bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging Dance Scholarship in Ireland
Authors: MCGRATH AOIFE
Published: August 2011

Irish-based dance practice has a long history of being culturally undervalued, underfunded and marginalized, with the 1995 annual Arts Council report stating a ‘recognition of the fact that dance as an art form has suffered severe neglect in Ireland’. Yet despite this neglect, Ireland has a rich and varied dance history and a vibrant contemporary dance scene, and dance research is emerging as an exciting new field of scholarship. The visibility of theatre dance in the cultural landscape of Ireland improved significantly in the first decade of the twenty-first century. In 2003 dance was finally included as a named art form in the Irish government's Arts Act, and the same year saw the founding of Dance Research Forum Ireland, a society formed to promote critical reflection and discussion about all forms of dance in Ireland. Another important development for dance scholarship was the announcement in January 2010 of Arts Council funding for the establishment of a national dance archive to be housed in the Glucksmann Library of the University of Limerick.
Spatial mapping of hepatitis C prevalence in recent injecting drug users in contact with services
Authors: HARRIS R. J. , HOPE V. D. , MORONGIU A. , HICKMAN M. , NCUBE F. , DE ANGELIS D.
Published: August 2011

In developed countries the majority of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections occur in injecting drug users (IDUs) with prevalence in IDUs often high, but with wide geographical differences within countries. Estimates of local prevalence are needed for planning services for IDUs, but it is not practical to conduct HCV seroprevalence surveys in all areas. In this study survey data from IDUs attending specialist services were collected in 52/149 sites in England between 2006 and 2008. Spatially correlated random-effects models were used to estimate HCV prevalence for all sites, using auxiliary data to aid prediction. Estimates ranged from 14% to 82%, with larger cities, London and the North West having the highest HCV prevalence. The methods used generated robust estimates for each area, with a well-identified spatial pattern that improved predictions. Such models may be of use in other areas of study where surveillance data are sparse.
French Sport: Caught between Universalism and Exceptionalism
Authors: Dietschy Paul
Published: August 2011

This article argues that the question of national perspectives is a fundamental problem in the writing of European sports history. It does so by demonstrating that France has an equal pedigree, in terms of diffusion and exceptionalism, as Britain, and pleads for a less skewed approach to the history of the subject in general. The article shows, first, that France contributed significantly to the internationalization of sport in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with French networks facilitating the spread of sports across the globe. It considers the impact of French universalism on the institutional structures of world sport and assesses the importance of sport to governmental diplomacy. Second, it proposes that France occupies a special place in the history of European sport, halfway between that of the British on the one hand and other continental sporting cultures on the other. It discusses the role of central and regional administrations in the creation of a sports space that is distinctly marked by a lack of football hegemony. French sport, the article concludes, is characterized by a peculiar mix of anglomanie, invented traditions, internationalism, state interventionism and eclecticism.
From Cycling Priests to the ‘Sportsman's Pope’. Italy, Sport and the Catholic Church
Authors: Martin Simon
Published: August 2011

This article surveys the Catholic Church's exploitation of sport in Liberal (1861–1922), Fascist (1922–1943), and post-war Italy. It examines how and why the Church overcame its initial reticence to embrace sport and turn it into a fundamental pillar of an alternative culture that challenged the monopoly of national sporting federations. Following the rise of Fascism, sport became one of the principal means by which the Church resisted a complete takeover by the regime. Analysis of the devout Catholic cyclist Gino Bartali reveals how the Church maintained its identity and tradition of sporting independence despite the inevitable suppression of Catholic sporting organisations. Culminating in an examination of the ‘immortalisation’ of Bartali after his win in the 1948 Tour De France – a victory popularly credited with saving Italy from civil war – the article illuminates the processes by which sport became a central feature of Catholicism in national life. It highlights the Church's contribution to the development of Italian sport, assesses the wider impact of sport's role in forming alternative cultures, and argues that sport perfectly positioned the Church to respond to the demands of Reconstruction Italy and provided opportunities to secure a post-war Christian Democratic society.
Rituals and Records: the Films of the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games
Authors: McKernan Luke
Published: August 2011

The title of Allen Guttmann's landmark study of sports history,From Ritual to Record, captures the way cinematic treatments of the Olympic Games, Europe's most resonant sporting invention, developed in the early twentieth century. Projected film and the modern Olympic Games began in the same year, 1896, and the way the two phenomena have grown together demonstrates a progression from formality and ritual to an ever-increasing emphasis on individual, nation and achievement. This transition from ritual to record is demonstrated by two Olympic films from the European Games of Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928,Les Jeux Olympiques Paris 1924andDe Olympische Spelen. These cinematic records are not only documentary records of the events they portray, but are an important reminder that modern sports are witnessed by most not as stadium spectators but as viewers – in the case of the 1924 and 1928 films, as members of a cinema audience. The film record is essential to our understanding of the popularisation of modern sports, while through their contrary impulses to document and to idealise (particularly through the use of slow-motion photography), the two films demonstrate what is meaningful about Olympic sport.
The Moving Body and the Will to Culture
Authors: Kant Marion
Published: August 2011

