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THE U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE: A CRITICAL HISTORY Michael D. English Boulder, CO: FirstForumPress; Critical edition 211 pages, 2018 In The U.S. Institute of Peace: A Critical History, Michael D. [...]

: Introduction: Interruptions in treatment pose risks for people with HIV (PWH) and threaten progress in ending the HIV epidemic; however, the COVID‐19 pandemic's impact on HIV service delivery across diverse settings is not broadly documented. Methods: From September 2020 to March 2021, the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) research consortium surveyed 238 HIV care sites across seven geographic regions to document constraints in HIV service delivery during the first year of the pandemic and strategies for ensuring care continuity for PWH. Descriptive statistics were stratified by national HIV prevalence ( Results: Questions about pandemic‐related consequences for HIV care were completed by 225 (95%) sites in 42 countries with low (n = 82), medium (n = 86) and high (n = 57) HIV prevalence, including low‐ (n = 57), lower‐middle (n = 79), upper‐middle (n = 39) and high‐ (n = 50) income countries. Most sites reported being subject to pandemic‐related restrictions on travel, service provision or other operations (75%), and experiencing negative impacts (76%) on clinic operations, including decreased hours/days, reduced provider availability, clinic reconfiguration for COVID‐19 services, record‐keeping interruptions and suspension of partner support. Almost all sites in low‐prevalence and high‐income countries reported increased use of telemedicine (85% and 100%, respectively), compared with less than half of sites in high‐prevalence and lower‐income settings. Few sites in high‐prevalence settings (2%) reported suspending antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic services, and many reported adopting mitigation strategies to support adherence, including multi‐month dispensing of ART (95%) and designating community ART pick‐up points (44%). While few sites (5%) reported stockouts of first‐line ART regimens, 10–11% reported stockouts of second‐ and third‐line regimens, respectively, primarily in high‐prevalence and lower‐income settings. Interruptions in HIV viral load (VL) testing included suspension of testing (22%), longer turnaround times (41%) and supply/reagent stockouts (22%), but did not differ across settings. Conclusions: While many sites in high HIV prevalence settings and lower‐income countries reported introducing or expanding measures to support treatment adherence and continuity of care, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in disruptions to VL testing and ART supply chains that may negatively affect the quality of HIV care in these settings., INTRODUCTION The COVID‐19 pandemic has had major direct and indirect impacts on population health globally, through disruptions in the accessibility and quality of basic health services [1], in supply chains [...]

Coral reef fish larvae settle on reefs predominantly at night around the new-moon phase, after an early developmental period spent in the pelagic environment. Most sampling is conducted across whole nights, and any studies that have examined the frequency of arrival within nights have typically been limited to coarse sampling time scales of 1-5 h. Here, we present results for arrival numbers of fish caught between dusk and midnight from light traps sampled every 15 min at an Indonesian coral reef, providing the finest temporal resolution for this type of study to date. A spatial analysis by distance indices analysis, adapted to temporal data, revealed clustering of reef arrival times for many species, with an increase in catches immediately after dusk dropping off towards midnight. Importantly, the timing of clusters differed among species, indicating that different factors determine the timing of arrival among taxa. Our results support the hypothesis that larval behaviour influences the timing of arrival at a coral reef for different fish species. Les larves de poissons recifaux se deposent sur les recifs principalement durant la nuit autour d'une phase de nouvelle lune, apres une periode de developpement precoce passee en milieu pelagique. Les echantillonnages sont generalement realises sur des nuits entieres et les etudes ayant examine la frequence d'arrivees durant des nuits se sont typiquement limitees a des echelles temporelles d'echantillonnage grossieres allant de 1 a 5 h. Nous presentons les resultats de denombrements d'arrivees de poissons captures entre le crepuscule et minuit dans des pieges lumineux echantillonnes toutes les 15 min dans un recif de corail indonesien, ce qui constitue la plus haute resolution temporelle pour ce type d'etudes a ce jour. Une analyse spatiale par indices de distance adaptee a des donnees temporelles a revele un regroupement des temps d'arrivee au recif pour de nombreuses especes, dont une augmentation des captures immediatement apres le crepuscule et une baisse vers minuit. Fait important, le moment de ces regroupements variait selon l'espece, ce qui indique que differents facteurs determinent le moment de l'arrivee pour differents taxons. Nos resultats appuient l'hypothese voulant que le comportement des larves influence le moment de l'arrivee a un recif de corail de differentes especes de poissons. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Most coral reef fish spend their early life stage as larvae in the open ocean before returning to reefs to settle (Montgomery et al. 2001; Kingsford et al. 2002; [...]

