Capsule-free fluid delivery and beam-induced electrodeposition in a scanning electron microscope

Gold coated borosilicate nanocapillaries are used to locally deliver aqueous, electrolytic CuSO4 solution into the low vacuum chamber of an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Capillary flow of the liquid is induced by bringing a nanocapillary into contact with a substrate. A microscopic droplet is stabilized by controlling the droplet evaporation rate with the substrate temperature and the pressure of H2O vapor injected into the vacuum chamber. An electron beam is admitted to the droplet through a pressure limiting aperture. Electrochemical reduction of aqueous Cu2+ to solid, high purity, deposited Cu is achieved by biasing the nanocapillary and supplying current by the beam which acts as a virtual cathode and enables electrodeposition on both conductive and insulating substrates. Delivery of liquids into vacuum enables localized, capsule-free beam induced electrochemistry, opening new pathways for direct-write nano and micro-lithography via beam induced electrodeposition. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013

Deposition of highly porous nanocrystalline platinum on functionalized substrates through fluorine-induced decomposition of Pt(PF<inf>3</inf>) <inf>4</inf> adsorbates

Nanocrystalline platinum is synthesized at room temperature by co-injecting Pt(PF3)4 and XeF2 vapors onto solid supports in vacuum. The Pt nucleation time scales with chemisorbed fluorine coverage, which is controlled by pre-dosing supports with XeF2, and by optional electron or ion beam irradiation under flowing XeF2. The latter is used to increase the chemisorbed fluorine coverage and localize the Pt growth process. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

The effect of targeted dropsonde observations during the 1999 winter storm reconnaissance program

In this paper, the effects of targeted dropsonde observations on operational global numerical weather analyses and forecasts made at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) are evaluated. The data were collected during the 1999 Winter Storm Reconnaissance field program at locations that were found optimal by the ensemble transform technique for reducing specific forecast errors over the continental United States and Alaska. Two parallel analysis-forecast cycles are compared; one assimilates all operationally available data including those from the targeted dropsondes, whereas the other is identical except that it excludes all dropsonde data collected during the program. It was found that large analysis errors appear in areas of intense baroclinic energy conversion over the northeast Pacific and are strongly associated with errors in the first-guess field. The "signal," defined by the difference between analysis-forecast cycles with and without the dropsonde data, propagates at an average speed of 30 degrees per day along the storm track to the east. Hovmoller diagrams and eddy statistics suggest that downstream development plays a significant role in spreading out the effect of the dropsondes in space and time. On average, the largest rms surface pressure errors are reduced by 10%-20% associated with the eastward-propagating leading edge of the signal. The dropsonde data seem to be more effective in reducing forecast errors when zonal how prevails over the eastern Pacific. Results from combined verification statistics (based on surface pressure, tropospheric winds, and precipitation amount) indicate that the dropsonde data improved the forecasts in 18 of the 25 targeted cases, while the impact was negative (neutral) in only 5 (2) cases

Robust, directed assembly of fluorescent nanodiamonds

© 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Arrays of fluorescent nanoparticles are highly sought after for applications in sensing, nanophotonics and quantum communications. Here we present a simple and robust method of assembling fluorescent nanodiamonds into macroscopic arrays. Remarkably, the yield of this directed assembly process is greater than 90% and the assembled patterns withstand ultra-sonication for more than three hours. The assembly process is based on covalent bonding of carboxyl to amine functional carbon seeds and is applicable to any material, and to non-planar surfaces. Our results pave the way to directed assembly of sensors and nanophotonics devices

Objective effect manifestation of pectus excavatum on load-stressed pulmonary function testing: a case report

Abstract Introduction Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital deformity of the anterior chest wall that, under certain conditions, may pose functional problems due to cardiopulmonary compromise and exercise intolerance. Case presentation We present the case of an otherwise physically-adept 21-year-old Chinese sportsman with idiopathic pectus excavatum, whose symptoms manifested only on bearing a loaded body vest and backpack during physical exercise. Corroborative objective evidence was obtained via load-stressed pulmonary function testing, which demonstrated restrictive lung function. Conclusion This report highlights the possible detrimental synergism of thoracic load stress and pectus excavatum on cardiopulmonary function. Thoracic load-stressed pulmonary function testing provides objective evidence in support of such a synergistic relationship.</p

