Mogelijkheden voor herstelbeheer in hellingbossen op kalkrijke bodem in Zuid-Limburg : resultaten eerste onderzoekfase

Het doel van het OBN-onderzoek naar de Zuid-Limburgse hellingbossen is het aangeven van concrete opties voor de beheerder waarmee de oorspronkelijke diversiteit aan planten- en diersoorten van deze bossen behouden dan wel hersteld kan worden. Uitgangspunt hierbij is dat er sprake moet zijn van een gedifferentieerd beheer, waarbij rekening wordt gehouden met de – grotendeels geologisch bepaalde – landschappelijke context, waarbij niet alleen verschillende regio’s (löss-, mergel en vuursteengebied) maar binnen elke regio ook verschillende hellingzones met hun specifieke waarden worden onderscheide

Nonequilibrium Transport through a Kondo Dot in a Magnetic Field: Perturbation Theory

Using nonequilibrium perturbation theory, we investigate the nonlinear transport through a quantum dot in the Kondo regime in the presence of a magnetic field. We calculate the leading logarithmic corrections to the local magnetization and the differential conductance, which are characteristic of the Kondo effect out of equilibrium. By solving a quantum Boltzmann equation, we determine the nonequilibrium magnetization on the dot and show that the application of both a finite bias voltage and a magnetic field induces a novel structure of logarithmic corrections not present in equilibrium. These corrections lead to more pronounced features in the conductance, and their form calls for a modification of the perturbative renormalization group.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

Panspermia, Past and Present: Astrophysical and Biophysical Conditions for the Dissemination of Life in Space

Astronomically, there are viable mechanisms for distributing organic material throughout the Milky Way. Biologically, the destructive effects of ultraviolet light and cosmic rays means that the majority of organisms arrive broken and dead on a new world. The likelihood of conventional forms of panspermia must therefore be considered low. However, the information content of dam-aged biological molecules might serve to seed new life (necropanspermia).Comment: Accepted for publication in Space Science Review

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

E.P.R. studies of the phase transitions in β-phase vanadium bronzes NaxV2O5

The β phase vanadium bronzes NaxV2O 5 have been studied by E.P.R. Two transitions in magnetic behaviour are identified, one at T = 150 K, the other at T = 20 K. They are interpreted as three-dimensional ordering transitions in these quasi-one-dimensional compounds. The transitions are made possible by the long range chemical order existing in NaxV2 O5 at x = 1/3.La phase β des bronzes de vanadium NaxV2O 5 a été étudiée par R.P.E. Nous avons mis en évidence deux transitions dans le comportement magnétique de ces composés quasi-unidimensionnels, une à T = 150 K, l'autre à T = 20 K. Nous les interprétons comme des transitions vers un ordre tridimensionnel. Ces transitions sont favorisées par l'ordre chimique à longue portée existant dans NaxV2O5 pour x = 1/3

Alkylcyanoacrylate drug carriers: I. Physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles with different alkyl chain length

Alkylcyanoacrylate particles were physico-chemically characterized in terms of size, surface charge, zeta potential, interaction with charged serum components and surface hydrophobicity as relevant parameters influencing the in vitro interaction with cells in culture and the in vivo organ distribution and fate after intravenous administration. Methyl-, ethyl-, isobutyl- and isohexyl-cyanoacrylate particles were found to be very similar with regard to these properties. Large differences existed with regard to their degradation behaviour. The type of degradation (surface erosion) was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy, and the degradation velocity was evaluated using a turbidimetric assay. Surface modification of the particles by a polymer coating affected neither the type nor the velocity of the degradation