bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meta-analysis of the neural representation of first language and second language
Authors: SEBASTIAN RAJANI , LAIRD ANGELA R. , KIRAN SWATHI
Published: April 2011

This study reports an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of published functional neuroimaging studies of bilingualism. Four parallel meta-analyses were conducted by taking into account the proficiency of participants reported in the studies. The results of the meta-analyses suggest differences in the probabilities of activation patterns between high proficiency and moderate/low proficiency bilinguals. The Talairach coordinates of activation in first language processing were very similar to that of second language processing in the high proficient bilinguals. However, in the low proficient group, the activation clusters were generally smaller and distributed over wider areas in both the hemispheres than the clusters identified in the ALE maps from the high proficient group. These findings draw attention to the importance of language proficiency in bilingual neural representation.
‘English invasion’ in Spain: an analysis of toys leaflets addressed to young children
Authors: Luján-García Carmen
Published: April 2011

The current spread of English across the globe is, as Schneider states (2009: 1), ‘one of the most remarkable, and perhaps unexpected, sociocultural changes of the modern period’. This author states the wish for ‘a single, universal language which would allow all of mankind to communicate with each other directly, but all attempts at constructing such a code artificially have failed in practice. Now, it seems, one has emerged quite naturally’ (Schneider, 2009: 1). On the other hand, other authors (Anderman & Rogers, 2005: 2) report that the emergence of global English has created a homogenised form of communication, and it has made ‘mother tongue speakers fear that, in the process of becoming common property, their native tongue is turning into a “hybrid” language sometimes referred to as Eurospeak within the European Union and more broadly as “McLanguage”' (Anderman & Rogers, 2005: 2). There are, therefore, controversial viewpoints in Europe as regards the spread of English as the lingua franca or global language.
Early modern English contractions and their relevance to present-day English
Authors: Gailor Denis
Published: April 2011

Are contractions like don't and it's typical of ‘modern’ English? To what extent were they present in early modern English? This paper endeavours to answer these questions. However, it also sets out to answer another one: early modern English had a set of contractions of its own, and the question is why they disappeared and whether they are still in any way relevant to contemporary English.
Learning the game: playing by the rules, playing with the rules
Authors: Rimmer Wayne
Published: April 2011

Language change is inevitable. If it wasn't, English learners would all be trying to sound like King Alfred. There is never a period of stability in language and the only languages which have reached a kind of equilibrium are those like Latin where are there are no longer any native speakers. The pressure for change on English is particularly high because of its global status and the diversity of contexts in which it operates. In 2006 David Graddol (p. 101) stated that in 2010 two billion people would be learning English. The size of the figures involved makes it impossible to verify whether this prediction was accurate but Graddol's most recent publication (2010: 68) states that up to 350 million people may speak English in India alone. Obviously, most of these English users around the world speak it as a second language. Consequently, any discussion of change in modern English must take into account the input of those who have had to learn English. The purpose of this article is to present examples of learner language which demonstrate principles and mechanisms of language change through the much-discussed phenomenon of language play.
The truth about some and any, and some thoughts it prompted on meanings, grammatical categories, and academic grammars
Authors: Gethin Amorey
Published: April 2011

We are into the second decade of the twenty-first century, but grammarians still fail to distinguish properly between some and any (and their compounds – something/anything, etc.). This may in itself seem a small matter. But it is symptomatic of flaws in the academic study of language.
Revisiting CEWIGs: A reflection on the usage of collocations of ‘English’ with ‘world’, ‘international’ and ‘global’
Authors: Watterson Matthew
Published: April 2011

As regular readers ofEnglish Todaywould probably be aware, in the early years of the 21st Century, when applied linguists discuss the world-wide significance of the most widely learned and used language, it is not always enough to simply refer to it as ‘English’ or ‘the English language’. On the contrary, it has become almostde rigueurto collocate the word ‘English’ with ‘world’, ‘international’ or ‘global’. Thus, we have the six commonly used expressions set out in Table 1. At the risk of adding further to the crowded landscape of abbreviations in applied linguistics, I will refer to these as ‘CEWIGs’ (Collocations of ‘English’ with ‘world’, ‘international’ and ‘global’).
Phonological contrast and its phonetic enhancement: dispersedness without dispersion
Authors: Hall Daniel Currie
Published: April 2011

This paper offers a novel account of a familiar typological observation, namely the tendency of phonological inventories to consist of segments that are dispersed through the available auditory space. In contrast to previous approaches, which have treated dispersion as a goal explicitly encoded in the grammar, this paper shows that the cross-linguistic pattern follows automatically from the interaction of two independently motivated factors: phonological representations in which only contrastive features are specified, and the enhancement of these features in phonetic implementation. The merits of this approach are illustrated by examples involving both vocalic and consonantal inventories.
Notodiscus (Charopidae) on South Georgia: some implications of shell size, shell shape, and site isolation in a singular sub-Antarctic land snail
Authors: Pugh P.J.A. , Lewis Smith R.I.
Published: April 2011

