bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single photon detector fabricated in a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor high-voltage technology
Authors: Rochas A. , Gani M. , Furrer B. , Besse P. A. , Popovic R. S. , Ribordy G. , Gisin N.
Published: June 2003

In this article, a fully integrated single photon detector including a silicon avalanche photodiode and a quenching circuit is presented. The low doping concentrations, inherent to the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) high-voltage technology used, favor the absorption of red and infrared photons at the depletion region. The detection probability rapidly increases with excess bias voltages up to 5 V. At this value, the detection probability is larger than 20% between 420 nm and 620 nm and still 7% at 750 nm. The photosensitive area is 7 μm in diameter. Cointegration of the diode and the quenching resistor allows a drastic reduction of parasitic capacitances. Though passively quenched, the single photon detector exhibits a dead time as low as 75 ns. The avalanche current is quickly quenched in less than 3.5 ns leading to a relatively low afterpulsing probability of 7.5% at 5 V excess bias voltage. The afterpulses are located in the first microseconds after the avalanche event. At room temperature, the dark count rate is about 900 Hz at 5 V excess bias voltage. Cooling of the sensor below 0 °C is of minor interest since the tunneling process becomes dominant. A remarkably short timing resolution has been obtained with values lower than 50 ps for excess bias voltage higher than 5 V. The industrial CMOS high-voltage technology used guarantees low production costs. In applications where the light can be focused on the small photosensitive area using a high magnification objective, the fabricated single photon avalanche photodiode overcomes the features of standard photomultiplier tubes. The CMOS integration opens the way to the fabrication of an extremely compact array. The design can be easily fitted to a dedicated application. Furthermore, by using an industrial CMOS process, the cointegration of data processing electronics to produce a smart sensor would be a feasible task.
Low-loss, high-bandwidth graded-index plastic optical fiber fabricated by the centrifugal deposition method
Authors: Shin Bu-Gon , Park Joeng-Ho , Kim Jang-Joo
Published: June 2003

Low-loss and high-bandwidth graded-index plastic optical fiber (GI-POF) was obtained by a thermal drawing of the preform fabricated by the centrifugal deposition method. In the method, a mixture of methyl methacrylate and benzyl methacrylate is fed into a rapidly rotating tube. The mixture forms a thin layer on the tube wall due to the centrifugal force and polymerizes simultaneously by thermal reaction. The feeding rate and the composition of the mixture were changed to form a desired refractive index profile. The refractive index profile of the fiber was the same as the preform. The GI-POF has the optical loss of 120 dB/km and the bandwidth of 3.45 Gbit/s 100 m at the wavelength of 650 nm.
Theory of Q control in atomic force microscopy
Authors: Rodrı́guez Tomás R. , Garcı́a Ricardo
Published: June 2003

We discuss the performance of an atomic force microscope (AFM) operated in the amplitude modulation mode under a self-excitation signal, known as quality factor control (Q control). By using the point-mass description of the AFM, we provide a complete description of Q control in tapping mode AFM. The theoretical simulations show three major results: (i) the steady-state motion of the system contains contributions from homogeneous and particular components, (ii) the active response of the microcantilever can be increased or decreased depending on the phase shift of the self-excitation with respect to the instantaneous deflexion, and (iii) in general, Q enhancement reduces the maximum force exerted for the tip on the sample surface.
Photoluminescence and x-ray diffraction studies of the diffusion behavior of lattice matched InGaAs/InP heterostructures
Authors: Bollet F. , Gillin W. P.
Published: June 2003

Photoluminescence and high resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) were used to follow the diffusion of a lattice matched InGaAs/InP heterostructure at various annealing temperatures. At 900 °C no strain was observed by HRXRD and this indicated that the two sublattices in the sample diffused at an equal rate and only compositions on the tie line between the two initial compositions were formed. At lower annealing temperatures strain was observed in the wells and barriers, the signs of which changed during the annealing process. This is indicative of the diffusion rates of the two sublattices changing during the annealing process. It is suggested that these effects may be due to the presence of the miscibility gap in the InGaAsP system.
Temperature dependence of the free-exciton transition energy in zinc oxide by photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Lijun , Giles N. C.
Published: June 2003

Photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopies are used to track the temperature dependence of the A exciton energy (EXA) in undoped bulk ZnO crystals grown by the seeded-chemical-vapor-transport method. For T>150 K, the edge emission becomes broad as the A exciton recombination and its longitudinal-optical (LO) phonon replica become superimposed. We use PLE to determine the temperature dependence of EXA by monitoring the broad green emission commonly observed in as-grown ZnO crystals, and thus have established the energy difference between the EXA and PL emission peak energies. The PL emission at 3.26 eV at room temperature is shown to be offset by about 50 meV to lower energy than the actual EXA transition. The temperature dependence of the energy difference between the EXA and PL peaks is compared with predictions based on the lineshape function for the EXA– LO recombination. At 300 K, the PL is predominantly composed of EXA– LO recombination. Further, the temperature dependence of the EXA transition energy can be described using standard expressions and the Debye and Einstein temperatures are found to be 700±30 and 240±5 K, respectively. The slope of the EXA versus T curve for ZnO approaches a constant value of dEXA/dT=−0.35 meV/K near room temperature.
Response of chromium-doped alumina screens to soft x rays using synchrotron radiation
Authors: McCarthy K. J. , Arp U. , Baciero A. , Zurro B. , Karlin B. A.
Published: June 2003

We have measured the response of chromium-doped alumina screens to soft x-ray radiation and derived quantum efficiency curves for the energy range from 2.5 to 4.5 keV. Persistent luminescence (or afterglow) from this material is observed for several minutes following the removal of the x-ray source. It is also observed that the luminescence output rises gradually for several minutes before maximizing during x-ray irradiation. In the article we discuss possible sources of this delayed luminescence and its consequences for application of these screens as soft x-ray detectors. Such screens have found application as narrow-band radiation detectors for a hot fusion plasma diagnostic.
Highly efficient single-layer dendrimer light-emitting diodes with balanced charge transport
Authors: Anthopoulos Thomas D. , Markham Jonathan P. J. , Namdas Ebinazar B. , Samuel Ifor D. W. , Lo Shih-Chun , Burn Paul L.
Published: June 2003

High-efficiency single-layer-solution-processed green light-emitting diodes based on a phosphorescent dendrimer are demonstrated. A peak external quantum efficiency of 10.4% (35 cd/A) was measured for a first generation fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium cored dendrimer when blended with 4,4′-bis(N-carbazolyl)biphenyl and electron transporting 1,3,5-tris(2-N-phenylbenzimidazolyl)benzene at 8.1 V. A maximum power efficiency of 12.8 lm/W was measured also at 8.1 V and 550 cd/m2. These results indicate that, by simple blending of bipolar and electron-transporting molecules, highly efficient light-emitting diodes can be made employing a very simple device structure.
Current-induced effect on the resistivity of epitaxial thin films of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and La0.85Ba0.15MnO3
Authors: Gao J. , Shen S. Q. , Li T. K. , Sun J. R.
Published: June 2003

Electric-current-dependent resistance has been studied in epitaxial thin films of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and La0.85Ba0.15MnO3. Attention was focused at the influence of the applied dc current on the resistance of these epitaxial thin films in the absence of a magnetic field. A significant change in the ratio of the peak resistance at different currents or current resistance was found to be ∼23%–26% with a current density up to 8×104 Acm−2. For both La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and La0.85Ba0.15MnO3 compounds, the dependence of the measured resistance on the current revealed a good linear relationship. Although the nature behind such an effect has not been well understood yet, the feature that the resistance in doped manganese oxides could be easily controlled by the electric current should be of interest for various applications such as field effect devices.
Evidence of a density grating under light induced formation of surface relief gratings at polymers containing azobenzene moieties
Authors: Pietsch Ullrich , Rochon Paul
Published: June 2003

The formation of a surface relief grating (SRG) on polymer films containing azobenzene moieties has been inspected during exposure with counter-rotating circularly polarized light of λwrite=488 nm by probing the diffracting efficiency of a second low power laser. In particular, the growing SRG was observed at films of different film thickness and with low and high light power of the writing laser. Using probe lasers of two different wavelength (λprobe=514 and 670 nm) the grating formation was inspected near the film surface and within the whole film, respectively. At low writing power (P=50 mW) and small film thickness (d<100 nm) only a SRG appears while at higher laser power and thicker films (d>300 nm) a density grating is also created within the film. The observations confirm the trends suggested by finite element calculations.
Lattice symmetry applied in transfer-matrix methods for photonic crystals
Authors: Lin Lan-Lan , Li Zhi-Yuan , Ho Kai-Ming
Published: June 2003

Transfer-matrix methods have been routinely used to calculate the transmission and reflection spectra of electromagnetic waves propagating through a photonic crystal slab. In this article we show that the intrinsic lattice symmetries within a photonic crystal can be used to reduce numerical computations of the electromagnetic problem. We have employed this lattice-symmetry enhanced transfer-matrix method to handle two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs of square and triangular lattices and three-dimensional layer-by-layer photonic crystal slabs. The calculated transmission spectra agree excellently with the photonic band structures in predicting the photonic band gap positions, indicating the accuracy and efficiency of this proposed approach.
High-strength Zr-Nb-(Cu,Ni,Al) composites with enhanced plasticity
Authors: Das J. , Löser W. , Kühn U. , Eckert J. , Roy S. K. , Schultz L.
Published: June 2003

Zr 73.5 Nb 9 Cu 7 Ni 1 Al 9.5 and Zr66.4Nb6.4Cu10.5Ni8.7Al8.0 composites of bcc β-Zr(Nb) dendrites embedded in a nanocrystalline matrix were prepared by slow cooling from melt. The increase of Nb content from 6.4 to 9 at. % slightly reduces the strength, but considerably improves the plastic elongation under uniaxial compressive loading from εp=0.6% to 14.8%. The interaction of strain with dendrites and the nanocrystalline matrix is suggested as origin of the improvement of the mechanical properties.
Local synthesis of silicon nanowires and carbon nanotubes on microbridges
Authors: Englander Ongi , Christensen Dane , Lin Liwei
Published: June 2003

