A dedicated hyperthermia (HT) system was designed for tumors in intact breast extending beyond the heating depth of our superficial 434 MHz antennas, consisting of a treatment bed fitted with a 50 cm × 40 cm × 16 cm temperature controlled open water bolus. The patient lies in prone position with the breast immersed in the water positioned in front of a 34 cm × 20 cm 70 MHz waveguide operating in the TE10 mode. E-field patterns were measured in a tissue-mimicking phantom. HT was applied once a week with the 70 MHz applicator for six patients treated with thermoradiotherapy for deep lesions of recurrent breast cancer or melanoma. Two 14-sensor thermocouple thermometry probes were placed in catheters to monitor the invasive temperature. Results: Phantom measurements showed sufficient penetration depth up to 10 cm depth. The combination of 300–900 W antenna power and a water temperature of 42°C was well tolerated for the entire session of 1 h and resulted in good tumor temperatures with T90 = 39.8°C, T50 = 41.1°C, and T10 = 42.2°C. No toxicity or complaints were associated with the heating. A water mattress and other measures were needed to assure a comfortable position throughout the treatment. Conclusion: the 70 MHz breast applicator system performed well and tumor temperatures were good.

A standardised, national, 160-item FFQ, the FFQ-NL 1.0, was recently developed for Dutch epidemiological studies. The objective was to validate the FFQ-NL 1.0 against multiple 24-h recalls (24hR) and recovery and concentration biomarkers. The FFQ-NL 1.0 was filled out by 383 participants (25–69 years) from the Nutrition Questionnaires plus study. For each participant, one to two urinary and blood samples and one to five (mean 2·7) telephone-based 24hR were available. Group-level bias, correlation coefficients, attenuation factors, de-attenuated correlation coefficients and ranking agreement were assessed. Compared with the 24hR, the FFQ-NL 1.0 estimated the intake of energy and macronutrients well. However, it underestimated intakes of SFA and trans-fatty acids and alcohol and overestimated intakes of most vitamins by >5 %. The median correlation coefficient was 0·39 for energy and macronutrients, 0·30 for micronutrients and 0·30 for food groups. The FFQ underestimated protein intake by an average of 16 % and K by 5 %, relative to their urinary recovery biomarkers. Attenuation factors were 0·44 and 0·46 for protein and K, respectively. Correlation coefficients were 0·43–0·47 between (fatty) fish intake and plasma EPA and DHA and 0·24–0·43 between fruit and vegetable intakes and plasma carotenoids. In conclusion, the overall validity of the newly developed FFQ-NL 1.0 was acceptable to good. The FFQ-NL 1.0 is well suited for future use within Dutch cohort studies among adults.

Perspectives from 22 countries on aspects of the legal environment for selection are presented in this article. Issues addressed include (a) whether there are racial/ethnic/religious subgroups viewed as “disadvantaged,” (b) whether research documents mean differences between groups on individual difference measures relevant to job performance, (c) whether there are laws prohibiting discrimination against specific groups, (d) the evidence required to make and refute a claim of discrimination, (e) the consequences of violation of the laws, (f) whether particular selection methods are limited or banned, (g) whether preferential treatment of members of disadvantaged groups is permitted, and (h) whether the practice of industrial and organizational psychology has been affected by the legal environment.

In this article, we present novel sample preparation methods using a helium ion microscope (HIM). We report the possibility of reshaping, at room temperature, thin metal lines on an electron-transparent membrane: A set of platinum bridges with standard geometry (300 × 200 × 15 nm) was modified at room temperature into different shapes using focused helium (He)-ion beam. Also the applicability of the HIM as a tool for precise modification of silicon (Si) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3) lamellae is shown and discussed. We demonstrated that in situ heating (e.g., at 600 °C) of the samples during He-beam illumination by use of a specially developed heating stage enables production of thin Si and SrTiO3 samples without significant artifacts. The quality of such cuts was inspected by transmission electron microscopy with high-resolution imaging, and the diffraction patterns were analyzed.

In this paper we propose a few helium ion microscope (HIM)-based methods for sample preparation and modification. In particular we report the use of the HIM to make thin wedge SrTiO3 samples without significant artifacts, the possibility to reshape thin metal lines on an electron transparent membrane and the new method of HIM sample preparation by in situ heating of the samples during He-beam illumination.

