bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tipping Points in the History of Academic Theatre and Performance Studies in South Africa
Authors: HAUPTFLEISCH TEMPLE
Published: October 2010

This article considers five tipping points or phases in the development of modern theatre studies in South Africa. It begins with the period from 1925 to 1935, a time when the first major theatre history appeared, a fully fledged (Western) theatre system was established and the African theatre tradition was recognized. It details 1945 to 1962 for the establishment of a coherent professional theatre system, the first state-funded theatre company and the first drama departments. Thereafter, 1970 to 1985 is identified as the most significant period in relation to the political struggle for liberation in South Africa, while the last two phases (1988–94 and 1997–9) under consideration are characterized by an increase in research output and by the need for practitioners and commentators to seek reconciliation and healing through theatre and performance.
Pedagogy, practice and research in Indian theatre
Authors: ANANTHAKRISHNAN B.
Published: October 2010

Modern academic training for theatre in India has a history of just over fifty years (since independence). The National School of Drama (NSD) was set up in 1957, but the prime objective of the institution at that time was to generate professionals to develop children's theatre and rural theatre. Although India possessed a wide range of traditional performance cultures throughout the country, from rituals to folk performances and classical performances, the NSD was modelled on the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) since the new institution was led by a graduate of RADA, Professor Ebrahim Alkazi, who put the institution on a functional track. Thus the toolkit used during the initial days was primarily based on Western models conducive to realism rather than growing organically out of the actual practices of the different forms of Indian performance. This early orientation remains today, emphasizing the creation of referential meanings on the stage through conventional methods and devices, taken as the unshakable organizing principle of theatre practice.
Interweaving cultures in performance: theatre in a globalizing world
Authors: FISCHER-LICHTE ERIKA
Published: October 2010

One of the most urgent issues facing theatre research today is the question of how theatre is affected by the rapid processes of globalization.
The Birth of Legal Aid: Gender Ideologies, Women, and the Bar in New York City, 1863–1910
Authors: Batlan Felice
Published: October 2010

At the New York Legal Aid Society's twenty-fifth anniversary banquet in 1901, Arthur von Briesen, the Society's longtime president, ended the evening with the following acknowledgement: “Before we separate I beg to be permitted to say a few words on … the valuable aid which the Society has received from the women of New York. I want you to understand that without them we could not have prospered, without their assistance we could not have done the work… . Their energetic efforts in our behalf, their clear understanding of the duties … has enabled us to increase not only the forte and our power for good, but enabled us to create a special branch in which the cases of women can be specially considered by an able lawyer who is also a woman.” Here Briesen publicly recognized women's efforts on behalf of legal aid as benefactors, supporters, volunteers, and lawyers. The audience that evening would not have been surprised to learn that a woman lawyer now would be providing legal services to women clients, for this was not a new phenomenon. The Society already employed a number of women lawyers. Furthermore women formally untrained in law, but nonetheless acting as lawyers, had prior to the turn of the century provided legal services to poor women through New York City's Working Women's Protective Union (WWPU). As I demonstrate, the origins of legal aid lay in the provision of legal services to poor women—often by other women.
Introduction
Authors: Kolsky Elizabeth
Published: October 2010

How do we understand the relationship between law, power, and agency in colonial contexts? Broadly speaking, scholarly opinion is divided between those who view law as a core instrument of colonial control and those who emphasize the ways in which the complexities and ambiguities of colonial legal rule created room for maneuver and manipulation. The articles in this forum skillfully advance our insight into these issues by analyzing the workings of the personal law system in British India, with an emphasis on laws related to marriage. My introductory essay briefly summarizes the two primary approaches to the study of law and empire, clarifies the contribution of the articles to the broader literature, and draws out the thematic links that tie the forum together.
The Two Husbands of Vera Tiscenko: Apostasy, Conversion, and Divorce in Late Colonial India
Authors: De Rohit
Published: October 2010

On June 27, 1940, Vera Tiscenko, a Polish actress formerly with the Moscow Arts Theatre, “of her own free will and after due deliberation” embraced the Islamic faith at the Nakoda Mosque at 19 Chowringee Road, Calcutta. Vera Tiscenko's journey from Moscow to colonial Calcutta was a long and tortuous one. Fleeing the country after the revolution, Vera settled in Berlin where she married a Russian émigré, Eugene Tiscenko. Over the next few years they moved across Europe from Nazi Berlin to civil war Spain and finally settled in Mussolini's Rome, where Vera gave birth to a son, Oleg. In 1938, Eugene Tiscenko went to Edinburgh to qualify for a British medical degree, while Vera and her son left Rome for Calcutta after being invited by Professor Shahid Suhrawardy, her former director at the Moscow Arts Theatre. The reason for the separation between the couple remains unclear. Chief Justice Derbyshire was to speculate that Eugene Tiscenko might have intended to settle somewhere in British India after qualifying, but Vera herself admitted that the marriage had been unhappy. Finding “relief and solace in the teachings of Islam,” she cabled her husband the news of her conversion and requested that he accept the Islamic faith. Eugene Tiscenko replied that his religious convictions were unshakable and “refused absolutely” to change his faith.
Colonial Law and Its Uncertainties
Authors: Merry Sally Engle
Published: October 2010

