444 research outputs found
Structural stability and energetics of single-walled carbon nanotubes under uniaxial strain
A (10x10) single-walled carbon nanotube consisting of 400 atoms with 20
layers is simulated under tensile loading using our developed O(N) parallel
tight-binding molecular-dynamics algorithms. It is observed that the simulated
carbon nanotube is able to carry the strain up to 122% of the relaxed tube
length in elongation and up to 93% for compression. Young s modulus, tensile
strength, and the Poisson ratio are calculated and the values found are 0.311
TPa, 4.92 GPa, and 0.287, respectively. The stress-strain curve is obtained.
The elastic limit is observed at a strain rate of 0.09 while the breaking point
is at 0.23. The frequency of vibration for the pristine (10x10) carbon nanotube
in the radial direction is 4.71x10^3 GHz and it is sensitive to the strain
rate.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
The FIR-absorption of short period quantum wires and the transition from one to two dimensions
We investigate the FIR-absorption of short period parallel quantum wires in a
perpendicular quantizing magnetic field. The external time-dependent electric
field is linearly polarized along the wire modulation. The mutual Coulomb
interaction of the electrons is treated self-consistently in the ground state
and in the absorption calculation within the Hartree approximation. We consider
the effects of a metal gate grating coupler, with the same or with a different
period as the wire modulation, on the absorption. The evolution of the
magnetoplasmon in the nonlocal region where it is split into several Bernstein
modes is discussed in the transition from: narrow to broad wires, and isolated
to overlapping wires. We show that in the case of narrow and not strongly
modulated wires the absorption can be directly correlated with the underlying
electronic bandstructure.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, Revtex, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Continuous oral contraceptives versus long-term pituitary desensitization prior to IVF/ICSI in moderate to severe endometriosis:study protocol of a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial
STUDY QUESTIONS: The primary objective is to investigate if continuous use of oral contraceptives is non-inferior compared to long-term pituitary desensitization with a GnRH agonist prior to IVF/ICSI in patients with moderate to severe endometriosis with regard to treatment efficacy. Secondary objectives concern treatment safety and cost-effectiveness. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Long-term pituitary desensitization with a GnRH agonist for 3-6 months prior to IVF/ICSI improves clinical pregnancy rates in women suffering from endometriosis. However, discussion about this treatment strategy exists because of its uncomfortable side effects. Alternatively, IVF/ICSI pre-treatment with continuously administered oral contraceptives may offer fewer side-effects and lower (in)direct costs, as well as encouraging IVF outcomes in women with endometriosis. To date, these two different IVF/ICSI pre-treatment strategies in women with endometriosis have not been directly compared. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: An open-label, parallel two-arm randomized controlled multicenter trial is planned, including patients with moderate to severe endometriosis. To demonstrate an absolute difference of 13% (delta of 10% with non-inferiority margin of 3%) with a power of 80% 137 patients per group are sufficient. Taking into account a withdrawal of patients of 10% and a cancelation rate of embryo transfer after ovarian pick up of 10% (for instance due to fertilization failure), the sample size calculation is rounded off to 165 patients per group; 330 patients in total will be included. After informed consent, eligible patients will be randomly allocated to the intervention or reference group by using web based block randomization stratified per centre. Study inclusion is expected to be complete in 3-5 years. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: The research population consists of patients with moderate to severe endometriosis (ASRM III/IV) who are scheduled for their first, second or third IVF/ICSI treatment attempt. Women aged over 41 years, younger than 18 years, with a known contraindication for the use of oral contraceptives and/or GnRH agonists or with severe male factor infertility will be excluded from participation. After informed consent patients are allocated to the intervention group (one-phase oral contraceptive continuously during three subsequent months) or the reference group (three Leuprorelin 3.75 mg i.m./s.c. depot injections during three subsequent months). Tibolon 2.5 mg can be given daily as add-back therapy in the reference group. After 3 months of pre-treatment the IVF/ICSI stimulation phase will be started. The primary outcome is live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer. Secondary outcomes are cumulative live birth rate after one IVF/ICSI treatment cycle (including fresh and frozen embryo transfers up to 15 months after randomization), ongoing pregnancy rate and time to pregnancy. In addition, treatment outcome parameters, adverse events, side-effects during the first 3 months, complications, recurrence of endometriosis (complaints), quality of life, patient preferences, safety and costs effectiveness will be reported. Measurements will be performed at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months after randomization. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTs: All authors have no conflict of interest related to this manuscript. The department of reproductive medicine of the Amsterdam UMC location VUmc has received several research and educational grants from Guerbet, Merck and Ferring not related to the submitted work. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial is registered as the COPIE trial (Continuous use of Oral contraceptives as an alternative for long-term Pituitary desensitization with a GnRH agonist prior to IVF/ICSI in Endometriosis patients) in the Dutch Trial Register (Ref. No. NTR6357, http://www.trialregister.nl). TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE: 16 March 2017. DATE OF FIRST PATIENTâS ENROLMENT: Enrollment is planned for November 2018
Atomistic Simulations of Nanotube Fracture
The fracture of carbon nanotubes is studied by atomistic simulations. The
fracture behavior is found to be almost independent of the separation energy
and to depend primarily on the inflection point in the interatomic potential.
