Infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group and Dirac's monopole problem

Within the context of infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group the Dirac monopole problem is studied in details. Irreducible infinite-dimensional representations, being realized in the indefinite metric Hilbert space, are given by linear unbounded operators in infinite-dimensional topological spaces, supplied with a weak topology and associated weak convergence. We argue that an arbitrary magnetic charge is allowed, and the Dirac quantization condition can be replaced by a generalized quantization rule yielding a new quantum number, the so-called topological spin, which is related to the weight of the Dirac string.Comment: JHEP style. Extended version of hep-th/0403146. Revised version, title and some notations are changed. References and Appendix B are adde

Early prenatal diagnosis of conjoined twins: a case report

Conjoined twins are a very rare complication of monochorionic monoamniotic pregnancies, associated with severe mortality and morbidity. Ultrasonography has made early diagnosis of conjoined twins possible, allowing prompt management and counselling of parents. The diagnosis should be suspected when monozygotic fetuses are shown to consistently hold the same fixed position relative to each other. The location and extent of fusion between the twins determine the potential for surgical separation and postnatal survival. The authors report a case of conjoined thoraco-omphalopagus twins, diagnosed by ultrasonography at 10 weeks of gestation. Due to high complexity of fetal fusion, termination of pregnancy was performed upon patient´s request

The Relationship of the Quality of Life and Activity Limitations of Persons with Orthopedic Disability

Walking difficulties influence both functional motor motion and fine motor motion, such as hand control. Included are conditions that make it hard to move, such as amputation, paralysis, cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, spinal cord injuries, and others. The study used WHOQOL-BREF-DIS and IMPACT-S to determine PWDs' quality of life and activity restrictions. It examines the link between quality of life and activity limitation, as well as discrimination, autonomy, and inclusion. Males have a higher quality of life, but females have more activity limitations. Discrimination and autonomy domains of WHOQOL-BREF-DIS are not connected with activity participation; inclusion and overall quality of life are. In conclusion, persons with orthopedic disabilities' level of inclusion and overall QOL in society, specifically their satisfaction with communicating with others, satisfaction with their ability to participate in social and local activities, and other people's acceptance and respect, are affected by their activity participation

Damage evaluation during installation of geosynthetics used in asphalt pavements

Geosynthetics are commonly used as anti-reflective cracking systems in asphalt pavements. The rehabilitation design methods use the characteristics of as-received geosynthetics as inputs. However, these materials undergo physical damage during their installation due to mechanical and thermal loads which currently are not taken into account in the design processes. These loads can produce a reduction in geosynthetic strength and therefore, it is necessary to know the secant modulus after installation in order to improve the pavement design incorporating these materials. The secant modulus of a material indicates its initial stiffness. This paper describes an experimental study of damage due to installation of five different geosynthetics using three different procedures: (i) mechanical damage induced in the laboratory considering the action of aggregates, (ii) in situ mechanical and thermal damage due to actual installation in a test section, and (iii) a new mechanical and thermal damage experimental test developed with the aim of reproducing the real installation conditions. The main results of the study indicate that the obtained secant modulus of the tested geosynthetics reduced after applying the three damage procedures, and the loss of properties differed depending on the type and constitutive material and on the applied damage procedure.This investigation was supported by the research Project ‘Rehabilitation of roads and highways (REHABCAR)’ file number IPT-370000–2010–029, led by DRAGADOS (ACS Group), in collaboration with GEOCISA and ASFALTOS AUGUSTA among others. The project has been funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) within the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Innovation 2008–2011 (INNPACTO 2010) and the European Union under ERDF Funds (European Regional Development Fund)

Ministries of Health and the Stewardship of Health Evidence

This chapter describes how Ministries of Health have been mandated to act as stewards of populations’ health according to the World Health Organization. We argue that this mandate extends to them having (at least partial) responsibility for ensuring relevant evidence informs policy decisions. Yet this requires consideration of the evidence advisory systems serving Ministry needs, particularly whether or how such systems work to provide relevant information in a timely manner to key decision points in the policy process. Insights from our six cases are presented to illustrate the structural and practical differences which exist between evidence advisory systems and how, at certain times, key health decisions may in fact lie outside ministerial authority. These divergent experiences highlight a range of analytical challenges when considering the provision of evidence to inform health decisions from an institutional perspective

Potential migratory routes of Urania boisduvalii (Lepidoptera: Uraniidae) among host plant populations

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Aim Migratory species depend on various habitats and resources along their migration routes. Characteristics such as dependence on distinct habitats and the presence of multiple threats along their migratory routes make these species vulnerable, and gaps in knowledge about their ecology and migration processes make them difficult to conserve. Urania boisduvalii is a diurnal moth endemic to Cuba that feeds on plants of Omphalea spp. during its larval phases. These plants produce secondary metabolites as a defence against the moth's larvae, which then are forced to migrate. Although some ecological aspects of Urania boisduvalii are known, its migration routes remain largely unknown. This research proposes potential migratory routes of Urania boisduvalii among populations of its host plant. Location Cuba. Methods We developed ecological niche models of the moth and its hosts based on environmental, anthropic, biotic and biogeographic factors to obtain potential distributional areas that include zones where positive interactions are found but exclude those where negative factors are present. These areas were overlapped to hypothesize potential breeding areas for the moths. Potential migratory corridors were proposed based on environmental connectivity. Results The moth and its hosts have broad potential distributions; however, limiting factors have substantially reduced these areas, especially for plants. The potential migratory routes of Urania boisduvalii are complex and mostly involve the western and eastern regions of Cuba. Most records outside potential breeding areas were close to these migratory corridors. Main conclusions We offer initial hypotheses of the migratory routes of U. boisduvalii, which may be useful to guiding monitoring projects that can provide more definitive views of the seasonal distribution of this species across the Cuban archipelago

Differences in the quality of primary medical care for CVD and diabetes across the NHS: evidence from the quality and outcomes framework

Background: Health policy in the UK has rapidly diverged since devolution in 1999. However, there is relatively little comparative data available to examine the impact of this natural experiment in the four UK countries. The Quality and Outcomes Framework of the 2004 General Medical Services Contract provides a new and potentially rich source of comparable clinical quality data through which we compare quality of primary medical care for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, hypertension and diabetes across the four UK countries. <p/>Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was undertaken involving 10,064 general practices in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The main outcome measures were prevalence rates for CHD, stroke, hypertension and diabetes. Achievement on 14 simple process, 3 complex process, 9 intermediate outcome and 5 treatment indicators for the four clinical areas. <p/>Results: Prevalence varies by up to 28% between the four UK countries, which is not reflected in resource distribution between countries, and penalises practices in the high prevalence countries (Wales and Scotland). Differences in simple process measures across countries are small. Larger differences are found for complex process, intermediate outcome and treatment measures, most notably for Wales, which has consistently lower quality of care. Scotland has generally higher quality than England and Northern Ireland is most consistently the highest quality. <p/>Conclusion: Previously identified weaknesses in Wales related to waiting times appear to reflect a more general quality problem within NHS Wales. Identifying explanations for the observed differences is limited by the lack of comparable data on practice resources and organisation. Maximising the value of cross-jurisdictional comparisons of the ongoing natural experiment of health policy divergence within the UK requires more detailed examination of resource and organisational differences