812 research outputs found
Determinants of Inter-Country Internet Diffusion Rates
This paper employs cross-sectional data from 100 countries to analyze the main determinants of inter-country Internet diffusion rates. We set up an empirical model based on strong theoretical foundations, in which we regress Internet usage on variables that capture social, economic and political differences between these countries. Our results support past findings that economic strength, infrastructure and knowledge of the English language positively affect Internet connectivity. In addition to these indicators, the openness of a country, tertiary enrollment, and income equality are found to also have a significant positive effect on Internet diffusion.internet, technological diffusion, inequality, education, English proficiency
Magnetic defects promote ferromagnetism in Zn1-xCoxO
Experimental studies of Zn1-xCoxO as thin films or nanocrystals have found
ferromagnetism and Curie temperatures above room temperature and that p- or
n-type doping of Zn1-xCoxO can change its magnetic state. Bulk Zn1-xCoxO with a
low defect density and x in the range used in experimental thin film studies
exhibits ferromagnetism only at very low temperatures. Therefore defects in
thin film samples or nanocrystals may play an important role in promoting
magnetic interactions between Co ions in Zn1-xCoxO. The electronic structures
of Co substituted for Zn in ZnO, Zn and O vacancies, substituted N and
interstitial Zn in ZnO were calculated using the B3LYP hybrid density
functional in a supercell. The B3LYP functional predicts a band gap of 3.34 eV
for bulk ZnO, close to the experimental value of 3.47 eV. Occupied minority
spin Co 3d levels are at the top of the valence band and unoccupied levels lie
above the conduction band minimum. Majority spin Co 3d levels hybridize
strongly with bulk ZnO states. The neutral O vacancy and interstitial Zn are
deep and shallow donors, respectively. The Zn vacancy is a deep acceptor and
the acceptor level for substituted N is at mid gap. The possibility that p- or
n-type dopants promote exchange coupling of Co ions was investigated by
computing total energies of magnetic states of ZnO supercells containing two Co
ions and an oxygen vacancy, substituted N or interstitial Zn in various charge
states. The neutral N defect and the singly-positively charged O vacancy are
the only defects which strongly promote ferromagnetic exchange coupling of Co
ions at intermediate range.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figure
Day-night high resolution infrared radiometer employing two-stage radiant cooling. Part 1 - Two-stage radiant cooler Final report
Design, thermal analysis, testing, and breadboard integration of two-stage radiant cooler for high resolution radiomete
Direct Microlensing-Reverberation Observations of the Intrinsic magnetic Structure of AGN in Different Spectral States: A Tale of Two Quasars
We show how direct microlensing-reverberation analysis performed on two
well-known Quasars (Q2237 - The Einstein Cross and Q0957 - The Twin) can be
used to observe the inner structure of two quasars which are in significantly
different spectral states. These observations allow us to measure the detailed
internal structure of quasar Q2237 in a radio quiet high-soft state, and
compare it to quasar Q0957 in a radio loud low-hard state. We find that the
observed differences in the spectral states of these two quasars can be
understood as being due to the location of the inner radii of their accretion
disks relative to the co-rotation radii of rotating intrinsically magnetic
supermassive compact objects in the centers of these quasars.Comment: 26 page manuscript with 2 tables and 2 figures, submitted to
Astronomical Journa
Generation of optimal trajectories for Earth hybrid pole sitters
A pole-sitter orbit is a closed path that is constantly above one of the Earth's poles, by means of continuous low thrust. This work proposes to hybridize solar sail propulsion and solar electric propulsion (SEP) on the same spacecraft, to enable such a pole-sitter orbit. Locally-optimal control laws are found with a semi-analytical inverse method, starting from a trajectory that satisfies the pole-sitter condition in the Sun-Earth circular restricted three-body problem. These solutions are subsequently used as first guess to find optimal orbits, using a direct method based on pseudospectral transcription. The orbital dynamics of both the pure SEP case and the hybrid case are investigated and compared. It is found that the hybrid spacecraft allows savings on propellant mass fraction. Finally, it is shown that for sufficiently long missions, a hybrid pole-sitter, based on mid-term technology, enables a consistent reduction in the launch mass for a given payload, with respect to a pure SEP spacecraft
The more the better? An appraisal of combination therapies for actinic keratosis
Actinic keratoses (AK) are common precancerous lesions of the skin. Numerous interventions exist for the treatment of AK, including lesion‐ and field‐directed approaches. In daily practice, different treatment modalities are often combined to maximize clearance rates. However, whether a combination therapy is preferable to monotherapy in terms of efficacy and safety has been subject of intense debate. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the efficacy and safety of local combination therapies for the treatment of patients with AK. Combination approaches of cryosurgery followed by photodynamic therapy (PDT), laser‐assisted PDT, PDT in combination with topical interventions and microneedling‐assisted PDT have shown slightly better efficacy results with similar tolerability compared to the respective monotherapy. However, the individual usage of combination therapies should be checked on a case‐by‐case basis and take into account individual patient‐ and lesion‐specific aspects as more resources are needed and because the individual monotherapies are already highly effective
Accuracy of Cancer Information on the Internet: A Comparison of a Wiki with a Professionally Maintained Database
Background: A Wiki is a website which can be directly, openly edited; Wikipedia, a collaborative encyclopedia, is a well-known example. Due to Wiki’s lack of editorial control and formal structure, we hypothesized that the content would be less complete and less accurate than that presented on a formal, peer-reviewed web site. Our goal was to compare the coverage, accuracy, and readability of cancer information from a Wiki (Wikipedia) with a peer-reviewed web site, the patientoriented National Cancer Institute’s Physician Data Query (PDQ) comprehensive cancer database.
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 46th Annual Meeting June 4-8, Chicago, IL
Quantum Information Paradox: Real or Fictitious?
One of the outstanding puzzles of theoretical physics is whether quantum
information indeed gets lost in the case of Black Hole (BH) evaporation or
accretion. Let us recall that Quantum Mechanics (QM) demands an upper limit on
the acceleration of a test particle. On the other hand, it is pointed out here
that, if a Schwarzschild BH would exist, the acceleration of the test particle
would blow up at the event horizon in violation of QM. Thus the concept of an
exact BH is in contradiction of QM and quantum gravity (QG). It is also
reminded that the mass of a BH actually appears as an INTEGRATION CONSTANT of
Einstein equations. And it has been shown that the value of this integration
constant is actually zero. Thus even classically, there cannot be finite mass
BHs though zero mass BH is allowed. It has been further shown that during
continued gravitational collapse, radiation emanating from the contracting
object gets trapped within it by the runaway gravitational field. As a
consequence, the contracting body attains a quasi-static state where outward
trapped radiation pressure gets balanced by inward gravitational pull and the
ideal classical BH state is never formed in a finite proper time. In other
words, continued gravitational collapse results in an "Eternally Collapsing
Object" which is a ball of hot plasma and which is asymptotically approaching
the true BH state with M=0 after radiating away its entire mass energy. And if
we include QM, this contraction must halt at a radius suggested by highest QM
acceleration. In any case no EH is ever formed and in reality, there is no
quantum information paradox.Comment: 8 pages in Pramana Style, 6 in Revtex styl
Effects of dalcetrapib in patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome
In observational analyses, higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol have been associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease events. However, whether raising HDL cholesterol levels therapeutically reduces cardiovascular risk remains uncertain. Inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) raises HDL cholesterol levels and might therefore improve cardiovascular outcomes
Exploring patterns of recurrent melanoma in Northeast Scotland to inform the introduction a digital self-examination intervention
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
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