The rangle of fracture strians compares well with experimental results, but
predicted range of fracture stresses is marketly higher than observed. Various
plausible small-scale defects do not suffice to bring the failure stresses into
agreement with available experimental results. As in the experiments, the
fracture of carbon nanotubes is predicted to be brittle. The results show
moderate dependence of fracture strength on chirality.Comment: 12 pages, PDF, submitted to Phy. Rev.
Communion by extension : discrepancies between policy and practice
The growing practice of Communion by Extension was given formal authorisation by the Church of England General Synod in 2000 with the expectation that it would be used in particular circumstances, including explicitly the rural multi-church benefice. This paper reviews the historical origins of the practice of Communion by Extension and clarifies the intentions of the authorisation given in 2000. Then the intentions of the 2000 authorisation are compared and contrasted with current parochial practice within one English diocese. Considerable divergence is found. Five main themes are identified and discussed: the relationship between worship and mission; the pressures on clerical time; sacramental self-sufficiency; the value given to familiarity; and the choice between reservation and congregationalism
Exactly Soluble Model for Umklapp Scattering at Quantum-Hall Edges
We consider the low-energy, long-wave-length excitations of a reconstructed
quantum-Hall edge where three branches of chiral one-dimensional edge
excitations exist. We find that, in addition to forward scattering between the
three edge-excitation branches, Coulomb interaction gives rise to a novel
Umklapp-type scattering process that cannot be accounted for within a
generalized Tomonaga-Luttinger model. We solve the theory including Umklapp
processes exactly in the long-wave-length limit and calculate electronic
correlation functions.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, final version, to appear in PRL (20Dec1999
Resistance fluctuations and Aharonov-Bohm-type oscillations in antidot arrays in the quantum Hall regime
Resistance fluctuation phenomenon in antidot lattices in the quantum Hall
regime are studied. Magnetoresistance of finite antidot array systems in the
quantum Hall plateau transition regime exhibits two types of oscillatory
effect. One is the aperiodic resistance fluctuations (RFs) and the other is the
Aharonov-Bohm (AB)-type oscillations. Their dependences on the magnetic field
and the gate voltage are quite distinct. While the aperiodic RFs are attributed
to the complex evolution of the conducting network of compressible channels,
the AB-type oscillations are interpreted in terms of edge states formed around
individual antidots. The self-consistent screening effect is important for the
both phenomenon, whereas, the single electron charging effect plays a minor
role in the present case.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Self-consistent local-equilibrium model for density profile and distribution of dissipative currents in a Hall bar under strong magnetic fields
Recent spatially resolved measurements of the electrostatic-potential
variation across a Hall bar in strong magnetic fields, which revealed a clear
correlation between current-carrying strips and incompressible strips expected
near the edges of the Hall bar, cannot be understood on the basis of existing
equilibrium theories. To explain these experiments, we generalize the
Thomas-Fermi--Poisson approach for the self-consistent calculation of
electrostatic potential and electron density in {\em total} thermal equilibrium
to a {\em local equilibrium} theory that allows to treat finite gradients of
the electrochemical potential as driving forces of currents in the presence of
dissipation. A conventional conductivity model with small values of the
longitudinal conductivity for integer values of the (local) Landau-level
filling factor shows that, in apparent agreement with experiment, the current
density is localized near incompressible strips, whose location and width in
turn depend on the applied current.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Uterine bathing with sonography gel prior to IVF/ICSI-treatment in patients with endometriosis, a multicentre randomised controlled trial
STUDY QUESTION
What is the effect of uterine bathing with sonography gel prior to IVF/ICSI-treatment on live birth rates after fresh embryo transfer in patients with endometriosis?
