Nature and landscape planning: Exploring the dynamics of valuation, the case of the Netherlands

In this study we examine the relevance and dynamics of views on nature in nature and landscape planning.In our conceptual framework we distinguish between three views on nature: a wilderness, an arcadian and a functional valuation approach to nature, each related to specific ecological, aesthetic and ethical perspectives. In our empirical studies we consider the role of the three views in a number of Dutch nature and landscape projects and in nature and landscape policy. We study the importance of different styles and levels of governmental decision-making using various methods, including computer-assisted text analyses, interviews, questionnaires and gaming experiments.Our results show that all three valuation approaches can be found. Although the wilderness approach and the functional approach are becoming more popular, the arcadian approach is most influential in the Netherlands, especially on the regional level. All stakeholders agree to a certain extent with all approaches but most with the arcadian valuation. It can be questioned whether this implies a sharing of values or a practical compromise. We found that, although a consensual style of decision-making does not lead to a common valuation, it has an important impact by creating better conditions for understanding and negotiations, and eventually for agreement.     

Barrier and seed repair performance of thin RuTa films for Cu interconnects

Thin (<4 nm) Physical Vapor Deposited (PVD) Ru-10 at.% Ta films were evaluated as diffusion barriers and seed enhancement layers for Cu metallization in sub 25 nm trenches. The ratio of Ru/Ta on blanket wafers could be influenced by changing the process conditions. However, a difference in Ru/Ta ratio did not influence the thermal stability of the layers during High Temperature X-ray Diffraction (HT-XRD) measurements as all RuTa films exhibited good thermal properties since no Cu-silicide formation was observed for temperatures below 500 °C. The RuTa films also passed an 85 °C/85% relative humidity (RH) test of one week of storage in order to test the H₂O barrier integrity of the films. Furthermore no difference was found when testing the O₂ barrier integrity during 300 s anneals at various temperatures between 250 °C and 500 °C. Good Cu fill of 20 nm trenches (AR 4:1) patterned in oxide was achieved when combining the RuTa films with PVD Cu seed layers with thicknesses ranging from 7 to 20 nm and Cu plating. When compared to a Ta(N)/Ta barrier, relatively high electrical yields (60-80%) were obtained for structures with CDs <30 nm when combining RuTa films with PVD Cu seed layers as thin as 7 nm (on field), hence evidencing the seed enhancement ability of these layers.     

“Isara400”超精密坐标测量机的设计与标定

介绍了Isara 400 3维超精坐标测量机标定的关键技术,包括平台标定和系统镜面台非垂直度标定.同时,提出了一种新的超精接触探针系统,给出了这种3维灵敏度探针的标定结果.     

Chemical transformation of Au-tipped CdS nanorods into AuS/Cd core/shell particles by electron beam irradiation

We demonstrate that electron irradiation of colloidal CdS nanorods carrying Au domains causes their evolution into AuS/Cd core/shell nanoparticles as a result of a concurrent chemical and morphological transformation. The shrinkage of the CdS nanorods and the growth of the Cd shell around the Au tips are imaged in real time, while the displacement of S atoms from the CdS nanorod to the Au domains is evidenced by high-sensitivity energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The various nanodomains display different susceptibility to the irradiation, which results in nanoconfigurations that are very different from those obtained after thermal annealing. Such physical manipulations of colloidal nanocrystals can be exploited as a tool to access novel nanocrystal heterostructures.     

Self-Targeted Co-Delivery of an Antibiotic and a Cancer-Chemotherapeutic from Synthetic Liposomes for the Treatment of Infected Tumors

Intra-tumor bacteria promote tumor growth and inactivate cancer-chemotherapeutics, causing poor treatment prognoses. Combined administration of cancer-chemotherapeutics and antibiotics may disturb the oral and intestinal microflora in critically-ill patients. To establish intra-tumor co-delivery of cancer-chemotherapeutics and antibiotics, gemcitabine and ciprofloxacin are loaded in so-called “self-targeting”, highly blood-compatible, synthetic DCPA-H₂O liposomes equipped with complexed water for pH-responsiveness. Liposomal pH-responsiveness can be maintained by in-shell loading of gemcitabine and in-core loading of ciprofloxacin. These dual-loaded liposomes are stealthily transported in the blood circulation to accumulate in the acidic environment of an infected tumor. Upon tumor self-targeting, liposomes are fused with tumor cells and infecting bacteria and are disassembled to simultaneously release gemcitabine and ciprofloxacin. Treatment of mice with these self-targeting liposomes yields significantly higher responses of Escherichia coli infected tumors with respect to both infection and tumor volume than gemcitabine and ciprofloxacin co-delivered from non-self-targeting liposomes or free gemcitabine with or without ciprofloxacin in solution.