Novel sputtering-technology for grain-size control

In this paper, we present a description of a novel high-rate plasma sputtering system that allows the control of grain size in sputtered films. Additionally, the system has the advantage of a better utilization of the target material (around 80% to 90%) by eliminating the race track at the target as in conventional plasma magnetron sputtering systems. The potential and capabilities of this novel plasma sputtering device are demonstrated in this paper by the deposition of a number of different Cr thin films suitable for underlayers in thin-film media and for which we have performed a systematic X-ray and TEM analysis to determine the grain-size histograms, mean grain diameters, and their relationship to the sputtering processes

Growth rate effects in soft CoFe films

We report on growth rate effects in sputter-deposited CoFe films prepared using high target utilization sputtering technology (HiTUS). We find that the grain structure of these polycrystalline films is closely related to the growth rate. By changing the growth rate, samples were prepared with different grain structure, which in turn had the effect of changing the magnetic properties of the films. We demonstrate control of the coercivity, which varied by a factor of more than ten. This was achieved via grain size control in CoFe films of thickness 20 nm. Furthermore, by employing a two-step sputtering process, in which two extreme growth rates are used sequentially, we were able to tune the saturation magnetization

Revealing the Hidden Dimensions of Place Experience in Primary School-aged Children

The everyday local environment of incidental spaces routinely encountered by children is an important contributor to their social development and general health and wellbeing. There remains, however, a significant loss of connection between children and outdoor settings and this is increasingly raised as an issue that may have long-term implications. It is now recognised as important that the voices of children should play a pivotal role in the arrangement and content of their spatial realm and that achieving this will require new ways to understand children’s perceptions of place and how this contributes to individual and social development. This paper outlines UK-based doctoral research to develop a range of participatory tools to facilitate exploration and analysis of the spatial experiences of primary school-age children with particular reference to their perceptions of the outdoor places they encounter in their daily life patterns

Experiential landscape place: Exploring experiential potential in neighbourhood settings

Experiential landscape place research is concerned with developing an open space design vocabulary to inform processes of urban place making in residential settings. It contributes to contemporary urban design and landscape architectural practice by emphasising quality of place, rather than mere provision for dwelling, in making residential settings that can sustain a good quality of life for their inhabitants. A conceptual framework has been developed to show how a range of human experience can be conceptualised spatially as four components called centre, direction, transition and area. The paper will build from this intellectual foundation to describe the development and application of methodology to map and analyse experiential potential in residential settings. This can reveal, for example, the potential of the site to encourage different types of place attachment in people, its capability to aid and facilitate orientation, and enhance or stimulate a sense of neighbourhood. This contributes to longer-term research objectives by accumulating data that are being used to hypothesise typical spatial and physical properties and characteristics for centre, direction, transition and area. Work conducted to date has focused on types of centre (subjectively significant locations) associated with restorative benefits. © 2005 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd

Effect of dynamic stall on the aerodynamics of vertical-axis wind turbines

Accurate simulations of the aerodynamic performance of vertical-axis wind turbines pose a significant challenge for computational fluid dynamics methods. The aerodynamic interaction between the blades of the rotor and the wake that is produced by the blades requires a high-fidelity representation of the convection of vorticity within the wake. In addition, the cyclic motion of the blades induces large variations in the angle of attack on the blades that can manifest as dynamic stall. The present paper describes the application of a numerical model that is based on the vorticity transport formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations, to the prediction of the aerodynamics of a verticalaxis wind turbine that consists of three curved rotor blades that are twisted helically around the rotational axis of the rotor. The predicted variation of the power coefficient with tip speed ratio compares very favorably with experimental measurements. It is demonstrated that helical blade twist reduces the oscillation of the power coefficient that is an inherent feature of turbines with non-twisted blade configurations

Mapping of public places : integration of mobile devices and conventional mapping to investigate place identity in Muar, Malaysia

Advancement in technology provides new opportunities for mapping. Human factors need to be considered when implementing this advanced technology, mainly in the context of humans’ perceptions and engagement. A combination of digital technology and conventional approaches offers possibilities to cater for different group of participants. This paper aims to highlight the roles of mapping technique as a tool to empower residents in identifying spaces that they believed to portray their local identity in Muar, the royal town of Johor. During the investigation of place identity in Muar, 150 participants were given choices to elicit their preferences by sketching polygons either via online software on an IPad or an A3 sized printed map. They were asked to identify places that located within the targeted area by referring to a provided list of 15 landscape features. The results were then processed using GIS in order to show spaces and places that are significant and contribute to the identity of place in Muar, as a modern royal town of Johor Sultanate, Malaysia

