The Frobenius-Schur indicator in Conformal Field Theory

An analogue of the classical Frobenius-Schur indicator is introduced in order to distinguish between real and pseudo-real self-conjugate primary fields, and an explicit expression for this quantity is derived from the trace of the braiding operator.Comment: 5 pages, TeX, some typos correcte

Speech-activated Myoclonus Mimicking Stuttering in a Patient with Myoclonus–Dystonia Syndrome

Background: Acquired neurogenic stuttering has been considered a fairly uncommon clinical occurrence; speech-activated myoclonus is a rare entity that can mimic stuttering and is caused by a wide array of etiologies. Case Report: Here we report a patient with myoclonus–dystonia syndrome (MDS), due to an identified disease-causing mutation, who displayed speech-activated myoclonus mimicking stuttering. Discussion: In MDS, myoclonus has only infrequently been reported to affect speech. This case further expands the spectrum of conditions causing the rare clinical phenomenon of speech-activated myoclonus

Beginning Teacher Education : Students\u27 Conceptions of Teaching and Approaches to Learning.

Twenty preservice teachers were interviewed prior to commencement of their teacher education course to establish the conceptions of teaching and approaches to learning with which they entered the course. Students were categorised as surface, deep or achieving in their learning orientations (Biggs, 1987). Five conceptions of teaching were identified: the nurturing helper, authority and disciplinarian, shaper of children\u27s lives, presenter of information and facilitator of thinking and learning. There was a consistent relationship between conceptions of learning and conceptions of teaching. Surface learners tended to see teaching as transmission of information. There were very few deep learners, however they tended to see teaching as facilitation of thinking and learning. Achieving learners tended to see teaching as nurturing. Achieving learners also indicated that shaping children\u27s lives and imposing discipline were important

Overt hypoadrenalism is uncommon in patients with stage 3 and 4 bronchogenic carcinoma

Introduction. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in most countries. The adrenal glands are common sites of metastatic lung cancer as approximately 40% of subjects with stage 4 bronchogenic carcinoma have adrenal metastases. The prevalence of biochemical hypoadrenalism is, however, remarkably poorly documented. Objectives. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of primary hypoadrenalism, as defined by a subnormal cortisol response to the 250 µg adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test, in patients with stage 3 and 4 lung cancer. Methods. Thirty patients with stage 3 and 4 bronchogenic carcinoma were prospectively recruited from the bronchus clinic. Demographic data and electrolytes were recorded and each patient had a 250 µg ACTH stimulation test to determine the prevalence of overt adrenal insufficiency, defined as a +30 minute cortisol of less than 550 nmol/l. Results. The median age and quartile deviation was 62 (10) years and the median basal cortisol was 429.5 (321) nmol/l. The median peak cortisol was 828.5 (342) nmol/l (range 536 - 1 675 nmol/l). Twenty-eight patients (93.3%) had an appropriate rise of cortisol to greater than 550 nmol/l following 250 µg ACTH stimulation. Two patients (6.7%) had mild primary adrenal failure with a peak cortisol between 500 and 550 nmol/l associated with a raised plasma ACTH concentration (131.4 and 10.5 pmol/l, normal 2.2 - 10 pmol/l). Twenty-eight patients (92.9%) were normonatraemic, while the two hyponatraemic patients had biochemical evidence of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Conclusion. In conclusion, despite evidence that the adrenal glands of patients with disseminated bronchogenic carcinoma are frequently affected by metastatic disease, biochemical evidence of clinically significant hypoadrenalism is relatively uncommon and is not accurately predicted by electrolyte abnormalities

Production of 3D printed scale models from microscope volume datasets for use in STEM education

Understanding the three-dimensional morphology of a biological sample at the microscopic level is a prerequisite to a functional understanding of cell biology, tissue development and growth. Images of microscopic samples obtained by compound light microscopy are customarily recorded and represented in two dimensions from a single orientation making it difficult to extrapolate 3D context from the 2D information. The commercialisation of fast, laser-based microscope systems (e.g. confocal, multi-photon or lightsheet microscopy) capable of generating volume datasets of microscopic samples through optical sectioning, coupled with advances in computer technology allowing accurate volume rendering of these datasets, have facilitated significant improvement in our 3D understanding of the microscopic world in virtual space. The advent of affordable 3D printing technology now offers the prospect of generating morphologically accurate, physical models from these microscope volume datasets for use in science education, outreach and engagement. 3D printed scale replicas will provide improved sensory perception, offering tactile as well as visual interaction, leading to improved understanding of structure function relationships. Here we present a technique to reliably generate detailed, physical 3D models from Z-stacks of optical sections from confocal and lightsheet microscopes using affordable, entry-level 3D printing technology. We use the technique to generate 3D printed models of a variety of different biological samples at a range of scales including pollen grains from two species of plant; blood cells from both human and earthworm species, a section of plant root; the compound eye of an ant; and a developing Zebrafish larva; all of which have been used in our teaching, engagement and outreach activities. Our methods can, in principle, be used to generate 3D printed models from microscope volume datasets of any small fluorescent or reflective samples

Fostering Systems Research in Europe

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Development and Evaluation of Sensor Concepts for Ageless Aerospace Vehicles: Report 6 - Development and Demonstration of a Self-Organizing Diagnostic System for Structural Health Monitoring

This report describes a significant advance in the capability of the CSIRO/NASA structural health monitoring Concept Demonstrator (CD). The main thrust of the work has been the development of a mobile robotic agent, and the hardware and software modifications and developments required to enable the demonstrator to operate as a single, self-organizing, multi-agent system. This single-robot system is seen as the forerunner of a system in which larger numbers of small robots perform inspection and repair tasks cooperatively, by self-organization. While the goal of demonstrating self-organized damage diagnosis was not fully achieved in the time available, much of the work required for the final element that enables the robot to point the video camera and transmit an image has been completed. A demonstration video of the CD and robotic systems operating will be made and forwarded to NASA