Modeling pulsed-laser melting of embedded semiconductor nanoparticles

Pulsed-laser melting (PLM) is commonly used to achieve a fast quench rate in both thin films and nanoparticles. A model for the size evolution during PLM of nanoparticles confined in a transparent matrix, such as those created by ion-beam synthesis, is presented. A self-consistent mean-field rate equations approach that has been used successfully to model ion beam synthesis of germanium nanoparticles in silica is extended to include the PLM process. The PLM model includes classical optical absorption, multiscale heat transport by both analytical and finite difference methods, and melting kinetics for confined nanoparticles. The treatment of nucleation and coarsening behavior developed for the ion beam synthesis model is modified to allow for a non-uniform temperature gradient and for interacting liquid and solid particles with different properties. The model allows prediction of the particle size distribution after PLM under various laser fluences, starting from any particle size distribution including as-implanted or annealed simulated samples. A route for narrowing the size distribution of embedded nanoparticles is suggested, with simulated distribution widths as low as 15% of the average size

Differential Regulation of Horizontally Acquired and Core Genome Genes by the Bacterial Modulator H-NS

Horizontal acquisition of DNA by bacteria dramatically increases genetic diversity and hence successful bacterial colonization of several niches, including the human host. A relevant issue is how this newly acquired DNA interacts and integrates in the regulatory networks of the bacterial cell. The global modulator H-NS targets both core genome and HGT genes and silences gene expression in response to external stimuli such as osmolarity and temperature. Here we provide evidence that H-NS discriminates and differentially modulates core and HGT DNA. As an example of this, plasmid R27-encoded H-NS protein has evolved to selectively silence HGT genes and does not interfere with core genome regulation. In turn, differential regulation of both gene lineages by resident chromosomal H-NS requires a helper protein: the Hha protein. Tight silencing of HGT DNA is accomplished by H-NS-Hha complexes. In contrast, core genes are modulated by H-NS homoligomers. Remarkably, the presence of Hha-like proteins is restricted to the Enterobacteriaceae. In addition, conjugative plasmids encoding H-NS variants have hitherto been isolated only from members of the family. Thus, the H-NS system in enteric bacteria presents unique evolutionary features. The capacity to selectively discriminate between core and HGT DNA may help to maintain horizontally transmitted DNA in silent form and may give these bacteria a competitive advantage in adapting to new environments, including host colonization

Pratos e mais pratos: louças domésticas, divisões culturais e limites sociais no Rio de Janeiro, século XIX

Reply to ten comments on a paper published in the last issue of this journal. The discussion follows along six main lines: History museums, identity, ideology and the category of nation; the need of material collections and their modalities: patrimonial, operational, virtual; theater versus laboratory; visitors and their ambiguities; Public History: the museum and the academy.Resposta aos comentários de dez especialistas que contribuíram no debate de texto publicado no último número desta revista. A discussão orientou-se segundo seis tópicos principais: museus históricos, identidade, ideologia e a categoria de nação; a necessidade de acervos materiais e suas modalidades: acervo patrimonial, operacional, virtual; teatro versus laboratório; o público e suas ambigüidades; História Pública: o museu e a Academia

Initial Application of Selected-Ion Flow-Tube Mass Spectrometry to Real-Time Product Detection in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Electrochemical CO reduction (EC-CO R) has seen a resurgence in interest over the past several years; however, the means of analyzing catalytically produced products continues to rely on decades-old methods such as gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Real-time analysis of the gaseous and liquid products of this reaction is highly desirable; however, few analytical techniques have been developed thus far to meet this need. Here, we demonstrate the first use of selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) as an analytical tool capable of measuring in real time both the gas- and liquid-phase products of EC-CO R in aqueous solution. SIFT-MS uses well-understood ion–molecule reactions to enable the analysis of similar multicomponent mixtures by preventing substantial fragmentation of the analyte. We lay out the framework in which to evaluate the tool's capabilities and show that the C –C hydrocarbon, alcohol, and aldehyde products of CO R should be quantitatively detectable. 2 2 2 1 3

The Linked CENTURY Study: linking three decades of clinical and public health data to examine disparities in childhood obesity

Background: Despite the need to identify the causes of disparities in childhood obesity, the existing epidemiologic studies of early life risk factors have several limitations. We report on the construction of the Linked CENTURY database, incorporating CENTURY (Collecting Electronic Nutrition Trajectory Data Using Records of Youth) Study data with birth certificates; and discuss the potential implications of combining clinical and public health data sources in examining the etiology of disparities in childhood obesity. Methods: We linked the existing CENTURY Study, a database of 269,959 singleton children from birth to age 18 years with measured heights and weights, with each child’s Massachusetts birth certificate, which captures information on their mothers’ pregnancy history and detailed socio-demographic information of both mothers and fathers. Results: Overall, 74.2 % were matched, resulting in 200,343 children in the Linked CENTURY Study with 1,580,597 well child visits. Among this cohort, 94.0 % (188,334) of children have some father information available on the birth certificate and 60.9 % (121,917) of children have at least one other sibling in the dataset. Using maternal race/ethnicity from the birth certificate as an indicator of children’s race/ethnicity, 75.7 % of children were white, 11.6 % black, 4.6 % Hispanic, and 5.7 % Asian. Based on socio-demographic information from the birth certificate, 20.0 % of mothers were non-US born, 5.9 % smoked during pregnancy, 76.3 % initiated breastfeeding, and 11.0 % of mothers had their delivery paid for by public health insurance. Using clinical data from the CENTURY Study, 22.7 % of children had a weight-for-length ≥ 95th percentile between 1 and 24 months and 12.0 % of children had a body mass index ≥ 95th percentile at ages 5 and 17 years. Conclusions: By linking routinely-collected data sources, it is possible to address research questions that could not be answered with either source alone. Linkage between a clinical database and each child’s birth certificate has created a unique dataset with nearly complete racial/ethnic and socio-demographic information from both parents, which has the potential to examine the etiology of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in childhood obesity