NLO QCD procedure of the semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering data analysis with respect to the light quark polarized sea

The semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) process is considered. A theoretical procedure is proposed allowing the direct extraction from the SIDIS data of the first moments of the polarized valence distributions and of the first moment difference of the light sea quark polarized distributions in the next to leading QCD order. The validity of the procedure is confirmed by the respective simulations

Microlensing Halo Models with Abundant Brown Dwarfs

All previous attempts to understand the microlensing results towards the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) have assumed homogeneous present day mass functions (PDMFs) for the lensing populations. Here, we present an investigation into the microlensing characteristics of haloes with spatially varying PDMFs and anisotropic velocity dispersion tensors. One attractive possibility -- suggested by baryonic dark cluster formation in pregalactic and protogalactic cooling flows -- is that the inner halo is dominated by stellar mass objects, whereas low mass brown dwarfs become more prevalent on moving outwards. The contribution to the microlensing rate must be dominated by dark remnants (of about 0.5 solar masses) to recover the observed timescales of the microlensing experiments. But, even though stellar remnants control the rate, they do not dominate the mass of the baryonic halo, and so the well-known enrichment and mass budget problems are much less severe. Using a simple ansatz for the spatial variation of the PDMF, models are constructed in which the contribution of brown dwarfs to the mass of the baryonic halo is 55 % and to the total halo is 30 %. An unusual property of the models is that they predict that the average timescale of events towards M31 is shorter than the average timescale towards the LMC. This is because the longer line of sight towards M31 probes more of the far halo where brown dwarfs are the most common constituent.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figure, in press at The Astrophysical Journal (Letters

Patient safety and estimation of renal function in patients prescribed new oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVE: In clinical trials of dabigatran and rivaroxaban for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), drug eligibility and dosing were determined using the Cockcroft-Gault equation to estimate creatine clearance as a measure of renal function. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare whether using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by the widely available and widely used Modified Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation would alter prescribing or dosing of the renally excreted new oral anticoagulants. PARTICIPANTS: Of 4712 patients with known AF within a general practitioner-registered population of 930 079 in east London, data were available enabling renal function to be calculated by both Cockcroft-Gault and MDRD methods in 4120 (87.4%). RESULTS: Of 4120 patients, 2706 were <80 years and 1414 were ≥80 years of age. Among those ≥80 years, 14.9% were ineligible for dabigatran according to Cockcroft-Gault equation but would have been judged eligible applying MDRD method. For those <80 years, 0.8% would have been incorrectly judged eligible for dabigatran and 5.3% would have received too high a dose. For rivaroxaban, 0.3% would have been incorrectly judged eligible for treatment and 13.5% would have received too high a dose. CONCLUSIONS: Were the MDRD-derived eGFR to be used instead of Cockcroft-Gault in prescribing these new agents, many elderly patients with AF would either incorrectly become eligible for them or would receive too high a dose. Safety has not been established using the MDRD equation, a concern since the risk of major bleeding would be increased in patients with unsuspected renal impairment. Given the potentially widespread use of these agents, particularly in primary care, regulatory authorities and drug companies should alert UK doctors of the need to use the Cockcroft-Gault formula to calculate eligibility for and dosing of the new oral anticoagulants in elderly patients with AF and not rely on the MDRD-derived eGFR

The Educational Adjustment Program Profile: A Queensland Initiative in the identification and Monitoring of Students with a Disability

The effective identification and monitoring of students with a disability is a complex and important aspect of educational service delivery for students with a disability in Queensland. Building on previous initiatives in this domain Education Queensland has piloted the development of the Educational Adjustment Program (EAP) profile. Based on the data from the initial survey sample of more than 1500 school age students with a disability across Queensland, this paper highlights: the design of the Education Adjustment Program Adjustment Profile (EAP); some of its psychometric properties; gender and Indigenous student dimensions within the data; and how the EAP instrument compares with the 1 to 6 ascertainment rating scale

Improving coding and primary care management for people with Chronic Kidney Disease: an observational controlled study in east London

Background: The UK national chronic kidney disease (CKD) audit in primary care shows diagnostic coding in the electronic health record for CKD averages 70%, with wide practice variation. Coding is associated with improvements to risk factor management; CKD cases coded in primary care have lower rates of unplanned hospital admission. Aim: To increase diagnostic coding of CKD (stages 3–5) and primary care management, including blood pressure to target and prescription of statins to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Design and setting: Controlled, cross-sectional study in four East London clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Method: Interventions to improve coding formed part of a larger system change to the delivery of renal services in both primary and secondary care in East London. Quarterly anonymised data on CKD coding, blood pressure values, and statin prescriptions were extracted from practice computer systems for 1-year pre- and post-initiation of the intervention. Results: Three intervention CCGs showed significant coding improvement over a 1 year period following the intervention (regression for post-intervention trend P<0.001). The CCG with highest coding rates increased from 76–90% of CKD cases coded; the lowest coding CCG increased from 52–81%. The comparison CCG showed no change in coding rates. Combined data from all practices in the intervention CCGs showed a significant increase in the proportion of cases with blood pressure achieving target levels (difference in proportion P<0.001) over the 2-year study period. Differences in statin prescribing were not significant. Conclusion: Clinically important improvements to coding and management of CKD in primary care can be achieved by quality improvement interventions that use shared data to track and monitor change supported by practice-based facilitation. Alignment of clinical and CCG priorities and the provision of clinical targets, financial incentives, and educational resource were additional important elements of the intervention

Geometry, electronic structure, and energetics of copper-doped aluminum clusters

Using density functional theory and generalized gradient approximation for exchange-correlation potential, we have calculated the equilibrium geometries and energetics of neutral and negatively charged AlnCu (n=11,12,13,14) clusters. Unlike the alkali atom-doped aluminum clusters in the same size range, the copper atom resides inside the aluminum cluster cage. Furthermore, the 3d and 4s energy levels of Cu hybridize with the valence electrons of Al causing a redistribution of the molecular orbital energy levels of the Aln clusters. However, this redistribution does not affect the magic numbers of AlnCu clusters that could be derived by assuming that Cu donates one electron to the valence levels of Aln clusters. This behavior, brought about by the smaller size and large ionization potential of the copper atom, contributes to the anomalous properties of AlnCu− anions: Unlike AlnX− (X=alkali atom), the mass ion intensities of AlnCu− are similar to those of Al−n. The calculated adiabatic electron affinities are also in very good agreement with experiment