From the Renaissance, dance and sport formed the basis of ‘polite’ and ethical behaviour. Both offered a frame within which social norms could be taught and enacted. Scholarship has often concentrated either on the history and aesthetics of dance or on those of gymnastics but neglected the proximity of both forms to each other. This paper focuses on one particular narrative: the intertwining of dance and gymnastics as utopian projects in the arousal of nationalism and creation of a new ‘German’ body. From Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, who sketched the first national and patriotic movement system in Die deutsche Turnkunst 1816, to dance master Franz Anton Roller, gymnastics teacher Adolf Spiess, and dance gurus Rudolf von Laban and Mary Wigman, it will demonstrate how the distinction between dance and gymnastics was constantly re-negotiated; and it argues that twentieth-century Modern Dance developed out of nineteenth-century Turnen and gymnastics. Dance intended to revolutionise German society physically and aesthetically and incorporated spatial concepts and movement sequences that gymnastics systems had already explored. Through their conceptions of motion in time and space, dance and gymnastics created a modern and revolutionary physical practice for the German nation.
Challenges to parent nutrition education: a qualitative study of parents of urban children attending low-income schools
Authors: Slusser Wendelin , Prelip Michael , Kinsler Janni , Erausquin Jennifer Toller , Thai Chan , Neumann Charlotte
Published: August 2011

Objective

The present study was undertaken to learn more about parents’ (i) knowledge regarding healthy foods, factors associated with food purchasing and preparation, and current nutrition education resources, (ii) barriers to and promoters for establishing healthy eating habits for children and families, and (iii) interest in participating in nutrition interventions.

Design

Focus group interviews were conducted with parents of low-income children from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

Setting

LAUSD Title 1 elementary schools where 50 % or more of students are eligible for free/reduced-price meals.

Subjects

Sixty-four parents (93 % female; 84 % Hispanic/Latino) of elementary-school students.

Results

The most common barriers to eating healthy foods were cost, difficulty in getting children to eat healthier foods and easy access to fast food. Parents had a basic knowledge about what foods are healthy and received most of their nutrition education through the media. Parents expressed a desire for nutrition classes and almost all of them said they would attend a nutrition programme at their child's school. Topic areas of interest included what to purchase, how to cook healthier foods, how to encourage their children to eat healthier and how to read food labels. Parents also requested classes that engage the whole family, especially fathers.

Conclusions

Parents in our study were interested in participating in nutrition education programmes. The information from these focus groups was used to design a parent nutrition education programme especially designed to respond to the needs of the LAUSD parents, the majority of whom are low-income and Hispanic/Latino.
The association between body shape silhouette and dietary pattern among Mexican women
Authors: Romieu Isabelle , Escamilla-Núñez María C , Sánchez-Zamorano Luisa M , Lopez-Ridaura Ruy , Torres-Mejía Gabriela , Yunes Elsa M , Lajous Martin , Rivera-Dommarco Juan A , Lazcano-Ponce Eduardo
Published: August 2011

Objective

To investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and self-perceived body shape silhouette and BMI in a sample of Mexican women.

Design

A cross-sectional analysis of dietary habits from baseline data of a large cohort study (EsMaestra) conducted in 2006–2008.

Setting

The state of Veracruz, Mexico.

Subjects

Mexican teachers (n 20 330) provided information on body shape silhouette at baseline, changes in body shape silhouette and BMI, as well as information on sociodemographic variables and lifestyle.

Results

The median BMI was 26·8 kg/m2; 43 % of women were overweight and 24 % were obese. The carbohydrates, sweet drinks and refined foods pattern was associated with a greater risk of having a large silhouette and a large BMI (BMI ≥ 30·0 kg/m2v. BMI < 25·0 kg/m2; ORT1−3 = 1·86, 95 % CI 1·56, 2·22 and 1·47, 95 % CI 1·28, 1·69, respectively) with a significant trend when comparing the first and third tertiles of intake. The fruit and vegetable pattern was associated with a lower risk of having a large silhouette and a large BMI (ORT1−3 = 0·68, 95 % CI 0·57, 0·82 and ORT1−3 = 0·77, 95 % CI 0·67, 0·88, respectively) with a significant decreasing trend. Similar results were observed when change in silhouette (from 18 years of age to current silhouette) was considered.

Conclusions

High intakes of carbohydrates, sweet drinks and refined foods are related to larger silhouettes. Public health intervention improving access to healthy dietary guidelines, healthy food choice in the work place, promotion of physical activity and regulation of beverages with a high sugar content and of refined foods should be considered.
Prävention
Authors: Petermann Franz , Petermann Ulrike
Published: August 2011

Der frühzeitigen Prävention kommt eine immer größere Bedeutung zu. Auf der Basis zunehmender Kenntnisse über normale und abweichende Entwicklungsverläufe lassen sich altersspezifische und entwicklungsbezogene Präventionsprogramme besser begründen und schließlich erfolgreich umsetzen. Ein besonderer Fokus liegt auf Fördermaßnahmen, die bereits im Kindergartenalter ansetzen, wie etwa die Stärkung der sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen. Jedoch haben sich mittlerweile auch schulbasierte Programme etabliert.
Persönlichkeitsstörungen im Jugendalter
Authors: Sevecke Kathrin , Lehmkuhl Gerd , Petermann Franz , Krischer Maya K.
Published: August 2011

Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, die aktuelle Kontroverse zum Thema Persönlichkeitsstörungen im Jugendalter darzustellen und für den deutschsprachigen Raum Trends sowie Perspektiven in Forschung und Praxis seit 2009 zu skizzieren. Dazu wurden vor allem Publikationen aus der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und der Klinischen Kinderpsychologie neben wissenschaftlichen Beiträgen des 32. Kongresses der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie gesichtet. Aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse verweisen darauf, dass Persönlichkeitsstörungen im Jugendalter mittels der für Erwachsene entwickelten Instrumente zuverlässig erfasst werden können und diagnostiziert werden sollten. Zugleich fehlt es noch an spezifischen Instrumenten, welche die Besonderheiten von Persönlichkeitsstörungen im Jugendalter abbilden und von Adoleszenzkrisen differenzieren können. Die Prävalenz von Persönlichkeitsstörungen scheint im Jugendalter höher als im Erwachsenenalter zu liegen. Eine Subform der antisozialen Persönlichkeitsstörung, die auch bei Jugendlichen zu finden ist, stellt die Psychopathy dar. Insgesamt wird deutlich, dass es noch weiterer diagnostischer Langzeitstudien bedarf, um zu klären, unter welchen Bedingungen Persönlichkeitsstörungen manifest werden, welche Faktoren ihren Verlauf beeinflussen und wie sie sich durch Interventionen verändern lassen.
The Rorschach Test in the Detection of Suicidal Potential
Authors: Passalacqua Alicia Martha
Published: August 2011

Nous présentons ici un extrait du rapport final de la recherche que nous menons depuis 1988 sur la détection du risque suicidaire à l’aide du test du Rorschach. Au départ, nous avions pris en compte trois types de population: a) des personnes qui ont commis un suicide, b) des personnes présentant des idées suicidaires et c) des personnes qui ont fait une tentative de suicide, antérieurement à la passation du Rorschach, dont certaines avaient des séquelles physiques de leurs tentatives. Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons comparé les résultats à un échantillon de patients qui nous avaient consulté pour des raisons sans rapport avec un suicide. Nous présentons ici les résultats de la comparaison entre le groupe de ceux qui ont commis un suicide et celui des sujets présentant des tendances suicidaires, notre groupe de patients et un groupe contrôle de non-consultants composé de 20 protocoles (10 hommes et 10 femmes).

Le but de cette étude était d’identifier les signes les plus pertinents afin de faciliter la prévention en utilisant une procédure moins lourde que celle que nous utilisions auparavant, et qui pourrait présenter plus de cohérence statistique. Après avoir classé et analysé les cas, nous avons évalué, dans les groupes des suicides commis et des non-consultants, l’incidence des signes de risque suicidaire que nous avions élaborés au cours de notre étude des trois premiers échantillons, et qui furent au fur et à mesure présentés à des réunions nationales et internationales spécialisées dans ce domaine. Quelques uns de nos signes initiaux étaient tirés de la littérature ainsi que de notre expérience clinique. Nous avons aussi comparé les psychogrammes, les résultats chiffrés et les phénomènes particuliers afin d’atteindre une plus grande précision.

Nous décrivons une échelle composée de 44 signes plus 4 complémentaires qui sont peu fréquents mais qui ont été trouvés exclusivement dans les protocoles des suicides accomplis. Nous présentons les moyennes et écart types de ces populations, qui présentent une différence significative sur le plan statistique, ce qui confère à l’ensemble un plus haut degré de validité et de fiabilité. Nous mettons particulièrement l’accent sur l’importance de l’analyse qualitative, qui comprend l’analyse du discours et des fantasmes auxquels il renvoie, tout comme de l’analyse du contre-transfert. Enfin, nous souhaitons souligner l’importance d’évaluer, outre les signes décrits, les éléments de pronostic en vue de la prévention qui a été l’un des objectifs principaux de cette recherche.
Mycobacterium abscessus activates the NLRP3 inflammasome via Dectin‐1–Syk and p62/SQSTM1
Authors: Lee Hye‐Mi , Yuk Jae‐Min , Kim Ki‐Hye , Jang Jichan , Kang Gun , Park Jin Bong , Son Ji‐Woong , Jo Eun‐Kyeong
Published: August 2011

Numerous atypical mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium abscessus (Mabc), cause nontuberculous mycobacterial infections, which present a serious public health threat. Inflammasome activation is involved in host defense and the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, inflammasome activation has not been widely characterized in human macrophages infected with atypical mycobacteria. Here, we demonstrate that Mabc robustly activates the nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain‐like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome via dectin‐1/Syk‐dependent signaling and the cytoplasmic scaffold protein p62/SQSTM1 (p62) in human macrophages. Both dectin‐1 and Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) were required for Mabc‐induced mRNA expression of pro‐interleukin (IL)‐1β, cathelicidin human cationic antimicrobial protein‐18/LL‐37 and β‐defensin 4 (DEFB4). Dectin‐1‐dependent Syk signaling, but not that of MyD88, led to the activation of caspase‐1 and secretion of IL‐1β through the activation of an NLRP3/apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) inflammasome. Additionally, potassium efflux was required for Mabc‐induced NLRP3/ASC inflammasome activation. Furthermore, Mabc‐induced p62 expression was critically involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human macrophages. Finally, NLRP3/ASC was critical for the inflammasome in antimicrobial responses to Mabc infection. Taken together, these data demonstrate the induction mechanism of the NLRP3/ASC inflammasome and its role in innate immunity to Mabc infection.
First steps towards WikiPathways RDF
Authors: Waagmeester Andra
Published: August 2011

