bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Parathyroidectomy on Restless Legs Syndrome in Patients with Renal Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Schneider Ralph , Karakas Elias , Bartsch Detlef K. , Schlosser Katja
Published: August 2013

Background

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common and poorly understood movement disorder that leads to unpleasant leg sensations. Although RLS can be idiopathic, secondary etiologies such as iron deficiency and renal failure are common. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate whether RLS is a common feature in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for renal hyperparathyroidism (rHPT) and if RLS‐related symptoms can be influenced by surgery.

Methods

After providing written consent, patients who underwent a parathyroidectomy for rHPT between January and November 2011 answered a validated RLS‐screening‐questionnaire (RLSSQ). If this was suggestive for RLS a confirming questionnaire (IRLS) was also completed on the day before surgery, on the fifth postoperative day, and again during follow‐up (minimum 12 months). Perioperative parathyroid hormone and calcium levels, as well as the scores of the questionnaires were analyzed.

Results

Twenty‐one patients (14 men, 7 women) with a mean age of 47.8 ± 3.2 years underwent total parathyroidectomy with bilateral cervical thymectomy and parathyroid autotransplantation for rHPT. The mean score of the RLSSQ of all 21 patients prior to operation was 6.1 ± 0.5. In 10 of 21 patients (47.6 %) the results of the RLSSQ were suggestive for RLS with a mean score of 8.0 ± 0.3. The consecutive scores of the IRLS in these latter patients significantly dropped from 26.6 ± 1.4 to 19.0 ± 2.2 between the preoperative and postoperative settings (p < 0.05). After a mean follow‐up of 17.3 ± 3.7 months the mean scores of the RLSSQ and the IRLS were 6.1 ± 0.6 and 16.3 ± 1.8.

Conclusions

rHPT may play a major role in the severity of RLS‐associated symptoms in patients with renal failure. Consequently, parathyroidectomy may prove to be a valuable tool to reduce RLS‐associated morbidity in affected patients. However, larger prospective trials are required to confirm the possible relation between RLS and rHPT seen in the present study.
NAD‐dependent lactate dehydrogenase catalyses the first step in respiratory utilization of lactate by Lactococcus lactis
Authors: Zhao Rui , Zheng Sui , Duan Cuicui , Liu Fei , Yang Lijie , Huo Guicheng
Published: August 2013

Lactococcus lactis can undergo respiration when hemin is added to an aerobic culture. The most distinctive feature of lactococcal respiration is that lactate could be consumed in the stationary phase concomitantly with the rapid accumulation of diacetyl and acetoin. However, the enzyme responsible for lactate utilization in this process has not yet been identified. As genes for fermentative NAD‐dependent l‐lactate dehydrogenase (l‐nLDH) and potential electron transport chain (ETC)‐related NAD‐independent l‐LDH (l‐iLDH) exist in L. lactis, the activities of these enzymes were measured in this study using crude cell extracts prepared from respiratory and fermentation cultures. Further studies were conducted with purified preparations of recombinant LDH homologous proteins. The results showed that l‐iLDH activity was hardly detected in both crude cell extracts and purified l‐iLDH homologous protein while l‐nLDH activity was very significant. This suggested that l‐iLDHs were inactive in lactate utilization. The results of kinetic analyses and the effects of activator, inhibitor, substrate and product concentrations on the reaction equilibrium showed that l‐nLDH was much more prone to catalyze the pyruvate reduction reaction but could reverse its role provided that the concentrations of NADH and pyruvate were extremely low while NAD and lactate were abundant. Metabolite analysis in respiratory culture revealed that the cellular status in the stationary phase was beneficial for l‐nLDH to catalyze lactate oxidation. The factors accounting for the respiration‐ and stationary phase‐dependent lactate utilization in L. lactis are discussed here.
Structural and thermodynamic insight into phenylalanine hydroxylase from the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Leiros Hanna-Kirsti S. , Flydal Marte Innselset , Martinez Aurora
Published: August 2013

Phenylalanine hydroxylase from Legionella pneumophila (lpPAH) has a major functional role in the synthesis of the pigment pyomelanin, which is a potential virulence factor. We present here the crystal structure of lpPAH, which is a dimeric enzyme that shows high thermostability, with a midpoint denaturation temperature of 79 °C, and low substrate affinity. The structure revealed a dimerization motif that includes ionic interactions and a hydrophobic core, composed of both β‐structure and a C‐terminal region, with the specific residues (P255, P256, Y257 and F258) interacting with the same residues from the adjacent subunit within the dimer. This unique dimerization interface, together with a number of aromatic clusters, appears to contribute to the high thermal stability of lpPAH. The crystal structure also explains the increased aggregation of the enzyme in the presence of salt. Moreover, the low affinity for substrate l‐Phe could be explained from three consecutive glycine residues (G181, 182, 183) located at the substrate‐binding site. This is the first structure of a dimeric bacterial PAH and provides a framework for interpreting the molecular and kinetic properties of lpPAH and for further investigating the regulation of the enzyme.
Spectral and dynamical properties of sparse one-dimensional continuous Schrödinger and Dirac operators
Authors: Carvalho Silas L. , de Oliveira César R.
Published: August 2013

