements published in North American magazines and their translations for French Canadians, and on a unilingual corpus of advertisements published in France.
Drawing primarily on research conducted in the area of cultural studies and on such concepts as universalism/particularism, individualism/collectivism, monochronic/synchronic cultures, etc., this paper analyses the part played by feelings and language, and the referential preferences in the North American advertisements, their translated versions and the French advertisements.
Accelerating reaction–diffusion simulations with general-purpose graphics processing units
Authors: Vigelius Matthias , Lane Aidan , Meyer Bernd
Published: November 2010

Summary We present a massively parallel stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA) for reaction-diffusion systems implemented on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). These are designated chips optimized to process a high number of floating point operations in parallel, rendering them well-suited for a range of scientific high-performance computations. Newer GPU generations provide a high-level programming interface which turns them into General-Purpose Graphics Processing Units (GPGPUs). Our SSA exploits GPGPU architecture to achieve a performance gain of two orders of magnitude over the fastest existing implementations on conventional hardware.

Availability: The software is freely available at http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~berndm/inchman/.

Contact:  matthias.vigelius@monash.edu

Supplementary Information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Diffuse scattering study of aspirin forms (I) and (II)
Authors: Chan E. J. , Welberry T. R. , Heerdegen A. P. , Goossens D. J.
Published: November 2010

Full three-dimensional diffuse scattering data have been recorded for both polymorphic forms [(I) and (II)] of aspirin and these data have been analysed using Monte Carlo computer modelling. The observed scattering in form (I) is well reproduced by a simple harmonic model of thermally induced displacements. The data for form (II) show, in addition to thermal diffuse scattering (TDS) similar to that in form (I), diffuse streaks originating from stacking fault-like defects as well as other effects that can be attributed to strain induced by these defects. The present study has provided strong evidence that the aspirin form (II) structure is a true polymorph with a structure quite distinct from that of form (I). The diffuse scattering evidence presented shows that crystals of form (II) are essentially composed of large single domains of the form (II) lattice with a relatively small volume fraction of intrinsic planar defects or faults comprising misoriented bilayers of molecular dimers. There is evidence of some local aggregation of these defect bilayers to form small included regions of the form (I) structure. Evidence is also presented that shows that the strain effects arise from the mismatch of molecular packing between the defect region and the surrounding form (II) lattice. This occurs at the edges of the planar defects in the b direction only.
Structure and electrical properties of the new pyrochlore-type protonic solid electrolyte K0.88Nb2O7.58H4.28
Authors: Smirnova O. , Kumada N. , Takei T. , Yonesaki Y. , Yashima M. , Kinomura N.
Published: November 2010

Single-crystal, synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and neutron powder diffraction studies of the novel pyrochlore-type compound with the structural formula K0.88(OH)0.54H1.66(H2O)1.04Nb2O6 suggests that the water molecules are located in 32e sites, and the hydroxide ions and potassium ions are located in 16d sites with a significant amount of `free' protons in 96g sites. The total weight loss at temperatures up to 773 K is only about 8%, suggesting the oxygen escape from 48f sites can be excluded and `free' protons must be preserved in the structure. The bulk conductivity in ambient air reaches 10−2 S cm−1 at 623 K. Owing to the extended stability range and resistance to water solubility, the compound can be considered as a candidate for intermediate temperature solid-oxide fuel-cell applications.
Structure of N-(5-ethyl-[1,3,4]-thiadiazole-2-yl)toluenesulfonamide by combined X-ray powder diffraction, 13C solid-state NMR and molecular modelling
Authors: Hangan Adriana , Borodi Gheorghe , Filip Xenia , Tripon Carmen , Morari Cristian , Oprean Luminita , Filip Claudiu
Published: November 2010

