6,690 research outputs found
Zone center phonons of the orthorhombic RMnO3 (R = Pr, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho) perovskites
A short range force constant model (SRFCM) has been applied for the first
time to investigate the phonons in RMnO3 (R = Pr, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho) perovskites
in their orthorhombic phase. The calculations with 17 stretching and bending
force constants provide good agreement for the observed Raman frequencies. The
infrared frequencies have been assigned for the first time.
PACS Codes: 36.20.Ng, 33.20.Fb, 34.20.CfComment: 8 pages, 1 figur
Rights, responsibilities and redress? Research on policy and practice for Roma inclusion in ten Member States
Roma MATRIX (Mutual Action Targeting Racism,
Intolerance and Xenophobia) was a two year
project (2013-2015) co-funded by the European
Union’s Fundamental Rights and Citizenship
Programme. The project involved ten European
Member States (Bulgaria, Czech Republic,
Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia, Spain, and United Kingdom - hereafter
referred to as the partner states). A total of 20
organisations were partners on the project
representing a diverse range of agencies including
non-government organisations (NGOs), Roma-led
organisations, local government, universities and
two private sector companies. A diverse programme of activities was undertaken which included network development, mentoring of people from Roma communities, conferences and workshops, capturing positive images and developing a public media campaign, etc. This work focused on four core areas which underpinned the Roma MATRIX project: Reporting and redress mechanisms for tackling anti-Gypsyism; Roma children in the care system; Employment; Cross-community relations and mediation. This summary report outlines the key research findings
Application of whole genome and RNA sequencing to investigate the genomic landscape of common variable immunodeficiency disorders.
Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disorders (CVIDs) are the most prevalent cause of primary antibody failure. CVIDs are highly variable and a genetic causes have been identified in <5% of patients. Here, we performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 34 CVID patients (94% sporadic) and combined them with transcriptomic profiling (RNA-sequencing of B cells) from three patients and three healthy controls. We identified variants in CVID disease genes TNFRSF13B, TNFRSF13C, LRBA and NLRP12 and enrichment of variants in known and novel disease pathways. The pathways identified include B-cell receptor signalling, non-homologous end-joining, regulation of apoptosis, T cell regulation and ICOS signalling. Our data confirm the polygenic nature of CVID and suggest individual-specific aetiologies in many cases. Together our data show that WGS in combination with RNA-sequencing allows for a better understanding of CVIDs and the identification of novel disease associated pathways
The sparticle spectrum in Minimal gaugino-Gauge Mediation
We compute the sparticle mass spectrum in the minimal four-dimensional
construction that interpolates between gaugino mediation and ordinary gauge
mediation.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures; V2: refs. added; V3: some typos correcte
Estimating the number needed to treat from continuous outcomes in randomised controlled trials: methodological challenges and worked example using data from the UK Back Pain Exercise and Manipulation (BEAM) trial
Background
Reporting numbers needed to treat (NNT) improves interpretability of trial results. It is unusual that continuous outcomes are converted to numbers of individual responders to treatment (i.e., those who reach a particular threshold of change); and deteriorations prevented are only rarely considered. We consider how numbers needed to treat can be derived from continuous outcomes; illustrated with a worked example showing the methods and challenges.
Methods
We used data from the UK BEAM trial (n = 1, 334) of physical treatments for back pain; originally reported as showing, at best, small to moderate benefits. Participants were randomised to receive 'best care' in general practice, the comparator treatment, or one of three manual and/or exercise treatments: 'best care' plus manipulation, exercise, or manipulation followed by exercise. We used established consensus thresholds for improvement in Roland-Morris disability questionnaire scores at three and twelve months to derive NNTs for improvements and for benefits (improvements gained+deteriorations prevented).
Results
At three months, NNT estimates ranged from 5.1 (95% CI 3.4 to 10.7) to 9.0 (5.0 to 45.5) for exercise, 5.0 (3.4 to 9.8) to 5.4 (3.8 to 9.9) for manipulation, and 3.3 (2.5 to 4.9) to 4.8 (3.5 to 7.8) for manipulation followed by exercise. Corresponding between-group mean differences in the Roland-Morris disability questionnaire were 1.6 (0.8 to 2.3), 1.4 (0.6 to 2.1), and 1.9 (1.2 to 2.6) points.