Spectral and dynamical properties of some one-dimensional continuous Schrödinger and Dirac operators with a class of sparse potentials (which take non-zero values only at some sparse and suitably randomly distributed positions) are studied. By adapting and extending to the continuous setting some of the techniques developed for the corresponding discrete operator cases, the Hausdorff dimension of their spectral measures and lower dynamical bounds for transport exponents are determined. Furthermore, it is found that the condition for the spectral Hausdorff dimension to be positive is the same for the existence of a singular continuous spectrum.
Intersecting families in classical Coxeter groups
Authors: Wang Li
Published: August 2013

Let Ω be a finite set and let G be a permutation group acting on it. A subset H of G is called t-intersecting if any two elements in H agree on at least t points. Let SDn and SBn be the classical Coxeter group of type Dn and type Bn, respectively. We show that the maximum-sized (2t)-intersecting families in SDn and SBn are precisely cosets of stabilizers of t points in [n] ≔ {1, 2, …, n}, provided n is sufficiently large depending on t.
Labour Studies and Labour History in South Africa: Perspectives from the Apartheid Era and After
Authors: Freund Bill
Published: August 2013

This article attempts to introduce readers to the impressive and influential historical and contemporary literature on South African labour. A literature with some earlier antecedents effectively applied classic sociological and historical themes to the specific conditions of South African political and economic development. Research on the phase of politicized and militant white worker action ties up with research into the international pre-World War I labour movement. The strength of this literature reflected the insurgent labour movement linked to political struggle against apartheid before 1990. After this review, the second half of the paper tries to consider and contextualize the challenging post-apartheid labour situation together with its political aspects. With the successful conclusion of the anti-apartheid struggle, students of the labour movement, as well as of South African society, have become more aware of the distance between establishing a liberal democracy and actually changing society itself in a direction leading towards less inequality and an improved life for those at the bottom of society, or even the broad mass of the population. As recent literature reveals, the development of post-apartheid South Africa has been a differential and problematic experience for labour.
Varix of the retromandibular vein within the parotid gland: case study
Authors: Wali G N , Mawby T A R , Sheerin F , Milford C A
Published: August 2013

Objective:

To report a case of varix of the retromandibular vein within the parotid gland.

Methods:

Case report, and discussion of the appropriate selection and use of radiological investigation techniques.

Results:

A 64-year-old lady who presented with unilateral tinnitus underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan to exclude a vestibular schwannoma. The magnetic resonance scout images revealed an incidental finding of a hyper-echoic mass within the parotid gland. The mass was most consistent with a pleomorphic adenoma. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology was arranged; the ultrasound identified the mass as a varix of the retromandibular vein and fine needle aspiration cytology was not performed.

Conclusion:

A varix of the retromandibular vein is a very rare cause of a parotid mass. Appropriate radiological investigations can prevent unnecessary invasive investigations or procedures.
Sex andEimeria: a molecular perspective
Authors: WALKER ROBERT A. , FERGUSON DAVID J. P. , MILLER CATHERINE M. D. , SMITH NICHOLAS C.
Published: August 2013

Eimeriais a common genus of apicomplexan parasites that infect diverse vertebrates, most notably poultry, causing serious disease and economic loss. Like all apicomplexans, eimerians have a complex life cycle characterized by asexual divisions that amplify the parasite population in preparation for sexual reproduction. This can be divided into three events: gametocytogenesis, producing gametocytes from merozoites; gametogenesis, producing microgametes and macrogametes from gametocytes; and fertilization of macrogametes by microgametes, producing diploid zygotes with ensuing meiosis completing the sexual phase. Sexual development inEimeriadepends on the differential expression of stage-specific genes, rather than presence or absence of sex chromosomes. Thus, it involves the generation of specific structures and, implicitly, storage of proteins and regulation of protein expression in macrogametes, in preparation for fertilization. InEimeria, the formation of a unique, resilient structure, the oocyst wall, is essential for completion of the sexual phase and parasite transmission. In this review, we piece together the molecular events that underpin sexual reproduction inEimeriaand use additional details from analogous events inPlasmodiumto fill current knowledge gaps. The mechanisms governing sexual stage formation and subsequent fertilization may represent targets for counteracting parasite transmission.
Eigenvalue estimates for submanifolds of warped product spaces
Authors: BESSA G. P. , GARCÍA–MARTÍNEZ S. C. , MARI L. , RAMIREZ–OSPINA H. F.
Published: August 2013

In this paper, we give lower bounds for the fundamental tone of open sets in minimal submanifolds immersed into warped product spaces of type Nn ×f Qq, where f ∈ C∞(N). This setting allows us to deal, among other things, with minimal submanifolds bounded by cylinders, cones, spheres and pseudo-hyperbolic spaces where most of these examples are not covered in the literature. Applications also include the study of the essential spectrum of hyperbolic graphs over compact regions of the boundary at infinity.
Follow-up ofHelicobacter pyloriinfection in children over two decades (1988–2007): persistence, relapse and acquisition rates
Authors: VANDERPAS J. , BONTEMS P. , MIENDJE DEYI V. Y. , CADRANEL S.
Published: August 2013