Multivariate analysis shows that shells of Notodiscus sp. (Charopidae: Pulmonata) reported from South Georgia are smaller and proportionately taller than, but otherwise similar to, populations of Notodiscus hookeri (Reeve) from Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen. The origin of this solitary, and spatially limited, South Georgia population is enigmatic. It is confined to a remarkably small coastal lowland site which was glaciated at Last Glacial Maximum, precluding a Tertiary relict origin, and on the leeward north-east coast, ruling out post-glacial ocean rafting. The site is close to the King Edward Point settlement, yet the absence of any logistics connections with the Iles Crozet or Iles Kerguelen mitigates against anthropogenic introduction. The close proximity of the population to nests of blue-eyed shag (Phalacrocorax atriceps), Dominican gull (Larus dominicanus) and light-mantled sooty albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata) could imply the snail was originally introduced to South Georgia via these ocean transiting seabirds.
Macrofaunal communities on the continental shelf off Victoria Land, Ross Sea, Antarctica
Authors: Rehm Peter , Hooke Rachel A. , Thatje Sven
Published: April 2011

In austral summer 2004 benthic macrofauna was sampled along a latitudinal gradient along the northern Victoria Land coast (Ross Sea). An Agassiz trawl was used for semi-quantitative data collection of macrozoobenthos at depths from 84 to 537 m. Multivariate analysis of abundance of higher taxonomic units discriminated between the four sample sites along the latitudinal gradient. A SIMPROF analysis emphasized these geographical clusters, as the samples showed no significant differences within each cluster. A change in community structure with depth was not observed. The dominant taxonomic groups along the Victoria Land coast were Echinodermata (39%), Arthropoda (24%), Polychaeta (14%), and Mollusca (12%), not accounting for colonial organisms. Thus, the overall structure of the benthic community off the Victoria Land coast is comparable to other Antarctic regions and shows a closer relationship to the eastern Weddell Sea shelf, which may be attributable to the extensive impact of grounded ice affecting both areas.
Analysis of Roughness and Surface Hardness of a Dental Composite Using Atomic Force Microscopy and Microhardness Testing
Authors: da Silva Marcos Aurélio Bomfim , Fardin Aline Barbirato , de Vasconcellos Renata Carvalho Cabral , Santos Lucineide de Melo , Tonholo Josealdo , Júnior José Ginaldo da Silva , dos Reis José Ivo Limeira
Published: April 2011

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of a cola soft drink (CSD) and coffee on the microhardness and surface roughness of composite resin. Fifty cavities were prepared on the vestibular surface of bovine incisors and restored with nanoparticulate resin. The teeth were divided into five groups (n= 10): group A (control), immersion in artificial saliva (AS) for 14 days; group B, immersion in coffee for 15 min (3×/day) for 7 days followed by immersion in AS for another 7 days; group C, immersion in CSD for 15 min (3×/day) for 7 days followed by immersion in AS for another 7 days; group D, immersion in AS for 7 days, immersion in coffee for 15 min (3×/day) for 7 days; group E, immersion in AS for 7 days, immersion in CSD for 15 min (3×/day) for 7 days. After the immersion periods the specimens were analyzed for their microhardness and surface roughness. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed byt-test with 5% significance. Group A presented the highest average microhardness and lowest surface roughness, so it was possible to conclude that the consumption of CSD and coffee alters the microhardness and surface roughness of new restorations.
ON STICKS AND STONES AND BROKEN BONES
Authors: Kwate Naa Oyo A. , Meyer Ilan H.
Published: April 2011

Deeply embedded in everyday discourse, social interactions, and institutional practices, racism negatively affects the health and well-being of Black people in the United States. Theory and empirical research on the impact of racism on health have focused on stressful events and individual perceptions of racism, although racism is not expressed only as racist acts. Racism subordinates people and diminishes their importance; stereotyping is one of the most insidious forms of such subordination. The stereotypes that underlie social discourse about race influence how others perceive Black people and, to some extent, how Black people perceive themselves. Thus stereotypes help maintain and promote racism. Despite the importance of stereotypes in understanding racism and its effects on Black people, little attention has been paid to the impact of stereotypes on health. This paper explores the adverse effects of stereotypes on African American health, focusing on the psychological and structural pathways through which stereotyping operates. Psychological pathways are salient for these reasons: stereotyping constitutes a form of racism that may be experienced vicariously; stereotypes induce vigilance and rumination as people caricatured by them anticipate their use and spend time trying to disconfirm them; stereotypes may be internalized. Structural pathways occur because stereotypes that portray Black people as deviant, undeserving, and ultimately less human negatively affect opportunity structures and physical environments.
RECONCEPTUALIZING THE MEASUREMENT OF MULTIRACIAL STATUS FOR HEALTH RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Woo Meghan , Austin S. Bryn , Williams David R. , Bennett Gary G.
Published: April 2011

