757 research outputs found
How to reduce the risk of failing to reach recruitment targets: Lessons learnt from a pump pilot trial
Structural study of CuSe alloys produced by mechanical alloying
The crystalline structures of superionic high temperature copper selenides
CuSe () produced by Mechanical Alloying were
investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The measured XRD patterns
showed the presence of the peaks corresponding to the crystalline superionic
high temperature -CuSe phase in the as-milled sample, and its
structural data were determined by means of a Rietveld refinement procedure.
After a heat treatment in argon at 200C for 90 h, this phase transforms
to the superionic high temperature -CuSe phase, whose
structural data where also determined through the Rietveld refinement. In this
phase, a very low occupation of the trigonal 32(f) sites (%) by Cu ions
is found. In order to explain the evolution of the phases in the samples, two
possible mechanisms are suggested: the high mobility of Cu ions in superionic
phases and the intense diffusive processes in the interfacial component of
samples produced by Mechanical Alloying.Comment: 2 figures, submitted to Acta Crystallographic
Multiresolution analysis of active region magnetic structure and its correlation with the Mt. Wilson classification and flaring activity
Two different multi-resolution analyses are used to decompose the structure
of active region magnetic flux into concentrations of different size scales.
Lines separating these opposite polarity regions of flux at each size scale are
found. These lines are used as a mask on a map of the magnetic field gradient
to sample the local gradient between opposite polarity regions of given scale
sizes. It is shown that the maximum, average and standard deviation of the
magnetic flux gradient for alpha, beta, beta-gamma and beta-gamma-delta active
regions increase in the order listed, and that the order is maintained over all
length-scales. This study demonstrates that, on average, the Mt. Wilson
classification encodes the notion of activity over all length-scales in the
active region, and not just those length-scales at which the strongest flux
gradients are found. Further, it is also shown that the average gradients in
the field, and the average length-scale at which they occur, also increase in
the same order. Finally, there are significant differences in the gradient
distribution, between flaring and non-flaring active regions, which are
maintained over all length-scales. It is also shown that the average gradient
content of active regions that have large flares (GOES class 'M' and above) is
larger than that for active regions containing flares of all flare sizes; this
difference is also maintained at all length-scales.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physic
How to reduce the risk of failing to reach recruitment targets: lessons learnt from a pump pilot trial
Dynamic and Static Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder After the First Episode
Abstract Few studies have comprehensively examined the profile of cognitive functioning in first episode psychosis patients throughout the lifespan, and from first episode to chronic stage. We assessed functioning in general and specific cognitive functions, comparing both schizophrenia (N = 64) and bipolar I (N = 19) patients to controls (N = 103). Participants were from a population-based, case-control study of first episode psychosis patients, who were followed prospectively up to 10 years post first admission. A cognitive battery was administered at baseline and follow-up. By combining longitudinal and cross-sectional data, we were able to examine the cognitive profile of patients and controls throughout the entire age range of our sample (16–65). Schizophrenia patients exhibited widespread declines in IQ, executive function, visual memory, language ability, and verbal knowledge. However, the ages at which these declines occurred differed between functions. Deficits in verbal memory, working memory, processing speed, and visuospatial ability, on the other hand, were present at the first episode, and remained relatively static thereafter. Bipolar I patients also showed declines in IQ, verbal knowledge, and language ability, albeit at different ages to schizophrenia patients and only in verbal functions. Deficits on measures of verbal memory, processing speed, and executive function remained relatively static. Thus, both schizophrenia and bipolar I patients experienced cognitive decline in general and specific functions after the first episode, but the age at which these declines occurred differed between disorder and function. Cognitive remediation efforts may be most fruitful when targeting individual functions during specific time periods throughout adulthood
Survey of UK histopathology consultants’ attitudes towards academic and molecular pathology
Objective: Academic pathology is facing a crisis; an ongoing decline in academic pathology posts, a paucity of academic pathologist’s in-training and unfilled posts at a time when cellular pathology departments are challenged to deliver increasing numbers of molecular tests. The National Cancer Research Institute initiative in Cellular & Molecular Pathology commissioned a survey to assess attitudes of cellular pathology consultants towards research in order to understand barriers and identify possible solutions to improve this situation. As cellular pathology is encompassing an increasing number of diagnostic molecular tests, we also surveyed the current approach to and extent of training in molecular pathology.