Helicobacter pyloriculture on gastric biopsy was performed on 4964 subjects aged <18 years from 1988 to 2007 at a central laboratory in Brussels. The total number of biopsies increased markedly from 941 in 1988–1993 to 1608 in 2004–2007. Biopsies were repeated at least once for 922 subjects (603 initially negative and 319 initially positive forH. pylori). Persistence rate ofH. pyloriat 1 year after initial positive biopsy was greater in the 1998–2007 cohort than in the 1988–1997 cohort (72·7%vs.45·8%,P = 0·002), suggesting a tailored selection of candidates for biopsy with non-invasive tests (13C urea breath test). Of 68 subjects initially positive and re-examined subsequently after a documented cure, re-infection/relapse rate was 48·6% within 5 years post-elimination ofH. pylori. Acquisition rate over 10 years follow-up in the initially negative cohort (603 patients) was 38·7% (re-infection/relapsevs. acquisition:P < 0·001). Multivariate analysis showed a fourfold greater risk ofH. pyloriacquisition in children of non-European originvs. European origin (P < 0·001). Clarithromycin and metronidazole susceptibility were determined in 226 and 223 paired positive cultures in cases of re-infection/relapse or persistence. An initial non-susceptibility profile was highly predictive of a subsequent non-susceptibility profile, and the non-susceptible proportion increased markedly from 13·3% to 21·2% for clarithromycin (P < 0·001) and from 27·3% to 35·0% for metronidazole (P = 0·014), with no difference regarding European or non-European origin.
Is the MMR vaccination programme failing to protect women against rubella infection?
Authors: SKIDMORE S. , BOXALL E. , LORD S.
Published: August 2013

In recent years the number of pregnant women susceptible to rubella has increased markedly. In the West Midlands the proportion has risen from 1·4% in 2004 to 6·9% in 2011. Locally, the proportion of non-immune women ranges from 1·6% in those born prior to 1976 to 17·8% in those born since 1986. The latter group comprises those given MMR in their second year with no further booster doses. The number of non-immune women will continue to rise as a consequence of low MMR uptake in the late 1990s. Repeat testing of samples with values <10 IU/ml and the need to vaccinate women postnatally have increased the workload of laboratory and maternity units. Screening for rubella in pregnancy has no advantages for the current pregnancy and it may be time to review the universal MMR vaccination programme which in turn would remove the need for continuing this practice.
Online reading strategies at work: What teachers think and what students do
Authors: Huang Hsin-Chou
Published: August 2013

This study designed and developed a web-based reading strategy training program and investigated students’ use of its features and EFL teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the program. The recent proliferation of online reading materials has made information easily available to L2 readers; however, L2 readers’ ability to deal with them requires the development of specific reading strategies. The researcher therefore constructed a web-based strategy training program on the basis of L2 reading strategy research and pedagogy. The program offers four types of reading strategy functions (Global, Problem-solving, Support, and Socio-affective) through 15 strategy buttons: Keyword, Preview, Prediction, Outline, Summary, Semantic Mapping, Pronunciation, Speed Reading, Dictionary, Translation, Grammar, Highlight, Notebook, Music Box, and My Questions. Forty college teachers and thirty-two EFL students in Taiwan were invited to use and evaluate this program. The researcher tracked students’ use of the functions, and teachers and students completed a survey and written reflections that documented their perceptions of the program. Both groups gave positive feedback on the program's user-friendly interface design and the effectiveness of its strategy function keys for enhancing reading comprehension and motivating learning. They also thought highly of the site's extensive offerings of reading opportunities supported by effective reading aids and a computerized classroom management system, features not available in large traditional classes. There was, however, a gap between what teachers thought and what students did. The teachers thought highly of Global strategies, whereas students regarded Support strategies as more useful. The low-proficiency group's heavy use of Support strategies explained this gap. The high-proficiency group's more frequent use of Global strategies echoed teachers’ preference for teaching Global strategies. This connection suggests that teachers should provide more explicit training to encourage all students to use Global strategies for overall textual understanding.
Seed dormancy and storage behaviour in tropical Fabaceae: a study of 100 species from Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayasuriya K.M.G. Gehan , Wijetunga Asanga S.T.B. , Baskin Jerry M. , Baskin Carol C.
Published: August 2013

Seeds of legumes are generally considered to have physical dormancy and to be orthodox, but most seed biologists are unaware of the various kinds and combinations of dormancy and storage behaviour in seeds of this family. The aim of our study was to document the dormancy and storage behaviour of seeds of 100 native and introduced tropical Fabaceae species in Sri Lanka and classify them into germination/storage behaviour categories. Moisture content (MC) was < 16% for fresh seeds of 94 species and >29% for those of six. Seeds of these six species had low tolerance for desiccation and for low temperatures. Thus, seeds of six species are non-orthodox and 94 species orthodox. Nine of the 100 species were non-dormant, and 2, 3 and 86 had physiological, physiological epicotyl and physical dormancy, respectively. Six germination/storage behaviour categories were identified among the 100 species. However, as in extratropical regions of the world, orthodox storage behaviour and physical dormancy are characteristic of seeds of the majority of species of Fabaceae in tropical Sri Lanka.
Civilian Exposure to Toxic Agents: Emergency Medical Response
Authors: Baker David
Published: August 2013

Civilian populations are at risk from exposure to toxic materials as a result of accidental or deliberate exposure. In addition to industrial hazards, toxic agents designed for use in warfare now are a potential hazard in everyday life through terrorist action. Civil emergency medical responders should be able to adapt their plans for dealing with casualties from hazardous materials (HazMat) to deal with the new threat.

