1,588 research outputs found
Open access self-archiving: An author study
No full textThis, our second author international, cross-disciplinary study on open access had 1296 respondents. Its focus was on self-archiving. Almost half (49%) of the respondent population have self-archived at least one article during the last three years. Use of institutional repositories for this purpose has doubled and usage has increased by almost 60% for subject-based repositories. Self-archiving activity is greatest amongst those who publish the largest number of papers. There is still a substantial proportion of authors unaware of the possibility of providing open access to their work by self-archiving. Of the authors who have not yet self-archived any articles, 71% remain unaware of the option. With 49% of the author population having self-archived in some way, this means that 36% of the total author population (71% of the remaining 51%), has not yet been appraised of this way of providing open access. Authors have frequently expressed reluctance to self-archive because of the perceived time required and possible technical difficulties in carrying out this activity, yet findings here show that only 20% of authors found some degree of difficulty with the first act of depositing an article in a repository, and that this dropped to 9% for subsequent deposits. Another author worry is about infringing agreed copyright agreements with publishers, yet only 10% of authors currently know of the SHERPA/RoMEO list of publisher permissions policies with respect to self-archiving, where clear guidance as to what a publisher permits is provided. Where it is not known if permission is required, however, authors are not seeking it and are self-archiving without it. Communicating their results to peers remains the primary reason for scholars publishing their work; in other words,
researchers publish to have an impact on their field. The vast majority of authors (81%) would willingly comply with a mandate from their employer or research funder to deposit copies of their articles in an institutional or subject-based repository. A further 13% would comply reluctantly; 5% would not comply with such a mandate
The Natural and Un-Natural History of Patients with Scimitar Syndrome: An Italian Multicentric Study
No full textEquilibrium and stability properties of collisionless current sheet models
No full textThe work in this thesis focuses primarily on equilibrium and stability properties of collisionless current sheet models, in particular of the force-free Harris sheet model.
A detailed investigation is carried out into the properties of the distribution function found by Harrison and Neukirch (Physical Review Letters 102, 135003, 2009) for the force-free Harris sheet, which is so far the only known nonlinear force-free Vlasov-Maxwell equilibrium. Exact conditions on the parameters of the distribution function are found, which show when it can be single or multi-peaked in two of the velocity space directions. This is important because it may have implications for the stability of the equilibrium.
One major aim of this thesis is to find new force-free equilibrium distribution functions. By using a new method which is different from that of Harrison and Neukirch, it is possible to find a complete family of distribution functions for the force-free Harris sheet, which includes the Harrison and Neukirch distribution function (Physical Review Letters 102, 135003, 2009). Each member of this family has a different dependence on the particle energy, although the dependence on the canonical momenta remains the same. Three detailed analytical examples are presented. Other possibilities for finding further collisionless force-free equilibrium distribution functions have been explored, but were unsuccessful.
The first linear stability analysis of the Harrison and Neukirch equilibrium distribution function is then carried out, concentrating on macroscopic instabilities, and considering two-dimensional perturbations only. The analysis is based on the technique of integration over unperturbed orbits. Similarly to the Harris sheet case (Nuovo Cimento, 23:115, 1962), this is only possible by using approximations to the exact orbits, which are unknown. Furthermore, the approximations for the Harris sheet case cannot be used for the force-free Harris sheet, and so new techniques have to be developed in order to make analytical progress. Full analytical expressions for the perturbed current density are derived but, for the sake of simplicity, only the long wavelength limit is investigated. The dependence of the stability on various equilibrium parameters is investigated
On exclusive h→Vl+l− decays
No full textWe study a set of exclusive decay modes of the Standard Model Higgs boson into a vector meson and a dilepton pair: h→Vl+l−, with V=Υ,J/ψ,φ, and l=μ,τ, determining the decay rates, the dilepton mass spectra and the V longitudinal helicity fraction distributions. In the same framework, we analyze the exclusive modes into neutrino pairs View the MathML source. We also discuss the implications of the recent CMS and ATLAS results for the lepton flavor-changing process h→τ+μ− on the h→Vτ+μ− decay mode
Adefovir dipivoxil and pegylated interferon alpha for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B: an updated systematic review and economic evaluation
