Spin injection from perpendicular magnetized ferromagnetic δ\delta-MnGa into (Al,Ga)As heterostructures

Electrical spin injection from ferromagnetic $\delta$-MnGa into an (Al,Ga)As p-i-n light emitting diode (LED) is demonstrated. The $\delta$-MnGa layers show strong perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy, enabling detection of spin injection at remanence without an applied magnetic field. The bias and temperature dependence of the spin injection are found to be qualitatively similar to Fe-based spin LED devices. A Hanle effect is observed and demonstrates complete depolarization of spins in the semiconductor in a transverse magnetic field.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Patient experience of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in a maternity unit in Ireland

The introduction of the Electronic Health Records (EHRs) for maternity services in Ireland provided an opportunity to examine patient satisfaction and to examine what patients require from an Electronic Health Record. The implementation of the EHR in Ireland started in 2016, and at present, four of the 19 maternity units are digital. Patients at antenatal booking visits in an Irish maternity unit were invited to participate in the project. The invite was taken up by 201 women. The survey took 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey was conducted nine months following the implementation of the MN-CMS. The survey was anonymous and was divided into three distinctive sections; participant information, regarding the staff encounters on their visits and questions about the new system. 70% of participants rated their overall consultation from very good to outstanding. 73% of participants believe the computer system will ensure quality of care. Participants believe their personal information is safe (65%) in the new computer system. Over 75% of participants did not have any concerns regarding the new computer system. Eighty-one percent of participants noted that they would like access online to their charts and 91% of these respondents would like access to the full chart. Patients in this study were very receptive to the introduction of EHR and noted that it would be beneficial for their care. They also noted the impact the EHR could have on clinic time and interactions with staff. However, patients require access to their charts this they believe would provide them with ownership of their health. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Innovation & Technology lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this len

Comparative effects of embryonic exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers in domestic and wild birds

Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in eggs of wild birds have increased dramatically over the past 25 years, yet only limited data are available to interpret toxicological consequences of exposure. Embryonic survival, pipping and hatching success, and sublethal biochemical, endocrine, and histological endpoints were examined in chicken (Gallus gallus), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), and American kestrel (Falco sparverius) hatchlings following in ovo (air cell) administration of the commercial penta-BDE mixture DE-71 (0.01-20 µg DE-71/g egg). Environmentally realistic concentrations of DE-71 induced ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase activity, and reduced bursa of Fabricius follicle size and number in chicken hatchlings, but not in other species. Pipping and hatching success decreased in American kestrels receiving 10 and 20 µg DE-71/g egg, but these endpoints were unaffected in other species. Absorption of air cell administered DE-71 (dose = 11.1 µg/g egg) into the contents of eggs varied among species and uptake rate tended to increase during the later half of development (dose absorbed by pipping: chicken 29.6%, kestrel 18.8%). At least six PBDE congeners and two metabolites were detected in DE-71 dosed eggs that were not present in the dosing solution, suggesting evidence of debromination and methoxylation. Uptake of the commercial octa-BDE mixture DE-79 (dose = 15.4 µg /g egg) following air cell administration to avian eggs was found to be low (dose absorbed <6.5%). Based on the DE-71 uptake rate in kestrels, the lowest observable effect level on pipping and hatching success may be 1.8 µg total PBDE/g egg, which approaches concentrations detected in eggs of free-ranging birds. As some PBDE congeners are still increasing in the environment, the embryotoxic effects observed following DE-71 administration are cause for concern

Toxicity Of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (De-71) In Chicken (\u3ci\u3eGallus Gallus\u3c/i\u3e), Mallard (\u3ci\u3eAnas Platyrhynchos\u3c/i\u3e), And American Kestrel (\u3ci\u3eFalco Sparverius\u3c/i\u3e) Embryos And Hatchlings

