Kesselberg te Leuven/Holsbeek (Leuven en Holsbeek, provincie Vlaams-Brabant). Studieopdracht naar een archeologische evaluatie en waardering

In opdracht van het agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed evalueerde Condor Archaeological Research bvba tussen januari 2012 en februari 2013 de archeologische site van de Kesselberg te Leuven en Holsbeek (prov. Vlaams-Brabant) in functie van de mogelijke opmaak van een archeologisch beschermingsdossier. Door de jarenlange prospecties van A. Boschmans en de opgravingen in 1959 door J. Mertens (Nationale Dienst voor Opgravingen) stond de Kesselberg reeds lang bekend als een archeologisch waardevolle zone met o.a. de aanwezigheid van een versterking uit de ijzertijd, verschillende oudere vondsten en de mogelijke aanwezigheid van kasteel Kesselstein, dat teruggaat tot de 11e eeuw. Vandaag bestaat het gebied van circa 20 ha voornamelijk uit bos met hier en daar een stuk open weiland. Enkele percelen zijn bebouwd. In het voorliggend rapport worden de resultaten van de studieopdracht beschreven. Tussen het begin van de 20e eeuw en het midden van de jaren 70 is meer dan anderhalve hectare van de Kesselberg weggegraven. Met dank aan Boschmans zijn er rijke archeologische gegevens bekend over het afgegraven gedeelte, maar zeer veel relicten zijn zeker ook ongedocumenteerd verdwenen. Tot in het midden van de jaren 70 liep over de Kesselberg een groot en intens gebruikt motorcross parcours. Veldwaarnemingen en geofysisch onderzoek brachten de resten van die diepe verstoringen aan het licht en ook van oudere gebouwen. Volgens het proefsleuvenonderzoek, waarbij verschillende grondsporen zijn vastgesteld, hadden deze verstoringen en de natuurlijke erosie in sommige zones al bij al toch nog betrekkelijk weinig impact. Grote delen van het terrein bleken nog onverstoord of zwak verstoord. In dit gebied is dus zeker nog heel wat informatie aanwezig die beter inzicht kan geven over de voormalige nederzetting(en). De studie beveelt aan deze resten te beschermen zodat verdere degradatie van de archeologische waarden wordt tegengegaan

Intercalation-enhanced electric polarization and chain formation of nano-layered particles

Microscopy observations show that suspensions of synthetic and natural nano-layered smectite clay particles submitted to a strong external electric field undergo a fast and extended structuring. This structuring results from the interaction between induced electric dipoles, and is only possible for particles with suitable polarization properties. Smectite clay colloids are observed to be particularly suitable, in contrast to similar suspensions of a non-swelling clay. Synchrotron X-ray scattering experiments provide the orientation distributions for the particles. These distributions are understood in terms of competing (i) homogenizing entropy and (ii) interaction between the particles and the local electric field; they show that clay particles polarize along their silica sheet. Furthermore, a change in the platelet separation inside nano-layered particles occurs under application of the electric field, indicating that intercalated ions and water molecules play a role in their electric polarization. The resulting induced dipole is structurally attached to the particle, and this causes particles to reorient and interact, resulting in the observed macroscopic structuring. The macroscopic properties of these electro-rheological smectite suspensions may be tuned by controlling the nature and quantity of the intercalated species, at the nanoscale.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Adsorption of CO on a Platinum (111) surface - a study within a four-component relativistic density functional approach

We report on results of a theoretical study of the adsorption process of a single carbon oxide molecule on a Platinum (111) surface. A four-component relativistic density functional method was applied to account for a proper description of the strong relativistic effects. A limited number of atoms in the framework of a cluster approach is used to describe the surface. Different adsorption sites are investigated. We found that CO is preferably adsorbed at the top position.Comment: 23 Pages with 4 figure

Branching ratio change in K- absorption at rest and the nature of the Lambda(1405)

We investigate in-medium corrections to the branching ratio in K- absorption at rest and their effect on the (positively and negatively) charged pion spectrum. The in-medium corrections are due to Pauli blocking, which arises if the Lambda(1405) is assumed to be a $\bar{K}$-nucleon bound state and leads to a density and momentum dependent mass shift of the Lambda(1405). Requiring that the optical potential as well as the branching ratio are derived from the same elementary T-matrix, we find that the in-medium corrected, density dependent T-matrix gives a better description of the K- absorption reaction than the free, density-independent one. This result suggests that the dominant component of the Lambda(1405) wave function is the $\bar{K}N$ bound state.Comment: 8 Pages, Revtex with epsf, and embedded 8 ps figure

Isatuximab plus carfilzomib and dexamethasone in relapsed multiple myeloma patients with high-risk cytogenetics: IKEMA subgroup analysis