David Miliband New York, NY: Simon & Schuster/TED, 2017 160 pages, hardcover, $16.99 'Our challenge is not just to rescue those in need; it is to rescue and renew the [...]

Abstract: Sponges are functionally important coral reef fauna and there is strong evidence from the Caribbean that predation has important impacts on sponge-assemblage dynamics; whether the same is true for [...]

: Introduction: Since 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that all people living with HIV (PLHIV) initiate antiretroviral treatment (ART), irrespective of CD4+ count or clinical stage. National adoption of universal treatment has accelerated since WHO's 2015 “Treat All” recommendation; however, little is known about the translation of this guidance into practice. This study aimed to assess the status of Treat All implementation across regions, countries, and levels of the health care delivery system. Methods: Between June and December 2017, 201/221 (91%) adult HIV treatment sites that participate in the global IeDEA research consortium completed a survey on capacity and practices related to HIV care. Located in 41 countries across seven geographic regions, sites provided information on the status and timing of site‐level introduction of Treat All, as well as site‐level practices related to ART initiation. Results: Almost all sites (93%) reported that they had begun implementing Treat All, and there were no statistically significant differences in site‐level Treat All introduction by health facility type, urban/rural location, sector (public/private) or country income level. The median time between national policy adoption and site‐level introduction was one month. In countries where Treat All was not yet adopted in national guidelines, 69% of sites reported initiating all patients on ART, regardless of clinical criteria, and these sites had been implementing Treat All for a median period of seven months at the time of the survey. The majority of sites (77%) reported typically initiating patients on ART within 14 days of confirming diagnosis, with 60% to 62% of sites implementing Treat All in East, Southern and West Africa reporting same‐day ART initiation for most patients. Conclusions: By mid‐ to late‐2017, the Treat All strategy was the standard of care at almost all IeDEA sites, including rural, primary‐level health facilities in low‐resource settings. While further assessments of site‐level capacity to provide high‐quality HIV care under Treat All and to support sustained viral suppression after ART initiation are needed, the widespread introduction of Treat All at the service delivery level is a critical step towards global targets for ending the HIV epidemic as a public health threat., Introduction WHO's 2015 recommendation for immediate treatment of all PLHIV, regardless of CD4+ cell count, represented a paradigm shift in HIV care and treatment. By preventing morbidity and mortality among [...]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a range of manifestations, Including steatosis and cirrhosis. Progressive disease is characterized by hepatic leukocyte accumulation in the form of steatohepatitis. The adhesion molecule vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is a membrane-bound amine oxidase that promotes leukocyte recruitment to the liver, and the soluble form (sVAP-1) accounts for most circulating monoamine oxidase activity, has insulin-like effects, and can initiate oxidative stress. Here, we determined that hepatic VAP-1 expression is increased in patients with chronic liver disease and that serum sVAP-1 levels are elevated in patients with NAFLD compared with those in control individuals. In 4 murine hepatic injury models, an absence or blockade of functional VAP-1 reduced inflammatory cell recruitment to the liver and attenuated fibrosis. Moreover, disease was reduced in animals expressing a catalytically inactive form of VAP-1, implicating enzyme activity in the disease pathogenesis. Within the liver, hepatic stromal cells expressed functional VAP-1, and evaluation of cultured cells revealed that sVAP-1 promotes leukocyte migration through catalytic generation of ROS, which depended on VAP-1 enzyme activity. VAP-1 enhanced stromal cell spreading and wound closure and modulated expression of profibrotic genes. Together, these results link the amine oxidase activity of VAP-1 with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis and suggest that targeting VAP-1 has therapeutic potential for NAFLD and other chronic fibrotic liver diseases., Introduction Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a spectrum of liver disease encompassing steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and cirrhosis and is increasingly recognized as the leading cause of liver dysfunction [...]