Methods: The survey was distributed to all UK-based consultant pathologists via the Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland and Royal College of Pathologist networks. Heads of Department were contacted separately to obtain figures for number of academic training and consultant posts.
Results: 302 cellular pathologists completed the survey which represents approximately 21% of the total cellular histopathology workforce. Most respondents (89%) had been involved in research at some point; currently, 22% were undertaking research formally, and 41% on an informal basis. Of those previously involved in research, 57% stopped early in their consultant career. The majority of substantive academic posts were Professors of which 60% had been in post for >20 years. Most respondents (84%) used molecular pathology in diagnostic work, independent of where they worked or the length of time in post. Notably, 53% of consultants had not received molecular pathology training, particularly more senior consultants and consultants in district general hospitals.
Conclusions: The survey reveals that the academic workforce is skewed towards senior individuals, many of whom are approaching retirement, with a missing cohort of ‘junior consultant’ academic pathologists to replace them. Most pathologists stop formal research activity at the beginning of a consultant career. While molecular pathology is an increasing part of a pathologist’s workload, the majority of consultant cellular pathologists have not received any formal molecular training
Quasinormal modes from potentials surrounding the charged dilaton black hole
We clarify the purely imaginary quasinormal frequencies of a massless scalar
perturbation on the 3D charged-dilaton black holes. This case is quite
interesting because the potential-step appears outside the event horizon
similar to the case of the electromagnetic perturbations on the large
Schwarzschild-AdS black holes. It turns out that the potential-step type
provides the purely imaginary quasinormal frequencies, while the
potential-barrier type gives the complex quasinormal modes.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figure
Survey of nucleon electromagnetic form factors
A dressed-quark core contribution to nucleon electromagnetic form factors is
calculated. It is defined by the solution of a Poincare' covariant Faddeev
equation in which dressed-quarks provide the elementary degree of freedom and
correlations between them are expressed via diquarks. The nucleon-photon vertex
involves a single parameter; i.e., a diquark charge radius. It is argued to be
commensurate with the pion's charge radius. A comprehensive analysis and
explanation of the form factors is built upon this foundation. A particular
feature of the study is a separation of form factor contributions into those
from different diagram types and correlation sectors, and subsequently a
flavour separation for each of these. Amongst the extensive body of results
that one could highlight are: r_1^{n,u}>r_1^{n,d}, owing to the presence of
axial-vector quark-quark correlations; and for both the neutron and proton the
ratio of Sachs electric and magnetic form factors possesses a zero.Comment: 43 pages, 17 figures, 12 tables, 5 appendice
Thin-Film Metamaterials called Sculptured Thin Films
Morphology and performance are conjointed attributes of metamaterials, of
which sculptured thin films (STFs) are examples. STFs are assemblies of
nanowires that can be fabricated from many different materials, typically via
physical vapor deposition onto rotating substrates. The curvilinear--nanowire
morphology of STFs is determined by the substrate motions during fabrication.
The optical properties, especially, can be tailored by varying the morphology
of STFs. In many cases prototype devices have been fabricated for various
optical, thermal, chemical, and biological applications.Comment: to be published in Proc. ICTP School on Metamaterials (Augsut 2009,
Sibiu, Romania
New Results from the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search Experiment
Using improved Ge and Si detectors, better neutron shielding, and increased
counting time, the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment has obtained
stricter limits on the cross section of weakly interacting massive particles
(WIMPs) elastically scattering from nuclei. Increased discrimination against
electromagnetic backgrounds and reduction of neutron flux confirm
WIMP-candidate events previously detected by CDMS were consistent with neutrons
and give limits on spin-independent WIMP interactions which are >2X lower than
previous CDMS results for high WIMP mass, and which exclude new parameter space
for WIMPs with mass between 8-20 GeV/c^2.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
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