Scanning Capacitance Spectroscopy on n\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e-p Asymmetrical Junctions in Multicrystalline Si Solar Cells

We report on a scanning capacitance spectroscopy (SCS) study on the n+-p junction of multicrystalline silicon solar cells. We found that the spectra taken at space intervals of ∼10 nm exhibit characteristic features that depend strongly on the location relative to the junction. The capacitance-voltage spectra exhibit a local minimum capacitance value at the electrical junction, which allows the junction to be identified with ∼10-nm resolution. The spectra also show complicated transitions from the junction to the n-region with two local capacitance minima on the capacitance-voltage curves; similar spectra to that have not been previously reported in the literature. These distinctive spectra are due to uneven carrier-flow from both the n- and p-sides. Our results contribute significantly to the SCS study on asymmetrical junctions

Closed Spaces in Cosmology

This paper deals with two aspects of relativistic cosmologies with closed (compact and boundless) spatial sections. These spacetimes are based on the theory of General Relativity, and admit a foliation into space sections S(t), which are spacelike hypersurfaces satisfying the postulate of the closure of space: each S(t) is a 3-dimensional, closed Riemannian manifold. The discussed topics are: (1) A comparison, previously obtained, between Thurston's geometries and Bianchi-Kantowski-Sachs metrics for such 3-manifolds is here clarified and developed. (2) Some implications of global inhomogeneity for locally homogeneous 3-spaces of constant curvature are analyzed from an observational viewpoint.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, revised version of published paper. In version 2: several misprints corrected, 'redshifting' in figures improved. Version 3: a few style corrections; couple of paragraphs in subsection 2.4 rewritten. Version 4: figures 5 and 6 corrrecte

Dynamic Weights in Gaussian Mixture Models: A Bayesian Approach

This paper proposes a generalization of Gaussian mixture models, where the mixture weight is allowed to behave as an unknown function of time. This model is capable of successfully capturing the features of the data, as demonstrated by simulated and real datasets. It can be useful in studies such as clustering, change-point and process control. In order to estimate the mixture weight function, we propose two new Bayesian nonlinear dynamic approaches for polynomial models, that can be extended to other problems involving polynomial nonlinear dynamic models. One of the methods, called here component-wise Metropolis-Hastings, apply the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm to each local level component of the state equation. It is more general and can be used in any situation where the observation and state equations are nonlinearly connected. The other method tends to be faster, but is applied specifically to binary data (using the probit link function). The performance of these methods of estimation, in the context of the proposed dynamic Gaussian mixture model, is evaluated through simulated datasets. Also, an application to an array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) dataset from glioblastoma cancer illustrates our proposal, highlighting the ability of the method to detect chromosome aberrations

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria isolated from European medical centres: results of the Daptomycin Surveillance Programme (2002-2004)

The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 9322 contemporary (2002-2004) Gram-positive bacterial isolates collected from 31 medical centres in 14 countries in Europe were evaluated by broth microdilution methods according to CLSI guidelines. the isolates collected comprised Staphylococcus aureus (4842 isolates), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS; 1942 isolates), Enterococcus faecalis (1147 isolates), Enterococcus faecium (391 isolates), beta-haemolytic streptococci (660 isolates) and viridans group streptococci (340 isolates). the organisms were tested against daptomycin and more than 20 comparator agents in Mueller-Hinton broth, supplemented with calcium to 50 mg/L when testing daptomycin. Overall, methicillin (oxacillin) resistance rates were 26.7% and 77.0% for S. aureus (MRSA) and CoNS, respectively, and the vancomycin resistance rate among enterococci was 6.1%. MRSA rates varied from 0.6% in Sweden to 40.2-43.0% in Belgium, Greece, Ireland, the UK and Israel, and VRE rates varied from 0% in Switzerland to 21.2% in Ireland. More than 99.9% of isolates tested were considered susceptible to daptomycin according to breakpoints established by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the CLSI. Daptomycin was active against all Gram-positive species, with the highest MIC being 2, 8, 0.5 and 2 mg/L for staphylococci, enterococci, beta-haemolytic streptococci and viridans group streptococci, respectively. Daptomycin activity was not influenced adversely by resistance to other agents among staphylococci or enterococci. This novel lipopeptide (daptomycin) appears to be an excellent alternative therapeutic option for serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-positive organisms isolated in Europe.JMI Labs Inc, N Liberty, IA 52317 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilTufts Univ, Sch Med, Boston, MA 02111 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

A Two Micron All-Sky Survey View of the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy: II. Swope Telescope Spectroscopy of M Giant Stars in the Dynamically Cold Sagittarius Tidal Stream

