Background: There are few published reports on the safety and efficacy of stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) in the presurgical evaluation of pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy. Our objective was to describe institutional experience with pediatric SEEG in terms of (1) insertional complications, (2) identification of the epileptogenic zone and (3) seizure outcome following SEEG-tailored resections. Methods: Retrospective review of 29 patients pediatric drug resistant epilepsy patients who underwent presurgical SEEG between 2005 – 2018. Results: 29 pediatric SEEG patients (15 male; 12.4 ± 4.6 years old) were included in this study with mean follow-up of 6.0 ± 4.1 years. SEEG-related complications occurred in 1/29 (3%)—neurogenic pulmonary edema. A total of 190 multi-contact electrodes (mean of 7.0 ± 2.5per patient) were implanted across 30 insertions which captured 437 electrographic seizures (mean 17.5 ± 27.6 per patient). The most common rationale for SEEG was normal MRI with surface EEG that failed to identify the EZ (16/29; 55%). SEEG-tailored resections were performed in 24/29 (83%). Engel I outcome was achieved following resections in 19/24 cases (79%) with 5.9 ± 4.0 years of post-operative follow-up. Conclusions: Stereoelectroencephalography in presurgical evaluation of pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy is a safe and effective way to identify the epileptogenic zone permitting SEEG-tailored resection.

Dual Intercalating Molten Electrolyte (DIME) electrodes and cells have been examined using a number of low-melting and room-temperature molten salts. A cell with a chloroaluminate melt achieved a cycling efficiency of 85% with a discharge voltage of 2.92 V. Coke-elastomer composite electrodes underwent cation reductive intercalation without experiencing the exfoliation and degradation seen for graphite rods. Theoretical studies for an imidazolium-graphite intercalate predict the graphite layer spacing expands between 5.18 and 8.01 Å upon insertion of the imidazolium molecule into the graphite lattice.

Conformal epitaxy is an epitaxial growth technique capable of yielding low dislocation density III-V films on Silicon. In this technique, the growth of the III-V material occurs parallel to the silicon substrate, from the edge of a previously deposited III-V seed, the vertical growth being stopped by an overhanging capping layer. As an example, conformal GaAs layers on Silicon, presenting dislocation densities below 105cm−2, have been obtained using selective vapor phase epitaxy. These layers have then been used as high quality GaAs on Si substrates for subsequent vertical MBE regrowth of active structures. In this paper, we report on the integration of surface-emitting microcavity LEDs with their silicon drivers using this conformal growth technique. The global technology concept and the design of the active structures are first presented. The compatibility of the conformal growth technique with CMOS technology is then checked: the impact of the integration process on the performances of the drivers is for example quantified. Characterisations of the high crystalline quality of the conformal layers and of the LEDs structures grown on it are then shown. The electro-optical characteristics of the LEDs on Si are finally compared to those of reference LEDs on GaAs substrates in order to prove the efficiency of the integration procedure.

The road to achieve ultra high efficiency is through multi-junction solar cells operating at high solar concentrations, larger than 1000 suns. Critical to the success of this approach is the development of tunnel junctions (TJ) that serve as electrically low loss interconnections, yet are optically transparent, using high band gap semiconductor material systems. We have previously reported the fabrication of a TJ made of n+-InGaP/ p+-AlGaAs with a band gap about 1.9 eV using Se and C doping, respectively. This TJ structure has a peak current density of 88 A/cm2 allowing it to be implemented in a three junction cell structure at solar concentrations as high as 4000 suns (x4000). Almost all reported conversion efficiencies higher than 40% have used this tunnel junction. This very high peak current density is unexpected in a high band gap material system, which is good news for the multi junction solar community. This seems to be due to the fact that the InGaP/AlGaAs interface has a staggered band line up. We will present the effect of this band line up at the heterointerface and its effect on the width of the depletion region and the peak current density. We also compare the current result from this heterostructure junction with an artificial homojunction made of n+-AlGaAs/ p+-AlGaAs doped to the same levels as that of the heterojunction. Results from the homojunction showed that peak current density is about one half of that obtained from the heterojunction at the same doping levels. A reasonable match between experimental result and the model was obtained when a value of 150 meV was used for ΔEc, the conduction band discontinuity at the interface. Both experiment and theory predicted that at a current density of about 80 A/cm2 with only about a few tens of meV drop across the TJ. This will have a minimal effect on the overall efficiency of the tandem solar cell structure when used at high solar concentrations.

Background. Adverse life events prior to episodes of depression are assumed to play a causal role. Earlier studies have, however, not adequately controlled for the potential confounding effects of previous depression.

Method. A two-phase study was nested within a six-wave population based cohort study of 1947 adolescents. Interviews at two assessment phases with the CIS-R and CIDI were used to generate ICD-10 diagnoses of depressive disorder. Life events with longer-term contextual threat were reported for the 6 months before first diagnosis and categorized on the basis of participant appraisal as negative and neutral/positive in effects. Previous depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured 6 months earlier.

Results. Pre-existing depressive and anxiety symptoms predicted later events, increasing three-fold the risks for both neutral/positive and negative events in females and increased seven-fold the risk of negative events in males. Life events in turn predicted the onset of depressive disorder independently of previous symptoms. Single negative events held an over five-fold elevated risk and multiple events an almost eight-fold higher risk. Personal threat and loss were associated with disorder in females but not males.

Conclusions. The findings are consistent with a causal role for life events in early episodes of depression. The association also reflects a reciprocal relationship in which earlier symptoms predict later events, perhaps as a result of an individual's attempts to change unfavourable social circumstances.

Background. Reports of adolescent suicidal behaviour have generally derived from clinical settings but population-based studies are likely to provide a clearer epidemiological view.

Methods. Non-fatal suicidal behaviours were studied in 1699 Australian 15- to 16-year-old secondary school students at 44 schools in the state of Victoria, Australia. Self-reported episodes of self-harm were characterized using items from the Beck Suicide Intent Scale.

Results. The 12 month weighted prevalence estimate for deliberate self-harm was 5·1%. The commonest forms were self-laceration (1·7%), self-poisoning (1·5%) and deliberate recklessness (1·8%). Self-poisoning and self-laceration were commoner in girls. The prevalence of ‘true suicide attempts’ was 0·2%. Most self-harmers did not perceive death as likely, plan self-harming episodes at length or inform others of the episodes. Psychiatric morbidity had the strongest association with self-harm, an association which held for all subtypes. Antisocial behaviour and substance abuse were associated with self-harm in girls but not boys. Sexual activity was independently associated with self-harm in both genders.

Conclusions. Deliberate self-harm was common but the great majority of episodes were not ‘true suicide attempts’. It is, therefore, possible that attributable mortality and morbidity may be greater in self-harmers without definite suicidal intent.

The notion of a recursive causal graph is introduced, hopefully capturing the essential aspects of the path diagrams usually associated with recursive causal models. We describe the conditional independence constraints which such graphs are meant to embody and prove a theorem relating the fulfilment of these constraints by a probability distribution to a particular sort of factorisation. The relation of our results to the usual linear structural equations on the one hand, and to log-linear models, on the other, is also explained