Coral communities were examined from highly turbid near-shore marginal reefs of Abrolhos (Brazil) to test a paradigm previously developed from observations in clear water reefs; specifically, that coral photo biological properties follow a highly conserved linear relationship with optical depth (θ) via preferential 'non-photochemical' over 'photochemical' dissipation of absorbed light energy. PAM flourometry in situ was used to examine the photobiology of the most dominant coral species throughout the platform surfaces and bases of Abrolhos' characteristic 'chapeiroes' reef framework; however, none of the species consistently adhered to the 'clear water paradigm'. PAM measurements further demonstrated that species conformed to two different strategies of non-photochemical energy dissipation: transient but relatively rapid for the two closely related endemic species (Mussismilia braziliensis and Mussismilia harttii) as opposed to more persistent for Montastrea cavernosa, Porites astreoides and Siderastrea stellata. Further experiments demonstrated that tolerance to anomalous stress amongst species did not correspond with the non-photochemical energy dissipation strategy present but was consistent with the relative dominance of species within the chaperones coral communities., Introduction Continued acclimation to a changing light environment (termed photo acclimation) is fundamental for maintaining optimum photosynthetic rates and in turn successful growth and competition of corals within reef systems. [...]

Classical monoamine oxidases and copper-containing semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases are drug targets for a variety of established and novel pharmaceuticals used to treat conditions such as depression, Parkinsonism and inflammatory disorders. Development of enzyme inhibitors, both historically and currently, assumes an underlying adherence of these enzymes to Michaelis-Menten kinetic principles. In this mini-review, we discuss historical data from several laboratories and novel data from our own laboratories which show clearly that such an assumption is invalid. Rather, these enzymes often display hormetic behaviour towards their substrates, resulting in bell-shaped kinetic plots. We outline possible underlying mechanisms which might account for this behaviour and show how novel reversible hormetic drugs may capitalise on these mechanisms to introduce a new dimension in selectivity. The potential future benefits for therapeutic modulation of amine oxidase activities are discussed. Key words: enzyme kinetics, amine oxidases, substrates, imidazolines, cations, INTRODUCTION Mammalian amine oxidase enzymes play critically important roles in physiological and pathological tissue development and function. These roles are, for the most part, directly related to the enzymatic capacity [...]

Cross-sectional and plan-view high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) are used for characterizing sets of polycrystalline (Co, Mg)O/Co bilayers grown with different Mg concentrations in order to dilute the oxide-antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer. The coercivity has correlated with the changes in the magnitude of the exchange-bias field, which has resulted from Mg dilution.

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2007.00169.x Byline: David J. Smith (1), Russell Ecob Keywords: Victimization; offending; adolescence; self-reported delinquency; lifestyle-routine activities; social bonds Abstract: Abstract There is a considerable body of evidence from earlier research to show that offending is associated with an increased risk of victimization, and being a victim with an increased risk of offending. There have been few earlier studies of the link. These have generally set out to test specific explanations, for example, the idea that the same lifestyles or routine activities may be associated with both victimization and offending. In a current study of a cohort of 4,300 adolescents in Edinburgh we have found a correlation of 0.421 between crime victimization and self-reported offending at the age of 15 when offending peaks. Variables chosen to test three broad types of theory - life-style and routine activities, weak social bonds, aspects of personality - are shown to be related both to victimization and to offending in adolescence. The present analysis uses latent class growth mixture models to track the dynamic relationships over time between adolescent victimization and offending both before and after controlling for these explanatory variables. In the short term, offending is strongly related to a later rise in victimization, but in the longer term to a fall that tends to cancel out the earlier rise. These findings remain the same after controlling for the ten explanatory variables. Victimization is associated with a later rise in offending in the longer term. The theoretical perspectives suggested by earlier researchers are fairly successful in explaining this linkage running from victimization to offending. Future research should focus on the role of peer influence in linking victimization and offending, and should push forward the analysis into the adult years. The implications for criminal justice policy could be far-reaching. Author Affiliation: (1)Honorary Professor of Criminology, University of Edinburgh and Visiting Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science Article History: (Date accepted: August 2007) Article note: email: d.j.smith1@blueyonder.co.uk

Controversies and identity politics surrounding the 'Swedish Lion' monument in Estonia are examined. The monument marks the commemoration of the victory of Sweden over Russia in the Battle of Narva.

The principal of non-territorial cultural autonomy was central to the efforts to build multi-cultural societies in the period between the two world wars when it was recognized that it was not possible to solve national conflicts through the redrawing of territorial borders alone. The time for this idea has come again as the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union bring the Central and Eastern Europe minorities once again to the forefront of international attention.

