Luminescence of Be-doped GaN layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si (111)

Low temperature photoluminescence spectra of Be-doped layers grown on Si (111) by molecular beam epitaxy have been analyzed. Emissions at 3.466 eV and 3.384 eV, and a broad band centered at 2.4-2.5 eV are observed. Their evolution with temperature and excitation power, and time resolved PL measurements ascribe an excitonic character for the luminescence at 3.466 eV, whereas the emission at 3.384 eV is associated with a donor-acceptor pair transition. This recombination involves residual donors and Be-related acceptors, which are located around 90meV above the valence band, confirming Be as the shallowest acceptor reported in GaN. The intensity of the band at 2.4-2.5 eV increases with the Be content. This emission involves a band of deep acceptors generated by Be complex defects, as suggested by the parameter g = 2.008 ± 0.003 obtained by photoluminescence-detected electron paramagnetic resonance.

Yellow Band and Deep levels in Undoped MOVPE GaN

Undoped layers of GaN grown by MOVPE on sapphire substrates have been characterized by photoluminescence, photocapacitance and photoinduced current transient spectroscopy (PICTS). Photocapacitance reveals in all samples two specific signatures at photon energies of 1 eV and 2.5 eV. The photocapacitance decrease observed at 1 eV seems to be due to an electron capture process from the valence band, whereas the capacitance increase at 2.5 eV is related to an electron emission process. The fact that the capacitance step at 1 eV is only seen after photoionization at energies above 2.5 eV, and the observed correlation between its amplitude and the photoluminescence intensity of the “yellow band”, lead us to conclude that both transitions are linked to the same trap, which is also suggested to be responsible for the yellow band. The position of this trap, at 2.5 eV below the conduction band, is confirmed by PICTS measurements, that show a hole thermal emission activation energy of 0.9 eV at 350 K.

Analysis of the Visible and UV Electroluminescence in Homojunction GaN LED's

The electrical and electroluminescent properties of MOVPE GaN p-n homojunctions have been analyzed as a function of temperature and bias. Electroluminescence is observed for V>3 V under dc and ac conditions. The main emission at low T is a donor-acceptor transition involving shallow acceptors, though it disappears at higher T due to the ionization of the acceptors and compensation by ionized donors. Room temperature dc and ac electroluminescence spectra evolve under increasing bias from a blue-shifting visible band involving deep states at the p-type side of the p-n junction, to a band-to-band UV recombination at high bias. In agreement, the superlinear dependence of light-current characteristics at low current injection becomes linear when the defects are saturated. Time analysis of the spectra vs pulse duration and duty cycle allows the determination of the visible radiative recombination and relaxation times associated to the Mg-related deep states, which are found to behave as acceptors lying 0.55 eV above the valence band. A simple 3-level model is able to explain the visible emission, which involves the conduction band (or shallow donor) and those deep acceptors in the p-layer. Optimum UV/visible ratio emission requires intense and relatively long pulses, with a high duty cycle to impede visible recombination.

Yellow luminescence in Mg-doped GaN

Optical thresholds, that correspond to a level located at 1 eV above the valence band, are observed by photocapacitance techniques in n-type Mg-doped GaN. In undoped GaN, this level has been previously related to the yellow emission detected by photoluminescence. In Mg-doped GaN, this yellow luminescence is only observed for excitation energies below the Mg-related band (2.9 - 3 eV). This result evidences that Mg-doping may reduce but not avoid the formation of the yellow band related defects in n-type and semiinsulating Mg-doped samples. The fact that the yellow luminescence is not observed for excitation energies above the bandgap may be justified by a higher efficiency of the Mg-related recombination path.

Study of high quality AlN layers grown on Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

High quality AlN layers with full widths at half maximum values of 10 arcmin and average surface roughness (rms) of 48Å were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates. A systematic study and optimization of the growth conditions was performed in order to use these AlN layers as buffers in the growth of GaN films. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to determine the surface and structural quality of the layers. Best AlN films were obtained at high substrate temperatures (Tsubs>900°C) and III/V ratios close to stoichiometry. Growth conditions with III/V ratios beyond stoichiometry (Al-rich) did not further improve the crystal quality. In these cases a higher substrate temperature is needed to prevent condensation of Al on the surface. GaN films with full width at half maximum of 10 arcmin and improved optical properties were grown on top of optimized AlN buffer layers.