Transitional edges: a conceptual framework for socio-spatial understanding of urban street edges

This paper develops a conceptual framework of transitional edges to enhance understanding of the social value of urban street edges. Building from theoretical principles associated with socio-spatial understandings of urban realms, transitional edges conceptualise urban street edges as integrations of their social, spatial and material dimensions. This is captured in a tripartite structure highlighting socially relevant properties of transitional edges that act along them (extent), across them (laterality) and within them (locality). This provides a foundation for developing an approach to practical application based on identification and evaluation of transitional edges as assemblages of territorialised segments. To progress this, a developmental study of a length of Sharrow Vale Road in Sheffield, UK was carried out to explore how theoretical principles of the transitional edge conceptual framework could be translated for practical application. This reveals the potential of transitional edges to highlight that locally focused small scale change and adaptation may be significant to the social potential of urban street edges. As a result, the current study sets out theoretical and practical foundations for a conceptual framework of transitional edges which will support development of an extensive funded programme of transitional edge case study research

Correction: Studholme et al., Draft Genome Sequences of Xanthomonas sacchari and Two Banana-Associated Xanthomonads Reveal Insights into the Xanthomonas Group 1 clade. Genes 2011, 2, 1050-1065

Published ErratumThis is the final version of the article. Available from MDPI via the DOI in this record.NOTE: the original article is in ORE at http://hdl.handle.net/10036/3880Following publication of our article [1], we found errors in analyses performed by the corresponding author (DJS) related to the phylogenetic relationship between Xylella species and the other xanthomonads. These errors do not make any difference to the main findings and conclusions reported in our paper. For example, the phylogenetic positions of NCPPB1131, NCPPB1132 and NCPPB4393 within the Group 1 Xanthomonas species are unaffected. However, we wish to apologize to the authors of a previous work [2] for creating any negative impression on the quality of their phylogenetic analyses and to take this opportunity to rectify the errors. [...]

Draft genome sequences of xanthomonas sacchari and two banana-associated xanthomonads reveal insights into the xanthomonas group 1 clade

Original article plus subsequent corrections as described below: Following publication of our article [1], we found errors in analyses performed by the corresponding author (DJS) related to the phylogenetic relationship between Xylella species and the other xanthomonads. These errors do not make any difference to the main findings and conclusions reported in our paper. For example, the phylogenetic positions of NCPPB1131, NCPPB1132 and NCPPB4393 within the Group 1 Xanthomonas species are unaffected. However, we wish to apologize to the authors of a previous work [2] for creating any negative impression on the quality of their phylogenetic analyses and to take this opportunity to rectify the errors. The details of the errors are listed.Freely available on Open AccessNOTE: the published correction is in ORE at http://hdl.handle.net/10871/25734We present draft genome sequences for three strains of Xanthomonas species, each of which was associated with banana plants (Musa species) but is not closely related to the previously sequenced banana-pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pathovar musacearum. Strain NCPPB4393 had been deposited as Xanthomonas campestris pathovar musacearum but in fact falls within the species Xanthomonas sacchari. Strain NCPPB1132 is more distantly related to Xanthomonas sacchari whilst strain NCPPB 1131 grouped in a distinct species-level clade related to X. sacchari, along with strains from ginger, rice, cotton and sugarcane. These three newly sequenced strains share many genomic features with the previously sequenced Xanthomonas albilineans, for example possessing an unsual metE allele and lacking the Hrp type III secretion system. However, they are distinct from Xanthomonas albilineans in many respects, for example showing little evidence of genome reduction. They also lack the SPI-1 type III secretion system found in OPEN ACCESSGenes 2011, 2 1051 Xanthomonas albilineans. Unlike X. albilineans, all three strains possess a gum gene cluster. The data reported here provide the first genome-wide survey of non-Hrp Xanthomonas species other than Xanthomonas albilineans, which is an atypical member of this group. We hope that the availability of complete sequence data for this group of organisms is the first step towards understanding their interactions with plants and identifying potential virulence factors