The assessment of multiracial status in U.S. health research is fraught with challenges that limit our ability to enumerate and study this population. This paper reconceptualizes the assessment of multiracial status through the development of a model with three dimensions: mixed ancestry multiracial status, self-identified multiracial status, and socially assigned multiracial status. We present challenges to studying multiracial populations and provide recommendations for improving the assessment of multiracial status in health research.
HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION IN RACIALLY DIVERSE CITIES AND COUNTIES OF XINJIANG, CHINA
Authors: Li Yuhui , Dorsten Linda
Published: April 2011

This research examines the impact of ethnic concentration and community socioeconomic status (SES) on elderly health in ethnically diverse communities in Xinjiang in northwest China. Effects of the concentration of two major ethnic populations are compared: the Han, which is the dominant ethnic group in China, and the Uyghur, the largest Muslim group in Xinjiang. Net of socioeconomic status, we find that population densities of the ethnic groups have a significant impact on our aggregate-level indicators of elderly health. Han density predicts good health, while Uyghur density predicts poor health. However, we do not find that SES indicators are independent predictors of community elder health. These findings suggest that rapidly developing economies, like those in China, do not necessarily provide the attention to health care that would result in improved quality of life and health status for the population.
RACIAL DISPARITIES IN HEALTH
Authors: Sternthal Michelle J. , Slopen Natalie , Williams David R.
Published: April 2011

Despite the widespread assumption that racial differences in stress exist and that stress is a key mediator linking racial status to poor health, relatively few studies have explicitly examined this premise. We examine the distribution of stress across racial groups and the role of stress vulnerability and exposure in explaining racial differences in health in a community sample of Black, Hispanic, and White adults, employing a modeling strategy that accounts for the correlation between types of stressors and the accumulation of stressors in the prediction of health outcomes. We find significant racial differences in overall and cumulative exposure to eight stress domains. Blacks exhibit a higher prevalence and greater clustering of high stress scores than Whites. American-born Hispanics show prevalence rates and patterns of accumulation of stressors comparable to Blacks, while foreign-born Hispanics have stress profiles similar to Whites. Multiple stressors correlate with poor physical and mental health, with financial and relationship stressors exhibiting the largest and most consistent effects. Though we find no support for the stress-vulnerability hypothesis, the stress-exposure hypothesis does account for some racial health disparities. We discuss implications for future research and policy.
“IT'S A LOT OF WORK”
Authors: Viruell-Fuentes Edna A.
Published: April 2011

Explanations for immigrant and Latino health outcomes often invoke culture through the use of the concept of acculturation. The use of acculturation models in health research has been, however, the topic of growing debate. Critics of acculturation-based explanations point out that despite the growing psychometric sophistication in measuring acculturation, the concept and its underlying assumptions remain flawed. Specifically, questions regarding how Mexicans experience and make sense of the ethnoracial structure of the United States and how racialization processes impact health and well-being remain largely ignored within acculturation-based models. By examining the processes Mexican women engage in as they construct ethnic identities within a stigmatizing social environment in the United States, this paper contributes answers to these questions. Based on a qualitative analysis of forty in-depth interviews conducted with first-generation Mexican immigrant women and second-generation Mexican American women in Detroit, this paper describes how Mexican women work through the tensions and complexities embedded in the process of constructing a sense of ethnic belonging while, at the same time, confronting and resisting racial stereotypes of Mexicans in the United States. Women's narratives suggest that the stress involved in negotiating ethnic identities under stigmatizing environments might be one of the ways in which living in a racialized society affects health outcomes. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for Latino and immigrant health.
STRUCTURAL RACISM AND HEALTH INEQUITIES
Authors: Gee Gilbert C. , Ford Chandra L.
Published: April 2011

Racial minorities bear a disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality. These inequities might be explained by racism, given the fact that racism has restricted the lives of racial minorities and immigrants throughout history. Recent studies have documented that individuals who report experiencing racism have greater rates of illnesses. While this body of research has been invaluable in advancing knowledge on health inequities, it still locates the experiences of racism at the individual level. Yet, the health of social groups is likely most strongly affected by structural, rather than individual, phenomena. The structural forms of racism and their relationship to health inequities remain under-studied. This article reviews several ways of conceptualizing structural racism, with a focus on social segregation, immigration policy, and intergenerational effects. Studies of disparities should more seriously consider the multiple dimensions of structural racism as fundamental causes of health disparities.
THE IMPACT OF RACISM ON CLINICIAN COGNITION, BEHAVIOR, AND CLINICAL DECISION MAKING
Authors: van Ryn Michelle , Burgess Diana J. , Dovidio John F. , Phelan Sean M. , Saha Somnath , Malat Jennifer , Griffin Joan M. , Fu Steven S. , Perry Sylvia
Published: April 2011