Characterization and Modeling of Photoconductive GaN Ultraviolet Detectors

In this work high gain GaN photoconductive UV detectors have been fabricated and characterized, and a novel gain mechanism, dominant in these detectors, is described. DC responsivities higher than 103A/W have been measured for an incident power of lW/m2 at room temperature. The photoconductive gain depends directly on the bias voltage and scales with incident power as P−k (k ≈ 0.9) for more than five decades. A decrease of both gain and k parameter with temperature has also been observed. As a consequence of the slow non-exponential transient response, AC gain measurements result in lower values for gain and k parameter, which are frequency dependent. The high responsivity, non-linear behavior and slow non-exponential transient response, are all modeled taking into account a modulation mechanism of the layer conductive volume. Such spatial modulation is due to the photovoltaic response of the potential barriers related to the surface and charged dislocations arrays.

Crystal Morphology and Optical Emissions of GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Crystal morphology of GaN layers grown on Si(111) evolves from whisker-like microcrystals to compact films as a function of the III/V ratio. Small changes in the III/V ratio (from Ga-rich to N-rich) during the growth of a compact layer result in the appearance of microcrystals on the top of the layer, indicating a sharp transition between the two growth regimes.

Four different morphologies are obtained by increasing the III/V ratio: a) completely columnar whisker-like samples exhibiting a pair of intense excitonic emissions at 3.471−3.478 eV; b) a mixture of compact regions with columnar microcrystals showing two pairs of excitonic emissionsnbsp c) compact layers with very small microcrystals on the top surface with a weaker dominant transition at 3.415 eV (±5meV) and, d) full compact and smooth layers with a single dominant excitonic emission at 3.466 eV. A combination of PL measurements with SEM photographs and CL imaging reveals that both pairs of emissions in samples b) come from the columnar microcrystals. The high energy pair (3.471−3.478eV) is attributed to the free-exciton A and a donor-bound exciton while the low energy pair (3.452−3.458eV) is assigned to acceptor-bound excitons associated to valence bands Γ9v and Γ7uv. Power and temperature dependence together with time-resolved data show that the dominant peak at 3.415eV (± 5meV) present in samples c) correspond to a donor-acceptor transition. CL measurements as a function of electron beam energy (depth) also indicate that this emission is more intense towards the interface between the layer and the sample. Finally, the excitonic emission in samples d) is shifted to lower energies due to residual biaxial tensile strain of thermal origin.

Puberty in the corpus callosum

Adolescence is an important period for brain development. White matter growth is influenced by sex hormones such as testosterone, and the corpus callosum-the largest white matter structure in the human brain-may change structurally during the hormone-laden period of adolescence. Little is known about puberty's relationship to structural brain development, even though pubertal stage may better predict cognitive and behavioral maturity than chronological age. We therefore aimed to establish the presence and direction of pubertal effects on callosal anatomy. For this purpose, we applied advanced surface-based mesh-modeling to map correlations between callosal thickness and pubertal stage in a large and well-matched sample of 124 children and adolescents (62 female and 62 male) aged 5-18years from a normative database. When linking callosal anatomy to pubertal status, only positive correlations reached statistical significance, indicating that callosal growth advances with puberty. In tests of differences in callosal anatomy at different stages of puberty, callosal growth was concentrated in different locations depending on the pubertal stage. Changing levels of circulating sex hormones during different phases of puberty likely contributed to the observed effects, and further research is clearly needed. Direct quantification of sex hormone levels and regional fiber connectivity-ideally using fiber tractography-will reveal whether hormones are the main drivers of callosal change during puberty. These callosal findings may lead to hypotheses regarding cortical changes during puberty, which may promote or result from changes in inter-hemispheric connectivity.