Resistive heating of microline resistors was used to activate vapor-deposition synthesis of silicon nanowires and carbon nanotubes in a room-temperature chamber. The process is compatible with on-chip microelectronics and eliminates the necessity of postsynthesis assembly of nanostructures to form more complicated devices. The process is localized, selective, and scalable. The synthesized nanowire dimensions are 30–80 nm in diameter and up to 10 μm in length, while nanotubes 10–50 nm in diameter and up to 5 μm in length have been demonstrated. Growth rates of up to 1 μm/min for silicon nanowires and up to 0.25 μm/min for carbon nanotubes were observed. This method facilitates the integration of nanotechnology with larger-scale systems.
Space-charge-mediated delayed electroluminescence from polyfluorene thin films
Authors: Sinha S. , Monkman A. P. , Güntner R. , Scherf U.
Published: June 2003

In polyfluorene thin films, an electrically induced short-lived delayed fluorescence (of the order of μs) is observed, which grows in intensity as the temperature is increased from 30 K to 290 K. From bias-offset-dependent electroluminescence intensity measurements and decay kinetics measurements, we conclude that the delayed recombination of space-charge carriers, along with the long-lasting tail of the prompt electrofluorescence, give rise to the short-lived delayed fluorescence.
Technique for measurement of photoacoustic waves in situ with ultrasound probe beam
Authors: Yao Yong , Xing Da , Ueda Ken-ichi , Chen Qun
Published: June 2003

A method of measuring photoacoustic (PA) waves in situ is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. A focused probe ultrasonic beam passes through a sample and tags the position of the interested PA signal. The probe beam interacts with PA wave. The PA signal modulated probe beam is recorded outside the sample. Reconstruction of the original in situ PA signal is accomplished by demodulating the probe beam. The method, thus, provides a measurement system with a high signal-to-noise ratio and reduced background noise for PA wave form recording.
Cross-gain modulation in inhomogeneously broadened gain spectra of InP-Based 1550 nm quantum dash optical amplifiers: Small-signal bandwidth dependence on wavelength detuning
Authors: Alizon R. , Bilenca A. , Dery H. , Mikhelashvili V. , Eisenstein G. , Schwertberger R. , Gold D. , Reithmaier J. P. , Forchel A.
Published: June 2003

Dynamical properties of cross-gain modulation (XGM) within the inhomogeneously broadened gain spectrum of an InP quantum dash optical amplifier operating at 1550 nm are examined. The small-signal XGM modulation bandwidth increases with the carrier escape time, which is achieved at long probe wavelengths. The nature of the XGM dynamics is confirmed by spectrally resolved optical modulation response measurements in quantum dash lasers.
Structural and electrical characteristics of Ge nanoclusters embedded in Al2O3 gate dielectric
Authors: Wan Q. , Lin C. L. , Liu W. L. , Wang T. H.
Published: June 2003

Structural and electrical characteristics of the metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) structures of Al/Al2O3/Si containing Ge nanoclusters are experimentally demonstrated. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy results indicate the out-diffusion of Ge after annealing at 800 °C in N2 ambient for 30 min. An increment of leakage current is observed due to the out-diffusion of Ge. Capacitance–voltage studies indicate that annealing can effectively passivate the negatively charged trapping centers. Memory effect of the Ge nanoclusters is verified by the hysteresis in the C–V curves in the annealed sample.
Observation of sphere resonance peak in ferromagnetic GaN:Mn
Authors: Seo S. S. A. , Kim M. W. , Lee Y. S. , Noh T. W. , Park Y. D. , Thaler G. T. , Overberg M. E. , Abernathy C. R. , Pearton S. J.
Published: June 2003

We report temperature-dependent optical spectra of ferromagnetic Mn-doped GaN in a wide photon energy region of 5 meV–4 eV. Below the GaN gap, an absorption peak around 1.25 eV whose intensity increases at lower temperatures was observed. A composite medium theory, called the Maxwell–Garnett theory, shows that the absorption peak can be assigned to a sphere resonance from metallic particles embedded in a Mn-doped GaN matrix. We also report that the far-infrared absorption of Mn-doped GaN sample was very small. This result suggests that itinerant carrier-mediated ferromagnetism does not fully explain the observed magnetic properties.
Magnetization steps in a noncharge-ordered manganite, Pr0.5Ba0.5MnO3
Authors: Autret C. , Maignan A. , Martin C. , Hervieu M. , Hardy V. , Hébert S. , Raveau B.
Published: June 2003

Magnetization and resisitivity steps under application of a magnetic field are evidenced in absence of charge ordering at low temperature (T=2.5 K), in the manganite Pr0.5Ba0.5MnO3. Electron microscopy observations emphasize the important role of phase separation, suggesting that the observed antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic metamagnetic transition originates from cation-ordered PrBaMn2O6 nanoregions.
Low pH Potentiates Both Capsaicin Binding and Channel Gating of VR1 Receptors
Authors: Ryu Sujung , Liu Beiying , Qin Feng
Published: June 2003