It may surprise students to realize that health problems in other countries affect them, too. Where people live and the conditions under which they live directly affect their health. The [...]

The aerobic electron transport chain in Mycobacterium smegmatis can terminate in one of three possible terminal oxidase complexes. The structure and function of the electron transport pathway leading from the menaquinol-menaquinone pool to the cytochrome [bc.sub.1] complex and terminating in the [aa.sub.3]-type cytochrome c oxidase was characterized. M. smegmatis strains with mutations in the [bc.sub.1] complex and in subunit II of cyctochome c oxidase were found to be profoundly growth impaired, confirming the importance of this respiratory pathway for mycobacterial growth under aerobic conditions. Disruption of this pathway resulted in an adaptation of the respiratory network that is characterized by a marked up-regulation of cydAB, which encodes the bioenergetically less efficient and microaerobically induced cytochrome bd-type menaquinol oxidase that is required for the growth of M. smegmatis under [O.sub.2]-limiting conditions. Further insights into the adaptation of this organism to rerouting of the electron flux through the branch terminating in the bd-type oxidase were revealed by expression profiling of the bcl-deficient mutant strain using a partial-genome microarray of M. smegmatis that is enriched in essential genes. Although the expression profile was indicative of an increase in the reduced state of the respiratory chain, blockage of the [bc.sub.1]-[aa.sub.3] pathway did not induce the sentinel genes of M. smegmatis that are induced by oxygen starvation and are regulated by the DosR two-component regulator.

The effects of vibration on the human body have been documented for many years. Recently, the use of vibration for improving the training regimes of athletes has been investigated. Vibration has been used during strength-training movements such as elbow flexion, and vibration has also been applied to the entire body by having subjects stand on vibration platforms. Exposure to whole-body vibration has also resulted in a significant improvement in power output in the postvibratory period and has been demonstrated to induce significant changes in the resting hormonal profiles of men. In addition to the potential training effects of vibration, the improvement in power output that is observed in the postvibratory period may also lead to better warm-up protocols for athletes competing in sporting events that require high amounts of power output. These observations provide the possibility of new and improved methods of augmenting the training and performance of athletes through the use vibration training. Despite the potential benefits of vibration training, there is substantial evidence regarding the negative effects of vibration on the human body. In conclusion, the potential of vibration treatment to enhance the training regimes of athletes appears quite promising. It is essential though that a thorough understanding of the implications of this type of treatment be acquired prior to its use in athletic situations. Future research should be done with the aim of understanding the biological effects of vibration on muscle performance and also the effects of different vibration protocols on muscle performance. KEY WORDS. effects of vibration training, contraindications with vibration training

A study of the magnetic switching behavior of nanoscale Co rings using off-axis electron holography is described. Arrays of 10nm thick polycrystalline Co rings with 400 nm outer diameter (OD) and different inner diameter (ID) was fabricated by electron-beam lithography.

Off-axis electron holography and micromagnetic simulations are used to investigate magnetization reversal mechanisms and remanent states in exchange-biased submicron Co(sub 84)Fe(sub 16)/Fe(sub 54)Mn(sub 46) patterned elements. Using an interface exchange field that had a fixed amplitude and direction in the simulations provided a good fit to the experimental data, and small disagreements were attributed to structural imperfections.

A new study investigates the structural and magnetic properties of sputtered Co50Fe50(CoFe) thin films.

Off-axis electron holography and micromagnetic simulations are used to investigate the interlayer coupling and magnetization reversal of patterned, submicron Co/Au/Ni nanostructures, shaped as diamonds, ellipses, and rectangles. The study shows that antiferromagnetic coupling between the ferromagnetic layers, attributed to the strong Co demagnetization field, was visualized directly and simulated hysteresis loops showed reasonable agreement with experimental results.

The consequences of ammonia flow rate on the impurity incorporation and material characteristics of Si-doped GaN films grown by reactive molecular beam epitaxy (RMBE) procedure were studied. The ammonia flow rate apparently has a marginal effect on the introduction of impurities into the Si-doped GaN films except that there was a little decrease in O and Si with increasing ammonia flow rate when the Si concentration in the film is larger than 10(super 18) cm(super -3).

Intertidal epipelic diatoms' production of exopolymers is discussed, along with production rates of colloidal carbohydrates and glucan. The study involved axenic monocultures of Cylindrotheca closterium, Navicula perminuta, and Nitzschia sigma.

