Configurational entropy of Wigner crystals

We present a theoretical study of classical Wigner crystals in two- and three-dimensional isotropic parabolic traps aiming at understanding and quantifying the configurational uncertainty due to the presence of multiple stable configurations. Strongly interacting systems of classical charged particles confined in traps are known to form regular structures. The number of distinct arrangements grows very rapidly with the number of particles, many of these arrangements have quite low occurrence probabilities and often the lowest-energy structure is not the most probable one. We perform numerical simulations on systems containing up to 100 particles interacting through Coulomb and Yukawa forces, and show that the total number of metastable configurations is not a well defined and representative quantity. Instead, we propose to rely on the configurational entropy as a robust and objective measure of uncertainty. The configurational entropy can be understood as the logarithm of the effective number of states; it is insensitive to the presence of overlooked low-probability states and can be reliably determined even within a limited time of a simulation or an experiment.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in J. Phys.: Condens. Matter. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at 10.1088/0953-8984/23/7/075302.

Schistosomiasis Coinfection in Children Influences Acquired Immune Response against Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Antigens

Background: Malaria and schistosomiasis coinfection frequently occurs in tropical countries. This study evaluates the influence of Schistosoma haematobium infection on specific antibody responses and cytokine production to recombinant merozoite surface protein-1-19 (MSP1-19) and schizont extract of Plasmodium falciparum in malaria-infected children. Methodology: Specific IgG1 to MSP1- 19, as well as IgG1 and IgG3 to schizont extract were significantly increased in coinfected children compared to P. falciparum mono-infected children. Stimulation with MSP1- 19 lead to a specific production of both interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-c (IFN-c), whereas the stimulation with schizont extract produced an IL-10 response only in the coinfected group. Conclusions: Our study suggests that schistosomiasis coinfection favours anti-malarial protective antibody responses, which could be associated with the regulation of IL-10 and IFN-c production and seems to be antigen-dependent. This study demonstrates the importance of infectious status of the population in the evaluation of acquired immunity against malari

Status of evaluated data files for 238U in the resonance region

Experimental data and evaluated data libraries related to neutron induced reaction cross sections for 238U in the resonance region are reviewed. Based on this review a set of test files is produced to study systematic effects such as the impact of the upper boundary of the resolved resonance region (RRR) and the representation of the infinite diluted capture and in-elastic cross section in the unresolved resonance region (URR). A set of Benchmark experiments was selected and used to verify the test files. Based on these studies recommendations to perform a new evaluation have been defined. This report has been prepared in support to the CIELO (Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation) project. The objective of this project is the creation of a world-wide recognised nuclear data file with a focus on six nuclides, i.e. 1H, 16O, 56Fe, 235U, 238U and 239Pu. Within the CIELO project, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) at Geel (B) is in charge of the production of an evaluated cross section data file for neutron induced reaction of 238U in the resonance region.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

Rapid cognitive decline, one-year institutional admission and one-year mortality: Analysis of the ability to predict and inter-tool agreement of four validated clinical frailty indexes in the safes cohort

