Premature mortality in refractory partial epilepsy: does surgical treatment make a difference?

Background: Epilepsy carries an increased risk of premature death. For some people with intractable focal epilepsy, surgery offers hope for a seizure-free life. The authors aimed to see whether epilepsy surgery influenced mortality in people with intractable epilepsy. Methods: The authors audited survival status in two cohorts (those who had surgery and those who had presurgical assessment but did not have surgery). Results: There were 40 known deaths in the non-surgical group (3365 person years of follow-up) and 19 in the surgical group (3905 person-years of follow-up). Non-operated patients were 2.4 times (95% CI 1.4 to 4.2) as likely to die as those who had surgery. They were 4.5 times (95% CI 1.9 to 10.9) as likely to die a probable epilepsy-related death. In the surgical group, those with ongoing seizures 1 year after surgery were 4.0 (95% CI 1.2 to 13.7) times as likely to die as those who were seizure-free or who had only simple partial seizures. Time-dependent Cox analysis showed that the yearly outcome group did not significantly affect mortality (HR 1.3, 95% CI 0.9 to 1.8). Conclusion: Successful epilepsy surgery was associated with a reduced risk of premature mortality, compared with those with refractory focal epilepsy who did not have surgical treatment. To some extent, the reduced mortality is likely to be conferred by inducing freedom from seizures. It is not certain whether better survival is attributable only to surgery, as treatment decisions were not randomised, and there may be inherent differences between the groups.<br/

Intrinsic thermal interfacial resistance measurement in bonded metal-polymer foils

Heat conduction through bonded metal–polymer interfaces often limits the overall heat transfer in electronic packaging, batteries, and heat recovery systems. To design the thermal circuit in such systems, it is essential to measure the thermal interfacial resistance (TIR) across ∼1 µm to 100 µm junctions. Previously reported TIR of metal–polymer junctions utilize ASTM E1530-based two-block systems that measure the TIR by applying pressure across the interface through external heating and cooling blocks. Here, we report a novel modification of the ASTM-E1530 technique that employs integrated heaters and sensors to provide an intrinsic TIR measurement of an adhesively bonded metal–polymer junction. We design the measurement technique using finite element simulations to either passively suppress or actively compensate the lateral heat diffusion through the polymer, which can minimize the systematic error to ≲5%. Through proof-of-concept experiments, we report the TIR of metal–polymer interfaces made from DuPont’s Pyralux double-side copper-clad laminates, commonly used in flexible printed circuit boards. Our TIR measurement errors are <10%. We highlight additional sources of errors due to non-idealities in the experiment and discuss possible ways to overcome them. Our measurement technique is also applicable to interfaces that are electrically insulating such as adhesively joined metal–metal junctions and sputter-coated or welded metal–polymer junctions. Overall, the technique is capable of measuring TIR ≳10−5 m2 KW−1 in bonded metal–polymer foils and can be tailored for in situ measurements in flexible electronics, circuit packaging, and other hybrid metal–polymer systems.DE-EE0008312Ope