This presentation presents the first steps in modeling WikiPathways content in RDF. WikiPathways is stored in a proprietary GPML format. By modeling this data in RDF, semantic web features become available to WikiPathways content.
Exposing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as a SPARQL endpoint
Authors: Deus Helena
Published: August 2011

Automated discovery of candidate biomarkers from multiple databases has been the central challenge in the Life Sciences in general and in the study of systemic processes such as those documented by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) in particular.The maturation of Semantic Web technologies offers solutions to those problems by allowing the query to be defined by navigating a normally represented domains of discourse instantiated by the data.We address the systems challenge of The Cancer Genome Atlas initiative (http://cancergenome.nih.gov/), which generates a large scale repository of high throughput molecular biology data generated and processed at 5 academic facilities across the USA.
A Possible Solution to the Etiological Paradox that Ties Anti-Social Personality Disorder to Major Depression
Authors: Machado Dias Alvaro
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a pervasive condition among youngsters around the globe, which has particular pungency in countries where the socioeconomic context favors delinquency. Several behavioral genetics studies have linked the disorder to the presence of copies of a polymorphic variation of the MAO-A gene that leads to enzymatic hypofunction. An emerging tendency in this literature is to also associate it to the presence of short variations of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, which is well-known for its possible role in the vulnerability to major depression of individuals that were exposed to early-life stress. The current paper argues that the association of these findings introduce a theoretical problem that is not trivial ("an apparent paradox"), and further proposes a solution to it.
NFAT promotes carcinoma invasive migration through glypican-6
Authors: Yiu Gary K. , Kaunisto Aura , Chin Y. Rebecca , Toker Alex
Published: August 2011

Invasive migration of carcinoma cells is a prerequisite for the metastatic dissemination of solid tumours. Numerous mechanisms control the ability of cancer cells to acquire a motile and invasive phenotype, and subsequently degrade and invade the basement membrane. Several genes that are up-regulated in breast carcinoma are responsible for mediating the metastatic cascade. Recent studies have revealed that the NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T-cells) is a transcription factor that is highly expressed in aggressive breast cancer cells and tissues, and mediates invasion through transcriptional induction of pro-invasion and migration genes. In the present paper we demonstrate that NFAT promotes breast carcinoma invasion through induction of GPC (glypican) 6, a cell-surface glycoprotein. NFAT transcriptionally regulates GPC6 induction in breast cancer cells and binds to three regulatory elements in the GPC6 proximal promoter. Expression of GPC6 in response to NFAT signalling promotes invasive migration, whereas GPC6 silencing with shRNA (small-hairpin RNA) potently blocks this phenotype. The mechanism by which GPC6 promotes invasive migration involves inhibition of canonical β-catenin and Wnt signalling, and up-regulation of non-canonical Wnt5A signalling leading to the activation of JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase). Thus GPC6 is a novel NFAT target gene in breast cancer cells that promotes invasive migration through Wnt5A signalling.
Connective tissue growth factor antagonizes transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signalling in renal mesangial cells
Authors: O'Donovan Helen C. , Hickey Fionnuala , Brazil Derek P. , Kavanagh David H. , Oliver Noelynn , Martin Finian , Godson Catherine , Crean John
Published: August 2011

The critical involvement of TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor-β1) in DN (diabetic nephropathy) is well established. However, the role of CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) in regulating the complex interplay of TGF-β1 signalling networks is poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to investigate co-operative signalling between CTGF and TGF-β1 and its physiological significance. CTGF was determined to bind directly to the TβRIII (TGF-β type III receptor) and antagonize TGF-β1-induced Smad phosphorylation and transcriptional responses via its N-terminal half. Furthermore, TGF-β1 binding to its receptor was inhibited by CTGF. A consequent shift towards non-canonical TGF-β1 signalling and expression of a unique profile of differentially regulated genes was observed in CTGF/TGF-β1-treated mesangial cells. Decreased levels of Smad2/3 phosphorylation were evident in STZ (streptozotocin)-induced diabetic mice, concomitant with increased levels of CTGF. Knockdown of TβRIII restored TGF-β1-mediated Smad signalling and cell contractility, suggesting that TβRIII is key for CTGF-mediated regulation of TGF-β1. Comparison of gene expression profiles from CTGF/TGF-β1-treated mesangial cells and human renal biopsy material with histological diagnosis of DN revealed significant correlation among gene clusters. In summary, mesangial cell responses to TGF-β1 are regulated by cross-talk with CTGF, emphasizing the potential utility of targeting CTGF in DN.
One-dimensional planar hydrodynamic theory of shock ignition
Authors: Nora R. , Betti R.
Published: August 2011

