The Costs of Childcare

This report was commissioned from the Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre by the Department of Education in response to public concern about the apparent high costs of childcare to parents in the UK. The Department requested a technical analysis of the current comparative literature and data on the affordability of childcare to parents. It also requested further analysis on the costs to providers of providing childcare; and on the contribution of governments in providing subsidies to parents and/or providers. The two agreed research questions were: 1. What is the scope and what are the limitations of the comparative literature on the net costs to parents (childcare fees) of using childcare? 2. Why are the net costs to parents in the UK so high, given the relatively high level of expenditure on Early Childhood Education and Childcare (ECEC)

Transition Radiation Spectroscopy with Prototypes of the ALICE TRD

We present measurements of the transition radiation (TR) spectrum produced in an irregular radiator at different electron momenta. The data are compared to simulations of TR from a regular radiator.Comment: 4 pages, 5 Figures, Proceedings for "TRDs for the 3rd millennium" (Sept. 4-7, 2003, Bari, Italy

Formulacija i evaluacija monolitnih matriksnih polimernih filmova za transdermalnu isporuku nitrendipina

The objective of the present work was to develop a suitable transdermal drug delivery system for nitrendipine. Polymeric films of nitrendipine were prepared by the film casting technique (glass ring) on mercury substrate. They were evaluated for physicochemical parameters, in vitro release and ex vivo permeation (heat separated human epidermis). Release of the drug from the films followed anomalous transport (0.5 < n < 1). Polymeric combination containing Eudragit RL 100:PVP K 30 in 4:6 ratio showed the best results. Maximum drug release and skin permeability coefficient in 48 h were 85.8 % and 0.0142 cm h-1, respectively, in formulation C3 (Eudragit RL 100: Plasdone S 630; 4:6) and 88.0 % and 0.0155 cm h-1, respectively, in formulation D3 (Eudragit RL 100: PVP K 30; 4:6). FTIR and TLC studies indicated no drug and polymer interaction.Cilj rada bio je razvoj transdermalnog sustava nitrendipina. Polimerni filmovi nitrendipina pripravljeni su metodom lijevanja (stakleni prsten) na podlozi od žive. Ispitivani su fizičkokemijski parametri, in vitro oslobađanje i ex vivo permeacija (toplinom odvojena humana epiderma). Oslobađanje lijeka iz filmova slijedilo je anomalni transport (0,5 < n < 1). Najbolji rezultati postignuti su kombinacijom polimera Eudragit RL 100 i PVP K 30 u omjeru 4:6. Maksimalno oslobađanje ljekovite tvari i najbolji koeficijent permeacije kroz kožu tijekom 48 h bio je 85,8 %, odnosno 0,0142 cm h1 za formulaciju C3 (Eudragit RL 100 : Plasdone S 630; 4:6) i 88,0 %, odnosno 0,0155 cm h1 za formulaciju D3 (Eudragit RL 100 : PVP K 30; 4:6). FTIR i TLC ukazuju na to da nema interakcije između ljekovite tvari i polimera

Detailed scanning probe microscopy tip models determined from simultaneous atom-resolved AFM and STM studies of the TiO2(110) surface

Enevoldsen GH, Pinto HP, Foster AS, et al. Detailed scanning probe microscopy tip models determined from simultaneous atom-resolved AFM and STM studies of the TiO2(110) surface. Physical Review B. 2008;78(4):045416.The atomic-scale contrast in noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) images is determined by the geometry and exact atomic structure of the tip apex. However, the tip state is an experimentally unknown parameter, and the lack of insight into the tip apex often limits the possibilities of extracting precise quantitative and qualitative atomistic information on the surface under inspection. From an interplay between simultaneously recorded nc-AFM and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) data, and atomistic STM simulations based on multiple scattering theory, we demonstrate how the state of the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) tip in the experiments may be determined. The analysis of a large number of experimental SPM images recorded with different tips reveals that no general correlation exists between the contrast observed in the nc-AFM and the tunneling current (I-t) images on TiO2(110) surface. The exact state of the SPM tip must, therefore, be determined for each specific case, which is normally a very difficult endeavor. However, our analysis of the AFM contrast on TiO2(110) surface allows us to considerably reduce the number of tips to be considered in a full simulation. By carefully evaluating the contrast of a handpicked library of SPM tips, we manage to determine a very accurate model of the SPM tip used in an experiment for the first time. It is envisioned that the approach presented here may eventually be used in future studies to screen for and select a SPM tip with a special functionalization prior to imaging an unknown sample, and in that way facilitate precise modeling and chemical identification of surface species

Thermal Properties of Graphene, Carbon Nanotubes and Nanostructured Carbon Materials

Recent years witnessed a rapid growth of interest of scientific and engineering communities to thermal properties of materials. Carbon allotropes and derivatives occupy a unique place in terms of their ability to conduct heat. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of carbon materials span an extraordinary large range - of over five orders of magnitude - from the lowest in amorphous carbons to the highest in graphene and carbon nanotubes. I review thermal and thermoelectric properties of carbon materials focusing on recent results for graphene, carbon nanotubes and nanostructured carbon materials with different degrees of disorder. A special attention is given to the unusual size dependence of heat conduction in two-dimensional crystals and, specifically, in graphene. I also describe prospects of applications of graphene and carbon materials for thermal management of electronics.Comment: Review Paper; 37 manuscript pages; 4 figures and 2 boxe

Chemical identification of point defects and adsorbates on a metal oxide surface by atomic force microscopy

Lauritsen JV, Foster AS, Olesen GH, et al. Chemical identification of point defects and adsorbates on a metal oxide surface by atomic force microscopy. Nanotechnology. 2006;17(14):3436-3441.Atomic force microscopy in the non-contact mode (nc-AFM) can provide atom-resolved images of the surface of, in principle, any material independent of its conductivity. Due to the complex mechanisms involved in the contrast formation in nc-AFM imaging, it is, however, far from trivial to identify individual surface atoms or adsorbates from AFM images. In this work, we successfully demonstrate how to extract detailed information about defects and the chemical identity of adsorbates on a metal oxide surface from nc-AFM images. We make use of the observation that the apex of the AFM tip can be altered to expose either a positive or negative tip termination. The complementary set of images recorded with the two tip terminations unambiguously define the ionic sub-lattices and reveal the exact positions of oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl (OH) defects on a TiO2 surface. Chemical specificity is extracted by comparing the characteristic contrast patterns of the defects with results from comprehensive AFM simulations. Our methodology of analysis is generally applicable and may be pivotal for uncovering surface defects and adsorbates on other transition metal oxides designed for heterogeneous catalysis, photo-electrolysis or biocompatibility

Advances in atomic force microscopy

This article reviews the progress of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in ultra-high vacuum, starting with its invention and covering most of the recent developments. Today, dynamic force microscopy allows to image surfaces of conductors \emph{and} insulators in vacuum with atomic resolution. The mostly used technique for atomic resolution AFM in vacuum is frequency modulation AFM (FM-AFM). This technique, as well as other dynamic AFM methods, are explained in detail in this article. In the last few years many groups have expanded the empirical knowledge and deepened the theoretical understanding of FM-AFM. Consequently, the spatial resolution and ease of use have been increased dramatically. Vacuum AFM opens up new classes of experiments, ranging from imaging of insulators with true atomic resolution to the measurement of forces between individual atoms.Comment: In press (Reviews of Modern Physics, scheduled for July 2003), 86 pages, 44 figure