Colonialism was always an uncertain process. Even the imposition of colonial law was fraught with incomplete application, resistance, and the reinterpretation of European categories in indigenous terms. Magistrates often operated with fragmentary and inaccurate understandings of local cultural practices and rules, seeking to rectify this disadvantage by relying on local experts yet unable to adjust their decisions according to the class and kin interests of these experts. Staffing was often limited, local linguistic knowledge lacking, and a sociological understanding of how custom operated according to social status and shared knowledge of individuals often missing. Colonial officials faced the problem of limited capacity and large populations to manage and govern. Indeed, recognition of distinct regimes of personal law was one solution to the dilemma of the need to control populations at the lowest possible cost. Even though retrospective histories tend to emphasize the transformative power of colonial law, as this collection shows so well, at the time the practices were far more ambiguously linked to the power to change. Instead, they created spaces for contestation and agency. However, these wonderfully detailed and careful studies also show that despite creative uses of the courts, women often did not succeed in legally challenging the marriages that bound them.
Attilaand Verdi's historical imagination
Authors: SORBA CARLOTTA
Published: October 2010

This is a study of theprimo ottocentoItalian literary and historical vogue for conquerors and conquered peoples, and in particular how the fifth-century Attila became a paradigmatic figure to those involved with the Risorgimento, including Verdi and Solera.
Attila takes Rome: the reception of Verdi's opera on the eve of revolution
Authors: Ipson Douglas L.
Published: October 2010

Drawing on a wealth of new historical and musical documentation as well as the patriotic hymns of 1848, this essay places the Roman premiere of Attila at the forefront of revolutionary unrest. It also responds seriously to the claim that Verdi's Risorgimento agenda in his operas was not recognised in its own time.
Verdi's Attila: a study in chiaroscuro
Authors: GERHARD ANSELM
Published: October 2010

This study untangles the complex literary, historical, political and theatrical web of Verdi, Solera, Zacharias Werner, Madame De Staël and Giuseppe Mazzini, and relates it to Verdi's use of light and dark imagery in Werner's play.
Survivin is a critical regulator of spindle organization and chromosome segregation during rat oocyte meiotic maturation
Authors: Wang Ke , Jiang Guang-Jian , Wei Liang , Liang Xing-Wei , Miao De-Qiang , Sun Shao-Chen , Guo Lei , Wang Zhen-Bo , Lu Sheng-Sheng
Published: October 2010

Survivin is a novel member of the inhibitor of apoptosis gene family that bear baculoviral IAP repeats (BIRs), whose physiological roles in regulating meiotic cell cycle need to be determined. Confocal microscopy was employed to observe the localization of survivin in rat oocytes. At the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, survivin was mainly concentrated in the GV. At the prometaphase I (pro-MI) and metaphase I (MI) stage, survivin was mainly localized at the kinetochores, with a light staining detected on the chromosomes. After transition to anaphase I or telophase I stage, survivin migrated to the midbody, and signals on the kinetochores and chromosomes disappeared. At metaphase II (MII) stage, survivin became mainly localized at the kinetochores again. Microinjection of oocytes with anti-survivin antibodies at the beginning of the meiosis, thus blocking the normal function of survivin, resulted in abnormal spindle assembly, chromosome segregation and first polar body emission. These results suggest that survivin is involved in regulating the meiotic cell cycle in rat oocytes.
OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEMS FOR GENERAL GLOBAL HYBRID DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS WITH MATRIX COST FUNCTIONAL
Authors: GAO RUI , LIU XINZHI
Published: October 2010

This paper considers an optimal control problem for a class of controlled hybrid dynamical systems (HDSs) with prescribed switchings. By using Ekeland’s variational principle and a matrix cost functional, a minimum principle for HDSs is derived, which provides a necessary condition of the aforementioned problem. The results given in this paper include both pure continuous systems and pure discrete-time systems as special cases.
Investigating the Lee thesis: how bad is democracy for Asian economies?
Authors: Knutsen Carl Henrik
Published: October 2010

This paper discusses the hypothesis that democracy hurts economic growth and development, also known as the Lee thesis, and discusses why one could expect dictatorship to be particularly beneficial for growth in the Asian context. Three general theoretical arguments in support of the Lee thesis are then presented. However, the empirical results, based on panel data analysis on more than 20 Asian countries, do not support the hypothesis that dictatorship increases economic growth in Asia. There is no significant, average effect of democracy on growth. Asian dictatorships do invest a larger fraction of their GDP than democracies, but they are worse at generating high enrollment ratios in education after primary school.
Institutional determinants of deliberative interaction
Authors: Landwehr Claudia , Holzinger Katharina
Published: October 2010

A central assumption of deliberative theory is that political preferences are endogenous to decision-making processes in which they are transformed by communicative interaction. We identify discursiveness and coordination of interaction as central determinants of preference change and develop a typology of political modes of interaction that affect the likelihood of preference change differently. These properties are in turn influenced by institutional characteristics of the fora in which communicative interaction takes place. To illustrate our approach empirically we present a comparative analysis of two extreme modes of interaction, ‘debate’ and ‘deliberation’, providing a case study of a parliamentary debate and a citizen conference on the same conflict: the import of embryonic stem cells in Germany. We assess the discursiveness and coordination as well as the amount of preference transformation in both forums.
Steckbriefe einzelner lymphoproliferativer Erkrankungen
Authors: Fey Martin F.
Published: October 2010

