Analysis of breakdown in ferromagnetic tunnel junctions

Due to their very thin tunnel barrier layer, magnetic tunnel junctions show dielectric breakdown at voltages of the order of 1 V. At the moment of breakdown, a highly conductive short is formed in the barrier and is visible as a hot spot. The breakdown effect is investigated by means of voltage ramp experiments on a series of nominally identical Co/Al2O3/Co tunnel junctions. The results are described in terms of a voltage dependent breakdown probability, and are further analyzed within the framework of a general model for the breakdown probability in dielectric materials, within which it is assumed that at any time the breakdown probability is independent of the (possibly time-dependent) voltage that has been previously applied. The experimental data can be described by several specific forms of the voltage breakdown probability function. A comparison with the models commonly used for describing thin film SiO2 breakdown is given, as well as suggestions for future experiments

Hydraulic performance of elastomeric bonded permeable revetments and subsoil response to wave loads

Elastomeric bonded permeable revetments, also called PBA (Polyurethane bonded aggregate) revetments, are highly porous structures made of mineral aggregates (e.g. crushed stones) which are durably and elastically bonded by polyurethane (PU). Despite their numerous advantages as compared to conventional revetments and the large experience available from more than 25 pilot projects, physically-based design formulae to predict their hydraulic performance, wave loading and response are still lacking. Therefore, the present study aims at improving the understanding of the processes involved in the interaction between wave, revetment and foundation, based on large-scale model tests performed in the Coastal Research Centre (FZK), Hannover/Germany, and to provide prediction formulae/diagrams. This paper is focused on the prediction of the hydraulic performance (wave reflection, wave runup and run-down) and the response of the sand core (pore pressure) beneath the revetment for a wide range of wave conditions, including the analysis of an observed failure due to transient soil liquefaction.BASF-Elastogran Gmb

Klimaatrisico’s en –kansen voor de landbouw

Deze studie heeft als doel om de effecten van klimaatverandering op de land- en tuinbouw in kaart te brengen, in de huidige situatie en voor de (midden)lange termijn (2050). Op basis daarvan worden de risico’s en kansen voor de sector geïdentificeerd en de adaptatiemaatregelen waarmee risico’s kunnen worden opvangen en kansen worden benut. De doelstelling van deze studie is het actualiseren van kwetsbaarheden, risico’s en kansen voor de Nederlandse land- en tuinbouw gerelateerd aan klimaatverandering. De beoogde uitkomsten zijn: Een concrete aanduiding van de aard en omvang kwetsbaarheid en klimaatrisico’s, Een lijst van mogelijke indicatoren voor kwetsbaarheid

Klimaatadaptatie in het landelijk gebied. Verkenning naar wegen voor een klimaatbestendig Nederland

Klimaatverandering werkt via hogere temperaturen, veranderingen in neerslagpatronen, veranderingen in frequentie en intensiteit van weersextremen en zeespiegelstijging door op het functioneren van het landgebruik en het watersysteem in het landelijk gebied. De doorwerking van de hierboven genoemde klimaateffecten is complex en verschilt tussen gebieden en verschillende vormen van landgebruik. Klimaatverandering bedreigt sommige functies maar biedt ook nieuwe kansen. Om deze kansen te benutten en de bedreigingen het hoofd te bieden is klimaatadaptatie nodig. Adaptatiemaatregelen in het landelijk gebied kunnen genomen worden binnen de verschillende sectoren en binnen het water-, natuur-, landbouw- en ruimtelijke ordeningsbeleid. Er is een samenhangend pakket van maatregelen nodig. Dit noemen we een integrale adaptatierichting. Deze studie onderzoekt mogelijke adaptatierichtingen voor verschillende landschapstypen; zeekleigebied, veenweide en de hoge zandgronden

Type 2 Endoleak With or Without Intervention and Survival After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

