bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanism for low-etching resistance and surface roughness of ArF photoresist during plasma irradiation
Authors: Jinnai Butsurin , Koyama Koji , Kato Keisuke , Yasuda Atsushi , Momose Hikaru , Samukawa Seiji
Published: March 2009

ArF excimer laser lithography was introduced to fabricate nanometer-scale devices and uses chemically amplified photoresist polymers including photoacid generators (PAGs). Because plasma-etching processes cause serious problems related to the use of ArF photoresists, such as line-edge roughness and low etching selectivity, we have to understand the interaction between plasma and ArF photoresist polymers. Investigating the effects of surface temperature and the irradiation species from plasma, we have found that ion irradiation by itself did not drastically increase the roughness or etching rate of ArF photoresist films unless it was combined with ultraviolet/vacuum ultraviolet (UV/VUV) photon irradiation. The structures of ArF photoresist polymers were largely unchanged by ion irradiation alone but were destroyed by combinations of ion and UV/VUV-photon irradiation. Our results suggested that PAG-mediated deprotection induced by UV/VUV-photon irradiation was amplified at surface temperatures above 100 °C. The etching rate and surface roughness of plasma-etched ArF photoresists are affected by the irradiation species and surface temperature during plasma etching. UV/VUV-photon irradiation plays a particularly important role in the interaction between plasma and ArF photoresist polymers.
Temperature and frequency dependent electrical characterization of HfO2/InxGa1−xAs interfaces using capacitance-voltage and conductance methods
Authors: O’Connor É. , Monaghan S. , Long R. D. , O’Mahony A. , Povey I. M. , Cherkaoui K. , Pemble M. E. , Brammertz G. , Heyns M. , Newcomb S. B. , Afanas’ev V. V. , Hurley P. K.
Published: March 2009

Electrical properties of metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors using atomic layer deposited HfO2 on n-type GaAs or InxGa1−xAs (x=0.53, 0.30, 0.15) epitaxial layers were investigated. Capacitance-voltage (CV) measurements indicated large temperature and frequency dispersion at positive gate bias in devices using n-type GaAs and low In content (x=0.30, 0.15) InxGa1−xAs layers, which is significantly reduced for devices using In0.53Ga0.47As. For In0.53Ga0.47As devices, the CV response at negative gate bias is most likely characteristic of an interface state response and may not be indicative of true inversion. The conductance technique on Pd/HfO2/In0.53Ga0.47As/InP shows reductions in interface state densities by In0.53Ga0.47As surface passivation and forming gas annealing (325 °C).
Oxidized noble metal Schottky contacts to n-type ZnO
Authors: Allen M. W. , Mendelsberg R. J. , Reeves R. J. , Durbin S. M.
Published: March 2009

Deliberately oxidized iridium, platinum, and palladium Schottky contacts were fabricated on the Zn-polar and O-polar faces of hydrothermal bulk ZnO by eclipse pulsed laser deposition in an oxygen ambient. The barrier heights of these oxidized contacts were significantly higher than their plain metal counterparts, with ideality factors approaching the image-force-controlled limit for laterally homogeneous interfaces. The key aspects of this technique are a low deposition energy and the use of an oxidizing environment which reduces interfacial defects, particularly oxygen vacancies. In each case, the barriers on the Zn-polar face were 210–260 meV higher than those on the O-polar face.
Near-infrared two-color intersubband transitions in AlN/GaN coupled double quantum wells
Authors: Cen L. B. , Shen B. , Qin Z. X. , Zhang G. Y.
Published: March 2009

A study on a four-energy-level system in asymmetric AlN/GaN coupled double quantum wells has been performed by solving Schrödinger and Poisson equations self-consistently. It is found that the transition selection rule is recovered when the first two subband pairs resonate in the four-energy-level system. The anticrossing gap between the second excited state (2odd) and the third excited state (2even) can be up to 135 meV when the Al composition of the central barrier is 0.80. The absorption coefficient of intersubband transition (ISBT) between the ground state (1odd) and the 2even subband is approximately equal to that between the first excited state (1even) and the 2odd subband. The wavelengths of the 1odd-2even and the 1even-2odd ISBTs are 1.31 and 1.55 μm, respectively. The results give possible application to the ultrafast two-color optoelectronic devices operating within optical communication wavelength range.
Comparative study of the mechanical behavior under biaxial strain of prestrained face-centered cubic metallic ultrathin films
Authors: Kolluri Kedarnath , Gungor M. Rauf , Maroudas Dimitrios
Published: March 2009

We report a molecular-dynamics study of the mechanical response to dynamic biaxial tensile straining of nanometer-scale-thick Al, Cu, and Ni films. We find that the mechanical behavior of such films of face-centered cubic metals with moderate-to-high propensity for stacking-fault formation (Cu and Ni) is significantly different from those where such propensity is low (Al). The plastic strain rate in Cu and Ni films is greater than that in Al ones, leading to an extended easy-glide stage in Cu and Ni but not in Al films. These differences arise due to the different dislocation annihilation mechanisms in the two film categories.
Asymmetric Fabry–Pérot fiber-optic pressure sensor for liquid-level measurement
Authors: Lű Tao , Li Zhengjia , Xia Danqing , He Kaihua , Zhang Guangyong
Published: March 2009