Die Literatur über maligne Lymphome ist unübersichtlich geworden, sogar für Spezialisten. Viele Hausärzte oder Internisten nähern sich dem Thema mit dem unguten Gefühl, als „einfache“ Kliniker ohnehin nicht mithalten zu können. Diese Einschätzung ist nur bedingt richtig. Auch wenn die Pathologie und die Molekularbiologie neue Daten zu diesen Tumoren in der Literatur parkiert haben, so können wir mit einfachen klinischen Mitteln und Routinelabortests sowie mit bildgebenden Verfahren durchaus „typische Vignetten“ einzelner maligner Lymphome finden.
Aktuelle klinische Aspekte des follikulären Lymphoms
Authors: Dreyling Martin
Published: October 2010

In der klinischen Praxis machen die follikulären Lymphome (FL) die Mehrheit der niedrig malignen Lymphome aus. Die große Mehrheit der Patienten wird im fortgeschrittenen Stadium III/IV diagnostiziert. Bei Erstdiagnose stehen meist schmerzlose Lymphknotenschwellungen sowie eine B-Symptomatik, seltener eine Knochenmarkinfiltration mit Verdrängung der normalen Hämatopoese oder seltener ein Hypersplenismus im Vordergrund. Der klinische Verlauf ist durch einen nur langsam voranschreitenden Verlauf, aber regelmäßige Rezidive gekennzeichnet. In den letzten 10 Jahren hat sich die Gesamtprognose der Patienten gerade im fortgeschrittenen Stadium durch den Einsatz Antikörper-basierter Strategien (komb. Immuno-Chemotherapie, Rituximab-Erhaltung, Radioimmunotherapie) sowie optimierter Transplantationsstrategien (Hochdosis-Konsolidierung, allogene Transplantation mit dosisreduzierter Konditionierung) deutlich verbessert, so dass aktuelle Serien ein medianes Gesamtüberleben von ca. 20 Jahren berichten.
Management of non-Hodgkin lymphomas arising at extranodal sites
Authors: Zucca Emanuele , Gregorini Anna , Cavalli Franco
Published: October 2010

Primary extranodal lymphomas are relatively rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma presentations with either no or only “minor” nodal involvement along with a clinically “dominant” extranodal component, to which primary treatment must often be directed. Clinical presentations depend largely on the localization and are similar to those of other malignancies affecting that specific organ. In addition to the histological subtype, the primary organ of origin represents the most significant prognostic factor due to differences in natural history and, mainly, in management strategies related to organ-specific problems. In principle, as for primary nodal disease, treatment strategies depends on the patient's clinical conditions, the extent and/or location of the disease, and the histological type. In general, for stage I and II disease with low tumor burden, local therapy is a relevant option both for cure and local control. In advanced stage disease, systemic chemoimmunotherapy is usually required. Localizations with particularly poor survival are the enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma, the primary testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and the primary CNS Lymphoma. However, recent studies have shown that site-tailored treatment strategies in testis and brain lymphoma may result in a significant outcome improvement. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) is the most common indolent subtype. This lymphoma usually arises in mucosal sites where lymphocytes are not normally present and where a lymphoid infiltration is acquired in response to either chronic infectious conditions or autoimmune processes: Helicobacter pylori gastritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Sjögren syndrome. Indeed, a pathogenetic link between gastric MALT lymphoma and H. pylori is strongly suggested by the regression of gastric MALT lymphoma (in approx. 75 % of cases) after antibiotic eradication of the microorganism.
Aktuelle Behandlungskonzepte in der Therapie des Multiplen Myeloms
Authors: Mey Ulrich J. M.
Published: October 2010

Die Therapiemöglichkeiten des Multiplen Myeloms haben sich in den vergangenen Jahren erheblich verbessert. Die Verfügbarkeit neuer Substanzen – insbesondere Thalidomid, Bortezomib (Velcade®) und Lenalidomid (Revlimid®) – hat die Behandlungsoptionen bei dieser Erkrankung deutlich erweitert und zu einer signifikanten Verbesserung der Prognose geführt. Der vorliegende Artikel fasst wichtige Studienergebnisse der relevantesten Studien zusammen und gibt einen Überblick über die derzeit empfohlenen Behandlungsstrategien in den verschiedenen klinischen Situationen. Im Besonderen wird dabei auf die Integration der neuen Medikamente sowohl in der Erstlinien- wie auch der Rezidivtherapie eingegangen.
Neuere Medikamente in der Lymphomtherapie – eine Übersicht
Authors: Mark Michael , Cerny Thomas
Published: October 2010

In der Lymphomtherapie sind in den vergangenen Jahren neue Medikamente entwickelt worden. Der monoklonale anti-CD20 Antikörper Rituximab revolutionierte die Behandlung der B-Zell-Non-Hodgkin-Lymphome. Die Weiterentwicklung führte zur Bildung von Rituximab-Radioimmunokonjugaten sowie vollständig humanisierter Antikörper. Bendamustin sowie Proteasominhibitoren haben bei nachgewiesener Wirksamkeit bereits die Zulassung bei einzelnen Lymphomentitäten erhalten. Histon-Deacetylase-Inhibitoren, die Idiotyp-Vakzinierung und weitere Moleküle zeigen vielversprechende Resultate in der Lymphomforschung, sodass diese zur Zeit in klinischen Studien weiter geprüft werden.
Translational control gone awry: a new mechanism of tumorigenesis and novel targets of cancer treatments
Authors: Yin Ji-Ye , Dong Zizheng , Liu Zhao-Qian , Zhang Jian-Ting
Published: October 2010