Chemical and biological warfare (CBW) and HazMat agents can be viewed as a continuous spectrum. Each of these hazards is characterized by qualities of toxicity, latency of action, persistency, and transmissibility. The incident and medical responses to release of any agent is determined by these characteristics.

Chemical and biological wardare agents usually are classified as weapons of mass destruction, but strictly, they are agents of mass injury. The relationship between mass injury and major loss of life depends very much on the protection, organization, and emergency care provided.

Detection of a civil toxic agent release where signs and symptoms in casualties may be the first indicator of exposure is different from the military situation where intelligence information and tuned detection systems generally will be available.

It is important that emergency medical care should be given in the context of a specific action plan. Within an organized and protected perimeter, triage and decontamination (if the agent is persistent) can proceed while emergency medical care is provided at the same time.

The provision of advanced life support (TOXALS) in this zone by protected and trained medical responders now is technically feasible using specially designed ventilation equipment. Leaving life support until after decontamination may have fatal consequences. Casualties from terrorist attacks also may suffer physical as well as toxic trauma and the medical response also should be capable of dealing with mixed injuries.
Increased exposure to community-based education and ‘below the line’ social marketing results in increased fruit and vegetable consumption
Authors: Glasson Colleen , Chapman Kathy , Wilson Tamara , Gander Kristi , Hughes Clare , Hudson Nayerra , James Erica
Published: August 2013

Objective

To determine if localised programmes that are successful in engaging the community can add value to larger fruit and vegetable mass-media campaigns by evaluating the results of the Eat It To Beat It programme.

Design

The Eat It To Beat It programme is a multi-strategy intervention that uses community-based education and ‘below the line’ social marketing to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in parents. This programme was evaluated by a controlled before-and-after study with repeat cross-sectional data collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1403 parents before the intervention (2008) and 1401 following intervention delivery (2011).

Setting

The intervention area was the Hunter region and the control area was the New England region of New South Wales, Australia.

Subjects

Parents of primary school-aged children (Kindergarten to Year 6).

Results

The programme achieved improvements in knowledge of recommended intakes for fruit and vegetables and some positive changes in knowledge of serving size for vegetables. Exposure to the programme resulted in a net increase of 0·5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily for those who recalled the programme compared with those who did not (P= 0·004). Increased intake of fruit and vegetables was significantly associated with increasing exposure to programme strategies.

Conclusions

The Eat It To Beat It programme demonstrates that an increase in consumption of fruit and vegetables can be achieved by programmes that build on the successes of larger mass-media and social-marketing campaigns. This suggests that funding for localised, community-based programmes should be increased.
Dietary changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period in Singaporean Chinese, Malay and Indian women: the GUSTO birth cohort study
Authors: Chen Ling-Wei , Low Yen Ling , Fok Doris , Han Wee Meng , Chong Yap Seng , Gluckman Peter , Godfrey Keith , Kwek Kenneth , Saw Seang-Mei , Soh Shu E , Tan Kok Hian , Chong Mary Foong Fong , van Dam Rob M
Published: August 2013

Objective

To examine changes in food consumption during pregnancy and the postpartum period in women of major Asian ethnic groups.

Design

Using interviewer-administered questionnaires, we assessed changes in food consumption during pregnancy (26–28 weeks’ gestation) and the postpartum period (3 weeks after delivery) as compared with the usual pre-pregnancy diet.

Setting

Singapore.

Subjects

Pregnant women (n 1027) of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicity (mean age 30·4 (sd 5·2) years) who participated in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study.

Results

During pregnancy, participants tended to increase their consumption of milk, fruit and vegetables and decrease their consumption of tea, coffee, soft drinks and seafood (all P < 0·001). Most participants reported adherence to traditional restrictions (‘confinement’) during the early postpartum period (Chinese: 94·8 %, Malay: 91·6 %, Indian: 79·6 %). During the postpartum period, participants tended to increase their consumption of fish and milk-based drinks and decrease their consumption of noodles, seafood, and chocolates and sweets (all P < 0·001). Ethnic differences in food consumption were pronounced during the postpartum period. For example, most Chinese participants (87·2 %) increased their ginger consumption during the postpartum period as compared with smaller percentages of Malays (31·8 %) and Indians (40·8 %; P for ethnic difference <0·001). Similar ethnic differences were observed for cooking wine/alcohol, herbs and spices, and herbal tea consumption.

Conclusions

Marked changes in food consumption that reflect both modern dietary recommendations and the persistence of traditional beliefs were observed in Singaporean women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Traditional beliefs should be considered in interventions to improve dietary intakes during these periods.
Inadequacy of vitamins and minerals among high-school pupils in Ouarzazate, Morocco
Authors: Anzid Karim , Baali Abdellatif , Vimard Patrice , Levy-Desroches Susan , Cherkaoui Mohamed , López Pilar Montero
Published: August 2013

Objective

To assess micronutrient intakes and the prevalence of inadequacy in a sample of high-school pupils in Ouarzazate, Morocco.

