Biliteral Crossword

A crossword puzzle

Coexistence of Paramagnetic-Charge-Ordered and Ferromagnetic-Metallic Phases in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 evidenced by ESR

Throughout a complete Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and magnetization study of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3, we discuss about the nature of the complex phase-segregated state established in this compound below T~210 K. Between TN<T<TC, the ESR spectra shows two lines characteristic of two different magnetic phases. From the resonance field (Hr) derived for each line we argue that the incommensurate-charge-ordering phase (ICO) which coexists with ferromagnetic-metallic (FMM) clusters in this temperature interval, is mainly paramagnetic and not antiferromagnetic. The FMM/ICO ratio can be tuned with a relatively small field, which suggests that the internal energy associated with those phases is very similar. Below TN, there is an appreciable FM contribution to the magnetization and the ESR spectra indicates the presence of FM clusters in an antiferromagnetic matrix (canted). Our results show that ESR could be a very useful tool to investigate the nature of the phase-separated state now believed to play a fundamental role in the physics of mixed valent manganites.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Sulphur-bearing molecules in AGB stars I: The occurrence of hydrogen sulfide

Through a survey of (sub-)millimetre emission lines of various sulphur-bearing molecules, we aim to determine which molecules are the primary carriers of sulphur in different types of AGB stars. In this paper, the first in a series, we investigate the occurrence of H$_2$S in AGB circumstellar envelopes and determine its abundance, where possible. We have surveyed 20 AGB stars with a range of mass-loss rates and of different chemical types using the APEX telescope to search for rotational transition lines of five key sulphur-bearing molecules: CS, SiS, SO, SO$_2$ and H$_2$S. Here we present our results for H$_2$S, including detections, non-detections and detailed radiative transfer modelling of the detected lines. We compare results based on different descriptions of the molecular excitation of H$_2$S and different abundance distributions, including those derived from chemical modelling results. We detected H$_2$S towards five AGB stars, all of which have high mass-loss rates of $\dot{M}\geq 5\times 10^{-6}M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ and are oxygen-rich. H$_2$S was not detected towards the carbon or S-type stars that fall in a similar mass-loss range. For the stars in our sample with detections, we find peak o-H$_2$S abundances relative to H$_2$ between $4\times 10^{-7}$ and $2.5\times 10^{-5}$. Overall, we conclude that H$_2$S can play a significant role in oxygen-rich AGB stars with higher mass-loss rates, but is unlikely to play a key role in stars of other chemical types or the lower mass-loss rate oxygen-rich stars. For two sources, V1300 Aql and GX Mon, H$_2$S is most likely the dominant sulphur-bearing molecule in the circumstellar envelope.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted in A&

Mapping monthly rainfall data in Galicia (NW Spain) using inverse distances and geostatistical methods

In this paper, results from three different interpolation techniques based on Geostatistics (ordinary kriging, kriging with external drift and conditional simulation) and one deterministic method (inverse distances) for mapping total monthly rainfall are compared. The study data set comprised total monthly rainfall from 1998 till 2001 corresponding to a maximum of 121 meteorological stations irregularly distributed in the region of Galicia (NW Spain). Furthermore, a raster Geographic Information System (GIS) was used for spatial interpolation with a 500&times;500 m grid digital elevation model. Inverse distance technique was appropriate for a rapid estimation of the rainfall at the studied scale. In order to apply geostatistical interpolation techniques, a spatial dependence analysis was performed; rainfall spatial dependence was observed in 33 out of 48 months analysed, the rest of the rainfall data sets presented a random behaviour. Different values of the semivariogram parameters caused the smoothing in the maps obtained by ordinary kriging. Kriging with external drift results were according to former studies which showed the influence of topography. Conditional simulation is considered to give more realistic results; however, this consideration must be confirmed with new data

The Mycetoma Knowledge Gap: Identification of Research Priorities

Mycetoma is a tropical disease which is caused by a taxonomically diverse range of actinomycetes (actinomycetoma) and fungi (eumycetoma). The disease was only recently listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a neglected tropical disease (NTD). This recognition is the direct result of a meeting held in Geneva on February 1, 2013, in which experts on the disease from around the world met to identify the key research priorities needed to combat mycetoma. The areas that need to be addressed are highlighted here. The initial priority is to establish the incidence and prevalence of the disease in regions where mycetoma is endemic, prior to determining the primary reservoirs of the predominant causal agents and their mode of transmission to susceptible individuals in order to establish novel interventions that will reduce the impact of the disease on individuals, families, and communities. Critically, economical, reliable, and effective methods are required to achieve early diagnosis of infections and consequential improved therapeutic outcomes. Molecular techniques and serological assays were considered the most promising in the development of novel diagnostic tools to be used in endemic settings. Improved strategies for treating eumycetoma and actinomycetoma are also considered