Objectives: To evaluate the predictive ability of four clinical frailty indexes as regards one-year rapid cognitive decline (RCD — defined as the loss of at least 3 points on the MMSE score), and one-year institutional admission (IA) and mortality respectively; and to measure their agreement for identifying groups at risk of these severe outcomes. Design: One-year follow-up and multicentre study of old patients participating in the SAFEs cohort study. Setting: Nine university hospitals in France. Participants: 1,306 patients aged 75 or older (mean age 85±6 years; 65% female) hospitalized in medical divisions through an Emergency department. Measurements: Four frailty indexes (Winograd; Rockwood; Donini; and Schoevaerdts) reflecting the multidimensionality of the frailty concept, using an ordinal scoring system able to discriminate different grades of frailty, and constructed based on the accumulation of identified deficits after comprehensive geriatric assessment conducted during the first week of hospital stay, were used to categorize participants into three different grades of frailty: Gl — not frail; G2 — moderately frail; and G3 — severely frail. Comparisons between groups were performed using Fisher's exact test. Agreement between indexes was evaluated using Cohen's Kappa coefficient. Results: All patients were classified as frail by at least one of the four indexes. The Winograd and Rockwood indexes mainly classified subjects as G2 (85% and 96%), and the Donini and Schoevaerdts indexes mainly as G3 (71% and 67%). Among the SAFEs cohort population, 250, 1047 and 1,306 subjects were eligible for analyses of predictability for RCD, 1-year IA and 1-year mortality respectively. At 1 year, 84 subjects (34%) experienced RCD, 377 (36%) were admitted into an institutional setting, and 445 (34%) had died With the Rockwood index, all subjects who expenenced RCD were classified in G2; and in G2 and G3 when the Donini and Schoevaerdts indexes were used No significant difference was found between frailty grade and RCD, whereas frailty grade was significantly associated with an increased risk of IA and death, whatever the frailty index considered. Agreement between the different indexes of frailty was poor with Kappa coefficients ranging from −0.02 to 0.15. Conclusion: These findings confirm the poor clinimetric properties of these current indexes to measure frailty, underlining the fact that further work is needed to develop a better and more widely-accepted definition of frailty and therefore a better understanding of its pathophysiolog

On Ultrabarrelled Spaces, their Group Analogs and Baire Spaces

Let E and F be topological vector spaces and let G and Y be topological abelian groups. We say that E is sequentially barrelled with respect to F if every sequence (un)n∈N of continuous linear maps from E to F which converges pointwise to zero is equicontinuous. We say that G is barrelled with respect to F if every set H of continuous homomorphisms from G to F, for which the set H(x) is bounded in F for every x∈E, is equicontinuous. Finally, we say that G is g-barrelled with respect to Y if every H⊆CHom(G,Y) which is compact in the product topology of YG is equicontinuous. We prove that - a barrelled normed space may not be sequentially barrelled with respect to a complete metrizable locally bounded topological vector space, - a topological group which is a Baire space is barrelled with respect to any topological vector space, - a topological group which is a Namioka space is g-barrelled with respect to any metrizable topological group, - a protodiscrete topological abelian group which is a Baire space may not be g-barrelled (with respect to R/Z)

Screening for Vulnerability in Older Cancer Patients: The ONCODAGE Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study:

Background: Geriatric Assessment is an appropriate method for identifying older cancer patients at risk of life-threatening events during therapy. Yet, it is underused in practice, mainly because it is time- and resource-consuming. This study aims to identify the best screening tool to identify older cancer patients requiring geriatric assessment by comparing the performance of two short assessment tools the G8 and the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13). Patients and Methods: The diagnostic accuracy of the G8 and the (VES-13) were evaluated in a prospective cohort study of 1674 cancer patients accrued before treatment in 23 health care facilities. 1435 were eligible and evaluable. Outcome measures were multidimensional geriatric assessment (MGA), sensitivity (primary), specificity, negative and positive predictive values and likelihood ratios of the G8 and VES-13, and predictive factors of 1-year survival rate. Results: Patient median age was 78.2 years (70-98) with a majority of females (69.8%), various types of cancer including 53.9% breast, and 75.8% Performance Status 0-1. Impaired MGA, G8, and VES-13 were 80.2%, 68.4%, and 60.2%, respectively. Mean time to complete G8 or VES-13 was about five minutes. Reproducibility of the two questionnaires was good. G8 appeared more sensitive (76.5% versus 68.7%, P5 0.0046) whereas VES-13 was more specific (74.3% versus 64.4%, P<0.0001). Abnormal G8 score (HR = 2.72), advanced stage (HR = 3.30), male sex (HR = 2.69) and poor Performance Status (HR = 3.28) were independent prognostic factors of 1-year survival. Conclusion: With good sensitivity and independent prognostic value on 1-year survival, the G8 questionnaire is currently one of the best screening tools available to identify older cancer patients requiring geriatric assessment, and we believe it should be implemented broadly in daily practice. Continuous research efforts should be pursued to refine the selection process of older cancer patients before potentially life-threatening therapy