Exciton lifetime and emission polarization dispersion in strongly in-plane asymmetric nanostructures

We present experimental and theoretical investigation of exciton recombination dynamics and the related polarization of emission in highly in-plane asymmetric nanostructures. Considering general asymmetry- and size-driven effects, we illustrate them with a detailed analysis of InAs/AlGaInAs/InP elongated quantum dots. These offer a widely varied confinement characteristics tuned by size and geometry that are tailored during the growth process, which leads to emission in the application-relevant spectral range of 1.25-1.65 {\mu}m. By exploring the interplay of the very shallow hole confining potential and widely varying structural asymmetry, we show that a transition from the strong through intermediate to even weak confinement regime is possible in nanostructures of this kind. This has a significant impact on exciton recombination dynamics and the polarization of emission, which are shown to depend not only on details of the calculated excitonic states but also on excitation conditions in the photoluminescence experiments. We estimate the impact of the latter and propose a way to determine the intrinsic polarization-dependent exciton light-matter coupling based on kinetic characteristics.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure

Pathogenicity of Botryosphaeria species isolated from declining grapevines in sub tropical regions of Eastern Australia

From 2002 to 2004, vines from 11 vineyards in the Hunter Valley region and from 4 vineyards in Mudgee (New South Wales, Australia) were inspected for foliar and wood symptoms of Eutypa dieback and Botryosphaeria canker. Eutypa lata was not isolated, however species of Botryosphaeria were frequently isolated from dead and declining spurs, cordons and trunks. Two species conforming to the anamorphs of Diplodia and Fusicoccum were isolated. Cultures on PDA producing a yellow pigment, and hyaline aseptate conidia (14-23.5 x 8-13 μm in size) were identified as B. lutea. Cultures with dark brown, 1-septate, ornamented conidia (15-25 x 8-14 μm in size) at maturity were identified as B. obtusa. Pathogenicity tests were conducted on detached green shoots, detached one-year-old canes and glasshouse-grown grapevines. In all situations, disease symptoms were reproduced and Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. The results demonstrate the potential of B. obtusa and B. lutea as primary pathogens of Vitis vinifera.

Addressing health inequities for same sex attracted women in New South Wales, Australia, who use drugs

ACON’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Program provides a Needle Syringe Program, peerbased harm reduction programs, drug education targeted at members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, and counselling services. The Lesbian Health Project works with lesbians and other same-sex attracted (SSA) women to improve their health and wellbeing through health promotion, peer education and community development programs as well as providing capacity development for mainstream service providers. In Australia, LGBT people have considerably higher rates of drug use than the general population. While there is considerable funding support from Australian state and federal governments for education interventions that address gay men’s drug use, it has been more difficult to address the needs of lesbians and other SSA women. Efforts to address lesbian health needs are hampered by lack of research, poor understanding of the issues by potential funding bodies, and the lack of a single defining health issue (such as HIV among gay men) around which to focus advocacy efforts. Equally problematic is the absence of consideration given to lesbians and SSA women in any Australian national and state health policies. In response to the consistently low uptake of both harm reduction and treatment services by SSA women, ACON has successfully advocated with a major funder of our drug and alcohol work to re-allocate some existing funding to produce SSAwomen specific drug resources, in the interests of equity. This project (currently under development) seeks to engage with networks of SSA women who use drugs and who do not normally access ACON’s drugs and alcohol services, to produce resources that ‘speak to’ their issue

The Detection of a 3.5-h Period in the Classical Nova Velorum 1999 (V382 Vel) and the Long Term Behavior of the Nova Light Curve

We present CCD photometry, light curve and time series analysis of the classical nova V382 Vel (N Vel 1999). The source was observed for 2 nights in 2000, 21 nights in 2001 and 7 nights in 2002 using clear filters. We report the detection of a distinct period in the light curve of the nova P=0.146126(18) d (3.5 h). The period is evident in all data sets, and we interpret it as the binary period of the system. We also measured an increase in the amplitude modulation of the optical light (in magnitude) by more than 55% from 2000 to 2001 and about 64% from 2001 to 2002. The pulse profiles in 2001 show deviations from a pure sinusoidal shape which progressively become more sinusoidal by 2002. The main cause of the variations in 2001 and 2002 can be explained with the occultation of the accretion disk by the secondary star. We interpret the observed deviations from a pure sinusoidal shape as additional flux resulting from the aspect variations of the irradiated face of the secondary star.Comment: 16 pages and 4 figures, accepted as it stands to be published in the Astronomical Journal (AJ