The crystal structure solution of the title compound is determined from microcrystalline powder using a multi-technique approach that combines X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data analysis based on direct-space methods with information from 13C solid-state NMR (SSNMR), and molecular modelling using the GIPAW (gauge including projector augmented-wave) method. The space group is Pbca with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The proposed methodology proves very useful for unambiguously characterizing the supramolecular arrangement adopted by the N-(5-ethyl-[1,3,4]-thiadiazole-2-yl)toluenesulfonamide molecules in the crystal, which consists of extended double strands held together by C—H...π non-covalent interactions.
Determination of the crystal structure of magnesium perchlorate hydrates by X-ray powder diffraction and the charge-flipping method
Authors: Robertson Kevin , Bish David
Published: November 2010

X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) data were used to solve the crystal structures of phases in the magnesium perchlorate hydrate system, Mg(ClO4)2·nH2O (n = 4, 2). A heating stage and humidity generator interfaced to an environmental cell enabled in-situ XRD analyses of dehydration reactions under controlled temperatures and partial pressures of H2O (P_{{\rm H}_2{\rm O}}). The crystal structures were determined using an ab initio charge-flipping method and were refined using fundamental-parameter Rietveld methods. Dehydration of magnesium perchlorate hexahydrate to tetrahydrate (348 K) results in a decrease in symmetry (space group = C2), where isolated Mg2+ cations are equatorially coordinated by four H2O molecules with two [ClO4]− tetrahedra at the apices. Further dehydration to the dihydrate (423 K) leads to bridging of the isolated packets to form double corner-sharing chains of octahedra and polyhedra (space group = C2/m).
Effects of compressed seasonally changing day‐length cycles on spawning performance, production of viable eggs and levels of vitellogenin in plasma in female yellowtail snapper Lutjanus argentiventris
Authors: Guerrero‐Tortolero D. A. , Campos‐Ramos R. , Burgos‐Aceves M. A. , Pérez‐Urbiola J. C. , Colado‐Durán G.
Published: November 2010

Reproduction in yellowtail snapper Lutjanus argentiventris took place after compressing the seasonally changing day length into a 3 month period applied during two consecutive winters, with the longest and shortest days in December and February, respectively. During the first winter, there was no clear peak of days of spawning and the production of viable eggs was similar from the longest and throughout the decreasing day lengths until reproduction ceased. The level of plasma vitellogenin rose abruptly to a maximum concentration during the increasing day length and then decreased dramatically before the longest day length. During the second winter, a clear peak in the number of days of spawning and the highest production of viable eggs occurred around the longest day length. These results showed that it is feasible to synchronize day length between winter‐induced and natural summer and autumn reproduction to produce eggs and larvae during the year.
Expression of nuclear receptor corepressors and class I histone deacetylases in astrocytic gliomas
Authors: Campos Benito , Bermejo Justo Lorenzo , Han Lin , Felsberg Jörg , Ahmadi Rezvan , Grabe Niels , Reifenberger Guido , Unterberg Andreas , Herold‐Mende Christel
Published: November 2010

Transcriptional repressors such as nuclear receptor corepressors (NCORs) and class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) are considered potential therapeutic targets in various human malignancies. In astrocytic gliomas, however, there is still a need to understand the role of these transcriptional repressors in tumor proliferation, tumor differentiation, and patient survival. We immunohistochemically analyzed the expression of NCOR1 and 2 as well as HDAC1, 2, and 3 on a tissue microarray comprising tumor samples from 283 astrocytic gliomas and correlated the expression levels with tumor differentiation, tumor proliferation, and patient survival. Strong nuclear expression was found in glioma cells for HDAC1, HDAC2, and NCOR2. In contrast, weak expression of NCOR1 and HDAC3 was detected in the cytoplasm and nuclei of tumor cells. HDAC3 expression was inversely associated with tumor grade. Consequently, increased HDAC3 expression was associated with better patient survival in univariate regression. Expression of HDAC1 and HDAC2 increased during tumor recurrence and malignant tumor progression, respectively, whereas expression of the remaining antigens did not seem to depend on tumor grade and was comparable to expression levels found in non‐neoplastic brain tissues. Finally, we detected a positive association between HDAC2 expression and tumor proliferation as well as between NCOR1 and expression of the stem cell‐associated intermediate filament protein nestin. Our findings suggest that “classical” transcriptional repressors are expressed in astrocytic tumors and that the roles of HDAC2 and HDAC3 in these tumors deserve further investigation. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 387–392)
IgE, IgGa, IgGb and IgG(T) serum antibody levels in offspring of two sires affected with equine recurrent airway obstruction
Authors: Scharrenberg A. , Gerber V. , Swinburne J. E. , Wilson A. D. , Klukowska‐Rötzler J. , Laumen E. , Marti E.
Published: November 2010

Equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a chronic lower airway disease of the horse caused by hypersensitivity reactions to inhaled stable dust, including mould spores such asAspergillus fumigatus. The goals of this study were to investigate whether total serum IgE levels and allergen‐specific IgE and IgG subclasses are influenced by genetic factors and/or RAO and whether quantitative trait loci (QTL) could be identified for these parameters. The offspring of two RAO‐affected sires (S1:n = 56 and S2:n = 65) were grouped by stallion and disease status, and total serum IgE levels and specific IgE, IgGa, IgGb and IgG(T) levels against recombinantAspergillus fumigatus7 (rAspf7) were measured by ELISA. A panel of 315 microsatellite markers covering the 31 equine autosomes were used to genotype the stallions and their offspring. A whole‐genome scan using half‐sib regression interval mapping was performed for each of the IgG and IgE subclasses. There was no significant effect of disease status or sire on total IgE levels, but there was a significant effect of gender and age. rAspf7‐specific IgGa levels were significantly higher in RAO‐affected than in healthy horses. The offspring of S1 had significantly higher rAspf7‐specific IgGa and IgE levels than those of S2. Five QTLs were significant chromosome‐wide (P < 0.01). QTLs for rAspf7‐specific IgGa and IgE were identified on ECA 1, for rAspf7‐specific IgGa and IgGb on ECA 24 and for rAspf7 IgGa on ECA 26. These results provide evidence for effects of disease status and genetics on allergen‐specific IgGa and IgE.
De novo mutation of KIT discovered as a result of a non‐hereditary white coat colour pattern
Authors: Holl H. , Brooks S. , Bailey E.
Published: November 2010

A new dominant white allele was suspected when two Thoroughbred horses with minimal white marking on the coat produced a colt with a large amount of coat depigmentation. Because of its association with similar patterns in other horses, the KIT gene was selected as a candidate gene, and all 21 exons were sequenced in the colt. A novel 5‐bp deletion was discovered in exon 3 and was confirmed with allele‐specific PCR. The mutation introduced a pre‐mature stop codon, resulting in truncation of the protein. The deletion was not present in either parent and is suspected to be responsible for the extensive white coat colour in the colt. Additionally, a previously described missense mutation was detected in exon 14 of both the colt and sire but is not believe to be causative. Parentage testing was conducted as required by The Jockey Club for Thoroughbred registration, and the foal qualified for the stated parentage. This novel deletion in exon 3 is the 12th discovered dominant white allele in the horse.
An open-label study assessing the safety and efficacy of alitretinoin in patients with severe chronic hand eczema unresponsive to topical corticosteroids
Authors: Dirschka T. , Reich K. , Bissonnette R. , Maares J. , Brown T. , Diepgen T. L.
Published: November 2010

Background. Blinded, controlled studies have found that oral alitretinoin is well tolerated and effective in the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema (CHE).

Aim. To assess the safety and efficacy of oral alitretinoin in patients with severe CHE in an open-label study using flexible dosing and a new measurement of patient-relevant benefits.