Design

Food records were compiled over three non-consecutive days by pre-trained pupils. Micronutrient intakes were estimated using the DIAL software, adapted to include foods commonly eaten in Morocco. The prevalence of inadequacy was estimated by the proportion of individuals with intakes below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamins B12, A and K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folate, ascorbic acid, iodine, Ca, Mg and P; below the Adequate Intake (AI) level for pantothenic acid, biotin, Na and K; and using the probability approach for Fe. Data were adjusted for intra-individual variation with exclusion of under-reporters.

Setting

Ouarzazate, a semi-urban region situated on the southern slopes of the High Atlas with little industrial development but an important tourism sector.

Subjects

A self-selected sample of 312 pupils aged 15–19 years from the five public high schools. After exclusion of under-reporters, 293 remained for analysis.

Results

The highest proportions of below-EAR/AI intakes were seen for pantothenic acid (girls 85·1 %, boys 78·0 %), biotin (boys 83·1 %, girls 79·4 %), thiamin (boys 66·9 %), folate (girls 93·1 %, boys 74·6 %), iodine (boys 94·9 %, girls 88·0 %) and Ca (girls 83·4 %, boys 74·6 %). Na intake was generally in excess whereas K intake was below the AI level. In general, girls had better-quality diets than boys, who appeared to consume more ‘empty calories’.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that in this population of Moroccan adolescents, nutritional intervention and educational strategies are needed to promote healthy eating habits and correct micronutrient inadequacies. To provide reliable and precise estimates of nutrient intakes, an update of Moroccan food composition databases is urgently needed. We recommend that national authorities address these issues.
Iridovirus-Like Viruses in Erythrocytes of Lacertids from Portugal
Authors: de Matos António P. Alves , Caeiro M. Filomena , Vale Filipa F. , Crespo Eduardo , Paperna Ilan
Published: August 2013

Icosahedral nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV)-like viruses, which form inclusions in the erythrocyte cytoplasm of reptiles, were previously presented as candidates for a new genus of theIridoviridaefamily. The present work describes the distribution of infected lizard hosts and ultrastructural characteristics of the viral inclusions of NCLDV-like viruses from Portugal and adjacent locations in Spain. Giemsa-stained blood smears of 235Lacerta schreiberifrom Portugal and Spain, 571Lacerta monticolafrom the mountain Serra da Estrela (Portugal), 794Podarcis hispanicafrom several localities in Portugal and Spain, and 25Lacerta dugesiifrom Madeira Island, were studied. Infection inL. schreiberiwas only found in mountain populations, up to 30% in Serra da Estrela and 9–11% elsewhere. It was absent in lizards from lowlands. Prevalence of infection amongL. monticolain Serra da Estrela was 10%; infected lizards were found during March to July and October but not in August and September. Infection inP. hispanicawas below 3.3%. Only one infected specimen ofL. dugesiiwas identified by light microscopy. Ultrastructural examination of infected samples revealed that the inclusions are virus assembly sites of icosahedral cytoplasmic iridovirus-like virions. Virions from different host species have different ultrastructural features and probably represent different related viruses.
The implementation of a PDR 3D-guided gynaecological brachytherapy service in a UK centre
Authors: Wood D. , Lane L. , Gillespie W. , Baker S. , Rowbottom C.
Published: August 2013

Background

Due to the discontinuation of the widely used low-dose rate (LDR) Caesium afterloader units, many centres in the past 10 years have moved from LDR Selectron treatments to Iridium 192 afterloaders. While the majority of UK centres have opted for high-dose rate (HDR) units, the Christie have invested in two pulsed dose rate (PDR) afterloaders alongside a move to full 3D-planned gynaecological brachytherapy.

Purpose

To share the experience and learning curve involved in the implementation of a 3D-guided PDR brachytherapy service.

Methods

The specific logistical and practical challenges of implementing a PDR service are discussed alongside the more general challenges of implementing 3D-guided magnetic resonance (MR) based brachytherapy. A multidisciplinary approach was undertaken to streamline the patient pathway and give all disciplines a forum to discuss service improvements and resolve problems.

Conclusions

The lessons learned throughout this experience can inform the decisions of departments that may wish to implement a PDR service or indeed a 3D image-guided HDR brachytherapy service in the future. The focus on the utilisation of lean principles to the patient pathway, improved multidisciplinary working and enhancing service efficiency is of interest to all centres.
The impact of different distributions of power on access rights to the common wastelands: the Campine, Brecklands and Geest compared
Authors: DE KEYZER MAÏKA
Published: August 2013

Despite the static image of formal common pool resource institutions (CPRIs), interest communities always attempted to adapt their institutional framework to their particular needs and interests. The hypothesis of Ensminger, that formal and informal institutional environments were steered by the interplay of external socioeconomic factors, ideology and bargaining power, will be tested by a comparative analysis of three regions within the North Sea area, namely the Campine, within the Low Countries, the Brecklands in England and the Geest area in Schleswig Holstein. Due to this scope, we will advance that especially the distribution of power was vital for the evolution of one specific aspect of CPRIs, namely accessibility. Only communities with relatively balanced distributions of power could retain an inclusive access regime throughout the early modern period, while polarised societies evolved towards more restrictive access to the common wastelands.
ℋ2 control of discrete‐time Markov jump linear systems with uncertain transition probability matrix: improved linear matrix inequality relaxations and multi‐simplex modelling
Authors: Morais Cecília F. , Braga Márcio F. , Oliveira Ricardo C.L.F. , Peres Pedro L.D.
Published: August 2013

