Radiation-resistant device phenomena

Electrical properties of reactively evaporated aluminum oxide films and electron mean free path through metal fil

Appropriate inclusion of interactions was needed to avoid bias in multiple imputation

OBJECTIVE: Missing data are a pervasive problem, often leading to bias in complete records analysis (CRA). Multiple imputation (MI) via chained equations is one solution, but its use in the presence of interactions is not straightforward. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We simulated data with outcome Y dependent on binary explanatory variables X and Z and their interaction XZ. Six scenarios were simulated (Y continuous and binary, each with no interaction, a weak and a strong interaction), under five missing data mechanisms. We use directed acyclic graphs to identify when CRA and MI would each be unbiased. We evaluate the performance of CRA, MI without interactions, MI including all interactions, and stratified imputation. We also illustrated these methods using a simple example from the National Child Development Study (NCDS). RESULTS: MI excluding interactions is invalid and resulted in biased estimates and low coverage. When XZ was zero, MI excluding interactions gave unbiased estimates but overcoverage. MI including interactions and stratified MI gave equivalent, valid inference in all cases. In the NCDS example, MI excluding interactions incorrectly concluded there was no evidence for an important interaction. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiologists carrying out MI should ensure that their imputation model(s) are compatible with their analysis model

Normalization factors for magnetic relaxation of small particle systems in non-zero magnetic field

We critically discuss relaxation experiments in magnetic systems that can be characterized in terms of an energy barrier distribution, showing that proper normalization of the relaxation data is needed whenever curves corresponding to different temperatures are to be compared. We show how these normalization factors can be obtained from experimental data by using the $T \ln(t/\tau_0)$ scaling method without making any assumptions about the nature of the energy barrier distribution. The validity of the procedure is tested using a ferrofluid of Fe_3O_4 particles.Comment: 5 pages, 6 eps figures added in April 22, to be published in Phys. Rev. B 55 (1 April 1997

p19/Arf and p53 suppress sentinel lymph node lymphangiogenesis and carcinoma metastasis.

The ability of tumor cells to metastasize is increasingly viewed as an interaction between the primary tumor and host tissues. Deletion of the p19/Arf or p53 tumor suppressor genes accelerates malignant progression and metastatic spread of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)/12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced squamous cell carcinomas, providing a model system to address mechanisms of metastasis. Here, we show that benign pre-metastatic papillomas from wild-type mice trigger lymphangiogenesis within draining lymph nodes, whereas there is no growth of primary tumor lymphatic vessels. Lymph node lymphangiogenesis is greatly accelerated in papilloma-bearing p19/Arf- or p53-deficient mice, which coincides with the greater propensity of these tumors to progress to carcinomas and to metastasize. The extent of accumulation of B cells within the tumor-draining lymph nodes of wild-type mice predicted the level of lymph node lymphangiogenesis and metastatic potential. Arf or p53 deficiency strongly accelerated lymph node immune cell accumulation, in a manner that was associated with the extent of lymph node lymphatic sinus growth. This immune cell accumulation and lymph node lymphangiogenesis phenotype identifies host anti-tumor responses that could drive metastatic spread of cancers via the lymphatics

Hydroxyferroroméite, a new secondary weathering mineral from Oms, France

Hydroxyferroroméite, ideally (Fe2+ 1.5[]0.5)Sb5+ 2O6(OH), is a new secondary mineral from the Correc d'en Llinassos, Oms, Pyrénées-Orientales Department, France. Hydroxyferroroméite occurs as yellow to yellow-brown powdery boxwork replacements up to about 50μm across after tetrahedrite in a siderite–quartz matrix. No distinct crystals have been observed. The empirical formula (based on 7 (O + OH) per formula unit, pfu) is (Fe2+ 1.07Cu2+ 0.50Zn0.03Sr0.03Ca 0.01[]0.36)Σ2 (Sb5+ 1.88Si0.09Al0.02As0.01)Σ2 O6 ((OH)0.86 O0.14). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the valence states of Sb, Fe and Cu. Hydroxyferroroméite crystallises in the space group Fd3 m with the pyrochlore structure and hence is a new Fe2+ -dominant member of the roméite group of the pyrochlore supergroup. It has the unit-cell parameters: a = 10.25(3) Å, V = 1077(6) Å3 and Z = 8. A model, based on bond-valence theory, for incorporation of the small Fe2+ cation into a displaced variant of the A site of the pyrochlore structure is proposed.The attached document is the author(’s’) final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it

Statistical competencies for medical research learners: What is fundamental?

IntroductionIt is increasingly essential for medical researchers to be literate in statistics, but the requisite degree of literacy is not the same for every statistical competency in translational research. Statistical competency can range from 'fundamental' (necessary for all) to 'specialized' (necessary for only some). In this study, we determine the degree to which each competency is fundamental or specialized.MethodsWe surveyed members of 4 professional organizations, targeting doctorally trained biostatisticians and epidemiologists who taught statistics to medical research learners in the past 5 years. Respondents rated 24 educational competencies on a 5-point Likert scale anchored by 'fundamental' and 'specialized.'ResultsThere were 112 responses. Nineteen of 24 competencies were fundamental. The competencies considered most fundamental were assessing sources of bias and variation (95%), recognizing one's own limits with regard to statistics (93%), identifying the strengths, and limitations of study designs (93%). The least endorsed items were meta-analysis (34%) and stopping rules (18%).ConclusionWe have identified the statistical competencies needed by all medical researchers. These competencies should be considered when designing statistical curricula for medical researchers and should inform which topics are taught in graduate programs and evidence-based medicine courses where learners need to read and understand the medical research literature

Genomic analysis and comparison of two gonorrhoea outbreaks

© 2016 Didelot et al.Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease causing growing concern, with a substantial increase in reported incidence over the past few years in the United Kingdom and rising levels of resistance to a wide range of antibiotics. Understanding its epidemiology is therefore of major biomedical importance, not only on a population scale but also at the level of direct transmission. However, the molecular typing techniques traditionally used for gonorrhea infections do not provide sufficient resolution to investigate such fine-scale patterns. Here we sequenced the genomes of 237 isolates from two local collections of isolates from Sheffield and London, each of which was resolved into a single type using traditional methods. The two data sets were selected to have different epidemiological properties: the Sheffield data were collected over 6 years from a predominantly heterosexual population, whereas the London data were gathered within half a year and strongly associated with men who have sex with men. Based on contact tracing information between individuals in Sheffield, we found that transmission is associated with a median time to most recent common ancestor of 3.4 months, with an upper bound of 8 months, which we used as a criterion to identify likely transmission links in both data sets. In London, we found that transmission happened predominantly between individuals of similar age, sexual orientation, and location and also with the same HIV serostatus, which may reflect serosorting and associated risk behaviors. Comparison of the two data sets suggests that the London epidemic involved about ten times more cases than the Sheffield outbreak. IMPORTANCE: The recent increases in gonorrhea incidence and antibiotic resistance are cause for public health concern. Successful intervention requires a better understanding of transmission patterns, which is not uncovered by traditional molecular epidemiology techniques. Here we studied two outbreaks that took place in Sheffield and London, United Kingdom. We show that whole-genome sequencing provides the resolution to investigate direct gonorrhea transmission between infected individuals. Combining genome sequencing with rich epidemiological information about infected individuals reveals the importance of several transmission routes and risk factors, which can be used to design better control measures