A Two-level Prediction Model for Deep Reactive Ion Etch (DRIE)

We contribute a quantitative and systematic model to capture etch non-uniformity in deep reactive ion etch of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Deep reactive ion etch is commonly used in MEMS fabrication where high-aspect ratio features are to be produced in silicon. It is typical for many supposedly identical devices, perhaps of diameter 10 mm, to be etched simultaneously into one silicon wafer of diameter 150 mm. Etch non-uniformity depends on uneven distributions of ion and neutral species at the wafer level, and on local consumption of those species at the device, or die, level. An ion–neutral synergism model is constructed from data obtained from etching several layouts of differing pattern opening densities. Such a model is used to predict wafer-level variation with an r.m.s. error below 3%. This model is combined with a die-level model, which we have reported previously, on a MEMS layout. The two-level model is shown to enable prediction of both within-die and wafer-scale etch rate variation for arbitrary wafer loadings.

El modelo sociopsicológico de retraso mental : evidencias experimentales sobre etiología y tratamiento.

Elaboración y exposición del enfoque o modelo psicosociológico o comportamental del retraso mental con sus peculiares características, así como su aplicación en una situación preferente de trabajo clínico-educativo en una serie de casos piloto. 5 sujetos, unos escolarizados, otros sin escolarizar, y algunos en plan del inicio de escolarización, cuya valoración, diagnóstico y tratamiento se lleva a cabo en el Centro de Educación y Desarrollo Infantil (Centro Privado de Psicología Clínica). La investigación sigue un proceso principalmente de observación directa de los sujetos, también se realiza una valoración historiográfica de cada sujeto, así como una valoración de las ocho áreas que se presentan en los historiogramas: área de conducta previa, área de conducta verbal comprensiva, área de imitación vocal, área de lenguaje funcional, área de conducta motora, área de conducta de autonomía, área de conducta social,área de conducta conceptual. Todo esto se realiza a través de sesiones clínicas, en las que interviene un terapeuta, a lo largo de un año. Observación directa; entrevistas con los padres de los sujetos; Portage Guide to Early Education; escala de Hayden y Dmitriev; material aportado por Luciano Soriano. Análisis visual; prueba de Wilcoxon; prueba binomial; análisis estadístico de series temporales (Simplified Time Series de Tryon). Se muestran a través de gráficos. La definición de retraso mental cambia a retardo en el desarrollo. La identificación del retardo en el desarrollo es inmediata y objetiva. Individualización del diagnóstico conductual. El diagnóstico conductual permite pronosticar el curso del problema y del tratamiento. Relación directa entre diagnóstico y etiología conductuales. Individualización de las técnicas, estrategias o procedimientos de entrenamiento o intervención. Posibilidad de evaluar la fiabilidad de aplicación correcta de la variable independiente: aplicación de una técnica de entrenamiento.

INFO2009 2012-13: An Educational Video on Augmented Reality by Group 8 - Team Infinity

An educational resource set on Augmented Reality and whether it really is "A Vision of Tomorrow". Our educational video takes the audience on a journey through the current uses of AR, then to the future and we also discusses legal and ethical issues towards the end.

Infecciones respiratorias agudas en menores de 5 años vacunados o no contra la Influenza en el periodo del 2004 y 2005

De las enfermedades posibles que afectan el ser humano, las infecciones respiratorias agudas (IRA) son las más prevalentes de todas, con una prevalencia para Colombia según informes de la OPS del año 2005 de 12.6% en niños de 0 a 4 años. A pesar de la naturaleza en su mayoría son de corta duración y su desarrollo es benigno, con lleva repercusiones importantes en la salud y en lo económico: Es una de las principales causas de demanda de servicios médicos, de prescripción injustificada de antibióticos , de ausentismo escolar y laboral secundario. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar el número de eventos de infecciones respiratorias agudas, en niños entre 2 y 5 años de edad afiliados a la EPS Sanitas que consultaron al Clinisanitas de Ciudad Salitre entre el periodo de septiembre del 2004 y febrero del 2006, para determinar si existe o no asociación al hecho de estar vacunado contra la influenza.