Translational control is one of primary regulation mechanisms of gene expression. Eukaryotic translational control mainly occurs at the initiation step, the speed-limiting step, which involves more than ten translation initiation factors [eIFs (eukaryotic initiation factors)]. Changing the level or function of these eIFs results in abnormal translation of specific mRNAs and consequently abnormal growth of cells that leads to human diseases, including cancer. Accumulating evidence from recent studies showed that the expression of many eIFs was associated with malignant transformation, cancer prognosis, as well as gene expression regulation. In the present paper, we perform a critical review of recent advances in understanding the role and mechanism of eIF action in translational control and cancer as well as the possibility of targeting eIFs for therapeutic development.
Redesigning Introduction to Communication Disorders
Authors: Folkins John Wm.
Published: October 2010

A class of 58 students in Introduction to Communication Disorders was divided into eight teams of approximately seven students each. The teams sat together all semester and participated in at least one team activity (team discussions, in-class written assignments, and team quizzes) in every class period. Teams also were used for taking roll and reviewing for examinations. There was no decline in student evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the course or in examination scores when compared to when this course was taught with half the number of students and no teams. Students evaluated the team experience highly and appeared to enjoy competition among teams. Using teams was successful in creating experiences that foster student learning as embodied in Chickering and Gameson’s principles of good practice.
Professional Preparation of Clinical Educators in University Graduate Programs
Authors: Klick Pamela , Schmitt Maureen
Published: October 2010

The purpose of this research was to gather information regarding current practices in training clinical faculty for supervision in Communication Sciences and Disorders programs. The research was designed to gather information regarding preparation in clinical supervision completed prior to supervising in university clinics, continuing education experiences in supervision, strategies that clinical educators may use as the result of experience and/or training, and training/support at the department/university level. Data were derived from a survey distributed to speech-language pathologists involved in clinical supervision using systematic random sampling of graduate programs accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Data were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics. Preliminary results indicated the need for the development of additional strategies to support the advancement of training in clinical supervision and the design of new training tools consistent with the 2008 position statement from ASHA’s Special Interest Division 11, Administration and Supervision.
Community of Research Practice: A Model for Student Research
Authors: McComas Karen L. , Fry Lisa , Frank Susan Thomas , Fraley Nikki
Published: October 2010

In fall 2008, a small faculty-student research community formed within our department to support and encourage individuals engaged in research. In the four semesters since its inception, the community grew significantly, student and faculty research productivity increased, and the department steadily moved toward a culture of inquiry where scholarship is embraced and active engagement in research is sought out. The group’s success in increasing scholarship within a teaching-intensive institution leads us to propose the “community of practice” concept as one possible vehicle for building student and faculty research amid the current academic climate. Features of the research community and the results of an initial study of its members are shared.
Topical preparations for the treatment of psoriasis: a systematic review
Authors: Mason J. , Mason A.R. , Cork M.J.
Published: October 2010

Summary Background There is clinical uncertainty about the appropriate use of first-line topical treatments for psoriasis.

Objectives To assess the relative effectiveness and tolerability of topical treatments for psoriasis suitable for use both in primary and secondary care.

Methods All major medical databases of published literature were searched electronically; references of trial reports and recent reviews were searched; authors and companies were contacted for missing data from published reports. The study selection comprised: (1) randomized placebo-controlled trials of topical treatments for psoriasis; and (2) randomized head-to-head studies of the new vitamin D3 derivative treatments for psoriasis that reported clinical outcome using a Total Severity Score (TSS), Psoriasis Area Severity Index or Investigator Assessment of Global Improvement. Eligibility and validity were assessed and data extracted independently by two authors. Clinical outcomes were pooled using a random effect standardized weighted mean difference (SWMD) metric, including 3380 patients randomized in 41 placebo (vehicle)-controlled trials and 4898 patients randomized in 28 head-to-head studies.

Results There was a significant benefit in favour of active treatments against vehicle, SWMD: −1·06 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −1·26 to −0·86), approximately a 2-point improvement on a 12-point TSS after 6–8 weeks of treatment. The only significantly different benefit was for very potent corticosteroids: SWMD: −1·51 (95% CI: −1·76 to −1·25), approximately a 3-point improvement on a 12-point TSS. Head-to-head studies support these findings, except that calcipotriol was estimated to be more effective than dithranol, coal tar and other vitamin D3 derivatives. Polytherapy, using a potent steroid and calcipotriol, was more effective than calcipotriol alone: SWMD 0·42 (95% CI: 0·12–0·72) approximately a 0·8-point improvement on a 12-point TSS. No important differences in withdrawal or reporting of adverse events were identified.