Integrated analysis for genotypic adaptation in rice

Development of varieties with high yield potential coupled with wide adaptability is an important plant breeding objective. The presence of genotype by environment (GxE) interaction plays a crucial role in determining the performance of genetic materials, tested at different locations and in different years. This study was undertaken to assess yield performance, stability and adaptability of thirty-six rice genotypes of three different maturity groups evaluated over 12 environments. There were highly significant (P&lt;0.05) genotype-environment interaction in three different maturity groups. The AMMI analysis of variance in the maturity groups also showed significant genotype, location and G\ub4L. Stability in yield performance was predicted using nine stability parameters (b, S2d , CV, SF, R1, R2, W, S1 and ASV). The rank correlation coefficient among nine parameters indicated that the stability parameters were dissimilar in for all the maturity groups. Stability index (STI) computed by integrating all the nine stability parameters indicated that genotypes Lalat and OR 2006-12 of mid-early group, genotypes OR 1912-25, OR 2310-12 and MTU 1001 of mid-late group, and genotypes OR 1898-3-16, OR 1901-14-32, OR 2109-2, OR 2001-1, Mahanadi and Jagabandhu of late group yielded higher consistently over the 3 years in the different agroclimatic zones.Le d\ue9veloppement de vari\ue9t\ue9s \ue0 potentiel \ue9lev\ue9 de rendement coupl\ue9 \ue0 une large adaptabilit\ue9 est un objectif important de l'am\ue9lioration des plantes. La pr\ue9sence de g\ue9notype par interaction avec l'environnement (GxE) joue un r\uf4le crucial dans la d\ue9termination des performances de mat\ue9riels g\ue9n\ue9tiques test\ue9s dans diff\ue9rentes localisations et dans des ann\ue9es diff\ue9rentes. Cette'\ue9tude \ue9tait entreprise pour \ue9valuer la performance en rendement, la stabilit\ue9 et l'adaptabilit\ue9 de trente six g\ue9notypes de riz de trois groupes de maturit\ue9 diff\ue9rente \ue9valu\ue9es sur 12 environnements. L'interaction g\ue9notype-environnement \ue9tait significativement \ue9lev\ue9 (P&lt;0.05) dans trois groupes de maturit\ue9 diff\ue9rente. L'analyse AMM de la variance dans les groupes de maturit\ue9 avait aussi montr\ue9 un effet significatif du g\ue9notype, localisation et G'L. La stabilit\ue9 en performance de rendement \ue9tait pr\ue9dite utilisant neuf param\ue8tres de stabilit\ue9 (b, S2d, CV, SF, R1, R2, W, S1 et ASV). Le rang du co\ue9fficient de corr\ue9lation parmi les neuf param\ue8tres a indiqu\ue9 que les param\ue8tres de stabilit\ue9\ue9taient dissemblables pour tous les groupes de maturit\ue9. L'index de stabilit\ue9 (STI) calcul\ue9 en int\ue9grant tous les neuf param\ue8tres de stabilit\ue9 a indiqu\ue9 que les g\ue9notypes Lalat et OR 2006-12 du mi-premier groupe, les g\ue9notypes OR 1912-25, OR 2310-12 et MTU 1001 du mi-dernier groupe et les g\ue9notypes OR 1898-3-16, OR 1901-14-32, OR 2109-2, OR 2001-1, Mahanadi et Jagabandhu du dernier groupe ont produit consid\ue9rablement de rendements tr\ue8s \ue9lev\ue9s au cours des 3 ans dans diff\ue9rentes zones agroclimatiques

A modular focal plane detector system for the heavy ion reaction analyzer at NSC, New Delhi

A detector system has been developed for the focal plane of the HIRA. It consists of two independent detectors, a low-pressure multiwire proportional counter (LP-MWPC) followed by a split-anode ionization detector. Details of the design and test results are presented. Using slow preamplifiers, the position resolution is ≥1 mm and the time resolution is estimated to be 1.5 ns for the LP-MWPC. The ionization detector gives 2.4% energy resolution for 150 MeV 28Si scattered off a gold target and the ΔZ/Z obtained for 28Si+27Al is 1/42 for Z=14. Some results for fusion and transfer studies for the 48Ti+58Ni and 28Si+68Zn systems, respectively, at energies around the Coulomb barrier, are presented to highlight the performance of the detector system

Possible test for CPT invariance with correlated neutral B decays

We study breakdown of $CPT$ symmetry which can occur in the decay process $B \bar B \to l^\pm X^\mp f$ with $f$ being a CP eigenstate. In this process, the standard model expectations for time ordered semi-leptonic and hadronic events, i.e. which of the two decays takes place first, can be altered in the case that there is a violation of the $CPT$ symmetry. To illustrate this possibility, we identify and study several time integrated observables. We find that an experiment with $10^{9}$ $B\bar B$ pairs, has the capability for improving the bound on $CPT$ violating parameter or perhaps observe $CPT$ violation.Comment: Revised version to be published in PR

Influence of enhanced melt supply on upper crustal structure at a mid-ocean ridge discontinuity: A three-dimensional seismic tomographic study of 9°N East Pacific Rise

