Optimization of thermochromic VO2-based structures with tunable thermal emissivity

In this paper we design and simulate VO2/metal multilayers to obtain a large tunability of the thermal emissivity of IR filters in the typical MWIR window of many infrared cameras. The multilayer structure is optimized to realise a low-emissivity filter at high temperatures useful for military purposes. The values of tunability found for VO2/metal multilayers are larger than the value for a single thick layer of VO2. Innovative SiO2/VO2 synthetic opals are also investigated to enhance the optical tunability by combining the properties of a 3D periodic structure and the specific optical properties of vanadium dioxide

European guidelines for quality assurance in colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis: overview and introduction to the full supplement publication

Population-based screening for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) and precursor lesions, using evidence-based methods, can be effective in populations with a significant burden of the disease provided the services are of high quality. Multidisciplinary, evidence-based guidelines for quality assurance in CRC screening and diagnosis have been developed by experts in a project co-financed by the European Union. The 450-page guidelines were published in book format by the European Commission in 2010. They include 10 chapters and over 250 recommendations, individually graded according to the strength of the recommendation and the supporting evidence. Adoption of the recommendations can improve and maintain the quality and effectiveness of an entire screening process, including identification and invitation of the target population, diagnosis and management of the disease and appropriate surveillance in people with detected lesions. To make the principles, recommendations and standards in the guidelines known to a wider professional and scientific community and to facilitate their use in the scientific literature, the original content is presented in journal format in an open-access Supplement of Endoscopy. The editors have prepared the present overview to inform readers of the comprehensive scope and content of the guidelines.Fil: Arrossi, Silvina. Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: von Karsa, Lawrence. International Agency for Research on Cancer; FranciaFil: Patrick, J.. NHS Cancer Screening Programmes Sheffield; Reino Unido. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Segnan, N.. International Agency for Research on Cancer; Francia. AO Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino; ItaliaFil: Atkin, W.. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Halloran, S.. University of Surrey; Reino UnidoFil: Saito, H.. National Cancer Centre; JapónFil: Sauvaget, C.. International Agency for Research on Cancer; FranciaFil: Scharpantgen, A.. Ministry of Health; LuxemburgoFil: Schmiegel, W.. Ruhr-Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Senore, C.. AO Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino; ItaliaFil: Siddiqi, M.. Cancer Foundation of India; IndiaFil: Sighoko, D.. University of Chicago; Estados Unidos. Formerly International Agency for Research on Cancer; FranciaFil: Smith, R.. American Cancer Society; Estados UnidosFil: Smith S.. University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust; Reino UnidoFil: Suchanek, S.. Charles University; República ChecaFil: Suonio, E.. International Agency for Research on Cancer; FranciaFil: Tong, W.. Chinese Academy of Sciences; República de ChinaFil: Törnberg, S.. Stockholm Gotland Regional Cancer Centre. Department of Cancer Screening; SueciaFil: Van Cutsem, E.. Katholikie Universiteit Leuven; BélgicaFil: Vignatelli, L.. Agenzia Sanitaria e Sociale Regionale; ItaliaFil: Villain, P.. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Voti, L.. Formerly International Agency for Research on Cancer; Francia. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Watanabe, H.. Niigata University; JapónFil: Watson, J.. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Winawer, S.. Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center; Estados UnidosFil: Young, G.. Flinders University. Gastrointestinal Services; AustraliaFil: Zaksas, V.. State Patient Fund; LituaniaFil: Zappa, M.. Cancer Prevention and Research Institute; ItaliaFil: Valori, R.. NHS Endoscopy; Reino Unid

Variation in Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of COPD Patients Managed in U.S. Primary Care : Data from a Real-Life COPD Registry

Peer reviewedPostprin

Characterization of COPD in U.S. Primary Care : Data from a Real-Life COPD Registry

Peer reviewedPostprin

Diagnostic and treatment pathways for men with prostate cancer in Queensland: investigating spatial and demographic inequalities

Background: Patterns of diagnosis and management for men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Queensland, Australia, have not yet been systematically documented and so assumptions of equity are untested. This longitudinal study investigates the association between prostate cancer diagnostic and treatment outcomes and key area-level characteristics and individual-level demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors.---------- Methods/Design: A total of 1064 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between February 2005 and July 2007 were recruited through hospital-based urology outpatient clinics and private practices in the centres of Brisbane, Townsville and Mackay (82% of those referred). Additional clinical and diagnostic information for all 6609 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Queensland during the study period was obtained via the population-based Queensland Cancer Registry. Respondent data are collected using telephone and self-administered questionnaires at pre-treatment and at 2 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 36 months, 48 months and 60 months post-treatment. Assessments include demographics, medical history, patterns of care, disease and treatment characteristics together with outcomes associated with prostate cancer, as well as information about quality of life and psychological adjustment. Complementary detailed treatment information is abstracted from participants’ medical records held in hospitals and private treatment facilities and collated with health service utilisation data obtained from Medicare Australia. Information about the characteristics of geographical areas is being obtained from data custodians such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Geo-coding and spatial technology will be used to calculate road travel distances from patients’ residences to treatment centres. Analyses will be conducted using standard statistical methods along with multilevel regression models including individual and area-level components.---------- Conclusions: Information about the diagnostic and treatment patterns of men diagnosed with prostate cancer is crucial for rational planning and development of health delivery and supportive care services to ensure equitable access to health services, regardless of geographical location and individual characteristics. This study is a secondary outcome of the randomised controlled trial registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12607000233426

