Easy and computer-time-saving implementation of the van der Pauw method including anisotropy and probe positioning correction factors using approximate closed-form analytical functions.

Measurements in a van der Pauw configuration often require the use of complicated mathematical expressions or implicit relations, which may be computer-time-consuming or tedious to implement in a given software. Thus, a closed-form expression is often desirable. We propose to approximate these relations by closed-form analytical functions using only basic operators that can be easily implemented.

Comparison of French training and non-training general practices: a cross-sectional study.

Background: As the medicine practiced in hospital settings has become more specialized, training in primary care is becoming increasingly essential for medical students, especially for future general practitioners (GPs). Only a few limited studies have investigated the representativeness of medical practices delivering this training. The aim of this study was to assess the representativeness of French GP trainers in terms of socio-demographics, patients and activities.

Factors affecting dementia screening by general practitioners in community-dwelling elderly populations: a large cross-sectional study in 2 areas of France.

In patients aged 75 years and above, dementia is associated with increased expenditure and high morbimortality. Although the incidence of dementia is well known, it is often underrecognized in primary care. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2 areas in the southeast of France to identify the factors affecting dementia-screening implementation by the French general practitioners (GPs).

Microstructural and conductivity changes induced by annealing of ZnO:B thin films deposited by chemical vapour deposition.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have attracted much attention in recent years due to progress in crystal growth for a large variety of technological applications including optoelectronics and transparent electrodes in solar cells. Boron (B)-doped ZnO thin films are deposited by low pressure chemical vapour deposition (LPCVD) on Si(100). These films exhibit a strong (002) texture with a pyramidal grain structure.

Magnetic properties of exchange biased and of unbiased oxide/permalloy thin layers: a ferromagnetic resonance and Brillouin scattering study.

Microstrip ferromagnetic resonance and Brillouin scattering are used to provide a comparative determination of the magnetic parameters of thin permalloy layers interfaced with a non-magnetic (Al(2)O(3)) or with an antiferromagnetic oxide (NiO). It results from our microstructural study that no preferential texture is favoured in the observed polycrystalline sublayers. It is shown that the perpendicular anisotropy can be monitored using an interfacial surface energy term which is practically independent of the nature of the interface.