A one-dimensional planar compressible-piston-like model is used to investigate the basic physics behind shock-ignition inertial confinement fusion implosions. We discuss the theoretical limit set by rarefaction waves on the maximum hot-spot pressure achievable through conventional compression. Three ignitor shock techniques are presented to mitigate the effects of rarefaction waves, enhance the stagnation hot-spot pressure, and improve the ignition conditions. Elimination of rarefaction waves can lead to an ∼80% increase in peak implosion pressures, while implosions augmented with ignitor shocks are shown to increase the peak pressures by a factor of ∼4. These techniques are then discussed and the optimal energy ratio between the initial shell kinetic energy and the ignitor pulse energy is given.
Characterization and modeling of structural properties of SiGe/Si superlattices upon annealing
Authors: Py M. , Barnes J. P. , Rivallin P. , Pakfar A. , Denneulin T. , Cooper D. , Hartmann J. M.
Published: August 2011

Stacked multichannel or nanowire CMOS transistors are foreseen as viable options in future technology nodes. Superior electric performances and a relative immunity to short channel effects have already been demonstrated in such devices. They rely on (i) the epitaxy of SiGe/Si superlattices, (ii) the anisotropic etching of the source and drain (S/D) blocks and the channels, and (iii) the high degree of selectivity that can be achieved when laterally etching the SiGe sacrificial layers. The voids left by the removal of SiGe are then conformally filled by HfO2/TiN/poly-Si gates, leading to the formation of multichannel devices. Doping elements can be included in situ in the SiGe layers during the epitaxial step in order to achieve a proper S/D doping after annealing. Precise knowledge of the diffusion behavior of all species is then crucial to understand and tailor final device performance. In this work, we investigated the properties of intrinsic or in situ doped (with B, C, or P) SiGe/Si superlattices upon annealing, using several characterization techniques, such as x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectivity, time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry, and dark-field electron holography; as well as diffusion simulation tools such as S-Process. The combined analysis and simulation approaches allowed a complete characterization of the studied structures upon annealing. In the first step, the diffusion of both germanium and dopants was observed experimentally and quantified with simulation. Their diffusion mechanisms were also studied. In the second step, the evolution of the strain distribution upon annealing was experimentally monitored and simulated to quantify the strain relaxation in such structures.
On the formation of hydrogen gas on copper in anoxic water
Authors: Johansson Adam Johannes , Lilja Christina , Brinck Tore
Published: August 2011

Hydrogen gas has been detected in a closed system containing copper and pure anoxic water [P. Szakalos, G. Hultquist, and G. Wikmark, Electrochem. Solid-State Lett. 10, C63 (2007)10.1149/1.2772085 and G. Hultquist, P. Szakalos, M. Graham, A. Belonoshko, G. Sproule, L. Grasjo, P. Dorogokupets, B. Danilov, T. Aastrup, G. Wikmark, G. Chuah, J. Eriksson, and A. Rosengren, Catal. Lett. 132, 311 (2009)10.1007/s10562-009-0113-x]. Although bulk corrosion into any of the known phases of copper is thermodynamically forbidden, the present paper shows how surface reactions lead to the formation of hydrogen gas in limited amounts. While water cleavage on copper has been reported and investigated before, formation of molecular hydrogen at a single-crystal Cu[100] surface is here explored using density functional theory and transition state theory. It is found that although solvent catalysis seems possible, the fastest route to the formation of molecular hydrogen is the direct combination of hydrogen atoms on the copper surface. The activation free energy (△Gs‡f) of hydrogen formation in condensed phase is 0.70 eV, which corresponds to a rate constant of 10 s−1 at 298.15 K, i.e., a relatively rapid process. It is estimated that at least 2.4 ng hydrogen gas could form per cm2 on a perfect copper surface.
Strain engineering of the elasticity and the Raman shift of nanostructured TiO2
Authors: Liu X. J. , Pan L. K. , Sun Z. , Chen Y. M. , Yang X. X. , Yang L. W. , Zhou Z. F. , Sun Chang Q.
Published: August 2011

Correlation between the elastic modulus (B) and the Raman shift (Δω) of TiO2 and their responses to the variation of crystal size, applied pressure, and measuring temperature have been established as a function depending on the order, length, and energy of a representative bond for the entire specimen. In addition to the derived fundamental information of the atomic cohesive energy, binding energy density, Debye temperature and nonlinear compressibility, theoretical reproduction of the observations clarified that (i) the size effect arises from the under-coordination induced cohesive energy loss and the energy density gain in the surface up to skin depth; (ii) the thermally softened B and Δω results from bond expansion and bond weakening due to vibration; and, (iii) the mechanically stiffened B and Δω results from bond compression and bond strengthening due to mechanical work hardening. With the developed premise, one can predict the changing trends of the concerned properties with derivatives of quantitative information as such from any single measurement alone.
Antimony desinsertion reaction from SbxCoSb3−x
Authors: Miotto F. , Figueirêdo C. A. , Ramos G. R. , Amorim C. L. G. , Gallas M. R. , Perottoni C. A.
Published: August 2011

