Defects in semiconductors: some fatal, some vital

REVIEW The role of defects as essential entities in semiconductor materials is reviewed. Early experiments with semiconductors were hampered by the extreme sensitivity of the electronic properties to minute concentrations of impurities. Semiconductors were viewed as a family of solids with irreproducible properties. Scientific efforts overcame this idiosyncrasy and turned the art of impurity doping into today's exceedingly useful and reproducible technology that is used to control precisely electrical conductivity, composition, and minority-carrier lifetimes over wide ranges. Native defects such as vacancies and self-interstitials control basic processes, foremost self- and dopant diffusion. The structural properties of dislocations and higher dimensional defects have been studied with atomic resolution, but a thorough theoretical understanding of their electronic properties is incomplete. Reactions between defects within the host lattices are increasingly better understood and are used for gettering and electrical passivation of unwanted impurities. Metastable defects such as DX centers and the EL2-related arsenic antisite are briefly discussed. The recent development of isotopically controlled semiconductors has created new research opportunities in this field.     

Triazole fungicides and the selection of resistance to medical triazoles in the opportunistic mould Aspergillus fumigatus

Azole resistance is an emerging problem in the opportunistic mould Aspergillus fumigatus. The triazoles are the most important agents for the management of Aspergillus diseases in humans. Selection for acquired resistance may occur in the hospital setting through exposure to high doses of azoles during azole therapy, but evidence is accumulating that A. fumigatus may become resistant to medical triazoles through environmental exposure to fungicides. The recovery of A. fumigatus isolates resistant to the medical triazoles from azole‐naive patients as well as from the environment strongly indicates an environmental route of resistance selection. Molecule alignment studies have identified five fungicides that share a very similar molecule structure with the medical triazoles, and thus may have selected for mechanisms that confer resistance to both groups of compounds. It is important to explore further the presumed fungicide‐driven route of resistance selection in order to implement effective preventive measures as the prevalence of azole resistance in A. fumigatus continues to increase and causes major challenges in the management of azole‐resistant Aspergillus diseases. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cetacean-reconstituted severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice respond to vaccination with canine distemper vaccine

Morbillivirus infections have been responsible for mass mortalities in several species of marine mammals. Nevertheless, relatively little is known on the pathogenesis of the disease and the immune response to the agent, especially in cetaceans, hindering the treatment of individuals and the development of appropriate vaccines, given the difficulty of performing experimental work in marine mammals. The reconstitution of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, which do not have the ability to reject grafts, with lymphocytes from different species has been used with increasing success as a surrogate species model to study the immune system. We injected NOD/SCID mice with lymphocytes from different species of cetaceans and further vaccinated those mice with a commercial canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine to develop a practical model to study cetacean immune response to a morbillivirus. Reconstitution was detected in 10/20 mice reconstituted with harbor porpoise spleen, 6/10 mice reconstituted with harbor porpoise lymph node cells, 8/10 mice reconstituted with fresh beluga PBMCs and none of the mice reconstituted with neonate bottlenose dolphin spleen or thymus cells when assessed 42-63 days after reconstitution. While a humoral immune response was detected in none of the reconstituted mice, a cell-mediated immune response to the CDV vaccine was detected in 6/15 (40%) and 2/18 (11%) of the SCID mice after reconstitution with cetacean immune cells after a single or booster vaccination, respectively, for a combined total of 8/33 (24%). This represents the first demonstration of successful reconstitution of SCID mice with marine mammal cells, and to the authors' knowledge, the first direct demonstration of a primary antigen-specific cell-mediated immune response in reconstituted SCID mice. This model will be useful for further research on the physiology of the marine mammal immune system and its response to infectious agents and vaccines, with possible important outcomes in conservation issues.     

In vitro 3-dimensional kinematic evaluation of 2 corrective operations for cranial cruciate ligament-deficient stifle

The objective of this study was to determine the immediate postoperative effect of 2 corrective operations for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL)-deficient stifle by evaluating 3-dimensional (3-D) stifle kinematics. Ten hindlimbs from large-breed canine cadavers were used. Range of motion was induced by applying 100 N of traction on the quadriceps tendon and recorded with electromagnetic movement sensors for each situation: intact stifle (control), CCL-sectioned stifle, and surgical correction of the sectioned ligament with the modified retinacular imbrication technique (MRIT) and then with a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy--Montavon (TPLO-M). The results for the experimental situations were compared with the results for the control situation by 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and with each other by post-hoc analysis with the least-significant-difference method. Range of motion was significantly decreased by MRIT as compared with the other situations. Normal cranial tibial translation was restored after MRIT, whereas TPLO-M resulted in significant caudal translation. A significant increase in external rotation was observed after both MRIT and TPLO-M. A significant increase in tibial adduction throughout the range of motion was observed with TPLO-M, whereas a significant increase in tibial abduction was observed after MRIT. This study allowed us to better understand objectively the effects on 3-D canine stifle kinematics of MRIT and TPLO-M. We suggest that this type of in vitro study would be useful to evaluate established and upcoming surgical techniques and potentially improve corrective surgery.     

