Influence of growth temperature on structural and magnetic characterization of (In, Cr)As quantum dots

(In, Cr)As ferromagnetic semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs (001) substrates. The growth temperature effects on structure and magnetism of the QDs were investigated systematically. The Cr(2+)3d(4) states and quantum confined effect are assumed to play an important role in the room-temperature ferromagnetism of (In, Cr)As QDs. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Luminescence properties of multi-layer InGaN quantum dots grown on C- and R-plane sapphire substrates

In this study, we report comparative luminescence properties of multi-layer InGaN quantum dots grown on C- and R-plane sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). High-density InGaN quantum dots (QDs) are formed on GaN templates by decreasing the growth temperature and increasing the adatom hopping-barrier through surface passivation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been employed to estimate the size and height of these dots. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra recorded from (1120) InGaN QDs/(1102) sapphire show much stronger emission intensity compared to spectra recorded from (0001) InGaN QDs/(0001) sapphire. Due to the absence of strong spontaneous polarization and piezoelectric field, such (1150) InGaN QDs in the active layers would lead to high efficiency light emitting devices. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

measuring acoustic wave transit time in furnace based on active acoustic source signal

Accurate measurement of transit time for acoustic wave between two sensors installed on two sides of a furnace is a key to implementing the temperature field measurement technique based on acoustical method. A new method for measuring transit time of acoustic wave based on active acoustic source signal is proposed in this paper, which includes the followings: the time when the acoustic source signal arrives at the two sensors is measured first; then, the difference of two arriving time arguments is computed, thereby we get the transit time of the acoustic wave between two sensors installed on the two sides of the furnace. Avoiding the restriction on acoustic source signal and background noise, the new method can get the transit time of acoustic wave with higher precision and stronger ability of resisting noise interference.

Growth of GaN layers on GaAs and GaP (111) and (001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

Films of GaN have been grown using a modified MBE technique in which the active nitrogen is supplied from an RF plasma source. Wurtzite films grown on (001) oriented GaAs substrates show highly defective, ordered polycrystalline growth with a columnar structure, the (0001) planes of the layers being parallel to the (001) planes of the GaAs substrate. Films grown using a coincident As flux, however, have a single crystal zinc-blende growth mode. They have better structural and optical properties. To improve the properties of the wurtzite films we have studied the growth of such films on (111) oriented GaAs and GaP substrates. The improved structural properties of such films, assessed using X-ray and TEM method, correlate with better low-temperature FL.

Effect of La3+ on structure and electrochemical reaction of microperoxidase-11 in imitated physiological solution

In this paper, the interaction mechanism between La3+ and microperoxidase-11 (MP-11) in the imitated physiological solution was investigated with the electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. It was found that when the molar ratio of La3+, and MP-11 is low, such as 2, La3+ can coordinate with oxygen in the propionic acid group of the heme group in the MP-11 molecule, forming the La-MP-11 complexes and leading to the increase in the non-planarity of the porphyrin cycle in the heme group and then the increase in the extent of exposure of the electrochemically active center, Fe(I I I) in the porphyrin cycle of the heme group. The increase in the extent of exposure of the electrochemically active center, Fe(III) in the porphyrin cycle of the heme group would increase the reversibility of the electrochemical reaction of the La-MP-11 complexes and its electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of H2O2. The results of the chromatographic analysis demonstrated that the average molar ratio of La3+ and MP-11 in the La-MP-11 complexes is 1.62.When the molar ratio of La3+ and MP-11 is high, such as 3, La3+ would shear some amino acid residues of the peptide of MP-11. Therefore, many La3+ ions can bind to the oxygen- and/or nitrogen-containing groups in the sheared amino acid residues except coordinating with the sheared and non-sheared MP-11 molecules.

Irrelevant or Indispensable? ESDP, the ?War on Terror' and the Fallout from Iraq

Shepherd, Alistair, 'Irrelevant or Indispensable? ESDP, the ?War on Terror' and the Fallout from Iraq', International Politics (2006) 43(1) pp.71-92 RAE2008

Enhancing the health-status of processed meats through ingredient manipulation and its effects on sensory and physiochemical product attributes

An important component of this Ph.D. thesis was to determine the European consumers’ views on processed meats and bioactive compounds. Thus a survey gathered information form over 500 respondents and explored their perceptions on the healthiness and purchase-ability for both traditional and functional processed meats. This study found that the consumer was distrustful towards processed meat, especially high salt and fat content. Consumers were found to be very pro-bioactive compounds in yogurt style products but unsure of their feelings on the idea of them in meat based products, which is likely due to the lack of familiarity to these products. The work in this thesis also centred on the applied acceptable reduction of salt and fat in terms of consumer sensory analysis. The products chosen ranged in the degree of comminution, from a coarse beef patty to a more fine emulsion style breakfast sausage and frankfurter. A full factorial design was implemented which saw the production of twenty beef patties with varying concentrations of fat (30%, 40%, 50%, 60% w/w) and salt (0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.25%, 1.5% w/w). Twenty eight sausage were also produced with varying concentrations of fat (22.5%, 27.5%, 32.5%, 37.5% w/w) and salt (0.8%, 1%, 1.2%, 1.4%, 1.6%, 2%, 2.4% w/w). Finally, twenty different frankfurters formulations were produced with varying concentrations of fat (10%, 15%, 20%, 25% w/w) and salt (1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3% w/w). From these products it was found that the most consumer acceptable beef patty was that containing 40% fat with a salt level of 1%. This is a 20% decrease in fat and a 50% decrease in salt levels when compared to commercial patty available in Ireland and the UK. For sausages, salt reduced products were rated by the consumers as paler in colour, more tender and with greater meat flavour than higher salt containing products. The sausages containing 1.4 % and 1.0 % salt were significantly (P<0.01) found to be more acceptable to consumers than other salt levels. Frankfurter salt levels below 1.5% were shown to have a negative effect on consumer acceptability, with 2.5% salt concentration being the most accepted (P<0.001) by consumers. Samples containing less fat and salt were found to be tougher, less juicy and had greater cooking losses. Thus salt perception is very important for consumer acceptability, but fat levels can be potentially reduced without significantly affecting overall acceptability. Overall it can be summarised that the consumer acceptability of salt and fat reduced processed meats depends very much on the product and generalisations cannot be assumed. The study of bio-actives in processed meat products found that the reduced salt/fat patties fortified with CoQ10 were rated as more acceptable than commercially available products for beef patties. The reduced fat and salt, as well as the CoQ10 fortified, sausages were found to compare quite well to their commercial counterparts for overall acceptability, whereas commercial frankfurters were found to be the more favoured in comparison to reduced fat and CoQ10 fortified Frankfurters.