It is demonstrated that an asymmetric Fabry–Pérot fiber-optic pressure sensor is capable to precisely measure liquid levels. They are directly proportional to pressures that can modulate cavity length of Fabry–Pérot cavity. As a result, the sensor can operate over a linear region of an interference fringe that enables liquid-levels interrogation by measuring the reflected intensity. Experimental results show the resolving power of 0.4 mm, sensitivity of 2.4 mV/mm, and precision of 1 mm over range of 2.3 m (water) can be achieved. The sensor can measure liquid levels accurately, continuously, and automatically in flammable and explosive circumstances.
Preamplifying cantilevers for dynamic atomic force microscopy
Authors: Zeyen Benedikt , Virwani Kumar , Pittenger Bede , Turner Kimberly L.
Published: March 2009

A cantilever type has been developed for dynamic force microscopy by the addition of a harmonic oscillator in the form of a paddle to atomic force microscopy cantilevers. These cantilevers provide resonant amplification of periodic interactions between the probe and the substrate when the laser is aligned on the paddle. The cantilevers were explored for their use in piezoresponse force microscopy. Application of the cantilevers for measurements on periodically poled lithium niobate ferroelectric material is presented. A comparison with commonly used cantilevers showed an as good as or better performance of the presented cantilevers.
Intermodal four-wave mixing from femtosecond pulse-pumped photonic crystal fiber
Authors: Tu H. , Jiang Z. , Marks D. L. , Boppart S. A.
Published: March 2009

Large Stokes-shift (∼4700 cm−1) four-wave mixing is generated in a deeply normal dispersion regime from a 20 cm commercial large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber pumped by amplified ∼800 nm femtosecond pulses. The phase-matching condition is realized through an intermodal scheme involving two pump photons in the fundamental fiber mode and a pair of Stokes/anti-Stokes photons in a higher-order fiber mode. Over 7% conversion efficiency from the pump input to 586 nm anti-Stokes signal has been attained.
Plasma impact on 193 nm photoresist linewidth roughness: Role of plasma vacuum ultraviolet light
Authors: Pargon E. , Martin M. , Menguelti K. , Azarnouche L. , Foucher J. , Joubert O.
Published: March 2009

193 nm photoresist patterns printed by optical lithography are known to present significant linewidth roughness (LWR) after the lithographic step that is partially transferred into the underlayers during plasma etching processes. In this study, we identify the factors that impact the photoresist pattern sidewalls roughness during plasma exposure. Among them, plasma vacuum ultraviolet light (110–210 nm) is shown to be the main contributor to the LWR decrease induced by plasma etching processes. In this paper, we also demonstrate the strong correlation between LWR obtained after plasma exposure and the surface roughening mechanisms taking place on top of the resist patterns.
Effect of magnetic field on the visible light emission of V2O5 nanorods
Authors: Hu Yin , Li Zhengcao , Zhang Zhengjun , Meng Daqiao
Published: March 2009

V 2 O 5 nanorods with remarkable visible light emission were synthesized by heating a V2O3 thin film in air at ∼530 °C due to the involvement of oxygen defects. The density of defects in the nanorods can be decreased by applying a magnetic field of 5 T during this transition, resulting in drastic decrease in the intensity of the photoluminescence of the V2O5 nanorods. The dependence of the defect removal on the magnetic field and the mechanism for this influence were also investigated.
Tuning magnetic properties by roll-up of Au/Co/Au films into microtubes
Authors: Müller C. , Khatri M. S. , Deneke C. , Fähler S. , Mei Y. F. , Ureña E. Bermúdez , Schmidt O. G.
Published: March 2009

Au/Co/Au trilayers are fabricated by tilted deposition on prestructured polymer sacrificial layers. The metal trilayers are released by selectively dissolving the sacrificial layer and roll-up into microtubes. Magnetization properties are strongly affected by the roll-up process. In addition to a modified shape anisotropy, the magnetostrictive anisotropy due to the anisotropic stress release is reversed. Low temperature measurements support the presence of significant exchange bias in these rolled-up structures.
Effects of hydrogen chemisorption on the structure and deformation of single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Muniz Andre R. , Singh Tejinder , Maroudas Dimitrios
Published: March 2009

We report results of molecular-dynamics simulations for the effects of atomic hydrogen chemisorption on the structure and deformation of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Upon hydrogenation, the nanotubes expand and the degree of expansion depends on the hydrogen coverage. There is a critical hydrogen coverage, ∼25%–30%, that marks the onset of a structural transition associated with the sp2-to-sp3 bonding transition: at lower-than-critical coverage, sp2 C–C bonding dominates and nanotube swelling is negligible; at higher-than-critical coverage, however, sp3 C–C bonding dominates and radial and axial strains increase monotonically with coverage. This behavior is independent of nanotube chirality and diameter and of temperature.
Kink current suppression improvement of metal-induced laterally crystallized silicon thin-film transistors employing asymmetric-channel dual-gate structure
Authors: Kang Il-Suk , Kim Young-Su , Seo Hyun-Sang , Won Ahn Chi , Yang Jun-Mo , Hwang Wook-Jung
Published: March 2009