SUMMARY ANSWER
After formal interim analysis and premature ending of the trial, no significant difference between uterine bathing using a pharmacologically neutral sonography gel compared to a sham procedure on live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer in endometriosis patients (26.7% vs. 15.4%, relative risk (RR) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81â3.72; P-value 0.147) could be found, although the trial was underpowered to draw definite conclusions.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
Impaired implantation receptivity contributes to reduced clinical pregnancy rates after IVF/ICSI-treatment in endometriosis patients. Previous studies have suggested a favourable effect of tubal flushing with LipiodolÂź on natural conceptions. This benefit might also be explained by enhancing implantation through endometrial immunomodulation. Although recent studies showed no beneficial effect of endometrial scratching, the effect of mechanical stress by intrauterine infusion on the endometrium in endometriosis patients undergoing IVF/ICSI-treatment has not been investigated yet.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
We performed a multicentre, patient-blinded, randomised controlled trial in which women were randomly allocated to either a Gel Infusion Sonography (GIS, intervention group) or a sham procedure (control group) prior to IVF/ICSI-treatment. Since recruitment was slow and completion of the study was considered unfeasible, the study was halted after inclusion of 112 of the planned 184 women.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
We included infertile women with surgically confirmed endometriosis ASRM stage IâIV undergoing IVF/ICSI-treatment. After informed consent, women were randomised to GIS with intrauterine instillation of ExEm-gelÂź or sonography with gel into the vagina (sham). This was performed in the cycle preceding the embryo transfer, on the day GnRH analogue treatment was started. The primary endpoint was live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer. Analysis was performed by both intention-to-treat and per-protocol.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
Between July 2014 to September 2018, we randomly allocated 112 women to GIS (nâ=â60) or sham procedure (nâ=â52). The live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer was 16/60 (26.7%) after GIS versus 8/52 (15.4%) after the sham (RR 1.73, 95% CI 0.81â3.72; P-value 0.147). Ongoing pregnancy rate was 16/60 (26.7%) after GIS versus 9/52 (17.3%) in the controls (RR 1.54, 95% CI 0.74â3.18). Miscarriage occurred in 1/60 (1.7%) after GIS versus 5/52 (9.6%) in the controls (RR 0.17, 95% CI 0.02â1.44) women. Uterine bathing resulted in a higher pain score compared with a sham procedure (visual analogue scale score 2.7 [1.3â3.5] vs. 1.0 [0.0â2.0], Pâ<â0.001). There were two adverse events after GIS compared with none after sham procedures.
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
The study was terminated prematurely due to slow recruitment and trial fatigue. Therefore, the trial is underpowered to draw definite conclusions regarding the effect of uterine bathing with sonography gel on live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer in endometriosis patients undergoing IVF/ICSI-treatment.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
We could not demonstrate a favourable effect of uterine bathing procedures with sonography gel prior to IVF/ICSI-treatment in patients with endometriosis.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
Investigator initiated study. IQ Medical Ventures provided the ExEm FOAMÂź kits free of charge, they were not involved in the study design, data management, statistical analyses and/or manuscript preparation, etc. C.B.L. reports receiving grants from Ferring, Merck and Guerbet, outside the submitted work. C.B.L. is Editor-in-Chief of Human Reproduction. V.M. reports grants and other from Guerbet, outside the submitted work. B.W.M. reports grants from NHMRC (GNT1176437), personal fees from ObsEva, Merck and Merck KGaA, Guerbet and iGenomix, outside the submitted work. N.P.J. reports research funding from Abb-Vie and Myovant Sciences and consultancy for Vifor Pharma, Guerbet, Myovant Sciences and Roche Diagnostics, outside the submitted work. K.D. reports personal fees from Guerbet, outside the submitted work. The other authors do not report any conflicts of interest. No financial support was provided.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
NL4025 (NTR4198)
TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE
7 October 2013
DATE OF FIRST PATIENTâS ENROLMENT
22 July 201
Confronting the Challenge of Modeling Cloud and Precipitation Microphysics
In the atmosphere, microphysics refers to the microscale processes that affect cloud and precipitation particles and is a key linkage among the various components of Earth\u27s atmospheric water and energy cycles. The representation of microphysical processes in models continues to pose a major challenge leading to uncertainty in numerical weather forecasts and climate simulations. In this paper, the problem of treating microphysics in models is divided into two parts: (i) how to represent the population of cloud and precipitation particles, given the impossibility of simulating all particles individually within a cloud, and (ii) uncertainties in the microphysical process rates owing to fundamental gaps in knowledge of cloud physics. The recently developed Lagrangian particleâbased method is advocated as a way to address several conceptual and practical challenges of representing particle populations using traditional bulk and bin microphysics parameterization schemes. For addressing critical gaps in cloud physics knowledge, sustained investment for observational advances from laboratory experiments, new probe development, and nextâgeneration instruments in space is needed. Greater emphasis on laboratory work, which has apparently declined over the past several decades relative to other areas of cloud physics research, is argued to be an essential ingredient for improving processâlevel understanding. More systematic use of natural cloud and precipitation observations to constrain microphysics schemes is also advocated. Because it is generally difficult to quantify individual microphysical process rates from these observations directly, this presents an inverse problem that can be viewed from the standpoint of Bayesian statistics. Following this idea, a probabilistic framework is proposed that combines elements from statistical and physical modeling. Besides providing rigorous constraint of schemes, there is an added benefit of quantifying uncertainty systematically. Finally, a broader hierarchical approach is proposed to accelerate improvements in microphysics schemes, leveraging the advances described in this paper related to process modeling (using Lagrangian particleâbased schemes), laboratory experimentation, cloud and precipitation observations, and statistical methods
- âŠ