Usability and Feasibility Study of a Remote Cognitive Behavioral Therapy System with Long-Term Unemployed Women

We present the results of the use of a cognitive behavioral therapeutic intervention tool to improve the mental, physical, and social health of a group of long-term unemployed women in Spain. Method: We sent automated text messages (SMS) to the mobile phones of long-term unemployed women selected at random from public social services. During a 28-day intervention period, women received four daily automated text messages on her mobile phone on a predetermined hourly schedule. We measured depression symptoms at the start and end of the intervention and we analyzed qualitative data to determine the acceptability of a remote SMS program. Results: Depression symptoms using the Personal Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), went from an average of 13.8 at baseline to 4.9 at the end of 28 days (p = 0.89). One hundred percent of the women reported that they liked receiving the text messages and most found them helpful

Simultaneous Optical Model Analyses of Elastic Scattering, Breakup, and Fusion Cross Section Data for the 6^{6}He + 209^{209}Bi System at Near-Coulomb-Barrier Energies

Based on an approach recently proposed by us, simultaneous $\chi^{2}$-analyses are performed for elastic scattering, direct reaction (DR) and fusion cross sections data for the $^{6}$He+$^{209}$Bi system at near-Coulomb-barrier energies to determine the parameters of the polarization potential consisting of DR and fusion parts. We show that the data are well reproduced by the resultant potential, which also satisfies the proper dispersion relation. A discussion is given of the nature of the threshold anomaly seen in the potential

Synthesis of Tannic Acid nanoparticles

Motivation: Tannic Acid (TA) is a polyphenolic compound with a huge variety of biological activities. Most interestingly, it has anticancer activity through a variety of mechanisms, especially in those cancers that overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It has been demonstrated that TA is able to interact with EGFR/Jak2/STAT pathway and inhibit cellular proliferation induced by EGF, triggering apoptosis [1]. The aim of this work is to optimize TA polymeric nanoparticles previously developed by our group [2], with especial focus on diminishing their hydrodynamic diameter. This characteristic is extremely important, so that once the nanoparticle enters the circulatory system, it should be able to cross the vascular walls to reach the target tissue and then release the payload.Methods and results: In this work it has been optimize the size of TA nanoparticles. The new nanoparticles obtained have been characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy, UV-Visible, Raman Spectroscopy, Tyndall Effect, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).We have been able to diminish by a four-factor the hydrodynamic diameter. In this way, our nanoparticles have a hydrodynamic diameter of just 160nm and a zeta potential of -28mV. In addition, the entrapment efficiency is very high (92.2%), and we have simplified the synthesis procedure by reducing the number of steps and the amount of coating polymer of the nanoparticles.Conclusions: We have optimized the size of TA nanoparticles. These nanoparticles have a suitable size for intravenous administration and extremely high entrapment efficiency. In addition, our synthesis does not require the use of organic solvents and the polymers used to construct the nanoparticle are classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (or GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration

Synthesis of Tannic acid and Gallic acid nanostructures with biomedical applications

Motivation: Tannic acid (TA) and Gallic acid (GA) are natural polyphenolic compounds belonging to the family of tannins, a subset of secondary metabolites that stands out due to their biological activity, including anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiviral activities [1,2]. Our group has developed TA nanoparticles with antitumor activity that can be selectively targeted to tumors, thereby reducing the undesirable side effects associated with chemotherapy [3].In this work we have broadened the scope of these promising nanoparticles by introducing GA in their formulation. Additionally, we have tackled the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on TA and GA. Methods and Results: The obtained nanostructures have been characterized by physicochemical techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman Spectroscopy, Tyndall Effect, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), UV-Visible and Infrared Spectroscopy.Our TA/GA nanoparticles have a hydrodynamic diameter of just 202 nm and a zeta potential of -34 mV. This is an improvement over the previously described TA nanoparticles. Their entrapment efficiency is very high (92.4 %). Moreover, we have simplified the synthesis by reducing the amount of coating polymer.In a different approach we have also synthesized MOFs using TA and GA as ligand and different metal cations (Fe2+, Fe3+ or Ni2+). They have different hydrodynamic diameters and shapes, and their crystallinity is being studied by X-Ray Diffraction.Conclusions: TA/GA nanoparticles have been obtained by using polymers Generally Recognized As Safe (or GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration. Their size has been optimized, so they are suitable for intravenous administration. With respect to the MOFs structures synthesized, their potential applications are more diverse (including, for example, catalytic processes) depending on their size, porosity and crystallinity

Electric organ discharge diversity in the genus Gymnotus: anatomo-functional groups and electrogenic mechanisms

Previous studies describe six factors accounting for interspecific diversity of electric organ discharge (EOD) waveforms in Gymnotus. At the cellular level, three factors determine the locally generated waveforms: (1) electrocyte geometry and channel repertoire; (2) the localization of synaptic contacts on electrocyte surfaces; and (3) electric activity of electromotor axons preceding the discharge of electrocytes. At the organismic level, three factors determine the integration of the EOD as a behavioral unit: (4) the distribution of different types of electrocytes and specialized passive tissue forming the electric organ (EO); (5) the neural mechanisms of electrocyte discharge coordination; and (6) post-effector mechanisms. Here, we reconfirm the importance of the first five of these factors based on comparative studies of a wider diversity of Gymnotus than previously investigated. Additionally, we report a hitherto unseen aspect of EOD diversity in Gymnotus. The central region of the EO (which has the largest weight on the conspecific-received field) usually exhibits a negative-positive-negative pattern where the delay between the early negative and positive peaks (determined by neural coordination mechanisms) matches the delay between the positive and late negative peaks (determined by electrocyte responsiveness). Because delays between peaks typically determine the peak power frequency, this matching implies a co-evolution of neural and myogenic coordination mechanisms in determining the spectral specificity of the intraspecific communication channel. Finally, we define four functional species groups based on EO/EOD structure. The first three exhibit a heterogeneous EO in which doubly innervated electrocytes are responsible for a main triphasic complex. Group I species exhibit a characteristic cephalic extension of the EO. Group II species exhibit an early positive component of putative neural origin, and strong EO auto-excitability. Group III species exhibit an early, slow, negative wave of abdominal origin, and variation in EO auto-excitability. Representatives of Group IV generate a unique waveform comprising a main positive peak followed by a small, load-dependent negative component

Un modelo Poissoniano para predecir la matriculación de vehículos en países europeos

En este artículo presentamos una modelización para la matriculación de vehículos en países de Europa mediante un proceso de Poisson Doblemente Estocástico con media aleatoria Normal truncada. Apoyándonos en trabajos previos acerca de este proceso, se amplía el estudio de características de éste. Asímismo, se hace una predicción de este proceso para los años 2000 y 2001

The interaction of 11Li with 208Pb

Background: 11Li is one of the most studied halo nuclei. The fusion of 11Li with 208Pb has been the subject of a number of theoretical studies with widely differing predictions, ranging over four orders of magnitude, for the fusion excitation function. Purpose: To measure the excitation function for the 11Li + 208Pb reaction. Methods: A stacked foil/degrader assembly of 208Pb targets was irradiated with a 11Li beam producing center of target beam energies from above barrier to near barrier energies (40 to 29 MeV). The intensity of the 11Li beam (chopped) was 1250 p/s and the beam on-target time was 34 hours. The alpha-decay of the stopped evaporation residues was detected in a alpha-detector array at each beam energy in the beam-off period (the beam was on for <= 5 ns and then off for 170 ns). Results: The 215At evaporation residues were associated with the fusion of 11Li with 208Pb. The 213,214At evaporation residues were formed by the breakup of 11Li into 9Li + 2n, with the 9Li fusing with 208Pb. The 214At evaporation residue appears to result from a "quasi-breakup" process. Conclusions: Most of 11Li + 208Pb interactions lead to breakup with a small fraction (<= 11%) leading to complete fusion.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figure

Novel types of anti-ecloud surfaces

In high power RF devices for space, secondary electron emission appears as the main parameter governing the multipactor effect and as well as the e-cloud in large accelerators. Critical experimental activities included development of coatings with low secondary electron emission yield (SEY) for steel (large accelerators) and aluminium (space applications). Coatings with surface roughness of high aspect ratio producing the so-call secondary emission suppression effect appear as the selected strategy. In this work a detailed study of the SEY of these technological coatings and also the experimental deposition methods (PVD and electrochemical) are presented. The coating-design approach selected for new low SEY coatings include rough metals (Ag, Au, Al), rough alloys (NEG), particulated and magnetized surfaces, and also graphene like coatings. It was found that surface roughness also mitigate the SEY deterioration due to aging processes.Comment: 4 pages, contribution to the Joint INFN-CERN-EuCARD-AccNet Workshop on Electron-Cloud Effects: ECLOUD'12; 5-9 Jun 2012, La Biodola, Isola d'Elba, Italy; CERN Yellow Report CERN-2013-002, pp.153-15

A basis for variational calculations in d dimensions

In this paper we derive expressions for matrix elements (\phi_i,H\phi_j) for the Hamiltonian H=-\Delta+\sum_q a(q)r^q in d > 1 dimensions. The basis functions in each angular momentum subspace are of the form phi_i(r)=r^{i+1+(t-d)/2}e^{-r^p/2}, i >= 0, p > 0, t > 0. The matrix elements are given in terms of the Gamma function for all d. The significance of the parameters t and p and scale s are discussed. Applications to a variety of potentials are presented, including potentials with singular repulsive terms of the form b/r^a, a,b > 0, perturbed Coulomb potentials -D/r + B r + Ar^2, and potentials with weak repulsive terms, such as -g r^2 + r^4, g > 0.Comment: 22 page