Methods. In total, 249 patients aged 18–75 years with severe CHE unresponsive to treatment with topical corticosteroids received alitretinoin 30 mg once daily for up to 24 weeks. Safety assessments included adverse events (AEs) and laboratory tests. Efficacy assessments included Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA), the Modified Total Lesion Symptom Score, Patient’s Global Assessment and extent of disease, as well as intensity of pain and pruritus as determined by visual analogue scale (VAS) and a categorical scale for pruritus.

Results. Alitretinoin was well tolerated when given for up to 24 weeks. Dose reduction occurred in 16.5% of patients. Dose interruption was required for 15.7% of patients, most commonly for headache. AEs and laboratory changes comprised effects typical of the retinoid class. A PGA response of ‘clear’ or ‘almost clear’ hands was reported for 46.6% of patients, similar to the response rate seen in blinded trials. Results of VAS and categorical assessments of pruritus provided supporting evidence of efficacy, and treatment was assessed as providing meaningful benefits to patients.

Conclusions. Oral alitretinoin 30 mg was well tolerated and effective, and provided distinct therapeutic benefits in severe CHE, as assessed by patients.
Normal levels of energy expenditure in patients with reported ‘low metabolism’
Authors: Skov A. R. , Toubro S. , Buemann B. , Astrup A.
Published: November 2010

The present study examined the hypothesis that patients with apparent diet‐resistant obesity have subnormal energy expenditure. Ten biochemically euthyroid patients (eight women and two men), aged 21–76 years, with either excessive gynoid fat distribution or obesity (BMI 23.8–41.0), were referred to the department thought to be suffering from a low metabolic rate syndrome since dietary records showed very low energy intake (<5 MJ day−1) in combination with failure to lose weight on low‐energy diets. Twenty‐four‐hour energy expenditure (24‐h EE), basal energy expenditure (BEE) and sleeping energy expenditure (SEE) were measured in a respiration chamber on a fixed activity programme. The patients consumed a diet containing 37 energy‐per cent (E%) fat, 47 E% carbohydrate and 16 E% protein. The individual energy intake was estimated from a previously established algorithm between 24‐h EE and fat‐free mass (FFM) estimated by bioimpedance. Results were compared with equivalent values in a reference population of 76 subjects ranging from normal weight to obese. No evidence of low metabolism was found in terms of adjusted 24‐h EE in the patients with diet resistance when compared with the control group (9263±819 kJ vs. 9211±558 kJ). No differences were found when comparing adjusted BEE and SEE in the two groups (7655±727 vs. 7411±770 kJ 24 h−1 and 7048±672 vs. 6911±408 kJ 24 h−1). The physical activity index (PAI) during the chamber stay was likewise within normal values (1.32±0.07 vs. 1.34±0–04; NS).
Plasma membrane Ca2+ transporters mediate virus‐induced acquired resistance to oxidative stress
Authors: SHABALA SERGEY , BÆKGAARD LONE , SHABALA LANA , FUGLSANG ANJA , BABOURINA OLGA , PALMGREN MICHAEL G. , CUIN TRACEY A. , RENGEL ZED , NEMCHINOV LEV G.
Published: November 2010

This paper reports the phenomenon of acquired cross‐tolerance to oxidative stress in plants and investigates the activity of specific Ca2+ transport systems mediating this phenomenon. Nicotiana benthamiana plants were infected with Potato virus X (PVX) and exposed to oxidative [either ultraviolet (UV‐C) or H2O2] stress. Plant adaptive responses were assessed by the combined application of a range of electrophysiological (non‐invasive microelectrode ion flux measurements), biochemical (Ca2+‐ and H+‐ATPase activity), imaging (fluorescence lifetime imaging measurements of changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations), pharmacological and cytological transmission electrone microscopy techniques. Virus‐infected plants had a better ability to control UV‐induced elevations in cytosolic‐free Ca2+ and prevent structural and functional damage of chloroplasts. Taken together, our results suggest a high degree of crosstalk between UV and pathogen‐induced oxidative stresses, and highlight the crucial role of Ca2+ efflux systems in acquired resistance to oxidative stress in plants.