The First Eigenvalue of the Dirac Operator on Quaternionic Kaehler Manifolds

In a previous paper we proved a lower bound for the spectrum of the Dirac operator on quaternionic Kaehler manifolds. In the present article we show that the only manifolds in the limit case, i.e. the only manifolds where the lower bound is attained as an eigenvalue, are the quaternionic projective spaces. We use the equivalent formulation in terms of the quaternionic Killing equation and show that a nontrivial solution defines a parallel spinor on the associated hyperkaehler manifold.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX2e, fullpage styl

Nuclear Energy and its Alternatives

Irrespective of the type of primary energy considered, every large-scale use of primary energy has its specific disadvantages. The problem is therefore to select and combine the various types of primary energy in a way that is optimal in terms of economics and has acceptable side effects. In the medium term, coal is the only real alternative to nuclear energy, and in fact is its partner rather than a competitor. The large-scale use of solar energy opens up supra-regional perspectives such as the demand for land and the storage and transportation of energy. Secondary energy becomes a more important factor and hydrogen seems to be a better partner for solar energy than is electricity. The timely build-up of a modern secondary energy system is of importance for the longer-term energy supply requirements

Interfacial States in Donor–Acceptor Organic Heterojunctions: Computational Insights into Thiophene-Oligomer/Fullerene Junctions

Donor–acceptor heterojunctions composed of thiophene oligomers and C60 fullerene were investigated with computational methods. Benchmark calculations were performed with time-dependent density functional theory. The effects of varying the density functional, the number of oligomers, the intermolecular distance, the medium polarization, and the chemical functionalization of the monomers were analyzed. The results are presented in terms of diagrams where the electronic states are classified as locally excited states, charge-transfer states, and delocalized states. The effects of each option for computational simulations of realistic heterojunctions employed in photovoltaic devices are evaluated and discussed

Bias in the journal impact factor

The ISI journal impact factor (JIF) is based on a sample that may represent half the whole-of-life citations to some journals, but a small fraction (<10%) of the citations accruing to other journals. This disproportionate sampling means that the JIF provides a misleading indication of the true impact of journals, biased in favour of journals that have a rapid rather than a prolonged impact. Many journals exhibit a consistent pattern of citation accrual from year to year, so it may be possible to adjust the JIF to provide a more reliable indication of a journal's impact.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures; one reference correcte

Patients’ use of information about medicine side effects in relation to experiences of suspected adverse drug reactions

Background Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are common, and information about medicines is increasingly widely available to the public. However, relatively little work has explored how people use medicines information to help them assess symptoms that may be suspected ADRs. Objective Our objective was to determine how patients use patient information leaflets (PILs) or other medicines information sources and whether information use differs depending on experiences of suspected ADRs. Method This was a cross-sectional survey conducted in six National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in North West England involving medical in-patients taking at least two regular medicines prior to admission. The survey was administered via a questionnaire and covered use of the PIL and other medicines information sources, perceived knowledge about medicines risks/ADRs, experiences of suspected ADRs, plus demographic information. Results Of the 1,218 respondents to the survey, 18.8 % never read the PIL, whilst 6.5 % only do so if something unexpected happens. Educational level was related to perceived knowledge about medicines risks, but not to reading the PIL or seeking further information about medicines risks. Over half the respondents (56.0 %) never sought more information about possible side effects of medicines. A total of 57.2 % claimed they had experienced a suspected ADR. Of these 85.9 % were either very sure or fairly sure this was a reaction to a medicine. Over half of those experiencing a suspected ADR (53.8 %) had read the PIL, of whom 36.2 % did so before the suspected ADR occurred, the remainder afterwards. Reading the PIL helped 84.8 % of these respondents to decide they had experienced an ADR. Educational level, general knowledge of medicines risks and number of regular medicines used all increased the likelihood of experiencing an ADR. Conclusion More patients should be encouraged to read the PIL supplied with medicines. The results support the view that most patients feel knowledgeable about medicines risks and suspected ADRs and value information about side effects, but that reading about side effects in PILs or other medicines information sources does not lead to experiences of suspected ADRs