Conclusion
In contrast to small mean differences originally reported, NNTs were small and could be attractive to clinicians, patients, and purchasers. NNTs can aid the interpretation of results of trials using continuous outcomes. Where possible, these should be reported alongside mean differences. Challenges remain in calculating NNTs for some continuous outcomes
Superpartner spectrum of minimal gaugino-gauge mediation
We evaluate the sparticle mass spectrum in the minimal four-dimensional
construction that interpolates between gaugino and ordinary gauge mediation at
the weak scale. We find that even in the hybrid case -- when the messenger
scale is comparable to the mass of the additional gauge particles -- both the
right-handed as well as the left-handed sleptons are lighter than the bino in
the low-scale mediation regime. This implies a chain of lepton production and,
consequently, striking signatures that may be probed at the LHC already in the
near future.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; V2: refs and a few comments added; V3 title
change
Local Charge of the nu=5/2 Fractional Quantum Hall State
Electrons in two dimensions and strong magnetic fields effectively lose their
kinetic energy and display exotic behavior dominated by Coulomb forces. When
the ratio of electrons to magnetic flux quanta in the system is near 5/2, the
unique correlated phase that emerges is predicted to be gapped with
fractionally charged quasiparticles and a ground state degeneracy that grows
exponentially as these quasiparticles are introduced. Interestingly, the only
way to transform between the many ground states would be to braid the
fractional excitations around each other, a property with applications in
quantum information processing. Here we present the first observation of
localized quasiparticles at nu=5/2, confined to puddles by disorder. Using a
local electrometer to compare how quasiparticles at nu=5/2 and nu=7/3 charge
these puddles, we are able to extract the ratio of local charges for these
states. Averaged over several disorder configurations and samples, we find the
ratio to be 4/3, suggesting that the local charges are e/3 at seven thirds and
e/4 at five halves, in agreement with theoretical predictions. This
confirmation of localized e/4 quasiparticles is necessary for proposed
interferometry experiments to test statistics and computational ability of the
state at nu=5/2.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures corrected titl
Facile one-pot synthesis of amoxicillin-coated gold nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity
Nanomaterials have been the object of intense study due to promising applications in a number of different disciplines. In particular, medicine and biology have seen the potential of these novel materials with their nanoscale properties for use in diverse areas such as imaging, sensing and drug vectorisation. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are considered a very useful platform to create a valid and efficient drug delivery/carrier system due to their facile and well-studied synthesis, easy surface functionalization and biocompatibility. In the present study, stable antibiotic conjugated GNPs were synthesised by a one-step reaction using a poorly water soluble antibiotic, amoxicillin. Amoxicillin, a member of the penicillin family, reduces the chloroauric acid to form nanoparticles and at the same time coats them to afford the functionalised nanomaterial. A range of techniques including UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to ascertain the gold/drug molar ratio and the optimum temperature for synthesis of uniform monodisperse particles in the ca. 30-40 nm size range. Amoxicillin-conjugated gold showed an enhancement of antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli compared to the antibiotic alone
Methodological criteria for the assessment of moderators in systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials : a consensus study
Background: Current methodological guidelines provide advice about the assessment of sub-group analysis within
RCTs, but do not specify explicit criteria for assessment. Our objective was to provide researchers with a set of
criteria that will facilitate the grading of evidence for moderators, in systematic reviews.
Method: We developed a set of criteria from methodological manuscripts (n = 18) using snowballing technique,
and electronic database searches. Criteria were reviewed by an international Delphi panel (n = 21), comprising
authors who have published methodological papers in this area, and researchers who have been active in the
study of sub-group analysis in RCTs. We used the Research ANd Development/University of California Los Angeles
appropriateness method to assess consensus on the quantitative data. Free responses were coded for consensus
and disagreement. In a subsequent round additional criteria were extracted from the Cochrane Reviewers’
Handbook, and the process was repeated.
Results: The recommendations are that meta-analysts report both confirmatory and exploratory findings for subgroups
analysis. Confirmatory findings must only come from studies in which a specific theory/evidence based apriori
statement is made. Exploratory findings may be used to inform future/subsequent trials. However, for
inclusion in the meta-analysis of moderators, the following additional criteria should be applied to each study:
Baseline factors should be measured prior to randomisation, measurement of baseline factors should be of
adequate reliability and validity, and a specific test of the interaction between baseline factors and interventions
must be presented.
Conclusions: There is consensus from a group of 21 international experts that methodological criteria to assess
moderators within systematic reviews of RCTs is both timely and necessary. The consensus from the experts
resulted in five criteria divided into two groups when synthesising evidence: confirmatory findings to support
hypotheses about moderators and exploratory findings to inform future research. These recommendations are
discussed in reference to previous recommendations for evaluating and reporting moderator studies
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