We present moderate resolution (~6 km/s) spectroscopy of 284 M giant candidates selected from the Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry. Radial velocities (RVs) are presented for stars mainly in the south, with a number having positions consistent with association to the trailing tidal tail of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf galaxy. The latter show a clear RV trend with orbital longitude, as expected from models of the orbit and destruction of Sgr. A minimum 8 kpc width of the trailing stream about the Sgr orbital midplane is implied by verified RV members. The coldness of this stream (dispersion ~10 km/s) provides upper limits on the combined contributions of stream heating by a lumpy Galactic halo and the intrinsic dispersion of released stars, which is a function of the Sgr core mass. The Sgr trailing arm is consistent with a Galactic halo containing one dominant, LMC-like lump, however some lumpier halos are not ruled out. An upper limit to the total M/L of the Sgr core is 21 in solar units. A second structure that roughly mimics expectations for wrapped, leading Sgr arm debris crosses the trailing arm in the Southern Hemisphere; however, this may also be an unrelated tidal feature. Among the <13 kpc M giants toward the South Galactic Pole are some with large RVs that identify them as halo stars, perhaps part of the Sgr leading arm near the Sun. The positions and RVs of Southern Hemisphere M giants are compared with those of southern globular clusters potentially stripped from the Sgr system and support for association of Pal 2 and Pal 12 with Sgr debris is found. Our discussion includes description of a masked-filtered cross-correlation methodology that achieves better than 1/20 of a resolution element RVs in moderate resolution spectra.Comment: 41 pages, 6 figures, Astronomical Journal, in press (submitted Nov. 24, 2003; tentatively scheduled for July 2004 issue

Enterococcus faecalis resistant to vancomycin and teicoplanin (VanA phenotype) isolated from a bone marrow transplanted patient in Brazil

We report for the first time in Brazil, a patient from whom an Enterococcus faecalis VanA phenotype was isolated. Glycopeptide resistance is not commonly observed in Enterococcus faecalis, so this finding is of great concern since this species is responsible for 90% of enterococcal infections in Brazil. The isolate was recovered from a surveillance rectal swab culture from a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Identification to the species level was performed by conventional biochemical tests and Vitek GPI cards. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was evaluated by use of broth microdilution and Etest (AB BIODISK, Solna, Sweden) methods. The isolate was identified as E. faecalis and was considered resistant to both vancomycin (MIC, > 256 mug/mL) and teicoplanin (MIC, 256 mug/mL). The isolate also showed high level resistance to gentamicin and streptomycin (MICs, > 1024 mug/mL), but was considered susceptible to ampicillin (MIC, 4 mug/mL). Although the frequency of enterococcal infections is very low in most Latin America countries, the finding of glycopeptide (VanA) resistance in E. faecalis increases concern about apreading antimicrobial resistance in this region.Federal University of São Paulo Infectious Disease Division Special Clinical Microbiology LaboratoryFederal University of São Paulo Infectious Disease Division Nosocomial Infection Control CommitteeUniversity of Iowa College of Medicine Department of PathologySão Paulo Hospital Central LaboratoryUNIFESP, Infectious Disease Division Special Clinical Microbiology LaboratoryUNIFESP, Infectious Disease Division Nosocomial Infection Control CommitteeSciEL

Expressions of Human Sexuality in the Phallic and Latency Phases: Reports from a Field Observation in Children of Porto Velho, Brazil

The present study was conducted according to the Freudian subdivisions on human psychosexuality. The study on sexuality can be subdivided and directed to several themes, walking through several areas of knowledge, where each theoretical field contributes significantly to such study. This work was part of the studies of the discipline Human Sexuality of the Course of Psychology of the Federal University of Rondônia in the second semester of 2017 and reports an observation made with four children, having as subjects children in the age group of 3 to 8 years, whose names used in this Freud's contributions to human sexuality, with emphasis on the phallic phase and latency period, are fictitious and based on theory. To assist in the field observations on the phases, a plan of observations was made with a script of aspects to be observed considering the literature that already indicates some characteristics attributed to this stage of human life. As a result, it was observed that there are clear correspondences between the literature and the practice, however, there is a need to broaden the means and resources of observation to deepen the research, producing, in turn, a better analytical apparatus

Quantitative methods and studies of psychic disorders and job satisfaction of teachers of the prison system in the Amazon, Brazil

Objective: To analyze the level of mental suffering and the level of job satisfaction in 85% of the teachers of the state education network who work in the prison units in the city of Porto Velho, Rondonia, Amazonia, Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional study; and for the data collection, three structured instruments were used: the sociodemographic questionnaire; the Self-Report-Questionnaire Questionnaire (SRQ-20), and the OSI-Occupational Stress Indicator Scale, Measured by Likert Scale. Results: The results showed that 12.5% of the teachers presented minor psychic disorders, considered as indicators of evidence of mental distress. Satisfaction in the work had indexes similar to those found in the literature, presenting the highest proportion in the intermediate variables, that is, their highest frequencies are in the range of some dissatisfaction, with 32.28%; and 32.04% with some satisfaction. The highest index of dissatisfaction is in the variable that refers to salary, with 29.4%. Conclusions: From the results, it is possible to indicate a possible association between job satisfaction and mental suffering. This study will provide great reflections on the teaching practice in prison units and will contribute to the occupational health of teachers working in prison units, allowing a rethinking of public policies in education and health in the context of the prison system