1,930 research outputs found
Spatial Particle Condensation for an Exclusion Process on a Ring
We study the stationary state of a simple exclusion process on a ring which
was recently introduced by Arndt {\it et al} [J. Phys. A {\bf 31} (1998)
L45;cond-mat/9809123]. This model exhibits spatial condensation of particles.
It has been argued that the model has a phase transition from a ``mixed phase''
to a ``disordered phase''. However, in this paper exact calculations are
presented which, we believe, show that in the framework of a grand canonical
ensemble there is no such phase transition. An analysis of the fluctuations in
the particle density strongly suggests that the same result also holds for the
canonical ensemble.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure
Working Across Professions to Develop the Interprofessional Education Curriculum Pathway
This poster presents the assessment of curriculum through the Interprofessional Education committee, which was created in 2015 with the support of the Deans of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, the Daniel K. Inouye School of Pharmacy and Director of the Office of Public Health Studies in order to help prepare students for working collaboratively in complex healthcare settings. The process through which the curriculum is assess against the Interprofessional Education Collaborative competencies is outlined. In addition to discussing the identified curriculum gaps and plan for action, a detailed curriculum map is provided
In situ characterization of the decomposition behavior of Mg(BH4)(2) by X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy
We present an in situ study of the thermal decomposition of Mg(BH4)(2) in a hydrogen atmosphere of up to 4 bar and up to 500 degrees C using X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy at the boron K-edge and the magnesium L2,3-edges. The combination of the fingerprinting analysis of both edges yields detailed quantitative information on the reaction products during decomposition, an issue of crucial importance in determining whether Mg(BH4)(2) can be used as a next-generation hydrogen storage material. This work reveals the formation of reaction intermediate(s) at 300 degrees C, accompanied by a significant hydrogen release without the occurrence of stable boron compounds such as amorphous boron or MgB12H12. At temperatures between 300 degrees C and 400 degrees C, further hydrogen release proceeds via the formation of higher boranes and crystalline MgH2. Above 400 degrees C, decomposition into the constituting elements takes place. Therefore, at moderate temperatures, Mg(BH4)(2) is shown to be a promising high-density hydrogen storage material with great potential for reversible energy storage applications.Peer reviewe
A cross-sectional survey investigating the desensitisation of graphic health warning labels and their impact on smokers, non-smokers and patients with COPD in a London cohort.
OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of graphic health warning labels (GHWL) in different individuals, including patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Investigating knowledge and attitudes may allow better implementation of future public health policies. We hypothesised that differences in the impact of GHWL exist between non-smokers, smokers and patients with COPD, with decreased efficacy in those groups who are longer and more frequently exposed to them.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 163 participants (54% male, aged 21-80) including 60 non-smokers, 53 smokers and 50 patients with COPD (Gold stage II-IV), attending London respiratory outpatient clinics, participated in case-controlled surveys (50 items).
OUTCOME MEASURES: Ten different GHWL were shown and demographics, smoking history, plans to quit, smoking-risk awareness, emotional response, processing and impact of GHWL on behaviour were recorded. Patients were further asked to prioritise the hypothetical treatment or prevention of five specific smoking-related diseases.
RESULTS: Smokers, in particular those with COPD, were less susceptible to GHWL than non-smokers; 53.4% of all participants expressed fear when looking at GHWL, non-smokers (71.9%) more so than smokers (39.8%, p<0.001). COPD participants were less aware of the consequences than non-COPD participants (p<0.001), including an awareness of lung cancer (p=0.001). Lung cancer (95%), oral cancer (90.2%), heart disease (84.7%) and stroke (71.2%) were correctly associated with smoking, whereas blindness was least associated (23.9%). However, blindness was prioritised over oral cancer, stroke and in patients with COPD also over heart disease when participants were asked about hypothetical treatment or prevention.
CONCLUSIONS: GHWL are most effective in non-smokers and a desensitisation effect was observed in smokers and patients with COPD. As a consequence, a tailored and concerted public health approach to use such messages is required and 'blindness' deserves to be mentioned in this context because of an unexpectedly high-deterring impact
A quark model framework for the study of nuclear medium effects
A quark-model framework for studying nuclear medium effects on nucleon
resonances is described and applied here to pion photoproduction on the
deuteron, which is the simplest composite nucleon system and serves as a first
test case. Pion photoproduction on nuclei is discussed within a chiral
constituent quark model in which the quark degrees of freedom are explicitly
introduced through an effective chiral Lagrangian for the
quark-pseudoscalar-meson coupling. The advantage of this model is that a
complete set of nucleon resonances can be systematically included with a
limited number of parameters. Also, the systematic description of the nucleon
and its resonances at quark level allows us to self-consistently relate the
nuclear medium's influence on the baryon properties to the intrinsic dynamic
aspects of the baryons. As the simplest composite nucleus, the deuteron
represents the first application of this effective theory for meson
photoproduction on light nuclei. The influence of the medium on the transition
operators for a free nucleon is investigated in the Delta resonance region. No
evidence is found for a change of the Delta properties in the pion
photoproduction reaction on the deuteron since the nuclear medium here involves
just one other nucleon and the low binding energy implies low nuclear density.
However, we show that the reaction mechanism is in principle sensitive to
changes of Delta properties that would be produced by the denser nuclear medium
of heavier nuclei through the modification of the quark model parameters.Comment: Revtex, 8 pages, 4 figure
A novel, highly sensitive and specific biomarker for Niemann-Pick type C1 disease
Background Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), are a heterogeneous group of
rare disorders caused by defects in genes encoding for proteins involved in
the lysosomal degradation of macromolecules. They occur at a frequency of
about 1 in 5,000 live births, though recent neonatal screening suggests a
higher incidence. New treatment options for LSDs demand a rapid, early
diagnosis of LSDs if maximal clinical benefit is to be achieved. Methods Here,
we describe a novel, highly specific and sensitive biomarker for Niemann-Pick
Type C disease type 1 (NPC1), lyso-sphingomyelin-509. We cross-validate this
biomarker with cholestane-3β,5ι,6β-triol and relative lysosomal volume. The
primary cohort for establishment of the biomarker contained 135 NPC1 patients,
66 NPC1 carriers, 241 patients with other LSDs and 46 healthy controls.
Results With a sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 91.0% a cut-off of 1.4
ng/ml was established. Comparison with cholestane-3β,5ι,6β-triol and relative
acidic compartment volume measurements were carried out with a subset of 125
subjects. Both cholestane-3β,5ι,6β-triol and lyso-Sphingomyelin-509 were
sufficient in establishing the diagnosis of NPC1 and correlated with disease
severity. Conclusion In summary, we have established a new biomarker for the
diagnosis of NPC1, and further studies will be conducted to assess correlation
to disease progress and monitoring treatment
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