Las memorias públicas sobre el conflicto colombiano, perspectiva analítica desde los centros de memoria

Este texto busca analizar de manera comparada la memoria pública que producen, exhiben y administran el Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica y el Centro de Memoria, Paz y Reconciliación sobre el conflicto colombiano a través de sus artefactos de memoria. El ejercicio de memoria que llevan a cabo ambos centros evidencia que a la vez que recuerdan el pasado reciente también lo representan a través de unas maneras particulares de entender el conflicto colombiano y sus actores, visibilizando ciertas tensiones y pugnas por las temporalidades que se le dan al conflicto, las violencias que se incluyen y los efectos que ha generado. Del análisis de los trabajos de memoria de estos centros es posible hacer un mapeo de hacia dónde está apuntando la políticas sobre la memoria y el pasado en el país.

Las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en el nuevo discurso de la imagen de los inmigrantes.

Resumen tomado de la publicación

Language for learning : a practical guide for supporting pupils with language and communication difficulties across the curriculum.

Este manual proporciona una guía a los profesionales y profesores que apoyan a los alumnos con dificultades en el habla, el lenguaje y/o comunicación en las etapas clave 1 y 2 en los centros ordinarios. Su objetivo es apoyar la práctica inclusiva, ayudar a los lectores a: identificar dificultades en el habla y el lenguaje; planificar un currículo diferenciado; facilitar el desarrollo de habilidades a través de experiencias significativas de aprendizaje; capacitar a los alumnos para acceder al plan de estudios. Se completa con recursos fotocopiables, actividades y pegatinas. También es útil para profesores especialistas, logopedas y psicopedagogos.

Pediatric conversion to the HiResolution processing strategy: 6 case studies

This paper presents a study documenting the general trends in the programming techniques, aided behavioral thresholds, speech perception abilities, and overall behavior when converting children into processing strategy called HiResolution (HiRes), used with the Advanced Bionics Clarion II Cochlear Implant System.

Shoot calcium and magnesium concentrations differ between subtaxa, are highly heritable, and associate with potentially pleiotropic loci in Brassica oleracea

Calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are the most abundant group II elements in both plants and animals. Genetic variation in shoot Ca and shoot Mg concentration (shoot Ca and Mg) in plants can be exploited to biofortify food crops and thereby increase dietary Ca and Mg intake for humans and livestock. We present a comprehensive analysis of within-species genetic variation for shoot Ca and Mg, demonstrating that shoot mineral concentration differs significantly between subtaxa (varietas). We established a structured diversity foundation set of 376 accessions to capture a high proportion of species-wide allelic diversity within domesticated Brassica oleracea, including representation of wild relatives (C genome, 1n = 9) from natural populations. These accessions and 74 modern F-1 hybrid cultivars were grown in glasshouse and field environments. Shoot Ca and Mg varied 2- and 2.3-fold, respectively, and was typically not inversely correlated with shoot biomass, within most subtaxa. The closely related capitata (cabbage) and sabauda (Savoy cabbage) subtaxa consistently had the highest mean shoot Ca and Mg. Shoot Ca and Mg in glasshouse-grown plants was highly correlated with data from the field. To understand and dissect the genetic basis of variation in shoot Ca and Mg, we studied homozygous lines from a segregating B. oleracea mapping population. Shoot Ca and Mg was highly heritable (up to 40). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for shoot Ca and Mg were detected on chromosomes C2, C6, C7, C8, and, in particular, C9, where QTL accounted for 14 to 55 of the total genetic variance. The presence of QTL on C9 was substantiated by scoring recurrent backcross substitution lines, derived from the same parents. This also greatly increased the map resolution, with strong evidence that a 4-cM region on C9 influences shoot Ca. This region corresponds to a 0.41-Mb region on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) chromosome 5 that includes 106 genes. There is also evidence that pleiotropic loci on C8 and C9 affect shoot Ca and Mg. Map-based cloning of these loci will reveal how shoot-level phenotypes relate to Ca 21 and Mg 21 uptake and homeostasis at the molecular level.

