Mechano-chemical manipulation of Sn chains on Si(1 0 0) by NC-AFM

We investigate the atomic structure of Sn dimer chains grown on the Si(1 0 0) surface using non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) at cryogenic temperatures. We find that similar to the native Si(1 0 0) dimer structure, the ground state of the Sn dimer structure is buckled at low temperature. At 5 K we show that the buckling state of the Sn dimers may be controllably, and reversibly, manipulated with atomic precision by close approach of the tip, without modification of the underlying substrate buckling structure. At intermediate cryogenic temperatures we observe changes in the configuration of the dimer chains in the region where the tip-sample interaction is very weak, suggesting that the energy barrier to transit between configurations is sufficiently small to be surmounted at 78 K

The interpretative practice of the International Court of Justice

This article provides an overview of the interpretative practice of the International Court of Justice on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. Whilst the jurisprudence of the nascent icj played an important role in the formulation of Articles 31 to 33 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, we explore the extent to which the Court has followed the rubric of those articles over its existence, how the Court has understood the interpretative elements contained therein, and whether it has privileged certain elements over others. We argue that the Court has shown flexibility and context-specificity in its practice, both in terms of the interpretative approach adopted as well as the materials used

Simulated structure and imaging of NTCDI on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 : a combined STM, NC-AFM and DFT study

The adsorption of naphthalene tetracarboxylic diimide (NTCDI) on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 is investigated through a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We show that NTCDI adopts multiple planar adsorption geometries on the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface which can be imaged with intramolecular bond resolution using NC-AFM. DFT calculations reveal adsorption is dominated by covalent bond formation between the molecular oxygen atoms and the surface silicon adatoms. The chemisorption of the molecule is found to induce subtle distortions to the molecular structure, which are observed in NC-AFM images

Α case of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection in canaries

Περιγράφεται η διαπίστωση περιστατικού ψευδοφυματίωσης σε καναρίνια και ο τρόπος αντιμετώπισης της. Η νόσος εμφανίστηκε σε κατάστημα πώλησης "πτηνών αναψυχής", όπου μαζί με τα καναρίνια υπήρχαν και άλλα είδη πτηνών, ταοποία επίσης είχαν προσβληθεί από τη νόσο. Αρχικά ασθένησαν τα καναρίνια και στη συνέχεια τα υπόλοιπα πτηνά. Οι κυριότερες μακροσκοπικές αλλοιώσεις που διαπιστώθηκαν χαρακτηρίζονταν από την ύπαρξη πολυάριθμων οζιδίων μεγέθους κεφαλής καρφίτσας μέχρι κεχριού στο παρέγχυμα του ήπατος και της σπλήνας, καθώς και στο τοίχωμα του εντέρου κατά εστίες. Επίσης, παρατηρήθηκε διόγκωση του ήπατος και της σπλήνας και υπεραιμία με εξέλκωση του βλεννογόνου του εντέρου. Στην ιστολογική εξέταση διαπιστώθηκαν στο παρέγχυμα του ήπατος και της σπλήνας και στοτοίχωμα του εντέρου εκτεταμένες εστίες πηκτικής νέκρωσης μέσα στις οποίες διακρίνονταν πολυάριθμες βοτρυοειδείς αποικίες Gram- αρνητικών κοκκοβακτηριδίων. Στη μικροβιολογική εξέταση των σπλάχνων απομονώθηκε και ταυτοποιήθηκε το βακτηρίδιοYersinia pseudotuberculosis. Η διαπίστωση της νόσου γίνεται για πρώτη φορά στην Ελλάδα. Η θεραπευτική αγωγή με ενροφλοξασίνη στη δόση των 150 mg/L πόσιμου ύδατος αποδείχθηκε περισσότερο αποτελεσματική στα αρχικά στάδια της νόσου και κυρίως στα άλλα είδη πτηνών.This study describes the diagnosis, treatment and sanitary procedures in canaries and other cage-birds in a pet-shop, infected by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Main macroscopic lesions in the liver, spleen and intestine were characterized by numerous nodules, from pin-head size up to a litde larger. Also, swelling of the liver and spleen and congestion with ulceration of the mucus of the intestine were observed. Parenchyma of the liver and spleen, as well as in the intestinal wall, numerous small or larger cluster-shaped colonies of Gram-negative coccobacteria were found with coagulative necrosis of the normal tissue in the development areas of the bacterium, as well as around them. Bacteriological examination from the internal organs confirmed and identified the bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Pseudotuberculosis was established for the first time in Greece through this study. The therapeutic schema with enrofloxacin in dose of 150 mg/L in drinking water showed itself to be more effective in the first stages of the disease in other cage-bird species, but less so in canaries

The benefits of a 5-day dysphagia intensive placement

Finding practical dysphagia opportunities for students pre-qualification is challenging. Discussions with clinicians led to the development of a new placement model. The placement was just five days and had an accompanying workbook. The current study aimed to evaluate the benefits of the placement. Data were analysed from 40 students who attended an adult dysphagia placement and 13 who attended a paediatric dysphagia placement. Measures included a pre and post self-rating questionnaire, qualitative feedback from clinical educators and students and a pre and post measure of knowledge using concept maps. Student self-rating data indicated gains in experience, awareness, knowledge, clinical skills, competence, confidence and interest in dysphagia. Clinical educators and students also reported a range of benefits from this placement. Students who undertook a placement that focused on adult dysphagia significantly increased their knowledge of adult dysphagia, but this did not generalize to paediatric dysphagia. Despite reporting that they felt they had gained in knowledge of dysphagia, the students who did a paediatric dysphagia placement did not significantly increase their knowledge of dysphagia. The study raises a number of important considerations when designing placements including length, timing, intensity, how best to encourage generalization of knowledge, and how best to measure learning

Active Brownian Particles. From Individual to Collective Stochastic Dynamics

We review theoretical models of individual motility as well as collective dynamics and pattern formation of active particles. We focus on simple models of active dynamics with a particular emphasis on nonlinear and stochastic dynamics of such self-propelled entities in the framework of statistical mechanics. Examples of such active units in complex physico-chemical and biological systems are chemically powered nano-rods, localized patterns in reaction-diffusion system, motile cells or macroscopic animals. Based on the description of individual motion of point-like active particles by stochastic differential equations, we discuss different velocity-dependent friction functions, the impact of various types of fluctuations and calculate characteristic observables such as stationary velocity distributions or diffusion coefficients. Finally, we consider not only the free and confined individual active dynamics but also different types of interaction between active particles. The resulting collective dynamical behavior of large assemblies and aggregates of active units is discussed and an overview over some recent results on spatiotemporal pattern formation in such systems is given.Comment: 161 pages, Review, Eur Phys J Special-Topics, accepte