Removing grain boundaries from three-dimensional colloidal crystals using active dopants

Using computer simulations we explore how grain boundaries can be removed from three-dimensional colloidal crystals by doping with a small fraction of active colloids. We show that for sufficient self-propulsion, the system is driven into a crystal-fluid coexistence. In this phase separated regime, the active dopants become mobile and spontaneously gather at the grain boundaries. The resulting surface melting and recrystallization of domains result in the motion of the grain boundaries over time and lead to the formation of a large single crystal. However, when the self-propulsion is too low to cause a phase separation, we observe no significant enhancement of grain growth.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Point Defects in Crystals of Charged Colloids

Charged colloidal particles - both on the nano and micron scales - have been instrumental in enhancing our understanding of both atomic and colloidal crystals. These systems can be straightforwardly realized in the lab, and tuned to self-assemble into body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) crystals. While these crystals will always exhibit a finite number of point defects, including vacancies and interstitials - which can dramatically impact their material properties - their existence is usually ignored in scientific studies. Here, we use computer simulations and free-energy calculations to characterize vacancies and interstitials in both FCC and BCC crystals of point-Yukawa particles. We show that, in the BCC phase, defects are surprisingly more common than in the FCC phase, and the interstitials manifest as so-called crowdions: an exotic one-dimensional defect proposed to exist in atomic BCC crystals. Our results open the door to directly observing these elusive defects in the lab.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Improved diagnostic policy for respiratory tract infections essential for patient management in the emergency department

Establishing an optimal diagnostic policy for patients with respiratory tract infections, at the emergency department (ED) of a university hospital in The Netherlands. Methods: Adult patients were sampled at admission, during the respiratory season (2014-2015). The FilmArray-RP was implemented at the clinical virology laboratory. Diagnostics were provided from 8 am to 10 pm, weekends included. Results: 436/492 (89%) results were available while patients were still at the ED. Median TAT from admission to test result was 165 min (IQR: 138-214). No antibiotics were prescribed in 94/207 (45%) patients who tested positive for a virus. 185/330 (56%) hospitalized patients did not need admission with isolation measures. The value-based measure, expressed in euro-hour (€h), increased to tenfold compared with previous policy. Conclusion: An optimal policy is essential for patient management, by providing timely, reliable diagnostics

PERANAN WEBSITE DALAM AKTIVITAS PUBLIC RELATIONS SEBAGAI MEDIA PENGHUBUNG ANTARA MASYARAKAT DAN PEMERINTAH DI DISHUBKOMINFO KARANGANYAR

SUMMARY Ni Nyoman Ayu A.W, D1613067, Public Relations, Utilization Website Functions in Public Relations Activities as Media Communicator between the Community and the Government in Dishubkominfo Karanganyar, 2016. Kuliah Kerja Media (KKM) or we called Job Training do it by the author in Dishubkominfo Karanganyar. The reason why the author chose Dishubkominfo Karanganyar as a job training (KKM) in the field of communication and information technology, especially because it looks a lot of public relations activities or practice public speaking especially between government Karanganyar Regent and his Deputy with a lot of community. Here Public Relations is a communication method that is where the various forms of communication. Which in Punlic Relations that there is an attempt to realize the harmonious relationship between an organization and its publics. Public Relations is a deliberate effort, planned on an on going basis to create mutual understanding between an institution / organization with the public. Public Relations can also be regarded as an art as well as social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, briefed the leaders of the institution / organization and implementing planned programs to meet the interests of both the institution / organization and the people involved. At the time of the job training writers do a lot of practice public relations or public relations starting from routine activities for official that morning assembly, socializing with office workers, mutual coordination with staff-related staff, and lobbied with related parties participating in activities , documenting coverage and must maintain good relations between the internal and external Dishubkominfo Karanganyar District. Even job training is very useful for writing because it can prepare for the world of work that requires professional workers and authors directly to gain knowledge related to the field of public relations in order practices. Based on reports from the job training the institution Dishubkominfo Karangayar District, the authors conclude that public relations activities are vital to maintaining good relations between the internal and external Dishubkominfo Karanganyar District