This study is concerned with the problem of ℋ2 state‐feedback control design for discrete‐time Markov jump linear systems (MJLS), assuming that the transition probability matrix is not precisely known, but belongs to a polytopic domain, or contains unknown or bounded elements. As a first contribution, the uncertainties of the transition probability matrix are modelled in terms of the Cartesian product of simplexes, called multi‐simplex. Thanks to this representation, the problem of robust mean square stability analysis with an ℋ2 norm bound can be solved through convergent linear matrix inequality (LMI) relaxations constructed in terms of polynomial solutions. The proposed conditions yield a better trade‐off between precision and computational effort when compared with other methods. As a second contribution, new conditions in terms of LMIs with a scalar parameter lying in the interval (− 1, 1) are proposed for ℋ2 state‐feedback control with complete, partial or no observation of the Markov chain. Owing to the presence of the scalar parameter, less conservative results when compared with other conditions available in the literature can be obtained, at the price of increasing the associated computational effort. Numerical examples illustrate the advantages of the proposed methodology.
Intersection detection and recognition for autonomous urban driving using a virtual cylindrical scanner
Authors: Li Qingquan , Chen Long , Zhu Quanwen , Li Ming , Zhang Qun , Ge Shuzhi Sam
Published: August 2013

In this study, the authors propose an effective real‐time approach for intersection detection and recognition during autonomous driving in an unknown urban environment. The authors approach use point cloud data acquired by a three‐dimensional laser scanner mounted on the vehicle. Intersection detection and recognition are formulated as a classification problem whereby roads are classified as segments or intersections and intersections are subclassified as T‐shaped or +‐shaped. They first construct a novel model called a virtual cylindrical scanner for efficient feature‐level representation of the point cloud data. Then they use support vector machine classifiers to resolve the classification problem according to the features extracted. A series of experiments on real‐world data sets and in a simulation environment demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the authors approach, even in highly dynamic urban environment. They also performed simulation experiments to investigate effects of several critical factors on their proposed approach, such as other vehicles on the road and the advance detection distance.
Probabilistic voltage stability assessment considering renewable sources with the help of the PV and QV curves
Authors: Almeida Adriano Batista , De Lorenci Eliane Valença , Leme Rafael Coradi , de Souza Antonio Carlos Zambroni , Lopes Benedito Isaias Lima , Lo Kwok
Published: August 2013

The use of renewable energy sources has increased year‐on‐year. Thus, there is an increasing rate of small generating units connected directly to distribution networks and micro‐grids close to consumers. At the same time, these micro‐sources must provide stability and reliability of electrical energy to the power network to which they are connected. In the technical literature, several studies have been done to ensure power systems with traditional generating sources to operate in a stable and reliable way, but there is an issue regarding generation uncertainty when a distribution system has many micro‐sources. This is because of the uncertainty of primary sources, for example, wind and radiation intensity, and could result in intermittent generation. In this study, stability and reliability of voltage in a power system with distributed generation is analysed using simulation techniques. In the proposed method in this study voltage security analysis is jointly considered with probability laws. Moreover reliability theory is also considered in the proposed voltage collapse analysis methodology. The responsibility of generator in the voltage collapse process, the probabilistic risk of voltage collapse of each operating point and the probability of enlarging the system load as a function of different operating points are the outcome of the methodology, and it is validated by using the IEEE34 test feeder.
Microcalorimetry insight into size effect on standard molar reaction enthalpy of CdMoO4 nanosystem
Authors: Li Yanfen , Jiang Rongli , Huang Zaiyin , Lv Hui , Zhou Lu , Liu Tingyu , Zhang Xiaoyu
Published: August 2013

Uniform CdMoO4 nanooctahedra with tunable sizes have been synthesised via a facile and mild microemulsion method at room temperature. The reaction between CdMoO4 nanooctahedra and dilute hydrochloric acid was in situ monitored using microcalorimetry at 298.15 K, and microcalorimetric heat flow curves from this reaction process were obtained. Combined with an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer technique, the size effect of CdMoO4 nanooctahedra on standard molar reaction enthalpy (ΔrHmΘ) was studied. The results indicate that the value of ΔrHmΘ decreased with decreased particle size.
Synthesis of antibacterially bioinorganic composite by immobilising lysozymes in layered titanates
Authors: Fu Jie , Han Zhuping , Ye Peng , Dong Xiaoping
Published: August 2013

An antibacterially bioinorganic composite has been synthesised by intercalating lysozymes (LZs) into layered titanates with a convenient and efficient exfoliation‐restacking strategy. This composite exhibits a loose slab morphology with a thickness of 5–10 layers, and the interlayer space is ∼4.4 nm because of intercalation of enzymes. The immobilised amount of lysozymes is up to ∼68.3% in weight because of the layer‐by‐layer alternate and swollen structure. This composite is stable in the neutral and weakly acidic condition, and only releases <10% of lysozymes in the pH > 4 solution. The immobilised LZs exhibit excellent thermal stability, which retain their initial activities of about 70% at 70°C for about 40 min. In addition, the residual activities of the immobilised enzymes are 68% after ten recycles reuse.
Electrochemical performance of TiO2/Au/carbon nanotubes composite interface for hydroquinone detection
Authors: Li Hongji , Li Mingji , Di Hairong , Liu Fude , Yang Baohe
Published: August 2013