Capsaicin ion channels are highly expressed in peripheral nervous terminals and involved in pain and thermal sensations. One characteristic of the cloned VR1 receptor is its multimodal responses to various types of noxious stimuli. The channel is independently activated by capsaicin and related vanilloids at submicromolar range, by heat above 40°C, and by protons at pH below 6.5. Furthermore, simultaneous applications of two or more stimuli lead to cross sensitization of the receptor, with an apparent increase in the sensitivity to any individual stimulus when applied alone. We studied here the mechanism underlying such cross-sensitization; in particular, between capsaicin and pH, two prototypical stimuli for the channel. By analyzing single-channel currents recorded from excised-patches expressing single recombinant VR1 receptors, we examined the effect of pH on burst properties of capsaicin activation at low concentrations and the effect on gating kinetics at high concentrations. Our results indicate that pH has dual effects on both capsaicin binding and channel gating. Lowering pH enhances the apparent binding affinity of capsaicin, promotes the occurrences of long openings and short closures, and stabilizes at least one of the open conformations of the channel. Our data also demonstrate that capsaicin binding and protonation of the receptor interact allosterically, where the effect of one can be offset by the effect of the other. These results provide important basis to further understand the nature of the activation pathways of the channel evoked by different stimuli as well as the general mechanism underling the cross-sensitization of pain.
Longest biased interval and longest non-negative sum interval
Authors: Allison Lloyd
Published: June 2003

Summary: Described is an algorithm to find the longest interval having at least a specified minimum bias in a sequence of characters (bases, amino acids), e.g. ‘at least 0.95 (A+T)-rich’. It is based on an algorithm to find the longest interval having a non-negative sum in a sequence of positive and negative numbers. In practice, it runs in linear time; this can be guaranteed if the bias is rational.

Availability: Java code of the algorithm can be found at http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~lloyd/tildeProgLang/Java2/Biased/

Contact: lloyd@bruce.cs.monash.edu.au

Supplementary information: Examples of applications to Plasmodium falciparum genomic DNA can be found at the above URL.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
TableView: portable genomic data visualization
Authors: Johnson James E. , Stromvik Martina V. , Silverstein Kevin A.T. , Crow John A. , Shoop Elizabeth , Retzel Ernest F.
Published: June 2003

Summary: TableView is a generalized scientific visualization program for exploration of various biological data, including EST, SAGE, microarray and annotation data. Written in Java, TableView is portable, is easily used together with other software including DBMSs and is versatile enough to be applied to any tabular data

Availability: TableView is freely available at: http://ccgb.umn.edu/software/java/apps/TableView/

Contact: tableview@ccgb.umn.edu

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

† Present address: Macalester College, Mathematics and Computer Science, St Paul, MN 55105, USA.
The DynDom database of protein domain motions
Authors: Lee Richard A. , Razaz Moe , Hayward Steven
Published: June 2003

Summary: A relational database has been developed based on the results from the application of the DynDom program to a number of proteins for which multiple X-ray conformers are available. The database is populated via a web-based tool that allows visitors to the website to run the DynDom program server-side by selecting pairs of X-ray conformers by Protein Data Bank code and chain identifier.

Availability: The website can be found at: http://www.sys.uea.ac.uk/dyndom

Contact: sjh@sys.uea.ac.uk

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
HaploBlockFinder: haplotype block analyses
Authors: Zhang Kun , Jin Li
Published: June 2003

Summary: Recent studies have unveiled discrete block-like structures of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the human genome. We have developed a set of computer programs to analyze the block-like LD structures (haplotype blocks) based on haplotype data. Three definitions of haplotype block are supported, including minimal LD range, no historic recombination, and chromosome coverage. Tagged SNPs that uniquely distinguish common haplotypes are identified. A greedy algorithm was used to improve the efficiency. Two separate utilities were also provided to assist visual inspection of haplotype block structure and pattern of linkage disequilibrium.

Availability: A web interface for the HaploBlockFinder is available at http://cgi.uc.edu/cgi-bin/kzhang/haploBlockFinder.cgi the source codes are also freely available on the web site.

Contact: jinl@ucmail.uc.edu

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Local structure prediction with local structure-based sequence
profiles
Authors: Yang An-Suei , Wang Lu-yong
Published: June 2003

Motivation: A large body of experimental and theoretical evidence suggests that local structural determinants are frequently encoded in short segments of protein sequence. Although the local structural information, once recognized, is particularly useful in protein structural and functional analyses, it remains a difficult problem to identify embedded local structural codes based solely on sequence information.

Results: In this paper, we describe a local structure prediction method aiming at predicting the backbone structures of nine-residue sequence segments. Two elements are the keys for this local structure prediction procedure. The first key element is the LSBSP1 database, which contains a large number of non-redundant local structure-based sequence profiles for nine-residue structure segments. The second key element is the consensus approach, which identifies a consensus structure from a set of hit structures. The local structure prediction procedure starts by matching a query sequence segment of nine consecutive amino acid residues to all the sequence profiles in the local structure-based sequence profile database (LSBSP1). The consensus structure, which is at the center of the largest structural cluster of the hit structures, is predicted to be the native state structure adopted by the query sequence segment. This local structure prediction method is assessed with a large set of random test protein structures that have not been used in constructing the LSBSP1 database. The benchmark results indicate that the prediction capacities of the novel local structure prediction procedure exceed the prediction capacities of the local backbone structure prediction methods based on the I-sites library by a significant margin.