The compound Sbx CoSb3-x was produced at 7.7 GPa and 550 ∘C in a self-insertion reaction from the binary skutterudite CoSb3. This self-insertion reaction is characterized by the collapse of some framework Sb atoms into the cages formed by the Co and Sb atoms in the skutterudite structure, as was further confirmed by Bader’s analysis of maximum-entropy charge density maps obtained from synchrotron radiation x-ray powder diffraction data. The opposite reaction (i.e., Sb desinsertion, Sbx CoSb3-x→CoSb3) occurs when Sbx CoSb3-x is heated above 180 ∘C at ambient pressure. This desinsertion reaction was followed by means of differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, and electrical resistivity measurements. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements revealed the presence of two thermal events in samples rich in the Sbx CoSb3-x phase. An endothermic peak around 150 ∘C was assigned to a small change in the position of the guest Sb atoms inside the cages of Sbx CoSb3-x. This assignment was based on the analysis of charge density maps obtained from synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements carried out both at room temperature and at 155 ∘C. Accordingly, the guest Sb atoms in Sbx CoSb3-x shift from the 12d (x,0,0) site of Im3¯ space group (in a position distant about 0.35 Å from the center of the cages), at room temperature, to the 2a (0,0,0) site (i.e., to the center of the cages) above 150 ∘C. An exothermic event starting at 180 ∘C is the thermal signature of the desinsertion of guest Sb atoms from the Sbx CoSb3-x skutterudite cages, as confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis and further verified by electrical measurements. After heating to 350 ∘C, Sbx CoSb3-x samples fully convert back to CoSb3. The Sb desinsertion reaction from Sbx CoSb3-x follows a first order kinetics, with a transition enthalpy of approximately 21 kJ/mol and an activation energy of 83 kJ/mol.
Electrostatics of a spherical tunnel MIS structure
Authors: Vexler M. I.
Published: August 2011

Voltage distribution in a spherically symmetrical metal-insulator-semiconductor structure with a tunnel-thin insulating layer has been analyzed using the proposed analytic model and compared with that in a regular planar structure. In many electrostatic respects, the spherical system was shown to behave like a planar one with higher than specified semiconductor doping level. Special attention is paid to the reverse bias polarity. With a decrease of the insulator-semiconductor interface radius, for a fixed terminal bias, the insulator voltage becomes higher and the band bending smaller. The geometry effects are revealed for the radii below 100–200 nm, i.e., by far not in the extreme quantum limit. The elaborated model is useful for treatment of non-planar metal-insulator-semiconductor structures in the cases when the consideration of an exact topology is problematic or too speculative.
Transfer matrix approach to the hydrogen-bonding in cellulose Iα fibrils describes the recalcitrance to thermal deconstruction
Authors: Klein Heinrich C. R. , Cheng Xiaolin , Smith Jeremy C. , Shen Tongye
Published: August 2011

Cellulosic biomass has the potential to serve as a major renewable energy source. However, its strong recalcitrance to degradation hampers its large-scale use in biofuel production. To overcome this problem, a detailed understanding of the origins of the recalcitrance is required. One main biophysical phenomenon leading to the recalcitrance is the high structural ordering of natural cellulose fibrils, that arises largely from an extensive hydrogen-bond network between and within cellulose polymers. Here, we present a lattice-based model of cellulose Iα, one of the two major natural forms, at the resolution of explicit hydrogen bonds. The partition function and thermodynamic properties are evaluated using the transfer matrix method. Two competing hydrogen-bond patterns are found. This plasticity of the hydrogen-bond network leads to an entropic contribution stabilizing the crystalline fibril at intermediate temperatures. At these temperatures, an enhanced probability of bonding between the individual cellulose chains gives rise to increased resistance of the entire cellulose fibril to degradation, before the final disassembly temperature is reached. The results are consistent with the available crystallographic and IR spectroscopic experiments on the thermostability of cellulose Iα.
Intradural approach to selective stimulation in the spinal cord for treatment of intractable pain: design principles and wireless protocol
Authors: Howard M. A. , Utz M. , Brennan T. J. , Dalm B. D. , Viljoen S. , Jeffery N. D. , Gillies G. T.
Published: August 2011

We introduce an intradural approach to spinal cord stimulation for the relief of intractable pain, and describe the biophysical rationale that underlies its design and performance requirements. The proposed device relies on wireless, inductive coupling between a pial surface implant and its epidural controller, and we present the results of benchtop experiments that demonstrate the ability to transmit and receive a frequency-modulated 1.6 MHz carrier signal between micro-coil antennae scaled to the ≈ 1 cm dimensions of the implant, at power levels of about 5 mW. Plans for materials selection, microfabrication, and other aspects of future development are presented and discussed.
Master equation for a chemical wave front with perturbation of local equilibrium
Authors: Dziekan P. , Lemarchand A. , Nowakowski B.
Published: August 2011

In order to develop a stochastic description of gaseous reaction-diffusion systems, which includes a reaction-induced departure from local equilibrium, we derive a modified expression of the master equation from analytical calculations based on the Boltzmann equation. We apply the method to a chemical wave front of Fisher-Kolmogorov-Petrovsky-Piskunov type, whose propagation speed is known to be sensitive to small perturbations. The results of the modified master equation are compared successfully with microscopic simulations of the particle dynamics using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. The modified master equation constitutes an efficient tool at the mesoscopic scale, which incorporates the nonequilibrium effect without need of determining the particle velocity distribution function.
A study on plasma edge boundary in ergodic layer of LHD based on radial profile measurement of impurity line emissions
Authors: Dong Chunfeng , Morita Shigeru , Kobayashi Masahiro , Goto Motoshi , Masuzaki Suguru , Morisaki Tomohiro , Wang Erhui
Published: August 2011