A novel nanocomposite was prepared by direct mixing of titania nanoparticles (nano‐TiO2) and gold nanoparticles (nano‐Au)‐modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a solution of chitosan. The electrochemical performance of a TiO2/Au/CNT nanocomposite‐modified electrode for hydroquinone detection was investigated. When measured at a scan rate of 50 mV s− 1, the detected amount of hydroquinone at the TiO2/Au/CNT electrode varied linearly with hydroquinone concentration, for concentrations from 1 × 10− 6 to 1 × 10− 8M; the sensitivity was 997 617 μA(mol l− 1)− 1, and the detection limit was 1 × 10− 10M (S/N = 3). In all experiments, TiO2/Au/CNT nanocomposites exhibited better electrochemical performance than TiO2/CNT composites or CNTs. Enhanced current response can be attributed to the synergic effect of nano‐TiO2, nano‐Au and CNTs.
Lossless compression of wave function information using matrix factorization: A “gzip” for quantum chemistry
Authors: Taylor Peter R.
Published: August 2013

We propose the use of the singular value decomposition to decrease the storage required for wave function information. The specific case considered is determinantal full configuration interaction, but the same technique is readily applicable to truncated configuration interaction and coupled-cluster calculations of various types; as we discuss this is a reformulation of approximate methods that have been in use for some time, but our approach eliminates those approximations. Numerical examples support the contention that considerable compression of the wave function is possible without significant loss of accuracy: as expected a considerable amount of the information contained in the full CI wave function is redundant.
Effects of ferroelectric polarization switching on the electronic transport and magnetic properties of La0.8Ce0.2MnO3 epitaxial thin films
Authors: Zhu Q. X. , Zheng M. , Wang W. , Yang M. M. , Wang Y. , Li X. M. , Luo H. S. , Chan H. L. W. , Li X. G. , Zheng R. K.
Published: August 2013

The authors report the electronic transport and magnetic properties of the La0.8Ce0.2MnO3 (LCEMO) thin film epitaxially grown on the ferroelectric 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.33PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) single-crystal substrate and their dependence on the polarization state of the PMN-PT substrate. Upon electric-field-induced polarization switching, the electrical resistance and magnetization of the LCEMO film were modulated reversibly. The underlying coupling mechanism that is responsible for the electric-field-control of the resistance and magnetization strongly depends on temperature, being strain-mediated type at relatively high temperatures but becoming charge-mediated type with decreasing temperature. The knowledge about the evolution of the coupling mechanism with temperature not only helps to understand the drive force for multiferroic properties but also is important for theoretical modeling and device fabrication.
Performance improvement of organic light emitting diode with aluminum oxide buffer layer for anode modification
Authors: Zhou L. , Zhuang J. Y. , Tongay S. , Su W. M. , Cui Z.
Published: August 2013

A thin Al2O3 insulating buffer layer deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) anode by atomic layer deposition has been investigated for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). With an optimal thickness of 1.4 nm and low density of structural defects of the Al2O3 film, the OLEDs current efficiency and power efficiency were simultaneously improved by 12.5% and 23.4%, respectively. The improvements in both current and power efficiency mean lower energy loss during holes injection process and better balanced charge injection. To understand the mechanism behind the enhanced performance of OLED by the buffer layer, a series of Al2O3 films of different thicknesses were deposited on ITO anode and characterized. The roughness, sheet resistance, and surface potential (EF′) of the Al2O3 modified ITO were characterized. Also, the properties of Al2O3 films were investigated at the device level. It is believed that the block of holes injection by the Al2O3 buffer layer makes more balanced carrier density in the emitting layer, thus enhances the current efficiency. Although less number of holes are injected into OLED due to the Al2O3 buffer layer, quantum tunneling through the ultra-thin buffer layer play an important role in contributing to the holes injection, which avoids crossing the interface barrier, resulting in less energy consumed and power efficiency enhanced.
Wave operators, similarity and dynamics for a class of Schrödinger operators with generic non-mixed interface conditions in 1D
Authors: Mantile Andrea
Published: August 2013

We consider a simple modification of the 1D-Laplacian where non-mixed interface conditions occur at the boundaries of a finite interval. It has recently been shown that Schrödinger operators having this form allow a new approach to the transverse quantum transport through resonant heterostructures. In this perspective, it is important to control the deformations effects introduced on the spectrum and on the time propagator by this class of non-selfadjoint perturbations. In order to obtain uniform-in-time estimates of the perturbed semigroup, our strategy consists in constructing stationary wave operators allowing to intertwine the modified non-selfadjoint Schrödinger operator with a “physical” Hamiltonian. For small values of a deformation parameter “θ,” this yields a dynamical comparison between the two models showing that the distance between the corresponding semigroups is dominated by |θ| uniformly in time in the L2-operator norm.
Higher order corrections to adiabatic invariants of generalized slow-fast Hamiltonian systems
Authors: Avendaño-Camacho M. , Vallejo J. A. , Vorobiev Yu.
Published: August 2013

