Regularity of harmonic discs in spaces with quadratic isoperimetric inequality

We study harmonic and quasi-harmonic discs in metric spaces admitting a uniformly local quadratic isoperimetric inequality for curves. The class of such metric spaces includes compact Lipschitz manifolds, metric spaces with upper or lower curvature bounds in the sense of Alexandrov, some sub-Riemannian manifolds, and many more. In this setting, we prove local Hölder continuity and continuity up to the boundary of harmonic and quasi-harmonic discs

Risk factors for delirium in acutely admitted elderly patients: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome frequently observed in elderly hospitalised patients and can be found in any medical condition. Due to the severe consequences, early recognition of delirium is important in order to start treatment in time. Despite the high incidence rate, the occurrence of delirium is not always identified as such. Knowledge of potential risk factors is important. The aim of the current study is to determine factors associated with the occurrence of a prevalent delirium among elderly patients acutely admitted to an internal medicine ward. METHODS: All consecutive patients of 65 years and over acutely admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine of the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, a university hospital, were asked to participate. The presence of delirium was determined within 48 hrs after admission by an experienced geriatrician. RESULTS: In total, 126 patients were included, 29% had a prevalent delirium after acute admission. Compared to patients without delirium, patients with delirium were older, more often were cognitively and physically impaired, more often were admitted due to water and electrolyte disturbances, and were less often admitted due to malignancy or gastrointestinal bleeding. Independent risk factors for having a prevalent delirium after acute admission were premorbid cognitive impairment, functional impairment, an elevated urea nitrogen level, and the number of leucocytes. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the most important independent risk factors for a prevalent delirium after acute admission were cognitive and physical impairment, and a high serum urea nitrogen concentration. These observations might contribute to an earlier identification and treatment of delirium in acutely admitted elderly patients

Accuracy of the phase space evolution dose calculation model for clinical 25 MeV electron beams

The phase space evolution (PSE) model is a dose calculation model for electron beams in radiation oncology developed with the aim of a higher accuracy than the commonly used pencil beam (PB) models and with shorter calculation times than needed for Monte Carlo (MC) calculations. In this paper the accuracy of the PSE model has been investigated for 25 MeV electron beams of a MM50 racetrack microtron (Scanditronix Medical AB, Sweden) and compared with the results of a PB model. Measurements have been performed for tests like non-standard SSD, irregularly shaped fields, oblique incidence and in phantoms with heterogeneities of air, bone and lung. MC calculations have been performed as well, to reveal possible errors in the measurements and/or possible inaccuracies in the interaction data used for the bone and lung substitute materials. Results show a good agreement between PSE calculated dose distributions and measurements. For all points the differences-in absolute dose-were generally well within 3% and 3 mm. However, the PSE model was found to be less accurate in large regions of low-density material and errors of up to 6% were found for the lung phantom. Results of the PB model show larger deviations, with differences of up to 6% and 6 mm and of up to 10% for the lung phantom; at shortened SSDs the dose was overestimated by up to 6%. The agreement between MC calculations and measurement was good. For the bone and the lung phantom maximum deviations of 4% and 3% were found, caused by uncertainties about the actual interaction data. In conclusion, using the phase space evolution model, absolute 3D dose distributions of 25 MeV electron beams can be calculated with sufficient accuracy in most cases. The accuracy is significantly better than for a pencil beam model. In regions of lung tissue, a Monte Carlo model yields more accurate results than the current implementation of the PSE model

Pathway complexity in π-conjugated materials

To arrive at functional organic materials with optimal molecular organization, control over the aggregation process is a prerequisite. Often however, multiple pathways are involved that compete for the same molecular building block, a phenomenon known as pathway complexity. As a result, the material–made from small molecules or polymers–can get entrapped in a metastable pathway while a more stable, but slower formed morphology is aimed for. Vice versa, the equilibrium state can be obtained easily but another, less stable morphology is desired as it has more interesting properties. In both cases, the solution processing, starting from molecularly dissolved material, should be optimized to select the desired aggregation pathway. This perspective aims to outline the importance of mechanistic insights derived from self-assembly of 1D fibers in diluted solutions to unravel and control aggregation pathways involved in the processing of p-conjugated materials

Mixing intensity modulated electron and photon beams: combining a steep dose fall-off at depth with sharp and depth-independant penumbras and flat beam profiles

Item does not contain fulltex

Multiple 2-dimensional versus 3-dimensional PTV definition in treatment planning for conformal therapy

Item does not contain fulltex