Conclusions Trials of short duration neither adequately inform the management of chronic disease nor describe the sequelae of treatment. The evidence base for long-term care, reflecting the disease pathway, should be improved. Combination therapy with topical vitamin D analogues and steroids, and maintenance therapy following treatment response merit further investigation.
Laser system for high resolution Thomson scattering diagnostics on the COMPASS tokamak
Authors: Bohm P. , Sestak D. , Bilkova P. , Aftanas M. , Weinzettl V. , Hron M. , Panek R. , Baillon L. , Dunstan M. R. , Naylor G. , Walsh M. J.
Published: October 2010

A new Thomson scattering diagnostic has been designed and is currently being installed on the COMPASS tokamak in IPP Prague in the Czech Republic. The requirements for this system are very stringent with approximately 3 mm spatial resolution at the plasma edge. A critical part of this diagnostic is the laser source. To achieve the specified parameters, a multilaser solution is utilized. Two 30 Hz 1.5 J Nd:YAG laser systems, used at the fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm, are located outside the tokamak area at a distance of 20 m from the tokamak. The design of the laser beam transport path is presented. The approach leading to a final choice of optimal focusing optics is given. As well as the beam path to the tokamak, a test path of the same optical length was built. Performance tests of the laser system carried out using the test path are described.
Pulse shape measurements using single shot-frequency resolved optical gating for high energy (80 J) short pulse (600 fs) laser
Authors: Palaniyappan S. , Shah R. C. , Johnson R. , Shimada T. , Gautier D. C. , Letzring S. , Jung D. , Hörlein R. , Offermann D. T. , Fernández J. C. , Hegelich B. M.
Published: October 2010

Relevant to laser based electron/ion accelerations, a single shot second harmonic generation frequency resolved optical gating (FROG) system has been developed to characterize laser pulses (80 J, ∼600 fs) incident on and transmitted through nanofoil targets, employing relay imaging, spatial filter, and partially coated glass substrates to reduce spatial nonuniformity and B-integral. The device can be completely aligned without using a pulsed laser source. Variations of incident pulse shape were measured from durations of 613 fs (nearly symmetric shape) to 571 fs (asymmetric shape with pre- or postpulse). The FROG measurements are consistent with independent spectral and autocorrelation measurements.
Toward a full exploitation of the helium beam edge diagnostic
Authors: Tabarés F. L. , Tafalla D. , Ferreira J. A. , Guzmán F.
Published: October 2010

In this article, extension of the He beam diagnostic, which is routinely applied in fusion devices for the characterization of the edge electronic parameters—ne and Te—and their profile, to the measurement of ion temperature and plasma rotation is proposed. The theoretical background for these new applications is reviewed and examples of their use in TJ-II are provided. Also, the shortcomings and their possible solutions are addressed. Finally, the field of application of the technique to other beam-based diagnostics is discussed.
Field-dependent low-field enhancement in effective paramagnetic moment with nanoscaled Co3O4
Authors: Chen Weimeng , Chen Chinping , Guo Lin
Published: October 2010

Paramagnetic (PM) properties of columnar cobaltosic oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles, about 75 nm in diameter, have been investigated by magnetization measurements at T>TN=39 K. In zero or low applied field, the effective PM moment per formula unit (FU), μeff, enhances significantly from the bulk value of 4.14 μB/FU. It decreases asymptotically from 5.96 μB/FU at Happ=50 Oe down to 4.21 μB/FU as the applied field increases to Happ=10 kOe. The field-dependent PM properties are explained by a structural inversion, from the normal spinel (spin-only moment ∼3.9 μB/FU) to the inverse spinel structure (spin-only moment ∼8.8 μB/FU). The structural inversion is reversible with the variation in the applied field. The lattice structure becomes almost 100% normal spinel in the high field exceeding 10 kOe, as revealed by the magnitude of the effective PM moment. The reversible, field-dependent structure inversion is an important property with promising application potential. It is interesting for the future investigations.
Impurity temperature correction factors for the transmission grating spectrometer in the TJ-II stellarator
Authors: Arévalo J. , McCarthy K. J. , Carmona J. M. , Fontdecaba J. M.
Published: October 2010

Impurity ion temperature and velocity profiles are obtained across plasmas in the TJ-II stellarator by performing charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy with a diagnostic neutral beam injector. For this, a tridirectional (toroidal plus two poloidal opposing views) multichannel spectroscopic diagnostic, incorporating 12-way fiber arrays, a compact f/1.8 spectrograph, and a back-illuminated CCD, permits Doppler line shifts and widths (of the C VI line at 529.05 nm) to be determined with 1–2 cm spatial resolution. For good photon counting statistics under Li-coated wall conditions, 600 μm diameter fibers collect and transmit light to curved 100 μm wide input slits. When calibrated with a neon pencil lamp this entrance slit width results in a non-Gaussian instrumental function that, if not handled correctly, can result in systematically underestimated impurity temperatures. Here we develop and present correction factors for this effect for a range of conditions.
A Hall sensor array for internal current profile constraint
Authors: Bongard M. W. , Fonck R. J. , Lewicki B. T. , Redd A. J.
Published: October 2010