Availability: All the computational and assessment procedures have been implemented in the integrated computational system PrISM.1 (Protein Informatics System for Modeling). The system and associated databases for LINUX systems can be downloaded from the website: http://www.columbia.edu/~ay1/

Contact: ay1@columbia.edu

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Online and face‐to‐face: evaluating methods for teaching information literacy skills to undergraduate arts students
Authors: Salisbury Fiona , Ellis Jenny
Published: June 2003

This paper reports on an evaluation project conducted at the University of Melbourne during 2002. The objective of the project was to evaluate selected information literacy programs that were provided to students in the Arts Faculty. The three programs that were evaluated used different modes of delivery. The paper discusses the rationale of the project, the methodology and the results of the evaluation.
Accessibility and retrieval of electronic information at the University of Agriculture Library, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Authors: Oduwole A.A. , Akpati C.B.
Published: June 2003

This paper examines the accessibility and retrieval of electronic information in the Nigerian University of Agriculture Library. A three‐part questionnaire was given to 1,000 out of an estimated 5,030 users of electronic information in the university library using a simple random sampling technique from whom 789 responses were returned and found usable. This constituted a 78.9 per cent response. The study revealed that non‐final year undergraduates use mainly the automated library catalogue (OPAC) while final year and postgraduate students as well as academic staff regularly use bibliographic databases tools such as TEEAL and CAB abstracts. A majority of users were satisfied with the information obtained and reported that they find these automated services to a greater or lesser extent easy to use. The major constraints to information accessibility and retrieval of automated library services were infrastructural: the limited number of terminals available for use and power supply outages.
Managing the dual identities of corporate consulting: a study of a CEO’s rhetoric
Authors: Sandberg Robert
Published: June 2003

The management of multiple organizational identities is an important issue in contemporary organizations. However, relatively few researchers have examined how organizations and their leaders control or cope with this ambiguity. This paper contributes with an empirical description of a Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO’s) efforts to handle multiple identities. It is based on a case study of a corporate consulting unit with dual organizational identities – a staff identity and an external consultant identity. The paper shows that the CEO’s rhetoric focuses on creating an identity hierarchy, highlighting the identity of external consultant. The distinctiveness of this identity, in comparison to the parent organization, is emphasized by using the IT consulting industry as a prototype for the self‐categorization of Telco Consulting. In combination with the secondary staff identity, a loosely coupled relation to the parent organization is constructed. One conclusion that may be drawn from the study is that the two identities emerge in part through the effects of internal contrasting.
Whistle‐blowing to internal auditors
Authors: Read William J. , Rama D.V.
Published: June 2003

Whistle‐blowing can play an important role in the internal control environment of an organization, and internal auditors are its natural outlets. This study examines whistle‐blowing complaints received by internal auditors based on survey responses from 129 chief internal auditors of US manufacturing companies. Within the past two years, 71 percent of chief internal auditors received whistle‐blowing complaints, 65 percent of which were found to be true upon investigation. The receipt of whistle‐blowing complaints was positively associated with involvement of internal auditing in monitoring compliance with the corporate code of conduct, and with audit committee support of internal auditing (as evidenced by audit committee involvement in decisions to dismiss the chief internal auditor). These results are consistent with recent calls by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations and others for public companies to maintain and enforce a code of conduct, and by the Blue Ribbon Committee and others about the need for audit committees to deal proactively with internal and external auditors.
The statutory audit of owner‐managed companies in Malta
Authors: Tabone Norbert , Baldacchino Peter J.
Published: June 2003

Historically, as a former British colony, Malta has had its accounting and auditing practices highly influenced by UK regulation. However, in the last decade, departures have steadily been occurring from a UK‐based regulatory framework to one increasingly influenced both by international standards and European Union requirements. One such departure relates to the retention of the statutory audit requirement for all Maltese companies, despite its earlier abolishment for small companies in the UK. This study evaluates the relevance of a mandatory annual statutory audit requirement for owner‐managed companies as perceived by two interest groups: the owner‐manager and the auditor. It also considers possible alternatives to such a requirement. Results indicate that for Maltese owner‐managed companies, the statutory audit fulfils two important roles: it bears relevance to outside third parties, and it has a positive effect on the owner‐manager and staff.
Equatorially Dominated Magnetic Field Change at the Surface of Earth's Core
Authors: Finlay Christopher C. , Jackson Andrew
Published: June 2003