Introduction: The presence of high-risk chromosomal abnormalities [t(4;14), del(17p), and t(14;16)] has been linked with inferior outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). A prespecified interim analysis of the Phase 3 IKEMA study (NCT03275285) demonstrated that isatuximab (Isa) + carfilzomib (K) and dexamethasone (d; Isa-Kd) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus Kd in patients with relapsed MM. This prespecified subgroup analysis of IKEMA examined efficacy and safety in patients with high-risk cytogenetics. Methods: High-risk cytogenetics was assessed by central laboratory and patients were classified as high risk if abnormalities were present in ≥1 of the following: del(17p): 50% cutoff; t(4;14), and/or t(14;16): 30% cutoff. Results: Of the randomized patients, 23.5% (Isa-Kd) and 25.2% (Kd) had ≥1 high-risk chromosomal abnormality. A PFS benefit was seen in favor of Isa-Kd for patients with standard-risk (HR 0.440; 95% CI 0.266–0.728) and high-risk cytogenetics (HR 0.724; 95% CI 0.361–1.451). Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were more common with Isa-Kd (85.7%) versus Kd (63.3%) in patients with high-risk cytogenetics; however, the incidence of serious TEAEs (64.3% vs. 66.7%) was similar. Conclusions: Isa-Kd is a new treatment option for the difficult-to-treat subgroup of patients with relapsed MM and high-risk cytogenetics

The A(Kstop−,π±Σ∓)A′A(K^-_{stop},\pi^\pm\Sigma^\mp)A' reaction on p-shell nuclei

This letter is concerned with the study of the $K^-_{stop}A\rightarrow \pi^\pm\Sigma^\mp A'$ reaction in p-shell nuclei, i.e., $^{6,7}Li$, $^9Be$, $^{13}C$ and $^{16}O$. The $\pi^\pm\Sigma^\mp / K^-_{stop}$ emission rates are reported as a function of $A$. These rates are discussed in comparison with previous findings. The ratio $\pi^-\Sigma^+/\pi^+\Sigma^-$ in p-shell nuclei is found to depart largely from that on hydrogen, which provides support for large in-medium effects possibly generated by the sub-threshold $\Lambda(1405)$. The continuum momentum spectra of prompt pions and free sigmas are also discussed as well as the $\pi^\pm\Sigma^\mp$ missing mass behavior and the link with the reaction mechanism. The apparatus used for the investigation is the FINUDA spectrometer operating at the DA$\Phi$NE $\phi$-factory (LNF-INFN, Italy).Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.

Vibrational Excitations in Weakly Coupled Single-Molecule Junctions: A Computational Analysis

In bulk systems, molecules are routinely identified by their vibrational spectrum using Raman or infrared spectroscopy. In recent years, vibrational excitation lines have been observed in low-temperature conductance measurements on single molecule junctions and they can provide a similar means of identification. We present a method to efficiently calculate these excitation lines in weakly coupled, gateable single-molecule junctions, using a combination of ab initio density functional theory and rate equations. Our method takes transitions from excited to excited vibrational state into account by evaluating the Franck-Condon factors for an arbitrary number of vibrational quanta, and is therefore able to predict qualitatively different behaviour from calculations limited to transitions from ground state to excited vibrational state. We find that the vibrational spectrum is sensitive to the molecular contact geometry and the charge state, and that it is generally necessary to take more than one vibrational quantum into account. Quantitative comparison to previously reported measurements on pi-conjugated molecules reveals that our method is able to characterize the vibrational excitations and can be used to identify single molecules in a junction. The method is computationally feasible on commodity hardware.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Whole breast and regional nodal irradiation in prone versus supine position in left sided breast cancer

Background: Prone whole breast irradiation (WBI) leads to reduced heart and lung doses in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy. In this feasibility trial, we investigated the prone position for whole breast + lymph node irradiation (WB + LNI). Methods: A new support device was developed for optimal target coverage, on which patients are positioned in a position resembling a phase from the crawl swimming technique (prone crawl position). Five left sided breast cancer patients were included and simulated in supine and prone position. For each patient, a treatment plan was made in prone and supine position for WB + LNI to the whole axilla and the unoperated part of the axilla. Patients served as their own controls for comparing dosimetry of target volumes and organs at risk (OAR) in prone versus in supine position. Results: Target volume coverage differed only slightly between prone and supine position. Doses were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in prone position for ipsilateral lung (Dmean, D2, V5, V10, V20, V30), contralateral lung (Dmean, D2), contralateral breast (Dmean, D2 and for total axillary WB + LNI also V5), thyroid (Dmean, D2, V5, V10, V20, V30), oesophagus (Dmean and for partial axillary WB + LNI also D2 and V5), skin (D2 and for partial axillary WB + LNI V105 and V107). There were no significant differences for heart and humeral head doses. Conclusions: Prone crawl position in WB + LNI allows for good breast and nodal target coverage with better sparing of ipsilateral lung, thyroid, contralateral breast, contralateral lung and oesophagus when compared to supine position. There is no difference in heart and humeral head doses