Systematic knowledge about factors affecting the willingness of societies to conserve biodiversity is still scarce. This study investigates the role of body size in national decisions on wild animal species by analysing the average body sizes of the animal species subject to species-specific legislation in the Netherlands over the period 1857–1995. Three legal objectives were distinguished, namely ‘control’, ‘use’ and ‘protection’. For most taxa, average body sizes of species were found to differ significantly between legal objectives within a substantial number of subperiods analysed. Throughout the entire period examined, protected bird, mammal, fish and mollusc species were of smaller average body size than those subject to use legislation and protected bird, mammal and mollusc species were also smaller than those subject to control legislation most of the time. Protected insects were generally larger than those subject to control or use. For vertebrate taxa, average sizes of protected species increased over the time period selected for examination, suggesting that legislation initially excluded larger vertebrates from protection, possibly partly owing to demands to maintain use of these species. The results emphasize that conservation context is important, as other studies suggest that conservation policy generally favours larger species.

Folate is required for 1-carbon metabolism and deficiency in folate leads to megaloblastic anemia. Low levels of folate have been associated with increased risk of vascular disease. To investigate whether RDA of folate are met, habitual folate intake needs to be assessed reliably. We developed a FFQ to specifically measure folate intake over the previous 3 months in elderly people in the Netherlands. Major sources of folate intake, i.e. foods contributing to at least 80 % of the average folate intake, were identified through an analysis of the second Dutch Food Consumption Survey for the sub-population of men and women aged 50–70. In 2000 and 2001, folate intake was estimated with this questionnaire in 1286 individuals aged 50–75 years. Concentrations of serum and erythrocyte folate served as biomarkers with which relative validity of the questionnaire was assessed. The same FFQ was repeated after 3 years in 803 subjects in order to assess long-term reproducibility. Mean folate intake was estimated to be 196 (sd 69) μg/d. Spearman correlation coefficients between folate intake and serum and erythrocyte concentrations were 0·14 (P < 0·01) and 0·05 (P = 0·06) respectively. Spearman correlations between folate intakes measured at baseline and after 3 years were 0·58 (P < 0·01). 47 % of the participants were classified in the same quartiles on the two occasions. Our FFQ showed a weak correlation between folate intake and blood folate concentrations and reproducibility was acceptable. This FFQ is able to rank subjects according to their folate intake.

The effects of viscosity and heat conduction on the propagation of internal gravity waves are examined. These waves propagate in a stably stratified, parallel shear flow with one critical level. The Boussinesq approximation is adopted. For large Reynolds number the governing sixth-order differential equation is solved by analytical methods. In the limit of large Reynolds number it is found that the reflection and transmission coefficients for a wave incident in a viscous fluid are the same as in the inviscid case. Hence over-reflection can also occur in a viscous fluid. For the perturbed velocity components at the critical level, asymptotic expressions are derived. The results we obtain are valid for smooth, but otherwise arbitrary, shear-flow and density profiles.

The properties of reflection and transmission of internal gravity waves incident upon a shear layer containing a critical level are investigated. The shear layer is modelled by a hyperbolic tangent profile. In the Boussinesq approximation, the differential equation governing the propagation of these waves can then be transformed into Heun's equation. For large Richardson numbers this equation can be approximated by an equation that has solutions in terms of hypergeometric functions. For these values of the Richardson number the reflection coefficient proves to be strongly dependent on the place of the critical level in the shear flow. If the Doppler-shifted frequency is an odd function of the height difference with respect to the critical level, the reflection and transmission coefficients can be evaluated in closed form.

Over-reflection is possible for sufficiently small wavenumbers and Richardson numbers. It is pointed out that over-reflection and over-transmission cannot occur in a stable flow and that resonant over-reflection is not possible in our model.

Democracy and the adoption of a Bill of Rights for South Africa not only brought about political change, but it also created expectations of a better life for all. The Constitution guarantees equality before the law, access to a fair hearing and the right to legal representation in criminal matters, and the Legal Aid Board is one of the institutions tasked with giving effect to these pledges. In order to achieve its objectives and to fulfil its obligations, government embarked upon a process of transformation of existing structures and institutions and the creation of new ones. Although legal aid, and statutory provision therefore, are not new concepts in South Africa, constitutionalization resulted in the restructuring of the Legal Aid Board and changes in the method of delivery of its services. The focus is on rendering legal representation in criminal matters to the neglect of civil and non-legal problems that the poor often face, resulting in the impression that government is merely paying lip service to the promise of access to justice. This lends credence to the perception that the legal system exists in order to protect the interests of criminals. Being a developing country, it is comprehensible that priorities have to be set, but it is also true that optimum use should be made of existing structures and resources in order to deal with the needs for legal aid services as expressed by the recipients of those services. Involving students and local government are two methods that can be employed to address the multi-farious problems experienced by the less fortunate members of society.