Compact and explicit physical model for lateral metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor with nanoelectromechanical system based resonant gate

We propose a simple analytical model of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor with a lateral resonant gate based on the coupled electromechanical equations, which are self-consistently solved in time. All charge densities according to the mechanical oscillations are evaluated. The only input parameters are the physical characteristics of the device. No extra mathematical parameters are used to fit the experimental results. Theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental data in static and dynamic operation. Our model is comprehensive and may be suitable for any electromechanical device based on the field-effect transduction

Searching for "monogenic diabetes" in dogs using a candidate gene approach

BACKGROUND: Canine diabetes is a common endocrine disorder with an estimated breed-related prevalence ranging from 0.005% to 1.5% in pet dogs. Increased prevalence in some breeds suggests that diabetes in dogs is influenced by genetic factors and similarities between canine and human diabetes phenotypes suggest that the same genes might be associated with disease susceptibility in both species. Between 1-5% of human diabetes cases result from mutations in a single gene, including maturity onset diabetes of the adult (MODY) and neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM). It is not clear whether monogenic forms of diabetes exist within some dog breeds. Identification of forms of canine monogenic diabetes could help to resolve the heterogeneity of the condition and lead to development of breed-specific genetic tests for diabetes susceptibility. RESULTS: Seventeen dog breeds were screened for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in eighteen genes that have been associated with human MODY/NDM. Six SNP associations were found from five genes, with one gene (ZFP57) being associated in two different breeds. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the genes that have been associated with susceptibility to MODY and NDM in humans appear to also be associated with canine diabetes, although the limited number of associations identified in this study indicates canine diabetes is a heterogeneous condition and is most likely to be a polygenic trait in most dog breeds. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2052-6687-1-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Effect of Sm-, Gd- codoping on structural modifications in aluminoborosilicate glasses under beta-irradiation

Two series of Sm-, Gd-codoped aluminoborosilicate glasses with different total rare earth content have been studied in order to examine the codoping effect on the structural modifications of beta-irradiated glasses. The data obtained by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy indicated that relative amount of Gd3+ ions located in network former position reveals non-linear dependence on Sm/Gd ratio. Besides, codoping leads to the evolution of the EPR signal attributed to defects created by irradiation: superhyperfine structure of boron oxygen hole centres EPR line becomes less noticeable and resolved with increase of Gd amount. This fact manifests that Gd3+ ions are mainly diluted in vicinity of the boron network. By Raman spectroscopy, we showed that the structural changes induced by the irradiation also reveal non-linear behaviour with Sm/Gd ratio. In fact, the shift of the Si-O-Si bending vibration modes has a clear minimum for the samples containing equal amount of Sm and Gd (50:50) in both series of the investigated glasses. In contrast, for single doped glass there is no influence of dopant's content on Si-O-Si shift (in case of Gd) or its diminution (in case of Sm) occurs which is explained by the reduction process influence. At the same time, no noticeable effect of codoping on Sm3+ intensity as well as on Sm2+ emission or on Sm reduction process was observed

The Permian Geology, Physiography and Landscape Evolution of Northeastern Victoria

Northeast Victorian diamictites (tillites) and interstratified traction deposits (fluvioglacials), now mapped in detail and interpreted as glacial, contain: uni- and multidirectionally striated clasts; striated clasts with environmentally diagnostic shapes (wedges and bullets); and occasionally striated fossiliferous (Siluro-Devonian faunal assemblages) and non-fossiliferous erratics. The sequences represent proximal sedimentation associated with a wasting ice-front, south of the Wangaratta area. Associated with these sediments are seven pavement surfaces, recognised as glacial (one - a miniature roche moutonnee) and indicating ice-movement from south to north. Petrographic data show derivation of non-fossiliferous erratics from local and distant source terrains south of the study area. Palaeontological data show derivation of the exotic fossiliferous erratics from beyond the present southern margin of the Australian craton. Local preservation and general distribution of glacial deposits reflects original Permian topography rather than subsequent graben tectonics. There is no geological evidence for an Ovens Graben. The present landscape reflects tilt-block tectonics similar in structural pattern to that developed across the north of the state, and is in part at least a preserved Permian feature. The radiometric age of basalt in Glenrowan Gap (on the western side of the Ovens tilt-block) demonstrates the Gap's existence before 36 Ma. Glacials suggest a relict Permian ice-spill path to the NW

Efficient Computation of Casimir Interactions between Arbitrary 3D Objects

We introduce an efficient technique for computing Casimir energies and forces between objects of arbitrarily complex 3D geometries. In contrast to other recently developed methods, our technique easily handles non-spheroidal, non-axisymmetric objects and objects with sharp corners. Using our new technique, we obtain the first predictions of Casimir interactions in a number of experimentally relevant geometries, including crossed cylinders and tetrahedral nanoparticles.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Exploring the performance of the spectrometer prisma in heavy zirconium and xenon mass regions

