An explicit form of the Mie phase matrix for multiple scattering calculations in the I, Q, U, and V representation

An explicit expression is obtained for the phase matrix in the I, Q, U, and V Stokes vector representation for a system containing a polydispersion of spherical particles. All of the symmetry relations derived by Hovenier using general arguments are established explicitly. Convenient algorithms are given for the computation of the phase matrix for a spherical polydispersion. Since this theory is so vitally important in radiative transfer, many researchers will need to compute these functions for realistic aerosols distributions. Therefore, results are presented for a haze L distribution so that other researchers will have a way of checking their programs which compute these quantities

The Rise of Cohabitation in the Southern Cone

This chapter analyses the increase in cohabitation in the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and attempts to determine the extent to which consensual unions and marriages have similar traits or differ in the context of the cohabitation boom (Esteve et al. 2012). The first section of the chapter reviews the historical context of cohabitation in the Southern Cone. The second section uses census and survey data to analyse the trends in conjugal union formation in the three countries during the last 40 years. We analyse the patterns of both childbearing and union formation, as well as the differences between marriage and cohabitation based on educational attainment, labour market participation and household structure. The purpose of this analysis is to better understand whether the behaviour of married and cohabiting women with different characteristics are converging or diverging over time and tentatively, whether more egalitarian gender relationships are emerging in both types of conjugal unions

Does self-monitoring reduce blood pressure? Meta-analysis with meta-regression of randomized controlled trials

Introduction. Self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) is an increasingly common part of hypertension management. The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate the systolic and diastolic BP reduction, and achievement of target BP, associated with self-monitoring. Methods. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, database of abstracts of clinical effectiveness, the health technology assessment database, the NHS economic evaluation database, and the TRIP database were searched for studies where the intervention included self-monitoring of BP and the outcome was change in office/ambulatory BP or proportion with controlled BP. Two reviewers independently extracted data. Meta-analysis using a random effects model was combined with meta-regression to investigate heterogeneity in effect sizes. Results. A total of 25 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (27 comparisons) were identified. Office systolic BP (20 RCTs, 21 comparisons, 5,898 patients) and diastolic BP (23 RCTs, 25 comparisons, 6,038 patients) were significantly reduced in those who self-monitored compared to usual care (weighted mean difference (WMD) systolic −3.82 mmHg (95% confidence interval −5.61 to −2.03), diastolic −1.45 mmHg (−1.95 to −0.94)). Self-monitoring increased the chance of meeting office BP targets (12 RCTs, 13 comparisons, 2,260 patients, relative risk = 1.09 (1.02 to 1.16)). There was significant heterogeneity between studies for all three comparisons, which could be partially accounted for by the use of additional co-interventions. Conclusion. Self-monitoring reduces blood pressure by a small but significant amount. Meta-regression could only account for part of the observed heterogeneity

Lifespan extension and the doctrine of double effect

Recent developments in biogerontology—the study of the biology of ageing—suggest that it may eventually be possible to intervene in the human ageing process. This, in turn, offers the prospect of significantly postponing the onset of age-related diseases. The biogerontological project, however, has met with strong resistance, especially by deontologists. They consider the act of intervening in the ageing process impermissible on the grounds that it would (most probably) bring about an extended maximum lifespan—a state of affairs that they deem intrinsically bad. In a bid to convince their deontological opponents of the permissibility of this act, proponents of biogerontology invoke an argument which is grounded in the doctrine of double effect. Surprisingly, their argument, which we refer to as the ‘double effect argument’, has gone unnoticed. This article exposes and critically evaluates this ‘double effect argument’. To this end, we first review a series of excerpts from the ethical debate on biogerontology in order to substantiate the presence of double effect reasoning. Next, we attempt to determine the role that the ‘double effect argument’ is meant to fulfil within this debate. Finally, we assess whether the act of intervening in ageing actually can be justified using double effect reasoning

Chiral two-pion exchange and proton-proton partial-wave analysis

The chiral two-pion exchange component of the long-range pp interaction is studied in an energy-dependent partial-wave analysis. We demonstrate its presence and importance, and determine the chiral parameters c_i (i=1,3,4). The values agree well with those obtained from pion-nucleon amplitudes.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