A multilevel study of the determinants of area-level inequalities in colorectal cancer survival

Background: In Australia, associations between geographic remoteness, socioeconomic disadvantage, and colorectal cancer (CRC) survival show that survival rates are lowest among residents of geographically remote regions and those living in disadvantaged areas. At present we know very little about the reasons for these inequalities, hence our capacity to intervene to reduce the inequalities is limited. Methods/Design: This study, the first of its type in Australia, examines the association between CRC survival and key area- and individual-level factors. Specifically, we will use a multilevel framework to investigate the possible determinants of area- and individual-level inequalities in CRC survival and quantify the relative contribution of geographic remoteness, socioeconomic and demographic factors, disease stage, and access to diagnostic and treatment services, to these inequalities. The multilevel analysis will be based on survival data relating to people diagnosed with CRC in Queensland between 1996 and 2005 (n = 22,723) from the Queensland Cancer Registry (QCR), area-level data from other data custodians such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and individual-level data from the QCR (including extracting stage from pathology records) and Queensland Hospitals. For a subset of this period (2003 and 2004) we will utilise more detailed, individual-level data (n = 1,966) covering a greater range of risk factors from a concurrent research study. Geo-coding and spatial technology will be used to calculate road travel distances from patients’ residence to treatment centres. The analyses will be conducted using a multilevel Cox proportional hazards model with Level 1 comprising individual-level factors (e.g. occupation) and level 2 area level indicators of remoteness and area socioeconomic disadvantage. Discussion: This study focuses on the health inequalities for rural and disadvantaged populations that have often been documented but poorly understood, hence limiting our capacity to intervene. This study utilises and develops emerging statistical and spatial technologies that can then be applied to other cancers and health outcomes. The findings of this study will have direct implications for the targeting and resourcing of cancer control programs designed to reduce the burden of colorectal cancer, and for the provision of diagnostic and treatment services

Muon detection in electron-positron annihilation for muon collider studies

The investigation of the energy frontier in physics requires novel concept for future colliders. The idea of a muon collider is very appealing since it would aim to study particle collisions up to tens of TeV energy while offering a cleaner experimental environment with respect to hadronic colliders. One key element in the muon collider design is muon production with small emittance. Recently, the Low EMittance Muon Accelerator (LEMMA) collaboration has explored the close-to-threshold muon production by 45 GeV positron annihilating in a low Z material target. Muons are emerging with a natural small emittance. In this paper we describe the performance of a system of segmented absorbers with alternating active layers realized with fast Cherenkov detectors and a muon identification technique based on it. Passive layers were made of tungsten. Muons and electron beams data were collected in September 2018 at the H2 line in the North Area of the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (CERN)

Induction of cortical plasticity and improved motor performance following unilateral and bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex

BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique that modulates the excitability of neurons within the primary motor cortex (M1). Research shows that anodal-tDCS applied over the non-dominant M1 (i.e. unilateral stimulation) improves motor function of the non-dominant hand. Similarly, previous studies also show that applying cathodal tDCS over the dominant M1 improves motor function of the non-dominant hand, presumably by reducing interhemispheric inhibition. In the present study, one condition involved anodal-tDCS over the non-dominant M1 (unilateral stimulation) whilst a second condition involved applying cathodal-tDCS over the dominant M1 and anodal-tDCS over non-dominant M1 (bilateral stimulation) to determine if unilateral or bilateral stimulation differentially modulates motor function of the non-dominant hand. Using a randomized, cross-over design, 11 right-handed participants underwent three stimulation conditions: 1) unilateral stimulation, that involved anodal-tDCS applied over the non-dominant M1, 2) bilateral stimulation, whereby anodal-tDCS was applied over the non-dominant M1, and cathodal-tDCS over the dominant M1, and 3) sham stimulation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was performed before, immediately after, 30 and 60 minutes after stimulation to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying any potential after-effects on motor performance. Motor function was evaluated by the Purdue pegboard test. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in motor function following unilateral and bilateral stimulation when compared to sham stimulation at all-time points (all P 0.05). Furthermore, changes in corticomotor plasticity were not related to changes in motor performance. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that tDCS induced behavioural changes in the non-dominant hand as a consequence of mechanisms associated with use-dependant cortical plasticity that is independent of the electrode arrangement