We present a coordinate-free approach for constructing approximate first integrals of generalized slow-fast Hamiltonian systems, based on the global averaging method on parameter-dependent phase spaces with \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\mathbb {S}^1$\end{document}S1-symmetry. Explicit global formulas for approximate second-order first integrals are derived. As examples, we analyze the case quadratic in the fast variables (in particular, the elastic pendulum), and the charged particle in a slowly-varying magnetic field.
Efficient construction of exchange and correlation potentials by inverting the Kohn–Sham equations
Authors: Kananenka Alexei A. , Kohut Sviataslau V. , Gaiduk Alex P. , Ryabinkin Ilya G. , Staroverov Viktor N.
Published: August 2013

Given a set of canonical Kohn–Sham orbitals, orbital energies, and an external potential for a many-electron system, one can invert the Kohn–Sham equations in a single step to obtain the corresponding exchange-correlation potential, \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$v_\text{XC}(\mathbf {r})$\end{document}vXC(r). For orbitals and orbital energies that are solutions of the Kohn–Sham equations with a multiplicative \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$v_\text{XC}(\mathbf {r})$\end{document}vXC(r) this procedure recovers \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$v_\text{XC}(\mathbf {r})$\end{document}vXC(r) (in the basis set limit), but for eigenfunctions of a non-multiplicative one-electron operator it produces an orbital-averaged potential. In particular, substitution of Hartree–Fock orbitals and eigenvalues into the Kohn–Sham inversion formula is a fast way to compute the Slater potential. In the same way, we efficiently construct orbital-averaged exchange and correlation potentials for hybrid and kinetic-energy-density-dependent functionals. We also show how the Kohn–Sham inversion approach can be used to compute functional derivatives of explicit density functionals and to approximate functional derivatives of orbital-dependent functionals.
Spin effect on parametric decay of oblique Langmuir wave in degenerate magneto-plasmas
Authors: Shahid M. , Murtaza G.
Published: August 2013

The electron spin −1/2 effects on the parametric decay instability of oblique Langmuir wave into low-frequency electromagnetic shear Alfven wave and Left-Handed Circularly Polarized wave (LHCP) has been investigated in detail, in an electron-ion quantum plasma immersed in the uniform external magnetic field. Incorporating the quantum effects due to electron spin, Fermi pressure and Bohm potential term, the quantum magneto-hydrodynamic (QMHD) model has been used to investigate the linear and nonlinear response of the plasma species for three-wave coupling interaction in a quantum magneto-plasmas. Nonlinear dispersion relations and growth rate of the problem have been derived analytically. It has been shown that the spin of electrons has considerable effect on the growth rate of parametric instability problem even when the external magnetic field B0 is below the quantum critical magnetic field strength BQ=4.4138×1013G.
Theoretical study of the electronic excitations of free-base porphyrin–Ar2 van der Waals complexes
Authors: Fukuda Ryoichi , Ehara Masahiro
Published: August 2013

The intermolecular interaction of free-base porphine (FBP)–Ar2 and free-base tetraazaporphyrin (FBPz)–Ar2 van der Waals (vdW) complexes was calculated in the ground state and vertical excitations that correspond to the Q- and B-bands using the many-body wavefunction theory of the symmetry-adapted cluster-configuration interaction (SAC-CI) method and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). For the 11B3u state of FBP–Ar2 a blueshift (high-energy shift) of excitation energy was calculated using the SAC-CI method; such a blueshift was not obtained by TDDFT calculations. This calculated blueshift corresponds to the experimentally observed blueshift in the Qx-band of FBP for FBP–Arn complexes. For FBPz–Ar2, blueshifts of the Q-band were not obtained using SAC-CI and TDDFT. These behaviors of the energy shift of the Q-bands could not be explained by the point dipole–point dipole interaction model. Large redshifts (low-energy shift) were obtained for the B-band states (21B3u and 21B2u) of FBP and FBPz. The energy shift showed the inverse sixth-power dependence on the intermolecular distance. The point dipole–point dipole interaction model can describe the redshift of the B-band. For the excited states that exhibit large redshifts, the TDDFT can qualitatively describe the vdW interaction in the excited states by supermolecular calculations. The solvatochromic shifts for FBP and FBPz in an Ar matrix were examined by the linear-response polarizable continuum model and TDDFT. The magnitude of calculated solvatochromic redshifts is proportional to the square of the transition dipole moment.
Absolute cross-section normalization of magnetic neutron scattering data
Authors: Xu Guangyong , Xu Zhijun , Tranquada J. M.
Published: August 2013

We discuss various methods to obtain the resolution volume for neutron scattering experiments, in order to perform absolute normalization on inelastic magnetic neutron scattering data. Examples from previous experiments are given. We also try to provide clear definitions of a number of physical quantities which are commonly used to describe neutron magnetic scattering results, including the dynamic spin correlation function and the imaginary part of the dynamic susceptibility. Formulas that can be used for general purposes are provided and the advantages of the different normalization processes are discussed.