3,588 research outputs found
Multiple diffusion pathways in LixNi0.77Co0.14Al0.09O2 (NCA) Li-ion battery cathodes
Experimental evidence for the presence of two computationally theorised diffusion pathways, namely the oxygen dumbbell hop (ODH) and tetrahedral site hop (TSH), has been given for the first time by muon spin relaxation (”SR) on sub-stoichiometric LixNi0.77Co0.14Al0.09O2. ”SR has proven to be a powerful tool that is able to discriminate between diffusion pathways that occur on different timescales on a local level, where bulk electrochemical techniques cannot. Whereas the estimated values of DLi at lithium concentrations of 0.87 and 0.71 were found to be on the order of 10-11 by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, contributions to diffusion from ODH and TSH were determined to be on the order of 10-11 and 10-10 cm2 s-1, and a factor of four decrease in Ea for both samples, in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations on related compounds. Rietveld refinement of both X-ray and neutron diffraction data was also used to interrogate the local structure of the materials where no contribution from Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing was observed
Intergenerational change and familial aggregation of body mass index
The relationship between parental BMI and that of their adult offspring, when increased adiposity can become a clinical issue, is unknown. We investigated the intergenerational change in body mass index (BMI) distribution, and examined the sex-specific relationship
between parental and adult offspring BMI. Intergenerational
change in the distribution of adjusted BMI in 1,443
complete families (both parents and at least one offspring)
with 2,286 offspring (1,263 daughters and 1,023 sons) from
the west of Scotland, UK, was investigated using quantile
regression. Familial correlations were estimated from
linear mixed effects regression models. The distribution
of BMI showed little intergenerational change in the normal
range (\25 kg/m2), decreasing overweightness (25â
\30 kg/m2) and increasing obesity (C30 kg/m2). Median
BMI was static across generations in males and decreased
in females by 0.4 (95% CI: 0.0, 0.7) kg/m2; the 95th percentileincreased by 2.2 (1.1, 3.2) kg/m2 in males and 2.7
(1.4, 3.9) kg/m2 in females. Mothersâ BMI was more
strongly associated with daughtersâ BMI than was fathersâ
(correlation coefficient (95% CI): mothers 0.31 (0.27,
0.36), fathers 0.19 (0.14, 0.25); P = 0.001). Mothersâ and
fathersâ BMI were equally correlated with sonsâ BMI
(correlation coefficient: mothers 0.28 (0.22, 0.33), fathers
0.27 (0.22, 0.33). The increase in BMI between generations
was concentrated at the upper end of the distribution. This,
alongside the strong parent-offspring correlation, suggests that the increase in BMI is disproportionally greater among
offspring of heavier parents. Familial influences on BMI among middle-aged women appear significantly stronger from mothers than father
Secondary bacterial infections of buruli ulcer lesions before and after chemotherapy with streptomycin and rifampicin
Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans is a chronic necrotizing skin disease. It usually starts with a subcutaneous nodule or plaque containing large clusters of extracellular acid-fast bacilli. Surrounding tissue is destroyed by the cytotoxic macrolide toxin mycolactone produced by microcolonies of M. ulcerans. Skin covering the destroyed subcutaneous fat and soft tissue may eventually break down leading to the formation of large ulcers that progress, if untreated, over months and years. Here we have analyzed the bacterial flora of BU lesions of three different groups of patients before, during and after daily treatment with streptomycin and rifampicin for eight weeks (SR8) and determined drug resistance of the bacteria isolated from the lesions. Before SR8 treatment, more than 60% of the examined BU lesions were infected with other bacteria, with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most prominent ones. During treatment, 65% of all lesions were still infected, mainly with P. aeruginosa. After completion of SR8 treatment, still more than 75% of lesions clinically suspected to be infected were microbiologically confirmed as infected, mainly with P. aeruginosa or Proteus miriabilis. Drug susceptibility tests revealed especially for S. aureus a high frequency of resistance to the first line drugs used in Ghana. Our results show that secondary infection of BU lesions is common. This could lead to delayed healing and should therefore be further investigated
Does the number of free nicotine patches given to smokers calling a quitline influence quit rates: results from a quasi-experimental study
An Australian longitudinal pilot study examining health determinants of cardiac outcomes 12 months post percutaneous coronary intervention
Background
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a very common revascularisation procedure for coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiac outcomes, health related quality of life (HRQoL), resilience and adherence behaviours in patients who have undergone a PCI at two time points (6 and 12 months) following their procedure.
Methods
A longitudinal pilot study was conducted to observe the cardiac outcomes across a cohort of patients who had undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Participants who had undergone PCI 6 months prior were invited. Those participants who met the inclusion criteria and provided consent then completed a telephone survey (time point 1). These participants were then contacted 6 months later (i.e. 12 months post-intervention, time point 2) and the measures were repeated.