A metal-induced laterally crystallized silicon thin-film transistor (TFT) with an asymmetric-channel dual-gate structure was fabricated and characterized. It features a sub-TFT near the drain with multichannel consisting of narrower unit channel width, resulting in higher field-effect mobility compared to a sub-TFT near the source with single-channel. The proposed TFT effectively suppressed the kink current with a field-effect mobility to be almost on a level with the conventional single-gate TFT. This improvement was explained by measurement of floating voltages revealing that the sub-TFT near the source of the proposed TFT operates in the near saturation regime under high drain voltages.
Control of BaZrO3 nanorod alignment in YBa2Cu3O7−x thin films by microstructural modulation
Authors: Baca F. J. , Barnes P. N. , Emergo R. L. S. , Haugan T. J. , Reichart J. N. , Wu J. Z.
Published: March 2009

The alignment of BaZrO3-nanorods (BZO-NRs) in YBa2Cu3O7−x was studied using vicinal substrates to modulate the microstructure. As the vicinal angle was increased to 10°, the angular splay of BZO-NRs increased. Correspondingly, the vortex pinning along the c-axis increased slightly, a possible consequence of enhanced vortex entanglement. Up to 10°, an increasing density of planar defects was observed, while at ∼20° an orthogonal reorientation of the BZO-NRs along the a-b planes occurs. This suggests that the modulated microstructure introduces a competing effect on the BZO-NR formation and alignment, and beyond a critical vicinal angle, c-axis alignment is no longer favorable for BZO-NRs.
A mode-selective circuit for TE01 gyrotron backward-wave oscillator with wide-tuning range
Authors: Chen N. C. , Yu C. F. , Yuan C. P. , Chang T. H.
Published: March 2009

This study proposes a mode-selective circuit to suppress the competing modes in a TE01 gyrotron backward-wave oscillator (gyro-BWO). The circuit, also functioning as an interaction structure, comprises of several transverse slices. It eliminates the restrictions of the mode competitions and allows a longer interaction structure to optimize interacting efficiency. Mode-selective effect will be analyzed. Experimental results indicate that the Ka-band TE01 fundamental harmonic gyro-BWO is capable of continuous tuning from 31.4 to 36.4 GHz with a peak efficiency of 23.7%, corresponding to 100 kW at Ib=4.5 A and Vb=93.6 kV.
Cobalt nanodots formed by annealing the CoSiO layer for the application of the nonvolatile memory
Authors: Hu Chih-Wei , Chang Ting-Chang , Tu Chun-Hao , Shueh Pei-Kun , Lin Chao-Cheng , Sze Simon M. , Tseng Tseung-Yuen , Chen Min-Chen
Published: March 2009

Co nanodot memory devices formed by oxidation processes were studied. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses showed that overoxidation of the cobalt and silicon degraded the charge-storage ability seriously. However, a precapped oxide can mildly oxidize the CoSi2 film to protect the overoxidation to occur. In addition, an oxygen-incorporated CoSi2 film is proposed to improve the oxidation process further. Through incorporating the limited oxygen during sputtering process, the Co nanodot memory device obtains a larger memory window. Also, the reliability characteristic of the Co nanodot memory device formed by annealing the oxygen-incorporated CoSi2 film has been demonstrated.
Effect of depletion layers on scaling effect in barium strontium titanate epitaxial film
Authors: Horiuchi Naohiro , Matsuo Takatoshi , Hoshina Takuya , Kakemoto Hirofumi , Tsurumi Takaaki
Published: March 2009

The influence of different work functions of metal electrodes on (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin film capacitor was investigated. We fabricated BST film parallel plate capacitor with top electrodes of Pt, Au, Ag, and In. The apparent dielectric permittivity increased depending on the work function of the electrodes. We measured the complex impedance of the capacitors and separated the capacitance of the low permittivity layers from that of BST. We concluded that the scaling effect of the BST films is negligible, and the origin of the low permittivity layer is the internal bias electric field in the interface.
Modification of erbium radiative lifetime in planar silicon slot waveguides
Authors: Creatore Celestino , Andreani Lucio Claudio , Miritello Maria , Lo Savio Roberto , Priolo Francesco
Published: March 2009

The authors report a systematic study of the lifetime of the 1.54 μm transition of Er3+-doped SiO2 thin film as active material in planar slot waveguides in polycrystalline silicon. The lifetime shows a strong reduction when compared with values measured in three other configurations. The experimental results, combined with a rigorous quantum-electrodynamical formalism, are consistent with a sizable increase in both the radiative and nonradiative decay rates of Er3+ transition in slot waveguide. The radiative efficiency is only slightly reduced with respect to Er3+ in the bulk oxide, this result being important for future realization of Si-compatible active optical devices.
Hydrogen storage in Al–N cage based nanostructures
Authors: Zhou Xiao , Wu Miao Miao , Zhou Jian , Sun Qiang
Published: March 2009

Recent efforts have been devoted to design new materials with exposed metal sites for hydrogen storage. Different from bulk AlN having the wurtzite structure and fourfold coordination, the Al sites in AlN cages are unsaturated and have threefold coordination, resulting in a storage weight percentage of 4.7%, while the adsorption energy of H2 molecules can be controlled by the relative ratio of the unequivalent Al sites. A general expression of the adsorption energy is derived from first-principle calculations, which gives a guideline for tuning the structure to reach the desirable energy range for the storage operation under ambient thermodynamic conditions.
Combined electrical and magneto-optical measurements of the magnetization reversal process at a domain wall trap.
Authors: Zeng Huang T. , Read D. , Petit D. , Jausovec A. V. , O’Brien L. , Lewis E. R. , Cowburn R. P.
Published: March 2009

