Simultaneous measurement of multiple parameters of a subwavelength structure based on the weak value formalism

A mathematical extension of the weak value formalism to the simultaneous measurement of multiple parameters is presented in the context of an optical focused vector beam scatterometry experiment. In this example, preselection and postselection are achieved via spatially-varying polarization control, which can be tailored to optimize the sensitivity to parameter variations. Initial experiments for the two-parameter case demonstrate that this method can be used to measure physical parameters with resolutions at least 1000 times smaller than the wavelength of illumination

The relationship between infecting organisms and underlying structural anomalies in children with urinary tract infections

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common cause of morbidity in childhood with potential for renal scarring and reflux nephropathy which can lead to hypertension and end-stage renal failure. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the infecting organism and any underlying anomalies of the urinary tract which may predispose to the development of infections and which may alter the management of children with UTIs. Methods and results: A total of 72 cases of UTI were recorded retrospectively (in- and outpatients), with ages ranging from 3 days to 48 months (mean 9.5, median 5 months). Fifty seven (79%) of patients had their first reported urinary tract infection under the age of 1 year.. Fifty eight (80.6%) were E. coli infections. These presented at an older age than non-E. coli infections. Investigations were abnormal in 31 (43%) cases. The mean age for first infection in patients with abnormal investigations was 7.7 months (median 2 months), younger than those with no renal tract abnormalities. Organisms other than E. coli were rarely found when no significant abnormalities were detected with investigation by US and MCUG and this was a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). Renal scarring was identified in 10 (13.9%) patients. Discussion: This study confirms that non-E. coli UTI is associated with underlying renal pathology and that early infections with any organism are more likely to be associated with underlying abnormalities. We also outline an algorithm based on the recent NICE 2007 guidelines which will be adopted by the Paediatric Department, Mater Dei Hospital for the investigation of UTI.peer-reviewe

Fiscal consolidation in a low inflation environment: pay cuts versus lost jobs

We construct a model of a monetary union to study fiscal consolidation in the Periphery of the euro area, through cuts in public sector wages or hiring when the nominal interest rate is constrained at its lower bound. Consolidation induces a positive wealth effect that increases demand, as well as a reallocation of workers towards the private sector, which together boost private activity. However, in a low inflation environment, demand is suppressed and the private sector is not able to absorb the additional workers. Comparing the two instruments, cuts in public hiring increase unemployment persistently in this environment, while wage cuts reduce it. Regions with higher mobility of labour between the two sectors are able to consolidate more effectively. Price flexibility is also key at the zero lower bound: for a higher degree of price rigidity in the Periphery, consolidation becomes harder to achieve. Consolidations can be self-defeating when the public good is productive, or a complement to private consumption

Chapter 23: Climate change and Great Barrier Reef: industries and communities

Climate change is driving shifts in environmental conditions that, together with other human pressures, are impacting the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Individuals, communities, and industries in the GBR catchment depend directly or indirectly on the GBR for ecosystem goods and services. These take the form of direct economic benefits (including commercial activities such as tourism and fishing), social services (including recreational activities and cultural linkages) and environmental services (including shoreline protection from barrier reefs and mangrove stands).This is Chapter 23 of Climate change and the Great Barrier Reef: a vulnerability assessment. The entire book can be found at http://hdl.handle.net/11017/13

Sex-selective abortions and infant mortality in India: the role of parents’ stated son preference

In India, millions of female foetuses have been aborted since the 1980s alongside an abnormally high infant girl mortality rate; this has generated a vast literature exploring the root causes of son preference. The literature is sparse, however, on how the decisions to abort or neglect girls are made. This paper examines mothers’ and fathers’ respective roles behind those decisions. Using NFHS-3 data, we show that sex- selective abortions are most commonly used if both spouses or if only the fathers prefer sons, while sex-selective neglect is used if only the mothers prefer sons

Optimizing the operation of a direct-flow filtration device

Direct-flow filtration is a common technique for filtering impurities from a fluid using a porous-walled channel or a pipe, one end of which is closed off with a cap. Pure fluid flows out of the porous walls, while impurities are left in the channel. Such systems are composed of a series of individual porous channels or pipes stacked in close proximity. We develop a mathematical model for the flow in a 2D filtration channel and a 3D pipe, with a capped end, to describe the behaviour within a direct-flow device. We study the axial dependence of the transmembrane pressure (TMP) across the membrane walls on the imposed flux, wall permeability and the proximity of the neighbouring fibres. The mathematical models derived are used to predict the operating regimes of the device that maximize the spatial uniformity in the TMP and thus optimize the use of the entire membrane area. We show how a large portion of the available membrane area is not used when the fibres are packed too closely together, with the majority of the filtration behaviour being localized near to the impermeable capped end; this leads to inefficient filtration. We quantify the device performance by examining the uniformity of the filtration across the length of the device and the output of the filtered fluid for a given operating pressure