Changes of Socio-demographic data of clients seeking genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer due to the “Angelina Jolie Effect”

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate socio-demographic characteristics of clients claiming genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) in Austria. Furthermore, changes of these parameters before and after Angelina Jolie’s (AJ) disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation were evaluated. METHODS: In this prospective, nonrandomized study 268 consecutive clients seeking genetic counseling for HBOC at the Medical University of Vienna, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vienna, Austria between June 2012 and June 2014 were included. Socio-demographic data and source of information about HBOC and genetic counseling were evaluated. First, socio-demographic parameters were compared to the general Austrian population. Second, changes in these parameters after AJ’s public disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation were analyzed. RESULTS: Subjects were more frequent female, younger and higher educated in comparison to Austria’s general population (p < 0.001). Furthermore, level of education in participants was higher before than after AJ’s disclosure (p = 0.046). Most clients were informed about genetic counseling by physicians. As expected, after AJ’s public announcement patients were more frequent advised to genetic counseling by social media (p = 0.043) and family or friends (p = 0.010) than before. CONCLUSIONS: In this present study we could demonstrate that particularly younger and female participants with high educational level attended significantly more often genetic counseling for HBOC. Increased presence of HBOC in media since AJ’s disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation had lead that information and awareness about HBOC was obtained by a wider audience from different social background

X-ray nanodiffraction on a single SiGe quantum dot inside a functioning field-effect transistor

For advanced electronic, optoelectronic, or mechanical nanoscale devices a detailed understanding of their structural properties and in particular the strain state within their active region is of utmost importance. We demonstrate that X-ray nanodiffraction represents an excellent tool to investigate the internal structure of such devices in a nondestructive way by using a focused synchotron X-ray beam with a diameter of 400 nm. We show results on the strain fields in and around a single SiGe island, which serves as stressor for the Si-channel in a fully functioning Si-metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor

X-ray Nanodiffraction on a Single SiGe Quantum Dot inside a Functioning Field-Effect Transistor

For advanced electronic, optoelectronic, or mechanical nanoscale devices a detailed understanding of their structural properties and in particular the strain state within their active region is of utmost importance. We demonstrate that X-ray nanodiffraction represents an excellent tool to investigate the internal structure of such devices in a nondestructive way by using a focused synchotron X-ray beam with a diameter of 400 nm. We show results on the strain fields in and around a single SiGe island, which serves as stressor for the Si-channel in a fully functioning Si-metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor

Scanning X-ray nanodiffraction: from the experimental approach towards spatially resolved scattering simulations

An enhancement on the method of X-ray diffraction simulations for applications using nanofocused hard X-ray beams is presented. We combine finite element method, kinematical scattering calculations, and a spot profile of the X-ray beam to simulate the diffraction of definite parts of semiconductor nanostructures. The spot profile could be acquired experimentally by X-ray ptychography. Simulation results are discussed and compared with corresponding X-ray nanodiffraction experiments on single SiGe dots and dot molecules

Mapping Morphological and Structural Properties of Lead Halide Perovskites by Scanning Nanofocus XRD

Scanning nanofocus X-ray diffraction (nXRD) performed at a synchrotron is used to simultaneously probe the morphology and the structural properties of spin-coated CH$_3$NH$_3$PbI$_3$ (MAPI) perovskite films for photovoltaic devices. MAPI films are spin-coated on a Si/SiO$_2$/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) substrate held at different temperatures during the deposition in order to tune the perovskite film coverage. The films are then investigated using nXRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The advantages of nXRD over SEM and other techniques are discussed. A method to visualize, selectively isolate, and structurally characterize single perovskite grains buried within a complex, polycrystalline film is developed. The results of nXRD measurements are correlated with solar cell device measurements, and it is shown that spin-coating the perovskite precursor solution at elevated temperatures leads to improved surface coverage and enhanced solar cell performance.This work was funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council via grants EP/M025020/1 “High resolution mapping of performance and degradation mechanisms in printable photovoltaic devices,” EP/J017361/1 (Supersolar Solar Energy Hub) and the E-Futures Doctoral Training Center in Interdisciplinary Energy Research EP/G037477/1. This work was partially funded by the President of the UAE’s Distinguished Student Scholarship Program (DSS), granted by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, UAE (M.A. PhD scholarship). This work was also partially funded by the Masdar Institute through the grant Novel Organic Optoelectronic Devices. The authors gratefully acknowledge Manfred Burghammer and Martin Rosenthal at the ID13 – the microfocus beamline at the ESRF for their assistance with the nXRD measurements. XMaS is a mid-range facility supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Inward development in rural communities: A concept for inward development using the example of the Lower Austrian municipality of Ziersdorf

Österreich liegt an vorderster Stelle in Bezug auf die Bodenversiegelung und hat in den letzten Jahren täglich etwa 20 Fußballfelder verbaut. Dadurch wird ein zunehmender Anteil des nicht-vermehrbaren Gutes Boden durch Straßen und Gebäude in Anspruch genommen. Hochwassergefahr, Hitzeinseln und zerstörter Lebensraum für Tiere und Pflanzen sind nur einige von vielen Resultaten, die sich aus der kontinuierlichen Versiegelung ergeben. Zudem finden vor allem Wohnbauaktivitäten immer häufiger am Siedlungsrand als im Siedlungskern statt, was neben den zuvor erwähnten Aspekten auch den Verfall der baulichen Substanz in Orts- und Stadtkerne zur Folge hat. Durch die wachsende Bevölkerungszahl steigt der Bedarf an Grund und Boden jedoch ins Unermessliche, weswegen es von essenzieller Bedeutung ist, nachhaltige Strategien zur (Um)Nutzung des Bestandes zu entwickeln, eine Innen- vor Außenentwicklung zu forcieren und Flächen so effizient wie möglich zu nutzen. Die Diplomarbeit widmet sich aus diesen Gründen der Entwicklung im Bestand und soll durch konzipierte Testentwürfe in einer niederösterreichischen Gemeinde Möglichkeiten aufzeigen, die sich im Rahmen einer integrierten Innenentwicklung ergeben.Austria is one of the leaders in soil sealing and in recent years has built up around 20 soccer pitches per day, which means that an ever-increasing proportion of the non-renewable resource soil is being swallowed up under roads and buildings. The risk of flooding, heat islands and destroyed habitats for animals and plants are just some of the many results of continuous sealing. In addition, residential construction activities in particular are increasingly taking place on the outskirts of settlements rather than in the center of settlements, which, in addition to the aspects mentioned above, also results in the deterioration of the built fabric in town and city centers. Due to the growing population, however, the demand for land is increasing immeasurably, which is why it is essential to develop sustainable strategies for the (re)use of existing buildings and areas, to promote inward rather than outward development and to use land as efficiently as possible. For these reasons, the diploma thesis is dedicated to the development of existing buildings and areas and is intended to show the possibilities that arise in the context of integrated inward development by means of conceived test designs in a Lower Austrian municipality