Resonant transparency of materials with negative permittivity

It is shown that the transparency of opaque material with negative permittivity exhibits resonant behavior. The resonance occurs as a result of the excitation of the surface waves at slab boundaries. Dramatic field amplification of the incident evanescent fields at the resonance improves the resolution of the the sub-wavelength imaging system (superlens). A finite thickness slab can be totally transparent to a \textit{p}-polarized obliquely incident electromagnetic wave for certain values of the incidence angle and wave frequency corresponding to the excitation of the surface modes. At the resonance, two evanescent waves have a finite phase shift providing non-zero energy flux through the non-transparent region

Ефект на Beauveria bassiana (щам ATCC 74040) върху два вида листояди вредители по царевицата в лабораторни условия

In some European countries, the Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus, are present in maize stands in high population density, occasionally causing damage of the crops. Susceptibility of adults of these species and larvae of the cereal leaf beetle to the commercially available product Naturalis® based on Beauveria bassiana strain ATCC 74040 was explored in laboratory conditions. The results of the bioassays showed that the fungal strain caused the highest corrected mortality on O. melanopus larvae with average values above 95% for all conidia concentrations (from 2.3 × 102 to 2.3 × 107 conidia/ml) tested. For the adults of the two pests, the average mortality increased positively with concentration of conidia and the values ranges from 9.5% to 94.2% for O. melanopus (concentrations from 2.3 × 102 to 2.3 × 107 conidia/ml) and from 19.3% to 92.4% for D. v. virgifera (concentrations from 2.3 × 103 to 2.3 × 107 conidia/ml). Accordingly, the LC50 values for O. melanopus larvae and adults and D. v. virgifera adults were determined as 4.6, 8.3 × 104 and 4.3 × 105 conidia/ml, respectively. Further studies to confirm the susceptibility of the larvae of the cereal leaf beetle to Naturalis® under field conditions should be conducted.В някои европейски страни западният царевичен коренов червей Diabrotica virgifera virgifera и обикновената житна пиявица Oulema melanopus присъстват в царевичните площи във висока плътност, нанасяйки щети на културите. В лабораторни условия беше изследвана чувствителността на възрастните индивиди от тези видове и ларвите на обикновената житна пиявица към търговския продукт Naturalis®, който съдържа Beauveria bassiana (щам ATCC 74040). Резултатите от опитите показват, че гъбният щам причини най-високата коригирана смъртност на ларвите на O. melanopus със средни стойности над 95% за всички изпитани концентрации на конидиите (от 2.3 × 102 до 2.3 × 107 конидии/ml). За възрастните на двата вида вредители средната смъртност нараства с увеличаване на концентрацията на конидиите и стойностите варират от 9.5% до 94.2% за O. melanopus (концентрации от 2.3 x 102 до 2.3 × 107 конидии/ml) и от 19.3% до 92.4% за D. v. virgifera (концентрации от 2.3 × 103 до 2.3 × 107 конидии/ml). Cтойностите на LC50 за ларвите и възрастните на O. melanopus и възрастните индивиди на D. v. virgifera бяха съответно 4.6, 8.3 × 104 и 4.3 × 105 конидии/ml. Необходимо е да се проведат допълнителни изследвания за потвърждаване на високата чувствителност на ларвите на обикновената житна пиявица към Naturalis® в полеви условия

High-resolution vacuum-ultraviolet and ultraviolet photoionization spectroscopy of krypton

Accurate spectroscopy of krypton is performed on five transitions from the (4

Reperfusion therapy for ST elevation acute myocardial infarction 2010/2011: current status in 37 ESC countries

Aims Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the preferred reperfusion therapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We conducted this study to evaluate the contemporary status on the use and type of reperfusion therapy in patients admitted with STEMI in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) member countries. Methods and results A cross-sectional descriptive study based on aggregated country-level data on the use of reperfusion therapy in patients admitted with STEMI during 2010 or 2011. Thirty-seven ESC countries were able to provide data from existing national or regional registries. In countries where no such registries exist, data were based on best expert estimates. Data were collected on the use of STEMI reperfusion treatment and mortality, the numbers of cardiologists, and the availability of PPCI facilities in each country. Our survey provides a brief data summary of the degree of variation in reperfusion therapy across Europe. The number of PPCI procedures varied between countries, ranging from 23 to 884 per million inhabitants. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention and thrombolysis were the dominant reperfusion strategy in 33 and 4 countries, respectively. The mean population served by a single PPCI centre with a 24-h service 7 days a week ranged from 31 300 inhabitants per centre to 6 533 000 inhabitants per centre. Twenty-seven of the total 37 countries participated in a former survey from 2007, and major increases in PPCI utilization were observed in 13 of these countries. Conclusion Large variations in reperfusion treatment are still present across Europe. Countries in Eastern and Southern Europe reported that a substantial number of STEMI patients are not receiving any reperfusion therapy. Implementation of the best reperfusion therapy as recommended in the guidelines should be encourage

European Society of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Disease Statistics 2017

Background: The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Atlas has been compiled by the European Heart Agency to document cardiovascular disease (CVD) statistics of the 56 ESC member countries. A major aim of this 2017 data presentation has been to compare high income and middle income ESC member countries, in order to identify inequalities in disease burden, outcomes and service provision. Methods: The Atlas utilizes a variety of data sources, including the World Health Organization, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and the World Bank to document risk factors, prevalence and mortality of cardiovascular disease and national economic indicators. It also includes novel ESC sponsored survey data of health infrastructure and cardiovascular service provision provided by the national societies of the ESC member countries. Data presentation is descriptive with no attempt to attach statistical significance to differences observed in stratified analyses. Results: Important differences were identified between the high income and middle income member countries of the ESC with regard to CVD risk factors, disease incidence and mortality. For both women and men, the age-standardised prevalence of hypertension was lower in high income countries (18.3% and 27.3%) compared with middle income countries (23.5% and 30.3%). Smoking prevalence in men (not women) was also lower (26% vs 41.3%), and together these inequalities are likely to have contributed to the higher CVD mortality in middle income countries. Declines in CVD mortality have seen cancer becoming a more common cause of death in a number of high income member countries, but in middle income countries declines in CVD mortality have been less consistent where CVD remains the leading cause of death. Inequalities in CVD mortality are emphasised by the smaller contribution they make to potential years of life lost in high income compared with middle income countries both for women (13% vs. 23%) and men (20% vs. 27%). The downward mortality trends for CVD may, however, be threatened by the emerging obesity epidemic that is seeing rates of diabetes increasing across all ESC member countries. Survey data from the National Cardiac Societies (n=41) showed that rates of cardiac catheterization and coronary artery bypass surgery, as well as the number of specialist centres required to deliver them, were greatest in the high income member countries of the ESC. The Atlas confirmed that these ESC member countries, where the facilities for the contemporary treatment of coronary disease were best developed, were often those in which declines in coronary mortality have been most pronounced. Economic resources were not the only driver for delivery of equitable cardiovascular healthcare, as some middle income ESC member countries reported rates for interventional procedures and device implantations that matched or exceeded the rates in wealthier member countries. Conclusion: In documenting national CVD statistics, the Atlas provides valuable insights into the inequalities in risk factors, healthcare delivery and outcomes of CVD across ESC member countries. The availability of these data will underpin the ESC’s ambitious mission “to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease” not only in its member countries, but also in nation states around the world