Remote capacitive sensing in two-dimension quantum-dot arrays

We investigate gate-defined quantum dots in silicon on insulator nanowire field-effect transistors fabricated using a foundry-compatible fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process. A series of split gates wrapped over the silicon nanowire naturally produces a $2\times n$ bilinear array of quantum dots along a single nanowire. We begin by studying the capacitive coupling of quantum dots within such a 2$\times$2 array, and then show how such couplings can be extended across two parallel silicon nanowires coupled together by shared, electrically isolated, 'floating' electrodes. With one quantum dot operating as a single-electron-box sensor, the floating gate serves to enhance the charge sensitivity range, enabling it to detect charge state transitions in a separate silicon nanowire. By comparing measurements from multiple devices we illustrate the impact of the floating gate by quantifying both the charge sensitivity decay as a function of dot-sensor separation and configuration within the dual-nanowire structure.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 35 cites and supplementar

Clinical results of entrance dose in vivo dosimetry for high energy photons in external beam radiotherapy using MOSFETs

Copyright © 2007 ACPSEM. All rights reserved. The document attached has been archived with permission from the publisher.Thomson and Nielsen TN-502 RD MOSFETs were used for entrance dose in vivo dosimetry for 6 and 10 MV photons. A total of 24 patients were tested, 10 breast, 8 prostate, 5 lung and 1 head and neck. For prostates three fields were checked. For all other plans all fields were checked. An action threshold of 8% was set for any one field and 5% for all fields combined. The total number of fields tested was 56, with a mean discrepancy of 1.4% and S.D. of 2.6%. Breasts had a mean discrepancy of 1.8% and S.D. of 2.8%. Prostates had a mean discrepancy of 1.3% and S.D. of 2.9%. For 3 fields combined, prostates had a mean of 1.3% and S.D. of 1.8%. These results are similar to results obtained with diodes and TLDs for the same techniques.J. P. Morton, M. Bhat, T. Williams and A. Kovend

Imagine, Interrupt, Innovate: Internationalising Teaching and Learning Practice

Internationalisation of the curriculum is a key research area at the intersection of teaching and learning. Increasing numbers of international students in Australian schools and tertiary institutions necessitate the reconceptualisation of curriculum to incorporate global perspectives and develop intercultural competencies of both students and teachers. Accordingly, this research project identified key discipline areas at Avondale College of Higher Education in which to perform pedagogical intervention with an internationalisation focus. Three lecturers undertook action research in the areas of Primary Education, Business and Theology, resulting in the production of culturallyinformed perspectives, increased cross-cultural awareness and the identification of areas for future research and innovation

Remote Capacitive Sensing in Two-Dimensional Quantum-Dot Arrays

We investigate gate-induced quantum dots in silicon nanowire field-effect transistors fabricated using a foundry-compatible fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process. A series of split gates wrapped over the silicon nanowire naturally produces a 2 × n bilinear array of quantum dots along a single nanowire. We begin by studying the capacitive coupling of quantum dots within such a 2 × 2 array and then show how such couplings can be extended across two parallel silicon nanowires coupled together by shared, electrically isolated, “floating” electrodes. With one quantum dot operating as a single-electron-box sensor, the floating gate serves to enhance the charge sensitivity range, enabling it to detect charge state transitions in a separate silicon nanowire. By comparing measurements from multiple devices, we illustrate the impact of the floating gate by quantifying both the charge sensitivity decay as a function of dot-sensor separation and configuration within the dual-nanowire structure

Transforming Assessment Feedback Design: Students’ Responses to Adaptively-Released Assessment Feedback (ARAF) Strategies

The concept of Adaptively-Released Assessment Feedback (ARAF) is relatively new and, to date, has had limited application in the university sector. This article paper looks at the applications of ARAF into the assessment of courses in three different contexts across multiple disciplines at both undergraduate and postgraduate course levels. The article paper outlines the ARAF strategies and their potential for promoting a deeper learning process by enhancing student engagement with feedback. Qualitative data from students are utilized to understand student perceptions of ARAF strategies. Students reported that ARAF increased engagement with assessment feedback and, in some cases, provoked deeper reflection and encouraged them to plan their approach to future assessment tasks. Keywords: quantitative feedback, qualitative feedback, adaptively-released assessment feedback (ARAF) strategies, assessment desig

High-intensity interval training produces a significant improvement in fitness in less than 31 days before surgery for urological cancer: a randomised control trial

ObjectivesTo assess the efficacy of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in patients awaiting resection for urological malignancy within four weeks.Subjects/patients and methodsA randomised control trial of consecutive patients aged (>65 years) scheduled for major urological surgery in a large secondary referral centre in a UK hospital. The primary outcome is change in anaerobic threshold (VO2AT) following HIIT vs. standard care.ResultsForty patients were recruited (mean age 72 years, male (39): female (1)) with 34 completing the protocol. Intention to treat analysis showed significant improvements in anaerobic threshold (VO2AT; mean difference (MD) 2.26 ml/kg/min (95% CI 1.25–3.26)) following HIIT. Blood pressure (BP) also significantly reduced in following: HIIT (SBP: −8.2 mmHg (95% CI −16.09 to −0.29) and DBP: −6.47 mmHg (95% CI −12.56 to −0.38)). No reportable adverse safety events occurred during HIIT and all participants achieved >85% predicted maximum heart rate during sessions, with protocol adherence of 84%.ConclusionsHIIT can improve CRF and cardiovascular health, representing clinically meaningful and achievable pre-operative improvements. Larger randomised trials are required to investigate the efficacy of prehabilitation HIIT upon different cancer types, post-operative complications, socio-economic impact and long-term survival

