A new approach to crystal growth of Hg1−xCdxTe by the travelling heater method (THM)

Crystal growth by the travelling heater method (THM) is reported using a source material preparation process that is different from all methods used before. Non-stoichiometric (Hg, Cd)Te melts were homogenized and quenched to prevent macroscopic segregation effects. Inclusions of excess Te were removed during a first THM pass, resulting in stoichiometric solid alloys with a shift of the mole fraction towards higher CdTe contents. The amount of the shift, dependent on the Te excess and on the equilibrium temperature of the first THM run, was calculated and taken into account in the preparation of x=0.22 and x=0.30 Hg1-xCdxTe single crystals. Source material ingots, as well as THM single crystals, were characterized with special emphasis of the compositional homogeneity. Radial as well as axial homogeneity are comparable with the best results on THM crystals reported so far. The described method can be used in growing all materials for which THM is possible. However, quantitative calculation requires the exact knowledge of the particular ternary phase diagram

African-American patients with cancer Talking About Clinical Trials (TACT) with oncologists during consultations: evaluating the efficacy of tailored health messages in a randomised controlled trial—the TACT study protocol

Introduction Low rates of accrual of African-American (AA) patients with cancer to therapeutic clinical trials (CTs) represent a serious and modifiable racial disparity in healthcare that impedes the development of promising cancer therapies. Suboptimal physician–patient consultation communication is a barrier to the accrual of patients with cancer of any race, but communication difficulties are compounded with AA patients. Providing tailored health messages (THM) to AA patients and their physician about CTs has the potential to improve communication, lower barriers to accrual and ameliorate health disparities. Objective (1) Demonstrate the efficacy of THM to increase patient activation as measured by direct observation. (2) Demonstrate the efficacy of THM to improve patient outcomes associated with barriers to AA participation. (3) Explore associations among preconsultation levels of: (A) trust in medical researchers, (B) knowledge and attitudes towards CTs, (C) patient-family member congruence in decision-making, and (D) involvement/information preferences, and group assignment. Methods and analysis First, using established methods, we will develop THM materials. Second, the efficacy of the intervention is determined in a 2 by 2 factorial randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of (1) providing 357 AA patients with cancer with THM with 2 different ‘depths’ of tailoring and (2) either providing feedback to oncologists about the patients\u27 trial THM or not. The primary analysis compares patient engaged communication in 4 groups preconsultation and postconsultation. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Virginia Commonwealth University Institutional Review Board. To facilitate use of the THM intervention in diverse settings, we will convene ‘user groups’ at 3 major US cancer centres. To facilitate dissemination, we will post all materials and the implementation guide in publicly available locations

A group theoretical version of Hilbert's theorem 90

It is shown that for a normal subgroup $N$ of a group $G$, $G/N$ cyclic, the kernel of the map $N^{\mathrm{ab}}\to G^{\mathrm{ab}}$ satisfies the classical Hilbert 90 property (cf. Thm. A). As a consequence, if $G$ is finitely generated, $|G:N|<\infty$, and all abelian groups $H^{\mathrm{ab}}$, $N\subseteq H\subseteq G$, are torsion free, then $N^{\mathrm{ab}}$ must be a pseudo permutation module for $G/N$ (cf. Thm. B). From Theorem A one also deduces a non-trivial relation between the order of the transfer kernel and co-kernel which determines the Hilbert-Suzuki multiplier (cf. Thm. C). Translated into a number theoretic context one obtains a strong form of Hilbert's theorem 94. In case that $G$ is finitely generated and $N$ has prime index $p$ in $G$ there holds a "generalized Schreier formula" involving the torsion free ranks of $G$ and $N$ and the ratio of the order of the transfer kernel and co-kernel (cf. Thm. D)

Hurewicz Theorem for Assouad-Nagata dimension

Given a function $f\colon X\to Y$ of metric spaces, its {\it asymptotic dimension} \asdim(f) is the supremum of \asdim(A) such that $A\subset X$ and \asdim(f(A))=0. Our main result is \begin{Thm} \label{ThmAInAbstract} \asdim(X)\leq \asdim(f)+\asdim(Y) for any large scale uniform function $f\colon X\to Y$. \end{Thm} \ref{ThmAInAbstract} generalizes a result of Bell and Dranishnikov in which $f$ is Lipschitz and $X$ is geodesic. We provide analogs of \ref{ThmAInAbstract} for Assouad-Nagata dimension $\dim_{AN}$ and asymptotic Assouad-Nagata dimension \ANasdim. In case of linearly controlled asymptotic dimension \Lasdim we provide counterexamples to three questions in a list of problems of Dranishnikov. As an application of analogs of \ref{ThmAInAbstract} we prove \begin{Thm} \label{ThmBInAbstract} If $1\to K\to G\to H\to 1$ is an exact sequence of groups and $G$ is finitely generated, then \ANasdim (G,d_G)\leq \ANasdim (K,d_G|K)+\ANasdim (H,d_H) for any word metrics metrics $d_G$ on $G$ and $d_H$ on $H$. \end{Thm} \ref{ThmBInAbstract} extends a result of Bell and Dranishnikov for asymptotic dimension

Thermo-hydro-mechanical simulation of a full-scale steel-lined micro-tunnel excavated in the callovooxfordian claystone

The paper presents an interpretation of the full-scale ALC1604 in situ heating test carried out in Callovo-Oxfordian claystone (COx) in the Meuse/Haute-Marne underground research laboratory (MHM URL). The MHM URL is a site-specific facility planned to study radioactive waste disposal in the COx. The thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour of the host rock is significant for the design of the underground radioactive waste disposal facility and for its long-term safety. When subjected to thermal loading, the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone of low permeability (~10-20-10-21 m2) exhibits a strong pore pressure response that significantly affects the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of the material. The observations gathered in the in situ test have provided an opportunity to examine the integrated thermo-hydromechanical (THM) response of this sedimentary clay. Coupled THM numerical analyses have been carried out to provide a structured framework for interpretation, and to enhance understanding of THM behaviour of COx. Numerical analyses have been based on a coupled theoretical formulation that incorporates a constitutive law specially developed for this type of material. The law includes a number of features that are relevant for a satisfactory description of the hydromechanical behaviour. By performing the numerical analysis, it has been possible to incorporate anisotropy of material parameters and of in situ stresses. The performance and analysis of the in situ tests have significantly enhanced the understanding of a complex THM problem and have proved the capability of the numerical formulation to provide adequate predictive capacity

Prym varieties of genus four curves

Double covers of a generic genus four curve C are in bijection with Cayley cubics containing the canonical model of C. The Prym variety associated to a double cover is a quadratic twist of the Jacobian of a genus three curve X. The curve X can be obtained by intersecting the dual of the corresponding Cayley cubic with the dual of the quadric containing C. We take this construction to its limit, studying all smooth degenerations and proving that the construction, with appropriate modifications, extends to the complement of a specific divisor in moduli. We work over an arbitrary field of characteristic different from two in order to facilitate arithmetic applications.Comment: 30 pages; Some expository changes; removed erroneous (old) Thm 4.11 and changed (old) Thm 4.23 into (new) Thm 4.1