A vibrational spectroscopic study of the mixed anion mineral sanjuanite Al2(PO4)(SO4)(OH)•9H2O

The mineral sanjuanite Al2(PO4)(SO4)(OH)•9H2O has been characterised by Raman spectroscopy complimented by infrared spectroscopy. The mineral is characterised by an intense Raman band at 984 cm-1, assigned to the (PO4)3- ν1 symmetric stretching mode. A shoulder band at 1037 cm-1 is attributed to the (SO4)2- ν1 symmetric stretching mode. Two Raman bands observed at 1102 and 1148 cm-1 are assigned to (PO4)3- and (SO4)2- ν3 antisymmetric stretching modes. Multiple bands provide evidence for the reduction in symmetry of both anions. This concept is supported by the multiple sulphate and phosphate bending modes. Raman spectroscopy shows that there are more than one non-equivalent water molecules in the sanjuanite structure. There is evidence that structural disorder exists, shown by the complex set of overlapping bands in the Raman and infrared spectra. At least two types of water are identified with different hydrogen bond strengths. The involvement of water in the sanjuanite structure is essential for the mineral stability.

Investigating the cost-effectiveness of video telephone based support for newly diagnosed paediatric oncology patients and their families: design of a randomised controlled trial

Background Providing ongoing family centred support is an integral part of childhood cancer care. For families living in regional and remote areas, opportunities to receive specialist support are limited by the availability of health care professionals and accessibility, which is often reduced due to distance, time, cost and transport. The primary aim of this work is to investigate the cost-effectiveness of videotelephony to support regional and remote families returning home for the first time with a child newly diagnosed with cancer Methods/design We will recruit 162 paediatric oncology patients and their families to a single centre randomised controlled trial. Patients from regional and remote areas, classified by Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+) greater than 0.2, will be randomised to a videotelephone support intervention or a usual support control group. Metropolitan families (ARIA+ ≤ 0.2) will be recruited as an additional usual support control group. Families allocated to the videotelephone support intervention will have access to usual support plus education, communication, counselling and monitoring with specialist multidisciplinary team members via a videotelephone service for a 12-week period following first discharge home. Families in the usual support control group will receive standard care i.e., specialist multidisciplinary team members provide support either face-to-face during inpatient stays, outpatient clinic visits or home visits, or via telephone for families who live far away from the hospital. The primary outcome measure is parental health related quality of life as measured using the Medical Outcome Survey (MOS) Short Form SF-12 measured at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. The secondary outcome measures are: parental informational and emotional support; parental perceived stress, parent reported patient quality of life and parent reported sibling quality of life, parental satisfaction with care, cost of providing improved support, health care utilisation and financial burden for families. Discussion This investigation will establish the feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of using videotelephony to improve the clinical and psychosocial support provided to regional and remote paediatric oncology patients and their families.

Experimental and finite element analysis of a double strap joint between steel plates and normal modulus CFRP

Strengthening of steel structures using externally-bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymers ‘CFRP’ is a rapidly developing technique. This paper describes the behaviour of axially loaded flat steel plates strengthened using carbon fibre reinforced polymer sheets. Two steel plates were joined together with adhesive and followed by the application of carbon fibre sheet double strap joint with different bond lengths. The behaviour of the specimens was further investigated by using nonlinear finite element analysis to predict the failure modes and load capacity. In this study, bond failure is the dominant failure mode for normal modulus (240 GPa) CFRP bonding which closely matched the results of finite elements. The predicted ultimate loads from the FE analysis are found to be in good agreement with experimental values.

Factors associated with recall of media reports about vitamin D and sun protection

Objective: To assess the recall of media reports about vitamin D and associated factors. Methods: Analysis of cross-sectional telephone interview data (2,001 Queensland adults, 18-70 years) on vitamin D and personal sun protection, recall of media reports and participant characteristics. Results: 83.7% of participants had heard of vitamin D, 47.5% through the media. Only 513 (25.6%) participants recalled the media content within four main themes: vitamin D is beneficial/comes from the sun (47.0%); some people aren’t getting enough vitamin D, need more sun (27.9%); need to balance sun exposure and skin protection (11.5%); or other (13.6%). Only 65 of the 950 participants (6.8%) reported a change to their behaviour(s) due to the media report. Conclusion: Although the media were the main source of information about vitamin D for almost 50% of participants, recall of the content and direct effect on behaviour was low. Only a small minority recalled a balanced media report of beneficial and harmful aspects of sun exposure. Implications Health professionals often supply media with background information. To achieve best public health practice for sun protection and vitamin D, information to foster balanced media reports should be provided.

The Commercial Surrogacy Dilemma

In November 2009 the England and Wales High Court (Family Division) granted a parental order pursuant to s30 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in respect of twins who came to be in the custody and control of the applicants (Mr and Mrs A) through a surrogacy arrangement. The particularly unusual and interesting aspect of this case is that, on the evidence, Mr and Mrs A had paid expenses to the surrogate above and beyond those allowed by the legislation, thus creating a commercial surrogacy arrangement. Commercial surrogacy arrangements involve the payment of money to the surrogate mother in excess of those expenses which have been reasonably incurred pursuant to the surrogacy arrangement. This case is relevant to Queensland law because commercial surrogacy arrangements are also prohibited in Queensland and, as in the United Kingdom, the court cannot make a parentage order unless it is satisfied the surrogacy arrangement is not a commercial surrogacy arrangement.

Low temperature CO sensitive nanostructured WO3 thin films doped with Fe

Nanostructured tungsten oxide thin film based gas sensors have been developed by thermal evaporation method to detect CO at low operating temperatures. The influence of Fe-doping and annealing heat treatment on microstructural and gas sensing properties of these films have been investigated. Fe was incorporated in WO3 film by co-evaporation and annealing was performed at 400oC for 2 hours in air. AFM analysis revealed a grain size of about 10-15 nm in all the films. GIXRD analysis showed that as-deposited films are amorphous and annealing at 400oC improved the crystallinity. Raman and XRD analysis indicated that Fe is incorporated in the WO3 matrix as a substitutional impurity, resulting in shorter O-W-O bonds and lattice cell parameters. Doping with Fe contributed significantly towards CO sensing performance of WO3 thin films. A good response to various concentrations (10-1000 ppm) of CO has been achieved with 400oC annealed Fe-doped WO3 film at a low operating temperature of 150oC.

Predictive compensation for variable network delays and packet losses in networked control systems

Networked control systems (NCSs) offer many advantages over conventional control; however, they also demonstrate challenging problems such as network-induced delay and packet losses. This paper proposes an approach of predictive compensation for simultaneous network-induced delays and packet losses. Different from the majority of existing NCS control methods, the proposed approach addresses co-design of both network and controller. It also alleviates the requirements of precise process models and full understanding of NCS network dynamics. For a series of possible sensor-to-actuator delays, the controller computes a series of corresponding redundant control values. Then, it sends out those control values in a single packet to the actuator. Once receiving the control packet, the actuator measures the actual sensor-to-actuator delay and computes the control signals from the control packet. When packet dropout occurs, the actuator utilizes past control packets to generate an appropriate control signal. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated through examples.

Parental responsibility and removal of life sustaining treatment : Re Baby D

The case of Re Baby D (No. 2) has been described as a “landmark decision” as to whether parents themselves can authorise medical staff to withdraw life-sustaining treatment from their child or are required to seek the permission of a court or tribunal. The reasons for the decision that the removal of an endotracheal tube from the airway of Baby D was to treat “a bodily malfunction or disease” and therefore could be authorised by the parents will be explored.