First GIS analysis of modern stone tools used by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Bossou, Guinea, West Africa

Stone tool use by wild chimpanzees of West Africa offers a unique opportunity to explore the evolutionary roots of technology during human evolution. However, detailed analyses of chimpanzee stone artifacts are still lacking, thus precluding a comparison with the earliest archaeological record. This paper presents the first systematic study of stone tools used by wild chimpanzees to crack open nuts in Bossou (Guinea-Conakry), and applies pioneering analytical techniques to such artifacts. Automatic morphometric GIS classification enabled to create maps of use wear over the stone tools (anvils, hammers, and hammers/anvils), which were blind tested with GIS spatial analysis of damage patterns identified visually. Our analysis shows that chimpanzee stone tool use wear can be systematized and specific damage patterns discerned, allowing to discriminate between active and passive pounders in lithic assemblages. In summary, our results demonstrate the heuristic potential of combined suites of GIS techniques for the analysis of battered artifacts, and have enabled creating a referential framework of analysis in which wild chimpanzee battered tools can for the first time be directly compared to the early archaeological record.Leverhulme Trust [IN-052]; MEXT [20002001, 24000001]; JSPS-U04-PWS; FCT-Portugal [SFRH/BD/36169/2007]; Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Researc

Assimilating Seizure Dynamics

Observability of a dynamical system requires an understanding of its state—the collective values of its variables. However, existing techniques are too limited to measure all but a small fraction of the physical variables and parameters of neuronal networks. We constructed models of the biophysical properties of neuronal membrane, synaptic, and microenvironment dynamics, and incorporated them into a model-based predictor-controller framework from modern control theory. We demonstrate that it is now possible to meaningfully estimate the dynamics of small neuronal networks using as few as a single measured variable. Specifically, we assimilate noisy membrane potential measurements from individual hippocampal neurons to reconstruct the dynamics of networks of these cells, their extracellular microenvironment, and the activities of different neuronal types during seizures. We use reconstruction to account for unmeasured parts of the neuronal system, relating micro-domain metabolic processes to cellular excitability, and validate the reconstruction of cellular dynamical interactions against actual measurements. Data assimilation, the fusing of measurement with computational models, has significant potential to improve the way we observe and understand brain dynamics

Protocol for the 'e-Nudge trial' : a randomised controlled trial of electronic feedback to reduce the cardiovascular risk of individuals in general practice [ISRCTN64828380]

Background: Cardiovascular disease (including coronary heart disease and stroke) is a major cause of death and disability in the United Kingdom, and is to a large extent preventable, by lifestyle modification and drug therapy. The recent standardisation of electronic codes for cardiovascular risk variables through the United Kingdom's new General Practice contract provides an opportunity for the application of risk algorithms to identify high risk individuals. This randomised controlled trial will test the benefits of an automated system of alert messages and practice searches to identify those at highest risk of cardiovascular disease in primary care databases. Design: Patients over 50 years old in practice databases will be randomised to the intervention group that will receive the alert messages and searches, and a control group who will continue to receive usual care. In addition to those at high estimated risk, potentially high risk patients will be identified who have insufficient data to allow a risk estimate to be made. Further groups identified will be those with possible undiagnosed diabetes, based either on elevated past recorded blood glucose measurements, or an absence of recent blood glucose measurement in those with established cardiovascular disease. Outcome measures: The intervention will be applied for two years, and outcome data will be collected for a further year. The primary outcome measure will be the annual rate of cardiovascular events in the intervention and control arms of the study. Secondary measures include the proportion of patients at high estimated cardiovascular risk, the proportion of patients with missing data for a risk estimate, and the proportion with undefined diabetes status at the end of the trial