Measurements of the internal distribution of B in magnetically confined plasmas are required to obtain current profiles via equilibrium reconstruction with sufficient accuracy to challenge stability theory. A 16-channel linear array of InSb Hall effect sensors with 7.5 mm spatial resolution has been constructed to directly measure internal Bz(R,t) for determination of J(ψ,t) associated with edge-localized peeling mode instabilities in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment. The diagnostic is mounted in an electrically isolated vacuum assembly which presents a slim, cylindrical profile (∼1 cm outside diameter) to the plasma using graphite as a low-Z plasma facing component. Absolute calibration of the sensors is determined via in situ cross-calibration against existing magnetic pickup coils. Present channel sensitivities are of order of 0.25 mT. Internal measurements with bandwidth of ≤25 kHz have been obtained without measurable plasma perturbation. They resolve n=1 internal magnetohydrodynamics and indicate systematic variation in J(ψ) under different stability conditions.
An integrated charge exchange recombination spectroscopy/beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic for Alcator C-Mod tokamak
Authors: Bespamyatnov I. O. , Rowan W. L. , Liao K. T. , Granetz R. S.
Published: October 2010

A novel integrated charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CXRS)/beam emission spectroscopy (BES) system is proposed for C-Mod, in which both measurements are taken from a shared viewing geometry. The supplementary BES system serves to quantify local beam densities and supplants the common calculation of beam attenuation. The new system employs two optical viewing arrays, 20 poloidal and 22 toroidal channels. A dichroic filter splits the light between two spectrometers operating at different wavelengths for impurity ion and beam neutrals emission. In this arrangement, the impurity density is inferred from the electron density, measured BES and CXRS spectral radiances, and atomic emission rates.
A spinning mirror for fast angular scans of EBW emission for magnetic pitch profile measurements
Authors: Volpe Francesco
Published: October 2010

A tilted spinning mirror rapidly steers the line of sight of the electron Bernstein wave (EBW) emission radiometer at the Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST). In order to resist high mechanical stresses at rotation speeds of up to 12 000 rpm and to avoid eddy current induced magnetic braking, the mirror consists of a glass-reinforced nylon substrate of a special self-balanced design, coated with a reflecting layer. By completing an angular scan every 2.5–10 ms, it allows one to characterize with good time resolution the Bernstein-extraordinary-ordinary mode-conversion efficiency as a function of the view angles. Angular maps of conversion efficiency are directly related to the magnetic pitch angle at the cutoff layer for the ordinary mode. Hence, measurements at various frequencies provide the safety factor profile at the plasma edge. Initial measurements and indications of the feasibility of the diagnostic are presented. Moreover, angular scans indicate the best launch conditions for EBW heating.
Development of optics for x-ray phase-contrast imaging of high energy density plasmas
Authors: Stutman D. , Finkenthal M. , Moldovan N.
Published: October 2010

Phase-contrast or refraction-enhanced x-ray radiography can be useful for the diagnostic of low-Z high energy density plasmas, such as imploding inertial confinement fusion (ICF) pellets, due to its sensitivity to density gradients. To separate and quantify the absorption and refraction contributions to x-ray images, methods based on microperiodic optics, such as shearing interferometry, can be used. To enable applying such methods with the energetic x rays needed for ICF radiography, we investigate a new type of optics consisting of grazing incidence microperiodic mirrors. Using such mirrors, efficient phase-contrast imaging systems could be built for energies up to ∼100 keV. In addition, a simple lithographic method is proposed for the production of the microperiodic x-ray mirrors based on the difference in the total reflection between a low-Z substrate and a high-Z film. Prototype mirrors fabricated with this method show promising characteristics in laboratory tests.
Enhanced free-energy calculation using multiscale simulation
Authors: Shimoyama Hiromitsu , Yonezawa Yasushige , Nakamura Haruki
Published: October 2010

We propose a multiscale simulation method combining the efficiency of a coarse-grained model (CGM) and the accuracy of an all-atom model (AAM) for free-energy landscape calculation of protein systems. A protein’s conformation space is quickly searched first using CGM. Then the obtained information is incorporated into AAM simulations. The free-energy landscape is subsequently obtained from AAM simulations. This method was tested on chignolin folding. The results demonstrated that the computational time was reduced by as much as 90%.
Spectroscopic analysis of Eu3+ -and Eu3+:Yb3+-doped yttrium silicate crystalline powders prepared by combustion synthesis
Authors: Rakov Nikifor , Amaral Dayanne F. , Guimarães Renato B. , Maciel Glauco S.
Published: October 2010

Yttrium silicate powders doped with Eu3+ and codoped with Eu3+ and Yb3+ were prepared by combustion synthesis. The x-ray powder diffraction data showed the presence of Y2SiO5 and Y2Si2O7 crystalline phases. Singly doped (1 wt %) sample illuminated with ultraviolet light (λ=256 nm) showed the characteristic red luminescence corresponding to D50→F7J transitions of Eu3+. The Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters were calculated from experimental data and the radiative and nonradiative relaxation rates were estimated. The results showed that the nonradiative relaxation rate is smaller in yttrium silicate compared to yttrium oxide powder, a reference material, prepared under similar conditions. Codoped samples were exposed to near-infrared laser excitation (λ=975 nm) and the red luminescence of Eu3+ was also observed. In this case, the luminescence is achieved due to a cooperative upconversion (CUC) process involving energy transfer (ET) from pairs of ytterbium ions to europium ions. The ET rate was estimated by fitting a rate equation model with the dynamics of CUC red emission.
Nonlinear optical responses of nanoparticle-polymer composites incorporating organic (hyperbranched polymer)-metallic nanoparticle complex
Authors: Liu Xiangming , Matsumura Koji , Tomita Yasuo , Yasui Kei , Kojima Keisuke , Chikama Katsumi
Published: October 2010