We present results from two recent runs which illustrate the performance of the PRISMA spectrometer in the proximity of the upper limit of its operational interval, namely 96Zr + 124Sn at Elab = 500 MeV and 136Xe + 208Pb at Elab = 930 MeV. In the latter run, the γ array CLARA also allowed us to identify previously unknown γ transitions in the nuclides 136Cs and 134I

Rémy Ollier And Imperial Citizenship

This essay discusses Rémy Ollier’s (1816–45) journalism. As an early claimant of citizenship through (rather than against) the British Empire during the 1840s, Ollier attempted to redress a gap that he perceived between the institutionalization of rights in Britain and Mauritius. Established accounts of Ollier’s political intervention provide a rich narrative of how his efforts are implicated in the development of rights in Mauritius and broader postcolonial nationalisms. However, I argue that facets of his expression of imperial citizenship reside apart from this genealogy. To explore how Ollier uniquely created imperial citizenship, an “acts”-influenced approach to citizenship is adopted. By analyzing his writings in La Sentinelle de Maurice, I reveal how imperial citizenship is generated through a subversive loyalism to Britain and an orientalist portrayal of indentured labourers. I conclude by mobilizing Ollier’s struggle as a challenge to the notion that citizenship realizes itself in teleological fashion

In adult onset myositis, the presence of interstitial lung disease and myositis specific/associated antibodies are governed by HLA class II haplotype, rather than by myositis subtype

The aim of this study was to investigate HLA class II associations in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM), and to determine how these associations influence clinical and serological differences. DNA samples were obtained from 225 UK Caucasian idiopathic inflammatory myopathy patients (PM = 117, DM = 108) and compared with 537 randomly selected UK Caucasian controls. All cases had also been assessed for the presence of related malignancy and interstitial lung disease (ILD), and a number of myositis-specific/myositis-associated antibodies (MSAs/MAAs). Subjects were genotyped for HLA-DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1. HLA-DRB1*03, DQA1*05 and DQB1*02 were associated with an increased risk for both PM and DM. The HLA-DRB1*03-DQA1*05-DQB1*02 haplotype demonstrated strong association with ILD, irrespective of myositis subtype or presence of anti-aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetase antibodies. The HLA-DRB1*07-DQA1*02-DQB1*02 haplotype was associated with risk for anti-Mi-2 antibodies, and discriminated PM from DM (odds ratio 0.3, 95% confidence interval 0.1–0.6), even in anti-Mi-2 negative patients. Other MSA/MAAs showed specific associations with other HLA class II haplotypes, irrespective of myositis subtype. There were no genotype, haplotype or serological associations with malignancy. The HLA-DRB1*03-DQA1*05-DQB1*02 haplotype associations appear to not only govern disease susceptibility in Caucasian PM/DM patients, but also phenotypic features common to PM/DM. Though strongly associated with anti-Mi-2 antibodies, the HLA-DRB1*07-DQA1*02-DQB1*02 haplotype shows differential associations with PM/DM disease susceptibility. In conclusion, these findings support the notion that myositis patients with differing myositis serology have different immunogenetic profiles, and that these profiles may define specific myositis subtypes

Dog leucocyte antigen (DLA) class II haplotypes and risk of canine diabetes mellitus in specific dog breeds

Abstract: Background: Canine diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine disease in domestic dogs. A number of pathological mechanisms are thought to contribute to the aetiopathogenesis of relative or absolute insulin deficiency, including immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic beta cells. DM risk varies considerably between different dog breeds, suggesting that genetic factors are involved and contribute susceptibility or protection. Associations of particular dog leucocyte antigen (DLA) class II haplotypes with DM have been identified, but investigations to date have only considered all breeds pooled together. The aim of this study was to analyse an expanded data set so as to identify breed-specific diabetes-associated DLA haplotypes. Methods: The 12 most highly represented breeds in the UK Canine Diabetes Register were selected for study. DLA-typing data from 646 diabetic dogs and 912 breed-matched non-diabetic controls were analysed to enable breed-specific analysis of the DLA. Dogs were genotyped for allelic variation at DLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1 loci using DNA sequence-based typing. Genotypes from all three loci were combined to reveal three-locus DLA class II haplotypes, which were evaluated for statistical associations with DM. This was performed for each breed individually and for all breeds pooled together. Results: Five dog breeds were identified as having one or more DLA haplotype associated with DM susceptibility or protection. Four DM-associated haplotypes were identified in the Cocker Spaniel breed, of which one haplotype was shared with Border Terriers. In the three breeds known to be at highest risk of DM included in the study (Samoyed, Tibetan Terrier and Cairn Terrier), no DLA haplotypes were found to be associated with DM. Conclusions: Novel DLA associations with DM in specific dog breeds provide further evidence that immune response genes contribute susceptibility to this disease in some cases. It is also apparent that DLA may not be contributing obvious or strong risk for DM in some breeds, including the seven breeds analysed for which no associations were identified