Anomalous codeposition of cobalt and ruthenium from chloride-sulfate baths

Codeposition of Ru and Co was studied at room temperature and at 50oC with various Ru3+ and Co2+ concentrations in the electrolyte. The codeposition of Co and Ru proved to be anomalous since no pure Ru could be obtained in the presence of Co2+ in the electrolyte, but a significant Co incorporation into the deposit was detected at potentials where the deposition of pure Co was not possible. The composition of the deposits varied monotonously with the change of the concentration ratio of Co2+ and Ru3+. The deposition of Ru was much hindered and the current efficiency was a few percent only when the molar fraction of Co in the deposit was low. Continuous deposits could be obtained only when the molar fraction of Co in the deposit was at least 40 at.%. The deposit morphology was related to the molar fraction of Co in the deposit. The X-ray diffractograms are in conformity with a hexagonal close-packed alloy and indicate the formation of nanocrystalline deposits. Two-pulse plating did not lead to a multilayer but to a Co-rich alloy. Magnetoresistance of the samples decreased with increasing Ru content

Risk factors for non-adherence to cART in immigrants with HIV living in the Netherlands: Results from the Rotterdam ADherence (ROAD) project

In the Netherlands, immigrant people living with HIV (PLWH) have poorer psychological and treatment outcomes than Dutch PLWH. This cross-sectional field study examined risk factors for non-adherence to combination Antiretroviral Therapy (cART) among immigrant PLWH. First and second generation immigrant PLWH attending outpatient clinics at two HIV-treatment centers in Rotterdam were selected for this study. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics for all eligible participants were collected from an existing database. Trained interviewers subsequently completed questionnaires together with consenting participants (n = 352) to gather additional data on socio-demographic characteristics, psychosocial variables, and self-reported adherence to cART. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted among 301 participants who had used cART 6 months prior to inclusion. Independent risk factors for self-reported non-adherence were (I) not having attended formal education or only primary school (OR = 3.25; 95%CI: 1.28-8.26, versus University), (II) experiencing low levels of social support (OR = 2.56; 95%CI: 1.37-4.82), and (III) reporting low treatment adherence self-efficacy (OR = 2.99; 95%CI: 1.59-5.64). Additionally, HIV-RNA >50 copies/ml and internalized HIV-related stigma were marginally associated (P<0.10) with non-adherence (OR = 2.53; 95%CI: 0.91-7.06 and OR = 1.82; 95%CI: 0.97-3.43). The findings that low educational attainment, lack of social support, and low treatment adherence self-efficacy are associated with non-adherence point to the need for tailored supportive interventions. Establishing contact with peer immigrant PLWH who serve as role models might be a successful intervention for this specific population

Book review: Gerald D. Feldman, Austrian banks in the period of National Socialism

Even though Germany, Austria, and Hungary experienced a major financial crisis simultaneously in 1931, of the three, only Germany's and Austria's episodes have been investigated in depth. This article offers a thorough assessment of the missing piece. It finds that, just like Germany, Hungary also experienced a twin crisis. The primary reason for the weakness of the financial sector was banks’ excessive exposure to agricultural loans. The fragility of the currency was the result of an early balance-of-payments crisis in 1928/9. The vulnerability of the banking and monetary systems culminated in a twin crisis in 1931

Nest desertion is not predicted by cuckoldry in the Eurasian penduline tit

Engagement in extra-pair copulations is an example of the abundant conflicting interests between males and females over reproduction. Potential benefits for females and the risk of cuckoldry for males are expected to have important implications on the evolution of parental care. However, whether parents adjust parental care in response to parentage remains unclear. In Eurasian penduline tits Remiz pendulinus, which are small polygamous songbirds, parental care is carried out either by the male or by the female. In addition, one third of clutches is deserted by both male and female. Desertion takes place during the egg-laying phase. Using genotypes of nine microsatellite loci of 443 offspring and 211 adults, we test whether extra-pair paternity predicts parental care. We expect males to be more likely to desert cuckolded broods, whereas we expect females, if they obtain benefits from having multiple sires, to be more likely to care for broods with multiple paternity. Our results suggest that parental care is not adjusted to parentage on an ecological timescale. Furthermore, we found that male attractiveness does not predict cuckoldry, and we found no evidence for indirect benefits for females (i.e., increased growth rates or heterozygosity of extra-pair offspring). We argue that male Eurasian penduline tits may not be able to assess the risk of cuckoldry; thus, a direct association with parental care is unlikely to evolve. However, timing of desertion (i.e., when to desert during the egg-laying phase) may be influenced by the risk of cuckoldry. Future work applying extensive gene sequencing and quantitative genetics is likely to further our understanding of how selection may influence the association between parentage and parental care

Preparation and giant magnetoresistance of electrodeposited Co-Ag/Ag multilayers

Electrodeposition of Co-Ag/Ag multilayers along with their giant magnetoresistance (GMR) was investigated. The electrodeposition process was optimized for both minimizing the dissolution of the Co layer and achieving a high magnetoresistance. Structural analysis of Co-Ag/Ag deposits revealed that silver has an fcc structure, whereas cobalt crystallizes in the hcp structure. No solid solution of Co and Ag was detected. The X-ray diffraction study did not show any satellite reflection. A GMR of the order of 0.5% and 2% could be observed at room temperature and at 20 K, respectively, with both superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic GMR contributions throughout the temperature range studied. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved