Lifetime Measurement of the 8s Level in Francium

We measure the lifetime of the 8s level on a magneto-optically trapped sample of ^{210}Fr atoms with time-correlated single-photon counting. The 7P_{1/2} state serves as the resonant intermediate level for two-photon excitation of the 8s level completed with a 1300 nm laser. Analysis of the fluorescence decay through the the 7P_{3/2} level gives 53.30 +- 0.44 ns for the 8s level lifetime.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Analysis of friction coefficient for a base steel 5 % Cr, applying variable loads of 196 N, 294 N and 392 N, and speeds of 0,18 m/sec, 0,36 m/sec and 0,54 m/sec

The present study consists in analyzing the friction coefficient as a variable of the normal load and slip speed for 5% Cr steel, by applying the Block-on-Disk method according to ASTM D2714. The friction coefficient increases linearly 23,25 % from 0,214 to 0,266 when the load is increased from 196 N to 392 N; the same phenomenon is observed when the friction coefficient increases 47,82 % from 0,23 to 0,34 when the slip speed increases from 0,18 m/sec to 0,54 m/sec. The friction coefficient increased by 23,25 % for an increase in the load from 196 N to 392 N, which corresponds to 100 %, while an increase of the friction coefficient of 47,82 % occurred by increasing the speed from 0,18 m/sec to 0,54 m/sec which corresponds to 200 %

High-throughput biointerfaces for direct, label-free, and multiplexed metaplasmonic biosensing

In recent years, metaplasmonic biosensors have emerged as a novel counterpart of well-established plasmonic biosensors based on thin metallic layers. Metaplasmonic biosensors offer high potential for sensor miniaturiza-tion, extreme sensitivity biosensing, and high multiplexing capabilities with detection methods free of coupling optical elements. These capabilities make metaplasmonic biosensors highly attractive for Point-of-Care and handled/portable devices or novel On-Chip devices; as a result, it has increased the number of prototypes and potential applications that emerged during the last years. One of the main challenges to achieving fully operative devices is the achievement of high-throughput biointerfaces for sensitive and selective biodetection in complex media. Despite the superior surface sensitivity achieved by metaplasmonic sensors compared to conventional plasmonic sensors based on metallic thin films, the main limitations to achieving high-throughput and multiplexed biosensing usually are associated with the sensitivity and selectivity of the bioin-terface and, as a consequence, their application to the direct analysis of real complex samples. This graphical review discusses the potential challenges and capabilities of different biofunctionalization strategies, biorecog-nition elements, and antifouling strategies to achieve scalable and high-throughput metaplasmonic biosensing for Point-of-Care devices and bioengineering applications like Organs-On-Chip

Cement-Based Piezoelectricity Application: A Theoretical Approach

The linear theory of piezoelectricity has widely been used to evaluate the material constants of single crystals and ceramics, but what happens with amorphous structures that exhibit piezoelectric properties such as cement-based? In this chapter, we correlate the theoretical and experimental piezoelectric parameters for small deformations after compressive stress–strain, open circuit potential, and impedance spectroscopy on cement-based. Here, in detail, we introduce the theory of piezoelectricity for large deformations without including a functional for the energy; also, we show two generating equations in terms of a free energy’s function for later it will be reduced to constitutional equations of piezoelectricity for infinitesimal deformations. Finally, here is shown piezoelectric and electrical parameters of gold nanoparticles mixed to cement paste: the axial elasticity parameter Y=323.5±75.3kN/m2, the electroelastic parameter γ=−20.5±6.9mV/kN, and dielectric constant ε=939.6±82.9ε0F/m, which have an interpretation as linear theory parameters sijklD, gkij and εikT discussed in the chapter

Are congenital malformations more frequent in fetuses with intrahepatic persistent right umbilical vein? A comparative study

Objective Persistent right umbilical vein (PRUV) is a vascular anomaly where the right umbilical vein remains as the only conduit that returns oxygenated blood to the fetus. It has classically been described as associated with numerous defects. We distinguish the intrahepatic variant (better prognosis) and the extrahepatic variant (associated with worse prognosis). The objective of this study was to compare rates of congenital malformations in fetuses with intrahepatic PRUV (I-PRUV) versus singleton pregnancies without risk factors. Materials and Methods A multicenter, crossover design, comparative study was performed between 2003 and 2013 on fetuses diagnosed with I-PRUV (n = 56), and singleton pregnancies without congenital malformation risk factors (n = 4050). Results Fifty-six cases of I-PRUV were diagnosed (incidence 1:770). A statistically significant association between I-PRUV and the presence of congenital malformations (odds ratio 4.321; 95% confidence interval 2.15–8.69) was found. This positive association was only observed with genitourinary malformations (odds ratio 3.038; 95% confidence interval 1.08–8.56). Conclusion Our rate of malformations associated with I-PRUV (17.9%) is similar to previously published rates. I-PRUV has shown a significant increase in the rate of associated malformations, although this association has only been found to be statistically significant in the genitourinary system. Noteworthy is the fact that this comparative study has not pointed to a significant increase in the congenital heart malformation rate. Diagnosis of isolated I-PRUV does not carry a worse prognosis

Parmbsc1: a refined force field for DNA simulations

We present parmbsc1, a force field for DNA atomistic simulation, which has been parameterized from high-level quantum mechanical data and tested for nearly 100 systems (representing a total simulation time of ~140 μs) covering most of DNA structural space. Parmbsc1 provides high-quality results in diverse systems. Parameters and trajectories are available at http://mmb.irbbarcelona.org/ParmBSC1/

Gender equality, austerity, vulnerabilities and resistance in the Spanish neo-liberal life cycle

We examine how austerity measures have affected gender equality in the context of women workers in Spain. We adopt a feminist perspective to explore the multiple nature of the impact of the recession, emerging policy scenarios and forms of gender action that have developed. One of the unforeseen outcomes of the economic crisis in Spain is the opening up of new forms of collective action that have emerged in two political movements: ‘Podemos’ and ‘Barcelona en Comú’ and two examples of feminist activism: ‘La Vaga de Totes’ and ‘Igualdad de género frente a la crisis económica’—initiatives which point to alternative ways of engaging with work and working lives, in the hope of redressing the inequalities that have increased over recent years. New forms of organization have been successful in mobilizing people by developing the struggle against austerity from a progressive perspective and radical democratic forms of action have come to the fore

Theoretical study of large conformational transitions in DNA: the B↔A conformational change in water and ethanol/water

We explore here the possibility of determining theoretically the free energy change associated with large conformational transitions in DNA, like the solvent-induced B⇔A conformational change. We find that a combination of targeted molecular dynamics (tMD) and the weighted histogram analysis method (WHAM) can be used to trace this transition in both water and ethanol/water mixture. The pathway of the transition in the A→B direction mirrors the B→A pathway, and is dominated by two processes that occur somewhat independently: local changes in sugar puckering and global rearrangements (particularly twist and roll) in the structure. The B→A transition is found to be a quasi-harmonic process, which follows closely the first spontaneous deformation mode of B-DNA, showing that a physiologically-relevant deformation is in coded in the flexibility pattern of DNA

Motor Decline in Clinically Presymptomatic Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 Gene Carriers

BACKGROUND: Motor deficits are a critical component of the clinical characteristics of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. However, there is no current information on the preclinical manifestation of those motor deficits in presymptomatic gene carriers. To further understand and characterize the onset of the clinical manifestation in this disease, we tested presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene carriers, and volunteers, in a task that evaluates their motor performance and their motor learning capabilities. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 28 presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene carriers and an equal number of control volunteers matched for age and gender participated in the study. Both groups were tested in a prism adaptation task known to be sensible to both motor performance and visuomotor learning deficits. Our results clearly show that although motor learning capabilities are intact, motor performance deficits are present even years before the clinical manifestation of the disease start. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a clear deficit in motor performance that can be detected years before the clinical onset of the disease. This motor performance deficit appears before any motor learning or clinical manifestations of the disease. These observations identify the performance coefficient as an objective and quantitative physiological biomarker that could be useful to assess the efficiency of different therapeutic agents

Psychometric properties of the Clarke questionnaire for hypoglycemia awareness in the Spanish population with type 2 diabetes

Objectives: The Clarke questionnaire, validated in Spanish language, assesses hypoglycemia awareness in patients with type 1 diabetes. This study aimed to analyze its psychometric properties in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: This was a questionnaire validation study. Patients with T2DM and treated with insulin, sulfonylureas or glinides were consecutively recruited from six endocrinology consultations and six primary care centers. The internal structure of the 8-item Clarke questionnaire was analyzed by exploratory (training sample) and confirmatory (testing sample) factor analysis; the internal consistency using Omega’s McDonald coefficient; and goodness of fit with comparative fit index (CFI, cutoff >0.9), Goodness of Fit Index (GFI, cutoff >0.9), and root mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA, cutoff <0.09), as well as unidimensionality indicators. Results: The 265 participants (56.8% men) had a mean age of 67.8 years. Confirmatory factor analysis for one dimension obtained poor indicators: fit test (p < 0.001); CFI = 0.748; RMSEA = 0.122 and SRMR = 0.134. Exploratory factor analysis showed 2 or 3 dimensions with poor adjustment indicators. Omega’s McDonald was 0.739. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the Clarke questionnaire was not valid or reliable for assessing hypoglycemia awareness in people with T2DM in Spanish population