Extremotolerance and resistance of lichens: comparative studies on five species used in astrobiological research II. Secondary lichen compounds

Lichens, which are symbioses of a fungus and one or two photoautotrophs, frequently tolerate extreme environmental conditions. This makes them valuable model systems in astrobiological research to fathom the limits and limitations of eukaryotic symbioses. Various studies demonstrated the high resistance of selected extremotolerant lichens towards extreme, non-terrestrial abiotic factors including space exposure, hypervelocity impact simulations as well as space and Martian parameter simulations. This study focusses on the diverse set of secondary lichen compounds (SLCs) that act as photo- and UVR-protective substances. Five lichen species used in present-day astrobiological research were compared: Buellia frigida, Circinaria gyrosa, Rhizocarpon geographicum, Xanthoria elegans, and Pleopsidium chlorophanum. Detailed investigation of secondary substances including photosynthetic pigments was performed for whole lichen thalli but also for axenically cultivated mycobionts and photobionts by methods of UV/VIS-spectrophotometry and two types of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Additionally, a set of chemical tests is presented to confirm the formation of melanic compounds in lichen and mycobiont samples. All investigated lichens reveal various sets of SLCs, except C. gyrosa where only melanin was putatively identified. Such studies will help to assess the contribution of SLCs on lichen extremotolerance, to understand the adaptation of lichens to prevalent abiotic stressors of the respective habitat, and to form a basis for interpreting recent and future astrobiological experiments. As most of the identified SLCs demonstrated a high capacity in absorbing UVR, they may also explain the high resistance of lichens towards non-terrestrial UVR.

Extremotolerance and resistance of lichens: comparative studies on five species used in astrobiological research I. Morphological and anatomical characteristics

Lichens are symbioses of two organisms, a fungal mycobiont and a photoautotrophic photobiont. In nature, many lichens tolerate extreme environmental conditions and thus became valuable models in astrobiological research to fathom biological resistance towards non-terrestrial conditions; including space exposure, hypervelocity impact simulations as well as space and Martian parameter simulations. All studies demonstrated the high resistance towards non-terrestrial abiotic factors of selected extremotolerant lichens. Besides other adaptations, this study focuses on the morphological and anatomical traits by comparing five lichen species-Circinaria gyrosa, Rhizocarpon geographicum, Xanthoria elegans, Buellia frigida, Pleopsidium chlorophanum-used in present-day astrobiological research. Detailed investigation of thallus organization by microscopy methods allows to study the effect of morphology on lichen resistance and forms a basis for interpreting data of recent and future experiments. All investigated lichens reveal a common heteromerous thallus structure but diverging sets of morphological-anatomical traits, as intra-/extra-thalline mucilage matrices, cortices, algal arrangements, and hyphal strands. In B. frigida, R. geographicum, and X. elegans the combination of pigmented cortex, algal arrangement, and mucilage seems to enhance resistance, while subcortex and algal clustering seem to be crucial in C. gyrosa, as well as pigmented cortices and basal thallus protrusions in P. chlorophanum. Thus, generalizations on morphologically conferred resistance have to be avoided. Such differences might reflect the diverging evolutionary histories and are advantageous by adapting lichens to prevalent abiotic stressors. The peculiar lichen morphology demonstrates its remarkable stake in resisting extreme terrestrial conditions and may explain the high resistance of lichens found in astrobiological research.

Effects of sprout cutting plus systemic herbicide application on the initial growth of giant reed

Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis (CFA) has been successfully used to rapidly determine the responses of different plants to herbicides. It has not, however, been used to test the effect of these products on invasive riparian species. This paper reports the use of CFA to determine photosynthetic activity in Arundo donax, an invasive reed causing serious problems in Mediterranean riparian habitats, in response to systemic herbicide application following cutting. Growth was measured in terms of new sprout relative height and sprout and rhizome relative biomass. CFA showed glyphosate, from half the on-label dose of 5 L ai.ha(-1)upwards, to have a significant effect (100% reduction) on photosynthetic activity at 21 days after treatment (DAT), while profoxydim, from half the on-label dose of 0.375 L ai.ha(-1)upwards, caused a 70% reduction soon after application, although these plants later recovered. Azimsulfuron, cyhalofop-butyl and penoxsulam had no significant effect on photosynthetic activity at any dose. At 60 DAT, glyphosate (from half the on-label dose of 5 L ai.ha(-1)upwards) was associated with a 90% reduction in sprout height, while profoxydim (from half the on-label dose of 0.375 L ai.ha(-1)upwards) caused a 50% reduction. No dose (0-2x the on-label dose) of azimsulfuron, penoxsulam or cyhalofop-butyl was associated with any significant growth reduction at 60 DAT. The results show that CFA can be used to successfully measure the response of these invasive plants to herbicides, and that glyphosate, and possibly profoxydim, might be used to control Arundo donax after initial cutting.