Over the past two decades, thousands of studies have demonstrated that Blacks receive lower quality medical care than Whites, independent of disease status, setting, insurance, and other clinically relevant factors. Despite this, there has been little progress towards eradicating these inequities. Almost a decade ago we proposed a conceptual model identifying mechanisms through which clinicians' behavior, cognition, and decision making might be influenced by implicit racial biases and explicit racial stereotypes, and thereby contribute to racial inequities in care. Empirical evidence has supported many of these hypothesized mechanisms, demonstrating that White medical care clinicians: (1) hold negative implicit racial biases and explicit racial stereotypes, (2) have implicit racial biases that persist independently of and in contrast to their explicit (conscious) racial attitudes, and (3) can be influenced by racial bias in their clinical decision making and behavior during encounters with Black patients. This paper applies evidence from several disciplines to further specify our original model and elaborate on the ways racism can interact with cognitive biases to affect clinicians' behavior and decisions and in turn, patient behavior and decisions. We then highlight avenues for intervention and make specific recommendations to medical care and grant-making organizations.
PERFORMING BLACKNESS IN A SOUTH AFRICAN HIV/AIDS CHOIR
Authors: Okigbo Austin C.
Published: April 2011

The Siphithemba Choir, an HIV/AIDS support group at the McCord Mission Hospital in Durban, South Africa, uses songs that conflate “Africa” and “Black Race” (abantu abamnyama)or “Black Nation” (Umnyama yezwe) to perform their experience of HIV/AIDS, thus signaling global ethnic/racial consciousness in the context of the HIV/AIDS discourse. This paper argues that the musical referencing of race and ethnicity by this group of HIV-positive South Africans could be explained as a function of related factors: the nature of the AIDS virus, the history and lingering effects of apartheid, the continuing interracial acrimony in the post-apartheid environment, and the global politics of AIDS. A combination of these factors has inevitably impacted how HIV/AIDS is perceived and interpreted through the lens of race. Hence the Siphithemba Choir's musical performance is analyzed in this paper as an expressive articulation of an African and Black experience of AIDS, and a performance of Black identity in the context of the global AIDS pandemic.
Urban people as paddy farmers: The Japanese Tanada Ownership System discussed from a European perspective
Authors: Kieninger Pia R. , Yamaji Eiji , Penker Marianne
Published: April 2011

The degradation of the traditional cultural landscape due to abandonment of agricultural management is perceived as a serious problem in different parts of the world. Rising consciousness concerning this issue in Japan led to the formation of numerous voluntary civil farming programs. This paper presents a multi-method case study conducted in Japan (Ōyamasenmaida, Chiba prefecture) about a highly relevant rural–urban cooperation, where landholders lease out their rice terraces to city dwellers to grow their own rice under the intensive instruction and well-organized support by local farmers and other local experts. The activity is known as ‘Tanada Ownership’ (tanada means rice terrace). It is spread over the country and promises, in contrast to the short-term individualistic European models, long-term rural–urban relations, the valorization of local knowledge and natural resources as well as the maintenance of the rice-terrace landscapes in several regions of Japan. The particular goal of this research is the investigation of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the system and the motivation of its participants. The Japanese approach is compared with similar European initiatives and conclusions focus on the particularities of the Japanese Ownership System and its transferability to the European context. Despite the innovativeness and popularity of the Ownership System, scientific studies are relatively scarce and none of them published are in English. This article therefore presents an original and important contribution to the scientific community, as it provides insights into the Tanada Ownership System and puts it into an international context by comparing it with European initiatives of voluntary farm work.
Scratching the heart of the artichoke? How international institutions and the European Union constrain the state monopoly of force
Authors: Herschinger Eva , Jachtenfuchs Markus , Kraft-Kasack Christiane
Published: April 2011

In recent years, a growing literature has argued that European Union (EU) member states have undergone a profound transformation caused by international institutions and by the EU, in particular. However, the state core – the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force, embodied by the police – seemed to remain intact. The literature has argued that in this area, international institutions are weak, and cooperation has remained informal and intergovernmental. We take issue with these claims and evaluate the strength of international institutions in two core areas of policing (terrorism and drugs) over time. We find that in terms of decision-making, precision, and adjudication, international institutions have become considerably stronger over time. Even when international institutions remain intergovernmental they strongly regulate how EU member states exercise their monopoly of force. Member states are even further constrained because adjudication is delegated to the European Court of Justice. Thus, even the state core is undergoing a significant transformation.
Explaining the welfare state: power resources vs. the Quality of Government
Authors: Rothstein Bo , Samanni Marcus , Teorell Jan
Published: April 2011