Transgenic amplification of glucocorticoid action in adipose tissue causes high blood pressure in mice

Obesity is closely associated with the metabolic syndrome, a combination of disorders including insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. A role for local glucocorticoid reamplification in obesity and the metabolic syndrome has been suggested. The enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates active cortisol from inactive 11-keto forms, and aP2-HSD1 mice with relative transgenic overexpression of this enzyme in fat cells develop visceral obesity with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Here we report that aP2-HSD1 mice also have high arterial blood pressure (BP). The mice have increased sensitivity to dietary salt and increased plasma levels of angiotensinogen, angiotensin II, and aldosterone. This hypertension is abolished by selective angiotensin II receptor AT-1 antagonist at a low dose that does not affect BP in non-Tg littermates. These findings suggest that activation of the circulating renin-angiotensin system (RAS) develops in aP2-HSD1 mice. The long-term hypertension is further reflected by an appreciable hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the distal tubule epithelium of the nephron, resembling salt-sensitive or angiotensin II–mediated hypertension. Taken together, our findings suggest that overexpression of 11β-HSD1 in fat is sufficient to cause salt-sensitive hypertension mediated by an activated RAS. The potential role of adipose 11β-HSD1 in mediating critical features of the metabolic syndrome extends beyond obesity and metabolic complications to include the most central cardiovascular feature of this disorder

Personalizing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced colon cancer:protocols for the international phase III FOxTROT2 and FOxTROT3 randomized controlled trials

AIM: FOxTROT1 established a new standard of care for managing locally advanced colon cancer (CC) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Six weeks of neoadjuvant oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidine (OxFp) chemotherapy was associated with greater 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) when compared with proceeding straight to surgery (STS). There is now a need to refine the use of NAC and identify those most likely to benefit. FOxTROT2 will aim to investigate NAC in older adults and those with frailty. FOxTROT3 will aim to assess whether intensified triplet NAC provides additional benefits over OxFp.METHOD: FOxTROT2 and FOxTROT3 are international, open-label, phase III randomized controlled trials. Eligible patients will be identified by the multidisciplinary team. Patient age, frailty and comorbidities will be considered to guide trial entry. Participants will be randomized 2:1 to the intervention or control arm: 6 weeks of dose-adapted neoadjuvant OxFp versus STS in FOxTROT2 and 6 weeks of neoadjuvant modified oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and irinotecan versus OxFp in FOxTROT3. The primary endpoint in FOxTROT2 is 3-year DFS. In FOxTROT3, tumour regression grade and 3-year DFS are co-primary endpoints.DISCUSSION: FOxTROT2 and FOxTROT3 will establish the FOxTROT platform, a key part of our long-term strategy to develop neoadjuvant treatments for CC. FOxTROT2 will investigate NAC in a population under-represented in FOxTROT1 and wider research. FOxTROT3 will assess whether it is possible to induce greater early tumour responses and whether this translates to superior long-term outcomes. Looking ahead, the FOxTROT platform will facilitate further trial comparisons and extensive translational research to optimize the use of NAC in CC.</p

The (Re-)Discovery of G350.1-0.3: A Young, Luminous Supernova Remnant and Its Neutron Star

We present an XMM-Newton observation of the long-overlooked radio source G350.1-0.3. The X-ray spectrum of G350.1-0.3 can be fit by a shocked plasma with two components: a high-temperature (1.5 keV) region with a low ionization time scale and enhanced abundances, plus a cooler (0.36 keV) component in ionization equilibrium and with solar abundances. The X-ray spectrum and the presence of non-thermal, polarized, radio emission together demonstrate that G350.1-0.3 is a young, luminous supernova remnant (SNR), for which archival HI and 12-CO data indicate a distance of 4.5 kpc. The diameter of the source then implies an age of only ~900 years. The SNR's distorted appearance, small size and the presence of 12-CO emission along the SNR's eastern edge all indicate that the source is interacting with a complicated distribution of dense ambient material. An unresolved X-ray source, XMMU J172054.5-372652, is detected a few arcminutes west of the brightest SNR emission. The thermal X-ray spectrum and lack of any multi-wavelength counterpart suggest that this source is a neutron star associated with G350.1-0.3, most likely a "central compact object", as seen coincident with other young SNRs such as Cassiopeia A.Comment: 6 pages, uses emulateapj. One B/W figure, one color figure. Minor text changes and update to Fig 2 following referee's report. ApJ Letters, in pres