Objective: The aims of the present study were to examine the impact of type 2 endoleaks (T2EL) on overall survival and to determine the need for secondary intervention after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods: A multicentre retrospective cohort study in the Netherlands was conducted among patients with an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) who underwent EVAR between 2007 and 2012. The primary endpoint was overall survival for patients with (T2EL+) or without (T2EL-) a T2EL. Secondary endpoints were sac growth, AAA rupture, and secondary intervention. Kaplan–Meier survival and multivariable Cox regression analysis were used. Results: A total of 2 018 patients were included. The median follow up was 62.1 (range 0.1 – 146.2) months. No difference in overall survival was found between T2EL+ (n = 388) and T2EL- patients (n = 1630) (p =.54). The overall survival estimates at five and 10 years were 73.3%/69.4% and 45.9%/44.1% for T2EL+/T2EL- patients, respectively. Eighty-five of 388 (21.9%) T2EL+ patients underwent a secondary intervention. There was no difference in overall survival between T2EL+ patients who underwent a secondary intervention and those who were treated conservatively (p =.081). Sac growth was observed in 89 T2EL+ patients and 44/89 patients (49.4%) underwent a secondary intervention. In 41/44 cases (93.1%), sac growth was still observed after the intervention, but was left untreated. Aneurysm rupture occurred in 4/388 T2EL patients. In Cox regression analysis, higher age, ASA classification, and maximum iliac diameter were significantly associated with worse overall survival. Conclusion: No difference in overall survival was found between T2EL+ and T2EL- patients. Also, patients who underwent a secondary intervention did not have better survival compared with those who did not undergo a secondary intervention. This study reinforces the need for conservative treatment of an isolated T2EL and the importance of a prospective study to determine possible advantages of the intervention

Has the Rate of CD4 Cell Count Decline before Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy Changed over the Course of the Dutch HIV Epidemic among MSM?

Introduction:Studies suggest that the HIV-1 epidemic in the Netherlands may have become more virulent, leading to faster disease progression if untreated. Analysis of CD4 cell count decline before antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, a surrogate marker for disease progression, may be hampered by informative censoring as ART initiation is more likely with a steeper CD4 cell count decline.Methods:Development of CD4 cell count from 9 to 48 months after seroconversion was analyzed using a mixed-effects model and 2 models that jointly modeled CD4 cell counts and time to censoring event (start ART

Clinical characteristics of women captured by extending the definition of severe postpartum haemorrhage with 'refractoriness to treatment': a cohort study

Background: The absence of a uniform and clinically relevant definition of severe postpartum haemorrhage hampers comparative studies and optimization of clinical management. The concept of persistent postpartum haemorrhage, based on refractoriness to initial first-line treatment, was proposed as an alternative to common definitions that are either based on estimations of blood loss or transfused units of packed red blood cells (RBC). We compared characteristics and outcomes of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage captured by these three types of definitions. Methods: In this large retrospective cohort study in 61 hospitals in the Netherlands we included 1391 consecutive women with postpartum haemorrhage who received either ≥4 units of RBC or a multicomponent transfusion. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage defined as persistent postpartum haemorrhage were compared to definitions based on estimated blood loss or transfused units of RBC within 24 h following birth. Adverse maternal outcome was a composite of maternal mortality, hysterectomy, arterial embolisation and intensive care unit admission. Results: One thousand two hundred sixty out of 1391 women (90.6%) with postpartum haemorrhage fulfilled the definition of persistent postpartum haemorrhage. The majority, 820/1260 (65.1%), fulfilled this definition within 1 h following birth, compared to 819/1391 (58.7%) applying the definition of ≥1 L blood loss and 37/845 (4.4%) applying the definition of ≥4 units of RBC. The definition persistent postpartum haemorrhage captured 430/471 adverse maternal outcomes (91.3%), compared to 471/471 (100%) for ≥1 L blood loss and 383/471 (81.3%) for ≥4 units of RBC. Persistent postpartum haemorrhage did not capture all adverse outcomes because of missing data on timing of initial, first-line treatment. Conclusion: The definition persistent postpartum haemo