Artificial Insemination of Swine: Fecundity of Boar Semen Stored in Beltsville TS (BTS), Modified Modena (MM), or MR-A and Inseminated on One,Three and Four Days After Collection12

Contents: A field trial was conducted on 1,463 farms in The Netherlands to compare the fertilizing capacity of boar spermatozoa extended in Beltsville TS (BTS), Modified (MM), or MR-A, and inseminated in 2896 sows and gilts on the first, third or fourth day following collection. Semen was collected, extended, and stored at 18°C at six different AI centers and inseminated by inseminators on their regular routes. Sows inseminated with BTS and MR-A extended semen had higher farrowing rates than MM (79.3, 77.6 us 50.4, P <.0001), higher total pigs per litter (11.4, 11.1 vs 10.0, P <.0001) and higher total pigs born alive (10.7, 10.5 vs 9.4, P <. 0001). The farrowing rate of gilts inseminated with BTS extended semen was superior to MM (73.5 vs. 50.2%, P <.004), while MR-A gave farrowing rates greater than MM (64.1 vs 50.2%, P =.06). There was no difference in litter data for gilts. Farrowing rates for 1 and 4 day semen were superior to 3 day semen (73.2, 73.8 vs 60.3, P <.0001). The semen inseminated on day 4 contained 6 billion sperm per dose rather than the 3 billion per dose for 1 and 3 day semen. Based on the results of this study, BTS and MR-A are effective diluents for extension and storage of boar semen for use within the same week of collection. In addition, semen extended in either BTS of MR-A and stored and inseminated on the fourth day after collection can give fertility equal to first day insemination if the sperm per insemination dose is doubled. Inhalt: Künstliche Besamung beim Schwein: Fruchtbarkeitsergebnisse von Ebersamen nach Flussigkonservierung mit BTS, MR-A oder modifiziertem Modena-Verdünner (MM) und Besamung am ersten, dritten und vierten Tag nach Samengewinnung In einem in den Niederlanden durchgeführten Feldversuch wurden 3 verschiedene Verdünner-Medien für Ebersamen in vivo verglichen. Die Medien waren Beltsville TS (BTS), modifizierter Modena-Verdünner (MM) und das spanische MR-A-Medium. Insgesamt wurden 2896 Jung- und Altsauen in 1463 Herden mit 1, 3 oder 4 Tage altem Sperma besamt. Der Versuch wurde als “split-sample”-Versuch an 6 Eberstationen durchgeführt, der verdunnte Samen bei + 18°Cgelagert und von den Besamungsbeauftragten im Rahmen ihrer regulären Fahrten eingesetzt. BTS- und MR-A-konserviertes Sperma gab bei Altsauen gegenüber MM höhere Abferkelraten (79,3, 77,6 vs 50,4%, P < 0.0001), eine höhere totale Wurfzahl (11,4, 11,1 vs 10,0, P < 0.0001) und eine höhere Anzahl lebendgeborener Ferkel)10,7, 10,5 vs 9,4, P < 0.0001). Die mit BTS-uerdünntem Samen inseminierten Jungsauen wiesen gegenüber MM höhere Abferkelraten auf(73.5 vs 50,2%, P < 0.004). MR-A-Sperma lag ebenfalls hüher als MM-Samen (641 vs 50,2%, P=0.06). Die Wurfgröβen der Jungsauen reigten keine Unterschiede. Die Abferkelergebnisse nach Besamung mit 1 und 4 Tage altem Samen lagen höher als die des 3 rage alten Spermas (73,2, 73,8 vs 60,3%; P < 0.0001). Die am Tag 4 verwendeten Samenportionen enthielten 6 Milliarden Spermien gegenüber 3 Milliarden der nach 1 bzw. 3 Tagen inseminierten Portionen. Die Ergebnkse dieses Versuches zeigen, daβ BTS und MR-A effektive Verdünnermedien sind und die Lagerung von Eberfrischsperma zum Einsatz innerhalb der Entnahmewoche ermoglichen. Darüber hinaus können mit BTS oder MR-A verdünntes und am Tag 4 nach Gewinnung eingesetrtes Sperma Fruchtbarkeitsergebnisse erzielt werden, die ebenso gut sind wie nach Verwendung des 1-Tage-Spermas, wenn die Spermienzahl pro Besamungsdosis verdoppelt wird.     

Complex Shear Wave Velocity Structure Imaged Beneath Africa and Iceland

A model of three-dimensional shear wave velocity variations in the mantle reveals a tilted low velocity anomaly extending from the core-mantle boundary (CMB) region beneath the southeastern Atlantic Ocean into the upper mantle beneath eastern Africa. This anomaly suggests that Cenozoic flood basalt volcanism in the Afar region and active rifting beneath the East African Rift is linked to an extensive thermal anomaly at the CMB more than 45 degrees away. In contrast, a low velocity anomaly beneath Iceland is confined to the upper mantle.     

Colliding beam fusion reactor

Recent results with Tokamak experiments provide insights into the problem of magnetic confinement. They demonstrate how to avoid anomalous transport and thus solve the major problems of Tokamak reactors: size, the production of 14-megaelectron volt neutrons, and maintenance. An alternate confinement system, the field-reversed configuration, confines beams of protons and boron-11. For the proton-boron-11 fusion reaction, the fusion products are all charged particles for which direct conversion is feasible and neutron flux is negligible.     

The relationship between tail biting in pigs, docking procedure and other management practices

The tail length (docked, tipped or undocked) and tail status (bitten or unbitten) of 27,870 pigs from 450 units was recorded at six UK abattoirs. A farm survey of the final finishing stage was used to investigate the relationship between management practice and tail biting. This showed that docking was the most important factor influencing the probability of being not bitten, with 2.4% of docked and 8.5% of long-tailed pigs being tail-bitten. The following factors reduced the probability of long-tailed pigs being tail-bitten; light straw provision, use of natural ventilation or artificially controlled natural ventilation (ACNV), mixed sex grouping, meal or liquid feeding, and use of double or multi-space feeders. Docked and long-tailed pigs provided with light straw and natural ventilation/ACNV had levels of tail biting of 1.2% and 4.3% respectively; 3.9% of docked pigs with artificial ventilation and no straw were tail-bitten. Long-tailed pigs fed via double or multi-space feeders also had 3.9% of tails bitten.