No full textObjective:To update and extend a 2006 report on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) and pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-?) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Data sources:Thirteen bibliographic databases were searched including MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. Searches were run from the beginning of 2005 to September 2007.Review methods:For the clinical effectiveness review, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ADV, PEG-?-2a and PEG-?-2b with currently licensed treatments for CHB, including non-pegylated interferon alpha (IFN-?) and lamivudine (LAM), were included. Outcomes included biochemical, histological and virological response to treatment, drug resistance and adverse effects. A systematic review of economic evaluations of antiviral treatments for CHB was conducted. The economic Markov model used in the 2006 report was updated in terms of utility values, discount rates and costs.Results:Of the 82 papers retrieved for detailed screening, eight RCTs were included. Three evaluated ADV, four evaluated PEG-?-2b and one (from the original literature search) compared PEG-?-2b plus LAM with PEG-?-2b monotherapy. No RCTs of PEG-?-2a were identified. One ADV trial showed a statistically significant difference between ADV and placebo in terms of ALT response and HBV DNA levels, favouring ADV. Following withdrawal of ADV, levels were similar to those in placebo patients. In the ADV versus ADV plus LAM trial, there was a statistically significant difference in favour of the combination treatment. In the PEG-? trials, there were statistically significant differences favouring PEG-?-2b plus LAM compared with either one of the drugs given as monotherapy. For the comparison between PEG-?-2b and IFN-? and the comparison between different staggered regimens of the commencement of PEG-?-2b and LAM, there were no statistically significant differences between groups. Four full economic evaluations were identified, in addition to one identified in the original report. Two assessed PEG-?-2a; the remainder assessed ADV. PEG-?-2a was associated with increased treatment costs and gains in quality-adjusted life expectancy. In a UK study, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for PEG-?-2a was £10,444 per QALY gained compared with LAM. Evaluations of ADV found that LAM monotherapy was dominated; the ICER for ADV monotherapy compared with 'doing nothing' was $19,731. The results of the updated analysis were generally robust to changes in deterministic sensitivity analysis. In a probabilistic sensitivity analysis, the same sequence of treatments was identified as optimal. In a probabilistic sensitivity analysis, PEG-?-2b had a probability of being cost-effective of 79% at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20,000 per QALY, and 86% at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £30,000 per QALY.Conclusions:Both ADV and PEG-? are beneficial for patients with CHB in terms of suppressing viral load, reducing liver damage-associated biochemical activity, inducing HBeAg seroconversion, and reducing liver fibrosis and necroinflammation. The effects of long-term treatment with ADV are generally durable, with relatively low rates of resistance. In most cases, cost-effectiveness estimates were within acceptable ranges. Further research should assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of newer antiviral agents in relation to existing drugs, including the role of initiating treatment with combination therapy.<br/
Tolerable degree of muscle sacrifice when harvesting a vastus lateralis or myocutaneous anterolateral thigh flap
No full textThe myocutaneous anterolateral thigh (ALT) and vastus lateralis (VL) flaps include a large muscle mass and a sufficient vascular pedicle, and they have been used for decades to reconstruct traumatic and acquired defects of the head and neck and extremities. In spite of these benefits, musculoskeletal dysfunction was reported in nearly 1 out of 20 patients at follow-up. It is unclear whether the recently proposed muscle-sparing flap-raising approach could preserve VL muscle function and whether patients at increased risk could benefit from such an approach. Therefore, we performed a predictive dynamic gait simulation based on a biological motion model with gradual weakening of the VL during a self-selected and fast walking speed to determine the compensable degree of VL muscle reduction. Muscle force, joint angle, and joint moment were measured. Our study showed that VL muscle reduction could be compensated up to a certain degree, which could explain the observed incidence of musculoskeletal dysfunction. In elderly or fragile patients, the VL muscle should not be reduced by 50% or more, which could be achieved by muscle-sparing flap-raising of the superficial partition only. In young or athletic patients, a VL muscle reduction of 10%, which corresponds to a muscle cuff, has no relevant effect. Yet, a reduction of more than 30% leads to relevant weakening of the quadriceps. Therefore, in this patient population with the need for a large portion of muscle, alternative flaps should be considered. This study can serve as the first basis for further investigations of human locomotion after flap-raising.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Biomechatronics & Human-Machine Contro
Proportion of <i>kdr</i> mutations in female mosquitoes shown by operational control area in Harris County.