Vertical profiles of edge impurity emissions have been measured in upper half region of elliptical plasmas at horizontally elongated plasma cross section in large helical device (LHD). The vertical profiles near upper O-point located just below helical coil are analyzed to study the plasma edge boundary of the ergodic layer consisting of stochastic magnetic field lines with connection lengths of 30 ≤ Lc ≤ 2000 m. As a result, C3+ ion emitting CIV spectrum is identified as the ion existing in the farthest edge of the ergodic layer. The peak position of CIV (312.4 Å: 1s23p 2P1/2,3/2-1s22s 2S1/2) vertical profile does not change at all in a wide temperature range of 150 ≤ Te(ρ = 1) ≤ 400 eV, whereas it moves inside the ergodic layer when Te(ρ = 1) is reduced below a threshold temperature, e.g., 130 eV at Rax = 3.75 m configuration. It is found that the C3+ ion exists at the boundary between ergodic layer and open magnetic filed layer at which the Lc distributes in lengths of 5 to 30 m. The result indicates that the edge boundary near the O-point in LHD is determined by a starting point of the open filed layer, where a tokamak-like steeper edge temperature gradient is formed, although the edge boundary is quite obscure at the X-point region. Any plasma does not exist between the edge boundary and the vacuum vessel. The CIV profile at the O-point is simulated using a three-dimensional edge transport code of EMC3-EIRENE in which the magnetic field structure in vacuum is used for the ergodic layer. A clear discrepancy of 8 mm is found in the peak positions of CIV between measurement and simulation for magnetic configurations with thick ergodic layer, i.e., Rax =3.90 m, while only a small discrepancy of 3 mm is observed for those with relatively thin ergodic layer, i.e., Rax = 3.75 m. It suggests that the discrepancy is caused by a modification of the magnetic filed due to the presence of plasma pressure.
Statistical spatial properties of speckle patterns generated by multiple laser beams
Authors: Le Cain A. , Riazuelo G. , Sajer J. M.
Published: August 2011

This paper investigates hot spot characteristics generated by the superposition of multiple laser beams. First, properties of speckle statistics are studied in the context of only one laser beam by computing the autocorrelation function. The case of multiple laser beams is then considered. In certain conditions, it is shown that speckles have an ellipsoidal shape. Analytical expressions of hot spot radii generated by multiple laser beams are derived and compared to numerical estimates made from the autocorrelation function. They are also compared to numerical simulations performed within the paraxial approximation. Excellent agreement is found for the speckle width as well as for the speckle length. Application to the speckle patterns generated in the Laser MegaJoule configuration in the zone where all the beams overlap is presented. Influence of polarization on the size of the speckles as well as on their abundance is studied.
Effect of Coulombic expansion on the evolution characteristics of short laser pulses propagating in clustered gas
Authors: Mishra Rohit Kumar , Jha Pallavi
Published: August 2011

In this paper, interaction of a short, linearly polarized laser with clustered gas has been studied. Assuming the clustered gas to be tenuous, Coulombic expansion of a single nanometer sized cluster in response to a short (∼100 fs) laser pulse has been analyzed and instantaneous change in cluster radius averaged over ion time scale is evaluated. A wave equation describing the laser field evolution, driven by the polarization field arising due to the presence of the clusters, is set up. Further temporal evolution of the spot-size, pulse duration, and induced chirp of a short laser pulse has been studied, using the Lagrangian approach.
Exploring parameter space effects on structure-property relationships of surfactants at liquid-liquid interfaces
Authors: Emborsky Christopher P. , Cox Kenneth R. , Chapman Walter G.
Published: August 2011

The ubiquitous use of surfactants in commercial and industrial applications has led to many experimental, theoretical, and simulation based studies. These efforts seek to provide a molecular level understanding of the effects on structuring behavior and the corresponding impacts on observable properties (e.g., interfacial tension). With such physical detail, targeted system design can be improved over typical techniques of observational trends and phenomenological correlations by taking advantage of predictive system response. This research provides a systematic study of part of the broad parameter space effects on equilibrium microstructure and interfacial properties of amphiphiles at a liquid-liquid interface using the interfacial statistical associating fluid theory density functional theory as a molecular model for the system from the bulk to the interface. Insights into the molecular level physics and thermodynamics governing the system behavior are discussed as they relate to both predictions qualitatively consistent with experimental observations and extensions beyond currently available studies.
A density functional theory based estimation of the anharmonic contributions to the free energy of a polypeptide helix
Authors: Ismer Lars , Ireta Joel , Neugebauer Jörg
Published: August 2011

We have employed density functional theory to determine the temperature dependence of the intrinsic stability of an infinite poly-L-alanine helix. The most relevant helix types, i.e., the α- and the 310 - helix, and several unfolded conformations, which serve as reference for the stability analysis, have been included. For the calculation of the free energies for the various chain conformations we have explicitly included both, harmonic and anharmonic contributions. The latter have been calculated by means of a thermodynamic integration approach employing stochastic Langevin molecular dynamics, which is shown to provide a dramatic increase in the computational efficiency as compared to commonly employed deterministic molecular dynamics schemes. Employing this approach we demonstrate that the anharmonic part of the free energy amounts to the order of 0.1–0.4 kcal/mol per peptide unit for all analysed conformations. Although small, the anharmonic contribution stabilizes the helical conformations with respect to the fully extended structure.
A cell electrofusion microfluidic device integrated with 3D thin-film microelectrode arrays
Authors: Hu Ning , Yang Jun , Qian Shizhi , Joo Sang W. , Zheng Xiaolin
Published: August 2011

