The influence of pharmaceutical industry (PI) on clinical practice and research in psychiatry has been considered a serious problem. Strict rules and guidelines were developed to regulate the interactions between doctors and PI. However, there is an ongoing debate whether these were thoroughly implemented in practice and internalized by physicians. The objective of our study was to assess the attitudes and behaviors of trainees in psychiatry and child & adolescent psychiatry toward PI across Europe. Methodologically, a validated questionnaire with additional items was administered to1444 trainees in 20 European countries. The minimum response rate was set at 60%. We found a high variation across countries in number of interactions between trainees and PI representatives; Portugal and Turkey had the highest number of interactions. The majority (59.76%) agreed that interactions with PI representatives have an impact on physicians’ prescribing behavior; whereas only 29.26% and 19.79% agreed interactions with PI representatives and gifts from PI have impact on their own prescribing behavior, respectively. Most of the gifts were considered appropriate by the majority, except tickets to vacation spot and social dinner at a restaurant. Of the sample, 70.76% think they have not been given sufficient training regarding how to interact with PI representatives. Only less than 20% indicated they have guidelines at institutional or national level. In conclusion, there is substantial interaction between trainees and PI across countries. The majority feel inadequately trained regarding professional interaction with PI, and believes they are immune to the influence of PI.

The chemical composition of soil from the Glasgow (UK) urban area was used to identify the controls on the availability of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in soil to humans. Total and bioaccessible concentrations of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) in 27 soil samples, collected from different land uses, were coupled to information on their solid-phase partitioning derived from sequential extraction data. The total element concentrations in the soils were in the range <0.1–135mgkg–1 for As; 65–3680mgkg–1 for Cr and 126–2160mgkg–1 for Pb, with bioaccessible concentrations averaging 27, 5 and 27% of the total values, respectively. Land use does not appear to be a predictor of contamination; however, the history of the contamination is critically important. The Chemometric Identification of Substrates and Element Distribution (CISED) sequential chemical extraction and associated self-modelling mixture resolution analysis identified three sample groupings and 16 geochemically distinct phases (substrates). These were related to iron (n=3), aluminium–silicon (Al–Si; n=2), calcium (n=3), phosphorus (n=1), magnesium (Mg; n=3), manganese (n=1) and easily extractable (n=3), which was predominantly made up of sodium and sulphur. As, Cr and Pb were respectively found in 9, 10 and 12 of the identified phases, with bioaccessible As predominantly associated with easily extractable phases, bioaccessible Cr with the Mg-dominated phases and bioaccessible Pb with both the Mg-dominated and Al–Si phases. Using a combination of the Unified Barge Method to measure the bioaccessibility of PHEs and CISED to identify the geochemical sources has allowed a much better understanding of the complexity of PHE mobility in the Glasgow urban environment. This approach can be applied to other urban environments and cases of soil contamination, and made part of land-use planning.

A sensitivity study is presented here on a compact hybrid postacceleration scheme coupling laser-generated protons to a high frequency Linac based on the use of a SCDTL (Side Coupled Drift Tube Linac) structure. The study analyzes the main laser-generated beam characteristics and the most important parameters linked to the accelerating structure. We show that the required tolerances regarding alignment and field uniformity, although challenging, are within the reach of actual technology. Regarding the laser-generated proton beam parameters (spot size and divergence), we show that they have only a little influence on the final emittance that is mainly determined by the capturing and accelerating structure. However, these parameters can sensitively affect the final transmission of the proton beam current.

Multiple XMM–Newton observations of the mini-BAL QSOs PG 1351+640 and PG 1126–041 revealed dramatic and complex spectral variability on different timescales, providing clues about the physical mechanism responsible for outflows in quasars.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2009 in Richmond, Virginia, USA, July 26 – July 30, 2009

The ESA observatory INTEGRAL (International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) is dedicated to fine imaging and spectroscopy in the energy range 15 keV to 10 Mev with concurrent X-ray (3-35 keV) and optical monitoring. It was launched on October 17, 2002 and has been succesfully operating ever since. Its two main instruments the spectrometer SPI – optimized for high resolution spectroscopy – and the imager IBIS – optimized for for high resolution imaging – are complemented by the X-ray monitor JEM-X and the optical monitor OMC. All the high energy instruments use coded mask techniques, allowing imaging in the gamma-ray range and combining wide fields of view with high spatial resolution. The presentation gives an overview of the unique properties of INTEGRAL.

