In situ UHVEM study of {113}-defect formation in Si nanowires

Results are presented of a study of {113}-defect formation in vertical Si nanowire n-type tunnel field effect transistors with nanowire diameters ranging from 40 to 500 nm. The nanowires are etched into an epitaxial moderately As doped n-type layer grown on a heavily As doped n(+) Si substrate. p(+) contacts on the nanowire are created by epitaxial growth of a heavily B doped layer. Using focused ion beam cutting, samples for irradiation are prepared with different thicknesses so that the nanowires are fully or partially embedded in the sample thickness. {113}-defects are created in situ by 2 MeV e-irradiation in an ultra-high voltage electron microscope between room temperature and 375 degrees C. The observations are discussed in the frame of intrinsic point defect properties, taking into account the role of dopants and capping layers. The important impact of the specimen thickness is elucidated

Інноваційна конкурентоспроможність в умовах глобалізації

BACKGROUND Associations between acute respiratory inflammatory responses, changes in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, serum pneumoprotein levels, and exposure to fire smoke were studied. METHODS The study comprised 51 firefighters. Blood samples were taken within 24 hr following exposure to fire smoke, and after a week and 3 months. Sputum was induced within 5 days post-exposure and subjects underwent spirometry and methacholine provocation one week post-exposure. Exposure was registered by a questionnaire. RESULTS No changes were observed following smoke exposure in bronchial hyperresponsiveness and serum pneumoprotein levels. Nevertheless, in a sizable proportion of the firefighters (44%) elevated sputum neutrophil levels (≥60%) were found. Serum IL-8 concentrations were higher 24 hr post-exposure compared to pre-exposure. Elevated neutrophil levels in sputum were associated with elevated serum IL-8 (β = 0.010, P = 0.004) and TNFα (β = 0.005, P = 0.034) levels within 24 hr post-exposure and IL-8 elevation lasted up to 3 months. CONCLUSIONS Acute exposure to fire smoke induces acute neutrophilic airway and long-lasting systemic inflammation in healthy firefighters in the absence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Am. J. Ind. Med. 55:54-62, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Dihydrotestosterone treatment rescues the decline in protein synthesis as a result of sarcopenia in isolated mouse skeletal muscle fibres

Background Sarcopenia, the progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass and function with age, is a debilitating condition. It leads to inactivity, falls, and loss of independence. Despite this, its cause(s) and the underlying mechanism(s) are still poorly understood. Methods In this study, small skeletal muscle fibre bundles isolated from the extensor digitorum longus (a fast-twitch muscle) and the soleus (a slow-twitch muscle) of adult mice of different ages (range 100–900 days old) were used to investigate the effects of ageing and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treatment on protein synthesis as well as the expression and function of two amino acid transporters; the sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter (SNAT) 2, and the sodium-independent L-type amino-acid transporter (LAT) 2. Results At all ages investigated, protein synthesis was always higher in the slow-twitch than in the fast-twitch muscle fibres and decreased with age in both fibre types. However, the decline was greater in the fast-twitch than in the slow-twitch fibres and was accompanied by a reduction in the expression of SNAT2 and LAT2 at the protein level. Again, the decrease in the expression of the amino acid transporters was greater in the fast-twitch than in the slow-twitch fibres. In contrast, ageing had no effect on SNAT2 and LAT2 expressions at the mRNA level. Treating the muscle fibre bundles with physiological concentrations (~2 nM) of DHT for 1 h completely reversed the effects of ageing on protein synthesis and the expression of SNAT2 and LAT2 protein in both fibre types. Conclusion From the observations that ageing is accompanied by a reduction in protein synthesis and transporter expression and that these effects are reversed by DHT treatment, we conclude that sarcopenia arises from an age-dependent reduction in protein synthesis caused, in part, by the lack of or by the low bioavailability of the male sex steroid, DHT

Tradisi Penulisan dan Genre dalam Arsip Lokal VOC: Studi Komparatif Dokumen 1730-1750