The hitherto most successful theory explaining why similar industrialized market economies have developed such varying systems for social protection is the Power Resource Theory (PRT), according to which the generosity of the welfare state is a function of working class mobilization. In this paper, we argue that there is an under-theorized link in the micro-foundations for PRT, namely why wage earners trying to cope with social risks and demand for redistribution would turn to the state for a solution. Our approach, the Quality of Government (QoG) theory, stresses the importance of trustworthy, impartial, and uncorrupted government institutions as a precondition for citizens’ willingness to support policies for social insurance. Drawing on data on 18 OECD countries during 1984–2000, we find (a) that QoG positively affects the size and generosity of the welfare state, and (b) that the effect of working class mobilization on welfare state generosity increases with the level of QoG.
Economic performance and institutions: capturing the dependent variable
Authors: Vis Barbara , Woldendorp Jaap , Keman Hans
Published: April 2011

In the debate about the relationship between institutions and overall economic performance, the dependent variable has received scant attention – in contrast to the independent variable(s). This paper tries to enhance the understanding of the link between institutions and performance by presenting and assessing a substantively grounded conceptualization and operationalization of overall economic performance based on economic growth, employment, and public debt. A fuzzy-set ideal-type analysis of performance of 19 OECD countries between 1975 and 2005 reveals substantial variation across countries and over time that cannot sufficiently be accounted for by two key institutional features: corporatism and consensus democracy. Corporatism and consensus democracy may account for policy formation and implementation, but hardly for economic performance.
EMBO workshop on immunology and metabolism
Authors: Staels Bart , Dombrowicz David , Grohmann Ursula
Published: April 2011

The EMBO Workshop on Immunology and Metabolism took place in January 2011. The meeting brought together around 100 scientists to discuss interactions between metabolism and inflammation.
The unclosed loop–ESF minibrains meeting report
Authors: Cobb Matthew
Published: April 2011

The ESF–EMBO conference ‘Functional Neurobiology in Minibrains’ was held in October 2010. The meeting brought together around 100 scientists to discuss the interactions between neurobiology and robotics.
Arc plasma synthesis of carbon nanostructures: where is the frontier?
Authors: Keidar Michael , Shashurin Alexey , Li Jian , Volotskova Olga , Kundrapu Madhusudhan , Zhuang Tai Sen
Published: April 2011

In this perspective paper, we critically analyse the state-of-the-art of arc discharge technique of carbon nanoparticle synthesis. We discuss improving controllability of the arc discharge synthesis of carbon nanotubes, synthesis of graphene as well as general understanding of the synthesis process. Fundamental issues related to relationship between plasma parameters and carbon nanostructure characteristics are considered. Effects of electrical and magnetic fields applied during single-wall carbon nanotube synthesis in arc plasma are explored. Finally our personal opinion on what future trends will be in arc discharge synthesis is offered.
Plasma-made silicon nanograss and related nanostructures
Authors: Shieh Jiann , Ravipati Srikanth , Ko Fu-Hsiang , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken)
Published: April 2011

Plasma-made nanostructures show outstanding potential for applications in nanotechnology. This paper provides a concise overview on the progress of plasma-based synthesis and applications of silicon nanograss and related nanostructures. The materials described here include black silicon, Si nanotips produced using a self-masking technique as well as self-organized silicon nanocones and nanograss. The distinctive features of the Si nanograss, two-tier hierarchical and tilted nanograss structures are discussed. Specific applications based on the unique features of the silicon nanograss are also presented.
Perspectives in nanoscale plasma etching: what are the ultimate limits?
Authors: Marchack Nathan , Chang Jane P
Published: April 2011

Plasmas have been widely utilized to pattern various materials, from metals to semiconductors and oxides to polymers, for a vast array of applications. The interplay between physical, chemical and material properties that comprises the backbone of plasma etching is discussed in this perspective paper, with a focus on the needed tools and approaches to address the challenges facing plasma etching and to realize the desired pattern transfer fidelity at the nanoscale.
Plasma etch technologies for the development of ultra-small feature size transistor devices
Authors: Borah D , Shaw M T , Rasappa S , Farrell R A , O'Mahony C , Faulkner C M , Bosea M , Gleeson P , Holmes J D , Morris M A
Published: April 2011

The advances in information and communication technologies have been largely predicated around the increases in computer processor power derived from the constant miniaturization (and consequent higher density) of individual transistors. Transistor design has been largely unchanged for many years and progress has been around scaling of the basic CMOS device. Scaling has been enabled by photolithography improvements (i.e. patterning) and secondary processing such as deposition, implantation, planarization, etc. Perhaps the most important of the secondary processes is the plasma etch methodology whereby the pattern created by lithography is ‘transferred’ to the surface via a selective etch to remove exposed material. However, plasma etch technologies face challenges as scaling continues. Maintaining absolute fidelity in pattern transfer at sub-16 nm dimensions will require advances in plasma technology (plasma sources, chamber design, etc) and chemistry (etch gases, flows, interactions with substrates, etc). In this paper, we illustrate some of these challenges by discussing the formation of ultra-small device structures from the directed self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) where nanopatterns are formed from the micro-phase separation of the system. The polymer pattern is transferred by a double etch procedure where one block is selectively removed and the remaining block acts as a resist pattern for silicon pattern transfer. Data are presented which shows that highly regular nanowire patterns of feature size below 20 nm can be created using etch optimization techniques and in this paper we demonstrate generation of crystalline silicon nanowire arrays with feature sizes below 8 nm. BCP techniques are demonstrated to be applicable from these ultra-small feature sizes to 40 nm dimensions. Etch profiles show rounding effects because etch selectivity in these nanoscale resist patterns is limited and the resist thickness rather low. The nanoscale nature of the topography generated also places high demands on developing new etch processes.
Towards large-scale plasma-assisted synthesis of nanowires
Authors: Cvelbar U
Published: April 2011