We have performed combined electrical and magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements on Permalloy nanowires containing artificial symmetric protrusions. This has enabled us to construct a detailed picture of the energy landscape of such a trap, in excellent agreement with predictions based on recent results. In addition with the aid of micromagnetic simulations, we demonstrate how variations in the observed resistance with respect to the applied field can give us insight into the entire depinning and nucleation processes at domain wall traps.
Microstructure and magnetic properties of graphite-coated Gd nanocapsules
Authors: Liu X. G. , Geng D. Y. , Zhang Q. , Jiang J. J. , Liu W. , Zhang Z. D.
Published: March 2009

Gd nanocapsules, which are stable in air with the protection of graphite shells, are prepared by a modified arc-discharge technique. A size-induced structural transformation from the hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) to the higher-symmetry face-centered-cubic structure is observed. The graphite-coated hcp-Gd nanocapsules display a blocked state below 35 K, superparamagnetism between 35 and 290 K, and typical paramagnetism above 290 K. The hcp-Gd nanocapsules have a magnetic-entropy change −ΔSm of 48.8 J kg−1 K−1 at 6 K for an applied-field change from 1 to 7 T.
The Implications of E-Shopping for in-Store Shopping at Various Shopping Locations in the Netherlands
Authors: Weltevreden Jesse W J , van Rietbergen Ton
Published: March 2009

Thus far, the empirical literature on the impact of e-shopping on in-store shopping has paid scant attention to the implications of e-shopping for shopping centres. Using a nationwide sample of 3000 Dutch e-shoppers we provide more insight into this topic. Results indicate that city centres are most likely to face the substitution of e-shopping for in-store shopping, followed by city district centres. Surprisingly, village centres are less affected by e-shopping than city centres. Moreover, for neighbourhood and convenience centres the adverse effects of e-shopping are small. The probability of substituting e-shopping for in-store shopping at particular shopping locations is largely influenced by the extent to which people shop online, as well as personal and geographical factors.
Arabidopsis
GRI is involved in the regulation of cell death induced by extracellular ROS
Authors: Wrzaczek Michael , Brosché Mikael , Kollist Hannes , Kangasjärvi Jaakko
Published: March 2009

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have important functions in plant stress responses and development. In plants, ozone and pathogen infection induce an extracellular oxidative burst that is involved in the regulation of cell death. However, very little is known about how plants can perceive ROS and regulate the initiation and the containment of cell death. We have identified an
Arabidopsis thaliana
protein, GRIM REAPER (GRI), that is involved in the regulation of cell death induced by extracellular ROS. Plants with an insertion in
GRI
display an ozone-sensitive phenotype.
GRI
is an
Arabidopsis
ortholog of the tobacco flower-specific
Stig1
gene. The GRI protein appears to be processed in leaves with a release of an N-terminal fragment of the protein. Infiltration of the N-terminal fragment of the GRI protein into leaves caused cell death in a superoxide- and salicylic acid-dependent manner. Analysis of the extracellular GRI protein yields information on how plants can initiate ROS-induced cell death during stress response and development.
Negative autoregulation linearizes the dose–response and suppresses the heterogeneity of gene expression
Authors: Nevozhay Dmitry , Adams Rhys M. , Murphy Kevin F. , Josić Krešimir , Balázsi Gábor
Published: March 2009

Although several recent studies have focused on gene autoregulation, the effects of negative feedback (NF) on gene expression are not fully understood. Our purpose here was to determine how the strength of NF regulation affects the characteristics of gene expression in yeast cells harboring chromosomally integrated transcriptional cascades that consist of the yEGFP reporter controlled by (
i
) the constitutively expressed tetracycline repressor TetR or (
ii
) TetR repressing its own expression. Reporter gene expression in the cascade without feedback showed a steep (sigmoidal) dose–response and a wide, nearly bimodal yEGFP distribution, giving rise to a noise peak at intermediate levels of induction. We developed computational models that reproduced the steep dose–response and the noise peak and predicted that negative autoregulation changes reporter expression from bimodal to unimodal and transforms the dose–response from sigmoidal to linear. Prompted by these predictions, we constructed a “linearizer” circuit by adding TetR autoregulation to our original cascade and observed a massive (7-fold) reduction of noise at intermediate induction and linearization of dose–response before saturation. A simple mathematical argument explained these findings and indicated that linearization is highly robust to parameter variations. These findings have important implications for gene expression control in eukaryotic cells, including the design of synthetic expression systems.
An inducible system for highly efficient production of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors in insect Sf9 cells
Authors: Aslanidi George , Lamb Kenneth , Zolotukhin Sergei
Published: March 2009

Production of clinical-grade gene therapy vectors for human trials remains a major hurdle in advancing cures for a number of otherwise incurable diseases. We describe a system based on a stably transformed insect cell lines harboring helper genes required for vector production. Integrated genes remain silent until the cell is infected with a single baculovirus expression vector (BEV). The induction of expression results from a combination of the amplification of integrated resident genes (up to 1,200 copies per cell) and the enhancement of the expression mediated by the immediate-early
trans
-regulator 1 (IE-1) encoded by BEV. The integration cassette incorporates an IE-1 binding target sequence from wild-type
Autographa californica
multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus, a homologous region 2 (
hr2
). A feed-forward loop is initiated by one of the induced proteins, Rep78, boosting the amplification of the integrated genes. The system was tested for the coordinated expression of 7 proteins required to package recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)2 and rAAV1. The described arrangement provided high levels of Rep and Cap proteins, thus improving rAAV yield by 10-fold as compared with the previously described baculovirus/rAAV production system.
Neurodegeneration mutations in dynactin impair dynein-dependent nuclear migration
Authors: Moore Jeffrey K. , Sept David , Cooper John A.
Published: March 2009