A microfluidic device integrated with 3D thin film microelectrode arrays wrapped around serpentine-shaped microchannel walls has been designed, fabricated and tested for cell electrofusion. Each microelectrode array has 1015 discrete microelectrodes patterned on each side wall, and the adjacent microelectrodes are separated by coplanar dielectric channel wall. The device was tested to electrofuse K562 cells under a relatively low voltage. Under an AC electric field applied between the pair of the microelectrode arrays, cells are paired at the edge of each discrete microelectrode due to the induced positive dielectrophoresis. Subsequently, electric pulse signals are sequentially applied between the microelectrode arrays to induce electroporation and electrofusion. Compared to the design with thin film microelectrode arrays deposited at the bottom of the side walls, the 3D thin film microelectrode array could induce electroporation and electrofusion under a lower voltage. The staggered electrode arrays on opposing side walls induce inhomogeneous electric field distribution, which could avoid multi-cell fusion. The alignment and pairing efficiencies of K562 cells in this device were 99% and 70.7%, respectively. The electric pulse of low voltage (∼9 V) could induce electrofusion of these cells, and the fusion efficiency was about 43.1% of total cells loaded into the device, which is much higher than that of the convectional and most existing microfluidics-based electrofusion devices.
Optical method for measuring thermal accommodation coefficients using a whispering-gallery microresonator
Authors: Ganta D. , Dale E. B. , Rezac J. P. , Rosenberger A. T.
Published: August 2011

A novel optical method has been developed for the measurement of thermal accommodation coefficients in the temperature-jump regime. The temperature dependence of the resonant frequency of a fused-silica microresonator's whispering-gallery mode is used to measure the rate at which the microresonator comes into thermal equilibrium with the ambient gas. The thermal relaxation time is related to the thermal conductivity of the gas under some simplifying assumptions and measuring this time as a function of gas pressure determines the thermal accommodation coefficient. Using a low-power tunable diode laser of wavelength around 1570 nm to probe a microsphere's whispering-gallery mode through tapered-fiber coupling, we have measured the accommodation coefficients of air, helium, and nitrogen on fused silica at room temperature. In addition, by applying thin-film coatings to the microsphere's surface, we have demonstrated that accommodation coefficients can be measured for various gases on a wide range of modified surfaces using this method.
Random lasing in the composites consisting of photonic crystals and semiconductor nanowires
Authors: Lu M. L. , Lin H. Y. , Chen T. T. , Chen Y. F.
Published: August 2011

A well designed material composed of photonic crystals (PCs) and semiconductor nanowires was proposed. To illustrate our working principle, the nanocomposites consisting of SnO2 nanowires and PCs based on Tb(OH)3/SiO2 core/shell nanospheres have been synthesized and characterized. It is found that lasing behavior can be easily achieved using this composite material. The light confined inside the PCs due to the formation of stop band can be extracted along SnO2 nanowires. The observation of random lasing behavior indicates that the composites developed here open a route for the creation of optoelectronic devices.
Spin transfer torque switching for multi-bit per cell magnetic memory with perpendicular anisotropy
Authors: Sbiaa R. , Law R. , Lua S. Y. H. , Tan E. L. , Tahmasebi T. , Wang C. C. , Piramanayagam S. N.
Published: August 2011

A novel multi-bit dual pseudo spin valve with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is investigated for spin transfer torque (STT) switching. The structure consists of two free layers and one reference layer, and all are based on Co/Pd multilayer. STT switching of the multi-bit device shows distinct four resistance levels. The selection of intrinsic properties of each ferromagnetic layer can be controlled for distinct separation of the resistance levels as well as the respective STT switching current. Reversible transitions between different states can be achieved by a pulsed current, in which its critical value is found to be linearly dependent on pulse duration.
Isotope-induced elastic scattering of optical phonons in individual suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Zhao Pei , Einarsson Erik , Xiang Rong , Murakami Yoichi , Chiashi Shohei , Shiomi Junichiro , Maruyama Shigeo
Published: August 2011

Isotope-induced scattering of optical phonons in individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was investigated by resonance Raman scattering measurements of more than 600 suspended, isotope-mixed SWNTs. The G+ and G− features in the SWNT G-band exhibit broadening of up to 80% and 25%, respectively, indicating a reduced lifetime of the corresponding longitudinal and transverse optical (LO and TO) phonons. We propose that this reduced lifetime is due to a combination of enhanced phonon scattering by isotopic inhomogeneity and overbending in the LO phonon branch, both of which increase the scattering rate.
Memristor device based on carbon nanotubes decorated with gold nanoislands
Authors: Radoi A. , Dragoman M. , Dragoman D.
Published: August 2011

Memristors are passive nanoelectronics devices with applications in memories and switches which, although not containing magnetic components, have as distinct signature a hysteresis loop in the current-voltage dependence. Even if the prototype material for memristors is a binary oxide, we demonstrate that such devices can be easily implemented using carbon nanotubes decorated with metallic nanoislands, where the hysteretic action is a result of the thermionic emission of electrons trapped in the gold nanoislands.