A joined analysis of two European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) studies to evaluate the role of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx) in the treatment of elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer.

We have performed a retrospective analysis to evaluate the impact of age, using a 70 year cutoff, on the safety and efficacy of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx) given at 60 mg/m(2) every 6 weeks (treatment A) or 50 mg/m(2) every 4 weeks (treatment B) to 136 metastatic breast cancer patients in two EORTC trials, of whom 65 were 70 years of age or older. No difference in terms of toxicity was observed between younger and older patients treated with the 4-week schedule, while a higher incidence of hematological toxicity, anorexia, asthenia, and stomatitis was observed in older patients when the 6-week schedule was used. Antitumor activity was not affected by age. In the older cohort of patients, no dependence was found between the incidence of grade 3-4 toxicity or antitumor activity and patients' baseline performance status, number and severity of comorbidities, or number of concomitant medications. The higher therapeutic index of Caelyx 50 mg/m(2) every 4 weeks makes it, of the two dose schedules investigated, the preferred regimen in the elderly.

An analysis of passenger performance on stairs and upper deck slides during evacuation trials: a report from the VERRES project

This paper reports on research work undertaken for the European Commission funded study GMA2/2000/32039 Very Large Transport Aircraft (VLTA) Emergency Requirements Research Evacuation Study (VERRES). A particular focus of VERRES was on evacuation issues and several large-scale evacuation trials were conducted in the CRANFIELD simulator. This paper addresses part of the research undertaken for Work Package 3 by the University of Greenwich with a focus on the analysis of the data concerning passenger use of stairs and passenger exit hesitation time analysis for upper deck slides.

Decadal fluctuations in North Atlantic water inflow in the North Sea between 1958-2003: impacts on temperature and phytoplankton populations

The circulation of Atlantic water along the European continental slope, in particular the inflow into the North Sea, influences North Sea water characteristics with consequent changes in the environment affecting plankton community dynamics. The long-term effect of fluctuating oceanographic conditions oil the North Sea, pelagic ecosystem is assessed. It is shown that (i) there are similar regime shifts in the inflow through the northern North Sea and in Sea, Surface Temperature, (ii) long-term phytoplankton trends are influenced by the inflow only in some North Sea regions, and (iii) the spatial variability in chemicophysical and biological parameters highlight the influence of smaller scale processes.

Costs and benefits to European shipping of ballast-water and hull-fouling treatment: Impacts of native and non-indigenous species

Maritime transport and shipping are impacted negatively by biofouling, which can result in increased fuel consumption. Thus, costs for fouling reduction can be considered an investment to reduce fuel consumption. Anti-fouling measures also reduce the rate of introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS). Further mitigation measures to reduce the transport of NIS within ballast water and sediments impose additional costs. The estimated operational cost of NIS mitigation measures may represent between 1.6% and 4% of the annual operational cost for a ship operating on European seas, with the higher proportional costs in small ships. However, fouling by NIS may affect fuel consumption more than fouling by native species due to differences in species’ life-history traits and their resistance to antifouling coatings and pollution. Therefore, it is possible that the cost of NIS mitigation measures could be smaller than the cost from higher fuel consumption arising from fouling by NIS.

Randomised controlled trial of effects of Helicobacter pylori infection and its eradication on heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux: the bristol helicobacter project

Objectives To investigate the effects of Helicobacter pylori infection and its eradication on heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux. Design Cross sectional study, followed by a randomised placebo controlled trial. Setting Seven general practices in Bristol, England. Participants 10 537 people, aged 20-59 years, with and without H pylori infection (determined by the 13C-urea breath test). Main outcome measures Prevalence of heartburn and gastro-oesophageal acid reflux at baseline and two years after treatment to eradicate H pylori infection. Results At baseline, H pylori infection was associated with increased prevalence of heartburn (odds ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.23) but not reflux (1.05, 0.97 to 1.14). In participants with H pylori infection, active treatment had no effect on the overall prevalence of heartburn (0.99, 0.88 to 1.12) or reflux (1.04, 0.91 to 1.19) and did not improve pre-existing symptoms of heartburn or reflux. Conclusions H pylori infection is associated with a slightly increased prevalence of heartburn but not reflux. Treatment to eradicate H pylori has no net benefit in patients with heartburn or gastro-oesophageal reflux

Theorising European Integration: Revisiting Neo-Functionalism and Testing its Suitability for Explaining the Development of EC Competition Policy?

This paper was published in the highly respected, peer reviewed and ISI ranked journal - 'European Integration on-line paper series