No full textThe pie charts represent the genotypic frequencies for each of the kdr mutations detected in individual females of Ae. aegypti collected for the eight operational areas in Harris County, adapted from Hernandez et al. [21]. Proportions of the genotypes at the 410 site are in shades of yellow (LL, VL, VV), and those for the 1016 (II, VI, VV) and 1534 (CC, FC, FF) sites previously genotyped are represented by shades of red and blue, respectively. In each pie chart, the lightest color intensity represents the wild-type, susceptible genotypes (410 VV; 1016 VV; or 1534 FF) and the darkest color indicates the resistant genotype (410 LL; 1016 II; 1534 CC), with the intermediate color intensities corresponding to the heterozygotes (410 VL; 1016 VI; 1534 FC). For each area, the proportion of tri-locus homozygous resistant (LL/II/CC) females is shown in black, while the proportion of all other tri-locus genotypes at the 410, 1016, and 1534 genotypes are in white. The number of genotypes per area is indicated on the corresponding color on each pie chart. Survivorship data (Survival %) for each area (shown in columns below pie charts) by distance from the spray application [1) 7.62, 2) 15.24, 3) 22.86, and 4) 38.1 m] was previously reported [21] but is shown here for clarity. Map source: edited in QGIS v.3.22.1 software (www.qgis.org). The layers for county (Map service: Harris County boundary masked) (https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=a8aa2ef4067348c79ccea62857a2f623) and for Harris County operational area boundaries (MVCDOperational_Areas) (https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=87a4455991c146259cf6c2e2384e8b71) were created by Harris County Public Health and are publicly available. There are no special restrictions or limitations on the terms of use of the layers applied to this map.</p
Evaluation of a mass distribution programme for fine-mesh impregnated bednets against visceral leishmaniasis in eastern Sudan.
No full textDuring an epidemic of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in eastern Sudan, Médecins Sans Frontières distributed 357,000 insecticide-treated bednets (ITN) to 155 affected villages between May 1999 and March 2001. To estimate the protective effect of the ITN, we evaluated coverage and use of ITN, and analysed VL incidence by village from March 1996 to June 2002. We provided ITN to 94% of the individuals >5 years old. Two years later, 44% (95% CI 39-48%) of nets were reasonably intact. Because ITN were mainly used as protection against nuisance mosquitoes, bednet use during the VL transmission season ranged from <10% during the hot dry months to 55% during the beginning of the rainy season. ITN were put up from 9 to 11 p.m., leaving children unprotected during a significant period of sandfly-biting hours after sunset. Regression analysis of incidence data from 114 villages demonstrated a significant reduction of VL by village and month following ITN provision. The greatest effect was 17-20 months post-intervention, with VL cases reduced by 59% (95% CI: 25-78%). An estimated 1060 VL cases were prevented between June 1999 and January 2001, a mean protective effect of 27%. Although results need to be interpreted with caution, this analysis indicates a potentially strong reduction in VL incidence following a community distribution of ITN. The effectiveness of ITN depends on behavioural factors, which differ between communities
Anisotropy Indicators of High-Strength Steel 42H2GSNMA (VKS-1) and 30H2GSNVM (Vl-1d)
No full textПоставлены опыты по растяжению образцов из сталей 42Х2ГСНМА (ВКС-1) и 30Х2ГСНВМ (ВЛ-1 Д) с изменением ориентации образцов относительно оси прокатки. Выполнены расчеты и получены показатели анизотропии высокопрочных сталей 42Х2ГСНМА (ВКС-1) и 30Х2ГСНВМ (ВЛ-1 Д) в отожженном состоянии.Experiments on stretching samples of steels 42H2GSNMA (VKS-1) and 30H2GSNVM (VL-1D) with a change in the orientation of the samples relative to the rolling axis were carried out. Calculations have been carried out and anisotropy indices have been obtained for high-strength 42H2GSNMA (VKS-1) and 30H2GSNVM (VL-1D) steels in the annealed state.Автор выражает благодарность научному руководителю — доктору технических наук, профессору Ю.Н. Логинову.The author expresses gratitude to the scientific advisor — doctor of technical sciences, professor Yu.N. Login
A VL single-domain antibody library shows a high-propensity to yield non-aggregating binders
No full textA synthetic human VL phage display library, created by the randomization of all complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) in a V L scaffold, was panned against three test antigens to determine the propensity of the library to yield non-aggregating binders. A total of 22 binders were isolated against the test antigens and the majority (20) were monomeric. Thus, human VL repertoires provide an efficient source of non-aggregating binders and represent an attractive alternative to human V H repertoires, which are notorious for containing high proportions of aggregating species. Moreover, the solubility of VLs, in contrast to VHs, appears much less CDR dependent. \ua9 The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye
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