We report on experimental studies of the nonlinear optical properties of nanocomposites consisting of organic (hyperbranched polymer)-metallic (Au or Pt) nanoparticle complex embedded in polymer films. Open-aperture and closed-aperture z-scan techniques are used to measure the effective third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities χeff(3) of the composites under picosecond laser radiation at a wavelength of 532 nm. The relative sign of the real and imaginary parts of χeff(3) could be explained qualitatively by the Kramers–Kronig relation. We also determined the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities of Au and Pt nanoparticles estimated from the measured values for χeff(3) to be (−5.48+4.76i)×10−8 esu and (4.41−0.65i)×10−6 esu, respectively, at 532 nm with a help of the Maxwell–Garnett model.
Auger electron spectroscopy for the determination of sex and age related Ca/P ratio at different bone sites
Authors: Balatsoukas Ioannis , Kourkoumelis Nikolaos , Tzaphlidou Margaret
Published: October 2010

The Ca/P ratio of normal cortical and trabecular rat bone was measured by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Semiquantitative analysis was carried out using ratio techniques to draw conclusions on how age, sex and bone site affect the relative composition of calcium and phosphorus. Results show that Ca/P ratio is not sex dependent; quite the opposite, bone sites exhibit variations in elemental stoichiometry where femoral sections demonstrate higher Ca/P ratio than rear and front tibias. Age-related changes are more distinct for cortical bone in comparison with the trabecular bone. The latter’s Ca/P ratio remains unaffected from all the parameters under study. This study confirms that AES is able to successfully quantify bone mineral main elements when certain critical points, related to the experimental conditions, are addressed effectively.
Surface patterning on periodicity of femtosecond laser-induced ripples
Authors: Yang Yang , Yang Jianjun , Xue Lu , Guo Yan
Published: October 2010

Properties of femtosecond laser-induced ripples on patterned metal surfaces are investigated through using a crossed two-step line-scribing method. It is found that the ripple periodicity tends to decrease with larger surface roughness but increase with higher laser fluence. For the increased roughness, the change in ripple periodicity becomes more sensitive to the incident laser fluence. A cut-off surface roughness that prevents from altering the ripple periodicity is also revealed to increase with the lower laser fluence. These phenomena are discussed in the view of surface plasmon polaritons in the laser-induced plasma and the modified dielectric constant of the roughened surfaces.
Composition and growth direction control of epitaxial vapor-liquid-solid-grown SiGe nanowires
Authors: Dailey Eric , Madras Prashanth , Drucker Jeff
Published: October 2010

The composition and growth direction of epitaxial SiGe alloy nanowires (NWs) grown via the Au-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid technique can be controlled by varying growth conditions. These alloy NWs can adopt either Si-like or Ge-like characteristics. Si-like growth is characterized by Au-coated ⟨111⟩-oriented NWs for low pressure growth and Au-free ⟨112⟩-oriented NWs for higher pressure growth. Ge-like NWs always follow ⟨111⟩ and grow with Au-free sidewalls.
Near-infrared polymer semiconductor laser
Authors: Kobayashi Takeyuki , Hogan Robin
Published: October 2010

Near-infrared laser emission from a polymer semiconductor has been demonstrated. A cylindrical resonator is formed with a luminescent polymer layer self-assembled on the surface of a quartz fiber 50 μm in diameter. The polymer gain layer consists of poly(9-vinylcarbazole) doped with an electron-transport material and a near-infrared-emitting molecule. The microcavity exhibits whispering-gallery-mode laser emission at 825 nm upon pulsed photoexcitation at 532 nm. A laser threshold analysis based on the absorption and stimulated emission cross-section spectra shows that the threshold minimum is found at around 824 nm. This is consistent with the experimentally observed laser emission at 825 nm.
Single deep ultraviolet light emission from boron nitride nanotube film
Authors: Li Lu Hua , Chen Ying , Lin Meng-Yeh , Glushenkov Alexey M. , Cheng Bing-Ming , Yu Jun
Published: October 2010

Light in deep ultraviolet (DUV) region has a wide range of applications and the demand for finding DUV light emitting materials at nanoscale is increasingly urgent as they are vital for building miniaturized optic and optoelectronic devices. We discover that boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with a well-crystallized cylindrical multiwall structure and diameters smaller than 10 nm can have single DUV emission at 225 nm (5.51 eV). The measured BNNTs are grown on substrate in the form of a thin film. This study suggests that BNNTs may work as nanosized DUV light sources for various applications.
Bifidobacterium animalis
subsp.
lactis
fermented milk product reduces inflammation by altering a niche for colitogenic microbes
Authors: Veiga Patrick , Gallini Carey Ann , Beal Chloé , Michaud Monia , Delaney Mary L. , DuBois Andrea , Khlebnikov Artem , van Hylckama Vlieg Johan E.T. , Punit Shivesh , Glickman Jonathan N. , Onderdonk Andrew , Glimcher Laurie H. , Garrett Wendy S.
Published: October 2010