Neurodegenerative disease in humans and mice can be caused by mutations affecting the microtubule motor dynein or its biochemical regulator, dynactin, a multiprotein complex required for dynein function (
1

–
4
). A single amino acid change, G59S, in the conserved cytoskeletal-associated protein glycine-rich (CAP-Gly) domain of the p150
glued
subunit of dynactin can cause motor neuron degeneration in humans and mice, which resembles ALS (
2
,
5

–
8
). The molecular mechanism by which G59S impairs the function of dynein is not understood. Also, the relevance of the CAP-Gly domain for dynein motility has not been demonstrated in vivo. Here, we generate a mutant that is analogous to G59S in budding yeast, and show that this mutation produces a highly specific phenotype related to dynein function. The effect of the point mutation is identical to that of complete loss of the CAP-Gly domain. Our results demonstrate that the CAP-Gly domain has a critical role in the initiation and persistence of dynein-dependent movement of the mitotic spindle and nucleus, but it is otherwise dispensable for dynein-based movement. The need for this function appears to be context-dependent, and we speculate that CAP-Gly activity may only be necessary when dynein needs to overcome high force thresholds to produce movement.
A tumor suppressor function for caspase-2
Authors: Ho Lien Ha , Taylor Robyn , Dorstyn Loretta , Cakouros Dimitrios , Bouillet Philippe , Kumar Sharad
Published: March 2009

Apoptosis is mediated by the caspase family of proteases that act as effectors of cell death by cleaving many cellular substrates. Caspase-2 is one of the most evolutionarily conserved caspases, yet its physiological function has remained enigmatic because caspase-2-deficient mice develop normally and are viable. We report here that the
caspase-2
−/−
mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) show increased proliferation. When transformed with E1A and Ras oncogenes,
caspase-2
−/−
MEFs grew significantly faster than
caspase-2
+/+
MEFs and formed more aggressive and accelerated tumors in nude mice. To assess whether the loss of caspase-2 predisposes animals to tumor development, we used the mouse Eμ-
Myc
lymphoma model. Our findings suggest that loss of even a single allele of
caspase-2
resulted in accelerated tumorigenesis, and this was further enhanced in
caspase-2
−/−
mice. The
caspase-2
−/−
cells showed resistance to apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic drugs and DNA damage. Furthermore,
caspase-2
−/−
MEFs had a defective apoptotic response to cell-cycle checkpoint regulation and showed abnormal cycling following γ-irradiation. These data show that loss of caspase-2 results in an increased ability of cells to acquire a transformed phenotype and become malignant, indicating that caspase-2 is a tumor suppressor protein.
An embryonic stem cell chromatin remodeling complex, esBAF, is an essential component of the core pluripotency transcriptional network
Authors: Ho Lena , Jothi Raja , Ronan Jehnna L. , Cui Kairong , Zhao Keji , Crabtree Gerald R.
Published: March 2009

Distinctive SWI/SNF-like ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling esBAF complexes are indispensable for the maintenance and pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells [Ho L, et al. (2009)
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
10.1073/pnas.0812889106]. To understand the mechanism underlying the roles of these complexes in ES cells, we performed high-resolution genome-wide mapping of the core ATPase subunit, Brg, using ChIP-Seq technology. We find that esBAF, as represented by Brg, binds to genes encoding components of the core ES transcriptional circuitry, including Polycomb group proteins. esBAF colocalizes extensively with transcription factors Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog genome-wide, and shows distinct functional interactions with Oct4 and Sox2 at its target genes. Surprisingly, no significant colocalization of esBAF with PRC2 complexes, represented by Suz12, is observed. Lastly, esBAF colocalizes with Stat3 and Smad1 genome-wide, consistent with a direct and critical role in LIF and BMP signaling for maintaining self-renewal. Taken together, our studies indicate that esBAF is an essential component of the core pluripotency transcriptional network, and might also be a critical component of the LIF and BMP signaling pathways essential for maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency.
IFNα kinoid vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies prevent clinical manifestations in a lupus flare murine model
Authors: Zagury Daniel , Le Buanec Hélène , Mathian Alexis , Larcier Patrick , Burnett Roger , Amoura Zahir , Emilie Dominique , Peltre Gabriel , Bensussan Armand , Bizzini Bernard , Gallo Robert C. , Koutouzov Sophie
Published: March 2009