Istilah ‘genre’ merujuk kepada pengelompokan berdasarkan beberapa aspek seperti gaya, struktur, dan isi. Meskipun sering diterapkan dalam sastra, konsep ini dapat digunakan dalam mendekati arsip-arsip VOC yang jumlahnya sangat banyak dan terdiri dari berbagai kategori dokumen. Maka, artikel ini akan berusaha menjawab pertanyaan apakah terdapat tradisi penulisan dan genre dalam arsip VOC dan apakah relevansinya bagi ilmu pengetahuan. Tiga tipe utama dokumen yaitu resolutie, memorie, dan dagregister dari struktur komunikasi dan administrasi VOC akan diteliti melalui pendekatan komparatif. Perbandingan dilakukan dengan melihat lebih dekat jenis-jenis dokumen di arsip lokal kantor VOC di Malabar, India dan di Deshima, Jepang. Dari perbandingan tersebut terlihat bahwa terdapat sedikit perbedaan antara resolutie di berbagai tingkat lokal, sedangkan jenis dokumen memorie dan dagregister memiliki perbedaan yang lebih menonjol. Maka, disimpulkan bahwa genre dan tradisi arsip VOC menandakan bahwa masing-masing arsip menyimpan informasi dan pengetahuan tertentu yang berbeda-beda di setiap daerah yang dapat dimanfaatkan untuk menelusuri suara para pelaku sejarah Asia

Reversing racism and the elite conspiracy: Strategies used by the British National Party leader in response to hostile media appearances.

This paper addresses the talk of the leader of the British National Party, Nick Griffin, when he spoke on the BBC following a surge in electoral success for the party. Inclusion in these programmes demonstrated political progress for the BNP, yet ironically facilitated breadth of criticism for the party, as his appearances were met with widespread hostility and accusations of extremism. Reactive rhetoric to these criticisms is central to Griffin rebranding the party and becoming part of mainstream UK politics. Discourse analysis is used to explore how Griffin responds to such criticism during two radio programmes and one television programme between 2009 and 2010. The analysis shows how Griffin uses two interconnected strategies of (1) presenting British people as the victims, rather than the perpetrators, of racism, and (2) blaming this racism not on outside groups, but on an ill-defined 'ruling elite'. These strategies are not independent of one another and function in response to criticism to present Griffin and the BNP as not racist aggressors but respondents to anti-white racism. The implications of this strategy for the presentation and attempted rebranding of the BNP, alongside other far right and mainstream parties, are discussed

Makna Islam bagi orang Indo-Eropa nasionalis pada awal masa kemerdekaan Indonesia

Penelitian ini mendalami makna Islam bagi orang Indo-Eropa nasionalis selama awal kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia. Melalui pengamatan terhadap dua tokoh yang terlibat dalam perdebatan tentang kewarganegaraan, tulisan ini menguraikan bahwa terdapat dua kubu dengan pandangan bertentangan mengenai makna Islam dan menjadi warga Indonesia. De Roock, atau Agus Daruch, memimpin organisasi Indonesia Merdeka yang mendukung asimilasi terbatas, sedangkan P.F. Dahler dan kawan-kawannya mewakili pihak yang bersikap keras dan menuntut asimilasi total dari kaum Indo-Eropa. Kedua pihak mengaku secara langsung atau tidak bahwa Islam memang simbol penting dari nasionalisme, namun tidak setuju bahwa perlu memeluk agama Islam untuk menjadi Warga Negara Indonesia yang baik dan benar.Kata kunci: Islam, Indo-Eropa, asimilasi, nasionalism

Denunciation and the construction of norms in group conflict: examples from an Al-Qaeda-supporting group

In situations of violent group conflict, group members often argue about how to deal with the outgroup. While some argue for aggression, force and separation, others argue for negotiation and cooperation. Each side attempts to persuade the group that their own position is normative and is most in line with the interests and essence of the group. These arguments often involve denunciations of opponents as disloyal or deviant. In such situations, definitions of group identities and norms, and what counts as loyalty and deviance, are therefore disputed. This paper analyses how a UK-based Al-Qaeda-supporting organisation denounces ‘moderate’ Muslims in the UK who engage with secular institutions and who ally themselves with non-Muslims in political disputes. Drawing on theological, historical and political arguments, a prescriptive norm is constructed whereby the correct behaviour of Muslims in the West is to avoid participation in secular political systems and to avoid political cooperation with non-Muslims. Muslims who are seen as breaking these norms are denounced and denigrated in a variety of ways by assigning them a range of deviant identity positions. Denunciations involve explanatory accounts which construct opponents as unworthy representatives of the group based on their deviation from Islam, or from ignorance, cowardice, mental weakness or self-interest. This paper illustrates that the practice of denunciation is an important aspect of the organisation of group conflict. Finally, it argues that it is dangerous for social psychologists to treat group norms and protoypes as consensual