756 research outputs found
Герменевтика іконографічної програми ранньобарокових священних євлогіїв у контексті євхаристійної еклезіології (на прикладі «могилянської» євхаристійної чаші)
We report a numerical study on the phase behaviour of a ‘patch–anti-patch’ model for particles with tetrahedrally arranged attractive spots. In particular, we compute the phase equilibria between the fluid and a low density diamond cubic (DC) crystal for different realizations of the patch–anti-patch interaction. By increasing the ‘specificity’ of the patches, i.e. lowering the number of corresponding attractive ‘anti-patches’ to a given patch, we find that the metastability gap between the DC freezing boundary and the liquid–gas critical point widens considerably. We argue that this effect of interaction specificity is relevant for the description of protein phase diagrams, as patch–anti-patch interactions can stabilise relatively open, ordered structures
Интеграционные процессы в условиях международной глобализации экономики
We present a double-charge model for the interaction between parallel polarizable hard spherocylinders subject to an external electric field. Using Monte Carlo simulations and free-energy calculations, we predict the phase behaviour for this model as a function of the density and electric field strength, at a fixed length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 5. The resulting phase diagram contains, in addition to the well-known nematic, smectic A, ABC crystal, and columnar phases, a smectic C phase, and a low temperature crystal X phase. We also find a string fluid at low densities and field strengths, resembling results found for dipolar spheres
Dual phase-shift Bragg grating silicon photonic modulator operating up to 60 Gb/s
We demonstrate PAM-4 and OOK operation of a novel silicon photonic modulator. The modulator design is based on two phase-shifts in a Bragg Grating structure driven in a push pull configuration. Back-to-back PAM-4 modulation is demonstrated below the FEC threshold at up to 60 Gb/s. OOK modulation is also shown up to 55 Gb/s with MMSE equalization and up to 50 Gb/s without equalization. Eye diagrams and BER curves at different bit rates are provided for both PAM-4 and OOK modulations. To our knowledge, this structure is the fastest silicon photonic modulator based on Bragg gratings, reaching modulation speed comparable to the fastest Mach-Zehnder modulators and micro-ring modulators
Assessing the Need for Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in Early-stage Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma.
Surgery remains the standard treatment for medically operable patients with early-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Following surgical resection, adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for large tumors >4 cm. For unfit patients, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as an excellent alternative to surgery. This study aims to assess patterns of recurrence and discuss the role of chemotherapy after SBRT for NSCLC.
We reviewed patients treated with SBRT for primary early-stage NSCLC between 2009 and 2015. Total target doses were between 50 and 60 Gy administered in three to eight fractions. All patients had a staging fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) integrated with computed tomography (CT) scan, and histologic confirmation was obtained whenever possible. Mediastinal staging was performed if lymph node involvement was suspected on CT or PET/CT. Survival outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Among the 559 early-stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT, 121 patients were stage T2N0. The one-year and three-year overall survival rates were 88% and 70%, respectively, for patients with T2 disease, compared to 95% and 81%, respectively, for the T1 patients (p<0.05). The one-year and three-year local control rates were equal in both groups (98% and 91%, respectively). In T2 patients, 25 (21%) presented a relapse, among which 21 (84%) were nodal or distant. The median survival of T2N0 patients following a relapse was 11 months.
