Nanowires: a new pathway to nanotechnology-based applications.

The synthesis and the characterisation of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have recently attracted great attention due to their potential applications in electronics and photonics. As yet, there are no practical uses of nanowires, except for research purposes, but certain properties and characteristics of nanowires look very promising for the future. Graphical abstractSemiconductor nanowires are attracting more and more interest for their applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The characteristic of the nanowires is their geometry with a diameter in the range of a few nanometers and a length far greater than their diameter. The structural defects often lead to mechanical defects. By reducing the number of defects per unit length, decreasing the lateral dimensions, crystalline nanowires are expected to be more resistant than the solid. Recently nanowires are attracting intense interest for solar energy conversion. In this review, we summarize the different methods of nanowires production and their applications. Special focus will be kept on silicon nanowires.

The effect of radical treatment and rehabilitation on muscle mass and strength: a randomized trial in stages I-III lung cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the impact of an oncological treatment on muscle mass and strength in patients with lung cancer and the impact of a subsequent rehabilitation program. This study investigates the effect of radical treatment and post-treatment pulmonary rehabilitation on muscle mass and strength in patients with lung cancer and the relationship between muscle mass and strength. METHODS: Lung cancer patients, candidate for radical treatment, were randomly (2:1) allocated after radical treatment to either standard follow up (CON) or a 12-week rehabilitation training program (RT). Muscle mass was estimated by bioelectric impedance and CT-scan. Muscle strength was estimated by measuring quadriceps force (QF) with a hand held dynamometer. All variables were measured before (M1) and after radical treatment (M2), and at the earliest 12 weeks after randomization (M3). Data are presented as means with standard deviation. RESULTS: 45 lung cancer patients (age: 65 years (9)) participated in the study. At M2, both muscle cross sectional area (MCSA) and QF were significantly decreased (p<0.05). 28 patients were randomized. 13/18 RT and 9/10 CON patients ended the trial. At M3, RT-patients improved significantly their MCSA compared to CON-patients (ΔMCSA: 6 cm(2) (6) (p=0.003) vs. 1cm(2) (11) (p=0.8)). CONCLUSION: Muscle mass and strength: (1) are decreased at presentation in a substantial part of lung cancer patients; (2) are significantly negatively affected by radical treatment and (3) completely recover after a 12 week structured rehabilitation program, whereas a further decline was observed in CON-patients.

CMOS compatible strategy based on selective atomic layer deposition of a hard mask for transferring block copolymer lithography patterns.

A generic, CMOS compatible strategy for transferring a block copolymer template to a semiconductor substrate is demonstrated. An aluminum oxide (Al(2)O(3)) hard mask is selectively deposited by atomic layer deposition in an organized array of holes obtained in a PS matrix via PS-b-PMMA self-assembly. The Al(2)O(3) nanodots act as a highly resistant mask to plasma etching, and are used to pattern high aspect ratio (>10) silicon nanowires and nanopillars.

Endurance and Resistance Training in Radically Treated Respiratory Cancer patients: A Pilot Study.

Introduction. Respiratory cancer and its treatment are known to contribute to muscle weakness and functional impairment. Aim. To assess the effects of rehabilitation in patients with respiratory cancer. Methods. Radically treated respiratory cancer patients were included in a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. Results. 16 patients (age: 61 ± 7 years; FEV(1): 57 ± 16% pred.) showed a reduced exercise tolerance (VO(2)max: 56 ± 15% pred.; 6 MWD: 67 ± 11% pred.), muscle force (PImax: 54 ± 22% pred.; QF: 67 ± 16% pred.), and quality of life (CRDQd: 17 ± 5 points; CRDQf: 16 ± 5 points). Exercise tolerance, muscle force, and quality of life improved significantly after rehabilitation. Conclusion. Radically treated patients with respiratory cancer have a decreased exercise capacity, muscle force, and quality of life. 12 weeks of rehabilitation leads to a significant improvement in exercise capacity, respiratory muscle force, and quality of life.

Patterns of reporter gene expression in the phase diagram of Bacillus subtilis colony forms.

Factors governing the morphogenesis of Bacillus subtilis colonies as well as the spatial-temporal pattern of expression of a reporter gene during colony development were examined by systematically varying the initial nutrient levels and agar concentrations (wetness), the relative humidity throughout incubation, and the genotype of the inoculum. A relationship between colony form and reporter gene expression pattern was found, indicating that cells respond to local signals during colony development as well as global conditions. The most complex colony forms were produced by motile strains grown under specific conditions such that cells could swim within the colony but not swarm outward uniformly from the colony periphery. The wetness of the growth environment was found to be a critical factor. Complex colonies consisted of structures produced by growth of finger-like projections that expanded outward a finite distance before giving rise to a successive round of fingers that behaved in a similar fashion. Finger tip expansion occurred when groups of cells penetrated the peripheral boundary. Although surfactin production was found to influence similar colony forms in other B. subtilis strains, the strains used here to study reporter gene expression do not produce it. The temporal expression of a reporter gene during morphogenesis of complex colonies by motile strains such as M18 was investigated. Expression arose first in cells located at the tips of fingers that were no longer expanding. The final expression pattern obtained reflects the developmental history of the colony.

Patterns of gene expression in Bacillus subtilis colonies.

Bacillus subtilis 5:7, a derivative of macrofiber-producing strain FJ7, carries the lacZ reporter gene within Tn917 at an unknown location in the host genome. Expression of the host gene carrying lacZ within colonies of 5:7 was observed by examining growth under different conditions in the presence of 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal). At a high plating density small colonies arose that expressed the host gene early and throughout the colony, whereas at a low density large colonies were produced that expressed the host gene late in development and only in cells forming a ring pattern close to the colony periphery. A highly regulated spatial and temporal gene expression pattern was observed in growth from cross-streaks, suggesting that gene expression is responsive to concentration gradient fields established by neighboring growth. Colonies cultured on agar blocks revealed that expression was governed by depletion of a medium component and also by the geometry of the substrate upon which the colonies grew. At least three factors influenced the control of expression: (i) the concentration of a diffusible component of the medium exhausted by cell growth, (ii) a spatial-temporal factor related to growth within the colony, and (iii) the geometry of the growth substrate.