Targeted massively parallel sequencing provides comprehensive genetic diagnosis for patients with disorders of sex development

Disorders of sex development (DSD) are rare disorders in which there is discordance between chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sex. Only a minority of patients clinically diagnosed with DSD obtains a molecular diagnosis, leaving a large gap in our understanding of the prevalence, management, and outcomes in affected patients. We created a novel DSD-genetic diagnostic tool, in which sex development genes are captured using RNA probes and undergo massively parallel sequencing. In the pilot group of 14 patients, we determined sex chromosome dosage, copy number variation, and gene mutations. In the patients with a known genetic diagnosis (obtained either on a clinical or research basis), this test identified the molecular cause in 100% (7/7) of patients. In patients in whom no molecular diagnosis had been made, this tool identified a genetic diagnosis in two of seven patients. Targeted sequencing of genes representing a specific spectrum of disorders can result in a higher rate of genetic diagnoses than current diagnostic approaches. Our DSD diagnostic tool provides for first time, in a single blood test, a comprehensive genetic diagnosis in patients presenting with a wide range of urogenital anomalies.

B chromosomes: the troubles of integration

Starting with a spontaneous B-A centric fusion found in a natural population of the grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans, we have obtained different strains carrying the rearrangement in various conditions and doses. Using this material, we have analyzed the meiotic behavior of the translocated chromosome in living cultured spermatocytes, simulating the successive steps of a hypothetical process of integration of a B chromosome into the standard genome via B-A centric fusion. Remarkably, the behavior of fusion heterozygotes, the initial step of the integration process, is much more regular than that of any other configuration, including homozygotes. The reasons for the failure of B chromosome integration into the normal complement by translocation are discussed.

Prevalence of acute intermittent porphyria in a Mexican psychiatric population

BACKGROUND

Acute intermittent porphyria is a hereditary error of porphyrin metabolism in which the main metabolic defect is caused by a decrease in porphobilinogen deaminase activity. Previous work has demonstrated a higher prevalence of acute intermittent porphyria in the psychiatric patient population than in the general population. The goal of this study was evaluate 300 psychiatric patients and 150 control subjects to detect acute intermittent porphyria by measurement of porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase activity in blood.

METHODS

Screening for porphobilinogen deaminase activity was carried out by fluorometric measurement of porphyrins synthesized during 1 h in blood and the measurement of delta-aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen in urine.

RESULTS

We found two psychiatric patients, one male and one female, with decreased porphobilinogen deaminase activity. When the families of these patients were studied, one brother was found to have an abnormality. Among controls, a woman was found to have the abnormality and her father was found to have typical features of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate a prevalence of porphyria in Mexican psychiatric patients similar to controls, and that measurement of PBG deaminase activity is a good tool for defining acute intermittent porphyria carriers.

[Light microscopy study of rat testicle after vasectomy]

Bilateral scrotal vasectomy with double ligature and deferent duct section was performed in 55 male Wistar rats randomly assigned to three groups: control, simulated and experimental, which were studied after 1, 2, 6, 10 and 14 weeks post-vasectomy. At 6 weeks after vasectomy testicular atrophy, destructuration of epithelium germination, absence of spermatozoa, thickening and folding of tubular membrane were observed as well as a large dilation of interstitial space, features that are all increased after 10 and 14 weeks.

Endocrine evaluation in a patient with MURCS association and ovarian agenesis

A new case of Mullerian duct aplasia, renal aplasia, and cervicothoracic somite dysplasia (MURCS association) in a 16-yr-old female patient is reported. In addition, agenesis of the right ovary plus hypoplasia of the right craniofacial bones were also present. Dynamic tests of anterior pituitary reserve (LH-RH, TRH and hypoglycemia) showed normal responsiveness of this gland in terms of LH, FSH, TSH, prolactin and growth hormone secretion, whilst a subnormal plasma cortisol response to hypoglycemia and exogenous ACTH (in the presence of unilateral adrenal agenesis) was found. Functional integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis was also documented. The presence of two additional and previously unreported congenital anomalies in this patient with MURCS association underlines the wide spectrum of the syndrome.