Lung SBRT provides high local control rates, even for larger tumors. When patients relapse, the majority of them do so at regional or distant sites. These results raise the question as to whether adjuvant treatment should be considered following SBRT for larger tumors
Vancomycin-bearing Synthetic Bone Graft Delivers rhBMP-2 and Promotes Healing of Critical Rat Femoral Segmental Defects
For graft-assisted repair of large volumetric bone loss resulting from traumatic orthopedic injuries, strategies that simultaneously promote osteointegration/graft healing and mitigate risks for infections are highly desired. Previously, we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (pHEMA-nHA) composite as a synthetic bone graft. The composite, when loaded with a single dose of 400-ng rhBMP-2/7 and press-fit into a 5-mm rat femoral segmental defect, led to bony callus fully bridging over the defect and substantial restoration of the torsional rigidity by 12 weeks. More recently, we showed that 4.8 wt% vancomycin can be encapsulated within the composite without compromising the structural and mechanical integrity. Additionally, FDA-approved rhBMP-2 can be absorbed onto the graft and both the vancomycin and rhBMP-2 can be released in a localized and sustained manner. Here we examine the efficacy of pHEMA-nHA-vancomycin grafts pre-absorbed with rhBMP-2 in repairing 5-mm rat femoral segmental defects, and determine if vancomycin hinders the repair. pHEMA-nHA-vancomycin or pHEMA-nHA with/without 3-µg rhBMP-2 were press-fit in 5-mm femoral defects in male rats. Histology, microcomputed tomography, and torsion testing were performed on 12-week explants to evaluate the extent and quality of repair. Partial bridging of the defect with bony callus by 12 weeks was observed with pHEMA-nHA-vancomycin without rhBMP-2 while full bridging with substantially mineralized callus and partial restoration of torsional strength was achieved with 3-µg rhBMP-2. The presence of vancomycin did not significantly compromise graft healing. The pHEMA-nHA-vancomycin graft, with the ability to deliver safe doses of osteogenic recombinant proteins and to simultaneously release the encapsulated antibiotics in a sustained manner holds promise in improving the clinical outcome of graft-assisted repair of traumatic bone injuries
International experience of public infrastructure delivery in support of housing growth
This paper compares planning and funding arrangements for public infrastructure delivery in support of new housing development in the UK, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, the US, and Hong Kong/Mainland China. It examines the roles and responsibilities of different levels of government, the extraction of financial contributions from the development process (mainly funded through increases in land value), and the level of involvement of private and public actors in infrastructure delivery and land value capture (LVC). Three linked questions provide a basis for comparison of the cases: first, what arrangements are in place, in terms of planning hierarchy and responsibility, for coordinating infrastructure delivery (and how do these relate to funding arrangements); second, how are local contributions extracted from the development process or through the acquisition and sale of land; and lastly, what inferences can be drawn regarding the relative power of public and private actors in this process and to what extent is public interest prioritized/served through prevailing approaches to value extraction. The paper contributes international experience to debates on optimizing planning approaches for infrastructure delivery while maximizing public benefit from land value
Orbital and spin physics in LiNiO2 and NaNiO2
We derive a spin-orbital Hamiltonian for a triangular lattice of e_g orbital
degenerate (Ni^{3+}) transition metal ions interacting via 90 degree
superexchange involving (O^{2-}) anions, taking into account the on-site
Coulomb interactions on both the anions and the transition metal ions. The
derived interactions in the spin-orbital model are strongly frustrated, with
the strongest orbital interactions selecting different orbitals for pairs of Ni
ions along the three different lattice directions. In the orbital ordered
phase, favoured in mean field theory, the spin-orbital interaction can play an
important role by breaking the U(1) symmetry generated by the much stronger
orbital interaction and restoring the threefold symmetry of the lattice. As a
result the effective magnetic exchange is non-uniform and includes both
ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin interactions. Since ferromagnetic
interactions still dominate, this offers yet insufficient explanation for the
absence of magnetic order and the low-temperature behaviour of the magnetic
susceptibility of stoichiometric LiNiO_2. The scenario proposed to explain the
observed difference in the physical properties of LiNiO_2 and NaNiO_2 includes
small covalency of Ni-O-Li-O-Ni bonds inducing weaker interplane superexchange
in LiNiO_2, insufficient to stabilize orbital long-range order in the presence
of stronger intraplane competition between superexchange and Jahn-Teller
coupling.Comment: 33 pages, 12 postscript figures, uses iopams.sty . This article
features in New Journal of Physics as part of a Focus Issue on Orbital
Physics - all contributions may be freely accessed at
(http://stacks.iop.org/1367-2630/6/i=1/a=E05). The published version of this
article may be found at http://stacks.iop.org/1367-2630/7/12
The reporting of studies conducted using observational routinely collected health data statement for pharmacoepidemiology (RECORD-PE).
In pharmacoepidemiology, routinely
collected data from electronic health
records (including primary care
databases, registries, and
administrative healthcare claims) are a
resource for research evaluating the
real world effectiveness and safety of
medicines. Currently available
guidelines for the reporting of research
using non-randomised, routinely
collected data—specifically the
REporting of studies Conducted using
Observational Routinely collected
health Data (RECORD) and the
Strengthening the Reporting of
OBservational studies in Epidemiology
(STROBE) statements—do not
capture the complexity of
pharmacoepidemiological research.
We have therefore extended the
RECORD statement to include
reporting guidelines specific to
pharmacoepidemiological research
(RECORD-PE). This article includes the
RECORD-PE checklist (also available on
www.record-statement.org) and
explains each checklist item with
examples of good reporting. We
anticipate that increasing use of the
RECORD-PE guidelines by researchers
and endorsement and adherence by
journal editors will improve the
standards of reporting of
pharmacoepidemiological research
undertaken using routinely collected
data. This improved transparency will
benefit the research community,
patient care, and ultimately improve
public health
- …