Foodborne transmission is estimated to account for 95% of non-typhoidal Salmonella infections reported in the United States; however, outbreaks of salmonellosis are rarely traced to food handlers. In August 2000, an increase in Salmonella serotype Thompson infection was noted in Southern California; most of the cases reported eating at a restaurant chain (Chain A) before illness onset. A case-control study implicated the consumption of burgers at Chain A restaurants. The earliest onset of illness was in a burger bun packer at Bakery B who had not eaten at Chain A but had worked while ill. Bakery B supplied burger buns to some Chain A restaurants in Southern California and Arizona. This outbreak is notable for implicating a food handler as the source of food contamination and for involving bread, a very unusual outbreak vehicle for Salmonella. Inadequate food-handler training as well as delayed reporting to the health department contributed to this outbreak.

Layer-by-layer films incorporating single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with anionic or cationic coatings have been prepared. The process of self-assembly was monitored using the quartz microbalance technique, while the morphology of the resulting thin layers was studied with atomic force microscopy. A variety of different architectures have been built up. The dc conductivities of the thin films, in-plane and out-of-plane, were measured at room temperature and contrasted with reference architectures. The results show clearly that the incorporation of SWNTs into the multilayers resulted in electrically conductive thin films.

SPARC and SPARX are two different initiatives toward an Italian Free Electron Laser (FEL) source operating in the Self Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) mode, in which several national research institutions are involved. SPARC is a high gain FEL project devoted to provide a source of visible and VUV radiation while exploiting the SASE mechanism. An advanced Photo-Injector system, emittance compensating RF-gun plus a 150 MeV Linac, will inject a high quality e-beam into the undulator to generate high brilliance FEL radiation in the visible region at the fundamental wavelength, (∼500 nm). The production of flat top drive laser beams, high peak current bunches, and emittance compensation scheme will be investigated together with the generation of higher harmonic radiation in the VUV region. SPARX is the direct evolution of such a high gain SASE FEL toward the 13.5 and 1.5 nm operating wavelengths, at 2.5 GeV. To get the required value for the bunch peak current, Ipeak ≈ 2.5 kA, the “hybrid” scheme, RF-compression stage plus magnetic chicane, is analyzed and compared with the more standard double stage of magnetic compression. The two options are reviewed considering the tolerance to the drive laser pulse phase jitter.

A systematic study of 30 Radio Loud AGNs available in the BeppoSAX archive has been carried out. The sample consists of 9 Broad Line radio Galaxies, 5 Steep Spectrum Radio Quasars and 16 Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars. These objects represent, according to Unified Models, objects with decreasing viewing angles. Our analysis shows considerable differences between FSRQs and BLRGs'SSRQS. As expected in the AGN Unified Model: i) the X-Ray spectrum of FSRQs is a simple power law with a hard spectral slope (the only exception being 3C273), ii) Broad Line and Steep Radio Spectrum AGNs show a steeper X-Ray continuum and Seyfert like features. We also find that the Fe line is weaker than in radio quiet objects. However no strong evidence emerges that a jet contamination may be the main responsible for the EW shrinking in BLRGs and SSRQs. Recent XMM-Newton observations of Pictor A, 3C445 and PKS 2152-69 confirm the nuclear BeppoSAX results and better constrain the Fe line parameters.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Intensive research is currently underway to exploit the intriguing optical and electronic behaviour of nano-sized particles. The basis of the unique properties of these particles is the smallness of their size; dimensions on the nanometre scale can result in interesting quantum mechanical phenomena, such as Coulomb blockade. There are currently a number of ways by which the nanoparticles can be deposited onto solid substrates. Here, we report on the use of the layer-by-layer electrostatic method, which has shown much promise in the context of deposition of thin films of certain organic materials. In this technique, layers of oppositely charged materials are generated by dipping an appropriate substrate into solutions of polyelectrolytes. For example, the polybases poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI), when adsorbed on a substrate, produce a positively charged surface. We have deposited carboxylic acid (-COOH) derivatised gold nanoparticles onto a PEI-coated silicon substrate and an amine funtionalised silicon substrate. The distribution of the gold nanoparticles was compared using atomic force microscopy.