Non-medical determinants of perinatal health: protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Research focusing on the associations between non-medical determinants and unfavourable perinatal health outcomes is increasing. Despite increasing knowledge on this theme, it still remains unclear to what extent social, environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to these unfavourable outcomes. Therefore, we aim to provide a systematic review, preferably with meta-analysis, in order to provide insight into the associations between non-medical determinants and perinatal mortality, preterm birth and being small for gestational age (SGA). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Observational studies performed in European countries studying the associations between non-medical determinants and unfavourable perinatal health outcomes will be included. Primary outcomes of interest are perinatal mortality, preterm birth and SGA. To retrieve potential eligible articles, a systematic literature search was performed in the following online databases on 5 October 2018: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane and Google Scholar. Additionally, a reference list check and citation search will be performed. Data of the included articles will be extracted using a standardised and piloted data extraction form. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The study selection and data extraction process will be performed by two reviewers independently. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion with a third reviewer. The pooled effects will be calculated separately for each association found between one of the outcome measures and the non-medical determinants using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of the studies will be assessed using the I2 statistic. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is necessary for a systematic review with meta-analysis. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018056105

Robust optimization for HDR prostate brachytherapy applied to organ reconstruction uncertainty

Purpose. Recently, we introduced a bi-objective optimization approach based on dose-volume indices to automatically create clinically goodHDRprostate brachytherapy plans. To calculate dose-volume indices, a reconstruction algorithm is used to determine the 3D organ shape from 2D contours, inevitably containing settings that influence the result.Weaugment the optimization approach to quickly find plans that are robust to differences in 3D reconstruction. Methods. Studied reconstruction settings were: Interpolation between delineated organ contours, overlap between contours, and organ shape at the top and bottom contour. Two options for each setting yields 8 possible 3D organ reconstructions per patient, over which the robust model defines minimax optimization. For the original model, settings were based on our treatment planning system. Both models were tested on data of 26 patients and compared by re-evaluating selected optimized plans both in the original model (1 organ reconstruction, the difference determines the cost), and in the robust model (8 organ reconstructions, the difference determines the benefit). Results. Robust optimization increased the run time from 3 to 6 min. The median cost for robust optimization as observed in the original model was-0.25% in the dose-volume indices with a range of [-0.01%,-1.03%]. The median benefit of robust optimization as observed in the robust model was 0.93% with a range of [0.19%, 4.

Bi-objective optimization of catheter positions for high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy

Purpose: Bi-objective simultaneous optimization of catheter positions and dwell times for high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy, based directly on dose-volume indices, has shown promising results. However, optimization with the state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithm MO-RV-GOMEA so far required several hours of runtime, and resulting catheter positions were not always clinically feasible. The aim of this study is to extend the optimization model and apply GPU parallelization to achieve clinically acceptable computation times. The resulting optimization procedure is compared with a previously introduced method based solely on geometric criteria, the adapted Centroidal Voronoi Tessellations (CVT) algorithm. Methods: Bi-objective simultaneous optimiz

Long-term survivors of early breast cancer treated with chemotherapy are characterized by a pro-inflammatory biomarker profile compared to matched controls

Background: Chemo- and radiotherapy for breast cancer (BC) can lead to cardiotoxicity even years after the initial treatment. The pathophysiology behind these late cardiac effects is poorly understood. Therefore, we studied a large panel of biomarkers from different pathophysiological domains in long-term BC survivors, and compared these to matched controls. Methods and results: In total 91 biomarkers were measured in 688 subjects: 342 BC survivors stratified either to treatment with chemotherapy ± radiotherapy (n = 170) or radiotherapy alone (n = 172) and matched controls. Mean age was 59 ± 9 years and 65 ± 8 years for women treated with chemotherapy ± radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone, respectively, with a mean time since treatment of 11 ± 5.5 years. No biomarkers were differentially expressed in survivors treated with radiotherapy alone vs. controls (P for all >0.1). In sharp contrast, a total of 19 biomarkers were elevated, relative to controls, in BC survivors treated with chemotherapy ± radiotherapy after correction for multiple comparisons (P <0.05 for all). Network analysis revealed upregulation of pathways relating to collagen degradation and activation of matrix metalloproteinases. Furthermore, several inflammatory biomarkers including growth differentiation factor 15, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 16, tumour necrosis factor super family member 13b and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, elevated in survivors treated with chemotherapy, showed an independent association with lower left ventricular ejection fraction. Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy ± radiotherapy show a distinct biomarker profile associated with mild cardiac dysfunction even 10 years after treatment. These results suggest that an ongoing pro-inflammatory state and activation of matrix metalloproteinases following initial treatment with chemotherapy might play a role in the observed cardiac dysfunction in late BC survivors