A major involvement of IFNα in the etiopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus has been suggested by clinical observations, including the increase of serum levels of this cytokine in patients with active disease. Supporting this hypothesis, we have shown that expression of IFNα from a recombinant adenovirus (IFNα Adv) precipitates lupus manifestations in genetically susceptible New Zealand Black (NZB) × New Zealand White (NZW)F1mice (NZB/W) but not in BALB/c mice. In the present investigation, we have prepared an IFNα immunogen, termed IFNα kinoid, which, appropriately adjuvanted, induces transient neutralizing antibodies (Abs) but no cellular immune response to the cytokine and without apparent side effects. Using this preparation, we also showed that, in kinoid-vaccinated NZB/W mice, lupus manifestations, including proteinuria, histological renal lesions, and death triggered by IFNα Adv challenge were delayed/prevented as long as an effective threshold of anti-IFNα inhibitory capacity was present in the serum.
Instability of stationary liquid sheets
Authors: Ardekani A. M. , Joseph D. D.
Published: March 2009

The rupture of a 3D stationary free liquid film under the competing effects of surface tension and van der Waals forces is studied as a linearized stability problem in a purely irrotational analysis utilizing the dissipation method. The results of the foregoing analysis are compared with a 2D long-wave approximation that has given rise to an extensive literature on the rupture problem. The irrotational and long-wave approximations are here compared with the exact 2D solution. The exact solution and the two approximate theories give the same results for infinitely long waves. The problem considered depends on two dimensionless parameters, the Hamaker number and the Ohnesorge number. The Hamaker number is a dimensionless number defined as a measure of the ratio of van der Waals forces to surface tension. The exact solution and the two approximate solutions differ by < 1% when the Hamaker number is small for all values of the Ohnesorge number. When the Ohhnesorge number is close to one, as in the case of water films separated by distance 100 Å, the long-wave approximation overestimates and the potential flow approximation underestimates the exact solution by similar small amounts. The high accuracy of the dissipation method shows that the effects of vorticity are small for small to moderate Hamaker numbers.
Characterizing the developmental pathways
TTF-1
,
NKX2–8
, and
PAX9
in lung cancer
Authors: Hsu David S. , Acharya Chaitanya R. , Balakumaran Bala S. , Riedel Richard F. , Kim Mickey K. , Stevenson Marvaretta , Tuchman Sascha , Mukherjee Sayan , Barry William , Dressman Holly K. , Nevins Joseph R. , Powers Scott , Mu David , Potti Anil
Published: March 2009

We investigated the clinical implications of lung developmental transcription factors (
TTF-1
,
NKX2–8
, and
PAX9
) that we recently discovered as cooperating oncogenes activated by way of gene amplification at chromosome 14q13 in lung cancer. Using stable transfectants of human bronchial epithelial cells, RNA expression profiles (signatures) representing activation of the biological pathways defined by each of the 3 genes were determined and used to risk stratify a non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinical data set consisting of 91 early stage tumors. Coactivation of the
TTF-1
and
NKX2–8
pathways identified a cluster of patients with poor survival, representing ≈20% of patients with early stage NSCLC, whereas activation of individual pathways did not reveal significant prognostic power. Importantly, the poor prognosis associated with coactivation of
TTF-1
and
NKX2–8
was validated in 2 other independent clinical data sets. Furthermore, lung cancer cell lines showing coactivation of the
TTF-1
and
NKX2–8
pathways were shown to exhibit resistance to cisplatin, the standard of care for the treatment of NSCLC. This suggests that the cohort of patients with coactivation of
TTF-1
and
NKX2–8
pathways appears to be resistant to standard cisplatin therapy, suggesting the need for alternative therapies in this cohort of high-risk patients.
Glycophorin B is the erythrocyte receptor of
Plasmodium falciparum
erythrocyte-binding ligand, EBL-1
Authors: Mayer D. C. Ghislaine , Cofie Joann , Jiang Lubin , Hartl Daniel L. , Tracy Erin , Kabat Juraj , Mendoza Laurence H. , Miller Louis H.
Published: March 2009

In the war against
Plasmodium
, humans have evolved to eliminate or modify proteins on the erythrocyte surface that serve as receptors for parasite invasion, such as the Duffy blood group, a receptor for
Plasmodium vivax
, and the Gerbich-negative modification of glycophorin C for
Plasmodium falciparum.
In turn, the parasite counters with expansion and diversification of ligand families. The high degree of polymorphism in glycophorin B found in malaria-endemic regions suggests that it also may be a receptor for
Plasmodium
, but, to date, none has been identified. We provide evidence from erythrocyte-binding that glycophorin B is a receptor for the
P. falciparum
protein EBL-1, a member of the Duffy-binding-like erythrocyte-binding protein (DBL-EBP) receptor family. The erythrocyte-binding domain, region 2 of EBL-1, expressed on CHO-K1 cells, bound glycophorin B
+
but not glycophorin B-null erythrocytes. In addition, glycophorin B
+
but not glycophorin B-null erythrocytes adsorbed native EBL-1 from the
P. falciparum
culture supernatants. Interestingly, the Efe pygmies of the Ituri forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have the highest gene frequency of glycophorin B-null in the world, raising the possibility that the DBL-EBP family may have expanded in response to the high frequency of glycophorin B-null in the population.
Translesion DNA polymerases remodel the replisome and alter the speed of the replicative helicase
Authors: Indiani Chiara , Langston Lance D. , Yurieva Olga , Goodman Myron F. , O'Donnell Mike
Published: March 2009

