Characterization of silicon nanowire by use of full-vectorial finite element method.

We have carried out a rigorous H-field-based full-vectorial modal analysis and used it to characterize, more accurately, the abrupt dielectric discontinuity of a high index contrast optical waveguide. The full-vectorial H and E fields and the Poynting vector profiles are described in detail. It has been shown through this work that the mode profile of a circular silicon nanowire is not circular and also contains a strong axial field component. The single-mode operation, vector field profiles, modal hybridness, modal ellipticity, and group velocity dispersion of this silicon nanowire are also presented

Supplemental Brief for Appellees

Supplemental brief for appellees, written by appellees in support of plaintiffs-appellees in AMP v. Myriad Genetics (No. 2010-1406)

Plaintiffs-Appellees' Petition for Panel Rehearing

Petitioners-appelles' petition for panel rehearing, submitted after the CAFC's July 29, 2011 ruling

Brief for Petitioners

Petitioners Brief written by ACLU and Public Patent Foundation in support of petitioners in AMP v. Myriad Genetics (Supreme Court Case Docket No. 12-398)

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari submitted by petitioners Public Patent Foundation and American Civil Liberties Union (No. 11-725

Split-Half Analysis : Measurement of Validity and Reliability of the Career Counselling Self-Efficacy Scale (CCSES) in Malaysian Public Universities

Self-efficacy is an important aspect in measuring counsellor’s abilities to conduct counselling processes. This study aims to assess the validity and reliability of self-efficacy using the Split-half technique. The Career Counselling Self-Efficacy Scale (SSES) aims to measure the level of counsellor’s readiness to provide career counselling services to clients that covers aspects of knowledge and skills. A quantitative approach was used and data analysed by using the SPSS. The instrument has been translated into Malay and involved a 25 items instrument consisting of five sub-scales related to the counsellor’s efficacy. The analysis using the Split-half approach reported the reliability value for the entire item of Part 1 (0.96) and Part 2 (0.97). The study has inferred that the instrument has a satisfactory level of reliability and can be used in the Malaysian context. The new version of instruments has an impact to the counsellor competency in practice. The counsellor will have a view in terms of their ability to handle career counselling. Aside from curriculum development, career counselling can be improved in line with current need. There are a limited numbers of inventories translated into Malay. The new version of CCSES can minimise the cultural issues faced by counsellors in their practice

Brief for the Appellees

Brief written by appellees (Public Patent Foundation and American Civil Liberties Union) supporting affirmance in AMP v. Myriad Genetics (No. 2010-1406)

Reply to Brief in Opposition

Petitioners' Reply to Brief in Opposition, submitted by petitioners American Civil Liberties Union and Public Patent Foundation on petition for a Writ of Certiorari (No. 11-725

Determinants on an efficient cellulase recycling process for the production of bioethanol from recycled paper sludge under high solid loadings

Background: In spite of the continuous efforts and investments in the last decades, lignocellulosic ethanol is still not economically competitive with fossil fuels. Optimization is still required in different parts of the process. Namely, the cost effective usage of enzymes has been pursued by different strategies, one of them being recycling. Results: Cellulase recycling was analyzed on Recycled Paper Sludge (RPS) conversion into bioethanol under intensified conditions. Different cocktails were studied regarding thermostability, hydrolysis efficiency, distribution in the multiphasic system and recovery from solid. Celluclast showed inferior stability at higher temperatures (45-55 ºC), nevertheless its performance at moderate temperatures (40ºC) was slightly superior to other cocktails (ACCELLERASE®1500 and Cellic®CTec2). Celluclast distribution in the solid-liquid medium was also more favorable, enabling to recover 88 % of final activity at the end of the process. A Central Composite Design studied the influence of solids concentration and enzyme dosage on RPS conversion by Celluclast. Solids concentration showed a significant positive effect on glucose production, no major limitations being found from utilizing high amounts of solids under the studied conditions. Increasing enzyme loading from 20 to 30 FPU/ gcellulose had no significant effect on sugars production, suggesting that 22 % solids and 20 FPU/gcellulose are the best operational conditions towards an intensified process. Applying these, a system of multiple rounds of hydrolysis with enzyme recycling was implemented, allowing to maintain steady levels of enzyme activity with only 50 % of enzyme on each recycling stage. Additionally, interesting levels of solid conversion (70-81 %) were also achieved, leading to considerable improvements on glucose and ethanol production comparatively with the reports available so far (3.4 and 3.8 fold, respectively). Conclusions: Enzyme recycling viability depends on enzyme distribution between the solid and liquid phases at the end of hydrolysis, as well as enzymes thermostability. Both are critical features to be observed for a judicious choice of enzyme cocktail. This work demonstrates that enzyme recycling in intensified biomass degradation can be achieved through simple means. The process is possibly much more effective at larger scale, hence novel enzyme formulations favoring this possibility should be developed for industrial usage.This work had the fnancial support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/ BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and the MultiBiorefnery project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016403). Furthermore, FCT equally supported the Ph.D. grant to DG (SFRH/BD/88623/2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Long Lasting Local and Systemic Inflammation after Cerebral Hypoxic ischemia in Newborn Mice

Background: Hypoxic ischemia (HI) is an important cause of neonatal brain injury and subsequent inflammation affects neurological outcome. In this study we performed investigations of systemic and local activation states of inflammatory cells from innate and adaptive immunity at different time points after neonatal HI brain injury in mice. Methodology/Principal Findings: We developed a multiplex flow cytometry based method combined with immunohistochemistry to investigate cellular immune responses in the brain 24 h to 7 months after HI brain injury. In addition, functional studies of ex vivo splenocytes after cerebral hypoxic ischemia were performed. Both central and peripheral activation of CD11b + and CD11c + antigen presenting cells were seen with expression of the costimulatory molecule CD86 and MHC-II, indicating active antigen presentation in the damaged hemisphere and in the spleen. After one week, naïve CD45rb + T-lymphocytes were demonstrated in the damaged brain hemisphere. In a second phase after three months, pronounced activation of CD45rb 2 T-lymphocytes expressing CD69 and CD25 was seen in the damaged hemisphere. Brain homogenate induced proliferation in splenocytes after HI but not in controls. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings demonstrate activation of both local and systemic immune responses months after hypoxic ischemic neonatal brain injury. The long term immune activation observed is of general importance for future studies of the inflammatory response after brain injury as most previous studies have focused on the first few weeks afte