Microstructural and magnetic characterization of FePt (110) films deposited onto platinum seed layers on MgO (100) substrates, at 300 and 500 degrees Celsius, were carried out in experiments. An FePT(110)-oriented film grown at a substrate temperature of 300 degrees Celsius was found to be in a state of inhomogeneous chemical order. The inhomogeneous chemical ordering and the small size of ordered and partially ordered regions is expected in view of likely microscopic variations of the growth surface.

The magnetization reversal characteristics of submicron-sized patterned Co elements were investigated through off-axis electron holography. The samples were immersed in magnetic fields in situ to find out the hysteresis loops of individual elements and the interactions between closely spaced elements. Findings suggested that the formation of remanent states from various stages in a magnetization reversal loop has fundamental importance for the design of magnetic elements for device applications.

The formation of a novel inorganic azide, (HClGaN3)4, which is analogous to Cl2GaN3, is presented. The structure of the new system offers a simple, low-temperature route to high-yield stoichiometric material due to the possible elimination of HCl rather than GaCl3. A metathesis reaction involving HGaC2 and LiN3 was used to accomplish the synthesis of (HClGaN3)4. Results demonstrate that (HClGaN3)4 and (H2GaN3)n provide a new method for the synthesis of bulk, polycrystalline GaN microfibers and thin films.

Research was conducted to investigate the structural features of thin film ferromagnetic tunnel junctions. The magnetic layers were characterized by Co, Fe, and oxide barriers. The tunnel junctions were prepared by rf and dc reactive magnetron sputtering onto thermally oxidized silicon wafers. Results indicated that the oxide barriers of CoO and MgO were polycrystalline with many crystallites extending across the entire barrier thickness.

Research was conducted to examine the impact of the intermediate buffer layer on the structural and optical characteristics of gallium nitride (GaN) films grown on the oxygen and zinc surfaces of zinc oxide substrates. These properties were analyzed using techniques such as photoluminescence, atomic force microscopy, x-ray double diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and reflectivity. Differences in thermal expansion coefficients indicate that the GaN epilayers were grown with compressive strain.

High-resolution electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were employed in examining a series of Mg-doped, reactive molecular beam epitaxy-grown GaN films. Highly doped samples were found to exhibit rough top surfaces and feature a completely zinc-blende phase with inclined stacking faults. Results also suggest the existence of compressive lattice distortion along the growth direction.

The 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) has been successively changed over a number of years to protect nations which have no relevance in US national security. The ABM was originally drawn up as an agreement between the former Soviet Union and the US. An ABM-theater missile defense (TMD) is now likely, but not inevitable. Army TMD systems will continue to evolve although army deployment will be closely monitored.

Research was conducted on the magnetic microstructure of thin epitaxial Fe (sub x)Pt (sub 1-x) (x~0.5) ordered alloy films using off-axis electron holography at the nanometer level. Results showed that high-resolution electron microscopy in cross section generated high quality epitaxial growth but also revealed some widely spaced regions with structural defects. Findings indicate that off-axis electron holography is a highly useful technique for mapping local variations of the in-plane magnetic structure associated with defective thin films.

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes and endothelial cell lines were used as host systems for the investigation of the biological characteristics of ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73). The results of immunoprecipitations, Northern and dot-blotting revealed that while the molecular structures of CD73 on lymphocytes and endothelial cells were found to be the same, it demonstrated a wide variety of biological activities, depending on the type of cells or tissues in which it is found. The primary function of CD73 was found to be the catalytic hydrolysis of extracellular nucleotides.

The federally supported state climatologist program ended in 1972. Thereafter, most states supported these endeavors in coordination with the National Climatic Data Center, but the current state programs vary widely. One of the functions of state climate programs that evolved since 1972 is acting as a liaison between the National Weather Service and various state agencies. This role is most apparent and controversial in coordinating state and local government response to severe weather and extreme climate anomalies such as drought, flood, winter storms, and tropical cyclones. The activities of the climate office in South Carolina during Hurricane Hugo in September 1989 and the October 1990 floods reveal how these interactions occur in one state that mandated these activities. The state climate office had to react to shifting weather conditions and to variable political conditions that affect public organizations. The climate office in South Carolina acts to interpret weather information, develop scenarios and predictions, and to assist in postevent damage surveys. This review is presented to acknowledge and document the expanding role of the state climate office in South Carolina in response to state and local government needs for weather forecast interpretation and expert guidance in the event of severe weather.