Intestinal health requires the coexistence of eukaryotic self with the gut microbiota and dysregulated host-microbial interactions can result in intestinal inflammation. Here, we show that colitis improved in

T-bet
−/−
Rag2
−/−

mice that consumed a fermented milk product containing
Bifidobacterium animalis
subsp.
lactis
DN-173 010 strain. A decrease in cecal pH and alterations in short chain fatty acid profiles occurred with consumption, and there were concomitant increases in the abundance of select lactate-consuming and butyrate-producing bacteria. These metabolic shifts created a nonpermissive environment for the
Enterobacteriaceae
recently identified as colitogenic in a

T-bet
−/−
Rag2
−/−

ulcerative colitis mouse model. In addition, 16S rRNA-based analysis of the
T-bet
−/−
Rag2
−/−
fecal microbiota suggest that the structure of the endogenous gut microbiota played a key role in shaping the host response to the bacterial strains studied herein. We have identified features of the gut microbiota, at the membership and functional level, associated with response to this
B. lactis
-containing fermented milk product, and therefore this model provides a framework for evaluating and optimizing probiotic-based functional foods.
Bettina Winckler: Neuronal polarity on her mind
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: October 2010

Winckler studies how endocytic processes maintain the polarity of neurons.
Sds22 regulates aurora B activity and microtubule–kinetochore interactions at mitosis
Authors: Posch Markus , Khoudoli Guennadi A. , Swift Sam , King Emma M. , DeLuca Jennifer G. , Swedlow Jason R.
Published: October 2010

We have studied Sds22, a conserved regulator of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) activity, and determined its role in modulating the activity of aurora B kinase and kinetochore–microtubule interactions. Sds22 is required for proper progression through mitosis and localization of PP1 to mitotic kinetochores. Depletion of Sds22 increases aurora B T-loop phosphorylation and the rate of recovery from monastrol arrest. Phospho–aurora B accumulates at kinetochores in Sds22-depleted cells juxtaposed to critical kinetochore substrates. Sds22 modulates sister kinetochore distance and the interaction between Hec1 and the microtubule lattice and, thus, the activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint. These results demonstrate that Sds22 specifically defines PP1 function and localization in mitosis. Sds22 regulates PP1 targeting to the kinetochore, accumulation of phospho–aurora B, and force generation at the kinetochore–microtubule interface.
Otoferlin is a calcium sensor that directly regulates SNARE-mediated membrane fusion
Authors: Johnson Colin P. , Chapman Edwin R.
Published: October 2010

Otoferlin is a large multi–C2 domain protein proposed to act as a calcium sensor that regulates synaptic vesicle exocytosis in cochlear hair cells. Although mutations in otoferlin have been associated with deafness, its contribution to neurotransmitter release is unresolved. Using recombinant proteins, we demonstrate that five of the six C2 domains of otoferlin sense calcium with apparent dissociation constants that ranged from 13–25 µM; in the presence of membranes, these apparent affinities increase by up to sevenfold. Using a reconstituted membrane fusion assay, we found that five of the six C2 domains of otoferlin stimulate membrane fusion in a calcium-dependent manner. We also demonstrate that a calcium binding–deficient form of the C2C domain is incapable of stimulating membrane fusion, further underscoring the importance of calcium for the protein’s function. These results demonstrate for the first time that otoferlin is a calcium sensor that can directly regulate soluble N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor–mediated membrane fusion reactions.
The differential interaction of snRNPs with pre-mRNA reveals splicing kinetics in living cells
Authors: Huranová Martina , Ivani Ivan , Benda Aleš , Poser Ina , Brody Yehuda , Hof Martin , Shav-Tal Yaron , Neugebauer Karla M. , Staněk David
Published: October 2010

Precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) splicing is catalyzed by the spliceosome, a large ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex composed of five small nuclear RNP particles (snRNPs) and additional proteins. Using live cell imaging of GFP-tagged snRNP components expressed at endogenous levels, we examined how the spliceosome assembles in vivo. A comprehensive analysis of snRNP dynamics in the cell nucleus enabled us to determine snRNP diffusion throughout the nucleoplasm as well as the interaction rates of individual snRNPs with pre-mRNA. Core components of the spliceosome, U2 and U5 snRNPs, associated with pre-mRNA for 15–30 s, indicating that splicing is accomplished within this time period. Additionally, binding of U1 and U4/U6 snRNPs with pre-mRNA occurred within seconds, indicating that the interaction of individual snRNPs with pre-mRNA is distinct. These results are consistent with the predictions of the step-wise model of spliceosome assembly and provide an estimate on the rate of splicing in human cells.
The two faces of serotonin in bone biology
Authors: Ducy Patricia , Karsenty Gerard
Published: October 2010

The serotonin molecule has some remarkable properties. It is synthesized by two different genes at two different sites, and, surprisingly, plays antagonistic functions on bone mass accrual at these two sites. When produced peripherally, serotonin acts as a hormone to inhibit bone formation. In contrast, when produced in the brain, serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter to exert a positive and dominant effect on bone mass accrual by enhancing bone formation and limiting bone resorption. The effect of serotonin on bone biology could be harnessed pharmacologically to treat diseases such as osteoporosis.