Geriatric pharmacotherapy : optimisation through integrated approach in the hospital setting

Since older patients are more vulnerable to adverse drug-related events, there is a need to ensure appropriate prescribing in these patients in order to prevent misuse, overuse and underuse of drugs. Different tools and strategies have been developed to reduce inappropriate prescribing; the available measures can be divided into medication assessment tools, and specific interventions to reduce inappropriate prescribing. Implicit criteria of inappropriate prescribing focus on appropriate dosing, search for drug-drug interactions, and increase adherence. Explicit criteria are consensus-based standards focusing on drugs and diseases and include lists of drugs to avoid in general or lists combining drugs with clinical data. These criteria take into consideration differences between patients, and stand for a medication review, by using a systematic approach. Different types of interventions exist in order to reduce inappropriate prescribing in older patients, such as: educational interventions, computerized decision support systems, pharmacist-based interventions, and geriatric assessment. The effects of these interventions have been studied, sometimes in a multifaceted approach combining different techniques, and all types seem to have positive effects on appropriateness of prescribing. Interdisciplinary teamwork within the integrative pharmaceutical care is important for improving of outcomes and safety of drug therapy. The pharmaceutical care process consists offour steps, which are cyclic for an individual patient. These steps are pharmaceutical anamnesis, medication review, design and follow-up of a pharmaceutical care plan. A standardized approach is necessary for the adequate detection and evaluation of drug-related problems. Furthermore, it is clear that drug therapy should be reviewed in-depth, by having full access to medical records, laboratory values and nursing notes. Although clinical pharmacists perform the pharmaceutical care process to manage the patient’s drug therapy in every day clinical practice, the physician takes the ultimate responsibility for the care of the patient in close collaboration with nurses

Impact of sleep duration and chronotype on cardiac structure and function: the UK Biobank study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep duration and chronotype have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We assessed for associations between sleep duration and chronotype on cardiac structure and function. METHODS: UK Biobank participants with CMR data and without known cardiovascular disease were included. Self-reported sleep duration was categorized as short (9 hours/day). Self-reported chronotype was categories as 'definitely morning' or 'definitely evening'. RESULTS: Analysis included 3,903 middle-aged adults: 929 short, 2,924 normal and 50 long sleepers; with 966 definitely-morning and 355 definitely-evening chronotypes. Long sleep was independently associated with lower left ventricular (LV) mass (-4.8, p=0.035), left atrial maximum volume (-8.1%, p=0.041) and right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume (-4.8%, p=0.038) compared to those with normal sleep duration. Evening chronotype was independently associated with lower LV end-diastolic volume (-2.4%, p=0.021), RV end-diastolic volume (-3.6%, p=0.0006), RV end systolic volume (-5.1%, p=0.0009), RV stroke volume (RVSV -2.7%, p=0.033), right atrial maximal volume (-4.3%, p=0.011) and emptying fraction (+1.3%, p=0.047) compared to morning chronotype. Sex interactions existed for sleep duration and chronotype and age interaction for chronotype even after considering potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Longer sleep duration was independently associated with smaller LV mass, left atrial volume and RV volume. Evening chronotype was independently associated with smaller LV and RV and reduced RV function compared to morning chronotype. Sex interactions exist with cardiac remodeling most evident in males with long sleep duration and evening chronotype. Recommendations for sleep chronotype and duration may need to be individualized based on sex

Children with lesbian parents: A community study

Existing research on children with lesbian parents is limited by reliance on volunteer or convenience samples. The present study examined the quality of parent-child relationships and the socio-emotional and gender development of a community sample of 7-year-old children with lesbian parents. Families were recruited through the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a geographic population study of 14,000 mothers and their children. Thirty-nine lesbian-mother families, 74 two-parent heterosexual families, and 60 families headed by single heterosexual mothers were compared on standardized interview and questionnaire measures administered to mothers, co-mothers/fathers, children, and teachers. Findings are in line with those of earlier investigations showing positive mother-child relationships and well-adjusted children