The cross sectional characteristics and multilayer parameters of Mo/Si soft x-ray multilayered thin films were investigated using high resolution electron microscopy. The results showed that layer thickness was not affected by the focus setting. However, additional Mo fringes which made the crystalline region appear thicker were observed at larger defocus conditions. There was no significant change in the bilayer periodicity.

The current operational environment in Iraq is more dynamic than ever, as United States forces work to transition lines of operation, such as security and governance, to the government of [...]

The remanent stales and reversal behavior of 10-nm-thick polyeryslalline Co elements have been investigated using off-axis electron holography and Lorentz microscopy. Different shapes with dimensions in the range of 100-1200 nm were observed, including rectangles with different size and aspect ratio as well as rings and slotted rings. Virgin states of circular and rectangular elements showed a variety of patterns including centered and off-centered vortices. At remanence, rectangles with rounded edges revealed multiple domains separated by a domain wall running transverse to the longer axis. The magnetization reversal behavior of rectangles with regular edges involved S-shaped and bidomain states, whereas the reversal mechanism for rectangles with rounded edges involved 'Y' and 'V' shaped domain walls separating the magnetic domains. Reproducible switching was observed when these latter shapes were subjected to repeated field cycles. Index Terms--Magnetization reversal, off-axis electron holography, remanent state, switching.

Magnetic particles with nigh permeabilities and moments, and low losses, have considerable potential for high-frequency power applications. In this paper, we report on spherical [Co.sub.50][Fe.sub.50] fine particles prepared by spark erosion in liquid argon and nitrogen, kerosene, ethanol, and water. X-ray and Mossbauer spectra showed that the as-sparked [Co.sub.50][Fe.sub.50] particles made in liquid argon and nitrogen exhibited primarily a disordered [alpha]-FeCo structure, which became mostly ordered B2 structure after annealing at 525 [degree]C for 2 h. The as-sparked particles prepared in liquid kerosene and ethanol consisted of the disordered [alpha]-FeCo structure and various iron carbides. Annealing removed X-ray and Mossbauer evidence of carbides, and the particles then exhibited only the ordered B2 structure. As-sparked particles made in water contained both the [alpha]-FeCo disordered phase and an (FeCo)O phase. After annealing, only ordered B2 and [Fe.sub.3][O.sub.4] phases were found in these particles. The room-temperature magnetic moments and coercivity for the annealed particles were also measured. The complex magnetic permeability measured at 30 MHz indicated that the smaller particles generally exhibited relatively larger real permeability, [mu]', and smaller imaginary component, [mu]', than the larger particles. Relatively large [mu]' and small [mu]' (i.e., losses), were found for the as-sparked particles made in water. Index Terms--CoFe, magnetization, Mossbauer spectra, permeability, X-ray diffraction.

[Ni.sub.49][Mn.sub.30][Ga.sub.21] fine particles were prepared by spark erosion. Most of the particles are spheres with sizes ranging from about 5 nm to 100 [micro]m. The particles have the martensite structure at room temperature as indicated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Measurements of the temperature dependence of the magnetization and high-temperature XRD patterns demonstrated that the particles undergo a martensite [right arrow] austenite phase transformation in the range 35[degrees]C-70[degrees]C during heating, with ~10 [degrees]C hysteresis for the austenite [right arrow] martensite transformation upon cooling. Index Terms--Magnetic shape memory, martensitic transformation, NiMnGa alloys, X-ray diffraction.

The effects of key deposition parameters on NiO-Py and NiMn-Py bilayers have been systematically investigated, which include the: 1) effect of annealing; 2) partial pressure of [N.sub.2] during permalloy deposition; and 3) presence or absence of Ta buffer layer. The 7% [N.sub.2] partial pressure induced (200) growth, whereas its absence during [Ni.sub.81][Fe.sub.19](Py) deposition induced (111) growth. The presence of Ta in conjunction with [N.sub.2] partial pressure controlled the growth and orientation of the exchange-bias layer. Lorentz microscopy was used to investigate the magnetic-domain reversal mechanisms and a high-resolution electron microscopy was used to correlate microstructure with magnetic behavior. Index Terms--Antiferromagnet, exchange bias (EB), high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), Lorentz microscopy.