All cells contain specialized translesion DNA polymerases that replicate past sites of DNA damage. We find that
Escherichia coli
translesion DNA polymerase II (Pol II) and polymerase IV (Pol IV) function with DnaB helicase and regulate its rate of unwinding, slowing it to as little as 1 bp/s. Furthermore, Pol II and Pol IV freely exchange with the polymerase III (Pol III) replicase on the β-clamp and function with DnaB helicase to form alternative replisomes, even before Pol III stalls at a lesion. DNA damage-induced levels of Pol II and Pol IV dominate the clamp, slowing the helicase and stably maintaining the architecture of the replication machinery while keeping the fork moving. We propose that these dynamic actions provide additional time for normal excision repair of lesions before the replication fork reaches them and also enable the appropriate translesion polymerase to sample each lesion as it is encountered.
Dealing with Diversity Issues in the Classroom: A Survey of the STP Membership
Authors: Prieto Loreto R. , Whittlesey Valerie , Herbert Diane , Ocampo Carlota , Schomburg Allison , So Dominicus
Published: March 2009

We examined how psychology educators regarded and addressed diversity issues in their classrooms. The approximately 650 psychology educators who took part in this survey indicated a high level of personal acceptance of diverse persons and acknowledged the importance of infusing diversity issues into courses across the psychology curriculum. Our findings indicated that the level of importance instructors attached to incorporating diversity issues into their course work accounted for the largest amount of variance in the time they reported discussing diversity issues in their classes. We discuss implications for teachers of psychology.
Transgender across the Curriculum: A Psychology for Inclusion
Authors: Case Kim A. , Stewart Briana , Tittsworth Josephine
Published: March 2009

Neumann (2005) called for an analysis of marginalization and inclusion of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students in psychology. As psychology instructors begin to infuse such content, the curriculum still overwhelmingly neglects the transgender community. This invisibility of transgender people within psychology courses allows for perpetuation of myths, stereotypes, and oppression of this particular population. Transgender inclusion requires efforts to eliminate bias in the classroom, such as derogatory comments and jokes, as well as faculty self-education with regard to the appropriate terminology for transgender subgroups. By infusing relevant transgender content into lectures and reading materials, instructors contribute to normalizing transgender issues for an inclusive curriculum.
Learning Might Not Equal Liking: Research Methods Course Changes Knowledge but Not Attitudes
Authors: Sizemore O. J. , Lewandowski Gary W.
Published: March 2009

Students completed surveys at the beginning and end of a sophomore-level course on research and statistics. We hypothesized that the course would produce advances in knowledge of research and statistics and that those changes would be accompanied by more favorable attitudes toward the subject matter. Results showed that knowledge did increase significantly, but 4 of 6 attitude measures showed no change. Two attitude measures (perceived utility of research and statistics) showed significant declines. These results demonstrate the independence of knowledge and attitudes and show that attitudinal change is not monolithic. We argue that students' misconceptions about research might underlie the declines in perceived utility of research and statistics.
The Power of Teaching Activities: Statistical and Methodological Recommendations
Authors: Tomcho Thomas J. , Foels Rob
Published: March 2009

Researchers rarely mention statistical power in Teaching of Psychology teaching activity studies. Insufficiently powered tests promote uncertainty in the decision to accept or reject the tested null hypothesis and influence the interpretation of results. We analyzed the a priori power of statistical tests from 197 teaching activity effectiveness studies published from 1974 through 2006. We found that two thirds of the studies were powerful enough to detect only large effects. We compared observed sample sizes with expert recommendations and found that studies typically used sample sizes that were too small. We discuss limitations of underpowered statistical tests in evaluating teaching activity effectiveness and make design-related recommendations for improving power.
An Assessment of Reliability and Validity of a Rubric for Grading APA-Style Introductions
Authors: Stellmack Mark A. , Konheim-Kalkstein Yasmine L. , Manor Julia E. , Massey Abigail R. , Schmitz Julie Ann P.
Published: March 2009

This article describes the empirical evaluation of the reliability and validity of a grading rubric for grading APA-style introductions of undergraduate students. Levels of interrater agreement and intrarater agreement were not extremely high but were similar to values reported in the literature for comparably structured rubrics. Rank-order correlations between graders who used the rubric and an experienced instructor who ranked the papers separately and holistically provided evidence for the rubric's validity. Although this rubric has utility as an instructional tool, the data underscore the seemingly unavoidable subjectivity inherent in grading student writing. Instructors are cautioned that merely using an explicit, carefully developed rubric does not guarantee high reliability.
A Palatable Introduction to and Demonstration of Statistical Main Effects and Interactions
Authors: Christopher Andrew N. , Marek Pam
Published: March 2009

Because concrete explanations in a familiar context facilitate understanding, we illustrate the concept of an interaction via a baking analogy to provide students with food for thought. The demonstration initially introduces the concepts of independent and dependent variables using a chocolate chip cookie recipe. The demonstration provides an opportunity to distinguish between the main effect of an ingredient and the interactions between ingredients on taste perception. Student performance on exam questions suggests that this demonstration effectively helps students understand the concept and interpretation of an interaction.
Conceptualizing the transition from education to work as vocational practice: Lessons from the UK's creative and cultural sector
Authors: Guile David
Published: March 2009

