Plasma plume effects on the conductivity of amorphous-LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interfaces grown by pulsed laser deposition in O₂ and Ar

Amorphous LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces exhibit metallic conductivity similarto those found for the extensively studied crystalline-LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. Here, we investigate the conductivity of the amorphous-LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces grown in different pressures of O2 and Ar background gases. During the deposition, the LaAlO3 ablation plume is also studied, in situ, by fast photography and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. An interesting correlation between interfacial conductivity and kinetic energy of the Al atoms in the plume is observed: to assure conducting interfaces of amorphous-LaAlO3/SrTiO3, the kinetic energy of Al should be higher than 1 eV. Our findings add further insights on mechanisms leading to interfacial conductivity in SrTiO3-based oxide heterostructures

On the correlation between fragility and stretching in glassforming liquids

We study the pressure and temperature dependences of the dielectric relaxation of two molecular glassforming liquids, dibutyl phtalate and m-toluidine. We focus on two characteristics of the slowing down of relaxation, the fragility associated with the temperature dependence and the stretching characterizing the relaxation function. We combine our data with data from the literature to revisit the proposed correlation between these two quantities. We do this in light of constraints that we suggest to put on the search for empirical correlations among properties of glassformers. In particular, argue that a meaningful correlation is to be looked for between stretching and isochoric fragility, as both seem to be constant under isochronic conditions and thereby reflect the intrinsic effect of temperature

SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION 2002 ANNUAL REPORT

Average net farm income rebounded to $70,007 in 2002 for the 188 farms included in this annual report of the Southwestern Minnesota Farm Business Management Association. This is a sharp increase (91$36,614 in 2001. As in previous years, the actual profit levels experienced by individual farms vary greatly from the overall average profit. When the net farm incomes for the 188 farms in the report are ranked from lowest to highest, the resulting graph shows how much the incomes do vary. Nine percent of the farms experienced negative net farm income in 2002; 26% had incomes over $100,000. The median or middle income was$61,465. The high 20% of the farms had an average net farm income of $181,981 which is a 40$-22,998 in 2002. Most of the added income resulted from crop inventory increases. Average gross cash farm income actually decreased slightly, to $428,084, a 1$15,927 in 2002, a 67% reduction from the previous year. Payments were reduced because of lower direct crop payments and higher crop prices, resulting in very limited LDP payments. Government payments for the average farm were $48,208 in 2001,$50,567 in 2000, $44,674 in 1999,$30,021 in 1998, and $12,257 in 1997. As a percentage of total income, government payments were 4$352,995 in 2002. As a percentage of total expenses including depreciation, feeder purchases; feed, seed, fertilizer, and crop chemicals; and land rent continue to be the largest expense items. Both the average rate of return on assets (ROA) and the rate of return to equity (ROE) increased in 2002 compared to 2001. In 2002 ROA averaged 9% and ROE was 11% using assets valued on a cost basis. The fact that ROE exceeded ROA indicates that debt capital was earning more than its cost. Using a market value basis, average total equity (of the 161 sole proprietors) was $699,570 at the end of 2002. This was an increase of$54,147 during the year for these farms (p. 17). Average equity has continued to improve since 1986. The average debt-asset ratio decreased from 47% at the beginning of the year to 45 % at the end of 2002. The average corn yield was 151 bushels per acre; soybeans were at 49 bushels per acre. Both were substantially higher than 2001 yields. Results by Type of Farm The 188 farms in the report were classified as a certain type of farm (e.g., hog) on the basis of having 70 percent or more of their gross sales from that category. Using this 70 percent rule in 2002, there were 94 crop farms, 10 hog farms, 15 crop and hog farms, 10 beef farms, and 10 crop and beef farms. (There were 40 farms which did not have a single source (or pair of sources) of income over 70%.) The beef farms were the most profitable in 2002, after experiencing very low returns in 2001. Crop and crop/beef farms also averaged incomes higher than the Association average. The average hog farm in the Association suffered a substantial loss. Beef farms, along with crop farms, also had the highest rate of return on assets (ROA. (Assets are valued on a cost-basis for ROA). Using assets valued on a market basis, the average crop farm has a debt-to-asset ratio of 42% at the end of 2002. Only specialized beef farms and hog farms had an average debt-to-asset ratio higher than 50%. The average hog farm's debt to asset ratio increased from 47% to 53% in 2002. The report provides additional information on profitability, liquidity, and solvency as well as other whole-farm information and detailed information on crop and livestock enterprises. Also reported are whole-farm financial condition and performance by county, sales size class, and type of farm

Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis: the current position

Polymyositis/dermatomyositis are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterised by skeletal muscle inflammation and necrosis.' 2 Since an excellent clinical description in 1903 by Steiner of dermatomyositis, which is essentially still valid,3 much progress has been made towards our understanding of this group of diseases. The most widely used clinical classification of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies is the one proposed by Bohan and Peter in 1975.4 That was a landmark, providing guidelines in clinical practice to accurate diagnosis of inflammatory myopathies and standardisation of studies. Nonetheless, the classification was based on clinical data. In view of recent histological and immunological studies the classification proposed by Karpati et al in 1987 seems better to fit our current view of such diseases5 (table 1). In this review we focus on recent developments in polymyositis/dermatomyositis, analysing separately the currently considered third major form of inflammatory myopathy-inclusion body myositis