Large quantities of nanomaterials, e.g. nanowires (NWs), are needed to overcome the high market price of nanomaterials and make nanotechnology widely available for general public use and applications to numerous devices. Therefore, there is an enormous need for new methods or routes for synthesis of those nanostructures. Here plasma technologies for synthesis of NWs, nanotubes, nanoparticles or other nanostructures might play a key role in the near future. This paper presents a three-dimensional problem of large-scale synthesis connected with the time, quantity and quality of nanostructures. Herein, four different plasma methods for NW synthesis are presented in contrast to other methods, e.g. thermal processes, chemical vapour deposition or wet chemical processes. The pros and cons are discussed in detail for the case of two metal oxides: iron oxide and zinc oxide NWs, which are important for many applications.
Plasmas meet nanoparticles—where synergies can advance the frontier of medicine
Authors: Kong M G , Keidar M , Ostrikov K
Published: April 2011

Nanoparticles and low-temperature plasmas have been developed, independently and often along different routes, to tackle the same set of challenges in biomedicine. There are intriguing similarities and contrasts in their interactions with cells and living tissues, and these are reflected directly in the characteristics and scope of their intended therapeutic solutions, in particular their chemical reactivity, selectivity against pathogens and cancer cells, safety to healthy cells and tissues and targeted delivery to diseased tissues. Time has come to ask the inevitable question of possible plasma–nanoparticle synergy and the related benefits to the development of effective, selective and safe therapies for modern medicine. This perspective paper offers a detailed review of the strengths and weakenesses of nanomedicine and plasma medicine as a stand-alone technology, and then provides a critical analysis of some of the major opportunities enabled by synergizing nanotechnology and plasma technology. It is shown that the plasma–nanoparticle synergy is best captured through plasma nanotechnology and its benefits for medicine are highly promising.
On the origin of self-organization of SiO2 nanodots deposited by CVD enhanced by atmospheric pressure remote microplasma
Authors: Arnoult G , Belmonte T , Kosior F , Dossot M , Henrion G
Published: April 2011

The origin of organization of nanostructured silica coatings deposited on stainless steel substrates by remote microplasma at atmospheric pressure is investigated. We show by resorting to thermal camera measurements coupled with modelling that deposition, limited to a few seconds in time, occurs at low temperature (∼below 420 K) although the gas temperature may reach 1400 K. Raman analyses of deposited films with thicknesses below 1 µm show the presence of oxidized silicon bonded to the metallic surface. The origin of nanodots is explained as follows. Close to the microplasma nozzle, the concentration of oxidizing species and/or the temperature being high enough, a silica thin film is obtained, leading to ceramic–metallic oxide interface that leads to a Volmer–Weber growth mode and to the synthesis of 3D structures over long treatment times. Far from the nozzle, the reactivity decreasing, thin films get a plasma–polymer like behaviour which leads to a Franck–Van der Merwe growth mode and films with a higher density. Other nanostructures, made of hexagonal cells, are observed but remain unexplained.
Thermal plasmas for nanofabrication
Authors: Shigeta Masaya , Murphy Anthony B
Published: April 2011

In this paper, we review the recent progress in nanofabrication by thermal plasmas, and attempt to define some of the most important issues in the field. For synthesis of nanoparticles, the experimental studies in the past five years are briefly introduced; the theoretical and numerical modelling works of the past 20 years are reviewed with some detailed explanations. Also, the use of thermal plasmas to produce nanostructured films and coatings is described. A wide range of technologies have been developed, ranging from chemical vapour deposition processes to new plasma spraying processes. We present an overview of the different techniques and the important physical phenomena, as well as the requirements for future progress.
Computer modelling of the plasma chemistry and plasma-based growth mechanisms for nanostructured materials
Authors: Bogaerts Annemie , Eckert Maxie , Mao Ming , Neyts Erik
Published: April 2011

In this review paper, an overview is given of different modelling efforts for plasmas used for the formation and growth of nanostructured materials. This includes both the plasma chemistry, providing information on the precursors for nanostructure formation, as well as the growth processes itself. We limit ourselves to carbon (and silicon) nanostructures. Examples of the plasma modelling comprise nanoparticle formation in silane and hydrocarbon plasmas, as well as the plasma chemistry giving rise to carbon nanostructure formation, such as (ultra)nanocrystalline diamond ((U)NCD) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The second part of the paper deals with the simulation of the (plasma-based) growth mechanisms of the same carbon nanostructures, i.e. (U)NCD and CNTs, both by mechanistic modelling and detailed atomistic simulations.
Dusty plasma for nanotechnology
Authors: Boufendi L , Jouanny M Ch , Kovacevic E , Berndt J , Mikikian M
Published: April 2011

