Pan-European backcasting exercise, enriched with regional perspective, and including a list of short-term policy options

This deliverable reports on the results of the third and final pan-European stakeholder meeting and secondly, on the enrichment with a Pilot Area and regional perspective. The main emphasis is on backcasting as a means to arrive at long-term strategies and short-term (policy) actions

Enhancement of quasiparticle recombination in Ta and Al superconductors by implantation of magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms

The quasiparticle recombination time in superconducting films, consisting of the standard electron-phonon interaction and a yet to be identified low temperature process, is studied for different densities of magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms. For both Ta and Al, implanted with Mn, Ta and Al, we observe an increase of the recombination rate. We conclude that the enhancement of recombination is not due to the magnetic moment, but arises from an enhancement of disorder.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Hypothermic in situ perfusion of the porcine liver using Celsior or Ringer-lactate solution

BACKGROUND: Hypothermic perfusion (HP) of the liver is applied during total vascular exclusion (TVE) to reduce ischemic injury during liver resection. No studies have been performed comparing different perfusion solutions for HP. The aim of this experimental study was to compare Ringer-lactate solution (RL) with Celsior solution (Cs) for HP in a pig model of 60-min TVE. METHOD: Twenty pigs underwent 60-min TVE of the liver. Groups were TVE without HP (no-HP, n = 9), TVE with HP using RL (n = 6), and TVE with HP using Cs (n = 5). Blood and liver tissue samples were taken before TVE and during 24-h reperfusion. RESULTS: In the no-HP group, plasma aspartate aminotransferase values were significantly increased during reperfusion (p <0.05), while liver tissue pO(2) levels (p <0.01) were decreased when compared to the HP groups. After 24-h reperfusion, bile production and liver tissue glutathione content were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the Cs group (42.0 +/- 1.7 mL/h and 44.9 +/- 2.2 nmol/mg, respectively) as compared to the RL group (31.5 +/- 3.5 mL/h and 19.6 +/- 1.8 nmol/mg, respectively). CONCLUSION: The protective effect of HP during TVE was confirmed in this study. HP with Cs was more effective in reducing ischemic injury as compared to HP with R

Patient's thoughts and expectations about centres of expertise for PKU

Background: In the Netherlands (NL) the government assigned 2 hospitals as centres of expertise (CE) for Phenylketonuria (PKU), while in the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany no centres are assigned specifically as PKU CE's. Methods: To identify expectations of patients/caregivers with PKU of CEs, a web-based survey was distributed through the national Phenylketonuria societies of Germany, NL and UK. Results: In total, 105 responded (43 patients, 56 parents, 4 grandparents, 2 other) of whom 59 were from NL, 33 from UK and 13 from Germany. All participants (n = 105) agreed that patients and/or practitioners would benefit from CEs. The frequency patients would want to visit a CE, when not treated in a CE (n = 83) varied: every hospital visit (24%, n = 20), annual or bi-annual (45%, n = 37), at defined patient ages (6%, n = 5), one visit only (22%, n = 18), or never (4%, n = 3). Distance was reported as a major barrier (42%, n = 35). 78% (n = 65) expected CE physicians and dieticians to have a higher level of knowledge than in non-CE centres. For participants already treated in a CE (n = 68), 66% requested a more extensive annual or bi-annual review. In general, psychology review and neuropsychologist assessment were identified as necessary by approximately half of the 105 participants. In addition, 66% (n = 68) expected a strong collaboration with patient associations. Conclusion: In this small study, most participants expected that assigning CEs will change the structure of and delivery of Phenylketonuria care

Shot Noise in Linear Macroscopic Resistors

We report on a direct experimental evidence of shot noise in a linear macroscopic resistor. The origin of the shot noise comes from the fluctuation of the total number of charge carriers inside the resistor associated with their diffusive motion under the condition that the dielectric relaxation time becomes longer than the dynamic transit time. Present results show that neither potential barriers nor the absence of inelastic scattering are necessary to observe shot noise in electronic devices.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

A new Oligocene site with terrestrial mammals and a selachian fauna from Minqar Tibaghbagh, the western Desert of Egypt

A new fossil site at Minqar Tibaghbagh, east of Siwa, in the Egyptian Western Desert is described. This represents the first place in Egypt outside the Fayum Depression yielding Paleogene, terrestrial mammals. Initial studies indicate the presence of palaeomastodonts, hyracoids, and anthracotheres, presumably early Oligocene in age. As only surface prospecting has been performed, more taxa will almost certainly be discovered in future investigations here and probably also elsewhere in the surroundings. A comparison is made with the most important contemporaneous sites in Libya and Egypt that yield terrestrial mammal remains. The selachian fauna from a higher level in the section confirms the Paleogene age of the subjacent strata. It is compared with selachians faunas from the early Oligocene Eastern Tethys Ocean at other places (the Fayum Depression in Egypt, and sites in Oman and Pakistan), and differs from these sites in being fully marine. Contrary to earlier studies, the open marine mudstones of the Daba’a Formation at Minqar Tibaghbagh are overlain by Paleogene marine sediments of most probably early Oligocene age and not early Miocene marine sediments as previously reported. These strata represent not only a new site with great potential for future finds, but also allows for biostratigraphic correlation

Методические основы оценки качества обслуживания в туристическом бизнесе

Проблема определения качества обслуживания в туристическом бизнесе является актуальной, т.к. туристическая деятельность является приоритетным направлением развития в АР Крым. Рассмотрена методика определения качества обслуживания туристов с учетом специфики функционирования туристской сферы.Проблема визначення якості обслуговування у туристичному бізнесі є актуальною, тому що туристична діяльність є пріоритетним напрямком розвитку в АР Крим. Розглянута методика визначення якості обслуговування туристів з умовою специфіки функціонування туристичної сфери.The problem of quality service in the tourist's business is very actuality, because the tourist's activity is the priority directions of development in the Crimea. Given the method of definition of the quality service in the tourist's business with registration of specific tourism sphere