Soft-core hyperon-nucleon potentials

A new Nijmegen soft-core OBE potential model is presented for the low-energy YN interactions. Besides the results for the fit to the scattering data, which largely defines the model, we also present some applications to hypernuclear systems using the G-matrix method. An important innovation with respect to the original soft-core potential is the assignment of the cut-off masses for the baryon-baryon-meson (BBM) vertices in accordance with broken SU(3)$_F$, which serves to connect the NN and the YN channels. As a novel feature, we allow for medium strong breaking of the coupling constants, using the $^3P_0$ model with a Gell-Mann--Okubo hypercharge breaking for the BBM coupling. We present six hyperon-nucleon potentials which describe the available YN cross section data equally well, but which exhibit some differences on a more detailed level. The differences are constructed such that the models encompass a range of scattering lengths in the $\Sigma N$ and $\Lambda N$ channels. For the scalar-meson mixing angle we obtained values $\theta_S=37$ to 40 degrees, which points to almost ideal mixing angles for the scalar $q\bar{q}$ states. The G-matrix results indicate that the remarkably different spin-spin terms of the six potentials appear specifically in the energy spectra of $\Lambda$ hypernuclei.Comment: 37 pages, 4 figure

Fertility, Living Arrangements, Care and Mobility

There are four main interconnecting themes around which the contributions in this book are based. This introductory chapter aims to establish the broad context for the chapters that follow by discussing each of the themes. It does so by setting these themes within the overarching demographic challenge of the twenty-first century – demographic ageing. Each chapter is introduced in the context of the specific theme to which it primarily relates and there is a summary of the data sets used by the contributors to illustrate the wide range of cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysed

On the barrier properties of the cornea: a microscopy study of the penetration of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles, polymers, and sodium fluorescein

Overcoming the natural defensive barrier functions of the eye remains one of the greatest challenges of ocular drug delivery. Cornea is a chemical and mechanical barrier preventing the passage of any foreign bodies including drugs into the eye, but the factors limiting penetration of permeants and nanoparticulate drug delivery systems through the cornea are still not fully understood. In this study, we investigate these barrier properties of the cornea using thiolated and PEGylated (750 and 5000 Da) nanoparticles, sodium fluorescein, and two linear polymers (dextran and polyethylene glycol). Experiments used intact bovine cornea in addition to bovine cornea de-epithelialized or tissues pretreated with cyclodextrin. It was shown that corneal epithelium is the major barrier for permeation; pretreatment of the cornea with β-cyclodextrin provides higher permeation of low molecular weight compounds, such as sodium fluorescein, but does not enhance penetration of nanoparticles and larger molecules. Studying penetration of thiolated and PEGylated (750 and 5000 Da) nanoparticles into the de-epithelialized ocular tissue revealed that interactions between corneal surface and thiol groups of nanoparticles were more significant determinants of penetration than particle size (for the sizes used here). PEGylation with polyethylene glycol of a higher molecular weight (5000 Da) allows penetration of nanoparticles into the stroma, which proceeds gradually, after an initial 1 h lag phase

Citizens Show Strong Support for Climate Policy, But Are They Also Willing to Pay?

To what extent citizens are willing not only to support ambitious climate policy, but also willing to pay for such policy remains subject to debate. Our analysis addresses three issues in this regard: whether, as is widely assumed but not empirically established, willingness to support (WTS) is higher than willingness to pay (WTP); whether the determinants of the two are similar; and what accounts for within-subject similarity between WTS and WTP. We address these issues based on data from an original nationally representative survey (N=2500) on forest conservation in Brazil, arguably the key climate policy issue in the country. The findings reveal that WTP is much lower than WTS. The determinants differ to some extent as well; regarding the effects of age, gender, and trust in government. The analysis also provides insights into factors influencing how much WTS and WTP line up within individuals, with respect to age, education, political ideology, salience of the deforestation issue, and trust in government. Our findings provide a more nuanced picture of how strong public support for climate change policy is, and a starting point for more targeted climate policy communication