Embryonic survival, pipping and hatching success, and sublethal biochemical, endocrine, and histological endpoints were examined in hatchling chickens (Gallus gallus), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and American kestrels (Falco sparverius) following air cell administration of a pentabrominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE; DE-71) mixture (0.01–20 µg/g egg) or polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener 126 (3,3’,4,4’,5-pentachlorobiphenyl; 0.002 µg/g egg). The penta-BDE decreased pipping and hatching success at concentrations of 10 and 20 µg/g egg in kestrels but had no effect on survival endpoints in chickens or mallards. Sublethal effects in hatchling chickens included ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD) induction and histological changes in the bursa, but these responses were not observed in other species. Polychlorinated biphenyl congener 126 (positive control) reduced survival endpoints in chicken and kestrel embryos and caused sublethal effects (EROD induction, reduced bursal mass and follicle size) in chickens. Mallards were clearly less sensitive than the other species to administered penta-BDE and PCB 126. In a second experiment, the absorption of penta-BDE (11.1 µg/g egg, air cell administered during early development) into the contents of chicken and kestrel eggs was determined at various intervals (24 h postinjection, midincubation, and pipping). By pipping, 29% of the penta-BDE administered dose was present in the egg contents in chickens, and 18% of the administered dose was present in kestrel egg contents. Based on uptake in kestrels, the lowest-observed-effect level on pipping and hatching success may be as low as 1.8 µg total penta-BDE/g egg, which approaches concentrations detected in eggs of free-ranging birds. Because some penta-BDE congeners are still increasing in the environment, the toxic effects observed in the present study are cause for concern in wildlife

Toxicity Of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (De-71) In Chicken (\u3ci\u3eGallus Gallus\u3c/i\u3e), Mallard (\u3ci\u3eAnas Platyrhynchos\u3c/i\u3e), And American Kestrel (\u3ci\u3eFalco Sparverius\u3c/i\u3e) Embryos And Hatchlings

Embryonic survival, pipping and hatching success, and sublethal biochemical, endocrine, and histological endpoints were examined in hatchling chickens (Gallus gallus), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and American kestrels (Falco sparverius) following air cell administration of a pentabrominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE; DE-71) mixture (0.01–20 µg/g egg) or polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener 126 (3,3’,4,4’,5-pentachlorobiphenyl; 0.002 µg/g egg). The penta-BDE decreased pipping and hatching success at concentrations of 10 and 20 µg/g egg in kestrels but had no effect on survival endpoints in chickens or mallards. Sublethal effects in hatchling chickens included ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD) induction and histological changes in the bursa, but these responses were not observed in other species. Polychlorinated biphenyl congener 126 (positive control) reduced survival endpoints in chicken and kestrel embryos and caused sublethal effects (EROD induction, reduced bursal mass and follicle size) in chickens. Mallards were clearly less sensitive than the other species to administered penta-BDE and PCB 126. In a second experiment, the absorption of penta-BDE (11.1 µg/g egg, air cell administered during early development) into the contents of chicken and kestrel eggs was determined at various intervals (24 h postinjection, midincubation, and pipping). By pipping, 29% of the penta-BDE administered dose was present in the egg contents in chickens, and 18% of the administered dose was present in kestrel egg contents. Based on uptake in kestrels, the lowest-observed-effect level on pipping and hatching success may be as low as 1.8 µg total penta-BDE/g egg, which approaches concentrations detected in eggs of free-ranging birds. Because some penta-BDE congeners are still increasing in the environment, the toxic effects observed in the present study are cause for concern in wildlife

Mori Dream Spaces

This article is based on the 7th Takagi Lectures that the author delivered at the University of Tokyo on November 21-23, 2009.We explore the circle of ideas connecting finite generation of the Cox ring, Mori dream spaces and invariant theory

Emotion perception and electrophysiological correlates in Huntington\u27s disease