We present a three-dimensional upper crustal model of the 9°03′N overlapping spreading center (OSC) on the East Pacific Rise that assists in understanding the relationship between melt sills and upper crustal structure at a ridge discontinuity with enhanced melt supply at crustal levels. Our P wave velocity model obtained from tomographic inversion of ∼70,000 crustal first arrival travel times suggests that the geometry of extrusive emplacement are significantly different beneath the overlapping spreading limbs. Extrusive volcanic rocks above the western melt sill are inferred to be thin (∼250 m). More extensive accumulation of extrusives is inferred to the west than to the east of the western melt sill. The extrusive layer inferred above the eastern melt sill thickens from ∼350 (at the neovolcanic axis) to 550 m (to the west of the melt sill). Volcanic construction is likely to be significant in the formation of ridge crest morphology at the OSC, particularly at the tip of the eastern limb. On the basis of our interpretation of the velocity model, we propose that enhanced magma supply at crustal levels at the OSC may provide an effective mechanism for the migration of ridge discontinuities. This “dynamic magma supply model” may explain the commonly observed nonsteady migration pattern of ridge discontinuities by attributing this to the temporal fluctuations in melt availability to the overlapping spreading limbs

Transfer measurements for the Ti plus Ni systems at near barrier energies

Large enhancements have been observed in the sub-barrier fusion cross sections for Ti + Ni systems in our previous studies. Coupled channel calculations incorporating couplings to 2(+) and 3(-) states failed to explain these enhancements completely. A possibilty of transfer channels contributing to the residual enhancements had been suggested. In order to investigate the role of relevant transfer channels, measurements of one- and two-nucleon transfer were carried out for Ti-46,Ti-48 + Ni-64 systems. The present paper gives the results of these studies

Dieterici gas as a Unified Model for Dark Matter and Dark Energy

The dominance of dark energy in the universe has necessitated the introduction of a repulsive gravity source to make q0 negative. The models for dark energy range from a simple lambda-term to quintessence, Chaplygin gas, etc. We look at the possibility of how change of behaviour of missing energy density, from DM to DE, may be determined by the change in the equation of state of a background fluid instead of a form of potential. The question of cosmic acceleration can be discussed within the framework of theories which do not necessarily include scalar fields.Comment: 9 pages, 38 equation

Standard addition method based on four-way PARAFAC decomposition to solve the matrix interferences in the determination of carbamate pesticides in lettuce using excitation–emission fluorescence data

The simultaneous determination of two carbamate pesticides (carbaryl and carbendazim) and of the degradation product of carbaryl (1-naphthol) in iceberg lettuce was achieved by means of PARAFAC decomposition and excitation–emission fluorescence matrices. A standard addition method for a calibration based on four-way data was applied using different dilutions of the extract from iceberg lettuce as a fourth way that provided the enough variation of the matrix to carry out the four-way analysis. A high fluorescent overlapping existed between the three analytes and the fluorophores of the matrix. The identification of two fluorescent matrix constituents through the four-way model enabled to know the matrix contribution in each dilution of the extract. This contribution was subtracted from the previous signals and a subsequent three-way analysis was carried out with the tensors corresponding to each dilution. The PARAFAC decomposition of these resulting tensors showed a CORCONDIA index equal to 99%. For the identification of the analytes, the correlation between the PARAFAC spectral loadings and the reference spectra has been used. The trueness of the method, in the concentration range studied, was guaranteed because there was neither constant nor proportional bias according to the appropriate hypothesis tests. The best recovery percentages were obtained with the data from the most diluted extract, being the results: 127.6% for carbaryl, 125.55% for carbendazim and 87.6% for 1-naphthol. When the solvent calibration was performed, the decision limit (CCα) and the capability of detection (CCβ) values, in x0=0, were 2.21 and 4.38 μg L−1 for carbaryl, 4.87 and 9.64 μg L−1 for carbendazim; and 3.22 and 6.38 μg L−1 for 1-naphthol, respectively, for probabilities of false positive and false negative fixed at 0.05. However, these values were 5.30 and 10.49 μg L−1 for carbaryl, 18.05 and 35.73 μg L−1 for carbendazim; and 1.92 and 3.79 μg L−1 for 1-naphthol, respectively, when the matrix-matched calibration using the most diluted extract was carried out in the recovery study.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad(CTQ2011-26022) and JuntadeCastillayLeón(BU108A11-2)