Results
All patients (nâ=â51) were recorded as being alive at time point 1. The multiple model indicated that controlling for other factors, gender was significantly associated with a linear combination of outcome measures (pâ=â0.004). The effect was moderate in magnitude (partial-η2â=â0.303), where males performed significantly better than females 6 months after the PCI procedure physically and with mood. Follow-up univariate ANOVAs indicated that gender differences were grounded in the scale measuring depression (PHQ9) (pâ=â0.005) and the physical component score of the short form measuring HRQoL (SF12-PCS) (pâ=â0.003). Thirteen patients were lost to follow-up between time points 1 and 2. One patient was confirmed to have passed away. The pattern of correlations between outcome measures at time point 2 revealed statistically significant negative correlation between the PHQ instrument and the resilience scale (CD-RISC) (râ=â-0.611; pâ<â0.001); and the physical component score of the SF-12 instrument (râ=â-0.437; pâ=â0.054).
Conclusions
Men were performing better than women in the 6 months post-PCI, particularly in the areas of mood (depression) and physical health. This pilot results indicate gender-sensitive practices are recommended particularly up to 6 months post-PCI. Any gender differences observed at 6 month appear to disappear at 12 months post-PCI. Further research into the management of mood particularly for women post-PCI is warranted. A more detailed inquiry related to access/attendance to secondary prevention is also warranted
Controlling a magnetic Feshbach resonance with laser light
The capability to tune the strength of the elastic interparticle interaction
is crucial for many experiments with ultracold gases. Magnetic Feshbach
resonances are a tool widely used for this purpose, but future experiments
would benefit from additional flexibility such as spatial modulation of the
interaction strength on short length scales. Optical Feshbach resonances offer
this possibility in principle, but suffer from fast particle loss due to
light-induced inelastic collisions. Here we show that light near-resonant with
a molecular bound-to-bound transition can be used to shift the magnetic field
at which a magnetic Feshbach resonance occurs. This makes it possible to tune
the interaction strength with laser light and at the same time induce
considerably less loss than an optical Feshbach resonance would do
Switching of magnetic domains reveals evidence for spatially inhomogeneous superconductivity
The interplay of magnetic and charge fluctuations can lead to quantum phases
with exceptional electronic properties. A case in point is magnetically-driven
superconductivity, where magnetic correlations fundamentally affect the
underlying symmetry and generate new physical properties. The superconducting
wave-function in most known magnetic superconductors does not break
translational symmetry. However, it has been predicted that modulated triplet
p-wave superconductivity occurs in singlet d-wave superconductors with
spin-density wave (SDW) order. Here we report evidence for the presence of a
spatially inhomogeneous p-wave Cooper pair-density wave (PDW) in CeCoIn5. We
show that the SDW domains can be switched completely by a tiny change of the
magnetic field direction, which is naturally explained by the presence of
triplet superconductivity. Further, the Q-phase emerges in a common
magneto-superconducting quantum critical point. The Q-phase of CeCoIn5 thus
represents an example where spatially modulated superconductivity is associated
with SDW order
Clostridium: Transmission difficile?
Stephan Harbarth and Matthew Samore discuss the implications, and the limitations, of new research that might indicate that most Clostridium difficile cases are imported into hospitals
How does export compliance influence the internationalization of firms:Is it a thread or an opportunity?
Internationalization is a complex process, in which firms face various challenges that may lead to opportunities or threads. One of these challenges is export compliance. The objective of this paper is to disentangle the nature of export compliance and its function in international entrepreneurship. This study outlines a perspective on the export control system, discusses the most relative legislation, reveals the consequences of non-compliance and provides a case study and finally explains the function of export compliance in the international activities of firms
Direct Compression Behavior of Low- and High-Methoxylated Pectins
The objective of this study was to evaluate possible usefulness of pectins for direct compression of tablets. The deformation behavior of pectin grades of different degree of methoxylation (DM), namely, 5%, 10%, 25%, 35%, 40%, 50%, and 60% were, examined in terms of yield pressures (YP) derived from Heckel profiles for both compression and decompression and measurements of elastic recovery after ejection. All pectin grades showed a high degree of elastic recovery. DM 60% exhibited most plastic deformation (YP 70.4Â MPa) whereas DM 5% (104.6Â MPa) and DM 10% (114.7Â MPa) least. However, DM 60% gave no coherent tablets, whereas tablet tensile strengths for DM 5% and DM 10% were comparable to Starch 1500Âź. Also, Heckel profiles were similar to Starch 1500Âź. For sieved fractions (180â250 and 90â125Â ÎŒm) of DM 25% and DM 40% originating from the very same batch, YPs were alike, indicating minor effects of particle size. These facts indicate that DM is important for the compaction behavior, and batch-to-batch variability should also be considered. Therefore, pectins of low degree of methoxylation may have a potential as direct compression excipients
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