Over the years dust particles formed in plasmas and used for microelectronic technologies were considered as an important source of irremediable defects. They grow in the gas phase through homogeneous chemical reactions and remain trapped in the plasma gas phase due to the negative charge they acquire by electron attachment. The earlier formed particles are, under certain conditions, crystallites of 2 to 4 nm in diameter when operating at room temperature. These nanocrystallites can be used as quantum dots for many applications in nanoelectronics (single electron devices, etc), photoluminescent devices, optical amplification and biomedical applications. We show here that dusty plasmas can be a very efficient tool for the synthesis of these nano-objects. Using its physical properties we showed that it is possible to control the synthesis of nanocrystallites or nanoparticles with well-defined sizes. The sizes of the earlier nanocrystallites can also be tuned by varying the plasma physical parameters.
The effect of microscopic charged particulates in space weather
Authors: Popel S I , Kopnin S I , Yu M Y , Ma J X , Huang Feng
Published: April 2011

Space weather is a relatively new and important field of research. It is relevant to diverse topics such as radio communication, space travel, diagnostics of ionospheric and space plasmas, detection of pollutants and re-entry objects, prediction of terrestrial weather and global warming. Recently it has been shown that nano- and micrometre-sized electrically charged particulates from interplanetary space and from the Earth's atmosphere can affect the local properties as well as the diagnostics of the interplanetary, magnetospheric, ionospheric and terrestrial complex plasmas. In this report the sources of the charged dust particulates and the effects of the latter on the near-Earth space weather are examined.
Bismark: a flexible aligner and methylation caller for Bisulfite-Seq applications
Authors: Krueger Felix , Andrews Simon R.
Published: April 2011

Summary: A combination of bisulfite treatment of DNA and high-throughput sequencing (BS-Seq) can capture a snapshot of a cell's epigenomic state by revealing its genome-wide cytosine methylation at single base resolution. Bismark is a flexible tool for the time-efficient analysis of BS-Seq data which performs both read mapping and methylation calling in a single convenient step. Its output discriminates between cytosines in CpG, CHG and CHH context and enables bench scientists to visualize and interpret their methylation data soon after the sequencing run is completed.

Availability and implementation: Bismark is released under the GNU GPLv3+ licence. The source code is freely available from www.bioinformatics.bbsrc.ac.uk/projects/bismark/.

Contact:  felix.krueger@bbsrc.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Integrating ecophysiology and plankton dynamics into projected maximum fisheries catch potential under climate change in the Northeast Atlantic
Authors: Cheung William W. L. , Dunne John , Sarmiento Jorge L. , Pauly Daniel
Published: April 2011

Cheung, W. W. L., Dunne, J., Sarmiento, J. L., and Pauly, D. 2011. Integrating ecophysiology and plankton dynamics into projected maximum fisheries catch potential under climate change in the Northeast Atlantic. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1008–1018. Previous global analyses projected shifts in species distributions and maximum fisheries catch potential across ocean basins by 2050 under the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A1B. However, these studies did not account for the effects of changes in ocean biogeochemistry and phytoplankton community structure that affect fish and invertebrate distribution and productivity. This paper uses a dynamic bioclimatic envelope model that incorporates these factors to project distribution and maximum catch potential of 120 species of exploited demersal fish and invertebrates in the Northeast Atlantic. Using projections from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Earth System Model (ESM2.1) under the SRES A1B, we project an average rate of distribution-centroid shift of 52 km decade−1 northwards and 5.1 m decade−1 deeper from 2005 to 2050. Ocean acidification and reduction in oxygen content reduce growth performance, increase the rate of range shift, and lower the estimated catch potentials (10-year average of 2050 relative to 2005) by 20–30% relative to simulations without considering these factors. Consideration of phytoplankton community structure may further reduce projected catch potentials by ∼10%. These results highlight the sensitivity of marine ecosystems to biogeochemical changes and the need to incorporate likely hypotheses of their biological and ecological effects in assessing climate change impacts.
Spatial organization of krill and seabirds in the central California Current
Authors: Santora Jarrod A. , Ralston Stephen , Sydeman William J.
Published: April 2011