Diversity in expression of phosphorus (P) responsive genes in Cucumis melo L.

Background: Phosphorus (P) is a major limiting nutrient for plant growth in many soils. Studies in model species have identified genes involved in plant adaptations to low soil P availability. However, little information is available on the genetic bases of these adaptations in vegetable crops. In this respect, sequence data for melon now makes it possible to identify melon orthologues of candidate P responsive genes, and the expression of these genes can be used to explain the diversity in the root system adaptation to low P availability, recently observed in this species. Methodology and Findings: Transcriptional responses to P starvation were studied in nine diverse melon accessions by comparing the expression of eight candidate genes (Cm-PAP10.1, Cm-PAP10.2, Cm-RNS1, Cm-PPCK1, Cm-transferase, Cm-SQD1, Cm-DGD1 and Cm-SPX2) under P replete and P starved conditions. Differences among melon accessions were observed in response to P starvation, including differences in plant morphology, P uptake, P use efficiency (PUE) and gene expression. All studied genes were up regulated under P starvation conditions. Differences in the expression of genes involved in P mobilization and remobilization (Cm-PAP10.1, Cm-PAP10.2 and Cm-RNS1) under P starvation conditions explained part of the differences in P uptake and PUE among melon accessions. The levels of expression of the other studied genes were diverse among melon accessions, but contributed less to the phenotypical response of the accessions. Conclusions: This is the first time that these genes have been described in the context of P starvation responses in melon. There exists significant diversity in gene expression levels and P use efficiency among melon accessions as well as significant correlations between gene expression levels and phenotypical measurements.

Gene expression changes in phosphorus deficient potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) leaves and the potential for diagnostic gene expression markers

Background: There are compelling economic and environmental reasons to reduce our reliance on inorganic phosphate (Pi) fertilisers. Better management of Pi fertiliser applications is one option to improve the efficiency of Pi fertiliser use, whilst maintaining crop yields. Application rates of Pi fertilisers are traditionally determined from analyses of soil or plant tissues. Alternatively, diagnostic genes with altered expression under Pi limiting conditions that suggest a physiological requirement for Pi fertilisation, could be used to manage Pifertiliser applications, and might be more precise than indirect measurements of soil or tissue samples. Results: We grew potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants hydroponically, under glasshouse conditions, to control their nutrient status accurately. Samples of total leaf RNA taken periodically after Pi was removed from the nutrient solution were labelled and hybridised to potato oligonucleotide arrays. A total of 1,659 genes were significantly differentially expressed following Pi withdrawal. These included genes that encode proteins involved in lipid, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism, characteristic of Pi deficient leaves and included potential novel roles for genes encoding patatin like proteins in potatoes. The array data were analysed using a support vector machine algorithm to identify groups of genes that could predict the Pi status of the crop. These groups of diagnostic genes were tested using field grown potatoes that had either been fertilised or unfertilised. A group of 200 genes could correctly predict the Pi status of field grown potatoes. Conclusions: This paper provides a proof-of-concept demonstration for using microarrays and class prediction tools to predict the Pi status of a field grown potato crop. There is potential to develop this technology for other biotic and abiotic stresses in field grown crops. Ultimately, a better understanding of crop stresses may improve our management of the crop, improving the sustainability of agriculture.

