Expression of natural killer receptor alleles at different Ly49 loci occurs independently and is regulated by major histocompatibility complex class I molecules.

Ly49 receptor genes are expressed by subsets of natural killer (NK) cells in an overlapping fashion, accounting for the capacity of NK subsets to attack host cells that have selectively downregulated self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. It was shown previously that most NK cells express only one or the other allele of a given Ly49 gene, while a smaller population expresses both alleles. However, the methods used to detect monoallelic and biallelic cells were nonquantitative. Here, new allele-specific antibodies were used to provide the first quantitative examination of biallelic and monoallelic expression of Ly49A and Ly49G2. The results demonstrate conclusively that most Ly49A(+) and Ly49G2(+) NK cells express the corresponding gene in a monoallelic fashion, with a smaller subset expressing both alleles. Unexpectedly, biallelic Ly49A(+) NK cells were more numerous than predicted by completely independent allelic expression, suggesting some heterogeneity among NK progenitors in the potential to express a given Ly49 gene. The data also show that cells expressing one allele of Ly49G2 may express Ly49A from the same or opposite chromosome with equal likelihood, indicating that the expressed allele is chosen independently for different Ly49 genes. Finally, the data demonstrate that biallelic expression of Ly49A or Ly49G2 occurs least frequently in mice that express ligands for these receptors (H-2(d) mice), and most frequently in class I-deficient mice. Thus, biallelic expression of Ly49 genes is regulated by interactions of NK cell progenitors with MHC class I molecules

DOWNHILL DOMINATION IN GRAPHS

A path π = (v1, v2, . . . , vk+1) iun a graph G = (V, E) is a downhill path if for every i, 1 ≤ i ≤ k, deg(vi) ≥ deg(vi+1), where deg(vi) denotes the degree of vertex vi ∈ V. The downhill domination number equals the minimum cardinality of a set S ⊆ V having the property that every vertex v ∈ V lies on a downhill path originating from some vertex in S. We investigate downhill domination numbers of graphs and give upper bounds. In particular, we show that the downhill domination number of a graph is at most half its order, and that the downhill domination number of a tree is at most one third its order. We characterize the graphs obtaining each of these bounds

Molecular-beam epitaxy of CrSi_2 on Si(111)

Chromium disilicide layers have been grown on Si(111) in a commercial molecular‐beam epitaxy machine. Thin layers (10 nm) exhibit two epitaxial relationships, which have been identified as CrSi_2(0001)//Si(111) with CrSi_2[1010]//Si[101], and CrSi_2(0001)//Si(111) with CrSi_2[1120]//Si[101]. The latter case represents a 30° rotation of the CrSi_2 layer about the Si surface normal relative to the former case. Thick (210 nm) layers were grown by four different techniques, and the best‐quality layer was obtained by codeposition of Cr and Si at an elevated temperature. These layers are not single crystal; the largest grains are observed in a layer grown at 825 °C and are 1–2 μm across

Self-aligned fabrication process for silicon quantum computer devices

We describe a fabrication process for devices with few quantum bits (qubits), which are suitable for proof-of-principle demonstrations of silicon-based quantum computation. The devices follow the Kane proposal to use the nuclear spins of 31P donors in 28Si as qubits, controlled by metal surface gates and measured using single electron transistors (SETs). The accurate registration of 31P donors to control gates and read-out SETs is achieved through the use of a self-aligned process which incorporates electron beam patterning, ion implantation and triple-angle shadow-mask metal evaporation

Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project: Development of the TTF TPACK survey instrument

This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the TTF TPACK Survey developed and administered for the Teaching the Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project implemented in 2011. The TTF Project, funded by an Australian Government ICT Innovation Fund grant, involved all 39 Australian Higher Education Institutions which provide initial teacher education. TTF data collections were undertaken at the end of Semester 1 (T1) and at the end of Semester 2 (T2) in 2011. A total of 12881 participants completed the first survey (T1) and 5809 participants completed the second survey (T2). Groups of like-named items from the T1 survey were subject to a battery of complementary data analysis techniques. The psychometric properties of the four scales: Confidence - teacher items; Usefulness - teacher items; Confidence - student items; Usefulness- student items, were confirmed both at T1 and T2. Among the key findings summarised, at the national level, the scale: Confidence to use ICT as a teacher showed measurable growth across the whole scale from T1 to T2, and the scale: Confidence to facilitate student use of ICT also showed measurable growth across the whole scale from T1 to T2. Additional key TTF TPACK Survey findings are summarised

Defects Annealing of Si^+ Implanted GaAs at RT and 100°C

Annealing behavior of point defects near room temperature is studied by measuring the strain relaxation of Si+ implanted GaAs. Polished semi-insulating GaAs wafers were implanted with 300keV Si^+ at liquid nitrogen (LN_2) and room temperature (RT). The strain profile was obtained by the X-ray Double Crystal Diffraction (DCD) technique and kinematical fitting. The maximum strain of the samples stored at RT and elevated temperature 100°C in air, decreases with time, which indicates the reduction of point defects. Relaxation is exponential in time. At least two time constants of 0.24hrs and 24hrs are needed to fit the data, suggesting that two different processes are responsible for annealing defects. Time constants are obtained for different doses at RT and LN_2 implantation temperature, and found to be insensitive to both these quantities. The activation energy for defect migration is estimated using simple diffusion model

Characterization of high-energy heavy-ion implanted InP crystals by a variety of techniques

MeV ion implantation into InP compound semiconductor crystals with 5 MeV nitrogen ions has been investigated. The subsequent characterization was undertaken by a variety of techniques such as nuclear resonant reaction analysis, channeling Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray rocking curve measurement and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. These techniques have clearly revealed substantial changes in structural properties and radiation-induced damage distribution as well as the influence of post-implantation annealing in ^(15)N ion-implanted InP samples. The results from these measurements, which are presented in this paper, are shown to be consistent with each other, and have led to a coherent description of the effects of the implantation and subsequent annealing. In a practical sense this has demonstrated the complementary nature of the analytical capabilities of all of these techniques used for the investigation of the processes involved in high-energy heavy-ion implantation

Amorphization and recrystallization in MeV ion implanted InP crystals

A comprehensive study of MeV-^(15)N-ion-implanted InP by a variety of analytical techniques has revealed the physical processes involved in MeV ion implantation into III-V compound semiconductors as well as the influence of post-implantation annealing. It provides a coherent picture of implant distribution, structural transition, crystalline damage, and lattice strain in InP crystals induced by ion implantation and thermal annealing. The experimental results from the different measurements are summarized in this report. Mechanisms of amorphization by implantation and recrystallization through annealing in MeV-ion-implanted InP are proposed and discussed in light of the results obtained