Slow temporal variations in Earth's magnetic field originate in the liquid outer core. We analyzed the evolution of nonaxisymmetric magnetic flux at the core surface over the past 400 years. We found that the most robust feature is westward motion at 17 kilometers per year, in a belt concentrated around the equator beneath the Atlantic hemisphere. Surprisingly, this motion is dominated by a single wavenumber and persists throughout the observation period. This phenomenon could be produced by an equatorial jet of core fluid, by hydromagnetic wave propagation, or by a combination of both. Discrimination between these mechanisms would provide useful constraints on the dynamics of Earth's core.
Changes in Ocean Water Mass Properties: Oscillations or Trends?
Authors: Bryden Harry L. , McDonagh Elaine L. , King Brian A.
Published: June 2003

A new transindian hydrographic section across 32°S reveals that thermocline mode waters have become saltier and colder since 1987. This change almost entirely reverses the observed freshening of mode waters from the 1960s to 1987 that has been interpreted to be the result of anthropogenic climate change on the basis of coupled climate models. Here, we compare five hydrographic sections from 1936, 1965, 1987, 1995, and 2002 to show that upper thermocline waters (10°C to 17°C) changed little from 1936to 1965, freshened from 1965 to 1987, and since 1987 have become saltier. These results demonstrate substantial oscillations in mode-water properties.
CO
2
Snow Depth and Subsurface Water-Ice Abundance in the Northern Hemisphere of Mars
Authors: Mitrofanov I. G. , Zuber M. T. , Litvak M. L. , Boynton W. V. , Smith D. E. , Drake D. , Hamara D. , Kozyrev A. S. , Sanin A. B. , Shinohara C. , Saunders R. S. , Tretyakov V.
Published: June 2003

Observations of seasonal variations of neutron flux from the high-energy neutron detector (HEND) on Mars Odyssey combined with direct measurements of the thickness of condensed carbon dioxide by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) on Mars Global Surveyor show a latitudinal dependence of northern winter deposition of carbon dioxide. The observations are also consistent with a shallow substrate consisting of a layer with water ice overlain by a layer of drier soil. The lower ice-rich layer contains between 50 and 75 weight % water, indicating that the shallow subsurface at northern polar latitudes on Mars is even more water rich than that in the south.
A Targeting Motif Involved in Sodium Channel Clustering at the Axonal Initial Segment
Authors: Garrido Juan José , Giraud Pierre , Carlier Edmond , Fernandes Fanny , Moussif Anissa , Fache Marie-Pierre , Debanne Dominique , Dargent Bénédicte
Published: June 2003

The sorting of sodium channels to axons and the formation of clusters are of primary importance for neuronal electrogenesis. Here, we showed that the cytoplasmic loop connecting domains II and III of the Na
v
1 subunit contains a determinant conferring compartmentalization in the axonal initial segment of rat hippocampal neurons. Expression of a soluble Na
v
1.2II-III linker protein led to the disorganization of endogenous sodium channels. The motif was sufficient to redirect a somatodendritic potassium channel to the axonal initial segment, a process involving association with ankyrin G. Thus, this motif may play a fundamental role in controlling electrical excitability during development and plasticity.
Nota Bene: A Contemporary Bouquet
Authors: Hines Pamela J.
Published: June 2003

A Passion for Plants
Contemporary Art from the Shirley Sherwood Collection . National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Through 2 September 2003.

A Passion for Plants
Contemporary Botanical Masterworks. Shirley Sherwood. Cassell, London, 2001. 264 pp. Paper, £20, $29.95. ISBN 0-30436-166-6.

This exhibit of 20th-century botanical paintings and drawings highlights the interplay between science and art.
Fractal Characteristics of Viscous Fingering
Authors: Tang Songyue , Wei Zhonglei
Published: June 2003

Viscous fingering is investigated by experiment in a 2-dimensional radial Hele-Shaw cell and Monte Carlo stochastic simulation. Experimental results show that viscosity ratio between the driving and driven fluids determines whether or not viscous fingerings occur and that surface tension makes the viscous fingering patterns "fatter". Simulation patterns are in good agreement with experimental ones. The fractal dimensions of the viscous fingering patterns by both experiments and simulations are about Df=1.2-1.6.
Fractal Structure and Statistics of Growing Patterns with Competition
Authors: Moriyama Osamu , Murata Katsuyuki , Matsushita Mitsugu
Published: June 2003

A pattern grown from a substrate is in many cases regarded as consisting of individual clusters grown from the substrate. One can then discuss fractal structures of both the entire pattern and individual clusters constituting it. One can also investigate statistics of individual clusters such as their size distribution in the entire pattern. If the pattern grows through some simple mechanism, there must be some relations between the structure and statistics. We review the cluster statistics and structure of patterns generated by a variety of growth models. Scaling exponents which characterize an entire pattern, the internal structure and the cluster statistics are introduced, and the scaling relation among them is derived. It is shown numerically that the relation holds quite well for various kinds of patterns. It is also stressed that for some models the scaling relation holds exactly.
Fractal Characterization of Temperature Field in Convective Boundary Layer
Authors: Chanda Amitabha , Dey A. K. , Das J.
Published: June 2003

In turbulent convection, the mean rate of dissipation of thermal energy follows the law of similarity and may be fractally distributed. It may be used as an indicator of the intensity of turbulence. The more intense is turbulence, the greater the fractal dimension (FD) of mean rate of dissipation of thermal energy. In the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), many types of structures are observed. One of these structures is plume which occurs frequently. In the plume body temperature field is highly random. In between two plumes we generally observe a zone of tranquility, at least in comparative scale. It is conjectured that a plume has a greater fractal dimension than the interplume zone. In the present paper, a two-dimensional analysis of turbulent convection in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) was carried out using local intensities of temperature structures as realized from a sodar echogram. It is argued that the local intensities of the temperature structures are linearly related with the local temperatures. A parameter analogous to the local mean of rate of dissipation of thermal energy has been calculated for a series of vertical columns of the echogram and their FD's have been estimated. It has been visually matched with the echogram. It is observed that plumes have greater FDs than the interplume zone.
p210 BCR/ABL kinase regulates nucleotide excision repair (NER) and resistance to UV radiation
Authors: Canitrot Yvan , Falinski Rafal , Louat Thierry , Laurent Guy , Cazaux Christophe , Hoffmann Jean-Sébastien , Lautier Dominique , Skorski Tomasz
Published: June 2003

Both clinical and experimental evidence illustrate that p190 and p210 BCR/ABL oncogenic tyrosine kinases induce resistance to DNA damage and confer an intrinsic genetic instability. Here, we investigated whether BCR/ABL expression could modulate nucleotide excision repair (NER). We found that ectopic expression of p210 BCR/ABL in murine lymphoid BaF3 cell line inhibited NER activity in vitro, promoting hypersensitivity of these cells to ultraviolet (UV) treatment and facilitating a mutator phenotype. However, expression of p210 BCR/ABL in human and murine myeloid cell lines and primary bone marrow cells resulted in the increased NER activity and resistance to UV irradiation. The ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI571 reversed these effects, showing that p210 BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase activity is responsible for deregulation of NER. Hypoactivity of NER in p210 BCR/ABL-positive lymphoid cells was accompanied by the decreased interaction between proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and xeroderma pigmentosum group B (XPB); conversely, this interaction was enhanced in p210 BCR/ABL-positive myeloid cells. p190 BCR/ABL did not affect NER in lymphoid and myeloid cells. In summary, our study suggests that p210 BCR/ABL reduced NER activity in lymphoid cells, leading to hypersensitivity to UV and mutagenesis. In contrast, p210 BCR/ABL expression in myeloid cells facilitated NER and induced resistance to UV. (Blood. 2003;102:2632-2637)
Which cancer patients die in nursing homes? Quality of life, medical and sociodemographic characteristics
Authors: Jordhøy Marit S , Saltvedt Ingvild , Fayers Peter , HaKvard Jon , Ahlner-Elmqvist Marianne , Kaasa Stein
Published: June 2003

In this study, cancer patientsflcharacteristics associated with death in nursing homes were explored. The study sample included 395 cancer patients who had participated in a trial of palliative care, 260 (66%) patients died in hospital, 80 (20%) at home and 55 (14%) in nursing homes. Health-related quality of life was prospectively recorded using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Death in nursing home was associated with greater age, not living with spouse and poor performance status. Patients dying in nursing homes reported severe functioning impairments and more fatigue and appetite loss compared with those dying elsewhere. The association between death in nursing homes and poor physical, role, cognitive and social functioning remained significant when sociodemographic and medical differences were taken into account. Further research on frail elderly cancer patients is warranted to improve their care, to evaluate the appropriateness of nursing home placement and for future planning of palliative care services.
Determinants of the place of death among terminally ill cancer patients under home hospice care in Japan
Authors: Fukui Sakiko , Kawagoe Hiromi , Masako Sakai , Noriko Nishikido , Hiroko Nagae , Toshie Miyazaki
Published: June 2003

Although the place of death of patients with terminal cancer is influenced by multiple factors, few studies have systematically investigated its determinants. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the patientsflsociodemographic, clinical and support network variables on the place of death of terminally ill cancer patients under the care of home care agencies in Japan. Among 528 patients from 259 home care agencies, 342 (65%) died at home and 186 (35%) died at a hospital. From the multivariate logistic regression model, patients who expressed the desire for receiving home care at referral [odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.19, 1.09-4.40] in addition to the family caregiver's desire for the same (OR, 95%CI: 3.19, 1.75-5.81), who had more than one family caregiver (OR, 95%CI: 2.28, 1.05-4.94), who had the support of their family physician (OR, 95%CI: 2.23, 1.21-4.08), who were never rehospitalized (OR, 95%CI: 0.04, 0.02-0.07), who received more home visits by the home hospice nurse during the stable phase under home hospice care (OR, 95%CI: 1.25, 1.02-1.53), and who were in the greatest functionally dependent status during the last week prior to death (OR, 95%CI: 8.60, 4.97-14.89) were more likely to die at home. Overall, this model could accurately classify 95% of the places of death, which is higher than other published studies. A clearer understanding of factors that might influence the place of death of terminally ill cancer patients would allow healthcare professionals to modify healthcare systems and tailor effective interventions to help patients die at their place of preference.
The impact on the family of terminal restlessness and its management
Authors: Brajtman Susan
Published: June 2003