Shoot yield drives phosphorus use efficiency in Brassica oleracea and correlates with root architecture traits

The environmental and financial costs of using inorganic phosphate fertilizers to maintain crop yield and quality are high. Breeding crops that acquire and use phosphorus (P) more efficiently could reduce these costs. The variation in shoot P concentration (shoot-P) and various measures of P use efficiency (PUE) were quantified among 355 Brassica oleracea L. accessions, 74 current commercial cultivars, and 90 doubled haploid (DH) mapping lines from a reference genetic mapping population. Accessions were grown at two or more external P concentrations in glasshouse experiments; commercial and DH accessions were also grown in replicated field experiments. Within the substantial species-wide diversity observed for shoot-P and various measures of PUE in B. oleracea, current commercial cultivars have greater PUE than would be expected by chance. This may be a consequence of breeding for increased yield, which is a significant component of most measures of PUE, or early establishment. Root development and architecture correlate with PUE; in particular, lateral root number, length, and growth rate. Significant quantitative trait loci associated with shoot-P and PUE occur on chromosomes C3 and C7. These data provide information to initiate breeding programmes to improve PUE in B. oleracea.

Regulatory hotspots are associated with plant gene expression under varying soil phosphorus supply in Brassica rapa

Gene expression is a quantitative trait that can be mapped genetically in structured populations to identify expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). Genes and regulatory networks underlying complex traits can subsequently be inferred. Using a recently released genome sequence, we have defined cis- and trans-eQTL and their environmental response to low phosphorus (P) availability within a complex plant genome and found hotspots of trans-eQTL within the genome. Interval mapping, using P supply as a covariate, revealed 18,876 eQTL. trans-eQTL hotspots occurred on chromosomes A06 and A01 within Brassica rapa; these were enriched with P metabolism-related Gene Ontology terms (A06) as well as chloroplast-and photosynthesis-related terms (A01). We have also attributed heritability components to measures of gene expression across environments, allowing the identification of novel gene expression markers and gene expression changes associated with low P availability. Informative gene expression markers were used to map eQTL and P use efficiency-related QTL. Genes responsive to P supply had large environmental and heritable variance components. Regulatory loci and genes associated with P use efficiency identified through eQTL analysis are potential targets for further characterization and may have potential for crop improvement.

Genetic analysis of potassium use efficiency in Brassica oleracea

Potassium (K) fertilizers are used in intensive and extensive agricultural systems to maximize production. However, there are both financial and environmental costs to K-fertilization. It is therefore important to optimize the efficiency with which K-fertilizers are used. Cultivating crops that acquire and/or utilize K more effectively can reduce the use of K-fertilizers. The aim of the present study was to determine the genetic factors affecting K utilization efficiency (KUtE), defined as the reciprocal of shoot K concentration (1/K(shoot)), and K acquisition efficiency (KUpE), defined as shoot K content, in Brassica oleracea. Genetic variation in K(shoot) was estimated using a structured diversity foundation set (DFS) of 376 accessions and in 74 commercial genotypes grown in glasshouse and field experiments that included phosphorus (P) supply as a treatment factor. Chromosomal quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with K(shoot) and KUpE were identified using a genetic mapping population grown in the glasshouse and field. Putative QTL were tested using recurrent backcross substitution lines in the glasshouse. More than two-fold variation in K(shoot) was observed among DFS accessions grown in the glasshouse, a significant proportion of which could be attributed to genetic factors. Several QTL associated with K(shoot) were identified, which, despite a significant correlation in K(shoot) among genotypes grown in the glasshouse and field, differed between these two environments. A QTL associated with K(shoot) in glasshouse-grown plants (chromosome C7 at 62 center dot 2 cM) was confirmed using substitution lines. This QTL corresponds to a segment of arabidopsis chromosome 4 containing genes encoding the K(+) transporters AtKUP9, AtAKT2, AtKAT2 and AtTPK3. There is sufficient genetic variation in B. oleracea to breed for both KUtE and KUpE. However, as QTL associated with these traits differ between glasshouse and field environments, marker-assisted breeding programmes must consider carefully the conditions under which the crop will be grown.