Variational Calculation of the Effective Action

An indication of spontaneous symmetry breaking is found in the two-dimensional $\lambda\phi^4$ model, where attention is paid to the functional form of an effective action. An effective energy, which is an effective action for a static field, is obtained as a functional of the classical field from the ground state of the hamiltonian $H[J]$ interacting with a constant external field. The energy and wavefunction of the ground state are calculated in terms of DLCQ (Discretized Light-Cone Quantization) under antiperiodic boundary conditions. A field configuration that is physically meaningful is found as a solution of the quantum mechanical Euler-Lagrange equation in the $J\to 0$ limit. It is shown that there exists a nonzero field configuration in the broken phase of $Z_2$ symmetry because of a boundary effect.Comment: 26 pages, REVTeX, 7 postscript figures, typos corrected and two references adde

Tube Model for Light-Front QCD

We propose the tube model as a first step in solving the bound state problem in light-front QCD. In this approach we neglect transverse variations of the fields, producing a model with 1+1 dimensional dynamics. We then solve the two, three, and four particle sectors of the model for the case of pure glue SU(3). We study convergence to the continuum limit and various properties of the spectrum.Comment: 29 page

Gender-Related Differences in the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and their Correlates in Urban Tanzania.

\ud Urban areas in Africa suffer a serious problem with dual burden of infectious diseases and emerging chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes which pose a serious threat to population health and health care resources. However in East Africa, there is limited literature in this research area. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors and their correlates among adults in Temeke, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Results of this study will help inform future research and potential preventive and therapeutic interventions against such chronic diseases. The study design was a cross sectional epidemiological study. A total of 209 participants aged between 44 and 66 years were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics. Blood samples were collected and analyzed to measure lipid profile and fasting glucose levels. Cardiovascular risk factors were defined using World Health Organization criteria. The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity (BMI > or = 30) was 13% and 35%, among men and women (p = 0.0003), respectively. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 11% and 58% (p < 0.0001), and high WHR (men: >0.9, women: >0.85) was 51% and 73% (p = 0.002) for men and women respectively. Women had 4.3 times greater odds of obesity (95% CI: 1.9-10.1), 14.2-fold increased odds for abdominal adiposity (95% CI: 5.8-34.6), and 2.8 times greater odds of high waist-hip-ratio (95% CI: 1.4-5.7), compared to men. Women had more than three-fold greater odds of having metabolic syndrome (p = 0.001) compared to male counterparts, including abdominal obesity, low HDL-cholesterol, and high fasting blood glucose components. In contrast, female participants had 50% lower odds of having hypertension, compared to men (95%CI: 0.3-1.0). Among men, BMI and waist circumference were significantly correlated with blood pressure, triglycerides, total, LDL-, and HDL-cholesterol (BMI only), and fasting glucose; in contrast, only blood pressure was positively associated with BMI and waist circumference in women. The prevalence of CVD risk factors was high in this population, particularly among women. Health promotion, primary prevention, and health screening strategies are needed to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Tanzania.\u

The High Burden of Malaria in Primary School Children in Southern Malawi.

Malaria among school children has received increased attention recently, yet there remain few detailed data on the health and educational burden of malaria, especially in southern Africa. This paper reports a survey among school children in 50 schools in Zomba District, Malawi. Children were assessed for Plasmodium infection, anemia, and nutritional status and took a battery of age-appropriate tests of attention, literacy, and numeracy. Overall, 60.0% of children were infected with Plasmodium falciparum, 32.4% were anemic and 32.4% reported sleeping under a mosquito net the previous night. Patterns of P. falciparum infection and anemia varied markedly by school. In multivariable analysis, higher odds of P. falciparum infection were associated with younger age and being stunted, whereas lower odds were associated with reported net use, higher parental education, and socioeconomic status. The odds of anemia were significantly associated with P. falciparum infection, with a dose-response relationship between density of infection and odds of anemia. No clear relationship was observed between health status and cognitive and educational outcomes. The high burden of malaria highlights the need to tackle malaria among school children

Нарративное интервью в исследовании катамнеза внутренней картины болезни при шизофрении (клинико-психологический аспект)

Представлены особенности проведения клинического нарративного интервью как значимого метода в психодиагностике внутренней картины болезни (ВКБ) в катамнезе у больных шизофренией. Проведено комплексное психоанамнестическое, психодиагностическое, патоперсонологическое обследование больных параноидной шизофренией. Сформулированы стратегии и тактики проведения нарративного интервью с целью выявления особенностей их ВКБ.Наведено особливості проведення клінічного наративного інтерв'ю як визначального методу в психодіагностиці внутрішньої картини хвороби (ВКХ) у катамнезі у хворих на шизофренію. Проведено комплексне психоанамнестичне, психодіагностичне, патоперсонологічне обстеження хворих на параноїдну шизофренію. Сформульовано стратегії і тактики проведення наративного інтерв'ю з метою виявлення особливостей їх ВКХ.The peculiarities of clinical narrative interview as a significant method in psychodagnosis of the disease inner picture (DIP) in the history of patients with schizophrenia are presented. Complex psychoanamnestic, psychodiagnostic, pathopersonological investigation of patients with paranoid schizophrenia was performed. The strategies and tactics of narrative interview with the purpose to reveal DIP peculiarities were formulated