The paper argues that: (1) the demise of ‘occupational’ and ‘internal’ and the spread of ‘external’ labour markets in growth areas of UK economy such as the creative and cultural sector, coupled with the massification of higher education which has created a new type of post‐degree ‘vocational need’, means that the transition from education to work should be re‐thought as the development of vocational practice rather than the acquisition of qualifications; and (2) in order to re‐think transition as the development of vocational practice it is necessary to eviscerate the legacy of the ‘traditional’ conception of practice in UK educational policy. The paper reviews a number of alternative social scientific conceptions of practice, formulates more multi‐faceted conceptions of vocational practice, and discusses their implications for UK and EU educational policy.
Curriculum‐making in school and college: the case of hospitality
Authors: Edwards Richard , Miller Kate , Priestley Mark
Published: March 2009

Drawing upon research in the curriculum of hospitality, this article explores the contrasting ways in which the prescribed curriculum is translated into the enacted curriculum in school and college contexts. It identifies organisational culture and teacher and student backgrounds and dispositions as central to the emerging contrasts. It uses this evidence to argue that the evolution of credit frameworks which assume a rational curriculum is unhelpful in understanding the multiple play of difference in learning and the enacted curriculum.
What is this lesson about? Instructional processes and student understandings in writing classrooms
Authors: Timperley Helen S. , Parr Judy M.
Published: March 2009

This article examines the extent to which classroom instruction conveyed challenging learning goals in writing through a range of teaching activities and how well the participating students understood those goals. We report an empirical study that examined the quality of writing instructional goals, how well they were conveyed to students through lesson activities and how the students came to understand them. Two different but converging theoretical perspectives of self‐regulated learning and formative assessment were used as an analytical framework. Teachers' instructional practices during writing lessons were audio‐taped in 17 different classrooms and a sample of students subsequently interviewed to assess their understanding of the dimensions of interest. The conditions monitored included the extent to which the lesson aims and mastery criteria were made explicit and how well feedback was aligned to those lesson aims. In most classes, students' interview responses reflected the extent to which teachers were explicit in these aspects of instructional practice. In general, when lesson aims and mastery criteria were unclear, students identified surface features of writing as their learning aims. When these lesson attributes were clearly articulated by the teacher, students were able to identify deeper features of writing as the lesson aims. When the aims were clear but the mastery criteria and lesson activities were misaligned, however, students identified surface features of writing as the lesson aims, rather than those articulated by the teacher.
Inquiry‐based learning: reconciling the personal with the public in a democratic and archaeological pedagogy
Authors: Crick Ruth Deakin
Published: March 2009

This article describes and explores the key elements of an approach to personalised learning which is rooted in student experience and choice. It is shaped by the learner's interest, driven by her curiosity and purpose, yet is capable of supporting the delivery of the valued outcomes of a publicly accountable curriculum. It is an approach which enables a student to participate purposefully in the processes of learning, developing values, attitudes and dispositions for learning, while at the same time acquiring and managing specialist knowledge, skills and understanding in the service of a personally chosen outcome. The journey begins with a particular, concrete place or object, and moves through a developmental sequence of thinking and learning capabilities to a publicly evaluated outcome. It is a pedagogy which integrally supports citizenship education because it addresses questions of value and worth through the narratives uncovered in the world‐as‐it‐is‐experienced by the learner. It is an archaeological pedagogy in the sense that it begins with experience and observation, generates narratives and then reconstructs knowledge/s necessary to satisfy the original personally chosen quest, rather than beginning with pre‐packaged conceptual expert knowledge. It creates a context for critical subjectivity and engagement with learning and with the world. It is a pedagogy which takes seriously the selfhood of the learner, and the formation of virtue in learning, while at the same time not abandoning the rigour of specialist knowledge in a particular field.
Empathy Ability Is Impaired in Alcohol‐Dependent Patients
Authors: Martinotti Giovanni , Nicola Marco Di , Tedeschi Daniela , Cundari Sante , Janiri Luigi
Published: March 2009

Empathy is a complex form of psychological inference in which observation, memory, knowledge and reasoning are combined to yield insights into the thoughts and feelings of others. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of empathy in a sample of alcohol‐dependent patients in comparison to a control sample. One hundred and fifty alcohol‐dependent subjects were consecutively recruited. All of the subjects successfully detoxified have been evaluated with the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and then compared with 107 control subjects. The level of empathy was significantly lower in the group of alcohol‐dependent subjects than in the control sample (p <.001). Differences with respect to gender and psychiatric comorbidity have also been observed. A low level of empathy could be a psychological trait typically observed in pre‐morbid alcoholic personalities. Further, the lack of empathy could lead latent abusers to find in the alcohol misuse something enabling them to compensate for their intrinsic weakness.
Misuse of Alcohol among Methadone Patients
Authors: Rengade Charles‐Edouard , Kahn Jean‐Pierre , Schwan Raymund
Published: March 2009

Between 5 and 49% of patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) consume alcohol. They show less willingness to comply with treatment and are less committed, their treatment times are longer, and their observance is weaker. Alcohol misuse is the main cause of their increased mortality and morbidity rates. We conducted a multivariate, prospective, open‐label study in two groups of methadone patients: the first suffered from alcohol use disorder according to the criteria of the alcohol use disorder test (AUDIT), while the second was alcohol‐abstinent. In the process, we completed evaluations on the Toronto alexithymia scale, together with a self‐esteem inventory and a temperament and character inventory (TCI‐R). Our study included 152 patients, 27.6% of whom were high‐risk consumers. Comparison of the alcohol high‐risk consumers group and the low‐risk consumers showed that the former had higher rates of alexithymia, weaker self‐esteem, and lower scores of self‐directedness.