Objective This study aimed to characterise, emotion perception deficits in symptomatic Huntington\u27s disease (HD) via the use of event-related potentials (ERPs). Methods ERP data were recorded during a computerised facial expression task in 11 HD participants and 11 matched controls. Expression (scrambled, neutral, happy, angry, disgust) classification accuracy and intensity were assessed. Relationships between ERP indices and clinical disease characteristics were also examined. Results Accuracy was significantly lower for HD relative to controls, due to reduced performance for neutral, angry and disgust (but not happy) faces. Intensity ratings did not differ between groups. HD participants displayed significantly reduced visual processing amplitudes extending across pre-face (P100) and face-specific (N170) processing periods, whereas subsequent emotion processing amplitudes (N250) were similar across groups. Face-specific and emotion-specific derivations of the N170 and N250 (\u27neutral minus scrambled\u27 and \u27each emotion minus neutral\u27, respectively) did not differ between groups. Conclusions Our data suggest that the facial emotion recognition performance deficits in HD are primarily related to neural degeneration underlying \u27generalised\u27 visual processing, rather than face or emotional specific processing. Significance ERPs are a useful tool to separate functionally discreet impairments in HD, and provide an important avenue for biomarker application that could more-selectively track disease progression

Modelling the X-ray spectra of high velocity outflows from quasars

High velocity outflows from supermassive black holes have been invoked to explain the recent identification of strong absorption features in the hard X-ray spectra of several quasars. Here, Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations are performed to synthesise X-ray spectra from models of such flows. It is found that simple, parametric bi-conical outflow models with plausible choices for the wind parameters predict spectra that are in good qualitative agreement with observations in the 2 - 10 keV band. The influence on the spectrum of both the mass-loss rate and opening angle of the flow are considered: the latter is important since photon leakage plays a significant role in establishing an ionization gradient within the flow, a useful discriminant between spherical and conical outflow for this and other applications. Particular attention is given to the bright quasar PG1211+143 for which constraints on the outflow geometry and mass-loss rate are discussed subject to the limitations of the currently available observational data.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication by MNRA

Absorption and biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers DE-71 and DE-79 in chicken (\u3ci\u3eGallus gallus\u3c/i\u3e), mallard (\u3ci\u3eAnas platyrhynchos\u3c/i\u3e), American kestrel (\u3ci\u3eFalco sparverius\u3c/i\u3e) and black-crowned night-heron (\u3ci\u3eNycticorax nycticorax\u3c/i\u3e) eggs

We recently reported that air cell administration of penta-brominated diphenyl ether (penta-BDE; DE-71) evokes biochemical and immunologic effects in chicken (Gallus gallus) embryos at very low doses, and impairs pipping (i.e., stage immediately prior to hatching) and hatching success at 1.8 µg g-1 egg (actual dose absorbed) in American kestrels (Falco sparverius). In the present study, absorption of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners was measured following air cell administration of a penta-BDE mixture (11.1 lg DE-71 g-1 egg) or an octa-brominated diphenyl ether mixture (octa BDE; DE-79; 15.4 lg DE-79 g-1 egg). Uptake of PBDE congeners was measured at 24 h post-injection, midway through incubation, and at pipping in chicken, mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), and American kestrel egg contents, and at the end of incubation in black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) egg contents. Absorption of penta-BDE and octa-BDE from the air cell into egg contents occurred throughout incubation; at pipping, up to 29.6% of penta-BDE was absorbed, but only 1.40–6.48% of octa-BDE was absorbed. Higher brominated congeners appeared to be absorbed more slowly than lower brominated congeners, and uptake rate was inversely proportional to the log Kow of predominant BDE congeners. Six congeners or co-eluting pairs of congeners were detected in penta-BDE-treated eggs that were not found in the dosing solution suggesting debromination in the developing embryo, extraembryonic membranes, and possibly even in the air cell membrane. This study demonstrates the importance of determining the fraction of xenobiotic absorbed into the egg following air cell administration for estimation of the lowest-observed-effect level