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the impact of terminal restlessness and its management upon family members who were witness to the event. Approximately 25%-85% of terminally ill patients may experience the symptoms associated with terminal restlessness during the hours or days before their death. They may be physically agitated and cognitively impaired and often appear to be suffering. Treatment of these severe symptoms usually involves the use of sedating medications that can affect these patientsflability to communicate with their families. Using a phenomenological research approach, two focus groups and 20 individual interviews were held with bereaved family members and hospice staff. A content analysis of the data resulted in the emergence of several core themes that reflected the participantsflperceptions and experiences; the multidimensionality of suffering, the need for communication, feelings of ambivalence, the need for information and sensitivity and respect. It is suggested that the development and implementation of a multiprofessional team protocol could address the specific concerns, information and care needs of these families at this critical time.
Treatment of social phobia
Authors: Veale David
Published: June 2003

Social phobia (or social anxiety disorder) manifests as a marked and persistent fear of negative evaluation in social or performance situations. The epidemiology, diagnosis and psychopathology are reviewed, including clinical presentation, cultural aspects and the differences between agoraphobia and social phobia. Behavioural treatments, including graded self-exposure and cognitive restructuring, are considered. A cognitive model of the maintenance of social phobia is discussed. It is hypothesised that attentional shifting towards imagery, safety behaviours and ‘post-mortem’ analyses play a key role in symptom maintenance. The implications of this for treatment are described, and guidelines for pharmacological treatment are summarised.
Entertaining eminence in the British Journal of Psychiatry
Authors: Tyrer Peter
Published: June 2003

The challenges for scientific journals at the beginning of 21st century are exciting but formidable. In addition to reporting faithfully new knowledge and new ideas, each journal, or at least all those aiming for a general readership, has to cater for a potentially huge lay readership waiting at the internet portals, a hungry press eager for juicy titbits, and core readers who, while impressed to some extent by weighty contributions to knowledge, are also looking for lighter material that is both informative and entertaining. In the past this type of content was frowned on as mere journalism, fluff of short-term appeal but no real substance. The lighter approach was pioneered by Michael O'Donnell as editor of World Medicine in the 1970s, who introduced a brand of racy articles, debates and controversial issues in a tone of amusing and irreverent iconoclasm. At this time it was dismissed as a comic by some of the learned journals but its popularity ensured that in subsequent years its critics quietly followed suit, as any current reader of the British Medical Journal and the Lancet will testify.
Pain, anxiety and insomnia – a global perspective on the relief of suffering
Authors: Ghodse Hamid
Published: June 2003

Background

The unavailability of psychotropic and analgesic drugs for medical purposes results in suffering that goes unrelieved. Their excessive availability results in overmedication and suffering of a different kind.

Aims

To highlight the discrepancies between the demand for and supply of controlled drugs for licit purposes by different communities, and to promote their rational utilisation.

Method

Review of the United Nations, World Health Organization and other literature on the licit use of narcotic analgesics and psychotropic substances.

Results

Thereare large differences in the use of psychotropics and analgesics by different countries. The differences between industrialised and non-industrialised countries are particularly striking. There is evidence of unmet need in some countries and overutilisation in others.

Conclusions

Governments, international organisations, health professionals and the pharmaceutical industry must work together to ensure an adequate supply of psychotropic and analgesic drugs for medical and scientific purposes, and to implement appropriate measures to minimise the development of misuse and dependence.
Developing a local shared care protocol for managing people with psychotic illness in primary care
Authors: Snowden Helen , Marriott Sarah
Published: June 2003

Aims and Method

The National Service Framework sets standards to improve the treatment of mental health on a national level, and requires the development of localised shared care protocols. We aimed to develop a shared care protocol for use in local National Health Service (NHS) services, based on best practice guidelines and local consensus. A systematic literature search used three databases and the advice of a clinical expert. Articles satisfying the search inclusion criteria were retrieved and appraised. Clinical recommendations from well-designed regional and national documents relevant to all aspects of the management of psychotic illness in primary care were compared and contrasted by a facilitated group involving primary and secondary care clinicians who drafted the final recommendations. A multi-agency steering group guided the work.

Results

Twenty-two articles were retrieved, of which nine reached the criteria for inclusion. The protocol provided a comprehensive range of recommendations regarding detection, assessment, management, referral and shared working with local mental health services.

Clinical Implications

Using local clinical consensus to resolve uncertainty about conflicting clinical recommendations from a series of well-designed guidelines was an effective method for adapting clinical guidelines to local circumstances.
The Spike Milligan Public Speaking Competition
Authors: Brophy Justin
Published: June 2003

The Spike Milligan Public Speaking Competition is a series of events conducted by the Irish Division of The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Public Education Committee. The initiative began as a local project, as part of the Changing Minds campaign. It is aimed at developing lifelong positive attitudes towards mental illness by doctors in training, and at redressing some of the stigma and negativity towards mental illness prevalent among trained doctors. It also aims to provide them with a positive experience of public speaking, in particular on mental health topics, and to enhance skills in communication with the public.