Santora, J. A., Ralston, S., and Sydeman, W. J. 2011. Spatial organization of krill and seabirds in the central California Current. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1391–1402. The hypothesis that krill and krill–predator spatial organization and abundance co-vary interannually was tested by investigating the spatial organization of krill and planktivorous seabirds in the central California Current ecosystem over 5 years of varying oceanographic conditions, 2002–2006. To measure the abundance and distribution of krill, data were integrated from large-scale hydroacoustic surveys and station-based net samples, and these data linked to concurrent shipboard visual surveys of seabirds. Acoustically based estimates of the relative abundance of krill were correlated with net samples of Euphausia pacifica, suggesting that acoustic signals mainly reflected the distribution of this numerically dominant species. The distribution and abundance of krill displayed marked changes over years, but the characteristic spatial scale of krill and seabirds remained similar (1–4 nautical miles), confirming the hypothesis of covariance in spatial structure. Krill and the seabird species investigated showed similar habitat associations, i.e. the outer shelf and shelf–slope region, showing that the at-sea distributions of seabirds can provide information on the presence/absence of krill patches. The results also underscore the importance of measuring spatial organization as well as relative abundance in promoting better understanding of predator–prey and marine ecosystem dynamics.
Autophagy-deficient mice develop multiple liver tumors
Authors: Takamura Akito , Komatsu Masaaki , Hara Taichi , Sakamoto Ayako , Kishi Chieko , Waguri Satoshi , Eishi Yoshinobu , Hino Okio , Tanaka Keiji , Mizushima Noboru
Published: April 2011

Autophagy is a major pathway for degradation of cytoplasmic proteins and organelles, and has been implicated in tumor suppression. Here, we report that mice with systemic mosaic deletion of Atg5 and liver-specific Atg7−/− mice develop benign liver adenomas. These tumor cells originate autophagy-deficient hepatocytes and show mitochondrial swelling, p62 accumulation, and oxidative stress and genomic damage responses. The size of the Atg7−/− liver tumors is reduced by simultaneous deletion of p62. These results suggest that autophagy is important for the suppression of spontaneous tumorigenesis through a cell-intrinsic mechanism, particularly in the liver, and that p62 accumulation contributes to tumor progression.
H3K9 methyltransferase G9a and the related molecule GLP
Authors: Shinkai Yoichi , Tachibana Makoto
Published: April 2011

The discovery of Suv39h1, the first SET domain-containing histone lysine methyltransferase (HKMT), was reported in 2000. Since then, research on histone methylation has progressed rapidly. Among the identified HKMTs in mammals, G9a and GLP are the primary enzymes for mono- and dimethylation at Lys 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me1 and H3K9me2), and exist predominantly as a G9a–GLP heteromeric complex that appears to be a functional H3K9 methyltransferase in vivo. Recently, many important studies have reported that G9a and GLP play critical roles in various biological processes. The physiological relevance of G9a/GLP-mediated epigenetic gene regulation is discussed.
Polycomb EZH2 controls self-renewal and safeguards the transcriptional identity of skeletal muscle stem cells
Authors: Juan Aster H. , Derfoul Assia , Feng Xuesong , Ryall James G. , Dell'Orso Stefania , Pasut Alessandra , Zare Hossein , Simone James M. , Rudnicki Michael A. , Sartorelli Vittorio
Published: April 2011

Satellite cells (SCs) sustain muscle growth and empower adult skeletal muscle with vigorous regenerative abilities. Here, we report that EZH2, the enzymatic subunit of the Polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is expressed in both Pax7+/Myf5− stem cells and Pax7+/Myf5+ committed myogenic precursors and is required for homeostasis of the adult SC pool. Mice with conditional ablation of Ezh2 in SCs have fewer muscle postnatal Pax7+ cells and reduced muscle mass and fail to appropriately regenerate. These defects are associated with impaired SC proliferation and derepression of genes expressed in nonmuscle cell lineages. Thus, EZH2 controls self-renewal and proliferation, and maintains an appropriate transcriptional program in SCs.
A method for detecting IBD regions simultaneously in multiple individuals—with applications to disease genetics
Authors: Moltke Ida , Albrechtsen Anders , Hansen Thomas v.O. , Nielsen Finn C. , Nielsen Rasmus
Published: April 2011

All individuals in a finite population are related if traced back long enough and will, therefore, share regions of their genomes identical by descent (IBD). Detection of such regions has several important applications—from answering questions about human evolution to locating regions in the human genome containing disease-causing variants. However, IBD regions can be difficult to detect, especially in the common case where no pedigree information is available. In particular, all existing non-pedigree based methods can only infer IBD sharing between two individuals. Here, we present a new Markov Chain Monte Carlo method for detection of IBD regions, which does not rely on any pedigree information. It is based on a probabilistic model applicable to unphased SNP data. It can take inbreeding, allele frequencies, genotyping errors, and genomic distances into account. And most importantly, it can simultaneously infer IBD sharing among multiple individuals. Through simulations, we show that the simultaneous modeling of multiple individuals makes the method more powerful and accurate than several other non-pedigree based methods. We illustrate the potential of the method by applying it to data from individuals with breast and/or ovarian cancer, and show that a known disease-causing mutation can be mapped to a 2.2-Mb region using SNP data from only five seemingly unrelated affected individuals. This would not be possible using classical linkage mapping or association mapping.